Wednesday, November 27, 2019

A Critical Investigation of Work

A Critical Investigation of Work Overview The many roles and functions that people bears in life impose tough demands that require adequate time allotment, energy, and commitment for successful completion. Specifically, the demands placed on people by work-related roles have not only dramatically changed in modern times, but continues to exert immeasurable pressure on employees to perform for purposes of securing their careers on a long-term basis.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A Critical Investigation of Work-Life Conflict on Employee Performance Organizational Productive Capacities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Higgins (n.d.), the demands of the modern economic environment are so much interlinked with employees’ professional and personal lives to a point where it becomes almost impossible to draw a clear line between the two, hence leading to work-life conflict. The above situation is thought to enhance stress levels and health complications among employees, lowering their productive capacities and enhancing turnover and absenteeism. These undesirable outcomes are also thought to impact an organization’s profitability capacities. It is against this backdrop that this particular project aims to investigate the influence of work-life conflict on employee performance and organizational productive capacities. Variable Description According to Cohen et al (2007), â€Å"†¦an independent variable is an input variable, that which causes, in part or total, a particular outcome†¦A dependent variable, on the other hand, is the outcome variable, that which is caused, in total or in part, by the input† (p. 504). Based on this definition, work-life conflict is the independent variable, while dependent variables include employee performance and organizational productive capacities. As such, the present project aims to test the relationship between work-life conflict and two dependent variab les – employee performance and organizational productivity. According to Sekaran (2006), one dependent variable may be used to test the strength of another dependent variable or to map out the chain of interrelationships in cases where the researcher is faced with multiple dependent variables Variable Testing Since this project utilizes a quantitative research design, the influence of the independent variable on the dependent variables will be tested through manipulating the independent variable. Here, comparisons will be made on organizations which have put in place comprehensive work-life balance programs and other organizations that do not implement such programs, hence leading to work-life conflict. When the independent variable is manipulated by comparing the two sets of organizations, the measured outcomes in terms of underlying issues affecting employee performance and organizational productivity will become clear. This type of procedure best suits descriptive studies where the subjects are only measured once (Cohen et al, 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Alternatively, the independent variable can be manipulated by first evaluating the status of employee performance and organizational productivity in an organization that does not implement work-life balance programs. Afterwards, the researcher may attempt to introduce some work-life balance initiatives in an attempt to manipulate the independent variable, which is work-life conflict. A relationship will be confirmed if the dependent variables of employee performance and organizational commitment start to alter, either negatively or positively. According to Sekaran (2006), this procedure usually takes a lot of time, and is therefore preferred when the researcher is interested in longitudinal analysis. Project Hypotheses H1: There exists a positive correlation between emplo yee stress and burnout levels arising from work-related responsibilities and the organization’s ability to remain competitive in a changing and dynamic economic environment H2: Work-life balance programs are positively correlated to enhanced employee productivity, commitment, and image of the organization Literature Review Employees, in spite of their gender, have responsibilities, requirements, and personal lives outside of the workday. However, the volatile and dynamic economic environment coupled with shifting work demands have taken a toll on employees by necessitating them to become more involved in their paid employment than was previously the case (Nadeem Abbas, 2009). The long working hours and high work demands that are characteristic of today’s labor market have not only enhanced work-related stress and burnout levels on the part of employees, but have also made it tremendously difficult for employees to maintain adequate balance between their work responsib ilities and family-related commitments, resulting in work-life conflict. Higgins et al (n.d.) defines work-life conflict â€Å"†¦as a form of inter-role conflict in which work and family demands are mutually incompatible so that meeting demands in one domain makes it difficult to meet demands in the other† (p. 9).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A Critical Investigation of Work-Life Conflict on Employee Performance Organizational Productive Capacities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This result in tensions and stress due incompatible expectations, with available evidence pointing to the fact that employees suffer from a myriad of negative psychological, mental, and physical problems due to this form of role conflict and interference. Of particular relevance to this particular project is that work-life conflict occasions a multiplicity of undesirable outcomes which affects employees differently dependin g on the coping strategies that have been put in place. Equally, work-life conflict affects the productive capacities of an organization. According to Kreiner et al (2009), the development of concern about the need to develop policies and frameworks aimed to curtail work-life conflict arises from a recognition that the requirements and needs of non-work responsibilities and commitments have enormously grown in proportion to the needs and demands of non-work roles. Employees and organizations stand to gain immensely if efforts are purposely channeled to eliminate work-life conflict. A major study conducted in 2009 by Corporate Executive Board (CEB) revealed that absence of work-life conflict in work environments make employees to feel more rested, motivated, and energized while discharging their roles, both at work and home (Kisilevitz Bedington, 2009), not mentioning the fact that such an environment is known to enhance employee productivity, proficiency, fulfillment, and commitmen t to the ideals and objectives of the organization. At the organizational level, consecutive studies has linked the absence of work-life conflict to reduced employee absenteeism and turnover, enhanced organization’s image, employee loyalty, and a host of other outcomes that enhances the organization’s opportunities to regain and retain competitive advantage. More importantly, work-life conflict has negative health implications to employees and a costly financial dimension to organizations (Joshi et al, 2002). There is, therefore, a strong case to oblige organizations to come up with proper strategies and frameworks that will curtail or completely eliminate work-life conflict among their workforce. Reference List Cohen, L., Manion, L., Morrison, K.R.B. (2007). Research Methods in Education, 6th Ed. New York, NY: Routledge.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Higgins, C., Duxbury, L., Lyons, S. (n.d.). Reducing work-life conflict: What works? What doesn’t? Web. Joshi, S., Leichne, J., Melanson, K., Pruna, C., Sager, N., Story, C. J., Williams, K. (2002). Work-life balance: A case of social responsibility or corporate advantage. Web. Kisilevitz, M., Bedington, T. (2009). Managing work-life balance programs in a down economy. Benefits Compensation Digest, Vol. 46, Issue 12, p. 30-34. Kreiner, G. E., Hollensbe, E.C., Sheep, M.L. (2009). Balancing boarders and bridges: Negotiating the work-home interface via boundary work tactics. Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 52, Issue 4, p. 704-730. Retrieved from Business Source Premier Database. Nadeem, M.S., Abbas, Q. (2009). The impact of work-life conflict on job satisfaction of employees in Pakistan. International Journal of Business Management, Vol. 4, No. 5. Web. Sekaran, U. (2006). Research methods for business: A skill building approach, 4th Ed. Wiley-India.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Omnivore Definition and Examples

Omnivore Definition and Examples An omnivore is an organism that eats both animals and plants. An animal with such a diet is said to be omnivorous. An omnivore that youre probably pretty familiar with are humans- most humans (other than those who dont get any nutrition from animal products because of medical or ethical reasons) are omnivores. The Term Omnivore The word omnivore comes from the Latin words omni- meaning all- and vorare- meaning devour, or swallow. Therefore, omnivore means devours all in Latin. This is pretty accurate, as omnivores can get their food from a variety of sources. Food sources can include algae, plants, fungi, and animals.  Animals may be omnivorous their entire lives or just at specific stages of life. Advantages and Disadvantages of Being an Omnivore Omnivores have the advantage of being able to find food in a variety of places. Therefore, if one prey source diminishes, they can fairly easily switch to another one.  Some omnivores are also scavengers, meaning they feed on dead animals or plants, which further increases their food options. They do have to find their food- omnivores either wait for their food to pass by them or need to actively seek it out.  Since they have such a general diet, their means of getting food is not as specialized as carnivores or herbivores. For example, carnivores have sharp teeth for ripping and gripping prey and herbivores have flatter teeth adapted for grinding.  Omnivores may have a mix of both kinds of teeth- think of our molars and incisors as an example. A disadvantage for other marine life is that marine omnivores may be more likely to invade non-native habitats. This has cascading effects on native species, which may be preyed-upon or displaced by the invading omnivore. An example of this is the Asian shore crab which is native to countries in the Northwest Pacific Ocean but was transported to Europe and the U.S. where it is out-competing native species for food and habitat. Examples of Marine Omnivores Below are some examples of marine omnivores: Many crab species (including blue, ghost and Asian shore crabs)Horseshoe crabsLobsters (e.g. American lobster, spiny lobster)Some sea turtles- like Olive ridley and flatback turtles- are omnivores. Green turtles are herbivores as adults, but omnivores as hatchlings. Loggerhead turtles are carnivores as adults but omnivores as hatchlingsCommon perwinkle: These small snails feed mostly on algae but may also eat small animals (like barnacle larvae)Some types of zooplanktonSharks are generally carnivores, although the whale shark and basking shark may be considered omnivores, as they are filter feeders that eat plankton. As they mow through the ocean with their enormous mouths open, the plankton they consume may include both plants and animals. Using that line of reasoning, mussels and barnacles may be considered omnivores, since they filter small organisms (which may contain both phytoplankton and zooplankton) from the water Omnivores and Trophic Levels In the marine (and terrestrial) world, there are producers and consumers. Producers (or autotrophs) are organisms that make their own food. These organisms include plants, algae, and some types of bacteria. Producers are at the base of a food chain.  Consumers (heterotrophs) are organisms that need to consume other organisms to survive. All animals, including omnivores, are consumers.   In a food chain, there are trophic levels, which are the feeding levels of animals and plants. The first trophic level includes the producers, because they produce the food that fuels the rest of the food chain. The second trophic level includes the herbivores, which eat producers.  The third trophic level includes omnivores and carnivores. References and Further Information: Chiras, D.D. 1993. Biology: The Web of Life. West Publishing Company.Harper, D. Omnivorous. Online Etymology Dictionary. Accessed September 29, 2015.National Geographic. Autotroph.  Accessed September 29, 2015.The Oceanic Society. What Do Sea Turtles Eat? SEETurtles.org. Accessed September 29, 2015.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

An effective ways of calculating unemployment and types of it Essay

An effective ways of calculating unemployment and types of it - Essay Example Unemployment can be due to various reasons, some of which are, seasonal layoffs, racial discrimination, technological advancements and changes in the industries, fluctuations in economies, and lack of required skills by the worker. Seasonal layoffs occur in the field of agriculture. The increased focus on automation due to growing technology has also increased the level of unemployment. Unemployment in developing countries is usually caused urban migration that leads the industrial development required to employ these migrants. In developed industrial nations the main cause of unemployment is due to depressions and economic recessions. "The Great Depression brought massive impoverishment. At its depths in 1933, the unemployment rate skyrocketed to over 25 per cent, a dramatic increase from the unemployment rate of slightly over 4 per cent four years earlier" (Frager and Patrias 80). Different policies of unemployment are suggested by different schools of economic thought. For example, Monetarists believe that employment will increase in the long run if inflation is controlled and growth and investment is encouraged. Keynesians believe that emphasis should be given to smoothing business cycles by controlling aggregate demand. Frictional unemployment arises when a person is searching for a job after quitting one job. Generally when a person quits one job it requires some time before he gets another job. During this time he is said to be frictionally unemployed. The problem of frictional unemployment can be minimized with the creation of competent labor markets. If this is done the time period between shifting jobs is negligible. When an economy is developed frictional unemployment is reduced as the possibility of getting a job faster is high. When a person is not qualified enough to meet the requirements of his job structural unemployment arises. In simple words, when the marginal revenue earned by an employee is less than the minimum wage paid to the employee for the particular job, it gives rise to structural unemployment. The level of structural unemployment depends on a number of factors. Structural unemployment will be lower if the mobility of labor across different jobs is higher. It also depends on the structure of n industry and the growth rate of an economy. Classical unemployment is also known as real wage unemployment. When the equilibrium full employment level falls below the wages, it gives rise to classical unemployment. In a situation where classical unemployment exists the wages are not flexible downwards, this implies that unemployment will persist for a longer time. Therefore, such wages should be set in the trade unions with manipulations. Cyclical unemployment is also called demand deficient unemployment. Cyclical unemployment takes place when the demand of workforce by the economy is low. Keynesian economists believe that this type of unemployment takes place because of disequilibrium in the economy. The name cyclical unemployment comes from the fact that this unemployment moves with the trade cycle. When the economy is in boom the demand for labor increases, and when there is an economic crisis or recession the demand for la

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Earned Value Management in Multi-Projects and Programmes Essay

Earned Value Management in Multi-Projects and Programmes - Essay Example The paper will analyse earned value management by discussing three major objectives. The first will be describing the most important factors that should be considered when monitoring and controlling programs and multi-projects. The other will be to explain the advantages of implementing Earned value management for these programs and multi-projects. Finally yet importantly will be to establish the significance of earned value management data accuracy. There are five major factors that are considered by an earned value management technique. The first is organisation: It involves creating a work breakdown structure (WBS). The WBS is supposed to detail down all activities, to describe the task to be carried out, and the relationship it has to the products that can be delivered (Humphreys & Visitacion, 2009). In organisation, there is also the OBS, which refers to the organization breakdown structure. It is responsible for identifying the person in charge of the work effort described by the WBS. Both the WBS and the OBS define a control account. It means that at this level is where the key management control point is found. Planning, budgeting, and scheduling makes up the second group that an earned value management considers. An integrated schedule is what creates the contractors map to meet their objectives in a program of multi-project they are responsible for (Humphreys & Visitacion, 2009). The schedule has to be loaded with resources so that it can determine an effective budget as scheduled. The total budget created for every task, control account, or the whole project is known as the budget at complete (BAC). Management reserve (MR) is a backup of the total project amount that is incorporated to take care of the uncertainties that may occur, such as risks. Work should only begin when a formal work authorization has been offered. The disciplined approach clearly defines

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Interoperability Essay Example for Free

Interoperability Essay Interoperability has been described as the extent in which systems and devices can exchange data and translate that shared information. It is the ability of one system to perform work in addition with other systems without asking for too much hard work from the other users. This system enhances the importance for information technology to make the networks and integrations work. In order for the process to function properly the two systems that are attempting to share information must be able to exchange data and introduce that same information to other users in a way that he or she can understand it. There are many organizations in the business world and many have different operating systems. The importance of interoperability in this aspect is to allow each organization to share important information amongst one another. An example would be if an organization such as Child Protective Services (CPS) wanted to share client information with another Protective Services agency regarding a client both organizations should be able to exchange and translate information amongst coordinating organizations. Child Protective Services Child Protective Services (CPS) is known as major department with the Department of Human Services. CPS supports and maintains the social and economic welfare of children by offering services to children to help protect them from abuse and/or child neglect. The Department of Humans Services in California offers CPS to families. CPS serves as mandated reports as well as an organization to protect children from neglect or abuse within the home, from his or her family, foster home or anyone responsible for the care of the child. The services of CPS are to provide protection to the children, provide resources to enable to child to remain residing in the home under safe and harmless circumstances. Also to remove abused or neglected children from the home and to possibly terminate any parental or guardian rights to ensure that the child will be eliminated from any potential danger or harm. The basic constituent of the process include: providing any and all services to minimize potential harm to children and provide resources to families to help them protect and provide appropriate care to his or her child. Next, is to provide the best services possible to meet each child and families unique needs. Last, taking each allegation  made seriously and assessing the allegations to the best of one’s ability to ensure that if there is any form of abuse or neglect the necessary steps occur in order to protect the child. The services of CPS are to intervene if necessary and protect children until his or her parent is capable to doing so. The most essential aspect of CPS is to recognize the protection of children and to ensure that reasonable efforts are made to maintain children safely in their own home, to reunite the family as soon as the courts see fit or to find permanency for the child if the situation permits for the parental rights to be voided. Other services inc lude mental health, counseling, parenting skills training, medical care/services and adoption services. Methods of Interoperability There are several different methods to implement interoperability. Many organizations have created their own interoperability methods. One of the methods of interoperability is technical interoperability, which is the ability for different technologies to communicate and exchange data-based upon well-defined interface standards. The second is semantic interoperability, which is the ability to each endpoint to communicate data and have the receiving party understand the message in the sense intended by the sending party. The third is policy interoperability, which is the common business policies and processes related to the transmission, receipt and acceptance of data between systems, which a legal framework supports. Advantages and Disadvantages Conclusion Interoperability has been described as the extent in which systems and devices can exchange data and translate that shared information. Interoperability has many advantages and disadvantages. The goal of CPS is to find avenues to execute full backups bi-weekly and this process will be complemented daily. This organization will also implement an extended back up program monthly.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Genetic Disorders :: essays research papers

Each year a number of children are born with biological defects that impair normal function. For THREE of the following conditions, discuss such aspects as the biological cause, the methods of treatment and possible means of detection and/or prevention.One lethal disorder inherited as a recessive allele is Tay-Sachs disease. This is caused by a dysfunctional enzyme that fails to break down brain lipids of a certain class. The symptoms usually become manifest a few months after birth. Some symptoms are seizures, blindness and degeneration of motor and mental performance. Death is the result of this disease, in children. With Tay-Sachs disease, the brain cells of a baby are unable to metabolize gangliosides, a type of lipid, because a crucial enzyme does not work properly. As the lipids accumulate in the brain, the brain cells gradually cease to function normally. Only children who inherit two copies of the Tay-Sachs allele qualifies as a recessive. At the biochemical level, we observe an intermediate phenotype characteristic of incomplete dominance: The enzyme deficiency that causes Tay Sachs disease can be detected in heterozygotes, who have an activity level of the lipid-metabolizing enzyme that is intermediate between individuals homozygous for the normal allele and individuals with Tay-Sachs disease. Heterozygotes lack symptoms of the disease, apparently because half the normal amount of functional enzyme is sufficient to prevent lipid accumulation in the brain. In fact, heterozygous individuals produce equal numbers of normal and dysfunctional enzyme molecules. At the molecular level, the normal allele and the Tay-Sachs allele are codominant. Sickle-cell disease is caused by the substitution of a single amino acid in the hemoglobin protein of red blood cells. When the oxygen content of an affected individual’s blood is low, the sickle-cell hemoglobin deforms the red cells to a sickle shape. Sickling of the cells, in turn, can lead to other symptoms. The multiple effects of a double dose of the sickle-cell allele exemplify pleiotropy, which is the ability of a gene to affect an organism in many ways. Regular blood transfusions could be used to ward off brain damage in children with sickle-cell disease. Heterozygotes with the sickle-cell allele may suffer some symptoms of the disease when there is a reduction of blood oxygen. Since the two alleles are codominant at the molecular level; both normal and abnormal hemoglobins are made. Only individuals who are homozygous for the sickle-cell allele suffer from the disease.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

What do you understand by the term ‘hegemony’?

Introduction This essay will consider the meaning of the term ‘hegemony’. It will weave personal interpretation with the academic literature, concentrating on Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony. Hegemony arguably originated with the Ancient Greek conception of political and military dominance (hegemonia means ‘leadership’ and ‘rule’) (Chernow and Vallasi 1994: 1215). According to the traditional conception of hegemony the ‘ruler’ (hegemon) imposes its will upon subordinate states through the exercise or threat of military power, which is then translated into political dominance (Antoniades 2008). In the modern world, this kind of hegemony has largely disappeared. The mechanisms of control now operate in civil society in more subtle forms, such as politics, ideology, and the media. This essay will discuss some interpretation of hegemony and how they relate to contemporary capitalist society. Some scholars and political commentators, suc h as the former French Minister of Foreign Affairs Hubert Vedrine, believe that the United States is currently a global hegemon due to its widespread influence in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. However, as realist scholars such as Mearsheimer and Nye point out, the United States has never established a system of governance in these regions (Nye 1993). This political and military hegemony has largely disappeared. In its place one might say that there is a kind of ‘cultural hegemony’. This concept was theorised in the early 19th century by the Marxist philosopher Antonio Gramsci, who argued that the capitalist state was divided into two spheres, the ‘political society’, which rules through the use of force, and the ‘civil society’, which rules through popular consent. The latter is the public realm in which people, groups, trade unions and political parties interact. In this sphere, the ruling elite reproduce their ideology in popular cu lture and thus ‘manufacture consent’ for the bourgeois domination of the proletariat (Simon 1990). Domination is not imposed by force, but rather is adopted unwittingly and under the pretense of ordinary cultural development (Simon 1990; Bullock and Trombley 1999). This theory was adapted from Marx’s analysis of the socio-economic class system (another example of a hegemonic theory), and in a sense is part of a larger set of theories hypothesising that culture, ethics, and norms arise through what Bernard Mandeville called ‘the artifice of politicians’, although Gramsci placed greater emphasis on intellectuals. Indeed, it might be fitting to suggest that scholars such as Anderson and Hobsbawm, who spoke of ‘imagined communities’ and ‘invented traditions’, respectively, are also working within an intellectual framework of cultural hegemony. However, it is important to note that these theories do not describe an exploitative, alienating relationship in the same way as cultural hegemony does. Both Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony and the modernist theories of nation are accurate in their analysis. Whether in the form of informal social and moral traditions transmitted from parent to child, or more structured systems conveyed through instruments such religion and law, culture is a means for the elite to control and manipulate the masses. As modernist anthropologists argue, patriotism is a particularly potent hegemonic force. Created in its present form in the 18th century by the state, today it provides justification for the foreign conflicts of the bourgeoisie. George Bush’s rhetoric related to the Iraq War (2003 – 2011) employed subjective concepts of the ‘enemy’, as well as identity terms such as ‘them’ and ‘us’, linguistic and cultural constructs designed to win over the American population. Contemporary democracy is one of the clearest f orms of cultural and political hegemony. It is an idealised political type, inculcated in the civil domain since the enlightenment, and now ‘perfected’ through universal suffrage. In Britain, politicians are almost exclusively from the middle class (usually educated at Oxford or Cambridge). Western liberal democracy is presented by the bourgeois state, operating in the civil realm, as the only viable political system. Thus the entire population willing participates in a game in which the middle class is demonstrably dominant. Cultural hegemony can be seen with more clarity by looking at contemporary capitalist media. In many cases, the International News Agencies, such as Thomson Reuters, the Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse, control the information consumed by the public from start to finish. For example, in the coverage of the Egyptian Revolution, they commissioned the citizen-journalists who captured the news and then edited the copy that was distributed to clients, all of whom operated under contracts (Macgregor 2013). As Macgregor (2013: 35) argues, the coverage of ‘any major incident in the world originates as often than not in the words, photos, audio, and raw film footage coming from three main international agencies’. The American ‘televangelist’ movement, which is broadcast on channels such as the Trinity Broadcasting Network and The God Channel (featuring popular sensations like Joel Osteen), have been effective in propagating the religious ideals of a select few to a wider population. In this way, the state can feed the population the kind of information that supports its own cultural agenda. The best examples of this, of course, come from the pages of history, as in when the Nazi regime launched a calculated propaganda campaign through posters, the development of the ‘Hitler Youth’, and other devices to convince the people of Germany to support the persecution of the Jews. It can be arg ued that in postmodern society, which is somewhat apathetic and cynical with regard to bourgeois cultural grade narratives, hegemony is less dominant. However, even here hegemonic capitalist consumerism has taken hold. The products produced by firms such as Google, Apple, and Nike provide the cultural pabulum for the people, who are controlled to an extent by corporations. The meaning of the term hegemony is really a matter of interpretation. Cultural hegemony of the Gramscian type can clearly be seen in contemporary society. Some of it manifestations are centuries old, such as patriotism and religion, while others, such as consumerism, are relatively (but not entirely) unique to modern capitalism. Ultimately, hegemony has a variety of meanings, perhaps even one for every set of social, political and cultural instruments of control. Reference list: Antoniades, A (2008) From ‘Theories of Hegemony’ to ‘Hegemony Analysis’ in International Relations Bullock, A. and Trombley, S. (1999) The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought (3rd ed.) Chernow, B. A. and Vallasi, G. A. eds. (1994) The Columbia Encyclopedia (Fifth ed.). New York: Columbia University Press Simon, R. (1990) Gramsci’s Political Thought: An Introduction, London: Lawrence & Wishart Ltd Macgregor, P. (2013) International News Agencies: Global eyes that never blink, chapter in Journalism: New Challenges (ed. Fowler-Watt, K. and Allan, S.) Centre for Journalism & Communication Research, Bournemouth University: pp. 35-63 http://microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk/cjcr/files/2013/10/JNC-2013-Chapter-3-MacGregor.pdf [Retrieved 21/02/2014] Nye, J. S. (1993) Understanding International Conflicts: An introduction to Theory and History. New York: HarperCollins

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Orwell’s Rules for Good Language Essay

Good written and verbal language is essential for effective communication. Writing in 1946, George Orwell points to several problems with the contemporary use of English. In his estimation, these problems lead to meaningless utterances that are unclear and imprecise. Orwell provides several suggestions for improving the use of English: avoid metaphors and over-used figures of speech, use short words in the place of long words, cut out unnecessary words, use the active voice, avoid the use of jargon by using words from everyday English, and break the rules if following them will create a statement lacking in sophistication. These suggestions can be used as a measuring stick to gauge different author’s use of the English language. The writings of three authors were analyzed using Orwell’s suggestions as a guideline, and it was found that Cuthbertson and Bush violate the principles of good English while Lutz actively campaigns for the use of clear, precise English. In â€Å"From the Right,† Mike Cuthbertson violates many of Orwell’s rules; and as a result, the writing lacks clarity, and the imagery is not vivid. Take for instance the following sentence: â€Å"To accomplish this, I full well knew that some concessions to my gardener wife would be necessary. † In this sentence, the author has some unnecessary words (â€Å"full well†) and uses a passive construction at the end of the sentence. This sentence could be more precise with the implementation of Orwell’s rules: â€Å"To accomplish this, I knew that I must make concessions to my gardener wife. † Another example of Cuthbertson’s use of the passive voice appears in the following sentence: â€Å"So rural was the area that I actually attended a one-room school house for grades one and two (no kindergarten, then) before a brand new amalgamated school was built in the village and all the area kids were bused to it. † Later in the passage, Cuthbertson uses a long, relatively uncommon word when a shorter, more frequently used word would convey his meaning just as well: â€Å"magnanimously proposed† could be replaced with â€Å"selflessly proposed. † Throughout the passage, Cuthbertson uses figures of speech that have been so over-used they have lost their punch: â€Å"under the watchful eye,† â€Å"to earn our keep,† â€Å"at that tender age,† â€Å"the fairer sex,† â€Å"my better half,† â€Å"to keep my ego firmly in check,† â€Å"to lose myself in a good novel,† and â€Å"been put in my place. † To be fair to Cuthbertson, it should be noted that he appears to have used this style of writing to serve a literary purpose, namely the evocation of his childhood years spent in a farming community and the lessons that continue to be felt in his married life. However, the author’s passive voice and over-used figures of speech detract from the imagery he seems to want to create in the reader’s mind. His communication would have been much more effective if he had created new ways of describing his situation. Alastair McKie’s compilation some of George W. Bush’s statements contains some glaring examples of poor English. Not only does Bush violate Orwell’s suggestions for good English, he appears to be incapable of constructing proper sentences and using words correctly. For example, Bush repeats a made-up word, â€Å"misunderestimated,† three times in one paragraph. In another paragraph, Bush remarks that â€Å"ticket counters and airplanes will fly. † Flying ticket counters would certainly be a remarkable occurrence! While the flying ticket counters remark is humorous, other of Bush’s statements are just confusing. Take for example, â€Å"We are fully committed to working with both sides to bring the level of terror down to an acceptable level for both. † If the United States and its allies are one side of the war on terror and the other side are the terrorists, is Bush saying that he is willing to work with the country of which he is president? Shouldn’t that go without saying? Bush, or at the very least his speechwriters, would have greatly benefited from reading Orwell’s essay, the following sentence in particular: â€Å"Probably it is better to put off using words as long as possible and get one’s meaning as clear as one can through pictures and sensations. † If Bush had a clear idea of what he wanted to say, maybe he would be better at saying it. Orwell has a further suggestion that could help Bush on his way to becoming a clear thinker who uses rhetoric more effectively. For Orwell, improvements in these areas will lead towards political improvements: â€Å"If one gets rid of these habits one can think more clearly, and to think clearly is a necessary first step toward political regeneration. † In contrast, George Orwell would have greatly admired William Lutz. Lutz spent sixteen years collecting examples of double-speak which he then compiled into a book. Some of these examples are euphemisms for the most horrid things: â€Å"dehired† and â€Å"non-retained† (i. e. fired) and â€Å"negative patient care outcome† (i. e. death following a medical procedure). These euphemisms are similar in function to those, mentioned by Orwell, intended to mask indescribable horrors of war or to rationalize abhorrent behavior. Others of Lutz’s examples are needlessly complicated phrasings of simple concepts: â€Å"Exit access is that part of a means of egress that leads to an entrance or an exit. † All those words simply indicate a way of accessing a door or window. Still other examples are merely funny: â€Å"occasional protein spill† (i. e. vomit) and â€Å"television with non-multicolor capability† (i. e. a black and white television). These examples are similar to those cited by Orwell when he speaks of the relationship between euphemisms and insincerity. He finds that when writers are insincere, they cloak their real feelings in lofty, verbose language. One hopes that with Lutz’s drawing attention to the sheer amount of doublespeak that exists in our world, people will become more aware of how empty it is and stop using it. In conclusion, Cuthbertson and Bush violate the principles of good English while Lutz actively campaigns for the use of clear, precise English. These three examples come from different genres: autobiography, speech, and non-fiction. As such, they provide evidence for the importance of good English as a communication tool in all areas of life. Orwell’s principles are effective guidelines to follow in any means of communication. After all, it is important to be clear, concise, and precise when communicating with others.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Example Business Proposal As Effort to Obtain Growth Captial †Business Paper

Example Business Proposal As Effort to Obtain Growth Captial – Business Paper Free Online Research Papers Example Business Proposal As Effort to Obtain Growth Captial Business Paper Thank you for your interest and granting me an exploratory meeting. In the meeting I was asked several questions. Below are the questions asked and a clarifying answer. It is our interest to continue forward in speaking with you in what may become a beneficial business agreement for all parties concerned. 1.Why is investing in Antique Properties a solid idea? We are a proven entity. We are the largest advertiser of historic properties on the inter net; with a national account currently worth $36,000 a year and numerous smaller accounts. We come with solid credentials, references and resumes. Probably most important, is what we are not, an idea on a piece of paper. 2. How is money made on the Internet? Money is made by impressions; click throughs, paid referrals, and the selling of merchandise, service, and information. Money is also made indirectly by name recognition i.e. Doritos’s creates a great game to play for free at their website. People of all ages play the games and Doritos get great name recognition. 3. How does Antique Properties LLC Make Money? Our expenses and revenues are proportionally tied together. We generate revenues by selling ad space to agents, agencies, corporations, and homeowners on our website. Pricing is $39.95 per listing per month, $149.95 per office, per month, unlimited listings. We have association discounts and a corporate rate, where we allow corporations to advertise their property listings for free on our website and charge them a $1.00 per referral that we forward to them. Currently we have a corporate account that will pay us up to $3000 per month for referrals. Summary of where revenues come from. 1. Ads paid per listing, per month 2. Or $1.00 per referral sent to our corporate account 3. Renewals Our immediate goals 1. Generate 3000 referrals per month 2. Additional monthly listing to create a renewal base 3. New business. 4. Publish Restoring a Treasure Magazine in April of this year. (Please see details below) We are currently exploring an additional revenue source. By the end of this month we will be testing a referral fee method of payment with a large agency in Massachusetts. We get paid if the referral we send to them buys a property through their agency or an agency they referred the business to. It does not have to be the same property they saw at our website. Example, they sell $1,000,000 in Realestate to buyers we referred to them. A 5% commission is paid=$50,000 commission. If it is all co-brokered the agency receives $25,000; antiquerealestate.com’s commission would be %25 of that figure. 4. How do we obtain our Immediate Goals? Operations? How do we get to three thousands referrals? We have already hit a milestone of over 250,000 hits per month. Hits are important because it tells us that unique visitors that show up at our website are staying and flipping through our pages, a unique visitor is someone who has not come to our website within 30 days. A. Increase unique visitors to our website and increase the number of property listings posted at our website. We average around 2000 unique visitors per month and have approximately 500 listings. We know that we can spend a fixed amount on advertising on the web and get a fixed number of individual click through/unique visitors to our website. A click through is when an individual searches the web finds our URL clicks on it and comes to our website. B. Spend 500 per month, with an average click through cost of .06 we can increase our unique visitor count to 10,000 Currently we have approximately 500 listings that produce approximately 100 referrals per month with approximately 2000 unique visitors viewing our website every 30 days. C. Increase the unique visitor count to 10,000, which in turn would increase our referral count to 500. D. Our national account has approximately 3000 listings they are uploading on our website over the next 3 months. That in turn will increase the referral count another six times to 3000. The scenario stated above creates $3000 in revenues from our national account. It would also generate additional leads to our homeowners, agent and agency accounts thus making renewals a revenue source we can count on. New business and renewals have been averaging approximately 500 per month. New business. This is just the beginning. Lets go back to the paragraph on how one makes money on the Internet. All of those options are available to us, impressions, click through, selling information†¦ We are planning to implement a resource page of contractors related to restoration fields such as architects, lenders, lawyers all of which would pay to advertise on our website resource page. Already, Lendingtree.com has contacted us as well as several attorneys who work in the tax credit business. Restoring a Treasure Magazine is designed to promote the website and to give our company a â€Å"Brick and Mortar feel to it† Potentially 1.8 million people will see or read our publication and 1% or 18,000 of our readers will visit our website. The magazine project is completed and we are selling ad space. It is a quarterly magazine with 600,000 in distribution. We have contacted by mail and phone over 500 possible advertisers across the country. That list has been narrowed to approximately 60 who have shown interest. Our goal is to go to print in April and distributed in early May. Approximate cost is $50,000 for printing and $40,000 for insertion into regional county newspapers. Potential revenues are $120,000 per issue. Operations 1. We will expand our telemarketing program to reach the real estate agents who have older properties to sell. 40hrs per month at a cost of $25 per hour will be dedicated to this effort, a $1000 expense. At a rate of one listing per hour at $40 per listing, this activity will generate $1,600 per month in revenue. We will increase this activity every month by 10 hours for the next twelve-month. This activity will be generating $6,400 per month by the end of the next twelve months. 2. Conduct targeted online marketing to increase our unique visitors to 10,000 monthly and total hits to 1,000,000+. Cost $500 per month. Revenues produced from this activity will be $3,000 per month. Based upon current proportional numbers. 10,000 unique visitors will generate 3,000 referrals to United Country, whom we are charging $1.00 per referral. It will also drive sales in our phone bank. 3. Phone Bank, for incoming cost is $1,500 per month. Revenues from this activity will be, 40 hrs per week, one sale per hour=160 sales per month at $40 per sale=$6,400 per month 4. In house sales for National Trust and ERA account will be $1,500 per month. 300 agents x 20% market penetration=60 agents listing one property at the association price of $25 per listing=$1,500 per month. We will see 10% market penetration growth every month for three months. 5. Web site development, to include; additional management reports, some misc. programming and additional web site searches. $3,000 will go to web development 6. A Resource button for related business to advertise by state, region, and nationally with the listings in the respected areas, this cost is included in the web site development cost. Revenues generated from this are undetermined at this time and have not been added on the income statement. (However, if we create 10 different categories such as lending institutions, construction companies, architects†¦etc and allow three advertisers/resources per category per state, at $10 per listing, that would generate 30 advertisers per state X $10 X 50 states=$15,000 in revenue.) 7. Referral based Commissions from test market study in Mass. The agent in MA would act as a clearinghouse for the referrals sent to him. His responsibility is to input the referral into the relocation network and distribute the referrals to the corresponding area agent involved in relocation referrals. He is also responsible for cutting the commission check to us. 8. Employment contract will include salary plus commission, bonus and health insurance. 9. Restoring a treasure magazine is a consortium of effort put forth by outsourcing to local contractors, (a list of those involved can be provided). Printing and shipping is conducted by Quebecor it is distributed through 600,000 local newspapers. 100,000 in and around the Boston, MA area, 100,000 in the Fairfield and New Haven County area, 100,000 Westchester, NY area, 100,000 in the Princeton, NJ area, 100,000 in the Philadelphia, PA area and 100,000 in the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland area. 5. What milestones need to be reached and what is the exit strategy? We are seeking a cash infusion of $150,000 at $25,000 increments at quarterly intervals for the next six quarters. The first $25,000 will be invested in January; additional quarterly investments will be contingent upon meeting the following Milestones. Although, the revenue projections stated above are realistic and based upon sound business projections, I have chosen to make the milestones based upon current business conditions. With increments in revenues also based upon conservative revenue calculations. 1. End of first 90-day period. Antique Properties LLC will have revenues of at least $3500 per month. Unique visitor count of at least 10,000. 2. End of 2nd 90-day period. Revenues of at least $5,500 per month will be reached 3. End of 3rd 90-day period. Revenues of at least $7,500 per month will be reached. 4. End of 4th 90-day period. Revenues of at least $9,500 per month will be reached. 5. End of 5th 90-day period. Revenues of at least $11,500 per month will be reached. 6. End of 6th 90-day period. Revenues of at least $13,500 per month will be reached. Exit strategy 3, four years from now, based upon the above stated milestones with similar growth over an additional 12 quarters would put revenues at approximately $34,000 per month. Minus out a supposed expense figured of $10,000 per month. 12 X $24,000= approximately $300,000 in annual profits. Using a basic valuation technique of five times profits = a company value of $1.5 million. 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Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to Sing Happy Birthday in Chinese

How to Sing Happy Birthday in Chinese The Happy Birthday Song has a strangely contested history. The tune was originally composed in the late 1800s by Patty and Mildred Hill, though the lyrics were not the same. In fact, the Hill sisters titled the song Good Morning To All. Somewhere along the way, the phrase happy birthday became associated with the melody. In 1935, the Summy Company registered a copyright for the Birthday Song. In 1988, Warner Music bought that copyright and has been making big bank ever since. Warner Music charged royalties for public performances of the Happy Birthday Song and appearances in film soundtracks. Only until 2016 did the popular song become public domain. In February 2016, a US federal judge closed a case ruling that Warner Music does not hold a valid copyright to the Happy Birthday Songs lyrics and melody. Now, the Birthday Song finally belongs to the public and is considered one of the most popular songs in the world. It has been translated into many languages, including Mandarin Chinese. Its an easy song to learn in Chinese since it is essentially just two phrases repeated over and over again.   Practice speaking the words to this song before singing them. This will ensure that you are learning the words with the proper tones. When singing in Mandarin Chinese, sometimes the tones are not clear given the melody of the song. Notes   Ã§ ¥  (zhà ¹) means wish or express good wishes. ç ¥ Ã¤ ½   (zhà ¹ nÇ ) means wishing you.   Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¦ ¨â€š (in traditional form) / Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¤ ¹  (simplified form) (kui là ¨) can be preceded by  other happy events  such as Christmas (è â€"è ªâ€¢Ã§ ¯â‚¬Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¦ ¨â€š / Ã¥Å" £Ã¨ ¯Å¾Ã¨Å â€šÃ¥ ¿ «Ã¤ ¹  / shà ¨ng dn jià © kui là ¨) or New Year (æâ€" °Ã¥ ¹ ´Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¦ ¨â€š / æâ€" °Ã¥ ¹ ´Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¤ ¹  / xÄ «n nin kui là ¨). Pinyin shÄ“ng rà ¬ kui là ¨zhà ¹ nÇ  shÄ“ng rà ¬ kui là ¨zhà ¹ nÇ  shÄ“ng rà ¬ kui là ¨zhà ¹ nÇ  shÄ“ng rà ¬ kui là ¨zhà ¹ nÇ  yÇ’ngyuÇŽn kui là ¨ Traditional Chinese Characters 生æâ€" ¥Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¦ ¨â€šÃ§ ¥ Ã¤ ½  Ã§â€Å¸Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¦ ¨â€šÃ§ ¥ Ã¤ ½  Ã§â€Å¸Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¦ ¨â€šÃ§ ¥ Ã¤ ½  Ã§â€Å¸Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¦ ¨â€šÃ§ ¥ Ã¤ ½  Ã¦ ° ¸Ã©   Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¦ ¨â€š Simplified Characters 生æâ€" ¥Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¤ ¹ Ã§ ¥ Ã¤ ½  Ã§â€Å¸Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¤ ¹ Ã§ ¥ Ã¤ ½  Ã§â€Å¸Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¤ ¹ Ã§ ¥ Ã¤ ½  Ã§â€Å¸Ã¦â€" ¥Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¤ ¹ Ã§ ¥ Ã¤ ½  Ã¦ ° ¸Ã¨ ¿Å"Ã¥ ¿ «Ã¤ ¹  English Translation Happy BirthdayWish to you happy birthdayWish to you happy birthdayWish to you happy birthdayWish to you happiness forever Hear the Song The melody of the song is the same as the birthday song in English. You can hear the Chinese version sung to you by the crooning Mando pop-star Jay Chou.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Accessory Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Accessory Report - Assignment Example As the brain behind the stall, the owner accounts how they derive their motivation from seeing smartly dressed and satisfied clients. The Glamour land boutique deals in a broad range of clothing merchandise. From men’s clothes to children’s shoes and ladies attires, they have stocked variety and brands to suit the entire household. However, the boutique specializes in lady’s clothes. To sum it up, the stall is a one-stop-shop for any woman who wants to buy all types of attire; dresses, skirts, tops, underwear, office suits, holiday wear and many others. The stall deals in classic trend. The kind of clothes and other related wares stocked in the boutique could last for several seasons and some for years. The products are also acceptable by many customers. Some customers declared that the boutique has been their choice for many years. The Glamour boutique, according to its customers, offers very competitive price. Most of its product are discounted so to attract and maintain their clients. Very few products had their price tags reading US$500. The general display is very alluring. Outfits are separated into categories, each category being placed in its section. Items are folded creatively to enhance engagement with the customers. In general, the Glamour boutique is very tidy and model. Not very far from the Glamour land boutique, has the City Paradise store stood. The owner eludes the Biblical paradise as the internal drive towards establishing the stall. The stall deals in assortment of ladies’ attires. Unlike the Glamour boutique, the City paradise store does not stock men and children clothes. The shop places a lot of emphasis on ladies’ tops, trousers and leather jackets. The stall deals in fad trends. Though highly fashionable apparels are stocked in the stall, most of them are designed to last for only one season or maybe less than a season. A

Friday, November 1, 2019

Fashion and Utopia-Ann-Sofie Back Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Fashion and Utopia-Ann-Sofie Back - Essay Example The essay "Fashion and Utopia-Ann-Sofie Back" analyzes the concept of the fashion by Ann-Sofie Back. The concept of fashion in Paris is no longer popular and this has essentially given rise to a genre of anti-fashion, which refers to the beginning of something new. The relationship between the â€Å"fashion-creator and imitator† is undergoing change and instead of the common people on the street following the designs of haute couture, the pattern is almost the reverse, fashion flows from the street to the â€Å"salons of haute couture† where the adoption and imitation take place. The public follows the fashion trend, which flows, from the characteristics defined by their sub-cultures. The avant-garde essence of fashion comes form the notion of â€Å"fashion beyond fashion† which creates fashion out of non-fashionable components. From 1980s onwards the period of fashion creators are coming to an end and the designers favor something, which lie outside the traditio nal fashion trends. This also implies that fashion no more creates or enhance the divide between economic classes or age groups and genders. In fact, â€Å"nothing could be more out of date than to clothe oneself as â€Å"woman†, as â€Å"man† or as â€Å"lady† . This avant-garde fashion is innovative and anti-idealistic in nature, which looks forward to give new shape to beauty and perfection. The modern avant-garde derives the basics from the old one especially in terms of going against the classical definition of fashion, popularized as haute couture.