Society and people Essay Example

Society and people Essay Twentieth century transformed the lives of the people and enabled them to look at themselves more closely in context to their relationship with the society and to themselves. Collaborative efforts of the individuals and the systematic approach of the society raised the waves of new hope, and aspirations producing new knowledge, new markets and new technologies, which in turn contributed towards shaping the human behavior. Humans are the products of millions of years of evolution and they have embroiled themselves in the complex social structure, which kept on changing with the change in time.   The technological and scientific development in the twentieth century shaped the sensibilities of the people displacing the old conventions towards the more positive and empiricist view of their lives towards the conscious area of unexplained motivation leading them towards the path of prosperity and development. Though there is no doubt of the fact that there is lot of influence of the structure of Society on the human thought and behavior but this issue is also not devoid of debates. The topic is a central issue of sociology, which discusses whether the structure of society determines the behavior of individual or is it vice versa. There is three theoretical reasoning to this and some theorists pose the view that as the social existence is determined by the structure of society, the professed agencies of in dividuals can be explained only when this social structure makes its movement. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2007). We will write a custom essay sample on Society and people specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Society and people specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Society and people specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer These theoretical systems joined to form structuralism, functionalism and Marxism, other theorists say that this is the ardent capacity of the individual agents that help to reconstruct and reshape the world. Some theorists adopt middle approach. They look at structure and agency as complimentary to each other-social structure influences humans and human’s influences social structures. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2007). In the twentieth century, technological, medical, social, ideological and political innovation changed the living style of the people altogether. The words like ideology,   genocide, nuclear war and world war got inscribed in the hearts of the people (Bernal, Alarid 2002). At one point of time, the humans depended on the larger scale on the nature and the goods provided by nature, but now with the inventions, the necesities of the humans have increased and their goal and pursuit itself took them towards the world of mechanizations. Labor performing manual tasks changed to highly sophisticated scientific mind, inventing and turning the machines to work for them. Every aspect of human life and personality changed in the twentieth century, and it was for the first time that any individual exerted its influence to change the course of history. The views of the Sceintists from across the world changed, when the discoveries were made on the theory of   relativity   and quantum physics. With this discovery they realized that, Universe is much more complex than what was believed previously.   (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2007). The every day enemies of traditional order and security –the decay of religious faith and moral values, the predominance of purely naturalistic view of the life and man, and last but not the least the change from common stability to the urban atomizing of soceity changed the whole perception and outlook of the human personality. Even the literature exerted a considerable influence on the Society. The whole literature spoke volumes of the predicament, the man was facing when he came face to face with comple te change in the social order. Novelistis through their inherent qualities of the whole genre shaped the individual through the complex, pragmatic and fluctuating mileu of the modern world. Writers through the modes and techniques, currents and cross currents of criticism highlighted the delimma faced by the man who were thrust numerous changes on its sole life style and societal prejudices and preceptions. The most important one was social or sociological criticism which took its inspiration from Marxism. Marxists critics not only study these relations between the literature and society, but also have clearly defined conceptions of what these relations should be, both in the present society and also in the future classless society. They tell us not only what were and are the social relations and implications of an author’s work but what they should have been or ought to be. They are not only the students of literature and society but prophets of the future, monitors and prop agandists and they have difficulty in keeping these two functions separate. The changes in the society also brought with it numerous changes in the social values which resulted from the social problems. The world saw the gradual disappearance of the ancient prejudice against theater going, a welcome relaxation of the censorship, a steady rise in the standard of judgement due to the spread of education, increasing margin of leisure in the life of ordinary men and women, a deepening conviction that a certain amount of recreation is the natural right of every human being. All these factors led to the popularity of theatre business which in turn delve upon the society and its behavorial patterns in exerting influence on Individualism.(Theater Museaum, Drama guided tour). In the twentieth century, Capitalism had the hey day which is a product of upheavals in the society as contradictory to feudal ages when lords owned the means of production and the serfs worked for them.   In capitalism, workers produced things which were sold in the market. In the beginning of this century itself, Paris emerged as the artistic capital of the world, where the French and Foreign writers, composers and visual artists gathered. Media, music and movies, also the products of the combined efforts of the society, changed the trends in fashion of all and sundry which spread like wild fire all over the world. Women too gained political rights in the United States and Europe and due to the invention of the birth control tehniques, women gained more independence. The 1990’ also saw the world that entered into the rooms through televisions and Internet, cutting across all the barriers and thus widenning scope of the youngsters to grow in their career path, and gave us the world in which we are living now. Man is born in the society and lives in the society and it is the society which empowers the human beings and shapes its destiny. Therefore in the recent past, Social Structure has shaped to the considerable degree the behavior of humans tow ards wider outllook of life and scope and brought the whole world together in one umbrella opening the scope for more and more of inter cultural interactions and of the individuals to change their destiny. This led to the individuals have more freedom, and Independence of thought and movements. Man is now not a slave of society’s perjudices, and has a free will to choose his career path and live the way he wants. Before twentieth century, the wave was moving towards the society’s predominance tendencies on Individual’s behaviour. Individual had to adopt towards   the soceity’s mannerism, thoughts and ideologies. For eg. the Victorian era between 1837 and 1901 was an age of rapid flux and baffling complexity. On one hand, it saw unprecedented growth and development whereas on the other hand, the moral values were forced upon the individuals. As regards sex, the Victorians were extremely prudish. Even a trivial impropriety of dress would send the Victorian Martinets into paroxysms of rage. They were very touchy about sex which they treated with a hush incommodiousness. Even now a days, when a teenager finds her father not very forward in letting her have her own way with her dates, she can be heard complaining, â€Å"Oh! I have a Victorian sort of people†.( Watson, 2002). Even too much drinking was also held culpabale in the Victorian era. In this age, the Darwinâ €™s evolutionary doctrine,which traced the descent of human beings from apes, gave a serious blow to Genesis and shook the Christian belief in the immortality of the human soul. ( Southgate, Negas 1999). Needless to say all this caused an Earthquack in the realm of contemporary thinking and brought many an adamant-build edifice tumbling on the ground. Some of the Victorians clung to the old faith and aspersed what they   called new fangled opinions, others went to the side of science and turned agnostic. The greatest effect of Victorian era is on Women. Society demanded women to place themselves in the domestic affairs. The goal of women was marriage, and like a racehorse she was groomed to attract suitable partner for courtship and marriage. She ought to be virtuous and intelligent and must know Italian and French, and should be innocent and dutiful. They were supposed to be weak and helpless, as a delicate flower who is not capable of taking right decisions. In high society, men kept both wives and mistresses, who were expected to be faithful. If women had lovers, they were not to be made public. Men though had independence but they were also not free from society’s prejudices, their behavior, mannerism was all dictated by the Society. (Thomas, Womans Place in  C19th  Victorian History). This year was marked by prudishness, repressive ness, narrow-mindedness and bourgeois materialism. The Society in Victorian age was divided into three classes: the Church and aristocracy, the middle class, and the working poorer class and each person had to remain in the confines of each class. In the top was aristocracy class, which included the Church and nobility and just had two percent of population and had royal family, lords spiritual and temporal, the clergy, and great officers of state. They were getting lot of privileges and avoided taxes. The middle class constituted factory owners, bankers, shopkeepers, merchants, lawyers, engineers, businessmen, traders, and other professionals. The remaining belonged to the working and labor class. There was division between the upper and lower class of the society.   Only the people belonged to the royal class had the right to rule. As said by Gerturde (1995) in his book, â€Å"The De-moralization Of Society: From Victorian Virtues to Modern Values†, the working class the less privileged and very poor class adopted the same moral standards as the middle and even the upper classes observed and this had result in more opportunities for the people in terms of their education, incomes and their rights. Crime rates also fell and urbanization and industrialization made England a more civil, appeasing, humane society. It is obvious that it is the humans that make a society and when the human notions and ideologies combine, they form society and then the society dictates. This had happened in our historical past, this has happened now and this will be happening in the near future. Individuals need security and the society provides security, therefore Individuals follow the cultural norms of their community. Every culture has their own standards, their own system of working, own cultural, social and political traits, which individual follows and in these traits, any Individuals’ growth depends. If in any society, there is one culture that dominates, then its values are considered as correct. This is what was happening in the Victorian age.   (Thomas, 2007) Even Marx, Engels and their camp followers were of the opinion that whenever there have been major changes in the forms and means of production, the institutions and ideas, values and patterns of thought undergo radical changes. What is good of one age becomes repelling and immoral in another. The ideas are class ideas and those at the helm of affairs impose their ideas upon others. The ideas do not grow in the vacuum. The Marxists fully believe that man can control the material world by producing the necessities of life, the methods of production change, which bring about changes in the social organization as well as ideas. I fully agree with this statement that in the recent past, the social structures largely shaped human behavior but now individuals have great opportunities to shape their own lives, individual of today can remarry, can perform inter-caste marriage, can work according to their own sweet will but here too it is only the society that has created the situation for the individuals to breathe in free air. It is the society, which is not confined to the enclosed boundaries of their own particular sect but it has reached global. We, human beings, are becoming conscious as free, inclusive, and egalitarian, but we still exist within the organization, that controls us and moulds us. These organizations are in the form of schools, religious, or other social institutions. The way we are living now and the way we used to live in the past have lot of differences and these differences have been generated from the society only.

Global Communications †Issue and Opportunity Identification

Global Communications – Issue and Opportunity Identification Free Online Research Papers Global Communications is faced with challenges as well as opportunities as it struggles to bounce back from falling stocks and competition. The company has been forced to make drastic decisions in order to survive in the telecommunications industry. For example, GC has partnered with a satellite provider to offer new products and services for customers. However, the most recent decision to outsource call centers to India and Ireland would create layoffs, and the plan has been scorned by the public and the Union. Employee morale is low and the Union is threatening to take legal action. Global Communications must explore alternatives, rebuild relationships, and improve organizational commitment in the hopes of succeeding. Situation Analysis Issue and Opportunity Identification Global Communications is faced with several challenges. These challenges include tough competition within the industry that has forced the company to rethink its business plans as consumers demand more advanced services. In an attempt to address the issues GC is faced with, GC has planned to outsource its call centers to India and Ireland allowing for a significant reduction in labor costs. Second, the company has partnered with a satellite company to provide additional products and services to customers. Third, GC plans to launch an international marketing campaign which plans to increase profits. The Union’s disapproval of the plan was not anticipated. Executives realized the decision would not be favored however, the Union’s threat for legal action was unexpected. The public’s opinion was greatly influenced by the lack of loyalty to employees and the apparent contract manipulation. Executives at Global Communications were presented with issues that required critical thinking to realize the opportunities they could achieve. â€Å"But vigilance and an understanding of how to manage decision-making groups and organizational constraints will improve the process and result in better decisions.† (Bateman, 2004, p.89). However, the decision making process was completely inadequate. Benchmarking research was limited, alternatives were not considered and risks were not taken into consideration. GC executives must now address the current issues GC is facing. These issues include: competition in the telecommunications industry, changes in technology, customer expectations, employee morale, company-union relations, and the image perceived by the public. By changing the strategy of decision-making, Global Communications can become a leader in the industry. Effective decision-making requires compiling alternative solutions together, many which can be generated by including employees in discussion sessions. Opportunities or challenges can be identified by talking to employees, customers, and other stakeholders. (Problem Solving Based Scenarios, n.d., p.4). Also, generic benchmarking, â€Å"looking beyond your own industry for the best practice† (Maul, n.d.,p.1), should provide new perspectives that would further identify alternatives. The idea is to generate as many alternative solutions as possible, eventually selecting the best alternative with the least rick involved. To regain profits, Global Communications must also develop strategies to increase organizational commitment. Announcing that lay-offs and pay decreases were likely to led to decreased employee morale and damaging company-union relationships, this would damage the company’s reputation. The Union has threatened legal action against Global Communications. To gain the trust back within the organization and the community, GC must improve communication within the company and involve the employees in the decision-making process. As morale increases, employees’ satisfaction of their jobs increases. Increased job satisfaction improves job performance, customer satisfaction and customer retention. Global Communications must also realize that the customer’s needs should determine the direction that they should take to succeed. GC cannot meet these needs alone however, exploring various options would prove beneficial. Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas Several stakeholders with various perspectives exist in the Global Communications scenario. While each group has its own perspectives, some conflicting interests, rights, and values must be evaluated. First, profitability for the company is a priority for several stakeholders, including executive management and potential GC partners. The need to be profitable may generate an ethical dilemma in relation to the needs of the Global Communications’ employees, particularly if lay-offs or pay decreases are necessary for profitability. Although company executives and employees agree that respect and fairness to others are important, the need for profitability may override those values. Second, partnerships for GC and its partners may be dependent on the reputation of each individual company. Third, each entity within the telecommunications industry realizes the competition for survival is threatening and the outcome of GC’s struggle to survive may define the entire industry. Problem Statement Advancements in technology and competition within the telecommunications industry have affected Global Communications. Stock values have dramatically decreased, customers have been dissatisfied with the services offered, employees have been threatened with layoffs and the company-union relationship has been negatively affected. GC must regain its image by developing new services in a global market. End-State Vision Global Communications will become an internationally competitive entity by providing advanced technologically services through partnerships, employee loyalty, and customer satisfaction. By responding to the needs of the stakeholders, GC will regain the profits it lost. Global Communications must respond to the immediate needs of the employees and Union by mending relationships. Secondly, the company must respond to the demands of customers for new and improved services. The most logical choice would be to form partnerships that will allow the company to provide services quickly and safely to consumers. Next, GC should expand its customer’s and increase the retention between established customers. Global Communications ultimate goal is global expansion within three years. As plans are implemented to rebuild broken relationships, improve customer service, increase customer retention, and become global, GC should begin to regain profitability it once had. Alternative Solutions Seldom exist a single best solution to any problem. Rather there are a set or range of alternatives, one or more of which may work. (Problem Solving Based Scenarios: An Approach to Identify Opportunities to Create Value for the Business, n.d., p.7). Through the information that was gathered through benchmarking research, Global Communications can explore a variety of solutions. The first proposed solution, GC’s initial approach to outsource call centers, has been selected by a number of companies as a means to reduce costs, including IBM and Honeywell. Both IBM and Honeywell have chosen to layoff and off-shoring. This approach does not address the stakeholder needs of the customers or employees. This solution alone does not meet the needs identified in the problem statement. Delta Airlines and Global Communications have faced many of the same issues, and Delta’s approach provides a multifaceted alternative solution, each aspect was in direct response to the needs of various stakeholders including employees, the union, customers and share holders. After filing Chapter 11, Delta recognized the need for organizational commitment, which â€Å"is higher in organizations that fulfill their obligations to employees and abide by humanitarian values, such as fairness, courtesy, forgiveness and moral integrity.† (McShane, 2005,p.128). Placing emphasis on the value of employee contribution, the company held informative meetings to include employee input, giving incentives or rewards to employees, and provided up front communication. Delta’s proposed merger with Northwest Airlines promises to make Delta a global airline and increase stock over 65% in four years while saving Delta’s company-union relationship. Global Communications can be a leader in the telecommunications industry by addressing the interests of each stakeholder like Delta did. Sears approached its decrease in market shares and profits by completely restructuring the company, beginning with a new CEO. With the need to improve internal leadership, processes, and performance, this huge undertaking requires a thorough understanding of â€Å"the real issues and opportunities from all perspectives.† (Problem Solving Based Scenarios, n.d., p.5). While this approach has unlimited value, the timelines for Global Communications must be considered. Analysis of Alternative Solutions Different solutions were evaluated against a set of weighted goals. The weight or importance of each goal was determined according to a scale of one to five; one being of low importance and five being of high importance. The probability of meeting each individual goal was rated on the scale thus, the best two or three alternatives were selected for further consideration. Two goals were rated as high importance because of the direct relationship with profitability. The direct relationship included increasing the customer base/retention and increasing the stock value. The next two goals, increasing customer satisfaction and maintaining positive feedback in employees’ surveys, were rated as medium to high importance. Success is represented by customer satisfaction. Finally, expanding the international customer base was rated as middle importance because the timeline for establishing a global presence is projected to take three years. When the alternative solutions were evaluated against the weighted goals, one primary solution received higher a rating which was forming global alliances/mergers. A second solution, investing in employees and negotiating with the Union, received a lower score; a combination of the two solutions as a secondary solution receives the highest score of all. Risk Assessment and Mitigation Techniques The risks associated with each solution appear to be controllable, with benefits outweighing the overall risks involved. These risks can be minimized by careful planning. Wakeam ( 2003) identifies the following three risks associated with forming global alliances/mergers. First, cross-cultural conflict arising from the affect of political, cultural and social forces can be significantly reduced by researching some best business practices for a particular location. The company must learn to pay attention to marketing and advertising. Secondly, the potential for different visions and metrics among partners may change the direction of the business therefore, leading to alliance failure. The risks can be reduced by developing shared metrics, mapping key executives to their alliance counterparts, and holding regular meetings. Third, the effect of uncontrollable economic trends within various markets can quickly change alliance profitability. A company can help protect itself from conseque nces by frequently monitoring the status of reports and watching for new risks that may occur. One key factor in Global Communications’ success would be investing in employees and negotiating with the Union. The company’s risks further damage of relationships if efforts are not successful. Employees lack of motivation, unrealistic goals and performance standards, unmet expectations for rewards/incentives, and the inability to reach agreements must be addressed by consistent communication. Placing emphasis on the value of employee input and stockholder needs are important. Optimal Solution Based on different solutions and the risk assessment, a comprehensive solution for Global Communications can be made to help the company address issues and realize opportunities. The decision to form global mergers has many benefits that will allow to GC to meet its goals. Establishing a global presence, improving and expanding services to consumers, expanding the customer base while saving retention and increasingly profitability are all goals GC has established to try to meet to become successful again. Investing in employees and negotiating with the Union will also meet the company’s end-stated goals, directly improving the relationship between the two. Implementation Plan The challenge for implementing the optimal solution requires commitment from management support and employee contribution. According to Bateman, implementation requires four steps that will help ensure this commitment: (1) define the necessary strategic tasks in a simple language; (2) evaluate the organization’s ability to implement those tasks; (3) develop implementation agenda; and (4) implement the plan while monitoring the progress being made. The tasks for implementation of GC’s solution have been indentified: introduction of new services; formation of global mergers; investment into the employees; and Union negotiation. Global Communications must realize four major challenges before implementation can begin. These challenges include: â€Å"(1) the organizational immune system, (2) numerous complex variables, (3) the interconnectedness of elements affecting change, and (4) the need to change everything at once.† (Kotelnikov, 2008). Effective implementation may be limited by the organizational immune system or complex variables such as technology and organizational arrangements. Any change can create a ripple effect within the organization because of interconnected nature of organizational elements. The desired outcome can only be reached by making changes within overlapping issues. The plan for Global Communications will be guided by a committee whose members include executive management and middle management. This committee is responsible for the various aspects of implementation, picking team leaders and members, and determining the extent of decision-making to be assigned to each team leader. During the first month the committee should develop a new vision statement for the company and select team leaders and members. All disruptions in implementing should be reported to the committee. The first strategic task, the introduction of new products and services to meet consumer demands will be addressed by the Customer Response team. The team leader should be someone who is trusted and well-respected. The team members should include various performers with customer experience. The team should research customer’s needs, identify customer service issues and opportunities, and conduct benchmarking research for addressing the findings. Initial findings should be reported to the committee within the first three months. The second task which is forming alliances/mergers’ will be assigned to a new Strategic Alliance Team. They will identify potential partners who can share GC’s vision and provide services to the customer’s needs. The team should identify best practices within the industry for the merger’s to make recommendations as needed. Team members should be familiar with Global Communications’ financial status. Any recommendation should be submitted to the committee within six months. The next task would be to invest in the employees. Creating a successful Employee Incentive Program (EIP) according to best practice standards would be beneficial to the employees. The EIP director will evaluate incentive/reward options according to the benchmarking research that was conducted. Some options include stock distribution, pay for performance, or skill pay for cross-training. The overall program should focus on alignment with Global Communications’ vision and establishing feedback through communication. All EIP activities should be approved by the committee. The last task is to negotiate with the Union. Communication between the EIP director and Union representatives is essential for issues to be resolved in a timely manner. The EIP director does not have the authority in such matters. However, the EIP director should report any outstanding issues to the executive management team. Management and the EIP director both need to be present at every Union meeting. Evaluation of Results Global Communications’ strategy to turn the company around within a three year period will be evaluated using specific metrics and targets as related to each end-state goal that was previously discussed. First, GC will watch stock value as a metric for overall profitability. Stock values have decreased by half and the company expects to increase stock value by 25-35% annually, thus allowing for a projected three-year recovery time frame. Second, GC expects customer’s to be satisfied therefore, satisfaction scores should improve annually by 5-10% as services are expanded through alliances. Third, as the demands of customers are met GC anticipates a 15-25% annual customer base increase and a 5-8% annual customer retention improvement. Fourth, as Global Communications improves the relations with the Union and employees, the company should exceed expectations in 75-85% of annual morale and job satisfaction surveys. Finally, the percentage of international customers within t he customer base should increase to 25-35% within the three years. The metrics chosen for each end state goal are derived mainly from existing reports. Using a new measuring system for evaluation is not recommended. These metrics do not take into account uncontrollable economic, organizational, or social variables. The assumption is made that the implementation process for all solutions will be a success. Failure to meet these expectations should be evaluated by management. Conclusion The challenges for Global Communications’ are clearly defined. The company must make informed decisions to ensure survival in a competitive market. Global Communications must restructure services by entering into mutually beneficial partnerships. This will allow for expansion of its customers’ base. GC can then start to focus on becoming internationally competitive industry by exploring alternative solutions as they are developed. The company must also restore broken relationships with employees and re-build its reputation. With the understanding that integrity is of most importance, this will help ensure success in the industry. In addition, Global Communications must determine to build organizational commitment to increase job satisfaction, employee performance, increase morale, and customer satisfaction and retention. References Bateman, T., Snell, S. (2004). Management: The new competitive landscape. (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Kotelnikov, V. (2008). Strategy implementation: Factors impeding strategy implementation. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from University of Phoenix, ProQuest database. Maul, J. (2006). Generic benchmarking: For solving problems†¦and for life. Retrieved May 29, 2009, from University of Phoenix, rEsource. MMPBL500. Foundations Of problem-based learning website. McShane, S. (2005). Workplace emotions and attitudes. Organizational behavior: Emerging Realities for the workplace revolution. Ohio: McGraw-Hill. Problem solving based scenarios: An approach to identify opportunities to create value for Business. Retrieved June 2, 2009, from University of Phoenix, rEsource. MMPBL500. Foundations of problem-based learning website. Wakeam, J. (2003). The five factors of a strategic alliance. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from iveybusinessjournal.com/view_article.asp?intArticle_ID=417. Research Papers on Global Communications - Issue and Opportunity IdentificationThe Project Managment Office SystemTwilight of the UAWIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalOpen Architechture a white paperBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfDefinition of Export QuotasMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceGenetic Engineering

Microbiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Microbiology - Essay Example An evaluation of the total viable count and the presence of pathogens in the uncooked chicken were taken into account. The kitchen sponge and the hand wash water of the chicken were considered for the analysis. The analysis for the presence of the pathogenic micro organisms will help us to overcome the toxicity levels. (Mattick et al. 2003; Mattick et al. 2003a). A lot of tests were done to determine the presence of the bacterial load in the micro organisms. Some of them include Gram staining, Catalase test, Oxidase test, coagulase test, API Strip test, the effect of disinfectant hypochloride, cleaning agents and morphological tests. The presence of the pathogens is found using the biochemical tests and the API strip test. The differential staining of the bacteria helps to identify the unknown bacteria present in the sample. Before all the tests the samples are serially diluted and the 4th (10-4) and 5th diluted (10-5) sample are used for the analysis. The API 20E strip consists of 20 individual and miniature tests that contain the reagents for the identification of the metabolic capabilities and specifically the Enterobacteraceae family. (Butler et al. 1975). For the antimicrobial susceptibility testing, the Iso-Sensitest Agar (ISA) media was used. To test the presence o f enterobacteriaceae, the ISA media is enough according to the BSAC. The Molten agar was poured into the sterile Petri plates and they are dried to remove the excess moisture. To these plates, the antimicrobials of choice are used to such that it diffuses into the medium and they interact very well with the micro organism incorporated. The disc diffusion method of AST is the most commonest and effective method for the detection of the microorganisms in the sample. The inoculums was prepared and inoculated in the medium. The plates were incubated at 35-37 degree Celsius for at least 24 hours.

Poetic Form Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Poetic Form - Essay Example The Victorian poets were very uncomfortable when more and more people shifted their attention towards scientific development, the belief that science can supersede God and his powers deeply affected the Victorian poets. Arnold conspicuously employs pathetic fallacy throughout "Dover Beach" the inanimate object has been presented in the form of sea in the poem. Sadness is a feeling which every human being experiences and sadness is being projected by Arnold in the poem, sadness is being attributed onto the sea by the poet in the poem. The poet also succeeds in creating a feeling of pathos in the poem, the readers begin to sympathize with the poet and this is how the feeling of pathos is created. â€Å"The sea is calm tonight, The tide is full, the moon lies fair Upon the straits; on the French coast the light Gleams and is gone;† (Dover Beach) The word â€Å"is† is repeated thrice in these lines and this goes to show that the poet is emphasizing on the nightly seaside sc enery. Several changes take place in the poem, the poet concludes by saying that there was light earlier but there is no light now which means darkness has descended and according to the poet it is all doom and gloom. â€Å"Gleams and is gone† The last is used clearly goes to show that the poet is trying to say that the light that was there earlier is there no more and there is nothing but darkness. Certainty also has gone with the light but this can only be understood if the poem is evaluated metaphorically. In darkness it becomes very difficult to determine one’s position and it becomes even more difficult to determine where others may be positioned. â€Å"Neither joy, nor love, nor light/ Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;" (Dover Beach) It is quite conspicuous that words like neither and nor have been repeated and usually when words get repeated in a poem it signifies emphasis and this case is no different. Neither and nor have been repeated in order to signify denial by the poet. The blank and the nihilistic view of Matthew Arnold has been presented here, he is talking about the basic human values here and believes that the basic human values have disappeared and nothing remains now and this is how the readers get to know of his nihilistic views. The poem’s language has been enriched by the poet; several adjectives have been used by Arnold. "Tremulous cadence", "eternal note of sadness" clearly signify melancholy and these adjectives have been used to increase the melancholic feeling in the poem. The readers must look for metaphors and images to understand the hidden meaning of the poem; the sea is both a symbol and a metaphor in the poem. Several transitions take place from the first stanza to the very last, initially the sea looks very beautiful under moonlight but it becomes hostile as the poem progresses. As the poem progresses the sea starts to evoke a feeling of sadness. In the third stanza it becomes "Sea of Faith" w hich has a hidden meaning as most stanzas of the poem. The certainty a religion brings with itself has been withdrawn and as usual human beings are left with nothing but darkness according to the poet. Tennyson’s â€Å"In Memoriam† is quite similar to Arnold’s â€Å"Dover Beach†. Both the poets are aghast in the poems; they pity human beings in their poems. The opening of â€Å"In Memoriam† is quite different from â€Å"Dover Beach†, Tennyson talks about faith in the opening stanza of the poem; he believed that faith is the only

What were the causes of the Second World War Essay

What were the causes of the Second World War - Essay Example Hitler desired the living space to be self-reliant. He wanted to overpower the world and Europe. The Treaty of Versailles had to be invoked if Hitler had his ways, paving the way to the Second World War. The aggression of Allied forces also led to the Second World War. In Italy, Mussolini propagated Fascism and wanted to establish a Roman Kingdom in the Mediterranean and Africa, to quote his attack on Abyssinia in 1935. Another Allied power Japan desired a Nipponese rule in the Pacific, leading to China and Australia, as is evident from Japan’s attack on Manchuria in 1931. All the three Allied nations, namely Germany, Italy, and France were against Communism of the USSR, thus, sowing the seeds of war among nations. Another cause of the Second World War was the passivity of the Democratic powers. USA was detached while France was not willing to stand in opposition to Germany. France could not depend on Britain and America for support. Britain had a soft corner for recuperation of Germany between 1934 and 1937 and pacified Germany between May 1937 and March 1939. The Democratic powers could have hindered the path of Fascism before 1939 but preferred to remain in low-profile. The League of Nations failed in distancing the warring nations. Not a single factor could be blamed for the Second World War, as stated above but Hitler’s expansionism was the sole reason to cause the Second World War. Fascism was also a leading reason, as bent on expanding and the inability of democratic countries to stop Mussolini from his beliefs in Fascism. There were 9 causes of the Second World War, which are discussed in detail below. 1. The Rearmament of Germany It happened during the Geneva Disarmament Conference held in 1932-4 wherein Hitler made it clear that because other countries were not reducing their military strength to that of Germany, Germany would increase its military power to their level. Till 1935 the process of rearmament of Germany was ongoing by establ ishing conscription and munitions factories. France reacted to the rearmament of Germany by strengthening the Maginot line built earlier between 1929 and 1934 because rearmament of Germany created insecurity in the region. The Maginot line was made of steel and concrete mixture for added strength from Belgium to Switzerland; it was known as ‘a gate without a fence’, which Germany would not crossover and attack France through Belgium. Without the support of Britain, France never appeared on the front foot. Britain, on the other hand, was friendlier towards Germany than it was with France to actively support it. The Anglo German naval Treaty (June 1935) was the result of the sympathetic behavior of Britain towards Germany, which permitted the German Navy to be 35% of the size of the British Royal Navy. Hitler supported Franco in the Spanish Civil War (1936-9) with the ammunition at its disposal. Hitler sent the Condor Legion of the Luftwaffe to attack Guernica on 26th Apr il, 1937. Guernica was eliminated and Franco marched ahead winning the Basque areas of Spain. Hitler had used Spain as a testing ground. 2. The Remilitarization of the Rhineland (1936) Hitler attempted breach of the Versailles Treaty once again after committing a breach once by marching to Cologne on 7th March 1936 with 30,000 soldiers. France could not gather the courage to come face-to-face with Germany militarily although amassing troop strength of 250,000 because Britain was not at its support. Britain expressed the opinion that Germany was ‘marching into her own back yard.’ Hitler held a plebiscite on remilitarization to prove the support of its people, which was vehement to 98.8% in favor of Hitler’s policy on militarization. This prompted Hitler to create his own defensive fortification, the Siegfried Line. 3. The

Expansion Strategy of Honda

Expansion Strategy of Honda 1.0 Introduction Honda was started by Soichiro Honda in the 40s after receiving his first contract with Toyota in manufacturing piston ring. Since in school, Soichiro Honda started developing piston ring in order to get a contract with Toyota. His determination had bring Honda into todays success, Fail for so many times, Soichiro Honda never give up and continue his dream and successfully get the contract with Toyota. Honda Motor Company produces not only cars as known generally but also produces track, motorbike, watercraft and those gasoline engines. Instead, Honda is the world largest engine manufacturer (Ronnie, 2009) Started in Japan, Honda expand into many other country using different kind of entry mode includes Foreign Direct investment, exporting, alliances and joint ventures. At first, around 1970s Honda enter into USA market by exporting the N600 which say to be the fastest at that time. In 1976, Honda continues expanding in USA by building car plant is Accord plant in Marysville. Today, Honda has total of three plant in Ohio where the other two is located at Alabama and South Carolina. (Ronnie, 2009) Honda is a successful automobile which is manufacturers lawnmowers, power equipment, motorcycles, and generators. Therefore, Honda has opened its doors to the franchising market. After Honda was franchising it market, Honda was continuous successful in automobile industry. With an establishing brand name of Honda, the franchisees can get the recognition from the customers. They can easily to the franchisees to start doing their business. The Honda franchisees are required to pay Honda franchise at least $250,000. As a return, Honda franchisees are able to list everything you need and want from the franchise deal before you sign the agreement. In addition, Honda franchise also has taken good care to the franchisees. They have provides 2 week training course for new franchise owners. This can able the new franchisees to learn how to operate the businesses. Besides that, Honda Franchise also has give the ongoing support for the franchise through internet and online support, regular visits, newsletters and meetings and so on. The Honda Franchisees can apply their owns concept to the business, but they need to discuss with the Honda franchise first before apply it. In 2010, Harley-Davidson and American Honda Motor Company were announced to be merger as one which is known as Honda-Davidson Motor Company. The merger happened when the American Honda Motor Company was completed purchase of 51% of Harley-Davidson stock. With the merger, Honda-Davidson Motor Company was promised to provide the most comprehensive line of Motorcycles to the customers. The combination of both companies will continue to providing the world with the highest quality motorcycles. Besides that, the new company also exploring the opportunities to provide additional models that combines the best of both former companies. Honda -Nowadays, Davidson Motor Company is the only major U.S.- based motorcycle manufacturer, produces heavyweight motorcycles and a complete line of motorcycles parts, accessories and general merchandise in united state. 2.0 Current Expansion Strategy Expansion strategy may here be referred to market entry strategy which is commonly used by companies to venture and expand their businesses to other country. Before penetrating to other countries market, companies must make sure that they have sufficient financial resources and the nature of the products or services must fit into culture group of that particular country. Having ranked for 3rd largest Japanese automobiles, Honda is able to expand it businesses across Asian countries such as Thailand, Taiwan, China, India and Indonesia.(How To Enter China, 2000) Knowing the importance of international trade, different entry mode strategies have been adopted by Honda in respond to different countries. In Malaysia, Honda has a joint venture company named Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd which formed 50/50 between Honda Motor Co. Ltd and Oriental Holdings Bhd. (Boon Siew Honda profile,2012) The joint venture agreement was formed in 2008 which means that Honda has expanded its businesses in Malaysia through joint venture. Aside of Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd which solely trades on motorcycles, Honda has expanded its automotive business through joint venture strategy. Currently, Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd is a joint venture company formed by DRB-HICOM Bhd, Honda Motor Co. Ltd and Oriental Holdings Bhd. ( Honda Malaysia profile,2012) The main reason Honda to use joint venture strategy to expand its businesses in Malaysia is to diversify the business risks. Having said that, using joint venture strategy as an expansion strategy can reduce the risk of by forming coalition with other companies in host country. Besides that, Honda has also expanded its realm using foreign direct investment in Taiwan. A plant was built by Honda in Taiwan in 1961 prior to produce cars and has made Taiwan to become major producers of motorcycle for Honda. (How To Enter China, 2000) This allows the company to export most of the motorcycles to other countries such as China, Europe and Middle East. The main reason Honda to build its manufacturing plant in Taiwan is to reduce exports of motorcycles from Japan. Foreign direct investment has also benefited Honda in a sense that the company can have better control over the plant in Taiwan at the same time achieved economies of scale. In Thailand, Honda practiced foreign direct investment which has formed Asia Honda Motor Co. Ltd in 1964. (How To Enter China, 2000) The plant set up in Ayutthaya, Thailand aimed to produce motorcycles and export to Asian countries. In addition, Thailands plant has more production capacity which has contributed to major exports across Asia. Particularly in Thailand, Honda has obtained a market share more than 60%. This is because the Honda brand recognition in host country is high and this has led to local support for Honda. In China, the entry strategy proposed by Honda is somewhat unfamiliar to other countries. Honda has used equity joint venture strategy which has formed 2 joint venture companies named GuangZhou Honda Automobile Co. Ltd and Dongfeng Honda Engine Co. Ltd respectively. (How To Enter China, 2000) In the meantime, Honda has 50% of stake in each of these joint venture companies which has allowed Honda to have partial control over these two companies. In recent years, sales of Honda cars in China were terribly declined by 5 % compared to the time the company first entered China. The declining sale was caused by the high demand of low-cost cars produced in China. Another reason was due to the existing rivalries in China which consists of several big players such as Toyota, Nissan and Mercedes. Generally speaking, Honda is adopting low-risk expansion strategies in the first place to evaluate market respond of a particular country. After building up the brand recognition, the company will decide whether to expand further in that particular country. This can be seen when Honda formed a joint venture company in Malaysia to market its motorcycles to Malaysian. After assessing the profitability of the products, Honda started to sell luxury cars such as Honda City and Honda Civic. This could have helped Honda to reduce the risk of losing everything proposing a joint venture strategy in the first place. Foreign direct investment is used by Honda in Taiwan and Vietnam to increase the production of motorcycles and motorcars to increase exports. At the same time, increased production will help Honda to fulfill the demands of other importing countries. 3.0 Future Expansion Strategy As mention in the previous part of the assignment we can see Honda with extraordinary expansion strategy has allowed the company group to triumph in the highly competitive world market especially against domestic competitor. These expansion strategy though practical and effective are in some way lack of aggressive to compete with other automobile MNC (multinational corporation). Since Honda is originated from Japan we decided to compare Honda with its domestic competitor such as Nissan and Toyota. For decades Honda has been compete with Nissan and Toyota domestically and abroad, however till this day Honda still maintain the position of Number 3 right after Toyota the first and Nissan, second. This comparison allowing us to realize that the successfulness of Honda is still in behind this two multinational automobile giant. As such below we will provide some entry modes strategies for future expansion for Honda based on some global market that we have analyses. 3.1 South Korea: An overview Take Korea into consideration. Honda has already exporting cars to Korea for a decade and however the sales there are always below the profit margin until Honda are no longer expecting high returns on Korea market. In actual fact, not only Honda are doing unwell in S.Korea most Japanese MNC had a hard time penetrating S.Korea market due to war history between Korea and Japan to be the main reason why Korean are less relying on Japanese products. However based on our knowledge Korea is a very potential market, and Honda should use joint venture in Korea to triumph where other Japanese competitor failed. Why South Korea? There are some facts that indulge all investors in the world to invest in South Korea market. South Korea is the worlds largest democracy among the strongest emerging markets in all business field. Furthermore, it has liberalized economy with 300 million in the middle class bracket, with well matured financial and securities market and time-tested judicial systems. Apart from that, Seoul capital of South Korea is growing with enormous speed to compete with world most successful city including New York and London, financially. With the sound potential of the market, let us look at the action of the government of South Korea, firstly it is a WTO member committed to providing opportunity to the global market. The Korean Government is constantly undertaking reforms in every sector with Infrastructure Sector receiving Governments fullest attention, the S.Korea government also permits foreign investment virtually in every sector of the economy. Majority foreign equity, even up to 100 per cent in some sectors, is encouraged and special investment incentives are provided. In short South Korea is a potential Market that Honda should not overlook due to the points below, Large pool of educated land expertise of manpower in South Korea. Disposable income is continuously increasing with the economy growing at more than 8.5% p.a. Cities booming with world class integrated infrastructure. South Korea has potential to attract more than US $ 100 billion over next five years. Potential for creation of near 1 Million direct and indirect jobs each year. As for now that the certainty of South Korea was an expansion market. A suitable partner must be recognized in Korea to allow the joint venture to be successful. Our group varies in suggesting a partner but agreed that Asia motor is among the best to Joint Venture with Honda to create a Asia-Honda venture. We select Asia motor for a numerous reasons, first its engineering capability, Asia motor founded in 1965 is one of South Korea most highly reputable automobile industry focusing in medium and big sizes vehicle is the best partner for both Asia Motor and Honda to penetrate into a new market. Beside that, relevance and salience of Asia Motor brand is also one of the core reasons in selecting Asia Motor, furthermore its company distribution network as of since 1965 have been matured and controlling large traffic in sense of party needed in a successful network. Lastly the company also announces with well function internally such as low turnover rate. These points allowing us to believe that Asia-Honda ventures is going to turn out fine. As such we recommended Joint ventures in South Korea due to its potential and Honda future development. 3.2 Exporting Exporting is not a new term for Honda. In fact Honda had been an expert in exporting worldwide where any place u name it, as long as there is demand, shipment of Honda cars can directly send to your dealer or home in no time. Using exporting as main expansion strategy for Honda is a success for many decades, however they have always overlook what their competitors are doing. Toyota are using this expansion strategy as well an if Honda is an expert in exporting cars, Toyota is a grandmaster. When we suggest export as Honda future expansion strategy we realizes the fact that Honda are doing it now, good, but not good enough. In this case we suggest that Honda uses this expansion strategy, exporting in a whole new market penetration rather than the traditional car/motor vehicle market. We suggest aircraft market penetration worldwide. If we look at Honda current research on car, we will discover that Honda had a very success researched on hybrid and fuel efficient engine currently focusing on cars and motor vehicle, In fact, Honda GX NGV is termed as the cleanest car on earth as far as centralized agitation engines are concerned, apply that to an aircraft and we have a whole new level of airplane. Competition in the aircraft industries are High, dominated mostly by Boeing and follow up by airbus it will never be easy as it suggest in the report, but chances are there to expand worldwide in a whole new categories of market. Suggesting in exporting in aircraft is not bold for Honda there has been a history for Honda in aircraft development since the 80s. According to the data we acquired on the internet and book research, Honda had been study small sized business jets in the since 1980s, using engines from other manufacturers. TheÂÂ  Honda MH02ÂÂ  was fabricated and assembled at Mississippi State Universitys Raspet Flight Research Laboratory in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The MH02 was a prototype using composites with an organic matrix. Since that a prototype of Honda Jet had been on the development. The Honda Jet made its maiden flight in December 2003. It debuted to the public at theÂÂ  EAA Air Venture air showÂÂ  inÂÂ  Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in July 2005. On July 25, 2006, Honda returned to Oshkosh to announce it would commercialize the Honda Jet. Honda established theÂÂ  Honda Aircraft CompanyÂÂ  to seek both type and production certification of the Honda Jet. Production is to take place in the United States. The company estimated the sales would be around 70 to 100 per annum. The certification of aircraft (FAA)ÂÂ  is expected to follow around August 2011. Delivery of the first plane is planned for the third quarter of 2012. In recent event, the Viking pioneers had been using Honda aircraft engine as their Viking aircraft engine and it had been a huge success and it is considerable that a Viking aircraft engine is the only modern and reasonably priced aircraft engine available today. Honda has reach a stagnant growth in cars and automobile manufacture worldwide. If Honda start exporting aircraft as their new expansion strategy it might became one of the competitor for Boeing and triumph in a whole new market level. 3.3 Strategic Alliance Honda should apply strategy alliance as its future expansion strategy to enter the new market. Through strategy alliance, all the automobile company can work together to achieve same goal by using the least resources as they share the resources, information, capabilities and risks to achieve it. One of the successful examples by using strategy alliance is Yahoo and Sina. They teamed up together to offer auction service in China. This partnership will leverage both companies respective users bases as Sina has 83million registered users while Yahoos expertise and technology to support the auction platform. Therefore, Honda need apply strategy alliance with others automobile company such as Nissan, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and others. Through this, Honda and others automobile company can share their technique knowledge to resolving the specific problem or avoiding the basic mistake, develop a better function of car, design of car which better than before. For examples, Honda recalling over 172,000 vehicles because of door latch issue during July, 2012. Furthermore, Honda also can use the strategy alliance to institute of technology campus or college, so that Honda might not face lack of labor force problem in future. Honda can recruit the potential student as their technician after they graduate directly. It might not let the potential technician employ by others automobile company if Honda has the opportunities to do so such as having contract to the potential students by providing scholarship to them. Besides, institute of technology campus or college can provide the specific program which require by Honda to train the student so that student is more familiar to Honda company job scope after they graduate. One of the examples is HP is partnership with UoPeople (university of the people), which provides UoPeople students the opportunity to apply for internship to work with the HP Catalyst Initiative. 4.0 Conclusion Globalization is a compulsory for every company in order to be able to stay competitive in the market. Those without it can be easily kicked out from the market. Every bank in the world is somehow connected even though they are from different company. Two different companies with different culture can merger in order to gain win-win profit. This is why globalization is important. Honda is also the same. In order to improve the Research and Development for cars in China, Honda has joint venture with GS Yuasa Formalize Li-Ion. Successful expansion had make the success of Honda today. Every country has its own culture and government rules. Different approaches might be useful to one and not to the other. hence, it is important to research on the specific country before using different expansion strategies into the country.To conclude, sometimes different cultures, different norms and different rules and regulation might result in conflict. However, foreign market is much more beneficial to invest in compare to the local market. Is tougher, and more challenger but more profitable.

Emerson and Thoreau as Prophets of Eco-wisdom :: Biography Biographies Essays

Emerson and Thoreau as Prophets of Eco-wisdom  Ã‚  Ã‚   The major premise of transcendental eco-wisdom is that connection with nature is essential for a person's intellectual, aesthetic, and moral health and growth. One must see and experience nature intimately, whether defined as the "not-me" or as landscape, to participate in the unity of Spirit underlying its visible processes. This connectedness is the basis of the self-reliance which determines how a person lives with integrity in nature and society. Granted, the concept of self-reliance apparently devalues social concerns, including the global commitment and cooperation needed to bring about the kinds of changes that would reverse the climatic greenhouse effect, for example. Indeed, Emerson's ideas have been unfairly appropriated to justify the capitalistic exploitative excesses and insensitivity to social problems and long-term consequences that lie at the root of many of our environmental problems. However, we cannot fault Emerson and Thoreau for not imagining our current dependen ce on technology, the complexity of a largely urban economy or the ties of a global community. Yet even the notion of a self-contained Concord or Walden Pond, which might seem naive and outdated, is reflected in current ideas about eco- regionalism. By accounting for what they could not have known of our present condition, we can still find fruitful ways of understanding where humans, singly and as a species, should fit into nature. Emerson's greatest gift was lessons in seeing in and through nature and extracting symbolic meaning, yet his own intimate encounters with the nature around him were relatively rare and indirect, with few concrete traces in his writings except as occasional metaphors. He wanted his revelations from nature to be abstract and come by surprise, as did the famed mystical encounter at the beginning of his book Nature: "Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles, at twilight, under a clouded sky, without having in my thoughts any occurrence of special good fortune, I have enjoyed a perfect exhilaration. I am glad to the brink of fear." In such an experience, even the self is absorbed by a greater power: "I become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me." The metaphor may be unfortunate, but not his faith that a single person could perceive unspeakable meanings through experiencing nature, even if only indirectly. Such possibilit ies impelled Thoreau and countless others since to mine the details and processes of nature that Emerson had generalized, looking for embedded revelations and sharing in nature's "ecstasy.

Diversity within Society Essay

This essay will discuss some of the changes brought to Britain by immigration and new religious teachings. It will briefly analyse some of the benefits and how these still contribute to our society by improving this country. Furthermore, it will show that immigration has led to religious diversity making us a multicultural society. Britain nowadays is an extremely diverse country. There are people of different nationalities and religions all around us and we have learnt to adjust to their own ways and beliefs. With immigration we have embraced new changes: fashion, food, music and festivals. New religions have taught us to be a more tolerant society and become more accepting of other faiths. Some fashion is influenced through migrants, for instance the Hindu sari’s colours and style have helped shape the evening backless gowns. The burka however, still creates great controversy. Although there is a merging of fashion similarly fashion can also separate. It would seem people are judged by their sense of dress, whether they dress for cultural or religious reasons. Today there are even magazines in the media to help expand our knowledge of Islam. Most notably, the Emel is a British lifestyle magazine that reports on contemporary British Muslim culture. Launched in 2003, it was previously only available in M uslim bookshops. It has since become the most widely read British Muslim magazine in Britain and now attracts interest from non-Muslim readers too. As well as covering fashion it also informs on other aspects of life such as consumerism and politics, health and education. The whole aim of the magazine is to explain the positives aspects of Islam to non-Muslims and reduce fear and tension. (Emel, 20/05/2013) Another example of change in the fashion is that Indian people have brought with them their knowledge of threading, a method of facial hair removal, which is currently very popular amongst both women and men. One particularly striking aspect that affected Britain tremendously is new food. Immigration and religion have enriched Britain’s diet. These days there is a large variety of restaurants presenting foreign cuisines. We can have our pick of Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Indian, Italian, Spanish, Mexican and many  others to suit our tastes. Amazingly, there are even some restaurants that of fer a mix of cultural gastronomy allowing us the luxury of selection and variation on the same plate. For some people these days, the Indian dish, the curry especially, is a favourite meal and most popular in Britain. In particularly, some people also choose to adapt a Mediterranean diet for health reasons. The food we consume is also determined by our religious beliefs. In Christianity, fish is eaten on Good Friday as a way of celebrating Jesus whereas in Islam and Hinduism, pork is out of the menu as the pig is seen as a dirty animal. Also in Hinduism, beef is not consumed as Hindus believe the cow is holy. British popular music also shows many influences from immigration. Immigrants have brought new musical sounds like reggae, ska and calypso. Black music, most notably RnB has had a lasting impact on British popular culture. Pop music is another indicator of the multicultural nature of Britain today. In most UK towns and cities it is possible for worshippers of Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam and many other religions to find somewhere to celebrate their faith in a community safely with others. The most known religious festivals in Britain are Christmas and Easter as part of Christianity. Eid is the second most important festival in the Muslim calendar. In the same way Christians celebrate Jesus at Christmas, Muslims celebrate Raham at Eid. Both events are about sharing, music, party and simply good fun. In Hinduism, Diwali is perhaps the most well-known Hindu festival. It is known as the ‘festival of lights’ and this five day festival honours Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The Notting Hill Carnival in London is the largest street festival in Europe. It originated in 1964 as a way for Afro-Caribbean communities to celebrate their own cultures and traditions. It celebrates the abolition of slavery and freedom. It takes place every August Bank Holiday weekend and since festivals invite participation, every year people get together to enjoy this amazing, lively event and savour the Caribbean food on offer. On the whole, it is obvious immigration has brought significant benefits to Britain. Immigrants have enriched our society by working hard and creating jobs. They have offered us all the beneficial changes previously mentioned and we could no longer live without them. As a result, Britain is now a far  stronger society. Immigration has educated us to be more aware the ‘other’ making us open, tolerant, diverse and welcoming and this is something Britain should be proud of. BIBLIOGRAPHY Emel, http://www.emel.com/, (2O/05/2013) BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/islam/eid_haj.shtml, (20/05/2013) BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/hinduism/diwali.shtml, (20/05/2013) http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2013/03/25/david-cameron-immigration-speech-in-fullpolitics.co.uk, (20/05/2013)

Using the Spanish Verb Tomar

Using the Spanish Verb Tomar To say that the Spanish verb tomar means to take isnt doing the word justice. Although it can usually be translated that way, it actually has a wide variety of meanings and is used in all sorts of expressions. Thus, like with some other common verbs, you need to pay attention to context when translating tomar. It generally isnt all that difficult figuring out what the verb means, as long as you realize that it usually conveys the idea of taking something or taking something in. What is a bit more difficult is knowing when to use it when speaking Spanish; it isnt always appropriate to use tomar when you mean to take. One quality of tomar, however, is helpful: It is one of the most common verbs that is conjugated regularly. Meanings of Tomar Here are some of common meanings of tomar with sample sentences. Note that meanings often overlap. If you choose something to eat, for example, you might translate tomar as either to choose or to eat, depending on which sounds more natural in the context. To Take Physical Possession Tomà ³ el libro y volvià ³ a su habitacià ³n. (He took the book and returned home.)Toma mi mano y camina conmigo. (Take my hand and walk with me.)Los campesinos tomaron como rehà ©n al gerente. (The farmworkers seized the manager as hostage.) To Choose Habà ­a muchas. Tomà © el azul. (There were many of them. I picked the blue one.)Mi filosofà ­a es tomar lo difà ­cil como un reto. (My philosophy is to choose what is difficult as a challenge.) To Eat or Drink Tomo cafà © como parte del desayuno en mi programa de dieta. (I drink coffee as part of breakfast for my diet)El segundo dà ­a tomaron una sopa de pollo. (The second day they had chicken soup.) To Use a Form of Transportation Tomemos un taxi. (Lets take a taxi.)Cuando tomo el metro tardo hasta 45 minutos. (When I use the subway Im as much as 45 minutes late.)No quiero tomar el autopista. (I dont want to go on the freeway.) To Take Medicine Recomendamos que tome ambas pà ­ldoras a la vez. (We recommend that you take both pills at the same time.)Es necesario que tomes medicina para combatir la infeccià ³n. (It is necessary that you take medicine to fight the infection.) To Interpret Something a Certain Way Me tomaron por loco. (They thought I was crazy. They took me for a crazy man.)La mayorà ­a de crà ­ticos se lo tomaron a broma. (Most of the critics took it as a joke.)Le tomaron por espà ­a. (They thought he was a spy.) To Adopt a Course of Action Para demostrar que el cambio era efectivo, se tomaron medidas muy drsticas. (In order to demonstrate that the change was effective, very drastic measures were taken.)Tomemos un enfoque diferente. (Lets take a different approach.)Viajar no perjudica la salud, si se toman precauciones. (Traveling isnt dangerous to your health, if precautions are taken.)Tomà © la derecha. (I turned to the right.) Using the Reflexive Tomarse The reflexive form, tomarse, is usually used with little or no change in meaning from the nonreflexive form. Sometimes tomarse refers specifically to drinking alcoholic beverages. Tà ³matelo con humor y disfruta el momento. (Take it with a sense of humor and enjoy the moment.)No se tomà ³ toda la cerveza. (He didnt drink all the beer.)Luego, me tomaba un autobà ºs a Panam. (Later, I took a bus to Panama.) Phrases Using Tomar Additionally, tomar is used in idiomatic phrases. Many of them are equivalent to English phrases using the word take. Here are some of the more common: Tomar apuntes - to take notes (an Anglicism, tomar notas, is heard in some areas).Tomar el control - to take control.Tomar (un) examen - to take a test.Tomar fotos - to take photos (sacar fotos is preferred in some areas).Tomar responsabilidad - to take responsibility.Tomar nota - to take note.Tomar parte - to take part.Tomar la pluma - to begin writing.Tomar el sol - to sunbathe.Tomar tierra - to land (said of aircraft). ¡Tà ³mate esa! - Take that! (said, for example, when hitting someone). Key Takeaways Tomar is a very common verb that carries the idea of taking, although it can be translated in many ways. It often suggests that a choice of some sort was made.Tomar is used in a variety of phrases and idioms.The reflexive form, tomarse, usually has no translatable difference in meaning than the standard form.

Change management in McDonalds The WritePass Journal

Change management in McDonalds Introduction Change management in McDonalds IntroductionOverview of the companyScope of changeProblems in implementing changeRecommendationsConclusionReferencesRelated Introduction Change management can be defined as ‘the process of continually renewing an organisation’s direction, structure, and capabilities to serve the ever changing needs to external and internal customers’ (Moran and Brightman, 2001).   As per Burnes (2004) change is a feature which is always present in the life of organisation. It exist both at operational and strategic level. The organisation is aware about where the change is required and is fully capable of planning and implementing these changes in its structure .According to Burnes 2004; Rieley and Clarkson, 2001, the organisations strategy and organisational strategies are something which goes hand in hand and cannot be separated. In the words of Graetz, 2000, ‘Against a backdrop of increasing globalisation, deregulation, the rapid pace of technological innovation, a growing knowledge of workforce, and shifting social and demographic trends, few would dispute that the primary   task of   management tod ay   is leadership of organisational change.’ In early times the theories believed that if the organisation keeps changing management system then it can no longer run effectively nor can it make any improvement in performance (Rieley and Clarkson, 2001). It was believed that the company had to bring new management theory into routine in order to achieve efficiency and improvement in the performance. This Means that an organisation has to give ample time for a particular change to be adopted and settle down in daily routine so that it can be run in efficient manner (Luecke, 2003).However in today’s time It is believed that staff of the organisation should go through continuous change to achieve efficiency (burnes, 2004; Rieley and Clarkson, 2001) According to Grundy, 1993 ‘change which is marked by rapid shifts in strategy, structure or culture, or in all three.’ Senior, 2002 adds to it saying that this kind of sudden change or implementation can be caused only due to malfunctioning of the internal structure or it can be caused due to external pressure. Every organisation is looking to move forward by implanting a management system with will boost organisations strength and capability, enhancing its competitiveness. An organisation has to deal with unforeseen situations in today’s highly competitive environment and to deal with this it has to be more flexible and ready for any situational changes that it will have to make, like adoption of new technology or some latest development in theory for current market. In the fast moving economic environment there continuous changes in the type of technology, the way the product is marketed, trends etc. the organisation has to be more flexible to adopt changes in order to remain competitive in the global market. Change can be good in a way; it can make complex work very simple and helps to improve lives through new innovations. Organisations bring change in their working structures to be more competitive and providing the best to their customers. As per Carlpio (1998) change is something to do with implementation of new innovative ways of doing things, enabling the room for improvement in the system through practice. Number of changes can be introduced in the system but the one which brings success to the organisation is considered to be the most important one of all. A change in management system is important specially when a particular system which the running organisation is facing difficulties or has some problems with it. Changes are brought in to improve the organisations performance.   Changes are mostly brought due to forces which can be internal or external yee, 1998.   Changes can be brought at different level of an organisation (Swenson, 1997) The modification needed or which can be done maybe many or quite a few (Reigeluth, 1994). There could be various factors for change (Bamford and Forrester, 2003). Change can be either internal or external. External include new technology which is current requirement of the industry or trend in the current economy which may have direct impact on profitability of the business. A structured method of change was adopted in 1946 by Lewin (Bamford and Forrester, 2003) what lewin had to say was something different than the old theories, he mentioned that in order to apply any new theory or change management an organisation will have to first discard it’s old management structure or system. Management of changes pays a role in identifying objectives of the organisation and then sets goals accordingly. Its role is to implement new changes in the organisation in which it can be noticed that these changes ultimately bring innovations. The first step towards organisational change is to understand the requirements of the organisation and issues with the current management structure. The purpose of the paper is to provide insight of change management process in the chosen company which is McDonalds and provide solution and recommendation for the same. Overview of the company McDonalds is a company with mile stones of success which was started in 1954 by Ray Kroc as a burger shop which was then turned through extensive marketing planning and campaigning making it a global brands in today’s time. It is renowned fast food brands all over the world with more than 32,000 branches in 117 countries. McDonald’s trade mark was a carefully created and was a successful hit which was a clown with a smile. The big Mac is one of the most successful products of McDonalds. McDonalds offers a menu which is almost the same all cross the world. The menu includes burgers, hamburgers, cheese burgers and drinks include soft drinks with fries. McDonalds target customers includes kids, teens and families. It is now the most renowned brand in fast food that sells ready to eat and quickly served fast food. In spite of being a famous brand McDonalds is still facing some issue and needs to change its management structure and image as the people in current time have a bit different expectations then those in previous days (McDonalds 2010) In today’s time people have become more diet and health conscious and are now moving towards food which is healthy and has more nutritional values. Fast food has always been known as junk food with no nutritional value and the popular opinion was that fast food results into obesity by increasing fats in the body. Today’s generation is more figure conscious and are looking forward for food which is low fat and high in proteins. McDonalds is facing problems as it is a well established fast food brand and fast food is always related to unhealthy and fattening food, while competitors of McDonalds have already made a move towards health conscious products by introducing entire new range which is healthy and non fattening. McDonalds needs to change the way it markets itself and also need to introduce a new line of products, as per expectations of new generation’s customers. Scope of change Advertising and marketing places an important role in establishing an image of the company in the eyes of the society in which it operates. The scope of change widely lies in the implementation of integrated marketing strategy. In this paper the importance is given to marketing and advertisement part as to launch new range of healthy products, the company has to implement new marketing practises. The new marketing campaign will adopt a new health conscious process which will flow along with a trend of fitting with health related issues like obesity in young children’s and create awareness about health eating practises. The main objective of this campaign is to promote its new products which are healthy and contains low fats. This will help create positive image of McDonalds among the customers and make them aware of new products which are healthier than the earlier once. To execute these plans the company has to plan its new strategy of advertising and marketing ideas and put a team in place to implement this strategy. The company has also introduced new smoothes and shakes along with healthy breakfast which is available before 12 in all the branches in UK. The marketing integrated campaigns main aim to reflect company mission and new attitude is been seen by the public through companies new promotion and marketing plans. Problems in implementing change When implementing change, conflicts will always follow. There are always conflicts on the route towards changes either before or after it has been initiated. Change in management can be the reason to bring success or failure to an organisation; however conflicts can bring problems if there are not resolved in time as they can bring obstacles in the new management structure introduced. The management has to be aware that it should be capable of not only introducing necessary changes but also be able to implement them effectively clearing all the obstacles. The main reason to bring changes in the organisation structure especially through marketing campaign is to improve the image of the organisation and to make the company more competitive in its industry.   The company might have to face many obstacles in doing this and these obstacles can be both external and internal. It is important to know the consent of the stakeholders of the organisation as they are very important part of the organisation. Stake holders include share holders, customers, supplier and employees. It is important for an organisation to keep all its stakeholders happy because if they are happy then it’s beneficial for the organisation. But there will conflict due to changes as there will be resistance from the side of employees or customers themselves as often people resist changing. There may be employees or customers who would accept the change happily but the problem is with those who do not agree with new management system which is to be implemented. Most of the time they may think that the change which has been brought is nothing to do with the issue or it may worsen the situations. I it may also happen that within employees they might not trust people who are in charge of this new change. Employees are not the only one who creates obstacles for change sometimes even the customers are not ready for change. If they do not take to change positively then this may create issue for the company to achieve its goal for the change. Along with this another problem that McDonalds may face is finding the right staff to drive this change that will be responsible to deliver these changes in department of marketing and communication. In addition to from employees and customer’s resistance there can be other barriers this may affect the process of change. The strategic implementation is important part of changes; complications in this can be problematic for the company. There can be many other issues which can create barriers in changes such as conflict in view of share holders or the problem in finance and lack of budget of the company another problem can be sustaining the process of change. As per carlopio 1998 innovation is something that does not happen in a day it takes series of phases to finish the process of change. Staff involved in this change management process must undergo some kind of training and learning procedure to make them competent to sustain the series of change until it attains success. Inability to handle or lack of experience and knowledge in implementation of strategic change may not be able to achieve integrated marketing and communication strategies. So to overcome the problem of negative response the management of the company should make the staff go through necessary training and development programmes. The training programme should be such that it should provide complete understanding of the programme to the members of the staff. It should make sure that none of the information is missed in the training programme. After the programme there should be a follow up to check if all the members have understood and have sufficient information to support change. There can be internal conflicts between the members of the staff due to cultural issues. This bring problem in harmony of the members in the organisation, leading to conflict within the company. McDonalds must understand the cultures of its employees and should identify the problem that may be caused because of the conflicts if any (wikins and Dyer, 1998) McDonalds should incorporate governance in the system to enhance the quality of staff and the time spent by them at the work place. Different appraisal policies can help to boost employees. Working environment can also be improved so that staff members can have a good time while working for the company which at the same time also benefits the organisation. Strong organisation culture along with good management team is needed to solve such internal conflict issues. The second most important change is to sustain the success that had been achieved through implementation of new management process. Change is part of the society and it comes again in regular interval of time (Carlopio, 1998). For the success of change management it is important that all the stakeholders know or are made aware that current change has been brought for the betterment of them. The management of the organisation should constantly analyse the current market trends and predict future scenarios, so that it can prepare itself for next set of change that will be required for the success of the organisation. Recommendations The success of the new changes in management cannot be correctly predicted as it completely depends on the attitudes of the young generation and the society. Changing the image from fast seller to a company who provides healthy meal is not a easy process, but with strong marketing campaigns and advertisement the message can be sent to people and there is a chance that this message will be delivered. It is imperative that the new image of McDonalds reaches all 117 countries. After this message has been promoted there is a chance of getting rid of the critic’s comments that McDonalds brands have unhealthy and fattening. In other words innovation can be explained as a bunch or new ideas which have been successfully implemented (Kuhn, 1993). Innovation can be led by two factors which is technology based innovation and the second one is demand based innovation. However most of the innovations are charged up realisation of demand instead of technology. Changes are mainly driven by constant research and development, performed by companies and RD is given a lot of attention. Apart from RD there can be other ways of bringing innovation and one of the simplest ways to keep improving working practises while in the daily routine. Combination of knowledge and extensive work experience can help to innovate a new a better way of doing things. Radical innovation always come from the RD department of the company but innovations which are incremental can only come from through practice (Lundvall, 1992). McDonalds will have to plan and implement its new marketing campaigns effectively with effective ways of doing it. The company has to take care that its internal staff is competent in delivering the outcome and that is minimum resistance from the internally. There is a good chance that McDonalds can change its image in food industry from junk food supplier to a health conscious meal provider.    Conclusion As per beverage 2003, the management of the organisation has to be on toss all the time to keep the organisation up to the market expectation. They have to continuously analyse and monitor current market conditions so that that they are aware of the current standing of the company in the market. To bring innovation the management will have to keep a check on which ideas are working and which are not doing well when implemented and accordingly change the management structure. To implement a management change the leader must create a environment which is safe and will support new changes in the organisation. A above all It can be said that a change in management is good only if that particular change has potential to improve companies competitiveness in the market and bring more success to the organisation. The organisation should keep monitoring current situations and make changes only if it is felt necessary, as change in organisation is a complex decision and has direct impact on the image of the organisation. With proper care and preparation and organisation (McDonalds) can survive the toughest competition. References Carlopio, J., (1998), â€Å"Implementation: making workplace and technical change happen†, McGraw-hill publication, Sydney. Yee, J.A., (1998), â€Å" Forces motivating institutional reform†, ericdigests.org/1999-1/reform.html. Accessed March 2011. Swenson, D.X., (1997), â€Å"Requisite conditions for team empowerment†, empowerment in organisations, Vol. 5 No. 1 Reigeluth, C. M. (1994). The imperative for systemic change. In C. M. Reigeluth R. J. Garfinkle (Eds.), Systemic change in education (pp. 3-11). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications. Wilkins, A., Dyer, W. Jr (1988), Toward culturally sensitive theories of cultural change,  Academy of Management Review, Vol. 13. Kuhn, R.L., Ed., (1993), â€Å"Generating Creativity and Innovation in Large Bureaucracies†, Quorum Books, London Lundvall, B. A.,   (1992), â€Å" National Systems of Innovation: Towards a Theory of Innovation and Interactive learning†, Pinter, London. Beverage, w. M., (2002), â€Å"slow change in fast culture†, Educause review, pp. 10-11. Moran, J. W. and Brightman, B. K. (2001) ‘Leading organizational change’, Career Development International, 6(2), pp. 111–118. Burnes, B. (2004) Managing Change: A Strategic Approach to Organisational Dynamics, 4th edn (Harlow: Prentice Hall). Rieley, J. B. and Clarkson, I. (2001) ‘The impact of change on performance’, Journal of Change Management, 2(2), pp. 160–172. Graetz, F. (2000) ‘Strategic change leadership’, Management Decision, 38(8), pp. 550–562. Luecke, R. (2003), â€Å" Managing Change and Transition†,   Harvard Business School Press, Boston Burnes, B. (2004) Managing Change: A Strategic Approach to Organisational Dynamics, 4th edn (Harlow: Prentice Hall). Bamford, D. R. and Forrester, P. L. (2003) ‘Managing planned and emergent change within an operations management environment’, International Journal of Operations Production Management, issue 23, Vol. 5 McDonalds, (2010), â€Å"about McDonalds†, aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd, viewed on 5th march 2011.

Article Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Article Critique - Essay Example Similarly, signs like nervousness and agony lower life quality. The study mainly targets women from stage zero to stage three of breast cancer. Related literature evidence demonstrates that psychoeducational help and combinatory therapies for women living with breast cancer condition, such as self- management skills development to handle the condition better, are not well provided globally. Therefore, one crucial strategy to aid women living with breast cancer is through mindfulness cultivation. Mindfulness, which includes creating attention and creating awareness every time in a nonjudgmental manner) is an effective way, (Hoffman, Ersser, Hopkinson, Nicholls, Harrington & Thomas, 2012). Similarly, studies shows that mindfulness-based program of reducing stress benefits have been investigated in pro-longed health conditions such as severe pain, nervousness, prolonged stress and psychological signs as well as in mood patients with overall cancer conditions and insomnia. Although the m ethodological approach targeted all researches either because of challenges like small size of the sample, no randomization or analysis for treatment intention or treatment hindered by poor reporting was reported. Body analysis The article hypothesis is that mindfulness-based strategy of reducing stress is more effective than other hospital therapies such as chemotherapy, surgery and other hospital interventions. ... Study sample of the research was obtained by recruiting patients for more than fifteen months from the Haven. Eligibility assessment was done through inclusion criteria for instance, patients diagnosed with stage zero to stage three of breast cancer, between the age of 18 years and 80 years who knew of their diagnosis of cancer. The study was done on women who were capable of completing the questionnaires and in the second year of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiography completion. The study excluded women diagnosed with breast cancer stage four, men, patients who could not speak or understand English, could not sign informed consent because of psychosis, mental problem, addicted to drugs, misused substances, and had thoughts of committing suicide. After patients signed informed consent, some were subjected to mindfulness-based programs of reducing stress and others received wait-listed control. Randomized assignment was conducted in 229 women by the organizational operations director through an externally randomization program generated through the computer in groups of four to ensure concealment of allocation as no physician could direct respondents allocation. The researcher doing the research and introducing the mindfulness-based program of stress reduction could not be restricted to participant’s either allocation to control or treatment sample. Questionnaires and patient interviews , as well as mood states profiles, breast cancer therapy functional assessment, cancer therapy symptoms of endocrine functional assessment and WHO five item questionnaire of well-being assessing mood, life quality at zero, eight and twelve weeks were used. These equipment’s produced varied results that were later analyzed and generalized to fit the sample size. The

Handwriting a letter versus sending an e-mail message Essay - 1

Handwriting a letter versus sending an e-mail message - Essay Example Henry Ford was the industrialist for whom the Ford Motor Company was named. In 1891, Ford went to work for the Edison Illuminating Company (Later Detroit Edison Company). He advanced rapidly and became chief engineer. In his spare time, he worked in a building behind his home to build a â€Å"horseless carriage.† Thomas A. Edison, who later became a close friend, encouraged him at their first meeting in 1895. The next year Ford completed his first working model of an automobile. He later built several racing cars, including the 999 in which Barney Oldfield broke the world’s speed records in 1902 and 1903. Ford himself set a new record (91.3 miles per hour) (Collier 34). In addition, a coal leader Alex Y. Malcomson, became interested in Ford’s car after Ford had failed twice to get into manufacturing. In 1903, Malcomson, Ford, and 10 other men formed the Ford Motor Company. After buying out Malcomson and two other stockholders in 1907-07, Ford became president and the dominant figure in the company. However, he shared control until 1915 with James Couzens, later United States senator from Michigan (Collier 35-37). In 1911 Ford won a lengthy court fight in which it was decided that he had not infringed on the automotive patents of George B. Selden. This victory not only saved the Ford Motor Company from possible ruin, but benefited the entire industry be freeing other manufacturers from the necessity of paying royalties. By 1915, Ford’s company was producing almost half of all the automobiles sold in the United States (Collier 37). Furthermore, He is considered the man who â€Å"put America on wheels† because the assembly-line method of manufacturing, which he pioneered, allowed him to become the first to produce low-priced autos in large quantities (Collier 41). His Model T â€Å"Tin Lizzie,† produced from 1908 to 1927 and coming in