What does a particular scene tell us about the songstress-character Essay

What does a particular scene tell us about the songstress-character - Essay Example During our research we used the information concerning the topic from different books and articles as for example: the book by Emilie Yueh-yu named China. The International Film Musical; Primitive Passions: Visuality, Sexuality, Ethnography, and Contemporary Chinese Cinema by Rey Chow and the Film history: an introduction by Kristin Bordwell, David Thompson. These books describe different aspects of the Chinese filmmaking in general; the Yueh-yu’s book reveals some important peculiarities of the songstress Grace Chang and the image of Deng Sijia created by her in the film The Wild, Wild Rose. Also this essay includes our own thoughts concerning the Deng Sijia’s representation (behaviour) and its resemblance to the typical Hollywood films. The film under the study resembles more American than Chinese style of the main character’s representation. The author Rey Chow gives a critical point of view to the Chinese filmmakers who create their works imitating the American ones (Chow Rey, 1995). So the given film is obviously one of those who fell a victim to such a criticism. And agree with the Chow’s point of view. Emilie Yueh-yu in her turn claims that: â€Å"From the beginning, musicals in China were entangled with Western forms and thus unlikely to qualify as national cinema, despite the importance of opers and popular songs in Chinese life† (Yueh-yu. 2012). To my mind, the songstress, in that part where she sings the song The  Merry Widow, shows us one of the most vivid examples of the American-style behaviour. She is trying to seduce a young pianist by touching his face, laying her hands on his shoulders and carelessly playing with his hair. She also uses all her feminine power to draw the pianist’s attention; she dances around the piano, graciously sways around her beloved man. So, we can say that the behaviour of the Wild Rose is quite unusual in comparison with that one which is typical and considered to be normal for the Chinese

Drama Logbook Example Essay Example for Free

Drama Logbook Example Essay Today before drama class started I was really tired and really couldnt be bothered for class. I hope this didnt affect what happened in class, I dont think it had that much of an affect. Mr McPhee gave us a lot of talks today which provided us with less time to work in our groups. After Mr McPhee marked the roll he told us about the new school policy with mobile phones. Instead of only getting punished during school hours with a mobile phone, this policy now applies even if we are on the school campus. The next thing he talked about was a story about his flat mate long ago. His friend was Japanese and during the time where he was learning how to speak English, the teacher saw a spider and killed it. His friend was appalled and told him that spiders are mans best friend because it kills insects for us and also its harmless to humans. Spiders are entitled to as much life as we were. They are more scared of us then we are of them. When he finished telling us his story we finally were sent into our groups to work. Phillip and I just took a seat in front of Mr McPhees table to wait for the girls to get ready. They took a while to get started, but eventually they got there. He had to call her mum to get some money and Lisa and Amanda had to get changed into tights again for better working conditions. He turned on the air conditioning for us. Eventually they came and we got started. Lisa and Amanda got the blocks for us this lesson and put it on the floor. He told us that we should have done it, but we were tired. Lisa was really eager to just go through the whole thing first whereas the rest of the group wanted to talk about the start and how we could improve the start. Eventually we caved and decided to just go through what we had so far. We made our way through the work before He stopped our group and told us that we needed to make our starting thing more dynamic and powerful. He also stopped us at another poin t where he told us that the deliver of the words would be influenced by the character. We took his advice and built upon this. Phillip had to redo his line over again so many times, it was pretty funny. We also tried to work on the start but decided to work with it next lesson. Even though we knew what we were doing, we kept messing up and it took us a long time to get through what we had. We added some little details and refined what we had. It was more of a rehearsal then adding to it this lesson. Once we reached the end of what we had plan we all took a seat. The next thing we had to do was plan another persons segment. Phillip was suppose to be next but it was too hard so we decided to brainstorm Jeannettes. It was still too hard so we just brainstormed in general. In the end we managed to sketch in simple terms what the foundations of each of their performances would be. Jeannette would be along the lines of each of Jeannette thinks that each of us are a fairytale character but the truth is shes only seeing things and we are just ordinary people. Phillips one would be the one we decided before, Lisa didnt like this idea for a reason but I liked it. Lisas one would be about her not fitting in to society so she tries to copy people to fit in with the rest of society and makes friends but she fails. At the end of the lesson, Georges group volunteered to go do their work in progress today. They wanted feedback and advice on how to improve and some negative and positive feedback from Mr Mcphee. Even though they didnt have enough time to hear the feedback, they were able to perform most of their piece. From what I saw I noticed that their piece had a lot of exiting the stage which was bad. I liked the fact that they used their bodies to turn into machines and I liked the story of their idea ! Their story was basically a girl who is writing in her diary about the different dreams she wants to have and eventually she falls asleep and dreams about meeting all of them. Firstly she meets Harry Potter and then she runs into Alice from Wonderland and then its James Bond and lastly its Juliet. It was pretty well how they blended all the stories together. The bell rang and we were dismissed. The teacher said he would give them feedback next time.

The Awakening: America Was Not Ready For Edna Pontellier Essay example

The late nineteenth century was a time of great social, technological, and cultural change for America. Boundaries were rapidly evolving. New theories challenging age-old beliefs were springing up everywhere, such as Darwin's natural selection. This post-Civil War era also gave men and women opportunities to work side-by-side, and in 1848, the first woman's rights conference was held in Seneca Fall, New York. These events leading up to the twentieth century had polished the way for the new, independent woman to be introduced. Women "at all levels of society were active in attempts to better their lot, and the 'New Woman,' the late nineteenth-century equivalent of the 'liberated woman,' was much on the public mind" (Culley 117). Women were finally publicly discussing private matters and gaining on their male counterparts’ socioeconomic status, and in 1899, in the midst of the women's movement, American society seemed ready for Kate Chopin’s newest invention, Edna Pontellier. Madame Edna Pontellier, wife of wealthy and much respected Leonce Pontellier, had the perfect life. Vacationing in Grand Isle, living in a mansion, raising her two boys, Edna seemed untroubled and well cared for. But one cannot see another’s private distresses from the outside. Entrapped by the sequestering tomb of the mindsets of her time and starved for freedom and expression, Edna was willing to give up her life to break free. Because of these traits, Edna exemplified the ideal New Woman. She had freedom of choice, courage, passion, and was fearless. Edna Pontellier was the role model for women striving for the same social ideals; they wanted to be her. All this, and Chopin’s ethos with her well written plethora of short stories and her prospero... ..., 2002. p1-237. Seyersted, Per. Kate Chopin A Critical Biography. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1994. Print. Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Dennis Poupard. Vol. 14. Detroit: Gale Research, 1984. p55-84. Buhle, Mari Jo. Women and American Socialism, 1870-1920. Urbana: U of Illinois P, 1981.†¨ Culley, Margaret, ed. The Awakening: An Authoritative Text Context Criticism. New York: Norton, 1976. Koloski, Bernard, ed. Preface. Approaches to Teaching Chopin's The Awakening. By Koloski. New York: MLA, 1988. Robinson, Lillian. "Treason Our Text: Feminist Challenges to the Literary Canon." Falling into Theory: Conflicting Views on Reading Literature. ed. David H. Richter. Boston: Bedford, 1994. Seyersted, Per. A Kate Chopin Miscellany. Natchitoches: Northwestern State UP, 1979. Toth, Emily. Kate Chopin. New York: Morrow, 1990.

Sexuality of Men and Women: A Comparison

The perceived views of men s and women s sexuality have been the subject of great speculation and conflict. Although great strides have been made over the years in the sexual â€Å"revolution†, the basic views of male and female sexuality have remained the same. Throughout history the ideas of proper sexuality for men and women have changed little. Men have always been portrayed as the aggressive pursuer of a woman’s sexual favors. Women, in turn, have been required by society to diligently preserve their honor outside of the marital bed. Andrew Marvell’s â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† offers a good example of the game-like behavior that has become almost expected of a man and woman in society. The narrator beseeches his Lady to â€Å"sport us while we may like amorous birds of prey†. The Lady on the other hand, flirts casually and spurns the narrator’s advances. Women are praised highly for their virtue and honor in keeping their virginity for the institution of marriage. Even though it is perfectly acceptable for a man to attempt for and even acquire the sexual favors of a woman it is a social sin and in some areas a crime for a woman to succumb to her sexual desires outside of marriage. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, Hester Prynne is ostracized by her community for having an extra-marital affair. Her punishment condemns her for her adultery and assures her a lifetime of humiliation. Many societies have gone through great lengths over the centuries to ensure fidelity or virginity in women. In the Middle Ages, women were often forced to wear chastity belts to ensure their virtue was kept intact while men were away at war or some other manly undertaking. In some countries, women are forced to cover every inch of their bodies in an effort to avoid the advances of other men. The narrator in Amy Lowells Patterns speaks of her passion that wars against the stiff brocade of her dress, the very heavy and unrevealing style of the era in which the poem is set. She laments the death of her betrothed as they were to be wed in a month and, as she felt bound by the dress, he was to have freed her from it. This poem also illustrates how the narrator, as many women in the past, did not consider it proper to succumb to her passions before marriage. Men on the other hand have often been revered for their sexual prowess. Kings often kept concubines, or mistresses. In some countries, it is acceptable for a man to have many wives. Sexual conquest has become almost a gauge by which manhood is tested. Men are often bombarded by peer pressure to become sexually active at an early age. Seen as a rite of passage by many men, they begin their pursuit of women before they are even capable of reproduction. In Stevie Smith s The Frog Prince, the narrator speaks of his being happy the way he is but he feels that it is required of him to have a girl. Changing times have allowed people to become a little more open in expressing their sexuality. However, more often than not, most men and women tend to conform themselves to expectations that remain the same even in today s society.

The Notion of Prophethood in Islam

Only when times are at their most turbulent, when the people of Earth reach a point of living that is considered to be sinful and discordant, is there a need for a change or reform back to a virtuous lifestyle. It is evidenced in the thoughts and traditions of many different faiths of the world that this change, this revolution as it may also be referred to, is brought about by a message. Of course, a message, especially one that is meant to bring about reform and revolution, will not be heard without scrutiny on the deliverer of the message, the messenger. In the monotheistic religions of the world, Islam in particular, emphasis is placed on these messengers as bringers of truth in times of untruth or darkness, a divinely inspired human who acts as an intermediary between God and the people to whom the message is brought. Such messengers are called Prophets. This piece will discuss the notion of Prophethood in Islam, what it means to be a Prophet, and the similar traits amongst the circumstances of the Prophets. Islam places an importance of the highest degree on the monotheistic message it delivers, that there is only one God and no other. Thus, special emphasis is placed on the ones to deliver this message, the Prophets. However, for a person to be considered a Prophet in Islam, there are certain stipulations that they have to meet. The notion of a Prophet is generally a divinely inspired human who acts as an intermediary between God and other people, but more to it is that each and every Prophet receives their message directly from God and not from other people, not even from other Prophets. However, despite not learning of the message from other Prophets, the message being delivered is the same between each and every Prophet. This ensures the authenticity of the message that each Prophet receives and clearly displays the link between the Prophet and God to the recipients of the message. However, there is even further divergence underneath the title of Prophet. In Islam, there are generally two degrees of Prophethood, Nabi, and Rasul. The difference between a Nabi and a Rasul is mainly that a Rasul not only receives message from God, but is charged to propagate it. A Rasul may also be a Prophet that brings God’s scripture and they are to restore Divine Law or Sharia as well. A Nabi on the other hand is a human who brings news of the message, but the message that each brings is not necessarily universal. Both a Nabi and a Rasul has to be a pure and worthy person in order to hear God’s message, thus it can be observed that each and every Prophet is a Nabi by default, where a Rasul is a Prophet of more responsibility than that of a Nabi. Thus, it easily observable that all Prophets have similarities, but there are a few that stand out amongst others. Of the 25 Prophets mentioned in the Qur’an, there are 5 major Prophets that stand out amongst others. These Prophets are the Prophet Noah (AS), the Prophet Abraham (AS), the Prophet Moses (AS), the Prophet Jesus (AS), and the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). While their names appear in several passages in the Qur’an, there is a particular passage that mentions all of them: He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah [AS] and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad (SAWS)], and what We enjoined upon Abraham [AS] and Moses [AS] and Jesus [AS] – to establish the religion and not be divided therein†¦ The Holy Qur’an, Translated by Sahih International, 42:13 This verse addresses the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) in particular. It equates the message that was brought to the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) to the messages that were brought to the Prophets Noah (AS), Abraham (AS), Moses (AS) and Jesus (AS), establishing that the religion each Prophet was trying to propagate was the same for all of them: Islam. For example, the message that the Prophet Jesus (AS) had brought were brought to a people that had lost their way, but that message was not entirely original either, having been expressed before in some form. It was also said that Jesus (AS) did not so much preach a message as he was a message. In a similar manner, the conducts of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) were said to contain a message themselves: There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah [SWT] an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah [SWT] and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah [SWT] often. The Holy Qur’an, Translated by Sahih International, 33:21 This verse advises those who believe in Allah (SWT) of the patterns or the lifestyle of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) and the message that can be found herein. It can therefore be observed that the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) would be the next in line as an Abrahamic Prophet due to his similarities to the Prophet Jesus (AS). However, despite the numerous similarities between the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) and the Prophets that were his predecessors, there is one fact that sets him apart from the others, and that is that the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) is consider ed to be the Khatam al-Anbiya, or the Seal of the Prophets. In the Holy Qur’an, it states the following: â€Å"Muhammad [SAWS] is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah [SWT] and last of the prophets. And ever is Allah [SWT], of all things, Knowing† (The Holy Qur’an, 33:40). It is well known that the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) did not leave any surviving male heirs, his three sons with Khadija (RA) as well his son with Mariya (RA) having passed away young, and his four daughters also having passed away in infancy (Textual Sources for the Study of Islam, p47). The verse relates that fact by acknowledging that there could be no direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), thus no one could claim to be a Prophet by claiming to be descended from him. Even more so, the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) described his own status as the Seal of the Prophets: My likeness among all the Prophets is like the likeness of a man building a house. He is proficient at it, he does it well, and he leaves a single brick out. Then the people begin to go around the building, marvelling at it, and say: â€Å"It would be complete if not for this brick†. Indeed, in the building, I am the place for that brick. Textual Sources for the Study of Islam, p48 This quote puts forth more inclinations that the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) was not only another Abrahamic Prophet (the other two being Prophet Jesus (AS) and Prophet Moses (AS)), but the final Prophet after whom there would be no other. Thus, the notion of Prophethood in Islam is clearly defined and differentiated, with all Prophets being a Nabi and a select few being a Rasul. The Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) has also been clearly established as an Abrahamic Prophet and the Seal of the Prophets in the Qur’an.

Why Cold French Fries Taste So Gross

Why Cold French Fries Taste So Gross Fresh, hot french fries are golden, crispy deliciousness, yet cold fries are limp, grainy, and disgusting. How can changing the temperature turn fries from crave-worthy to cringe-worthy? Science has the answer and its all about starch and water. Perfect Fries A Marriage of Starch and Water Potatoes are mostly starch, which is a carbohydrate polymer. When you cook fries, the starch swells with water. The inside of the fry puffs up into tender, tasty goodness. Meanwhile, the processes of carmelization and the Maillard reaction turn the exterior of the fry into golden, flavorful crispness. When french fries cool down, they keep the golden color and the browned flavor, but the water that was on the inside migrates to the outside. This makes fries soggy on the outside, while the inside turns coarse and gritty. Theres no going back. If youve ever tried reheating fries, you know you can bring them back to a semblance of their former glory, but theyll never be quite as good. A lot of the water is gone, never to return to the inside of the fries. This is why frozen partially-cooked fries come coated with a thin layer of ice (and also why soaking cut potatoes in water yields amazing fries). Temperature and French Fry Flavor Temperature also plays a part, particularly with respect to flavor. Warm food has more flavor than cold food because the chemical reactions that enable you to taste food occur more rapidly (up to a point) at a higher temperature. Temperature also affects how readily molecules enter air so that you can smell them. Since the senses of taste and smell are closely aligned, you taste hot foods more because you can smell them better.

Role of Fate Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

Role of Fate Romeo and Juliet Essay Example Role of Fate Romeo and Juliet Paper Role of Fate Romeo and Juliet Paper In William Shakespeares play, Romeo and Juliet have fate is one of the main contributors that lead to their deaths. Because of fate, the play becomes exciting and it is exactly what makes the two young lovers meet each other in the first place. It was fate that a Capulet’s serving man told Romeo and Benvolio about the party where the two lovers meet, in the prologue of the play Shakespeare says that Romeo and Juliet are â€Å"star-crossed lovers†, and lastly, the flaws in Friar Lawrence’s plan also contributed to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Therefore, fate is undoubtedly the most responsible for the couples heartbreaking tragedy. It is not a coincidence that Romeo and Juliet meet in the first place. A serving man comes across Romeo and Benvolio in the first act, unaware that they are Montague’s, and informs them about the Capulet party: My master is the great rich Capulet: and if you be not of the house of Montague’s, I pray come and crush a cup of wine ( Act 1, scene 2, 81-84). It is by fate that Romeo and Benvolio run into the Capulet serving man and discover the party. In the prologue the chorus says pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; (Line 6) â€Å"star-crossed† meaning opposed of by the stars. Finally, it is also a result of fate that the flaws in Friar Lawrences plan eventually lead to Romeo and Juliets deaths. For example, Friar Lawrences plan is ruined because Friar John is unable to deliver the message to Romeo: I could not send it here it is again nor get a messenger to bring it thee, so fearful were they of infection (Act 5, Scene 2, 14-16). Because Friar Lawrences message is crucial to the plan he says that the fact that it is never sent creates a major flaw that can turn out to be very deadly. For these reasons, Romeo and Juliets first meeting is sure to happen, fate being the most powerful force at work, determining their future. In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet were star-crossed lovers who were never supposed to be happy together, and both Romeo and Juliet knew that no good would come with their love for each other (Romeo, 1. . 106-111) (Juliet, 1. 5. 141). In this, it is learned that the tragic ending to Romeo and Juliet was inevitable, and that no matter what, they would not end up living happily as a couple. Taking into consideration that Romeo and Juliet are doomed to meet, love and die together, fate is clearly the dominant force for the most part of the play.

Ground Sloths - A Survivor of the Megafaunal Extinction

Ground Sloths - A Survivor of the Megafaunal Extinction Giant ground sloth (Megatheriinae) is the common name for several species of large bodied mammals (megafauna) who evolved and lived exclusively on the American continents. The superorder Xenarthranswhich includes anteaters and armadillosemerged in Patagonia during the Oligocene (34-23 million years ago), then diversified and dispersed throughout South America. The first giant ground sloths appeared in South America at least as long ago as the late Miocene (Friasian, 23-5 mya), and by the Late Pliocene (Blancan, ca. 5.3-2.6 mya) arrived in North America. Most of the large forms died out during the late Pleistocene, although there is recently discovered evidence of ground sloth survival in central America as recently as 5,000 years ago. There are nine species (and up to 19 genera) of giant sloths known from four families: Megatheriidae (Megatheriinae); Mylodontidae (Mylodontinae and Scelidotheriinae), Nothrotheriidae, and Megalonychidae. Pre-Pleistocene remains are very sparse (except for Eremotheriaum eomigrans), but there are lots of fossils from the Pleistocene, especially Megatherium americanum in South America, and E. laurillardi in both South and North America. E. laurillardi was a large, intertropical species known as the Panamanian giant ground sloth, who may well have survived into the late Pleistocene. Life as a Ground Sloth Ground sloths were mostly herbivores. A study on over 500 preserved feces (coprolites) of the Shasta ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastense) from Rampart Cave, Arizona (Hansen) indicate that they mainly dined on desert globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) Nevada mormontea (Ephedra nevadensis) and saltbushes (Atriplex spp). A 2000 study (Hofreiter and colleagues) found that the diet of sloths living in and around Gypsum Cave in Nevada changed over time, from pine and mulberries around 28,000 cal BP, to capers and mustards at 20,000 years bp; and to saltbushes and other desert plants at 11,000 years bp, an indication of changing climate in the region. Ground sloths lived in a variety of ecosystem types, from treeless scrublands in Patagonia to wooded valleys in North Dakota, and it seems that they were fairly adaptive in their diets. Despite their adaptability, they almost certainly were killed off, as with other megafaunal extinctions, with the assistance of the first set of human colonists into the Americas. Ranking by Size Giant ground sloths are loosely categorized by size: small, medium and large. In some studies, the size of the various species seems to be continuous and overlapping, although some juvenile remains are definitely larger than the adult and subadult remains of the small group. Cartell and De Iuliis argue that the difference is size is evidence that some of the species were sexually dimorphic. Megatherium altiplanicum (small, femur length about 387.5 mm or 15 inches), and about 200 kilograms or 440 pounds per adult individuals) Megatherium sundti (medium, femur length about 530 mm, 20 in) Megatherium americanum (large, femur length between 570-780 mm, 22-31 in; and up to 3000 kg, 6600 lb per individual) All of the extinct continental genera were ground rather than arboreal, that is to say, lived outside of trees, although the only survivors are their small (4-8 kg, 8-16 lb) tree-dwelling descendants. Recent Survivals Most of the megafauna (mammals with bodies greater than 45 kg, or 100 lbs) in the Americas died out at the end of the Pleistocene after the retreat of the glaciers and about the time of the first human colonization of the Americas. However, evidence for ground sloth survival into the late Pleistocene has been found in a handful of archaeological sites, where research indicates that humans were preying on ground sloths. One of the very old sites thought by some scholars to be evidence of humans is the Chazumba II site in Oaxaca state, Mexico, dated between 23,000-27,000 calendar years BP [cal BP] (Vià ±as-Vallverdà º and colleagues). That site includes a possible cutmarkbutchery markon a giant sloth bone, as well as a few lithics such as retouched flakes, hammers, and anvils. Shasta ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastense) dung has been found in several caves in the southwestern United States, dated to as late as 11,000-12,100 radiocarbon years before the present RCYBP. There are also similar survivals for other members of the Nothrotheriops species found in caves in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; the youngest of those are 16,000-10,200 RCYBP. Solid Evidence for Human Consumption Evidence for human consumption of ground sloths exists at Campo Laborde, 9700-6750 RCYBP in the Talpaque Creek, Pampean region of Argentina (Messineo and Politis). This site includes an extensive bone bed, with over 100 individuals of M. americanum, and smaller numbers of glyptodons, panamanian hare (Dolichotis patagonum, vizcacha, peccary, fox, armadillo, bird, and camelid. Stone tools are relatively sparse at Campo Laborde, but they include a quartzite side-scraper and a bifacial projectile point, as well as flakes and micro-flakes. Several sloth bones have butchery marks, and the site is interpreted as a single event involving the butchery of a single giant ground sloth. In North Dakota in the central US, evidence shows that Megalonyx jeffersonii, Jeffersons ground sloth (first described by the U.S. President Thomas Jefferson and his physician friend Caspar Wistar in 1799), were still fairly widely distributed across the NA continent, from Old Crow Basin in Alaska to southern Mexico and from coast to coast, about 12,000 years RCYBP and just before most of the sloth extinction (Hoganson and McDonald). The most recent evidence for ground sloth survival is from the West Indian islands of Cuba and Hispaniola (Steadman and colleagues). Cueva Beruvides in Matanzas Province of Cuba held a humerus of the largest West Indies sloth, the Megalocnus rodens, dated between 7270 and 6010 cal BP; and the smaller form Parocnus brownii has been reported from the tar pit Las Breas de San Felipe in Cuba between 4,950-14,450 cal BP. Seven examples of Neocnus comes have been found in Haiti, dated between 5220-11,560 cal BP. Sources and Further Information Cartelle C, and De Iuliis G. 2006. Eremotherium Laurillardi (Lund) (Xenarthra, Megatheriidae), the Panamerican giant ground sloth: Taxonomic aspects of the ontogeny of skull and dentition. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 4(2):199-209.Hansen RM. 1978. Shasta ground sloth food habits, Rampart Cave, Arizona. Paleobiology 4(3):302-319.Hofreiter M, Poinar HN, Spaulding WG, Bauer K, Martin PS, Possnert G, and Pbo S. 2000. A molecular analysis of ground sloth diet through the last glaciation. Molecular Ecology 9(12):1975-1984.Hoganson JW, and McDonald HG. 2007. First Report of Jeffersons Ground Sloth (Megalonyx jeffersonii) in North Dakota: Paleobiogeographical and Paleoecological Significance. Journal of Mammalogy 88(1):73-80.Iuliis GD, Pujos F, and Tito G. 2009. Systematic and Taxonomic Revision of the Pleistocene Ground Sloth Megatherium (Pseudomegatherium) Tarijense (Xenarthra: Megatheriidae). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29(4):1244-1251.Messineo PG, and Politis GG. 2009. New Radiocarbon Dates from the Campo Laborde Site (Pampean Region, Argentina) Support the Holocene Survival of Giant Ground Sloth and Glyptodonts. Current Research in the Pleistocene 26:5-9. Pereira ICdS, Dantas MAT, and Ferreira RL. 2013. Record of the giant sloth Valgipes bucklandi (Lund, 1839) (Tardigrada, Scelidotheriinae) in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, with notes on taphonomy and paleoecology. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 43:42-45.Steadman DW, Martin PS, MacPhee RDE, Jull AJT, McDonald HG, Woods CA, Iturralde-Vinent M, and Hodgins GWL. 2005. Asynchronous extinction of late Quaternary sloths on continents and islands. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102(33):11763-11768.Vià ±as-Vallverdà º R, Arroyo-Cabrales J, Rivera-Gonzlez II, Xosà © Pedro R-, Rubio-Mora A, Eudave-Eusebio IN, Solà ­s-Torres ÓR, and Ardelean CF. 2015. Recent archaeo-palaeontological findings from Barranca del Muerto site, Santiago Chazumba, Oaxaca, Mà ©xico. Quaternary International in press.

Publication idea Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Publication idea - Assignment Example As such, those involved are always searching for solutions and inventive ways to move ahead. It is because of this that the publication will be targeting all those individuals in business, any person who is planning to get into business, as well as business students who are studying business so as to give insights on how to maintain the smooth functioning of the market in order to avoid delays and unnecessary blockages that reduce the mutual profits made between buyers and sellers. This will include both upstream investors and downstream developers. This group of people is the best market since it highly depends on the proper functioning of the market, which enables them to conduct their businesses in an appropriate manner and make profits. The other group of students among them would like to know how this functioning can be maintained and sustained for their future operations. In my opinion, the idea is highly important hence marketable and saleable. This is because most of the arti cles will focus on different innovation ideas found within the business cycle. Innovation plays a very vital role in helping a business to maintain and improve its competitive position. This is mainly because it is related to almost all aspects of the business that include management, technology, procurement, marketing among other areas. It is also known to undergo massive changes on a frequent basis with the help of ideas that help to keep the business afloat. It is for this reason that I believe the publication will always be in possession of a constant market. As such, this idea will be of great significance since it will contribute to the addition of constant information to the activities of a business. Thus, the readers will regularly be interested to find out what is new and thus make the publication a useful resource for their research. Since the publication will be released quarterly it will contain a substantial amount of information. Because of this, it will be expected to retail at approximately $5.5 per magazine similarly to the amount charged for other quarterly publications. Online readers will however subscribe at a fee of $55 per year and $400 for a membership fee of 10 years. A cover letter applying for a job as a ‘staff writer’ on the publication Smith Carter, P.O Box 5789 California. 001765499009987 Smith.carter@yahoo.com 17th October, 2013. The Head of Human Resources, Great Business Publishing Co., P.O Box 890-670, New Jersey. Dear Sir, Re: Staff Writer I would hereby wish to make an application indicating my interest for the above mentioned position at the Great Business Publishing Corporation following your advertisement.. I am a graduate from New York State University with a Bachelors Degree in business management. I have also worked at Longer role 09 as a Business Representative, where I wrote website feature articles, managed link submissions and content, sent and wrote weekly emails to subscribers. In my current position as a Legislative Director for Mission firm, I research, draft and amend legislation, write press releases and take responsibility over office correspondence and communication. I thus possess a special combination of technical expertise in freelance writing based on labor issues, good communication skills, and experience in the management of both writers and writing projects. In addition to this, I possess excellent interpersonal skills, which makes me the most appropriate candidate to make your

Ethnicity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethnicity - Essay Example These problems when studied under scientific observation can help in countering the problem. The ethnic groups are so diverse and widely distributed; this diversity leads to various ethnic conflicts and problems. Today, Ethnic conflict is recognized as one of the major social conflicts internationally. In order to address the problem properly and dig out its solution there is a need of clear understanding of theories and concepts that can solve the conflict. This paper observes the contemporary conceptual and theoretical debates that are related to the ethnic clash. It shows some advantages and disadvantages of the disputes that have prevailed in the recent times in the ethnic conflict analysis. Social sciences scholars view the concept in different ways; some of them consider it an entity that is objective and has its own characteristic boundaries, while other social science scholars view it from subjective aspect vulnerable to change. (Hussein) Viewed from the objective perspective, ethnic group is a category of the population of humans that shares some attributes as common. These attributes can be in common in the form of language, culture, origin etc. this common entity also proves as distinguished characteristic based on one common entity. Subjective perspective sees these groups as a flexible and changing phenomenon which can be doomed to the alteration through the interaction of an ethnic group. The prevailing circumstances determine the information and symbol of an ethnic group which is socially constructed as fluid identity. Another issue that makes the understanding of the concept difficult is the issue of having different derivatives for the same meaning. The world race, ethnicity and culture and their various derivatives are very familiar. People tend to confuse these terms with each other. In the absence of appropriate analytical vocabulary it is not able to

Freemium bsiness model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Freemium bsiness model - Essay Example A number of companies that have applied the use of freemium business model in their operations have experienced high profits. It is axiomatic to argue that when a free service is launched in the market, it will be easy to get many customers. The marginal cost which is incurred is usually very low when this model is used, besides, one user can invite other users who might be interested. In marketing, it is very important to apply network effects, because the moment one person appreciates a product, it will be very easy to attract others. For example, a phone can only be useful when you can use it to call another person. Companies therefore introduce free basic products to attract many users to it (Schlie, 2011). Web Notes is one of the companies that applied the freemium business model. It is a start up that has created technology to make researchers and professionals work much easier. This company has ridden the freemium to a financial success with almost double in their revenue from the little initial investment of $35,000. They advanced a PDF annotation capabilities that has got an amount tagged to it. They offer two paid options to users’ i.e. pro subscription and multi-colour annotation that entails coaching and sharing notes through RSS feeds. The premium version, which is charged at $300 annually, supports administration and monitoring, and Web Notes is swimming in the oceans of success because of its freemium business model (Wrox, 2011). Despite the successes of Web Notes, this model brought with it some challenges, one of which is getting lots of users, who must be returning users, because they must stick around to love the product. The model also takes a long time to be profitable because users can take longer to appreciate it and convert value of the product. For Web Notes, it took almost two years to start realizing profit when they introduced paid

Auditing Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Auditing - Literature review Example lified public accountant to an organization during the period of the audit engagement but are not connected to an audit or checking of an organizations financial statement. Auditor’s independence is the foundation of the auditing profession (Miettinen, 2008). Non-audit services largely affect the auditor’s independence. Due to the non-audit, services conducted in an organization, the accuracy of the information given by the auditors’ will increase compared to when they give information without non-audit services being done (Adelopo, 2012). There also exists a relationship between non-audit service fees and auditing quality. Non-audit services increase the quality of auditing in any organization (Reckers, 2003). The quality of auditing is increased, as the auditors are aware that the documents in the organization have been scrutinized. Since the no-audit service and auditors pass through the information, number of errors containing the information is reduced (Beattie, Fearnley, and Hines, 2011). Non-audit services and auditing independence are somehow related. The non-audit services affect the independence of auditing directly as they affect how the audit is carried out. The practices are similar as both try to improve the quality of information given by scrutinizing the information of the financial statements and the report given to shareholders (Dunne and Morris, 2008). Strohm, C. (2006). United States and European Union auditor independence regulation implications for regulators and auditing practice. Wiesbaden, Deutscher Universitäts-Verlag.

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

Strategy Implementation - Essay Example We need to shift with it and we implement every strategy with result-oriented mindset" (Ambrosini, pp. 123-126). McConnon (pp. 46-51) mentions that Intel recognizes the need for continually analyzing and reviewing its strategies in order to meet the changes and challenges that come from the external environments so as to meet the stakeholders' expectations. Intel strives for business renewal and revitalization as a way of dealing effectively with the impact of the information society on today's dynamic industry. This paper discusses Strategy Implementation in the context of the case study of Intel in a concise and comprehensive way. Intel is an innovation-driven organization that strongly believes that competitive advantage can be achieved by choosing the right option at the right time so as to create value to Intel's key stakeholders: its customers. To achieve this Intel uses the following key drivers: According to Edwards (pp. 46-47) due to Intel's successful early days into the semiconductor industry, Intel established itself as one of the leading brands in the hi-tech sector. Intel managed to create and develop such an established and well recognized brand by being able to launch new products as well as being able to reinvent itself (e.g. moving from semiconductor memories to microprocessors). In other words, management created a dynamic internal environment where people were encouraged to accept 'change' as part of Intel's corporate culture. This was achieved through designing a matrix structure that favored and facilitated the flow of information and knowledge across the organization. Intel managed to create an internal environment that requires employees to deal with challenging corporate goals (i.e. result orientated) and beliefs (i.e. attention to details/quality, professionalism, etc) in a team-based and open-minded workplace. Given the dynamic industry Intel is operating in, innovation can be obtained through investing heavily in Research and Development (R&D). All the above-mentioned strengths may only feature in an organization that has great managerial vision; in other words, Intel's management was able to analyze the changing patterns of the industry, make choices (see the "buying options") and implement them quickly (i.e. strategic flexibility) in order to achieve competitiveness. Finally, another major strength may be identified: Intel believes that listening to its customers and working close with its business partners is a pivotal factor in the search for competitive advantage and, indeed, corporate success (Einhorn, pp. 52-53). Culture was of great importance to Intel. The 2-in-a-box management philosophy enabled top management to form a complementary and well-balanced team by combining philosophical and pragmatic skills. The 2-in-a-box philosophy reflects Intel's culture: it requires both strong personalities (egos) and teamwork (a philosophical dichotomy). Intel's culture is focused on being aggressive and direct, as suggested by Bob Noyce (1988) "people get respected or get ahead because of their abilities, not their position. You can always tell the boss he's wrong". Being a knowledge-based

Shock at the cellular level Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shock at the cellular level - Essay Example Hypovolemic shock occurs when there is loss of blood or plasma, as in burns, hemorrhage and trauma. Septic shock occurs as a result of systemic microbial infection. Other types of shock have also been defined: distributive and obstructive (Schwarz, eMedicine). Distributive shock occurs when the normal peripheral vascular tone becomes inappropriately relaxed leading to relative hypovolemia. It is caused by anaphylaxis, neurologic injury, sepsis, and drug-related causes. Obstructive shock is seen in newborns with obstructive congenital heart disease like coarctation of aorta, interrupted aortic arch, and severe valvular stenosis (Schwarz, eMedicine). In older children and adults, rheumatic fever, subacute bacterial endocarditis, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can lead to direct obstruction of cardiac output (Schwarz, eMedicine). 1. Non-progressive stage: This is an initial stage where in the reflex mechanisms of the body are activated, thus maintaining normal perfusion of the vital organs. The various neuro-humoral mechanisms maintain the cardiac output and blood pressure. The hypothalamus situated in the brain secretes adrenocorticotrophic releasing hormone which in turn stimulates the adrenal or the suprarenal glands to secrete the catecholamines, aldosterone and the cortisol. Blood is diverted from the less vital to more vital organs like brain, heart and kidneys, heart rate increases to supply more blood quickly, blood pressure increases to supply blood efficiently, respiratory rate increases to get more oxygen from the atmosphere, glycogen stores in the liver and muscle are broken down to get more glucose (glycogenolysis) and beyond a certain level, glucose is formed from non-carbohydrate sources like fats and proteins (gluconeogenesis) (Ron de Kloet, p.187). In the heart, adrenaline causes increase in the heart rate and also the force of contraction leading to increased

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

Strategy Implementation - Essay Example We need to shift with it and we implement every strategy with result-oriented mindset" (Ambrosini, pp. 123-126). McConnon (pp. 46-51) mentions that Intel recognizes the need for continually analyzing and reviewing its strategies in order to meet the changes and challenges that come from the external environments so as to meet the stakeholders' expectations. Intel strives for business renewal and revitalization as a way of dealing effectively with the impact of the information society on today's dynamic industry. This paper discusses Strategy Implementation in the context of the case study of Intel in a concise and comprehensive way. Intel is an innovation-driven organization that strongly believes that competitive advantage can be achieved by choosing the right option at the right time so as to create value to Intel's key stakeholders: its customers. To achieve this Intel uses the following key drivers: According to Edwards (pp. 46-47) due to Intel's successful early days into the semiconductor industry, Intel established itself as one of the leading brands in the hi-tech sector. Intel managed to create and develop such an established and well recognized brand by being able to launch new products as well as being able to reinvent itself (e.g. moving from semiconductor memories to microprocessors). In other words, management created a dynamic internal environment where people were encouraged to accept 'change' as part of Intel's corporate culture. This was achieved through designing a matrix structure that favored and facilitated the flow of information and knowledge across the organization. Intel managed to create an internal environment that requires employees to deal with challenging corporate goals (i.e. result orientated) and beliefs (i.e. attention to details/quality, professionalism, etc) in a team-based and open-minded workplace. Given the dynamic industry Intel is operating in, innovation can be obtained through investing heavily in Research and Development (R&D). All the above-mentioned strengths may only feature in an organization that has great managerial vision; in other words, Intel's management was able to analyze the changing patterns of the industry, make choices (see the "buying options") and implement them quickly (i.e. strategic flexibility) in order to achieve competitiveness. Finally, another major strength may be identified: Intel believes that listening to its customers and working close with its business partners is a pivotal factor in the search for competitive advantage and, indeed, corporate success (Einhorn, pp. 52-53). Culture was of great importance to Intel. The 2-in-a-box management philosophy enabled top management to form a complementary and well-balanced team by combining philosophical and pragmatic skills. The 2-in-a-box philosophy reflects Intel's culture: it requires both strong personalities (egos) and teamwork (a philosophical dichotomy). Intel's culture is focused on being aggressive and direct, as suggested by Bob Noyce (1988) "people get respected or get ahead because of their abilities, not their position. You can always tell the boss he's wrong". Being a knowledge-based

Second Language Acquisition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Second Language Acquisition - Essay Example It is important to highlight that his paper delves into the discussion of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). In this, what comes out so clearly is that the second language is not that easy to speak owing to the new nature of the language to the person. In the paper, therefore, it can be easily noted that the audience are twenty five Greek Cypriots students who are from different departments and they are addressed in a foreign language. This therefore gives the problem that arises here now is that the students are to learn the Turkish language to enable them to communicate effectively for proper understanding (Dà ¶rnyei, 2003). The problem that therefore arises is that there is no common medium of communication in regards to the difference in language and therefore the acquisition of the second language for the communication and proper understanding to be very effective (Dà ¶rnyei and Zoltà ¡n 2003). One major factor that needs to be accepted and owned is that when it comes to the learning of the second language or foreign language, processes that are undergone while learning the language and the persons who are engaged in the learning of this kind of language are very much essential (VanPatten, and Alessandro, 2010). The social condition arises to difficult in second language acquisition due to various situations that students find themselves in (Dà ¶rnyei and Zoltà ¡n 2003). Learners typically interact with other learners and some speakers of the target language are affected by through this process. Particular utterances, moves, and verbal exchange are the ones that determine the learners’ caption of the second language acquisition during learning (Horwitz, Elaine K., Michael B., and Joann C., 1986). In such cases, hearing can be learned in a different way opposite to understanding what has been said.

After graduating Essay Example for Free

After graduating Essay After graduating from Ashford University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development; , I am hoping to obtain a job working in the Public school system alongside the Pre-k teachers in implementing programs for Pre-k or become an owner of a childcare center. The nature of families and children in relation to society is important for my profession because in order to help improve the childcare center. I also hope to develop programs for Pre-k that children and their families will benefit from. I first need to know how the child’s family has a big impact on the child’s life and their ability to function in society. Not knowing anything about the child’s background, I feel like I won’t be able to do my job as best to my ability and give the child the appropriate guidance that they need to be successful. Every child is different and part of that comes from their family and home environment. This is what makes them unique and they bring that uniqueness to the classroom. Before we can try to understand the child we first need to understand the child as a whole, their background and family life. The knowledge that I have of the theories of socialization will impact my work in my future profession. This is because of the fact I will know what works and what’s best for the child and what doesn’t work. From experience I know that every child is different so what may work for one child won’t necessarily work for another child. Child’s have different temperament some kids are outgoing and outspoken while others are quiet and shy. The ones that are quiet and shy; I’ve learned you have to work harder at providing opportunities for them to work with other children. . By knowing the theories of socialization, I know what the family’s role is in socializing. The child and I know what my role as a teacher is in socializing the child. I also know what signs to look out for such as bullying and when a child is  having trouble. I also know that a child’s culture background has a lot to do with their socialization and I need to keep that i n mind. A lot of cultures do things differently, for instance, I may mistake a child’s not looking me in the eye as a sign of disrespect, but in some countries it is disrespectful for a child to look someone with authority in the eyes. Before I assume something about a child, I first need to get to know the child and learn about their culture. My understanding of child development will help assist me in my chosen profession because I will be able to help the parents and children that I will be working with. By being knowledgeable in child development I will be able to answer any questions that may arise from the parents. It will help me to do my job correctly and be able to bring out the best in the children I work with. It also gives me a chance to share my knowledge of child development with others. By knowing that each child goes through each stage of development at different times and knowing when a child may not be learning at the rate they are supposed to be, I may be able to catch a child that may have a learning disability because I know what signs to look for and when to notify the parents of any concerns. Also, by knowing what stage of development a child is in and what age, I will be able to implement the correct programs and activities for them that will challenge them. The nature of families and children in relation to society is important for my profession because in order to help improve the childcare center. I also hope to develop programs for Pre-k that children and their families will benefit from. I first need to know how the child’s family has a big impact on the child’s life and their ability to function in society. Not knowing anything about the child’s background, I feel like I won’t be able to do my job as best to my ability and give the child the appropriate guidance that they need to be successful. Every child is different and part of that comes from their family and home environment. This is what makes them unique and they bring that uniqueness to the classroom. I look forward to new door of opportunities that I will embark upon after recei ving my Bachelor Degree in Child Development.

English Language A Chief Medium Of Communication English Language Essay

English Language A Chief Medium Of Communication English Language Essay According to Encarta on line, the English language is the chief medium of communication of people in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Since the middle of the 20th century, English language has become widespread around the world. It is often considered the world language. English in South Africa is mainly learned as a means to gain access to knowledge in various fields. THEORETICAL CONSIDERATION AND THE PROBLEMS OF READING SKILL Theoretical considerations in this research, comprises problems of reading skills in first additional language. Lado (1996:159) states that: consider learning to read in foreign language as grasping meaning in the language through its written symbols. Similar views were echoed by Gritter (1977:245) when he equated reading to direct communication from the printed page to the readers mind. The central theme of this study was that reading skills seemed to lose its value due to numerous problems and lack of motivation in reading at schools. Different challenges, such as educators being not well trained in facilitating reading skills; lack of support systems; illiteracy; poor socio-economic; interference of L1 and first additional language; learners environment; and technological systems, seem to hinder the progress and development of reading skill. In the economic sector, employers found that many African job applicants were unable to read and to fill in English application forms. Since there are few native speakers of English in Limpopo Province, Lebowakgomo Circuit in particular, English literacy is limited. Insufficient training in reading skills on the part of teachers. Blame for poor reading result was laid on lack of effective reading instruction on the part of educators. Carlson (1972:32) supports this thus; public schools have been blamed for not having strong programme of organized phonics and lack of instruction in the decoding of sounds the letters represent. The researcher agrees that educators are the cornerstones of reading skill activities. As such, they needed intensive in-service training in order to practise their duties effectively and improve on poor reading results. Devine et al.; (1987:254) confirmed that there is a general agreement among teachers and students that the reading sections are responsible for the high failure rate. The researcher agrees that lack of instruction in the decoding of the sounds is the main explanation why many disadvantaged learners are retarded in reading. It is also the reason for high illiteracy rate among both the young and adults in South Africa, and Limpopo Province in particular. Owen (1992:97) noted that teachers were aware of the limitations of their childrens reading performance in global terms. However, decisions, about the most effective remediation strategies to deploy in particular cases have been hampered by the lack of training. The socio-economic status of the subjects According to Johnson (1992:158), Low Socio-Economic Status in a previous cultural setting was not necessarily associated with low achievement. That is, according to the records, some learners from Low Socio Economic Status perform well in reading L2. They sometimes out shines learners from High Socio Economic Status. The problems in assessment of reading skills in secondary schools Assessment is an important aspect which is viewed as a tool to measure strength and weakness of the learners. It is used as an extrinsic and intrinsic motivation to learners, so that they read more during their spare time. Educators give learners a sense of recognition through reading skill assessment. Assessment helps educators to assess a learners reading skill to make informed decisions about what or where to stress when teaching the learner to read. According to Farr (1970:1), most evaluation programs in reading education are too limited. In assessing the abilities of students, teachers to place more emphasis on the results of standardized reading tests and fail to consider such learners, behaviour as what learners read, attitude toward reading and use of reading to search for answers to personal problem. The research questions include reading attitude. They refer to feelings that results in learners particular approach to reading. Attitude influences the desire to read. Conley (1992:89) states that positive reading attitudes are essential for success in any content area, negative attitudes accompany reading failure. Alexander Filler (1976) add that, when students have favourable attitudes towards reading, they tend to increase in achievement and they read more. The word assessment should mean more than obtaining test scores from learners, it should be seen as a value to what it assesses, and that is challenges in reading first additional language. Reading skill against technology. The other goals of this study are to find if there is a predictable relationship between technological systems and time spent on voluntary reading. The researcher believes that technological system challenges the development of reading skill in a positive and negative way. He enjoys the support of other scholars, such as, Mangieri et al., (1982:172), who maintain that many children today do not enjoy reading in their spare time and seldom choose to read when other activities are available to them. Moreover, Sunday Times (21 May 2006:8) agrees with this statement by stating that, Television viewing has become the predominant leisure of youngsters. Some 77, 4% of them watch TV three or more times a week. The researcher will investigate if this picture portrays is what is happening in the Lebowakgomo Circuit. May (1986:262) also add that, at home, reading frequently competes with the omnipresence of television and its titbits of instant culture and its instant action. May (1986:262) continue to say that, numerous studies have shown that the average elementary child watches television more than we would like him/she to. He continues to say that, one of the reasons why pupils do not do much reading outside the school is that television provides tough competition for books. The researcher also observed that most children are watching television until late in the evening. This tendency was observed during the fifteen years of democracy. It is because after the 1994 elections, having electricity at home was a right not a privilege. This includes rural, semi-rural and urban area in Limpopo Province. As such, some rural learners had the opportunity of having television at their homes. Most of urban area learners move from television viewing to computer games, which is equally a waste of their time. All this leisure happens at the cost of reading their books. Beard (1988:7) supports the statement when he notes that competing activities such as television viewing and home computers are edging out the habit of reading. The problems of relationship between L1 and first additional language reading The cultural aspect or context of reading infers that the educator and learner understand the basic knowledge of their mother tongue: that is, the histories, literature, current world position and changes involving their native languages. These aspects show the importance of the learners background knowledge. This view is supported by Lado (1996:5) who argues that: theoretically, in reading a language, it would mean sharing of a culture in order to be able to appreciate fully the works in the target language. The extent to which reading a language entails reading of a culture would be determined by the purpose for which language was being studied. In South African, there is a national agreement that it is better to learn first in ones native language, in order to build on what has been learned naturally about reading in L1. The advantages of using a childs native language as a bridge in transitional situations are self-evident. It builds on what children know, that is, their home language. Their own language is learned naturally using their own cognitive framework. This will promote their self-esteem, because it accepts what is an integral part of them. It makes them comfortable during the difficult transition of learning to read in first additional language. Mitchell Myles (1998:13) support the above view by saying that everyday observation tells us that learners performance in a second language is influenced by the language that they already know. Pronunciation bears traces of their first language. SPECIALISTS/SCHOLARS OPINIONS ON THE CONCEPT OF READING. The researcher wanted to find out what other researchers and theorist say about reading. What is reading? According to the editor, Horton, and writer, Good Acre (1990:120), this is the most difficult and complex question to answer, and, to some extent, it depends on who is asking the question. There are different kinds of reading. They are, namely, Skimming, Search Reading, Browsing, Careful Reading and Independent Reading. The researcher was interested in doing research on of Careful Reading and Independent Reading. It is because careful reading is associated with reading text, story books and other instructions. Independent Reading helped learners to develop Our lives and environments are surrounded by different kinds of information. Some information is read from the books, newspapers, magazines, instructions from the medications and road signs. Robert (1996:1) points out that reading can make us more aware of our world and more aware of ourselves. It can stretch our imagination and deepen and enliven our experience. It can provoke us to think by challenging our assumptions. Bearne (1998:48) argues that reading is a social and cultural process where not only homes and classrooms play their part, but larger institutions and cultural influence such as governments and the media contribute to what being a reader involves. Bearne views reading as an interactive process that brings meaning to the text that you read. Shelly (1986:50) says that experts agree that reading is not simply a hierarchically arranged set of sub-skills easily taught and tested, but that it is a complex skill requiring the coordination of a number of interrelated sources of information. Shelly (1986:50) further says reading is viewed as the foundation of learning and the key to success in school. The researcher wants to agree with Shelly because if the learners reading skill is well polished, he or she will have minimal problems in coping with content subjects as far as reading is concerned. Grolier (1979:28) argues that reading has to do with the process of attaching meaning to certain written symbols. As the word meets the eye, the reader is stimulated to make a mental picture of the action meaning. The symbols awaken meaning that is already in the mind of the reader. Neil (1988:28) adds that reading is creative, what any reader derives from the printed page is not exactly what some other readers would get or even what the author had in mind. It means that the interpretation of text will always differ from other readers perspective, due to different context, home language and other factors. Carlson (1972:6) found that men of perception and ambition quickly realized that, the art of reading was the lever to free themselves from the bonds of ignorance and gain status in the society. Reading was the basic skill that ought to be mastered by all as the key to sustain an economically self sufficient and effective citizenship. Encyclopaedia (Q-R Vol.16:10) notes that the main goal of education is to teach people to read. Reading is one of the principal ways of transmitting a culture of learning from one generation to another. The failure to read can keep people away from full participation in their society. Devine et al., (1987:2) state that reading is a multifaceted, complex and interactive process that involves many sub-skills and types of readers as well as text variables. Everything about the readers background, especially culture specific knowledge and experiences, are relevant to successful reading and comprehension. Wepner et al., (1988:160) assert that reading is a constructive process, reading must be fluent, strategic, it requires motivation. Reading is a continuous developing skill. A truly top-down approach to L2 reading has been advanced in 1979. The following: Steffensen, Joag-dev Anderson, (1979); Carrell (1981, 1982); Carrel and Eisterhold (1983); Johnson (1981, 1982); and Hudson (1982) agree that top-down L2 reading not only views the reader as an active participant in the reading process; making predictions and processing information, but everything in the readers prior experience or background knowledge plays a potential role in the process. Robert (1996:1) says reading can make us more aware of our world and ourselves. It can stretch our imagination and deepen and enliven our experience. It can provoke us to think by challenging our assumptions. It can help us make sense of our lives and our world by providing us with explanations that relate what we see, hear, think, and learn. It can enrich our understanding of issues that affect our world and lives. The ability to read in first additional language with understanding is an important skill in our modern society. We need to bring together the relevant challenges of reading to build a comprehensive theory of reading. THEORIES OF READING The researcher discusses theories and theoretical frame work of reading skill. The reading theories, their principles and functions will be discussed in details. Larsen (1991:222) states that a theory is more or less formal, more or less explicit, synthesis of what is known at a given point in time about some natural phenomenon, such as factors involved in L2 reading. Theories of reading view reading as cognitive activity which largely takes place in mind. Three types of reading theories are, namely, bottom-up, top down and interactive. The brief explanation of theories is as follows. Top-down theory of reading Goodman (1982) says it is the level at which the reader starts with a general idea or schema derived from previously acquired knowledge and uses this schema in perceiving and interpreting graphic cues. Everything in the readers prior experience or background knowledge plays a potential role in the process of reading L2. The reading text; genre, socio-cultural, general world and linguistic knowledge code of the learner, are included in the background knowledge. Interactive theory of reading True reading involves perception of meaning at different levels. Interaction process is the interaction between bottom-up and top-down levels. When the reader starts with the perception of graphics, but as soon as these are recognized as familiar, schemata derived from both linguistic knowledge of the world in general are brought into play. According to Conley (1992:54), good readers combine knowledge they already possess with information in texts and with feature of the context in order to construct meaning. This is interacting among reader, the text and the context. Patricia (1987:24) confirms that reading is an interactive process between the reader and the text. It has been recognized by Goodman (1967, 1971) Kolers (1969) Smith (1971). It is only recently that the interactive view of reading has been acknowledged in L2 reading. L2 reading was viewed as a decoding process, a reconstruction of the authors intended meaning via recognizing the letters and words, and building up a semantic representation of the texts meaning from the smallest textual units at the bottom to the largest at the top. Bottom-up theory of reading Bottom-up is processes were graphemes are forming words, words forming sentence, sentences forming paragraphs. Devine et al., (1987:24) explain that, early work on L2 reading, by Rivers (1964, 1968); Plaister (1968), Yorio (1971), assumed a rather passive, bottom-up view of L2 reading. Reading was viewed primarily as a decoding process, a reconstructing of the authors intended meaning via recognizing the letters and words, and building up a semantic representation of the texts meaning, from the smallest textual units at the bottom to the largest at the top. Devine (1987:177) states that linguistic schema is the knowledge of the letters and the corresponding sounds; both alone and in cluster, and the ability to predict through the knowledge of syntax, the word or words that will follow, example, phonics, grammar, and letter recognition. Ralenala (2003:54) believes that because of poor language proficiency, learners tend to use bottom-up processing strategies that, in turn, cause them to disregard the context relevant to a coherent interpretation of text. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the above- mentioned theoretical framework of challenges of reading and assessment skills ranges from different concepts. It looked into different writers views on reading, discussed why reading assessment in first additional language is important, covers L1 and first additional language interference. It touched on theories, interdependent systems and strategies that play an important role in reading. In order to promote positive and realistic expectations of first additional language reading, educators should know as about their learners existing knowledge and capabilities of reading in English. Everything in the readers prior experience or background knowledge plays a critical role in the process of reading first additional language.

Evolution: Fact or Fiction? :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Evolution: Fact or Fiction? One of the greatest questions of all time is: "Where the heck did we come from?" One of the most popular answers to this question is creationism, the idea that everything was created by a higher being. Another idea is evolution, the idea that all living organisms descended from a less complex organism. Up and coming in the last century, evolution possesses a new way of thinking that is being greatly accepted by the scientific community. Despite this fact many people argue that evolution has no facts to support it and there are several reasons why evolution can't happen. Evolution is the gradual change in an organisms gene pool over time, basically evolution is described in any change in the genetic makeup of an organism. The easiest way to show this is by stating examples of low level evolution as it has been observed. The best know case of this kind happened in England during the industrial evolution. There were two varieties of the English Peppered moth before the revolution, a light and a dark colored moth. The dark moth was almost nonexistent, as it was easy for predators to catch on the light colored trees. As the industrial revolution progressed, the amount of pollution in the air turned the trees a soot color, and as a result the light moths were easy for predators to spot. The light colored peppered moth all but died out, and was on the verge of extinction while the dark colored moth was thriving. In the last several decades the pollution in England has dropped and white moth is making a come back, and the dark moth is heading back towards o blivion. (Harter) Â   The moth example is considered by many to demonstrate evolution, but people against the idea of evolution say it isn't. The only thing that it showed was that nature uses natural selection to weed out the weaker of the stocks. The moth case is a clear example of natural selection not evolution because no change in the gene pool of the moth happened. Saying that the peppered moth example doesn't show evolution is preposterous. Natural selection is one of the greatest tools of evolution, as stated by Charles Darwin in his book, Origin of Species. "It may be said that natural selection is daily and hourly scrutinizing, throughout the world, every variation, even the slightest; rejecting that which is bad, preserving and adding up all that is good" wrote Charles Darwin in chapter 4:Natural Selection.

Environmental scanning Essay

International Players Cement and Lafarge Birla Cement, the Indian cement industry is broadly home-grown. Ultratech Cement, the country’s largest firm in terms of cement capacity, holds around 22% of the domestic market, with ACC (50%-owned by Holcim) and Ambuja (50%-owned by Holcim) having 15% and 13% shares respectively. †¢Many of the remaining dozen top players are Indian and are (in order of diminishing market share); Jaiprakash Associates (10%), The India Cements Ltd (7%), Shree Cements (6%), Century Textiles and Industries (5%), Madras Cements (5%), Lafarge (5%), Birla Cement (4%) and Binani Cement (4%). †¢ Between them the top 12 cement firms have around 70% of the domestic market. Around 100 smaller players produce and grind cement on a wide range of scales but are often confined to small areas Economic Environment’s Impact  on Cement Industry †¢ Currently, the industry is on the boom, with a lot of government infrastructure and housing projects under construction. In spite of seeing a fall during 2008-09, the export segment of the industry is expected to grow again on account of various infrastructure projects that are being taken up all over the world and numerous outstanding cement plants coming up in near future in the country. †¢ Over time more sophisticated and refined methodologies in connection with longer time series were employed to study productivity change. The contribution of total factor productivity to output  growth was of primary interest to explain the continuously low economic development. †¢ During that time, labor productivity as well as capital availability and use increased considerably, while the overall growth rate of the economy stagnated at low levels †¢ Concerned about the efficiency of resource use researchers started investigating productivity growth and input factor substitutions for aggregate manufacturing as well as various industries Ambuja Cement’s ECONOMIC CONDITION †¢ Its financial statements i.e balance sheet and profit and loss, profits are increasing every year and its share price is also high as compared to other cement industries and its assets are also  increased. It means that its financial position is very strong as compared to others. †¢ From here we can analyse that its profits are increasing year by year and it means that they are providing more to GPI,with this our NPI will also be increase and overall position of country will be better. †¢ From here we can analyse that if industry position is strong then our country’s position will also be strong. †¢ It means it is beneficial for the people and country. Social Environment’s impact  on industry †¢ Usually, the cement industry in India consists of both the organized sector and the unorganized sector. †¢ Organized sector comprises of the well-known cement manufacturing companies while the main players of the unorganized sector are the regional and local cement-producing units in various states across the state. †¢ Indian consumers prefer buying branded cement like ULTRATECH, JAYPEE CEMENT, LAFARGE CEMENT etc. †¢ It has been seen in the past, as well, that mini cement plants with low  brand value and image are not able to survive against the cement giants. †¢ With a population of more than 100 billion people, it is expected that cement industry will create another 25 lakhs jobs in the next 4-5 years. Ambuja Cements’ Social Impact †¢ This particular company is totally different from. On this case they really helped by doing lot of social work like they putt off various health centres for the poor people and provide Monetary help also to some reason. †¢ They also helped by providing education facilities to poor people like books etc. †¢ Not only this they are also providing good quality products that doesn’t harm any kind of injuries to the people while they are using it. †¢ The Company strives to provide a safe and healthy work environment for its employees and to avoid adverse impact and injury to the environment and communities in which the company conducts its business. The commitment is reflected in the number of awards the Company has received including National Award for outstanding pollution control. †¢ The awareness and training programme on health and safety related issues should be conducted regularly. All the employees, and directors shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations relating to health and safety so as to ensure healthy and safe work environment. Using or being under the influence of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job is absolutely prohibited. POLITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE INDUSTRY †¢ The price of cement is primarily controlled by the coal rates, power tariffs, railway tariffs, freight, royalty and cess on limestone. Interestingly, government controls all of these prices. †¢ Government is also one of the biggest consumers of the cement in the country. †¢ Govt. of India plans to increase its investment in infrastructure to US $ 1 trillion in the TwelfthFive Year Plan (2012-17) will lead to increase in the demand of cement. †¢ Infrastructure projects such as the dedicated freight corridors, upgraded new airports and ports are expected to enhance the scale of  economic activity, leading to a substantial increase in cement demand furthermore. †¢ Most state governments, in order to attract investments in their respective states, offer Fiscal incentives in the form of sales tax exemptions/deferrals. States like Haryana offer a freeze on power tariff for 5 years, while Gujarat offers exemption from electric duty. †¢ Strict law & order conditions and political will of the leader of any state enhance theconfidence of people living in the states as well as corporate to invest in that particular state. †¢ The total Government levies and taxes , which include Royalty on Limestone, Royalty on Coal,Electricity Duty, VAT/Sales Tax etc.,on cement constitute about 60% or more of the exfactoryprice of cement. Political Environment for Ambuja Cements Its political environmental is totally different from others because they never put any kind of political pressure on any other whether it is against or in favor for them. They always try to follow the proper rules and regulations that are made by the central government. †¢ But still they have to change their strategies as per change in the political environment. †¢ This policy applies solely to the Company and is not intended to discourage or prevent individual Director or Employee from making political contributions or engaging in political activities on their own behalf. †¢ No personal political contribution is reimbursed by the Company. No personal political activities should interfere with duties to be discharged with the Company in line with this Code of Conduct. LEGAL ENVIRONMENT †¢ Ambuja cements is most recognized unit in India and they always they are following proper rules and regulations that are made by central government and also follows that are mentioned in the Company’s ACT 1947 regarding Safety, Health and Social needs. †¢ They should Endeavour to keep abreast of the developments in laws and regulations and comply with the same. If any one gets to know of any non compliance of any of the laws in his or her colleagues area of operation in the company the same is brought to his/her immediate notice as well to the notice of his/her Head of the Department. †¢ All Directors and Employees of the Company conduct business affairs with honesty and integrity and in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations and shall not commit any illegal or unethical act or instruct others to do so, for any reason. Technological Factors affecting the Cement Industry †¢ From mining to production the entire process depends on technology. †¢ The Government of India plans to study and possibly acquire new technologies from the cement industry of Japan. †¢ The government is discussing technology transfer in the field of energy conservation and environment protection to help improve efficiency of the Indian cement industry. †¢ At present 93% of the total capacity in the industry is based on modern and environment-friendly dry process technology. †¢ There is tremendous scope for waste heat recovery in cement plants and thereby reduction in emission level. †¢ One project for co-generation of power utilizing waste heat in an Indian cement plant is being implemented with Japanese assistance under Green Aid Plan. †¢ The induction of advanced technology has helped the industry immensely to conserve energy and fuel and to save materials substantially. †¢ Also, some cement plants have set up dedicated jetties for promoting bulk transportation and export. Technological environment for Ambuja Cements Ltd. †¢ It is one of the most important factor as compared to  others. In this particular we are going to discuss that  what type of technology they are using and how much  beneficial for them as well as for the people who are  using this particular product. †¢ Ambuja cements industry is having good quality  machines to make their products and also they are using  latest technology machines. And their technology is very  effective that is implemented and they also implanted  modern technology like Inventory Control system etc INTERNATIONAL Factors affecting Cement  Industry †¢ With the rapid growth rate of the Indian economy after the 1990s, the infrastructural developments within the country has been tremendous. †¢ The increase in the construction activities has led to the increase in the demand for updated quality building materials and other allied products. †¢ Cement being one of the major elements in the construction work, there is a growth in the cement industry in India. The consumption of cement has increased in India by nearly 7.5%. †¢ With the globalization of Indian cement industry many foreign cement manufacturers are engaging themselves in agreements and deals with their India counter parts to have a share of the growth. †¢ Large cement players in India will use the acquisition route to enhance capacity and market share. It is clear that smaller plants will not survive in the long term. The top five players will hold 70-80 % of capacities and market in the next decade. †¢ There is an expectation that more global players would come into India as they would like to get a foothold in the market as the demand will propel in the emerging economies. †¢ Acquisition appears a good route primarily because a Greenfield cement plant takes 3-4 years to build and another 3-4 years to break even at an operating level of even 70-75 %. E.g.:- The acquisition of the Larsen & Toubro cement (ULTRATECH CEMENT LIMITED) business by Grasim Industries Limited in 2003-04 is a case in point.

Argo

The Movie Argon did not win the Oscar for the best movie Just because people liked It. Argon Is a movie directed and produced by Ben Fleck, In the movie Ben Fleck also plays the role of a main character along with Bryan Cranston, Alan Irking, and John Goodman. The movie plays during the time Iran's Revolution. The movie based Itself on 6 Americans that work in the US embassy In Tehran and when the Iranian protesters break Into It they manage to escape and take shelter In the Canadian ambassadors souse.The CIA decides to collaborate with Hollywood and created a fake movie called Argon and the plan they had consisted In Glenn the 6 Americans fake passports, visas and take them out of the country Like If they where crew from the movie. I really enjoyed Argon but the things I like the more will be the acting, the set design and the movie plot. In my opinion the best thing about Argon will definitely be the story plot. The movie attracts many people because based on a true story movies ma ke people want to see t because you can actually see what happened with the people that lived thru those moments.It shows how one thing led to another, and the exact details, for example when the main actor (Ben Fleck) comes up with the idea while he talks with his son on the phone and they both watch a movie about space invaders. The set design in Argon makes the movie even more fascinating. All the scenes in the movie where supposed to be filmed in Tehran where actually in the US and I bet most people really thought they where filmed on Tehran, it can even be passed as a documentary limed by someone at the moment.The actors where also perfect in the movie, starting by Ben Fleck, he played the role of Tony Mended from the CIA and he is the one who extracts the Americans from Iran. He's character made a really good part because he made Tony Mended look like a passionate man, passionate for his work, his family, but also he was really smart and seemed to be professional at making str ategies In situations like the ones In Iran. Goodman and Irking play the role of the producer and the director of the fake movie.Many laughs come from them, they give the movie a comedy part even though the movie has nothing to do with comedy, both actors give an example of Hollywood people, mean but comedy mean and they have enemies and of course both of them are rich people. Even though Argon won the Oscar for the best picture and for many people It was with out doubt the best movie, there will still be people that disagree with this decision and of course the movie has its flaws because for what I know no movie has There exist a problem, Argon makes the situation look like if the extraction of the 6Americans was all thanks to Tony Mended and the CIA, when on the true story people like the Canadian ambassador had more to loose than its reputation. In defense to Argon the movie can certainly be bias, and since Americans made the movie and they save Americans they want to make the U S the protagonist of the movie, but that does not mean they say that Canada and other places had nothing to do with the extraction. I have also heard people say that they find offensive the fact that Goodman and Irking laugh about the situation when they are next to the pool in theirBeverly Hills mansion, and not in a live or die situation. Again in Argos defense those parts only give the characters characteristics and gives us a taste of a Hollywood life. Argon definitely deserved the Oscar for best picture; even though it had flaws it still makes a fabulous movie. The movie fabulously comes from its set design, acting and plot. But lets also give credit to the amazing actor and director the movie had, Ben Fleck. So liked or not the movie people can't deny â€Å"argon buck yourself† caused tremendous laughs in people.

Demonstrative Communication Which Includes Nonverbal and Unwritten Communication Essay

Demonstrative Communication is a type of communication that observes non verbal cues. Examples of non-verbal cues include tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. Demonstrative communication is one where gestures are employed. Better known as non-verbal communication, it deals with the sending and receiving of messages. Demonstrative communication can be formatted by one’s body language, written language, and some non verbal communication that can cause the main point of observe sing the key words of communication which deals with grasping the tone, facial expressions, voice communication which is the main part of communication. When interring the wrong concepts of communication that we all call listen which we do not when it comes to communication. Listen is a nonverbal communication which we all take as misunderstand of communication when sending, and receiving the main point of a message. Demonstrative communication can be ways of success by how well a person communicate with one’s views, and how people use their verbal, or nonverbal communication. The message of demonstrative communication encounters a person’s thoughts of communication that involves the way a person gasps the main points of the sender and the receiver. People have their own ways of processing one’s examples of communication such as listening; asking question to what is verbal or nonverbal of the sender and the receiver. Views has to be very sure of what the sender has produce of the main point of the message, and how well the receiver has listening to the meaning of the message to ensure that there is no misunderstanding of the concepts of the message. Receivers and senders can have positive, and negative meaning of how a message is giving and received because the sender who is producing the message can give some mislead information and the receiver can be mislead also by the wrong information. Using your body sing can also give off wrong sing of the way a person sending a message across to the receiver. The main and most important body sing a person can use when giving a direct message is eye contact so That the views are taken you serially about the most important message of what you are saying.

Talent Factory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Talent Factory - Essay Example Here we look on those organizations that are well prepared for the future and have a strategy that is suitable to groom future leaders. These organizations have talent factories working internally or we can say they groom people for future so they can take up bigger responsibilities. They do this by merging two important things these are functionality and vitality. These people who are being groomed tend to become future leaders for the organizations. In this article the reader has looked upon the two top talent factories Procter & Gamble and the HSBC group both have different approaches to groom people for future but have been successfully grooming future leaders for some time. Functionality basically refers to the processes, tools, and the systems that allow any firm to put the right people at the right positions; this helps in linking the processes of the company to its objectives. HSBC follows the motive of giving people the feel of a local bank when they operate internationally, and link it with their daily processes to make it possible. HSBC keeps track of the people that are performing well at lower positions all over the world in their organization. ... The people of higher management in HSBC usually know their counterparts in other countries this builds a network of HSBC which enables them to collaborate in an easier way. Procter and Gamble on the other hand follows another strategy for talent hunt. P & G conduct its talent hunt through their growth plans; the organization hires new recruits from the local markets of the country they are operating in. For example hiring officers in China hire Chinese locals. This way the organization exploits talent from the country they are operating in. The new recruits are considered to be future leaders in the market they are working, but the higher level managers are still hired globally meaning that the executives decide of their hiring. P & G conduct training programs to train new recruits, special training programs outside the resident's country are also conducted. The organization helps new hires through mentors and special cross functional teams. The new employees are constantly given dif ferent opportunities to prove themselves, for example in 3 to 4 years of his or her hiring an employee has worked on more than 5 products with different people and in different scenarios. The organization has a very efficient system of hiring and pays close attention to it. The talent hunt system is conducted through a proper procedure with a program that keeps track of middle and upper middle managers. Their performances and successful projects in the past and the projects they are working on in the future. The managers are then promoted appropriately, according to their merit. Now coming to Vitality that is the other part of the combination of talent factories.

Process Analysis Essay on Falling Down is Part of Growing

Process Analysis on Falling Down is Part of Growing - Essay Example This paper explores some of the achievements that have been made by Petroski, in this case, it places biases on his famous writing, â€Å"Falling Down is Part of Growing.† The literal work that provides an examination of how the engineering field has been successful in achieving some important milestones as far as human life is concerned amidst various social and economic challenges among others. Petroski explains that before the world ushered in the new millennium, there was a need to look back and reflect on the path engineering had taken, this was in order to find out some of the important achievements that have been attained (Petroski para 1-2). This concern promoted the National Academy of Engineering to convene a meeting to brainstorm and deliberate on this agenda. It is during this meeting that it was discovered that many achievements have been made, some of the important achievements included, improved electrification programs in the country and beyond, the automobile and airplane sectors among many others The rural electrification program in the United States at this time had led to many other achievements because of the efficiency that was being experienced in many other industrial processes. Many people who took a lot at how the process was done under carefully planned coordination and collaborative process by engineers and physicians can ascertain that it was one of the best achievements to usher in the new millennium.

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

Chapter 9 - Essay Example Though in these cases the stages of acculturation might not be so visible, they still exist – a sojourner feels excitement about coming to a new area, then a crisis due to the differences one has to get used to, and, finally, readjustment to normal life in case he or she either stays or returns back (general model of acculturation). Another thing I particularly liked is that the chapter also teaches us on how to behave after we return from another culture. My attention was drawn to this part because, from my experience, when talking about the difficulties of acculturation, the problems a person faces in a foreign culture are discussed, while not so much is usually said about the after-return challenges. At the same time, it seems rather important to know what to do and how to behave upon the return to the changed with time native culture. The chapter also presents a hierarchy of needs developed by Maslow. Though it is not the first time I meet Maslow’s pyramid of needs, what I liked about this text is that it clearly explains how to apply Maslow’s theory to real situations of acculturating – appeal to higher needs, such as usefulness or self-esteem, does not work up until the lower needs, such as security of friendship, are met. The author also describes four models of acculturation: general model, the hero’s journey, the surprise and sense-making model, and the comprehensive model of stress, adaptation and growth. I believe it is very useful to know all the four approaches to acculturation, because the more sides and peculiarities of the problem we are aware of, the easier for us it will be to deal with acculturation when such a need arises. While each separate model may be self-sufficing, all of them together show a wider and deeper picture of what happens to an individual in a new culture, how one should deal with the challenges, and what reactions various problems may

Micro & Macro Economic Analysis - Electronic Arts Coursework

Micro & Macro Economic Analysis - Electronic Arts - Coursework Example Similarly if one variable falls, the other is destined too as well. Today In the modern world, the theory of demand and supply seizes more emphases of business analysts in decision making. Demand and Supply theory in the modern world of fierce competition enfolds a great deal of attention for strategic planning to achieve competitive advantage over rivals. The phrase â€Å"Demand and Supply† was first used by James Denham-Steuart in his book named â€Å"Inquiry into the Political Economy† which was published in 1767 (Steuart Denham et al, 1966). The theory discussed above is supplemented by the characteristics of the market in which the company exits. Conventionally there are four basic types of market structures. Perfect competition: such markets have many buyers and sellers, none being able to influence prices. Oligopoly: several large sellers who have some control over the prices. Monopoly: single seller with considerable control over supply and prices. Monopsony: single buyer with considerable control over demand and prices. The company with its gaming products operates in the Oligopolistic environment. Where there are several large producers but have a tendency to dominate major markets across the globe and influence some change in prices (Sloman, 2010). The concept of elasticity comes into play here. Elasticity is the measurement of how changing one economic variable affects the other. Elasticity of demand can be of three basic types; Price elasticity of demand – measuring the dynamics of the quantity demanded by the change in price. Income elasticity of demand – measures the dynamics of quantity demanded by changes in consumer income. Cross elasticity of demand – measures the responsiveness of quantity demanded by changes in price of another good. The concept in itself is a complete strategy. When ascertaining price of a product these elasticity’s should be kept in mind (Sloman, 2010). A detailed analysis of the Micro and Macroeconomic environment of Electronic Arts Inc is conducted below in detail, to explain the subject without obstruction. MICROECONOMIC ANALYSIS The demand and Supply theory as discussed above are amongst issues one needs to cater before planning product launch, indulging in price war s and budgeting for marketing. As the demand and supply curve has serious implications on the pricing strategies being adopted, there should be reasonable understanding of the subject matter before decisions are made. For the purpose of explaining the subject effortlessly, let’s consider the example of the world’s largest video game developer Electronic Arts, Inc. Electronic Arts (the company) is America’s largest developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. The company has a well diversified portfolio of products and geographical presence all over the globe. Under such circumstances the demand and supply implications are more severe for planning purposes as different conditions will be faced by the business analyst across geographical horizons. (Electronic Arts, 2011) Demand and supply has remained unchanged and unchallenged till date. There has always been a gap in the demand and su