Monday, September 30, 2019

North Korean Authoritative Government Essay

In this paper, I will attempt to explain why authoritarianism regimes such as the one in North Korea, still continues to govern even though the government is one of the more corrupted types of government still in existence today. The word authoritarianism is defined as, â€Å"a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc. )†(Word Net) There are currently many countries in our world that are not democratic societies. There are authoritarian regimes that still exist today. Probably one of the more well known authoritarian regimes is the government in North Korea. North Korea gained its independence from Japan in the year 1945. Kim Jong Il is currently the leader of North Korea. The mismanagement of economics through the 1990’s has made North Korea rely heavily on international aid to feed its population. North Korea has expanded their resources to help develop a military of about one million soldiers. Central Intelligence Agency) â€Å"North Korea’s long-range missile development, as well as its nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs and massive conventional armed forces, are of major concern to the international community. † (Central Intelligence Agency) The government in North Korea is a big part to blame for the economic struggles. In President Bush’s first State of the Union Speech he declared North Korea as part of the â€Å"Axis of Evil. † Presi dent Bush also went on to say his goal was, â€Å"†to prevent regimes that sponsor terror from threatening America or our friends with weapons of mass destruction. He singled out Iraq, Iran and North Korea, claiming these states â€Å"and their terrorist allies constitute an axis of evil arming to threaten the peace of the world. † (Fact Sheet) â€Å"The United States must act against these regimes by denying them the â€Å"materials, technology and expertise† to make nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and provide them to terrorists, Bush said. † (Fact Sheet) North Korea is currently a communist-state one-man dictatorship. Under a communist-state one-man dictatorship elections are held but there is nobody to run against the leader. For instance in September of 2003 there was an election held in North Korea. Kim Jong Il and Kim Yong Nam were the only nominees for the positions and nobody opposed them. (Central Intelligence Agency) The government controls the people. The government rules a lot of what the people of North Korea can do or say. For the executive branch in this country, Kim Jong Il has been the ruler since July of 1994. Kim Yong Nam is the president of its Presidium and he also has the responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials. Central Intelligence Agency) As for the legislative branch, the ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition, but some seats are held by minor parties. (Central Intelligence Agency) The judicial branch of North Korea consists of a central court, and the judges are elected by the Supreme People’s Assembly. The way this government is set up is very different than the way the democratic states are set up. In a democratic society the people get to vote for leaders and high ranking officials. While in these authoritarianistic regimes, the people have no say in who is going to run their country. There have been many North Koreans that have tried to escape either to China or South Korea. Few people have made it across the boarders safely. However, if they fail to escape and they are captured by the North Korean military they will be tortured or even executed in some cases. (Pearson Education) â€Å"North Korea, one of the world’s most secretive societies, has been accused of egregious human-rights violations, including summary executions, torture, inhumane conditions in prison camps, which hold up to 200,000 prisoners, and denial of freedom of expression and movement. Access to the country is strictly limited and North Korea’s domestic media is tightly controlled, making it difficult to substantiate the accusations. † (Pearson Education) I believe a huge part of why North Korea is actually still in existence is because the military has so much control on the people. Of course no country wants to start a war with North Korea because of their military strength and their nuclear weapons. â€Å"A number of stabilizing elements assist the regime’s efforts to maintain internal order. The society seems united in popular support for the party, and the people have a strong sense of national pride. Kim Il Sung, by all indications, truly is admired and supported by the general population. † (Federal Research Division Library of Congress: Pg 275) It is difficult for people that are from a democratic government to actually understand why authoritarianism governments work. Most all of the authoritarianism governments that I know have a strong following from their people. Whether the masses like the leader because he is helping the economy or helping a food shortage situation is another story. Personally I think these people in these countries are so afraid of what the leader might do to them or their family that they just do what they are told. Of course these people have never had it any other way. They don’t know what it is like to have a democracy. They don’t know what it is like to voice their opinion. The people in North Korea didn’t get to choose where they wanted to be born. If we had a free world I’m sure when some of those people realized that there are better governments in the world that won’t control your every move then they would leave the country. It is just not that easy for anyone to just get up and go to China or South Korea. People born into democratic societies should be thankful that they can enjoy the freedoms that they have, because there are other parts of the world where the idea of having rights is completely out of their control. There is no possible way the people can over throw the government in North Korea. North Korea has too strong of a military. One way the government will get overthrown is if it is done internally. The second way it will get overthrown is if they go to war with another country and they lose their power. â€Å"Indeed, research on Korean communism has become the pursuit of an avocation, meandering off the mainstream of contemporary social science. Most students of Korean communism have come under the influence, in varying degrees, of the lingering legacy of Kremlinology and the advancing model of Chinese studies. Following the general lines of development in Chinese studies in the 1960s and 1970s, research on Korean communism has shown an uneven advancement. On balance, research and knowledge concerning North Korea’s domestic politics and economy have developed more rapidly and significantly than the study of its foreign policy, which has remained neglected and underdeveloped. (Kim Pg:282) The economy in North Korea is struggling. Due to flooding and the lack of arable land, the people in North Korea are at a food shortage. Massive amounts of international food aid have allowed people of North Korea not to starve. Central Intelligence Agency) Mal-nutrition and poor living conditions still exist heavily in North Korea. As with everything else in the country, the government has the right to control the food and economic conditions. The religions that are practiced in this authoritarianism government are traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, with some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way. ) â€Å"Autonomous religions activities now are almost nonexistent; government sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom. (Central Intelligence Agency) Like other authoritarianistic governments such as Cuba, Iran, Afghanistan, and Iraq until not to long ago, the regimes will last until somebody does something about it. The United States ended the authoritarianism regime in Iraq because we had enough military power to overtake Sadaam Hussein. The U. S. troops are still over in Iraq trying to force the Iraqi people into having a democracy. The Iraqi people that have voted so far on the new leader of their country is not a man that the United States wants to have them run their country. Sadaam Hussein would still be in power and have complete control of Iraq if the United States didn’t take him out of power. The military balance in South Korea is much stronger then North Korea. In case of another North Korean invasion, the South Korean military only has about 600,000 people while the north has around one million. However these numbers are misleading because of the fact that these numbers don’t include the superior training, equipment, and logistical support that the south has. Kang: Pg 262) â€Å"The South has outspent the North on defense in the last 15 years, if not longer. † (Kang: Pg 262) North Korea’s nuclear threats are a grave concern for South Korea and the rest of the world. The Soviets were building bombs in the 1950’s and China developed a nuclear bomb in the early 1960’s. North Korea didn’t start trying to assemble nuclear weapons until South Korea became a threat to them because they were overtaking North Korea in a lot of areas during the 1970’s. Kang: Pg 266) â€Å"North Korea’s significance to the world with a bomb is much greater than without a bomb. † (Kang: Pg 266)In conclusion, there are many reasons why the authoritarianism regime in North Korea is still up and running to this day. There is simply no way that anyone can overthrow the government unless it is done internally. The people located in these authoritarianism regimes usually like the leader, and agree to what he says. These people didn’t choose where they wanted to be born just like nobody in a democratic state had an opinion as to where they would like to be born. It is sad that most all of the money spent in North Korea is aimed toward building up a better military and not helping out with the economy or the food shortages. The only way these people know how to live is to be ruled by a dictator. Until the United States or some other world power takes down North Korea, the authoritarianism regime will continue to govern.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Advanced Placement Language and Composition Essay

1) Grammar (The Pronoun) 2) â€Å"U.S. Immigrants† article follow-up. Post our â€Å"how† and â€Å"why† questions. Discuss notable annotations. Effective or ineffective article—why? 3) Review â€Å"Keeping the Scorebook† questions and summaries. 4) Source 50 essays and Riverside Readera) SOAPstone for â€Å"Margaret† and â€Å"Salvation† b) establish a tone for â€Å"Margaret† and â€Å"Salvation† Purpose: How does Angelou (and Hughes) convey her (his) attitude toward the subject? Additionally, begin formatting an AP-style introduction based on SOAPstone.| 9/5 B9/6 R| | 1) Grammar Classwork: The Pronoun Chapter Review 2) Chapter Questions posed: â€Å"how† and â€Å"why† and possible answers 3) Discuss narrative writing approach: Question for Response â€Å"Digging†3) Source 50 essays and The Riverside Readera) SOAPstone for â€Å"Margaret† and â€Å"Salvation† b) establish a tone for à ¢â‚¬Å"Margaret† and â€Å"Salvation†; c) write an introductory AP-style paragraph; c) avoid â€Å"said† words; 4)Issue â€Å"Catcher in the Rye† and set Socratic seminar date. Purpose: How does Angelou (and Hughes) convey her (his) attitude toward the subject?—include strategies| 9/9 B9/10 R| | 1) Grammar Classwork: The Adjective Exercise 2 2) Review Homework Introductory Paragraphs—student models (collect paragraphs) 3) â€Å"Shooting an Elephant† Multiple Choice review—use m.c. for identifying rhetorical strategies? 4) Analyze â€Å"Elephant† paragraphs: diction, voice, tone, irony, selection of detail, and more 5) Discuss word choice and impact on readerPurpose: 1) Proficiency in writing an introductory APLAC paragraph. 2) Proficiency in textual analysis.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Media Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Media Journal - Essay Example New details were recently uncovered with relations to the phone hacking scandals that involved Rupert Murdoch’s papers. The revealed evidence contained names of those involved in the illegal acts plus the lawmakers behind hack. A panel consisting of British Parliamentary members recently stated that Mr. Murdoch was not the right person to steer an international media company. Investors who have been weary of his control over the company took the report as evidence that leadership change was imminent. The reports have led officials to start speculating on the effect of those remarks to corporations broadcast licensing. A team of reporters who accompanied Mr. Romney report the changes that have started taking place in preparations for the general elections. Some of the changes include the arrival of the secret service, waning of access and course, the buffer between them and the candidates have become common (Kleinfield & Peters 23-25). Judicial inquiry has been on the case of British newspapers over the recent past trying to get answers on questions between Murdoch and his son James. Besides the judicial, book reviews have covered the relations of Murdoch and his son in connection with the accusations of phone hacking (Burns 14-15). The immediate issue over the recent past has built around the revelation of the connection between Jeremy Hunt and a lobbyist for Mr. Rupert. Mr. Cameron now wants, according to the reports, the ties verified. A profession at the media limelight has now become victim of the same media. This are reports from China, where several consultations with the editors and media owners gave a hint of how propaganda has really gotten the best of its own machinery at a time of very high political tension (Parker 2-4). Seven people died, and scores wounded in Nigeria when a suicide bomber launched an attack in a newspaper office. The newspaper company named ‘This Day’ had its daily activities running normally when the

Friday, September 27, 2019

Did the possession of nuclear weapons prevent war in Europe after 1945 Essay

Did the possession of nuclear weapons prevent war in Europe after 1945 - Essay Example There is no doubt that presence of nuclear programs and weapons enabled Europe to take wise decisions after 1945. The best example of European ‘wise decisions’ is no nuclear war has taken place since 1945. If we talk about the nuclear battlefield in the context of British Government, we would analyse the British Army of the Rhine spent much time and effort in trying to imagine what such a battlefield might look like and in preparing to cope with it. The main reason was that British Government was in debt to the USA, due to which it reduced its armed forced to one million soldiers. Beside this, all European countries were aware of the haphazard of nuclear war, since the bombing of ‘Hiroshima’. During the 1950s and 1960s these efforts were taken very seriously, which involved two steps: possessing advanced nuclear weapons and visualising war with and without them. Of course war cannot be fought without them, which means war fought with nuclear weapons. ‘ Hiroshima’ bombing is a sample view, which is still giving birth to the haphazard of a single nuclear bomb. In the context of war at the strategic level the first response was to emphasise ‘counterforce’. Soviet weapons were the strategic targets and senior commanders still talked as though a nuclear war could be ‘won’. Then the danger of this approach dawned with the development of Soviet Union the means of delivering a massive blow against the United States, so the notion of 'riding out' a first strike and then delivering a counter-blow on what could only be empty silos and deserted bomber bases became highly unattractive. The result was a shift back to 'city-busting', holding the people rather than the weapons as hostages; 400 one-megaton weapons able to hit area targets would suffice. This totally amoral doctrine was dressed up under the term Mutual Assured Destruction and its appropriate acronym (MAD). The tactical counterpart to this change of heart took a further five years to mature. It came to be realised that large-scale assault on NATO, while still a de adly danger, was by no means the only or even the most likely contingency. (Barnaby & Holdstock, 2003, p. 39) At that time the total nuclear stockpile of the United States, at its highest point, had an estimated explosive yield of some 9 billion tons of high explosive and the Soviet stockpile must have been much the same. In the 20 years from 1945 to 1965 nuclear warheads evolved to fill every possible ecological niche on the battlefield and in numbers far greater than any rational person could possibly have considered useful. (2003, p.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Utilizing the Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Utilizing the Internet - Essay Example Internet continues to impact my life every time I use it. It offers easy and simple access to a wide range of data and knowledge, at the click of a button. Its relative affordability means that I save a lot on research costs and study expenses such as those incurred when one is forced to visit the library (time saving too) and even subscribe to them for membership. There is also reduced expenditure on purchase of textbooks and reading material and such capital is diverted into other concerns. Apart from introducing me to a vibrant social life through the creation and keeping in touch with friends, the Internet has also enabled me remain an informed member of the society on virtually all topics. It has also enabled me work from home and even plan events without particularly having to go to different places and meet different people (Healey, 2006). Professionally and in organisations, the Internet is useful in the overall business strategy by collapsing time and distance, and thereby enabling electronic commerce. It is also useful in enhancing organisational culture as it encourages free flow of information. In addition, by making networking and virtual corporations a reality, the Internet greatly influences organisational structure. The Internet is also used professionally as tool for information management, sharing and receipting of information (Wiener, 2010). The Internet would apply to my future career in many useful ways. For one, it will be a useful tool for improving services delivery for instance, via online questionnaires, feedbacks, receipt of ideas and trends in customer taste and preferences and even receipt of orders. The Internet will also be useful in boosting the general awareness of the public to the services offered and the quality of the service, thus offering an effective marketing tool in a world where everyone is

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Communication Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Communication Research - Assignment Example The authors, through extensive literature review, have supported the capability of blogs as the new channel of reporting news without the added pressure or constraints of censorship or advertising which often tend to limit / restrict the scope of conventional news media. With this argument the authors have claimed that blogs are relatively better and more reliable source of news since they have the ability and the resources to offer deep and unbiased perspective and analysis of any given situation through modern corporate and mainstream outlets. In order to substantiate their claims the authors have used critical discourse analysis and content analysis whereby a total of 344 posts, 1712 hyperlinks and 10,401 comments from diverse types of blogs including those featuring political and current events over a period of one week. Constructs used: The key constructs used in the study include - blogs as an extension of 1960s ‘new journalism’; the capability of blogs to offer un biased news without the constraints of censorship and the pressures of advertisers; and the manner in which current event blogs interconnect with mainstream and alternative media. The key hypotheses tested include: H1: Political news blogs will link to alternative news sources more than to mainstream news sources H2: Political news blogs will link to opposite-minded current event blogs more than they link to like-minded blogs H3: Political news blogs will link to unofficial sources, such as personal websites and blogs, mainstream and alternative news blogs and alternative news sources more than to official sources, such as government websites and mainstream outlets Operational definitions: Mainstream news sources – are described to include conventional forms of media which are formulaic, reductive, and created with an intention to maximize viewership through pack-journalism. Alternative news sources – are described as any new media produced by non-commercial sources an d created / operated with the purpose of challenging and critiquing the existing power structures Official news sources – are described in this study, to include government websites and mainstream outlets Unofficial news sources – are described in this study to include personal websites and blogs Research Method: The key objective of this study was to substantiate the key hypotheses listed in the study and establish the superiority, legitimacy and credibility of new emerging forms of blogging especially current event and political news blogging over the mainstream journalism. For this purpose the method chosen by the researchers was critical discourse and content analysis whereby a total of 344 posts, 1,712 hyperlinks and 10,401 comments from four political/current events blogs within a seven-day period were analysed. The blogs used for this study were chosen through Tailrank - a meme tracker that uses advanced algorithm to rank blogs, and suggests recommendations base d on a range of factors. Considering the type of this research, the research tool used for selecting blogs via the news tracking device such as Tailrank is apt. Research has supported the credibility of such

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

LEGAL ASPECTS OF INTL BUSINESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LEGAL ASPECTS OF INTL BUSINESS - Essay Example Malaysia Airlines flies from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing twice daily without stops. Passengers arrive at least two hours in advance. On March 7, a group of 34 Chinese artists’ relatives, organizers businesspersons and families traveling with infants board the plane. An Information technology student in Lumpur and migrants being smuggled into Europe also board the plane. The plane is a Boeing 777, one of the world’s most popular passenger jets enabled with electronic controls and a computer to keep the plane steady(Philip, para. 11). Malaysia Airlines is an international company therefore; its operations are in accordance to international laws in the form of treaties conventions regulating its mother county’s relationship with other counties such as China. International law also provides litigation in cases of such breach of contracts by parties dealing internationally. International law also provides guidelines that facilitate transfer of risk from one party to another dealing internationally. Negligence by a party that has led to losses on the other party can be a basis for suing for damages. China has not held back in halting the pace of the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. It has deployed 21 satellites and a flotilla of naval ships. China has also dispatched investigators to Malaysia, run background checks on Chinese passengers and scourer radar images. Working with Malaysian government in searching for the plane and investigating the happenings has revealed limits of China’s power, influence, technological and military might in the region, despite the rapid rise as a rival to the United States and American strategic dominance of the western pacific. Malaysia has been keeping other nations, including China at a distance, taking a leading role in solving the problem. Malaysia has the right to take control in the search operation. However, China as nation of

Monday, September 23, 2019

Personal Letter to Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Essay

Personal Letter to Toronto Mayor Rob Ford - Essay Example First we need to understand the meaning of climate change. â€Å"Climate change is the warming of the earth’s atmosphere caused by human-generated emissions of greenhouse gases, the largest contributors being carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane† (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives report, 1995; as cited in Berman, 1997). There is a gradual increase in temperatures, patterns of rainfall and snow are shifting, and other severe climatic events are occurring such as increased droughts and storms. These events have negatively affected the ecosystem, weather, snow, oceans, and society. Although, natural events contribute to climate change, they are not the primary cause. Studies conducted by scientists ascertain that these drastic changes in the climate are associated with the rise of greenhouses gases in the atmosphere. These gases in the atmosphere are due to human activities such as burning of fossil fuels. The systems human use each day like cooling and heating systems, electricity generators, industrial processes and motor vehicles all contribute significantly to emission of the greenhouse gases. The greenhouse gases trap heat, and prevent it from escaping out of the atmosphere thus, raise the global temperatures. Climate change seems to be a continuous process, and will be there in the future. As humans continue emitting more greenhouse gases, the future will certainly experience more climatic changes. Climate change will negatively affect the entire world by negatively changing the economy, the environment and the health of people. The world has an obligation to strategize well, in anticipating some of the climate change impacts. This will benefit the entire human race (EPA, 2014). Solar energy and ocean currents variations affect the climate. Nevertheless, they do not sufficiently explain the rise of

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Email writing regarding whether or not to join the organization Essay

Email writing regarding whether or not to join the organization regarding Nikes Honduran situation - Essay Example hink that once Nike heard about the conditions of the workers at each of these factories that they should have pulled their contracts from these factories and looked for other places to fulfill their orders without violating the rights of their workers. Furthermore, I do believe that Nike changed their stance when Universities in the United States started to pull licensing contracts from Nike and the potential of losing money became a factor. There really is no way to know for certain whether or not the students, universities, and workers ever received all the information. But after reading a few articles, in my opinion, it looks as a whole no body ever had all the facts. What facts they do have seem to be coming just from the two workers touring the country with the reasoning behind why the two factories closed rather than resolve the situation. And whether or not students should be activists, I do believe that students should try to do something. I do believe that companies should pay attention to them. But at the same time, companies should also have ways to disclose information to their main offices from their factories as to determine whether or not their standards and practices are being followed. I hope my opinions help you on making a decision whether or not we should be involved with USAS. If you have any further questions, you can reach me by phone at 123-456-7890 or by e-mail at 123456789@email.com Yoshikane, Akito. "Honduran Workers Speak Out Against Nikes Labor Violations." In These Times. n.p., April 21, 2009. Web. 26 Sep 2011.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Higher education Essay Example for Free

Higher education Essay Did you know that education in school is really important? Many parents believe that education is important because it leads to a degree which grants you a good job. With an education you can get a steady pay check. With that pay check you will get away to financial independence as an adult. Why is Education So Important? he first thing that strikes me about education is knowledge gain. Education gives us knowledge of the world around us. It develops in us a perspective of looking at life. It helps us build opinions and have points of view on things in life. People debate over the subject of whether education is the only thing that gives knowledge. Some say, education is the process of gaining information about the surrounding world while knowledge is something very different. They are right. But then, information cannot be converted into knowledge without the catalyst called education. Education makes us capable of interpreting things rightly. It is not just about lessons in textbooks. It is about the lessons of life. Did you know that education in school is really important? School and education help people you understand beyond the world around them. Education helps ones immediate family, area, region, country, culture, race, or civilization. These different subjects open up information and knowledge. An important aspect of education is learning how to learn in order differentiate fact from fiction. Education is important because it equips us with all that is needed to make our dreams come true. Education opens doors of brilliant career opportunities. It fetches better prospects in career and growth. Every employer of today requires his prospective employees to be well educated. He requires expertise. So, education becomes an eligibility criterion for employment into any sector of the industry. We are rewarded for exercising the expertise required for the field we venture. We are weighed in the market on the basis of our educational skills and how well we can apply them. Education brings about economic wealth, political stability and social prosperity; all these are hallmarks of a prosperous society. It can therefore be said that education playas an important role if a society is to be successful. Tertiary education is an important aspect in the development of any society that considers or aspires to be modern. It is by far the best investment that a nation or an individual can make in its youth or oneself respectively. Educated people are in a better position to contribute to the development of their country; these educated individuals get employment opportunities that give them satisfaction and also earn some form of respect among their work mates. It also plays an important role in the integration of a society in that by interacting with people from various areas, it will raise different issues that people in rural areas are facing thereby promoting knowledge and understanding of these areas Life is nothing without education? Life without education is like living in the streets. Without education youll become lost. You will not have a guaranteed future. You will no go home ridding your favorite car to your Own home. By learning your basic alphabets youll work your way through to have a professional career. Therefore with out Education to school you will not learn at all. Life is never without education. In societies without formal schools, parents pass skills on to children. Education starts before you ever go to school and goes on after you finish school. That said, formal education is a great way to ensure that every child knows what is most necessary to live in a particular society. Without education you will be an illiterate person your children in the future will come up to you and you’re not going to know how to answer them with a right answer. Education will help build your own perspective. Schools are the place you school of started how to pronounce and count. Importance of education is needed in order to succeed in today’s world. In order to receive education you must go through some process. Your first process is to graduate from high school with your diploma. The next step is to attend college to obtain a degree in a trade that you would like to pursue. Without education you wouldn’t get good pay or promotion that you deserve. However, some people feel that they can get by in life without education, sadly that is not true. If you would like at the graphic at the bottom you will see that the higher the education you have the more money you can make. Education is important to have in today’s society. Importance of education able you to have a good job security and knowledge of your field supporting the hard work a person put into there education. Overall, school is the basic start that will drive you to your future. With knowledge youll get the sense of pride that you know must of the things. Education will help brighten your children’s future. 66% of the US population has a high school diploma or high. You should be amongst these people.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Comparison Of Renaissance And Mannerism Cultural Studies Essay

Comparison Of Renaissance And Mannerism Cultural Studies Essay I chose to work on the comparison between Renaissance and Mannerism. Renaissance and Mannerism differ to certain extremes, buy still I found that even today there are particular methods of these art movements that are recognized and applied. Here I shall discuss the pros and cons of both art movements, the impact of the movements and my views on this. POSITIVE POINTS OF RENAISSANCE: In this movement the art form characteristics held an expression of liveliness. Like in wood, clay, stone, independent of reality. For example Leonardo Da Vincis drawing called Renaissance Man. It is also known as Vitruvian man. This drawing is known to be the proportions of man or canon of proportions. His piece of art showed how science and art was brought together to calculate proportions. Leonardo envisaged the great picture chart of the human body he had produced through his anatomical drawings and Vitruvian Man as a cosmografia del minor mondo (cosmography of the microcosm). He believed the workings of the human body to be an analogy for the workings of the universe. Encyclopaedia Britannica online The drawing is based on male proportions that are correlations of ideal human proportions with geometry described. During this period there was the return of ancient Greek and Roman antique. One such example was seen in Brunelleschis architectural work. He had constructed the Florentine Cathedral. This particular work originated from the Roman Empire. The foundation of his design was of the dome of the Pantheon. He constructed an elliptical dome. Artists became familiar with ancient art and brought that in their paintings. All their art form like sculptures and paintings were proportional. These art forms have particular measurements and are always calculated before painted or made. This is an important feature of this period that takes effect even today. Like Michaelangelos sculpture called David. Perspective is another important term that was brought up during this movement. The great Renaissance artist Brunelleschi had brought up this term. Brunelleschi constructed a church called the Florence Cathedral. This initiated perspective as it is seen in the architectural composition of its planning. This later inspired Leonardo Da Vinci in his painting called Last Supper. In this painting we can see that the elements are arranged according to one point perspective. Andrea Mantegna paintings demonstrated a certain sympathy for low castes like in his painting called Triumph of Caesar where he head illustrated prisoners of lower classes. NEGATIVE POINTS OF RENAISSANCE: Proportions are not that appealing, since in reality every human doesnt pertain such exact proportions. The Mannerists were against this feature. Some paintings evoke devotion like the Venetian paintings. POSITIVE POINTS OF MANNERISM: The Mannerists represented a particular style or manner in their paintings. Like elongated hands, small head, etc. This can be seen in Jacopo Pontormos Painting called The Deposition from the Cross. In this painting the bodies of the women and the man are elongated. Their hands and feet also seem to be slightly longer than a proportionate body. The head is comparatively small than the body. This painting clearly depicts the anticlassical art form. Early Mannerism consisted of more natural paintings. Such paintings were known as anticlassical paintings i.e. against Renaissance art. For example Ross Florentinos painting known as Moses defending the daughters of Jethro depicts the anticlassical art. Even in this painting the construction of the body structure can be clearly seen. The long legs and a small head, etc is seen. Similarly many other painting in this period portrays anticlassical art in a variety of ways. Paintings were usually oil painted or frescoes like the painting done by Jacopo Pontormo known as Annunciation. The Angel Gabriel and Virgin Mary are placed against white walls the environment seems stark. The contrast between the figures and ground makes their garments glow in the light of the window between them. It seems as if the couple came in from the extension of the chapel wall. DISADVANTAGES OF MANNERISM: Higher Manneria was the next stage of the Mannerists that concentrated mostly on an artists virtuosity. The paintings were mostly related to the artists point of view rather than reality. Manneria paintings later progressed to be far away from their goal than reality. This was against Manneria art. IMPACT OF THE MOVEMENTS: The Renaissance movement was highly influential even during its time. It spread through various places like Italy, Germany, Netherland, France, England, Spain and rest of Northern Europe. Many Italian artists, etc contributed towards the Renaissance period in their own particular ways. Even today Renaissance exists as it has contributed towards the development of perspective and proportions. Architects or any other fields acquire these basics to bring a perfect or ideal output. Like one point, two point and three point perspective. Its not just perspective but even proportions have initiated of a man, woman, objects and relating proportions in a scenery such that they look uniform rather than abrupt. Mannerism movement also has achieved to look at thing normally rather than calculating things out. Its not scientific based and is purely based on perception of the artist of reality. Observation is an important term for mannerists. This movement related to Renaissance is not that contributive towards the present but still it has its own plus points. MY VIEWS: Relating all factors with respect to Renaissance and Mannerism, I found a couple of facts that I like in Renaissance as well as Mannerism. I cant really judge which one is better but I must say that Renaissance has been highly influential rather than the other movement. Many top notch artists are remembered even today for their tremendous contribution like Brunelleschi, Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Titian and Michaelangelo. Some artists concentrated mostly on sculptures like Michaelangelo. His sculpture called David is known even today. Leonardo concentrated on painting where he even acquired perspective in his paintings like Last Supper. I feel that Renaissance concentrated on measuring each and every thing rather than relying on your own instincts. This difference I found in Mannerism. Proportions are important but I felt that there must be some personal output too based on our personal instinct. CONCLUSION: After researching on Renaissance and Mannerism as well as the artists and their works I was able to relate and understand how the view changes as in different periods. Like cubism fauvism, impressionism post impressionism and so on. Many movements have their particular principles and differences. From concentrating on emotions developed from color, subconscious and so on. The art movements didnt just focus in one point throughout the movement. They changes can be seen in Renaissance like high renaissance and Mannerism as early mannerism, etc. All in all it is important to know and compare the past views of tremendous art movements. Mainly how the thought process changes from one point of view to another. The development of an artistic mind is observed not only with help of paintings but even sculptures, relief sculptures, collages, etc are developments from a variety of movements. These movements are even applied in furnitures, posters, etc.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Global Inequalities Essay -- essays research papers

I found the book Global Inequalities quite interesting as well as being very informative. I enjoyed reading this book because unlike many other texts it was not very â€Å"cut and dry†, rather it was easy to read and Bradshaw and Wallace did a good job illustrating major points. This made the book easy to read because it did not require me to re-read many passages to understand the ideas presented. Prior to reading this book, I did not have too much knowledge about world events that have occurred in the past. I learned a great deal about international events, it also clarified many ideas that I had previously learned but was not too sure about the details. I found it extremely interesting learning about all of the different cultures and lifestyles that many countries enjoy around the world. I only have one complaint about the book; it is that the book is not very up-to-date. Many of the ideas pointed illustrated by Bradshaw and Wallace is out dated. In fact a couple of the id eas that are talked about have changed over time or even been solved since the book went to print, however even though some of the ideas are out dated many are still very interesting to read about. In general I thought that Bradshaw and Wallace did an excellent job composing a book that clearly illustrates many of the cultures including ours and the problems facing them over time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the book Bradshaw and Wallace have presented many ideas that illustrate several inequalities throughout the world. There were three major points that I felt were the most important to my overall understanding of how cultures greatly differ from each other and the global inequalities around the world. In my opinion these ideas were important because they explain many of the problems that both developing and developed countries face on a daily basis. They were colonization, the Modernization Theory and World Systems Theory and the section about Baseball in Asia. Although Bradshaw and Wallace have presented many ideas and issues, I felt that these easily explained some main reasons as to why global inequalities transpire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first point that I felt was significant was the theory of colonization. Colonization was how many underdeveloped countries were formed; this also led to many problems in those respective countries. Colonization caused many ... ...ican’s have definitely seen plenty of fights, arguments, and off-field problems. In Japan this stuff would most likely never occur. Another major difference between Japanese baseball and American baseball is the fact that in Japan there is such a thing as a tie, however not in the U.S. In the United States a baseball game would not end until there was no longer a tie, no matter how long it took. In Japan the game will go no longer than four hours or twelve innings. These are some very big differences between our â€Å"American Pastime† and Japanese baseball. These are all ideas the Bradshaw and Wallace clearly illustrate as being â€Å"Global Inequalities†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout this book, Bradshaw and Wallace really helped me grasp more of an understanding about how much the world differs going from one culture to another. Being an athlete myself, the section about how much baseball differs from the U.S. to Japan really pointed out how the differences are extensive. The first two issues have led to many countries becoming underdeveloped. All of these issues are very important and are a learning process for all societies that wish to become a success in the near future.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Characteristics of Becker in the Film M :: Films Movies M Becker Essays

Characteristics of Becker in the Film M The character of Becker in the film "M" had many childlike qualities, which drew in his victims. These qualities that Becker possessed, he exploited to his own gain. The children immediately gave him their trust because of his ability to relate to them, and he knew that. But I really don't think this was really an alter ego, because he seemed to have these traits all the time. Inside he was really a sick man, to kill there has to be something wrong with him, epically to kill small children, and furthermore little girls. Becker knew how to dram them in. He bought them balloons, and whistled. He bought them fruit, and candy, and openly ate on the street with them. Something that was, "against the norm", for grownups to do. He chatted them up, and they even felt comfortable enough to call him uncle. Becker when confronted reverted back to childhood, acting like he didn't know right from wrong. The way he explained it he was like a kid in a candy store, the girls were tempting him, and the only thing he could do was snatch them up. They preserved his youth. This isn't an uncommon thing to do. Epically with mass murders, they have to make their victims feel comfortable enough to go with them. In the case of John Wayne Gasey, he preformed as a clown and acted like a perfectly nice gentleman when luring his victims. People trusted them, especially their victims, or they never would have been killed in the first place. The element of trust and relating with the prey is apparently crucial in gathering up victims. In the case of Hiltler, he had the whole of Germany under his spell, and that is how no one questioned his tactics. He was a very forceful speaker and people trusted him, and they believed in his ideas for a utopia. If no one trusted his, the war wouldn't have been as devastating and the jews would have left Germany far before they were ever marked as pariahs. Becker had to be trusted or his ploys would have never been carried out. He had to be crafty in his manner and nice enough to keep the children calm. So nobody would suspect what his motives were.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

David The Great :: essays research papers

Creative Writing: A Hero Adventure David the great was a true hero, I will now tell you why, he went through all of the events that heroes go through such as a departure, initiation and return. He also was a national figure, he led the Romans to victory in war and was well known by all, and was also forced to leave his family in time of need knowing he may never return to see them. So here is the story of David the great. It all started when the Cyclops was released onto the earth from his underground cell and started to torment the world and was destroying city after city until David the great and his loyal army were called upon to stop him. But he was reluctant to leave, for he had just been married to his wife and were expecting a child, and knew he may never see his family ever again. But David knew he should go, for so many lives were at stack not only his own, the people of Rome were also at risk, the giant Cyclops was running wild through the city destroying anyone and anything in his path. So David left for Rome for he knew it was his mission to go and battle the Cyclops with his great army and save the Romans from certain doom. So he left with his army after the tough good bye for Rome. On his way to Rome, David stopped at the temple of Wisdom ,who was the god of knowledge, and asked him how to kill the Cyclops. Wisdom told David that the only way to k ill the Cyclops was to stab him in the eye so he could not see. So David left for Rome and when he and his army got to Rome they saw the destruction that the Cyclops had unleashed onto the city, the buildings were all torn down in heaps of rubble and fires had started in some parts of the city. So David and his army wasted no time and went for the Cyclops, but the Cyclops just picked up the men and ate them like they were little action figures. And then David was the only one left and he and the Cyclops froze for a second when there eyes met, so in all of his rage, the Cyclops picked up a vendor’s cart and hurled it like it was a small rock.

Examine the Ideas of Manliness, Hostility and Aggression in a View from the Bridge. How Are These Ideas Connected?

Examine the ideas of Manliness, Hostility and Aggression in A View from the Bridge. How are these ideas connected? A View from the Bridge: a tragic drama piece, written by Arthur Miller and first published in 1955. Curtained by the never-ending dramatics of the play, is quite basically a fight for an unconditional love, portrayed by a man of whom perplexes his emotions like no other (Eddie Carbone). The play itself is set in the 1950’s; times when masculinity and dominance we’re vital for a man to obtain, and therefore prove to be key concepts during A View from the Bridge. Due to the constant battle to be the top of the hierarchy, a hostile atmosphere is continuously present within the circle of male characters. To be the more predominant man proves highly important; it gives them authority over the female characters, and status over the other males. The play has been written as a Greek Tragedy: a storyline of where a certain person is destined for disastrous misfortune (the Hero). Linking to this, is the opening narration spoken by Alfieri. Alfieri is a lawyer, and as he quotes â€Å"I am a lawyer .. We’re only thought of in connection with disasters†, you are automatically signalled that something bad is bound to happen at some point during A View from the Bridge. Eddie Carbone works as a longshoreman in New York. He lives with his wife Beatrice, and his niece Catherine. Eddie proves to be the protagonist within the first page of A View from the Bridge, of which is chorused by Alfieri (an ageing lawyer). From this, it is rather easy to acknowledge that Eddie is going to play a domineering role, and quite obviously the hero in this Greek Tragedy comparison. As I have previously mentioned, masculinity is highly important, and particularly important to Eddie. Being the utmost respected and powerful man proves rather essential to him during the play, as gives him domination over the household females. An example of this would be in Act Two, just after Eddie rings the immigration bureau. â€Å"Get them out the house†¦ Not tomorrow, do it now. †. Here he is giving Catherine orders in a rather authoritative manor, and this is a prime example of the way he speaks to the female characters. Eddie has incestuous desires for his niece, Catherine. This continues to be an ongoing problem throughout the entire play. It is quite clear to recognise Eddie’s feelings toward Catherine from the opening scene. When Catherine enters, Eddie is overly keen to know where she is going due to the way she is dressed (short skirt etc); he questions her before becoming complimentary about her appearance, because he is obviously panicking that she has dressed herself specifically to impress another male. Eddie quite clearly feels that as a man, he has a right to inquire when he feels necessary; possibly using this to conceal the fact he wants nothing more than direct control of Catherine’s life. â€Å"Beautiful† he quotes Catherine when observing her new hairstyle. Through the whole of A View from the Bridge, Eddie does not pay Beatrice one single compliment, which seems rather obscure, suggesting he has more admiration for his niece than his wife. Catherine constantly seeks Eddie’s approval, repeatedly asking him â€Å"You like it? about the way she looks. This tells the audience that Eddie has brought Catherine up to believe his opinion is always necessary, relating to the idea of masculinity and the dominance possessed by the household male. The actual reason Catherine dressed herself differently was due to the fact that she has been newly employed as a stenographer: somebody who specializes in the transcription of speech. Yet again, Eddie has something to sa y about the fact that Catherine has a job. â€Å"You can’t take no job. Why didn’t you ask me before you take a job? are his exact words when telling her rather directly how he sees the situation. He is implying that she should of asked for his permission before taking the job, and has disobeyed him by not doing so. This goes back to the idea of him being manly and sustaining his authorities. However, I do not think this is the only reason he doesn’t want Catherine taking the job. It is quite clear to see Eddie has more feelings for his niece than he should have, although during the first half of A View from The Bridge I don’t think he has discovered this for himself. From pinpointing that Eddie was overly bothered about the length of Catherine’s skirt, and her getting a job, it is clear for the audience to absorb that he does not want her to grow up, as this could possibly mean letting go and giving Catherine more independence than preferable. Although Eddie beholds a rather harsh identity, he proves himself a warm and welcoming man when his wife’s cousins immigrate to America in search of employment. Marco and Rodolfo are introduced into the household: quoting â€Å"You’re welcome Marco, we got plenty of room here†, Eddie comes across as a very considerate person. Marco greets Eddie with a firm shake to the hand, however Rodolfo does not. A hand shake is a typically manly gesture, and throughout the play it soon becomes clear that Rodolfo does not fit the stereotypical figure of a man. Eddie expects a man to be a breadwinner, to have obvious physical strength, power and domination. Rodolfo appears to not possess any of these qualities, of which soon proves a serious problem to Eddie. â€Å"Paperdoll.. chorus girl.. kid.. hit-and-run-guy†: these are just a minority of the nicknames given to Rodolfo throughout A View from the Bridge. Rodolfo shows himself as a man that does not fit all the categorical standards of a typical male, and as the play goes on we see how this controversial character shines a negative reflection onto Eddie, bringing him nothing but utter aggravation. Rodolfo likes to cook, sing, dance, and even make dresses. These feminine qualities that he possesses cause Eddie to become suspicious about his sexuality, although Miller makes it quite clear that Rodolfo is not a homosexual, when his relationship with Catherine begins to bloom. To Eddie’s dislike, Catherine takes an immediate shine to Rodolfo. When she asks him â€Å"You married too? †, it is quite clear she’s interested in him. Eddie is not in favour of Catherine becoming close to Rodolfo, and he clearly tries to discourage what he does by calling him petty nicknames. Underneath the front that Eddie puts on about hating Rodolfo, I think ,secretly, he is particularly jealous of him. The play is set in the 1950’s, and therefore there was a lot of pressure on men to live up to the expectations and be the typical male. Rodolfo is not afraid to be himself, even if it does go against all rules of typicality. In my opinion, Rodolfo is a very brave character for doing so: he has no fear of being judged, and I think Eddie is intimidated by this. Eddie has never known any different, and so he is automatically against this new idea of a man being slightly feminine. This tells us Eddie cannot cope with change, relating back to when I mentioned how he is unable to come to grips with the fact Catherine is maturing and becoming less reliant on him. In Act Two, a drunken Eddie makes the ridiculous decision to kiss both Catherine AND Rodolfo. He clearly does this in an attempt to clear all cobwebs, and try to see through to the truth about Rodolfo’s sexuality. Unfortunately for Eddie, he only comes to discover that Rodolfo is nothing more than a heterosexual . I also believe this was an act of bare desperation; Eddie could not think of any other way of getting through to Catherine how he feels, and obviously believed this was the only way to put a stop to her and Rodolfo’s relationship once and for all. However, the scene proves Rodolfo to be more manly than Eddie thought, when Rodolfo demands â€Å"Stop that! Have respect for her! †. Respect is an important quality for a man to have , especially in A View from the Bridge. Although saying this, when Eddie â€Å"pins his arms† (Rodolfo), it again goes back to the idea that Rodolfo fails in the physical department of manliness. This scene is a turning point for the audience, as from this they now know rather exactly how Eddie feels towards Catherine, and how insanely jealous he truly is of her and Rodolfo’s relationship. This is a serious downfall for Eddie, telling you that he is getting progressively closer to his Greek Tragedy ending. As an audience, it is evidently apparent that Marco is in complete contrast to his brother, Rodolfo. Straight away he is thought of as a real man: â€Å"Marco goes round like a man; nobody kids Marco†. This is quoted by Eddie, who quite obviously knows where he stands with Marco, and seems rather threatened by the fact that there are now two dominant male figures in the household. This goes back to when I mentioned how there is always a secret fight to be top of the hierarchy: it is just never made official. It is unnecessary for Marco to prove his manliness verbally, due to the fact that his physicality speaks for him. He demonstrates his strength in a rather protective manor, when he strains to lift a chair directly above Eddie’s head. He does this as a discrete warning, cautioning Eddie to leave his brother alone. When Eddie punches Rodolfo at the end of Act One, he makes it out to be a joke, but Marco is not silly, and clearly knows that it was nothing more than a camouflaged threat made toward Rodolfo. Marco uses physical communication; alerting Eddie that if need be, physically, he will always come out on top. When Marco does this, the other characters are oblivious to the fact that it was meant as a threat. However, the audience would be able to recognise exactly what Marco was implying; the staging would portray the shadowed aggressiveness of the gesture, and build serious tension. It would also add to the hostile atmosphere, that had been previously created by Eddie. Alfieri is another example of a conventionally masculine character. His predominate role in the play proves him an honest, helpful and firm man. The fact that he is a lawyer also tells you as an audience, that he possess a lot of power. I think the title of the play (A View from the Bridge), was in fact based around the role of Alfieri. It is as if he is playing God in this tragedy; he has the ability to look over and judge the situation, but remains un-bias and uninvolved (possibly a skill he has developed from his job). Alfieri has a view from the bridge, and is looking down on a fateful occurrence (Greek Tragedy) that he cannot prevent from happening. Just after Eddie’s death, Alfieri quotes â€Å"something perversely pure calls to me from his memory†. Due to the fact that Alfieri has been such an honest and trustworthy character throughout, this line could sway the audience into realizing that maybe there was a good side to Eddie, as well as bad. Eddie had a rather double-sided personality. Although his love for Catherine got the better of his character, underneath it was quite recognisable that he was generally a caring man that looked after his family very well. He was born poor, and worked hard as a longshoreman to ensure he was able to provide for his wife and niece. The background of the author himself (Arthur Miller), most probably had strong influential effects on the way A View from the Bridge was written. For example, his mother and father were polish immigrants; this relates to the storyline of A View from the Bridge, as Marco and Rodolfo are also immigrants. Miller obviously has a clear view of what he expects a man to be. He has made the main character (Eddie) a very typical man: domineering, strong, and respected by all. If Eddie’s death was a tragedy, then in Millers eyes he was obviously the hero of the play. Miller was born in 1915, and therefore raised around people who too, believed that these qualities were necessary if you were to be considered a real man. A View from the Bridge is a play largely involved in the historical/cultural context of the early 20th century. The ‘American Dream’ correlates directly to the storyline of A View from the Bridge. The American Dream is basically the idea that all humans are of an equal worth, and that all people should do things that give them a quotably â€Å"better, richer, and happier life. â€Å". Eddie’s perception of Rodolfo goes against this idea of the American Dream, because he believes that Rodolfo deserves to be lower in status than him, just because he is not the typical man. When Catherine begins to take an interest in Rodolfo, Eddie does his best to prevent their relationship progressing. â€Å"Don’t lay another hand on her unless you wanna go out feet first† are his exact words when thinking only of oneself. He is very selfish by doing this, and is potentially forbidding Catherine from living the American Dream (happier life). The Sicilian code of honour is another historical policy that relates to A View from the Bridge. The Sicilian code is basically a firm rule of extreme loyalty, solidarity and justice. The Mafia in the early 1900’s followed this code rather closely, for example: if someone was to hurt or even threaten a member of your family, you were to honour them and take an immediate action of revenge. The mafia’s law would justify the murder of Eddie Carbone, due to the fact Marco killed him purely because he posed a threat to Rodolfo. The female characters in A View from the Bridge are the main victims of hostility, manliness, and aggression in this play; Catherine in particular. Due to the fact that Eddie highly dislikes Rodolfo, there is a constant hostile atmosphere present within the household. Catherine is made to feel like she must choose between Eddie and Rodolfo, which again causes hostility. This is not a typical father/daughter relationship; it is clear for the audience to see this from the way Eddie behaves when Catherine and Rodolfo are together. Eddie lives in denial about the fact that he is in love with Catherine, and uses fury to disguise it. When Alfieri figures that Eddie has these strong feelings for his niece, he says â€Å"She can't marry you can she? â€Å"; Eddie does not know how to respond to this and again attempts to hide how he feels for Catherine by getting overly angry, â€Å"I don't know what the hell you're talkin' about! â€Å". The audience are affected by this as, making you pity Catherine and the awkward position she is in. Beatrice suffers from this also, as Eddie is her husband. In one scene they argue about sex, because Beatrice is receiving hardly any attention from Eddie due to his aggression and confidentiality throughout the play. Eddie is constantly taking his anger out on Beatrice, yet she never complains. However, in one scene she has clearly had enough and decides to stand up for herself and go against Eddie. â€Å"I want you to cut it out now, you hear me? I don’t like it! Now come in the house. † To this I think Eddie is quite startled, and replies with â€Å"I’ll be in right away†. Beatrice knows full well that Eddie has more feelings for Catherine than he should: â€Å"You want somethin' else, Eddie, and you can never have her! â€Å". In this quote I think jealously is getting the better of Beatrice, as she describes Catherine as a thing, rather than a person.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Meaning Of Research According To Different Authors Essay

Research is a careful, systematic and objective investigation conducted to obtain valid facts, draw conclusions and established principles regarding an identifiable problem in some field of knowledge. -Clarke and Clarke Research is a systematic and objective analysis and recording of controlled observations that may lead to the development of generalizations, principles, theories and concepts, resulting in prediction for seeing and possibly ultimate control of events. -John .W. Best Research is a careful enquiry or examination in seeking facts or principles, a diligent investigation to ascertain something. -Clifford Woody It is the process of arriving at dependable solution to the problems through the planned and systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of data. -Mouley â€Å"In the broadest sense of the word, the definition of research includes any gathering of data, information and facts for the advancement of knowledge.† -Martyn Shuttleworth â€Å"Research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to increase our understanding of a topic or issue†. It consists of three steps: Pose a question, collect data to answer the question, and present an answer to the question. -Creswell â€Å"a studious inquiry or examination; especially : investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws† -The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary Research is a systematic, formal, rigorous and precise process employed to gain solutions to problems or to discover and interpret new facts and relationships. -Waltz and Bausell, 1981 Research is the process of looking for a specific answer to a specific question in an organized, objective, reliable way. -Payton, 1979 Research is systematic, controlled, empirical and critical investigation of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relations among natural phenomena. – Kerlinger, 1973 Research is the pursuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison and experiment; the search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of finding solutions to a problem. -Kothari, 2006 Importance of Studying Research Research is important because it gives direction to deal with a specific problem. Whether the problem is thoroughly solved or not is not the forte of the research work. Accumulating amicable and all the possible solutions hypothetically are in itself considered a commendable achievement.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Negative Effects of Privatizing Social Security

Bush administration’s continuous emphasis on the issue of privatization of social security services has generated much hype in the recent years. Many a social security scholars and workers take into account its bad effects on the socio-cultural sector and economic domain of United States rather than eulogizing it. They put forward many negative effects of this privatization of social security. One of the prime negative effects is that a system that is carved out to offer benefits to employees and their kin upon retirement, disability, or bereavement is going to be treated like a commodity. It is a public service and is not a commercial service. From the very start of social security system in 1935, the program was based on the basis principle that magnitude of the remuneration package would depend on the income of employees over their professional time span. Contrary to this, Bush administration’s new privatized security system would take into account the   Ã‚  amount of funds that a worker would invest in his or her own personal account. Ultimately, this will lower the magnitude of benefit and there would be a great uncertainty on the part of the workers about their investments, margin over investments and remuneration. This would not only result into socio-economic maladies for their but psychological and mental health of the workers would be in danger too. Some scholars are of the view that â€Å"Rate of return† calculations, made by the proponents of privatized social security overlook the â€Å"value of Social Security's insurance protections†. So privatization of Social Security would divert the money that is currently used to finance existing insurance program into investment accounts (this proposed to be created for each worker). So from what sources this amount, that is being used to carry on current payments to recipients of a variety of Social Security insurance and other benefits, will be collected? It would generate a cause and effect phenomenon. For example Treasury of States have to borrow huge amounts from the private sectors and other financial institutes instantaneously in order to pay the insurance and other retirement benefits to the already retired and/or their families. This would cause negative impact on the national economy and federal deficit would go up. National saving would decline and it will effect the long-tern economic development. Another negative impact of the privatization of social security is that remuneration on the finances of workers through individual accounts would be totally dependent on the market trends. Furthermore scholars argue that individual investors are more prone to perform badly in the market than collective investments. In the above case brokerage houses, banks and mutual funds would be beneficial. Social Security programs does not take into account the gender differences and its patterns and procedures treat men and women on equal terms, But is a biological and cultural truth that women get the worst provided by the social security. So in this way, she will be the most hard-hit in the privatization process of social security. Caroll L. Estes as early as 2004 take into consideration the negative impact of privatization of Social security and says; Negative effects are particularly harsh for those older women who do not conform to the model of family status as married with male breadwinner and for those already disadvantaged by race, ethnicity, and class. (Estes, 2004) References Anrig Grig, Jr., ; Wasow, Bernard. Twelve Reasons Why Privatizing Social Security is a Bad Idea. The Century Foundation. 2004. Available online: http://www.socsec.org/publications.asp?pubid=503 Estes, Caroll L. Social Security privatization and older women: A feminist political economy perspective. Journal of Aging Studies. Vol.18. No. February 2004, Pages 9-26 Feldstein, Martin. Privatizing Social Security. Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 37, No. 2 (Jun., 1999), pp. 685-686 ; ; ;

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Huckleberry & Finn

Is or isn’t Huck Finn racist? Does reading Huck Finn help or harm race relations? I believe Huck Finn isn’t racist but shows some race relations. Throughout the entire novel Huck repeatedly says the word,† nigger† but intentionally we cannot blame Huck, because that’s the way Huck was raised. In chapter 8 on page 41, Huck and Jim seem to grow a bond, a bond that society wouldn’t accept, when Huck later finds out that Jim ran away and were wondering in the woods they seem to develop a close friendship. Huck could have told someone that Jim ran away but instead Huck accepted Jim and took part in an adventure along with Jim. In chapter 15, Huck and Jim talked about how close they are to a free state. Later in the novel we realize that Jim talks to Huck in a way that blacks aren’t supposed to, but Jim doesn’t see Huck like other white men and women, Jim looks at Huck like a friend. In chapter 16 on page 88, Huck starts to show some hesitation towards setting Jim free, Huck knows that setting a black person free wasn’t the right thing to do. In chapter 40, Huck and Tom found a way to help Jim escaped from being enslaved. This is a clear indication that Huck shows no form of racism towards Jim or anyone else, but the reason why he say the things he say and acts the way he act is just simply how Huck was raised. Huckleberry & Finn Is or isn’t Huck Finn racist? Does reading Huck Finn help or harm race relations? I believe Huck Finn isn’t racist but shows some race relations. Throughout the entire novel Huck repeatedly says the word,† nigger† but intentionally we cannot blame Huck, because that’s the way Huck was raised. In chapter 8 on page 41, Huck and Jim seem to grow a bond, a bond that society wouldn’t accept, when Huck later finds out that Jim ran away and were wondering in the woods they seem to develop a close friendship. Huck could have told someone that Jim ran away but instead Huck accepted Jim and took part in an adventure along with Jim. In chapter 15, Huck and Jim talked about how close they are to a free state. Later in the novel we realize that Jim talks to Huck in a way that blacks aren’t supposed to, but Jim doesn’t see Huck like other white men and women, Jim looks at Huck like a friend. In chapter 16 on page 88, Huck starts to show some hesitation towards setting Jim free, Huck knows that setting a black person free wasn’t the right thing to do. In chapter 40, Huck and Tom found a way to help Jim escaped from being enslaved. This is a clear indication that Huck shows no form of racism towards Jim or anyone else, but the reason why he say the things he say and acts the way he act is just simply how Huck was raised.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Relevant Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Relevant Theory - Essay Example (Bauman, Phongsavan, 1999, 183). Most drug use begins in the pre-teen and teenage years, these years are most crucial in the development of a young persons life. The average age when youth first try alcohol is 11 years for boys and 13 years for girls. The average age at which Americans begin drinking regularly is 15 years old. During these years teenagers are faced with tasks like discovering their self-identity, which results in a sense of independency and searching for goals that would give their lives meaning. Drugs are readily available, adolescents are curious and vulnerable, and there is peer pressure that pushes them to experiment. The use of drugs by teenagers is the result of a combination of factors such as peer pressure, curiosity, and availability. (Zanis, 1999, 235). One of the most important reasons of teenage drug usage is peer pressure. Peer pressure represents social influences that effect adolescents, it can have a positive or a negative effect, depending on person's social group and one can follow one path of the other. (Zanis, 1999, 55-56). We are greatly influenced by the people around us. In today's schools drugs are very common, peer pressure usually is the reason for their usage. If the people in your social group use drugs there will be pressure to use also, a direct or indirect pressure from them. In turn it is believed to be that how we view ourselves depends highly on how others view us. This is probably a good reason why peer pressure is such a factor in adolescent drug use. Abraham Maslow's theory of human development suggests that basic needs are physiological and that the ultimate at the top of the pyramid model is self-actualization, which implies an unattached human being realizing its full potential and autonomy. Maslow's theory of human development involves moving from basic needs (food and shelter) to social needs (love and esteem) to the highest needs on his hierarchy, which lead to self-actualization. According to Maslow's theory, humans have several types of needs: physiological, safety/order, social, esteem and self-actualization. These needs are the basis of his human development theory and are met in social and family settings. (Maslow, 1970, 225-227). Unfortunately, with hormones raging, emotions tend to get the best of this group of individuals. Understanding the emotional development in early childhood through adulthood, leads us to understanding the importance of self-esteem. Through our experiences with the world, we as human beings, form concepts of causal relationships. We formulate opinions of ourselves based upon the collected experiences of life. Some are fortunate enough to grow and develop in positive nurturing environments that foster optimal beliefs systems. Others have a more difficult time remaining positive about themselves and life in general. Just as people form concepts regarding the behavior of inanimate objects, animals, and other human beings, they also form a concept of themselves, of what they are like, of how they will react in various situations. The concept people form of themselves stated positively or negatively, is their self-esteem. (Hogan, 2000, 346). With effects like this it is guaranteed that

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Developing and Sustaining the Brand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Developing and Sustaining the Brand - Essay Example The micro factors include all internal forces like customer satisfaction, the company's financial stability, and the way a product is positioned in the market by the organization. Beyond these, there are external forces at work including the political environment, general economic conditions, legal or regulatory changes, as well as the impact that increasing consumer environmental awareness is making on fuel sources and eco-friendly corporate practice. The author then moves into a section on the development and survival of brands, noting that the standard product life cycle, i.e., introduction, growth, maturity, and decline, are all applicable to a brand as well. The key to survival is adaptation, rejuvenation, innovation, or re-positioning. Adaptation, the author notes, is a long-term process and the article cites McDonald's as a prime example of a brand engaging in adaptation; recognizing cultural demands or health concerns, and tailoring product offerings by adapting to the new ma rket trends. Rejuvenation is a dual-prong process, whereby innovation and repositioning are combined to give a brand a new start. Innovation, the article notes, need not be radical; it can be incremental with minor improvements accumulating over time to result in major differences in the products or services offered.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Quiz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Quiz - Essay Example Today, we are connected to hundreds of friends in the online community, but we are oblivious of the person sitting next to us, who may be our parent, our spouse, our child, our neighbor, or a relative. We share pictures and ideas with hundreds of people online, but we give a damn about what the person feels or think who is sitting in the same room as ours. People have lost the sense of belonging at all. Relations and friendships have converted into their digital forms, and we have stopped interacting with even the closest of our relatives by being physically absent to them. We are aware of each and every happening in their lives, but we have no time in arranging a meeting with them and having a gossip face-to-face. People convey their feelings in the digital format- feelings that they could never have conveyed in person; however, this conveyance of feelings lacks the emotional touch of understanding and compassion. The basic essence of social interaction is talking, which is becoming void even today, and disappear totally in some years to come. People have become narcissistic, because they love only their profiles, strive to put up great display pictures, try to fake what is actually not true, and this has made them oblivious to other people’s feelings and emotions. Such is the hazard of social media which is intruding our lives more and more with every passing

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Contemporary Parenting in Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contemporary Parenting in Europe - Essay Example empower them to help themselves (Bernardes, 1997). Studies suggest that the nuclear family unit is essential for the good development of children and thus society. The contempoarary trends in modern European society showthe increase in numbers of single parenting. Consequently, the areas of concern were also studied. Bernardes has used his findings about the negative consequences of single parenting to highlight that children from solo parenting families face problems in school performance, behavior, psychological development and social interactions. After the awareness of these problems, what steps can be taken to deal with them The state can and does provide certain welfare assistance to aid families. In contemporary parenting, fathers become more than breadwinners. This is the generation of the "new man". His role is a proactive and involved one. He gets involved to connect to his offspring. If this is the good from the modernization of fatherhood, why then are there still problems for contemporary parents Gender relations have changed and said to be modernized out of necessity. Working mothers, the pressure and stress of modern urban living are some of the factors that have brought about this modernization. Studies advocate the use of dynamic, interdependent family policies to help the children as well as the parents (Kaufmann, 2002). Children naturally crave attention and welcome this modernization of fatherhood. As fathers are encouraged by this positive response, they cement bonds with their children. Children benefit from the good father figure. On the flip side, they may suffer when the father is less than a good role model (Bjornberg, 1992). As for divorced and nonresident fathers, they are also... Children naturally crave attention and welcome this modernization of fatherhood. As fathers are encouraged by this positive response, they cement bonds with their children. Children benefit from the good father figure. On the flip side, they may suffer when the father is less than a good role model. The media loves controvesy. With the recent highlight on same-sex relationships,many gays and lesbians are given opportunities to work in the high profile entertainment industry. Children who are easily influenced will perceive same-sex relationships as being glamorous and might imitate their choice of role models. This relates to the same arguement that critics have referred to. These opponents say that studies show a tendency for children from same-sex families to copy their parents and orientate towards same-sex couplehood later in life. Good contemporary parenting is about effective parenting. Statistics show that crime is rising among youths. Parents and family support can create a buffer that deters the easy downturn towards crime. A stitch in time saves nine. The family is the first to notice abnormal changes in the child and can act quickly to arrest this negative influence. Contemporary parenting is very challenging. The evolution of civilisation makes society dynamic. There will always be new situations to deal with. Published research can identify trends and assist people in making informed decisions to aid contempoaray parenting.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Brief the dred scott v. sanford case and the raines v.byrd case Essay

Brief the dred scott v. sanford case and the raines v.byrd case - Essay Example They believed, according to the Court, that African Americans were "beings of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the white race, either in social or political relations, and so far inferior that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect." There were two dissenting opinions in this case. One by Justice Mclean and one by Justice Curtis. They argued that the court should not give an opinion on an issue that they had said was beyond their jurisdiction and that the constitution didn’t say what the other judges thought it said. In 1994, the Republicans won control of Congress. They wanted to legislate a Line Item Veto for the President, so the President could veto aspects of a bill (in the past the constitution seemed to imply a president could only veto bills as a whole). A number of congressman disagreed with this idea and sued. The court reasoned that under the constitution a federal court could decide cases only when the plaintiffs had a concrete injury and a personal stake in the issue. The court said the congressmen only had an institutional interest in the matter of the line-item veto—there was no personal

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Issues of Freedom and Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Issues of Freedom and Power - Essay Example Economic freedom- Knights of labor Knights of labor, a major labor union during the 1860 hold a significant role in the evolution of economic rights in the United States. The formation of Knights of labor was the first efforts in the national labor organization because it was among the first labor unions to rally its members behind a goal. Nonetheless, the Knights of labor were a secret union characterized with less political pressure on its members. Uriah Stevens was the founder of the Knights of Labor, with many of his followers being Irish immigrant who were mainly Catholics. As a labor union, the Knights of labors enrolled members in various states to champion for improved rights of workers. Formed at a time when the United States repressed freedom of expression, the Knights of Labor worked in secrecy often recruiting its members using oaths and rituals. The main thrust of Knights of labor was to advocate for better economic reforms in their industries. At a time, when most of the immigrant received little pay and poor working conditions, the Knight of Labor became the ultimate vehicle to push for meaningful economic reforms. While the Knights of Labor avoided using industrial action, some of its members in states like Chicago were ready to strike. In 1886, about 80,000 people marched through Chicago supporting an eight-hour work shift. The long working hours were one of the main reasons that prompted the demonstration by members of Knight of Labor. This ignited confrontations between the Knights of Labor and the police who wanted to maintain law and order. In a social perspective, the Knight of Labor represented a growing awareness of rights among the workers. For instance, the call for an eight-hour work shift displayed a growing interest in social welfare among the workers.ii Most important, the meeting and demonstration among the workers guild indicated that rising level of social empowerment among the workers. Largely, the Knight of Labor has achieved many social gains because of its transformation from a secret labor to expressing its interest in various cities. Knight of Labor also championed for an end to child labor, a phenomenon that had characterized the American Labor environment. The political manifestation of 1960 would be incomplete without mention Knight of labor. Within the Knight Labor, there were some groups with interest to take control of the union. After leading a series of strikes, the government sentenced Albert Parson to death. This event made Lucy Parson seek ways of saving men that the government had convicted for deaths during strike. After visiting Europe in 1888, Lucy returned back American expressing new optimism in labor movements as she addressed workers and pressurized the state to create more projects in order to employ people. Political freedom (Progressivism- muckrakers and reform) The political freedom in the United States is a product of struggles that defined and helped create meaningful political reforms. With growing interest for political reforms, a group of Journalist joined hands to highlight on the wrongs of government through the literary works, which they published in magazines such as The Saturday Evening post McClure’

Saturday, September 7, 2019

What is Mifeprex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What is Mifeprex - Essay Example Mifeprex is a synthetic steroid with antiglucocortid and antiprogestorne outcomes (Jacob 186). Progesterone is a female hormone responsible for preparing the uterus to receive and sustain a fertilized egg. It is also crucial in sustaining the pregnancy. Mifeprex works by blocking progesterone’s activities at the progesterone receptors. It stimulates the uterus to contract, thus preventing the formation of pregnancy (Ogbru and Marks). Besides that, the drug can also be used as a medication for type 2 diabetes adjunct in Cushing’s syndrome. People with Cushing syndrome produce a lot of cortisol that is responsible for high sugar levels in the blood. Mifeprex minimizes the levels of blood glucose in thse people by blocking the activity of cortisol (Jacob 186). The drug is among the list of essential drugs of the World Health Organization. According to Crosse 4(7), mifeprex is only prescribed for the termination of intrauterine pregnancy through the 49th day of pregnancy. People should avoid taking Mifeprex if: it has been more that 7 weeks since the most recent menstrual period started; you have an intrauterine device (IUD) in place; you have problems of bleeding; you have taken steroid medications; you are allergic to prostaglandins, mifeprex, or any other medicine that contains misoprotosol; you have chronic adrenal failure; the healthcare provider has informed you that you the pregnancy has formed outside the uterus; for the following two visits you cannot return (Danco Laboratories 2) Mifeprex has various side effects. Even though Jacob argues, â€Å"There is no medical evidence that Mifepristone presents a special risk of infection,† (182), possible side effects of using the drug has been reported. It can cause birth defects in the unborn baby if the treatment procedure does not result in the full termination of the pregnancy. Other side effects consist of the following:

What Is the defining business Essay Example for Free

What Is the defining business Essay What is the defining business and economic characteristics of the video game console industry? ? Intensity of competition: the competition in the video game industry is dramatically fierce. There are three largest companies in this industry, which are Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft. Additionally, lots of companies have relatively high level of strength, for example:high technology and meet the social trend, which are able to compete in the market place. ? Market size; the target market for the products cover all over the world ,however,the cumulate sales in Europe, Japan and the U. S are higher compare to other regions. ?Influenced by global recession: video game is not the necessary product, hence,the global economic recession have influenced the sale of video game products. The revenue declines 6% in 2010 compare to 2009, and also continued decreasing in 2011. ?Growth rapidly:the video game industry have been growingrapidly, and also expected to continue growing in the future. What is the industry like? The companies in video game industry refer to provide high technological and innovative products. It includes online game, mobile game, video game console and handheld game. In addition, in order to attract exist and potential consumers and build customer loyalty, these companies multiply their efforts to enhancethe technology of the products. What’s more, video game business sectorupdate very fast, the new generation replaced the old one in short period. Meanwhile, the companies launched latest production rapidly. However, an obviously issue is that the target market is limited, young men are the majority part. What 3-5 key factors determine the success of video game console developers like Nintendo (2009-2012)? 1. Unique concept of video game console: In the original period, the video game companies tend to pay more attention to improving technology, which lead to less market share and high competition, however, after a strategic research, Nintendo intend to create product differentiation advantage over rivals, it avoid pursuing high-tech blindly, focusing on developing unique function of product, such as to allowed consumers to participate in the games by themselves. That characteristic can easily catch consumers’ attention. Having a unique and propriety concept is essential in video game console industry. 2. New market segment: The video game market is almost saturated;hence, these game companies have to seek new target market to survive. In traditional video game console target market, men occupied the majority portion. In order to gain more profit, companies should take effort to attract more women, elderly and so on. In terms of extending market share, companies can’t rely on a small proportion of population. Nintendo designed â€Å"Wii† not only just for men but also for the whole family, the game is very suitable for everyone 3. Technology capability: High technology capability is a vital factor for game companies to be a leader in video game console industry; it can provide more technical advantage over rivals. 4. Various range of products: In today’s world, people have relatively high demand of products, in order to satisfy the needs, it is necessary to produce diverse product to grab more market share. 5. Low cost Undeniably, reducing cost is an effective way to make profit gain, low cost lead to low price, and low price are more acceptable by consumers. Reference: Morris, C. (2011), Video Game Sales Drop 6% in 2010, Second Year of Declines, [Online] Available from: http://www. cnbc. com/id/41062675/Video_Game_Sales_Drop_6_in_2010_Second_Year_of_Declines.

Friday, September 6, 2019

Hitler Became Chancellor in January Essay Example for Free

Hitler Became Chancellor in January Essay It signified unity and support behind a cause – unseen since the beginning of the Great War. No longer were nationalists vying for the implausible return of a Kaiser, but joining behind Hitler. Furthermore Nazi support far exceeded that of the parties on the fragmented Left. Whilst in 1930 the SPD retained their lead on the NSDAP by two million votes, in 1932 the Nazi vote was almost double of the SPD’s, with 7 million more votes. By leading the most popular party, Hitler had the confidence of almost 14 million people which was an undeniable force. Then again, Hitler had not gained the 50% majority needed to become Chancellor. Democracy did not bring Hitler to power and 63. 6% of Germans had not voted for Hitler. Debatably, it was only a protest vote. The loss of two million votes from the July to the November 1932 elections demonstrates how the popularity of the party was perhaps more a symbolic facade which Hitler took advantage of. Some would argue that it was not the quantity of supporters that brought him power but the importance of individual groups. Having Nazi supporters in crucial interest groups such as industrialists, the army and Hindenburg’s own family was also important for funding and for political sway. Most important of these was popularity in military circles. Essentially the army’s acquiescence and partial support for Nazis meant that when the SA surrounded Berlin in January 1933 threatening to seize power, Wilhelmstra? e was left with little choice. There was as many as four times the number of Stormtroopers as Reichswehr, although the army had machine guns and flame throwers. The most pressing fact was that General von Hammerstein had told Hindenburg that many soldiers may refuse to obey an order to crush the SA. Whilst the threat of a violent coup pressurized government, that the army was not loyal arguably made Hitler’s appointment inevitable. Ruth Henig argues that it wasn’t the strength of its enemies that brought down the Republic as much as the striking absence of its friends. Not quite a â€Å"Republic without Republicans†, but the political naivety of both parties and individuals in failing to cooperate was a considerable factor in Nazi success. Specifically, the SPD’s refusal as one of the strongholds of democracy: in November 1932 the left combined had 13. 5 million votes, whereas the right had 12 million. By uniting, the Communists and Socialists had potentially the ability to overrule the Nationalists. Stalin’s preference of Hitler over the SPD, who he believed were the real enemy, ensured complete disunity. Arguably a more decisive factor was Von Papen’s active role. His plan to â€Å"frame in† the Nazis to utilize their mass support and then dispense with Hitler was short-sighted and naive. Meeting with Kurt Von Schroder, Papen not only in turn helped solve the Nazi financial debts to ensure the continuation of the party, but presented an opportunity to Hitler which he otherwise would not have been offered. Papen convinced Hindenburg the Nazi support could be harnessed and that its ambitions and extremist policies contained through safety features. The President agreed to only meet with Hitler when the Vice Chancellor, Von Papen, was present. Only two cabinet ministers were included. By offering this, Von Papen made perhaps the most fatal underestimation of the 20th century. He had had the responsibility of being decisive, thorough and unfaltering when Hindenburg could not be and so his weak acceptance of Hitler’s demands – when he was perhaps not even in a position to demand – is surely a cause of Hitler’s appointment. Debatably, this arrangement was a production of Hitler’s own political skill as opposed to, or as well as, Papen’s great failure. Hitler’s opportunism, vehement desire for power and ability to manipulate people was crucial for his success. Meeting with Von Papen in December 1932, he resolutely demanded the Chancellorship. Whereas Strasser faltered in making botched agreements with Von Schleicher for a lesser position, Hitler held out against odds. Additionally Hitler’s chameleon nature meant that he was successfully demanding with Von Papen, yet very respectful with Hindenburg, bowing down to him publicly. Popularity got Hitler through the door, but Hitler’s opportunism and manipulation brought his triumph. In summary, Nazi popularity gave Hitler the advantage. It offered him access to Germany’s leaders so that he was able to exploit the scheming nature of Von Papen and ailing of Hindenburg. Nevertheless, Hitler failed to command a majority and thus his appointment of Chancellor was left to the decisions of incapable and self-seeking men. Perhaps Hitler succeeded because in that dire political situation, those in power could not ignore Hitler’s strength. However the President’s and Papen’s inadequacy and underestimation of Hitler in the face of his resounding obstinacy, as well as the threat his Stormtroopers, were the decisive forces.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Problems of Organisational Research

Problems of Organisational Research EVIDENCE AND THE PROBLEM OF ORGANISATIONAL RESEARCH. Research is a process that people go through in order to find out answers to questions in a systematic way, which will then increase their knowledge (Ghauri and Gronhaug, 2005) in Saunders et al (2007). The purpose of this review essay is to critically discuss evidence and the problem of organizational research, using four academic articles. This review will amongst other things, try to outline the debate on possible approaches to business research, look at the arguments for evidence based research and give an explanation of the problems identified with this approaches. The first article under review is by M. Saunders, P. Lewis and E. Thornhill, (2007) titled ‘The nature of business and management research, taken from their Research Methods for Business Students. This article discusses the debates on the status of business and management research. One popular aspect of this debate is on the ‘transdisciplinary nature of management research. This is a situation whereby knowledge from different disciplines helps management research in no small measure to advance, which otherwise cannot be gotten from the disciplines separately. Another debate arising from this article is ‘that research should complete a virtuous circle of theory and practice (Tranfield and Starkey, 1998) in Saunders et al (2007). This is whereby business and management research will have to apply both theory and practice to increase knowledge. The third debate which this article discusses is how management research can meet the double hurdle of been rigorous both in theory and method while engaging the world of practice and relevance (Hodgkinson et al, 2001) in Saunders et al (2007). This debate arises mainly from Gibbons et al (1994) work on the production of knowledge and its concepts. The implications of these debates are that business and management research will now have ‘to address business issues and practical managerial problems in addition to advancing knowledge and understanding. This however may turn out to be a problem because research that has no commercial value now might have value in the future (Huff and Huff, 2001) in Saunders et al (2007). The second article, ‘Evidence based management by Pfeffer and Sutton(2006), discusses the issue that managers, very much like doctors, rely on outdated knowledge, traditional ways of doing things and their own methods and skills. As with medicine according to Pfeffer and Sutton (2006), managers should in addition to practice and experience, use best logic and evidence to achieve better results. This is because, as opined by Pfeffer and Sutton (2006), even though research on medical practices abound, doctors do not use them. This is the case also with managers because as per their argument, ‘managers are actually much more ignorant than doctors†¦.and they are less eager to find out. Although Pfeffer and Sutton (2006) posit an evidence based movement among managers, they do not loose sight of the challenges which are that the evidence is weaker because everyone lays claim to been a management expert and because of the dynamics from one company to another, that what works for one company may not work for another company. Reasons why managers prefer to make decisions that are not based on new evidence without giving it a serious thought, according to Pfeffer and Sutton (2006) is that they rely heavily on past experience. Dogma and belief is another major driver of managers decisions while ideology has its own fair share of the blame. Hype and marketing also plays a major role in the decisions taken by managers as much as imitation of another companys style; so does casual benchmarking though if well utilized can be cost effective but what works in one company may not work for another. In spite of the factors militating against evidence based management, as posited by Pfeffer and Sutton (2006), ‘organizations will perform better if leaders knew and applied the best evidence. This boils down to the point of ‘providing training, technologies and work practices so staff can take the critical results of the best studies to the bedside. These managers can achieve through demanding evidence, adopting a neutral stance towards ideologies and theories, examining logic, treating the organization as an unfinished prototype, embracing the attitude of wisdom and cultivating the right balance of humility and decisiveness, Pfeffer and Sutton (2006). The third article under review, ‘The narrative of evidence based management: a polemic by Morrell K, (2008) discusses that evidence based management is an offshoot of evidence based medicine which tries to apply ‘the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions (Sackett et al 1996) in Morrell(2008). Based on the extensive research carried out in the field of evidence based management, agencies of government and policy makers have taken on board principles of evidence based management, even though there is still no consensus as to what really evidence is in management studies or on what will be used the determine the quality of evidence (Dopson, 2006) in Morrell (2008). This article also points out the political and moral implications for management both as research and practice, arguing that ‘current attempts to translate the principles of evidence based management have overlooked the role of ethics and judgments (Sackett et al, 1996) in Morrell (2008). Morrell (2008) is of the opinion that not all those pushing for ‘evidence based approaches were in tune with each other as they used different variants to achieve their own purposes. However, they share the view about the relationship that management research has to management practice and the modes of research and forms of knowledge production that it promotes. Morrell (2008) argues that ideology has a part to play in evidence based management and the strands which he identified which can be traced are pragmatism, progress, systematization, technique and accumulation. Based on these, there is a commitment to positivism which means that our knowledge of the social world increases through experiment and that there should be a more scientific approach to the research of the social. This, according to (Hammersly, 2001) in Morrell (2008), is explicit in the goal of building an evidence base or knowledge stock which will give evidence about the social world. Consequent upon these, those who are in support of evidence based approaches state the intention of carrying out research to inform practice as according to (Young et al, 2002) in Morrell(2008), a common belief is that evidence is key to encouraging the adoption of practices by those who are entrusted with policy formulation or other players. The third argument propounded here is the commitment to and development of a common language with the adoption and redefinition of key terms, ‘through, ‘objective, ‘transparent, ‘rigorous, ‘systematic and ‘narrative. Here, existing criticism has overlooked the lapses in evidence based literature, yet, making it too simple, restraint and regimentation will have both political and moral implications that can lead to liberty been curtailed, Morrell, (2008). From the arguments, it is clear that evidence based approach offers a fresh scope to analysis using an esthetic that highlights the political and moral implications of the approach to management. As opined by (McLaughlin 2001) in Morrell (2008), researchers aspire to a way of evaluating the quality of proven evidence. Morrell argues that the apparent lack of a common ground in management studies is a problem because consensus is needed if the study of management will grow. This is because even in medicine where there seems to be a certain level of agreement, ‘the adoption of promising practices is not governed by the principles of evidence, robust scientific evidence is not, of itself, sufficient to ensure diffusion Morrell (2008). The fourth and final article under review, ‘Dynamic Capabilities and Knowledge Management: an Integrative Role for Learning?, Eaerby-Smith and Prieto (2008), discusses the dynamic capabilities approach of strategic management (Eisenhardt and Martin, 2000; Teece, Pisano and Shuen, 1997) in Easterby-Smith and Prieto (2008) which sets out to show why some organizations succeed more than others in building competitive advantage within changing markets. Here, the management of knowledge has been put forward as a primary strategic initiative and the most important factor that will guarantee a sustained competitive edge for companies (Grant, 1996) in Easterby-Smith and Prieto (2008). While the dynamic capabilities school emphasizes the renewal of resources by reconfiguring them into new capabilities and competencies as posited by (Teece, Pisano and Shuen, 1997) in Easterby-Smith and Prieto (2008), While the dynamic capabilities school emphasizes the renewal of resources by reconfiguring them into new capabilities and competencies as posited by (Teece, Pisano and Shuen, 1997) in Easterby-Smith and Prieto (2008), according to (Cepeda and Vera, 2005) in Easterby-Smith and Prieto (2008), knowledge management research often focuses on providing solutions to managers to create, retain transfer and use an enterprises explicit and tacit knowledge. This article under review relates to the debate in the sense it shares some views with the other authors. According to Easterby-Smith and Prieto (2008), there are times when researchers, without been aware of it, use ideas and models drawn from other fields not knowing the discussions that have lead to the constructs coming to light, and this sometimes leads to a confusion of concepts between the fields. Again, because researchers may not know the potential limitations in the other field, they may build their research on quick sand. Furthermore, without proper information of the other field, researchers may loss opportunities to better develop their own fields. In relation to the other articles, the idea of knowledge management has become important due to the increased awareness of the importance of knowledge for a companies prosperity and survival, (Grant, 1996; Kogut and Zander, 1992) in Easterby-Smith and Prieto (2008). In this article, Lave and Wenger (1991), come up with the idea that knowledge is ‘situated in the practice of everyday work, while (Cook and Yanow, 1993; Nicolini and Meznar, 1995; Nicolini, Gherardi and Yanow, 2003) propound the idea that organizational knowledge is sustained through social processes within ‘communities of practice. In the light of all that that has been reviewed, it can be deduced that even though the writers of these articles seek to find the right approach to solving the problems of organizational research, they go about it in different ways and have their own views. They however share similar ideas and even though there is no consensus. REFERENCES: Easterby-Smith, M., Prieto, I.M. (2008), Dynamic Capabilities and Knowledge Management: an Integrative Role for Learning? British Journal of Management, 19, pp235-249. Morrell, K. (2008), â€Å"The Narrative of ‘Evidence Based Management: A polemic†, Journal of Management Studies, vol.45 no.3, pp613-635. Pfeffer, J and Sutton, R, (2006), ‘Evidence based management, Harvard Business Review, Jan, pp63-74. Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, E. (2007), ‘Research methods for Business Students, London: Prentice Hall, pp4-9.