Communicative Intent in Autistic Children

Communicative Intent is critical for developing communication skills. In typical children the desire to communicate wants and desires is innate: even if they have impaired hearing, they will indicate wants and desires through eye gaze, pointing, even vocalizations. Many children with disabilities, especially developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders, are not hard-wired to respond to other individuals in their environment.  They may also lack Theory of Mind, or the ability to understand that other people have thoughts that are separate from their own.  They may even believe that other people are thinking what they are thinking, and may get angry because significant adults do not know what is happening. Children Who Lack Communicative Intent Children with autism spectrum disorders, especially children with apraxia (difficulty with forming words and sounds) may even show less interest than skill in communication. They may have difficulty understanding agency -- the ability of an individual to impact his or her environment. Sometimes loving parents will over-function for a child, anticipating his (most often) or her every need.  Their desire to care for their child may eliminate opportunities for the children to express intent.  The failure to support building communicative intent may also lead to maladaptive or violent behavior, as the child wants to communicate, but significant others have not been attending to the child. Another behavior that masks a childs lack of communicative intent is echolalia.  Echolalia is when a child will repeat what he or she hears on the television, from an important adult, or on a favorite recording.  Children who have speech may not actually be expressing desires or thoughts, merely repeating something they have heard.  In order to move a child from echolalia to intent, it is important for the parent/therapist/teacher to create situations where the child must communicate. Developing Communicative Intent Communicative intent can be developed by letting children see preferred items but blocking their access to those same items. They can learn to point or perhaps exchange a picture for the item (PECS, Picture Exchange Communication System.) However the communicative intent is developed, it will be reflected in a childs repeated attempt to acquire something he or she wants. Once a child has found a means to express communicative intent by pointing, by bringing a picture, or by uttering an approximation, he or she has their foot on the first step toward communication.  Speech pathologists may support teachers or other therapy providers (ABA, or TEACCH, perhaps) to assess whether the child will be able to produce vocalizations that they can control and shape into understandable utterances. Example Jason Clarke, the BCBA in charge of Justins ABA therapy, was concerned that Justin spent most of his time in self-stimulatory behavior, and seemed to show little communicative intent during his observation of Justin in his home.

Essay on Elisabeta Olah Kocsis Tangelwood Case 5 - 1256 Words

Elisabeta Kocsis Human Resources Consultant 03/31/2015 Case 5 Marilyn Gonzales Vice President for Human Resources Tanglewood Inc. Ms. Gonzales, I write you in regards of your request to present a report on the discrimination charges of disparate impact brought to our attention by one of our employees, Stanley Root, represented by the law firm of Eaglette-Schubert LLC. Stanley Root contacted the law firm, claiming that he was repeatedly passed over for promotion opportunities despite positive performances. Tanglewood promotes diversity in the workplace, and all hiring and promotion are made on the basis of character and quality of work. The ensuing lawsuit brings a need to analyze Tanlgewood’s selection methods to ensure these are†¦show more content†¦To analyze disparate impact, it requires to compare the availability of protected classes (the proportion of the qualified and available workforce who are members of protected classes) to the utilization of protected classes (the proportion of those employed who are members of protected classes) for each job in the organization. In the flow analysis presented, and the chart below, data from the organization’s hiring practices and applicant pool are used to compare how many individuals were hired from various groups in the applicant pool. Selection ratios and the 4/5 rule This method to assess disparate impact is to compare the proportion of applicants who are hired from several sources. The rule states that if the organization’s utilization rate of minority group is below fourth-fifth (0.8) of the utilization rate of a majority group, disparate impact may exist. In our case, there are both external and internal applicants for the positions listed: A. Store Associate: a) We have only external candidates for this position. The applicant versus selection ratio is 20.87% Whites, 21.90% Non-Whites, and 22.73% African-American. Comparing the minority selection ratio to the majority selection ratio, more than 80.00% are hired, so there is no sign of disparate impact. B. Shift Leader: a) External hires: there is a percentage of 57.58% for Non-White, and 69.67% for African-American, both below the 80.00% required by the

Melanoma Free Essays

Breakthroughs in medicine are occurring at a more predictable rate in the 21st century. This is due to technology and also the glut of information that is due to decades of research in the area of biology and medicine. Still, there are some medical conditions and illnesses that still puzzle the medical community and the public. We will write a custom essay sample on Melanoma or any similar topic only for you Order Now One of these is melanoma a type of cancer. This study will look into the basic definition of this sickness. This paper will also address the current status and future standing of the illness and provide information as to what will be the next possible steps in curing the disease and the future of melanoma treatment. Melanoma This disease is a type of skin cancer but it is not just an ordinary kind of cancerous growth but it is actually, â€Å"†¦the most serious type of skin cancer† (Melanoma.com, 2007). The main cause of melanoma is too much exposure to ultraviolet radiation such as in the case of sun bathers and those who just crave to have that bronze look and then go lie under intense UV rays courtesy of tanning booths. This type of disease is prevalent because this is a nation of sun worshippers, meaning people in this country just love to bask under the ultraviolet glow of sunlight just to get that much sought after tan. Now, melanoma is on the rise and the faster growing cancer in the United States of America. It is a serious problem not just because of its frequency but also because it is very aggressive. In fact, â€Å"The median survival of patients is generally limited to 6 t 10 months, and it has not been significantly improved since the 1970s† (University of Michigan Health System, 2007). But according to the National Cancer Institute (â€Å"NCI†) this type of cancer can also occur in the eye and is called intraocular or ocular melanoma (NCI, 2007). But the organ of choice – so to speak – for the disease is the human skin which is the largest organ of the human body. It is not only because of the large surface area but more on the fact that melanoma develops first in the skin cell called melanocytes. Melanocytes are skin cells found in the skin that is in charge in the production of melanin. Melanin’s main purpose is to give skin its color and explains why those who live in different environs e.g. too much sun, have a different skin color than those who only receive minimal amounts of sunlight throughout the year. Another major purpose of melanin is to protect deeper layers of the skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet or UV rays. Due to prevalence of the disease in those who love to get deep tan lying motionless in beaches or those frequenting tanning booths there is a consensus that too much exposure to UV light is the major cause of melanoma. When a person spends a considerable amount of time under the sun, melanocytes are worked into a frenzy – they work extra hard to produce melanin. This increased activity when done frequently causes this particular cell to suddenly behave abnormally. When this happens, Stage 1 cancer has already occurred. Yet, no one has been able to pinpoint the exact mechanism or the exact chemical process that cause this abnormality. The dermatology research team in the University of Michigan asserts remarked that, â€Å"The identification of the molecular basis of melanoma progression [†¦] are largely unknown† (Soengas, 2007). Current Status In the early stages of melanoma, it is highly treatable but there are limited options for those who are already in the advanced stages (Medical News Today, 2007). There are bigger problems when it concerns this illness. Reacting to the aforementioned poor prognosis of those who are in the later stages of the disease, the University of Michigan research team gave the following findings, â€Å"A main contributor to this poor prognosis is an extreme resistance to standard modalities of anticancer treatment, ranging fro immuno, to radiao or chemotherapy† (Soengas, 2007). Future Standing There are exciting developments though and one could be found in the laboratories of The Wistar Institute, an independent nonprofit biomedical research institution dedicated to discovering the causes and curse for major diseases including cancer. One of their researchers discovered that a substance called peptide exists in approximately 70 percent of melanomas but not in normal cells. Dorothee Herlyn the main proponent of this novel vaccine approach used the peptide to stimulate T cells in the body to attack the melanoma cells. Herlyn found out that a substantial proportion of melanoma patients, about 50 percent have killer T cells responding to the peptide and is very optimistic that in due time this new approach will be able to treat at least one third of all melanoma patients (Medical News Today, 2007). Discussion As mentioned earlier there are is still no hard evidence that will point to the exact cause of the disease on the molecular level. So far what is ascertain is the fact that too much exposure to UV rays are causing the melanocytes in the skin to grow abnormally and then becomes cancer causing. Prevention of course is better than seeking more expensive and emotionally draining cure especially when it comes to cancer. So experts suggest decreasing the amount of time under the harsh elements of the sun’s rays. Also, there is a serious need to be conscious of protecting one self from ultraviolet rays and this includes sun screen lotions, hats, working under the shade etc. But when cancer has already set in medical professionals are needed on the scene. There are at least four (4) major types of treatment (National Cancer Institute, 2007): Surgery – This includes removing the melanoma or removing cancer cells and some of the normal tissue around it. Lymphadenectomy is also an option wherein the lymph nodes are removed. Skin grafting is also part of this type of treatment. Chemotherapy – Cancer drugs are taken orally or injected into a vein so that it can enter the bloodstream and kill cancer cells. But due to the fact that melanoma is in the skin, basically outside the internal organs of the body this common cancer treatment has to be modified. The technique is called â€Å"hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion† where the flow of blood from the limb is inhibited through the use of tourniquet and thus anticancer drug can be put directly into the blood of the limb. Radiation Therapy – There are two types of radiation therapy – internal and external radiation therapy where the former uses high-energy x-rays while the latter uses radioactive substances sealed in catheters and then placed near the affected areas of the body. Biologic Therapy – This type of therapy finds ways to boos the body’s immune system so that it can fight the disease. There are also new types of treatment being tested in clinical trials. One is the aforementioned radical technique developed by Dorothee Herlyn of The Wistar Institute where she was able to coax T killer cells to attack melanoma and what a novel approach indeed. Works Cited Medical News Today. â€Å"Melanoma Research Progress Suggests Optimism for Future Cures.† Available from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=45539nfid=rssfeeds Accessed [20 April 2007]. Melanoma.com. â€Å"What is Melanoma?† Available from http:www.melanoma.com Accessed [19 April 2007]. Soengas, Maria. â€Å"Molecular Basis of Melanoma Progression and Drug Resistance.† University How to cite Melanoma, Essay examples

Business Intelligence and Analytics and Performance Management

Question: Discuss about the Business Intelligence and Analytics and Performance Management. Answer: Introduction There is a significant relationship between the performance management and business intelligence. This relationship will be established through different aspect of performance management role in a business functions. The next part of the essay will analyse the different aspect of performance analytics. This next hypothesis will take into account, different relevant factor of performance measure in an organisation that leads to necessity of measuring them. The key performance indicators are to create the portfolio of the businesss strategical improvement (Bronzo et al. 2013). The objectives, mission and values are the focus point of creating business intelligence, which leads to business analytics. For the betterment and increasing, the effectiveness of the decision-making business intelligence and analytics is needed. Both of this aspect is complement of each other. Integrating business analytics with performance calculations have become necessary to build the necessary outcome of th e process. It also enables top-level management to verify the data that supports the decision (Hazen et al. 2014). Discussion: The relationship between business intelligent and business performance management Performance management may lead to consistency in efficient and effective management. The process is to align the enterprise strategically align the objectives and priorities. A better decision making can be backed by the knowledge of their business. Performance can be managed by different metrics known as key performance indicators. Thus, the improvements can be measurable adding the values in the indicators. The cycle is to measure, the performance is planning, progress review and evaluation (George et al. 2014). Business intelligence is deriving the concepts with the business decision making and fact based support system. Converting the raw data got from different sources to information that can be used in future are the basic steps of business intelligence. Thus, the information is used in intelligence and used in the reporting department. Whereas business analytics is evidently based in building mathematical models through statistical analysis and predicting the future based on the historic data. Business intelligence helps in reporting the data based on the predictive model based on interrelationships of the variables identified (Hazen et al. 2014). In this case, the identified variables are the different metrics of performance indicators. The evidence based decision-making and reporting on the outcome of the performance is known as the performance analysis. Business analysis is used in every kind of business. The function where it is necessary are customer acquisition and customer loyalty, cross and up selling, insurance rate setting and others, risk in fraudulent. Performance management and business intelligence complements each other. The correlations are shown on the strategic dashboards with periodic intervals. The predictive models of performance management, after feeding data gives output on the scales and measure the outliers in their performance. The periodical data can also be compared with respect to improvement in the performances regard. Performance management is a departmental function of human resource management. The key are of performance indicators are performance appraisals, compensation and their implementati ons and evaluation. Relevant performance information is necessary for better decision making (Waller and Fawcett 2013). The integrated software solutions for the support to decision making are CPM (corporate Performance Indicators) or EPM (Enterprise Performance Management). Oracle Big data are being used by the Pepsico, IBM, PG, Ford, Dell. The most important part where it is being used are in enhancing the customer relationship management (George et al. 2014). The Business Performance management area where BI can be included are balance score cards, quality management, and comparison between previous and current data. The measurable aspects of a balance scorecard are measure quality of execution on periodic basis and dashboards includes visual display of BI implementation through graphs and lights (Waller and Fawcett 2013). This may be system generated and can reflect the result on real time information at a glance. The top down approach in management balance scorecard combines the vision of ultimate goal by monitoring key metrics of the financial information and growth, customer interaction and business process and operational effectiveness The variables of that are calculated to gauge the customer satisfaction are Customers experience Loyalty Customer satisfaction Trend in visits and buying rate On a financial perspective, the balance scorecard contains the following balancing units for measure Revenue growth - Shareholder value which are divide in two that are building franchise and customers value Productivity growth strategy that can be build to improve cost and asset structure The benefits of BSC are, it drives to enhance strategy using all the components measured in BSC dashboards. The building blocks of the framework are given emphasis in terms getting the result. This also takes into consideration about different level of scores and integrates them for quick and visual prediction on data (Walle and Fawcett 2013). Managing the quality of the operations and continuously improving the performance is done through six-sigma scorecard. Main criteria of measuring the performance are to driving for excellence through effectiveness of operations. Thus, the performances are managed on financial perspectives. Increasing the market share and sales volume is also part of business intelligence process. Business analytics comes after business intelligence, as data needs to be gathered on the above-mentioned aspects are and then information will be processed. The performance indicators metrics are decided based on the functions that they belong to (Rausch et al. 2013). Relevance of business analytics in business performance management as well as performance analytics Managers face problems in categorising the competitive advantage. Affectively using the business analytics can help in decision-making. The visualisation of the performance metrics generalises the outcome and facilitate the decision-making capability of the managers. Considering the internal and external output of the environment can lead to betterment of the outcome. A strategic business decision making helps in drawing conclusion, identify, and implement the alignment of the strategic goals. The direction of the goals is directed towards the desired performance standards. Business analytics identifies the efficient way of decision-making variables. The forecasting of sales and demand as well as analysing the trends of the marketing, consumer behaviour gives valid insights in the problem-solving path (Kasemsap 2015). Forecasting and predicting based on the variable on performance level are implemented in the organisation. However, the down turn of the predicting based on the histori cal data have some drawbacks but at the same time, it gives approximately close value of the variables. Transforming the data by using the business intelligence tools like data warehousing tools, reporting and dashboards and analytics tools are is initial stage and output are measured by the business performance management models and dimension. Aligning the business objectives of the company with the business process and creating BI portfolio map are used in approaching the objective (George et al. 2014). The prospect of using analytics in planning, forecasting, budgeting to assess the soundness of the performance is very important. To check trends, identify relationships analytics is needed. The prescriptive data regarding any performance indicators like key performance drivers are identified in the first essay are balance scorecard, total quality management and customer relationship management. These ones use the business analysis of to achieve the ultimate goals. The performance analytics is used in finding the meaning in the data that can help in forming decisions. Creating a novel insight from statistical analysis of the dataset helps in embracing the possibilities that could not have been identified in a manual analysis. Executive level of business analysis of optimises the business process which serves as a asset to companies which are data driven (Kasemsap 2015). Performance analytics uses the indicators, targets and threshold decided by the administrators. The power user here uses the system configuration data on collection of jobs as well as in data modification layer. Performance analytics target administrator is in position of formulating dashboards and scorecards. The analytics viewer is the one that views the dashboards based on assigned rights. The access control breaks-down the elements of security from the source. The relevancy of the Performance Analytics lies in the six-divided part of the performance overview. The dashboards, scorecards, widgets, indicators, data collector, automation, system. The dashboard of performance contains the property and to view points. The scorecards are to break down performance type of the indicators. The indicators are manual or automated which gauge the relevant updates of the score sheets (Laursen and Thorlund 2016). Targets and threshold are the elements reporting and alerting about the score of t he performance after breaking it down to view and analyse it. The most essential part of performance analytics are the data collector phase. Creating and running schedule jobs to collect scores periodically. To view information the job logs are searched for different information (Stefanovic 2014). The reason behind the failure of strategic improvement is the lack of getting meaningful clue of the data gathered. Thus, business analytics helps enabling the manager to draw proper conclusion of the inputs of the business. The performance management helps in targeting specific part of the organisation to implement analytics with holistic approach. The factors discussed above are foundation of the variables that are required to assess the performance. As companies is complex part of societies. The interdependency factor that works in them is also complex in nature (Phillips-Wren et al. 2015). Therefore, creating a link between the organisational strategy and performance has become necessary for the organisations. Thus, the data driven outcomes becomes most reliable part for the managers to make decision. Overload of data leads to limit the processing the data capabilities. The performance investigation is includes more variables that indicates the success factor of the individuals. Therefore, it can be said that the affective decision-making is enhanced by several level of business analytics and business intelligence (Hazen et al. 2014). Conclusion Therefore, it can be concluded that Business Intelligence and Business Analytics has become essential for organisations who are looking for While taking into consideration the internal and external factors of environment in organisation integration of business analytics with the performance drivers also helps in management action and control system. Due to individualisation and globalisation of business environment, the dire need of business analytics has increased. Considering the factors of performance drivers also equips the managers with implementing the best outcome of taken actions in the business process. Benefits of business analytics can be reaped if chosen strategically. The necessity of the proper internal and external environment can be used in terms of implementation of analytics in business environment. Business analytics enables administration to take affective and rationale decision making based on historical data. However, its affective implementation requires suppor tive organizational culture, stakeholder awareness and support from top-level management. Therefore, careful contemplation is required to develop the benefits associated with business analytics and addressing hindrances associated with its performance. References Agarwal, R. and Dhar, V., 2014. Big data, data science, and analytics: The opportunity and challenge for IS research. Bronzo, M., de Resende, P.T.V., de Oliveira, M.P.V., McCormack, K.P., de Sousa, P.R. and Ferreira, R.L., 2013. Improving performance aligning business analytics with process orientation.International Journal of information management,33(2), pp.300-307. George, G., Haas, M.R. and Pentland, A., 2014. Big data and management.Academy of Management Journal,57(2), pp.321-326. Hazen, B.T., Boone, C.A., Ezell, J.D. and Jones-Farmer, L.A., 2014. Data quality for data science, predictive analytics, and big data in supply chain management: An introduction to the problem and suggestions for research and applications.International Journal of Production Economics,154, pp.72-80. Holsapple, C., Lee-Post, A. and Pakath, R., 2014. A unified foundation for business analytics.Decision Support Systems,64, pp.130-141. Kasemsap, K., 2015. The role of business analytics in performance management.Handbook of research on organizational transformations through big data analytics, pp.126-145. Kwon, O., Lee, N. and Shin, B., 2014. Data quality management, data usage experience and acquisition intention of big data analytics.International Journal of Information Management,34(3), pp.387-394. Laursen, G.H. and Thorlund, J., 2016.Business analytics for managers: Taking business intelligence beyond reporting. John Wiley Sons. Phillips-Wren, G.E., Iyer, L.S., Kulkarni, U.R. and Ariyachandra, T., 2015. Business Analytics in the Context of Big Data: A Roadmap for Research.CAIS,37, p.23. Rausch, P., Sheta, A.F. and Ayesh, A. eds., 2013.Business intelligence and performance management: theory, systems and industrial applications. Springer Science Business Media. Stefanovic, N., 2014. Proactive supply chain performance management with predictive analytics.The Scientific World Journal,2014. Waller, M.A. and Fawcett, S.E., 2013. Data science, predictive analytics, and big data: a revolution that will transform supply chain design and management.Journal of Business Logistics,34(2), pp.77-84. Wamba, S.F., Akter, S., Edwards, A., Chopin, G. and Gnanzou, D., 2015. How big datacan make big impact: Findings from a systematic review and a longitudinal case study.International Journal of Production Economics,165, pp.234-246.

The Emancipation Proclamation

Women in society Essay Example

Women in society Essay Example Women in society Essay Women in society Essay OPINION ESSAY Although the position of women in society today has improved, there is still a great deal of sexual discrimination. Do you agree? Throughout this century, the role of women within society has changed for the better. More women work than ever before, and it is accepted in Western culture that many women now have careers. However, in my opinion there is still a great deal of sexual discrimination against women within society. To begin with, many women find it very difficult to return to work after having children. The main reason for this is that there are rarely any provisions for childcare n the workplace and, in these cases, women are forced to find someone to look after the children while they are at work. Obviously, this can be a time-consuming and expensive process. Moreover, the traditional views of the position of women within society have not really changed in many countries. The view that women should stay at home and look after their family is still widely held, and it is reinforced through images seen on television programmes and advertisements. For example, in many countries few men are seen doing housework on television, since this is traditionally considered a womans Job. Thirdly, families often need two incomes in order to enjoy a good standard of living, so a woman finds herself doing two Jobs: one at home and one at the office. So, we could say that womens position has deteriorated rather than improved. To sum up, I would say that the position of women has improved only slightly. While rules and laws have changed, the deep-rooted opinions of people within society are taking a longer time to evolve. In conclusion, attitudes have changed, but sexual discrimination still remains a problem which we all need to face and fght against. (279 words)

Definition of the Word Spur Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Definition of the Word Spur - Essay Example The very first time a variation of the word was heard about was from the Old High German language and was based upon the word â€Å"sporo† which was then adopted by the Proto Germanic language, becoming the word â€Å"spuron†. It later on evolved into the Old English word â€Å"spura† which basically meant â€Å"to kick†. It is based upon this ancient use of the word that the modern meaning of â€Å"spur† came about. In late 14th century, the term spur was used to describe a metal tool that is purely designed to be worn in horse riding boot On the other hand, the word generally falls under the definition of â€Å"anything that urges on, stimulus†. (Metin and Cem 157). For most people, the term is generally used to describe the tool that is attached to the riding boot of a person. This tool is generally round and spiked at the tips. It is dug into the sides of a horse by the rider in order to urge the horse to go faster (Roy 83). The meaning o f the word based upon the horse tool Known as a riding aid, the tool helps to enforce the natural commands given to horses via the rider's leg, seat, hands, or voice, making the tool a very important aspect of any equestrian event. This is tool is more commonly described as being U-shaped device which is located on the heel of a rider's boot (Metin and Cem 159).

What are the Main Differences Between Liberal and Radical Feminism Article

What are the Main Differences Between Liberal and Radical Feminism - Article Example According to Margaret Jackson (1995), the progress of the feminist activism and struggle started by a series of organized campaign in the British Victorian and Edwardian periods in regard to marriage, spinsterhood, and the sexual double standard. (p. 3) From then on, it has gathered steam, propelled by women activism as seen in literature, cultural and political campaigns advancing feminist engagement. However, as mentioned elsewhere in this paper, its history is fragmented, making it difficult to pinpoint its specific history or cultural tradition. All in all, the history of feminism is contingent on other political issues and social changes. As a political ideology, it has been made by women through different campaigns and moral surges, hence, its objectives and ethos varies through time. This dimension is highlighted by the fact that contemporary feminism has found expression in two principal forms: liberal feminism and radical feminism. Liberal Feminism The liberal feminism has been largely seen as positive social movement that only seeks gender equality in social political and economic roles and opportunities. It primarily seeks to bring women into the fold - fully participating in the mainstream society, exercising full privileges and responsibilities of citizenship in genuinely equal partnership with men. Since the 1700s, the liberal feminists have been important advocates vigorously campaigning for women's education and campaigning for equality of access and provision. As years passed, this advocacy extended its focus on individual rights, education, political and religious freedom, individual choice, and self-determination. Feminism has addressed gender inequalities through... This paper explores that feminism may have existed in the ancient times such as in Egypt and Greece, the concept as we of it today traces its roots from the struggle for female sexual autonomy as conceptualized in the nineteenth and early twentieth-century feminists in terms of emancipation of women from sex slavery. This essay stresses that the liberal feminism has been largely seen as positive social movement that only seeks gender equality in social political and economic roles and opportunities. It primarily seeks to bring women into the fold – fully participating in the mainstream society, exercising full privileges and responsibilities of citizenship in genuinely equal partnership with men. Since the 1700s, the liberal feminists have been important advocates vigorously campaigning for women’s education and campaigning for equality of access and provision. As years passed, this advocacy extended its focus on individual rights, education, political and religious freedom, individual choice, and self-determination. Feminism has addressed gender inequalities through their efforts and campaigns for inclusion within civil rights legislation, access to education, and equal opportunity. This feminist school’s main argument is that women are as rational as men. Liberal feminism h as, over the years, campaigned and achieved equal access to education and profession, property rights, suffrage, and all other rights enjoyed by men.

The Traditional Tourism Impact on Kanbula National Forest Park Term Paper

The Traditional Tourism Impact on Kanbula National Forest Park - Term Paper Example Tourism makes one of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy. Developing countries are attempting to cash in on this expanding industry in an effort to increase foreign investment and financial reserves. Tourism is one of the pillar industries of Qinghai. On the same note, Kanbula National Forest Park ranks the province's main tourist attraction. Beautiful scenery has attracted many tourists to the park in recent years. According to Dong Lizhi, deputy manager general of the Kanbula National Forest Park Tourism Development Co., Ltd., more than 10,000 people visited the park in 2006. This number has been increasing. In the recent days, the park receives more than 70,000 tourists by the end of each year (cite). According to Mieczkowski (1995), tourism industry impacts on the natural environment. Tourism has both positive and negative influence on the environment. Developing tourism leads to the creation of revenues for environmental protection. Tourists who show an interest in the natural resource may enhance the pride of the Kanbula National Forest Park area. Local residents get involved in indirectly helping them to protect the natural resource and understand the value of nature conservation. Governments and private organizations need to be concerned about the negative impact of human activities. On the other hand, tourism is a pure â€Å"green industry† or â€Å"smokeless industry† which has negatively impacted on the environment. Uncontrolled growth of this industry can result in serious environmental and social problems.

Comparing Human Resources United States And Japan Commerce Essay

Comparing Human Resources United States And Japan Commerce Essay Comparative HRM seeks to describe, compare and analyse the way human resource management and deployment is carried out in various countries amid the globalisation of businesses, people, goods and services. Although most HRM systems across the globe will contain similar key functions as recruitment, deployment, compensation, as well as training and development, the ways they are carried out in each country are very much influenced by the varying national culture and the institutional framework and settings. Differences in these contexts and environment play a key role in how HRM practices are carried out, defined and accepted across regions and nations. Universalist Vs Contextual Fundamentally, there are two approaches to exploring HRM: the universalist approach and the contextual (Brewster, 1999) approach. These two approaches are reflected in two further dichotomies: the cultural and institutional school of differences, and the convergence and divergence schools of thought. The universalist paradigm, which is dominant in the USA, assumes that the purpose of HRM is to improve the way human resources are managed strategically so as to achieve organisational performance and goals, as judged by its impact on a companys declared corporate strategy and its respective stakeholders (Brewster, 2011). Based upon this concept is the assumption that there exists a good standard practice of HRM which were characterised by the US Department of Labor (1993) as having certain characteristics: Careful and extensive systems for recruitment, selection and training Formal systems for sharing information with the individuals who work in the organisation Clear job design Local-level participation procedures Monitoring of attitudes Performance appraisals Properly functioning grievance procedures Promotion and compensation schemes that provide for the recognition and financial rewarding of high-performing members of the workforce. However, other researchers and practitioners, especially those with knowledge and interests in other countries, find the list contrary to their own experience and what they perceive of as good practice. For example, companies operating in a high power-distance environment with a heavy top-down management approach may not find it a necessity to implement local-level participation procedures or grievance channels. In contrasts, the contextual paradigm focus recognises that different HRM systems are contextually unique. It focuses on asking the hows and the whys of the existence of different perceptions and practices of HRM in different countries. The policies and practices of leading-edge companies are of less interest to contextualists than explaining how certain labour markets work and why certain practices are adopted by most. And contrary to the Universalist approach, measurement and attainment of organisational performance is secondary. Contextualists explore the importance of factors such as cultures, labour market regulations, role of governments, unions, and ownership structures in influencing HRM and accepts that within an organisation, people has differing views, beliefs, needs and requirements. The universalist paradigm excludes much of the work of HRM specialists in areas such as compliance, equality issues, trade union relationships and dealing with government and other governing bodies, due to its focus of operation within the level of the organisation. Contextualists, on the other hand, involve themselves beyond the organisation level to issues at the national or international level. Culturalist Vs Institutionalist Within the Contextualist paradigm, there are two schools of thought, namely the cultural school and the institutional school. Proponents of the culturalist approach would argue that national cultural differences while difficult to observe and measure, are important in shaping the ways human resources are managed and deployed across different countries or regions. Culture is defined as a set of shared values, assumptions and beliefs that are learnt through membership in a group, and that influence the attitudes and behavious of group members (Pankaj, G., 2011). This definition includes 3 key characteristics: First, culture can be understood as a group phenomenon that distinguishes people of one group from another. From this perspective, cultures exist at many different levels, including organizational funchtions or business units, occupational groups, organizations, industries, geographical regions, and nations (Kwok Leung 2005). Second, the above definition implies that culture is not obtained by birth but rather acquired through a process of socialization. The learning of shared values, assumptions and beliefs occurs through interactions family, teachers, officials, experiences and society at large. Geert Hofstede speaks of culture as a process of collective programming of the mind(Hofstede, G., 1980). Third, it is this collective programming that determines what is considered acceptable or attractive behaviour. In other words, cultural values provide preferences or priorities for one behaviour over another. Cultural value differences have persisted to exist despite some convergences in cultural habits, artefacts and symbols. For example, in Korea, employees observe a strict code of deference and utmost submissiveness to their superiors while a Swedish or Danish employee might feel more at ease to challenge their superiors over a differing opinion. Some cultures put more emphasis on honesty whilst others on loyalty to friends and relationships. From the perspective of institutional theory, organisational decision making is not an outcome just of strategic choice but also of powerful social forces within and outside organisations. The forces emanate from social institutions such as region, family, work, school, politics (Berger P.L. and Luckman T., 1967). The theory acknowledges that organisations operate within a specific political, economic, social and technological environment largely shaped by history. In order to be effective in that environment, these organisations need to manage in way that recognise the local circumstances and create and sustain legitimacy with key stakeholders. For example, in Europe compared to USA, the government plays a larger role in deciding how employees is to be protected of their jobs and what terms they are to be employed. Convergence Vs Divergence For at least four decades the international management literature has been characterized by two recurring and very central debates: on the macro (country) level the so-called convergence vs. divergence debate, which remains a key point of controversy in cross-cultural management; and, on the meso (company) level, the standardization vs. localization debate, one of the central questions in the literature on multinational corporations (MNCs). Since HRM deals with the management of people, it is often seen as one of the functions that will be least likely to converge across countries and where MNCs are more likely to localize their practices than to export their country-of-origin practices. While there is considerable support for this assumption, the question remains whether the increasing importance of globalization and the ever-growing presence of MNCs will not diminish the localization of practices. In this context, the dominance effect assumes particular importance. It occurs when management practices of subsidiaries are neither shaped in accordance to the host country (localization), nor to the home country (country-of-origin effect), but according to that country which sets the standards for what are perceived global best practices. (Markus ,P. and Anne-Wil, H. 2007) The convergence vs divergence debate is one between those who argue that all aspects of management are becoming more alike due to the forces of globalisation and those who believe that each country continues to have its own approach to management and HRM, in particular. Convergence can be viewed from a market-based perspective where the logic and diffusion of technology and data mean that in order to compete successfully, everyone will seek to adopt the most efficient management and HRM practices (Kidger P.J., 1991). The predominant model is assumed to be the US univeralist model (Smith C. and Meiskins P., 1995). This is also referred to as the dominance effect as mentioned above. From the institutional perspective, similar legislation or institutional framework across a region or group of countries e.g. the European Union would mean more similarities in the ways countries handle HRM. On the other end of the wider debate, the concepts of cultural differences and institutional theory would support the argument for divergence. Proponents of divergence theory do not believe that the same management or HRM practices can be used across different countries due to the shaping forces of cultural and institutional differences, and that practitioners must be aware of, understand and respond to these national differences. Hofstedes study of culture Professor Geert Hofstede conducted one of the most comprehensive studies of how values in the workplace are influenced by national culture. (Hofstede 1980, 2001) He started off with analyzing a large data base of employee values scores gathered by IBM between 1967 and 1973 covering more than 70 countries, from which he first started using the 40 different largest companies and further extended the analysis to 50 other countries. Hofstedes value dimensions comprise of Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism and Masculinity. Power distance  : Power distance is the extent to which the members of power distance organizations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. ( Hofstede 1980, 2001) Individualism vs.  collectivism: The degree to which individuals are integrated into groups. In individualistic societies, the stress is put on personal achievements and individual rights. In contrast, the individuals in collectivist societies act predominantly as members of a lifelong and cohesive group or organization. Uncertainty  Avoidance: The focuses on the tolerance level for uncertainty and  ambiguity within the society. It reflects the extent to which members of a society attempt to cope with  anxiety  by minimizing uncertainty. Masculinity  vs.  Femininity: The distribution of emotional roles between the  genders. Masculine cultures values are  competitiveness,  assertiveness,  materialism, ambition and power, whereas feminine cultures place more value on  relationships  and  quality of life. Geert Hofstede added a fifth dimension after conducting an additional international study using a Chinese value survey instrument developed within the Chinese region. Hofstede described this dimension as Confusion Dynamism which is also known as Long Term Orientation. Long-Term Orientation vs. Short-Term Orientation: The degree of focus on the society embraces dealing with virtue. Societies with a short-term orientation generally have a strong concern with establishing the absolute Truth. In societies with a long-term orientation, people believe that truth depends very much on circumstance, contexture and timing. Japan HRM practices vs. America HRM practices Japan as one of the world major growing economies, has a homogenous culture which many countries have tried to emulate the management policies and practices with varying degrees of success. The Japanese society is highly characterised by a strong sense of group and community. Strong loyalty enrooted in their character, for which they are prepared to sacrifice their personal interests for the benefit of the group. In contrast, America being the world most dominant leader, has a influential management style and culture contexts. The rest of the world has looked upon it as models and sources of managerial innovations. American strong strategic and comprehensive approach to managing people make it the top notch leader in todays Human Resource Management. Differences in Power Distance between Japan and America Japanese are mindful of their hierarchical position in any social setting and act accordingly to the existing culture. Culture in Japan are define as high power distance as mostly of the decisions must be confirmed by each hierarchical layer and finalised by the top management. An example is the Ringi method of decision making. This process involves a great deal of informal consultation and leads to the preparation of a written proposal which is circulated to affected employees by the implementation and then to the senior management level. Being a particularistic country, employees in Japanese company are treated based on ranks and seniority and the number of years they served in that particular company. Long term and life-time employment are often offer for regular core employees who are loyal and display commitment to the company. On the other hand, American displayed small power distance. They tends to treat people fairly. American hierarchy is being established for convenience purpose. Communication is open, informal and direct. They tends to express what they exactly mean without talking around things. Leaders are approachable and accessible and individuals are being rely based on their expertise. Collectivistic Japanese vs. Individualism American Japanese society shows many characteristics of being a collectivistic society and also being classified as collectivistic by Western standards. The integration of the individual into groups is part of the principal goal in Japanese society. Relationship and harmony becomes an crucial part of the working society and prevails over business itself. Mass focus in strong group -cohesiveness include extended families such as putting harmony of group above the expression of individual opinions is the differentiated characteristics in which Japanese displayed. The Japanese emphasize teamwork, participation and leadership in the organisation. They discourages open expression and open conflict because of the importance of avoiding embarrassment. American comprises highly individualistic culture. They are self-focused and prefer to act as individuals rather than members of the group. There is individual freedom and success to purse ones career progression and interests and they believe individuals can shape and control ones destinies. Employees are more concerned with their own careers and personal success rather than the goals of the organisation. They do at times, displayed collectivism in the face of a common threat. Masculinity focus vs. Masculinity focus in Japan and America Japan is one of the most masculine societies in the world which is highly driven by competition, achievement and success. Even at the very young age, they are being taught on the importance of winning. And in corporate Japan, employees strive to the best of their abilities when they are fighting against their competitors in winning. On the other hand, It is still tentatively hard for women to climb up the corporate ladders in Japan with their masculine norm of long working hours which result in high  discrimination against woman. In contrast, Male seniors are still much more appreciated and stand a higher chance in achieving the promotion opportunities. American are ambitious, competitive, goal oriented and high achievers. American tends to display and talk openly in a friendly manner on their achievements. In the States, hiring and firing employees are justify accordingly on the market conditions. Employees are employ based on individual skills and working experience. Hiring and promotion decisions are based on the basis merits as opposed to status, hierarchy and gender. The American system is performance orientated and job status is based on the performance of their job scope. Many new hires are professional who are highly educated and well-trained. High Uncertainty Japan vs. Low Uncertainty Avoidance America Japan is rank as one of the most uncertainty avoiding countries which is easily differentiated from the rest of the countries. They dislike uncertainty and everything must be in good control without any uncertainty occurring. Japanese spent a lot of time and effort into feasibility studies and all risk factors must be minimize before any decision is make. Detailed facts and figures must also be provided for supporting every decision the organisation makes. This high degree for uncertainty avoidance is one of the reasons why changes are still so difficult to realize in current Japan. America are being describe as most uncertainty accepting country. There is a large degree of acceptance for new ideas, innovative products and a willingness to try new invention. Americans are more tolerant of ideas or opinions from anyone and allow the freedom of expression.   They accept risks and are risk-takers. American live more easily with uncertainly and skeptical about rules and regulations. They believe all problems can be solved and all obstacles will be overcome. Long-Term Orientation in Japan vs. Short-Term Orientation in America Japan being long term orientation is seen in the consistent high rate in terms of investment and research and development even in economically down time. Japanese prefer to progress slowly towards a long-term goal. Values associated with long-tem orientation are thrift, perseverance and making sacrifices for the future. Japanese embraces long-term commitments and sacrifice for a purpose. Serving the stakeholders and future generation are the long term commitment for most Japanese company at current. American orientation dimension focus on short term oriented culture. They measure their business as a short term basis as they are performance-oriented and result-oriented. Individuals are drives for quick results and are expect to produce quick results in the shortest time. American value the past and current resulting in respect for tradition and fulfilling social obligations. Varieties of Capitalism Facing the globalization process national economies and their institutional arrangements are confronted with the increasing competition to each other in order to generate the best economical results as national wealth growth, high employment etc. The liberal argumentation in this issue supports therefore institutional deregulation and the welfare-state retrenchment as the adequate responses to the challenge and names the economies of the USA and of the UK as the successful models of capitalism. In their opinion, the less liberal market economies as f. ex. Germany, Sweden, France or Japan should change their institutional arrangements into liberal ones to keep competitive on the global markets. The varieties of capitalism approach to the political economy is actor-centered, which is to say we see the political economy as a terrain populated by several actors, each of whom seeks to advance his interest in a rational way of strategic interactions with others. In which the relevant actors may be individuals, firms, producer groups, or government related. LME Vs CME Liberal market economies (LMEs), which coordinate activities via hierarchies and competitive market arrangements, classically described by Williamson. The LME system is based on arms-length exchange of goods and services, in the context of competition and formal contracting. Actors adjust to the price signals generated by markets. In many cases an effective coordination is achieved and equilibrium outcomes of firms behavior are given by supply and demand. Coordinated market economies (CMEs),  which make more use of non-market relations. Key elements of non-market relations are extensive relational investment, incomplete contracts and network monitoring based on the exchange of private information within networks, as opposed to competitive behavior. Both LMEs and CMEs have institutional capacities-albeit different capacities-for being competitive. For instance, firms in LMEs tend to compete on the basis of low cost and radical product innovation. Why? Because LMEs have institutions like weakly regulated labor markets as well as financial systems that impose short-term investment horizons but allow high risk taking. These enable firms to keep labor costs down, shed labor and close plants quickly, shift capital rapidly from one industry to another, and invest in risky but potentially revolutionary and lucrative research and development projects. In contrast, firms in CMEs compete more on the basis of quality and incremental innovation, such as adopting breakthrough technologies developed elsewhere. This is because CMEs have institutions like cooperative industrial relations systems within firms, coordinated wage bargaining across firms, national vocational training programs, and financial systems that allow for long-term investmen t horizons. These produce highly skilled managers and workers who tend to cooperate in planning, trouble shooting, and the introduction of the latest technologies in ways that enhance product quality (Hall and Soskice 2001b; Soskice 1999; Streeck 1991). This is not to say that all LMEs and CMEs perform successfully. Many firms in a coordinated market economies employ productive strategies that rely on highly skilled labor force given substantial work and encourage to share information it acquires in order to generate continuous improvements in product lines and productive processes. However, companies which adopt such strategies are vulnerable to hold up by their employees and stealing of skilled workers by other companies. Labour legislation in United States Wages Working Hours In US, the Department of Labor enforces the  Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets basic minimum wage and overtime pay standards. (US Department of Labor, 30.10.12). The Act requires that employees must receive at least the  minimum wage  of $7.25 per hour and may not be employed for more than 40 hours in a week without receiving at least one and one-half times their regular rates of pay for the  overtime  hours. Overtime Pay: Not less than one and one-half times regular rate of pay Vacation and Sick Leave The  Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)  does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations, sick leave or federal or other holidays. These benefits are matters of agreement between an employer and an employee (or the employees representative). The  Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)  provides for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain medical and family situations (e.g., adoption) for either the employee or a member of the covered and eligible employees immediate family; however, in many instances paid leave may be substituted for unpaid FMLA leave. Severance Pay Severance pay is often granted to employees upon termination of employment. It is usually based on length of employment for which an employee is eligible upon termination. There is no requirement in the  Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)  for severance pay. Severance pay is a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee (or the employees representative). The  Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)  may be able to assist an employee who did not receive severance benefits under their employer-sponsored plan. Equal Opportunity Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964  prohibits discrimination in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment, on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex or national origin. This law is enforced by the  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Unemployment insurance programs In general, the Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program provides unemployment benefits to eligible workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own (as determined under State law), and meet other eligibility requirments of State law. Unemployment insurance payments (benefits) are intended to provide temporary financial assistance to unemployed workers who meet the requirements of State law. Each State administers a separate unemployment insurance program within guidelines established by Federal law. Eligibility for unemployment insurance, benefit amounts and the length of time benefits are available are determined by the State law under which unemployment insurance claims are established. In addition to helping workers and their families, the Unemployment Insurance programs play a key role in helping businesses, communities, and the nations economy. The program helps cushion the impact of economic downturns and brings economic stability to communities, states, and the nation by providing temporary income support for laid-off workers. Unions and their members The  Labour-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA)  of 1959 deals with the relationship between a union and its members. It protects union funds and promotes union democracy by requiring labour organizations to file annual financial reports, by requiring union officials, employers, and labour consultants to file reports regarding certain labour relations practices, and by establishing standards for the election of union officers. The act is administered by the Office of Labour-Management Standards (OLMS). Summary In summary, we can see that the labour system in United States is fairly open with moderate regulation with emphasis on human rights with regards to minimum wages and equality of employment. Most of the other aspects of labour employment including severance pay, vacation pay, sick leave are left to the agreement between each firm and their employees. This is in line with their low uncertainty avoidance culture in which they accept risks and are risk-takers. American live more easily with uncertainty about rules and regulations. They believe all problems can be solved and all obstacles will be overcome with the right resolve. As Americans generally display small power distance, they tend to treat people fairly. American hierarchy is being established for convenience, communication is open, informal and direct. This could be one of the reasons behind their Labour-Management Report and Disclosure Act and the foundation behind the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This open-culture nature of labour regulation would be a big draw for multinational corporations who are seeking overseas expansion in the face of globalization. Labour legislation in Japan Wages Working hours Japans Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare dictates that an employer shall not have a worker work more than 40 hours per week, excluding rest periods, and more than 8 hours per day for each day of the week, excluding rest periods. (Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training, 27.10.2012) Overtime Pay In the event that an employer extends the working hours or has a worker work on a day off, the employer shall pay increased wages for work during such hours or on such days at a rate no less than the rate stipulated by cabinet order within the range of no less than 25 percent and no more than 50 percent over the normal wage per working hour or day; provided, however, than in the event that the working hour thus extended exceed 60 hours per month, the employer shall pay increased wages for work during those hours at a rate no less than 50 percent over the normal wage per working hour. The Ministry may prescribe changes to these standards or limits or other items as they deem appropriate. Rest periods An employer shall provide workers with at least 45 minutes of rest periods during working hours in the event that working hours exceed 6 hours, and at least one hour in the event that working hours exceed 8 hours. Annual Leave An employer shall also grant annual paid leave in accordance to the following table. Number of years of continuous service from the 6 months completion day Working days 1 year 1 working day 2 years 2 working days 3 years 4 working days 4 years 6 working days 5 years 8 working days 6 years or more 10 working days Dismissal A dismissal shall, where the dismissal lacks objectively reasonable grounds and is not considered to be appropriate in general societal terms, be treated as a misuse of that right and invalid. An employer shall not dismiss a worker during a period of absence from work for medical treatment with respect to injuries or illnesses suffered in the course of employment nor within 30 days thereafter, and shall not dismiss a woman during a period of absence from work before and after childbirth nor within 30 days thereafter; provided, however, that this shall not apply in the event that the employer pays compensation for discontinuance in accordance nor when the continuance of the enterprise has been made impossible by a natural disaster or other unavoidable reason. In the event that an employer wishes to dismiss a worker, the employer shall provide at least 30 days advance notice. An employer who does not give 30 days advance notice shall pay the average wages for a period of not less than 30 days; provided, however, that this shall not apply in the event that the continuance of the enterprise has been made impossible by a natural disaster or other unavoidable reason nor when the worker is dismissed for reasons attributable to the worker. Equal Treatment An employer shall not engage in discriminatory treatment with respect to wages, working hours or other working conditions by reason of the nationality, creed or social status of any worker. In addition, under the Principle of Equal Wages for Men and Women), an employer shall not engage in discriminatory treatment of a woman as compared with a man with respect to wages by reason of the worker being a woman. Employment Insurance System Employment insurance in Japan is an obligatory insurance managed by the government and it is compulsory for any enterprise which employs more than one worker. Under this scheme, benefits are granted to the unemployed, to workers who are having trouble continuing their employment and to those who voluntarily receive vocational training. It aims to promote workers welfare and prevent unemployment by increasing work opportunities and skills training. Summary On the contrary from the United States system, labour employment conditions in Japan are very much regulated and controlled by the government. This is due in part to the fact that Japan is one of the most uncertainty avoiding countries. They dislike uncertainty and everything must be in good control without any uncertain occurring. As such, this is the need for many specific standards and limits in the form of exact figures to avoid ambiguity and confusion. There is also government emphasis on gender discrimination as Japan is a highly-masculine society. These rules protect working women as it is still tentatively hard for women to climb up the corporate ladders in Japan with their masculine norm of long working hours which result in high  discrimination against woman. An interesting point to note is that their labour legislation takes into account the impact of natural disasters on employment terms and agreements. Quite appropriate since Japan is an earthquake-prone country. Japan

Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway Essay

Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway "Hills Like White Elephants," is a short story,. It is a story about a man and a woman waiting at a train station talking about an issue that they never name. I believe this issue is abortion. In this paper I will prove that the girl in the story, who's name is Jig, finally decides to go ahead and have the baby even though the man, who does not have a name, wants her to have an abortion. It is the end of the story that makes me think this. First of all I will prove that it is an abortion that this couple is discussing. The man says that it is an "operation," and an abortion is an operation. Also, he says that it is "just to let the air in," which can be interpreted as meaning that the doctors who are performing the abortion will let the air into the uterus as they remove the fetus. The man says that he has "known lots of people that have done it." Which suggests that this is a common operation like an abortion. It also shows the moral depravity of the world of these people because so many women are having abortions. Finally, the man says that he wants their relationship to be "just like we were before". This suggests that the relationship has changed, as it would with a baby, if the girl has an abortion things will return to the same as before the pregnancy. We don't know what the couple acted like before the pregnancy, however, we are certainly not meant to like their behavior as they talk about the abortion. Now that I have established that the couple is having an abortion, I will establish the girl's behavior because this is important for figuring out the way in which she has made up her mind at the end of the story. Early in the story we get a glimpse at J... ... at this point in the story is the result of being left alone for a few minutes so that she could decide what she want to do on her own. Her final comment that "There's nothing wrong with me" lets us know that she no longer sees the pregnancy as something "wrong". She has accepted her pregnancy and plans to keep the baby. In conclusion, Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" is about a man and a woman struggling to deal with an unwanted baby. The author, never explicitly tells us what the girl decides to do about the baby, but he does give us enough clues to figure out what she has decided by the end of the story. These clues have to do with the story's tone like the way that the things that the guy says make us understand Jig's tone of disapproval. Overall this story is like an iceberg with most of the substance hiding beneath the surface.

Brand Positioning of Asiatravel

Brand Positioning One of the aspects of brand equity is brand positioning. AsiaTravel has not distinguished itself from other competitor in terms of products and services. The company does not have clear view of which market segmentation they want to enter and has not built a good brand image. In order to create good brand position in the market, AsiaTravel should look into market segmentation, focuses in point-of-parity (POP) and point-of-difference (POD), and brand image. The current travel industry does not really tap into customers’ demand.Most of the airlines and travel agents compete each other in terms of price, time slot and the number of accessed cities and towns. Therefore, AsiaTravel can differentiate itself by offering packages that suit customers’ preferences by simply asking. Package is no longer fixed. Instead of sticking on one tour, AsiaTravel should guide customers on vacation tour. Secondly, market segmentation can be done to ensure each individual ha s the best vacation experience. There are many ways to do market segmentation, from demography, lifestyle, and to geography. (CWL Publishing Entreprises, 2009)For AsiaTravel to have a fraction of mind share in customers, it is important of AsiaTravel to know where it wants to stand, either as price leader, quality leader or specialist (CWL Publishing Entreprises, 2009). Brands that stand in the middle of the road get run over. Since many travel agents have not realized the paramount of specialization, AsiaTravel can tap this into opportunity by being quality and specialist leader. Being specialist means the tour guide has to offer besides providing information to customers, security and basic needs. AsiaTravel can sell the country culture that is not written in the book.For instances, mingle and live with the locals. The emotional and experience they get are invaluable. Moreover, tour guide can try to develop a relationship between a group of tourists and among tourists and locals. The purpose is to eventually; each individual has expanded the networking. Travelling is no longer about sightseeing, shopping and et cetera, but also building a network among each other, learning and knowing others’ culture. Being different increases the POD and the risk of switching cost, and thus leads to stronger brand position while at the same time POD ust not be compromised, as similarity becomes the minimal requirement the travel industry must meet. When the company has evidently differentiated itself from its competitors and clearly conveyed the message to the customers, the brand image will come naturally. However, when it is not managed properly, the brand image cannot leverage the brand equity. To maintain the brand image and brand position, marketing communications programs must ensure customers are exposed to the all the brand elements and brand associations.Brand has to be treated like human beings possess a variety trait of characteristics (Customer Manufactur ing Group, 2006). By understanding the brand personality, marketers get the whole picture of brand identity and easier to conveying the message consistently. (Customer Manufacturing Group, 2006) From the marketing program and brand positioning strategy, it is clear that AsiaTravel aims to focus customers’ preferences, being unique, caring, warmth, fun, friendly and also ensures everybody has the best pleasant vacation experience.Moreover, since AsiaTravel primarily focuses on young adults and only fly within Asia, it is an energetic, flexible, proud to be Asian and affordable brand. Therefore, it is a new brand image that AsiaTravel aims to build and maintain to be top leading organization in the travel industry. Bibliography Customer Manufacturing Group, 2006. Customer Focused Brand Positioning. CWL Publishing Entreprises, 2009. Positioning and Brand Personality.

Battle of Eutaw Springs in the American Revolution

Battle of Eutaw Springs in the American Revolution The Battle of Eutaw Springs was fought September 8, 1781, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Armies Commanders Americans Major General Nathanael Greene2,200 men British Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stewart2,000 men Background Having won a bloody victory over American forces at the Battle of Guilford Court House on March 1781, Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis elected to turn east for Wilmington, NC as his army was short on supplies. Assessing the strategic situation, Cornwallis later decided to march north into Virginia as he believed the Carolinas could only be pacified after subjugating the more northern colony. Pursuing Cornwallis part of the way to Wilmington, Major General Nathanael Greene turned south on April 8 and moved back into South Carolina. Cornwallis was willing to let the American army go as he believed that Lord Francis Rawdons forces in South Carolina and Georgia were sufficient to contain Greene. Though Rawdon possessed around 8,000 men, they were scattered in small garrisons throughout the two colonies. Advancing into South Carolina, Greene sought to eliminate these posts and reassert American control over the backcountry. Working in conjunction with independent commanders such as Brigadier Generals Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter, American troops began capturing several minor garrisons. Though beaten by Rawdon at Hobkirks Hill on April 25, Green continued his operations. Moving to attack the British base at Ninety-Six, he laid siege on May 22. In early June, Greene learned that Rawdon was approaching from Charleston with reinforcements. After an assault on Ninety-Six failed, he was compelled to abandon the siege. The Armies Meet Though Greene had been forced to retreat, Rawdon elected to abandon Ninety-Six as part of a general withdrawal from the backcountry. As the summer progressed, both sides wilted in the regions hot weather. Suffering from ill-health, Rawdon departed in July and turned command over to Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Stewart. Captured at sea, Rawdon was an unwilling witness during the Battle of the Chesapeake in September. In the wake of the failure at Ninety-Six, Greene moved his men to the cooler High Hills of Santee where he remained for six weeks. Advancing from Charleston with around 2,000 men, Stewart established a camp at Eutaw Springs approximately fifty miles northwest of the city. Resuming operations on August 22, Greene moved to Camden before turning south and advancing on Eutaw Springs. Short on food, Stewart had begun sending out foraging parties from his camp. Around 8:00 AM on September 8, one of these parties, led by Captain John Coffin, encountered an American scouting force overseen by Major John Armstrong. Retreating, Armstrong led Coffins men into an ambush where Lieutenant Colonel Light-Horse Harry Lees men captured around forty of the British troops. Advancing, the Americans also captured a large number of Stewarts foragers. As Greenes army approached Stewarts position, the British commander, now alerted to the threat, began forming his men to the west of the camp. A Back and Forth Fight Deploying his forces, Greene used a formation similar to his earlier battles. Placing his North and South Carolina militia in the front line, he supported them with Brigadier General Jethro Sumners North Carolina Continentals. Sumners command was further reinforced by Continental units from Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. The infantry was supplemented by units of cavalry and dragoons led by Lee and Lieutenant Colonels William Washington and Wade Hampton. As Greenes 2,200 men approached, Stewart directed his men to advance and attack. Standing their ground, the militia fought well and exchanged several volleys with the British regulars before yielding under a bayonet charge. As the militia began to retreat, Greene ordered Sumners men forward. Halting the British advance, they too began to waver as Stewarts men charged forward. Committing his veteran Maryland and Virginia Continentals, Greene stopped the British and soon began counterattacking. Driving the British back, the Americans were on the verge of victory when they reached the British camp. Entering the area, they elected to stop and pillage the British tents rather than continue the pursuit. As the fighting was raging, Major John Marjoribanks succeeded in turning back an American cavalry attack on the British right and captured Washington. With Greenes men preoccupied with looting, Marjoribanks shifted his men to a brick mansion just beyond the British camp. From the protection of this structure, they opened fire on the distracted Americans. Though Greenes men organized an assault on the house, they failed to carry it. Rallying his troops around the structure, Stewart counterattacked. With his forces disorganized, Greene was compelled to organize a rearguard and fall back. Retreating in good order, the Americans withdrew a short distance to the west. Remaining in the area, Greene intended to renew the fighting the next day, but wet weather prevented this. As a result, he elected to depart the vicinity. Though he held the field, Stewart believed his position was too exposed and began withdrawing to Charleston with American forces harassing his rear. Aftermath In the fighting at Eutaw Springs, Greene suffered 138 killed, 375 wounded, and 41 missing. British losses numbered 85 killed, 351 wounded, and 257 captured/missing. When members of the captured foraging party are added, the number of British captured totals around 500. Though he had won a tactical victory, Stewarts decision to withdraw to the safety of Charleston proved a strategic victory for Greene. The last major battle in the South, the aftermath of Eutaw Springs saw the British focus on maintaining enclaves on the coast while effectively surrendering the interior to American forces. While skirmishing continued, the focus of major operations shifted to Virginia where Franco-American forces won the key Battle of Yorktown the following month.

Cross-cultural Training essays

Cross-cultural Training essays Today a large number of trading companies are conducting business through out the world. Some companies make profits from the trade; some companies become failures in the business. There are many reasons relating to success or failure. However, the employees understanding of different cultures is the most important aspect when companies start businesses in foreign countries. Culture, Oxford Dictionary explains, Customs, arts, social institutions, etc of a particular group or people (p.347). There is much information about the cultures in which they work that employees should know. Cross-cultural training is training programs which help the employees who are going to do business in foreign countries learn the information of the different cultures step-by-step. According to Kaminsky (2000), With the battle for talented workers being waged internationally, Canadian companies are realizing that developing a positive work environment for their multi-cultural workforce is essential to long -term success. By developing cross-cultural training initiatives, including diverse team building, cross-cultural communication, and cross-cultural negotiation, organizations will be more competitive in the global economy (p.1). Through the cross-cultural training, the employees learn about the different cultures; understand the situations in foreign countries; know how to deal with different economies, and then these employees may success in global business; thus, cross-cultural training is necessary in todays business world. Cross-cultural training can be separated into two major parts. Understanding the culture is the first step where cross-cultural training begins; living with the different culture is the second step that employees have to face. It is difficult to understand the foreign culture without living in the foreign country. First, the employees have to study general knowledge in daily life. Fo ...

Marketing strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing strategy - Essay Example When organizations pay emphasis and use its resources towards a small part of the consumers, they are involved in the business of market niche and by serving this portion of the market; businesses can perform better and gain an added advantage over their competitors. The process of market segmentation lies between an organization’s marketing strategy that targets a huge market by producing goods and services that satisfy the needs and wants of a huge market or the overall market and a marketing strategy that is used to serve the needs and wants of individual consumers by producing goods and services that are unique and only appeal to a specific portion of the overall market. Those organizations and marketers who follow niche marketing strategy and work on their market segmentation practices are of the belief that one product does not has the ability to satisfy a huge market as consumers have different needs and wants. Secondly, they are even aware that an organization can neve r have enough resources to satisfy needs and wants of consumers on the individual level. This is why marketers are involved in the process of marketing segmentation and they divide a huge market into smaller segments and then the marketers create marketing strategy as well as products that satisfy the needs and wants of a particular segment. Market segments are created while giving importance to the characteristics of consumers, these characteristics are regarded as segmentation bases and can be utilized to create segments of a market, and the most commonly used segmentation bases include: consumer’s age, the place they live in, their income levels and the purchasing behaviors (STEVENS, 2012, p.32). There are several strategies of marketing that a marketer can use for his/her product, one such strategy is recognized as marketing at the mass level, and this is even recognized by the name of undifferentiated marketing (FERRELL, 2011, p.168). Such a marketing strategy

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome - Essay Example Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is no exception since it is a lethal and rare mental disorder (Varcarolis and Halter, 2010, p. 331). According to Keogh and Doyle (2008), Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is the idiosyncratic reaction to neuroleptic medication. It has serious and adverse effects on individuals that may result in death. This disorder occurs when patients: are under neuroleptic medication regardless of the duration of use, use antipsychotic medication and patients will exhibit signs and when patients use antidepressants. As observed, majority of patients shows signs and symptoms of NMS after two weeks of commencing treatment antipsychotic treatment. These symptoms, according to Varcarolis and Halter (2010) are: altered mental status in patients, muscular rigidity in a patients, hyperthermia, fever, urinary incontinence, motor abnormalities such as lack of movement coupled with tremor, and automatic function that is high or low pressure (p. 331). Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome can present a broad range of clinical manifestations that can pose a challenge to early detection. The diversity and complexity of its clinical features may not always be welcomed as it leads to confusion among nurses. In order for the nurse to avoid this, they should be aware of NMS classical features such as muscular rigidity, automatic instability and hyperthermia (Koegh & Doyle, 2008). Instant and proper treatment of this disease is advised. It demands prompt, and recognition of the disorder at an early stage and adoption, and implementation of pharmacological interventions such as the use of dopamine agonist is required. In addition, antipyretics such as paracetamol can be administered to reduce fever. Prompt discontinuation of antipsychotic is also helpful as articulated by Koegh & Doyle (2008). In addition, symptomatic management of this disorder is also significant. Nurses are required to monitor patients with this disease

Annotated bibliography/ Intelligence and Emotional development and Bibliography

/ Intelligence and Emotional development and self-esteem - Annotated Bibliography Example This paper focuses only on emotional development and self esteem and is written as an annotated bibliography in order to learn more about self esteem and emotional development. This article defines and explains self esteem in simple words. It says that â€Å"Self esteem is your opinion of yourself†. It explains that self esteem depends on question like: Is your job worthwhile? Do others respect what you do? Do you?;Do you believe you are successful?; How do you see yourself (your self image)?; How do you feel about your strengths and weaknesses?; Are you comparing yourself to others and ignoring the unique value that you have?; What do you think of your social status?; How do you relate to others?; Can you make your own decisions?. The above article divides self esteem into two; low self esteem and high self esteem and explains both of it in simple terms. Alexandria, NSW 2015. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=0TOuX5WW2cgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=self+esteem&source=bl&ots=3zAnBhbi6s&sig=Wi4vBbND5B2qfzqF631h2Gq-JXw&hl=en&ei=FcOETOHoKZC9ccGSsdAL&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepage&q&f=false This book, which is available on Google defines self esteem as how we think and feel about ourselves. It refers to our looks, abilities and relationships. Apart from providing definition, this book explains the methods of measuring self esteem, high and low self esteems, body image, methods to boost self esteem, positive thinking, etc. It also explains some of the psychological disorders like depression and eating disorder caused by low self esteem. This book also explains how do we get self esteem and the different entities which can affect the development of a person’s self esteem. This article says that by the time a child becomes three years old, he or she will become an emotionally complex person who has experienced a wide range of emotions. Parents and

What does prsonal responsibility means to me Essay Example for Free

What does prsonal responsibility means to me Essay What does personal responsibility mean to me? According to Dictionary.com, â€Å"Personal Responsibility is the state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one’s power, control, or management.† I am taking responsibility to complete my degree. I need to take responsibility for my academic work just like I do with business, I need to finish what I start, and if I take responsibility I will incorporate effective strategies as a student. First, I need to take responsibility for my academic work just like I do with business. It seems that most of my life has consisted in working for myself or for my business. After I dropped out of school and got married I opened up a family restaurant in the Oroville area called Cassidy’s Family Restaurant. We were very successful. Usually a restaurant needs to watch their food and labor numbers very closely but because we had huge volume it wasn’t necessary. At our high point we were bringing in $137,000.00 a week! One year later we opened up a second restaurant in Chico. Here, we did well but I was responsible for two growing, profitable restaurants. After five years I got out of the business and got into Real Estate. This new venture was slow in the beginning. I performed all of the normal marketing procedures that a Real Estate agent would perform and eventually became very proficient. This lead into opening my own agency which was very profitable but I decided to downsize in order to finish my degree. Using these examples, if I apply the same techniques and responsibilities to completing my degree then I should be ready to succeed. Taking responsibility for my academic work like I have with business I will be able to complete my college education. Next, I need to finish what I started. A college education is very important to me. Because I lacked a college education I could not get the high paying job I wanted with a corporation. I needed to make a healthy monthly income and without a college education the only way to make a lot of money was to start your own company. Presently, it’s a good time to finish my education because money is stable and I have the patience to work through  the classes. Also, my degree is probably the most important piece of my life that I have not completed and I am committed Lastly, by taking responsibility for my education I take responsibility to incorporate effective strategies as a student.. My college journey started in the late 80’s and it continued until 1993. I started at the local junior colleges and eventually transferred to U.C. Davis. My first year at Davis was a disaster! I was trying hard to fit in and lived off campus which was ridiculous. The quarter system was new to me and classes went by so fast. I did not take any responsibility for any of my actions. I started to miss classes and tests. Trying to catch up was a nightmare! Thinking back I really could have used more direction with my education. A good example is the exercises that we are completing in class right now. It feels refreshing learning more about myself and how I can actually fit into our class groups. Taking responsibility for my education will allow me to complete my education. Lastly, by taking responsibility I will incorporate effective strategies as a student. I will seek out advice from current successful students to succeed. According to Margaret M. Spieth in Optimizing Online Student Success: Strategies Utilized by technical College Students: 1) Take advantage of face-to-face time offered with your online instructor when you feel the course material is not making sense. Dont go into the class thinking that no face-to-face contact is the best approach. Meet your instructor to answer questions/comments/concerns you may have that an email will not convey properly. 2) Do not assume that an online class will be a breeze because you dont meet face-to-face. 3) It is extremely important to know that it generally takes more time to complete an online class than a traditional class, ranging from 4 hours to 25 hours of your time per class, per week. Plan your personal and online life accordingly and your family will still want all/most of their time -even if they have offered to make sacrifices. 4) Its wonderful to take when you work and have a family. Wish there were more classes like this! pg 140 In Conclusion, it is time to take control of my future education. Through the years I have started and ran successful business but always felt a  little incomplete because I did not complete my education. Using the tools and taking responsibility for my education as I did with my past businesses I should be successful. I am taking responsibility to complete my degree. By doing so I need to take responsibility for my academic work just like I do with business, I need to finish what I start, and if I take responsibility it will be easier to complete my degree. Reference Spieth, Margaret M. (2009). Optimizing Online Student Success: Strategies Utilized by technical College Students, 140. Retrieved from ProQuest LLC responsibility. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved September 16, 2014, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/responsibility

The Australian Legal Systems

The Australian Legal Systems The Australian legal system is based on a fundamental belief in the rule of law, justice and the independence of the judiciary. All people of Australia and non-Australians are treated equally before the law and safeguards exist to ensure that people are not treated arbitrarily or unfairly by governments or officials. Principles such as procedural fairness, judicial precedent and the separation of powers are fundamental to Australias legal system. The common law system, as developed in the United Kingdom, forms the basis of Australian jurisprudence. It is distinct from the civil law systems that operate in Europe, South America and Japan, which are derived from Roman law. Other countries that employ variations of the common law system are the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Malaysia and India. The chief feature of the common law system is that judges decisions in pending cases are informed by the decisions of previously settled cases. Consitution of Australia The United Kingdom passed the Commonwealth of Australian Constitution Act 1900. The significant of the Act was that it created a federal Commonwealth compraising the Commonwealth of Australia and the states. It also incorporated the constitution which came in to effect on January 1901. The Australian Constitution of 1901 established a federal system of government, under which powers are distributed between the federal government and the states Itdefined exclusive powers (investing the federal government with the exclusive power to make laws on matters such as trade and commerce, taxation, defence, external affairs, and immigration and citizenship) and concurrent powers (where both tiers of government are able to enact laws). Thestates and territories have independent legislative power in all matters not specifically assigned to the federal government. Where there is any inconsistency between federal and state or territory laws, federal laws prevail. Federal laws apply to the whole of Australia. Seperation of powers Governing Australia needs lots of power. The Constitution says that this power is divided between three groups of people so they can balance each other. Each group checks the power of the other two. This division of power stops one person or group of people taking over all the power to govern Australia. Legislative power means the power to make laws and is concentrated in the Parliament. Executive power means the power to implement laws and is given to the government. Judicial power gives the High Court power to decide whether laws are legal according to the Constitution. Division of Powers The law making powers which are not stated in the constitution as belonging to the commonwealth remains with the state .The powers are divided between the State Parliament and the Commonwealth parliament.There are some areas where both the commonwealth and the states have power to make laws these are concurrent powers,for example ,the taxation power. The state can however be excluded from these areas if their law are in consistant with those of the commonwealth. Some powers are stated to be exclusive to common wealth. These includes defence powers , the power to impose exercise and customs dudies , the currency, coin age and legal tender power and making of law for the government of a territory. The commonwealth is irestricted on areas for which it can make laws, the state can make laws on the commonwealth areas as long as they are with in the juristiction of the state,where a commonwealth has not been specifically given a power to legislate, then those remaining powers are exclusive to the states , for instance motor law , Criminal law and contract law. Most business law are made as state laws The Commonwealth Parliament The Parliament is at the very heart of the Australian national government. The Parliament consists of the Queen ,represented by the Governor General and two Houses (the Senate and the House of Representatives). These three elements make Australia a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. There are five important functions of parliament: to provide for the formation of a government; to legislate; to provide the funds needed for government; to provide a forum for popular representation; and to scrutinise the actions of government. The Governor-General The Governor-General is appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Governor-General performs a large number of functions which are defined by the Constitution, but fall roughly into three categories: constitutional and statutory duties, formal ceremonial duties, and non-ceremonial social duties. On virtually all matters, however, the Governor-General acts on the advice of the Ministry. The Senate The Senate has 76 Senators 12 are elected for each of the 6 states, and 2 each for the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. State Senators are elected for 6 year terms, territory Senators for 3 year terms. Historically, the Senate has been regarded as a States House: the States enjoy equal representation in the Senate, regardless of their population, and State matters are still important to Senators. The modern Senate is a very powerful Chamber. Bills cannot become law unless they are agreed to in the same terms by each House, except in the rare circumstances of a double dissolution followed by a joint sitting of both the houses The Senate has a highly developed committee system and Senators spend much of their time on committee work. The House of Representatives The House of Representatives has 150 Members each representing a separate electoral division. Members are elected for terms of up to 3 years. The most distinctive feature of the House is that the party or group with majority support in the House forms the Government. The accountability of the Government is illustrated every sitting day, especially during Question Time. Members have many other functions. They are involved in law making, committee work and in representing their electors. Executive Government The Prime Minister is appointed by the Governor-General, who by convention under the Constitution, must appoint the parliamentary leader of the party, or coalition of parties, which has a majority of seats in the House of Representatives. This majority party becomes the government and provides the ministers, all of whom must be members of Parliament. The Federal Executive Council, referred to in the Constitution, comprises all ministers, with the Governor-General presiding. Its principal functions are to receive ministerial advice and approve the signing of formal documents such as proclamations, regulations, ordinances and statutory appointments. Federal Judicature The Constitution provides for the establishment of the High Court of Australia and such other courts as Parliament may create. The judges of the High Court are appointed by the Governor-General in Council (acting on advice of the Federal Executive Council). The functions of the High Court are to interpret and apply the law of Australia; to decide cases of special federal significance including challenges to the constitutional validity of laws; and to hear appeals, by special leave, from Federal, State and Territory courts State and territory courts. Australian state and territory courts have jurisdiction in all matters brought under state or territory laws. They also handle some matters arising under federal laws, where jurisdiction has been conferred by the federal parliament. State and territory courts deal with most criminal matters, whether arising under federal, state or territory law.Each state and territory court system operates independently.