Monday, September 30, 2019

Trash Summary

Trash Summary Trash is an epic novel about three ordinary dumpsite boys that sort through trash for a living. One day they find a key that leads them to a train station locker. From there they start the journey of their lives. Throughout the book many characteristics are shown both good and bad. I have chosen to talk about the themes trust and resilience. I chose these topics because I think both of these were shown many times in the book and they are to things that you need in every day life. Trust is the reliance that you have on one another, the belief that someone will come through for you in a time of need.This was shown many times in the book my favourite example was when Rat, (or Jun-Jun) was there for Raphael and Gardo at the beginning of the book they needed a place to hide the wallet. At any give time he could have gone straight to the police and turned in Raphael and Gardo.. Sister Oliver’s trust, pity and innocence led her to believing the three boys lie, this ende d up putting her at great risk. Later on in the novel Gardo went back to the prison with the 20,000 pesos to give the guard for the bible.The guard tried to catch Gardo but he escaped just in time. I think this was a case where they were forced to trust the guard whether they wanted to or not, they had no option to get the bible or not. Resilience is the ability to bounce back and put up with severe amount of stress. That’s exactly what these boys put up with for the whole book, between being chased by corrupt police and breaking into a grave these boys had amazing mental strength. The best example of this is when Raphael got taken to the police station; he was tortured, beaten and almost killed.It took lots of resilience is just there will to see there adventure all the way through to the end. At any given time they could have quite gone to the police turned the other two in and made 20,000 peso. â€Å" We will fish for ever and live happy lives. That is our plan and nothin g will stop us. † This quote said by Jun-Jun shows that the three boys trust each other to the end of the world. They would die for each other happily. They have been through so much mentally and physically that they could put up with anything. I honestly do think nothing will stop them.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Business Research Method Essay

After studying and extracting information from all the relevant work done previously, how does there searcher know which references, articles, and information should be given prominence in the literature survey? For this question, the answer is the researchers should start looking for the literature survey that straight as the information from the unstructured and structured interviews that is being gathered. Also for the reviewing, the literature on the subject part of this time assistances the researcher to focus more on the interviews more importantly on certain aspects found to be important in this study. â€Å"Because literature survey is a time-consuming exercise, a good, in-depth interview should suï ¬Æ'ce to develop a theoretical framework.† Discuss this statement. The literature survey its important and becoming easy to follow the progression of the research from the first step of managers knowing the broad problem part. And to initial data assembly (literature survey), to improve the theoretical framework based on the literature review and that showed by experience and instinct, to framework of hypothesis for testing the questions of the survey. 6. Why is it important to consider basic research design issues before conducting the study and even as early as at the time of formulating the research question? The research design is important because of the time and cost; the researchers should be constraining the less of what would be the  ideal researcher design. The researcher strength have to conduct a cross-sectional instead of a longitudinal study, it’s better to do a field study than a larger sample size, and improving the research design decision and resolving for a lower level of technical care because of resource constraining. 9. How has the advancement of technology helped data gathering? Discuss the beneï ¬ ts and drawbacks. The technological advancement it allows us to collect and processing and more data because it need more data to be collected more than human can collect technology its important to help the researchers to have the right information 10. What are the main reasons for choosing observational methods over other methods? It because observation concerns the planed watching, recording, analysis and interpretation of behavior, actions or events. In addition, other data collection methods present rudiments of insincerity into the research environment, observation defines events. Researchers can also use observational methods when independent are unwilling to express themselves. 12. Discuss how ethnography and participant observation are related. Ethnography is the research methodology that has origins in anthropology. And a research procedure in which the anthropologist carefully detects, records, and involves in the everyday life of another culture and. Participant observation is more related to ethnography. However, there is different people that have different thoughts about the particular relationship between the both. Ethnography and participant observation are from time to time used interchangeably in the works. Ethnography includes the involvement in the specific culture, of the social group a people of Samoa. In addition, observing behavior finished a extended the engagement in the field where ethnography takings place – is stared as one of some methods for ethnographic research. Other methods, such as interviews and questionnaires, might also be to collect the data in the ethnographic research. 16. How are multiple methods of data collection and from multiple sources related to reliability and validity of the measures? Data is collected to  measure the correlation of some items with the idea to be saved. Procurement data from multiple sources and complete multiple methods is optional, when data obtained the goodness of data is measured complete test of validity and reliability. Validity is to express how well a technique, tool or process measures a specific concept, and reliability specifies how constancy and consistently the tool taps the variables. The data have to be obtained in a way that lends itself to easy classification and coding. The source of data is extremely dependent on the situations and design of the test and the reliability differs with interval reliability of the source, the validity is related to the design of the test. 17. Explain in your own words MAX, MIN, CON (maximize, minimize, control) Maximize is the research hypothesis and max the differences between the dependent variables. Minimize is the error or random of the measurement instruments and that might have high errors of measurement Control is when the assume cause and impact the relationships between X and Y variables, also let say that A it might be effect on the dependent variable Y. Chapter 12 21. Describe the diï ¬â‚¬erence between attitude rating scales and ranking scales and indicate when the two are used. The basic difference is that the attitude scale contain of or a grouping of rating scales designed to measure all or some features of human attitude. A rating scale controls the quality of something. A ranking scale determines the quality comparative to others, using the average as a standard. In a question, a rating scale asks you to rate some items individually on a numerical scale, and a ranking scale would have you place the items in order. 22. â€Å"A valid instrument is always reliable, but a reliable instrument is not always valid †. Comment on this statement. BONUS QUESTION A valid instrument can have both consistency and stability but might not be measuring what it is envisioned to measure the low validity. If an instrument does, measure the concept that it theoretical to measure, it will be reliable, a valid instrument will be reliable, but a reliable instrument does not have to be valid. Chapter 16 28. How can you assess the reliability and validity of qualitative research? It is important for qualitative research studies is criticized for lacking the reliability and validity. The criticized is made on data collected as the individuals may not response correctly or the observations made by the researchers are not good enough. Reliability and validity is very important in the research work. Many critics question the validity of qualitative data is questioned by many critics.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Banking Software and Packages in Australia-Samples for Students

Technology has witnessed a number of transformations and advancements in the recent years. There are a number of tools and processes that are based on technology that have been implemented in the past. However, with the changes and transformations in technology, these tools and processes are also required to be upgraded. Such practices have allowed the business sectors to flourish at a rapid rate. One such industry is accounting and finance which has made an advanced use and application of technology and has been home to many transformations. There are a number of online retailers that have established their e merce websites and web applications to offer the services to the clients. Woolworths is one such Australian online retailer that deals in the product categories as groceries and household products. Organization structures make up for an essential part of the organizations. Woolworths has a three-layered architecture which prises of senior management at the top followed by middle level managers and department heads. The members of the operational team are placed at the last layer at the bottom (Woolworths, 2017). Human resources form an extremely important part of every organization. The success and failure of the organization and the projects that are carried out in the organization has a lot of dependence on the human resources. It is therefore required for the organizations to have an adequate culture and structure for enhanced employee satisfaction. There are issues of munication and collaboration that have been witnessed in case of the organizational structure that is followed at Woolworths. There are issues in terms of integration and cohesiveness that have also been observed (Henderson, 2004). In case of Woolworths, the information systems in the areas of accounting and finance can be acquired with the aid of a number of different methods. All of these methods have their respective sets of advantages and drawbacks. The one that fits the best is acquisition of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software (Yang and Tamir, 2015). The current issues with the organizational structure will be avoided with the same (Mallery, 2011). The sales process in the pany is executed in four different stages. The initiation of the sales activities takes place keeping the business goals and objectives at the baseline. Gradually, there are opportunities and agreements that are carried out and explored which leads to the fulfillment of the objectives and results in the customer satisfcation (Gulledge, 2002). Control and monitoring is a necessity for all the activities and operations in all the panies and organizations. In the department of sales, there are issues with control and monitoring that leads to the emergence of a number of frauds and problems (Mohapatra and Patnaik, 2011). There is an i plete validation and verification of the pliance with the best practices that is observed that leads to numerous deviations. The quality of the end-product is therefore adversely affected. Accounting processes were largely paper-based a couple of decades ago. Gradually, there were developments in the technological areas that were carried out which led to the development of the technologies being used in the accounting sector as well (Seethamraju, 2012). Today, there are automated processes and applications that are being used for the execution of accounting activities. These automated systems not only ease out the entire process but also make the processes faster and more accurate in nature (James, 2016). There are numerous vendors and service providers in the market that provide the accounting packages and applications (Afpbb, 2016). There are organizations that are actively making use of such applications which has led to the growth of such vendors to over 10,200. There are over 138,000 resources that work in these organizations and the growth rate of the entire sector is estimated to go up by 8% by the end of this year (Bankwest, 2015). There are many accounting software and applications that are available in the market. One of the integrated solutions that are being used widely is MYOB accounting software that offers the following features and benefits. Intuit QuickBooks is an accounting software package that offers increased levels of system qualities and functionalities that lead to enhanced user experience. It offers the following features and benefits. There are many accounting software and applications that are available in the market. One of the integrated solutions that are being used widely is Saasu accounting software. The package offers flexibility and scalability to the users with the following features and abilities.   Reckon is an accounting software package that offers increased levels of system qualities and functionalities that lead to enhanced user experience. It offers the following features and benefits. Xero is an accounting software package that offers increased levels of system qualities and functionalities that lead to enhanced user experience. It offers the following features and benefits. Software/Package - Intuit QuickBooks $50 is the cost that the users will be required to pay to access the software for thirty days   $12 is the cost that the users will be required to pay to access the software for thirty days   $15 is the cost that the users will be required to pay to access the software for thirty days   $5 is the cost that the users will be required to pay to access the software for thirty days   $9 is the cost that the users will be required to pay to access the software for thirty days   $99 is the cost that the users will be required to pay to access the software for thirty days   $21 is the cost that the users will be required to pay to access the software for thirty days   $180 is the cost that the users will be required to pay to access the software for thirty days   Depends upon the features that are acquired    $70 is the cost that the users will be required to pay to access the software for thirty days   Technology is an element that cannot be missed out or played with in the current times. There are various technological elements that are used in the field of accounts with accounting software and systems as the prime element. These systems include the automated set of features and functions. These shall be included in an organization after an in-depth planning and analysis of the operations and requirements. Advisoryhq , (2015) 5 Best Small Business Accounting Software in Australia. [online] AdvisoryHQ. Available at: https://www.advisoryhq /articles/5-best-small-business-accounting-software-in-australia/ [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Afpbb, (2016) The Australian Accounting Industry. [online] Afpbb.net.au. Available at: https://www.afpbb.net.au/Resources/TheAustralianAccountingIndustry.aspx [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Bankwest, (2015) Accounting Services Industry Report. 1st ed. [ebook] Bankwest. Available at: https://www.bankwest .au/cs/ContentServer%3Fpagename%3DFoundation/CS/Blob/Document%26id%3D1292539844555%26ext%3D.pdf+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=in [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Carey, M. (2015) Cloud Accounting Overview 2015: MYOB Essentials vs Xero vs Intuit QuickBooks Online vs Reckon One - Digital First. [online] Digital First. Available at: https://www.digitalfirst /2015-overview-cloud-accounting-software/ [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Crowder, C. (2016) [online] Techin.oureverydaylife . Available at: https://techin.oureverydaylife /disadvantages-accounting-software-1965.html [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Gulledge, T. (2002). Business process management: public sector implications. Business Process Management Journal, 8(4), pp.364-376. Henderson, L. (2004). Encoding and decoding munication petencies in project management ? an exploratory study. International Journal of Project Management, 22(6), pp.469-476. James, D. (2016) 7 accounting packages for Australian small businesses pared: including MYOB, QuickBooks Online, Reckon, Xero. [online] BIT. Available at: https://www.bit .au/Review/344651,7-accounting-packages-for-australian-small-businesses pared-including-myob-quickbooks-online-reckon-xero.aspx [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Mallery, M. (2011). Project Management Portal (PMP) from the University of Washington Information Technology Wiki - https://wiki.cac.washington.edu/display/pmportal/Project+Management+Portal. Technical Services Quarterly, 28(3), pp.365-367. Miller, K. (2016) Xero Review 2016 | Reviews, Ratings, plaints, parisons. [online] Merchant Maverick. Available at: https://www.merchantmaverick /reviews/xero-review/ [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Mohapatra, S. and Patnaik, A. (2011). Sustainability in HRIS implementation through effective project management. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 3(1), p.78. Myob, (2016) Online Accounting Software for Businesses | MYOB. [online] Myob . Available at: https://www.myob /au/accounting-software pare [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Ryan, E. (2016) The Evolution of Accounting Software: Past, Present and Future|. [online] Gaaaccounting . Available at: https://www.gaaaccounting /the-evolution-of-accounting-software-past-present-and-future/ [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Seethamraju, R. (2012). Business process management: a missing link in business education. Business Process Management Journal, 18(3), pp.532-547. Woolworths, (2017). Woolworths Supermarket - Buy Groceries Online. [online] Woolworths Online. Available at: https://www.woolworths .au/ [Accessed 22 Aug. 2017]. Yang, Y. and Tamir, G. (2015). Offshore software project management: mapping project success factors. International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 7(2), p.111.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Assignment # 7 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

# 7 - Assignment Example b) The amount of profit generated by the company per dollar of sales: Net profit margin. It is profitability ratio. A company should have higher value for the ratio because it indicates high profitability. c) This ratio gives a measure of the number of days it takes a company to collect on sales that it sells on credit: Days sales outstanding. Efficiency/Asset Utilization ratio. A lower value for the ratio is favourable as a company collects cash faster from customers, it has good collection procedures. d) This ratio is used to determine how easily a company can pay interest expenses on outstanding debt: Times interest earned. It is a leverage ratio. A higher value for the ratio is favourable; the company has more cover for finance costs hence low business risk. e) This ratio specifies the number of days it takes for the company’s inventory to be converted to sales, either as cash or accounts receivable: Days in inventory. Efficiency/Asset Utilization ratio. A lower value for the ratio is more favourable as the company is converting its inventories into cash faster; hence the inventory is more liquid. f) This ratio indicates how profitable a company is over on accounting period (typically 12 months) without regard to how it is financed: Return on assets. Profitability ratio. A higher value for the ratio is required because it indicates that the company is more profitable. g) A ratio that further refines the liquidity by measuring the amount of the most liquid current assets there are to cover current liabilities: Acid test ratio. It is a liquidity ratio. A company should have higher value for the ratio to be able to meet its short term obligations with lots of ease. h) This ratio compares the amount of interest-bearing debt in a company’s capital structure to its total assets: Debt-to-total asset ratio (leverage ratio). A lower value for the ratio is required because it indicates less leverage and less risk. i) This ratio is a measure of

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Diageo PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Diageo PLC - Essay Example Company’s identity, as Cramer and Bergmans outline (2003, 2), is expected to be based on a balanced combination of working for all – people, planet and profit, and, furthermore, achieve sustainable development. Growing affluence, need for ecological sustainability, globalization and free flows of information have made the issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR) crucial for commercial organizations (Werther and Chandler 2010, 21) forcing them to invest much of the recourses into CSR programmes. Though such programmes themselves do not have a direct impact on company’s profits, companies believe that the positive image and good reputation they earn through CSR initiatives will make existing and potential clients more loyal to the company. Indeed, members of developed societies can afford to choose whether to purchase a particular brand or not. At the same time, some scholars argue that for many companies social responsiveness is just a way to hide more insid ious activities of a company (Bansal 2009, 182). Since the very first responsibility of any company is to bring profits to its stakeholders, businesses simply use CSR to deflect criticism of other activities, which might not be as positive. It is especially true in relation to companies, the whole business of which is rather controversial – manufacturers of cars that damage the environment, tobacco industry businesses, owners of alcohol brands, and so on. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to analyse and critically analyse performance of one of such companies – Diageo PLC – in order to understand the impact and implications of the company’s actions in terms of CSR on society and stakeholders. Diageo PLC Diageo PLC is the company that stands behind such famous alcohol brands as Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Baileys, Crown Royal, J&B and Windsor among others (About us 2011). While some of the brands the company owns have been in the market for decad es, some, as the company’s website mentions, were developed later to match the new and different tastes of new generations of customers. The business operates in about 180 markets, has offices in 80 world countries, and employs more than 20,000 people (both office and manufacturing staff) worldwide. The CSR page of Diageo’s website is full of information on how the company invests into community development, and environmental protection through the use of renewable energy, water preservation, waste reduction and sustainable packaging (CSR 2011). However, for the purpose of this paper the ‘Alcohol in Society’ aspect of Diageo PLC will be analysed. The case for Diageo PLC ‘Alcohol in Society’ page of Diageo’s website states that one of the strategic goals of the company is to create a positive role for alcohol in the society (Alcohol in Society 2011). The company’s mission is to promote responsible drinking, because irresponsible d rinking causes harm to people’s health. For this reason the company responsibly markets its brands only to adults and supports initiatives that are aimed at fighting misuse and excessive consumption of alcohol. Employees of the company are even offered a responsible drinking training. In an attempt to educate people on the dangers of excessive or irresponsible drinking Diageo launched a DRINKiQ.com website, with 18 national websites in 8 languages, which provides information on the effects of drinking alcohol, drinking patterns, resources for educators and parents, as well as other alcohol-related information (Drinkiq.com 2011). The major goals of the company in relation to people’

Hospitality Industry and Environment Forces Essay

Hospitality Industry and Environment Forces - Essay Example In addition, diplomatic relations among governments have diverse effects on the hospitality industry. A government may choose, when it ascertains it is appropriate, to advise its citizens against visiting certain countries depending on how the prevailing diplomatic relations between the two nations. Economic factors influence the hospitality industry. A booming economy leaves a people with spare cash to spend on holidays. A weak economy presents, however, little cash flow to governments and relevant agencies that may lack the resources to invest in the hospitality industry. In addition, technology influences the hospitality industry. Tourists can enjoy their tours in many ways due to the advances in technology. Tourists can now film their adventurous trips and share their experiences with friends and family through social sites. Hotels can also provide booking services to their travelling clients online through their websites (Mok, Beverley and Jay 139). Surveillance and security provided in the hospitality industry have improved because of technology. There are fewer incidences of terrorist attacks targeting the hospitality industry because of technology applied in gathering and sharing intelligence by relevant agencies. Socio-cultural factors influence the hospitality industry. The manner in which local people interact with tourists determines their satisfaction levels. In addition, hospitable societies receive the highest number of tourists. Societies with unique cultural practices also attract many

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Strategy and Policy Study Guide and Case Study

Strategy and Policy Guide and - Case Study Example ormance and durability and has formed a strong distribution network to ensure these shoes reach to all corners of the globe in time and at a reasonable price. (b) Basing on the IE matrix above, it is advisable that the company currently is not in a position to expand but should rather â€Å"hold and maintain†. The IE matrix is made up of three strategically important regions; First, The cells labelled I, II and III represent the possibility of expansion. The company should therefore concentrate on improving market penetration, develop new markets and increase the products available on the market. The second region represented by numbers IV, V, and VI implies the company should be more concerned with market penetration of existing markets. The last region represented by VII, VIII, and IX numbers is an indicator the company should consider the possibility of exiting from the market as it tries rebranding to rejuvenate the business. In this strategy, the company will establish sales teams that will market and track the market acceptance of specific products without focusing on other company products. First the company is to identify two or three products that are performing below the expected potential owing to the performance of similar products in the market by other companies. Then a team is selected to carry out market research and establish reason why the products are not performing well and strategies employed by competitors to market their products. The team will then draw a plan ready for implementation with clear targets markets, quantities and time frame for implementation. These teams will have to carry out evaluation after a number of months to check if the strategy is giving positive results. The company wants to be felt by customers both in the high end and low end market. In applying this strategy, the product marketed will be appealing to all markets and customers will want to have a feel of the product. The team will identify areas in the plan that

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Effectively Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives Essay

Effectively Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives - Essay Example This paper shall seek to determine the means by which firms can effectively communicate their CSR campaigns with effective communication, encourage their consumers to participate in their socially responsible initiatives while maintaining or even improving their profitability and stability as a business. For its case study, it will examine communication strategies of Samsung Inc. Successful businesses have been known to harness the goodwill and share their good fortune with those who they deem need their help the most. This practice earns them respect, admiration and a good reputation among their stakeholders. It is also known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Hopkins (2007) defines CSR as a business practice of companies that aim to adopt socially and environmentally responsible behaviors as a way for their business to contribute to society in a socially relevant manner. Not to be known as purely profit-seeking entities, socially responsible organizations manifest awareness and accountability in the societal and environmental effects that their business may impact (Lantos, 2001). Hence, they embrace responsible business practices and strategies in promoting better living standards for their employees and their targeted beneficiaries while still maintaining their profitability as a business (Hopkins, 2007). In implementing CSR strategies, it is essential that companies are clear in communicating their objectives to the community so that they are not misconstrued in their intentions. It is common for people to raise suspicions in the sudden goodwill of corporations who are doing so well in terms of profit, that they may have hidden agendas to further promote their image and attract more business.

Monday, September 23, 2019

The Unredeemed Captive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Unredeemed Captive - Essay Example Young as she was, she was taken to Canada along with other 100 captives from Deerfield. The raid was later named the Deerfield Massacre. The story of Eunice reveals the experiences of New England including how the colonial events impacted the Indians, English, and French or colonists both negatively and positively. Eunice, a daughter of a crucial person, was captured by French soldiers to be used in a part exchange deal. The raid was organized by the governor of New France, who wanted to rescue a British captive named Capt. Pierre Baptiste. Captain had attacked British ships on the Atlantic Coast on behalf of the French authorities. In an attempt to save the captain, the New French decided to capture an important British prisoner. French authorities obtained Eunice in order to get the captain from the British authorities. Capturing the daughter to one of the powerful and influential people in England was an effective and logical that would prompt the English authorities to negotiate with the French. Eunice’s captivity had an adverse impact on the people of Deerfield. According to Haefeli and Sweeney, they had lost a daughter to their prominent minister and some of their populations. They grieved and were in sorrow.2 In an attempt to free his daughter, John Williams tried to convince the French authorities to release her daughter, but his attempts proved futile. To add to that, Eunice, after being fully assimilated into the Indian culture, decided to stay away from home. Her decision was followed by numerous futile attempts by both his brother and father to convince her to come home. Consequently, her refusal to go back home became the primary source of her family’s misery. Apart from Eunice, several young Deerfield captives never returned to their families, but instead joined either the French authorities or the Native American society. The captivity of Eunice had a positive impact on the Indian people. They were overjoyed and

Saturday, September 21, 2019

David Humes Thoughts On Empiricism Essay Example for Free

David Humes Thoughts On Empiricism Essay One of the most notable figures in the history of western philosophy was Scottish philosopher David Hume. Hume was widely known for his views on Empiricism. Empiricism has been pondered since the beginnings of philosophy by many famous figures, from Aristotle to John Locke. (Wikipedia) Empiricism claims that human knowledge is founded on observation and use of the five senses. Hume published a literary work titled Enquiry concerning Human Understanding. This had a profound impact on empiricist philosophy. (Heter) In section 2 of the Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, titled Of the Origin of Ideas, Hume makes distinctions about impressions and ideas. Simply stating how a memory obtained from the central nervous system can never reach the level of raw, vividness that the original impression had made. An example of this concept can be something along the lines of experiencing free fall. We have all experienced free fall at some point in our lives. Simply recalling that moment can never fully allow us to grasp the gut wrenching excitement of pure gravity. An interesting thought brought forward in section 2 is The Copy Principle. Hume states But though our thought seems to possess this unbounded liberty, we shall find, upon a nearer examination, that it is really confined within very narrow limits, and that all this creative power of the mind amounts to no more than the faculty of compounding, transposing, augmenting, or diminishing the materials afforded us by the senses and real life experience†¦(Enquiry, Section II) In laymans terms, imagination of the human mind might be perceived as limitless. However, in  reality, it is really a combination of sensory information and real life experiences. To this end, Hume believes that there are no truly original ideas. Everything we can conceive is a copy or modification of material afforded to us by our surroundings. Examples of this can be found all around us. Such as the design of a plane matching the shape of a bird or Velcro behaving as burdock burrs. (Bloomberg) An interesting point Hume brings to our attention is the Blind Man Argument. Hume claims that a person born blind has no notions of what color is. If you grant that individual the ability to see, you present him with a new channel for ideas. Without this inlet, he would have no idea what color is. Therefore, color must come from the senses. (Enquiry, Section II) One might object to Humes copy principle by stating that original ideas are created quite frequently. A perfect example of this is the telephone. There was no object in the known universe that was able to transmit encoded sound waves through electrical wire over vast distances to a receiver before the telephone. This invention came into existence through pure innovation. The blind man argument presents an error. Just because a blind man cannot make an association between the word red and the color red doesnt mean that they have never seen it before. Perhaps the man has seen the color red countless times in his dreams. However, without having another individual identify the same color and help him form the association between the word and the color, the blind man will never know what red means. Countering my objection to The Copy Principle, all the natural resources we are afforded on earth  can be combined, transformed or restructured to create something else. Basically, everything we have created can be broken down to the raw materials found within our environment. This makes it impossible to create something truly new. The telephone is simply a combination of oil, copper, aluminum, silicone, ect. In defense of The Blind Man Argument, people born without the ability to see, claim they see nothing. They might understand how the color spectrum works but they will never be able to sense what the actual color looks like. For one to know the answer to this debate, he or she have the ability to see and be blind at the same time. Hume certainly brings up some interesting concepts. For this reason, scholars have been studying his ideas for centuries. Empiricism and rationalism are in constant disagreement. Both philosophical notions are extremely hard to disprove. Works Cited Hennighausen, Amelia, and Eric Roston. 14 Smart Inventions Inspired by Nature: Biomimicry: Nature as RD Lab. Bloomberg. com. Bloomberg, 19 Aug. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. Heter, T. Storm. Empiricism. First Philosophy: A Handbook for Beginning Philosophers. N. p. : n. p. , n. d. 15-21. Print. Hume, David. Section II: Of the Origin of Ideas. An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding. N. p. : n. p. , 1784. N. pag. Print. Wikipedia contributors. David Hume. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 30 Aug. 2013. Web. 21 Sep. 2013. Wikipedia contributors. Empiricism. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 Sep. 2013. Web. 21 Sep. 2013.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Restatement problem definition technique

Restatement problem definition technique Task 1 The purpose of the task is to choose one of the scenarios and to apply the Present state/Desired state, Duncker Diagram and Statement/Restatement problem definition technique. The scenario 1 is about the problem associated with the recycling of post-consumer waste. It has been observed that even in the most cooperative and environment conscious communities, bins of recyclable waste contains 10% of wrong recyclable or non-recyclable material. For disposing non-recyclable material present in recyclable bins, recycling company has to spend lot of money. The problem needs investigation from the recycling company CEOs point of view. Summary of additional information gathered Generation of waste is strongly associated to population and urbanization [1]. Improvement of existing waste management technique is a prime concern for developing countries. In past, the most inexpensive practice for disposing waste was to place it in landfills. Despite the fact that the landfills were used to manage the waste, the need for restitution of the landfills, release of toxic gases, limited accessibility of the land for the landfills etc., still remains a great challenges for metropolitan cities. The ever increasing post-consumer waste has many adverse effects on the health of people, such as pollution of underground water and soil, bad smell from landfills and release of green house gases like CO2 and CH4 [1]. The concept of 3Rs which says reduce, reuse and recycle has become a key notion for waste management. The finest way to manage waste is not to create it. Generation of waste should be minimized at household level by avoiding excess use of non-environmental friendly goods. Recycling is the also one of the best option for waste management as it offers several advantages like utilization of waste which would otherwise be dumped in landfills and also decrease in use of new resources [2]. Novel methods of sorting non-recyclable waste from recyclable should be brought in use. The production capacity of paper in Malaysia has reached up to 1,300,000 T/year [3] but it is still low as compared to the consumption of paper there. Paper mills in Malaysia are now relying on machines which can sort different grades of paper. After sorting, high quality paper can be recycled. Malaysian paper mills are saving lot of money, energy, reducing the amount of landfills, reducing incineration and above all conserving their natural resources [3]. Shutting down of Freshkills Landfills in Staten Island in 2001 has strained the city of New York to find other methods of waste management. To dispose huge amount of waste, New York City is exporting parts of its waste to Virginia and its neighboring state. Remarkable increase in disposal tipping fees in recent years has forced New York City to find other methods for waste management. Recycling provides a striking alternative as it helps in decreasing pollution, providing employments and preserving energy. Municipal Corporation in New York City is now relying on materials recovery facility (MRF). MRF collects waste, segregates wrong or non recyclable waste from recyclable waste, recycle the waste and stores it as raw material for manufacturing industry. By doing this, City of New York is saving nearly $46 million per year from the total amount it spends today for waste disposal [4]. Present state/Desired State Technique Discussion: The present state talks about the presence of wrong or non-recyclable material whereas desired state talks about maximizing companys profit by proper separation and disposal of non-recyclable waste. There is no match between the present state and the desired state. Further reworking of statements is required. Discussion: These states are matched, but there is no clear difference between the present and the desired state. Desired state somewhat solves the issue in present state i.e. company has to spend money for disposing non-recyclable waste. Actual problem is not resolved yet therefore further reworking of solution is required. Discussion There is perfect one to one mapping between present and desired state. The problem addressed in present state is completely resolved in desired state. The desired state focuses on attaining zero percent contamination in recyclable bins. Therefore, if there is no non-recyclable or wrong recyclable material in recyclable bin there is no point in disposing it and there is no cost for disposing it. These statements can therefore be considered as the best statements for actual problem. Duncker Diagram Statement-Restatement Technique Original problem statement: Bins of recyclable material contain 10% of wrong or non-recyclable material and recycling company has to spend money for its disposal. Trigger 1: Emphasizing on different words and phrases Bins of recyclable material contain 10% of wrong or non-recyclable material and recycling company has to spend money for its disposal. Is there any other way to collect waste? Bins of recyclable material contain 10% of wrong or non-recyclable material and recycling company has to spend money for its disposal. How can we reduce percentage of wrong or non-recyclable material? Bins of recyclable material contain 10% of wrong or non-recyclable material and recycling company has to spend money for its disposal. Can we make use of these wrong or non-recyclable materials? -Some materials like used polythene bags can be reused as trash bags in houses for trash cans. In this way consumer can reduce the use of non-recyclable material. Bins of recyclable material contain 10% of wrong or non-recyclable material and recycling company has to spend money for its disposal. How can we reduce cost for disposing non-recyclable waste? Trigger 2: Substituting the explicit definition Containers of reusable materials are contaminated with non-reusable materials that are in fact, expensive to dump. Trigger 3: Making opposite sentence How to make bins of recyclable material contamination free, thus company has to spend no money for its disposal? Trigger 4: Use relaxing constraints Bins of recyclable material are never contaminated and there is no cost for its disposal. This technique helps us to think in different way. It motivates to develop a method so that recycle bins never get any contamination. Trigger 5: Replacing persuasive words The problem statement implies that we obviously want zero contamination of recyclable waste so that company has to spend no money for its disposal. Thus, if we could avoid contamination at source by marking the bins and classifying non-recyclable and recyclable waste for consumers. Trigger 6: Expressing words in the form of equation This statement can be expressed in equation form: Contamination in recyclable bin is directly proportional to presence of non-recyclable material. Therefore, By replacing, proportionality sign (with proportionality constant (k). This trigger helps us in thinking in alternative way. What factors affect the value of k? How can we minimize the presence of non-recyclable material? Proper tagging of bins, classification of non-recyclable materials and recyclable materials for consumers, reducing use of non-recyclable material etc. can help in reducing contamination of recycle bins. References Moldes, Y. Cendon, M. T. Barral, â€Å"Evaluation of municipal solid waste compost as a plant growing media component, by applying mixture design,† Bioresource Technology, vol. 98, no. 16, November 2007. V. W. Y Tam, C. M. Tam, â€Å"A review on the viable technology for construction waste recycling,† Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 209-221, June 2006. M. O. Rahman, M. A. Hannan, E. Scavino, A. Hussain, H. Basri, â€Å"An Efficient Paper Grade Identification Method for Automatic Recyclable Waste Paper Sorting,† European Journal of Scientific Research, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 96-103, 2009. A. J. Dubanowitz, â€Å"Design of a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) For Processing the Recyclable Materials of New York Citys Municipal Solid Waste,† M.S. thesis, Dept.Earth and Environmental Eng., Columbia Univ., May 2000 [online]. Available at http://www.seas.columbia.edu/earth/dubanmrf.pdf, retrieved on 09/29/09.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Fall of Both Mubarak’s Regime and the Legal Opposition Essay

Introduction : By the end of Mubarak’s rule, the legalised political opposition in Egypt was already a mirror to the regime it was presumed to challenge: discreditable, central, aging and undemocratic. Systematic state repression and internal divisions fragmented the opposition and deviated it from the role assumed by its counterparts in liberal democracies. Instead of competitive interaction with the regime, the legal opposition stationed itself as an integral part of the authoritarian polity. Years of regime-opposition dynamics ended with the latter’s alignment with the regime and becoming more of a domesticated opposition. This clientelist relationship was necessary for the survival of the semi-authoritarian regime. It enabled it to claim legitimacy by presenting cosmetic democracy/pluralism measures while at the same time keeping the dominance of its ruling party. It also lured the weak fragmented legalised opposition into competing to gain the regime’s support. Overview: Egypt moved from full-scale authoritarianism under Nasser to liberalized autocracy under Sadat and Mubarak. During its early rule in the 1980s, Mubarak’s regime showed relative political tolerance and moderation (stacher 2004), giving hope to legal opposition that the break up of the single-party system was the beginning of a transition phase that will lead to democratization and the possibility to compete on even terms with the ruling NDP. During this period it was the Neo-Wafd which had the most comprehensive organizational capacities and was designated to lead the legalized opposition camp from which Islamist movements were excluded (Shehata, 2009). However, those expectations proved to be naive as the regime soon made clear that it was not inte... ...e, E. (1998), More than a Response to Islamism: The Political Deliberalization of Egypt in the 1990s’ Middle East Journal, Vol. 52, No. 2, p. 219. 3- Stacher, J. (2004), Parties Over: The Demise of Egypt’s Opposition Parties , British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, pp 215–23. 4- Albrecht, H. (2005) How can opposition support authoritarianism? Lessons from Egypt, Democratization, pp 378-397. 5- Shehata, D. (2009), Islamists and Secularists in Egypt: Opposition, Conflict & Cooperation, London, Routledge. 6- Arafat, A. (2009), The Mubarak Leadership and Future of Democracy in Egypt, New York, Palgrave Macmillan. 7- Kassem, M. (2004), Egyptian Politics: The Dynamics of Authoritarian Rule, Colorado, Lynne Rienner publishers. 8- Kienle, E. (1998), More than a Response to Islamism: The Political Deliberalization of Egypt, Middle East Journal, Vol. 52, p. 219.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Crusades Essay -- essays research papers

After the death of Charlemagne in 814 and the eventual collapse of his empire, Europe was under attack and on the defensive. Nomadic people from Asia pillaged eastern and central Europe until the 10th century. Beginning about 800, several centuries of Viking raids disrupted life in northern Europe and even threatened Mediterranean cities. But the greatest threat came from the forces of Islam. Eventually these threats became real. Battles broke out and these battles turned to wars spanning from 1095 to 1229; all this over one city, Jerusalem, on country, Israel, one land, the Holy Land. Islamic forces had already conquered North Africa, the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, and most of Spain by the 8th century. They also established bases in Italy, greatly reduced the size and power of the Byzantine Empire, and took over its capital, Constantinople. Islam was spreading even faster than the Islamic army was conquering. The five pillars of Islam appealed to many, as did the Koran and the founder of Islam, Muhammad. Eventually, Islam posed a threat of a rival culture and religion which seemed appealing and unstoppable. By the 11th century the balance of power began to swing toward the West. The church became more centralized and stronger from a reform movement to end the practice of kings installing important clergy, such as bishops, in office. Popes were able to effectively unite European popular support behind them. This greatly contributed to the popular appeal of the first Crusades. Europe's population was growing, its urban life was beginning to revive, and bot h long distance and local trade were gradually increasing. European human and economic resources could now support new enterprises on the scale of the Crusades. A growing population created more wealth therefore meant a greater demand for goods from elsewhere. Thus worldly interests coincided with religious feelings about the Holy Land and so the crusades began. Pope Urban II, in a speech at Clermont in France in November 1095, called for a great Christian expedition to free Jerusalem from the Turks, a new Muslim power that had recently begun actively harassing peaceful Christian pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem. These factors were genuine causes, and at the same time, useful justifications for the pope's call for a Crusade. As a result, Urban's speech appealed to thousands of people of all classes... ...cceed, however, in wrestling from Saladin control of a chain of cities along the Mediterranean coast. By October 1192, when Richard finally left the Holy Land, the Latin Kingdom had been reconstituted. Smaller than the original kingdom and considerably weaker militarily and economically, the second kingdom lasted for another century. In conclusion, the crusades were a very important part of European history that really affects the world. These people fought for what they believed in and, maybe, if they had not fought for what they believed in, we would practice Islam instead of Christianity. Though many people lost their lives and times were tough, balance of power was up for grabs, and it went on for so long, the crusades were fought over the Holy Land to preserve and protect the aspects of each side's religion. These first three crusades show, the best, how important they were to everyone and how they could have affected the world today. In the end I tried to summarize but also try to give points that most people did not know about the crusades that make them significant, important, and needed to understand how these people can fight over something like this land, The Holy Land.

Interracial Relations and Marriages Essay -- Race Racism Marriage Dive

Interracial Relations and Marriages Outline Thesis statement,: The United States has witnessed a considerable social and cultural desegregation of Black and Caucasian Americans. However, despite years of desegregation, racial and cultural differences still exist. I show these differences still exist in the institution of marriage. 1. Americans have been and are continually moving slowly away from segregation. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the 1960's Blacks have been allowed to move into mainly Caucasian neighborhoods. B. Integration on campuses is now more apparent then ever before. 1. Students cat together. 2. Students study together, C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Black and Caucasian issues have converged. 11,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  notwithstanding these examples of desegregation, there are still signs, most clearly is apparent in the institution of marriage between Black and Caucasians. Ill.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the major barrier.-, of interracial marriages lies in the family of the couples. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Louis, a Caucasian women, and Chuck, a Black man, were married in 1960. 1 .  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They have no prejudice about each other. 2@  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both have mixed group of friends. 3,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They had problems with family. a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Louis mother had asked her why she could not marry her own kind. b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This conflict finally caused the ties between mother and daughter to break. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mama, a Caucasian Jewish, married a Black. I  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . None of her family members attended her wedding except her mother. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Her father told her that he could not believe that she married a Black. Nevertheless, she survived her family disapproval. IV.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An unlikely source of problems for interracial married couples comes from religion. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The majority of interracial married couples involved in Christian churches before marriage discontinue church membership and attendance after marriage. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Couples search for churches that are like home. C. They are met with resistance from religious people who have been reported to have said that if their children married a Black person, they would kill them. D.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every couple has their own crisis, but for some, the church officials who are against divorce will turn around and recommend a separation.... because the couple are a Black and a Caucasian. V.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These churches need to face a growing phenomenon. 1. In the Old Testament, God strongly opposes intermarriage. a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  ... ...essed and eventually the only way to make changes involving segregation Children of interracial married couples learn tolerance within the family, which allows these children to ad their experiences to others, in one way or another. Works Cited Aunapu, Greg., et al., eds. " Intermarried ... With Children." Time. Fall 1993:64-68. Gilbereath, Edward. " How Our Children Surprise Us. " Christianity T d@a . 7 Mar. 1994:32-34. Herring. Roger D. " Development Biracial Ethnic Identity: A Review Of The Increasing Dilemma. " Journal Of Muliticul tral C)unseline & Development, 23.1 (Jan. 1995): 29-39. Kalniijin, Matthijis. " Trends in Black/White Intermarriage. " Social Forces. Sep. 1993: 119-147. Kantro@tz, Barbara. "Colorblind Love." Newsweek. 7 Mar 1988:40-42. Nfira, Harold. " Love In Black And White. " Christianitv Tod4y. 7 Mar. 1994: 18-20. Norman, Lynn. " Am I Black, White Or In Between. " Ebony. Aug. 1995: 108-110. Perkins, Mtaii. " Guess Who Is Confing To Church. " Christianity T d@a . 7 Mar. 1994: 30-32. Randolph, Laura B. " Black Women/White Man: What's Going On? " EboLny. Mar. 1989: 154-158. " Up for Separatism. " Economist. 21 Oct. 1995: 30.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Mission Movie Analysis

The movie The Mission (1986) staring Robert DiNiero, is set during the colonial time period and sheds light on the Jesuits and their early missions in Brazil. It shows us a timeline of the behaviors of countries such as Spain and Portugal as well as the Jesuit missions. The movie opens with a focus on an Indian village set on the top of a waterfall. This village is depicted from two separate viewpoints, as the viewer is shown a Jesuit Priest named Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) in the beginning steps of attempting to submerge into the Indian culture in hope to eventually convert them to the Jesuit faith.On the opposite end of the spectrum, men from Spain are shown entering a similar village, capturing as many Indians as possible and bringing them back to Spain to sell to others who will turn them into slaves. Each side continues these behaviors throughout the majority of the movie. Over time, you can see the growth of the relationship between the Jesuit Priests and the Indian villages . In addition to providing them with religion, parts of the Jesuits’ successes were achieved in bringing over new world practices to what one would otherwise describe as an uncivilized population.The implementation of simple things such as teaching the Indians how to build soundly structured buildings, laid the foundation of trust needed to have the Indians convert to the Jesuit faith and eventually build a large church in the center of the village. The Jesuits missions have been very successful thus far. However, political negations between Spain and Portugal deviate and the two countries form a treaty outlining an agreement for Spain to concede land to Portugal, which they will use to build their own civilizations and enslave or kill local Indian tribes as well as anyone who stands in their way.A trail is held to determine if the Spain and Portugal have to authority to destroy the sacred work of the Jesuit missions. The judge takes time to explore all the villages that the Jesuits have converted including their oldest mission known as The Great Mission of Sab Miguel. The judge is treated like royalty at every stop he makes in trying to decide but ultimately decides that the villages can be destroyed to make way for the effectiveness of the Spanish and Portuguese treaty.This is met with obvious resistance from the Indians who are overcome with feeling of betrayal from not only their God but also these foreign settlers that they let into their lives. When the Portuguese show up, the Indians are prepared for war but in the end, wooden spears are not a fair fight for guns and swords. The Indians’ villages are torched and those who were not killed were shackled, enslaved, transported back and sold. I feel that as far as movies go, this one did a very good job when is came to historical accuracies.The film makes it seem that the Indians would not have been able to survive without the help of the Jesuits and the mission, which simply is not true. The film also fails to point out the lack of freedom that the Indians had within these missions. In fact, the film at times portrays the exact opposite. Lastly, the film paints the Jesuits as innocent and the good guys throughout the film. I feel this is the most egregious inaccuracy. The Jesuits were not simply there to spread Christianity to people, but rather it was a beginning step in taking over the entire culture and land of the Indian people.I thought the movie was definitely effective. I felt that the film itself was well depicted and gave the viewer a clear understanding of not only the struggle in the area but also the political ripples it caused as it ultimately eluded to the global effect this situation had. I was pleased that things were not disproportionally exaggerated, as is the case all too often in movies; conversely, Roland Joffe does a commendable job of bringing life the words of a history textbook without compromising it’s integrity with the help of Robert D e Niro and Jeremy Irons.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Lust Caution by Eileen Chang Essay

In the novel Lust, Caution by Eileen Chang, there are debates of the reason why Wang Jiazhi made the decision to warn Yi and to let him go, which is not only a betrayal to her mission but also a suicidal action which eventually led to her death. This action of hers involves multiple psychological origins from Wang’s childhood memory and family structure through out her experience of being a student with her peers to her subtle relationship with Yi during her spying mission. Such experiences formed significant psychological defenses within her according to the psychoanalysis of Freud. The movie Lust, Caution provides a much fuller explanation and details about what the author of book did not offer thoroughly, which is the family background of Wang Jiazhi. There is a scene in the movie that Wang is sitting in a shabby room and trying to organize her word for the wedding greetings to her father who moved oversea years ago with her little brother when she was a child. The experience of her father’s leaving at her young age leads to her fear of abandonment after she grows up, the unshakable belief that her friends and loved ones cannot be trusted. The fact that her father brought her little brother with him but left her at home creates a further belief that she is less worthy than other people and, therefore, does not deserve attention, love, or any other life’s rewards, which is called low self-esteem in the psychoanalysis. Her fear of abandonment and low self-esteem add together and form her most essential mental defense: fear of intimacy, the chronic and overpowering feeling that emotional closeness will seriously hurt or destroy her and that she can remain emotionally safe only remaining at an emotional distance from others at all times. These mental defenses of Wang appear in different areas in her personal and social life, and largely affect Wang in her processes of decision making. In Wang’s social life, the main part of the cause of her solitude does not come from her peers but rather from her prejudice to herself and hatred of her own life and identity. Within a patriotism student division, the members of the division are supposed to have an extremely strong and tight emotional bond. However, as the key factor of this operation, Wang and her view of her peers and coworkers are strangely biased and distanced. When she thinks  about them, she sees the â€Å"detestable eyes† and â€Å"meaningful smile† appear on her friends’ face. Her belief of how her friends in fact hate her and laugh at her at behind reflects on the definition of fear of abandonment in the theory of the psychoanalysis. During her spying mission, Wang’s interaction with Yi, a married â€Å"short man in his forties or fifties† according the description in the novel, revealed another psychological defense of Wang: oedipal fixation, a dysfunctional bond with a parent of the opposite sex that she does not outgrow in adulthood and that does not allow her to develop mature relationship with her peers. Despite the fact that Wang’s relationship with Yi is based on a conspiracy, Wang has certainly developed some kind of emotion that is beyond her position as a spy toward her role and her target, Mr. Yi. Although the fact that Yi is in his forties or fifties may impair his charm in many ways, for Wang the age of Yi provides her a sense of fatherhood, which has been absent from her life since she was a young girl. Also, having a love affair with a married man gives her the feeling of competing with another woman, which reflects her being influenced by her father’s marriage. Being chosen to play the role of the mistress of Yi, Wang Jiazhi not only is an extremely skilled actress, but also has putted her full passion and dedication into her character even beyond the expectation of her job. Such a strong emotional attachment to her target and her life as Wang, the character, contributed largely to her excellence at the job; however at the same time, made it very hard for her to distinguish her own life as a spy and the life as Wang Jiazhi, who lives a luxury life and has no relation with the life of her own, the life filled with confusion, self doubt, and fear of betrayal. Wang’s small actions unconsciously depict a strong sense of hatred to her own life. She hates her family, her friends, and most importantly, herself. Her life is pointless except â€Å"when she is with Yi, she finds the meaning and purpose of living.† Wang feels truly alive only when she is acting as someone else, someone who could be anyone but herself. Therefore, Wang becomes so attached to her character that has forgotten that the original intention of this mission is to end it. When she is in the jewelry store with Yi, she realizes that this is her final plot of being  Wang Jiazhi. However, she can still control her ending pose. Wang chooses to warn Yi and to release him. As the result of her decision, she dies, and the Wang Jiazhi the character leaves the stage, but the play continues without Wang Jiazhi. In this way she does not have to return to her own life which she thinks is not worth of living. She, as an actress, has devoted her life for acting and has chosen to end her life as Wang Jiazhi for her stage and her own masterpiece. Her death has no direct relation with her affection to Yi. She has lived in her art and she died for her acting.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Apple’s After-Sales Service Essay

Apple call center: Apple call center has 20000 telephones, is the world’s largest call center, the incoming calls are more than 1800000 every day and the numbers are increasing. It can be seen Apple’s after-sales service is also one of his strengths Customer Loyalty At a very general level, loyalty is something that consumers may exhibit to brands, services, stores, product categories, and activities. There are two advantages of customer loyalty programs. One is to increase sales revenues by raising purchase levels, and increasing the range of products bought from the supplier. The other is more defensive –– by building a closer bond between the brand and current customers it is hoped to maintain the current customer base. While loyalty programs can have many other peripheral goals – such as furthering cross-selling, creating databases, aiding trade relations, assisting brand PRï ¼Ë†public relationsï ¼â€°, establishing alliances, etc. Apple is a fantastic example of leveraging customer loyalty pillars, but the most important takeaway is that it is relevant to their customers. They know who their customers are, what they want and how to make them feel like Apple understands them. You can’t just try to mimic Apple- you need to know what pillars are important to your own customers in order to generate loyalty. Brand Image Speaking of apple’s brand image, I must mention Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs is a very important person for Apple and for all the stock holders as it means billions in stock price for them Shareholder requests for more CSRï ¼Ë†Corporation Social Responsibilityï ¼â€°Apple goes green Corporate adaptability. Although he died, but people still worship him. Apple has a strong brand image, which enables it to command a premium price for its products and gives it an edge over regional as well as global competitors. The Apple brand is well recognized amongst most consumers. Apple’s products enjoy a high level of brand awareness and brand recognition throughout all its markets. Moreover, the company’s brand ranking, as per Interbrand, has been improving in recent years. Apple’s brand value jumped 84 percent to $153.3 billion in 2011, mostly due to the iPad’s wild popularity and the iPhone’s continued growth. Apple leverages its brand image to differentiate its product offering and drive sales. The company’s strong brand enables it to command a premium pricing and create significant demand for its products such as iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. For instance, the company sold 300,000 iPads on the first day of its launch in the US in April 2010. Strong brand image gives the company an edge over regional competitors and other global competitors such as Sony.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Erik Erikson and Adult Learning Essay

Born on June 15, 1902 in Frankfurt, Germany, Erik Erikson was regarded as a major influence in contemporary psychoanalysis. Erikson was interested in arts so he moved to Florence after finishing high school. In 1927, he taught arts in a school psychoanalytically influenced children school spearheaded by Dorothy Burlingham and Freud’s daughter, Anna, in Vienna (Erikson Institute, 2003). This move would have a major influence in the life and works of Erik Erikson. Upon recognizing that he has skills with children, Anna Freud, Sigmund’s daughter, placed him under her wings and began teaching him. Eventually, he trained and eventually received certification from Vienna Psychoanalytic Society.   After getting certified by Maria Montessori School, he underwent training in psychoanalysis at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute. In 1936, he became a member of the Institute of Human Relations, which is a branch of the Psychiatry Department of Yale University (Erikson Institute, 2003). Major Contribution in Psychology Erik Erikson became famous because of his eight stages of development. According to him, every stage in a man’s life is accompanied by certain psychological conflicts. He theorized that the development of personality of an individual is a life long process. The events they encounter in the latter stages of life can treat early childhood problems. His eight stages of development explained why an individual who was not able to resolve a childhood problem finds it difficult to resolve it during adulthood (Erikson Institute, 2003). Each stage of life is important because how well the child performed during the previous phase determined how they can cope with the next stages. Erikson called this the epigenetic principle (Boeree, 2006).   Erik Erikson authored several books that explained his theory, the most notable of which is Childhood and Society which was released in 1950. In 1969, Erikson won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for his book Gandhi’s Truth, which delved on the application of the eight stages of development in the latter portion of an individual’s life cycle(NNDB, n.d). Stage Six: Intimacy vs. Isolation This is the sixth stage in Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial phases of development. It takes place from 18 to 30 years old. In general, the child faces the dilemma of achieving intimacy or staying isolated. This stage likewise involves a struggle for promiscuity, which is a trait of being too close for comfort and not being able to follow through with the momentum, versus exclusion, which is characterized by rejection of relationships (Boeree, 2006). Intimacy, according to Erikson, is the ability to develop social relationships with other people either as a partner, friend, or member of a community. If the child was able to develop a clear picture of themselves during the early stages, they should no longer be intimidated by other people (Sante Fe Community College, n.d). According to this stage, when an individual has established a strong sense of identity, they can start expanding to the people around him. Intimacy is best seen in a person’s capacity to enter relationships, making friends, getting married, and finally settling down. An individual who successfully pass through this stage can experience feels comfortable with relationships and has a strong sense of commitment (Santa Fe Community College, n.d). On the other hand, the consequence of being unsuccessful in completing this stage of development is isolation. The individual is not comfortable with being with friends, entering relationships, or being intimate with another person. Isolation results from the failure to establish self-identity (Niolon, n.d). A child who experiences isolation prefers to be alone excludes themselves from the company of others. The end result of isolation, in the context of Erikson’s stages of development, is loneliness, despair, or depression. People who are unable to successfully pass this stage prefer working on lowly jobs which offer below minimum wage (AllPsychOnline, 2004). References AllPsychOnline(2004 March 21). Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved June 26   Ã‚  Ã‚   2008 from Boeree, G. Erik Erikson. Retrieved June 26 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Erikson Institute(2003 May 1). Erik Erikson(1902-1994). Retrieved June 26 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   NNDB(n.d). Erik Erikson. Retrieved June 26 2008 from   Ã‚   Niolin, R(n.d). Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development. Resources for Students and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Professionals. Retrieved June 26 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Santa Fe Community College(n.d). Self-Reflections on Young Adulthood using Erikson’s Theory of   Ã‚  Ã‚   Psychosocial Development. Retrieved June 26 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Friday, September 13, 2019

Strategic Recommendations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategic Recommendations - Research Paper Example Members are assisted in order to achieve their purposes and goals but they are also required to adhere to the AFP code of ethical fundraising. Programs that advocate for social and cultural diversity among members and leaders are implemented by AFP which fosters international cooperation. Conducting research and presenting the findings is another mission of AFP as well as provision of reliable certification to fundraising professionals (AFP, 2006). According to AFP (2006), the organization bases all its principles on the professional code of ethical standards which are strictly adhered to. The organization encourages people to volunteer, offer support or gives donations to the non-profit making organization that improve the quality of life and living standards of the community members. AFP and the philanthropic sector are directly tied. Community members are empowered through AFP’s activities of promoting professional services in philanthropy and fundraising. AFP members are a lso involved in most charitable organizations which offer solutions in difficult medical problems, support children programs, serve victims in disasters, ensure good care for the environment and animals and also support education and art. AFP stakeholders behind its success are the members, donors, local and international chapters, volunteers, employees, directors and professionals that ensure that the organization meets the set goals. As stated in the official AFP website, the creation of a new AFP Strategic Partners Program was to enable the organization partner with other leading organizations to support the profession and advance effective ethical fundraising. Visa and Blackbaud are among the current AFP strategic partners that offer assistance to the organization’s initiative (AFP, 2006). Summary of Project 1 Evaluation Findings The most active program in the Association of Fundraising Professionals is the Professional Development Program. In the AFP 2011-2013 strategic plan major priority has been given to the strategic partnership and international growth development. The strategic partnership however allows a limited number of 8 partners per year. AFP allows these partners to offer assistance in areas that benefits its members such as education, enabling the organization to cut on cost and channel the resources to other critical areas (Sheehan, 2010). The 7 measures of success for the association of fundraising professionals in a project are very crucial for AFP. With the current economic challenges, the non-profit sector has become more complex and very competitive in terms of funds acquisition and donors/ volunteers. The organization has for this reason developed a strategic plan to address sectors such as education, services offered by members, ethical fundraising, finance and organizational relationships. AFP approaches issues of accountability and management by providing their members with tools to analyze the budgets and ensure efficient a llocation of the limited funds. The interaction between the organization and the customer enhances good relationships that are encouraged through training, open communications through blogs, discussion groups and conferences. In the alignment of products and services with mission, AFP has developed products and services that meet customer needs in accordance to the organi

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Organisational Development and change (Managment Psychology) Dissertation

Organisational Development and change (Managment Psychology) - Dissertation Example ndustry since September 2008. Pettigrew et al (2001) stated there are six interconnected analytical issues that should be kept in mind when studying change or development in an organisation. These issues are as follows: (a) Multiple levels of contexts and analysis (b) The inclusion of time, history process and action (c) The link between change processes and organisational performance and outcomes (d) Receptivity, customisation, pace, sequencing and episodic versus the continuous change process (e) Cross-cultural comparisons in research, and (f) The partnership between scholars and practitioners in studying change Keeping these six principles in mind, the changes that have taken place in the mobile phone industry since September 2008 are examined closely. The focus is on understanding the motivations and the reasoning behind these changes. September 2008 was chosen as the starting point because this was when a global recession had just set in that also affected the UK economy. This t herefore allows examining the impact of these external changes in the environment on the mobile phone companies and their impact on the strategy formation in these organisations. The organisations chosen for examination are Apple, Nokia, Samsung and HTC. One possible key source of information could be their annual reports, as this would detail changes in strategy that have taken place. It would also give an insight into the direct impact these changes have had on the organisations’ performance, and could help to identify the nature of the change processes, i.e. is the change episodic or continuous in nature? Another set of sources that could provide more insight are statements, letters and interviews from the leadership of these organisations. These could provide an insight into how the organisation perceives its own progress in contrast to its competitors and the future direction the organisation is striving to take. The perception of these changes in the press shall also be examined by looking at the relevant business resources. These changes in strategy formation shall be examined and the impact these changes have produced shall be explored by looking at the relevant sources mentioned in the methods section. It would be necessary to explore more the nature of the change, and the comments and interviews from the leadership of these organisations should provide a better understanding of the reasons and motivations behind their respective strategies. Method of study This will be an Internet resource based study only. It is therefore a non-participant contact study. The idea is to examine the organisations’

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Speaker's response for Sports management class Essay

Speaker's response for Sports management class - Essay Example Although none of the academic books or journals had mentioned anything about the sports managers being the last line of defense in any given sports management team, it remains a fact that managing sports is not an easy task. In line with this, the top management team of any sports-related organization are responsible not only in the search for short-term and long-term sponsors but also communicate how sports activities can benefit the sponsors, the need to constantly increase the sports organization’s sales and profit, finding ways on how to effectively associate the sponsor’s brand to a given sports event, and eventually come up with a reasonable pay and reward schemes that could encourage the players to stay loyal with the team (Crompton a). As compared to the use of traditional ads, Levin, Joiner and Cameron strongly suggest that the process of incorporating the logos or brand name of the sponsor in sports cars or basketball jerseys increases the chances wherein the public consumers could develop a strong positive attitude and increased ability to recall the sponsor’s brand. ... As a significant part of a sports management team, it will always be the duty of the top management officials to inquire, research, and learn more about the grounds for any potential legal issues that they will have to face in the near future or give them the opportunity to legally sue anyone who would illegally take advantage of the sports management organization. For example, the term â€Å"ambushing in sport† is all about pretending or purposely creating a false impression that a corporate brand is one of the official sponsors of a team even though the brand has no legal rights to be an official sponsor (Crompton b). Crompton (b 1) mentioned that â€Å"official sponsors receive littly legal protection from ambusing†. For this reason, the sports manager(s) should take it as a challenge to create useful and effective strategies on how they can counter-act or prevent any third party or a company from violating the sports ethics particularly when it comes to ambushing. P erhaps, the sports manager should investigate on whether or not he or she can make use of the IP rights law to protect the name of the sports team from being illegally used by any party or a company who wish to gain any forms of brand recognition from the sports viewers. Not only did the speaker talked about the proper way of doing business but also the significance of legality of doing business, the importance of public trust in sports, etc. Personally, I find the advice given by the speaker to be very logical and practical when it comes to molding his audiences on how to become an effective sports manager in the future. In general, there is a saying that â€Å"what goes around, comes around†. To become a successful and effective sports manager, the speaker advice

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

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

Missiongoalobjective - Essay Example Process/Administration: The daily working of the institution consists of a non-conventional setting, wherein patients are not only made to undergo treatment, but are also provided with opportunities to grow spiritually. The treatment provided is on par with global standards, as numerous big names of the world of medicine have a tie up with us, in providing low-cost services. Learning : Patients are firstly provided with the complete picture of the disease and their health condition. We believe in taking the patient into confidence and in helping them, by letting them help themselves as well. During this phase, we also provide them with opportunities to strengthen themselves and face with situations with positivism and optimism. Action / Behavioural: In order to bring about an optimistic outlook and increase confidence levels, patients are provided with yoga training, are made to attend interactive seminars and are also presented with opportunities that entertain them, while still educating them and imparting them the resilient spirit required. Program: Ultimately, the objective fo the institution is to increase the quality of life and accentuate what the Lord has bestowed upon

Monday, September 9, 2019

Apply decision-making frameworks to IT-related ethical issues Essay

Apply decision-making frameworks to IT-related ethical issues - Essay Example Viruses, Trojan horses, backdoor-exploits, miscellaneous phishing techniques and so on (The 10 Most Common Internet Crimes). Also, lack of practice of information security and high cost of computer systems and implementation of everything, such as computer systems themselves, creating networks, preparing personnel, and so on. These factors became the start-up for lots of â€Å"very intelligent and smart criminals† and non-criminals, who simply used gaps in laws and technological possibilities to make money, and even â€Å"intelligent sportsmen† who tried to find and exploit weaknesses in computer systems not for money and profit/not ONLY for money, but for interest. Then situation changed due to progress: computer systems came in use for more wide variety of purposes, more of sensitive data is being treated in them, more people got involved into using of computer systems, and more possibilities to steal or destroy data appeared. Then begun era of malware and IT-criminals. These type of criminals are using their knowledge ant intelligence to make their own egoistic profits in ways such as stealing money, performing miscellaneous harmful actions in order to achieve financial goals or to blackmail the victim. The electronic information contained on the computer’s hard drive could also be the target. Trade secrets, financial information, personal correspondence, or other critical data could be utilized - sold to competitors, used to commit bank fraud, or even used for blackmail.(Sharpe, 2006) For example, there is a Phishing – a crime, targeted to steal a financial data, like a credit card number, PIN, CVV, CVV2 codes, etc. in order to direct steal money/to make purchases using stolen data. Generally, there are 3 ways of Phishing: A provoking e-mail letter or SMS, which tries a targeted person to reveal his/her data. For example, it could be a letter about safety of account, or new great discount for customers, or

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Internet privacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Internet privacy - Essay Example People are encouraged to ensure timely update of their antiviruses and to be sure with what they click at any given instance. The widespread use of social media platforms has further aggravated the matter as personal information is made accessible to those within the social brackets thus increasing the chances of cyber crime. Internet privacy relates to the right of personal confidentiality on the storing as well as availing of information to third parties through the internet on specific issues. This is regarded as a subset of computer privacy in the ever growing information sector. The level of privacy in the internet can be divided into personally identifying information which refers to any information that is used in the recognition of given individual factors such as physical address or other personal bio-data and non-personal identifying information which excludes any personal information regarding an individual (Imparato, 2000). Countries all over the world as well as the United States of America are trying all workable methods that are aimed at ensuring total protection of personal information by maintaining their privacy (Frackman, Martin, & Ray, 2002). With the proliferation of social media, avoiding revealing sensitive data can be difficult making laws and government regulations necessary for maintaining privacy. One of the steps towards enhancing internet privacy is by encouraging people not to carelessly or mistakenly revealing personal information via the internet. One can easily made public their personal bio-data over the internet without being fully aware of it hence the need to be very careful when using the internet. One should make use of pseudonyms instead of using real names and actual personal information. The browsers used should not be in a position to leak out personal information or retain them for a longer period of time (Jakubiak,

Issue-based memorandum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Issue-based memorandum - Essay Example In the case of Henry and Hanna, they had insured their home with Fastpay Insurance Company. However, the insurance policy document made it clear that, in case of a vacancy of up to sixty days, it would automatically lead to suspension of the coverage. Since Henry and Hanna brought their marriage to an end, this meant that their house would remain vacant until that time when there would be a potential buyer. Unfortunately, the house was damaged by wind and fire in a freak Plano tornado. The insurance company turned down their compensation claims on the mere fact that the house was vacated for 60 days prior to the emergence of the Plano tornado. On one, hand, the provisions of the policy document are legally binding, whereas another school thought thinks that this condition should not to be deterrence for denying Henry and Hanna some sought of compensation from the insurance company. Appelle Carnes filed a suit against Texas Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company. Appelle Carnes sought t he services of the insurance company because they wanted to insure their cotton picking machine against risks such as fire. The two parties’ rubber stamped an endorsement that was known as â€Å"Endorsement No. ... It is at this point that the machine was damaged by fire. At this point, Appelle Carnes and Texas Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company could not come into an agreement on the actual amount of damage payable. This forced Carnes to file a legal suit against the insurance company. The insurance company cited two reasons, both of which meant that Carnes did not stand to be compensated in anyway whatsoever. First, the insurance company argued that Carnes had violated â€Å"Enforcement No. 10† thus Carnes should not claim any payment. Second, the policy document requires Carnes to file a sworn proof of loss and Carnes failed to do so. Hence, this barred Carnes from any recovery based on the terms of this policy. On the other hand, Carnes argued that the violation of â€Å"Endorsement No. 10† could not be used as a point of reference, because the provision is unenforceable under Art. 6. 14 of the insurance code. It is a known fact that Carnes went against the terms set under à ¢â‚¬Å"Endorsement No. 10† because he was using the cotton picking machine more than fifty miles away from the garage. That being the case, the jury concluded that the violation in that particular provision in the policy document, did not contribute to the damage of Carne’s cotton picker by fire. This finding was not challenged on appeal. In fact, the insurance company contends that Carne’s violation of â€Å"Endorsement No. 10† did not contribute to the loss, thus the edict could not apply. Furthermore, it is the contention of the insurance company that â€Å"Endorsement No. 10† is either a warranty or it is merely meant to limit the coverage, but the violation of this statute is connected to the risk, thus it bars recovery. Endorsement No. 10 is often considered to be

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Determinisms Relation to Free

Determinisms Relation to Free Will Essay The stereotypical definition of determinism, to the layman, goes something like this: All events are predetermined so we have no free will. Actually, this is more or less the definition of hard determinism. Determinism, however, according to professor of philosophy Sandra LaFave, can co-exist with free will in the form of soft determinism, the philosophical theory that all events indeed have causes but that humans can still act voluntarily. Soft determinism provides a more widely-acceptable definition of determinism that agrees more with common usage of the words free will and cause. Hard determinism states that all events have causes and that we cannot be free as a result. Soft determinism, however, responds to this pessimistic conclusion by asserting that we can indeed have free will and still exist by the deterministic model in which all events have causes. Hard determinism correlates cause with force or compulsion and free with total control, whereas soft determinism correlates free with voluntary or not forced. Thus soft determinisms definitions of words more strongly agree with average, everyday usage. If I were forced to open my safe of personal savings at gunpoint, for example, soft determinism would suggest that I am not acting freely in this situation as I am being coerced by an external force to do something I otherwise wouldnt. If I were to open the safe voluntarily (no one is forcing me), then I am exerting my free will. This distinction may seem obvious, but its validity proves why we cant support hard determinism hard determinism would suggest that both actions are not done out of free will since both actions have causes. Therefore, our usage of the word free will cannot co-exist with hard determinism, but only soft determinism. In conclusion, determinism can co-exist with free will in an effective manner. I must admit, however, that soft determinisms validity rests on an agreement with what cause and free will, as defined above, mean. Still, hard determinism also relies on its own definitions of cause and free will, so this linguistic criticism does not undermine soft determinisms validity. Still, many more arguments regarding determinism and free will exist that are beyond the scope of my knowledge.

Friday, September 6, 2019

Victorian author Essay Example for Free

Victorian author Essay Victorian authors and painters give a good representation of what life must have been like for the people of that period. John Ritchie’s painting, â€Å"A Summer’s Day in Hyde Park†, for instance shows that, while people in the Victorian era might have been overly-dressed, they certainly were not without their fair share of amusement. In the bottom, right hand corner of the painting, a gentleman can be seen rowing a lady (perhaps his wife) and a young girl (perhaps his daughter), home in a boat. The entire family has come to the beach for an outing a site less often seen in modern days, where families (and especially elderly relatives) tend to be a bit sedentary. Meanwhile, in the background of the picture, A gentleman can be seen riding by in a carriage, tipping his hat to his neighbors as he passes. The writing of Victorian authors suggests that the fact that a man own’s a carriage means he has some wealth. In William Thackeray’s Vanity Fair, for instance, Becky Sharp comments that the â€Å"acquirement of that dignified deportment and carriage† is â€Å"requisite for every young lady of fashion. † (Thackaray, 2005, p. 1) In the left hand corner of the painting, an officer in a red coat can be seen resting wearily on the bench next to a lady who seems to be paying no attention to him at all. The lady next to her may be giving the officer some attention, but it is impossible to tell, because her face has no detail. It is merely a blotch of paint. Still, because her head is tilted upward, it seems reasonable to believe she might be speaking to the officer. Indeed, if there is any truth to how Victorian authors portray the importance of soldiers to young women, then the viewer can be fairly certain that she is attending to the officer. For in William Thackeray’s Vanity Fair, officers are some of the most ardent admirers of the main characters, Miss Sharp and Miss Amelia. Although there is much merriment depicted in Ritchie’s painting, there is something disturbing about the way he treats the subject of children. Many of them are in the painting, but only one seems to be looked after. Her grandparents, rather than her parents seem to be doing the watching. The reason for this can be seen in Victorian author Charlotte Bronte’s writing, which suggests that children in the Victorian era were sometimes looked upon as inferior to adults. In Jane Eyre, Bronte describes a situation in which Jane’s Aunt says to her the following: Jane, I dont like cavillers or questioners; besides, there is something truly forbidding in a child taking up her elders in that manner. Be seated somewhere; and until you can speak pleasantly, remain silent. (Bronte, 2005, p. 1) It is no wonder, then, that Ritchie’s adults pay such little attention to their children. In conclusion, Victorian painters and authors show that the Victorian era was one of leisure for wealthy adults, but not, perhaps, the most nurturing environment for children. Works Cited Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. 2005. Classic Reader. 19 July 2007. http://www. classicreader. com/read. php/bookid. 31/sec. 1/ Thackaray, William. Vanity Fair. 2005. Classic Reader. 19 July 2007. http://www. classicreader. com/read. php/bookid. 91/sec. 2/kw. acquirement+of+that+dignified/

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Linebacker I and Linebacker II on the Outcome of the War

Linebacker I and Linebacker II on the Outcome of the War A paper submitted to the Faculty of the Naval War College in partial satisfaction of the requirements of the Department of Strategy and Policy based on the following assigned topic: Question #7: In light of how the Paris Peace Accords were reached in 1972-1973, what effect did Linebacker I and Linebacker II have on the outcome of the war? The contents of this paper reflect my own personal views and are not necessarily endorsed by the Naval War College or the Department of the Navy. Signature: _____________________ December 15, 2016 Seminar 20 Moderators: CDR John Sheehan Professor Michelle Getchell To quickly end the Vietnam War and withdraw American troops in an honorable fashion, the Nixon Administration engaged in a strategy of diplomacy and cocurrent military pressure. The focus of the diplomatic track was to negotiate a formal agreement between belligerents. This diplomatic track ultimately resulted in the accord known as the Paris Peace Accords. The military track endeavored to persuade the North to come to the negotiating table in by destroying its will to resist and war-making capabilities through a demonstration of Americas superior air power and unwavering commitment to a free and independent South Vietnam. The series of air raids conducted in support of this goal are known as LINEBACKER I and LINEBACKER II. Both LINEBACKER I and LINEBACKER II had an effect on the war, but both had different results. LINEBACKER I disproved the theory of victory for the North due to their misinterpretation of timing in switching from Phase II to Phase III of Maos strategy, and understa nding of the level of support President Nixon would have from key North Vietnam allies. LINEBACKER II was ultimately successful in bringing all belligerents to the negotiating table, the North by deteriorating the will to fight and further degrading North Vietnamese Warfighting capabilities, and the South due to the waning support of the new U.S. Congress for the war. In early 1972, the North began to shift military tactics from Phase II guerrilla warfare to a much more conventional Phase III form of according to Maos three phase strategy.1 This change is seen in the Easter Offensive that launched on March 30 which was brought about by the success the North enjoyed in Lam Son 719. Because of the Souths need for security and poor military execution, and communication, Operation Lam Son 719 collapsed when faced with resistance from the Northern commanders. The campaign was a disasterous for the South, demostrating their deficiencies and proving that the best units of the South could be defeated by the North.2 North Vietnam conducted the Easter Offensive to take the initiative and weaken Americas commitment to South Vietnam with a significant impact on negotiations producing more favorable terms for them at negotiations. The general feeling was that once troop reduction had reached a certain level the U.S. would have insignificant influence to affect the strategic situation.3 Prior to this the North Vietnamese were on Stage II of Maos three-stage plan for war. The decision to initiate the strategic counter-offensive in the Easter Offensive was premature. The South Vietnamese and U.S. still held a position of greater military power and changing phases at that point was counter to the Maos theories.4 In this second stage, enemy troop morale should continue to deteriorate, which it was in the case of the U.S. Due to American support. The position of North Vietnam in contrast to South Vietnam had not progressed far enough to give an advantage that would support Phase III, and international support should also have grown for the North Vietnamese. Due to the Easter Offensive and lack of willingness to negotiate on the part of the North Vietnamese the International support was not there. Having fulfilled only two of the three requirements to change phase, it was not the proper time, and the North Vietnamese hurt their war efforts. As a result of early North Vietnamese action, President Nixon announced the negotiations between North Vietnam and the United States taking place in Paris as well as the concessions the South Vietnamese and United States were willing to conceed to. Failure of these negotiations allowed the President to put the blame on North Vietnam for refusing to negotiate a peaceful end to the war. This address would do several things, first put diplomatic pressure on North Vietnam by announcing the negotiations in progress and placing North Vietnam in the position of the faithless party. Second, the speech demonstrated that America had exhausted all diplomatic options, which had already been initiated, and set the stage for military action if North Vietnam continued to insist on continuing inflexibility. Hanoi rejected the peace terms offered which gave Nixon the legitimacy he needed to turn to military pressure, the very thing that the North had discounted in their calculations.4 Another problem facing the North at this time is the increasing warmth of relations between the U.S. and the Norths patrons Russia and China. While China was using the U.S. to balance against Russia they were forced to realign forces and took support from North Vietnam. Concurrnetly, Russia was stepping up dà ©tente and viewed China as an enemy.5 This increasing cooperation with Northern allies isolated the North and presented an opportunity for a series of painful military strikes against the North Vietnamese that would decimate entire infantry units and nearly all of the Norths armored vehicles.5 With waning support from their key allies aquiring replacement equipment was difficult and outright victory in a conventional campaign was al but imposssible. President Nixon stated that the U.S. was going to continue fighting until the Communists agreed to negotiate a fair and honorable peace or until the South Vietnamese were able to defend themselves on their own whichever came first. 5 Immediately prior to the 1972 elections, peace talks between Hanoi, Saigon, and Washington began to deteriorate. As a result, President Nixon authorized a follow on air campaign against North Vietnam that would be called LINEBACKER II. The objective of LINEBACKER II differed from LINEBACKER I in that it was intended to destroy Hanois will to fight, and demonstrate Americas commitment to South Vietnams independence after the withdrawal of American troops. Many of the LINEBACKER I targets were attacked again during LINEBACKER II. However; LINEBACKER II had a purpose other than interdicting Northern forces. Military commanders wanted the bombers to cause distress to the civilian population in an effort to disuade them from committing to the fighting on the side of the North while avoinding civilian casualties. To degrade North Vietnamese will to fight, U.S. leadership wanted the people of Hanoi to hear the bombs.6 The ability of a nation to fight is military force and the will of the pe ople. In the case of North Vietnam the millitary force had been signifigantly reduced and that left the will of the people to force settlement. With congressional support waning, North Vietnam adjusted its actions to delay negotiations until after the newly elected Congress was sworn in, believing that support to continue the war in Vietnam would wane. Nixon thought the only way to break the Norths inflexibility and bring them back to the negotiating table was to raise the cost of their reluctance in negotiation. The President commented, We have now reached the point where only the strongest action would have any effect in convincing Hanoi that negotiating a fair settlement with us was a better option for them than continuing the war.7 The strongest show of force in this case was the use of the B-52 Stratofortress. This decision was the optimal choice for attacking the will of the populace. President Ninxon and his advisers desired to inflict maximum psychological impact on the North Vietnamese, supporting the South and reducing the cost to the U.S. in american lives.8 The B-52 could carry a massive conventional payload, was capable of carrying nuclear weapons which sent a message in itself, and had all-weather capabilities making it a perfect tool to deliver a psychological blow to the enemy. The B-52 could attack at altitudes of over 30,000 feet, rendering it impossible to be seen or heard by North Vietnamese troops on the ground allowing for attacks that happened without warning. The suddenness of the attacks along with their intensity had a telling effect. Recalling personal experience with LINEBACKER IIs bombing campaign one Viet Cong member said, The first four times I experienced a B-52 attack it seemed, as I strained to press myself into the bunker floor, that I had been caught in the Apocalypse. The terror was complete. One lost control of bodily functions as the mind screams incomprehensible orders to get out.9 During the LINEBACKER II operation, military leaders had authority to use air power to end the war effectively and the results were apparent. The Norths transportation network was decimated. Aircraft attacked and destroyed storage warehouses, electric power generating facilities cutting their capacity by three-quarters, and petroleum facilities reducing that capability by one-fourth.10 LINEBACKER II inflicted significant damage to North Vietnams war-making capability, but more importantly accomplished its primary purpose of unsettling the civilian population. As a result of LINEBACKER II, the belligerents came back to the bargaining table after eleven days of intensive bombing. The scale and success of the operation persuaded the North to accept terms that included some of Thieus newly added provisions. Congressional outcry over the scale of LINEBACKER II caused the South to realize that support for the war might be running out, making this an opportune time to accept peace and retai n as much as possible ensuring survival.11 Linebacker I was politically and practically a remarkable success. Asa result of the bombs dropped during the campaign, the Northhad a shift in thought. For the first time in the war the U.S. had used air power in a way that influenced the will of the North to continue the fight. The North had been convinced that the warwas becoming too costly for them. Some would argue that the North Vietnamese theory of victory was not disproven and they were not forced to go to the negotiating table. Their theory of victory was only put on hold by the actions of LINEBACKER and the U.S. was never in a position to win. The results LINEBACKER II did not force the North to the negotiating table but enabled them to transition back to Phase II, along with the withdrawl of U.S. forces and lack of support to the South ultimately enabled them to succeed in their bid to unite the Vietnamese people. The LINEBACKER I operation had left the Norths conventional forces decimated.10 The North had unsuccessfully tried persecuting the war by conventional means but U.S. air power had proven its worth and destroyed the majority of Northern troops and armored vehicles.11 Though costly to the North, the theory of victory through conventional means was not disproven, only delayed. To the conventional adversary this would have led to a cessation of hostilities due to lack of ability to continue the fight, but one of the strengths of the North was was in followingd the theories of Mao. These theories garnered the support from the local populace. The North Vietnamese forces understood that Vietnamese pesants had endured hundreds of years of oppression and rule.12 The Souths treatment of the pesants was similar to outside forces which had oppressed them with little attempt to understand them. In contrast the North Vietnamese forces dutifully followed Maos teachings, politely asking for supply a nd helping work for their repayment as well as proclaiming their belief in land reform, equality and governmental reform.13 The South by contrast was rife with corruption, inefficiency, and greed often setting themselves above the peasantry stealing supply and food. In this way the South Vietnamese were their own worst enemy. Their lack of support to the peasants drove them to the side of the North for protection against the unjust rule of the state. This led to not the hills menacing the villages, hills were the villages.13 The Cause of the North had become an ideal that the pesantry had bought in to and they had become the insurgents sho would continue to fight for their cause, overthrow of the local elites, good treatment and increased living standards enjoyed by the pesants through the efforts of the North. This dynamic created a situation in which it was difficult to tell who was the enemy and who was the villager. The U.S. was never in the position to win a lasting peace in this situation for several reasons. We lacked an understanding of the people and what they desired.14 Without the proper understanding of the desires of the people the U.S. could try to secure villages, give out aid and try to reinforce the government, but the government was a primary reason for the insurgency. More importantly, the U.S. was viewed as an unwanted foreign presence. Since the Vietnamese had fought against and suffered foreign opression for so long there was initial distrust and with our self imposed lack of cultur al awareness we would not be able to destroy the idea that was the root cause of the war. LINEBACKER II did not force the belligerents to the nogotiating table, it just provided the North with the opportunity to regroup revert to Phase II and wait for the U.S. to withdraw its forces leaving the North in a more advantageous position from which to rebuild for the next Phase III and the reunification of the Vietnamese people that they desired. The misinterpretation of their success in Lam Son 719 led the north to the Easter Offensive and as a result cost them a good deal of men and equipment. The only thing that they had left was the pesant population which it enjoyed great support from.14 Realizing their tenuous position the North signaled that it wished to resume peace negotiations and as a result the LINEBACKER II raids immediately ceased. In the absence of these continued the attacks the North would secure a political victory at the peace table by keeping Northern forces in the South.15 During this time they would be able to rebuild and strengthen their forces and would, in time, translate this into a full-scale military conquest of South Vietnam upon their transition back to Phase III. Not long after the end of Linebacker II, the U.S. withdrew its forces from the war in Southeast Asia and returned home. Two years later the North, knowing that it no longer faced any realistic threat of another Linebacker II, invaded South Vietnam across a broad front.16 The Communist forces of the North entered Saigon on April 30, 1975, and unified the two Vietnams under one government. A full application of airpower in a Linebacker could have achieved military victory, prevented the long and costly U.S. involvement and saved South Vietnam as a nation. While the North had went to the table to negotiate, it was to buy time and gain an advantageous position, not in good faith. 1 Sun Tzu. The Art of War. Translated by Samuel B. Griffith. Oxford: Oxford University Press, (1980), III 5. 2 Carl von Clausewitz. On War: Edited and translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret. Princeton. Princeton University Press, (1976), 618. 3 Ibid., 186. 4 Kevin McCranie. The War at Sea.(presentation, Strategy and War Course, Naval War College, Newport, RI, 14 December 2016). 5 Paul M Kennedy. The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery. New York. Humanity Books, (1976), 242. 6 Ibid. 245 7 Kevin McCranie. The War at Sea.(presentation, Strategy and War Course, Naval War College, Newport, RI, 14 December 2016). 8 Paul M Kennedy. The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery. New York. Humanity Books, (1976), 245 . 9 Ibid. 248 10 Kevin McCranie. The War at Sea.(presentation, Strategy and War Course, Naval War College, Newport, RI, 14 December 2016).), 147. 1 Elliot A. Cohen and John Gooch. Military Misfortunes: The Anatomy of Failure in War.New York. Free Press, (1990), 134. 12 Ibid. 134. 3 Carl von Clausewitz. On War: Edited and translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret. Princeton. Princeton University Press, (1976), 177. 4 Elliot A. Cohen and John Gooch. Military Misfortunes: The Anatomy of Failure in War.New York. Free Press, (1990), 136. 5 Admiral von Holtzendorf. German History in Documents and Images. Selected Readings. Naval War College, Newport, RI, (2016), 2.       6 Ibid. 3. 7 Ibid. 4.