Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Design thinking- what is design thinking How might an organization Essay

Design thinking- what is design thinking How might an organization create and sustain competitive advantage through the strateg - Essay Example In case of manufacturing or production, design thinking is a process of generating new ideas regarding a product or a service and then taking required steps for the implementation of those ideas in the product development process. Design thinking relates to the concept of innovation in that both of them are aimed towards putting some new ideas into practice which can improve the business of the company. If, in a market, a product is introduced which was not available before in the market, that product is considered an innovative product with innovative design and functionality that never existed before. Some of the main features of design thinking in organizations include modification of business processes to make them adaptable to the changed business environment, use of latest technology to create new products, and modernization of ideas In this paper, we will discuss the impact of design thinking on the strategic performance of company. The paper will include information on the be nefits of design thinking for companies, as well as the way design thinking and innovation can be used by a hospitality company to achieve competitive advantage in market. 2. ... McCallum (2010) states â€Å"creativity is important, particularly in business to remain competitive, to provide opportunities for staff and to create a fulfilling environment which has no constraints on free thinking†. To achieve competitive advantage, innovation and design thinking are not only required in the product manufacturing processes but also in processes and organizational culture. Stressing on the need for innovation and design thinking, Hunt (2007) states â€Å"a company cannot exist and develop without innovation technologies in the modern competitive world†. Observation and logical thinking is the central point for design thinking. Design thinking also improves decision making and problem solving skills, as well as integrates the use of Blue Ocean strategy which is considered necessary for bringing improvement in the business performance and achieving competitive advantage. Design thinkers create and consider a wide range of options to come up with some p articular decision regarding process change. They basically work to add some unique and inspiring features to products so that they become attractive for customers. It is a fact that customers drive the company towards competitive advantage. The more the customers of a company will have, more will be the chance for the company to achieve competitive edge in the market. Talking about the role of design thinking and innovation in achieving the goals of competitive advantage for companies, Berkun (2007, p.140) states â€Å"the innovation earns you money, is enjoyable to work on, or solves the problem that interests you†. According to Chesbrough (2003), no organization can achieve market domination without bringing

Monday, October 28, 2019

Conceptual Framework Essay Example for Free

Conceptual Framework Essay The crossing of genders has been a hurdle that society has stumbled to accept since the beginning of time. Early hypotheses about the so-called cause of homosexuality originated from the psychodynamic perspective that men became gay because of a dysfunctional family system in which they were emotionally enmeshed with their mothers and had a distant relationship with their father. As a result, the thought of changing one’s sex immediately becomes a staple of criticism, despite the psychological effect it could have on the individual. Yet, Imani, a man who lives life as a woman, successfully copes with work, intimate relationships, family and peer relationships, and has developed a positive assessment of self. Imani is a resilient, creative, and resourceful individual, who has overcome societal myths that a transgender cannot function normally in society. Thus, this essay will attempt to outline Imani’s life journey and compare it to Hutchinson’s (2008) common risk and protective factors, while revealing how she copes with personal and professional relationships according to Werner and Smith (2001) ratings of the quality of adult adaptation and what she attributes her success. Six Criteria of Coping Understanding and coping with cultural differences becomes crucial when attempting to come out about gender or sexual identity. Social constructionist perspective suggests that â€Å"sexual orientation unfolds within a context of environmental or social influences† (Morrow Messinger, 2006, pp. 61). Growing up poverty stricken, Imani learned to cope at an early age. The eldest of six, Imani grew up without a positive male role model and poor, while dealing with sexual desires for the same sex. â€Å"I use to pretend like I was attracted to girls because that was the normal thing, but since I was twelve, I had sexual desires for other boys† (Imani, personal communication, February 6 2009). Therefore, recognizing her gender identity at an early age, but able to cope with the stigmas of society involved Imani’s ability to reconcile competing demands from the dominant society. In addition, feelings for the opposite sex thwarted Imani from forming peer groups at an early stage in her life. â€Å"Many gay men do not accomplish normal development tasks of adolescence, such as forming a peer group†¦therefore, when experiencing some of the emotionality of teenagers as adults in their twenties or older, there is dissonance between chronological age and developmental tasks they may be struggling with† (Mallon, 2008, pp. 150). Normally, this would have had an unfavorable effect, but, it had a favorable effect on Imani’s life. For example, Imani is a leader in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. She mentors young individuals that are dealing with gender identity issues. Imani has also been in a long term intimate relationship for fifteen years; which induces her happiness. â€Å"When I was growing up, being gay was taboo, but, today you can speak out about who you are and feel comfortable, so I’m taking full advantage of every opportunity and helping others who may feel isolated as well† (Imani, personal communication, February 6, 2009). Even in analyzing her relationship with her siblings, Imani is respected and accepted wholeheartedly by her entire family. This could be attributed to two major reasons. Firstly, Imani was a defiant child, but, she also helped rear her brothers and sisters, which established a sense of respect from them early on. She also was defiant and never conformed to the norm when instructed to complete a task. For example, if her mother instructed her to go right, she would go left. Secondly, unlike people in a cohort group born in the eighties, which are more adept to come out sooner rather than later, Imani made her decision to transform at age thirty-eight. â€Å"Coming out is a critical issue in the process of identifying, some people do not go through this process early in life† (Kane-DeMaios Bullough, 2006, pp. 10). For this reason, when Imani revealed her decision to become a woman, she perhaps displayed a defiant attitude, not to mention that her mother was supportive of her decision, likely instilled strength, support and understanding from her siblings as well. As a result, Imani shares a strong and supportive bond with her brother and sisters. Although Imani has been resilient in gaining acceptance from peers and family, her professional success is equally astonishing. Imani’s was employed with Phillip Morris, Inc, when she decided to transform. However, her employers were not accepting of her identity change, so, they increased her workload and refused to give her a stable schedule. To combat this deliberate injustice, she filed a grievance, several weeks later she was laid off. Werner and Smith (2001) noted that one of the main qualities of adult adaptation is work. â€Å"The individual is employed and satisfied with work† (pp. 36). â€Å"My former job was horrible at accepting me for who I was, so I decided to make a move and find employment elsewhere; where the people would make me feel comfortable and I would enjoy what I was doing. (Imani, personal communication, February 6, 2009). Imani is now gainfully employed as a supervisor with a prominent Medicaid service provider. Imani states, â€Å"There’s good energy at work. My colleagues respect me to the upmost and I enjoy helping clients. † Clearly, Imani’s ability to get past the ridicule of a former employee and successfully find employment without becoming discouraged about her gender identity is another emphasis of her resiliency. However, Imani contributes her success to having the courage to live as a transgender to education. Enrolling in VCU’s fine art program during the 70’s broadened my mindset about the world around me and myself, which has helped me become who I am today† (Imani, personal communication, February 6, 2009). Without question, academia can enhance an individual’s perception about the world around them, but, â€Å"the concept of accommodation is an important one in understanding the adaptation of transgender people† (American, 2009,  ¶ 3). Consequently, with Imani having the accommodation of a close knit, supportive family and long term partner has definitely added to her success. Therefore, it is should be pointed out that some risk and protective factors are inherent in the nature of resilient people. Risk and Protective Factors Werner and Smith (2001) noted that even in infancy there was something different about the high-risk children who never developed serious problems. They were active, affectionate, good-natured infants, alert and autonomous toddlers. One protective factor associated with Imani’s success was her development of advanced self help skills, which she acquired early in her life course. For instance, Imani learned early to cope with gender identity issues, despite being reared during a time when homosexuality and cross dressing were deemed taboo. In addition, coping with putting her childhood on hold while helping her mother take care of her siblings, Imani developed an identity of a leader. Evidently, this created strength of mind, which more than likely had an influence on the way Imani set out to accomplish goals or agendas. People who are heterosexual in orientation do not have to ponder on how to develop a heterosexual identity. In contrast, transgender people have as their task the â€Å"development of an identity that runs counter to the heterocentric culture in which they are socialized. † They must â€Å"come to terms with having a sexual orientation that is socially ridiculed, and they must formulate a sense of identity as a transgender person† (Morrow Messinger 2006, pp. 85). Although Imani’s early development of advanced self-help skills has played a pivotal role in her success during her life course, she still faced the risk factor of growing up in poverty. Coincidentally, this did not have a negative effect on her schooling or personal accomplishments. Hutchison (2008) suggest, â€Å" poverty alone is much less of a risk than extended poverty. Imani’s life serves as a perfect example for this suggestion. For example, Imani did not continue the family trend of living in poverty. Determined to set the pace for the rest f her siblings, she rose above the line of poverty in her early twenties. She graduated from high school and successfully obtained a college degree. One could raise the question, if her role as the older sibling, which induced a sense of responsibility, while trying to understand her identity issues, kept her from being vulnerable to the risk of falling off track, because she was preoccupied with the task of taking care of her brother and sisters, rather than the poverty situation in front of her. Undoubtedly, it is apparent that Imani’s deprivations growing up did not lead to a trajectory of failure. Hutchison (2008) points out that positive impact of historical events can reverse disadvantages in a person’s life trajectories. Therefore, being torn between the role of patriarch and matriarch at an early age, clearly, had a positive effect on Imani’s life. Conclusively, Imani’s life has been filled with many extenuating effects of internal oppression at an early age, which she was able to overcome at a later stage in her life cycle. The major turning point in her life was enrolling in college; which has made her a resilient, creative, and resourceful individual who possess much strength. Yet, born during a time when social reform was at its peak, Imani serves as a perfect example of resiliency, success and normalcy.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Interferometer :: essays research papers fc

Abstract: The interferometer is the most accurate measuring device known to man. It was created by Albert A. Michelson. The operation of the interferometer described briefly is a light beam that is separated by a beam splitter. The two beams then travel equal distances at 90 ° of each other where they are reflected off two mirrors back through the beam splitter. They are then superimposed on to a screen. The screen will display an interference pattern of fringes. The interferometer is extremely sensitive to vibrations and should be isolated from them The interferometer is the most accurate device presently known to man, and most likely will remain the most accurate measuring device for the next hundred years† Cal Christiansen. The interferometer can measure lengths of one half the wavelength of the light source being used. With a HeNe laser (Helium Neon) this length is 316.4nm, about 1/3 of a micron. The interferometer is able to measure very small distances by the interference produced between two lasers beams. With this degree of accuracy there are clearly many uses for this device including, measuring flatness, structural stress, and making linear measurements. Albert A. Michelson is the father of the interferometer and the â€Å"Michelson Interferometer† is still used today. Michelson was born in Prussia in 1872 and later moved to the United States where he joined the U.S. Navy. As an instructor in the Navy academy he was asked to demonstrate the Foucault method of measuring the speed of light and made several improvements on it. Michelson received a grant and built his first interferometer much like the one presently used. It consisted of an Argand lamp, two mirrors, two beam splitters and an eyepiece. The device was extremely sensitive to vibrations and wasn’t accurate until it was brought to the Potsdam Astrophysical Observatory in Berlin where it was mounted on a platform designed for an equatorial telescope. With proper setup Michelson attempted to detect the presence ether, an invisible undetectable material that surrounded by all matter. This was unsuccessful and Einstein later declared that the ether did not exit and light travels at the same speed in all directions. Michelson would later receive the Nobel Prize for science for â€Å"precision optical instruments and the spectroscope and metrological investigations conducted herewith.† Several versions of the interferometer were devised by Michelson including, the interferential comparator for standardizing the meter, a mechanical harmonic analyzer for testing the harmonic motion of fringes, and a stellar interferometer for measuring the size of stars.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Macbeth-Response to Aristotles Tragic Hero Essays -- essays research p

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shakespeare uses Aristotle’s ancient description of a tragic hero - a character between good and bad - to portray the protagonist in the tragedy Macbeth. Aristotle’s theory that tragedy must evoke pity or fear from the audience can be done effectively through an everyman character. In order to appeal to the audience and bring forth some empathy, Macbeth must show his righteous morals through his own soliloquies or through other characters’ lines. Macbeth’s changing attitude is influenced not only by Lady Macbeth’s convincing words, but also too by his mind, which is only human and therefore subject to temptation. Macbeth does however reach a turning point where he becomes so radical and paranoid that he can no longer find his moral conscience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Macbeth’s righteous mind is most clearly visible in his first soliloquy in which he debates whether or not to kill the old king Duncan. Macbeth distinctly reveals his tragic flaw as â€Å"Vaulting ambition, which overleaps itself/And falls on the other.†(I, vii, 27-28). Macbeth’s decisions are continuously influenced by Lady Macbeth and her overdriving ambition to become Queen of Scotland. Macbeth knows that in the past he has had spurts of motivation that were fueled by his wife’s encouragement, but when left alone he could piece together his thoughts and discover what was right. Macbeth evokes empathy from the audience during his moral debate becaus...

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Example of a Reflective Writing Essay

An example of good reflective writing – integration of theory with personal experience; justification and explanation of person experience using relevant theory as support; provides insight into the author’s observations of the theory; appropriate use of language; analysis of theory within the context of own experience. Organisational change and development theory suggests that models are a good way of providing change practitioners with strategies to plan, implement and move through various stages of change (Waddell, Cummings & Worley, 2007). While it is arguable that models are useful in providing guidelines for change practitioners, I feel that they are not necessarily an accurate representation of how change is actually experienced in organisations. I have worked in an organisation that has been through repeated change throughout the duration of my employment. My experience of change has been somewhat different from how it is reflected in change models. For example, as an employee I have not been involved in the initial planning stages of change, nor have I been involved in diagnosis at an individual level, therefore I am unclear as to what happens during these stages. From an individual perspective, it feels as though change is planned and implemented in my organisation at the senior levels of management without adequate input or information to and from staff. Further, from my perspective, change is not experienced in a smooth manner as suggested by change models. I have experienced change that has not appeared to move beyond the unfreezing stages (Lewin, 1947), and I have also experienced change that has regressed at different stages rather than move forward. If I were to work with employees as a change practitioner, I would highlight the realities of change so that employees are aware that there are multiple experiences in addition to ‘the prominent way of viewing this process’ (McShane & Travaglione, 2007, p.502) within academic references. An example of poor reflective writing – colloquial/non-academic writing style; opinion-based without justification or explanation; lack of engagement with theory; links to references not made; generalisation of opinion. In my job I have been though a lot of change and there is no way that what the change models say is right. My experiences of change have all been bad and there is no way that anybody could have had a good experience of change. I don’t think change models are useful as they pretend that change is an easy process which is different from my opinion that no change is easy. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that managers don’t manage change properly as I have never seen the stages of any models within my organisation. This might be because my manager is a poor communicator which is what all the staff think. In my opinion, change models shouldn’t be taught to students as they can only teach students to think about change in the wrong way which doesn’t help employees who have to go through it.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Italy Information Essay

Italy Information Essay Italy Information Essay Historical Italian Figures Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) Youngest ever Prime Minister of Italy, in 1922 transformed the office into a dictatorship. Created Fascist Party Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) Folk hero, military leader, political leader. Adopted the â€Å"Red Shirts† and captured Sicily and Naples and allowed them to join Kingdom of Italy. Michelangelo (1475-1564) Architect, painter, sculptor and poet. Most famous Italian artist; â€Å"Sistine Chapel† Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) Mathematician, artist, inventor and writer. â€Å"The Last Supper†, â€Å"Mona Lisa†. Marco Polo (1254-1324) Explorer and journalist. Wrote â€Å"the Travels of Marco Polo† Galileo (1564-1642) Mathematician and astronomer. Laid foundation for modern science, physics and astronomy. St. Francis of Assisi ( 1181-1226) Saint. Abandoned life of luxury and devoted life to Christianity. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) Explorer whom discovered â€Å"New World of the Americas† in 1492 Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) nurse known as â€Å"Lady with the Lamp†, spending nights caring for wounded soldiers and reducing death count by 2/3rds. Boticelli (1444-1510) early renaissance painter â€Å"Birth of Venus† Biographical Profile Julius Caesar Birthdate: 100 BCE Death: 44 BCE Place of Birth and Death: Rome, Italy Full Name: Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus Augustus Children: Son Caesarion with Cleopatra Important events: Fought in several wars, became involved in Roman politics Negotiator between Crassus and Pompey Made â€Å"Dictator for Life†, â€Å"Father of Country† Relieved debt and reformed Senate Reformed Roman Calendar Reorganized local government His assassination led by Longinus and Brutus on the Ides of March First Roman figure to be deified, given title â€Å"The Divine Julius† 2 years after death Historical Event Dictatorship of Mussolini Benito Mussolini was born on July 29, 1883. The son of a blacksmith, he moved to Switzerland where he became involved in Socialist politics. He moved back to Italy in 1904 working as a journalist and was drafted into the Italian army in 1915. In 1919 he formed the Fascist Party. He organized unemployed war veterans into armed â€Å"Black Shirts†. Mussolini gradually dismantled all institutions of government and in 1925 made himself dictator. He eventually was captured and killed. Italian History The history of Italy can be divided into 7 distinct eras. Pre-History – thousands of rock drawings were discovered in the Alpine regions of Lombardy date around 8000 BC. There were also settlements throughout the Cooper Age, Bronze Age and the Iron Age. Roman Empire ( 5th Century BC to 5th Century AD) – Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus in Etruscan, Italy in 735 BC. Over the next several centuries, Rome expanded its territories into the well-known â€Å"Roman Empire†. The Romans named the Italian peninsular â€Å"Italia†. Italia flourished until the Roman Empire ended with the death of Augustus Caesar. Middle Ages (6th to 14th Century) - Began with multiple invasions including Ostrogoths conquering the Italian Peninsula, the Gothic War and the Lombards establishing a kingdom in North Italy and 3 regions in the South. Popes began building independent states and when the French defeated Lombards, the Papal States were created. The Renaissance (14th to 16th Century) – At this point in history there was a lot of disparity. The north was prosperous and the central and south were struggling. Naples, Sicily and Sardinia were controlled by foreign powers. A cultural movement began in Tuscany. The Medici family, a major contributor of the arts, introduced artistic greats, Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli. Italian popes rebuilt the city and Rome flourished. Tuscan dialect became the official language. Foreign Rule (1559-1814) – A dark period in Italian history. France invaded Northern Italy, Spain and Germany attacked Rome.

Monday, October 21, 2019

DevilinaBlueDress vs. Chinatow essays

DevilinaBlueDress vs. Chinatow essays Contrasting Easy Rawlins and Jake Gittes is hard, but paralleling them is not difficult at all. Both are often shot at, both have an enemy that has a predilection toward the obscene: one is incestuous, the other a pederast. Both deal with L.A. history and both deal with the L.A.P.D. In a different era, theyd probably be stepping on each others toes. Although, it is entirely possible that one of Gittes cronies took the lewd pictures of the Mayoral candidate in Devil in a Blue Dress. Both men are pawns in the hands of the rich and powerful. Both men have a tragic love interest; both mens tragic love interests are tied to the most powerful men in the city. Both men have morals that can be weakened with the correct amount of cash, and both men walk right past important clues that are revealed again later in the film. Gittes, for example, sees something shining in the koi pond at the Mulwray estate when he first visits it after the revelation of the real Evelyn. He was about to fish it out, but is interrupted by Ms. Mulwray. When he visited the Dept. of Water and Power, he went into Mr. Mulwrays office looking for clues, but a bigger one was on the wall of the office that he was ushered into next: the large symbol for the albacore club on the wall of the Assistant directors office. Easy had the same problem, but he seemed to add things up a bit faster, the bouncers Mexican cigarettes for example. The difference here may simply be the style of the filmmakers involved. Another similarity would be their individual motivations. Jake was motivated somewhat by money, but seemingly more so by his curiosity. Easy was in it for the cash on the outset with Albright's hefty sum, but after it seemed that Albright would turn out to be an enemy anyway, he was in it for his own reasons. Reasons of curiosity, revenge, and need for closure. ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Story Critique

Story Critique Story Critique Story Critique: How to Conduct Story critique is a very interesting task; butnot for our professional essay writers. however, almost all the students have definite problems with story critiques writing. This fact is simple to be explained. This phenomenon happens because of the wrong treatment of the word critique. The majority of students believe that the word critique means presenting negative information about the story, looking for poor places, giving a negative review, if speaking other words. Succeed in Story Critique Writing To succeed in story critique writing, you have to understand that criticizing the story means analyzing the story and nothing else. If you understand it, you will never have any problems with the task of story critique writing. Thus, you have to make a detailed analysis of the text; however, this task also is not very simple one. There are too many different kinds of analysis; that is why before starting to deal with your story critique assignment, we recommend you to get to know which kind of the analysis you have to conduct in your story critique writing: Speak About Figures and Tropes of Speech If, for example, you have to draft literary story critique analysis, you have to speak about figures and tropes of speech, which are used by the author in the story you have to analyze; you have to explain the usage of these very literary devices presented in the story under consideration. Stating theme and idea of the story is the following elements of literary analysis of the story. General emotional tinge is that one to be mentioned while you are writing story critique as well. Too Many Things To Mention? There are too many things to be mentioned in terms of story critique analysis writing. That is why if you are going to have some difficulties with completing the task of story critiques, you can always account for our help and support. Our custom writing service is working in order to give you a friendly hand of help at that very moment when you need it. Therefore, if some question does not let you pass over to your task, do not hesitate and contact our representatives in order to get a detailed answer. Do not suffer from the task you can not cope with, ask for help and you are certain to succeed in story critique writing. Even if you do not want to conduct your story critique on your own for some private reason, you can order this task to be written for you by 24/7 trustful paper writing company. Read also: Admission Essay Editing Womens Rights Essay Pride and Prejudice Essay Lord of the Flies Essay Life Experience Essay

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 136

Discussion - Essay Example Narratives are segregated into three parts, the beginning, middle, and the end. Wars have protagonists and antagonists that can be shaped to rationalize a topic in any work of art. However, war narratives including even the most thoughtful ones often face constraints. For instance, Full Metal Jacket, shows war as violent occurrence, brutal and awful. However, it equally turns war into a current narrative. In contentious films such as Meal jacket, the horrors are made part of the Joker’s change from a defenseless civilian to a perverse warrior who is no longer fearful. Adornos use of the term barbaric majorly in reference to writing poetry after Auschwitz was not intended to castigate poets and artists. It is implied in Adorno’s dictum that writing literature from differend is barbaric. Gallows humor is good in relieving the extreme emotional attachment that the audience may develop in the case of heart wrecking literature. In essence, Gallows humor relegates the seriousness that the society attaches to some occurrences such as death, crime, and disease. The use of gallows humor expresses the resistance of the ego to provocations and

Friday, October 18, 2019

Innovation and Technology Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Innovation and Technology Management - Essay Example Compared to recent decades, the current business environment has become highly dynamic and unpredictable. It has customers that are highly demanding and operate in a highly competitive environment. In order to counter these challenges, businesses have been developing new products and services the offer better experiences for its respective consumers. It is important to realize that the success of a business depends on a multiplicity of factors, besides human resource management, technology and innovations (Kleinman 2009, 13). This paper examines the importance of innovation and technology in businesses with emphasis on how these two processes have influenced the success of Apple, a company that has been known for its success in the design and sale of various consumer technologies. Businesses are started with an aim of achieving the set goals and objectives. In this case, the owners and managers have to be creative and devise strategies that can enable them to produce and distribute their goods to their identified markets in the most effective way. Many successful businesses in the world have been founded on carefully developed strategies and approaches that understand the market needs of the people. One of the ways of managing this is having a market research, which is essential in providing information on competitor strategies and the various ways in which the business can satisfy the needs of its market (Thompson 2008, 65). Developing market-oriented products and services is important for the business in order to avoid wastages in the production and distribution of its goods and services. Human resource management is critical in the success of businesses since, it empowers human capital in the business to develop policies and strategies to increase the business’ competitive advantage and market position. Human resource management involves the processes concerned with recruitment, hiring and development of business employees to make it

Neurorehabilitation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Neurorehabilitation - Essay Example In addition, such programs call for intricate installations as well as competent personnel, reasonably dissimilar from the sports services provided by gymnasia as well as the like at the moment (Perez et al., 2007, p.143). Besides, numerous chronic MS patients find it exceptionally hard to depart from their homes as well as access places with the suitable facilities, thus hampering observance to programs (Perez et al., 2007, p. 144). Currently, there is no known treatment for the condition. However, various studies have suggested physiotherapy for primary progressive MS. In essence, my review critically evaluates a case report whose objective of was to present as well as test successful communal incorporation after physiotherapy intervention with a bias on enhancing autonomous workout routine in ameliorating of a person with MS. Moreover, RW (the patients’ name due to anonymity purposes), presented in this case study, is a fifty-year-old man diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis five years prior to self-referral to a pro bono physiotherapy clinic (Zalewski, 2007, p.40). During the intervention, RW (not his real initials) was a 58-year-old man diagnosed with primary progressive MS five years prior self-referral to a pro bono physical therapy clinic. RW reported that his inception of MS was unexpected as well as incapacitating; whilst at work as an electrician, RW underwent an unexpected electrocution that led to in inability to utilize his legs. He accepted as true he had been electrocuted in completing his work and was taken without delay to the hospital for assessment. Through consult as well as follow-up with a neurologist, he was notified that the symptoms experienced did not correlate to a potential electrocution, and he received his diagnosis of MS. RW stated that he never recovered entirely after that preliminary attack and

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Sunny's actionplan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Sunny's actionplan - Essay Example Like anyone else, there are hobbies I am interested in. In my free time (which is not much these days), I enjoy taking pictures with my digital camera and editing them in my computer. I like playing around with software available for this. It is as if I am endowed with magical powers when I transform plain pictures to great, creative and more interesting ones. My degree in Computers has opened my mind to the endless possibilities that I can venture on, and I am fortunate to live at a time when technological development is at its peak. In my courses at university, I am discovering my passions. Looking inside myself, my interests and skills point to the direction of pursuing a career in Digital Documentation. I want to be instrumental in creating digital materials for the fields of Education, Psychology, Corporate Management and Social Action. Ultimately, I see myself as a Digital Documentary (Either Photo or Video) Creator of Films with social relevance, especially in Education. My skills for such a big dream have yet to be honed to reach my ideal situation. The only personal qualities I can be proud of that can truly help me in attaining success are my passion for creating, my love for children and people skills, my willingness and openness to learn new things and my propensity for hard work. Steps to success: My journey in choosing a career path I would undertake can bring me to different directions. These directions are dictated by my interests and skills. Because I have various interests, I intend to pursue each of them to see if they can be possible lifetime careers. My love for children makes me consider a career related to them – either as a teacher, a kid’s workshop facilitator, a â€Å"big brother† in a children’s home or a toy/ game or educational material designer. As a first step, I would like to be more exposed to children to get to know what interests them and to know what skills I have to be able to help

Play, Games, and Sport Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Play, Games, and Sport - Assignment Example Some games were restricted to men other to women while others were open to all genders which included the young and the old in the society (Greenough, 45-67). Traditionally, history suggests that Native American games were inseparable from their religions according to history of their religion they create stories which mostly involved contests between two opposing twin gods which were armed with clubs bow and arrows. Hence they used these games as a replay of the stories told that offered recreation and also gambling opportunity. These games were divided into two categories where there existed chance and skills games or dexterity the community used this games not only for the young generation’s amusement but also a venue where they could learn, gain improve skills and also sharpen their senses. The winners who won these games were highly respected in the tribe. Traditionally, Native Americans are believed to the inventors of most games and sports which included lacrosse. Team games, which the young played always taught cooperation and also encouraged social interaction within tribes and also with other tribes (Krech,107-110). Among those games played by the Native Americans was lacrosse also called tewaarathon, the little brother of war or even be gateway depending on the given tribe. However, these games have seen some improvements, but it is still played even today. Lacrosse developed from AD1100 WHICH WAS played by 100- 1,000 men on a field that stretched from 500 meters to 3kilometrles long it lasted from sunrise to sundown which would even take two to three days this game was invented and played as part of ceremonial ritual that was used to symbolize warfare to give gratitude and thanks to the creator (Krech, 107-110). The players who took part were informed of warriors with the aim of bringing glory and honor to the tribes as well as

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Sunny's actionplan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Sunny's actionplan - Essay Example Like anyone else, there are hobbies I am interested in. In my free time (which is not much these days), I enjoy taking pictures with my digital camera and editing them in my computer. I like playing around with software available for this. It is as if I am endowed with magical powers when I transform plain pictures to great, creative and more interesting ones. My degree in Computers has opened my mind to the endless possibilities that I can venture on, and I am fortunate to live at a time when technological development is at its peak. In my courses at university, I am discovering my passions. Looking inside myself, my interests and skills point to the direction of pursuing a career in Digital Documentation. I want to be instrumental in creating digital materials for the fields of Education, Psychology, Corporate Management and Social Action. Ultimately, I see myself as a Digital Documentary (Either Photo or Video) Creator of Films with social relevance, especially in Education. My skills for such a big dream have yet to be honed to reach my ideal situation. The only personal qualities I can be proud of that can truly help me in attaining success are my passion for creating, my love for children and people skills, my willingness and openness to learn new things and my propensity for hard work. Steps to success: My journey in choosing a career path I would undertake can bring me to different directions. These directions are dictated by my interests and skills. Because I have various interests, I intend to pursue each of them to see if they can be possible lifetime careers. My love for children makes me consider a career related to them – either as a teacher, a kid’s workshop facilitator, a â€Å"big brother† in a children’s home or a toy/ game or educational material designer. As a first step, I would like to be more exposed to children to get to know what interests them and to know what skills I have to be able to help

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni Essay

One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - Essay Example In addition, there is a young Muslim man named Tariq who is having problems with finding his place in the world after the September 11 attacks have led to his discrimination due to his background. There is also Mr and Mrs Prichett, an older couple who have a strained marriage, a young woman called Uma whose parents live in India, and finally the manager of the visa office named Mangalam and his assistant Malathi. Although they are complete strangers at the beginning of the story, their lives are suddenly brought together when an earthquake occurs and they are trapped in the consulate building, which collapses and leaves some of them wounded. Cameron immediately takes charge of the situation by swiftly treating the injuries of those who have been wounded, ensuring that everybody remains calm, and beginning to make a plan to ensure that they all survive until they are rescued. However, as the conditions begin to worsen, some of this group begins to turn on one another due to the panic that is brought on by these conditions. To prevent any escalation in the conflict among them, Uma suggests that they all share something very amazing that has ever happened in their lives, which they have never shared with anyone. Perhaps the suggestion of hers was motivated by the fact that she was very curious about the people around her as it is stated that â€Å"she had always been†¦ interested - quite unnecessarily, some would say - in the secrets of strangers.† (Divakaruni 3). No matter what her intentions are, Uma’s suggestion makes everyone to calm down and when â€Å"Cameron switched off both flashlights†¦Uma sensed a new alertness in her companions, a shrugging off of things they couldn’t control they were ready to listen to one another† (Divakaruni 70). While each of them tells their story, they come to understand each other from very different perspectives from the ones they had of each other in the beginning. There develops a depth of understanding between them which is completely unbiased by their appearance or perceived backgrounds. Previously, they had viewed each other according to stereotype and an example of this was the belief that Cameron’s black skin made him violent just because the stereotype of African Americans is one of violence. Furthermore, others are fearful of Tariq because they think he is a terrorist just because his beard is unkempt. In this story, a sense of urgency is developed through the characters telling stories of the one event that affected their lives. This sense of urgency is brought about due to the uncertainty, which they have about their lives being saved in time before they are drowned by either the flooding water or the lack of supplies to keep them alive. The characters seem to have an attitude of having nothing to lose when they tell their stories as if it is essential that they share these stories about a specific event that happened in their lives before they face their prospective deaths if they are not rescued. They reveal some of their most thoughts concerning these events, as if by telling them to others, it will help prolong their lives for a little while longer, â€Å"When had it happened? Looking back, I could not point to one special time and say, There! That is what is amazing. We can change completely and not recognize it†¦.think terrible events have made us into stone. But love slips in like a chisel – and suddenly it is an ax, breaking us into pieces from the inside† (Divakaruni 90). The thing that makes One Amazing Thing a great story is the fact that the author has taken many stories and woven them together to make one story with all the characters in the other stories brought together into one main story. During the first

Business Law and Regulation Essay Example for Free

Business Law and Regulation Essay If Mary damages a client’s hair she would be held liable. According to our textbook, Mary would cause injury to the plaintiff. Mary was to provide a duty of care to the customer. She breached this duty of care â€Å"failure to exercise care or to act as reasonable person would act (Cheeseman, 2010, p. 81). † The reason I state, that is because the customer trusted Mary with their hair and she damaged the client’s hair. As long as Celia and Mary register their boutique name with the United States PTO in Washington, DC, and the PTO approved it, there should not be any legal problems. If Celia and Mary decide to offer their waiting clients free music downloads, they are asking for trouble. In the case of BMG Music v. Gonzalez, Gonzalez thought that as long as she was â€Å"sampling† the music she could leave it on her computer without paying for it. That is not so. According to the courts, Gonzales had engaged in copyright infringement and Gonzalez had to pay $22,500 in damages to BMG (Cheeseman, 2010, p. 117). I would advise them making this huge mistake unless; they decide to pay for each download that they are providing to their waiting clients they could be breaking the law. There could be civil liability to Celia and Mary if one of their employees sexually harassed a customer. This falls under the negligence of an agent which states â€Å"in negligence of an agent, the principal is responsible because of the employment contract with the agent. In other words, if an agent acts negligently while being employed by the principal and is acting within the scope of the employment, the principal is also liable for the negligence of the agent, even though the principal did nothing negligent personally (Cheeseman, 2010, p. 474). † If Celia and Mary only hire men they could be charged with sex discrimination. Sex discrimination is â€Å"discrimination against a person solely because of his or her gender (Cheeseman, 2010, p. 515). † It would not matter how they hired whether they ere Independent contractors or employees. If Celia and Mary require the men when they are not selling, to do inventory and clean up the boutique and they set their working hours they cannot be classified as independent contractors. â€Å"The degree of control that the principal has over the agent is the crucial factor that determines whether someone is an independent contractor or an employee (Cheeseman, 2010, p. 481). † Since Celia and Mary seem to have substantial control over their workers we would classify their relationship as an employer-employee relationship. In this case, they would not be able to pay them only on commission for sales; they would have to add in an hourly rate as well. Again if Celia and Mary hire a person based on their age, race, color, or national origin they are setting themselves up for a discrimination lawsuit. If they decide to only hire men who are qualified under the age of 40, they are committing age discrimination. Age discrimination is the â€Å"federal statute that prohibits age discrimination practices against employees who are 40 and older (Cheeseman, 2010, p. 521). †

Monday, October 14, 2019

Social Structure Of Mesopotamians And Egyptians History Essay

Social Structure Of Mesopotamians And Egyptians History Essay The social structure from one empire to another can vary a lot. It depended mostly on the wealth of the empire, the way the empire came to be, and other factors. In the case of the Mesopotamians and Egyptians, there were some similarities, but also some differences. Those differences included the social roles that women played in their respective empires, among other things. The Mesopotamian Empire had many opportunities to accumulate wealth. Thus, their social structure became much more clearly defined than other Neolithic communities. In early Mesopotamia, the ruling class consisted of kings and nobles who previously were great warriors. Later on, however, royal status became hereditary. The royal class was looked upon highly, and people often thought of them as part divine. Next in the social chain were the priests and priestesses, many of whom were related to the rulers in some way. Their main responsibility was to intervene with the gods and ensure good fortune for their communities. In exchange for this service, priests and priestesses led a luxurious life. Also in the social structure were free commoners. They mostly worked as farmers in the countryside or in other manufacturing jobs. Dependent clients were another class in the social structure. They possessed no property and usually worked as agricultural laborers. The last rung on the social lad der were slaves. Slaves came from three main sources: prisoners of war, convicted criminals, and people who sold themselves into slavery in order to satisfy their obligations. Most slaves were domestic servants in wealthy households, but some worked as agricultural laborers as well. The Egyptian social structure had some similarities and differences. Like the Mesopotamians, Egyptians had a well-defined social class system. Also, the Egyptian peasants and slaves played a similar role in society as the Mesopotamian peasants and slaves. However, the organization of the ruling classes differed significantly. While Mesopotamians had a series of urban kings, Egyptians had one supreme, central ruler called the pharaoh. The Egyptians had no need for nobles since the pharaoh was the absolute ruler. Instead, Egyptians relied on professional military forces and government officials. This allowed for individuals of common birth to have a higher likelihood of attaining high positions compared to Mesopotamians. The differences between the social classes of the Egyptians and Mesopotamians allowed each of them to have their own unique empires. The conditions of women were also very different between the Mesopotamians and the Egyptians. In Mesopotamia, women had subordinate legal status. However, they did have a certain amount of influence politically, economically, and socially. At ruling courts in Mesopotamia, women sometimes advised the government. Other held great power as high-ranking priestesses. Other Mesopotamian women were able to receive a formal education and pursue a career. Unfortunately, Mesopotamian men began to progressively tighten their control over the social and sexual behavior of women in the second millennium B.C.E. Egyptian women were able to have an even bigger impact on society. There was a time when a woman pharaoh took power (Queen Hatshepsut). Other women also had substantial amounts of power as priestesses. Some got formal educations as well. The Mesopotamian and Egyptian social structures had both differences and similarities. Both empires social systems were well-defined, and included similar roles for peasants and slaves. However, the rest of their system was somewhat different, especially their ruling classes. Though both gave women some social influence, Egyptians provided more powerful opportunities for women. Both empires had a successful and well-enforced social class system.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Employability Skills:An Update :: Employer Work Job Essays

Employability Skills: An Update This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education under Contract No. ED-99-CO-0013. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Digests may be freely reproduced and are available at http://ericacve.org/fulltext.asp. What skills do employers want? How do these skills match those that youth and adults are developing through their school and work experiences? How can education and training programs prepare individuals to enter a rapidly changing workplace? These and other questions are examined in this Digest that explores skills currently needed for employment. Since 1986 the authors of no fewer than six ERIC Digests and one Trends and Issues Alert have sifted through an increasingly prolific literature base to investigate the evolving topic of employability skills. The dual challenges of competing in a world market and rapid technological advancements have necessitated a redesign of the workplace into an innovative work environment known as the high-performance workplace. This environment requires a behavior and orientation toward work that go beyond step-by-step task performance. It expects workers at all levels to solve problems, create ways to improve the methods they use, and engage effectively with their coworkers (Bailey 1997; Packer 1998). Knowledge workers who demonstrate this highly skilled, adaptive blend of technical and human relations ability are recognized by employers as their primary competitive edge. Job-specific technical skills in a given field are no longer sufficient as employers scramble to fill an increasing number of interdependent jobs (Askov and Gordon 1999; Murnane and Levy 1996). Many U.S. and international authors point out the importance of continuously developing skills beyond those required for a specific job, and they identify employability skills that enable individuals to prove their value to an organization as the key to job survival. The volume of major studies undertaken in the past 2 decades to identify and describe employability skills underscores their criticality. (For a listing of some of these authors, organizations, and studies, see the references.) There are many definitions of the phrase employability skills. The following updated definition is representative of a synthesis of definitions as they have evolved over time: Employability skills are transferable core skill groups that represent essential functional and enabling knowledge, skills, and attitudes required by the 21st century workplace.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Different social, professional and cultural contexts Essay

When communicating with others we need to consider the context within which we are working. We would need to adapt the way we communicate for different situations, most people do this automatically. Your school should have a range of planned communication for dealing with other professionals; there would be informal communications, meetings and discussions. Talking is not the only way we communicate. The way we respond to others, how quickly we respond either in person, by telephone, email, etc, respecting other cultures, for example in some cultures it is polite to maintain eye contact but not in other cultures. Always make sure you can be understood whether talking to someone or in a letter or email. Social One good way to learn about your school’s culture and much more is to begin investing in relationships with other adults in the school. Value their insights, value them and the relationships you have with them. Read more:  Different reasons people communicate  essay Lunchtime in the staff room can be a good time to have a little chat/conversation or catch up with them. You are likely to find out about children with behavioural problems and how they tackle these issues, what’s coming up next in the school and you are less likely to have the feeling of being left out. If every time you go into the staffroom for lunch, you are seen and heard to be talking loudly on your mobile phone, texting or just doing something else which is alienating you from everyone else, some people may find it rude and disregarding of others and so less likely to include you in conversations. Professional Once you become employed to work in a professional setting like a school, you are representing the school and should conduct yourself in a professional  manner. This professional manner should include the way that you communicate with the pupils and other adults. You obviously cannot use words like ‘lol’,’defo’, and ‘rofl’, when you are sending an email or writing a comment on a child’s work or communicating in a professional way in school. You should always use appropriate language and gestures for children, young people and adults an ensure that they understand what you mean. Cultural Culture is the way that we identify groups of people who share common characteristics including language, values, social practices and attitudes. We are not usually aware of our culture until we meet someone from a different culture. The language, gestures, dressing, mannerisms, etc become obviously different. The same gestures may mean different things in different cultures. For example, in some countries it is generally disrespectful to look at someone directly and boldly in the eyes, especially if they are your senior (older than you, your boss, or of a higher social class/status), whereas in the United Kingdom, not making eye contact can be seen as a sign of dishonesty. If someone avoids making eye contact with you when speaking, perhaps that is the impact of culture – not that they are rude, shy, uninterested or even dishonest. Where ever possible I would learn and adjust to the other person’s culture to ensure that we communicate effectively and if I was unsure I would ask questions (not personal) and try to find out more. Bibliography Book: Heinemann work based Learning – Supporting teaching and learning in schools (primary) by Louise Burnham and Brenda Baker. Websites: www.tafocus.co.uk/qcf-levels-and-units- QCF levels and units/Teaching Assistant Focus.

Behaviorist Revised

By properly incorporating repeated practices and mechanisms in the study of business math, an educator can actively create participation and appreciation of the course objectives. Also by properly incorporating mechanisms for motivation, students can appreciate the way the subject is taught. The overall rationale in creating world problems in teaching business math is to incorporate students the proper attitude and behavior that is deemed to address each problem. This specifically coincides with the notion of a behaviorist approach by Skinner.Skinner is â€Å"one of the behaviorist psychologists saying that a measurable learning outcome is only possible if we change the learner’s behavior. † (Faryadi, 2007, p. 2) Basing from such idea, educators must incorporate the understanding that the students are responsive in the environment they are given into. It is through this that educators must understand the meaning of classical conditioning. This process usually involves h aving a stimuli and response from people.Conditioning students can be a very effective tool for them to acquire the information that they need. â€Å"The most efficient use of conditioned reflexes in the practical control of behavior often requires quantitative information. † (Skinner, 1976, p. 10) The use of examinations can be a gauge to determine their individual development as a student in accordance to guidelines and objectives of the subject. By incorporating exercises and exams, educators can control the tempo and analyze the way students grasp the subject they are studying.In addition, such world problems can help facilitate observable facts that the teacher can use to improve the subject he/she is teaching. It is the overall environment that It is through this rationale that the idea of behaviorism can be applicable in the realm of education. It seeks to foster a different way of arriving on how people learn. â€Å"In other words, behaviorism states that the mind do es not help a person acquire knowledge but instead it is the psychology of the environment which a person lives. † (Faryadi, 2007, p. 3)Recognizing this, there is a need for educators and teachers to create motivational scenarios for students. These activities are called ‘positive reinforcement’ in behaviorism. One example of an activity would be creating a reward system for students who go above the expected results. This will motivate students to study harder on the notion of achieving extra credits. To conclude, creating examinations and exercises by teachers can be very helpful in determining the grasp of student in the subject according to the behaviorist approach.By carefully understanding its relative tenets, educators can facilitate better teaching and imparting of information which is vital in the overall learning process. In the end, such actions can motivate students to learn more given the proper amount of reinforcement. References Faryadi, Q. (2007) B ehaviorism and the Construct of Knowledge in Education Resource Information Center (ERIC). Retrieved March 16, 2008. Skinner, B. F. (1976) Behaviorism. United States; Random House Inc.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Gay Macho: The Life and Death of the Homosexual Clone

â€Å" I n the sence, Gay Macho captures a moment in time, an exuberant period when gay men had thrown off the opprobrium of social stigma as failed men and widely, ecstatically, and somewhat recklessly articulated a new kind of gay masculinity. No more were gay men the â€Å"pitful effeminates† that Magnus Hirschfeld has called them, the inverts, men trapped in woman’s bodies. Gay men were real men , and their sense of themselves as gay was shaped by the same forces by which the experience themselves as men: traditional masculinity. † Pg. 1 Gay Macho, â€Å"Martin P Levine†- â€Å" Raining Men†, The Sociology of Gay Masculinity â€Å"The straight world has told us that if we are not masculine we are homosexual, that to be homosexual means not to be masculine†¦ One of the things we must do is refine ourselves as homosexuals. † – Tony Diaman (1970) Pg. 10 Gay Macho, â€Å"Martin P Levine†- The Clone as a man â€Å"All men in American culture, regardless of the future sexual orientation, learn the male gender role and sexual script, mainly because or culture lacks a anticipatory socialization for adult homosexuality. Regarding same- sex love as a loathsome aberration, the agents of socialization prepare all youths for heterosexual masculinity† – Dank (1971) Pg. 11 â€Å"Camp: a behavioral style entailing the adoption of feminine dress, speech, and demeanor. † Pg. 21 Gay Macho, â€Å"Martin P Levine†- The Birth of Gay Macho â€Å" Gay activists formulated radically different images of the postcloset homosexual (Marotta 1981, chaps. 5-6). Some gay liberationists viewed this man as a politicized hippie who eschewed traditional manliness, conventional aspirations, and established institutions. He avoided the quick sex associated with the sexual marketplace and formed instead lasting relationships. And he wore â€Å"gender fuck† attire that mixed masculine and feminine (beards and dresses). (Marotta – 1981, 144. ) Pg. 28 â€Å"The image heralded the masculinization of gay culture. Gay men now regarded themselves as masculine. The adopted manly attire and demeanor as a means of expressing their new sense of self. They also adopted this look to enhance their physical attractiveness and express improved self-esteem. â€Å" Pg. 28 Since American culture devalued male effeminacy, they adopted manly demeanor and attire as a means of expressing a more valued identity. † Pg. 28 -My question is, is what makes a man? How many times when you think of the idea of a man do you not get caught up my the idea that has been put in front of you because of the culture that we live in. As young boys are given a dress code, G-I Joe’s and swords, and taught to be kni ghts, doctors, and hero’s. What happens when one child doesn’t follow those rules, do we call him a rebel, weird, do we make up an excuse for his behavior, call him queer? The idea of a man is in us all man or woman and the expectations to live up to the idea sometimes are not as easy for some. -BUT YOU JUST WANT TO FIT IN -IS ONE SEX HOLDING BACK? J. Craik, 1994, The Face of Fashion London: Routledge pp 176-203 Fashioning Masculinity – Dressed for comfort or style: fashionless men â€Å"Men’s bodies have never simply stood for sex; consequently, their clothes never have either. Pitty the poor man who wants to look attractive and well dressed, but who feel that by doing so he runs the risk of looking unmanly. † (Steele 1989b: 61) Pg. 177 Men’s appearance has been calculated to enhance their active roles (especially occupation and social status). † Pg. 177 â€Å"The post -1960s reassertion of male fashion and male bodies. † Pg. 178 â€Å" Male fashion has been confined to particular groups and subcultures’, such as ‘gentlemen’, gays, popular entertainers, ethnic groups, and popular subcultura l groups (Almond 1988;consgrove 1989; Kohn 1989; D. Lloyd 1988). Pg. 179 â€Å"Perversely, normatively homophobic sportsmen have engages in blatantly homoerotic activities (touching, embracing, kissing, cuddling) which elsewhere they would denounce. In other words, sports have been ‘the privileged space of the legitimate gaze of male upon male (Miller 1990, pg. 82). † â€Å" Out of the sporting arena, however, the men have continued to eschew signs of masculinity and sexuality. Insofar as clothes articulate masculinity, they display attributes of strength and power rather then male sexual desire and homoeroticism. † Pg. 192 â€Å"Not only have men been reluctant to wear clothes the exude sexuality but they have also been loathe to indulge in other behavior associated with sexual display, including shopping (Pumphrey 1989: 97). Pg. 192 â€Å"Scheuring (1989) has explained the way in which the humble pair of jeans was transformed from practical, rural and blue collar work-clothes into a fashion garment synonymous with youth. † Pg. 194 â€Å" The break came in the early 1950’s when middleclass, white rock singers and film stars (such as Elvis Presely, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Marlon Brando and James Dean) adopted the Levi Strauss 501 style (with button flies) and black leather jackets to convey a ‘tough, rugged, youth-rebel appearance (Ibid. :227). † Pg. 194 The new man is a contradictory composite: one who is becoming more self-conscious of what it is to be a man, and one who sees through the farce of masculinity and all the entrappings that accompany it’ (Gentle 1988: 98). † Pg. 197 â€Å"Male models, too, make eye contact with the viewer, adopt sultry expressions, display their best masculine features, and allow their bodies to be dissected by the camera. Garber has shown that dress code have established the boundries of self through rules concerning status and gender, and the ‘anxieties’ associated with them (Garber 1992: 32). Pg. 203 â€Å"Changing conventions of men’s fashion have entailed re-worked attributes of masculinity that have transformed male bodies into objects of gaze, of display and decoration. This radically undercuts the Victorian and post-Victorian idea of masculinity as the display of restraint in a disciplined body. Finkelstein (1991: 134)† Pg. 203 â€Å" At the more extreme end of high fashion, Gaultier has, fro example, used ‘feminine’ fabrics like lace and silk, sexualized leather garments, and experimented with men’s skirts (Gentle 1988: 99). Pg. 200 â€Å"Gaultier’s collec tions have created controversy because they question and undermine definition of masculinity by creating clothes that are effeminate. (Tredre 1992a: 8). † Pg. 200 A. Bennett, â€Å"Fashion†, 2005, culture and everyday Life, London, Sage pp95-116 Fashion and Masculinity- â€Å"Men’s appearance has been calculated to enhance their active roles’ (Ibid: 176). † Fashion and ethnic identity- â€Å"Fashion also plays significant role in the articulation of ethnic identity in contemporary everyday settings. As back notes, ethnic identity, as with other forms of social identity, can no longer be regarded as â€Å"real† or â€Å" essential† but is rather a ‘multi-faceted phenomenon which may vary through time and place’ (1993: 128). † Pg. 113 * most of the time people with other ideas for the norm are not liked by others. * Masculinity stereotypes * Stereotype: a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing : the stereotype of the woman as the carer | sexual and racial stereotypes.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

HR Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HR Final - Essay Example A proposal to convince the president should emphasize that a new training program is critical for the improvement of performance of the employees given that the corporation is a global information technology firm. Training would require that the employees undergo instruction to upgrade their knowledge and skills and to improve their attitudes in order to make them qualified for their respective jobs. Since the global market is constantly evolving, there are training trends and challenges which face the organization that would be addressed by appropriate training. One training trend is hypercompetition. Hypercompetition is a type of highly competitive challenges facing global corporations resulting from greater rates of changes in the environment necessitating adaptive and immediate response from organizations in specific endeavors. The president should be made aware that as a global firm, training is critical for both domestic and international operations due to advancement on technologies and updates in trade agreements. As a consequence, senior management is required to design appropriate strategies to adjust and adapt to challenges in competitive stance in the environment. Another training challenge is in the area of maintaining high level of talents. In response to the demands of the increasingly competitive environment, there are tendencies for products and services to be replicated. The most effective advantage that the organization could count on is their human resources. In this regard, training is necessary to maintain high level of talents and to ensure that they are competent and qualified to respond to advancement in technologies and competitive challenges in the environment. The third training trend is changes in workforce. As universities and institutions to produce newly graduates from diverse fields, training is necessarily required to prepare them for their respective responsibilities. There are identified underutilized group

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Development and Training Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Development and Training Paper - Essay Example On overall increase in the performance standards of the company’s staff and to undertake greater and more demanding roles account for the main reason behind development of this training program. Training needs assessment The opening up of new stores in new locations necessarily means that the company must adapt to the wide diverse demands made by the consumers at different locations. For example, stores located in the densely populated and diverse areas might require selling high proportions of specialty goods in order to cater to the requirements of the customers in that area. This means a thorough analysis of the profile of customers in that area. Moreover, stores located at diverse places would require a wide diversity of technical competencies and skills; The organization also requires an employee base with wide skill ranging who would be able to work with high flexibility and would prove to be more productivity for the purpose of the business (The Times 100, 2012). Design ing the training material The first step towards designing the training module would be set the overall goals in training. ... TESCO requires its employees to deliver high technical competence, problem solving abilities, decision making skills, and delegator skills, customer specific skills. The next step would be to decide the exact methods of attaining the learning objectives. This implies completing a course within a required time under basic supervision, addressing major problems and hurdles in the process, or delegating certain employees for undertaking the tasks. Documentation in the training process is an important step in the process, such as course grades could be allocated; written evaluations could be undertaken; decision making and problem solving approaches could be undertaken. Finally assessment and evaluation of the quality of evidence would highlight whether the required goals and objectives were achieved or not (McNamara, n.d.). Development of the training program Training would be primarily provided through internal sources. This would be provided highly sound and experienced technical prof essionals from within the company. This would primarily cater to developing the technical skill aspects of employees. The main aim would to identify the skill and knowledge gaps of employees. Employees along with their managers would identify these gaps and try to remove them by applying the training and development programs. Moreover, the training module would also try to enable employees develop such skills which help them advance in their careers. The idea would be not only to benefit the organization through the training programs but also provide career benefit to the employees at large (The Times 100, 2012). Online training could also be employed as a potential medium of training as it would be accessible for all at any point of time. Moreover, it would also act a manual for

Monday, October 7, 2019

Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Presentation - Essay Example Ernie Davis’s refusal to do this caused all his white teammates to boycott the banquet. Ernie Davis also won the MVP title in the Liberty Bowl. One year yare, in 1961, Ernie Davis won the Heisman Trophy. This trophy meant a lot for Ernie Davis given he was the first athlete of the African American race ever to win the Heisman Trophy. In the year 1979, Ernie Davis was introduced into the College Football Hall of Fame. All his achievements, titles, and awards carried a special meaning for Ernie Davis because he had won them by fighting dual challenge of showing marvelous performance in the games and prejudice against the black athletes in the south. John F. Kennedy passed a salute to Ernie Davis saying, â€Å"Seldom has an athlete been more deserving of such a tribute. Your high standards of performance on the field and off the field, reflect the finest qualities of competition, sportsmanship and citizenship†¦I salute you† (Kennedy cited in â€Å"Ernie

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Concerns and Benefits Regarding the Use of the American Psychological Article

Concerns and Benefits Regarding the Use of the American Psychological Association (APA) Format of Citation - Article Example Numerous citation formats are currently being used by most researchers and scholarly writers based on their specialization. The most popular style that can be used in any field is the Chicago or Turabian style, MLA is most used for the humanities, and APA style is used in the social sciences, and in recent years in education, research, and business as well (Lipson, 2011). The styles may vary according to what is needed to be presented, but all of these are borne out of the necessity of presenting thoughts or ideas as scholarly and as professionally as possible, all while giving appropriate recognition to the writers that presented the original ideas beforehand (Winkler & Metherell, 2011). Also, because the different writing styles are designed in order to properly present information in the field that these are most often used, one type of citation style may not be appropriate to use in other fields of study, and some necessary information that is usually needed in referencing may be omitted, or added, which could cause confusion (Lipson, 2011). Due to this, the use of a citation style must be in accordance to what kind of information is being presented. In addition, the use of specific styles for each field of discipline is needed to homogenize the presentation of information, especially for publications (Szuchman, 2010). The American Psychological Association (APA) created a format of information presentation around 80 years ago, in order for social scientists to establish a standard for communications in that field (American Psychological Association, APA, 2012a). This format is now popularly known as APA Citation Style, and is widely used because of its focus on sparing and straightforward presentation of information (APA, 2012a). There is much focus on the content, as well as the condensation and rephrasing of information from other sources, making this citation style more authoritative than other methods (Beins, 2012). Another characteristic of APA Citati on Style is it being parenthetical, with much more focus on the name of the research writer and the date it was written. This is due to the fast nature of scientific research in generating new information and making other ideas obsolete in a short period of time (Winkler & Metherell, 2011). With this in mind, this kind of format is much more applicable in the field of nursing, since most concepts are most often needed in a condensed form, as well as the fast turnover rate of information in this field. The use of APA Citation Style in writing scholarly articles is very useful in my field of nursing, especially when writing research papers, position papers, or even short papers such as summaries of one or more articles. The use of the parenthetical method in citing information previously published is able to quickly tell the reader of the paper when this information was generated, and it could either strengthen the validity of an argument without adding any bias (APA, 2012b). Also, th e style is designed to be as minimalist as possible for researchers to write and edit

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Select a historic building that you consider to be at-risk and Assignment

Select a historic building that you consider to be at-risk and suitable for rescue by a Building Preservation Trust - Assignment Example Rothesay Pavilion still continues to act as the center of the island community for many activities being that it has a large carrying capacity (Primack, 2003). Until then, the building management team, the council and the entire population were not aware how important Pavilion was to the surrounding location. When it was neglected, the community came to realize how multi-activity pavilion was including fitness, leisure, accommodation, attraction site to visit to mention but a few (Eberhardt & Thomas, 2011). When the council realized the importance of the pavilion which was at a great risk of losing its Art Deco splendor, tourist center and generally how it positively impact on the environment, they ordered for a rebirth of pavilion to restore back its beauty. The process of achieving regeneration and restoration was not all that easy with pavilion managers alone but it became a successful activity with the involvement of the prince’s regeneration Trust. The regeneration of Rot hesay pavilion has received support from the Heritage Lottery Fund with a great amount of development funding (Becker et al, 2009). ... th the endorsement of regeneration activity, the local project will therefore progress with the input of funds from the various sources in order to create and develop a strategy to the BPT as the charity group in ensuring that the project is completed early in 2016. Its completion will restore back the functions it used to serve of being a cultural center, visitor attraction which will change the Rothesay seafront and impact positively on the economy of the area and the United Kingdom at large (Fanger, 2000). The involvement of the Prince’s Regeneration trust gave Scotland a real progress in the resurgence of the Rothesay Pavilion to its initial cultural venue for the community (Fanger, 2000). It would not only serve an important heritage but also a positive regeneration of the town. The pavilion is a building that is loved by so many people because of its unique architectural style and so many memories it holds for the people. Therefore, the main goal the entire population sh ould have is that is to bring back the beauty, magnificence and greatness back to the Pavilion its initial glorious state (Becker et al, 2009). The only challenge at Rothesay is not only to organize for the funds for restoration of this iconic building but also to reinvent as a feasible community building that will have an appeal to visitors nationally (Eberhardt & Thomas, 2011). It is therefore important for the restoration of the building in order to avoid many logistics involved in the environmental planning in setting up a new building. This initiative also helps in environmental conservation by avoiding new constructions which that can lead to land denudation as a result of ground excavation during new construction. Hence, restoration of the already existing buildings is the best

Friday, October 4, 2019

Corporate Social Responsibility in India Essay Example for Free

Corporate Social Responsibility in India Essay The basic principle of the sustainable development and Corporate Social Responsibility is the combination of needs important both from the point of view of an institution, as well as a group of entities operating in its environment (employees, shareholders, stakeholders, borrowers, local society) within its business policy. Thus, the goal of a contemporary organisation should be to maximise its shareholders’ value satisfying, at the same time, expectations of other stakeholders (stakeholders’ value) by integrating economic, social and environmental operations. There are many factors that make us interested in Corporate Social Responsibility 2: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ New problems and expectations of citizens, customers, public authorities and investors in the context of globalisation and significant industrial changes; Social criteria have bigger and bigger influence on investment decisions made by units and institutions playing both the role of consumers as well as investors; Bigger and bigger care for damages caused to natural environment by business activities; Transparency of business activities supported by media and IT technologies. Corporate Social Responsibility principles, as well as the quality of information in their web sites and annual reports, the main sources of knowledge about the company for potential investors, counterparties and local communities. In the near future, we should also expect that as a result of the globalisation of financial markets, Polish listed companies will meet investors that are more aware of Corporate Social Responsibility and consumers that invest and co-operate better with companies supporting environmental and social development. The analysis of awareness rates and progress in implementing the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility in the sector of Polish companies covered all joint stock companies listed in the Warsaw Stock Exchange4, excluding listed banks (covered in the analysis of the banking sector) and national investment funds. Results of the study are based on information disclosed and presented in web sites and annual reports of the analysed companies and they refer to the following aspects: †¢ †¢ †¢ reporting on Corporate Governance principles adopted by the company, including audit rules; reporting on the company’s environmental policy, reporting on the company’s social policy. The study covered possibilities of an access for investors, local communities, potential business partners to the information about the company’s financial standing, and strategies in progress. The principles for reporting on Corporate Governance were stipulated in the resolution of the Stock Exchange Council of October 16, 2002 (58/952/2002) on best practice in public companies in 2002. Pursuant to this document, companies were obliged to publish and deliver, by July 1, 2003, their first statement confirming their will to observe the newly introduced rules. The study carried out by the Institute shows that over 90 percent of companies publish their reports on incorporating (adopting) principles of Corporate Governance in their business strategies. However, we have to point out that the quality and availability of the information presented in web sites and in annual reports of companies for potential investors and society is relatively low. 4 The analysis was carried out from August – October 2003. 5 The Gdansk Institiute for Market Economics Among the listed companies under the study, only 40 percent disclose and publish detailed information about the structure of their Corporate Governance, and mostly in web sites, where companies present the information about the composition and structure of their management board (74. 4 %) and the composition and structure of their supervisory board (62. 2 %). Chart 1. 1. 1 Do domestic companies publish detailed information about the structure of their supervisory bodies? 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Board structure Supervisory board structure Responsibilities of board member Definition of independence 25,6% 37,8% 51,7% 87,2% 99,4% 99,4% 74,4% 62,2% 48,3% 12,8% 0,6% Any supervisory board Commities 0,6% Individuals responsible for implementation, oversight and audit of economic, social and environmental policies YES NO Source: Own study based on research carried out by the Gdansk Institute for Market Economics. The Institute’s studies on the companies’ informing about the structure and responsibilities of their main bodies in charge of Corporate Governance also show that: †¢ domestic listed companies have not appointed persons in charge of implementing and supervising their policy related to Corporate Social Responsibility, yet (only 0. 6%), †¢ companies usually do not disclose the information about the existing committees at their supervisory boards. Potential investors and business partners willing to establish co-operation with a given entrepreneur want to know external auditors analysing the company’s financial statements and know whether they are reliable. 6 The Gdansk Institiute for Market Economics The Institute’s study shows that 88 percent of domestic public companies presents information related to their audit policy in their web sites. The companies usually give procedures for selecting external auditors, principles for rotation (changes) of external auditors and point out that external auditors are independent of the company. Nevertheless, in Poland, companies still do not present statements on audit costs and costs of other services performed by auditors. The Institute’s analysis also shows that most listed companies under the study (86. %) have undertaken to respect such shareholders’ rights specified in the Best Practice like: †¢ †¢ right to express their opinion and make motions to the company’s management board; right to see minutes and reports from previous meetings (usually available to the shareholders at the company’s office); †¢ publishing information on future General Shareholders Meetings and their agenda. Chart 1. 1. 2 Do domestic companies publish information about audit, shareholders’ rights, implemented principles of their Code of Business Conduct / Code of Ethics? 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 12,8% 13,3% 98,9% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 87,2% 86,7% 1,1% 0% Does the Company disclose audit related Does the company disclose its policy on information? shareholder rights? Does the company disclose and report on its internal Code of Business Conduct/ Code of Ethics? YES NO Source: Own study based on research carried out by the Gdansk Institute for Market Economics. Assessing the awareness and progress in implementing the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility by Polish listed companies, it is worth underlining that still a small percentage of companies has developed and adopted the Code of Ethics and the Code of Business Conduct, 7 The Gdansk Institiute for Market Economics where the companies define, for example, principles for social, environmental policy, issues related to the protection of human rights, employment policy. The managements have to guarantee that the Code of Business Conduct is effectively implemented, monitored and improved. Therefore, the European Commission promotes companies which adopt and implement the Codes of Business Conduct prepared by international corporations. In the opinion of the European Commission, the Code of Business Conduct should 5: †¢ Be based on guidelines of the Convention of the International Labour Organisation, defined in the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work from 1998 and OECD’s guidelines for international companies related to social partners and their stakeholders; †¢ †¢ †¢ Incorporate mechanisms required to assess and verify the Code implemented; Involve social partners and other groups of stakeholders influencing the company’s operations in the dialog about the shape of the Code; Expand the experience related to best practice in European companies. The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility also assumes that the company should purposefully get involved in environmental protection. The study shows that domestic listed companies do not find it purposeful to present information about actions taken to protect t e natural environment. On the one hand, it h results f rom the fact that the companies are not aware of potential benefits they could obtain, according to the assumptions of Corporate Social Responsibility, for example if their environmental actions are positively perceived by their stakeholders. The research carried out by the Market and Opinion Research International (MORI) under the CSR Europe campaign on the sample of 12 thousand citizens representing 12 countries shows that around 70 percent of consumers buying a product or a service take into account the level which a given producer is involved in social and environmental activity to. At the same time, every fifth consumer is ready to pay more for goods produced by a socially responsible company. On the other hand, the lack of information about environmental actions taken by the companies results from relatively low financial expenses borne by these companies for environmental purposes.

Thursday, October 3, 2019

The History Of The Waterfall Model Information Technology Essay

The History Of The Waterfall Model Information Technology Essay The waterfall model, documented in 1970 by Royce was the first public documented life cycle model. The waterfall model is a popular version of the systems development life cycle model for software engineering. The waterfall model describes a development method that is linear and sequential. Waterfall development has distinct goals for each phase of development. Because the life cycle steps are described in very general terms, the models are adaptable and their implementation details will vary among different organizations. The spiral model is the most general. There is various software development approaches defined and designed which are used during development process of software, these approaches are also referred as Software Development Process Models. Each process model follows a particular life cycle in order to ensure success in process of software development. One such process used in Software Development is The Waterfall Model. Waterfall model was first Process Model to be introduced and followed widely in Software Engineering to ensure success of the project. In The Waterfall model, the whole process of software development is divided into separate process phases. The phases in Waterfall model are: Requirement Specifications phase, Software Design, Implementation and Testing Maintenance. All these phases are cascaded to each other so that second phase is started as and when defined set of goals are achieved for first phase and it is signed off, so the name Waterfall Model. The real flow of waterfall model The stages of The Waterfall Model are: Requirement Analysis Definition: Requirements are set of functionalities and constraints that the end-user (who will be using the system) expects from the system. The requirements are gathered from the end-user by consultation, these requirements are analyzed for their validity and the possibility of incorporating the requirements in the system to be development is also studied. Finally, a Requirement Specification document is created which serves the purpose of guideline for the next phase of the model. System Software Design: Before a starting for actual coding, it is highly important to understand what we are going to create and what it should look like? The requirement specifications from first phase are studied in this phase and system design is prepared. System Design helps in specifying hardware and system requirements and also helps in defining overall system architecture. The system design specifications serve as input for the next phase of the model. Implementation Unit Testing: On receiving system design documents, the work is divided in modules/units and actual coding is started. The system is first developed in small programs called units, which are integrated in the next phase. Each unit is developed and tested for its functionality; this is referred to as Unit Testing. Unit testing mainly verifies if the modules/units meet their specifications. Integration System Testing: As specified above, the system is first divided in units which are developed and tested for their functionalities. These units are integrated into a complete system during Integration phase and tested to check if all modules/units coordinate between each other and the system as a whole behaves as per the specifications. After successfully testing the software, it is delivered to the customer. Operations Maintenance: This phase of The Waterfall Model is virtually never ending phase (Very long). Generally, problems with the system developed (which are not found during the development life cycle) come up after its practical use starts, so the issues related to the system are solved after deployment of the system. Not all the problems come in picture directly but they arise time to time and needs to be solved; hence this process is referred as Maintenance. There are some advantages of the Waterfall Model. The advantage of waterfall development is that it allows for departmentalization and managerial control. A schedule can be set with deadlines for each stage of development and a product can proceed through the development process like a car in a carwash, and theoretically, be delivered on time. Development moves from concept, through design, implementation, testing, installation, troubleshooting, and ends up at operation and maintenance. There are some disadvantages of the Waterfall Model. As it is very important to gather all possible requirements during the requirement gathering and analysis phase in order to properly design the system, not all requirements are received at once, the requirements from customer goes on getting added to the list even after the end of Requirement Gathering and Analysis phase, this affects the system development process and its success in negative aspects. The problems with one phase are never solved completely during that phase and in fact many problems regarding a particular phase arise after the phase is signed off, these results in badly structured system as not all the problems (related to a phase) are solved during the same phase. The project is not partitioned in phases in flexible way. As the requirements of the customer goes on getting added to the list, not all the requirements are fulfilled, this results in development of almost unusable system. These requirements are then met in newer version of the system; this increases the cost of system development.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Bar Kochba Revolt :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Jewish revolt led by Bar Kochba in 132 AD was not the work of a single if a single radical revolutionary. It was the inevitable result of years of promises not kept to the Jews, and laws which suppressed the basis of Jews as a nation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To understand the reason for Bar Kochba’s Revolt one must go back many years even before the war. Prior to Hadrian, an emperor by the name of Trajan was the ruler of the Roman empire. Due to the rebellion of the Jews in the Diaspora to the east and the west of them, Trajan, in order to keep the Jews in Palestine from rebelling he had to send a great general to be governor of the Jews in Palestine, a general who was well with the harshness in which he treated people. This general’s name was Tineius Rufus, he was the general that put down the uprising of the Jews in Parthia. Because of Rufus’ reputation of his severity to the Jews, he uprooted any thought of the Jews in Palestine to rebel against Rome at that time. The Jews did not want to rebel anyway. Trajan had promised the Jews that he would rebuild the asenv ,hc, the Jews assumed this also meant to rebuild Jerusalem. The Pagans in Palestine did not want the asenv ,hc to be rebuilt, they thought that if it was rebuilt it would be the rebirth of the Jewish nation. Also, in addition, Trajan, the Emperor who made this promise died and was succeeded by Hadrian. The Jews were unsure if Hadrian would keep the promise that Trajan once made. Hadrian wanted to go to Jerusalem to see what he was rebuilding before he started the construction. When Hadrian got there he was awed by the sight of a once desolate and fruitful city in ruins. He immediately wanted to start the reconstruction. However later the Jews were surprised and disappointed to discover that Hadrian wanted to rebuild Jerusalem not as a city for the Jews to restart in, but as a Pagan city sanctified to the Pagan G-d Jupiter. He was going to put an alter where the Jews asenv ,hc once stood. Hadrian was to be the high priest. What once was called Jerusalem would now be called Aelia Capitolina. This was a mockery to the Jews. The Jews waited sixty years from the destruction of the Second asenv ,hc for Rome to restore it to them. The Jews held themselves back from Rebelling with their neighboring Jews in Diaspora because they held onto, and believed that Trajan’s promise

The American South :: American History States Papers

The American South So you've moved, or been moved, to the South. Or maybe you're thinking about it. You're wondering: What is this place? What's different about it? Is it different, anymore? Good questions. Old ones, too. People have been asking them for decades. Some of us even make our livings by asking them, but we still don't agree about the answers. Let's look at what might seem to be a simpler question: Where is the South? That's easy enough, isn't it? People more or less agree about which parts of the United States are in the South and which aren't. If I gave you a list of states and asked which are "Southern," all in all, chances are you'd agree with some of my students, whose answers are summarized in Figure 1. I don't share their hesitation about Arkansas, and I think too many were ready to put Missouri in the South, but there's not a lot to argue with here. That tells us something. It tells us that the South is, to begin with, a concept and a shared one. It's an idea that people can talk about, think about, use to orient themselves and each other. People know whether they're in it or not. As a geographer would put it, the South is a "vernacular" region. Stop and think about that. Why should that be? Why can I write "South" with some assurance that you'll know I mean Richmond and don't mean Phoenix? What is it that the South's boundaries enclose? Well, for starters, it's not news that the South has been an economically and demographically distinctive place a poor, rural region with a biracial population, reflecting the historic dominance of the plantation system. One thing the South's boundaries have set off is a set of distinctive problems, growing out of that history. Those problems may be less and less obvious, but most are still with us to some extent, and we can still use them to locate the South. But the South is more than just a collection of unfavorable statistics. It has also been home to several populations, black and white, whose intertwined cultures have set them off from other Americans as well as from each other. Some of us, in fact, have suggested that Southerners ought to be viewed as an American ethnic group, like Italian- or Polish-Americans. If we can use distinctive cultural attributes to find Southerners, then we can say that the South is where they are found.