Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Supernatural Elements and Impacts in the Play Macbeth

â€Å"Man is not the creature of circumstances Circumstances are the creatures of man.† Macbeth, throughout the play, is presented as one much above the ordinary beings, and, as such, he fulfils the basic -requirements of being a tragic hero. Shakespeare, introduces him as a brave general, a bold, resolute man of action who through as also referred to â€Å"Valor’s minion†, â€Å"Bellona’s bridegroom’’, the king’s ‘’valiant cousin’’, a very â€Å"eagle’’ among ‘’sparrows’’, a ‘’lion’’ among ‘’hares’’. It is a play, which is depicting a complete destruction, wrestling with creation. It is a study of the disintegration and damnation of a man. And yet, Macbeth is a ‘tragic hero’. Here presents, the hero’s complete symbolic†¦show more content†¦They look like women, and yet they are bearded. They can at will vanish into air, can forese e the future, and possess more than mortal knowledge. They are by no means the ordinary witches of popular super -station; they are more powerful beings, resembling rather the â€Å"Goddesses of Devine â€Å"as Holinshed calls them. Shakespeare has endowed they may have power over Nature, but that power is not -absolute. They may have power over a man’s soul but that power is not absolute either. It is when a mortal mind is tainted that they can have an influence on it. Their prophecy only gives a definite shape to the dark thoughts that have already been smoldering in Macbeth’s mind. The thought of assassinating Duncan occurs to him independently of ‘them’-without any hint from ‘them’. Macbeth reads into the prophecies a â€Å"supernatural soliciting†, to murder and, Lady Macbeth looks upon them as â€Å"metaphysical aid.† The Witches in Macbeth never solicit nor aid- this is nothing -but a wishful thinking. ‘Macbeth: ‘’Why sinks that cauldron? And what noise is this? â€Å" ‘ The most- distinct suggestion, of the supernatural in Macbeth comes from Banquo’s Ghost. There is no doubt that we can see with Macbeth the uncanny apparition, the blood blotched ghost. Banquo’s Ghost plays an important role in the action of tragedy. The horror of its sight compels Macbeth to makeShow MoreRelatedOccult and Supernatural Elements in Macbeth1402 Words   |  6 PagesAlthough Macbeth is not classed as being a supernatural play or a play of the occult, there are some elements in the play that Shakespeare uses to effect. It is necessary however, to define what is meant by the terms ‘occult’ and ‘supernatural’: the term ‘occult’ is defined as being ‘supernatural beliefs, practises or phenomenon’ and the term ‘supernatural’ is defined as being ‘attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature’; both these terms can be associated withRead MoreNatural vs. Unnatural in Shakespeare ´s Macbeth Essay736 Words   |  3 Pagesvs. Unnatural The term supernatural was first used in 1520-30 AD. The definition of supernatural is â€Å"that which is not subject to the laws of physics, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature† (â€Å"Supernatural†). The term supernatural, or unnatural, refers to paranormal, religions, and magic. Macbeth was written in 1606 and contains many of the unnatural elements listed above. In Macbeth, the supernatural plays a huge part in the play. The play is more focused on theRead MoreThe Supernatural Elements Displayed in The Tragedy of Macbeth1224 Words   |  5 PagesWriters of the Renaissance often wrote about supernatural elements. William Shakespeare is a writer during this period, and he is also the author of The Tragedy of Macbeth. The supernatural elements are the key contributors to the play. They add fear and mystery to the novel. Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, displays many supernatural elements: the nature, ghosts, and the witches are the most significant. People during the Renaissance were very superstitious; consequently, their connectionRead MoreSupernatural Elements In Shakespeares Macbeth1305 Words   |  6 PagesPowerful Influences: Supernatural Elements in Macbeth How might one’s power be altered if influenced by a mystical power? In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, unearthly presences can control an individual’s perspective on authority. Firstly, the support of a supernatural premonition will augment one’s desire for power. Secondly, the intervention of sinister prophecies changes an individual’s perspective on authority. Finally, God’s divine will impact one’s view on a supposedly corrupt sovereignty.Read More How does Shakespeare Exploit the Supernatural for dramatic Effect in Macbeth1375 Words   |  6 Pages The play begins in a desolate place as the stage directions tell us. Shakespeare uses the pathetic fallacy of Thunder and Lightening. This creates an atmosphere of dark and evil and anticipates something frightening. There are three witches, casting a spell, as Shakespeare shows through the use of rhyming couplets at the end of lines. In addition to this, he uses the syntatic parr alelism to suggest that everything is not what it will seem. Fair is foul and foul is fair. This warns theRead MoreTheme Of Ambition In Macbeth915 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s tragedy; Macbeth. Within this play, ambition is portrayed as a corrupting and unquenchable force through the main concepts of mental imbalance, supernatural behaviors and betrayal. The consuming desires of Macbeth and their repercussions are vividly enhanced through the use of various expressive literary techniques. Ultimately, Macbeth is a play that explores and reiterates the tragic and pestilent nature of unreasoned aspirations. Within the play, supernatural forces are a common occurrenceRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Macbeth 1242 Words   |  5 Pagesinclude the themes, motifs and gothic elements relevant during his time. Shakespeare wrote these plays for more than entertaining; he attempted to transcend universal themes and messages that still resonate with audiences today. One of these plays was Macbeth, a tragedy that voices the ambition of a young, kind and righteous man and how it ultimately leads to his downfall and destruction. Shakespeare incorporates into this tragedy a couple of gothic elements that fascinated humanity with the grotesqueRead MoreAnalysis Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare1659 Words   |  7 PagesHonors 9 November 2015 Macbeth Essay The theme of tragedy appears in various amounts of movies, literature, and plays which provided entertainment for people throughout the years. Movies and plays such as â€Å"The Titanic† and â€Å"Romeo Juliet† gave audiences a pang of sadness and amusement as the story line unraveled. Notably, the prevalence of the theme occurs in Shakespearean plays such as the tale of Macbeth which displays Aristotle’s definition of tragedy. The play Macbeth lives up to Aristotle’sRead More The Supernatural in Macbeth Essay3374 Words   |  14 PagesThe Supernatural in Macbeth       More than a few elements of the supernatural can be discovered within the action and dialogue of Shakespeares plays.   However, the extent and nature of those elements differs to a large degree.   There are traces of it to be found in Henry V, Pardon, gentles all,/The flat unraised spirit that hath dard...to bring forth/So great and object (Lucy   1).  Ã‚   There are also elements of it apparent in Winters Tale, What I did not well I meant well (Lucy  Read MoreMacbeth Literary Essay : Fair Is Foul And Foul Is Fair1297 Words   |  6 PagesMacbeth Literary Essay: â€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair† In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the characters are often mislead by the impression of reality. The quote â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair† (Shakespeare 1.1.12), is said by the three witches. This quote is very significant, as it is an elaborate theme throughout the play. Also, the word fair means good, and foul means evil. Fair is foul and foul is fair is a theme that demonstrates how appearances often differs from reality. This

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Dover Castle s Importance - 1367 Words

 ­Ã‚ ­Dover Castle’s importance is primarily down to its location. It’s in the narrowest section of the straits of Dover with just 21 miles between England and France: in fact, on a clear day you can see France. This makes the castle well placed to be â€Å"the guard post of England†. The castle’s incredible strategic location was acknowledged by William the Conqueror, Henry II, the 1770s British Government and even by the British Army in both World War I and World War II. Through the ages, each of these individuals and organisations built new parts and strengthened the existing castle. Their overall goal was to keep England secure. Before Dover Castle was built it was an Iron Age hill fort, this made this location a perfect place to put a castle because it gave fantastic views not only over their land, but also because of the aforementioned view of France. This meant that when the castle was eventually built on this site it was a lot harder to attack and a lot easier to defend. This proves to be the case as the castle has never been successfully attacked. Furthermore this provided Dover with a strategic advantage locally and also nationally because of its fantastic location. The Romans arrived in southern Britain in AD 43, but not much happened on the south coast until 270 AD when 9 forts were built, including one in Dover. The English Heritage guide book tells us that the Romans built a lighthouse (a Pharos) which probably dates to the first half of the second century AD to keepShow MoreRelatedCritical Analysis Report : Celts 500 Bc The Earliest Linguistic Inhabitants Of The British Isles1921 Words   |  8 PagesSpain. The Celts are the earliest inhabitants from the British isles to leave an impact on our language. It is also known that there is rarely words from the Celts that are still used today, but some words that are still left are known as London, Dover, and Kent. There were three west Germanic invaders to settle in the British Isles known as: the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. These invaders pushed away the Celtic-speaking inhabitants out of England into Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, and Ireland, whichRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclope dia 7351 Words   |  30 Pagesnovel is sometimes used interchangeably with Bildungsroman, but its use is usually wider and less technical. The birth of the Bildungsroman is normally dated to the publication of Wilhelm Meister s Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang Goethe in 1795–96,[8] or, sometimes, to Christoph Martin Wieland s Geschichte des Agathon of 1767.[9] Although the Bildungsroman arose in Germany, it has had extensive influence first in Europe and later throughout the world. Thomas Carlyle translated Goethe’s novelRead Morepreschool Essay46149 Words   |  185 Pagescan promote young children’s learning in this domain by giving young children opportunities to observe and participate in health-related practices and interactions. Children learn healthrelated routines and habits when caring adults convey the importance of those routines through modeling and encouragement. Organization of the Foundations Each strand of a domain consists of substrands, and the foundations are organized under the substrands. Foundations are presented for children at aroundRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesmanaging, organizing and reflecting on both formal and informal structures, and in this respect you will find this book timely, interesting and valuable. Peter Holdt Christensen, Associate Professor, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark McAuley et al.’s book is thought-provoking, witty and highly relevant for understanding contemporary organizational dilemmas. The book engages in an imaginative way with a wealth of organizational concepts and theories as well as provides insightful examples from theRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesand decolonization—they cover in depth the defining phenomena of that epoch, which, as the essays demonstrate, very often connect in important ways with these and other major developments. The opening essays of this collection underscore the importance of including the late 1800s in what is best conceived as a â€Å"long† twentieth century. The 4 †¢ INTRODUCTION contributions by Jose Moya and Adam McKeown and Howard Spodek consider in nuanced detail key developments in transport and communication

Monday, December 9, 2019

Swot Articles of Starhub free essay sample

StarHubs Q1 net profit rises 3. 2% to S$91. 2m Telecom group StarHub posted a 3. 2-percent rise in first quarter net profit to S$91. 2 million from a year ago. This is despite group operating revenue falling 1. 8 percent to S$580 million. SINGAPORE: Telecom group StarHub posted a 3. 2-percent rise in first quarter net profit to S$91. 2 million from a year ago. This is despite group operating revenue falling 1. 8 percent to S$580 million. Revenue for its mobile business fell 2 per cent to S$302 million in the quarter. StarHub attributed this to lower post-paid revenue from inter-connect operators and roaming services in spite of an increase in subscription revenue from a larger subscriber base. Still, the mobile unit remains as the biggest revenue contributor for the group at 52 percent. The companys fixed network services business posted the highest revenue growth for the quarter, up 4 percent on-year to S$88 million. Data and internet services accounted for 82 percent of fixed network revenue at S$72 million, while voice services revenue grew to S million. We will write a custom essay sample on Swot Articles of Starhub or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page StarHub said this was primarily contributed by digital voice home services which became chargeable from fourth quarter 2012 and higher in-payments from carriers’ services, which were offset by lower IDD usages. Looking ahead, StarHub said it expects group operating revenue to grow in the low single-digit range year-on-year. Meanwhile, group earnings before interest, tax and depreciation (EBITDA) margin as a percentage of service revenue is expected to be about 31 percent. For the first quarter, the company has proposed an interim dividend of 5 cents per share, which will be paid on 30 May 2013. CNA/xq

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Iraqi War An Unjust War

One reason why I believe the Iraq invasion was not justified is because it resulted in an escalation of violence in Iraq. Prior to the 2003 invasion in Iraq, the country had a functioning government in place and not many incidents of violence were witnessed. The war in Iraq resulted to the ousting of Saddam Husain, the then president, and caused a major destabilization in the country.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Iraqi War: An Unjust War specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While it is true that Iraq was plagued by human rights abuses under the reign of Saddam, the country was stable and somewhat affluent before the invasion. It was after these that the country has become turbulent with numerous incidents of gun battles and suicide bomb attacks. These insurrections that are rampant in Iraq are as a direct result of US occupation of Iraq. At the present, the security situation in Iraq is indeed stark and the countr y remains very insecure. Kahl, Katulis and Lynch reveal that sectarian violence has erupted in many parts of the country and incidents of sectarian cleansing have followed leading to many deaths (86). Despite addition US forces being deployed to the country and negotiations being held, the violence in Iraq is still prevalent. Kahl, Katulis and Lynch note that there is little hope of national reconciliation or the formation of a stable environment in Iraq in the foreseeable future (83). The second reason for my belief that the war was unjustified is because war badly affects the economy and natural resources of the countries engaged in war. Both the US and Iraq have suffered economically as a result of the War. Before the war, the infrastructure in Iraq was in good conditions and the citizens enjoyed peace and stability with the availability of basic amenities. The war was accompanied by aggressive military campaigns on strategic targets in Iraq. These targets included military facil ities, government buildings and major industries. After the overthrow of Saddam, loses continue to occur as suicide bombings destroying buildings and roads (Hicks 911). Recovering from these devastating effects of war is going to be a very expensive endeavor. For the US, the war on Iraq led to large amounts of money being taken from the federal reserves to finance the war. As of 2007, the war efforts had cost the US an estimated $1 trillion with most of the money going to military activities and reconstruction efforts (Kahl, Katulis and Lynch 92). These colossal sums of money could have been better used on more development oriented activities in the country rather than war efforts that lasted for years. The final reason why I believe that the invasion of Iraq was unjustified is because the war has led to an increased suffering for the civilian population in Iraq. At the very onset of the war, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis fled to the neighboring countries to seek refuge from the w ar. Kahl, Katulis and Lynch document that since the beginning of the war, an excess of four million Iraqis have fled the country or become internally displaced (86).Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These group of civilians continue to live as refugees almost a decade after the war was begun. Research by Hicks et al. revealed that the Iraqi civilian population was the primary target for suicide bombers (913). Muggah notes that the impacts of warfare extend well beyond the number of combatants and civilians killed on the battlefield; a vast proportion of deaths occur indirectly owing to easily preventable diseases such as measles and dysentery (2). The war in Iraq has led to a collapse of basic health infrastructure, clean water and food which has led to death and suffering for the population. Considering the fact that one of the reasons for invading Iraq was to oust a tyr ant who brought suffering to his people, the reality that the people of Iraq are suffering than they did during his reign as a result of the war shows that the war was unjustifiable. Warfare has been in existence all through the history of human civilization. The reasons for engaging in war have included: ideological differences, competition for natural resources, and protecting a countries territory to name but a few. While wars have inevitably led to death and suffering, most of them have resulted in some positive measures which has made them justifiable. The US invasion of Iraq is one of the wars whose costs far outweigh the benefits and it can therefore be seen as unjustifiable. This paper has demonstrated that the invasion of Iraq was an ill-advised undertaking which has mostly achieved negative results for both the US and Iraq. As long as this invasion continues, human lives will continue to be lost and the economic cost will escalate even higher. It would therefore be in the best interest of both parties if the US withdrew its forces from Iraq and stopped the invasion. Such a move would result to reduced violence in Iraq since the violence is mostly in protest to the invasion. The huge financial burden that American taxpayers have been forced to bear as a result of the war would also be lifted if the war was ended. Works Cited Kahl, Colin, Katulis Brian, and Lynch Marc. â€Å"Thinking strategically about Iraq: report from a symposium.† Middle East Policy 15.1 (2008): 82-110. Muggah, Robert. â€Å"Measuring the True Costs of War: Consensus and Controversy.† PLoS Med 8.2 (2011): 1-3.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Iraqi War: An Unjust War specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hicks, Madelyn et al. â€Å"Casualties in civilians and coalition soldiers from suicide bombings in Iraq, 2003–10: a descriptive study.† Lancet 378 (2011): 906–914. This essay on Iraqi War: An Unjust War was written and submitted by user Kristian West to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Research proposal and literature review The WritePass Journal

Research proposal and literature review Part 1: Introduction and Background Research proposal and literature review ). It can be indicated that the combination of talent management and knowledge management is beneficial for the operations present at companies (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006; Analoui, 2007). Talent management has been found useful to motivate employees to demonstrate their skills, as this would be possible through raising awareness about the importance of knowledge management. Different knowledge management concepts can be identified as directly related to talent management initiatives in organisations (Analoui, 2007). Such concepts are related to recognising the potential of knowledge employees, presenting adequate orientation to create and share knowledge as well as demonstrate activities pertaining to the retention of solid knowledge. For that reason, the purpose of the study is to demonstrate the relationship between talent management and knowledge management. This issue has been adequately explored in the literature in an attempt to find out essential aspects pertaining to each of the two concepts (Armstrong, 2007). Yet it is expected that the present study can provide significant insights into different methods and strategies that relate to using the advantages of talent management and knowledge management in practice (Ingham, 2006). Three main research questions are identified for the present study: Research Question 1: What is the relationship between talent management and knowledge management in the context of contemporary organisations? Research Question 2: How can knowledge management contribute to extending the impact of talent management initiatives across organisations? Research Question 3: How can organisations improve the aspect of learning among employees as well as empower them? Such research questions are considered helpful and thus will be covered in the study by providing adequate answers. Specific objectives are identified for the study: To assess and enhance the impact of both talent management and knowledge management initiatives across organisations; To determine employee contribution and attitude towards the functioning of the organisation and outline of specific strategic goals; To include a series of recommendations on how the relationship between talent management and knowledge management can be enhanced to achieve optimal results Part 2: Literature Review Introduction This section of the study outlines major points related to the connection between talent management and knowledge management as outlined in the literature. The introduction of knowledge management programs is found beneficial to develop and enhance mechanisms of talent management initiatives. This in turn will result in more empowered employees who tend to be more satisfied with their job and thus more productive in the long term. A substantial part of the literature review section refers to exploring the link between talent management and knowledge management. The emphasis is on the attitude demonstrated by employees regarding the combination of these two essential concepts of the HR field. The Link between Talent Management and Knowledge Management It has been argued that talent management is mostly associated with enhancing the potential of new employees as well as recruiting and retaining existing ones. In the process of retaining employees, the focus is on the most competent and qualified workers in the organisation. Other elements emphasised by talent management include educational and training opportunities, progression planning, and organisational expansion (De Wit and Meyer, 2005). The benefits of talent management have been recognised in the literature (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006). Such an activity is subject to control by the HR department. Researchers have focused on the optimal ways that can be used to expand the skills of their employees, which would be possible through the development of relevant strategic objectives (Analoui, 2007). Organisations should be adequately prepared to correspond to any changes or aspects of financial performance. The contribution of talented employees should be considered in the process o f organising adequate talent management and knowledge management initiatives. In addition, researchers have argued that the interrelation of knowledge management and talent management is mostly maintained for the accomplishment of particular strategic goals (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006). As a specific area in the HR field, talent management requires significant attention in order to utilise the optimal potential of employees in the workplace. On the other hand, knowledge management has been perceived as introducing regulatory mechanisms that can facilitate or motivate employees to achieve their full potential. This can be done through the creation, accumulation and application of solid knowledge mechanisms in the organisational context (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006; De Wit and Meyer, 2005). It has been identified that knowledge connection management is a specific field within the broad domain of knowledge management, as it has been considered such differentiation is important to expand the knowledge in modern organisations. The focus of employee performance has been emphasised in the literature especially in a direction of recruiting talented employees and advancing the possibilities of information technology (Evans et al., 2007). As a result, companies would be able to use and share knowledge in an efficient manner. The idea is to enhance organisational performance at all possible levels (Haesli and Boxall, 2005). The effective execution of talent management and knowledge management in organisations requires an adequately constructed process, which is related with the identification of talented employees, creating solid knowledge base, and sharing such knowledge efficiently. In addition, it is important to motivate employees to practice such knowledge in the best possible manner by demonstrating creativity and innovation. According to research, knowledge management mechanisms can be rather effective if they are combined with models of talent management and thus focused on the capabilities and structure of organisations (Green, 2000). It can be argued that knowledge management mostly relates to essential aspects of technology development and organisation, with the utmost goal to create adequate knowledge procedures across organisations. It is significant to note that successful knowledge management can be achieved if companies ensure efforts to combine these two areas of the HR field (Frank and Taylor, 2004). Knowledge management application can help organisations manage their knowledge base properly, while talent management application can reinforce the talent of employees and supervise them accordingly (Evans et al., 2007). In this context, it is important to differentiate some of the most viable knowledge management competencies to include dimensions of organisational behaviour, structure and empowerment of knowledgeable employees. Knowledge Management and Organisational Capabilities Knowledge management is a dynamic area of the HR field pertaining to the identification of essential capabilities and dimensions of organisational performance (Frank and Taylor, 2004; Green, 2000). The most relevant idea is to generate knowledge principles continuously, which would contribute to better functioning of organisations. The HR department is usually responsible for raising awareness regarding the importance of knowledge management and knowledge creation at all levels of the organisation (Evans et al., 2007). Therefore, it would be possible to identify knowledge management mechanisms as rather structured in nature as well as controlled by managers with the purpose to manage and control knowledge effectively. The process of accepting certain knowledge forms may be challenging, but the combination of knowledge management and talent management can significantly facilitate the performance of organisations (Evans et al., 2007). Knowledge management indicates the necessity to ens ure constant reinforcement of certain HRM activities. Researchers have argued about the importance of measuring the performance of each employee especially through feedback, which has been found effective not only for the organisation but also for the professional development of employees (Frank and Taylor, 2004). In terms of performance, it has become important to implement a relevant strategy and present a strong vision; hence, companies are expected to introduce clear strategic goals for future initiatives that can combine successfully talent management and knowledge management. As a result, this would improve both the external and internal capabilities of the organisation, as shown in the literature (Green, 2000). However, short-term and past-oriented financial pointers cannot become distinctive indicators that can appraise the overall company’s performance anymore. In this context, intangible assets such as knowledge management and talent management rather than tangible financial assets are a measure of a companys strategic value (Smart, 1999). As a result, knowledge management has emerged as a quite important branch of management in the sense of developing intangible asset monitor systems to evaluate performance indicators of the workforce as well as provide certain details about financial performance (Sewell, 2005). The intangible asset monitor is a system consisting of performance pointers that can link such intangible assets in a relevant manner. Moreover, the classification of intellectual capital has become a priority to many organisations in an attempt to enhance their internal structure and acceptance of certain criteria for employee performance, which may contribute to extensive growth (Frank and Taylor, 2004). For that reason, researchers have proposed the implementation of Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) emerging as a strategic management parameter that includes both financial pointers and nonfinancial indicators (Green, 2000; Sewell, 2005). Such a strategic learning system is able to modify a particular business theory through the implementation of strict monitoring mechanisms. The goal is to assess an organisation’s knowledge management and talent management initiatives. At the same time, knowledge management emerges with significant objectives related to the improvement of all parameters of organisational knowledge, introduction of innovative mechanisms that support knowledge and motivation of employees (Evans et al., 2007). The combination of knowledge management and talent management activities is useful for enhancing organisations to achieve essential strategic objectives through a clearly defined path of possibilities (Redman and Wilkinson, 2006). Yet, it can be indicated that knowledge management has not significantly contributed to the actual organisational performance. Its combination with talent management activities has been found a preferable option to enhance organisational performance (Green, 2000). The cost-effective parameters of such a combination of activities should be considered as well. Researchers have indicated that the BCA can realistically measure knowledge management and talent management performance through the method of cost analysis (Nonaka, 1994). In this sense, knowledge management refers to an entire philosophy of training employees in order to enhance their collaboration and integration within the organisation. Therefore, researchers have suggested the method of knowledge management scorecard (KMSC) as a relevant way to evaluate performance through the lens of knowledge management (Evans et al., 2007). Effective Combination of Talent Management and Knowledge Management The conceptualisation of the link between talent management and knowledge management is required in order to expand the potential of employees to bring greater value to the organisation. Talent management has been found important in eliciting a sufficient amount of intellectual knowledge (Nonaka, 1994). In addition, the notion of talent management clearly adheres to the principles outlined by strategic management. It aims to strengthen the dimensions of knowledge in organisations through the identification and reinforcement of talented employees, as the leading point made in the literature is that once these employees have been recognised, they should be retained in the long term (Sewell, 2005). The concept of talent management also refers to the affective domain of the HR department especially in terms of facilitating a proper vision for emotional intelligence. Various examples can be also found in relation to how talent management and knowledge management can be adequately combined to create the south positive impact and retain qualified and experienced employees in the long run (Sewell, 2005). It appears that there are plenty of successful companies that have demonstrated their aim to combine these two branches of management in an effective way. For instance, Igus, which is a leading manufacturer of energy systems in Germany, is a clear example of such successful organisations (Igus Official Website, 2014). The company is noted for its commitment to arranging all aspects of management in a clear and efficient way by reinforcing the potential of employees so that they can contribute to optimal organisational performance. Conclusion It has been argued that the necessity of including both talent management and knowledge management in contemporary organisations can contribute to improved performance, productivity and adequate employer-employee relationships. The focus is on the formation and implementation of a clear HR strategy for organisations to operate in particular markets or industry sectors (Green, 2000). As illustrated in the literature review, the concept of combining talent management and knowledge management has been subject to extensive discussions among management scholars. It has been identified that both systems should be carefully considered upon the implementation of a particular organisational strategy. Scholars have focused on the necessity to direct the HR department in a proper direction by taking advantage of the strong aspects of both talent management and knowledge management (Evans et al., 2007). Yet, greater emphasis is put on exploring the effects of different knowledge management frame works that could further lead to the accomplishment of various strategic management goals. This literature review also emphasised that the combination of talent management and knowledge management initiatives is associated with rather positive effects on employee performance and productivity as well as job motivation.   The adoption of a positive attitude among employees is a clear sign of the effectiveness of the mentioned combination of management approaches. An extensive focus on the talent management and knowledge management initiative has been outlined in the research literature. Despite the usefulness of training and development programs, the mentioned initiative has been considered more important in relation to specifying long-term implications. In addition, different recommendations have been introduced of how to expand the positive effect of talent management and knowledge management activities in today’s organisations (Evans et al., 2007). The improvement of organisational control mechanisms has been extensively discussed in the literature. As a result, researchers have indicated the importance of extending employee learning and empowering them to succeed as professionals in a particular area of expertise (Green, 2000). Therefore, the presented literature review fulfilled the objective of enabling individuals to understand the complexity of the talent management and knowledge management initiative. Part 3: Research Methodology Prior to proposing the most viable research method to be used in this study, it is important to clarify that focusing on research philosophy is inseparable part of the entire research process. Quantitative research methodology is considered most appropriate to answer the presented research questions and achieve the stated objectives. In this way, the researcher needs to focus on collecting a substantial amount of numerical information that would be sufficient to explain particular research phenomena (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). In terms of presenting a clear paradigm of research philosophy, the emphasis is on the use of positivist research philosophy, in the sense of providing an adequate explanation for human behavioural patterns from the perspective of cause and effect. The social environment has been identified as an optimal place to collect the information necessary for presenting research findings (Nonaka, 1994). Moreover, the possibility to achieve a high level of generalisabil ity of findings is a relevant way to ensure greater objectivity of the obtained information. to generalise the findings to the wider population. Advantages and Limitations of Quantitative Research Methodology The basic aspect underlying the specificity of quantitative method is its focus on retrieving sufficient numerical information, which would allow the researcher to conduct an in-depth statistical analysis (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). The retrieval of quantitative data is statistically dominated and thus emerges with substantial accuracy considering that it is not open to various interpretations as in qualitative research design. One of the benefits of adopting quantitative research methodology is that it contributes to the easy collection of data, as it can be visually presented with charts and figures. Another benefit of this type of methodology is associated with the possibility to carry out a research at a large scale due to inclusion of extensive statistical details (Green, 2000). A disadvantage of the research method selected for this study is that it may represent a rather costly option compared to qualitative research design (Vogt, 2006). A second disadvantage of quantitative research methodology relates to changing numbers as a result of specific operations and calculations, as this may have a negative impact on the overall results obtained in the study (Nonaka, 1994). Sampling Procedure The sampling procedure used to construct a relevant sample of participants is random sampling, which refers to selecting individuals on a random principle (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). There is a sense of unpredictability associated with this sampling procedure, as the intention of the researcher is to ensure optimal objectivity of results. It can be stated that all people from a particular segment have the equal chance to participate in the study. The simple technique pertaining to random sampling is the availability of random number tables, which serve a notification purpose in the sense of informing the researcher to select study subjects at a particular defined period and thus participants are generated on a random principle (Vogt, 2006). However, it should be noted that the use of randomisation devices may be also considered in this study, as it has been found to produce effective results in terms of avoiding bias in research (Maxim, 1999). The application of random sampling is a proper way to produce legitimate results as well as adequate findings and implications for long-term practice. It is important to indicate that the results obtained from randomly selected participants are perceived as credible and accurate and thus such a sampling technique should be preferred in the research process (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). However, there is a significant challenge associated with the selected sampling technique. It obviously cannot include all representatives of the general population, which may result in the formation of sampling errors. There is an aspect of uncertainty, but this usually emerges with any method and thus the researcher should be prepared to address similar concerns (Maxim, 1999). In order to accomplish the research objectives outlined in this study, the researcher considers the formation of a sample that consists of 250 senior managers employed in a UK based financial institution. Validity The aspect of internal validity is important in research, as it relates to evaluating whether the study can assess what it was initially outlined. In addition, validity refers to determining whether the obtained results can be considered truthful. There is also an aspect of external validity, which is associated with achieving a high level of comprehensive research results in the sense that they find a broad application in various research settings (Vogt, 2006). Thus, it is assumed that the present study has an adequately high level of internal validity because of the lack of insufficient knowledge on the topic or improperly introduced arguments. However, it should be considered that data insufficiency may pose a significant risk to ensuring validity of data. It is important to avoid situations leading to the generation of low internal validity from research findings (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). In addition, certain instrumentation issues in relation to the data collection tool may c reate additional challenges in the process of ensuring internal validity. The possibility to generate invalid scores is also clear and similar situations should be apparently decreased in the organisational context. The issue of order unfairness is a concern which is also considered in the present study, as the focus is on the order of particular involvement conditions that should not be removed from the precise effect of those conditions (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). Other threats considered in the present research include particular errors in statistical analysis testing, improperly constructed correlations and the emergence of causal errors, which are most likely to appear in the data analysis process. In terms of exploring the dimensions of external validity, it is important to consider its important role in determining outcomes in quantitative research. External validity refers to drawing more general inferences in relation to the collection of data among participants. Specific time periods and settings are important in determining the study results, b ut there are problems in relation to external validity that should be adequately considered. The major problematic issue is related to survey population, which is followed by time and attempts to ensure a sufficient level of environmental validity (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). In terms of testing survey population validity, the researcher is concerned with the idea of whether specific inferences can be obtained from a particular population segment. In case bias is demonstrated throughout the research process, it is clear that external validity is subjected to substantial threat. Furthermore, in case the sample size is considered insufficient or lacking characteristics of randomness, it may appear that the respective calculations are irrelevant. The process of achieving greater generalisation of results to the wider population may be problematic. The concept of time validity may emerge in order to demonstrate the degree to which obtained research findings can be comprehensive as related to other time periods (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). There may be certain changes occurring in the connection between variables, implying that the perceived level of time validity in this case would be rather low. The notion of environmental validity shows that the retrieved results can be comprehensive across a variety of settings. Despite the assumed high reliability and accuracy of the selected research methodology, it should be noted that achieving proper international generalisability may be a problem especially when it refers to small surveys and case studies (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). In conclusion, it can be argued that the notions of validity and reliability are more applicable to quantitative research than qualitative research. Part 4: Data Analysis The process of conducting an in-depth data analysis is fundamental to achieve the research objectives of the study. Considering that the proposed data collection tool is survey is important to implement statistical analysis, which is properly constructed. Yet, it should be considered that the researcher may provide various alternative ideas in terms of analysing the information obtained from research participants (Vogt, 2006). It is important to adhere to a properly constructed strategy of data analysis considering that extensive knowledge of working with survey data is essential throughout all stages of the data analysis process. There are different paths of analysis that can be followed by the researcher in this study, as the most important aspect is to recognise the specific audience and research objectives, and thus the implementation of an appropriate analysis tool to interpret the data would be possible (Maxim, 1999). The initial stage of data analysis is represented by Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA), which indicates that the researcher initially looks into the data set in order to determine specific categories that will be later grouped for analysis. It is a preliminary form of data analysis (Vogt, 2006), but the essential part of the process is to derive the main findings from the collected survey data. It is important to make sure at this stage that analysis files are adequately consistent with one another because the issue of data analysis inconsistencies may be quite problematic in the long term (Maxim, 1999). It is also important to mention that the survey results can be analysed with specific software applications, which are intended for similar purposes. Other basic aspects to be considered during the data analysis process include filtering, comparing and showing rules as well as using saved views of the data set. Once the researcher prepares a summary of the retrieved data, the next step would be to focus on individual responses and exporting charts. As mentioned in the research literature, the use of charts and figures significantly facilitates the visual presentation of the research findings (Vogt, 2006). References Aiman-Smith, L., Bergey, P., Cantwell, A. R., and Doran, M. (2006). ‘The Coming Knowledge and Capability Shortage’. Research-Technology Management, pp. 15-23. Analoui, F. (2007). Strategic Human Resource Management. London: Thomson Learning. Armstrong, M. (2007). A Handbook of Employee Reward Management and Practice. New York: Kogan Page. Arthur, D. (2012). Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting Orienting New Employees. New York: AMACOM. Balnaves, M. and Caputi, P. (2001). Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods: An Investigative Approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing. Carmines, E. G. and Zeller, R. A. (1980). Reliability and Validity Assessment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing. De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2005). Strategy Synthesis. London: Thomson Learning. Evans, W. R., Novicevic, M. M., and Davis, W. D. (2007). ‘Resource-Based Foundations of Strategic Human Resource Management: A Review and Extension’. International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, vol. 4(1-2), pp. 75-91. Frank, F. D. and Taylor, C. R. (2004). ‘Talent Management: Trends That Will Shape the Future’. Human Resource Planning, vol. 27(1), pp. 33-41. Green, M. (2000). ‘Beware and Prepare: The Government Workforce of the Future’. Public Personnel Management, vol. 29(4), pp. 435-443. Haesli, A. and Boxall, P. (2005). ‘When Knowledge Management Meets HR Strategy: An Exploration of Personalization-Retention and Codification-Recruitment Configurations’.   International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 16(11), pp. 1955-1975. Igus Official Website (2014). About Igus [online]. Available at: igus.com/AboutIgus [Accessed on: 20 Oct. 2014]. Ingham, J. (2006). ‘Closing the Talent Management Gap’. Strategic HR Review, vol. 5(3), pp. 20-23. Maxim, P. S. (1999). Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Nonaka, I. (1994). ‘A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation’. Organization Science, vol. 5(1), pp. 14-37. Redman, T. and Wilkinson, A. (2006). Contemporary Human Resource Management-Text and Cases. Harlow: Pearson Education. Sewell, G. (2005). ‘Nice Work? Rethinking Managerial Control in an Era of Knowledge Work’. Organization, vol. 12(5), pp. 685-704. Smart, B. D. (1999). Top Grading: How Leading Companies Win by Hiring, Coaching, and Keeping the Best People. Paramus: Prentice Hall Press. Vogt, W. P. (2006). Quantitative Research Methods for Professionals in Education and Other Fields. New York: Allyn Bacon.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Picking Your Perfect Title

Picking Your Perfect Title Picking Your Perfect Title Picking Your Perfect Title By Daniel Scocco Picking a title can often be the hardest part of a writing project. Sometimes the title just comes to you, but more often than not, you have to put quite a bit of work into finding just the right one. You may even have to sift through several titles before you find one that sits well with you. Here are a few suggestions to try: 1. Mad Libs Think of a couple adjectives, nouns and verbs that describe your story. Write them all down on a sheet of paper and combine them into different phrases. Sometimes you can pick up on a title that works. 2. Pick a Part Look for an important turning point in your novel or just focus on the climax. Describe this event on paper. Pick out the words or phrases that stand out to you in your description. Mix and match these words to see what works for you. 3. Live by Example Pick out novels or short stories that run in the same genre as your project. Study the titles and how they relate to the story as a whole. Then, look at your project as a whole. Think of the theme or overall message of your book. Write down some words that go along with your theme and work them to see if you can find a fitting title. 4. Go for the Obscure Avoid the obvious â€Å"The† titles like â€Å"The Pink Slipper† or â€Å"The Brown Dog.† Look for slight recurring themes or undercurrents in your novel and try naming your novel after those subtle nuances. JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, is a genius with titles. The titles, especially the Half-Blood Prince, all highlight under-riding themes that later play a large role in the series as a whole. 5. Appeal to the Higher Poets usually have a way of weaving words in a beautiful tapestry of art that put prose writers to shame. Read some famous poetry and write down words and phrases that stick out to you. Song lyrics often have the same effect. You can find some powerful titles by mixing, matching and combining words from powerful lyrics. 6. A Writer’s Best Friend Consult your thesaurus and look up synonyms for commonly occurring words in your novel. Write down as many synonyms as you can to try and get a fresh point of view on an event in your novel. Look up these synonyms in the dictionary to get a better understanding of their meaning. Use different words in context to find a combination that you like. 7. Super Easy Way Type â€Å"title generator† into Google and see what pops up. There are several websites that will either have you type in a couple descriptive words and scramble them for you or they’ll just generate some random titles for a variety of genres. Some, like guywiththecoat.com, just generate extremely random and funny titles. Mostly, these titles are just good for a laugh, like â€Å"Pants ride the Bus,† but you may actually be able to find something that works with your project. I hope these suggestions make the arduous process of title-finding a little easier. Good luck! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Program vs. Programme"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?Captain vs. Master

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Genetics, environment, general biology, evolution, plants, etc. and Article

Genetics, environment, general biology, evolution, plants, etc. and provide a one-page Review, Critique, Relate summary using general writing style and format for each source - Article Example In fact, these long non-coding genes â€Å"might play a major role in regulating the activity of other genes† (â€Å"Human genome†). The information above is taken from the article entitled â€Å"Human genome far more active than thought,† which is published by BiologyNews.net under an anonymous writer. However, despite the absence of the writer’s name, the article cites Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute as the source of the information. The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is a charitable institution registered in England and performs research into genetics and disease, as well as the study of the human genome for the purpose of improving understanding of the principles that govern how the human body reacts to diseases. The reliability of the information in the article â€Å"Human genome far more active than thought† is therefore reliable and verifiable. The news on the discovery of 9,277 long non-coding genes using new, sophisticated technology, as well as the potential discovery of 10,000 more of these, has a profound significance on the medical field. As stated in the article itself, these newly-discovered genes and those about to be discovered may serve as the key to the cure of several incurable or hardly curable diseases that beset humans. Certain genes may, for example, be found to produce chemicals that help cause a disease or prevent it. Those genes known to trigger a disease should then be silenced, and those that prevent disease must be studied. The protozoa that causes malaria – Plasmodium vivax – has undergone the same genetic variations regardless where it is found and despite the distance among continents. This so-called â€Å"microbial globe trotter† protozoa which is harbored by mosquitoes is believed to have spread worldwide because of the tendency of people to travel despite the dormant protozoa in their liver (â€Å"Genome of

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Abyssinian crisis 1935-1936 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Abyssinian crisis 1935-1936 - Essay Example Benito Mussolini, the fascist ruler of Italy, had a vision for Italian Empire, similar to the Roman Empire, to rule over the Mediterranean and to also take revenge of the Italian defeat at the Battle of Adwa which happened in Ethiopia on March 1, 1896. Mussolini pledged the Italian people "a place in the sun," as England and France who both had large empires at the time had colonial possessions. Ethiopia was a main candidate of this expansionist ambition for several reasons. Following the rush for Africa by the European imperialists it was one of the few remaining independent African nations, and it would serve to merge the Italian-held Eritrea to the north-west and Italian Somaliland to the east. It was thought to be militarily vulnerable, and abundant in resources.Britain's interest lay around Lake Tana and the headwaters of the Abay (Blue Nile). Italy's main interest was in linking Eritrea with Italian Somaliland. France's interest was the territory to be crossed by the railroad f rom Addis Ababa to Djibouti in French Somaliland.France and other Europeans were not much concerned at the thought of an Italian conquest of part of Abyssinia, given that their own interests were secured. Thus Italy eventually came out as a victor in the Abyssinian War with the major booty with other countries having their trivial share in the pursuit.The Italo-Ethiopian Treaty of 1928 that drew up the boundaries between Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia stated the border was 21 leagues parallel to the Benadir coast. The Italians re-interpreted this to mean 21 nautical leagues, rather than 21 standard leagues, which then gave them greater territory. Acting on this, they built a fort at the Walwal oasis in the Ogaden desert in 1930. In 1934 Ethiopian territorial troops, along with the Anglo-Ethiopian boundary commission, disputed Italy's invasion. The British members of the commission soon withdrew to avoid an international incident. The tensions resulted in a clash that left 150 Ethiopian and 50 Italians dead. The issue was the Abyssinia Crisis tabled at the League of Nations. The League of Nations absolved both the warring parties in September 1935. Italy then started to build its forces on the borders of Ethiopia in Eritrea and Italian Somaliland. With an eminent attack, the Emperor Haile Selassie ordered a general mobilization. His new recruits consisted of around 500,000 men, many of whom were armed with primeval weapons such as spears and bows. Others were equipped with more new weapons, including rifles, but many of these were from the late 19th century and as such were often obsolete (Pankhurst, 605-608)1. Abyssinian Crisis 1935-1936: An Introduction The Second Italo-Abyssinian War was a brief war between the Kingdom of Italy and Ethiopia in the early 1930s. It resulted in the occupation of Ethiopia into Italian East Africa. It resulted in the Abyssinia Crisis at the League of Nations, which is often seen as a manifestation of the incompetence of the organization. In 1935, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia while addressing the League of Nations attacked the Italian invasion. On October 3, 1935, Marshal Emilio De Bono moved into Ethiopia from Eritrea without declaration of War. He had 100,000 Italian soldiers and 25,000 Eritrean soldiers under his command. A smaller force, under the command of General Rodolfo Graziani, moved into Ethiopia from Italian Somaliland. By October 6, Adwa fell to De Bono's forces. By October 15, De Bono's forces moved on to capture the capital of Axum. The occupying Italians plundered the Obelisk of Axum after annexing the city. On October 7 although the League of Nations declared Italy as the aggressor however was unable with effective sanctions. The British and French drafted the Hoare-Laval Plan; it highly favored the Italians, and was

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Frankenstien essay Essay Example for Free

Frankenstien essay Essay How does Mary Shelley present Frankensteins monster and what is her message to readers? In this essay I shall be answering the question on how Mary Shelley present Frankensteins monster and what is her message to readers? I will also explore the irrational fears that existed, about the progress of science and scientific technology, in the 1800s and how they are addressed in the novel. I will conclude with a personal comment on Shelleys portrayal of the creature and scientific progress. Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus was written by Mary Shelley in the early 19th century. At that time it was very unusual for women to write and even more so because she was only 19 years of age. At this time there were many ambitious scientists. These new scientists were eager to research things they had not researched before. She first published the book anonymously in 1818 when critics hailed it as the work of a genius and were very much surprised when they found out that a woman had written it. This was also how initially reacted. Many scientific advances took place in the 18th and 19th centuries such as the invention of the lightning conductor, and the creation of the first prototype electric battery. In some ways, the creation of the creature by Frankenstein shows the dangers of humans trying to overreach their potential with scientific research and knowledge. Victor Frankenstein, an ambitious Swiss university student, dedicates his entire life to trying to create life. Nonetheless, when he succeeds, the ugliness and repulsiveness of the creature forces Frankenstein to reject it. The creature faces a life of solitude and loneliness and society rejects him even when it tries to help. This leads to the death of Frankensteins brother, William, whom the creature kills, and the servant, Justine, is hung after being found guilty of the crime. Frankenstein then incurs the wrath of the creature by making a mate for it and then destroying it. This leads to the death of Henry Clerval, his best friend, and Elizabeth, his wife. In the end both the creature and Frankenstein die. The death of so many people can be a way of showing that scientific advance is not always the best way to go and that it can be dangerous at times. Themes which are, explored in Frankenstein; are madness, dreams and nightmares. During Shelleys time there was a fear of new technology because of the dread that machines would replace humans as workers; this would leave many of the peasants, and working class is out of a job. This led to riots and revolutions such as the Luddite riots of 1811, which saw machines smashed in violent reaction. This can be linked to riots and demonstrations today against abortion and test-tube babies that one sees in the media everyday. The novel begins with the expedition of an explorer named Walton. Walton is about to fulfill his ambition and go on his expedition to the North Pole. He wants to go to the North Pole because he wants to be remembered by discovering a place where no man has ever gone. Walton writes a letter to his sister from St. Petersburg. In his letter Walton says that he knows that ordinary people are worried about his ambitions. He says his sister regards it as an evil forbidding. Walton prepares for the expedition by being hard and very tough on himself as if he enjoys torturing himself. He states in the letter that he: Endured cold, famine, thirst, and want of sleep Victor Frankenstein wants to push back the boundaries of science. He wants to create life so that people would live longer. The reason he desires to bring back life is that no one else had accomplished this before. He is also a scientist and wants to be remembered like all scientists. Victor Frankenstein is also very excited because he not only thinks he can bring back life but he also thinks he could create life. He says: A new species would bless me as its creator and source He thinks hes going to be thanked and thought of like a god by the new species he is about to create. Frankenstein prepares for this by attending lectures, reading books, not sleeping and putting himself wholly into his work: Stars often disappeared into the light of the morning whilst I was yet engaged in my laboratory, meaning that Frankenstein spent so much time in the laboratory the nights passed quickly. This also shows the devotion to his work. His work appears to be dangerous because he went to places like charnel houses and vaults, which are considered to be very creepy. He spent days inside these places to collect raw materials, that is, body parts for his creation. This indicates that he is prepared to do anything to accomplish his ambition, to bring back life. When the creature is in the process of being created, Frankenstein is portrayed as a fanatic and maniac about what he is doing. He neglected his health due to his commitment to his work. I can discern this because he says: My cheek had grown pale with study, and my person had become emaciated with confinement. This tells me that he has become very ill because of his steadfastness on his mission to create artificial life. This can mean that he is too committed to reaching an objective that is out of any humans reach. In a way Mary Shelley also shows how Frankenstein is breaking societys taboos by: [collecting] bones from charnel houses; and disturbing, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame. This is shown as going against nature and as evil. He also describes his aim as filthy, with the use of the words: my workshop of filthy creation

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Common Man’s Role in the American Revolution Essay -- Essays on Am

If you live in the United States, you probably are aware of the American Revolution. Most educated adults in America can name at least on hero of pre-Revolutionary America such as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere and Thomas Jefferson . But to what extent did these few men, credited with our freedom, actually participate in events that lead up to the revolution? How many countless men remained unnamed and unnoticed despite the work they put into the Revolution? These men have often been overlooked in textbooks, despite the fact most of the freedoms we have now are derived from their brave actions. But why did these men get the wheels of a revolution turning? What was the reason they had for their actions, the very ones that led America and Great Britain to begin a fight not only for freedom, but for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? The Boston Tea Party is one of the most explosive and dynamic examples of what affect the common man held on the path to the Revolution. The Tea Party itself was organized by some of the more well-known officials such as John Hancock, but would have had little effect without the men who actually participated in tossing of 90,000 pounds of tea. George Hewes, a prime example of the average man’s affect on the war, had this to say about that fateful night: The Commander of the division to which I belonged, as soon as soon as we were on board the ship, appointed me to boatswain, and ordered me to go to the captain and demand of him the keys to the hatches and a dozen candles. I made the demand accordingly, and the captain promptly replied, and delivered the articles; but requested me at the same time to do no damage to the ship or the rigging. We then were ordered to ... ...ned Stamp Act he stated that he, â€Å"never saw one of those Stamps† and that he was â€Å"certain I never paid a penny for one of them†. So with so much attention being paid to Thomas Paine and his â€Å"Common sense† and John Hancock’s larger than life signature, what was the reason for our revolution? While that question may never be answered, there are always the eternal words of Levi Preston, â€Å"what we meant in going in for those redcoats was this: we always had governed ourselves and we always mean to. That didn’t mean we should† Works Cited William Graebner and Leonard Richards. The American Record: Images of our Nation’s Past. McGraw-Hilll; 5 edition. May 27, 2005 Benjamin Woods Labaree. The Boston Tea Party. Northeastern; December 31, 1979 George Browm Tindall, David Emory Shi. American History: 5th Brief edition, W. W. Norton & Company; November 1999

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Characters In Havisham, Hitcher, and The Laboratory Essay

What similarities or differences are there in the way disturbed or disturbing characters are presented in Havisham, Hitcher, and The Laboratory? Necrophilic fantasies in Duffy’s Havisham, the impulsive murderer in Armitage’s Hitcher, the smarter premeditated plot in the Lab, and finally the darkened anger of Inversnaid. All of these poems contain elements of disturbed characters or disturbed fantasies, some flaunt an erratic display of anger love and hate, and some are more contained and scheming. In all of these poems the disturbed and the disturbing is explored in new ways and helps us to better understand our own minds and evils. Inversnaid is immediately begun with dark and disturbing imagery â€Å"darksome burn† this conjures up gory and gothic thoughts before the poem has properly begun. In contrast Hitcher starts in a completely opposite way â€Å"I’d been tired, under the weather† the enjambment on the first line creates suspense, also the spelling of answer phone as â€Å"ansaphone† shows the narrators simplicity, also the erratic punctuation gets across his disturbed state of being. The fact that he has a hired car could also mean that he is a dangerous driver and has caused a road accident. A part in the poem that also suggests that the narrator is crazy is â€Å"round the next bend† this indicates that he is round the bend showing he is crazy. Inversnaid also gives this impression through the use of enjambment. This gives the poem a rambling feel as though he is just spouting random words. A disturbing feeling is also created by: † broth Of a pool sp pitch-black,† this phrase sounds almost apocalyptic, this combined with the rambling could almost be seen as though he is speaking in tongues; prophesising some terrible end to the world. In Duffy’s Havisham, the psychotic issues of the narrator can be seen from the start, as is the case in inversnaid. â€Å"Green pebbles for eyes† this shows the audience that she has lost all emotion and individuality she ever had. We know this â€Å"Havisham† is defiantly crazy when Duffy describes her â€Å"cawing Nooooo at the wall;† it shows her loss of self-respect and dignity. In contrast, the woman in the Laboratory chooses to hid her self â€Å"tying thy glass mask tightly† she does this in order to hide herself so as to save her self-respect and also to ensure she does not get caught in planning a murder. However, despite the narrators dignity there is a disturbing element about her for example: â€Å"keep them one half minuet fixed she would fall† the fact that she believes that she can stare her victim to death, but most of all because she does not care that the man will still not love her after she has killed â€Å"Pauline,† this proves that she is just doing it out of jealousy as she cannot have him. Carol Ann Duffy’s Havisham is defiantly the most disturbing poem of all as it addresses all the usually psychotic issues that the narrators in each of the poems talk about and goes beyond that by describing Havisham necrophilic fantasies. However it is evident that all of these poems are describing a hate that we have all felt at some point, we are not all necessarily necrophilia’s but we have all hated someone in this way. As for hitcher I believe that this is the same and that Armitage is merely presenting to us a part of ourselves but exemplified in an amplified and literal state.   

Saturday, November 9, 2019

On Chesil Beach

The importance of discussing sexual desires within a marriage January 26, 2013 On Chesil Beach, by Ian McEwan shows a reader the adverse effect on a marriage when sexual wants, desires, fears and expectations are not openly discussed prior to engaging in sexual acts. The lack of communication by the characters causes them to end their marriage less than 24 hours after taking their vows. While I agree that sexual relationships in a marriage are vital; they are not the tell all of a long-lasting committed relationship.From conversations with friends and family members, I’ve learned that as time passes in marriage and you become consumed with the business of life; the sexual aspect of your life becomes less important. When speaking to my 82 year old grandmother, she told me she’d like to meet someone again just so she wasn’t alone. She said sex didn’t matter anymore, but it would be nice to have someone hold her hand and take her to dinner. She acknowledged t hat at her age, a lot of men may not be able to physically have sex but also stressed if they could, it would certainly be a bonus.She just wanted companionship. Most important is open communication about sex. These are values that should be discussed prior to marriage, as well as finances, child rearing, and where you will make your home. These are issues that can have wiggle room in a conversation; but they must be discussed. You must give your partner the respect of hearing their concerns, recognizing them as real (even if you don’t agree) and working towards a manageable solution that does not require either of you to completely forfeit your belief. When we first meet someone the first attraction is physical appearance.The thoughts of their sparkling eyes, wide smile and attractive physique appeal to us. In a group of 10 women, you will find 10 different â€Å"types† described. If this were not the case, and every woman was attracted to â€Å"my type† then o nly the 6’2†, muscular, physically active men with dark brown eyes, dimples and a clean shaven head would ever get dates. Due to this physical attraction, we want to meet them; so we approach. We hope they have the intelligence, interest and humor we are searching for. It is not until we establish these basics that we can decide to establish an ongoing relationship. In a successful elationship you are comfortable to talk about your past; the lovers who have come and go; or lack thereof; the heartaches you have suffered or caused; your youthful memories and relationships built with your family. This shares your core with your partner. When I first met my husband we would spend hours at night sitting on the porch with some wine or cold beers and just talk for hours. He was the first man I ever felt comfortable enough to share my real history with. He is convinced I was attempting to scare him away with the tales of my wild younger days and stories of my criminal family; b ut he stuck it out.Perhaps he is right; perhaps I was testing him. When Florence and Edward in On Chesil Beach do not discuss their expectations they leave the imaginations free to run wild as to how things will play out. Edward so desires his wife and she is repulsed by him. There are lines in the book that made me almost believe she may have been sexually abused by her father; but it is never actually stated. That is a fact that should be shared with a spouse; that touching will make you uncomfortable. The idea that her repulsion of his premature ejaculation repulses her to the point of fleeing the room is unfathomable to me.It seems this is an idea that should be understood as an extreme desire of lust so wild it cannot be controlled. My husband was molested, one time, as a young man. He told me this; there are jokes that are not made and conversations that quickly get turned to something else because of his past. This is the respect I have for him. When the story of a child mole ster comes on the news, I know it touches him even deeper than it does me. I am his support through this. Without this information, I would find his behaviors of walking out of the room during the news to be a strange reaction.I would believe that when I walk up behind him without his knowledge and touch him; his jump was outward expression that he doesn’t want me doing that; when in all actuality, he loves it, but startles very easily. He was raised in a home where sex was never discussed. He tells me about his parents having a black light in their bedroom. When I joke they â€Å"liked to get their freak on†, he just shakes his head as if it’s the most preposterous idea that could be presented. He was never really told about female anatomy or that masturbation was normal; the topics were avoided altogether.He said he felt shame about things he was doing as he perceived them to be secretive. I was raised in a family where sex was openly discussed. We, as childre n, were comfortable enough to speak to either of our parents about any questions or concerns we had about sex. We were never judged; we were never shushed and complete attention was given to us to ensure we had the clearest answer possible. My father has passed, but to this day, I will make a joke with my mother as to whether or not â€Å"she got some sugar† after a night out with her friends.I get that it’s out there and we may be the extreme end of the spectrum but it worked for us and we never had any doubt what we were getting ourselves in to. We were not given permission to have sex but when my mother realized that my high school sweetheart and I were spending a lot of time together; she sat me down and asked if I needed to be put on birth control and if not now, to please speak to her when I thought we were getting to that point. I did and without question or hesitation, she made an appointment the next day for me to see the gynecologist for birth control.If my h usband did not know this information about me; he may think we were part of some sex cult; whackos who joke with their parents/kids about sex too much. We have chosen to be open with our boys about sex. As they reach the ages of sexual interest (14 and 16); we are well aware that sexual temptation is all around them. We do not encourage or condone them engaging in sexual activity at this age, as we believe they are not yet mature enough to handle the seriousness of a relationship that has become sexual.We have explained the seriousness of consequences once a relationship becomes sexual. We encourage them to remain children and enjoy that innocence that can never be taken back for as long as they can. But when the time comes that their desires overwhelm their rationality; and they feel they are mature enough to handle a sexual relationship; I hope we, as their parents, have given them the information they need to be kind, loving, understanding and respectful men.After years of marria ge, my husband and I still have an active sex life. While we are not tearing each other apart on the kitchen counter anymore; we know that each has their own desires and wants. We understand those desires are fueled by certain actions. For him, it’s holding his hand while we watch some horrible Star Trek rerun that I pretend to find intriguing followed by an amazing home cooked meal by me. For me, it’s cleaning the refrigerator, and folding the laundry so I don’t have to and kissing my forehead.Those are the things we love; those are the things that make us feel special. I know if he does something that I don’t like, I can tell him that without the worry that he’s going to run away and divorce me because of a bad sexual experience. We are on the same page because we talked about this at lengths PRIOR to being married. We have succeeded. So far. References McEwan, I. 2007. On Chesil Beach. London: Jonathan Cape

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Harvey essays

Harvey essays Josephine Hull as Veta Louise Simmons, The movie, Harvey, is a story originally written for the stage by Mary Chase. In 1950, this film version was produced by Brock Pembertorn and directed by Henry Koster, who also directed Luck of the Irish, and Inspector general, starring Danny Kaye. The story line starts with an introduction to Elwood Dowd; a middle class genius that doesnt work for a living, but lives off of the money his mother left for him, and Harvey; a six foot, three and a half inch tall pooka, who is visible only to those he wishes. Harvey has been a thorn in the side of Veta Louise, Elwoods sister, who has plans to marry off her daughter, Myrtle May. When Veta tries to have Elwood committed in a mental institution, a peculiar mishap occurs and Veta finds herself committed instead. For my selection, I have chosen to do scene 12, entitled Dr. Sanderson. In this scene, Dr. Sanderson, the head of staff for the sanatorium, is wrapping up his belongings to leave after being fired. Dr. Chumley, the owner and head psychiatrist, has fired Dr. Sanderson for being responsible for the above-mentioned mix-up. This scene describes the misunderstanding between Dr. Sanderson and his secretary, Ms. Kelly, and her adoration of him, through music and image clarity. Also, in combination with previous scenes, this scene shows the difference of Dr. Sandersons employment through color and wardrobe. In order to describe Dr. Sanderson and Ms. Kellys misunderstanding of the situation and Ms. Kellys attitude toward Dr. Sanderson, the scene starts out blurred. The same effect could be derived from looking through a puddle of water. The scene also has a slow, melodious, affection-inspiring tune, to imply Ms. Kelly ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The War Powers Act of 1973

The War Powers Act of 1973 On June 3, 2011, Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) attempted to invoke the War Powers Act of 1973 and force President Barack Obama to withdraw American forces from NATO intervention efforts in Libya. An alternative resolution floated by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) scuttled Kucinichs plan and required the president to give further details about U.S. goals and interests in Libya. The congressional wrangling once again highlighted nearly four decades of political controversy over the law. What Is the War Powers Act? The War Powers Act is a reaction to the Vietnam War. Congress passed it in 1973 when the United States withdrew from combat operations in Vietnam after more than a decade. The War Powers Act attempted to correct what Congress and the American public saw as excessive war-making powers in the hands of the president. Congress was also attempting to correct a mistake of its own. In August 1964, after a confrontation between U.S. and North Vietnamese ships in the Gulf of Tonkin, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution giving President Lyndon B. Johnson free rein to conduct the Vietnam War as he saw fit. The rest of the war, under the administrations of Johnson and his successor, Richard Nixon, proceeded under the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Congress had virtually no oversight of the war. How the War Powers Act Is Designed to Work The War Powers Act says that a President has the latitude to commit troops to combat zones, but, within 48 hours of doing so he must formally notify Congress and provide his explanation for doing so. If Congress does not agree with the troop commitment, the president must remove them from combat within 60 to 90 days. Controversy Over the War Powers Act President Nixon vetoed the War Powers Act, calling it unconstitutional. He claimed it severely curtailed a presidents duties as commander-in-chief. However, Congress overrode the veto. The United States has been involved in at least 20 actions from wars to rescue missions that have put American forces in harms way. Still, no president has officially cited the War Powers Act when notifying Congress and the public about their decision. That hesitation comes both from Executive Office dislike of the law and from the assumption that, once they cite the Act, they start a timeframe during which Congress must evaluate the presidents decision. However, both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush sought Congressional approval before going to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thus they were complying with the spirit of the law. Congressional Hesitation Congress has traditionally hesitated to invoke the War Powers Act. Congressmen typically fear putting American troops in greater danger during a withdrawal; the implications of abandoning allies; or outright labels of un-Americanism if they invoke the Act.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The nurses' responsability in the prevention of medication errors Essay - 1

The nurses' responsability in the prevention of medication errors - Essay Example egarding medical malpractices, the quality of care needs not be assumed and must at all times be considered as a crucial aspect in medical practice (Reason, 2000). The author continues to argue that medical practitioners have faced disciplinary issues, shame, and threats due to malpractices. Since nurses are major players in offering medical care, they are concerned with the health of an individual from the onset of medication till the end (Cohen, 2007). In light of this argument, it is argued that nurses play the major role of ensuring that they understand the major factors that lead to errors in the medical provision. This role of prevention of errors is crucial in the prevention of medical errors (Cohen, 2007). These errors include incorrect calculations of medical dosages, improper consultations, inexperience, and failure to adhere to the set protocols amongst others (Cohen, 2007). With these avenues of medical errors in place, the quality of medical service is then jeopardized. In this case, the nurse should play the major role of ensuring that they minimize the avenues of cropping up of medical errors as possible. A good example is that of the nurses’ conversance with the FEMA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) that has been instrumental in alleviating chem otherapy errors (Hartranft, Sheridan-Leos, & Schulmeister, 2006). Nurses are able to come up with thoughts on how to safeguard the safety of the patient care. Despite the fact that Cohen (2007) indicates that the nurses are mostly forced by the management to cause some of these errors, they should be on the frontline to ensure that they minimize as many challenges as they can. Secondly, in the medical setting, they must have vast experimental knowledge in the concerned field (Cohen, 2007). This allows the nurses have a big picture of the entire case, always countercheck the medical history of a patient prior to making any form of conclusion (Cima, ‎2011). This means that the nurse is able to offer

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Virtual Reality Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Virtual Reality Technology - Essay Example This discussion highlights that  virtual reality has been on the public limelight for the last 20 years, the technology has been present for a much longer period. It is believed that virtual reality first existed as early as mid-1800. By that time, the technology was in its most crude form and only occurred as panoramic murals.According to the report findings Furness III made a milestone development when he made further advancements to the already available virtual reality technology. He was able to make a flight simulator for American Air Force. His technology provided a solution, albeit partly, to the problem of overwhelming control systems in the pilot cockpit. Comeau and Bryan working at Philco Corporation made another milestone development by creating a head mouted display, which had a magnetic tracking system to guide the head. It is however worth noting that the first head mounted virtual reality gadget was made by Sutherland by the end of 1960s. Interestingly, this gadget w as so heavy and large that it had to be mounted on the roof while in use. Sutherland is credited with his efforts and contribution to the world of virtual reality and the fact that he was the first person to come up with an augmented reality head-mounted machine. Whereas many scientists were concentrating on the practical aspect, other scientists such as Roberts contributed to the evolution by writing algorithms for making images clearer and more realistic. McGreevy Michael came up with yet more advancements by coming up with the first Virtual Visual Environment Display system. At this stage, the use of computers in virtual reality machines was more prevalent. Lippman Andy made other remarkable fetes in the evolution of virtual reality in 1978 by integrating the processing power of computers in computing the relationship between the user’s image and the virtual graphic objects. Digitization then made it possible to create silhouettes. Fakespace built a telepresence camera, wh ich had advanced 3D with high-resolution imagery. In 1990s, other contributors such as Larry and Andy Wachowski, Silicon graphics and King Stephen made further developments (Burdea & Coiffet, 2003). At present, virtual reality has become autonomy for the modern society. There is a remarkable acceptance for virtual reality as a component or aspect of modern lifestyle. Virtual reality

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Construction Industry, Climate Change and use of Renewable Energy Essay

Construction Industry, Climate Change and use of Renewable Energy Options - Essay Example Since origination, humans have been involved in various activities, utilizing the physical as well as the mental part. The activities only transformed our globe from a primitive one to developed one. But, one can see that these activities not only resulted in development but have also have caused destructions to our earth. That is, in his/her quest to achieve advancement, humans have invented or inventing many tools and are also developing rapidly in particular fields. But, unfortunately, the same tools and the developing fields are damaging human lives and the earth’s environment, which sustain the lives. One of the ‘developing fields’, which contributes to damages is the construction field or industry. The fact is, â€Å"the construction industry are generating close to one-third of all the waste in Britain while 20% of new building materials on the average building site are simply thrown away at the end of the job† (Seager 2007). Also, the important part s of the construction industry, lighting and heating of buildings have to lead to the generation of 50% of Britains carbon dioxide emissions. Most of the firms of the construction industry are following the plan, â€Å"three zeros - zero carbon, zero water and zero waste," with the changes made by the industry itself, as government legislation would take too long (Seager 2007).The use of eco-damaging products and faulty coordination by the construction industry is bringing in host of problems to the people mainly in the form of global warming. â€Å"The Stern Report, by Sir Nicholas Stern, the World Bank’s former chief economist, says the lack of coordination between elements of the industry creates poor quality, energy-inefficient buildings†¦ With no action, each tonne of carbon dioxide we emit will cause at least  £45 of damage† (Miller).  

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Honda Motor Company Limited Commerce Essay

Honda Motor Company Limited Commerce Essay Sun Zis Art of War is the most famous work on military operations in ancient China. Being the oldest military treatise in the world, it is one of the greatest cultural legacies of the Chinese nation. Sun Zis Art of War is a classic on military operations and the most influential in the world today. In this well-known book, Sun Wu puts forward many important principles in military operations. He says, Winning a victory and subduing the enemy without fighting is the highest excellence. War is not for slaughter; if you win without fighting, the way you can do so is the greatest military strategy, Sun Wu in his book stresses, To attack where the enemy is unprepared and hit when it is unexpected is another wise observation. Military operations should aim at speedy victory and not prolonged campaigns. Know both the enemy and yourself; you will fight a hundred battles without danger of defeat. All these principles are, unquestionably, significant even in military strategies in the world today. The thirteen military essays in The Art of War form a systematic military work. Each essay discusses one problem, but thirteen essays constitute an organic whole, which can never be taken separately. The Art of War actually discusses how to win, which is not limited to military operations. Its significance has been enlarged to many fields, such as commercial affairs, management, athletic competitions, etc. Everyone who reads it carefully may acquire the key to victory (Wee, 2003). Honda Motor Company Limited established by Soichiro Honda who was a legendary man in the Japanese motor industry. He was a dreamer, he dreamed of a better way of making piston rings, founded a small company, and began production. He dreamed of giving people everywhere an economical form of transportation, and began producing small motorcycles, including one built in 1949 called the D-Type Dream (Honda Motor Comapny Ltd, 2012). Honda Motor Company is by far the worlds biggest motorcycle maker. Hondas first motorcycle was born out of necessity in immediate post World War II Japan, where public transportation was desperately overcrowded and gasoline severely restricted. Soichiro Honda started Honda Motor Company in 1948, at the age of 41. Soon after he hooked up with financial whiz Takeo Fujisawa and together they built an empire. Two owners of the company had different priorities. For Fujisawa, the engine innovation meant increased sales and easier access to financing. For Honda, the higher horsepower engine opened the possibility of more successfully pursuing his motorcycle racing ambitions. Indeed, winning provided the ultimate confirmation of his design abilities. Success came quickly, and by the end of the 1950s Honda had won all of the most prestigious motorcycle racing prizes in the world. In 1958 the Honda 50cc Super Cub was introduced. It featured an automatic clutch, three-speed transmission, automatic starter, and the safe, friendly look of a bicycle. Its inexpensive price was due almost entirely to its high-horsepower, yet lightweight 50cc engine. The success of the Super Cub in Japan prompted Honda to consider expanding its target market to other geographic regions. The company had already experimented with local Southeast Asian markets in 1957 and 1958, however, with little success. The European market, while larger, was heavily dominated by its own name brand manufacturers, and their popular mopeds dominated the low price, low horsepower market. Thus, Fujisawa decided to focus Hondas attention on the U.S. market. In 1962 this breakthrough advertising You meet the nicest people on a Honda shattered the myth that motorcycles were only for tough guys and rebels. It reached out and made Honda and motorcycling in general, appealing to everyone. in 1967 it diversified and also began to produce cars and trucks. In addition, the company started to manufacture portable generators, power tillers, lawn mowers, pumps, and outboard motors. In 1967 and 1968 the company introduced two lightweight passenger cars which performed poorly in both the Japanese and U.S. markets. It was not until 1973 and the introduction of the Honda Civic that the company became a real presence on the international automobile market (Honda Motor Company Limited History, 2012). Three years later, in 1976, as sales of the Honda Civic surpassed the one million mark, the company introduced an upscale, higher priced model named the Accord. Sales of the Accord grew rapidly, not only in Japan, but especially in the United States. In 1982, as a result of the burgeoning U.S. market for Japanese carsIn 1986, Honda introduced the Acura, which immediately garnered large sales throughout Japan and the United States. By the end of the 1980s, Honda had developed into one of the leading car manufacturers in the world. After Soichiro Honda died in 1991, the company initiated a comprehensive reorganization, led by Nobuhiko Kawamoto, the companys president and chief executive officer. in 1992 Honda organized the first ever joint venture to make motorcycles in China. Many industry analysts predicted that the agreement would give Honda an initial foothold in what could become the worlds largest and most motorcycle market lucrative. In order to compete in the tough automobile industry environment, Honda focused much of its attention on research and development. In 1994 and 1996, Hondas experiments with alternative power sources for automobiles and a U.S.-made large-size custom motorcycle led the company to win the worlds largest Solar Car racethe World Solar Challengewith its Honda Dream. In 1997 alone, new production lines of different Honda products were started in India, Vietnam, Turkey, Indonesia, and Brazil. In 1998 Honda once again signed a joint venture agreement in Chinathis time to produce and sell cars. Honda was doing quite well but still had weaknesses to surmount. It had come to be known as one of the most efficient car companies in the world. Its strengths were in its research and development know-how, its high level of technological advances, and its global reachHonda was selling markedly more units abroad than in its own country. Civic and Accord model are the most successful product in Honda company 2. Content Sun Zi Art of War is a short book which contains about only 6200 words written in classical Chinese and has 13 chapters. All the principles and concepts of Sun Zi Art of War can be apply into warfare and modern business strategies today. In this assignment, topics that we selected are chapter 3 Strategic Attack, chapter 4 Disposition of the Army, chapter 5 Forces and chapter 8 Variations and adaptability. Chapter 1: Planning Sun Zi Art of War stated that on every war must have studied and examined thoroughly as it is a matter of life and death. In order to do so, there are five factors in planning which contains moral influence, the weather, terrain, generalship, and doctrine and law. These factors enable Maxis Communication Berhad to compare against their competitors such as DiGi, Celcom, U-mobile as in to understand the changing condition and circumstances and assess the victory in the sales over them. There are 7 important consideration should held in the planning process of Maxis in order to enable them to have competitive advantages their competitors. As in planning, there are 12 guidance of strategic planning that could have been held by Maxis over gaining competitive advantages or gain more profit on their product over other telecommunication provider. Sunzi emphasis on the importance of detailed planning in order for Maxis to gain victory over other in the term of sales and goodwill of the teleco mmunication industry. Chapter 3 Strategic Attack In this chapter, Sun Zi said: capturing a whole division intact is a better strategy; destroying it is a weaker option. capturing a whole battalion intact is a better strategy; destroying it is a weaker option. capturing an entire company intact is a better strategy; destroying it is a weaker option. capturing an entire section intact is a better strategy; destroying it is a weaker option. For business application, an organization has to adapt their culture when they enter into new market or invented a new product. Then, organization has to analyse their consumers need and it will be easier to succeed because the products invented are adapt to the customers culture, environments and needs. Besides, organization can save a lot of costs, they doesnt waste more capital in advertising on promotion. However, they have to make sure that the origin elements are maintained. For example, KFC has just introduced a new Flaming Crunch chicken which suited Malaysian taste. This flaming crunch chicken is coated with crunchy cornflakes and some spicy powder. As we all know most of the Malaysians like spicy food such as nasi lemak or curry. Thus, this new flaming crunch chicken meets the needs of Malaysian who like spicy food. Chapter 4 Disposition of the Army This chapter stated that those who were skilful in warfare ensued that they would not be defeated and then waited for opportunities to defeat the enemy. The ability to prevent defeat depends on oneself, while the opportunity for victory depends on the enemy. When the opportunity arrived, all advantages factors are well prepared like financial and material support, just a button, organization can make extremely profit and easier to penetrate the market. Ball is in your hand, can fun play. For example, Apple Inc has become the market leader, control all factors like pricing, products, promotion, policy and place even if Apple Inc was not the first mover for multimedia downloader. It said one does not make mistakes because he adopts measures, policies and strategies that are certain to lead to victory. He wins because he chooses to engage an enemy that is already in a position of defeat. People who are the most successful are who will predict the future, create the market and to realize the prediction. For example, the diamond multimedia is the first mover for multimedia downloader but the timing is not matured, they never predict their future properly and do not have good policies or strategies to create the market. Few years later, Apple Inc produces the same technology products such as iPod. It is more famous as compared to diamond multimedia. It shows that Apple Inc create the trend which bring the organization growth and maximize the organisation profit. However, follow the trend will only give opportunity to the organization but not profit. Chapter 5 Forces Chapter 5 stated that the fact that the whole army can withstand the attacks of the enemy without suffering any defeats is due to the use of the direct and indirect strategies, forces and approaches. When forces are concentrated to attack the enemy, it must be like solid stones hurled against eggs. This is applying the principle of using strengths to strike weaknesses. For business application, organizations have to be creative and innovative so that they can compete with their competitors. They have to change process happen, change their form, culture, structure or product base when it is needed for them to do so. You must breaks the eggs on beach and create a new life in the sea. For example, Starbucks coffee leads the industry with it continuous menu innovation and a wider choice of drinks than any other brand. Recently, everyone is crazy for Chatime, Ochado or Gong Cha which all of them are Taiwanese pearl milk tea. You can see people queue up even if the queue is very long, stil l people wait for it just for that cup of pearl milk tea. To change, we can see Starbucks coffee introducing the Green Tea with Red Bean Frappuccino and Hojicha with Tea Jelly Frappuccino to follow the trend. Thus, this indirect forces used by Starbucks coffee are tactics to surprise their competitors and consumers. Moreover, this can help to solve their problem and pull back their customers. In this chapter, it also stated that entice the enemy by giving away something that he would certainly want to have. Lure the enemy to move with benefits that he desires and then use concealed troops to await and ambush them. For business application, when the enemy is greedy for small advantages, offer baits to lure him. As we all know greedy is one of the human natural instincts. For example, AEON members day has a lots of things are discount up to 70%. Thus, consumer will be greedy for the small advantages, just to get the discount they have actually spent on things that they dont really need. Therefore, the consequence is they have spent more for that particular month or over budget. Chapter 8 Variations and adaptability This chapter is about the importance of being adapting to changing, importance of careful deliberations and preparedness. The world is constantly changing, we need to adapt to this change quickly. The quicker you let go the past, the sooner you can enjoy you happiness. This means that the faster you adapt to change and follow the trend, the faster you can enjoy earning your profit. There are few examples that we can see in our daily life. First, there is a new concept of Kopitiam has been experienced rapid growth over the past few years. These new concept of Kopitiam included Old Town White Coffee, Pak Hailam Kopitiam, Georgetown White Coffee and many more. Just for a short period of time, Old Town White Coffee has over 130 outlets in Malaysia. Soon or later we will hardly find those old style kopitiam. Another example is the sundry shops, as we can see grocery shops have been replaced by all those convenient stores like 7-eleven, 99speedmart; supermarkets and hypermarkets like Aeon, Tesco, Carrefour or Econsave. All these convenient stores or hypermarkets offer wider range of products and cheaper price. For example, we can buy everything we need in Aeon, we can buy clothes, electronic products, vegetables or other daily consumer products at one go. We need not to travel here and there to get what we want. In addition, we can see the advance of the technologies nowadays. Everyone is using Smartphone or smart TV. Samsung has come out their brand new smart phone Galaxy S3, they keep on innovate their products to fulfilled the consumer needs and wants. Furthermore, it leads Samsung to be the leader of the markets. At the same time, this new technologies bring an opportunity to the telecommunication companies to come out with data plan to boost their profits up. To be winner of the market, these telecommunication companies have to review their plans frequently to stay competitive in the market. Lastly, proactiveness is the key to strategic advantage. Nowadays, people like convenience and easy job. Therefore, the new concept of wall paper has been invented by Korea and Taiwan to replace paint. We can customize our own wall paper; you can have your own favourite colour, taste or picture. With this invention, we can save our time, cost and energy; no more pain. Chapter 10: Terrain In this chapter, Sun Zis explain the grounds during the war. Type of grounds are communication ground, entrapping ground, indifferent group, constricted ground, key ground and distant ground. Every ground has its own function during the war. In business application, Maxis Sdn Bhd encounters obstacles in competing against their competitors. It is said that the top management is responsible for the lower management performance. Therefore, the top management holds a great responsibility in Maxis, like a general does. Senior director is responsible to organize an effective strategy to gain victory in the business war. The strategy will be exercise by the middle management to order the lower management in implementing the strategy in Maxis business process. Chapter 13: Intelligence and espionage In Chapter 13, we discuss about intelligence and espionage. According to Sun Zi, there are five types of spies and secret agents. They are living agents, local agents, inside agents, double agents and doomed agents. We discuss about the ability of the agent to gather and effectively use information on the enemy on the enemy. Thus, Maxis Berhad may send its employees to do research on competitors by obtaining information through reliable sources. For example, annual reports, stock warrants, news feed and press conference. This may help Maxis Berhad to gain informative and useful information to analyze its strengths and weaknesses of itself in order to gain competitive advantage over the competitors. Q3. DISCUSSION Chapter 3 Strategic Attacks Sun Zi said: In general, when waging war, capturing a whole nation intact is a better strategy; to shatter and ruin it is a weaker option. Honda motor has to come out with different strategy and method in facing different challenges among competitors in order to compete in car and motorcycle industry. In 2001, American Hondas associate learning and organizational development group that undertook a broad assessment of its approach to training, looking at what was offered, why, to whom and how. One focus of this initiative was to deepen the emphasis on quality, which has long permeated Hondas manufacturing operations, within the internal support and service portions of the organization. The challenge laid out for the development group was to improve and extend the delivery of training for employees, reduce their time away from the job for training, take advantage of expanding technology capabilities and infrastructure and, above all, ensure a tangible transfer of skills that would take internal service quality to an entirely new level. Honda motor also tends to improve their service quality by using a learning management system (LMS) to schedule, administer and track training. The system was applied not only to instructor led offerings but also to pure online training, blended learning and other offerings. Using a customized LMS, Honda employees and their managers learned to define and manage individual training plans as well as enrol in, complete and track their progress courses and curricula through a learner specific Web portal. With LMS, Honda motor able to provide a better service to its customers and win a good reputation among its competitors. Chapter 4 Disposition of the Army Sun Zi said: In ancient times, those who were skilful in warfare ensured that they would not be defeated and then waited for opportunities to defeat the enemy. A good organization must always have a good advance mission and management control to enhance their company strength. Management must always have a well prepare for the organization future development and scoring in the good opportunity arrives thus, organization can make profit on it. Example: Honda Motors company developing abilities and human resource department in their organization which is to provide training to the employees to equip them with necessary skills. Hondas approach to personnel education is based on on-the-job training: building specialized skills and professional capabilities through direct experience. Honda has established on-the-job training programs for each job description, setting qualitative and quantitative targets for the knowledge and skills to be acquired. These programs provide with an opportunity for associates to acquire specialized skills and managerial capabilities while helping supervisors assess and foster the aptitude of the associates they manage. To supplement these on-the-job training programs, Honda also offers off-the-job training designed to provide associates an opportunity to enhance their careers by developing new specialized skills or management capabilities. To support associates who wish to take the initiative to le arn new skills, acquire knowledge, and cultivate themselves in order to fully realize their own potential, Honda offers opportunities for language learning, distance education, and inter-industry exchanges. With this training Honda can enhance their strength of company. Besides that, Sun zi also said that: The ability to prevent defeat depends on oneself, while the opportunity for victory depends on the enemy. The organization must always have a better control on their product pricing, police and place. Furthermore organizations leader also need set a good strategy and market research to take the advantage on the competitors weakness and negligence. Example: In car industry, Honda and Toyota is one of the large competitors of both. Honda and Toyota always have the price differentiate on their product. In 2002 Honda was produce a new model of car which is Honda Civic Dx sedan, the suggested retail price is $13,800 but in the same times Toyota Corolla CE sedan also goes for the market about $13,900. If a buyer they will looking for the product quality and these both cars would have almost same specification, besides that consumer also will compare this two car price. Now the Honda Civic is cheaper than Toyota Corolla. Thus, most of the consumer will make a decision on buying the Honda car. In the case Honda Company was make a good pricing control on their product, Honda was able take a good opportunity to making profit. Chapter 5 Forces According to the study of Sunzi Art of War in chapter 5, which discuss about forces that can be implementing by organizations to face its problem and challenges? Sun Zi said: To manage a large force is similar to managing a small force. So, it is a matter of organization and structure. So, the formations, communications and signals among whole Honda organizations around the world are important to face with challenges. Honda operates in the worldwide market with 134 production facilities in 28 countries and at 31 Research and Development facilities in 15 countries, about 167000 Honda employees and associates serve 23 million customers worldwide annually. So, it is not easy to manage such a large organization. In order to have a better management, Hondas global operations are divided into 6 administrative regions responsible for operating which are Japan, China, North American, Latin  American, Europe and the Middle Near East and  Africa, Asian and Oceania, while hiring and engagi ng the people and philanthropic initiatives locally in the communities that Honda operates. Honda is pushing the independence of their local management and sales operations, at the same time with integrating and forward-looking plan for each region. They operate under the conduct guidelines that help member companies and associates in evaluating and managing risks, complying with laws and regulations, keeping a high level of transparency in operational level, thats all to maximize the worldwide customer satisfaction. In the global business, many top managers still centralize their authority; make most of decisions of  the company. In contrast, Honda follows a different way; most of decisions are made by a group of  responsible persons, including Board of Director, outside directors, outside auditors. Honda decentralizes authority to their associates to maximize the flexibility and diversity in decision making process, and well adapt to the changes of global  market. Making group decision of responsible persons in Honda is extremely effective. The theoretical advantage of this strategy is improving innovation and reducing risk, biased thinking. In fact, this strategic leadership style leads Honda to today success. For instance, the organization of Board of Directors or Board of Auditors includes not only inside companys employees but also external appointees. This feature helps Honda to make the distinction  in global performing and competing. Outside company appointees play the role as su pervising the execution of each board. As the result, the performance of each board becomes effective and efficient rather than organization with entirely inside company employees. By this strategy organizing, the company can ensure that working environment will be fair and strong without dubious cooperation. Honda manages its employees through promoting programs, principles and policies in supporting its organizational human resources. So, when peoples needs are satisfied, they are well motivated, resulting in being eager to contribute more to organization. Honda satisfies not only low  needs (physics, safety, belongings) but also high needs of employees  (esteem and self actualization).  Therefore, Honda is  more effective than a  lot of other companies in motivating people, resulting in efficient,  effective performance of employees and firm as well. Chapter 8 Variations and adaptability Base on chapter 8, it is discussing about the variations and adaptability of a company. This concept is very important because variations and adaptability are the most valuable characteristic of a company. A company that focus on variations will continue to move forward, looking to the future, and know how to shift to fixed current situation successfully. With this characteristic, a company will able to improve their product and services, seeking new opportunities and bringing new things into the market that consumer really need. For example, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami that happen in the year 2011 has forced Honda to halve car production at its  British factory because of a shortage of parts from its homeland. Honda began to implement a strategy of temporary adjustments that reduce daily production levels at its U.S. and Canadian auto plants on March 30 2011 as a result of interruptions in parts supplies from Japan in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami. By taking this action, Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) will be able to continue production by utilising HUMs flexible working policy. Pay is maintained for all associates. Once full production is resumed, the reduced volume production will be quickly recovered using the banked hours. Ken Keir, executive vice president of Honda Motor Europe, said: Weve taken the decision to reduce our production volumes at HUM as it enables us to continue with our manufacturing activities, thus minimising the impact on Honda customers, dealers and associ ates. As parts supply stabilises and full production resumes, Honda will quickly develop a production schedule to meet the needs of Hondas European customers, said todays statement. The other example are as Honda motor decision making is decentralized, this will facilitates rapid response to change in two or more environments. For instance, when some changes occur in American market, the local company freely makes decision in order to immediately adapt to the market. Instead of waiting the decision from Parents Company, it has authority to themselves decides, resulting in saving time, cost and reducing risk. Hence, Hondas associates more efficiently and effectively in exchange information  together. The third example is Honda introduced  Air Blade Scooter with functions like sport and fashion model which are more fuel-efficient engine technology in Vietnam on April 2007 to attract the youth in Vietnam because Honda Vietnam has recognise that younger people in Vietnams prefer nice and expensive scooter and fashion accessory. So, Honda Vietnams has come out with idea in producing Air Blade Scooter to fulfil the local demand and it has successfully sold 950000 units after introduce Air Blake Scooter. 4.) Recommendations Sun Zi said: If you can analyze your weaknesses or disadvantage, you can always use your strength to cover it and win in the business games. Analysis is very important to a company. A company will know their strength and weaknesses and opportunities about the new market. So, Honda motor should have the analysis and planning before they introduce a new product to the market. By do the survey and research, Honda can know the needs of the market and can improve the quality of product to make sure the product is fit with the needs of market. This will make the product more successful. As mentioned by Sun Zi, in strategic management, product must be differentiated from other similar products, or you will be spurned. Honda motor should introduce a new product that differentiated with other competitor such as Toyota and Nissan. Honda tends to come out with several ways in improving their weakness and exploit their strength in the market to gain profit and advantages over its competitor. Honda motor should focus on this new product, so when the products come out, it will be very strong compare with its competitors products. The proposal to produce this new product must be confidential; the other competitors must not know the plan of Honda motor. When Honda motor introduces the new product to the market, competitor will dont know how to defend, and the new product can be very successful. Besides that, Honda can become first mover to control the whole market situation and let the competitor to follow Honda motor. Employees are the most important sources of a company. So, Honda motor must have a good communication with the worker, try to understand their situation and satisfy their needs. Besides, Honda motor can provide some training to the employee, so that they can upgrade their skill and knowledge about the technologies. Thus, they can use their knowledge to develop new product and help Honda to gain more advantages. On the other hand, Honda motor also can provides motivation campaign for the employees; this can give the chances to let the manager to interact with employees and improve co-operative between them. Furthermore, the manager can become the role model to the employees; this can motivate the employees to be more productive. Honda motor can give the rewards to the employees that have the well performance. This can maintain the employees performance and increase their motivation. Beside, Honda also can gives the appreciate to all the workers so that the workers can know that their hard work are being appreciated and they will work more hard. This can help the company to run more smoothly. In addition, as mentioned by Sun Zi, The main purpose of the war is to win in the battle and not to prolong the battle. Same with the business, speed is one of the ways to reduce the organization operating cost. Most of the business is selling their SPEED concept for example INTEL, UPS and DHL. So, Honda should decrease the operating time because longer time taken to complete a product, more expenses is needed. When the time for operation is shorter, then productivity of organization is increase and improves their value in the market. Indirectly it will become more competitive advantage for the organization.