Article Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Article Analysis - Research Paper Example Consequent to the reduce demand, February-delivery of heating oil fell by 1.2 percent on the New York Mercantile Exchange. This paper explores how consumption patterns over a period affect the price of heating oil – when supply remains the same; demand remains the same. The paper also reviews how price elasticity of the demand for a given commodity plays a crucial role in deciding about its demand patterns. While Supply Remains Fairly Same, Price of the Commodity May Still Fall Heating oil is a freely traded commodity and its supply and demand patterns largely decide about its prices. Heating oil is a hugely consumed commodity in the U.S and globally. Apart its industrial consumption, heating oil is largely consumed by the Northeast region of the U.S. to provide warmth in the homes during winter months. It is obvious that its demand usually surges during winter months; however, this winter, as reported in the article, heating oil experienced a subdued demand; perhaps, due to m ilder winter or due to economic recession that is going in the US for quite some time or mix of it. Market always draws inference about the likely consumption from the past data and accordingly readies itself for the supply; however, when for some reason demand does not match intended supply, the price starts plummeting to find a new equilibrium. Heating oil is a sensitive item and its prices keep on fluctuating regularly following change in supply and demand dynamics. When demand and supply positions are in equilibrium prices remain fairly stationary but that is not found in case of heating oil as consumption patterns keep on changing due to various reasons regularly. The following schematic represents how new equilibrium from E1 to E2 is quickly achieved in reference to the reduced demand. D1 Price D2 Supply E1 E2 Quantity While Demand Remaining Fairly Unchanged, Price of the Commodity May Still Rise The article speaks about the reduction in the prices of heating oil due to reduce d demand; however, reverse is also true that when supply of the heating oil plummets while its demand remains more or less unchanged, its price may still rise. Though heating oil is a refinery product but its pricing is largely linked with the price of crude oil and its supply, which is controlled by OPEC countries. OPEC being an international cartel of the major crude oil producing countries controls its supply so as to prevent prices to go down beyond certain levels. This is done largely by controlling supply of the crude through reduced production among its member countries. The law of demand and supply in price determination takes its course even then. The reduced supply arrests the fall of price to find a new equilibrium that can restore the minimum desired price by this cartel. Thus, OPEC members have been maneuvering the supply of the crude oil by administering the production quota for its member countries to maintain its prices above certain levels that in turn does not allo w the prices of all downstream products to fall below specific levels. However, in a dynamic world things keep on changing rapidly. Any new large oil finds anywhere in the world outside OPEC may alter supply dynamics of crude oil and change the price behavior of all downstream products including heating oil. The Price-elasticity of Demand of Heating Oil is Low The price elasticity is a measure of the change in demand

The Value of Philosophy Essay Example for Free

The Value of Philosophy Essay Thesis Statement: According to Russell, the value of philosophy is that it frees our mind to think of other possibilities; unlike science which may provide us definite answers, but does not deal with other aspects of human soul.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Russell described â€Å"practical† men as individuals who only recognize material needs for the body, but not goods for the mind where the value of philosophy can be found. Russell is pertaining to the knowledge that can be achieved through the study of philosophy. This knowledge is different from what science can study or tell. Science can provide definite answers, but philosophy may not. Although, philosophy can deal with questions with no definite answers (Russell).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Philosophy has uncertainty in answering questions, but it allows for more consideration of the question, its importance, and extends the limitations of what are already answered by science; and because of this uncertainty, we find the value of philosophy (Russell). Given all the definite answers we have and needed, we tend not to raise questions, doubts, or think of other possibilities; but with philosophy or through philosophizing, we are able to think of other possible consequences or problems that may arise. Our thoughts are freed and liberated. It increases are knowledge through the reduction of dogmatism because dogmatism reduces ability to reason and expand in learning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Life with philosophy is free unlike a life that is bounded by the world because we are limited and controlled. We just accept what is given and live a life that we think is acceptable, a life that is dictated. The value of philosophy is that it helps us in finding the true meaning of life and not just living life as it is. With science, we are bound by its limitations, limitations to answer all our questions thus proving that science has weakness too or that it may not provide complete answers. On the other hand, philosophy allows human mind for more speculation of how things are and on how things will be. REFERENCE: Russell, B. Chapter XV: The Value of Philosophy.  Ã‚   Retrieved 17 September, 2007, from http://skepdic.com/russell.html

Letter to Teacher for On the Run by Michael Coleman :: Essays Papers

How are you? For my weekly reading of, twenty minutes reading every five days a week, I read two great books I have finished my first book called On the Run by Michael Coleman. The second book was too long and I might have to stop reading this one because it a long and high level book for me. It called The Alchemyst by Michael Scott. I read half of it. This book is about Luke Reid, which is fifteen years old, who had been under arrest for theft more times than he can remember. His talent of picking lock has always helped him. One day there was a pair of remarkable shoes in the 4X4 car, so he starts picking the lock that he was successful at with easy. Just when he was about to grab the shoes these neighborhood thugs, know as Lee Young and Mig Russell, they intersected him and toke the car. When leaving they all most killed the Owners daughter, if it was not for Luke she would died. Luke is caught and is take to juvenile court there he was sentenced the most unusual sentence ever to any one. Luke is to help the carÂ’s ownerÂ’s daughter, Jodi who has been blind since infancy, acting as her guide runner in an upcoming marathon. Does Luke take this chance of changing or does he pass it and run away breaking a heart of poor girl who would rather died by him then get betray by him. Luke because he has been thought a metaphors that surprised me and most readers also. Was it good or not it for you to find out? Protagonist is depended on antagonist because protagonist is a good person, hero, the best, etc. To be a good person, hero, or best there must be other who will be against protagonist. These characters are antagonist. Protagonist is most of the time noting without antagonist. Antagonist is noting with protagonist because they are against them so both are depended on each other. The police officer that caught Luke was on tough man. He must have been hard working to caught Luke. Time play a very important role in this book. It all if he was faster or if he had more time. The places did not matter as much. It could be changed if given a little thought into it and the story would still would be the some.

Recreational Vehicle Magazine Ad

Recreational Vehicle Magazine Ad The RV model I want to advertise is the most expensive, highline. Most people would think that expensive vehicles are not exactly what people need in the economy we’re having at the moment. However, I want to make a point that recreational vehicle is not a necessity, it is a luxury. Since it is a personal luxury, so why not make it luxurious. When I say luxurious, the vehicle has to represent the glamour of every little detail. We have to exceed the consumer’s expectations and bring it to the next level. Most consumers want something they can make it unique and design it if they’re given the opportunity.Plus, anything luxurious is more attractive than average. My Highline will have customized interior and/or exterior, spacious living space, reliable performance, and of course, its unlimited warranty. The suitable target audience for my project will be the middle age people. As the baby boomers generation ages, retirement is someth ing they are looking forward to. Traveling has been always on top of their lists as soon as they’re finished with their careers. At that point in their lives, they deserve a branded, one of a kind vehicle that they can have as their travel companion.Also, retired people do not really have children at home to think of and to spend money onto. They are at the age where they only spend on themselves trying to live their lives to the fullest. When advertising to the middle age group, the magazine that will be read by the target audience is something that has less clutter and straightforward with its content such as National Geographic Traveler Magazine. National Geographic Traveler Magazine is dedicated to the travelers. While there are plenty of travel magazines out there, the Traveler Magazine has a section of driving vacations where I want my ad to be inserted.Looking at the beautiful driving destinations posted on the magazine, consumers will be interested on looking at my lu xurious RV ad and people who can afford will probably get one. Fleetwood and Airstream are my two main competitors. Both companies have been around for more than two decades. Their names are popular with RV lovers. They are more experienced than American RV which is hard to compete with. On the other hand, they are not known for their luxury RVs. This is where American RV will persuade the consumers. I want to portray an image that only American RV has the best option of customization in the market.

Communication cycle Essay

Human spoken and pictorial languages can be described as a system of symbols (sometimes known as lexemes) and the grammars (rules) by which the symbols are manipulated. The word â€Å"language† also refers to common properties of languages. Language learning normally occurs most intensively during human childhood. Most of the thousands of human languages use patterns of sound or gesture for symbols which enable communication with others around them. Languages seem to share certain properties although many of these include exceptions. There is no defined line between a language and a dialect. Constructed languages such as Esperanto, programming languages, and various mathematical formalisms are not necessarily restricted to the properties shared by human languages. Communication is the flow or exchange of information within people or a group of people. A variety of verbal and non-verbal means of communicating exists such as body language, eye contact, sign language, haptic communication, chronemics, and media content such as pictures, graphics, sound, and writing. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities also defines the communication to include the display of text, Braille, tactile communication, large print, accessible multimedia, as well as written and plain language, human-reader, augmentative and alternative modes, means and formats of communication, including accessible information and communication technology.[3] Feedback is critical to effective communication between participants. Nonverbal communication[edit source | editbeta] Main article: Nonverbal communication Nonverbal communication describes the process of conveying meaning in the form of non-word messages. Some forms of non verbal communication include chronemics, haptics, gesture, body language or posture, facial expression and eye contact, object communication such as clothing, hairstyles, architecture, symbols, infographics, and tone of voice, as well as through an aggregate of the above. Speech also contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage. These include voice lesson quality, emotion and speaking style as well as prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation and stress. Research has shown that up to 55% of spoken communication may occur through non verbal facial expressions, and a further 38% through paralanguage.[4] Likewise, written texts include nonverbal elements such as handwriting  style, spatial arrangement of words and the use of emoticons to convey emotional expressions in pictorial form. Oral communication[edit source | editbeta] Oral communication, while primarily referring to spoken verbal communication, can also employ visual aids and non-verbal elements to support the conveyance of meaning. Oral communication includes speeches, presentations, discussions, and aspects of interpersonal communication. As a type of face-to-face communication, body language and choice tonality play a significant role, and may have a greater impact upon the listener than informational content. This type of communication also garners immediate feedback. Business communication[edit source | editbeta] Main article: Business communication A business can flourish only when all objectives of the organization are achieved effectively. For efficiency in an organization, all the people of the organization must be able to convey their message properly.[citation needed] Written communication and its historical development[edit source | editbeta] Over time the forms of and ideas about communication have evolved through the continuing progression of technology. Advances include communications psychology and media psychology, an emerging field of study. The progression of written communication can be divided into three revolutionary stages called â€Å"Information Communication Revolutions†.[5] During the first stage, written communication first emerged through the use of pictographs. The pictograms were made in stone, hence written communication was not yet mobile. During the second stage, writing began to appear on paper, papyrus, clay, wax, etc. with common alphabets. The third stage is characterized by the transfer of information through controlled waves of electromagnetic radiation (i.e., radio, microwave, infrared) and other electronic signals. Communication is thus a process by which meaning is assigned and conveyed in an attempt to create shared understanding. This process, which requires a vast repertoire of skills in interpersonal processing, listening, observing,  speaking, questioning, analyzing, gestures, and evaluating enables collaboration and cooperation.[6] Misunderstandings can be anticipated and solved through formulations, questions and answers, paraphrasing, examples, and stories of strategic talk. Written communication can be clarified by planning follow-up talks on critical written communication as part of the every-day way of doing business. A few minutes spent talking in the present will save valuable time later by avoiding misunderstandings in advance. A frequent method for this purpose is reiterating what one heard in one’s own words and asking the other person if that really was what was meant.[7] Effective communication[edit source | editbeta] Effective communication occurs when a desired effect is the result of intentional or unintentional information sharing, which is interpreted between multiple entities and acted on in a desired way. This effect also ensures the message is not distorted during the communication process. Effective communication should generate the desired effect and maintain the effect, with the potential to increase the effect of the message. Therefore, effective communication serves the purpose for which it was planned or designed. Possible purposes might be to elicit change, generate action, create understanding, inform or communicate a certain idea or point of view. When the desired effect is not achieved, factors such as barriers to communication are explored, with the intention being to discover how the communication has been ineffective. Barriers to effective human communication[edit source | editbeta] Barriers to effective communication can retard or distort the message and intention of the message being conveyed which may result in failure of the communication process or an effect that is undesirable. These include filtering, selective perception, information overload, emotions, language, silence, communication apprehension, gender differences and political correctness [8] This also includes a lack of expressing â€Å"knowledge-appropriate† communication, which occurs when a person uses ambiguous or complex legal words, medical jargon, or descriptions of a situation or environment that is not understood by the recipient. Physical barriers[edit source | editbeta] Physical barriers are often due to the nature of the environment. An example  of this is the natural barrier which exists if staff are located in different buildings or on different sites. Likewise, poor or outdated equipment, particularly the failure of management to introduce new technology, may also cause problems. Staff shortages are another factor which frequently causes communication difficulties for an organization. While distractions like background noise, poor lighting or an environment which is too hot or cold can all affect people’s morale and concentration, which in turn interfere with effective communication.4444 System design[edit source | editbeta] System design faults refer to problems with the structures or systems in place in an organization. Examples might include an organizational structure which is unclear and therefore makes it confusing to know whom to communicate with. Other examples could be inefficient or inappropriate information systems, a lack of supervision or training, and a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities which can lead to staff being uncertain about what is expected of them. Attitudinal barriers[edit source | editbeta] Attitudinal barriers come about as a result of problems with staff in an organization. These may be brought about, for example, by such factors as poor management, lack of consultation with employees, personality conflicts which can result in people delaying or refusing to communicate, the personal attitudes of individual employees which may be due to lack of motivation or dissatisfaction at work, brought about by insufficient training to enable them to carry out particular tasks, or just resistance to change due to entrenched attitudes and ideas, it may be as a result delay in payment at the end of the month. Ambiguity of words/phrases[edit source | editbeta] Words sounding the same but having different meaning can convey a different meaning altogether. Hence the communicator must ensure that the receiver receives the same meaning. It is better if such words are avoided by using alternatives whenever possible. Individual linguistic ability[edit source | editbeta] The use of jargon, difficult or inappropriate words in communication can prevent the recipients from understanding the message. Poorly explained or misunderstood messages can also result in confusion. However, research in communication has shown that confusion can lend legitimacy to research when persuasion fails.[9][10][11] Physiological barriers[edit source | editbeta] These may result from individuals’ personal discomfort, caused—for example—by ill health, poor eyesight or hearing difficulties. Presentation of information[edit source | editbeta] Presentation of information is important to aid understanding. Simply put, the communicator must consider the audience before making the presentation itself and in cases where it is not possible the presenter can at least try to simplify his/her vocabulary so that the majority can understand. Nonhuman communication[edit source | editbeta] See also: Biocommunication (science) and Interspecies communication Every information exchange between living organisms — i.e. transmission of signals that involve a living sender and receiver can be considered a form of communication; and even primitive creatures such as corals are competent to communicate. Nonhuman communication also include cell signaling, cellular communication, and chemical transmissions between primitive organisms like bacteria and within the plant and fungal kingdoms. Animal communication[edit source | editbeta] The broad field of animal communication encompasses most of the issues in ethology. Animal communication can be defined as any behavior of one animal that affects the current or future behavior of another animal. The study of animal communication, called zoo semiotics (distinguishable from anthroposemiotics, the study of human communication) has played an important part in the development of ethology, sociobiology, and the study of animal cognition. Animal communication, and indeed the understanding of the animal world in general, is a rapidly growing field, and even in the 21st century so far, a great share of prior understanding related to diverse fields such as personal symbolic name use, animal emotions, animal culture and learning, and even sexual conduct, long thought to be well understood, has been  revolutionized. Plants and fungi[edit source | editbeta] Communication is observed within the plant organism, i.e. within plant cells and between plant cells, between plants of the same or related species, and between plants and non-plant organisms, especially in the root zone. Plant roots communicate in parallel with rhizome bacteria, with fungi and with insects in the soil. These parallel sign-mediated interactions are governed by syntactic, pragmatic, and semantic rules, and are possible because of the decentralized â€Å"nervous system† of plants. The original meaning of the word â€Å"neuron† in Greek is â€Å"vegetable fiber† and recent research has shown that most of the microorganism plant communication processes are neuronal-like.[12] Plants also communicate via volatiles when exposed to herbivory attack behavior, thus warning neighboring plants. In parallel they produce other volatiles to attract parasites which attack these herbivores. In stress situations plants can overwrite the genomes they inherited from their parents and revert to that of their grand- or great-grandparents.[citation needed] Fungi communicate to coordinate and organize their growth and development such as the formation of Marcelia and fruiting bodies. Fungi communicate with their own and related species as well as with non fungal organisms in a great variety of symbiotic interactions, especially with bacteria, unicellular eukaryote, plants and insects through biochemicals of biotic origin. The biochemicals trigger the fungal organism to react in a specific manner, while if the same chemical molecules are not part of biotic messages, they do not trigger the fungal organism to react. This implies that fungal organisms can differentiate between molecules taking part in biotic messages and similar molecules being irrelevant in the situation. So far five different primary signalling molecules are known to coordinate different behavioral patterns such as filamentation, mating, growth, and pathogenicity. Behavioral coordination and production of signaling substances is achieved through interpretation processes that enables the organism to differ between self or non-self, a biotic indicator, biotic message from similar, related, or non-related species, and even filter out â€Å"noise†, i.e. similar molecules without biotic content.[13] Bacteria quorum sensing[edit source | editbeta] Communication is not a tool used only by humans, plants and animals, but it is also used by microorganisms like bacteria. The process is called quorum sensing. Through quorum sensing, bacteria are able to sense the density of cells, and regulate gene expression accordingly. This can be seen in both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. This was first observed by Fuqua et al. in marine microorganisms like V. harveyi and V. fischeri.[14] Communication cycle

Geography of the Countries of Africa

Geography of the Countries of Africa The continent of Africa is the worlds second-largest based on land area and population just after Asia. It has a population of around one billion people (as of 2009) and covers 20.4% of the Earths land area. Africa is bordered by the  Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.Africa is known for its biodiversity, varied topography, culture, and varied climate. The continent straddles the equator and encompasses the entire tropical band. Africas northern and southernmost countries also stretch out of the tropics (from 0 ° to 23.5 ° N and S latitude) and into the northern and southern temperate latitudes (latitudes above the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn).As the worlds second-largest continent, Africa is divided into 53 officially recognized countries. The following is a list of Africas countries ordered by land area. For reference, the countrys population and capital cit y have also been included. 1) SudanArea: 967,500 square miles (2,505,813 sq km)Population: 39,154,490Capital: Khartoum2) AlgeriaArea: 919,594 square miles (2,381,740 sq km)Population: 33,333,216Capital: Algiers3) Democratic Republic of the CongoArea: 905,355 square miles (2,344,858 sq km)Population: 63,655,000Capital: Kinshasa4) LibyaArea: 679,362 square miles (1,759,540 sq km)Population: 6,036,914Capital: Tripoli5) ChadArea: 495,755 square miles (1,284,000 sq km)Population: 10,146,000Capital: NDjamena6) NigerArea: 489,191 square miles (1,267,000 sq km)Population: 13,957,000Capital: Niamey7) AngolaArea: 481,353 square miles (1,246,700 sq km)Population: 15,941,000Capital: Luanda8) MaliArea: 478,840 square miles (1,240,192 sq km)Population: 13,518,000Capital: Bamako9) South AfricaArea: 471,455 square miles (1,221,037 sq km)Population: 47,432,000Capital: Pretoria10) EthiopiaArea: 426,372 square miles (1,104,300 sq km)Population: 85,237,338Capital: Addis Ababa11) MauritaniaArea: 396,955 square miles (1,030,700 sq km)Population: 3,069,000Capital: Nouakchott12) EgyptArea: 386,661 square miles (1,001,449 sq km)Population: 80,335,036Capital: Cairo13) TanzaniaArea: 364,900 square miles (945,087 sq km)Population: 37,849,133Capital: Dodoma14) NigeriaArea: 356,668 square miles (923,768 sq km)Population: 154,729,000Capital: Abuja15) NamibiaArea: 318,695 square miles (825,418 sq km)Population: 2,031,000Capital: Windhoek16) MozambiqueArea: 309,495 square miles (801,590 sq km)Population: 20,366,795Capital: Maputo17) ZambiaArea: 290,585 square miles (752,614 sq km)Population: 14,668,000Capital: Lusaka18) SomaliaArea: 246,200 square miles (637,657 sq km)Population: 9,832,017Capital: Mogadishu19) Central African RepublicArea: 240,535 square miles (622,984 sq km)Population: 4,216,666Capital: Bangui20) MadagascarArea: 226,658 square miles (587,041 sq km)Population: 18,606,000Capital: Antananarivo21) BotswanaArea: 224,340 square miles (581,041 sq km)Population: 1,839,833Capital: Gaborone22) KenyaArea: 224,080 square miles (580,367 sq km)Population: 34,707,817Capital: Nairobi23) CameroonArea: 183,569 square miles (475,442 sq km)Population: 17,795,000Capital: Yaoundà ©24) MoroccoArea: 172,414 square miles (446,550 sq km)Population: 33,757,175Capital: Rabat25) ZimbabweArea: 150,872 square miles (390,757 sq km)Population: 13,010,000Capital: Harare 26) Republic of the CongoArea: 132,046 square miles (342,000 sq km)Population: 4,012,809Capital: Brazzaville27) Cà ´te dIvoireArea: 124,502 square miles (322,460 sq km)Population: 17,654,843Capital: Yamoussoukro28) Burkina FasoArea: 105,792 square miles (274,000 sq km)Population: 13,228,000Capital: Ouagadougou29) GabonArea: 103,347 square miles (267,668 sq km)Population, 1,387,000Capital: Libreville30) GuineaArea: 94,925 square miles (245,857 sq km)Population: 9,402,000Capital: Conakry31)  GhanaArea: 92,098 square miles (238,534 sq km)Population: 23,000,000Capital: Accra32) UgandaArea: 91,135 square miles (236,040 sq km)Population: 27,616,000Capital: Kampala33) SenegalArea: 75,955 square miles (196,723 sq km)Population: 11,658,000Capital: Dakar34) TunisiaArea: 63,170 square miles (163,610 sq km)Population: 10,102,000Capital: Tunis35) MalawiArea: 45,746 square miles (118,484 sq km)Population: 12,884,000Capital: Lilongwe36) EritreaArea: 45,405 square miles (117,600 sq km)Population: 4,401,000Capital: Asmara37) BeninArea: 43,484 square miles (112,622 sq km)Population: 8,439,000Capital: Porto Novo38) LiberiaArea: 43,000 square miles (111,369 sq km)Population: 3,283,000Capital: Monrovia39) Sierra LeoneArea: 27,699 square miles (71,740 sq km)Population: 6,144,562Capital: Freetown40) TogoArea: 21,925 square miles (56,785 sq km)Population: 6,100,000Capital: Lomà ©41) Guinea-BissauArea: 13,948 square miles (36,125 sq km)Population: 1,586,000Capital: Bissau42) LesothoArea: 11,720 square miles (30,355 sq km)Population: 1,795,000Capital: Maseru43) Equatorial GuineaArea: 10,830 square miles (28,051 sq km)Population: 504,000Capital: Malabo44) BurundiArea: 10,745 square miles (27,830 sq km)Population: 7,548,000Capital: Gitega (changed from Bujumbura in December 2018)45) RwandaArea: 10,346 square miles (26,798 sq km)Population: 7,600,000Capital: Kigali46) DjiboutiArea: 8,957 square miles (23,200 sq km)Population: 496,374Capital: Djibouti47) SwazilandArea: 6,704 square mile s (17,364 sq km)Population: 1,032,000Capital: Lobamba and Mbabane48) GambiaArea: 4,007 square miles (10,380 sq km)Population: 1,517,000Capital: Banjul49) Cape VerdeArea: 1,557 square miles (4,033 sq km)Population: 420,979Capital: Praia50) ComorosArea: 863 square miles (2,235 sq km)Population: 798,000Capital: Moroni51) MauritiusArea: 787 square miles (2,040 sq km)Population: 1,219,220Capital: Port Louis52) So Tomà © and Prà ­ncipeArea: 380 square miles (984 sq km)Population: 157,000Capital: So Tomà ©53) SeychellesArea: 175 square miles (455 sq km)Population: 88,340Capital: Victoria References Wikipedia. (2010, June 8).  Africa- Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa Wikipedia. (2010, June 12).  List of African Countries and Territories- Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African_countries_and_territories

3 More Types of Hyphenation Errors with Numbers

3 More Types of Hyphenation Errors with Numbers 3 More Types of Hyphenation Errors with Numbers 3 More Types of Hyphenation Errors with Numbers By Mark Nichol These three sentences exemplify incorrect insertion or omission of hyphens in numerical references. Each sentence is accompanied by a discussion and a revision. 1. The two albums have sold close to 30-million copies combined worldwide. The combination of a numeral and a word expressing an order of magnitude is never hyphenated; the usage, a simplified version of the cluttered-looking numerical representation 3,000,000, is not a phrasal adjective: â€Å"The two albums have sold close to 30 million copies combined worldwide.† (This is true even when the number is a phrasal adjective: â€Å"The 30 million figure is unprecedented,† though it is better to relax such a statement to read, â€Å"The figure of 30 million is unprecedented.†) â€Å"The 30-million-dollar figure is unprecedented.† In such usage, the number is often spelled out: â€Å"The two albums have sold close to thirty million copies combined worldwide.† No hyphen is required in this case, either (â€Å"The thirty million figure is unprecedented†), though, again, it reads better in a more relaxed state (â€Å"The figure of thirty million is unprecedented†). When yet another word is included to form a phrasal adjective, however, whether the number is in numeral form or spelled out, hyphenate all three elements: â€Å"The 30-million-dollar figure is unprecedented†; â€Å"The thirty-million-dollar figure is unprecedented.† 2. These phases are often subdivided into 30, 60, and 90-day segments to manage specific milestones with greater precision. This sentence refers to segments of 30, 60, and 90 days’ duration, but the word day in the phrasal adjectives â€Å"30-day† and â€Å"60-day† has been elided because the use of the word in â€Å"90-day† makes it clear that the unit of time is implied for all three numbers. However, when this technique, called suspensive hyphenation, is employed, the hyphen must be retained after all three figures: â€Å"These phases are often subdivided into 30-, 60-, and 90-day segments to manage specific milestones with greater precision.† 3. We anticipate that significant unplanned outages of the network will occur approximately five-ten times a year. If the numbers in this sentence were treated as numerals, the correct style would be â€Å"5–10 times a year,† but an en dash should not be used in a number range when the numbers are spelled out (nor should a hyphen, which, as here, is often used erroneously in place of the dash): â€Å"We anticipate that significant unplanned outages of the network will occur approximately five to ten times a year.† (Some publications deliberately use hyphens in number ranges because a hyphen takes only a single keystroke to type.) Todays video: Both vs. Neither 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 Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Creative Writing 101The Difference Between "will" and "shall"Woof or Weft?

Canned Air Isnt Air (Chemical Composition)

Canned Air Isnt Air (Chemical Composition) Canned air isnt air, though it is canned. Its not even filled with a gas you normally find in air. Canned air or gas duster is a product that uses compressed gas to clean surfaces. Its nice for blasting out keyboard chow and dust bunnies in the cooling vents of computers and other electronic devices. You may have heard about people dying from purposely inhaling canned air, presumably trying to get high off of it. There are two ways you can die from this practice. One is from anoxia or simply not getting enough oxygen. The other is from the toxicity of the gases used in the product. The usual gases found in canned air are difluoroethane, trifluoroethane, tetrafluoroethane, or butane. Butane is an interesting choice because its flammable, so using canned air to cool hot electronics may not be a wise decision (see my burning bubbles project if you need convincing about potential flammability). Incidentally, burning the fluorocarbons tends to produce extra-nasty chemicals such as hydrofluoric acid and carbonyl fluoride. My laptop would suffocate and overheat without a little help from canned air every now and then. Its a useful product to have around. Just dont go thinking its a harmless household chemical, because its not.

Eusebius and the History of the Church Term Paper

Eusebius and the History of the Church - Term Paper Example the lines, it is also to Eusebius’ merit that most, if not all of his sources were properly credited, and acknowledged, which is very unusual for historians at that time. One of the most noted and referred books written by Eusebius is Ekklestiastices Historias, or The History of the Church, was originally in Greek, and was translated in numerous languages during the course of history. This paper will focus on the eighth book, which tells about the persecutions of emperors from Diocletian to Maximian, and the tenth book, which is about the reign of Constantine and the tolerance of the Romans to Christians that resulted in the time of peace and tranquility. The eighth book in Eusebius’ Ekklestiastices Historias tells of the rise of the Christian faith, as well as its fall, which he accounts to the events that he himself experienced in his own time.3 Initially, the Roman rulers and officers were very favorable with regards to those of the Christian faith. Aside from lettin g the lesser of the people worship in accord to their own chosen faith, Christians were also able to hold offices, govern and rule, as well as to mingle with the upper ranks of the Roman Empire. Moreover, the clergy and other church leaders were also treated with respect not just by their own people, but also those Romans with noble birth.4 With the arrival of peace and tolerance, however, internal discord starts to brew within the structure of the Christian church itself. Due to the gains the Christians had in freedom, fights among them became common. These fights not only included the worshippers, but also their church leaders as well. Eusebius attributed the succeeding events to Divine intervention, when persecutions to Christians in the government offices and the army started. While initially there was not much thought given about it, as the changes in the governance kept sliding past the Christian groups bit by bit, after several generations the Christians were once again subje ct to the punishments that the early martyrs undertook. The different manners that the Roman Empire tortured its citizens of the Christian faith were described in detail by Eusebius. Among these forms of capital punishments are: death by strangling; beheading; being burned while still alive; bodies thrown into the depths of the sea; even digging up the corpses of some and being thrown in the sea as well, thinking that these bodies might become the subject of worship by those who remain. 5 The destruction of churches and the burning of scriptures during the reign of Diocletian during his reign in 284-305 were also recorded in full detail. As the festival of the Savior’s passion (Easter) approached, aside from the demolition of churches and the eradication of Christian scriptures, those of the Christian faith holding ranks in offices were immediately removed, and those who continue to

(Annotated Bibliography) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

(Annotated Bibliography) - Research Paper Example The design is done regularly and it needs step by step process. The design defines the specifications, plans, parameters, activities, processes and how and what to do within legal, social, environmental, safety and economic constraints in achieving an objective. An example is Wright brother’s aircraft, it did not fly well for the first time and they started again and they solved the significant problems of controlling the airplane rising motion. According to the author, the solution of a problem does not appear suddenly from nowhere (Khandani 2005). To get a comprehensive solution to a design, a methodology is required. The article informs the process of design by explaining five steps that are usually applied in design. These are defining the problem, collecting required information, generating multiple solutions, analyzing the selected solutions and testing and implementation of the solution. Bad designs sometimes occur, but until the machine is build and tested so as to kno w the problem and difficulties that might be faced. The article is unique from others because it argues that to get a solution, you must first try and a process needs to be followed in order to arrive at a solution. In comparison to other sources, the source provides information about mechanical engineering required design for the machines in order to be efficient. In contrast it explains that solving a design problem is normally an iterative process: As the solution to a design problem evolves, an engineer will end up continually refining the design. Rolf Faste. The Human Challenge in Engineering Design. TEMPUS Publications. Engng Ed. Vol. 17, Nos. 4 and 5, pp. 327- 331, 2001 Changes in the design technology over a period of time have transformed the nature of the products (Faste, 2001). The changes in design have enabled the globalization of free enterprise economics. The design of products and manufacturing has become international activities lately. Overtime, the products in the manufacturing industries have changed due to new design and manufacturing strategies. The design has changed the consumer products in US, for example automobiles, household appliances, TVs and telephones have changed tremendously. Currently, the design and manufacturing should contend with the utility that is complex and unfolds with time (Faste, 2001). This has solved the current problems because in the recent time, designers are designing behaviors and experiences for people, this shows that the work of the engineers has entangled in the recent times. The application of computer aided programs in design have compressed the development cycle to a situation where concurrent interdisciplinary design must be used (Faste, 2001). Design technology is evolving very fast such that traditional techniques are not in a position of anticipating what need to be done next. The involvement of computer aided programs has made the work of the architects and designers since there are software†™s that have been developed to make design easy. The total result of these changes is that engineering should be involved in the entire process of product design to its full extend. The article is unique from others because it explains three things that must be present for a product to be designed successfully; these are utility, usability, and meaning. The author argues that the change in the technology has significantly transformed the nature of the products. In contrast to other sources, the article provides information that manufacturing and

Why do I want to study commercial aviation management with flight Essay

Why do I want to study commercial aviation management with flight option at the university of western ontario - Essay Example progress had been made during the course of time that altered the very style of human life, is the outcome of magnificent imagination and superb thoughtfulness that led man’s way cave-age of Paleolithic and Neolithic eras to contemporary age of technologic advancement. Flying in air has always been man’s unabated passion for centuries, and he made efforts to have command over air in different times. Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright were the first persons to manage the very first flight of human history in 1903 through the very crude form of modern aero plane. With the passage of time, significant improvements were made in the machinery, appearance and technology of the plane turning into a safe, comfortable, speedy and swift mode of traveling. At present, thousands of the schools and universities are offering the studies related to commercial and defense aeronautics and air travel. It is fact beyond doubt that nature has created billions of people with different physical and mental features and characteristics. It is therefore, not only their can be observed individuality and uniqueness in their appearance, but also their actions, reactions, social behavior and thinking are also quite different from others. â€Å"If any human being†, Bacon argues, â€Å"earnestly desire to push on to new discoveries instead of just retaining and using the old; to win victories over Nature as a worker rather than over hostile critics as a disputant; to attain, in fact, clear and demonstrative knowledge instead of attractive and probable theory; we invite him as a true son of Science to join our ranks.† It is man’s soaring ideas and extraordinary thinking that distinguish him from others. The same is the case with me. I was born in Saudi Arabia, and got my early education in the same country. Since my father has high business ambitions and he travels wide fr om one country to the other in respect of corporate activities, I also got chances of traveling with him during these

The John Lewis Partnership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The John Lewis Partnership - Essay Example 6). The original owner of the business, John Lewis set up this particular business in 1864. Later in 1905, his son John Spedan Lewis became the head of Lewis’s other store (Peter John in Sloane Square). Political pressures to the extent of making major serious decisions regarding the company lured John Spedan Lewis so much. John Spedan wanted the company managed in a totally different manner. He decided that every single employee of the company who was permanent was going to have shares in the business; therefore, he organized the launching of a staff profit sharing plan, which was held at one if the businesses (Peter Jones store). The structure of the organization has become totally different in the sense that, everybody in the company has the say and gets the shares instead of having one director owning the company and making major decision. Everybody who works in the company is a boss and there is no possibility of having rules that can be followed as there is no one in cha rge of that work. This is because everybody in the company is a director. (Pederson 2008, p. 165). Finance Partners in the company have a direct monetary attention, making them exercise their power in the company. This is because in JLP, all partners are entitled to a yearly bonus, which is obtained from the company’s annual profits (that is 10% - 15% of every individual’s annual earnings). ... The partners together with their families have the privilege to enjoy all the leisure and accommodation in the facilities; hence this will most likely result in the collapse of the business in future. Marketing LP works in selections of highly aggressive business surroundings; Tesco, Sainsbury and walmat (Asda), thus controlling the food retail market in the United Kingdom. JLP has also ventured into the clothing business, electronics, furnishings, and even furniture creating competition with various departmental stores. JLP is aware that in order to make it in such business and with so much competition involved, everything that is done will need maximum competence and usefulness. This means that the management of the company has to be taken seriously, otherwise due to the entire staff ownership of the business, some members may not take their jobs seriously, as they may only be focusing on what they have in the company (Lewis 1986, p. 6). The company catalogue shows that the intenti on of John Lewis Partnership is merely to satisfy its members. John Lewis Partnership has come up with a convention arrangement of a massive organization in terms of setting up a main headquarters and varieties of dissections, stockrooms and branches, industries and retail supplies. Waitrose have demonstrated their focus on quality and importance for money, as their way forward to its selling and procedures. Waitrose have since had a tradition of marketing their products together with local products. This is the reason the company has been able to win the attention from all types of customers, both from local and international arenas. They have goods varying from expensive, cheap international and local goods. Waitrose predicted the

Business Plan - Entrepreneurship Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Plan - Entrepreneurship - Assignment Example In addition to this, we are also affiliated with networks of other businessmen and professionals in different areas of expertise who can give valuable advice and guidance to the starting entrepreneurs. Our affiliated network will also provide insights about the current market trends and key criteria in the market. This will be achieved on an ad hoc basis. Apart from this, the new staff will hired through recruiting agencies as it will ease our job or recruiting and selection. The company is planned to have a flat organizational structure as not much staffing will be required. The flat structure will also be viable for transparent and flawless communication. The structure can also help the employees and the top management be responsive to the needs of the customer and can provide the best service through the web portal. The main team will consist of the experienced IT professionals who would be responsible for the web management and content. Other employees will be related to the accounts. The business will consist of three main areas: CEO (partners), IT department, sales & marketing and Accounts. Each team will be led by one of the CEOs who are experts in the field. The details of the functionality of these areas are discussed below: The team’s focus will be the development and maintenance of the website as it is the vital portal for contact with customers. The team will ensure that the customer feedbacks are taken into consideration and the website is maintained such that is exceeds customer expectations. The team’s focus will be to handle the accounts in online as well as traditionally. The team will take care of the online transactions and make sure that these transactions are carried out safely and securely. Market positioning and branding will form the basics of the business giving it a competitive edge in the web based businesses. The team’s focus will be

The John Lewis Partnership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The John Lewis Partnership - Essay Example 6). The original owner of the business, John Lewis set up this particular business in 1864. Later in 1905, his son John Spedan Lewis became the head of Lewis’s other store (Peter John in Sloane Square). Political pressures to the extent of making major serious decisions regarding the company lured John Spedan Lewis so much. John Spedan wanted the company managed in a totally different manner. He decided that every single employee of the company who was permanent was going to have shares in the business; therefore, he organized the launching of a staff profit sharing plan, which was held at one if the businesses (Peter Jones store). The structure of the organization has become totally different in the sense that, everybody in the company has the say and gets the shares instead of having one director owning the company and making major decision. Everybody who works in the company is a boss and there is no possibility of having rules that can be followed as there is no one in cha rge of that work. This is because everybody in the company is a director. (Pederson 2008, p. 165). Finance Partners in the company have a direct monetary attention, making them exercise their power in the company. This is because in JLP, all partners are entitled to a yearly bonus, which is obtained from the company’s annual profits (that is 10% - 15% of every individual’s annual earnings). ... The partners together with their families have the privilege to enjoy all the leisure and accommodation in the facilities; hence this will most likely result in the collapse of the business in future. Marketing LP works in selections of highly aggressive business surroundings; Tesco, Sainsbury and walmat (Asda), thus controlling the food retail market in the United Kingdom. JLP has also ventured into the clothing business, electronics, furnishings, and even furniture creating competition with various departmental stores. JLP is aware that in order to make it in such business and with so much competition involved, everything that is done will need maximum competence and usefulness. This means that the management of the company has to be taken seriously, otherwise due to the entire staff ownership of the business, some members may not take their jobs seriously, as they may only be focusing on what they have in the company (Lewis 1986, p. 6). The company catalogue shows that the intenti on of John Lewis Partnership is merely to satisfy its members. John Lewis Partnership has come up with a convention arrangement of a massive organization in terms of setting up a main headquarters and varieties of dissections, stockrooms and branches, industries and retail supplies. Waitrose have demonstrated their focus on quality and importance for money, as their way forward to its selling and procedures. Waitrose have since had a tradition of marketing their products together with local products. This is the reason the company has been able to win the attention from all types of customers, both from local and international arenas. They have goods varying from expensive, cheap international and local goods. Waitrose predicted the

Misconception about Being Muslim Means I Am a Terrorist Essay

Misconception about Being Muslim Means I Am a Terrorist - Essay Example Even if I am a Muslim, I am still worthy of becoming a normal person who does righteous deeds in the society and who disapproves of war as a solution to global conflicts. In social events or gatherings, I often hear people saying that "they are family of Muslims, maybe they are terrorists." In those moments, silence wraps my whole body. I felt that strange feeling of being different from all the others. Still, that statement did not cause me to feel anger nor did it trigger any violent reaction, emotions that others usually associate with my religion. In contrary to the misconception that I am a terrorist, my own background, as well as that of my family, will prove that I am not a terrorist. I am able to study without the school management questioning my credibility because I have done nothing that will lead them to suspect that I am a terrorist. I am living an ordinary life, and I have never been involved nor do I plan to engage myself in any illegal activity that will ruin my reput ation. Terrorists kill without notice; they take away priceless possessions not minding if people will get hurt, which is an indication that they do not have conscience. All people have conscience, and as human beings, Muslims also have conscience similar with the Catholics and the other religions in this world. However, people who have become terrorists may have experienced unpleasant events in their lives that caused them to no longer feel this emotion. Therefore, it is unfair to generalize that all Muslims are terrorists. Yes, I am a Muslim, and I do admit that I am capable of making mistakes, but those mistakes are the ordinary ones that do not affect the whole society. It can be those wrong decisions that I make, small decisions that only affect me and my family but not the whole world. There are good Muslim people who are not capable of hurting others for the reason that they have conscience, and I am one of those. On the other hand, there are also bad ones who hurt others and cause trouble in the society maybe because they have followed the wrong way and were influenced by certain things, persons, or life experiences. Hence, Muslims who have become terrorists are not authentic members of the Islamic church. These terrorists are creating their own laws, laws that are not found in any page of the holy book of Qu'ran. The great devotion of the Muslims to Allah is a manifestation of their unconditional faith to the doctrines of Islam, which do not include terrorism. Most people say that all terrorists are Muslims; fundamentally, it is partly true because they grew up listening to the teachings of Islam. However, the moment they decided to engage themselves in acts that cause harm or death, they have rejected the essence of this religion, in other words, terrorists are not genuine Muslims. They may be Muslims by name, but they are not Muslims by heart. In the first place, if these terrorists are concerned with their fellow Muslims, they could not have propag ated those wars, or spearheaded the terrorists’ attacks that killed the lives of the innocent Muslim people. Everyone is entitled to say their own opinion, but it gets hurtful when they easily judge not only me but also my fellow Muslim brothers and sisters as terrorists. I can say that I am Muslim by blood and spirituality, but I am not a terrorist. I condemn those acts same with other people because I believe that terrorism is making all

Context of human services Essay Example for Free

Context of human services Essay Social changes in diverse societies are brought about by several factors such as maintaining order and responsibility within and outside the society. In this case, human services such as attending offering medical attendance, and avoidance of social evils such as corruption, are portrayed as major opportunities for the social changes. Many people see mental anomaly as curable. In real case, one cannot be completely cured from it, but the most promising fact is that it can be recovered and maintained. People in the society are more often encouraged to live with mentally challenged as they support them from day to day. They should be friendly to them since it is not the wish of the victims to be what they are. Family environment has been considered the best in provision of care to the victims of mental illness. Presently, many people prefer discharging their patience from hospitals as soon as possible since the expenses increases from day to day. Insurance reimbursements by both private and governmental sectors usually provide a cover of not more than sixty days to the patients. These days are adequate enough to recover the mental patients. Several organizations have come up to attend the patience and also provide moral support to them. For example, The Office of Protective Commission and the Public Guardian has been established to help the mentally challenged individuals cope with the environment they are in. such organizations have maintained social order as evidenced from their efforts to protect the ill from being taken advantage of (Hasenfeld, 2009) Members of the society should be encouraged and given knowledge about the mental disorder. In so doing, they will be actively encouraged to handle the victims with proper care, love, respect and most of all with dignity since the victims are also human beings thus they deserve tender care. Mental illness has got no specific cause. However, causes has been identified as either due to hereditary factors (it exists in the family linage), caused by organic diseases and even sometimes by environmental situations such as one being subjected to adverse stress. This disorder has got no borders and any person can be a victim, indiscriminate of his religion, gender or race and even age (Hopkins Austin, 2004) Health systems in some parts of the world are a times selective in provision of services to its customers. Not everyone stands equal rights in services offered. Depending on your pocket or rather financial strength one is likely to get better services than the poor. Patience that may require argent medical attention is kept on waiting bays for long. This is as a result of the financially stable personnel not observing the rule of first come first served basis. Such issues have been of much negativity to the society since others have lost their loved ones at the bays and the emergency rooms. Also, the limited number of qualified persons may be a contributing factor. In some circumstances, the patient attendants may be reluctant in provision of services. Evil thoughts that propel them towards this could be such as assuming that patients could have gone to private organizations with relatively shorter queues than theirs, for fast delivery of services. It is much disgusting to realise existence of inequality in any society. This is whereby when one is rich, he/she gets richer and richer, and in most instances at the expense of others (Pease Camilleri , 2001). Strengthening the civil society can be a way of addressing social issues such as social injustices, discrimination, violence and even poverty. A strong society can enhance better governance, tolerance and can also maintain peace within its borders. People who are socially responsible have got no time to engage in activities that will in one way or another haunt others, for example negligently polluting the environment, discriminating against others and even engaging in violence. Currently, reforms have been put in place with an aim of strengthening communities. Public are encouraged to participate in policy making. Several governments have taken initiatives of letting its citizens participate in decision making thus enabling the nation to thrive well in terms of political, economical and social development (Patti ,2008). Social evils such as corruptions are a major issue towards the existence of social injustices. Corruption has been a reason behind increase in the levels of poverty in the societies and also retarded growth in the economy. Corruption is as a result of poor governance. Those in the government can carelessly use the funds at the expense of the public thus being a leeway to social irresponsibility. It is clear therefore that this evil in the society should be emphasized on and properly dealt with so as to bring social order and also desirable changes for the development in the society (Laurence Heinrich, 2000). In summary, it is clear that opportunities of success in terms of social changes can be as a result of human participation in service provision. Social order is enhanced through provision of better services in diverse sectors and also through good governance.

Stakeholder Influence in Strategy Decisions

Stakeholder Influence in Strategy Decisions Devising a strategy should be a product of logical and external analysis, yet often appears to be a product of the power of stakeholders. Discuss using recent business examples. Johnson and Scholes (2002) p10 define strategy as â€Å"the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term, which achieves advantage for the organisation through its configuration of resources within a changing environment and to fulfil stakeholder expectations.† A strategic plan is therefore large scale future oriented activities that allow interaction with the competitive environment in order to achieve company objectives. It follows that strategic management is the process whereby a strategy is formulated, evaluated, and continuously improved. Strategic planning flows from the definition of an organisation’s vision, mission and objectives and subsequent environmental scanning, to understand the organisation’s strategic position with respect to the macro external environment, its industry, competitors, internal resources, competencies and expectations and influence of stakeholders. (Stoner, Freeman and Gilbert, 1995) This initial process establishes a basis for strategic choice by means of a match of identified strengths to opportunities. The translation of strategic choice into action is then implemented across all levels of the organisation through programmes, resources, technologies, and performance management structures. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002 and Davis, 2005) This essay focuses on the strategic position of the organisation in the context of its environment, its strategic capability, and stakeholder expectations. The purpose of an environmental scan is to develop a list of diverse variables from an uncertain and complex world to offer actionable responses and in so doing allow a structured framework for defensive or offensive actions. There are a variety of available analysis tools such as a PESTEL framework from a macro-environmental level, Porter’s Five Forces framework at an industry level, strategic groupings within an industry and individual market analysis. The results can then be applied in a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis to determine strategic choice. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) PESTEL is an acronym representing the key forces that exist or are emerging in the external environment and suggests how they will, or might impact on future strategy and resources.   These comprise Political, Economic, Sociocultural, Technological, Environmental and Legal factors. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) Changes in these forces and their interaction affect the types of products and services offered and impact on suppliers and distributors to the organisation. An example of political and legal forces in setting the climate for business, are the tax harmonisation processes in the European Union (EU) which have caused many multinational firms, including John Deere and Cargill, to relocate their head offices to Switzerland, a non EU member to avoid tax costs. Consequentially, the global competitive ratings for the Netherlands, Germany and other home countries of these firms plunged whilst the rating for Switzerland has surged. (Davis, 2005) The use of PESTEL in isolation and a mer e listing of possible influences without an understanding of the combined impact of a number of these forces could lead to inaction with respect to countering threats or pursuing opportunities to the detriment of the business. The combined effect of the factors can be understood by identifying structural drivers of change that affect the structure of an industry sector or market. These include an increasing convergence of markets as customer needs and wants become similar (eg standardisation of strategy textbooks across international higher education institutions), maximising cost advantages achieved through economies of scale by centralised production in low cost, labour efficient countries such as India and China, or the differential impact of the factors dependant on industry type. (eg Pharmaceutical sales to an aging population in a first world country) (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) This reinforces the need to regard strategy formulation as an interactive multidisciplinary process requiring creative thinking. Porter suggests that industry selection and analysis is a vital component of strategic planning. An industry is â€Å"a group of firms producing products that are close substitutes for one another.† (Johnson and Scholes, 2002, p110) Competitive forces within an industry can be analysed in the contexts of the sources of competition, the dynamics of that competition and strategic groupings. Although criticised as being too generic in nature, Porter’s Five Forces framework is useful in addressing key interacting forces affecting a strategic business unit with a distinct market for goods or services within an industry. Porter referred to these forces as the microenvironment so as to contrast it with the more general term, macro environment. They consist of those forces close to an organisation that affect its ability to serve its customers and make a profit. A change in any of the forces normally requires a company to re-assess the marketplace. (Porter, 1996) An example is that of the mobile phone network industry where the barrier to entry by new competitors is the huge entry cost associated with 3G broadband licenses. The purchasing power of buyers is high with a significant range of choices between networks and the power of suppliers increasing through alliances such as that of Casio and Hitachi in 2003. (Davis, 2005) The threat of substitute products is increasing as Personal Digital Assistance (PDA) convergence with phones and voice-over-internet technology emerges with the potential to bypass the network operators. Competitive rivalry between firms with similar products is high with a broad range of products on offer to the consumer. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) The concept of strategic grouping addresses the criticism of Porter’s model where an industry is considered to be too generic to provide a basis for understanding the competitive environment by applying the Five Forces framework. Johnson and Scholes, 2002, p122 define strategic groups as â€Å"organisations within an industry with similar strategic characteristics following similar strategies or competing on similar bases.† These firms are not homogeneous within the industry and follow strategies common to the group, but different to firms in other groups in the same industry. An example is a pharmaceutical manufacturer with a unique medication product protected by patent serving a common market using a similar strategy. (Davis, 2005) Understanding the competitive environment together with current and potential customer needs and wants will determine the success or failure of an organisation. Porter suggests that there are two generic strategies: cost or differentiation. Marketing segmentation identifies similarities and differences between individual and customer groups based on geographic, demographic lifestyle and benefit segmentation. An appreciation of customer values in a market segment and matching needs against the organisation’s capacity to meet those needs, is a critical aspect of determining strategic capability. (Pitt, 1997) The emergence of global firms suggests that traditional models are limited in application and that there is a need for the development of a broader integrative international strategic business model framework. (Ricart et al, 2004) Strategic capability involves the identification and evaluation of an organisation’s strengths and weaknesses in the functional areas of the business in the context of the external environment analyses. It is typically recorded in a SWOT framework. It represents an understanding of customer’s perceptions of value, the critical success factors through which that value is realised and unique competencies, processes, and technology to achieve competitive advantage. (Hussey, 2002.) The core competencies of the organisation are the unique capabilities that are critical success factors in achieving competitive advantage and hence key to the delivery of customer value. They form the foundation for differentiation and for increasing perceived customer benefits. Competencies must evolve as the needs and wants of customers change and a focus on developing critical competencies that affect market position, share and power is key. (Hamel and Prahalad, 1994) A useful model to analyse an organisation’s core competencies that underpin its competitive advantage is Porter’s Value Chain Analysis. This attempts an understanding of how the organisation creates customer value by examining the contributions of various activities within the business to that value. An organisation’s value chain is normally part of a broader value system that represents a set of inter-organisational linkages and relationships to create the product or service. It separates prima ry and support activities through which that value is generated. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) Porter argues that competitive strategy is about being different, and focussing on those activities that deliver a unique mix of value and doing them better than competitors. (Porter, 1996) The structured and systematic process of analysing the external and internal environment described thus far is carried out by a consultative process with stakeholders and should present a sound basis for establishing the foundation for the organisation’s strategy formulation. However, the impact of stakeholders and the complex role that people play from a political and cultural perspective should be taken into account. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) Davis, 2005, suggests that stakeholders are individuals or groups with an interest in the success of an organisation to deliver intended results and on whom the organisation itself depends. Donaldson and Preston, 1995, p64, argue that this general statement is too wide should be qualified to â€Å"be those persons or groups with a legitimate interest in procedure and / or substantive aspects of corporate activity.† Walsh, 2005, suggests that too broad a definition creates a situation whereby managers function in order benefit a stakeholder group or act as a continuous conduit to stakeholders. Stakeholders may include employees, unions, customers, financial institutions, suppliers, shareholders etc depending on the accepted definition. The definition of stakeholder is therefore important to the organisation because it impacts on the strategic plan formulation. The relationship between stakeholders and the organisation encompasses the field of stakeholder management that ranges in complexity from stakeholder mapping through to stakeholder collaboration and social capital. The corporate governance structure of the organisation and the regulatory framework within which it operates should determine who the organisation serves and how the purpose and direction of the organisation is determined. This includes the management of the capacity of a stakeholder to influence the organisation as well as accountability issues in the formal structure. This is typically structured through a separation of ownership and management at main board level, balanced by non-executive directors and a non executive chairperson. Internal or organisational stakeholders may blur this line through the inappropriate use of power and politics. Society in turn creates expectations of the organisation in terms of ethics and within a cultural context that need to be congruen t with that of the organisation. (Donald and Preston, 1995) The organisational field approach suggests that networks of related organisations develop which share common assumptions, values, and processes that may incorporate common organisational views on stakeholders. Under this scenario, relationship with stakeholders are taken for granted leading to legitimised strategies shaped by expectations being accepted without a structured strategic planning process occurring. (Walsh, 2005) A stakeholder map is a tool that inventories and categorises a companys stakeholders, shows their inter-relationships, expectations, and power. It illustrates the approaches that the organisation can follow to achieve its business objectives while winning support from its stakeholders. It raises the dilemma of ethics in that stakeholder management through such a strategy can be subverted to the detriment of the organisation. (Johnson and Scholes, 2002) The Enron debacle is manifestation of both this dilemma and the organisational field phenomenon which allowed the failure of corporate governance structures when unethical conduct was accepted in the areas of finance and management by organisational stakeholders. The Enron case was one of the largest bankruptcy cases in US history. In 2001, it was the fifth largest company on the Fortune 500 with revenues of USD 100 billion, 19,000 employees, and rated the â€Å"most admired company† six years in a row by Fortune magazine. (Culp an and Trussell, 2005) The basic premise of Enron’s strategy was to create markets for goods and services traditionally transacted through complex distribution channels. It leveraged off its competitive advantage of delivering services efficiently and stretching it’s competency through added risk management features. The high growth phase of the organisation during the 1990’s and changed business strategy and corporate culture of Enron was driven by top management. In the process, Enron appeared innovative and profitable to the extent that the traditional agency relationship underpinning the firm as a nexus of contracts between the shareholders (principals) and the management as agents were left unchecked, which in turn impacted negatively on the broader spectrum of stakeholders. (Donald and Preston, 1995 and Culpan and Trussell, 2005) An ostensibly well structured, high profile corporation within the highly regulated environment of a security exchange, audited by a major audit firm was bought down by unethical conduct of its senior executive team with possible collusion by external stakeholders. The ultimate test of how well a strategy has been thought out is at implementation level and the controls around that implementation. Unless a strategy can be executed effectively with appropriate checks and balances then it will almost certainly fall short in achieving objectives. This means that strategy has to be linked to the organisation’s objectives, mission, operations, and measurable outcomes within a corporate governance framework that meets the needs of the stakeholders. The evolution of the Kaplan and Norton’s Balanced Scorecard to incorporate financial, customer, learning and growth, and internal process metrics evaluated against the vision and strategic objectives of the organisation provide one such strategic management control methodology across the organisation. (Kaplan and Norton, 1996 and Kaplan and Norton, 2001) In conclusion, this essay has examined the formal process of strategy development and given examples of tools from the literature to systematically evaluate the external and internal environments of the organisation. It has sought to demonstrate that organisations are facing dynamic and rapidly evolving forces that influence its strategic direction. This is especially true with the emergence of globalisation and intensively competitive world markets. The eventual choice of a strategic direction for an organisation is a function of the values and expectations of a broad range of stakeholders which influence strategic decision making through political power over the organisation within a cultural and ethical context. It is the control through governance structures, and ongoing measurement of the strategic implementation process that will determine the successful outcome of the strategy and concomitant success of the organisation. References Cuplan, R. and Trussel, J. (2005) â€Å"Applying the Agency and Stakeholder Theories to the Enron Debacle.† Business and Society Review. Volume 110, 1. Davis, F. R. (2005) Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases. New Jersey, Pearson Prentice Hall. Donaldson, T. and Preston, L. E. (1995) â€Å"The Stakeholder Theory of the Corporation: Concepts, Evidence and Implications.† Academy of Management Review. Volume 20, 1. Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C. K. (1994) Competing for the Future. Boston, Harvard Business School Press. Hussey, D. (Jan–Feb 2002) â€Å"Company Analysis: Determining Strategic Capability.† Strategic Change. Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (2002) Exploring Corporate Strategy Sixth Edition. London, Prentice Hall. Kaplan, R. S. and Norton, D. P. (1996) The Balanced Scorecard. Boston, Harvard Business School Press. Kaplan, R. S. and Norton, D. P. (2001) â€Å"Transforming the Balanced Scorecard from Performance Management to Strategic Management.† Accounting Horizons. Volume 15, 1. Pitt, L. (1997) Marketing for Managers: A Practical Approach. Cape Town, Juta Ltd. Porter, M. (November – December 1996) â€Å"What is Strategy?† Harvard Business Review. Ricart, E. J. et al. (2004) â€Å"New Frontiers in International Strategy.† Journal of International Business Studies. Volume 35, 3. Stoner, J. Freeman, E. and Gilbert, D. (1995) Management Sixth Edition. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall. Walsh, J. P. (2005) â€Å"Taking Stock of Stakeholder Management.† Academy of Management Review. Volume 30, 2.

The Old Man In The Sea(the Relationship Between The Old Man And The Bo :: essays research papers

Under close inspection, people have had a hard time agreeing what to make of Santiago's adventure in The Old Man and the Sea. Is it just a good fish tale? One brave man, one big fish, sounds Biblical, but is it? Are we dealing with allegory, or parable, or fable? If so, what is the parallel narrative, or message, or moral? Different people have arrived at different answers, But I believe that Hemmingway is trying to show the relationship between Manolin and Santiago. How that to the world Manolin can only be one person yet to the world Manolin can mean everything. The act of catching the fish is bound to the act of losing the fish—the red blood released by the mortal blow is the green light for the sharks. Whether he catches the fish or whether the fish snaps the line and escapes, the old man will not be able to bring the meat home. The fish is lost, either way. But the two scenarios are not equal. The man is welcomed back into the esteem of the fishermen, into Manolin's company on the fishing boat, into society, solely because he broke with society and went out "too far", out beyond all others. He gains only by losing. This old man will never again chase marlin for days on end. He won't have to, because for the rest of his days he will have Manolin with him not only physically but mentally because of the fact that he knows Manolin will stick with him no matter what. Even if the odds are against him, and the two of them will catch big, but not giant-sized, marlin with the relative ease known as teamwork. One could also make a case that the old man has neither gained nor learned anything. He did not care when the other fishermen mocked him so why should he care if they praise him? He had Manolin's love before and he has it still, and the love and support of that one special person can mean so much to someone, and give them the confidence to go on. He had been a champion before, as an arm-wrestler, and knew he could be a champion again, as a fisherman even though in Manolin’s eyes he was always a champion. He was right, and has the skeleton to prove it. He had bad luck before he hooked the marlin, and he has bad luck after he kills the marlin.

Political Forces in the Glass Ceiling

Despite all of the political forces on the side of women who attempt to break through the glass ceiling, limited progress has been made. Numerous studies lament the virtual absence of women in the elite tier of corporate positions: chief executive officer, chairman, president, and executive vice president. Unfair employment practices strengthen the glass ceiling and hinder the advancement of women in the workplace. These practices include sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, and pregnancy discrimination. Although activists have succeeded in getting stronger laws passed, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1991, true progress eliminating the glass ceiling must be based on private sector initiatives. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 gives women considerable more clout in their defense against discrimination than did the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination against women who successfully filed suit against their employers for unfair practices. The Act also states that these women can only receive back pay and reinstatement in their old jobs. However, the 1991 Civil Rights Act, incorporated previous laws while also easing the burden on employees suing to prove job discrimination. Within the new law, a successful litigant can collect monetary damages, as well as, request a jury trial, sue in conjunction with others who have received similar unfair treatment in the workplace, and request the courts to judge the case based on the reasonable woman standard as opposed to the reasonable man. The 1991 Act also places the burden of proof on the employer, rather than the employee. â€Å"Indeed, the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and other recent court decisions have given women new clout in the workplace† (Morris 61). An example of this clout is the intense publicity surrounding the Anita Hill v. Clarence Thomas hearing. Hill, a black law professor at the University of Oklahoma, electrified the nation when she charged that Clarence Thomas, then a Supreme Court nominee, had sexually harassed her when she worked for him in the early 1980s. Hill testified before the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee about her discomfort when Thomas insisted on describing pornographic movies and made sexual advances. An all-white and all-male Senate sought to discredit Hill, some of who accused her of lying or being delusional, but her testimony elicited nationwide support. The Senate confirmed Thomas† actions were inappropriate, but Hill†s testimony was almost entirely disregarded. The hearing angered women, especially those who had suffered similar experiences of sexual harassment in the workplace, and it also empowered many others to come forward with similar allegations. â€Å"The furor that ensued was just the fuel need to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1991† (Stith 187). In recent litigation, women have begun testing the extent of their employment rights beyond the rights guaranteed to them in the Civil Rights Acts. An example of this is a group of eight women employees of the Stroh Brewery Company in Detroit. These women charged that their employer had created a working environment that was hostile to women. As part of their allegation, they pointed to sexually offensive commercials that Stroh†s aired featuring the Swedish bikini team, scantily clad young women with large breasts. The Stroh plaintiffs contended that the ads were proof that the company sanctions sexism. â€Å"The company has defended its ads as simple entertainment protected by the First Amendment†s guarantee of free speech† (Vilanch 7). The plaintiffs in the Stroh case won their lawsuit and created a landmark decision for challenges of this type, particularly due to the fact the courts must now decide based on the reasonable woman. Although the presence of strong laws is powerful ammunition to fight to eliminate discrimination in the workplace, litigation is not the most effective solution to the problem. Women who experience workplace discrimination are often reluctant to file official complaints for a variety of reasons including; feelings of inadequacy, fear of reprisal, and fear of being labeled troublemakers. Some women also fear retaliation from their employers as well. In regard to the latter, other women simply do not have the money to carry out a lawsuit that may take years to settle or reach court. In sexual harassment lawsuits, the prospect of going to trial is enough to scare off many women, particularly once they realize how vulnerable their credibility is in legal matters concerning sexual activity. â€Å"Many labor experts believe women are held back from jobs because of subtle sexual harassment. Only the concerted efforts of enlightened companies, not litigation, can eradicate this form of injustice† (Morrison 15). One enlightened company, Du Pont, has made efforts to help women managers overcome the glass ceiling. Du Pont has established a staff position to focus on advancing the careers of promising women and minorities. â€Å"If a division is looking for the manager of affirmative action and upward mobility then Du Pont is the example to follow† (Gallagher 88). Such a staff position is needed to provide support, counseling, and advocacy for women who find their career advancement has stalled due to subtle discrimination. Despite the efforts of some companies, gender diversity is still sorely lacking in Corporate America. A recent study revealed that of America†s 500 largest companies, women held only 10 percent of the top executive positions. â€Å"For all the bravado of the past decade, women in most organizations are not much further along. The glass ceiling has not shattered† (Himelstein 64). Although some companies are diversifying their executive workforces, most companies prefer to initiate these diversity efforts on their own, rather than being forced into it by legislative quotas or affirmative action. For example, Coopers and Lybrand, whose all-male corporate management committee was confronted by its female employees last year, regarding the absence of women in management, preferred to resolve the situation themselves. At issue, was the fact that women only accounted for 8 percent of the firms† 1,300 partners and only 3 percent of the firm†s 70 regional managers. The confrontation which occurred during a management meeting where it was revealed that gender myths about women†s performance as managers still persisted. For instance, the male partners assumed that the women were reluctant to engage in business travel and informal business gatherings. As a result of the confrontation, Coopers and Lybrand initiated programs to address diversity issues. These programs included mentoring and formal training. â€Å"Coopers and Lybrand proclaimed that 30 percent of their new partners by the year 2000 would be women, up from 17 percent in 1999† (Glover 16). Eliminating the glass ceiling requires zealous planning efforts by corporations that are committed to diversity. The first step involves setting goals. â€Å"A few companies are achieving success in the battle to get women into the executive suit. They have backed sound strategies with effort, money, and long term commitment† (Weiss 191). Various companies base their goals on census data, desiring their workforce to reflect the gender demographics of the surround region, while other companies eschew quotas and internal goals, but seek the same results, increased diversity. Diversity goals can help but women into the pipeline through the hiring process. The presence of women in senior positions tends to attract women who hold similar aspirations. Once employed, women must receive the training that will allow them to move into the corporate ranks. For example, Colgate-Palmolive favors fast tracking its employees through cross training. Cross training exposes the employee to a variety of functions within the organization; the broad base of knowledge acquired is critical to success as a future manager. The efforts that corporations are putting into diversifying their workforces is bearing fruit. An example is J.C. Pennys, which initiated a drive in 1988 to fill 1,000 management positions (created by the relocation of company headquarters) with qualified women. After setting numerical goals and establishing formal networking and mentoring programs. â€Å"Pennys was able to increase its percentage of senior managers who are women from less than 12 percent in 1990 to more than 35 percent by 1997† (WIBC 103). The glass ceiling that prevents women from advancing to top positions will only be shattered by the combined efforts of political activists and the private sector. Strong legislation provides women with the power they need to litigate unfair employment practices. Private sector initiatives help create a climate that is supportive for women to develop their skills and make it to the top. Women have made key victories, both in the political arena and in Corporate America. Thousands of women managers are in the pipeline and on the right track to assume their rightful places in the ranks of corporate executives. If current efforts bear fruit, the glass ceiling will no longer be a limiting factor for women of the 21st century.

Five Pillars of Islam Essay

The First Pillar is the believers’ confession of faith, reduced to a few words that every member of the faithful from every continent and background can understand, from the illiterate nomadic herdsman in the deserts of Northern Kenya to the sophisticated trilingual businessman of Paris or Riyadh. The Second Pillar is the central act of righteous in Islam, the very essence of the life of a Muslim. The Third Pillar Islam is a significant presence in one hundred or more countries all around the world, and the majority religion in over forty. There are almost a billion believers. By the year of 2020, if present trends continue, half the world would be Muslim. Islam is an Arabic word meaning submission or commitment to the God. Islam is the humble recognition of the relationship between man and his divine creator and resonates with the familiar words from Judaism and Christianity. The fourth Pillar is the fasting. A Muslim must fast for the month of Ramadan. During the fasting month, one must refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual intercourse from dawn until sunset. The fifth and final Pillar is where a Muslim must make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Every adult Muslim who is physically and financially able to do so must make this pilgrimage at least once in his or her lifetime. The history of Islam begins with Muhammad and the Quran. The low level of importance given by Muslims to the events before Muhammad is illustrated by the Arabic term for the preceding century, the Time of Ignorance. Muhammad never claimed to be anything but mortal. For a non-Muslim with no knowledge of Arabic, is an exasperating, punishing read, apparently without order, narrative or conclusion. The magic of classical Arabic, in a modern example, was a strong element in the extraordinary power. In the Commonwealth of Medina, Muhammad was prophet, lawgiver, and prayer leader, commander of the army and head of state. So when he died, leaving only one surviving child, his daughter Fatima, and without providing for a successor or clarifying beyond doubt the method by which successor should be appointed, the ummah fell into dissention. The unity of Islam would never recover from the events that were to follow over the next two decades and no satisfactory answer would ever be found to the question of the legitimacy of subsequent Muslim rulers. There is no mystical ritual in mainstream Islam; there are no human intermediaries of divine interceders between man and God. There are no sacraments to be administered by the ordained few to the supplicant many. If God in the Muslim version forgave Adam for his transgression at the time, then man cannot be inherently evil, or born in original sin. So, like Adam, all men can be forgiven their sins directly by God without the need for intervention by any third party, whether a Redeemer on a cross, a virgin with child, or a priestly delegate operating through the medium of a confession box. The early history of Shia has moulded the character and faith of the sect into a form substantially different from Sunni Islam, even though the two branches both practise the Five Pillas and shares a common belief in the divine nature of the Quran. In order to penetrate the differences between the two, there is a rough parallel to be explored between Shia and Catholicism on the one hand and Sunni and Protestantism on the other. The comparison may be superficial and not always a perfect fit, but for an observer from a post Christian culture, the analysis is revealing nevertheless. Even though America is probably the most religious country in the Western world, with about 85 percent of the population professing belief in a god, religion was not considered a forming part in American culture. Religion in America is considered to be entirely contained within the word freedom the basis of the United States Constitution which does not once mention the word god. Faith for Americans is a free personal choice and therefore, in theory, has no place in the group activities of national politics and culture. Even school prayer is banned by a long-standing Supreme Court interpretation of the Constitution. In practice, of course, US elections are won and lost through religious support, as if the President’s job description included Chaplain-in-Chief. And a low-level battle rages constantly in US courts and legislatures between secularists attempting to uphold the strict separation of church and state, and religious groups intent on government funding for religious schools and faith-based initiatives.

Equal Opportunities for Women’s Career

Women often experience male dominated barriers when they seek to rise to the top of organization ranks. Despite the moves that have been made for equal opportunity employment, men and women that start in the same job often are not paid equally, and do not advance at the same rate. In a male dominated business world, the women are seen as weaker, less intelligent, passive, fragile, with a lack of commitment to their career often because of family obligations. Managers often form alliances with those that tend to have the same background and lifestyle as themselves, since women are seen as different they cannot bond with those upper level managers and often get overlooked when new management positions are open. (Maume p. 483) The glass-ceiling is the lack of mobility for women in careers, due to prejudices against women†s ability to perform as well as men. Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, known as the Glass Ceiling act, established the glass ceiling commission to study and make recommendations about eliminating the barriers and to create opportunities to advance women and minorities. If men hold the higher positions, choosing who is most suitable for promotion it is likely that women will remain in the minority with power positions. Women often move into male jobs either because market conditions force employees to reach down into the labor queue to hire women or because men reevaluate and then vacate jobs. (Maume p. 483) Traditionally women are offer less opportunity for training than males, if women are not getting equal education for a company then it cannot simply be gender that may later cause poor performance in a higher management position. Training is often expensive, since companies as a whole feel that women are more concerned with family priorities they offer it to those they believe will stay the longest and in their (male) minds be most attentive, the men. Studies show that after 12 years 56% of white men will be waiting for promotions with 44% already advanced, while 85% of white women and 93% of black women will remain waiting for a promotion. Maume p483) Some men often feel that the glass ceiling does simply not exist and that women†s over all performance has been causing the divide in distribution of power. One example of this view is an article that was printed in Men†s Health magazine, although this is not scholarly it provided insight to the propaganda that is kept alive by men to other men. The article was titled â€Å"The Glass Ceiling has been shattered† and went on to describe that women were simply inferior in management positions. The writer Jeffrey Csatari believes that men did not build the glass ceiling. It was built by women†s poor performance, he sighted a study in the University of Minnesota that found female managers tend to hire timid and self effacing employees with no corporate potential, as opposed to male counterparts who hired self assertive and competent employees. (Csatari p. 43) This article was published in a national men†s magazine, with no mention about the training level of the managers studied, it may be variables in the training they were provided or job experiece rather than gender that caused the differences in employee choice. Men made the study standard, which made the test biased since men were writing the rules of which employee would be successful and which would fail, perhaps women do not simply make decisions on what is said but are closely attentive to body language as well. The economist Solomon Polachek holds a hypothesis that each occupation has a rate of atrophy that job skills depreciate with lack of use. Earnings power declines at atrophy, therefore if women plan to participate inconsistantly in the labor market they would best benefit from jobs with low atrophy rates like teaching and service work. Duncan p. 479) These jobs are often classified as women†s jobs, which have a traditionally lower starting salary than male jobs. If the view that Mr. Polachek holds were universal than it would make advancement for women almost impossible if they planned to have families and take off work for any period of time. Differences in male and female preferences in jobs do exist however and can account for some of the inequality in the business world. The Hawthorne Studies of the 1930†³s and studies since have shown that women choose positions that are more meaningful, with positive social relations as opposed to males that choose careers on basis of income potential. (Tolbert p168) The traditional views of women as the supporting partner and the man as the primary earner have become barriers for women that would like to advance. Job desegregation does not yet exist wide spread however, there has been occupational desegregation. Women have been entering into traditionally male jobs in increasing numbers. When a job gets a majority of female occupants the occupation tends to become a female â€Å"ghetto† with the males moving on to higher paying positions within that field. (England p17) The government has passed laws but women as a whole have to strive to break the perceptions men hold of their abilities. The double duties of women at work along with their life after hours, with household duties along with childcare should be examples of the strength of women†s abilities not as just a weakness. The alternative that men would like to perpetuate is that women should be more like men. Women are responding to the challenge of the workplace, some are moving to the higher levels, but through much adversity. The choice of many women is to start their own businesses such as Mary Kay cosmetics, and Avon that is female dominated. The abilities of a person to succeed are not rooted in their gender but in the individual goals and knowledge. Women are typically being kept from the higher level positions by men that consider only other males their peers, and women as inferior. If women have to strive to be more like men to advance in business, does this mean that they are to stop producing children and forgo the family that males are entitled to in order to achieve the equality that they deserve. Hopefully, women will be able to achieve both career and family without having to sacrifice one for the other, or be seen as weak. The ability to be a mother is a sign of dedication, commitment, and strength not weakness, as males believe.