Immigration Policy A Country Of Immigrants - 1981 Words

Since the inception of the United States, it has and continues to be a country of immigrants. For a country founded on immigrants, immigration policy has long been an issue debated by politicians and political parties. United States immigration laws tended to favor Europeans in the 18th and 19th century. In high school U.S. history classes we learned about the great influx of immigrants in the late 18th century and then a following wave in the late 19th century. With each new wave of immigration, we saw the composition of major cities change. With each influx we learned to live together and grow as a nation. Although after some time these new groups of people learned to live together, there was a struggle to get to that point. The 18th and 19th century immigrants, mostly migrated from Europe, in more recent decades, we have seen an influx of immigrants coming from Central America and Asia (Warren 1997). Many social scientists are predicting that in the very near future, white people who are currently the majority, will become the minority and Hispanics will become the numerical majority. This is shocking, and somewhat scary to some Americans. This argument poses many unanswered questions, for example, what will this mean politically? Will it affect the American society? What does this mean for institutions like education? And most importantly, what is considered white? What is considered Hispanic? I will argue how I believe â€Å"Hispanization† American society will mean forShow MoreRelatedOpen Border Policy and Illegal Immigration1844 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Open Border Policy and Illegal Immigration Introduction Immigration is one of the contentious issues that continue to elicit mixed reactions from different parties. In most western economies, debates on immigration policies have been on the rise in the recent decades. Whereas the international human rights have confirmed that freedom of movement is one of the basic human rights and hence no one can be deprived, most governments have put restrictions on immigration. Furthermore, the enactmentRead MoreEssay on Canada’s Immigration Policy from 1914 to 2000994 Words   |  4 PagesCanada’s Immigration Policy from 1914 to 2000 Canada’s immigration policy has got fairer from the middle of the century on to the end of the century. At the start of the century, Canada’s immigration policy, Canada’s immigration policy wasn’t fair but as the century comes to an end, Canada’s immigration policy became entirely different. There were a lot of racism in the first half of the century but most of this racism in the immigration policy disappeared from 1967 and on. As the years go byRead MoreThe Policy, Illegal Immigration Reform And Immigrant Responsibility Act Of 19961486 Words   |  6 PagesPolicy Description The policy, Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, Division C of Pub.L. 104–208, 110 Stat. 3009-546, shortened to IIRAIRA or IIRIRA, was enacted September 30, 1996 (Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996). The IIRAIRA is a federal law designed to reduce illegal immigration and to apprehend undocumented aliens (Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996). It vastly changed the immigration laws withinRead MoreImmigration Policy Historically Has Been Influenced By Our Country Essay1231 Words   |  5 Pages Immigration policy historically has been influenced by our country’s fear to uphold â€Å"traditional† American culture often rooted in a sense of anti-immigration and xenophobia. We perpetuate this by allowing the criminalization of communities of color, mainly with the large Latino population in the U.S. A large portion of the immigrants who arrive in the country are fleeing dangerous homelands pitted with economic and political turmoil. Their situation is worsened by our country’s broken immigrationRead MoreImmigration And The United States965 Words   |  4 Pages Immigration is a highly controversial and big problem in the United S tates today. â€Å"While some characterize our immigration crisis as solely an issue of the 11 to 12 million unauthorized immigrants living in this country, our problems extend beyond the number of undocumented people to a broader range of issues. The lack of a comprehensive federal solution has created a slew of lopsided, enforcement-only initiatives that have cost the country billions of dollars while failing to end unauthorizedRead MoreImmigration Of The United States1399 Words   |  6 PagesMichelle Faed English 126 Immigration in the United States The United States of America, being a country established by immigrants, is known all over the world as the land of great opportunities. People from all walks of life travelled across the globe, taking a chance to find a better life for them and their family. Over the years, the population of immigrants has grown immensely, resulting in the currently controversial issue of illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants are the people who have overstayedRead MoreImmigration Reform Of The United States1508 Words   |  7 Pagesthe United States of America for better opportunities, such as employment and reuniting with family. These people are immigrants. However, many people immigrate illegally, meaning they do not comply with proper protocol for becoming a U.S. citizen. Throughout the history of America, reformation of immigration policy has already been implicated in federal law. Presently, immigration reforms are being considered to make it easier for foreigners to start a new life in the United States of America. Read MoreIllegal Immigration to America991 Words   |  4 Pageswritten by young immigrant from Portugal, Emma Lazarus, and engraved on the Statue of Liberty. With more and more people entering the country, the United States quickly evolved into the ultimate melting pot that it is today. As time has moved on America remains welcoming to the millions of immigrants. However, entry into the United States has become much more complicated. This complication resulted in a new type of immigration: illegal immigration. Ignoring American laws, these immigrants enter the countryRead MoreThe United States Immigration Policy1596 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States immigration policy has never pleased all Americans and probably never will. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, politicians have toiled continuously with the broken system. For example, Congress attempted to strengthen the western border by passing the Illegal Immigrant Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act in 1996 (Histori cal Overview). Although the proposed increase in Border Patrol agents seemed promising, insufficient funding kept the act from adequate enforcement (HistoricalRead MoreImmigration And The United States1464 Words   |  6 Pages Immigration has always been a complex issue in the United States. Previous and current administrations have had great difficulties in setting policies and programs in place to address this problem. During the course of American history, laws were enacted to address such issues. There were numerous legislative milestones in regards to immigration in the United States. In order to understand the current issues regarding immigration, we have to look back at the policies that were in place

Ethical Issues Of The Healthcare Essay - 756 Words

Ethical Systems in Healthcare Ethical Issues in Healthcare â€Å"If you don’t have integrity, you have nothing. You can’t buy it. You can have all the money in the world, but if you are not a moral and ethical person, you really have nothing†. –Henry Kravis - The American healthcare system delivers some of the finest care in the world. However, despite the high level of achievement delivered from the American healthcare system, it is afflicted with problems. Ethical issues that occur in the healthcare delivery system are indeed common. Almost every decision that is made in a healthcare organization has ethical implications. These ethical implications are towards the patient, provider and the leader of the organization. Ethics tend to determine which actions will contribute to an individual fulfillment of happiness. Ethics are very powerful and tend to presuppose freedom and responsibility in the organization. In my current place of employment the care of patients is integrated with medical research, which in return allows for the healthcare practices to continuously be studied and improved. As a healthcare leader or worker, decisions will be made when the common good of both the patients and organization must be taken into consideration. As an effective healthcare leader one must practice adhering to the ethical standards and codes of conduct for his or her individual place of employment. According to Rae (2009), there are 7 steps in making moral decisions. The sevenShow MoreRelatedEthical Issues in Healthcare1205 Words   |  5 PagesEthics Issues in Healthcare Technological and scientific advancement have become areas of great exponential change in the last century. The reverberations of this change is seen throughout nearly all aspects of human life from social evolution to the dynamics of education. Perhaps the most relevant alterations to humanity overall has been seen in areas concerning health, and our biological lives as humans in modernized cultures. The advancements in technology and science have directly translatedRead MoreThe Ethical Issues Of Healthcare1851 Words   |  8 PagesEthical Issues in Healthcare Part One (1.1) In the healthcare profession various dilemmas can be encountered, sometimes everyday that put a professional in a position where they must make certain choices that can be classified as difficult or complicated depending on the individual or the situation. In the nursing profession not only do they have to consider the welfare of the patients but they also have to regard their wishes, which may create a conflict of interests in regards to promotion of well-beingRead MoreEthical And Ethical Issues Of The Healthcare Professionals767 Words   |  4 Pagesto be confronted with ethical and legal issues in their daily practice. In order to protect the legal and ethical rights of the patient the health care professional must be knowledgeable about ethical principles (Guido, 2014). Ethics involves the principles or assumptions underpinning the way individuals or group ought to conduct themselves; ethics is concerned with motives and attitudes and the relationship of these attitudes to the individual (Guido, 2014). The healthcare professionals shouldRead MoreEthical Issues in Healthcare716 Words   |  3 PagesEthical Issue Facing Health Care: Electronic Patient Records One of the main ethical issues that faces health care is the security of patient information. This information is protected by laws and regulations such as HIPPA, but there are still concerns Scott, et al, 2005). Among those concerns is the new concept of electronic patient records and information. These records are designed to help hospitals and doctors get patient information more quickly, so that patients can receive treatment as soonRead MoreEthical Healthcare Issues Essay1193 Words   |  5 PagesRunning Head: ETHICAL HEALTHCARE Ethical Healthcare Issues Paper Wanda Douglas Health Law and Ethics/HCS 545 October 17, 2011 Nancy Moody Ethical Healthcare Issues Paper In today’s health care industry providing quality patient care and avoiding harm are the foundations of ethical practices. However, many health care professionals are not meeting the guidelines or expectations of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) or obeying the organizations code of ethics policiesRead MoreEthical Issues in Modern Healthcare1071 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the key issues in modern healthcare is not only advocacy and patient care, but keeping patients safe and free from harm. Globally, there are skyrocketing costs due to technology, wages, research and development, and an aging population. Much of the responsibility for patient safety, though, goes to the clear and direct responsibilities of the many professionals working in healthcare. Modern healthcare can be a rewarding, but challenging, career choice. Under the paradigm of quality healthRead MoreThe Ethical And Legal Issues Of Healthcare1680 Words   |  7 Pagesamong the largest ethic al and legal issues in healthcare. There is a concern as to whether or not there will be enough medications to go around in the future and how will these limited quantities be distributed. When shortages happen it is usually because economic incentive for a manufacturer is down. Money is king and if there is no profit to be made in manufacturing these medications then manufactures will not waste production time on them. Drug shortages will be a prevailing issue unless we canRead MoreEthical Issues Of The Healthcare System1159 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract The healthcare system is faced with many ethical dilemmas on a daily basis. There are basic principles in health care that every health care worker should practice to ensure safety and to protect the rights of others. This begins with confidentiality. Providing patient privacy and confidentiality are essential to promoting a bond between patients and his or her practitioners as well as preserving the patient’s dignity (Edge Grove, 2007). Under some circumstances, patient’s personal informationRead MoreThe Ethical Issue Within Healthcare2077 Words   |  9 PagesReproductive Ethics – Terminations Terminations have always been an ethical issue within healthcare as a lot of people feel that it is morally wrong to end a life and feel that terminating a pregnancy is morally wrong euthanasia of a child. However, there are lots of reasons why a woman would want to terminate, such as rape or unplanned pregnancy. This essay will look at the ethical issues from both sides of the argument as well as how this topic is linked to legislation within the UK. The EqualityRead MoreThe Ethical Issues of Healthcare Industry2043 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. Ethics and its subsequent practice have been a very contentious issue in American society of late. Our current economic resulted almost entirely of excessive greed and unethical actions of key financial institutions. As a result of their lack of integrity, the entire world economy has subsequently suffered in a very severe manner. Many have lost their homes; even more have lost their retirement savings

What do you think the significance of the witches is in Macbeth Free Essays

The witches within Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ can be interpreted as providing a number of roles within the play which add not only to the plot but also to the atmosphere and fear evoked within the audience. Within the Jacobean period in which ‘Macbeth’ was first performed, witches were the subject of much public hysteria and superstition, with the King’s own beliefs being based on a long history of Christian paranoia about witchcraft. As a result, the witches can be seen as a supernatural influence within the play, linking them to the devil and other dark forces and playing on the real and current fears of what may have been a dominantly Christian audience. We will write a custom essay sample on What do you think the significance of the witches is in Macbeth? or any similar topic only for you Order Now In this respect, a modern Gothic reading can be applied to the novel. The supernatural power of the witches is one of the first elements highlighted within the play, as in Scene 3 Banquo states they can ‘look into the seeds of time/And say which grain will grow and which will not. Therefore, from the outset the witches are highlighted as the fortune-tellers within the story, who hold an otherworldly power to see into the future. This gives them a greater level of power than the surrounding humans, and such power in the wrong hands may have created a sense of unease and unpredictability within the audience. Additionally, it is this power to tell the fortune which creates the catalyst for the play and leads to Macbeth’s moral deterioration: ‘All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be King hereafter! ’ Thus, the witches can be seen to play the role of the typical villains through their manipulation of Macbeth, turning him from a ‘worthy gentleman’ into a brutal murderer. However, there is also contradictory argument that in reality, the witches do not hold any true superiority of power and that it is instead the planting of the idea in Macbeth’s mind which leads him to commit murder through the growth of his own ‘dark desires. This is exemplified further as Banquo suggests ‘oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray’s in deepest consequence. ’ Following this interpretations, the witches may be interpreted as having less power as they merely suggest an idea, and it is the desire and drive of the human mind which instead leads to Macbeth’s downfall. This interpretation may also be considered particularly frightening both to a Jacobean and a modern audience as it follows the modern Gothic stereotype of playing on the realistic fears of humans, such as the power of our deep and potentially repressed desires. Furthermore, the witches can also be seen to play a part in destabilising the typical gender roles of men and women within Jacobean society. Banquo states: ‘You should be women, And yet your beards forbid me to interpret that you are so. The ‘beards’ of the witches bring about confusion as to whether the witches are female or male, and deconstruct the opposition between both genders. This ambiguity leads to the witches failing to fall into either category, which further highlights the unnatural nature to them as they do not fit within the realms of human and social convention. Not only does this ambiguity create further unpredictability, but it also reflects the later attempts of Lady Macbeth to be rid of her femininity: ‘Come, you spirits, That end on mortal thoughts, unsex me here. The parallels between the witches and the actions of Lady Macbeth work to similarly convey her as increasingly monstrous, perhaps suggesting a criticism of the lack of social role and responsibility which leads to her own deterioration. Thus, our ability to categorize ourselves and others into gender roles and abide by the social expectations linked to these is seen as a distinctly human attribute and one which Shakespeare may have deemed important for the successful function of a patriarchal society. Lastly, the witches may also be considered significant in adding a grotesque nature to the play which further exemplifies their sinister nature: ‘Eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog. ’ The repeated references to mutilated body parts of animals within the witches chants further depicts their unnatural nature as they are interfering with the natural state of animals. Additionally, further reference to ‘Liver of blaspheming Jew†¦Nose of Turk, and Tartar’s lips’ highlights a taboo element as it plays on racial stereotypes and victimizes groups which contextually may be considered the ‘other’. Perhaps most significantly, however, is the additional parallels which run between the witches and Lady Macbeth, as they incorporate ‘finger of birth-strangled babe’ into their spell. This line instantly incites the previous recognition of Lady Macbeth’s own statement that she would have, whilst breast-feeding, removed a baby and ‘dashed the brains out. ’ A similar taboo element is highlighted through the suggestion of infanticide, as well as the idea of going against nature as breast-feeding is considered a tender and natural human act. Such clear similarity between the witches and Lady Macbeth can thus be seen to suggest an argument which underlies the whole plot of the play – who are really the ‘monstrous’ characters within the play; the witches or the humans? Such ambiguity and deconstruction of the opposition between supposed evil and good as an overarching theme of the novel is one which incites great fear into the plot and the audience, as it implies that, under specific circumstances, even the most moral of us can deteriorate into evil and sin. How to cite What do you think the significance of the witches is in Macbeth?, Papers

Mahogany tree free essay sample

Plants are mostly damage by plant insects and it seems that in every plant or crops , there was always an insect. Among these are termites and ants. Even human can also be affected by those insects like the parasite lice. The researchers do this project to lessen and eliminate the pest and insects in our surrounding. This is safe to use because it is natural and environment friendly. Adelfa plant is an erect, smooth shrub, about 2-3 meters high with milky latex. Adelfa contains toxic called oleandrin and neriine which causes nervous system, digestive system, circulatory system disorders and experience the symptoms of low consciousness, trembling, pain and death. Mahogany is a large tropical tree with a symmetrical appearance, best-known for its valuable heartwood. A fast-growing, graceful, straight-trunked, semi-deciduous tree growing to 30-70ft. Most trees, particularly planted street trees grow to 30-40ft. It loses its leaves just as new leafs sprout, so while deciduous, the tree is not without leaves for long. We will write a custom essay sample on Mahogany tree or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Tiny flowers are followed by four to five, woody fruits that burst open to expel the seeds. Isolation of chemical components from seeds of Mahogany ( Swietenia macrophylla ) using different techniques showed high saturated and unsaturated fatty acid content. It was also reported to be positive for the presence of phospholipids, neutral lipids and glycolipids. Phosphatidylcholin is the most abundant. Other studies revealed the presence of tetranortriterpenoids specifically swietenoloids and swietenines ,diacetate resins and phenolic compounds. The leaves are known to be insecticidal ( several limonoids; seven phragmalin limonoids of swietephragmins ) and fruits contain triterpenoid-saponins, which could be pesticides but the only seed content. Statement of the Problem This study sought to answer the following questions: 1. Can Oleander (nerium indicum Mill) and Mahogany tree(swietenia macrophylla) eliminate insects like ants, lice, termites and ticks? 2. Is the propose insecticide safe to use? Is the propose insecticide can be a good substitute for chemical insecticide? Hypothesis 1. Oleander (nerium indicum Mill) (swietenia macrophylla) eliminate insects. 2. The propose insecticide safe to use. 3. The propose insecticide can be a good substitute for chemical insecticide. Significance of the Study The study was made to eliminate or minimize insects. In accordance with this, it can help to cure pediculosis among the children . Final product do not seen any side effects . It is environment friendly and good for health. Definition of Terms The following terms are defined operationally for better understanding of this study: Oleander – a smooth shrub with pink flower which combined to Mahogany tree as a potential source of organic insecticide Insecticide- a liquid extracted from oleander’s flower and mahogany tree that kills insects Decoction- a process in which the flower of oleander with water subjected to heat. Extracting- a process in which the mahogany seed pounded to get its toxins. Mahogany seeds- a white oval shape seed which pounded and combined to the oleander flower and mahogany leaves. According to the studies of Institution of Philippine medicinal Plants (2006),the bark of Nerium indicum Mill. Is an important source of botanical molluscicide and is an effective insecticide against Blatta oreintalis. Glycocides, steroids and terpinoids were also isolated from Nerium indicum. Adelfa contains toxic called oleandrin and neriiene which causes nervous system, digestive system, circulatory system disorders and experience the symptoms of low of consciousness, trembling, pain and death. Isolation of chemical components from seeds of Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) using different techniques showed high saturated and unsaturated fatty acid content. It was also reported to be positive for the presence of phospholipids, neutral lipids and glycolipids. Phosphatidylcholin is the most abundant. Other studies revealed the presence of tetranortriterpenoids specifically swietenoloids and swietenines, diacetate resins and phenolic compounds. The terms diacetate resins and phenolic compounds are too vague to classify their activity. The leaves are known to be insecticidal (several limonoids; seven phragmalin limonoids of swietephragmins) and fruits contain triterpenoid-saponins, which could be pesticides but the only seed content. Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY The laboratory of our school which serve as the experimental area for this study is prepared for conducive learning and for performing experimentation. Laboratory apparatus like funnel, beaker, tripod, alcohol lamp, pan balance, wire gauze are available and dust free. The room was well ventilated. The tables and chairs are properly arranged. Preparation of Materials The researchers prepared the following materials as needed to this study: Erlenmeyer flask, wire gauze, match, 120 grams of adelfa flower, alcohol lamp, 40 ml of water for each 3 beakers, tripod, mortar and pestle, 15 seeds of mahogany tree, 15 pieces of mahogany leaves and cheese cloth as strainer. Preparation of Three(3) Setups For the first solution, weight 30 grams of adelfa flower and 5 leaves of mahogany then put it on the beaker with 40 ml. Of water. Next use the alcohol lamp to apply strong heat into the beaker. Let it boil for 20 minutes. While boiling, pound 5 pieces of mahogany seeds with the use of mortar and pestel. For the remaining 5 minutes put the extract seed to the solution. After 20 minutes, strain the mixture using the cheese cloth and put the liquid to Erlenmeyer flask. Let it cool and transfer it to the empty bottle. For the second solution with 40 grams of adelfa flower and third solution 60 grams, do the same step as the first solution.

5 Most Common Maple Varieties in North America

5 Most Common Maple Varieties in North America Acer  sp. is the  genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as the maples. Maples are classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, and  there are approximately 125 species worldwide. The word Acer is derived from a Latin word meaning sharp, and the name refers to the characteristic points on the leaf lobes. The maple tree is the national arboreal emblem of Canada.   There are actually twelve native maples found in North America, but only five are commonly seen across most of the continent. The other seven that occur regionally are black maple, mountain maple, striped maple, bigleaf maple, chalk maple, canyon maple, Rocky Mountain  maple, vine maple, and Florida maple. Your chances of seeing a native maple are good in both the urban landscape and in the forest. With few exceptions (Norway and Japanese maples are exotics) you will find these native maples and their cultivars in profusion. Common North American Maple Species Sugar maple  or Acer saccharum.  The star of eastern North American fall foliage viewing and principle source of maple syrup. It normally grows 80 to 110 feet in height, but 150-foot specimens have been known. Compared to other maples, sugar maples color unevenly in the fall; sometimes yellows, oranges, and reds are all seen at the same time.  Red maple  or Acer rubrum. The most widespread maple in eastern North America and ubiquitous  in both the urban and forest landscape. It normally grows to a mature height of about 50 feet. It is a very popular landscape tree but is considered invasive in some forests, where it crowds out native oaks. The upper side of the leaves is green, with the lower side silverish in color. In older trees, the bark is very dark. Fall color is usually a deep red, though some trees may exhibit orange or yellow.  Silver maple  or Acer  saccharinum.  A fast-growing maple used largely as a shade tree, but with problems. This maple is brittle an d subject to breakage. The roots shallow and can cause property damage. At maturity, it may be 80 feet tall. The underside of the leaves is a soft silver in color; fall color is usually a pale yellow.   Boxelder  or Acer negundo  - The most common maple sp. in mid-western North America, and the only maple with pinnately compound leaves. Boxelder has the largest range of all North American maples. It is a fast-growing but short-lived maple, and in favorable conditions, it may grow as much as 80 feet in height. Leaves turn yellow in the fall.  Bigleaf  or Acer macrophyllum.  Restricted to the Pacific Coast, this tree is the most massive of North American maples. It can grow to be 150 feet tall or more, but more typically tops out at 50 to 65 feet in height. In fall, the leaves turn golden yellow.   General Identification Tips The deciduous leaves on all maples are arranged on stems  opposite  each other. The leaves are simple and palmate shaped on most species, with three or five main veins radiating from the leafstalk. The leafstalks are long and often as long a the leaf itself. The boxelder alone has compound leaves, with multiple leaves radiating from the leafstalk.   Maples have small flowers that are not very showy and form in droopy clusters. The fruit is winged key seeds (called  double  samaras) and develops early in the spring. Very visible are the redbuds and new red stems on red maple. Maples have bark that is generally gray but variable in form. Good identifiers of maples in dormancy are: Crescent-shaped leaf scars with three bundle scarsA terminal bud that is egg-shaped and slightly larger than the lateral buds on the branchStipule scars are absent  Opposite leaf and twigs

The Cinema of Martin Scorsese Essays

The Cinema of Martin Scorsese Essays The Cinema of Martin Scorsese Essay The Cinema of Martin Scorsese Essay Having emerged as the key figure of Hollywood cinema in the 1970s, Martin Scorsese is one of those personalities of Hollywood who considers film making to be a religion above anything else – one that he staunchly follows and reveres. This is a fact apparent in his school of film making which not only affected drastic changes but also ushered in a whole new ear of emotionally intelligent film making, especially in the genre of crime drama. In 1969, Scorsese embarked upon the start of his journey as a film maker with ‘Who’s that knocking at my door?’ where he went from being an ordinary hand at the editing table straight to the director’s chair. This was followed by notable efforts on his part where his talent as director shone through in memorable films like Mean Streets, Bringing out the dead, Raging bull, Last temptation of the Christ, Boxcar Bertha, the hugely acclaimed Kundun and more recently, Gangs of New York. If one were to take a deeper look into his body of work, the brightly lit pace of most of his plot lines would become apparent even through the more obvious grey tones that seem to underscore most of his movies. Let’s face it – you think Scorsese; you think grey. This brings directly to the two movies we are about to compare. The first one is Scorsese’s debut ‘Who’s that knocking at my door’ while the other is ‘Mean streets’, a movie that was close on the heels of the first. Who’s that knocking at my door, is believed by many to be a trial run for his later classics like Mean Streets and Taxi Driver. But the fact remains that this story of a boy in search of his identity when it comes to marrying the woman he loved – the woman who is scarred for life by rape – is a strong and compelling story to tell. Originally titled, I call first, this movie delivers many clever flourishes and novel ideas, despite the critical panning that observed lack of proper correlation between the scenes. This movie was written by Martin Scorsese himself and was released on the 15th of November, 1969. (www.wikipedia.com) Structured on a budget of $75,000 within a running time of 90 minutes, this movie calls the viewers attention to an easy flow of details and large doses of realist effects embedded in its overall mise en scà ¨n. Mean Streets is said to be a triumph of personal film making in context of its unparalleled demonstration of the power a film to convey reality. This movie was one of Scorsese’s early films starring Harvey Kietel and Robert De Niro. A notable feature of this movie is that although, the plot revolves around Italian American, there were only two Italians on the cast, i.e. Robert De Niro and Cesare DaNova. Released on the 2nd of October, 1973 after being made on a budget of $500,000, this movie boasts of a plethora of stars in its 110 minute runtime. This film’s story revolves essentially around an Italian American man eager to move up the ladder in the local mob, before he realizes that his strict catholic upbringing makes him too forgiving by nature to be successful in the mob. Coming to the formal similarities between the two films, one would first have to define the range of formal similarities. These similarities are to do with aspects of film making like the treatment of the movie, setting, lighting, performances, among various other factors. For facilitation of smooth flowing information throughout this paper, we will chart out these similarities in context of creative orientation. To start with, the characterization as well as the characters of both movies bears distinct similarities. Considering the fact the screenplay for Mean Streets initially began as a continuation of the characters in his first film, Who’s that knocking at my door, one will find that the J.R of Who’s that, and Charlie of Mean Streets could very well be brothers up in arms, against the whole world and their metal plight more than anything else. Who’s that boasts of a dynamic performance by Harvey Keitel as the very troubled and confused J.R, as his debut. Meanwhile, Charlie of Mean Streets is almost heart wrenching in his journey from innocence to full knowledge of the fact that he is not cut out to purse a career in the mob. He thus grows up in his own innocent way. Moving on, there is a strong underscore of themes of catholic guilt throughout the plotlines of both films which insert autobiographical elements into the movies. There are also Italian American sentiments on the agendas of both films in the sense that Scorsese manages quite effectively, to bring to life, what he saw growing up on the streets of Little Italy. Further, both films make for great viewing in the sense that it is amazingly enjoyable to go back in time and experience the shades that marked the horizon of life’s everyday nuances during the 60s. This has been done rather efficiently by Scorsese in both films – whether it is the look, the feel or even the sound of the movie. Even more distinct are the ragged edges of the plots and characters as they go about the all important business of living turbulent lives in that era. Also, the dialogues are beautifully crafted for the characters in both films. For example, in a scene from Who’s that, JR is seen coyly trying to strike up a conversation with a young lady on the ferry. The are able to develop a conversation even though they figuratively speak different languages him from the street; her a more cultured background. Another similarity would have to be on the camera work. Fluid and dramatic is how every movie buff worth his salt would explain the camera work of both films. Apart from this, the beautifully crafted dialogues for his characters mark both films. Heres one example from Who’s that: In one scene, a butcher is seen chopping meat and the camera is looking through a window. The camera pulls back and back and back until you realize its placed on a tall building across the street. But then entering from the stage right on the sidewalk far below, are two characters in the movie, the camera picks up on them then slowly zooms back to follow their actions. Brilliant is not the word. Apart from these similarities are the ones surrounding a kind of realism that Scorsese inevitably lends to all of his films and not just these two in particular, making it apparent that he has lived through some pretty harsh realities in life. Besides this, the fact that comes across clearly in both movies is one that has to do with the medium budget, artisanal, personal film making that characterized the 70s. Most of the key scenes in Mean Streets were almost fully improvised, thus sounding far more authentic than the old-style, theatrical delivery used in most American films up to that time. The actors speech is so profanity-ridden that no screenwriter of the time could have possibly doctored anything even close.

Critical analysis of a qualitative study Research Paper

Critical analysis of a qualitative study - Research Paper Example The clinical or medical impact that healthcare team members can derive from continued exposure to facial transplantation led to the study. The research problem relates to the fact that no conclusive research explores the personal, professional, and ethical experiences and perceptions of the healthcare team members who have participated in facial transplant procedures, whose attitudes and experiences may consequently influence patient care (Evans, 2013). Therefore, the study seeks to address this knowledge gap using an ethical approach. Notably, we should care about this study as it derives the knowledge on the experiences and perceptions of healthcare team members on caring for facial transplantation patients, using an ethical framework (Evans, 2013). The study established that facial transplantation required a different approach than the other organ transplants. Indeed, the study reckons that unlike other transplants, which take one direction, health care givers, and patients partic ipating in facial transplantation need collectively intense physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual care (Evans, 2013). The study established that clinical participants experience a high level of responsibility since they must do it perfectly. However, the study notes that most clinical participants were hesitant and uncertain about the success of facial transplantation due to the complexity of the process (Evans, 2013). Nevertheless, all participants in the study welcomed the moral obligation to transform the patients’ lives through facial transplantation and hence they had to develop confidence, teamwork, discipline, and perfection to succeed in this process. The study notes that healthcare team members involved in facial transplantation meet ethical, psychological, and clinical challenges, which they have to overcome for the process to succeed (Evans, 2013). The study establishes the financial burden and long-term effects that health members derived from facial t ransplantation. These findings relate to the clinical problem (Shanmugarajah et al, 2012). Purpose and Research Questions The purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of healthcare team member in caring for facial transplantation patients, using an ethical framework (Evans, 2013). The qualitative study had relevant research questions that it sought to answer. The research questions included: What were the experiences of the healthcare team members in caring for patients undergoing facial transplant surgery? What are some of the ethical, personal, and professional impacts that health caregivers derive from continued exposure to facial transplantation? How do healthcare team members meet ethical, psychological, and clinical challenges in facial transplantation? How did the ethical, personal, and professional experiences and perceptions by the healthcare team members affect patient care in facial transplantation? Notably, the research purpose and research questions had a corr elation with the research problem. This is evident where the research purpose and research questions address the research problem by leading to a research that explores the personal, professional, and ethical experiences and perceptions of the healthcare team members who have participated in facial transplant procedures, whose attitudes and experiences may consequently influence patient care

Cross Cultural Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cross Cultural Management - Essay Example Cultural intelligence was described by Creque & Gooden (2011, p. 143) as a set of skills, from fundamental to advanced, which allow a person to demonstrate effectiveness in transferring social skills from a particular cultural context to the another. Cultural intelligence is indeed critical in business especially for a manager dealing with people from different cultural backgrounds. In international business, managers are called upon to relate with partners from different countries and therefore cultural intelligence is needed for good working relations and successful interaction among partners. In light of this, cultural intelligence would be an important to the manager of Global Alliance Company to work with the different cultural backgrounds and enhances their functioning within a particular setting. Culturally Intelligent Persons Triandis (2006, p. 20) outlines various things that an intelligent persons should do. He asserts that a culturally intelligent person should suspended j udgments until he acquires adequate information beyond the ethnicity of the other person given that personality attributes like idiocentrism-allocentrism have to be considered (Triandis, 2006, p. 20). A practical example to explain this is a situation in which during the first meeting with international business partners, they may have low negotiation skills and therefore want they point to be taken. However, it would be wrong to argue that people from his ethic group behave that way but it would be wise to try and explore the personality of the person. Failure to do this would negatively affect future relations with people from this group. Trandis (2006, p. 23) explains that an intelligent person seeks training to overcome ethnocentrism. He notes that an intelligent person seeks cognitive, behavioral and affective training. An example of training for a person involved in international business would be to seek from the internet the cultural behaviors of people with whom you anticip ate to interact with from available literature and the internet. The other aspect described by Triandis (2006, p. 24) of intelligent person is that they are able to tolerate different organizational attributes. An example of this is a person who is transferred to a new company where they have to report everything to the manager in the evening although at his previous posting each employee enjoyed autonomy. An intelligent person would be able to adapt to this changes. Although Triandis outlines the various things that an intelligent person should do, he fails to list tools for measuring cultural intelligence. The challenges in developing tools for measuring cultural intelligence is on whether the tools will be able to meet he quality standards in terms of reliability and validity (Tung & Verbeke, 2010, p. 1259). The other challenge is determining the most appropriate research questions in a given context (Tung & Verbeke, 2010, p. 1259). CQ as a Functional Tool Management of any given organization usually use various tools in order to achieve the set organization tools. However, not all tools achieve similar purpose because some of them fail to be functional. It is important to know if a tool works or not. One of the management tools that most organizations use is cultural intelligence (CQ). Ward and colleagues have attempted to explain CQ whereby they have come out critiquing it as a functional tool. They argue that, to date, CQ has

Effect of Bullying in Childhood on the Future of a Person Essay

Effect of Bullying in Childhood on the Future of a Person - Essay Example The difference between the children influences them towards such activities and there is an every chance to become an irresponsible adult. This is an unwanted scenario in the children and it has to be avoided to save the future of them and to carve them as a responsible citizen. There are some causes for the children to become bully. The family relations and gender differences as well as humiliations affect their psychology. The influences of the friends' psychology also attract the children and it affects their behavior as an adult. Another reason that affects them is humiliation through bullying. Some of them are being humiliated by the people in the environment and being bullied will be hurt and psychologically became more bully than the other children and they want to take revenge on the society. The above aspect results in affecting the behavior of the person in the future. Hence demographics can be taken as third variable that depends on parents, friends as well as all the peop le in society and decides the humiliation with which the child meet as part of his daily activities (Hee-Soon Juon, 2006). Hence, the variables considered are; environment, age, demographics The children considered in this paper are the ones investigated by academic researchers from Washington and Indiana Universities. According to a study, the children who are witnessing the violence at home become bully by themselves. The quarrellings between the parents or siblings influence the children and in turn affect their behavior as an adult in future. Lead researcher Dr. Narissa bauer opines that the children imitate the elders and they also want to behave like them and this brings out the reasons for the peculiar behavior in children. Hence, in this case the first variable environment plays the major role in children being bullied. One can have an assertion that imitation attitude in children may lead to abnormalities of their behavior in future and this aspect consolidates the fact that the environment is an variable to consider as imitation depends on it. Parents are role models for the children and as a result they follow their behavior. If once they believe or attracted towards violence they will walk in that path only to enjoy themselves. They may think that 'If daddy is beating mummy and bring her to his control I too can beat my friends and they also will become obedient to me and I can control them'. As a result the child turns to be a bully in the future and tries to control everything and everybody by bullying. The study came to conclusion that the 97% of the bullish children were victims of the home violence and as a result, one can blame the environment for bullying the children. The affect of bullying on children according to environment and age even considers the demographics as the affects are studied according to the people the children faced in their daily life (Alexandra Lupu, 2006). Bullish Impact on the Future of Children of Different Ages According to the study of Duncan B. Clark the behavior of children who are subjected to bullying is completely different than the other sober children and depends on age. They behave rudely in future if they are bullied in teenage and may turn into cowards or introverts if

India One Of The Most Richest Civilizations History Essay

India One Of The Most Richest Civilizations History Essay India is home to one of the richest and the most ancient civilizations in the world, which existed over 5,000 years ago. This civilization originated in the Indus River Valley, hence the name given to it was Indus Valley civilization. It is the origin of many of the ideas, philosophies and movements which have shaped the destiny of mankind. The civilization with its main cities Mohenjadaro and Harappa flourished for over eight centuries. Its people thought to be Dravidians, whose descendants still inhabit the far south of India. The history of India begins with evidence of human activity of Homo sapiens as long as 75,000 years ago, or with earlier hominids including Homo erectus from about 500,000 years ago. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spread and flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent from c. 3300 to 1300 BCE, was the first major civilization in India. A sophisticated and technologically advanced urban culture developed in the Mature Harappan period, from 2600 to 1900 BCE. This Bronze Age civilization collapsed before the end of the second millennium BCE and was followed by the Iron Age Vedic Civilization, which extended over much of the Indo-Gangetic plain and which witnessed the rise of major polities known as the Mahajanapadas. In one of these kingdoms, Magadha, Mahavira and Gautama Buddha were born in the 6th or 5th century BCE and propagated their ņºramanic philosophies. Almost all of the subcontinent was conquered by the Maurya Empire during the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE. It subsequently became fragmented, with various parts ruled by numerous Middle kingdoms for the next 1,500 years. This is known as the classical period of Indian history, during which India has sometimes been estimated to have had the largest economy of the ancient and medieval world, controlling between one third and one fourth of the worlds wealth up to the 18th century. Much of northern and central India was once again united in the 4th century CE, and remained so for two centuries thereafter, under the Gupta Empire. This period, witnessing a Hindu religious and intellectual resurgence, is known among its admirers as the Golden Age of India. During the same time, and for several centuries afterwards, southern India, under the rule of the Chalukyas, Cholas, Pallavas, and Pandyas, experienced its own golden age. During this period, aspects of Indian civilization, administration, culture, and religion (Hinduism and Buddhism) spread to much of Asia. The southern state of Kerala had maritime business links with the Roman Empire from around 77 CE. Islam was introduced in Kerala through this route by Muslim traders. Muslim rule in the subcontinent began in 712 CE when the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sindh and Multan in southern Punjab,setting the stage for several successive invasions from Central Asia between the 10th and 15th centuries CE, leading to the formation of Muslim empires in the Indian subcontinent such as the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire. Mughal rule came to cover most of the northern parts of the subcontinent. Mughal rulers introduced Middle Eastern art and architecture to India. In addition to the Mughals and various Rajput kingdoms, several independent Hindu states, such as the Vijayanagara Empire, the Maratha Empire, and the Ahom Kingdom, flourished contemporaneously in southern, western, and northeastern India respectively. The Mughal Empire suffered a gradual decline in the early 18th century, which provided opportunities for the Afghans, Balochis, Sikhs, and Marathas to exercise control over large areas in the northwest of the subcontinent until the British East India Company gained ascendancy over South Asia. Beginning in the mid-18th century and over the next century, India was gradually annexed by the British East India Company. Dissatisfaction with Company rule led to the Indian Rebellion of 1857, after which India was directly administered by the British Crown and witnessed a period of both rapid development of infrastructure and economic decline. During the first half of the 20th century, a nationwide struggle for independence was launched by the Indian National Congress and later joined by the Muslim League. The subcontinent gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, after being partitioned into the dominions of India and Pakistan. WHAT ARE THE ARTIFACTS ? An artifact or artefact is any object made or modified by a human. Artifact is the usual spelling in the US and Canada, artefact in the UK and Australasia (see spelling differences). In archaeology, where the term is most commonly used, an artifact is an object recovered by some archaeological endeavor, which may have a cultural interest. Examples include stone tools such as projectile points, pottery vessels, metal objects such as guns, and items of personal adornment such as buttons, jewellery and clothing. Other examples include bone that show signs of human modification, fire cracked rocks from a hearth or plant material used for food. Imported Mycenaean stirrup vase found in the acropolis of Ras Shamra (Ugarit), 1400-1300 BC Artifacts can come from any archaeological context or source such as: Buried along with a body (grave goods). From any feature such as a midden or other domestic setting Hoards Votive offerings Artifacts are distinguished from the main body of the archaeological record such as stratigraphic features, which are non-portable remains of human activity, such as hearths, roads, or deposits and remains, and from biofacts or ecofacts, which are objects of archaeological interest made by other organisms, such as seeds or animal bone. Natural objects which have been moved but not changed by humans are called manuports. Examples would include seashells moved inland or rounded pebbles placed away from the water action that would have fashioned them. These distinctions are often blurred: for instance, a bone removed from an animal carcass is a biofact, but a bone carved into a useful implement is an artifact. Similarly there can be debate over early stone objects which may be crude artifacts or which may be naturally occurring phenomena that only appear to have been used by humans. Head of the Buddha, Gandhara style, Stucco, 5th Century Around five thousand years ago, an important civilization developed on the Indus River floodplain. From about 2600 B.C. to 1700 B.C. a vast number of settlements were built on the banks of the Indus River and surrounding areas. These settlements cover a remarkable region, almost 1.25 million kilometers of land which is today part of Afghanistan, Pakistan and north-western India. The cities of the Indus Valley Civilization were well-organized Pot shards from Harappa and solidly built out of brick and stone. Their drainage systems, wells and water storage systems were the most sophisticated in the ancient world. They also developed systems of weights and trade. They made jewelery and game pieces and toys for their children. From looking at the structures and objects which survive we are able to learn about the people who lived and worked in these cities so long ago. The people of the Indus Valley Civilization also developed a writing system which was used for several hundred years. How ever, unlike some other ancient civilizations, we are still unable to read the words that they wrote. The excavations at Mohenjo-daro Mohenjo-Daro (English: Mound of the dead) was a city of the Indus Valley Civilization built around 2600 BC and is located in the Sindh Province of Pakistan. This ancient five thousand year old city is the largest of Indus Valley and is widely recognized as one of the most important early cities of South Asia and the Indus Valley Civilization. Mohenjo Daro was one of the worlds first cities and contemporaneous with ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations. It is sometimes referred to as An Ancient Indus Valley Metropolis. Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa and their civilization, vanished without trace from history until discovered in the 1920s. It was extensively excavated in the 1920s, but no in-depth excavations have been carried out since the 1960s. The excavations at Mohenjo-Daro Mohenjo-Daro is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most extensive recent work at the site has focused on attempts at conservation of the standing structures, undertaken by UNESCO in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology and Museums, as well as various foreign consultants. In December 1996, preservation work at the 500-acre site suspended after funding from the government and international organizations ran out, according to a resident archaeologist. However in April 1997, the UN Educational, Scientific and Culture Organization (UNESCO) funded $10 million to a project to be conducted over two decades in order to protect the Mohenjo-daro ruins from flooding. This project has been a success so far. UNESCOs efforts to save Mohenjo-daro was one of the key events that led the organization to establish World Heritage Sites CONCLUSION: India is home to one of the richest and the most ancient civilizations in the world, which existed over 5,000 years ago. This civilization originated in the Indus River Valley, hence the name given to it was Indus Valley civilization. It was the origin of many of the ideas, philosophies and movements which have shaped the destiny of mankind. Its people are thought to be Dravidians, whose descendants still inhabit the far south of India. Above articles shows that the real picture of indian culture and its value. Artifacts and indian texts like (MAHABAHARTA, RAMANYANA etc) shows the indian culture and society in the ancient time.we can easily find out our indian history with the help of artifacts and indian text. Many historians had found the history of taj mahal or all other monuments with help of artifacts or as well as texts , it also found that how many years ago can monuments was built? What was the structures? Artifacts are mainly as simple indicators to give us the knowledge about past. Jewelry  is an important part of Indian culture and these artifacts are insightful into the lives of the previous owners. For example, it is known in part through jewelry that before European settlement it was not uncommon for Native tribes to trade amongst themselves as the materials used in the jewelry are interchangeable. Not only were the materials such as beads, shells, copper, silver, ivory, amber, and  turquoise  traded but it is also likely that  designs  and patterns were intermingled due to similarities in the pieces. Jewelry artifacts from Indians were typically either metalwork or beadwork. The styles were often constructed by hammering and etching to create  pendants  as well as stitching countless beads together. It is also of interest that these artifacts were not only used for decoration but may also have served religious purposes. According to my analysis , Indian artifacts are responsible our indian ancient culture.

The Hypocrisy Of Diversity Essay -- essays research papers

'Diversity'. It's everywhere you look these days. When you switch on your TV set, you open up a newspaper, or you just look out your window - it's there. It seems everybody has a lot to say about diversity, but what does it mean, what does it really mean? And what does the future hold for a racially 'diverse' America? Well.. let's look at the fine people who are pushing for the 'diversity' line. Who's opening the borders to hordes of illegal aliens in order to 'diversify' the racial makeup of the United States and allowing these criminals to collect welfare and vote? Who's saying we should have to make way for Blacks and Mexicans in our own society, forcing us to change our ways, our culture, in order to accommodate these people, and their cultures. Who is saying that we should bring these Negroes and Mestizoes into predominantly White places and institutions, and we should have to be 'tolerant' and 'sensitive' to the cultural and racial attitudes of these people. Isn't it mainly the left that's saying we should have to accept more 'diversity', that we should have to change our ways and become more 'sensitive' towards these people when we are dealing with them? Isn't it mainly these leftists, the Marxist-Communists, the professional class- and race-warfare artists, that are always crying out about the 'oppression' of the Negro and the Mestizo, and how we need to help these people by giving them free healthcare, free welfare, free houses. Just last year that proud moral example, that wonderful honest man who's word was his bond, that embodiment of patriotic Americanism, president Bill Clinton stated proudly to a cheering audience that "by 2050, Whites will be a minority in the United States". Yes, it's mainly the left, but most Republicans are not much better as they do a fairly good job of sitting back and watching it happen, since they know that it drives down the cost of labor to have a such a large unskilled population. But really, what kind of benefits do 'diversity' and 'multiculturalism' bring to our society and to the average Joe White guy. After all, it's not at all necessary to bring people from other races and from other cultures to our country just for the sake of having them here, and it's not necessary for us to have to bend our customs, culture and values in order to accomodate these people. This is really only a new trend, I mean... ...could live in a free society with rights above those of the Government. We need your help to awaken more people, to snap them out of this idiotic idea that this 'diversity' is good for our society. We need your help by lobbying your congressmen to restrict border controls, to restrict the rights of illegal aliens, and to abolish this trend for a mongrelized 'diverse' society. We need your help and we need the help of other independently-minded Nordic Aryans like you in stopping 'diversity' from destroying our society and re-establishing America as the home of the American Dream and the land of prosperity and success. We need this help because if we're going to make America a great place to live in twenty or thirty years time, and not the next South Africa, we're going to have to awaken as many people as we can into taking a stand and fighting as well. It's not enough just to say "you know, I agree with what you're saying", you have to say "I agree with what you're saying, and I'm willing to fight to make it happen". To merely believe is not enough, you must have the will to fight, and to fight hard to make this change which will decide the future of our nation.

Public Speaking Self Reflection Essay

The information in this paper will include the topics of a presentation such as the introduction, body, conclusion, delivery, language, audience and topic, visual aids, and the general evaluation. This paper embraces the thoughts from the presenter, incorporating personal ideas and those of peers and instructors, on how this speech went during each step of the giving process. By reviewing the presentation and accumulating the thoughts of those involved will improve future productions. Introduction The intro to this presentation should catch the attention of any doctor who knows about time management. Gaining attention and interest early was a goal in this presentation. The topic to save time and view radiology films from home was clear, and informative. An overview was not given of what would be covered instead the speech flowed into the step by step to view the images from home . Body The body of this presentation logically flowed step by step, using PowerPoint to deliver messages clearly and so that the audience could follow along more easily. No misinterpretation was felt regarding the use of language spoken, and the body was delivered well. The steps were clear and concise. Delivery When viewing the presentation again, it was rushed from start to finish. The time factor disabled the use of more information being shared. A well defined topic would have solved this problem. Watch out for eye contact, hand gestures, and bouncing around, these were noticed and portrayed poor body language. There were not any pauses due to time constraint. There were times that there could have been a pause to prove a point, or to allow the audience to ask a question or catch up to the speaker. Language The language used was appropriate. Due to the recording device used the audience could not hear clearly. Future presentation must have a better sound system. Audience and Topic The message was adapted for the appropriate audience. One of the biggest topics in any clinic is how to save time in a day. This is one suggestion for doing just that. Any doctor looking to save time would view this two minute presentation to allow them a few extra minutes each day. Visual Aids Step by step instructions were used via PowerPoint, on how to view Patient Images from home. The slides allowed the audience to view the steps clearly and efficiently. Many times in this presentation the visual aids allowed the speaker a chance to look away from the audience. A quick glance is fine but there is no reason to read the slide. Conclusion The end of the presentation was as rushed as the beginning and body. The reinforcement of how this would save time in the day, allowing more time with patients, was preparation to the end of the speech. There was not a vivid ending just more of the same Power Point presentation. A stronger conclusion would have helped close the presentation with confidence. Overall Evaluation The presentation was good throughout. There could have been a better sound system to make the presentation more appealing. The requirement was met for the assignment. To respect attention to detail, the time limit was followed closely. A general comment stated, was to wait a second or two prior to speaking to allow equipment to work so as not to cut off the beginning. There was clear purpose and overall the outcome was quite good. By reviewing the important parts of a presentation, introduction, body, conclusion, delivery, language, audience and topic, visual aids, and overall evaluation, the giver of the speech can use the information provided to improve upon them self. Overcoming the need to think of oneself as right and allowing outside perspective enables the speech presenter the ability to become a remarkable speaker, in everyone’s eyes.

Biography and Facts About Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon

Biography and Facts About Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon  was the daughter of the Scottish Lord Glamis, who became the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, Elizabeth was educated at home. She was a descendant of the Scottish King, Robert the Bruce. Brought up to duty, she worked to nurse troops in World War I when her home was used as a hospital for the wounded. Life and Marriage In 1923, Elizabeth married the second son of George V, the shy and stuttering Prince Albert, after turning down his first two proposals. She was the first commoner to legally marry into the royal family in several centuries. Their daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, were born in 1926 and 1930, respectively. In 1936, Alberts brother, King Edward VIII, abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson, a divorcee, and Albert was crowned King of Great Britain and Ireland as George VI. Elizabeth thus became queen consort and they were crowned May 12, 1937. Neither had expected these roles and while they fulfilled them dutifully, Elizabeth never forgave the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, the titles of Edward and his wife after the abdication and their marriage. When Elizabeth refused to leave England during the London Blitz in World War II, even enduring the bombing of Buckingham Palace, where she was residing with the king, her spirit was an inspiration to many who continued to hold her in high regard until her death. George VI died in 1952, and Elizabeth became known as the Queen Mother, or fondly as the Queen Mum, as their daughter, Elizabeth, became Queen Elizabeth II. Elizabeth as Queen Mother remained in the public eye, making appearances and remaining popular even through the many royal scandals, including her daughter Margarets romance with a divorced commoner, Capt. Peter Townsend, and her grandsons rocky marriages to Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson. She was especially close to her grandson, Prince Charles, born in 1948. Death In her later years, Elizabeth was plagued with ill health, though she continued to appear in public regularly until a few months before her death. In March of 2002, Elizabeth, the Queen Mum, died in her sleep at age 101, just weeks after her daughter, Princess Margaret, died at age 71. Her familys home, Glamis Castle, is perhaps most famous as the home of Macbeth of Shakespearean fame. Source: The Queen Mother: Chronicle of a Remarkable Life 1900-2000. 2000. Massingbred, Hugh. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: Woman of the Century. 1999. Cornforth, John. Queen Elizabeth: The Queen Mother at Clarence House. 1999. De-la-Noy, Michael. The Queen Behind the Throne. 1994. Pimlott, Ben. The Queen: A Biography of Elizabeth II. 1997. Strober, Deborah Hart and Gerald S. Strober. The Monarchy: An Oral Biography of Elizabeth II. 2002. Botham, Noel. Margaret: The Last Real Princess. 2002.

Free Essays on Bastard Out Of Carolina

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines moral as â€Å"conforming to a standard of right behavior and or being capable of right and wrong action† (481). Yet who is to say what actions are perceived as either right or wrong? Is someone who discovers that too little was taken out of his or her paycheck for federal taxes an immoral person just because they do not report it? A percentage of people would answer yes to this question, while others would disagree and say that â€Å"they caught a break†. Some people would say that a woman who has an abortion is immoral, while others would contend that it is her right to choose. These are just a few examples of how people’s opinions can differ on what it is right and wrong. Yet most people can agree that the behavior exhibited by characters in Dorothy Allison’s Bastard Out of Carolina, can at best be described as questionable. The character whose morals are obviously the most twisted, so much so that he comes across as malicious and evil, is Glen Waddell. He constantly lets his temper get the best of him, causing violent outbursts in the workplace that cost him numerous jobs. However, this is nothing compared to the mental and physical torment that he inflicts on Bone. He starts this method of abuse by sexually molesting Bone when she is nine years old in the parking lot of the hospital where her mother is giving birth (46-47). It then escalates into his constantly telling her that she is good for nothing and beating her for the most minor infractions (234). After years of this abuse the violence comes to its peak with a horrifying and brutal rape in which he tells Bone that he prayed for her to die and he would kill her if Anney did not come back to him (283). Anyone who can say that this is a man of sound mind should be locked in a cell along with him. Another character in the novel whose morals seem unintelligible is Bone’s mother Anney Boatwright. The ambiguity of her mora... Free Essays on Bastard Out Of Carolina Free Essays on Bastard Out Of Carolina The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines moral as â€Å"conforming to a standard of right behavior and or being capable of right and wrong action† (481). Yet who is to say what actions are perceived as either right or wrong? Is someone who discovers that too little was taken out of his or her paycheck for federal taxes an immoral person just because they do not report it? A percentage of people would answer yes to this question, while others would disagree and say that â€Å"they caught a break†. Some people would say that a woman who has an abortion is immoral, while others would contend that it is her right to choose. These are just a few examples of how people’s opinions can differ on what it is right and wrong. Yet most people can agree that the behavior exhibited by characters in Dorothy Allison’s Bastard Out of Carolina, can at best be described as questionable. The character whose morals are obviously the most twisted, so much so that he comes across as malicious and evil, is Glen Waddell. He constantly lets his temper get the best of him, causing violent outbursts in the workplace that cost him numerous jobs. However, this is nothing compared to the mental and physical torment that he inflicts on Bone. He starts this method of abuse by sexually molesting Bone when she is nine years old in the parking lot of the hospital where her mother is giving birth (46-47). It then escalates into his constantly telling her that she is good for nothing and beating her for the most minor infractions (234). After years of this abuse the violence comes to its peak with a horrifying and brutal rape in which he tells Bone that he prayed for her to die and he would kill her if Anney did not come back to him (283). Anyone who can say that this is a man of sound mind should be locked in a cell along with him. Another character in the novel whose morals seem unintelligible is Bone’s mother Anney Boatwright. The ambiguity of her mora...

In God We Trust Question 4 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

In God We Trust Question 4 - Research Paper Example Based on this and many other factors that this paper will illustrate, the discussions will concur with the assumption of many that America is a Christian nation. To help in proving this point, the paper will illustrate the role of religion in the society, basing its illustrations from Paul Bloom’s essay, Is God an Accident? (Comely 2012) Other illustrations will emanate from sociological theories of evolution, functionalism, and collective conscience. Religion is crucial in upholding the morality of the society as well as its legal structures. Bloom proclaims that, â€Å"The United States is a poster child for supernatural belief† (Bloom). Paul Bloom is a psychology professor at university of Yale, formerly having written Descartes’ Baby. Individually, he is an atheist but recognizes the existence of belief in religion. From polls, Bloom established that about ninety-six percent of the American population believes in God. In relation to this, more than fifty perc ent of the same American population believes in angels, the devil, and miracles. Religion has performed the role of instigating morality and ethical values in the society (Ijaz 2011). As such, most people believe that religion offers guidance by defining the difference between wrong and right. This is extremely a necessity in today’s world especially with the emergence of modernity. This implies that there is ardent need to balance the negatives with the positives in this modern world. Religion has established itself, since the beginning of times, as the positive side. Belief in God somehow restrains people’s actions, by so doing controlling evil and wrongdoings. In addition to this, religion also brings with it the conservancy nature of the world, which will similarly work towards maintaining balance between the right and wrong. From sociology, it is absolute knowledge that the world often tends to shift from liberal to conservative aspect, and vice versa. Religion co mes into play here as it brings the world from its liberal phase back to the conservative one in instances where the liberal phase is to the extreme. According to functionalism sociological theory, religion offers a set of ethical practices and beliefs that people tend to conform with, thus uniting them. Also, supporting proposal is the ‘collective conscience’ proposed by Durkheim. Secondly, religion has been the greatest element of unity all over the world. As Bloom said, â€Å"Just about everyone in this country (United States of America) believes in God† (Bloom). There are certain concepts in religion that are universal, irrespective of one’s denomination. For example, almost all religious people believe in a supernatural being, angels and /or the devil, as well as an afterlife. Such common beliefs act as a unifying factor in the society. As such religious people often tend to view themselves as one community of believers, unified by their common religi ous teachings. Unity is a paramount aspect in every society, especially since people are of different ethnic groups or cultural values. There is a need in such societies to have a common feature that unites multicultural groups, and religion fills that gap. Furthermore, religion is fundamental in the identification, awareness, and respect for other cultures that are different from one’s culture. Through religion, one can learn about other cultures, including their language, foods and clothing as well as their cultural

Bottled water vs. tap water Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bottled water vs. tap water - Essay Example No longer a luxury item, the beverage has become a common sight worldwide.† (Owen, 2006). However, the author, Ann Pietrangelo of the text, Bottled Water vs. Tap Water: Which is really safer? raises question on how clean and hygienic is the bottled water, when compared to the tap water and gives the answer that the bottled water is not at all better than the tap water, and in some cases could be even inferior to the tap water. The text written was by Ann Pietrangelo in July 2009 and was featured under the section, Healthy reform policy in the website Care2.com, which mainly focuses on environmental and health issues. While ‘googling’ about the topic, Bottled Water vs. Tap Water, this website or webpage came as the second web entry or result, and appeared as the apt text for this topic and paper. In the initial part of the text itself, the author starts to spell out the argument that bottled water does not any safe qualities, and it is same or even inferior to the tap water. By using data from another website, FoodandWaterWatch.org, the author argues that with tap water being regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency and state and local governments, and bottled water being regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, there are clear evidences to show that bottled water is not effectively tested and so it is not better than the tap water. Author Pietrangelo first points out the basic point, which is 40 percent of bottled water originates only from the tap, with some minerals added and some extra filtration done. She provides this fact to send the message to the readers that bottled water is just another version of the tap water, without any major differences, quality wise. Then she provides some more facts, to justify that tap water is more clean and hygienic than th e bottled water, as the tap water has to conform various rules and tests under different conditions and standards. She states that tap water is not permitted to contain E. coli

Contemporary issues in management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Contemporary issues in management - Assignment Example Presently, Samsung produces and exports electronics products around one fourth of the total export of South Korea. Samsung had decided to diversify in terms of product diversification as well as market diversification into the foreign market especially into the emerging markets across the world. The main reason behind this is to diversify the risk of single industry. It is noticeable that the company’s current revenue is larger than the many countries’ GDP. So, the parent company has diversified into different industry from electronics and semiconductor production to advertising agency. Business from this wide range of business areas Samsung has able to make a powerful influence on the economic development of South Korea. The companies like Samsung always believe in expansion. Although the Samsung group is recognised for the digital electronics and semiconductor product but it has diversified into wide variety of industry and formed many subsidiaries like Samsung heavy industries, the second largest shipbuilders in the world, Samsung engineering, Samsung life insurance, Samsung Everland a theme park in South Korea, Cheil Worldwide the 19th largest advertising agencies in the world. Internal diversification This blue chip company was founded as â€Å"Samsung Sanghoe† which was a small trading company of food products especially noodles and other grocery products. In terms of business diversification there are two different types of it like the product diversification and the market diversification. The company started the need and opportunity diversification after the war. After the war the economic condition of the country was very weak and many companies could not able to run their small companies. Samsung got the opportunity to buy some of those companies which had future prospect and growth. The company started diversifying into many areas insurance, securities and retail. At that time founder Lee discovered the opportunities in industri alization as there was a higher need of industrialization in the country after the war. He thought that by this step the company might also get major support from the Korean government. For this reason Lee started concentrating on industrialization and focused on economic development strategy with the support of large domestic conglomerates. The strategy behind this diversification to consumer electronics was to become world’s leading brand in consumer electronics programme. The company’s diversification into Samsung Electronics’ was one of the most important diversification strategies of the company. The group become much better in terms of brand recognition and this is the only subsidiary by which the company has become a worldwide popular digital electronics brand. External diversification According to Williams, Samsung set on a path of unrelated external diversification activities where it focused on creating and gaining of companies completely unrelated to each other. This diversification strategy was aimed by the concern through enhancing the portfolio of business and service or product offerings. Samsung is thus found to expand into diversified business areas like production of memory chips, hardware equipments and computer peripherals pertaining to information technology industries,

Stylistic Imitation Catcher in the Rye Essay Example for Free

Stylistic Imitation Catcher in the Rye Essay Goddamn it’s bright out here, all the phonies going to the lousy lake that depresses me. It really does. Everyone and they’re phony smiles just trying to get on a boat. It’ll make you puke just seeing these goddamn girls with their tits all in their face, make you want to puke. It really will. The only girl worth looking at was old Jane Gallagher; you could stare at that ass of hers all day long. You really could. She looked like one of those playboy models. Those girls sure are nice to look at. One of my friend’s mom was in one of those magazines. We sure used to tease him a lot but when his mom came down everyone got real quiet and just watched the way she would walk, goddamn it was nice. Stradlater always had those magazines all over the place. Ackley kid was always saying how he necked with one of them, you always knew he was lying but you went with it anyways. That kind of stuff made me sick to think about. You see it all the time, you always see some old man with a young girl. It’ll make you sick. I heard Ackley kid call my name so I walked over to him. I’ll admit it, I wasn’t too crazy about him, but he had his license and a car. He was a lousy guy. He really was. He was always looking for a fight like he was a tough bastard and all. I have only been in one fight in my life, the bastards name was Billy the kid. He was a big guy about 6 feet tall, the bastard picked me up and threw me on the ground just about knocked me out then I got up and he hit me again knocking me over, that’s all I remember though I don’t like talking about it much. I hate when people start talking about something and they just drag the story on too long that kind of thing pisses me off. It really does. Then they start talking about there brother or what they had for lunch. Those bastards just start annoying me. Ackley kid said â€Å"Caulfield what the hell are you doing? † I replied â€Å"trying to rubberneck old Jane Gallagher but you stopped me goddamnit. † Ack said â€Å"Well let’s go to the pub and get a drink. † The pub is the only local bar that’ll sell you booze if your underage. â€Å"Alright well let’s get the hell out of here then, I want to get stinking drunk. †

Typical of british banks

Typical of british banks ‘This is absolutely typical of British banks. As soon as you have any success they want to pull the plug and stop you trading. Loretta Long was very angry. She is the managing director of Park Leisurewear Ltd (PL), and had just received a letter from the businesss bank requiring a significant reduction in the overdraft. ‘This is ridiculous agreed Jimbo Juggins, the production director. ‘Last year we had an excellent year and it looks set to continue. We had a big order in from Totspur Plc just this morning. If we cant keep up the overdraft, we wont be able to fulfil that order. Totspur was one of several national chains of casual and sportswear stores which was placing substantial orders with PL, usually to be sold under the Park label, but in some cases under the stores ‘own brand label. PL had been started by Loretta and Jimbo five years ago. The business is a designer and manufacturer of casual and leisure clothes aimed particularly at the younger, higher income market. Before starting the business both Loretta and Jimbo had been employed as senior managers with White Hart Plc, a large UK clothes manufacturer. They decided to create PL after their ideas for developing a new range of clothes for younger people had been welcomed by White Hart Plc but investment capital had not been available. From the very outset, Loretta and Jimbo decided that PL would be a design and marketing led business. Much of the forward planning was concerned with integrating the product design and development with the sales and marketing operations of the business. The new business had taken a lot of trouble and spent a lot of money on employing a young and talented design team, led by Heena Hussein who had been employed previously as a chief designer for a leading sportswear brand. The range of clothes designed by Heena and her team was greeted with enthusiasm by the major buyers and this was converted into firm orders by the marketing team led by Loretta. PL grew slowly at first. However, sales started to increase significantly as the brand gained acceptability in the UK and as export markets in France and Switzerland were opened. Loretta and Jimbo were both surprised and delighted by the speed with which the sales of the business had grown in recent years and by the growing base of regular customers. The order just received from Totspur was seen as particularly important. If Totspur became a regular customer, the sales of the business were likely to increase rapidly over the next few years and would establish PL as a major player in the market. This, Loretta and Jimbo felt, would build upon their success, success evidenced in the year to 30 September 2007 by the Cash Generated from Operations (as shown on their published Cash Flow Statement) of  £6,608,000. Loretta and Jimbo had both invested their life savings in the business and had also taken out large mortgages on their respective houses to help finance the new business. However, this provided only a relatively small amount of the total ordinary share capital needed. In order to raise the remaining share capital, friends, family and business contacts were approached. The largest shareholder of the business was Crowley Estates Ltd owned by Alan and Tim Crowley. The two Crowley brothers had made large profits by land speculation over the years but were keen to diversify into other areas as their business had been particularly hard hit by the recent recession. They had known Loretta for many years and were convinced she and Jimbo would make a success of the new business. PLs directors and their shareholdings were as follows: Loretta Long Managing Director and Marketing Director (700,000 shares) Jimbo Juggins Production Director (700,000 shares) Heena Hussein Design Director (40,000 shares) Alan Crowley Chairman (2,000,000 shares owned jointly with brother Tim through Crowley Estates) Tim Crowley Non-executive director In addition to his role as production director, Jimbo tended to look after financial matters. Though the business had accounts staff who dealt with the day-to-day transactions, there was no one at PL who had any great financial expertise. When there was a problem, the businesss auditors were normally asked for advice. That said, Loretta and Jimbo had not consulted the auditors in October 2007 when they had purchased new equipment and buildings for  £8,670,000, part of which had been funded by an additional bank loan. On the day the letter from the bank was received, a meeting of the board of directors was due to take place to consider the draft financial statements for the year that had ended two months earlier. At this meeting, the letter from the bank was also distributed to board members for discussion. Jimbo Juggins began the discussion by saying: ‘Weve just received the draft accounts from the auditors which seem to confirm our success. Profit has more than doubled. I really cant see how the cash situation is so poor. I know that we spent a lot on that additional plant and that we didnt get anything from the old machines we got rid of, but most of that was covered by the bank loan. Really, the cash situation should be even better than the profit level implies because the expenses include about  £2.8 million for depreciation and we dont have to write a cheque for that. Loretta Long, who was still angry at what she regarded as the high-handed attitude of the bank, pointed to the difficulties that the banks demands would cause: ‘The bank wants us to reduce the overdraft by half over the next six months! This is crazy I tried to explain that we have important orders to fulfil but the manager wasnt interested. How on earth can we find this kind on money in the time available? We are being asked to do the impossible. Both Jimbo and Loretta had, before the meeting, hoped that the Crowley brothers would be prepared to help out by purchasing further new shares in PL or by making a loan. However, it was soon made clear by Alan Crowley that further investment was not a possible option. Crowley Estates had been experiencing considerable problems over recent years, as a result of a couple of unprofitable overseas projects, and simply did not have the money to invest further in PL. Indeed, the Crowley brothers would be prepared to sell their shares in PL to generate much-needed cash for their own ailing business. Finding a prospective buyer for the shares was not, however, a likely prospect at this point. Both Alan and Tim Crowley had been heavily involved in recent years with the problems of Crowley Estates and had taken little interest in PLs affairs. The board meeting made them realise that they should have been much more attentive and now faced the prospect of being major shareholders of two failed b usinesses unless things could be radically improved. PLs financial statements for the past two years are set out below on the next two pages: *Note: Opening net book value of NCAs (8,600) Depreciation charge for the year 2,800 Closing net book value of NCAs 14,470 NCA additions during the year 8,670 The board of directors was not able to agree on a way of dealing with the financial problem faced by PL. Loretta believed that their best hope was to continue to wrangle with the bank over its demands. She felt that their was still a chance that the bank could be persuaded to change its mind once the draft financial statements for last year were made available and the bank was informed of the implications for PL of paying off such a large part of the overdraft in such a short period of time. Jimbo and Heena, on the other hand, were not optimistic about the prospects of changing the banks position. PL had breached its overdraft limit on several occasions over the past few years and they knew that the patience of the bank was now wearing thin. They believed that the only real solution was for the board to look for someone who was prepared to make a significant investment in the business. They felt that only a large injection of new funds could keep PL on track. Like Loretta, they belie ved that the financial statements demonstrated the success of PL over recent years and that this evidence would make the business attractive to a potential investor. The Crowley brothers rejected both of these views as being impractical. In addition, they were against the idea of introducing another major shareholder as this was likely to dilute their influence over the future direction of the business. The brothers believed that the board required drastic and immediate action, although they were not sure what form of action should be taken. After several hours of discussion, it was clear that the financial issue was not going to be resolved at the meeting. Instead, it was agreed that expertise from outside PL should be sought to help the business find a feasible solution to the problem. The board decided to approach BUS021 Financial Consultants, a firm which specialises in helping businesses with financial problems, and to ask the firm to analyse the financial performance and financial health of the company.

E.E. Cummings: The Birth of Modern Poetry Essay -- Poetry Analysis

â€Å"The greatest poets are those with memories so great that they extend beyond their strongest experiences to their minutest observations of people and things far outside their own self-centeredness.† This quote said by Stephen Spender depicts a great poet as someone who utilizes their past observations to increase their knowledge about people, nature, love, and life. Like a great poet, E.E. Cummings employed his past experiences in his poetry and life. Known as one of the preeminent poets of the 20th century, E.E. Cummings poetry has received an array of both positive and negative criticism. Nonetheless, Cummings’s poetry has inspired many poets and authors with his liberal views on love, nature, and religion along with his modern writing style. Although many criticized his contemporary style, E.E. Cummings modernized the traditional views of love, nature, and religion in poetry by emphasizing his contemporary beliefs, while incorporating a uniquely modern w riting style. As a strong advocate of individualism, E.E. Cummings ignored biased critics throughout his career and developed a contemporary writing style. From the beginning of his career, Cummings emphasized imagination and individuality in his poetry. He believed that humans had the ability to think for themselves and imagine beyond what was rational (Kidder 7). In believing so, E.E. Cummings refused to take advice or criticism on his lifestyle and poetry. Cummings also disliked organization, but rather believed in allowing the mind to imagine (Thompson 4). He saw imagination as the greatest tool for writing and rarely threw out bad poems because he did not see the waste basket as his ally (Webster 4). He firmly believed that with imagination anything was possible.... ...ury Poetry. New York: Wiley-Blackwel, 2003. Thompson, William E. "Intensity: An Essential Element in e. e. cummings' Aesthetic Theory and Practice." University of Windsor Review. 16.2 (Spring-Summer 1982): 18-33. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 137. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 18-33. Literature Resource Center. Gale. OLD TAPPAN HIGH SCHOOL. 16 Mar. 2015. . Webster, Michael. "E. E. Cummings: Romantic Ideology and Technique." Reading Visual Poetry After Futurism: Marinetti, Apollinaire, Schwitters, Cummings. New York: Peter Lang, 1995. 111-140. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 137. Detroit: Gale, 2003. 111-140. Literature Resource Center. Gale. OLD TAPPAN HIGH SCHOOL. 16 Mar. 2015. .

5 Step Value-Chain Analysis for Customers’ Strategic Needs

Value-chain analysis is used for many purposes, but the process of examining customers’ value chains is relatively new. In our five-step process, Step 1 explains how internal and external value chains can be used separately and in related ways. Step 2 shows how to construct a customer’s value chain. Step 3 shows how to identify the customer’s business strategy by examining this value chain and using other kinds of information. Step 4 explains how to use additional information and intelligence to leverage that understanding into strategic needs and priorities. Finally, Step 5 explains how a firm’s marketing function can best use this method of value-chain analysis as a new strategic capability. Step 1: An overview of value-chain analysis Value chains may be defined in two ways: (1) within a company they describe the various value-added stages from purchasing materials to distributing, selling, and servicing the final product (Porter’s 1985 concept),[3] and (2) they also delineate the value-added stages from raw material to end-user as a product is manufactured and distributed, with each stage representing an industry. 4] For convenience, we will refer to these two definitions as ‘‘internal’’ and ‘‘external’’ value chains, respectively. The internal value chain is a key concept in the field of strategic management that has been thoroughly explored. In contrast, the external value chain has not been studied as extensively. The external value chain consists of the important ups tream/supply and downstream/distribution processes. However, even though these processes occur outside the corporation, the strategic opportunities they reveal and areas of risk they highlight warrant careful study. Consider: Outsourcing – involves transferring certain primary or support functions in the internal value chain to the external value chain. B Vertical integration – involves taking control of one or more additional stages of the external value chain and making them internal. B Horizontal expansion – involves new product lines or expanded channels of distribution, including geographic expansion. B Strategic alliances with suppliers – involves more closely managing external suppliers as if they were part of the company’s internal value chain, but without actually owning them (for example, Toyota’s Kaizen ystem, wherein key suppliers are located very near a factory and receive all kinds of help and training from Toyota to ensure smooth and efficient production). One of the most complex value chains today can be found in the oil industry. This chain has nearly 30 significant elements, starting with the search for oil (at the upstream end) and including fie ld production, transportation (pipelines and supertankers), refining and processing and, lastly, consumer gas stations (at the ‘‘downstream’’ end). Internally, the oil-industry value chain processes a broad range of products, including such major categories as oil/lubricants, gasoline, petrochemicals (plastics), fertilizers/pesticides, natural gas, power generation/electricity, and convenience stores. The firms that are considered major integrated oil companies participate in a significant number – sometimes all – of these external (upstream and downstream) and internal value-chain elements. In a 2006 issue of Strategy & Leadership, authors Wayne McPhee and David Wheeler suggested that strategists should use Porter’s concept to consider value-chain operations beyond the boundaries of the firm. Since its introduction, value-chain analysis has proven immensely valuable in three principal ways – cost analysis and reduction, differentiation, and product development – but the standard practice was for firms to analyze only their own value chain. Step 2: How to construct a customer’s value chain First, recognize that you need to construct both internal and external value chains for a particular customer. The internal value chain follows Porter’s original concept, which includes value-added steps from purchasing to distribution as well as support functions such as R&D and human resources. It’s tempting to let this generic diagram serve as the customer’s value chain, but it must be tailored to the particular customer. To produce a useful value-chain analysis, members of your engineering or sales team should ask the customer how its business processes add value and whether any have unique best-practice features. To perform the external value-chain analysis, team members should ask the customer a set of getting-to-know-you questions. What does your supply chain (the upstream value chain) look like? What role does your company play in it? How do your products reach their customers (the downstream value chain)? Your final diagram models only this single customer’s value chain and it represents virtually everything the customer does to add significant value. If your relationship with the customer permits a candid exchange of information, have the customer validate the value chain you have created. As an example of how the diagnostic process works, consider how a supplier to Wal-Mart might learn to enhance its value. [6] The objective of creating both internal and external value chains is to understand Wal-Mart well enough to be able to discern its implicit and explicit strategic concerns. Exhibits 3 and 4 depict preliminary pictures of Wal-Mart’s internal and external value chains. Getting to this initial stage is relatively easy – adding more detail, nuance, and understanding takes more time, involves interviewingWal-Mart executives, and more closely observing how the firm operates. Step 3: Inferring the customer’s business strategy Even long-time suppliers have trouble distinguishing critical customer activities from sometimes urgent but ultimately nonstrategic ones. Understanding your customer’s business strategy is therefore crucial. Value-chain analysis helps a supplier distinguish between the activities of the customer’s firm that directly support its competitive strategies – for its products and for enhancing key capabilities – and ordinary operations. For example, routine operations like billing customers or servicing the fleet of company vehicles must be done, and done well. But there is little if any competitive advantage to be gained from the superior execution of such activities. Nor are they likely to provide an opportunity for gaining new sources of revenue and profit. It is the customers’ strategic activities and projects that offer the potential for future profits and command the attention of your customers’ senior management. So by supporting strategic activities, B2B service providers stand to gain the high-margin work they hunger after, the work that produces the highest returns, and the work that should be their constant priority. The Fluor case Fluor Corporation is a global engineering and construction company providing major capital facilities for a vast range of industrial clients in many vertical markets. With as many as 2,000 projects under construction employing 40,000 workers in more than 50 countries at any time, Fluor operates in all geographic regions of the globe and in all parts of its customers’ supply chains, delivering engineering and construction management services – in sum, a full range of B2B services. The questions of where Fluor should concentrate its resources to meet its customers’ most urgent needs can become enormously complex. To rationalize this process, Fluor must determine which customer projects – the ones that address its customers’ greatest strategic needs and, hence, have potentially the greatest margins – have the highest value. For many years, Fluor has known the critical importance of understanding every one of its B2B customers’ businesses. But that was not enough. The questions for Fluor’s marketing team became, ‘‘How can we learn each customer’s business strategy and strategic needs? ’ Some of the many different sources of information about a customer’s strategy are: B Marketing communications including printed materials (brochures and advertisements), media communications (press releases) and marketing websites reveal new product directions and customer targeting; these provide insights into market positioning and marketing strategy. B Financial-community reports (annual reports, SEC filings, as well as meetings with financial analysts) shed light on internal strategic initiatives in addition to market-positioning moves. Annual reports form the basis of this Fluor case study, but 10Ks and analysts’ reports could prove equally useful. B The academic literature is replete with surgical dissections of strategically successful companies and industries. Business-school cases abound featuring companies like Apple and industries like automobiles. Wal-Mart, for one, has been the focus of many Harvard Business School cases. [8] B Many companies make their published strategic plans available to interested parties. For example, British Petroleum has published its strategy on its corporate website since 2000. B Consultants that specialize in competitive intelligence. B Face-to-face conversations with your customers. Step 4: Discovering the customer’s strategic needs Strategic activities are the activities a firm must implement in order to realize its strategy or strategies. Every strategy has such a set of activities. Insofar as a company finds doing any of these activities difficult, potential suppliers have been trained to see these as ‘‘needs. ’’ But, suppliers need to differentiate between operations that are difficult and ones that are strategic. For example, an innovation strategy requires a system for generating ideas and picking the best ones, cost estimating, engineering, R&D, prototype construction and testing, and market-acceptance testing. The pharmaceutical industry relies on a great many B2B service providers to support its new-drug-development programs in the drug-formulation (R&D) stage and also B2B service providers that develop new systems to expedite regulatory approval. Value-chain analysis identifies both as key strategic functions. Step 5: Making value-chain analysis a strategic capability of the marketing department Engineering/construction companies have developed at least two approaches to break the forces of commoditization in their industry: 1. Project screening and selectivity. Not all projects are created equal or represent equal opportunity. Service providers should select projects on the basis of projected margin, not projected revenue. They must pursue projects that build on their strengths and core competences, projects where they can apply their best talents to serve their customers. This is done by first serving customers’ commodity work to position them to then pursue customers’ strategic opportunities. This is the approach used in the Fluor example. 2. Become selected customers’ strategic business partner. Such practice puts the business-services provider right in the customers’ lap, a decidedly advantageous position to be in when strategic opportunities are brewing. It also leads to many sole-source or noncompetitive-bid opportunities and, potentially, to higher margins. 1. The method described in the article is based on actual experience of one author when he worked for Fluor Corp. . A recent example is Ram Charan, What the CustomerWants You to Know: How Everybody Needs to Think Differently about Sales, Portfolio (Penguin Group), 2007. The application of value-chain analysis to B2B clients of engineering and construction management services was originally suggested by Don F. Coleman of Fluor Corporation in May, 2000. 3. Michael E. Porter, Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance, Free Press, 1985. 4. Stanley C. Abraham, Strategic Planning: A Practical Guide for Competitive Success, Thomson South-Western, 2006, 214. . Wayne McPhee and David Wheeler, ‘‘Making the case for the added-value chain,’’ Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 34 No. 4, 2006, Exhibit 1, p. 41; exhibit used with permission. 6. The supplier could have many other customers, and could replicate this process with those other customers. Typically, doing such an analysis would be reserved for the supplier’s top 3-5 customers. 7. The authors found little in the literature about B2B marketing practices based on knowledge of the customer’s value chain and business strategy. 8. See, for, example Harvard Business School Case #9-794-024, ‘‘Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ,’’ August 6, 1996, which provides a thorough review of Wal-Mart’s business practices up to its international (horizontal) expansion. 9. Michael E. Porter, ‘‘What is strategy? ’’ Harvard Business Review, November-December 1996. 10. HBS Case #9-794-024, op. cit. 11. Harvard Business School Case #9-302-102, ‘‘Robert Mondavi and the Wine Industry,’’ May 3, 2002. Mondavi’s flagship brand ‘‘Woodbridge’’ is a rare example of a brand name pointing, not to product benefits, but up the value chain to process benefits.