Business Objectives, Ethics and Reputation

I love you Essays

I love you Essays I love you Essay I love you Essay Worst Nightmare Dreams seem so real sometimes that you will wake up out of your sleep Just to make sure they arent real. Nightmares are the ones that really make you do it though. They are so scary. You can have a nightmare about a monster, someone dying, or maybe even somebody breaking into your house. I have had plenty of nightmares, but there is one that I really want to talk about. My all-time worst nightmare was my whole family dying. It was the scariest thing that has ever happened. Luckily it was Just a dream though. One night I was sleeping and I started to dream that me and my whole were going on a vacation in an airplane. I dont even know where we were going. We were flying on a private plan so we were all playing board games and Just laugh and having a good time. It was one of the best times because for the first time since I was little my WHOLE family was together. My family and I were so anxious to get where we were going. We were flying over the ocean and the plane started to rock. The pilot came on the loud speaker and said he was having technical difficulties, but everything would be okay. My family tried no to panic, but nobody likes to hear that Then the oxygen masks fell and the pilot asked us to place them on our faces. Everyone was panicking and I started to cry because I dont like scary situations. My mom and Dad were trying to comfort me but it wasnt working. All of a sudden the plane started rapidly going down. Then BOOM, we crashed! We crashed in to the water. All I remember is being the only one alive and the plane was in pieces. My family member were all dead, every single one of them, I was freaking out. I didnt know what to do. I was in the middle of the ocean with no way to call anyone, no boats around, no food or anything to drink, and I had no life Jacket all I could do was hold on to a piece of the plane. At that point, I woke up because it seemed so real. That was the worst nightmare Vive ever had because my family means the world to me. I cant lose them all at once. Im so glad it was Just a nightmare because I would be lost without my family. Nightmares are so scary. I never want to have another one. I love you By evocable 234

Is Openly Carrying Guns A Justifiable Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is Openly Carrying Guns A Justifiable Act - Essay Example The 2nd Amendment, which states, "a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" gives people the liberty to arm themselves with weapons for their own self-defense. This right is respected by some states to the extent that people should expose the guns they are carrying, so long as they were legally acquired. One camp, such as that of Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) considers themselves responsible gun owners and claims that they do not use the gun until it is necessary. They believe that the sight of guns is enough to dispel any untoward incidents by criminals. Because of this, so many people were enticed to buy guns for themselves. VCDL’s issuance of gun permits increased dramatically from 3,000 in 1994 to 180,000 in 2009. However, some people may not react positively to this since guns are very tempting to just use at one’s whim if that individual is impulsive. I t may go off accidentally hurting even the owner, or someone within peripheral distance. If the gun carrier is prone to temperamental outbursts, then it is worse, since if he is provoked, then he has his gun to vent his temper with. Responsible gun owners are aware of this and vehemently deny that they are that weak. They even advocate for the law of first investigating the background of whoever wants to buy a gun before releasing it to just anyone who may have the impulse to use it any which way he wants. This is where people call upon the 14th Amendment. It is clearly stated in Section one of this amendment that: â€Å"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws†. This amendment, or Incorporation Doctrine, advocates the Bi ll of Rights to balance off whatever laws that may override the rights of others. In this case, the 2nd Amendment may give the right to people to â€Å"bear arms† however, it should also respect the rights of others who do not advocate gun ownership in the belief that it is not necessary. This conflict causes a huge confusion that may leave people divided, and the government, in a â€Å"fence-sitting† position. President Obama was known as the most anti-gun president. NRA or National Rifle Association protested against him for gun control laws. Obama’s stand was that guns are harmful and should not be openly carried even if it is licensed in order to prevent it from firing at anyone, whether intentionally or not. The NRA organization claims that its members are responsible gun owners who are discerning about gun use and are against loosely selling firearms to just about anyone. Seven states have ruled that any gun manufactured in their state is exempt from gun c ontrol laws. This implies no background checks, no age restrictions, no requirements for sellers to check out before releasing guns to buyers. This is their interpretation of the second amendment right. This ruling may be abused by some people who may claim that the gun they own was manufactured in that state, hence they do not have to go through thorough background check before being issued a permit. The federal government may also be suspected of concealing weapons so that these would be exempt from gun control laws because Obama has not done anything regarding NRA’s protest, and seems apathetic to the issue. Personally, I am not in favor of the Open Carry gun policy of some states. I do respect their belief of

Immunology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Immunology - Essay Example The fourth fraction, F4, has a low concentration of protein. This is because in this fraction, serum was not diluted. Therefore, aggregation of proteins could not occur because of lack of hydration of protein. Protein concentration of F1 was 5.90mg. This increased till 14.56mg protein concentration for F3. Fraction F5, which is a mixture of F2 and F3 had a protein concentration of 16.00mg – the highest. Purification by ammonium suphate precipitation is useful for large protein samples. It is a cheaper process. However, the resulting protein obtained is not very pure. Moreover, this technique requires additional purification steps. The results of purification through ion exchange chromatography (IEX) are shown in section 3 of the results. The purification of IgG was performed. IgG accounts for only 10% of the serum proteins. Yet, the concentrations of IgG in fraction F2, F3 and F5 were 2.08, 1.42 and 2.80 mg/ml respectively, which are relatively high. IEX is a cost effective process and results in higher protein recovery. It has high resolving power. The percentage yield of protein for all fractions is given in section 4. A higher yield of IgG is seen in fractions F2 and F5 compared to fraction F3. A machine error may be the reason behind this. This is because the reading for F2/F3 and F5 was taken on different spectrophotometers. The results of the Single Radial Immunodiffusion assay and precipitin arcs are shown in section 5. In figure 1, purple precipitin arcs confirm the presence of IgG. Multiple arcs for F3 and F4 indicate the presence of contamination in these protein fractions. In figure 2, the precipitation ring is observed. It is seen that as the diameter of the ring increases, there is a decrease in the protein (antigen) concentration. Moving further away from the center, IgG concentration

Food and Culture Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Food and Culture Report - Assignment Example The most prominent nutritional ailment is obesity, which has a higher prevalence among African-Americans, as compared to any other group in the United States. These facts have motivated the interest on focusing on this ethnic group’s health habits. Approximate number of people belonging to this group living in the U.S. According to the 2011 U.S Census Bureau estimates, African-Americans number approximately 40 million and account for 14.1 percent of the total population in the United States.1 Traditional Food Habits Core or Staple Foods When African slaves were brought into the United States, they carried along their food practices and styles of cooking. Some of the staple foods they brought along include okra, peanuts, sesame seeds, rice and black-eyed peas. The slaves also learned to prepare the food provided by their masters such as pork, vegetables and cornmeal. They also used molasses as a sweetener in food dishes and drinks such as iced tea. These are still being applied to date. African-Americans also celebrate their cultural holidays through the promotion of unique cooking, characterized by ethnic styles which are sometimes referred to as soul food.2 For instance, fish has always been considered a staple food among the African-Americans. ... Food Preparation Methods and Seasonings Many African-Americans prepare food using a frying or barbecuing method and serve the prepared dishes with heavy sauces and gravy. They also prefer making baked goods from scratch, as opposed to using commercial mixes, which come pre-packaged in a box. Meal Composition and Cycle It is customary for African Americans to consume a lot of food for breakfast. In the morning, they prefer eating grits, sausage, ham and freshly baked biscuits with syrup and butter. Lunch usually consists of bologna, which is eaten in sandwiches. The dinner is normally baked chicken with corn bread, baked ham, green vegetables, rice, candied yams and baked macaroni and cheese. Dessert is comprised of fruit cake and/or apple pie. Foods Associated With Superstitions Most of the superstitions revolve around the consumption of black-eyed peas. If the black-eyed peas are served with greens the food represents money i.e. the peas represent coins while the greens represent no tes.2 If the corn bread is added to the black-eyed peas and greens meal, this represents gold. If eaten with stewed tomatoes, it represents health and wealth. The culture dictates that for one to witness everyday luck, they should eat at least 365 black-eyed peas during New Year’s Eve. Foods Used For Therapeutic Purposes Most contemporary African Americans have become more health conscious and realize the significance of ensuring that their diets contribute to their well-being.3 This has resulted in an increase in the addition of fruits and vegetables in every dish. They have also ventured into healthier and lighter cooking with the traditional fattier foods being left for special holidays and occasions. Foods for Traditional Celebrations

Analysis Of The Korean War History Essay

Analysis Of The Korean War History Essay The KoreanWar was a military action between north and South Korea for the unifying of the Korean peninsula; both countries have had different ideological agenda under western and eastern ideological power. The republic of Korea (South Korea) was supported by the united nation, NATO, and the USA on the other hand, the democratic people republic of Korea (North Korea) was supported by china and the Soviet Union. The Korean War was a war of west versus the east different philosophy and consideration, but fought far from the major superpower mainland. A war considered as an embarrassment for the international community, many lives were harvested and it did started and ended with accomplishing nothing from the unifying. The Korean peninsula was occupied by the Japaneses for almost 35 years under an iron fest till the defeat of the Japanese in the World War II in 1945. Korean conflict, With Japan on the tremble to surrender, it was necessary for the superpowers to agree upon a future Asian policy that can both assure security for superpower nations and spread principles and influence over strategic zones in the pacific. After the Hiroshima atomic bomb Japan was completely under the US influence which made the soviet deliberate the advantage of occupying Korea, which in adjacent to the communist alley china.At the Potsdam conference, the USA, made plans to invade the Japanese mainland and they have been more than happy to leave Manchuria and Korea to the Soviet Union. But now with war actually coming to sudden end , US urgently reassessed its future interest in Asia and came rapidly to a decision that America must share with the USSR the occupation of Korea (Jeremy Isaacs Taylor Downing, 2008), therefore both soviet union and the USA agreed to secure the Korean peninsula by dividing it to north and south using the 38th parallel, and that the USSR shall occupy the n orth next to it ally china and the US the south, Korea polarized as the two power blocs north and south (Jeremy Isaacs Taylor Downing, 2008). Each countries started to execute the viewpoint systems of their dominate as a consequence in the south foremost nationalist and members of the anti Japanese resistance had formed a provisional government but at least half of them were communist therefore US and the UN called for a free election in which USSR and the communist party disapproved it and boycotted , US government preferred to support a conservative group that was made up of professionals and those educated in America or by American missionaries (Jeremy Isaacs Taylor Downing, 2008). The American had their nominee, Rhee, whom considered a significant assets since he was educated in America and was not tented by the relationship with the Japanese but he was tenaciously against the communist. On the other hand the USSR had, Kim, who opposed the Japanese and participated with the red Armey in the WWII, he was known for viciously putting down all opposition to communist rule. As a result Rhee and his party won the election pole against the communist in the south which escalated the tension between the two Koreas at that time the 38th parallel became an official political border between the south and the north, the communist and the capitalist. As tense increased both sides of the Korean peninsula made major infiltration across the border, in the south communist activist were arrested and imprisoned furthermore in the north anti-communist where put down. Accordingly USSR and US tactically withdrawals from their military zones at the front line leaving only advisors. In China, Mao Ze Dong, have successes in winning the civil war and forming a communist Chinese republic. Maos reviled that the west and America are chines biggest nightmare mentioning the years of humiliation china faced under the last dyne sty of Chinese empire and the colonelcies era of china. The Chinese soviet friendship relation lunched then a new chapter in the cold war I Asia leaving US provoking danger through this relation specially after the soviet successes into breaking the atomic monopoly of the USA, as quoted by Charles Murphy , president Truman special counsel in his respond to the scenarios that might goes, what I read scared me so much that the next day I did not go to the office at all , I sat at home and read this memo over and over wondering what in the world to do about it (Jeremy Isaacs Taylor Downing, 2008). The war, The purpose of unifying Korea was the essential passionate for both Korean leaders; however Kim was more greatly obsessive about it because of the corrupted Rhee government and non-match able military experience. Kremlin was always anxious for the US response also Stalin sought after to respect the mutual treaty with the US, however the crises in Berlin plus to the communist victory in china along with the equivalence atomic power of the US-Soviet stimulated a new calculation that the US response will be carefully measured, Mao Ze Dong, responded to this permission that US would not start a third war over such a small territory (Jeremy Isaacs Taylor Downing, 2008) . June, 25, 1950 an astonishing attack from the North Korean military into the South Korean border, the unmatchable soviet tank and military equipments forced the South Korean forces to withdraw fast for not being able to meet the confront. Immediately the US and the UN requested the international community to condemn the attack and appealed for sending troops into South Korea a demand which challenged by protest from the soviet and Chinese behave. The absence of the soviet from the UN meeting allowed the call to pass. Kim, Mao, and Stalin were surprised from the response of the USA to fight over a small area. However the American did not see it this way, they distinguish a threat for their national security and international order also they predict a prevail of the communist ideology which they had to stop, President Truman quoted we are fighting for our national security and our survival (Jeremy Isaacs Taylor Downing, 2008). June, 28, 1950 after three days from the beginning of the invasion North Korean army entered Seoul, the US army first battalion under the command of general MacArthur landed in Osan tackling the Korean army whom equipped with soviet tools, the first American in the cold war to confront a communist directly were small members unit deployed in the hills near the Korean town Osan (Jeremy Isaacs Taylor Downing, 2008), they admit defeat which was a disaster news to Washington whom ordered general Mac Arthur to send larger troops and start an air strike and navy bombardments. In the first military confrontation of the cold war, solders of the most powerful nation on earth had been humiliated by the soviet equipped troops from a tiny country (Jeremy Isaacs Taylor Downing, 2008), the only success for the UN-US forces were by air strike however kim troops contunied to push the allied forces to the southern corner around a city of Pusan. September, 1950 massive bombardement by the US navy ehich lead north Korean army to trumple, the situation turned in fevaor of the UN-US.rhee and general MacArthur decided to librate the capital seoul first after that they can marsh towards the 38th paraelle . in few weeks both Rhee and the general aimed to re-unite korea quating we have not got this far to stop where the fight began (Jeremy Isaacs Taylor Downing, 2008). October, 1950 US troops crossed the 38th paraelle and advanced into communist territory, pyonyang falls the only communist capital ever to fall to the west in cold war (Jeremy Isaacs Taylor Downing, 2008),as a result china determine to help north korea. November, 1950 chinese lunched full scal asult against US-UN troops, USA wanted to avoid full confortation with china and they also did not want to inviate stailn to the war.therefore they withdrawls to the 38th paraelle line. War tragedy For the two superpowers shows of power ability and military thousands of US and chines solders were sacrificed , both north and south korea lost up to a million in death soldiers and civilians. Koreans economy were disastress and te result is what.

Epiphany in Araby of James Joyces Dubliners Essay -- Joyce Dubliners

Araby: An Epiphany  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story, "Araby" in James Joyce's Dubliners presents a flat, rather spatial portrait. The visual and symbolic details embedded in the story, are highly concentrated, and the story culminates in an epiphany. An epiphany is a moment when the essence of a character is revealed , when all the forces that bear on his life converge, and the reader can, in that instant, understand him. "Araby" is centered on an epiphany, and is concerned with a failure or deception, which results in realization and disillusionment. The meaning is revealed in a young boy's psychic journey from love to despair and disappointment, and the theme is found in the boy's discovery of the discrepancy between the real and the ideal in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story opens with a description of North Richmond Street, a "blind," "cold ... .. silent" street where the houses "gazed at one an-other with brown imperturbable faces." It is a street of fixed, decaying conformity and false piety. The boy's house contains the samesense of a dead present and a lost past. The former tenant, a priest,died in the ba... ...stern enchantment." His love, like his quest for a gift to draw the girl to him in an unfriendly world, ends with his realizing that his love existed only in his mind. Thus the theme of the story-the discrepancy between the real and the ideal-is made final in the bazaar, a place of tawdry make-believe. The epiphany in which the boy lives a dream in spite of the ugly and the worldly is brought to its inevitable conclusion: the single sensation of life disintegrates. The boy senses the falsity of his dreams and his eyes burn "with anguish and anger."   

Hofstede Cultural Difference Critiques Essay

Arguably, Hofstede’s work (1980, 1997) represents a pioneering approach of culture as a way of comparing international management frameworks. First of all, prior to offering any evaluations in regards to McSweeney’s criticism (2002a/b), it is crucial to identify the nature of Hostede’s work within the entire sphere of the culture approach itself. In contrast to the guarantors of the emic approach , whose main concepts tend to discard the equalization and standardization of dimensions in national cultures’ comparisons, the pillars of Hofstede’s work, which belong to the etic approach , are based on 5 dimensions whereby national differences are then measured. In other words, from the emic standpoint it is also arguable that the etic research methodology, as aiming to identify equalities among national differences, would risk throwing out the baby with the bath water . On the other hand, from the emic perspective, dividing the culture into a set of defined scopes stands as the only way to actually enable researchers to compare cultures . Having briefly introduced the shortcomings related to both approaches, McSweeney’s critiques can now be narrowed down to a specific scope, which is mainly encompassed with Hofstede’s research methodology. Research Validity  In light of the importance for any researches to provide clear definitions on the specific research concepts and key words, the first part of this essay will evolve on contextualizing the meaning of culture within Hofstede’s work, thus, giving ground to McSweeney’s relevant sources of criticism. Geert (1980) has defined culture as â€Å"the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category of people from another†. McSweeney essentially critiques Hofstede’s adoption of nations as means of cultural comparisons, scorning the territoriality uniqueness of culture in primis. In regards to this issue, Hofstede in a second stage (2002: 1356) acknowledges that nations are not the ideal elements for studying cultures, yet this is the only way researchers could have access to comparable units. Predictably, thousands of other author’s contributions in regards to the definition of culture would make this argument even more complex. For the sake of this analysis, emphasis would be given to the arguments in regards to the research methodology. Research Reliability: Research Sample The first criticism which may arise is likely to involve the representativeness of Hofstede’s research sample. In more details, he argues that 117,000 questionnaires for two surveys, covering 66 countries would be enough to ensure the research reliability. From my point of view, McSweeney’s critiques result founded when analysing the sampling framework in more details. CountryNumber of Respondents for Each Country Belgium, France, Great Britain, Germany, Japan and Sweden (6 countries)More than 1000 Chile, Columbia, Greece, Hong Kong, Iran, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey (15 countries)Less than 200 [Tab. 1] As it can be seen by the table (Tab. ), in 15 countries the sample size is composed by less than 200 respondents, which results to be extremely small compared to other countries with over 1000 respondents. To couple this argument, McSweeney discusses about the narrowness of the population surveyed as respondents were all IBM employees, mainly involved with the marketing and sales departments. Hofstede’s reply ( 2002), stating that this sample’s framework had only been used in order to isolate the national culture differences from both the organizational and occupational culture, seems however to give rise to other arguments. As McSweeney’s (2002a: 95-99) argues, respondents’ cultural framework is made up by three non-interacting and durable levels of culture (Tab. 2). At the first level, the assumptions which would free this model from any shortcomings would be that there is only one IBM culture and that there is also a common worldwide occupational culture for each job (Hofstede 1980a: 181). What are these assumptions based on? According to McSweeney (2002a: 96), these assumptions are â€Å"too crude and implausible to underpin Hofstede’s emphatic empirical claims† . Following the thread of his argument we come across a situation where assuming that an IBM employee, whether in a developed USA head office or a new opened branch office in Pakistan, will possess the same identical organizational and occupational culture does become hard to encompass. In response to this argument, Hofstede acknowledges that considerable differences exist at the â€Å"organizational level† (1991: 93), yet it redefines the entire organizational culture as a mere set of â€Å"shared perceptions of daily practices† (1991: 182-3), therefore distancing from the early-stage value-based definition. According to McSweeney (2002b), this is only a failed attempt to deliver a straightforward concept and definition of organizational culture. Back to Culture Hofstede’s vision of culture is often linked to two different concepts, unique national tendency and central tendency, respectively. In the first case, as pointed out by McSweeney, the national uniformity which Hofstede claims to have found, results to have no valid grounds as it derives from a very specific micro-level (IBM). Secondly, in regards to the claimed average tendency, the heterogeneity of questionnaires’ responses completely contradicts this conceptualization at the first place. As cited from Jacob (2005), â€Å"if exceptions to the rule are as numerous as the rule itself† to what extent could predictions based on that rule be reliable? In many countries, McSweeney argues, the typical IBM employee would at a high extent diverge from the general population. That is to say that an IBM employee in Taiwan would not necessarily reflect Taiwan’s population average individual, especially when we are talking about someone who holds a managerial position in a multinational firm. This concept brings us to another aspect of McSweeney’s criticism (2002a:92), â€Å"culture treated as a mere epiphenomenon, completely casual†, as conceptualized by Hofstede, it would look like something which moves along the history â€Å"enduring†, yet it is not subject to radical changes due to fluctuating social, economic and institutional trends (Tab. 3). Questionnaire and Dimensions Arguably, the questionnaire itself also presents some limitations. Firstly aimed to investigate the employees’ morale at IBM, it also resulted to reflect some values that, for Hofstede, could have been used to unveil the national cultural differences’ myth. Citing one of his research questions, â€Å"How long do you think you will continue working for this company? †(1980 Appendix 1) , it is obviously clear there would be differences in whether this question is being asked in a country, say, the USA, with plentiful employment vacancies, or in a country, say Thailand where at the time of the research the unemployment rate was comparatively high. Under these circumstances, it is extremely hard to assume that the respondents were not influenced by other social, political and institutional factors (See Tab. 3). Therefore, his research’s entire reliability could be easily questioned on this basis. Despite ensuring the confidentiality of respondents’ answers, employees’ foreknowledge of the end objective of the survey might have easily encouraged them to assume a more positive attitude in order to support their divisions’ reputation. Arguably, the responses analysed by Hofstede were situationally restricted (McSweeney, 2002a: 107). In more details, the questions only reflected values related to the workplace, furthermore the surveys were exclusively directed within the workplace and were not tested in non-work place locations for both same respondents and others. In light of the first purpose of the questionnaire, it is spontaneous to raise a question in regards to the validity of the dimensions found by Hofstede. Could it be possible that a specialized study in cultural differences would have delineated different dimensions? In his response, Hofstede acknowledged that, although there may be some other dimensions equally important for the structuring of a comparative cultural analysis, relative questions were simply not asked. McSweeney with reference to Triadis (1994) argues that bi-polar dimensions of national cultures should not be comprised of opposite poles (for example: Individualism – Collectivism), but depending on the situations they could coexist. Under these principles, the work of Schwartz (1992) appears to give a comparatively dynamic dimensions’ disposition. History and Research Validations In the last section of his book, Hofstede (1980: 326- 331) includes some historical and contemporary events which he states would validate his research findings. However, McSweeney (2002b) argues that these stories reveal nothing but justifications, leaving out the basics for an accurate confirmation. According to his analysis, Hosfstede’s assertion, â€Å"the more masculine a culture the more antagonistic are industrial relations, is flawed as the trends for working days lost in industrial disputes , in both Spain and the UK, result to vary enormously over time. In other words, we could argue that these fluctuations are highly influenced by political, economic and institutional changes. In the case of industrial relations’ disputes in Spain, after the death of Spanish dictator Franco in 1975, the level of working days was subject to a huge increase. Hofstede’s findings have also been validated by other studies, reflecting the same national cultural differences . This is one of the reasons why Hofstede’s work has so far been used in many disciplines as pioneer of the cultural approach in the sphere of comparative international management. Under these circumstances, as Hofstede states (2002 p. 1358), it is just not all about faith in his research, but it is the willingness of the society to accept his work as something which could be taken to a step further. In some cases, institutional factors, history, politics and economy do provide better explanations in this field, yet as Hofstede would argue, the cultural perspective does have his validity as it offers a complete different view on values embedded by people which do have an influence on their daily lives. Conclusion Arguably, some of Hofstede research framework’s features, especially the ones related to his research methodology, do present various shortcomings. However, the overall importance of cultural approach for national differences should be seen as undeniable (Koen, 2005). Nevertheless, it is worth pointing out that after all, the main argument merely evolves on Hofstede’s claims to have â€Å"uncover[ed] the secrets of entire national cultures† (1980b: 44). Despite his book title narrowing the scope of its findings down to the work-place, â€Å"Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Place Values†, Hofstede, in many of his publications, seems to overestimate his findings. It is extremely important to acknowledge and appreciate the enormous contribution that Hofstede has made to the entire society’s understanding of international cultural differences. On the other hand, it is also crucial to stay away from the â€Å"taken for granted† approach when coming across such a complex topic. As mentioned in the preface, etic and emic approach despite having a different vision on how to measure and analyse culture, they could still be seen as two complementarities which could be extensively used for a more thorough research. In addition, although admitting that limitations in research methodology do hamper the objectivity of findings, the etic approach still stands as the unique way to allow researchers to obtain comparable quantitative data. I do also appreciate the contributions made by McSweeney, whose criticisms have enabled me to adopt a more critical line of thought in analysing this interesting topic. At some extent we could assume that Hofstede’s research is still a â€Å"work in progress†, eventually other advocates of the etic approach will take it to a more universal level, as some of other authors in this field have already done. I would like to conclude this essay with a quote from McSweeney (2002a: 90), when he states that Hofstede’s work could be dismissed as a misguided attempt to measure the unmeasurable .

UK Property Investment The WritePass Journal

UK Property Investment Executive Summary UK Property Investment , than they were in previous years. Furthermore, although there is still economic stagnation, certain industry sectors such as the services sector are now experiencing growth. The construction sector, however, is still seeing output falling and this may go some way to explaining the reason why the property industry is somewhat holding its own, showing stagnation, but not decline (Chegut, et al 2011). The commercial property industry operates in a slightly different way from the residential property investment industry. Therefore, for the purpose of this analysis, the overall property industry is looked at, with differentiations drawn between the commercial and residential property investment being made where appropriate (Pyhrr, et al 1999) Property investors, essentially, will make their money from either purchasing properties, renovating them in some way and then selling them on for a profit, or from purchasing an investment property and renting it to another on a weekly, monthly or annual return. More properties are finding themselves within the rental market and this is particularly common when it comes to commercial property, where a business may find it more advisable to rent a property so they will not have the initial capital outlay, or the risks associated with purchasing property, particularly the new start-up businesses. Businesses, in general, particularly those on the high street or smaller businesses looking to expand are nervous in the current economic climate and will therefore look towards mitigating their risks by renting property that they can release in the event that funds are not forthcoming. Approximately one half of foreclosure properties are rented, as opposed to one third of all residential pro perty, and when individuals find it hard to purchase property, the rental industry naturally booms. Trends have suggested that certain areas of prime property locations remain very much in demand, despite the economic conditions. For example, property in central London remains popular and buoyant for both residential and commercial purposes (Sing 2004). It is suggested that, overall, while the property market and, in particular, property prices have been relatively stagnant, over the years, there are still positive trends available for investors, with certain regions such as house prices in central London experiencing value growth, and rental income of commercial premises in popular areas also seeing periods of growth as organisations look towards reducing their costs by renting properties, rather than purchasing. Analysis of Industry By undertaking the PEST analysis looking at political, economic, social and technological issues in order to gain a greater understanding can be had of the ways in which the industry is operating. The PEST overview is contained in the appendix and is discussed here, in more detail, and an overview analysis is also provided. It can be seen that, despite the recent economic difficulty that has emerged, with many individuals being forced to sell property due to their inability to meet with mortgage demands, this has actually provided an opportunity for property investors (Lizieri, 2009). Many properties come to the market at below market prices and therefore make perfect targets for the investors. This also creates a broad range of individuals looking to rent properties, as they are unable to purchase. The more stringent lending conditions have therefore provided the property investment market with a growing target group of potential investors who are likely to be able to make the most of the trends in the property market, to ensure that their own investment business is buoyant (RICS. 1993). Opportunities for Graduates Drawing on the above analysis, it can be seen that there are multiple opportunities available to graduates looking to enter into property investment or, indeed, any other individual who may potentially be considering it as a real career option. Firstly, there are the opportunities available within the commercial property investment market, and in particular, looking toward facilitating the demand for the new small businesses which are emerging with government support and grants. As individuals become more likely to set up small businesses following unemployment, facilitating this by offering shared office space provides a good opportunity for new individuals entering the market. Secondly, there are opportunities within the residential property investment market, in terms of making the most of foreclosure properties by purchasing them at a low price and then selling them on, or renting them within the market (Harvey et al 2004). The real opportunities that exist for new graduates are in identifying where the growth areas are going to be both geographically and in terms of the types of properties, and then being able to claim the properties at below market prices. In order to achieve this, the individual will need to be astute and may be able to draw together a large amount of property data, in a relatively short space of time. Gap Analysis The key skills which will be vital for success within the property investment market include the ability to group together economically and to ascertain the likely ways in which prices are going to change, in this area, both geographically and in terms of the property types. This involves the ability to undertake strong economic analysis, including the use of simulation models, which will be a key skill that will enable young graduates to gain a competitive advantage, when entering the industry. Graduates also need to be able to analyse the surrounding sectors, as demand for commercial property, in particular, will reflect how other industries, are performing (Leone and Leger 2008). For example, if the retail industry is weak, then the demand for retail premises is also likely to reflect this. Using economic tools will enable a graduate, to identify potential growth areas and to ensure that they have property available, ahead of the competition. Conclusions The property investment market has generally been showing stagnation, in recent years; yet, the trends also indicate that certain areas of the property investment market are showing opportunities, with some of the negative factors driving the property market downwards, allowing property investors to benefit, such as by purchasing properties that are being sold by mortgage companies, following the failure to meet with lending requirements. Bearing this in mind, individuals looking to enter the property investment market need to have a particularly astute ability to analyse economic conditions; they will also need to understand the driving trends, rather than necessarily being merely knowledgeable in the area of property, in terms of bricks and mortar. References Acclimatise (2009) ‘Managing the unavoidable: Understanding the investment implications of adapting to climate change – UK commercial property’, Oxford: Acclimatise. Available at: www.acclimatise.uk.com/resources/reports British Property Federation (2011). IPD Annual Lease Review 2011 Chegut, A., Eichholtz, P., Kok, N. (2011). Supply, Demand, and the Value of Green Buildings. Working Paper, Maastricht Universiy, December 2011. Harvey A, Koopman S J and Shephard N (2004) State space and unobserved components models: theory and applications, Cambridge: Cambridge U P. Leone V and Leger L (2008) ‘Generating innovations in economic variables’, Applied Financial Economics Letters, 1-7. Lizieri, C. (2009) Towers of Capital: Office Markets and International Financial Services. 1st.ed.,Wiley-Blackwell, UK, pp. 344. Pyhrr, S.A., Roulac, S.E. and Born, W.L. (1999) Real Estate Cycles and Their Strategic Implications for Investors and Portfolio Managers in the Global Economy. Journal of Real Estate Research, Vol.18, No.1, pp.7–62. RICS (1993) Understanding the Property Cycle. Working Paper Two: A Literature Review. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, London, pp.47. Simpson M W, Ramchander S and Webb J R (2008) ‘The asymmetric response of equity REIT returns to inflation’, Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics,34, 513-529. Sing T F (2004) ‘Common risk factors and risk premia in direct and securitized real estate markets’, Journal of Property Research, 21, 189-207. Appendix Political The government and political situation is definitely looking towards stimulating growth within the property market and, as such, is considering ways of making it easier for developers to establish new property, both residential and commercial. In particular, there is evidence of political movements towards ensuring that the lower end of the market is revitalised to encourage first-time buyers. This will have an impact on property investors focusing on rental opportunities, as the easier it becomes to purchase, the less likely they will be to obtain rental income. There are also political efforts being made to encourage new businesses and this can be seen to be a positive option for commercial property investors, as new businesses will be more inclined to rent property and this will be more cost-effective, initially, and will allow the opportunity to grow rapidly, if they so choose. Economic The economic availability of mortgages and the reduction in the ability of individuals to borrow money, in order to purchase property, either residential or commercial will have a direct bearing on the property investment market. Property investors will have a much more willing customer base, as they have been unable to obtain sufficient finance to purchase their own property and are therefore looking towards rental property as an alternative. The more difficult economic times have resulted in many residential and commercial owners losing their premises, as a result of their inability to pay their mortgages and this also offers the opportunity for property investors who have sufficient cash reserves to purchase property at below market prices (Acclimatise 2009). Social Social changes and, more specifically, changes within the employment market also tend to encourage individuals to go into businesses and become self-employed, which ultimately provides an opportunity for the commercial property investors who are able to purchase premises that may be suitable for the new small start businesses. There is also a changing demographic trend for more single-parent families that are smaller and the increase in independent living within the older generation, thus placing a greater demand on rental premises that are smaller and will reflect the changing demographic (RICS 1993). Technological Technological drivers provide both opportunities and progress within the property investment market. Whilst this allows property investors to have a much greater access to potential customers, it also means that their customers have much greater access to the competition. Therefore, there is a need for organisations offering property investment services, such as rental property, to utilise technology in order to capture the broadest possible audience. Technology has also shifted the way which organisations are operating this has resulted in many cases of individuals working from home, or working from shared spaces, thus reducing the demand for traditional commercial premises (Simpson et al 2008).

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, (MSO)

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, (MSO) Introduction Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSO) is a well renowned, brand name. When the Chief Executive officer is the â€Å"brand†, it can be difficult to separate their personality from the identity of the company they represent.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, (MSO) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The values of the company are bigger than those of the founder, this is evident from the continued success in fortune, especially after its founder was accused of business malpractices such as; insider trading. This was in contrast of what analyst had predicted. It is imperative for any company to take into account alternative strategies in enhancing personal and organizational effectiveness. External and internal elements of communication should encompass extensive research for better planning and implementation to identify, with common patterns of organizational behavior and consumer attitudes (Polk Wardwell, 2008). It would influence the strategy of sustaining its limelight, creating a competitive marketing strategy and restoring its image. Work Groups At MSO, teamwork within the work groups is emphasized to enhance multiple decisions; diverse experiences and collective judgment .For the team to exist individuals have to perceive themselves as part of the group. Thus, Martha Steward Living Omnimedia (MSO) in repositioning itself should take advantage of communication channels including social media to obtain customer feedback and build on them to improve its service and product delivery. Besides, through data obtained about employees should help the organization in identify areas to improve on. Rebranding, of any company is bound to fail if organization’s employees do not support it.Therefore, decisions made should incorporate suggestions from the people who identify most with the products. The effectiveness in employees’ performance en hances discipline, how employees relate with each other, their morale and instill motivation. Communications in a work group not only serve the need of informing, but also it is an important tool for controlling and an element of motivation. Therefore, for mutual and shared responsibilities among employees in the organization, effective communication in decisions made is critical for management at MSO to obtain positive feedback from their subordinates and other stakeholders. Communication The management should provide an elaborate communication strategy to strengthen performance and make employees feel part of the organization, become aware of ongoing trends and refute their fears about the organizations future goals. An organization is a society endowed with diverse employees of different backgrounds and culture. Hence, communication strategies are imperative in passing important organization information.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Top management at MSO has to identify fitting strategies in terms of management style, which can increase; employee’s motivation, creates satisfaction, and enhances organizations behavior and performance. In resolving disillusionment, and high expectations bestowed on them by the public, strategies such as; participatory management is essential in building trust, empowering and motivating an employee in performing tasks (Passikoff, 2006). Communication is therefore a key factor whether written or delivered orally. It is the only way; an organization’s stakeholders can express their expectations, suggestions, and any concerns or grievances they might have. In creation of a unique profile, proper communication input should emerge from the feedback obtained internally and externally. Rebranding Mason and Meyer (2006) indicate that rebranding as a process has direct impact on how the company is per ceived by external environment. Change, as an element in shaping most organizations impact on all parties in an organization and major adjustments should be expected. The management at MSO in managing organizations crisis, resistance, and formulating important decisions will help to move in the desired growth direction. Rebranding a powerful brand like Martha Steward would be more destructive especially to the morale of many employees than it would be constructive and careful deliberations should be undertaken to protect employees from feeling alienated. Martha Steward heritage as to be factored during the process of rebranding. This is simply because it would seem like an effort to counter negative publicity more than its efforts to reposition or globalize the brand (Passikoff, 2006). Although many other companies like Pepsi or Google have been successful in rebranding themselves, the rebranding of Martha Steward would be a move from a more individualized to a cooperate feel than m any consumers might not identify with. Instead, it should concentrate on striking a balance in building an identity from the individual and taking advantage of the appealing Martha’ public image. Conclusion Marketing strategies of an organization can be hinged on its branding and communication among other important strategies. These factors are important in enhancing the organizations’ consumer perception and forming strong collaborative partnerships with similar competitors. These strategies are not only important in enhancing organization services, and products, but also leverage an organization against its competitors and enhance employee’s morale.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, (MSO) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reference List Mason, A. Meyer, M. (2006).Living With Martha Stewart Media: Chosen Domesticity in the Experience of Fan. Journal of communicatio n, (51),pp. 801-823 Passikoff, R. (2006).Predicting Market Success: New Ways to Measure Customer Loyalty and Engage Consumers with Your Brand, New Jersey: John Wiley Sons Inc. Polk, R. Wardwell, L. (2008). A Comparative Study of  Insider Trading  Regulation Enforcement in the U.S. and China Journal of Business Securities Law, (9), pp. 56-63

Home is The Best Place To Die Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Home is The Best Place To Die - Essay Example Familiarity with a hospice inpatient setting is known to influence preferences in patients with advanced illness. The unique components of home hospice, inpatient hospice, and transitions between these settings may have a fundamental role in the future of quality end-of-life care (Lysaght & Ersek, 2013, p. 171). In a recent study, patients receiving specialist palliative care who had experienced an inpatient hospice stay were more likely to choose to die at the hospice, whereas a majority of those who had never been an inpatient at the hospice chose home (Arnold et al, 2013). Evidence also suggests that people with first-hand knowledge of hospices reported a preference to be cared for at home in the last months of life but shifted towards a preference for the hospice when asked where they would like to be cared for in their last days. Place of death should be regarded as an essential goal in end-of-life (Kinoshita et al., 2015). A study conducted by Barclay,  Kuchibhatla, Tulsky, & Johnson, (2013) established that most Americans would prefer to die at home. Similarly, there are barriers to dying at home for most patients with limited resources. It is necessary to provide health care professionals and caregivers to terminal ill patients. Also, psychological and emotional support from family members and relatives is useful in improving their conditions. Lastly, to reduce these barriers, there is a need for provision of equipment and medications to the patients. Statistical surveys by Neergaard, Jensen, Sondergaard, Sokolowski, Olesen, & Vedsted, (2011) reported that majority (80.7%) of terminally ill cancer patients preferred their homes as place for end of life. A further research revealed that 70.8% of the public indicated that they would prefer their homes as the place to spend the last days of their lives (Wilson, Cohen, Deliens, Hewitt, & Houttekier, 2013). Similarly, Higginson & Sen-Gupta’s (2000) reported on 18 studies on

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Philosophy - Essay Example Yet though the senses are faulty the fault lies in the details about the objects of our senses. Therefore such an assessment does not rule out the existence of external objects that our sensed by our faculties. It is in this context that Descartes uses the images seen in dreams to raise the doubt about the existence of external objects. Descartes proposes that images that we see in our dreams quite often cannot be differentiated from external objects, and hence there is no totally reliable manner in which to ascertain whether a given image of an external object is reality or a dream image. In that case Descartes argues that there is no manner to ascertain whether all our images are dream images. In case all the images are dream images, then there are no external objects creating such images. Such being the case then the reliance on the senses to detect the existence of external objects is not without doubt and as such our senses cannot be trusted for such a purpose. This creates a doubt about the existence of external objects. (1) In my opinion Descartes is more successful in proving his own existence of self than in the arguments that he puts forth for the existence of God. In his argument in favor of the use of the faculty of reason, he provides its safe use in the detection of his own existence. If he can think about his own existence the he must exist. Even a malignant God would not be able to subvert this line of reasoning, as for the process of subversion the mind must exist, and so must he. This argument of Descartes in justifying his own existence appears to have been borrowed from similar arguments by St. Augustine several centuries before Descartes. His arguments in favor of the existence of God are more unique. He argues that the idea of God in an individuals mind could have been planted by God alone, and not by any lesser beings including him, with the reasoning that the idea of an infinite perfection could have been