High Employee Turnover Rate Within Domino’s Pizza in

Abstract: This paper will examine the high employee turnover rate in Domino's Pizza. Employee turnover attributes to bad culture and defective human resources management within the company. Yet, this paper proposes strategies that could lead to an increased in employee retention rate, recommends to aid the high turnover, and employee supervision strategies combined with other strategies regarding financial incentives. This paper also provides recommends, such as, proper planning, enforcement of regulations and appropriate training, to create a workplace that suits all its employees. This paper accepts that Motivations are the very reasons behind people’s thoughts and behaviors and that motivation is an influence that accounts for an individual’s direction, intensity, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal. Motivation is the willingness to exert high levels of effort to organizational goals, conditioned by the effort’s ability to satisfy some individual need. This need is the internal state that makes certain outcomes appear attractive. Motivation is an influence that accounts for an individual’s direction, intensity, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal (Robbins p. 175). Domino's Pizza has always looked for new ways to reward their team members. For instance, Domino’s entertains its workers with a franchise-wide pep rally that is held once a year. Domino's began the â€Å"World's Fastest Pizza Maker† competition in 1982, honoring those who best exemplify the company's philosophy of keeping efficiency in the store; to allow sufficient time for safe delivery of the products to the consumer. Regional competitions are held across the world to determine the competitors with the fastest times. Domino's Pizza gives the winner $10,000 cash to whoever obtains the fastest time. Shopping sprees, vacation trips, and even cars are also rewarded at this event. Yet, Domino’s pizza recognizes the best way to achieve success is to first ensure the satisfaction of its team members. Treating team members exceptionally well is just one way they is committed to putting Domino’s people first. Domino’s is proud to provide a fair and comprehensive rewards package (dominos. com). Benefits which includes: Competitive salaries, Medical, dental and vision coverage, Health Spending Account, Prescription Drug Benefit, Team Achievement Dividend (performance bonus), Partners Foundation (team member assistance) ,Above-average paid holiday program, 401(k) Matching Program, Employee stock purchase discount plan, Company-paid life insurance, Tuition reimbursement, National corporate discounts, Legal services, lastly Adoption assistance. On the contrary, with all that Domino's Pizza provides to their â€Å"team member† this year employee turnover was 260%. Even though, in modern society, motivation is still considered a contentious issue within management circles and within companies. It is believed that successful companies have employees who are motivated and believe in the mission. Even though, some theorists like Herzberg believe that money is not a positive motivator, a lack of it can de-motivate. I believe pay systems are designed to motivate employees. Financial rewards are regarded as a key factor in workplace motivation; however, additional factors such as work appreciation, variety, and security remain just as important. These factors can best be described as work outcomes which are a result of employee inputs. Adams’ equity theory identifies both inputs and outcomes as the two primary components in the employee-employer exchange (Kinicki & Kreitner 2007, p. 242). However, it is important to remember that pay is only one element of motivation and will work best where management gives attention to developing good management and supervision, designing jobs, and organizing work groups to make jobs satisfying. Providing feedback to staff about their performance along with training and development makes effective arrangements for communications and consultation within the company. All the same, Domino's Pizza has faced a very high employee turnover rate of 200% this year. The company's turnover rate reached 199. 9% in 2009. In the food industry, this turnover rate is not unusual, as turnover of 200% rate has been registered by other companies in this field. Domino's CEO started to focus on the company's human resources, by implementing certain strategies, like: improving store managers' workplace quality, improving personnel selection, recruitment, and retention methods, or using financial incentives. However, the key factor in retaining employees is to ensure that there is substantial scope for job enrichment. Since individuals differ in their motivation drive, there is not right or wrong method that will enforce a productive workforce. An individual will consider that he or she is treated fairly if he or she perceives the ratio of his or her inputs to his or her outcomes to be equivalent to those around him or her. The equity theory of motivation is based on the fact that people are motivated first to achieve and then to maintain a sense of equity (wikipedia. org). Equity refers to the allocation of rewards in direct parity to the contribution of each employee to the organization. Within Domino’s, each employee perceives their contribution in differing levels. For example, pizza-makers and telephone operators provide similar inputs as delivery drivers; however, the delivery drivers receive less financial reward creating inequity. Mcshane and Travaglione (2007, p. 154) suggest that employees will experience an emotional tension when they perceive inequities, and, when sufficiently strong, the tension motivates them to reduce the inequities. There are numerous methods that an employee can employ to correct inequity feelings. These include reducing inputs, increasing outcomes, changing perceptions, or changing the comparison other. Ultimately, if these methods do not obtain the desired outcomes, an employee will become de-motivated and may quit their occupation (Mcshane and Travaglione p. 154). An organization’s employee turnover does not solely depend on the input-to-output ratio alone – it also depends on the comparison between the input-to output ratios of employees fulfilling a similar position, Chapman (2007). An explanation of employee inputs and outputs will be used to identify the perceived equity or inequity of an employee within Domino’s. This will provide a better understanding of how Adams’ theory affects employee turnover.

Stanislavski- Method Acting and Its Importance

Stanislavski and ‘The Method’ â€Å"To become a successful actor one must erase personal experience and emotions and build their character from nothing. † – Lee Strasburg. Konstantin Sergeyevich Alexeyev was born in Moscow, Russia in 1863. He was first seen on stage at the age of seven and at the age of twenty-one he changed his stage name to Konstantin Stanislavski. He was founder of the first acting â€Å"system†, co-founder of the Moscow Theatre (1897), and a renowned practitioner of the naturalist school of thought. In 1987 he also met Russian playwright, Anton Chekov.Stanislavski’s process of character development, the â€Å"Stanislavski Method†, was the means for method acting. It was, and still is, the most influential acting system on the modern stage and screen. After enrolling at Moscow’s Drama School, he left after three weeks of not being satisfied with the training. Back then, rehearsals were very casual. Actors woul d walk on stage and deliver their lines with the text in front of them. There was no attempt in making the acting a reality. He felt the need to change theatre and thought that it was important that the actor’s skill should involve more than shallow techniques.The acting needs to have genuine feeling. To give the audience feeling we must first create the feeling for ourselves. This is why personal experiences are important as they possess what we have felt in the past, present and future. We can re-collect emotions such as happiness or sadness and use these to act with feeling and convey a message to the audience. Humans have many emotions that they mask at one time. In class, students are shown experiential learning. Methods and activities such as; Emotional recall and Lady Macbeth (Act 1, scene 7) can help actors create appropriate actions, thoughts and emotions for certain characters or scenes.In emotional recall, students were to recall something, where at that moment the ir lives changed or made them feel something they would never forget. Most were sad, but people tried to hold back tears while trying to speak. Most of the time the tears would just eventually flow and this gave students the sense of method acting. Collecting personal experiences helped them act with a sense of feeling and emotion. When creating a character you may need personal experiences although, you must wipe out idiosyncrasies to create an original character.Exercises such as; ‘slaps’ and ‘milling and grooving’ helped students show a part of their idiosyncrasies. ‘Slaps’ required all concentration and this established how a student would react throughout the exercise. ‘Milling and grooving’ was being able to make a connection with the eyes and communicating without speaking a word. These exercises helped maintain control and focus, while showing their idiosyncrasies without realising it. There are many techniques that have be en learnt in the Stanislavski system in relation to Lee Strasburg’s statement. Stanislavski’s method was to encourage actors to become artists in their own right.Stanislavski had to design a method to inspire his three-part System. This is now known as ‘method acting', the mechanisms used to take on a role are varied, but all focus on making an actor put their own experience, imagination and feeling into a role. Strasburg taught Stanislavski’s system, but is famous for the â€Å"Method† that he developed at the Group Theatre (although the term â€Å"method acting† generally refers to the use of Stanislavski’s system in America – â€Å"Method† with a capital M refers specifically to Strasberg’s approach). The ‘Method’ was used to create reality within an actor.Lee Strasberg suggested to the students and theatre film performers to â€Å"try not to act, be yourself, use gesture in a manner that you use i n private life. † Stanislavski wanted acting to feel and be real. Some exercises in class were; ‘Circle of attention’ and ‘beats and thoughts’. Circle of attention was making a connection with the eyes without speaking, where you had to concentrate on a set of eyes and move when the time was right. There was an inner and outer circle. If a student was about to move, the person from the outside circle could tap the student and stop them from moving. This maintained focus. Beats and thoughts’ is a skill where the actor breaks down a scene into â€Å"beats† or â€Å"bits,† short sections that end with each change of objective. Take out all your idiosyncrasies and make characterisation for your role. Break up each line and give it meaning, using pauses where necessary. This will give you the effect you need. We do this, because we must make the piece as convincing as possible and make your audience believe what you are saying, or doin g is real. You must incorporate lights and shades for the dramatic side to take effect. You need to be able to produce a convincing tone so the actions can flow when you act.As a student studying drama this made me feel like I could portray or master any character thrown at me. Beats and thoughts created emotion and characterisation that was needed to create and portray any necessary role. Method acting needs to be portrayed in theatre. Without it, the audience wouldn’t be moved by the performance. The world is better for it. Actors can persuade, make people laugh, cry, surprised, frightened, all by using method acting. Lee Strasburg’s statement is false although to act correctly you must wipe out idiosyncrasies but keep the truth (personal experiences) of emotions.This makes method acting the most influential acting system around the world. Bibliography Copyright 2011 Bradley Bishop and Trevor Jones http://www. kryingsky. com/Stan/Biography/bot. html (Last accessed 14 th March 2012) h2g2 – 2012 http://h2g2. com/dna/h2g2/A5133151 (Last accessed 14th March 2012) 2008, All rights reserved, Jamactors. com http://www. jamactors. com/articles/method_acting. php (Last accessed 14th March 2012) Class Drama Notes 2012 (Last accessed 14th March 2012) Shanelle Fairhall

Competition in Smartphone Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Competition in Smartphone Markets - Essay Example For example, Samsung manufactures and sell its products, no other company can make Samsung products. This gives the company a chance to be in the monopolistic competition market. Development of monopolistic competitors in markets is driven by the profits that other firms are making in the market. Firms can make high profits normally called super normal profits based on the brands of their products that make the customers to be loyal to them. The following model shows monopolistic firms making super normal profits (Arnold, 2010). Super normal profits made by monopolistic competitors are indicated by the rectangle PXYZ. The super normal profits arise because the firm is making products of quantity OQ where the profit is at a maximum. This is indicated by the intersection of MC and MR where MR=MC. The price of the products is shown by OP and this is dictated by the demand curve AR. The intersection of MR and MC gives an equilibrium price XQ. The equilibrium price is greater than the ave rage cost indicated by YQ. The supernormal profits are indicated by XY that is the difference between XQ and YQ. To get the total super normal profits, XY is multiplied by PX and the result is the area of the shaded region. Clear analysis of the above graph shows that the price charged (P) is above the average cost (Arnold 2011). The above representation when integrated on one of the smartphones firms will attract other firms to the market. This is because it is free to enter into the market and the firms are motivated by the profits which a firm in the market is making because the graph is sloping downward. The entrance of other firms to the market makes changes in the economic model. In this analysis Apple, the Smartphone maker of the iPhone, is used as a monopolistic competitor in... Super normal profits made by monopolistic competitors are indicated by the rectangle PXYZ. The super normal profits arise because the firm is making products of quantity OQ where the profit is at a maximum. This is indicated by the intersection of MC and MR where MR=MC. The price of the products is shown by OP and this is dictated by the demand curve AR. The intersection of MR and MC gives an equilibrium price XQ. The equilibrium price is greater than the average cost indicated by YQ. The supernormal profits are indicated by XY that is the difference between XQ and YQ. To get the total super normal profits, XY is multiplied by PX and the result is the area of the shaded region. Clear analysis of the above graph shows that the price charged (P) is above the average cost (Arnold 2011). The above representation when integrated on one of the smartphones firms will attract other firms to the market. This is because it is free to enter into the market and the firms are motivated by the profits which a firm in the market is making because the graph is sloping downward. The entrance of other firms to the market makes changes in the economic model. In this analysis Apple, the Smartphone maker of the iPhone, is used as a monopolistic competitor in the market. The profit which is made by the company is shown on the graph. The profit is just for a short-run. In the long-run, other competitors enter the market.

Insurance Industry and Global Climax Change Research Paper

Insurance Industry and Global Climax Change - Research Paper Example However, the level of human consumption and the consequential degradation of the natural environment have reached a level of mutual destruction and dire consequences for both human inhabitants and the nature. Thus, the greatest environmental concern facing the planet is excessive carbon footprints left by the people on the planet. Carbon is a vital element for both human beings and the natural environment (Mills et al, 2006). Climate Change A. Data about how frequency of disaster due to climate changes Climate change has negative impact in the sense that landslides and floods, tsunamis and hurricanes are common phenomenon. For instance, landslides and floods have claimed more than one thousands lives in Brazil. Further, climate change has seen the sea ice in countries such as Canada take long time to appear during the months of winter, which in turn negatively affects the polar bear this is because the polar bear are spending too much time on land decreasing the time they spend hunti ng in the sea ice. Polar bear can hunt effectively in sea ice not on land, and as a result, the population of this creature is rapidly decreasing. In addition, climate change has led to increase in extra tropical cyclones, hailstorms, bush fires, droughts and heat waves. More extensive destruction, social, environmental, and economical impacts from weather related tragedies. Transformations in atmospheric process will negative influence the health, property and lives of many people in the world (Mills, 2005). B. Data about damage climate change every year The increase in temperatures causes large boulders of ice to melt and form water, which flows to large water bodies. As a result, there is a rise in sea level all over the globe. This reduces the area of land under settlement and is posing a threat to human existence. The human being who had caused the warming, with or without their knowledge, is now being punished by nature. The Antarctic regions is a good example, as the melted i ce masses causes displacement of people and the consequence is causing a strain on land space (Jacobs, 2012). C. Direct Impact on human and properties a. Health Impacts a. Weather-related Mortality Climate change that took place since 1970s has claimed over 150,000 excess lives yearly by the year 2004. The number of weather related tragedies has increased since 1960s. Each year, these tragedies lead to more than 55,000 deaths particularly in developing nations. b. Infectious Diseases Global climate change influence the environmental and social determinants of health in the sense that human beings are exposed to unclean air, unsafe drinking water, lack of sufficient food and poor shelter. This in turn leads to many infectious diseases such as diarrhea, malaria, dengue and malnutrition which worsen as the climate transforms. c. Air Quality- Respiratory Illnesses Global increase in the respiratory diseases such as allergies and asthma results from global warming such as depletion of oz one layers, spread of communicable illnesses because of earth heats, and rising temperatures. 2. Agriculture Impacts a. Crop Yields i. Food shortage The increasing precipitation and rising temper

Young goodman brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne analytical analysis Research Paper

Young goodman brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne analytical analysis - Research Paper Example The story is considered as one of the most widely accepted literary works which clearly explores the mischievous life of 17th century Puritan society. The theme of the story is related to the madness surrounding the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692. Hawthorne presents the conflict between good and evil through the perspective of his protagonist Goodman Brown. Through the obliteration of Brown’ illusions about goodness and virtue the writer criticize social customs and manners. Hawthorne presents his protagonist as a powerful instrument to convey his thoughts and ideas about the social and religious customs which took place in 17th century Puritan society. He develops the story through the historical events like black mass, Salem Witchcrafts Trials which happened in 17th century life. Hawthorne’s short story Young Goodman Brown represents the conflicts between good and evil which explored uncertainty of Puritan beliefs in God. In the beginning of the story Hawthorne prese nts his hero as an unknown errand in the forest, who leaves Faith, his wife of three months. In this journey, he meets a man, who carries a serpent as staff in his hand. The image of thick forest in the story represents human mind with mixed feelings and beliefs. Gary Hoppenstand and Ray Broadus Browne observe; â€Å"Hawthorne’s symbolic forests reveal the very turbulence of the human mind† (Hoppenstand & Browne128). ... In this respect, critic Harold Bloom rightly comments that; â€Å"As Brown commences travelling, Hawthorne likens his forest path to the spiritual journey of a man questioning his religious faith† (Bloom 108). Brown feels he is flying through the forest with the help of an apple –wood decorated by the stranger for him. When they arrived in the middle of the forest at mid night, Brown sees the entire town people gathered there. In a state of fear and anxiety, Brown identifies that the people celebrate witches Sabbath and a kind of uncertainty and doubts defeats him .As Elizabeth Reis rightly comments; â€Å" Goodman Brown’s first steps in to the woods symbolize the ambivalence of a faithful Puritan† (Reis 199). Brown’s anxiety reaches its zenith when he sees the ceremony to baptize the new comer in to the mystery of sin. With a sudden shock, Brown recognizes the new comer –Goodman Brown and his new wife Faith. Hawthorne depicts the character o f Faith as a symbol of extreme love in the story. She symbolizes the love between man and woman, the love and devotion from man towards the mighty God. It is through her character the author discloses his adamant belief in God. His own words clarify Brown’s loyalty and trust towards his wife Faith. He says; "she's a blessed angel on earth; and after this one night, I'll cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven" (Hawthorne 9). Readers have to note the fact that Hawthorne permits his protagonist to bring his strong belief back in God through the devotion and affection towards his beloved wife Faith. But in the dream he gets frightened and disappointed in the presence of wife. Similarly, Hawthorne illustrates the image of staff as a symbol of evil in human

Bullying and Cyber Bullying Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Bullying and Cyber Bullying - Research Paper Example It is quite possible that a number of parents remain unaware about the fact that their child is being bullied at school or in the neighborhood; as many children might not complain about being bullied. In other cases, where children do complain about being bullied, their parents, caregivers, or school teachers might not take such complaints seriously. Thus, it is important that parents should take interest in whatever is going on in the school lives of their children, so that if they detect any disturbing signs in them, they can address the issue instantly. Keeping in view the rapidly growing rates of bullying in school, it is imperative for the teachers and the parents not to ignore the complaints of children regarding bullying. â€Å"Use of the three criteria of intention, repetitiveness, and imbalance of power for classification of behaviour as bullying seems now to be well accepted among both researchers and practitioners (e.g. Smith & Brain, 2000)† (Jimerson 11). When children interact with each other, they act and respond according to their individual behaviors. In general, they can either show normal or hyper active, or sensitive, or aggressive behaviors, depending upon the type of situation they find themselves in. Bullying is such type of behavior that has three distinct qualities: intention, repetitiveness and imbalance of power. Bullying is definitely not an unintentional behavior. A bully intentionally hurts the other child by identifying his/her weakness or sensitivity. It is normal for children to fight or quarrel during playtime. Normally, their quarrels are resolved within no time and they start playing again. But in a situation where one child is intentionally hurting the other, then they both might be gradually adopting the roles of a bully and the bullied, respectively. Their quarrels would not settle on their own but would

Walden pond Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Walden pond - Essay Example s concentration is on the benefits of early awakening and natural experience at the time when the rest of the inhabitants of the village were in deep slumber. Thoreau utilizes the metaphor of awakening to refer to the variances that exist in him and those in town (Thoreau 145). As the piece suggests, the awakening is evidently in symbolism in the day and yearly seasons. The largest consciousness occurs during the morning extending to the spring. Thoreau associations of his experiences to spiritual awakening are evident throughout the story (Thoreau 147). He defies the earlier notions of men in town that certain requirements of the body such as food and shelter are significant to one’s life. His arguments for defying the natural necessities, as were the notions of men relate to nature. He states that the sunrays in some environments are sufficient to provide the desired warmth (Thoreau 147). His notion of riches in men is they are responsible for the decay of man in terms of spirituality. In his daily tasks, Thoreau relates his experience of life to nature. He depicts the ability of man to live in the middle of the usual world when he utilizes a greater segment of his life in the forest. The flora and fauna provide sufficient support and acceptance (Thoreau

Case_2_-_Al_Dar-done-X Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case_2_-_Al_Dar-done-X - Case Study Example For example, the company’s revenue for the year ended December 31, 2009 was AED 1,979.3 million compared to AED 4,978.3 million for the previous year (year 2008). That was a decrease of about 60.2%. In addition, the profit for that year was AED 1,006.9 million compared to AED 3,446.7 million in the previous year. Second, the reduction in the company’s profitability levels minimized its ability to handle debt obligations promptly. In addition, the property crash had left the market with just a few private players with the capacity to and the will to buy the assets. Therefore, the mentioned reasons landed the company in liquidity deficit situation, thus, the inability to handle the debt. Third, the cost reduction strategy of the company involving the layoff of 105 employees sparked worries among the employees. Most of them were unsure of their job security in the business thus, the genesis of the reduction in morale. The UAE’s real estate industry is deeply affected by the global debt crisis. The foreign investors reduced the level of investment in the property. The residents’ purchasing power was also reduced by the inflation effect. For that reason, the demand for housing products is low leading to a reduction in rental prices. The following economic factors have affected the company’s performance: first, the unification of the individual states to form the Union, which prompted widespread infrastructural development, which boosted the company’s performance. Second, the oil boom in the 1970s up to 1990s provided the capital necessary for economic growth and development, which increased the company’s performance. Last, the 2007-2010 credit crunch led to a reduction in the enterprise’s performance. Yes, the economy, the industry, and the company were shaken. Since the demand for real estate products and the level of foreign investments reduced, the profitability of the industry declined. The

A Reflection Paper on Animal Minds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Reflection Paper on Animal Minds - Essay Example I find this article very interesting and intellectually stimulating. As a human being, I often take for granted that animals respond to different external stimuli without really thinking. I hold the preconception that as opposed to humans, animals solely rely on their instinct and reflexes in order to survive. However, this article opens my mind into the possibility that maybe, at some points, animals also think and are conscious about their actions and emotions. The body of literature explored by the author appears very convincing that animals do share a level of consciousness even if it is largely limited compared to human beings. I agree with the claims that "some kind of mental activity is being attributed to animals: that is, there is considered to be some internal sifting and selection of information rather than simply the release of certain responses by a certain set of environmental conditions" (Griffin 10). This claim can be supported by human experiences and their interaction with animals. For instance, the argument that animals can process and retain information is evidenced by the fact that they can learn certain skills-parrots can be trained to speak specific words and dogs can be taught to perform funny tricks.

Comparative Study on the Origin of Religion Essay Example for Free

Comparative Study on the Origin of Religion Essay Since the early 1800s, there had been an ample amount of skeptics trying to account for the origin of religion. The basic question on everybody’s mind was where does religion come from? Some believed that people developed religion because they didn’t understand the forces of nature around them. Others believe that religion was created as a way of restrain people. In the 19th century, people were introduced to social science and anthropologists who once studied primitive culture were exposed to several theories on the origin of religion. Edward B Tylor was one of the first who developed a theory on religion. Max Muller was a German professor at Oxford University whose interest included Indian mythology and the study of religion. Another anthropologist was George Frazer who key contributions to religious anthropology was a religious encyclopedia. There are many explanations to the origin of religion, one of the most prominent being Edward B. Tylor’s theory of animism. This theory is considered the foundation of the physical evolution of religion; two other influential religious anthropologists, Max Muller and James Frazer, also based their explanations of the origin of religion on nature. All three religious anthropologists are similar in the sense that they traced the evolution of religion in an attempt to figure out the origin of it but differ in the way they approach the concept of religion. Edward B. Tylor developed the theory of animism to help explain the most rudimentary form of religion. Animism is defined as the belief that attributes souls and spirits to humans, plants, animals and other entities. Animistic religious beliefs are well-known among primitive societies who were â€Å"so low in culture as to have no religious conceptions what so ever† (Tylor). Tylor considered animism as the most primitive phase in the development of religion. He believed that the reflection of dreams and the observation of death caused primitive people to develop the idea of souls and spirits. Tylor thought that primitive people believed that everything in nature had a soul within it. He hypothesized that a belief in animism led to the formation of a more generalized god and, eventually, the creation of monotheism. Animism ultimately led to the evolution of religion in the minds of the people. It led them to take something so simple as nature and use it to explain the natural phenomenon in their environment. A conflicting theory that uses the concept of evolution is that of Max Muller. Another theory of the origin of religion was developed by Max Muller. He believed that people first developed religion from the observation of nature. According to his theory, primitive people became aware of regularity of the seasons, the tides and the phases of the moon. Their response to these forces in nature was to personalize them†(Hopfe and Woodward). They personalized them through linguistics. Muller believed that development of religion was a cause of confusion in language (Goldsmith). There seems to be a divide between Muller and Tylor over the nature of the origin o f religion. Max Muller believed that the answer to the sole origin of religion could be found in the past and a person can trace its origin in the linguistic remnants in the Indo-European languages. Tylor thought that implementing an ethnological approach would be more successful than studying languages for answers of the origin of religion. Evolution of religion is evident in Muller’s theory because â€Å"they personified the forces of nature, created myths to describe their activities, and eventually developed pantheons and religions around them† (Hopfe and Woodward). By developing religions and pantheons from identifying the forces in nature is a clear sign of the evolution of religion in the human mind set. Even though their theories are different, the idea of evolution of religion in the human mind is evident in both Muller and Tylor’s theory. Sir James George Frazer, a fellow religious anthropologist, began developing his own theories on religion. Frazer believed that humans used magic as a way to control nature and the events around them and when that failed, they turned to religion. They used religion to control the events for a while and when religion failed they turned to science. Frazer’s theories were similar to those of Tylor. They both believed that the human mind developed in the same way as that of physical evolution.. Even though Frazer took a similar approach to Tylor in tracing the origin of religion, he modified Tylor’s theory and replaced Tylor’s theory of animism with his idea of magic. A similarity between Frazer and Tylor is that they both believed that religion began from an intentional method of describing and making sense of a strange world. Frazer replaces the idea that religion explains nature by introducing science as a substitute. Frazer’s approach to tracing the origin of religion is similar to that of Tylor and Muller since all three traced the evolution of religion in an attempt to figure out its origin. Both Muller and Frazer’s theory are similar to Tylor’s theory since both trace the origin of religion through the evolution of it but differ in the way they interpret religion. All three of them seemed to miss a vital element of religion which is that no one who practices religion is doing so to explain how the world works. People use religion for several reasons. Some use it to give meaning to their lives while others use it to enforce social order. Maybe all three anthropologists didn’t miss this key component but rather didn’t know about it due to the rapid evolution of religion.

Every Kind Of Oppression In Our Lives Philosophy Essay

Every Kind Of Oppression In Our Lives Philosophy Essay Oppression is defined in dictionaries as the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. We can see every kind of oppression in our lives. In a family, for example, a father may force his daughter to become a doctor just because he wanted so while she wants to become a painter. A man may urge his wife to dress up in the way he wanted; he may not let her wear skinny jeans. These two are just simple examples from our daily life. And governments, as well as people, may exercise power on their people. Government is a group of people with the authority to govern a country or a political state. In every part of the world, even in the smallest countries, there is a corporation called government. To me, an ideal government does care about its citizens and all their wills. The ideal government makes decisions with regard to the laws, it treats every citizen equally. Its first aim is to provide its people with their fundamental rights and make a peaceful environment for them. However, unfortunately, very few governments do these duties. There are many examples of the governments which use their authority to restrict their citizens rights. In Saudi Arabia, for example, women cannot drive cars only because the government thinks it is not appropriate with respect to the religious rules. In Iran, it is forbidden by law to use Facebook or Twitter. And even in our country, Turkey, you may end up in prison only because you wrote something against the government on the internet. As a consequence, the governments may sometimes exceed the limit and use their power in an unfavorable way. V for Vendetta is a comic book written by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. In 2005, the book was adopted to a movie, directed by James McTeigue. The movie is set in the Great Britain in the near future. Under the guise of several terrorist acts, a totalitarian government is elected to Parliament under Chancellor Adam Sutler to save the country from these terrorists. The government eventually becomes cruel, corrupt, and oppressive to the people. Driven by a personal vendetta, a mysterious individual William comes to the forefront to take up the cause of freedom. He wears a mask of Guy Fawkes to cover his face, and changes his name to only V. V takes over the TV station and broadcasts a message to the country condemning the oppressors in Parliament. V invites all the people to join him in one year on Guy Fawkes Night to see him complete what Guy Fawkes couldnt, blow up Parliament. In the movie V for Vendetta, people watch TV too much, just like in the book Fahrenheit 451 by Rad Bradbury. They know of what is going on in their country only via TV, and the programs in television are strictly controlled by the government. The government in V for Vendetta is actually a fascist state because it does not have any tolerance to the differences in the society. What is different or unusual is dangerous. Anyone who does not support the governments policy, or who has different life choices is arrested and even may be sentenced to death. In the book Fahrenheit 451, there are firemen who burn books. They burn book because books are considered dangerous. In the country, the Fahrenheit 451 set, the people do not enjoy nature, spend time by themselves, think independently, or have meaningful conversations. Reading books and thinking about them, or just thinking itself is classified as a confusing and unnecessary activity. Therefore, anything that guides us to think is forbidden or restricted in the Fahrenheit 451 society. Likewise, in the V for Vendetta, there are secret police. Their duty is to spy for the government and try to capture people who are against the government. The people are being controlled by the leaders of their country to make sure they behave themselves and not try to rebel. In Fahrenheit 451, the character Beatty explains the reason why books are burned saying that all people want to be happy. Reading and thinking are challenging activities; they push our brain too much. A confused person cannot be happy, so instead of reading books, people prefer watching programs that entertain them. However, this feeling of happiness is artificial, because those people live a life even without thinking about the way they live it. Regarding this issue, the character V in the movie V for Vendetta says: Happiness is a prison, Evey. Happiness is the most insidious prison of all. The government in V for Vendetta came to power after a series of wars, famines and diseases. Sometimes TV channels, which are of course under the control of the government, broadcast news about these bad memories. By doing so, they try to give the message: Without our government these bad incidents would occur again. Be grateful and obedience to your government. It is one of the policies the government practices, pretending as if everything is alright in the society and threatening them subtly. The other policy is of course violence. The government is a fascist state, which does not avoid torturing its own citizens. However, we all know that in a society where violence and pressure prevails, peace and order cannot be permanent. Regarding this issue, in the movie the character V says: Equality and freedom are not luxuries to lightly cast aside. Without them, order cannot long endure before approaching depths beyond imagining. As I mentioned earlier, the government does not allow for the different ideas, different life choices. It tries to make everyone the same, like the sheep obeying unconditionally. The governments supporters claim that after this party came to power; peace, prosperity and equality flourished in the society. They use the term equality, but they actually mean being the same. In Fahrenheit 451, the character Beatty says We must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the constitution says, but everyone made equal. So, we can conclude that not sticking to the status quo is considered inappropriate, even wrong. I think the movie V for Vendetta would be censored in the fictional world of Fahrenheit 451, because the movie makes people think deeply. In Fahrenheit 451, anything that encourages people to think or question is censored. The character Beatty says Books dont say anything. They are fiction, philosophy, argument, but nothing tangible or real. They make you feel lost. Books are burned, only meaningless programs are shown in TV. People obey rules; say they are happy. But they do not even bother to ask what happiness really is. They live recklessly and aimlessly. They do not wonder how it feels reading a book. And thus, they do not have the slightest idea to challenge government and its policy. Rebellion and fighting against the pressure are the main themes of the movie V for Vendetta. In the film, the main character V tries to awake the public and rally them to fight against the fascist government. He tries to explain how idleness and not fighting for rights cause a government to strip rights and freedom from the public. The people in the Fahrenheit 451 society do not ask for their right to read books, watch programs they wish as well. V for Vendetta would be censored in Fahrenheit 451 world because this movie encourages critical thinking. Even in our world, real world, people must have thought about their own governments, their own life. They must have asked themselves questions concerning the way they live. How free are we? Are we aware of all the things happening around us? Do we really understand the meaning of our lives deeply? Like the character Faber in Fahrenheit 451 says Do we have time to think? Before considering authority or the government, we should ask ourselves these important questions. The people in Fahrenheit 451 live in a way consume, obey, die. This kind of life is definitely not worth living. To sum up, everywhere in the world figures like parents or governments that use force upon us, limit our rights. But the important thing is not to surrender and to demand our rights. Every human has the right to live the way they want to. We all should be able to read every book, movie or song published and to judge them according to our own opinions, not according to an authoritys. And if there is a pressure in question, we should raise our voices and defend our rights. As suggested in the movie V for Vendetta, we should stick together and not be afraid of the government or of any power figure. As we become more silent, the dominant authority tends to put pressure on us. The character V says: People shouldnt be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people. So do not be afraid of trying to get what is already yours. We only live once, so we should enjoy discovering our lives, our world as much as we can.

Grapes Of Wrath - Jim Casy Chracter Analysis Essay -- essays research

John Steinbeck passionately describes a time of unfair poverty, unity, and the human spirit in the classic, The Grapes of Wrath. The novel tells of real, diverse characters who experience growth through turmoil and hardship. Jim Casy- a personal favorite character- is an ex-preacher that meets up with a former worshiper, Tom Joad. Casy continues a relationship with Tom and the rest of the Joads as they embark on a journey to California in the hopes of prosperity and possibly excess. Casy represents how the many situations in life impact the ever-changing souls of human- beings and the search within to discover one's true identity and beliefs. Casy, however, was much more complex than the average individual. His unpredjudiced, unified, Christ-like existence twists and turns with every mental and extraneous disaccord. Jim Casy is an interesting, complicated man. He can be seen as a modern day Christ figure, except without the tending manifest belief in the Christian faith. The initials of his name, J.C., are the same as Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus was exalted by many for what he stood for was supposed to be , Casy was hailed and respected by many for simply being a preacher. Casy and Jesus both saw a common goodness in the average man and saw every person as holy. Both Christ and Casy faced struggles between their ideals versus the real world. (Despite Casy's honesty, goodness, and loyalty to all men, he would not earn a meal or warm place to stay. Although Jesus had many followers, still others opposed his preaching until the very end. ) These prophets attempted to disengage man from the cares of the world and create a high spiritualism that stemmed joy from misery. (All the migrants found pleasures along their trips and kept their hope and spirit throughout the journey. Thanks to Jesus, the sadd est, dullest existence has had its glimpse of heaven.) Casy once remarked, "I gotta see them folks that's gone out on the road. I gotta feelin' I got to see them. They gonna need help no preachin' can give 'em. Hope of heaven when their lives ain't lived? Holy Sperit when their own sperit is downcast an' sad?" Casy wished to reach out to others in spite of his own troubles. He wanted to give them sprit, hope and rejuvenate their souls. Jesus too felt that need and can be considered "the great consoler of life." The Life of Jesus by Ernest Renan ... ...ist-like, harmonious, unprovincial, somewhat realistic charcter who has seen the challenges of organization, authority, his own faith, reception from others, and his own ever- changing personality. This man can be looked at as a martyr, ethical, sacred individual, and yet ironically "Okie", hobo, or virtue-less bum. However The Grapes of Wrath and Jim Casy are undisputed symbols of hope, dreams, spirit and the oneness of all humanity. To me personally, Jim Casy is a role-model to any one who aspires to think original thoughts. I find his defiance of organized religion thought-provoking and inspiring. His ideas of nature are prophetic and his selfless love of people beautiful. Jim Casy's essence of understanding, dreams, love, hope and belief in an almighty holiness can be summed up in one quote, "An' Almighty God never raised no wages. These here folks want to live decent and bring up their kids decent. An' when they're old they wanta set in the door an' watch the downing sun. An' when they're young they wanta dance an' sing an' lay together. They wanta eat an' get drunk and work. An' that's it- they wanta jus' fling their goddamn muscles aroun' an' get tired." Grapes Of Wrath - Jim Casy Chracter Analysis Essay -- essays research John Steinbeck passionately describes a time of unfair poverty, unity, and the human spirit in the classic, The Grapes of Wrath. The novel tells of real, diverse characters who experience growth through turmoil and hardship. Jim Casy- a personal favorite character- is an ex-preacher that meets up with a former worshiper, Tom Joad. Casy continues a relationship with Tom and the rest of the Joads as they embark on a journey to California in the hopes of prosperity and possibly excess. Casy represents how the many situations in life impact the ever-changing souls of human- beings and the search within to discover one's true identity and beliefs. Casy, however, was much more complex than the average individual. His unpredjudiced, unified, Christ-like existence twists and turns with every mental and extraneous disaccord. Jim Casy is an interesting, complicated man. He can be seen as a modern day Christ figure, except without the tending manifest belief in the Christian faith. The initials of his name, J.C., are the same as Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus was exalted by many for what he stood for was supposed to be , Casy was hailed and respected by many for simply being a preacher. Casy and Jesus both saw a common goodness in the average man and saw every person as holy. Both Christ and Casy faced struggles between their ideals versus the real world. (Despite Casy's honesty, goodness, and loyalty to all men, he would not earn a meal or warm place to stay. Although Jesus had many followers, still others opposed his preaching until the very end. ) These prophets attempted to disengage man from the cares of the world and create a high spiritualism that stemmed joy from misery. (All the migrants found pleasures along their trips and kept their hope and spirit throughout the journey. Thanks to Jesus, the sadd est, dullest existence has had its glimpse of heaven.) Casy once remarked, "I gotta see them folks that's gone out on the road. I gotta feelin' I got to see them. They gonna need help no preachin' can give 'em. Hope of heaven when their lives ain't lived? Holy Sperit when their own sperit is downcast an' sad?" Casy wished to reach out to others in spite of his own troubles. He wanted to give them sprit, hope and rejuvenate their souls. Jesus too felt that need and can be considered "the great consoler of life." The Life of Jesus by Ernest Renan ... ...ist-like, harmonious, unprovincial, somewhat realistic charcter who has seen the challenges of organization, authority, his own faith, reception from others, and his own ever- changing personality. This man can be looked at as a martyr, ethical, sacred individual, and yet ironically "Okie", hobo, or virtue-less bum. However The Grapes of Wrath and Jim Casy are undisputed symbols of hope, dreams, spirit and the oneness of all humanity. To me personally, Jim Casy is a role-model to any one who aspires to think original thoughts. I find his defiance of organized religion thought-provoking and inspiring. His ideas of nature are prophetic and his selfless love of people beautiful. Jim Casy's essence of understanding, dreams, love, hope and belief in an almighty holiness can be summed up in one quote, "An' Almighty God never raised no wages. These here folks want to live decent and bring up their kids decent. An' when they're old they wanta set in the door an' watch the downing sun. An' when they're young they wanta dance an' sing an' lay together. They wanta eat an' get drunk and work. An' that's it- they wanta jus' fling their goddamn muscles aroun' an' get tired."

Reason Why Teens Use Drugs :: Drugs, Social Issues, Legal Issues

The reasons why teenagers use drugs. Drug use is the increasing problem among teenagers in today's High schools. Ever since the drug war of 1900, drugs have been a major problem in todays society. Use of drugs such as opium, morphine, and their derivatives were quite commonplace in nineteenth century America. While most students of contemporary high school drug education programs know about the use of coca leaves in early Coca-Cola and the opium trade with China, the matter of drug addiction at the turn of the century is much more extensive than usually acknowledged. It is estimated that by 1975 there were somewhere in the neighborhood of 550,000 regular users of addictive drugs in the U.S. While this number may seem large (taking into consideration the smaller population of the country in 1970s as compared to today) it is actually surprisingly small even when such drugs were available over the counter. Cocaine, morphine, laudanum, and heroin were all available in drug stores and through the mail. Until the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, banned the sale and distribution of these such drugs In local shops and stores ,and through the mail.Today, all of these drugs are illegal Including the most popular drug among teens and in the united states, marijuana. Most drug use begins in the preteen and teenage years, these years most crucial in the maturation process. During these years, teenagers are faced with difficult tasks of discovering their self identity, as well as their sexual roles,becoming independence, learning to cope with authority and searching for goals that would

Essay --

My Capstone will be the replacement of aging Microsoft Windows XP business computers with newer computers running Microsoft Windows 7. Although Windows 8.1 is currently available, I have chosen to deploy Windows 7 for a myriad of reasons. Windows 7 has gained popularity and a reputation for being a solid replacement for Windows XP. I have worked (officially) in the IT field for over 4 years now, and have been involved in multiple Windows 7 migration projects. I will use my previous experience, in addition to my newly developed skills, to produce a successful plan for rolling out this operating system on a widespread basis. In my experience, projects such as this are not planned very well. My goal is to make sure that every aspect of this project is fully documented, so the steps may be reproduced as needed for this project or duplicated for future projects. This project will be thoughtfully planned from start to finish, with clearly set expectations. Of course, in the real world, not everything can be accounted for at the time, and one must be flexible with the execution of a project of this magnitude, but with the proper planning any obstacle can be overcome. â€Æ' Review of other work During my tenure as an IT professional and during the preparation of this project, I have completed countless hours of research and performed many hands-on tests. One of the case studies I have researched is the Windows 7 migration for Boeing, based out of Chicago, IL. Boeing determined that they needed to ensure a global business strategy, with an increased competitive edge and minimal impact to employees. In order to accomplish this, their IT department performed 6 months of readiness testing on 3,800 applications, 1,800 of which were determined to... ...em to reduce staff by 25%. Their new, modern infrastructure is now easier to administer, and they were able to take advantage of newer efficient applications that were not possible before, such as Microsoft Office Communications Server and SCCM for patch management and application delivery. Users were able to get up to speed quickly with the familiar interface, and overall surveys showed that employees were pleased with the ease of use of the new systems, as many were already using newer operating systems and software at home. The new environment is now more secure, which means less patching for system engineers and less time spent working on machines. Inclusion of features like the Snipping Tool eliminated the need for third party software (and additional cost). PDO also reduced power consumption by using the power options scheduling features included in Windows 7.

Jet blue case study Essay

The United States airline industry includes roughly 600 companies with combined annual revenue of approximately 170 billion dollars (bts.gov). The major companies include American, Delta, and United Continental (bts.gov). There are air operations of express delivery companies such as FedEx and UPS. This industry is highly concentrated with the 10 largest companies accounting for more than 75 percent of industry revenue (bts.gov). The global airline industry generates about $500 billion annually (tbs.gov). The major international companies include Air China, Deutsche Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Japan Airlines, and British Airways (bts.gov). Discussion Questions 1. Discuss the trends in the U.S. airline industry and how these trends might impact a company’s strategy. Trends in this industry are numerous. This discussion will include the price of jet fuel, on-time performance, security, and cheaper substitutes. Oil price volatility is the leading player in airline strategy (jetblue.com). Fuel is probably the most significant element in an airline’s base cost (jetblue.com). The new fuel price average for the year 2012 is around 129.7 dollars per barrel (jetblue.com). The impact of this year’s fuel bill for the global airline industry is upwards of 32 billion dollars (jetblue.com). The causes for delays and cancellations of flights are reported monthly to The Bureau of transportation Statistics (bts.gov). On time performance has many factors; a few of these factors are air carrier delays, late arriving aircrafts, security delays, extreme weather, and equipment (bts.gov). Air carrier delays are within the airline’s control. This area includes maintenance/crew problems, aircraft cleaning, baggage loading, fueling, and such (bts.gov). A late arriving previous flight†¦ Read Full Essay View as multi-pages

Is College Education Worth It

Is College Education Worth It? Hailey Mulligan October 24, 2012 Organization Communication MG320 Is College Education Worth It? Getting a â€Å"good† job is not straightforward as it used to be. In past generations, someone in an entry-level position could work their way up the ladder simply through hard work and determination; whether or not one had credentials or a diploma mattered very little. This is not the case today. Higher education is now critical to obtaining a better job because the demand for skilled labor is rising.For this reason, the value that a degree offers is higher than that of one’s actual intelligence or merit. Furthermore, workers without college degrees will quickly be outpaced in position and salary by degree holders. Earning a college degree is no longer simply an option for potential job seekers, but a necessity for those wishing to advance in their careers. With the cost of postsecondary education rising in leaps and bounds, potential student s may wonder if the college education system is still worth investing in.Niall Ferguson (2012) states that at a sample of public colleges, average tuition and fees for in-state residents have risen by 25 percent since 2008; for private schools, these tuition and fees rose by 13 percent (p. 20). Similarly, over half (56 percent) of students are enrolled at four year schools with tuitions and fees of up to $9,000 a year with high-ranking institutions reporting costs upwards of $40,000 annually (Walker, 2010, p. 28). Although this cost has been offset for many students by the increase in government funding for education in the form of grants and entitlements, postsecondary expenses can be daunting.Yet, findings discussed later in this report reveal the vital importance of a college degree, not only in short-term job hunts but as a long-term investment over one’s lifetime. First, the demand for skilled labor has risen in America. According to Bound and Turner (2010), â€Å"colle giate attainment has not kept pace with increases in the demand for skilled workers in the United States† (p. 7). Although there has been a significant increase in the number of college attendees, the number of students actually completing a college degree has not increased proportionately (p. 7).One possible argument for the rising demand of college graduates is the reduction of blue-collar jobs as this nation moves into a technology and information-based economic market (Carnevalle, 2006, p. 90). Bankston (2011) says this trend might be consistent with the argument that advances in technology have created a rising demand for advanced credentials (p. 337). Other authors cite examples of how â€Å"a new technology may require that people have a degree to provide a product or service for which a degree was unnecessary ten years ago† (Whitaker and Zenker, 2011, p. 21).Others argue, however, that demand for jobs that require a college degree is simply a self-perpetuating r esult of the increase in college graduates. In 1940, barely five percent of American’s held a college degree; by 2008 that number had risen to 30 percent (Bankston, 2011, p. 326). One author credits the rise of degree requirements to the growth of government subsidies in the market of postsecondary education (Bankston, 2011, p. 336). As the government gives more money in the form of Pell grants (which has now been deemed an entitlement), more students attend college and obtain degrees.Bankston reasons that â€Å"one would expect that as credentials flood the market, they will purchase fewer opportunities† (p. 336). Over time this may mean that the value of a college degree may diminish and the gap in income and job opportunities between graduates and non-graduates will decrease. (p. 336). It may also mean that having only a bachelor’s degree will not be enough to secure a comfortable career. Debra Stewart, president of the Council of Graduate Schools, claims tha t â€Å"over the course of a lifetime, people with master's degrees earn 18 percent more than those with baccalaureate degrees† (Loftus, 2012, p. 3). For now though, the rise of credentialed job seekers has led to the thought that higher education is an expectation for everyone.Because having a degree has become so common, employers now use it as a way to eliminate people who would not make good candidates for employment—even if a degree isn’t a totally accurate determinant of one’s talent or work skills. The mass availability of college education may actually â€Å"debase its intrinsic value† (Bankston, p. 338). Although someone without a degree may have more natural intelligence and ability than their credentialed ounterpart, a degree is now worth more than actual capability in the job market. Bankston writes that â€Å"the popular emphasis placed on higher education in a society in which higher education has become a broad expectation has heigh tened the importance of credentials as an asset for obtaining a job at the expense of other assets, such as demonstrated ability or experience in a field† (p. 337). A degree provides a form of merit that employers look for immediately because the degree marks the individual as someone who can supposedly meet deadlines, fulfill obligations, and think critically.Margolis (2007) remarks how â€Å"it was the common practice of my colleagues to immediately sift out the [resumes] that didn’t have a degree and just throw them away† (p. 42). Because many employers are searching through high volumes of resumes, they don’t have time to thoroughly look at every single one; they speed up the process by simply filtering out non-graduates. This point is exemplified further in the case of Marilee Jones. The former dean of admissions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M. I. T. ) quickly resigned after it was discovered she did not actually have the credentials listed on her resume (Kinsley, 2007).Even though she started as a clerical worker and advanced in position over 28 years to become the dean at this prestigious school, her talent and loyalty meant nothing once her padded resume was revealed (Kinsley, 2007). She simply lacked the paper qualifications M. I. T. based itself upon. Although these qualifications are all â€Å"artificial substitutes for real merit, sometimes the artificial substitute is unavoidable† (p. 34). The substitutes are unavoidable when employers, like colleges, do not have the time or ability to gather all the information necessary to determine who will be a successful employee.Even though Ms. Jones â€Å"demonstrated real merit† (p. 34), her paper merit—or lack thereof—ultimately determined her fate at M. I. T. A college degree stands in the place of ability when ability cannot be measured in a concrete way. Not only can the absence of a college degree inhibit one’s ability to o btain a job, it can also hinder one’s likelihood of advancement in a career. A degree increases one’s â€Å"marketability and maneuverability—without a degree, you’re flying by the seat of your pants† (Kinsley, 2007). Although one might find a job without a degree (based on connections, etc. , the degree provides a cushion. If this job were to be lost, a new job could readily be found because of one’s credentials. Furthermore, non-graduates â€Å"cap out† in their careers sooner than graduates. Kinsley notes that â€Å"you hit that ceiling where a high school diploma only gets you so far in a salary range† (p. 34). Bankston also documents the increasing gap since the 1950s in median wage incomes of Americans with and without college degrees (p. 337). The wage premium of a college degree over a high school diplomas increased by 83% since 1979 (Carnevale, 2006, p. 90).Non-graduates have less bargaining power in their positions be cause they are less valuable to their employer and may therefore be unable to take advantage of an increase in earnings or benefits (Kinsley, 2007). So stringent have the qualifications for employment become—arbitrarily or otherwise—that sometimes just having a diploma isn’t even enough. For example, employers are still wary about the quality of online degrees. Lynn Gresham (2008) notes a survey conducted by Vault. com that revealed â€Å"nearly two-thirds (63%) [of employers] still said that they would favor job candidates with degrees from traditional colleges† (p. 4). One hiring manager said they didn’t believe online degrees â€Å"reflect a serious commitment to education† (p. 24). Currently the perceived value of an online degree is less than that of degrees obtained from brick-and-mortar institutions. However, as more job candidates complete degrees online, employers’ views on their validity are slowing changing. For some, the c ompletion of an online degree shows that â€Å"the person is highly self-motivated to learn new skills and acquire knowledge through rigorous self-study methods† (p. 27). Today, the average American changes jobs eleven times during their adult life (U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). For this reason, a person without a college degree would be devastatingly ill-equipped to survive in today’s job market because they lack the flexibility to move to new careers. In 2010, non-graduate workers experienced 10. 4 percent unemployment, while workers with at least a bachelor’s degree were only unemployed at 4. 7 percent (Whitaker and Zenker, 2011, p. 21-22). Employers still look to see if a job candidate has a degree, even if they exemplify significant intelligence.Doors of opportunity that remain open to degree holders will be closed for non-graduates and the ladder of advancement will only reach so high. Diplomas are a form of meritocracy neces sary in America, even if only arbitrarily. While the intrinsic value of a college education may be disappearing because of its mass production, its extrinsic value remains true. Despite its high costs, college is still one of the best investments a person can make in today’s highly competitive job market. Financially and opportunity-wise, obtaining a college education is still worth it.

“Bisy Backson” representing Western Society Essay

In the novel, The Tao of Pooh we are introduced to â€Å"Bisy Backson† who represents the most misguided of Western Society, as well, we are shown that Western societal thinkers/philosophers/writers represent, in their own way, the Tao. â€Å"Bisy Backson† confuses exercise with work and activity with creativity. â€Å"The Bisy Backson is almost desperately active,† (p. 93) says Benjamin Hoff. He adds, â€Å"Let’s put it this way: if you want to be healthy, relaxed, and contented, just watch what a Bisy Backson does and then do the opposite.† Often, in Western Society, we focus on the final product before we have begun the journey. When Pooh considers what he likes best in the world, he decides the â€Å"†¦moment just before you begin to eat [honey]† was what he enjoys most. In effect, it is the journey, or the process, that we most enjoy. This, of course, goes against the typical person’s attitude toward a task, in Western Society. The goal is to get the task done (much like this journal assignment). The process is often seen as punitive. Pooh would say to enjoy the process – to see it as an opportunity to create, to develop, and, above all, to understand the central role of change and growth in life. Western societal thinkers/philosophers/writers represent, in their own way, the Tao, because†¦ actually, I do not think they represent Taoism, at all. Taoism, I think, is basically just to enjoy life in its simplest form, and not to worry too much – take life as a gift and just enjoy it. Again, I think. After reading this book, (I still have two or three more chapters to go†¦), I still cannot manage to understand a simple meaning of Taoism. I have looked on the internet, and it is nothing like P’u, because everything I have come across is all so complex. Anyway, if Taoism is that, Western societal thinkers/philosophers/writers do not represent it, at all! They question everything, want to know answers, and usually they question their own existence. Would someone who is†¦ someone like, Pooh, question their existence? I don’t think so. In addition, Western societal thinkers/philosophers/writers do not learn how they should question, they do not learn these theories, they do not learn about Taoism, they just merrily think and their answers of their questions may just so happen to fall under Taoism. They do not study Taoism to think like a Taoist. They do not read The Tao of Pooh, to learn about how they should think†¦ though many  philosophy courses, such as Theory of Knowledge, may be text based, which I find, is ironic. For direct reference to the text, â€Å"What does Christopher Robin do in the mornings? He learns. He becomes educated. He integrates†¦knowledge† Of course, all this said with some words capitalized for no reason, and other random words to get to the point. Philosophers do not learn, they teach themselves.

International cuisine assignment Essay

Answers: 1. Below are six dishes and seasonings commonly eaten by Southeast Asians or Pacific Islanders: Adobo is the most popular dish in the Philippines. It is meat which is usually cooked with vinegar, garlic, pepper and sometimes soy sauce and coconut milk can also be added. The meat may be pork or chicken. Adobo is usually eaten with steamed rice and eaten as a meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Lumpia is another food from the Philippines. It is usually eaten for merienda or a meal in between lunch and dinner. Merienda is comparable to English high tea. Lumpia is similar to a spring roll. It is usually made of vegetables such as cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots and ground meat wrapped in a thin piece of pastry. Its roots come from the Chinese who brought it to the Philippines. Pancit is another foo from the Philippines which is usually eaten for merienda. The food is also introduced by the Chinese migrants to the Philippines. It is fried noodles with assorted vegetables, shrimp, pork, chicken or ham. It is usually accompanied with calamansi, a citrus fruit similar to lime, which is squeezed onto the noodles. Halo-halo, which literally means to mix, is a favorite dessert among Filipinos especially during the summer. It is made of assorted beans, fruits such as banana, coconut flesh, jackfruit and tapioca balls which are layered on top of shaved ice. The dessert can also be topped with custard or ice cream. It is eaten by mixing all the ingredients which is served in a tall glass. Milk and sugar is also added according to taste. Nuoc Mam or fish sauce is usually used as seasoning to every dish in Vietnam. It is extracted from fermented fish and used in cooking or as a dipping sauce during meals. The Vietnam fish sauce is said to be more pungent than other Southeast Asian fish sauces. It is usually done by adding a bit of shrimp paste into the sauce. The Nuoc Mam Sauce is made from Nuoc Mam with fresh chilies, garlic, sugar, lime and vinegar. This is used as a dipping sauce for meals. Nam Prik is another condiment used in almost all Thai dishes. It is a spicy paste prepared in a variety of ways. One most commonly way of preparing this is by mixing roasted green onions, garlic, softened dried chilis grounded together with Nam Pla of â€Å"fish water† until it becomes a creamy paste. This may be served as a dipping sauce with toast triangles or rice crackers as an appetizer. 2. A. The two countries that will be discussed in this section are Italy and Germany. Three traditional foods from Italy are calzone, risotto and panettone. Knodel, sauges and beer are some of the traditional foods from Germany. B. Calzone originated from Naples in Italy, which is considered the culinary capital Southern France. It is pizza dough folded over a filling of cheese, ham or salami and is baked or fried. The southern part of France is agriculturally poorer than the northern part. Risotto is a creamy rice dish cooked in butted and chicken stock and usually flavoured with parmesan cheese and saffron. This dish originally came from Milan. Last is the panettone which is a special dessert traditionally served during Christmas. It is a type of fruitcake. The climate in Germany is generally cold and damp. Certain crops that grow in such weather conditions include potatoes, cabbage and beats. Knodel is a type of dumpling from Germany usually stuffed with potatoes and cooked with or without yeast. Sausages or wurst are the most common German food. There are four basic types of sausages: Rohwurst which is similar to liverwurst and is ready to eat; Bruwurst of the frankfurter which is scalded which can be eaten as is or by simmering it first; Knockwurst which is like cold cuts and Bratwurst which is raw and must be fried or grilled before eating. The cold climate in Germany encourages people to drink alcohol to keep them warm. Beer usually accompanies sausages. Such as in sausages, there are four types of beer: Pilsner which is light in color and has bitter taste; Lager which is aged about 6 weeks and is the most common type of beer in Germany; Bock which has the strongest flavour; and Marzenbier which is midway between Pilsner and Bock and is usually served during Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival observed from September to October and is celebrated by sausage-eating and beer-drinking and polka bands. 3. A. Similarities in cuisine between China, Japan and Korea are mainly because Japan has very strong Chinese influences while Korea has been controlled by China and Japan throughout much of its history. As early as 0-300 AD, record showed the extensive contact between Japan and China. The Japanese consider China as an ancient civilization from which its own culture stems from. Japan is often considered the daughter of Chinese civilization. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Japanese scholars were sent to China to help establish their own identity. The Japanese brought a number of teachings and culture from China which they adopted to Japan. These include: Buddhist teachings, Chinese customs and cultures, bureaucracy, architecture and city planning. These factors have influenced Japanese cuisine. Marine trading between China and Japan was also prevalent during 600-1600AD. Many similar ingredients found in both countries can be owed to this phenomenon. Korea, being under Japan and China through mush of its history, adopted many of these countries customs and culture. Its proximity to the two countries also suggests extensive trading and contact and therefore being influence by culture, tastes and manner of cooking. Their proximity also suggests similar weather patterns and therefore similar vegetation and animal breeds which are used in cooking and meal preparation. Another factor is the isolationist foreign policies of Korea and Japan. Because of this, they were not open to Western culture and have stuck to their Chinese roots. Their differences are due to environmental situation and climate. Although eating raw fish was said to have originated in China, pollution of their rivers made this an impractical custom. Only the Japanese traditionally eat raw fish since they have preserved the cleanliness of their rivers. The travel time of trading goods has also initiated differences in preserving foods. In Korea, food that came from mainland China are preserved in salt and chili to preserve them throughout the changing seasons. B. All three countries prevalently use soybean products in their meals. Tofu which is a soybean by-product is used in soups and viands while soy sauce is often used as a condiment for pre seasoning and as a dipping sauce. Soybean products are also used instead of dairy products. Another similarity is how these countries consider food. Food is considered to be more than just a meal, it is used because of its health benefits and for spiritual purposes. Thus they all used a lot of medicinal herbs in their menu such as ginseng. They also classify food according to spiritual balance such as the yin and yang. As food for the soul, the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans put emphasis in how the food is prepared and served according to their beliefs and customs. C. Japanese cuisine is different from Chinese and Korean in the sense that most of their food is cooked in or over water while other Asian food use oil such as peanut and corn oil, as a medium for cooking. In this way, Japanese have the least events of heart disease and high cholesterol levels. Japanese cuisine is also notably simple as compared to Chinese and Korean fares. As opposed to Chinese and Korean dishes, Japanese use seasonings sparingly, letting the subtle flavors of the ingredients take centerstage. Unlike the Koreans and Chinese who are fond of preserved foods, the Japanese put importance on the freshness of the food and prize the first picks of a season’s harvest. D. As mentioned above, the Japanese uses few spices and value the natural flavors and freshness of foods. Most chefs describe Japanese cuisine as simple and pure. E. Korean food is very spicy and put emphasis in the colors of the food for aesthetic presentation. Kimchi, an example of a spicy food, is vegetable preserved in chili peppers. The colors that constitute Korean dishes are white, red, black, green and yellow. 4. It is interesting to note how culture, climate, religious beliefs, geography, political arrangements and migration patters affect the types of food served in a region or country. In Europe for example, alcohol is normally served with meals because of the climate. It is generally cold in Europe. This also explains the type of crops that grow in such conditions. They usually have potatoes and cabbage. This food pattern was also adopted to Northern America because of migration patterns. In agriculturally abundant regions of Europe, they use tomato and other vegetable produce such as eggplants for their food. They also use dairy products as opposed to countries such as Korea, Japan and China where they use soy products instead of milk. They also use herbs such as basil to flavour their foods. In terms of religion and tradition, countries in Europe eat certain foods during festivals such as Christmas and feast days of saints and during lent. Politics also play a role in influences on food. For example, in Europe, they are able to discover new ingredients from their conquests of other lands. Chutney, which is a condiment of spiced fruits in the British Isles is originally from India. Geography also plays a critical role. Countries near bodies of water tend to eat mostly seafood while those in the inland have meats in their diet. Those who migrate or travel a lot usually discover the method of pickling and come up with different kinds of relish and cured meat.

Zara Fashion Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Zara Fashion Company - Case Study Example From this paper it is clear that  Zara company strategic analysis is provided in which the external environment is studied using PESTEL model. Porter’s five forces model is also adopted in studying the fashion industry that Zara is operating in. Internal strategic audit is provided in which various aspects of the organization is analyzed including financial performance, value chain analysis, design and infrastructure. The internal analysis provides an insight on Zara strength as well as is viability. External and issues that concerns the company stakeholders is studies. These factors notably affect Zara corporate image and the relationship among the stakeholders.  This discussion highlights that  Zara clothing company has grown over years since its establishment in 1975 becoming one of the famous companies in clothing and fashion industry. Zara has become the best known fashion brand in Spain as well as globally. This is attributed to its flagship brand of  £2.5 billio n holding group Inditex. Currently the company has emerged to be world fastest growing manufacturers of fashion clothing. The company has over 2000 stores globally and likely to double in the coming years. Within five years after its establishment the company had a spout of growth extending its operations over the principle cities in Spain. A key major breakthrough of its growth came after its venture into international markets under Inditex Corporation. Trendy Zara is the flagship brand for Europe's fastest-growing apparel retailer.  ... The company has over 2000 stores globally and likely to double in the coming years. Within five years after its establishment the company had a spout of growth extending its operations over the principle cities in Spain. A key major breakthrough of its growth came after its venture into international markets under Inditex Corporation. Trendy Zara is the flagship brand for Europe's fastest-growing apparel retailer. This growth can be argued to be attributed by company adoption of a sustainable breakthrough strategy. This has enabled the company to become world’s largest fashion group with a variety of fashion brand names such as Zara Kids, Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home, Lefties and Uterque. ZARA STRATEGIC ANALYSIS Industry Overview Fashion and clothing industry is among the expanding most sectors in many economies in the world markets. This industry notably in Spain and its multinational ventures is characterized with high competition and c hange in designs and fashion affecting consumer demand in the key underlying companies. This industry has three major competitors both locally and internationally and these companies include Zara Company holding 9.8% of the market share, H&M Hennes & Mauritiz AB commanding 2.9% and Mango Market share being 2.6%. By 2011 the company is valued at $33.38, since the economic recession this industry forecasting a growth of 10.5% as from 2010 to 2015. It is also important to note that Spain in the fourth largest producer of textile. The industry majorly targets men and women aged 18-35 years old. These companies strive to provide affordable prices to the targeted cosmopolitan and young men and women interested in upscale clothing. This industry and its core markets

Virtual Teams. Eastern Europe Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Virtual Teams. Eastern Europe - Assignment Example A good way to determine which are best investment locations within Eastern Europe is by comparing the gross domestic product per capita of the Eastern European countries. The countries with the top three gross domestic products per capita in Eastern Europe are Slovenia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The corresponding gross domestic product per capita of each of these countries is illustrated in the table below. Country Gross domestic product per capita Slovenia $27,149 Czech Republic $21,028 Slovakia $17,630 (Globalpropertyguide). The country with the highest gross domestic product per capita could be considered the most attractive location by a lot of business analyst because the customers in that country have higher buying power. Another important variable to consider are the market and industries that the country has to offer. In Slovenia the service industry accounts for 64% of Slovenia gross domestic product and manufacturing and mining are key economic sectors (CultureGrams). T he majorities of companies in Slovakia are state control which leads to a lot of inefficiencies. Tourism in the Czech Republic is a booming industry. The Czech Republic is the best selection among the different Eastern European nations. This country has a diversified industry segment which includes glass, metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and armaments (CultureGrams). The use of virtual teams can help companies achieve better business results. The target country the company selected is the Czech Republic. Since the company does not have any experience in the Czech Republic marketplace the firm should contract a consultant to help them in the process of selecting the virtual team. A local firm that specializes in human resources would be very helpful to access the local talent for the virtual team. The team is going to be composed of 8 people. The company is going to include two managers from its corporate headquarters. The remaining six members will be selected amo ng the local population. Each member will have different academic backgrounds. The six professionals the company will select for the virtual team include an engineer, accountant, marketing specialist, researcher, lawyer, and a scientist. The virtual team will work together to analyze the best business opportunities available in the Czech Republic. The goal of the firm is to achieve market growth by expanding into other markets. The virtual team will utilize multiple technological tools and devices to communicate with each other. The online service Skype will be used as the primary communication tool for team meetings. Skype allows people to communicate while at the same time seeing a video stream of the person. All team members will have smartphones. A smartphone such as an Iphone enables its users to transfer data files from phone to phone. One of the cultural differences between the United States and the Czech Republic is the fact that in the United States the official language is English and the Czech Republic the official language is Slavic. It is important for the American members of the virtual team to understand the customs and traditions of the Czech Republic. For instance in the Czech Republic it is customary go greet a person by shaking hands firmly and saying their last names. In the virtual setting the managers must remember to use the last names of the person. First names are only used among relatives and family members. Another sign of respect in the workplace is addressing both men and women by their professional title. The probability of success of the team depends on a lot of factors. One of the most important aspects of the virtual team project is to have excellent communications among the team

Analysis of Organs for Sale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of Organs for Sale - Essay Example ntries continue to writhe in harsh living conditions, sometimes even lacking food and shelter, rich people suffering from end-stage renal have more than enough money but lack proper mechanisms to acquire kidneys to save their lives. This is to say that rich people in urgent need of kidneys and have the resources to acquire them, but lack legal means to acquire kidneys speedily since they have to wait their turn in the long donor list (Mackay 2). On the other hand, poor people living in third world countries are largely willing to sell their organs such as kidneys for meager amounts if only to save them from starvation and bankruptcy. MacKay’s primary purpose is to articulate how a legal and regulated organ selling environment will allow both donors and recipients to benefit from organ sale, which is presently conducted illegally and without guarantees to both recipient and donor (Mackay 7). MacKay argues that a legal and regulated organ selling milieu will allow donors, whether in first or third world countries to gain financially from their courageous acts of parting with an organ of their bodies. At present, the organ selling business is tilted in favor of the recipients, doctors who perform the operations and agents who arrange for the operation, placing the donors at a disadvantageous position since they receive amounts as low as $1,000 for selling a vital part of their bodies. With regard to the quality of MacKay’s argument, it is evident that she is quite passionate regarding the topic of organ sale. MacKay effectively articulates her stance, using emotion to exemplify her key points and stances. The argument aims at instigating emotional responses such as compassion, empathy and sympathy towards both organ donors and recipients who suffer immensely in the current organ sale environment. The argument draws on the morality of allowing both kidney donors and recipients to benefit from a legal and fully regulated atmosphere in which they can purchase and

Washington Irving and Merman Melville Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Washington Irving and Merman Melville - Essay Example His little village had been a ‘peaceful spot’ but now things were different, ‘the very character of people seemed changed’. While Irving deals with the society and its effects of the American Revolution, Herman Melville in Bartleby the Scrivener portrays the onset of the socialist Revolution, which would overthrow the Capitalist economic model. The character Bartleby is the perfect office drone representing the economic work model, which serves to  degrade the American working classes. Melville tries to emphasize that while initially Bartleby (the system or the community) was productive, subsequently he begins to reject the system of which he is a key part. His continuous rejection becomes a threat to both the authority structure and the ideology that surrounds it. Melville through Bartleby never reveals his rejection of capitalism but he exhibits socialism through his actions. Melville makes the reader sense the waves of change by portraying Bartleby as being ahead of time. Irving implies that the term Rip Van Winkle came to mean someone who is oblivious to change. Rip carried on with his life the way he desired unconcerned about his responsibilities and the sarcasm of Dame Van Winkle. Irving has subsequently not been able to stick to this ideal when he portrays the upheavals of Revolution brought about identity crisis in the society. It was forced upon the individuals when Rip declares himself a subject of George III under pressure. Bartleby, too had to succumb to the pressures of the capitalist society but preferred to die. The Capitalist society has to die paving way for the socialist system but Melville has not been able to portray this. While Bartleby knows, there is better world beyond this, but lack of education and ideas hold him back from attaining it. Bartleby (Melville) is unable to articulate what that world is and is destroyed before he can find the rationale. By re-awakening, Irving implies not merely

Direct　Marketing　Sales　and　Promotion Essay

Direct　Marketing　Sales　and　Promotion - Essay Example mpanies are at a dilemma as to how to increase their brand equity, operating within a business environment where most companies are focused on brand building and thus, strong brands are not necessarily a competitive advantage anymore. With the increased advertising clutter and shifting market demographics with highly fragmented consumer needs, the traditional dominance of mass media in todays, promotional strategy is declining. This essay aims to analyse the growth of Direct Marketing in today’s communicational mix and to identify both desired and unintended effects of direct marketing activities. The essay will further focus on the challenges in designing and deploying effective direct marketing campaigns, which are creative and exciting enough to compete with the overall advertising clutter competing for consumer attention. When considering the communication mix options available for marketers today, the highly developed communication industry coupled with the wide spread use of Internet has provided new means of interactive marketing such as web sites, online stores, and a host of other innovative and informative means such as CD Rom catalogues and Video screens in supermarkets, altering the traditional mix of promotional tools drastically. These wide choices have not only increased the reach of the communication mix but also reduced the cost per reach significantly. The biggest advantage of these new modes of communicational tools lies in being able to be highly focused and directed to the desired segment of consumers. Within these changes in promotional strategies, a notable development is the increased importance placed on direct marketing. Environmental forces such as political, economic, social and technological factors driving such growth of Direct Marketing is worth analysing in order to understand why direct marketing is becoming an increasingly popular mode of communicating with the consumers. More and more companies are embracing the paradigm shift

Shoes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shoes - Essay Example This paper explores the origin of shoes and some of the most groundbreaking inventions in the shoe industry. The origin of shoes dates back to about 40,000 years ago during the Middle Paleolithic age. Evidence points out that footwear was amongst the things that the ancient man made. The early man was compelled to device a means of protecting their feet from rugged terrains, jagged rocks and hot sand among other things that could hurt their feet (Yue & Yue, 1997). In early civilizations, sandals were the most common footwear among people. However, some communities such as Mesopotamia had shoes. In Mesopotamia, individuals who live in mountains around the boundary with Iran wore some kind of soft shoes made of wraparound leather. There was no marked distinction between the left and right shoes. Even by 1850, both the left and right pairs of shoes remained largely the same with most shoes having straight lasts. According to Yue and Yue (1997), the ancient shoe designs were in accordanc e with the surrounding environment of the inventor such as the conditions that people needed to be protected from as well as the available materials. Fast movement was essential for survival, thus â€Å"shoes needed to be light-weight but still strong enough for adequate protection† (Yue & Yue, 1997, p.9). Shoes needed to cover up the foot and have tight grip. In warm areas, people sought flat materials and tied them onto their feet soles while those in colder climates covered their feet and legs with animal skins tying them with thongs (Yue & Yue, 1997). Many of the shoes that rule the current world of fashion existed in the ancient periods. Different kinds of shoes from thick to thin existed in the antique world. To begin with, sandals are one of the most common footwear among early inhabitants of the planet earth. Sandal still remains common footwear in warm countries. The ancient Japanese had their version of sandal with a wooden sole called the geta. The geta was worn wi th socks known as tabi (Yue & Yue, 1997). Among the Indians was chappli, a tall knobbed sandal that was made from the hide of water buffalo with a wood and metal to keep the foot above the ground. Early Egyptians were associated with sandals that were basically made of plaited leaves of papyrus. Sandal making was a widely acknowledged practice among early Egyptians. The Egyptian sandals were unique in that they appeared as both left and right pair unlike most European shoes that had no differences. In Greece and Rome, the use of sandals was restricted with specific sandals being set for different occasions (Aswad & Meredith, 2003). In cold countries, moccasin was the most common type of shoes. Moccasin was simple and made of one round of leather sewed together and had laces that were also made of leather. Moccasin was common among Native Americans and ancient American pioneers. The ancient Romans have been associated with wooden soled shoes. Peasants across Europe have worn clogs as well as other shoes with wooden soles for a very long period of time. Similar to the Japanese geta, the thick wooden sole protected the foot from road fragments, mud, stones, and cold among others. Klompen were wooden shoes in Holland and still exist today. Pattens were worn until middle ages, during Victorian periods. Among the early French was sabot, a wooden sole shoe for factory employees and peasants. High heel shoes, which commonly rule the women’s fashion world, existed for both males and females in the ancient times. These include

John Calvin's doctrine in eucharist Research Paper

John Calvin's doctrine in eucharist - Research Paper Example Thereafter, Calvin’s works, writings and doctrines would become quite useful and influential in establishing consensus among various Reformation groups not only in Switzerland, Scotland, Hungary and Germany but also across the expanse of Europe and other far off lands. Born on 10 July 1509, John Calvin, a French cleric and doctor of law, was a key figure in the second generation of reformers. He not only published the theological tome, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, in 1536 but also played an influential role in the development of the system of Christian theology, which would later be renamed Calvinism.2 Calvin became a leading figure in the Reformed church in Geneva, which was the presumed headquarters of Reformed Christianity in the latter parts of the 16th century. Together with other elders, Calvin worked with pastors and elders to ensure that religious discipline reigned among the Genevan populace. An area for which Calvin’s theology is widely read and known are his doctrines of (double) predestination and the Sacrament.3 Although predestination was not the overriding idea in Calvins works, it later became a key issue, more so for most of his Reformation students andsuccessors.After Zwingli’s death on 11 October 1531, Calvin took over the mantle of spiritual leadership among the reformers. The doctrine of theLord’s Supper was surrounded with divergent opinions, contentions, disputes and controversies from the medieval period up to modern times. The Eucharist is viewed differentlyby different cultures and people .4For instance, some people believe thatthe Eucharist is a grace through which sins are forgiven.In the Catholic tradition, the Council of Trent (1545-1563) asserts that, â€Å"by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the

Global war wine Essay Example for Free

Global war wine Essay The global wine industry is being influenced by a number of factors including consumer demand and changes in the way wine is produced and sold. There has been a shift in the perception of wine in the past half-century as consumers and producers have migrated away from the Old World philosophies to the modern-thinking the New World has brought about. By the 1990’s the average consumer’s palate changed especially here in the U. S. where consumers were more apt to look for the premium ($7-14) and super-premium (+) wines. By this time, there was a drop in consumption in countries that traditionally consumed a great deal (France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, and Chile) while demand in other countries increased (U. K. , Canada, Belgium, and some Asian countries). Wine consumption was now becoming truly â€Å"global† and New World producers had the means to handle demand. Shipping overseas was now a cost-effective way to transport wine around the globe allowing consumers even more choices of quality wines. Therefore, one of the most important factors in how the wine industry is changing is in the education of the wine consumer. And consumers now can look at a bottle of wine and tell the type of wine and the region they came from along with the date bottled. 2. How did the French become the dominant competitors in the increasingly global wine industry for centuries? What sources of competitive advantage were they able to develop to support their exports? Where were they vulnerable? French wine producers became the dominant competitor as a result of four reasons. First, their geographic and climatic featuresplayed significant role. As France is in the middle of Europe culture with suitable climate and soilcondition for harvesting grape, had accrued first-mover advantage and established its place as thedominant competitor in the global wine industry. Second, they became the first high-quality winemarket and gained a lot experience. Especially, the negociantstraded wine between France and othercountries and this worked as word-of-mouth effect, increasing the reputation and dominance of Frenchwine. Third, they used the latest innovations such as mass production of glass bottles, the use of cork stoppers and pasteurization. These innovations increased the stability and longevity of wine whichallowed the transportation of wine to distant places, and birth of global wine market. Lastly, the government support made significant effect on the reputation and improvement of French wineindustry. The sources of competitive advantage that they were able to develop to support their exports is to keen to taste and tradition in the production of wine (strongly tight to the French culture), artistic and historical talent and expertise in wine making and well located as to the high demand markets such as England,.. The main vulnerable aspects of French wine industry were highly fragmented vineyard and wine production, increasing vineyard prices per acre, complex distribution and sales system, long multilevel value chain, risk of bad weather and disease; and poor roads and complex toll and tax system. Also, they lack of rational assessment of their place comparing to other countries and they do not have any marketing plan or strategy.