Cliques in High School Essay

In high school, students feel presured to fit in with a certain group of people share the same intrests as them, this is better known as cliques. This makes many students feel left out and lonely while at school. Cliques are always around eachother wiether its in between classes, at lunch, or after school. There are many different reasons that cliques in high school are formed. The fear of surviving alone in high school is a main concen for many students that find it hard to make friends, this is one example of why cliques are formed. Cliques are developed by student’s needs to establish an identity and to be accepted. Students always seeks their identity and one way to do that is to choose a group of students who have the same identity as them. Teenagers love to explore and take risks. In forming cliques, especially with those groups who are popular, they develop a sense of power. Cliques are also formed because of peer preasure. This is because teenageres feel a sense of security when they are around people they look up to. There are many different types of cliques students form in high school. Typicly in highschool the athletes tend to hang out together. This clique is known at the jocks. The intrests of the students that make up this group include sports, dating, and their apperence. The guys in this clique are appealing to most girls in the school. Jocks feel a sense of superiority and tend to bully or pick on the other students they are not a part of this clique. The students in this group are made out to be the most popular kids in school and many others become envious of them. Another clique formed by highschool students are the nerds or the geeks. This students that make up this group are intrested in learning, computers, and video games. These students tend to make good grades and are very smart.  Most nerds tend to be in the school band. This group is most of the time known as the least popular in the school. Therefore they get picked on more than any of the other cliques, mainly by the jocks. The students who dress in dark colors and are very intriverted are refered to as the emo group or misfits. The intrests of the people who make up this group are loud music, skateboarding, and art. The apperence of this group differs from the others in that they have a very unique style. Dyed black hair, tight t-shirts and skinny jeans are only some ways this group would express themselves. There are many disadvantages of being involved in a clique throughout high school. For example, being in a clique can lead students to make stupid mistakes and decions. People involved in cliques are more likely to get pregnant or do drugs while in high school. Being involved in a clique could also spark jealously in less popular people. Along with the disadvanges comes many more advantages of being involved in a clique. Being involoved in a clique allows students to learn to be more comfortable around others. It also helps increase students’ self confidence. Students who are involved in a clique have a greater chance of not getting picked on throughout high school. Having a large group of friends and knowing that someone always has your back is another advantage of being in a clique. This, as many students should know, helps getting though high school much easier. In conclusion, being in a clique makes high school much easier to get through but can also cause a lot of unnesicary drama. Since fitting in is so important to in high school, cliques are an easy way for students to feel a sense of belonging. Cliques are very influencual in high school because they affect every student in some way or another.

Coffee and Starbucks Essay

Transnational corporations have had a tremendous impact on the interconnectivity that between countries, corporations, and people on a global landscape. Fueled by capitalistic ideals of increasing profits numerous corporations have expanded there operations into the global marketplace, some with much more success than others. One such transnational corporation that has embodied this pursuit of expansion in domestic and foreign markets for profit is the Starbucks Coffee Company. This company, which finds its roots in the opening of a single retail location in Pike place Market of Downtown Seattle in 1971, has been able to infiltrate into countless foreign domains and grow into a global powerhouse of the food and beverage industry with over nine thousand stores across the globe today in thirty-four countries outside of the Unites States. (Business Wire, 2005) Starbucks serves is an excellent specimen of a company that follows continual patterns of expansion directly correlating to increased access to foreign markets, and also the ability to nurture growth within these markets as well as gain access to new markets through the Market merging. In my research of this company and its path to globalization, I found that information about certain aspects of the company were more readily available than others. For example, I found that I had more difficulty finding scholarly articles that dealt with the distinct business strategies that Starbuck’s employed in order to globalize, in that it became apparent that much of the information about the terms of their mergers and acquisitions were not released or that the companies and business groups that they did so with had websites that contained no information in English. Interestingly enough, I found more of an abundance of scholarly material on the homogeneous cultural impacts that Starbucks has had and how the spread of the company’s locations worldwide has been received by some cultures as the spread of American values. A bulk of my research findings came from business reports and releases about the company, which were useful in keeping accounts of how the company was able to infiltrate global markets and expand. The Website was a good starting point for my research in that it provided points of interest about the company that I could research into greater detail in order to root out the bigger picture. In order for one to have a more complete understanding of how this company operates and how it has come to succeed at a global level, I will outline the company’s geographic expansion in terms of its operations and production; second, I will explain the company’s main motivation for global expansion as well as factors that had an effect on the expansion; lastly I will detail the methods of expansion and production employed by the company. These will all be discussed within the time frame from present day back to 1996, when Starbucks first became a global corporation. (Starbucks. com) Of the nine thousand locations Starbucks has worldwide, over two thousand of those are outside of the United States in thirty four different countries. (Sowa, June 2004) The expansion of retail stores into foreign countries began with a joint venture with Sazabay Inc. in Japan in 1995, and then the eventual opening of retail locations within the country during the following year. (starbucks. com) This was the first time Starbucks ever set up operations outside of the US, and it was in the form of construction of the Starbuck brand retail store locations operated by a foreign company. Starbucks entered the East Asian Market first, in countries such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and China, and concentrated on growth in these markets mainly for the first few years of entering the foreign market. Eventually, Starbucks was able to break into other markets as well, such as Australia, London, and New Zealand amongst others year after year until its present standing of 34 countries in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim with retail locations that exists today in 2005. (Business Wire, Feb 2005) Within these countries, retail operations were set up at first just primarily in areas with the densest population. (Ramsey, Mar. 1997) However, as the market for the Starbuck’s Brand continually increased, the locations throughout the countries would increase and fan out from the city centers. This can be seen in the example of Japan, whom after 5 years operations had opened 300 stores by the year 2000. (starbucks.com) The primary raw material that Starbucks purchases and uses in terms of production is coffee beans. Coffee beans grow in regions near the equator, where the climate is suitable to sustain their growth. It follows that Starbucks purchases all of its beans from countries in South America, Africa, and Asia. Coffee beans that Starbucks import come from regions near the equator, such as South America, Africa, and Asia (Starbucks. com). Basically, the beans that are grown in these countries are purchased by the company to be roasted or packaged in all of its 9000 locations worldwide. However, Starbucks is not the only buyer when it comes to the bean supply as numerous other coffee retail companies rely on these farms as well, which places Starbucks as part a modular model commodity chain. The production of a generic commodity such as coffee beans allows for that commodity to be purchased by numerous companies without any affiliation or necessary interconnectivity between them. Starbucks reasoning for their initial expansion domestically in the United States as well as into the foreign Market place was centered on the basic capitalistic need for increase in profits, as well as the promotion of free trade from a neo-liberalist standpoint. Looking back to Starbuck’s early domestic expansion, it can be noted that just prior to addition of retail operations in Japan in 1996, there had been signs of a retraction of sales and growth, even with the addition of new retail locations domestically in the United States. There were signs of slowing in the US, one such being that comparable store sales, up 9 percent in 1995, were up 7 percent in 1996 and 5 percent approaching the following year. (Ramsey, Mar. 1997) These numbers indicate that it was becoming evident that in order to further sustain growth and high profit margins; Starbucks could achieve gains and benefit from free trade by setting up operations abroad. There are certain social contexts which provide commentary on the manner in which Starbucks was able to globalize. Especially that of the company’s abilities to access markets from cultural and political standpoints. In order to bridge the culture gap between markets, Starbucks must follow three basic steps; first, it must engage in prospecting the local culture and its nuances; second, it must access the market conditions and the potential response to their presence; and lastly they make or don’t make the decision to mobilize (Santos 2004). All this is considered with the fact that they are marketing a product in not only the coffee but in the retail location itself, in that Starbucks attempts to blend an Italian style beverage with a highly European influenced coffee house setting (Santos 2004), which is something that has to be marketed correctly in order to effectively find its niche in a foreign market setting. This marketing schematic sheds light on the purpose in placing global operations in East Asia in the late 90’s before breaking into the European market due to a feared negative response to an American global presence in what had always been a highly saturated European local market. There was also a strong potential that the War in Afghanistan and later Iraq would have a devastating effect on growth and sales in the foreign market. There were some signs of this seen in April of 2003, when Starbucks was being heavily protested and boycotted in Lebanon and New Zealand, and was forced to pull operations out of Israel for fear of terrorist attacks. Despite these setbacks, however, it remained that Starbucks International persevered in revenues, according to Greg Schroeder, a research analyst with Fulcrum Global Partners LLC, who stated â€Å"Starbucks’ popularity persists even in an economic downturn and during the war is an undeniably impressive feat as other retailers are struggling. † (Jung, 2003) Starbucks maintained strong development during this period, and continued to open stores and form partnerships in Turkey, Chile, and Peru (Starbucks.com) despite facing political tensions created by Starbucks national affiliation with the United States. Market access brought Starbucks to the foreign domain but how they were actually able to break into these markets came in the form of some key business strategies. Starbucks used a few basic strategies in order to gain access to a particular foreign market which was joint ventures, acquisitions, and licensing. Two specific examples include Starbucks’ acquisition of the Seattle Coffee Company in the United Kingdom with more than 60 retail locations in 1998(Starbucks.com) , and the joint venture Starbucks formed with Sazaby Inc in 1995. The acquisition of the Seattle Coffee company basically allowed Starbucks to renovate each retail location previously owned by the company and to put the Starbucks name on each location as well. Another different but successful strategy employed in Japan was that of the joint venture with Sazaby Inc. This partnership gave Sazaby Inc. the right to develop and operate coffeehouses throughout a defined region. The rationale behind both of these types of partnerships is explained by Peter Maslen, president of Starbucks Coffee International, who states, â€Å"The idea is that an experienced local partner can help identify locations, sift through tax issues, and give Starbucks stores more community appeal. â€Å"(Jung, Apr. 2003 p. E1) This allows Starbucks to continue to expand into other markets knowing that operations elsewhere are in the hands of carefully chosen partners and business groups who are able effectively read and access the climate of their targeted region’s market. The employees, CEOs, and other workers all have an integral part in this corporation’s ability to globalize. Starting at the level of both full as well as part time employees which facilitate the day-to-day functions of the retail locations in each of the 34 countries that Starbucks operates in, we can see that they receive a fair amount of benefits; including above-average hourly-wages, a comprehensive health benefit plan, and stock options. (Sancovich, 2002) Increased development and growth will fair well for those with stock in the company, including employees at the retail level. If the scope is broadened however, a very large gap exists between employees at the corporate level and those who produce the raw materials(coffee beans) that the company modulates into packaged or roasted coffee sales. It should be noted that Starbucks prides itself on the sale of Fair Trade Coffee in its stores to benefit the farmers that supply their coffee beans, which certifies that growers and farmers would receive a premium price above the prevailing market price for the sale of the coffee beans they produce (Starbucks. com). It should also then be noted that, according to an author in the ecologist, Starbucks advertises the fact that it bought 1. 1 million pounds of coffee last year at fair trade prices ($1. 27 per pound). This represents less than 0. 5 per cent of the coffee Starbucks buys each year. Fair trade is also highly profitable. While Starbucks pays $1. 27 per pound for fair-trade coffee, one pound of that coffee sells for $11. 45. That’s a 90 per cent mark-up (The Ecologist, Vol. 33, p. 22, 2003) The fact that Starbucks buys Fair Trade coffee in actuality does little to benefit the farmers who grow their beans. Another notable feature of the relationship between the owners, employees, and farmers is the overall disparity between employees at the corporate level and those employed to grow coffee beans, Millions of coffee farmers survive on less than $2 a week. Orin C Smith, Starbucks’ president and CEO, was paid $1,088,269 in 2002, and received a bonus of L1,362,500. Exercising share options in the company made him a further $36,321,643. He stands to make around $8. 5m more on share options granted in 2002. (The Ecologist, Vol. 33, p. 22, 2003) The economic disparity between wages is a direct result of the practices Starbucks engages in, such as markups. The farmers, as well as the retail employees would gain from the continued global development of the company, in that higher demand for coffee would increase the price of coffee for farmers and stock options would benefit regular employees, but would do so to an exponentially smaller degree than the employees at the corporate level of operations.

A Survey of Five Sex Education Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Survey of Five Sex Education Methods - Essay Example The study showed that Adolescents that reported healthier home relationships had significantly more sex education at home. Fathers that reported healthy home relationships were more involved in the sex education of their children. Mothers on the other hand, reported that sex education at home had no correlation to healthy home relationships. The paper approves that the Abstinence Only method of sex educations focuses on teaching programs that advocate abstinence from premarital sex and increased respect towards themes regarding sex. It has found many advocates among private educational and religious institutions that subscribe to the notion of chastity and purity before marriage. The study used questionnaires before and after the said programs to determine if there was any change in the students’ outlook towards sex. This report makes a conclusion that as the body of knowledge regarding learning theories and media efficacy regarding education increase, so will the methods for the dissemination of sex education issues. Each of the methods discussed above will claim to be effective in some way, each affected by the biases, belief system, and culture of the intended audience. The studies conducted and the data gathered regarding such alleviates some of the burden from the readers mind when considering the implications of these methods. With the data thus gathered regarding the various sex education avenues mentioned, it becomes easier to put these methods into perspective for future reference and use.

My essay may pose a policy argument, or a definition-based argument

My may pose a policy argument, or a definition-based argument. or a causation-based argument, or an evaluation argument - Essay Example not have been supported prior to September 11, it does seem acceptable - and reasonable - to profile people who appear to be Arab since they are perceived to be the group that hate Americans and are willing to die to make their point. The case can be made that this type of limited racial or ethnic profiling is necessary considering the new reality that exists post 9/11. I would like to emphasize at the outset, that the profiling addressed in this essay is of a relatively limited nature - focusing on security measures at airports or any other areas of the transportation industry that may be a potential target of terrorists. In this regard, here are two facts to consider. First: Out of the 19 hijackers on those four planes that were hijacked on September 11, all 19 were Arabs. Second: Although most Arabs are definitely not terrorists, it does appear that most terrorists are Arabs. Indeed, â€Å"Of the 22 suspects on the FBIs "most wanted" list of international terrorists, all are Arabic, all are practitioners of Islam and all come from known state incubators of terrorism in the Middle East.† (Riley 2001) Lest we think that primarily white Americans are proponents of this radical thinking, note the results from a Gallup Poll that was published in The Boston Globe: 71% of black respondents said they would favor more intensive security checks for Arabs, including those who are U.S. citizens, before they boarded planes; 57% of whites said they would favor such a policy; and 63% of other nonwhites said they, too, would favor it. So it would appear from this poll, as well as others, that a clear majority of the population is undeniably in favor of profiling Arabs as a means of increasing National Security. However, this is America - and in America we do not accept the profiling of an entire group of our citizens - racially, ethnically, or otherwise. If you think that is true, you would be mistaken. In reality, there are two specific areas in which racial profiling not

Human Resources Quiz Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Resources Quiz - Assignment Example While it is obvious in their presentation that issues and weaknesses exist in the HR function of this organization, by bringing both perspectives to light a unique view was given of the situation. It is always an interesting question, â€Å"What do the employees think of the HR Department?† This team was the only team to actually answer that question, in addition to the questions set out in the project. In my opinion, Team #8 provided the most thorough and comprehensive assessment by answering not only the question of what HR thought of the company and the employees that worked for it, but by answering what the employees thought of the HR department. By incorporating their views into the recommendations for the organization and allowing both sides to become aware of the existing weaknesses, a step forward can be taken. 2. Which organization has the best performing HR function? What is your basis for this conclusion? What evidence was revealed that supports your conclusion? The organization with the best performing HR function is, without a doubt, Engineer-It Corporation. ... ing four HR division managers, their HR department is well laid-out, with a clear chain of command and employees to service all positions, helping employees to know where to go when they need to deal with the HR department. Unlike some companies that were researched, such as Agility Recovery and Bonfils Blood Bank, the HR department is its own department with its own people, instead of being shared by the Finance Department. Having dedicated, hard-working individuals that do nothing but HR can be an immense asset to the company, especially in terms of supporting line managers and managing people. Also, unlike a company such as Guardian Angel, the HR department manages its employees to create a competitive advantage, instead of seeming to work against them for what they need. Some team presentations showed evidence that other companies that had fractured, uninvolved, or simply apathetic HR departments, and this was definitely not the case for Engineer-It Corporation. 3. Which HR Proje ct Team provided the most comprehensive, professional and effective project summary and presentation? What is your basis for this determination? What made their project summary and presentation the most effective? Team #3, with the organization of Engineer-It Corporation, provided a wonderful summary and presentation that made it both the most comprehensive and professional. This team went to the lengths to interview three different HR employees from the company, and undertook different methods to do so. I was impressed that they took the time to interview two out of the three employees by phone and e-mail, in addition to interviewing one other in person. This presentation, to me, was the most effective for several reasons. First, they used the employees’ pictures, thereby giving the

Week 4 posts 6330 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 4 posts 6330 - Assignment Example I would like to thank you for the informative post regarding Basic Nursing Care Skills in the ADN course is beneficial to the students’ opportunity to exercise their nursing skills effectively. I support the best practice in this quote, â€Å"The syllabus is well organized with effective headers and tables with the ease of readability which can promote understanding among learners (Slattery & Carlson, 2005)†. The improvement needed in this syllabus is that it requires measureable goals and clear objectives. Your critique on the syllabus for the nurse residency program at a community hospital located in Southwest Florida was quite good in that it provides nurse graduates with no experience, the acute care setting. I support the following quote, â€Å"If the student can achieve the objectives set forth in the course, then there us alignment with the course outcome. This syllabus is beneficial in that it helps learners set high, but achievable goals (Slattery and Carlson, 2005).† The major improvement this syllabus needs is more supervision; this is beneficial since the graduates need mentoring. The post related to the Wound Care Programme is mainly about preparing the nurse in practice many ways of management of wounds was very informative. I would like to support your view on†, one way this syllabus illustrates best practices is with very clear and concise objectives.† A listing of resources helps the students plan ahead; both the actions are good ways of learner engagement (Habanek, 2005). One way to improve this syllabus is by creating a list of meeting dates and expected assignments. This assists the learner take responsibility for their learning and anticipates the course development (Habanek, 2005). Rowles, C. (2012). Strategies to promote critical thinking and active learning, In D. Billings & J. Halstead (Eds.), Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (4th ed.). St. Louis, MO:

History and uses of carbonnanotubes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History and uses of carbonnanotubes - Essay Example The molecule has been known for the past fifteen years. The molecules were observed by employing high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) (Rakov, 2002). It was referred to carbon nanotubes that were multi walled. The molecules contained two graphic layers and nested as Russian dolls. The molecules have diameters of four 4nm. Two years later Bethune and IBM Almaden research centre colleagues, lijima and ichihashi of NEC created a carbon nanotubes that were single walled. Single walled nanotubes were synthesized in the same way to multi walled carbon nanotubes but some metallic particles were added to the electrodes of carbon. The procedure resulted to the difference in appearance among the two molecules. The individual tubes are looped and curled than straight. Twenty fours ago, the electronic properties of single walled nanotubes were predicted by two different research groups. Their findings revealed that single walled nanotubes can either be semi conducting or metallic depending on their diameter or chirality. The prediction was later confirmed by the various experiments done (Crandall, 2007). Since then a review on synthesis, application, electronic properties, characterization and basic metallic properties of carbon nanotubes have been done. The various properties possessed by carbon nanotubes have made it the most investigated nanostructure materials. The various properties of carbon nanotubes have made companies and researchers to apply them in various fields. The molecule has been applied in the fields of energy. It has been applied as an anode for Li-ion batteries. The carbon nanotubes used, is usually coated with silicon to increase the capacity of the battery to more than ten times. Silicon expansion during the cycle of discharge has resulted to anode damage. The application of nanotubes to the silicon anode is aimed at preventing damage caused (Mordkovich & Karaeva,

Report on Religious Field Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Report on Religious Field Research - Assignment Example This religious teaching emanated from India when Siddharta Gautama, son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maya in 566 BB of Kapilavastu, who reflected the four realities of life: sickness, old age, death, and a wandering monk. He followed the life of the monk, abandoned his wealth and wore ragged robes (Instilling Goodness School, 2013). He practiced ascetic lifestyle to gain enlightenment; do a lot of meditation and eat raw foods, fruits and leaves. Sometimes, he fasted. He realized in life that overdoing things cannot provide happiness in life, but moderation and objective balancing of needs is. Gautama became Buddha, the awakened one (Boundlesslight.webs.com, 2013). He emphasized that suffering is caused by peoples’ dissatisfaction and greed and such could only be eliminated if one would live a life of truth, moderation, meditation, and reflective reasoning of life. He believed that life’s moderation will spare one from unnecessary wants and from overreacting to life†™s circumstances (Instilling Goodness School, 2013). ... While it has been recognized that human failures are sourced from misguidance, misperceptions, distortion, stresses and suffering, but for them, this can be remedied by living a balance life and life of reason as the best remedy for all these things (Boundlesslight.webs.com, 2013). Buddha explicated that happiness is fundamentally based on quiet and simple life: to want what you have and not want those you do not have (Instilling Goodness School, 2013). This is to rule over one’s negativities in life to maintain that composure and peace derived from the inevitabilities of life’s roller coaster realities. Self-control is possible when we all have control of our very lives and when we are reasonably able to maintain that life of reflective reason (Instilling Goodness School, 2013). Buddhism has three major teachings: 1. Nothing is lost in the universe- this asserts that all matters are transformed into energies of the universe and vice versa. For instance, all human being s are finite and life will eventually die and be buried back into the earth. From dust we came and life returns into dust (Instilling Goodness School, 2013). Other life forms emerge from the soil which could either be plants that could provide oxygen which will support the existence of life too. Every person is born from parents and the children grow into adults to become parents too of the younger offspring. Human life perpetuated in this cycle and if people tends to be destructive to the environ where one is evolving would mean that we, too, are destroying our lives (Instilling Goodness School, 2013). 2. Everything Changes – this is the fundamental principle of impermanence.

Foster Care for Children Speech or Presentation

Foster Care for Children - Speech or Presentation Example A5.Independent former foster youth between the ages 18 and 21 are eligible to receive certain medical benefits to which they are legally entitled and desperately need. Research has shown that independent former foster youth have acute health care needs. I strongly feel that given these health care needs, it is appropriate that under current law, these youth are eligible for Medi-Cal by virtue of their status as former foster youth. Despite their eligibility, however, these former foster youth are required to fill out Medi-Cal eligibility forms as a prerequisite to getting the health care services to which they are entitled. It does not make moral or fiscal sense for the state to spend scarce dollars and staff hours making these former foster youth fill out Medi-Cal paperwork since they cannot, by law, be refused eligibility. As a result of this current practice, these foster youth risk losing their medical care when they incorrectly fill out their forms, forms are sent to the wrong a ddresses, or where there are other paperwork delays. A6. According to the California Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care, courts are responsible for the safety and well-being of children who have been removed from their homes as a result of abuse or neglect. In 2007, there were nearly 80,000 children in foster care, more than 75 percent of whom entered placement as a result of neglect. Half of the children entering foster care in California are age five or under. Domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental illness are factors that contribute to the removal of children from their homes. Q7. What is the cultural background of the majority of the children under foster care What percentage of the children in the State belongs to this category A.7. African-American children constitute seven percent of the state's child population but are more than 30 percent of the children in foster care. Native American children are 0.84 percent of the state's child population but represent 1.41 percent of the children in foster care. Youth who "age out" of foster care often leave the system ill-prepared to live as adults, and face a significantly increased risk of unemployment, homelessness, mental illness, and involvement with the criminal justice system. Q8. Why would the former foster children have special medical needs A 8. While the children are moved out of their own homes to avoid exposure to unpleasant conditions, there is

Negative advertisement when it works Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Negative advertisement when it works - Essay Example Propaganda, in this sense, serves as a corollary to censorship in which the same purpose is achieved, not by filling people's minds with approved information, but by preventing people from being confronted with opposing points of view. What sets propaganda apart from other forms of advocacy is the willingness of the propagandist to change people's understanding through deception and confusion rather than persuasion and understanding. The leaders of an organization know the information to be one sided or untrue, but this may not be true for the regular members who help to disseminate the propaganda. Importantly propaganda is a powerful weapon in war; it is used to dehumanize and create hatred toward a supposed enemy, either internal or external, by creating a false image in the mind. This can be done by using derogatory or racist terms, avoiding some words or by making allegations of enemy atrocities. Most propaganda wars require the home population to feel the enemy has inflicted an injustice, which may be fictitious. The home population must also decide that the cause of their nation is just. Politicians take the advantage of such policy through political advertisement to grab power. EVIDENCES ON HOW PROPAGANDA WORKS AROUND THE GLOBE According to Naom Chomsky, the 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy. Privatization being one of such corporate tactics, propaganda politics began to flourish amongst the democratic nations. In the early 2000s, the United States government developed and freely... This "Negative advertisement when it works" essay describes different cases of the negative ad and its effect. According to Naom Chomsky, the 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy. Privatization being one of such corporate tactics, propaganda politics began to flourish amongst the democratic nations. In the early 2000s, the United States government developed and freely distributed a video game known as America's Army with an intention to encourage players to become interested in joining the U.S. Army. Research proved that 30% of young people who had a positive view of the military said that they had developed that view by playing the game. Politically Soviet propaganda meant dissemination of revolutionary ideas, teachings of Marxism, and theoretical and practical knowledge of Marxis t economics, while agitation meant forming favorable public opinion and stirring up political unrest. The Nazis believed in propaganda as a vital tool in achieving their goals. Adolph Hitler, Germany's Fuehrer, was impressed by the power of Allied propaganda during World War I and believed that it had been a primary cause of the collapse of morale and revolts in the German home front and Navy in 1918. Broadcasters and journalists required prior approval before their works were disseminated. The Nazis produced a number of films and books to spread their beliefs.

Academic Honesty Essay Example for Free

Academic Honesty Essay We can identify some forms of academic dishonesty as, copied exams, this implies to turn and see another students test, receiving or giving verbal and / or nonverbal, change the tests, hiding notes, or modification of quizzes. It can also occur in tasks, jobs and projects. It is possible to pass the task among students, falsify data, lack of contribution to a team, and hire someone to make their work. Other types can be present even with bribes or threats against the teacher. Through the plagiarism, the student gives the impression that you cannot learn or that do not want to learn. Also, you may not have a good relationship between student and teacher. The love of learning is the most effective strategy to combat academic dishonesty. Below are some reasons for plagiarism: Reduced interest in learning Plagiarism is easy to do Many students are more interested in the grade than in the learning process They are busy working or doing other things Non appreciation of the knowledge Why is Academic Dishonesty Happening? Society has communicated the concept that students need to acquire a degree for future employment, financial security, and personal reasons (Choi, 2009; Cohen ; Brawer, 2003; McCabe, Butterfield, ; Trevino, 2006). And students often believe they will receive higher salaries from future employers if they have exceptional grades throughout their college careers (Norton, Tilley, Newstead, ; Franklyn-Stokes, 2001). This is a reality that plenty of students are living. Plenty of them are lucky enough like me, to get the job they’ve always wanted before they earn a degree. â€Å"Indeed, plagiarism and cheating are reflections of the need to get good grades at all cost; and, they continue to be serious problems in academia† (Danielsen, Simon, ; Pavlick, 2006; Fontana, 2009; Lipka, 2009; McCabe, 2009; McCabe et al. , 2006; Rosamond, 2002; Wilkerson, 2009). This is causing that some –early professionals- just try their best to rush their way into a degree without paying any attention to their assignments. In the beginning it was like that for me because honestly, I felt I was not learning anything. My reality was that I learned â€Å"everything† in the field. But soon enough I realized that college is not necessarily the place to learn specific topics, is the place where you were how to manage your knowledge and put it in the best use. At the end of the day academic dishonesty is a behavior that makes students gain an unfair advantage and it need to be avoid. â€Å"The risk of plagiarism in academic settings can be reduced by not setting the same essay every year. Burnard (2002) reflected on the possibility of plagiarism extending beyond coursework essays to dissertations. He felt that written examinations may reduce the problem (Burnard 2002). Doing our job correctly will guaranty that we learn in the process and also that we will get the grade we worked for. In my case, I am writing this paper because due to wrong quotation, it was understood that used someone else information as mine. In order to avoid this in the future, students have to make sure to follow the guidelines when it comes to proper citation. It very important to have credit to whom deserves it, and that’s why double checking and practicing the properly citation its key in order to have a clean paper. Now, we have to be clear that any material that is consider as common knowledge does not have to be cited. Also, field-specific common knowledge does not need citation unless it contains facts from a specific source. As I mentioned, my case was because of wrong citing, but at the end of the day the consequences are the same as of a student stealing information an using it for an assignment. Professors take this very seriously because it is not fair to the students who spend hours working. This is superior work, wrote a professor on a students paper. It was excellent when Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote it, just as it is today. Saint Thomas gets an A. You get an F (Alschuler and Blimling 1995, p. 123). We must understand that dishonesty in the classroom is a serious issue, it is not just a cheating situation, it is considered for some professionals as a crime that deserves a penalty. Plagiarism can be done very easily, and it can even happen when proper citation has been done. Another way to avoid plagiarism, could be by paraphrasing and adding the name of the author; for example: â€Å"According to Carlos Santana, guitars became famous in † it is a way of giving credit and making your sentences flow in a better way. I will conclude this paper by saying that we all know what plagiarism is, by this I mean that every single student know what is good and bad and academic dishonest will end when we start being honest with ourselves, our instructors and why not, also our classmates. It is true that at time it can be difficult to complete certain assignments, but there is nothing that can’t be fixed with communication. Sending an email to out instructor or asking for help will make the learning experience better and will guide us away from plagiarizing a document. Reference: Choi, Cohen, and Brawer. International Journal of Business and Social Science. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. N. p. : n. p. , 2012. Print Burnard P. All your own work? Essays and the internet. Nurse Education Today. 22, 3, 187-188. (2002) Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield, Mass. Merriam-Webster, Inc. ; 2003:946.

Elemica Global Expansion Strategy Business Information Technology Essay

Elemica Global Expansion Strategy Business Information Technology Essay Elemica is a global e-commerce company in the chemical industry which provides web-based order management and supply chain applications and services. This report aims at outlining the strategy for Elemicas e-business trading hub global expansion. First, the environmental analysis of Elemica has been discussed. The SWOT analysis of Elemicas current business is discussed, followed by evaluation of elemicas online B2B industry using Porters five forces model. The various ICT challenges which will be faced by Elemica during global expansion have been identified. The various risks, opportunities available, associated costs and critical success factors for the global expansion have been discussed. A strategy map has been defined along with a balanced score card which measures the effectiveness of the B2B expansion strategy. After exploring all the opportunities and risks involved and evaluating the effectiveness of the strategy, the following recommendations have been made: Switch to cloud computing in order to easily expand into international market and be updated with the latest technology. Follow all the regulatory compliances in its e-business initiative and apply business ethics to be followed in different countries. Ensure that all the cross-border transactions follow security protocols and are safe and secure. Being sensitive to cultural differences in expanding countries and making the change management process smooth. These recommendations will thus help Elemica to successfully expand its B2B e-business strategy and establish a dominant position in the world market. Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 Table of Contents 3 1.INTRODUCTION 4 2. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 5 2.1 COMPANY ANALYSIS 5 2.3 CORE COMPETENCIES 8 2.4 MAJOR COMPETITOR 8 2.5 CURRENT BUSINESS MODEL 8 2.6 MARKET ANALYSIS AND TRENDS 9 2.8 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES 11 3. BUSINESS CASE FOR ELEMICA 13 4.PROPOSED PROJECT PLAN 19 4.1 PROJECT PLANNING AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT 19 5.ASSESSING ONLINE B2B INDUSTRY TRADING HUB 21 5.2STRATEGY MAP 24 6.RECOMMENDATIONS 26 6.4 BUSINESS PROCESS REDESIGN AND SYSTEMS INTEGRATION 28 6.7 SUPPORT SERVICES 29 CONCLUSION 30 LIST OF REFERENCES 31 ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 33 1.INTRODUCTION This report aims at understanding the business of Elemica and hence, develops a strategic plan for the global expansion of e-business at Elemica. As the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Elemica, an in-depth analysis of the company is presented in the report. It includes environmental analysis of Elemicas online B2B trading industry hub and also identifies the potential for global expansion of e-business. The report will assist the company to expand its core activities in the international market. It also highlights the risks associated with expanding the e-business globally. It identifies the target groups, the characterization of target groups, and how to build value into Elemicas services as desired by its customers, which are essential for the success of e-commerce (Fellenstein Wood 2000). Many inhibiting factors related to culture, security, language, legal rules, cross-border data flow, ethical regulations etc. which are present in global systems (Laudon Laudon 2006), have also been discussed. It also evaluates the entire plan by providing a Balanced Score Card to measure its effectiveness and a strategy map that will ensure the integration of strategy with implementation. The basic purpose of this project is to determine whether Elemica should go ahead with the global expansion of its online B2B trading hub or not. . 2. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Elemica is a global e-commerce company founded by 22 leading corporations in the chemical industry which provides web-based order management and supply chain applications and services. It provides a single hub which provides companies with a one-stop solution through which companies can buy and sell chemicals to one another through their ERP systems or web alternative. It enables companies to link their internal IT systems through a neutral platform. Elemica is the first e-commerce company in the chemical industry which has successfully commercialized its ERP-to-ERP connectivity. It provides a modular, hosted solution that simplifies sales, procurement and financial processes; integrate supply chain partners in order to diminish communication barriers; and reduce overhead and errors. 2.1 COMPANY ANALYSIS Elemica is a privately held company with 150 employees. It has 2500 partners in its supply chain network and $60 billion in annual transactions. It is headquartered at Pennsylvania with offices in Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Seoul, London, Singapore, Shanghai and Tokyo. VISION: To be the leading provider of supply chain integration and optimization services to the industries we serve; tire and rubber, chemical, energy and selected manufacturing industries. Clients rely on Elemica solutions and services to deliver Bottom Line Results, Enhanced Supply Chain Reliability, Quick and Easy Implementation, and Deep Industry Expertise. (Source: www.elemica.com) SWOT ANALYSIS: It is necessary to conduct a SWOT analysis of Elemica in order to develop a competitive advantage by identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (Friend, 2009). It will enable Elemica to build on its strengths, overcome its weaknesses, identify the opportunities available and reduce its exposure to threats. STRENGTHS: One of the most sophisticated technology platforms in B2B space A single hub for all transactions One stop solution to its clients Addresses e-commerce needs of companies of all sizes Helps companies automate their businesses Creates efficiencies and economies of scale Reduces clients overhead and errors WEAKNESSES: Does not buy, sell or own a product Highly fragmented chemical industry with large number of companies Internet is required for the service OPPORTUNITIES: Expansion into international markets Diversifying its industry such as the rubber and tire industry, etc. where B2B e-business is possible Including reviews and feedback from long term customers so that new companies get attracted Facility of online auctions Providing for private collaborative hubs THREATS: Non-acceptance of business model in international markets Outdated technology in some time Emergence of new competitors with better technology 2.2 VALUE PROPOSITION OF ELEMICA Value proposition is the benefit that a companys products or services provide to its customers. (Turban et al, 2010, p. 591). The value proposition offered by Elemica is as follows: A single hub for all the companies to do all their transactions. Only one connection needed for all transactions unlike some other companies offering similar services. A super platform which connects the ERP systems of all participating companies which allows the companies to electronically communicate with each other and to conduct the transactions. Acts as an intermediary which only links all the companies together and then they can conduct confidential transactions electronically. Enables a company that signs up for its services to conduct business with all the other buyers as well as suppliers which are linked through Elemica. It offers four modules: procurement, logistics, and customer replenishment (automate inventory replenishment and ordering), and order management. Provides support of Elemicas Professional Services and Implementation Team to its new clients. This ensures that the on-boarding process is successful and increases acceptance of the business value with its major trading partners. Addresses e-commerce needs of chemical companies which are of all sizes. Results in improved operational efficiency, reduced costs and a higher percentage of safe and reliable deliveries 2.3 CORE COMPETENCIES The core competency of Elemica is to provide web based order management and supply chain applications and services. It delivers this by: Providing four modules: procurement, logistics, and customer replenishment (automate inventory replenishment and ordering), and order management. Single hub for all transactions. 2.4 MAJOR COMPETITOR The major competitor of Elemica in this space is ChemConnect, which was founded in 1995. It offers services similar to Elemica, but it does not connect the ERP systems of the participants. It has 9000 customers and is spread out in around 150 countries. (Figures as in 2009). 2.5 CURRENT BUSINESS MODEL Elemica provides a one-stop solution to all its customers to carry out transactions. It integrates the flow of information among the trading partners by using a Business Process Network (BPN). Once a client is connected to Elemica, it gets access to thousands of buyers and suppliers. The clients are charged for the service on the basis of volume of usage. The business model works in the following way: When a client is in need of some material, it puts up a message on its ERP system. This message goes to Elemicas platform asking its members for the availability of the material. Several of Elemicas members respond to the message by responding with quotations. At this point, both the purchaser as well as the seller is anonymous. The client decides from whom to purchase based on the quoted prices. When the shipping is arranged, the identity of the parties is revealed. When the order is confirmed, the platform is used to paln and co-ordinate delivery, automate invoice and pay one another. Elemicas revenues are generated by charging transaction fees from its clients on a per-transaction basis. Elemicas business model is sustainable because it integrates all the supply chain partners, thus reducing the communication and transaction time. The customers are able to connect to a large number of buyers and suppliers on a single platform, without having to purchase any internal system for themselves. Also, since they are charged on a transaction basis, the revenues are continuous and sustainable and are more efficient than older EDI based solutions which charged on the basis of inter-company transactions. Also, it addresses the needs of chemical companies of all sizes. It thus results in increased operational efficiency, lowering of costs, less inventory, and safe and speedy deliveries. These results in customer satisfaction and thus result in attracting more new customers. 2.6 MARKET ANALYSIS AND TRENDS With the advent of internet, there has been a major shift in the way companies do business. There has been a high visibility of B2C e-commerce, whereas it is the B2B e-commerce which provides a large amount of marketplace spending ( Pierfrancesco Manenti, 2010). The total spending by B2B e-commerce is more than 85% of the total spending of B2X e-commerce all over the world (according to IDC estimate). Research has shown that B2B e-commerce is more used by the firms in U.S. However, it is growing at a fast pace in Europe as well because the manufactures are becoming more acceptable to this concept. It has been found that only 4% of the total turnover in manufacturing sector is generated through B2B e-commerce sales (data from Eurostat). Hence, there is a great scope for e-commerce to expand in new countries as well as expand their business domain, which provides Elemica with a great business opportunity. 2.7 EVALUATION OF ELEMICAS ONLINE B2B INDUSTRY TRADING HUB The best way to evaluate Elemicas online B2B industry is by using Porters five forces model. According to the model, there are 5 forces which affect the industry and the economic value that gets divided among the industry players (Turban, 2007). Threat of new entrants: Due to continuous advances in technology, there is always a threat of a new company coming up with a latest technology and dominating the market scenario. This might make Elemica outdated. Hence, there is a high risk of new entrants coming into the market which makes it inevitable for Elemica to continuously improvce it systems and be updated with the latest techniques. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: The bargaining power of suppliers is limited for Elemica because Elemica just provides a platform for them to make transactions. Also, the suppliers in the chemical industry are also buyers themselves, and hence are dependent on each other. Also, Elemica provides them with a neutral platform where they can easily transact with intermediate costs and time wastage removed. Threat of substitute products or services: Threat of substitute products/services entering the market is high because e-commerce is a very dynamic business. Any new technology or concept can easily replace it. Also, physical transactions can also easily act as a substitute to online services. Bargaining Power of Buyers: The bargaining power of buyers is again limited because of the interdependence of buyers and suppliers on each other. But since they have a large number of options available, they can easily choose from among them and get the best deals. Rivalry among Existing Competitors: There is a large scope for e-commerce online industry to grow as a whole. Also, with limited competitors in this space, there is less of a rivalry and majorly the company providing easy and better services will dominate the market. 2.8 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES With Elemica planning to expand globally, there are several ICT challenges that will be faced by Elemica: As the customers will become increasingly global, a major chaleenge for Elemica is to manage the relationship between buyers and suppliers who may belong to different countries and cultures. Hence, Elemica must develop a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system in order to ensure that the customer relationships are long term, sustainable and add value. It will also need to be considered as to how Elemica will integrate the legacy systems that the companies currently use. Instead of connecting the ERP systems of the companies to the hub, Elemica can switch to cloud computing which will eliminate the need for integration. In order to keep up with the latest technology, Elemica can switch to cloud computing which will provide all the network facilities over the network without any need for connecting the ERP systems of the clients. The companies will then be able to access their account at any computer with internet access. This will reduce the costs incurred as well as attract more number of customers globally. While handling cross-border transactions, Elemica needs to be extra careful about the security issues and the data transfer protocols and standards to be followed. It needs to be in compliance with the international copyright laws and security standards. 3. BUSINESS CASE FOR ELEMICA 3.1 OPPORTUNITIES AND OBJECTIVES The opportunities available with Elemica are as follows: Expand its business to other countries and thus provide online supply chain integration by acting as a neutral platform for all the transactions. The challenge is to expand the system into other countries and also take care of the logistics for distribution. Adopting latest technologies so that the existing technology does not become obsolete. This will add more customers to the e-business and also make the business model more sustainable. For global expansion, Elemica can shift to cloud computing. This will save the companies from connecting their ERP systems to central software. The applications needed to run the business could be stored on servers. This will save the company costs and companies across the globe can easily do business just by logging into the internet. It will help them connect to anybody and anywhere in the world. Also, the customers can easily collaborate and work on big projects in real time. Another opportunity in the area of expansion for Elemica is that it can allow buyers to compare products from different vendors and customize their product requirements from a variety of vendors. Elemica must also start interaction among the vendors wherein they can post their comments and reviews about its services. This will help attract new customers and also enhance the credibility of the company. 3.2 CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS Critical success factors (CSFs) are a few key activities that can determine the success or failure for any type of organization (McLeod Schell, 2001). By identifying the critical success factors, companies can develop strategies and also prioritize their activities for future business (Ward Peppard, 2002). The critical success factors for Elemica to go in for a global expansion are: Need to be more customer oriented in order to be sensitive to cultural differences and be responsive to their varying needs. The web interface must also be in the local language of the countries where Elemica plans to expand. Deliver secure and reliable connection to its users. Ensure that all the transactions and data transfers remain confidential and privacy policy is adequate. Compliancy with international standards must be maintained before entering into expansion into international markets. The tax implications must be kept in mind for the success of a business in other countries. It needs to be ensured that the company is in compliance with the local tax rules. Need to be up-to-date with the latest technology so that the business model does not become obsolete and also to prevent competition. 3.3 COSTS AND BENEFITS (ROI) It is essential to calculate the return on investment before taking any business decision to ensure that the returns will be favorable for the business. It is a tool which helps in evaluating information technology and electronic commerce investments (Turban, 2008). The ROI formula divides the total net benefits (revenues less costs, for each Year) by the initial cost, resulting in a ratio that measures the ROI for each year or an entire period (Turban 2010). The various costs involved in the expansion of Elemica globally will be: Marketing costs: A marketing strategy needs to be developed in order to attract customers all across the globe. Also, advertising costs will be incurred to establish the brand image of Elemica in new countries. This will be a significant cost because the marketing campaigns need to be customized according to different locations and local markets. Operating costs: Operating costs will differ for each country. This will include the training assistance program costs and other support costs to its customers. These costs will vary because the currency values in each country will vary and the exchange rates also need to be taken into account. Also, operating costs will increase because now the hub needs to be customized for local markets and more number of customers means higher maintenance costs. Employee costs: More number of employees will be needed to handle the expanding business. Local people will have to be recruited in order to understand the local needs and be responsive to them accordingly. Administrative costs: Administrative costs will go up with an increasing number of customers. Opportunity costs: It is the cost associated with not taking an electronic commerce initiative (Schneider, 2007). If Elemica does not go ahead with the expansion, some costs will be incurred for not going with this plan, called as opportunity costs. The revenue will be generated through: Transaction fees: The clients are charged on a per transaction basis. With increased number of customers, the number of transactions will increase and hence the revenue. Training fees: The training fees charged for increasing acceptance and making the on-boarding smooth will also increase with increasing number of members. 3.4 BENEFITS OF EXPANDING GLOBALLY The benefits associated with expanding globally are: It will offset sales decline in the domestic market, if any. Even if there is not much decline in revenues in the domestic market, having a global network will act as a safeguard for future. It will increase the life cycle of our services because it may be possible that this technology gets outdated in the domestic market, but in new markets this might still be new. If Elemica goes into cloud computing, it will attract a large set of new clients, both in the domestic as well as international market, thus leading to increased revenues and higher market share. It will improve its competitive position and help in establishing itself as a global brand. 3.5 RISKS ASSOCIATED Having a web based platform makes the system susceptible to risks associated with the internet. Hence, it is important that the problems which will most likely cause damage is addressed (Van der Walt, 2002). Hence, the risks associated with global expansion of Elemicas e-business are as follows: Security issues: With data and transactions scanning across the globe, there might be security concerns and different protocols to be followed in different countries. Also, there might be concerns regarding the misuse of information that is transferred over the internet. Payment issues: With difference in currencies and exchange rates, it might become difficult to make payments among the collaborating parties, which might result in loss of cross border transactions. Threat of Frauds: Proper mechanism would have to be in place to prevent any fraudulent customers to join the network and take undue advantage. Server crashes: There might be server crashes due to expansion into remote areas which might cause the entire system to fail and thus result in huge losses. Improper integration: Risk of improper integration of the hub with ERP systems in remote locations. Violation of laws: There might be systems which may violate the home country laws, thus creating troubles for Elemica in future. Cultural differences: The local people in target countries might not be comfortable with the concept of online buying and selling of stock. This may lead to a failure of the entire business model in that country. Hence, a proper understanding of the local culture needs to be developed before entering into expansion. Changing technology: Elemica needs to be up to date with the latest technology so that their services do not become obsolete. Lack of IT infrastructure: It might be possible that some countries might not have appropriate internet infrastructure. This will hamper the expansion of e-business in that country. 4.PROPOSED PROJECT PLAN 4.1 PROJECT PLANNING AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT Elemica needs to develop a detailed project plan to carry out all the planned projects, evaluate the various options available, identify specific milestones, allocate requisite resources, and manage the projects (Turban et al. 2010). There are five basic stages in developing a project (Haughey, 2010): Initiation Planning and project design Execution Monitoring and controlling systems Completion Elemica will first need to identify a project champion who will ensure that proper time, resources, and attention is given to the project throughout its initiation to implementation (Turban, 2008). Then a project team needs to be established who will develop a detailed project implementation plan. For expansion strategy, Elemica can pilot test it in some other country, which will help identify the problems and successes, thus helping in modifying the strategy accordingly (Turban, 2008). Accordingly, staff requirements are identified and fulfilled; and training given to them for the latest technology. After the completion of the proposed plan, it should be reviewed at each stage in order to overcome the inefficiencies and loopholes which were identified and then constant monitoring of the project needs to be done. Change management is a major issue which needs to be handled by Elemica during its global expansion because people will resist change. An appropriate communication strategy needs to be developed which will aim at keeping all the employees as well as Elemicas clients up-to-date with the companys strategy and latest happenings. This will help them cope with the changes (Schneider, 2007) and also help them adopt the new changing culture easily. Confidence and buy-in needs to be inculcated within the employees so that their support can be garnered for the project, which will be essential for the success of the business. 4.2 RESOURCE ALLOCATION The various resources which need to be allocated during Elemicas expansion will be human resources and IT resources. Human resources will include business managers, project managers, web designers, graohic designers, system operators and administrators (Schneider, 2007). IT resources which will be needed are the hardware and software development and its maintenance. 5.ASSESSING ONLINE B2B INDUSTRY TRADING HUB 5.1BALANCED SCORE CARD The most popular system for performance management is the use of a balanced scorecard (Turban, 2007). It was designed by Kaplan and Norton in 1996 and it describes a holistic measurement system which flows from the overall strategy of the organization and crystallizes into measureable indicators (Kaplan Norton, 1996). A balanced score card evaluates the effectiveness from the following 4 perspectives: Financial Customer Internal Business Processes Learning and Growth PERSPECTIVE OBJECTIVE METRIC RATIONALE 1) Financial Increased market share 1) Increase in the number of clients 2) Increase in the revenues 3) Increase in the number of locations where Elemica provides services Increase in market share is an important metric in determining whether the global expansion of the business has been successful or not. Only if there is an increase in the market share, it will indicate that the business is successful and is gaining more customers. Increased ROI 1) Increase in the number of transactions between clients, hence resulting in increased revenues. 2) Increase in the number of customers. It is important to measure the revenues earned in order to ensure that even if market share might have increased, the revenues have also increased along with it. Also, it is important to know that the returns are increasing on the money invested. 2) Customer Increased customer satisfaction 1) Increase in the number of repeat transactions 2) Decrease in the number of customer complaints 3) Increase in the number of positive customer reviews 4) Reduction in the response time for resolving customer complaints. Customer satisfaction is a top priority for the success of any business. Customer satisfaction ratings will indicate whether the existing customers are satisfied with the services and this in turn will determine the new customers getting added to the network. Increased visibility of Elemica 1) Increase in the number of transactions on Elemica. 2) Increase in the number of new subscribers. 3) Increased visibility among other chemical companies. This will determine whether the new marketing campaigns and expansion strategy has worked or not. Whether it will be able to generate more revenues or not. 3)Internal business processes Increase in efficiency 1) Increase in the quality of service 2) Decrease in the lag time between a complaint and resolving that complaint. 3) Increase in the number of transactions that can be handled at a particular time. 4) Increase in the speed of transactions This will help in delivering best service to the customers and will help in continuously improving upon the existing services. Better technology and transaction security 1) Increase in the transaction security even while cross-border transactions take place. 2) Adopting the latest technology and making the hub more user friendly and easy to implement. This will take of the security concerns which may arise during the expansion process in different countries. Also, the latest technology will keep Elemica inline with the competitors and help in dominating the market share. 4) Learning Growth Better skilled staff competent to handle latest techniques and varying cultures 1) Increase in % of employees who are highly skilled. 2) Develop the competencies in the staff to work in a dynamic and competitive environment. A highly skilled and competent staff will ensure that the company progresses and delivers the best to its customers all across the globe. This will also help in identifying the gaps in the skills of employees and work upon them. Increased organizational learning 1) Increase spending on RD to improve the technology used, hence delivering better services. This ensures that the latest and the best technology is used and the organization is ready to respond to the changing environment all across the globe. 5.2STRATEGY MAP The strategy map below shows the linkages between the four perspectives of Balanced Score Card and how they result in achieving the overall business strategy. INCREASED SHAREHOLDER VALUE HIGH ROI MORE MARKET SHARE FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE LEARNING GROWTH PERSPECTIVE HIGH EFFICIENCY CUSTOMER SATISFCATION INCREASED VISIBILITY SECURITY COMPLIANCE LATEST TEHCNOLOGY MORE CUSTOMERS MORE CITIES MORE TRANSACTIONS SKILL DEVELOPMENT INCREASE IN RD COMPETENCIES HIGHLY SKILLED AND COMPETENT WORKFORCE INTERNAL PROCESS PERSPECTIVE CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVE 6.RECOMMENDATIONS The following recommendations are in order of their priority. Each one will be needing 5-6 months to implement and can be started concurrently. 6.1 OUTSOURCING OF ICT INFRASTRUCTURE In order to strengthen the ICT infrastructure of Elemica, it should adopt cloud computing. It will hence result in business process automation. All the facilities will then be available over the network without any need for connecting the ERP systems of the clients. This will help in reducing the costs of setting up hardware or software and its maintenance. Clouds are a pool of easily usable as well as accessible virtualized resources such as hardware, development, platforms and/or services (Vaquero et al. 2009, p. 51). Shown below is how cloud c

Influences of Japanese Design on Western Architecture

Influences of Japanese Design on Western Architecture In what ways did the Traditional Architecture and Design of Japan Influence Western Architecture at the turn of the Twentieth Century? Japanese architecture was begun in 57 B.C. Before this time period the majority structures were pit dwellings. In early times Japans architecture was influenced by Korean architecture. The Korean historian have given evidence at time of 57 and 665 B.C in creating original buildings. At that time they built stones which includes Iksan and Miruka. Timber buildings were also made at that time. They were found in underground caves of Samschlich-ong, Yodongsonachong, and Yaksuri. The Japanese architecture tradition is based on the wooden structures of timber, for making Japan attractive they have used little stones for carving. The Japan in the fifth century was fully developed of wood. Architects have designed with gables, saddle roofs, styles and designs. Because the Islands of Japanese architecture are of volcainic origin. The best examples of Japanese architecture is the shrines of the Shinto . After every twenty years they rebuilt these shirnes , the most famous shrine is The Ise Shrine (55 x 127 yards) of the Shinto shrine. Its columns made up from cypress trees , four concentric fences, and the traditional thatched roof, it conveys the message of simplicity and purity. The styles of shrines shows both modern and domestic architecture , the Western architecture were fully influenced from Japanese Architecture. The history of architecture is interesting ,but the Tadao Ando designs forced to undergo Japanese architecture. The westerns has followed their way of structure. 1. WOODEN SINGLE STOREY STRUCTURE: The Japanese architecture is characterized from wooden single storey structure. The main lacking of this tradition is the cave dwellings and stone walls, the nation has not changed their traditional style . In the mid of sixth century ,the Buddhist architecture entered in Japan from China and Korea. The shrine architecture is regarded by the Buddhist architecture which represents the typical wooden single storey structure. The wooden structure is based on posts and beams, its structure from inside is dark that does not suits the human being, the Japanese architecture allows light and breeze, so that there outside area is opened. REFERENCE LIST: http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp http://iainmasterton.photoshelter.com CANTILEVER PRINCIPLE: According to the western techniques, material and the styles into Meiji Japan was based on steel and concrete structure. In modern sky scrapers, Japan played an important role because of its familiarity with the cantilever principle to support the heavy tiled temple roofs. Frank Lloyd Wright was fully influenced by Japanese arrangements ideas of interior and exterior spaces, the opening walls of Japan are made up from sliding doors. In the twentieth century the domestic and religious architecture was in Japenese style. The beauty of modern cities sky scrapers was crowded by Tokyos skyline and the total process reflects the western modern forms. After the world war two the urban planning and reconstruction has produced the major architects such as like Maekawa Kunio and Tange Kenzo. Maekawa, the first person who supported Maekawa concept was Charles LeCorbusier , who has full command on modern works.Tange also supported Maekawa and inspire them on Japanese aesthetic ideas into contemporary buildings and the concept of tatamai flooring (sleeping mats) and the textures they were using was brightening the existing ferroconcrete , steel , gardens , sculptures into designs. In a pillar and beam system Tanga has used the cantilever principle for awakening the ancient palaces, the pillar -a hallmark Was a foundation of Japanese historical tradition which is built on timber construction. New city planning was thought by Maki Fumihiko who gave suggestions on the principles of cocooning around an inner space(oku) ,the needs were adopted from urban side. He backed the ideas of Buddhist which is based on the Japanese aesthetic principle and also favored to use the empty spaces (ma). Japanese aesthetic principle was supposed to be based on the Maki designs, which puts attention towards the view of garden and on the sky lines. The architectural concept was changed in 1970 on the metabolism of exchange , they understand the functions of parts of buildings which strongly influenced them. In 1970s and 1980s, the architect Isozaki Arata was a student of Tanga but his theory was focused on LeCorbusier traditions , turned his attention towards the geometric shapes and cubic silhouettes. He formed western technology building to modernize Japan with new styles. In 1980s again a change came to influence their designs and extend it. In the end of 1970s and 1980s they introduced the metaphycisal concepts to reexamine the geometrical shapes to produce fancy architectural designs. They made experiments on Ando Tada style of structure and balanced to modern formula. The building provides a variety of things ehich includes light soruces , glass bricks and opening up of spaces to the outside air. The inner courtyards was adopted by traditional Osaka houses, the urban architecture uses open staircases,and bridges for good atmostphere and standard living. In 1980s his ideas were existing, the buildings were built on open courtyards with terrace spaces, pedestrian walking and built bridges to connect buildings. The third Architecture was awarded, Frances Prix de lAcadà ©mie dArchitecture in 1989 . Japanese architecture was liked by all over the world , because of its modern techniques and styles . Japanese architecture also introduced industrial materials, and a developed awareness of ecological and topographical problems. Tatamai Mats paper doors REFERENCE LIST: http://gojapan.about.com U.S. Library of Congress http://countrystudies.us/japan/82.htm HORIZONTAL AXIS: The large roofs of Japanese architecture is built on horizontal axis and its low profile of shows its presence. It is an achievement of japan that these types of roofs are also present in Asia. In Japan this trend is not because of its climate but ,because of its building structure. In the nineteenith century Japanese were living in single -storey , but when they saw that western are living in two -storey houses .They also started to live in two -storey houses and taller houses. The architects also turned towards facades. In the early twentieth century it was a wake up call for European countries to turned towards Japanese architecture which is based on horizontal axis . The tradition of European architecture was based on vertical axix through facades , but to modernize themselves they started to develop both vertical and horizontal axis. In twentieth century the most prominent architect Kenzo Tange (1913-2005), merged Japanese architecture and mordernism ,which was acceptable by all over the world . It was traditionally composed on the columns and beams for making paintings. Fumihiko Maki, Arata Isozaki, Kisho Kurokawa and Yoshio Taniguchi were the successor of building new designs on horizontal and vertical axis with modern Japanese architecture. At present time Toyo Ito and Tadao continues to take Japanese architecture in new directions. REFERENCE LIST: http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/ GARDENS: HISTORY: The definition of garden is where flowers , fruits and vegetables are cultivated but Japan is more forwarded. In 592 A.D during the reign of Empress Suiko, it is evident that the early gardens were very well developed comprises of artificial hills, ornamental pools and many more . In the Nara period (646-794 AD), the major development occured when japan started trading with China. Chinese changed the culture of Japan and execute the gardens in the elite class of Castles. The nobleman arrange their parties in these gardens where animals, birds and fishes provide movement. In the Heian period (794-1185 AD), the people who can afford gardens they built gardens with Japanese tradition, styles and customs. The Shinden garden is the mixture of Chinese and Japanese style, in ancient Chinese lore, the East was the source of purity and the West was the outlet of impurities. There was no change in kamkura period in Shinden garden, Buddhist priests Zen has created garden for meditation not for entertainment. The decoration of garden was fully favor the meditative qualities which includes: stones, water and evergreens, remaining constant throughout the year. There are few types of gardens which are given below: Flat gardens Tea gardens Hill gardens FLAT GARDENS: Flat gardens are built without hills and water and flat garden is also known as Hira-niwa, the garden is filled with pebbles, raked in circles , they also contains stones , trees , lanterns and many more. stones are symbols of islands. During the Edo period flat gardens are popular for their height. These types of gardens are also found in Buddhist temples. Modern flat gardens are having wells and lanternsfor the purification of gardens. These gardens are built on wood and have a system for passing water . Stones lanterns are working at night but they are not ornamental. The Western Japanese garden Daichi shown as a flat garden. 2. HILL GARDEN: Hill garden is also known as Tsukiyama-sansui which means water and hill .this garden is constructed on three dimensional shapes. These gardens are constructed on traditional and modern designs. Water is essential for hill gardens, they are made on two large stones for the appearance of distance. They are colourful because of its bushes and trees.Japanese hill gardens are the symbol of islands. These islands are built on stones and rocks and plants grow at its top. The designer has built a bridge on the island so they can worship on these objects. According to the philosophical point of view this garden have the essence of nature. The Katsura garden exhibits some characteristics of a hill garden. 3. TEA GARDEN: Tea garden plays an important role in performing tea ceremony, this ceremony is continuing for many years. Tea garden has two parts : the soto-roji (outer garden) and the uchi-roji, (inner garden). The outer garden consists of waiting area where guests waits, and the inner garden where tea is served to guest. Tea garden is built same as hill garden. The tea garden contains wash basin , resting place for the guests who attends the tea ceremony. The outer portion of garden is decorated with trees and plants which shows the symbol of peace. At present time tea garden contains flowers stones and elegant designs which attracts towards the people. The Japanese tea garden is famous all over the world . The tea house of Shugakuin is the heart of the gardens design.

Platos Republic: The Virtues :: essays research papers

Plato's Republic: THe Virtues I. The Virtues In Robin Waterfield's translation of The Republic,Socrates attempts to give a definition of justice. At the end of Book II he began a detailed description of the construction of a good city. The good city is a relation to the human soul, and its four virtues. In the following paper I will discuss the virtues, what they are and where they are found. Also discussed will be the foundation, arrangement, and the interconnectedness with each one. Next discussed would be the 3 "H's" and the understanding Aristotle has on the role of happiness in the moral life. Lastly, I will discuss the experience that I had that related to Leonitus. The four virtues used by Plato are prudence, courage, temperance, and justice. Plato relates the virtues to a community, which is made up of the rulers, army, and workers. Now the base line is the workers, and they do not try to blend with the army as the army doesn't blend with the rulers. When all of these do their own job, the community becomes one. The first virtue to be discussed is prudence. Prudence, also known as wisdom, is found in the rulers. "The people who have it are those rulers†¦" (428d) In order to have wisdom one must be resourceful, in which he/she has obtained knowledge. Plato says, "†¦ resourcefulness is obviously a kind of knowledge†¦ it's not ignorance which makes people resourceful; it's knowledge." (428b) The second virtue is courage, which is found in the military section of the community. Courage is not the virtue of standing in front of a tank and say it will not hurt me, that is stupidity. Courage is the ability to apply what you have been taught: what is to be feared and what is not to be feared. Plato relates retention to courage, "I'm saying courage is a sort of retention†¦the retention of notion." (429c) The ability for one to retain what one has learned is courage. "Ability to retain under all circumstances a true and lawful notion about what is feared and what is not to be feared is what I'm calling courage." (430b) The next virtue temperance, is found in the workers of Plato's community. Temperance, also known as self-discipline, is needed by the workers, so that they do not desire to be in the ruler's position. It is seen that each position has its own importance in the community, and for the community to function correctly each one must agree on their position in life. Plato relates, "†¦ in this community†¦ the rulers and their subjects agree on

Future of Automobiles :: science

Future of Automobiles Lately the trend in cars has been anything but. Lately in the United States the trend has moved toward the SUV or the Sports Utility Vechile. Thats Right the family station wagon and the Minivan are things of the past and I am going to take you through a thorough examination my favorite the Toyota 4Runner Ltd 1997 Toyota 4Runner Limited 4WD WHAT'S NEW FOR 1997 All-new 4Runner debuts with more interior room, stronger engines, dual airbags, new colors, and a top-of- the-line Limited trim level. For the first time, the 4Runner boasts a unique chassis and sheetmetal not shared with the Tacoma pickup. PROS AND CONS Pros: Great looks and ground-pounding performance make the 4Runner an ideal choice for people who love the great outdoors as well as those who just want to look like they do. Cons: Steep price and choppy highway ride temper our enthusiasm for this otherwise outstanding truck. For Successful five-year run, the second-generation Toyota 4Runner has been retired, and not a moment too soon. Fresh in 1990, the 4Runner aged quickly as the sport utility market exploded and other automakers introduced larger, safer and more powerful rivals. By 1995, the compact pickup-based 4Runner offered little, other than Toyota's reputation for reliability, to entice buyers. For 1996, Toyota has separated this high-volume SUV from its pickup truck roots. The new 4Runner shares little with the Tacoma pickup. As a result, engineers have created a more refined vehicle without sacrificing tough off-road ability. Suspension travel and tread width are both up to improve off-road ability, ride, and handling. The interior is larger in every direction, thanks to a wheelbase that is two inches longer than the previous version. A lower floor and wider doors make getting into and out of the 4Runner less of an exercise in contortionism. Rear leg room is up by three inches, and cargo space has been improved as well. Two engines are available on the 4Runner; a 2.7-liter inline four cylinder that makes 150 horsepower at 4800 rpm and 177 pounds- feet of torque at 4000 rpm., and a 3.4-liter V-6 producing 183 horsepower at 4800 rpm and 217 pounds-feet of torque at 3600 rpm. These figures represent a substantial improvement over the old anemic four cylinder and wheezy V-6 -- in fact, the new 2.7-liter four is more powerful than the 1995 model's 3.0-liter six.

Bowen/Differentiation Ouline for Essay with Goals and Intervention Samples

Outline for Bowen paper on Beginning, Middle, End goals/interventions 1. a joing family as a coach, healthy triangle look up beginning stages of therapy limit emotional reactivity experimental therapy – teacher/coach b. therapeutic alliance/relationship c. how change brought about? Through insight†¦ For Bowen theory – insight gained by looking at patterns in famly/genogram For Behavior therapy – shaping For cognitive therapy – challenging destructive schema Structural therapy- realigning structure Bowen – 1. Insight2. Multi-generation transmission 3. Differentiation of self 2. skip . vignette – conceptualization/hypotheses 4. 3 stage treatment plan (beginning, middle, end of therapy) a. global goals b. interventions Beginning goals/interventions 1. Make client feel safe/build rapport/build relationship 2. Ask their goals 3. question about their family positions 4. empathy/active listening 5. symptom relief – ask about symptoms, wh at brings them to therapy, not taking sides, repeat (mirror), no judging a. Build working hypothesis – ask clarifying questions, seating position Middle goal for Bowenian Therapy 1. Id subsystems, hierachy, genome relationships . Bowen Goal: Begin challenging pathological beliefs/faulty cognitions (intervention) – genogram 3. Bowen Goal: Reach differentiation Intervention – 4 Bowen Goal: Assist family in looking at family dynamics: Intervention – Genogram End 1. Time to end when believe they are able to maintain change/and how a. Client/clients have maintained change for some time in therapy b. Learn to deal with loss, if attached to therapist c. Have a plan i. resources ii. index cards d. Review progress iii. Bowen copy of genogram, beginning and end iv. Bowen – copy of CED, other tests

AIDS and Society: The Growing Concern

Over the past centuries, the field of sociology has primarily focused on looking into various problems faced by different societies not just to understand more about this.   More importantly, the study of sociology is to be able to provide the needed knowledge in order to find a solution for what has been considered as a social problem.While there are some social problems that are isolated and merely experienced by certain societies, there are some issues and concerns that have greatly affected societies found all over the world.   The AIDS epidemic is one such problem.The fact that, to this day, there has yet to be an effective treatment that would successfully treat this disease has not just caused the number of individuals being infected to increase.   It has also greatly affected how other members within a particular society relate and associate with individuals infected with AIDS.This paper will discuss the different factors that have qualified the AIDS epidemic to become a social problem.   The paper would also provide relevant information regarding the background of AIDS as a disease and the various ways on how the AIDS epidemic has influenced society in general.The AIDS EpidemicIn order to fully understand why the AIDS epidemic is considered as a social problem, information regarding the disease must first be established.The AIDS epidemic was the primary area of discussion in the United Nations Security Council in January 2000.   The huge priority with regards to the AIDS epidemic was in part to the alarming statistics the council received the year before.By 1999 alone, about 34 million individuals living all over the world have contracted the AIDS virus with another 18.8 million of these individuals dying from the disease in the same year.The statistics have also shown that while the AIDS epidemic is most prevalent in Africa, the United States has been ranked as the number one country in the Western world with the highest number of individual s infected and succumbing to the AIDS virus (Young, Schvaneveldt, Lindauer & Schvaneveldt 2001).AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is a virus which, as the name suggests, attacks the immune system of the human body.   While the virus itself is not fatal to human beings, it is the fact that the immune system of an individual who has contracted AIDS is no longer able to ward off infections and other diseases brought about by bacteria and other kinds of virus that causes the death of an individual afflicted with the AIDS virus.The virus has been traced to originate from Africa.   It is believed that the virus, which thrives in the bodies of monkeys have been able to mutate and once entered into the human body, begins to damage the immune system (Langone 1991).AIDS and Its Impact to SocietyFor an issue to be considered as a social problem, the problem must be seen as one that poses a severe and grave threat towards the members of a particular society (Drass, Gregware & Musheno 1997).   There is no doubt that the AIDS epidemic has now been recognized as a social problem that continues to grow to this day.Once believed to be a disease that only infected homosexuals engaging in sexual intercourse with members of the same sex (Langone 1991), recent studies have made societies all over the world view the AIDS epidemic in a different light.Apart from the fact that there are now individuals being inflicted with the AIDS virus as a result of unprotected sexual intercourse involving partners from the opposite sex, the AIDS virus has also been known to also inflict children.In the report provided to the United Nations Security Council in the year 2000, out of the 34.3 million individuals all over the world who have been infected with the AIDS virus, 1.3 million of these were children below the age of 15 years (Altman 1995; Young, Schvaneveldt, Lindauer & Schvaneveldt 2001).The general perception that the AIDS virus is a major social problem ha s greatly influenced other parts of society, primarily when it comes to equality and advocacy.   How the general public perceives a particular social problem would greatly affect the association and relations that they would eventually have to those that they perceive to be the instigators of the problem.In the case with the AIDS epidemic, individuals who have been discovered to carry the disease experience a number of various incidences for racism and prejudice to arise.The most profound example of this can be seen during case proceedings in litigation hearings conducted in the court houses of the United States.Studies with regards to the manner as to how legal decision making in the United State court houses are carried have determined that social influences, particularly those involving cultural dynamics and social dynamics have greatly influenced the outcomes of various court cases which involves at least one individual who has been diagnosed to be infected with the AIDS virus (Drass, Gregware & Musheno 1997).One particular social dynamics that play a crucial role in decision making process done in court houses in the United States is social status.   Studies have shown that individuals that have a higher social status ranking would be likely to experience the ruling of a court proceeding to be in their favor as opposed to those who have been considered to have a low social status.Individuals who have been infected with the AIDS virus have long been regarded as individuals with a low social status ranking primarily due to the fact that those who surround them view them as carriers of something that would definitely cause adverse harm to the individuals living with them.In effect, individuals who have been infected with the AIDS virus have been viewed within the same ranking just as how members of a particular society would view and individual indicted for committing a heinous crime (Drass, Gregware & Musheno 1997).The ideologies and beliefs upheld by a particular society is another dynamics that greatly influence legal proceedings involving an individual who has been inflicted by the AIDS virus.   The culture upheld by a particular society is based on the sharing of common beliefs, traditions and ideologies among each other.Discrimination based on the culture within a particular society normally occurs based on the gender, sexuality and ethnic background of an individual.   Recently, the status of an individual as to whether or not he or she is inflicted with the AIDS virus has also been included in the list.In fact, the culture within a society in the manner as to how they perceive individuals infected with the AIDS virus not only causes decisions made during court proceedings to rule against the individual who has been inflicted with the AIDS virus.An individual who has been diagnosed to be infected with the AIDS virus are often subjected to alienation, branding and other forms of oppression from other members within a part icular society (Altman 1995; Drass, Gregware & Musheno 1997).

Into The Gorge: A Spiral of Decline toward Loss

Into The Gorge: A Spiral of Decline toward Loss Into The Gorge: A Spiral of Decline toward Loss â€Å"Jesse stood on his porch and looked east toward Sampson Ridge, where bulldozers razed forests and grazing land for another gated community† ( Rash 18 ) . If one were to cut down Ron Rash’sInto the Gorgedown to one markedly important transition, this would be among the campaigners. It presents an image of commercialisation from the eyes of Jesse, a adult male who was raised to esteem the land. It besides marks a tangible passage for Jesse as he unwittingly conforms to his milieus.Into the Gorgenowadayss a narrative of loss. Get downing with the loss of Jesse’s great aunt and finally stoping with the loss of his ain life, or so the reader is to assume. This subject represents the spiral of diminution that ensues in a society that abuses and disrespects the land for intents of pecuniary addition. Into the Gorgeclears with a beautiful word picture of Jesse’s great aunt. The reader really rapidly becomes affiliated to her, about to the point of misidentifying her as the supporter in the narrative. She is aligned with a harmonious life with an about calm aura about her while being profoundly connected to the land and its seasonal rhythms ; she â€Å"could state you to the hebdomad when the first cornel flower would lighten up the ridge, the first blackberry darken and swell plenty to harvest† ( Rash 17 ) . But so she had lost her head and â€Å"with it all the people she knew, their names and connexions, whether they still lived or whether they’d died† ( Rash 17 ) . But despite this the reader is told in the really following paragraph that â€Å"The cognition of the land was the one memory that refused to dissolve† ( Rash 17 ) . Jesse’s grandaunt would go on to hoe her Fieldss every twenty-four hours until the twenty-four hours of her de cease, when she wandered off into the forests to vacate herself to the one invariable in her life, the one love that refused to fade out, a â€Å"final stepping down of everything she had one time been, † a surrendertothe land ( Rash 26 ) . The decease of Jesse’s grandaunt has in consequence begun the spiral of diminution toward an overall neglect for the necessity of the renewing of the land. The reader is told that â€Å"after her decease neighbours shortly found topographic points other than the gorge to run and angle, garner blackberries and galax†¦When the park service made an offer†¦Jesse’s male parent and aunts had sold†¦Now, five decennaries subsequently, Jesse stands on his porch and looked eastward†¦where bulldozers razed forests and grazing land for another gated community† ( Rash 18 ) . As antecedently mentioned, the loss of Jesse’s grandaunt seems to hold caused, at least for Jesse and his immediate milieus, a loss of a regard for the land. As the narrative takes the reader through Jesse’s foremost and successful effort at reaping the ginseng we are told, â€Å"Afterward, he’d carefully replanted the seeds, done it merely as his male parent had done, so walked out of the gorge, past the Fe gate that kept vehicles off the logging route. A xanthous Sn marker nailed to a nearby tree said US Park Service† ( Rash 18 ) . Here the reader gets a split image ; Jesse replants the seeds â€Å"just as his male parent had done† old ages ago ( Rash 18 ) . There is a sense of regard for the land and the cyclic nature of nature, which is besides represented in the generational lessons of planting and replanting passed down from male parent to boy. However, there is besides a really explicitly painted image of development. The workss that Jesse ha s harvested and so replanted are within the boundaries of the land which the authorities uses for logging. This land has been transformed into a commercialised operation in order to untangle any and all pecuniary value from it. Furthermore, there is a parallel image in this xanthous mark. A blazing neglect for nature is nailed to the tree by manner of a US Park Service mark, nevertheless in the predating paragraph it says â€Å"back so, the forests had been communal,No Trespassingmarks an affront†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ( Rash 18 ) . The forests had been a topographic point of community and friendly relationship and invitation, any effort to interrupt apart this public into personally claimed belongings was seen as an abuse to the corporate. But now, non merely is the land sectioned off into countries of unpermitted districts, but these countries are being used explicitly to work the land for pecuniary addition. This loss of a regard for the cardinal significance that the land has is somethi ng that Jesse seems to be troubled by, yet it is something he himself can’t isolated off from. The lone ground he is out reaping the ginseng in the first topographic point is to acquire money. He doesn’t love the act of reaping and replanting, he hasn’t even had any exposure to the land in this regard since his grandaunt passed, five decennaries earlier. What’s more, he doesn’t needfully even need the excess money. The storyteller says â€Å"his house and 20 estates were paid for, as was his truck. The baccy allocation earned less each twelvemonth but still plenty for a widowman with adult kids. Enough every bit long as he didn’t have to travel to the infirmary or his truck throw a rod. He needed some excess money put away for that. Not a million, but some† ( Rash 18 ) . Albeit he isn’t a money hungry corporate executive who has wholly disregarded the verve of nature. But he is however reaping the land for one ground and one gr ound entirely: money. This disconnected image of working and fostering the land represents an even further diminution, as a society, toward the commercialised corruptness of the land. The narrative comes full circle at the terminal as Jesse â€Å"waited† in the forests merely as his grandaunt did before she died. In this minute he thought of his grandaunt and paralleled himself to her as his waiting was â€Å"a concluding stepping down of everything†heone time was. However, it’s non merely a pure and symmetrically sound stoping ; the usage of the word â€Å"abdication† has a dual entendre underlying it. In respects to Jesse’s grandaunt, it has a meter of a dignified release of her life and everything that she lived for. Not needfully the instance for Jesse, for him it seems to take on a different significance wholly. It is Jesse’s chance to fly from the forfeiture of artlessness that his life has culminated to. Jesse recognizes his loss of artlessness, his loss of self-respect, but it is merely when he attempts to travel back to being in melody with the land that he comes to this realisation ; â€Å"Jesse shifted his orga nic structure so his face turned downhill, one ear to the land as if listening for the faintest footstep. It seemed so incorrect to be 68 old ages old and running from person. Old age was supposed to give a individual self-respect and respect† ( Rash 22 ) . In this minute Jesse acknowledges his loss of regard, a regard which has been neither received from others nor given by himself. The consequence of this self-fulfillment is his â€Å"waiting† at the really terminal. A bi-laterally asymmetrical stoping to the gap. One can follow though this narrative the slow diminution toward a society which does non foster the land, but instead relies on it for the here and now. The reader is left gyrating down along with Jesse as the plot line moves from the loss of Jesse’s grandaunt, to the commercializing of his hometown, to Jesse’s ain selfish aims with the land, and eventually to Jesse’s realisation of his conformance which finally leads to his decease. This spiral is a representation or a possible warning to the effects of a commercialized society which exploits the land: there is a natural and unconditioned diminution when 1 refuses a fear to the land. This refusal leads to inside turned desires, which leads to capitalistic inclinations and the commercialisation of the land—extricating it for all that its worth—which will finally take to the decease of those who were one time respected, and who in bend irradiated it back.