Journal Article Critique Essay - 1919 Words

Research Article 1 Roberts, T. (2003). Effects of Alphabet-Letter Instruction on Young Children’s Word Recognition [Electronic Version]. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95 (1), 41-51. Title The title of the article gave a fair representation of the topic as it was clear and concise in the wording. The title encompassed the idea that alphabet letter instruction on young children’s word recognition would be explored through experiments and analysis. Reading on through the article it was evident that the effects of alphabet letter instruction on you children’s word recognition were addressed. Introduction Experimental studies have been undertaken throughout the years in relation to alphabet letter instruction. The first of these†¦show more content†¦The participants included 3 three year old children and 30 four year old children. The participants were enrolled in a state funded, half day pre school program which served children from rather low socio economic status families and backgrounds. The mean English oral proficiency score 0f 1.86 indicated that the children were on average classified as non English speaking. The children in this study were blocked by language and oral proficiency. They were randomly assigned to either letter-rhyme or comprehension treatment. They received 16 weeks of either letter-rhyme instruction or comprehension instruction. Preteseting was conducted over a 2 week period prior to the intervention. Following pretesting the 16 week instructional program was implemented. There were three 20-25 minute lessons each week. Two trained teachers alternated weeks for the first 12 weeks of the intervention to control for teacher effects. The researcher regularly observed lessons. There were three different aspects of the study. These included comprehension treatment, letter-rhyme treatment and word learning training. Results Before the intervention, a multivariate analysis, with pretest age, storybook vocabulary, letter-name knowledge and English oral proficiency was performed to determine the compatibility of the children in the comprehension and letter-name instructional groups. To determine whether the letter-name treatment had engenderedShow MoreRelatedJournal Article Critique1939 Words   |  8 PagesResearch Article 1 Roberts, T. (2003). Effects of Alphabet-Letter Instruction on Young Childrens Word Recognition [Electronic Version]. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95 (1), 41-51. Title The title of the article gave a fair representation of the topic as it was clear and concise in the wording. The title encompassed the idea that alphabet letter instruction on young childrens word recognition would be explored through experiments and analysis. Reading on through the article it was evidentRead MoreJournal Article Critique Paper1099 Words   |  5 PagesJournal Article Critique Paper Britnie Amedee, Kelsey Thompson, Angela Lipford BSHS/435 January 19, 2015 Mrs. Heather Suggs Journal Article Critique Paper â€Å"Electronic games are now an everyday part of childhood and adolescence† (Olsen, 2010). Considering children and adolescence are our future, parents need to consider and monitor how these electronic games are affecting their child. There are more studies afloat that report the negative affects of video games over the positive effects untilRead MoreJournal Article Evaluation And Critique1625 Words   |  7 PagesMorelia Rodriguez PSYCH 78A FALL 2015 Exercise #1 Journal Article Evaluation and Critique 1. Armstrong, Elizabeth A. et al. (2014). â€Å"Good Girls†: Gender, Social Class, and Slut Discourse on Campus. Social Psychology Quarterly, 77(100), 100-122. Doi: 10.1177/0190272514521220. The issue that the authors address is trying to find an explanation and understanding of why women actively participate in slut shaming. 2. The theory that was tested was whether women participate in slut stigma in order toRead MoreJournal Article Critique Essay1685 Words   |  7 PagesJournal Article Critique PRESENTED TO THE DEPARMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECREATION STUDIES MOUNT ROYAL UNIVERSITY In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for Course PHED # 1007 Section # 001 Lynne Lafave By Luis Bravo Vocabulary * Anthropometric Parameters: Different methods established to measure the proportions of the body. * Epigallocatechin Gallate: Powerful antioxidant found in green tea. * Atherosclerosis: Is the accumulation of fatty material in the inner walls of theRead MoreJournal Article Research Critique1767 Words   |  8 PagesJournal Article Research Critique by C. O’Neal MBA 532 UA – Quantitative Business Analysis Instructor:Dr. Ed Ohlson Cheryl O’Neal 3/8/2008 Journal Article Research Critique by C. O’Neal Introduction Cancer patients experience a variety of symptoms that are associated with the disease process itself and with the treatment regimens used to control or eradicate the disease. The authors (Bender, Engberg, Donovan, Cohen, Houze, Rosenzweig, Mallory, Dunbar-JacobRead MoreArticle Critique : The Journal Of School Psychology1334 Words   |  6 Pages Article Critique Alyssa J. Brincka Arizona State University â€Æ' Article Critique The Journal of School Psychology published an article in 2014 titled Divorce, approaches to learning, and children’s academic achievement: A longitudinal analysis of mediated and moderated effects. The article was funded through grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Institute of Education Sciences (Anthony, DiPerna, Amato, 2014). Lead author Christopher J. Anthony isRead MoreJournal Article Critique (Amn400 - Consumer Behaviour)1266 Words   |  6 PagesAMN 400 - Consumer Behaviour Assessment Item 1 - Journal Article Critique Word Count: 944 Words Introduction Thà ¸gersen, Jà ¸rgensen Sandager in their 2012 article Consumer Decision Making Regarding a â€Å"Green† Everyday Product† discuss consumer’s interaction with brands through the lens of product differentiation and the effects on involvement in the purchase process. The article examines the consumer behaviour of involvement and develops an understanding qualifying the differences betweenRead MoreJournal Article Critique : The Man Jesus Christ Essay1204 Words   |  5 Pages LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY Journal Article Critique: The Man Jesus Christ Submitted to Dr. Michael Chiavone, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of THEO 510-D01 Survey of Theology by Todd Bush November 21, 2016 Contents Introduction 2 Summary 2 Critical Interaction 3 Conclusion 4 Bibliography 5 Introduction The following paper yields a couple of various speculations and theories in regards to the teaching of Christ s humanityRead MoreTheo 510 Journal Article Critique Essay1103 Words   |  5 PagesJOURNAL ARTICLE CRITIQUE of Gangel, Kenneth O. â€Å"Marks of a Healthy Church.† Bibliotheca Sacra vol.158 no.632 (October - December 2001): 467-477. THEO 510 LUO (fall 2012) Survey of Theology Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary October 22, 2012 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION3 BRIEF SUMMARY3 CRITICAL INTERACTION4 CONCLUSION5 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY6 Introduction In the New Testament, the church can be referred to as the â€Å"local† church or the â€Å"universal† church. The local churchRead MoreCritique of an article from the Journal of Applied Physiology1124 Words   |  5 PagesCritique of an article from the Journal of Applied Physiology Effect of different protocols of caffeine intake on metabolism and endurance performance Introduction In 2002, a group of Australian researchers published a paper entitled the Effect of different protocols of caffeine intake on metabolism and endurance performance. Caffeine use during sporting events has become much more popular and has widely studied. The purpose of the research was to examine the work increasing (ergogenic)

The Cost of High Imprisonment Rates in the United States...

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics there are currently 2.4 million people in federal and state prison in the United States, that equals out to 1 out of every 100 American adults. This places the United States at number one in the world for its incarceration rate. The US has 5% of the worlds population but 245% of the worlds prisoners. In addition to this there are 4.8 million adults on probation of parole and 70,792 juveniles in juvenile detention. In 2008 the breakdown for adults under correctional control was as follows: one out of 18 men, one in 89 women, one in 11 African-Americans (9.2 percent), one in 27 Latinos (3.7 percent), and one in 45 Caucasians (2.2 percent). Since 1980 the prison population has quadrupled in part†¦show more content†¦Colorado prohibits them from becoming dentists, engineers, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, or real estate agents. In addition most inmates, when released on parole are required to return to the county where he or she lived in the past. This mean even if inmates want to move away and start over they can’t and are sent back to the same neighborhoods and influences they came from and most likely contributed to their delinquency. Several studies have shown that incarceration increases crime rather than deterring it. Sociolgist Joan Moore explained that since prisons are dangerous places most new inmates seek protection by joining a gang. When inmates are released back in to society they are still loyal to the gang and commit more crimes. She was quoted as saying, â€Å"In California I don’t think gangs would continue to exist as they are without the prison scene.† Having a parent in jail also has a significant impact on children. Half of all men were the primary source of income for their children. Stats show that 1.1 million men behind bars are fathers and 120,000 women behind bars are mothers, that equals out to about 1 in every 28 children have a parent current in prison or jail. The Economic Mobility ProJect estimates that two factors influenced by parental incarceration have a direct impact on a child’s future employment status, these two factors are family income and the child’sShow MoreRelatedEssay on Criminal Rehabilitation in the United States Justice System1640 Words   |  7 Pagesbillions of dollars in order to lock up more and more people. We have become the country with the highest incarceration rate in the industrialized world. (National Criminal Justice Commission) This quote from Dave Kelly shows many of the issues with the United State’s criminal justice system today. The prison population is increasing because prisoners are being taken in at a higher rate than they are released. Also these prisons have become dangerous; inmates are exposed to a great deal of violence insideRead MoreIncreased Population of Prisons Essay1606 Words   |  7 Pagessocial issues for our government. The United States has seen steady growth in its prisons. A projected increment in seen due to â€Å"get-tough† policies that locks up offenders for longer sentences (Ohlemacher, 2007, para. 1). The correction system had been through various phases of transformation, and the government had been tough on crime; this approach had resulted in rising prison populations. There are many factors that cause overcrowding prisons in the United States. As a result, prisoners, physicallyRead MoreThe Increased Prison Population and Improper Punishment System1083 Words   |  5 Pagessystems are immense social issues for many nations’ governments. Growing prison punishment has led to congested prison and jails which also costs heavily to tax payers as well as government. Moreover, in many developed nations prison system exerts control against the poor, minorities and immigrants; they are mistreated and anguished by authorities. The United States has seen continuous growth in its prison. A projected increment in seen due to â€Å"get-tough† policies that locks up offenders for longer sentencesRead MoreShould There be a Capital Punishment in Kazakhstan?862 Words   |  3 PagesCapital punishment as it lowers the crime rate. Although it is evident that the death penalty may infringe on some human rights due to the inhumane methods, Saudi Arabia continues to conduct public beheadings to which foreigners are not exempt. As recorded by the world factbook there were 345 beheadings between 2007 and 2010 and the crime rate is the lowest in the world. Therefore, these statistics undeniably prove that the death penalty can lower the crime rate in a country. 2. According to theRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Abolished Essay1634 Words   |  7 Pagesnz/new-zealand-and-death-penalty Starting with money investment and opportunity cost, prison is an extremely expensive way of dealing with crime. In March 2010 it cost, on average, $90,977 to keep a prisoner in jail for a year 3. The median for weekly income coming from all sources on a normal New Zealander is around 530 dollars4, which sums up to 27,560 dollars a year, and at the same time with a tax rate of 19.25% during that time gives the government 5305.3 per person, meaning the governmentRead MorePrison Industrial Complex Economics And The United States1157 Words   |  5 PagesMore people have been locked up in the United States than any other country. In the article â€Å"Prison Industrial Complex Economics†, it states, â€Å"the United States has approximately 6.5 million people under the criminal justice supervision. Incarcerated rate has grown from 176 in 1973 up to 700 in the year of 2000† (Waquant). Incarceration is a big business that feeds into drug violence, corrupted guards, and racism in criminal justice system, taxpayer cost, and racism in the criminal system and throughRead MoreReform, Means Improvement : Prison Reform Essay1558 Words   |  7 Pagesis a significant growing issue. The prison population is expanding at a phenomenal rate, exceeding the capacity of the system to accommodate the inhabitants of the incarcerated. The focus is increasingly on rehabilitation as a mean to reduce recidivism or prisoner relapse to crime. Prison in the United States is utilized more than any other nation, and the economy suffers financially from the extremely high costs. Prisons are expensive to build, maintain, and operate. Although, addressing the issuesRead MoreThe Effects Of Mandatory Sentencing On The United States Essay1273 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States prison population has grown seven-fold over the past forty years, and many Americans today tend to believe that the high levels of incarceration in our country stem from factors such as racism, socioeconomic differences, and drugs. While these factors have contributed to the incarceration rate present in our country today, I argue that the most important reason our country has such a high incarceration rate is the policy changes that have occurred since the 1970s. During this timeRead MoreThe Canadian Justice System And Capital Punishment1713 Words   |  7 Pageswrongfully executed. The cost of maintaining any civil service is expensive to maintain, this is especially true for correctional facilities. It costs an average of â€Å"$117,888 for each prisoner in Canadas 54 federal penitentiaries this has increased by 46% since the last decade.† () this shows that keeping an inmate is very expensive to maintain as taxpayers are losing a lot of money, this loss of money can average out to at least a billion. In comparison, the United States, a neighboring countryRead MoreThe Abolition of Capital Punishment in Australia1014 Words   |  5 PagesAustralia in 1973 imprisonment has been the only option as a sanction for murder. A survey conducted in 2009 demonstrated that a clear majority of Australians (64%) believed that imprisonment should be the punishment for murder as opposed to 23% stating the death penalty should be used and 13% did not wish to comment. The death penalty is not an effective punishment for all cases and there has not been any solid evidence stating that it is a more effective deterrent than imprisonment. Furthermore capital

Leadership in Social Work

Question: Critically reflect on your current and/or future potential contribution to social work leadership in a specific area of practice whether this be research, policy development, macro level advocacy, community action, organisational and staff management, or direct client work in a specific area of service delivery. Your critical reflection should include a discussion of your interest and/or experience in this particular area of practice to date, current literature on leadership in this area, and integration of relevant leadership theory. Answer: Introduction The field of social work is a complex field that has gone through diversification. Therefore, I believe that leadership theory has an importance in the field. Social workers should develop leadership capabilities, in order to bring in a change within an institute, organization, and even with an individual. The body of literature that is concerned with the social work leadership was articulated in the 1980s. The literature, although had, found its momentum in the last decade. According to various theories on social work, social workers should be imbibed with those skills and knowledge that will help them to meet the individual and the community needs. Social work provides importance to values and ethics, to meet the needs of the community or the individual. It is often influenced by the economic and political decision, which is why leadership has an importance in the field of social work. I have gained this knowledge while working with the students, in my school. I had led the groups of students and had played board games with them, and I realized that the leadership capability in me had influenced my students in a positive way. Body of the Essay Justification of the Selected Area of Practice for Social Work: I have always longed to be a part of the school social work practice, therefore, when I was offered this role, during my placement, I did not hesitate and joined immediately. If we look back, we will see that the school social work is quite an old profession. For over 100 years or more, in countries like North America and various other countries, people had been employed as a school social worker. School is such an institutional body, which can be conceptualized both as an educational centre and as a community, where there are people from various other communities. Thus, a school social worker is such a leader who helps the young people in their social and emotional development. I, as a school social worker, faced many challenges, which include things like child abuse and neglect. Therefore, I had to be in touch, not only with the students but at the same time with the parents as well. Development of the children of diverse cultural and economical background means that there should b e the correct implementation of the educational policies. I believe all these factors had developed an interest in me, which is why when I had to play the role of the school social worker I was very happy with it. There are various school social work models, but I have always preferred the Home-school-community relations model (Patti 2016). I have chosen this particular model because I believe that this particular model will help me to draw components from the other disciplinary models that are there. I think this particular model has provided me with flexibility, and therefore, I could easily negotiate with every student and found out the problems that they are facing in their families as well as in their communities. I have found that this particular model has allowed me to adopt the transformational leadership style, which allows my students to follow my actions. I could very well influence them and bring a positive change in them. Thus, these are mainly the reasons why I have ad opted this particular area of practice for social work. Knowledge and understanding of the transformational leadership theory and its relation to School Social Work: The Council on Social Work Education values the leadership development and the strategic plan of the council, for the session 1998-2000, had address the leadership theory at the same time. In recent time, leadership is valuable for the social work profession, because there have been many changes in the human society (Rank Hutchison 2016). The changes are not only social or the economical changes, but changes related to demographic factors and the political changes are also included in it. Social work profession is largely depended on the human service delivery. Therefore, the changes in these fields could bring a diverse change in the human service delivery, which had in brought a change in the field of social work as well. The field of social work is research oriented and complex (McDonald Chenoweth 2009). Thus, leadership has a vital role to play in this particular field. Social work is affected by several other different factors as well. Some of these factors are privatization, globalization, the increase in the gap between the rich and poor, welfare reform and the internet. According to the present day critics social work exist in a hostile environment. Therefore, effective leadership capability of the social worker is important in the present day scenario, although it has a conflict with the traditional theory of social work (Fronek, Fowler Clarke 2016). The theories that I read about social work made me support the fact that leadership has its importance in social work. I have been working for around one year in a school, and there I have to work with the groups of students. The students in the school are not only from different community but also at the same time; they are from diverse economical background as well. I play board games with them and lead the group of the students. I am concerned about the potential, abilities and the skills of my student. I want to develop their skills and potential and want to improve their self-esteem and efficacy. Therefore, to me transformational leadership style is the best leadership style. Transformational leaders could very easily understand the skills and abilities of their followers. The leaders are the mentors of their followers so that they could develop their skills and abilities and at the same time overcome their weaknesses. I lead the group of students in the school, inspire the unity of my group and at the same time provide equal treatment to all the members who are there in the group. Transformatio nal leadership has helped me to develop common beliefs and values, among the student. I have seen that the transformational leadership quality is not only there in me; rather it is being adopted by most of the social workers working in the schools. According to various researches, it has been found out that most of the school social worker supports the transformational leadership style. Transformational leadership style had encouraged and energized them and they feel that they could make a difference in the school community (Cossin Caballero 2016). The particular leadership style has helped in lessening the herculean task of both the teachers and the students. It has helped both the students and the teachers, and helped the school community to come up with positive outcome. The word teacher leader has become very popular in most of the schools around the world. The school administration now provides importance to adopting leadership models by both the teachers and the school social worker. The schools having students from the low-income level groups are now coming up with better outcomes, because they are providing importance to leadership capability of the school social worker. (Figure 1: The Schools with the Students of Low Income Level Background are Coming up with Positive Outcomes Source : Transforming Schools: How Distributed Leadership Can Create More High-Performing Schools - Bain Brief2016)) Clear interpretation and critical analysis of the literature on leadership Leaders within the organization or in the institute, has the capability to work in a creative as well as in a constructive way. The leadership capabilities of the social workers help them to work in an effective way with the individuals, groups, organizations, families as well as with the communities. The present day social workers should play the managerial role and thus they should develop leadership capabilities. The present day scenario is different from the scenario that was there few decades back (Miller Miller 2016). Today social work has become complex, the social workers has to look after at multiple perspective. Thus, today the non-traditional component of social work is of utmost importance; so, leadership theory and its practice and the social work leaders have gain significance in the present era. The social work leaders, by definition, should inspire vision and at the same time should offer direction and support to the individual and the collective society as a whole. The social work leaders should have certain leadership capability in them, which are: Capability of Gaining Self-Knowledge: The social worker should understand the professional mission, vision, as well as the values, principles and the ethics of the organization. The social worker should monitor his/her own professional practice (Tafvelin, Hyvonen Westerberg 2012). The monitoring of the professional practice is possible through various kinds of research methodologies and techniques. Capability of thinking creatively and critically: The skill of applying critical thinking within the context of social work is important and thus most of the social work leaders should give importance to it. Effective use of theoretical framework, which is being supported by the empirical evidence, is important; it will help the social worker to understand the development, as well as the behavior and the interaction that is there across a life span. The social work leaders are responsible for both analyzing and formulating the social policies that are there. The leaders in the social work should be able to evaluate the social work research and should apply it to practice at the same time. Capability of Using Effective Communication Skills: The communication skills are important in the field of social work. The social workers or the social work leaders should communicate in an effective way with the individuals, groups as well as with the families (Tafvelin, Hyvonen Westerberg 2012). Effective communication has a contextual impact as well. Therefore, the social work leaders should effectively use both the verbal as well as the non-verbal mode of communication. Effective communication skill would help the individual to establish a mutual respect and trust between the individual. The two factors are those things that have its importance not only in the field of social work but also in the other fields at the same time. If the social workers try to bring a change within a group or community or even within an individual, then that is possible only through effective communication. The social workers should effectively communicate, verbally, non-verbally, orally and even th rough written documents. Capability of showing respect to others: Social workers have to work within such a community where there are people from different organization. I believe, and various researches have proved that the while working in a society filled with people of diverse culture, and economical background, one must possess the capability of showing respect to others. The social worker should not only respect his/her own culture but at the same time should show respect to different cultures and communities as well. Capability of working in a team: The researches have proved that the leaders should have the capability of working in a team. In social work, I have seen with my own experience, teamwork is important. One cannot bring in changes without effective teamwork. Therefore, to develop such a team it is important for the social work leaders, to develop a relationship with the other team members. The leader should respect and acknowledge the work of the other team members and while taking any decision should consult the team members at the same time. Therefore, I feel although I am now relying only on the transformational leadership model, the school social work model that I have chosen, will allow me to incorporate the democratic leadership model at the same time. Conclusion The present day schools have problems and it is a fact that the schools know. I have worked in a school and my experience had told me that most of the time the schools wait for a super human, who will rescue them from their problems. If the social workers, who work in the school, adopt the perfect leadership style then I believe that trying to put an end to the problems that most of the schools are facing will end. I believe, today leadership theory not only remain associated with the theory or the concept of management, but today it is something more than that. Today the definition of social work has changed as well and this changing definition of social work has encouraged the leadership theory to be a part of the social work practice. Honestly, I believe that this incorporation has indeed helped the social workers and had enriched the social work, and in my case the school social work practice even more. References Cossin, P Caballero, D 2016,Transformational Leadership Background Literature Review, 1st edn, viewed 25 July 2016. Fronek, P, Fowler, J Clarke, J 2016,Reflecting on reflection, leadership and social work: Social work students as developing leaders, 1st edn, viewed 25 July 2016. McDonald, C Chenoweth, L 2009, "Leadership: A Crucial Ingredient in Unstable Times", in ,Social Work Society, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 102-112, viewed 25 July 2016 Miller, W Miller, J 2016,Leadership Styles for Success in Collaborative Work, 1st edn, viewed 25 July 2016. Patti, R 2016,The Handbook of Human Services Management, in , Google Books, viewed 25 July 2016. RANK, M HUTCHISON, W 2016,AN ANALYSIS OF LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE SOCIAL WORKPROFESSION., in , Freepatentsonline.com, viewed 25 July 2016. Tafvelin, S, Hyvonen, U Westerberg, K 2012, "Transformational Leadership in the Social Work Context: The Importance of Leader Continuity and Co-Worker Support", in ,British Journal of Social Work, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 886-904, viewed 25 July 2016. Transforming Schools: How Distributed Leadership Can Create More High-Performing Schools - Bain Brief2016, viewed 25 July 2016.

My Lai 4 A Book Report Essays (946 words) - My Lai Massacre

My Lai 4: A Book Report annon On March 16, 1968, Charlie Company was sent into a small Viet Cong village called (by the U.S.) My Lai 4. Their instructions by commanding officers were: ... kill every man, woman, child and animal in the village. Burn all the homes .... nothing should be walking, growing or crawling. Orders were followed, and as I read the first 65 pages of this book, I was exposed to the detailed death of 306 civilians, mostly women, small children, and old people. There was no threat to any American GIs ... there were no Viet Cong Solders in the area. I read of the rape of a 14 year old girl by twenty GIs ... in front of the parents. They were all shot after the GIs were done with their business. This was only one of many. Most of the murders were conducted, BY ORDER OF OFFICERS, to round-up the families from their homes, forced into ditches, and shot. Women dove to cover their children. Later, children just old enough to walk crawled out from under their mutilated mothers' bodies, only to be shot as target practice by the GIs. It is later estimated that approximately 500 civilians were murdered, and (probably) no VC were in the area. I could go into detail about the killing. However, most of the book was devoted to the time before the massacre, and afterward. The officers and GIs of Charlie Company were introduced in the beginning of the book: the officers had been social outcasts all their life (LT. Calley Medina). Both had decided to devote their life to the military. The GIs were selected for Charlie Company specifically because they had all scored too low on the initial exam to be put into a regular battalions. After the massacre, nothing was done. As a matter of fact, Charlie Company was praised for having the most kills in one day. By late 1969, most of the GIs in Charlie Company were civilians again, and a few began to tell what they had seen (and participated in). A Government Investigation was called against Lt. Calley (who ordered, and participated in the murders). Some of the photographs from the massacre were published. You wouldn't believe what the civilian response was! The overwhelming public response was to drop the charges; they thought that there was nothing wrong with the massacre, OR they didn't believe it really happened. As a matter of fact, Lt. Calley had become a hero as an AMERICAN! There was a hugely-supported donation drive to pay for Calley's legal fees. The final outcome: nothing. Calley was demoted to a Army Office Job after the murders were proved. The soldiers of Charlie Company went on with life, most of whom are/were suffering mental disorders from the scaring event. Calley's officer above him (who REALLY gave the initial orders) was never investigated, though it was proven that he also participated in the massacre. The author, Seymour M. Hersh, wrote (I read that book 3 years ago), which is credited with having a major influence on this country's decision to stop production of biological weapons. Mr. Hersh began his journalism career as a police reporter for the city news bureau in Chicago, and later covered the Pentagon for the Associated Press. Mr. Hersh was press secretary for the Senator Eugene McCarthy early in his campaign for Democratic Presidential nomination. He won a special George Polk Memorial Award in February, 1970, and the Worth Bengham Prize in March, 1970, for his reporting on the My Lai 4 massacre. He is married and lives in Washington, D.C. As I have read 2 books by this man, I feel that he provides some really good, controversial information. He has obviously done a lot of studying. From the information I could find on him, I cannot determine if he has had any past occurrences that motivated him to find out about atrocities of war. However, he may be like me .... and has a bit of compassion for others, and hates to see others hurt by unnecessary wars! In the preface of this book, Mr Hersh made a point to outline his sources. Everything in the book is a compilation of quotes from different people who participated in the massacre, and people who saw it. He published letters written by the GIs after the massacre (some of them I had seen in Zinn's book too!). He printed public opinion polls of the time, and generally avoided printing his own opinion. However, as any book written, he definitely projected the event as a negative

Free Essays on Shipped Away

Shipped Away When I was 11 years old, I started to stray away from my family’s values. This prompted a whole new set of problems at school. "He is unsupportable,† read part of one of the nicer letters that came home from school. My mother had bitterly warned me, that if I didn't "shape up" she was going to call my father. They had been separated since I was about three years old and since then he had always lived in a different part of the world. She was going to tell him to put me "away" in some kind of boarding school, Preferably a military one. Needless to say, the more she threatened, the more I rebelled. I kept living as if there was nothing wrong with what I was doing. Well, one day it finally happened, I "broke the camels back". After many warnings she "busted me". I was ditching. By the time she caught me I was skipping school regularly, about two to three times a week. The problem with this time, problem for me anyways, was that I was on my way to East L.A. You see my mother as a single parent worked very hard to keep us in Pasadena, a good neighborhood, but Valladares 2 no, I had to find my way back into the Barrio that she worked so hard to keep us out of. So, there I was waiting for the RTD bus all dressed up. I was wearing a pair of very baggy "Khakis", a very loose and very long flannel shirt, buttoned all the way up to my neck and a black hair net. I thought I was a hard ass looking Essay actually I was just a wannabee, what gang members call a pledge. Either way I was "Hard", until my mom pulled up around the corner in her dark blue Ford LTD. Maan I ran like it was the JURA and I had just ripped off some hubcaps! It was too late, even with my uniform on she recognized me, and she ran me down like I was an escapee from Juvy. Man, I was done. She stuck to her "guns" all right! She called my ... Free Essays on Shipped Away Free Essays on Shipped Away Shipped Away When I was 11 years old, I started to stray away from my family’s values. This prompted a whole new set of problems at school. "He is unsupportable,† read part of one of the nicer letters that came home from school. My mother had bitterly warned me, that if I didn't "shape up" she was going to call my father. They had been separated since I was about three years old and since then he had always lived in a different part of the world. She was going to tell him to put me "away" in some kind of boarding school, Preferably a military one. Needless to say, the more she threatened, the more I rebelled. I kept living as if there was nothing wrong with what I was doing. Well, one day it finally happened, I "broke the camels back". After many warnings she "busted me". I was ditching. By the time she caught me I was skipping school regularly, about two to three times a week. The problem with this time, problem for me anyways, was that I was on my way to East L.A. You see my mother as a single parent worked very hard to keep us in Pasadena, a good neighborhood, but Valladares 2 no, I had to find my way back into the Barrio that she worked so hard to keep us out of. So, there I was waiting for the RTD bus all dressed up. I was wearing a pair of very baggy "Khakis", a very loose and very long flannel shirt, buttoned all the way up to my neck and a black hair net. I thought I was a hard ass looking Essay actually I was just a wannabee, what gang members call a pledge. Either way I was "Hard", until my mom pulled up around the corner in her dark blue Ford LTD. Maan I ran like it was the JURA and I had just ripped off some hubcaps! It was too late, even with my uniform on she recognized me, and she ran me down like I was an escapee from Juvy. Man, I was done. She stuck to her "guns" all right! She called my ...

Is Abortion Immoral Essays

Is Abortion Immoral Essays Is Abortion Immoral Essay Is Abortion Immoral Essay In Carol Levine’s book. Taking Sides. the argument discoursing whether abortion is considered immoral or non raises inquiries about the relationship between jurisprudence. society. and moralss. When discoursing abortion. there are typically two polar opposite positions in which to categorise the statement: the pro-life position and the pro-choice position. From a conservative point of position. the pro-life stance is one that sees abortion as the pickings of an guiltless life of a kid. The pro-lifers would besides reason that life begins at construct and are in favour of back uping the life of the kid in the uterus. However. abortion has been legal since 1973. The 1973 Supreme tribunal determination of Roe v. Wade declared that a adult female has a constitutional right to privateness. which includes an abortion. ( p 121 ) Even though abortion is legalized. it does non do the pick to abort the kid morally right. Patrick Lee and Robert P. George conclude that being a female parent generates a particular duty and that the forfeit morally required of the female parent is less onerous than the injury that would be done to the kid. doing his or her decease. to get away duty. ( p 121 ) The first inquiry to be raised is whether the human embryo/fetus should be considered a complete human being or non. The human embryo is considered to be distinguishable from any cell of both the female parent and of the male parent because it is turning in its ain way. The human embryo is evidently human. with DNA feature of human existences. Most significantly. the human embryo is a complete being even though it is said to be an immature one. Rather. an embryo ( and foetus ) is a human being at a certain ( early ) phase of development- the embryonic ( or fetal ) phase. ( p 123 ) Therefore. it is arguably said that aborting the kid. at any term. is considered feticide and objectively immoral. In abortion. what is killed is a human being. a whole life member of the species gay sapiens. the same sort of entity as you or I. merely at an earlier phase of development†¦ ( p 124 ) Another statement in the argument is that abortion is justified as non-intentional violent death. Some pro-choicers argue that it is non so much deliberately killing the kid. but instead non taking to supply the kid with aid or a place during the gestation period. all while cognizing that evicting the kid will about surely cause decease. The bodily rights rgument provinces that a adult female is non morally required to let the foetus the usage of her organic structure. ( p 124 ) By depicting abortion as taking non to supply bodily life support is a misconception. when the ultimate side consequence is decease. nevertheless unwilled it may be. There is a important moral difference between non making something that would help person. and making something that causes person injury. even if that injury is an unintended ( but foreseen ) side consequence. ( p 125 ) Most adult females that chose abortion do non desire their kid to decease or to perpetrate feticide. they merely want to end gestation. Death of their kid is simply a atrocious side consequence. However. does it morally warrant their pick? Abortion is the act of pull outing the unborn human being from the womb- an extraction that normally rips him or her to pieces or does him or her force in some other manner. ( p 125 ) From a Christian position. Ramsey would reason against abortion saying that the holiness of life should be preserved. He respects the nature of human parentage that calls for a domain of love brotherhood and a domain of reproduction. When a adult female becomes pregnant. whether it is by pick or non. it is from so on viewed as her duty. So. the load of transporting the babe. for all its sharpness. is significantly less than the injury the babe would endure by being killed ; the female parent and the male parent have a particular duty to the kid ; it follows that knowing abortion ( even in the few instances where the baby’s decease is an unintended but foreseen side consequence ) is unfair and hence objectively immoral. ( p 128 ) Ramsey opposes an ethic based on ends or terminals which from a Christian point of view will finally be destroyed anyhow. This is one of his bases for an independent moral principle of agencies. The Roman Catholic Church argues against direct abortion saying that we must handle the kid with same rights as a individual. A direct violent death is an act that by the nature of the act or the purpose of the agent aims at the killing either as a agency or as an terminal. Ramsey would besides back up this statement. Those who condemn abortion as immoral by and large follow a classical tradition in which abortion is a public affair because it involves our construct of how we should populate together in an ideal society. ( p 120 )

The mental impact of transitioning from working to retirement Research Proposal

The mental impact of transitioning from working to retirement - Research Proposal Example As this is a secondary research study, which is descriptive in nature, the method used in gathering data is a survey of related research studies and related literature using the internet and online libraries. Result of the online research proved inadequate of materials pertaining to research studies focused on the direct correlation of retirement to mental health. Nevertheless, available related studies and literature proved sufficient enough to proceed with the research. Three hypothesized results are determined. These essentially revolve on the following areas of concern: (1) the consistent inconsistency of the mental impact of retirement, (2) the specific state of the retiree, and (3) the correlation of retirement on mental health. The implication of the study shows the need for further research, specifically a focused research on the mental impact of retirement in related line of works and a focussed-research on the impact of retirement on the specific areas of mental health. Ano ther implication is the need for a personalized retirement plan to turn the challenges of retirement into an opportunity rather than a crisis. This calls for the professional intervention of health-care providers. Literature Review With old age normally comes the decline in physical and functional ability (Davies, 1998, p. 7) and inevitably in mental health – of which against diverse yet limited definition of the term, MacDonald (2006) comprehensively denoted to cognitive, emotional and social well-being. The correlation of mental health with age has been proven by various researches. For example, Gottlieb (1995) confirmed that as one reaches old age, cognitive capacity generally declines which Siegler et al. (1996) noted most in ‘information processing, selective attention, and problem-solving ability’. (cited in, Goldman, Rye & Sirovatka, 1999, p. 337) Increased in cognitive impairment is also observed in older people (National Statistics – Great Britain , 2003, p. 3). However, the individual’s lifestyle, psychosocial state (Gottlieb, 1995, cited in, Goldman, et al. 1999, p. 337), level of education, and income level (National Statistics – Great Britain, 2003, p. 3) spell the difference between individuals. On the other hand, Suthers, Saito, and Crimmins (2003) stated that as one reaches old age challenges to emotional well-being are in all likelihood multiply, such as the loss of love ones, decline in health, worsening physical infirmity, or change in social roles (p. 41). In fact, Romsa, Bondy, and Blenman (1985) observed that, â€Å"Generally, retired individuals have stronger needs for love and association with others than do people at other points in the life span† (cited in Nussbaum, 2000, p. 129). While McMurdo (1998) in showing the benefits of exercise across ages noted that physical inactivity in adults – ‘30% of adults in US are woefully inactive’ – will further isolation in old age, as the lack of physical exercise may hasten physical dependency which could be limiting and detrimental to social life (p. 101), as the loss of social relationship may result to loneliness and depression (Baroff & Olley, 1999, p. 355). Cameron and Persinger’s (1983) study found that â€Å"the death rate increases after retirement only for those people who

Rodchenko and Popova and Architecture of the Constructivist Period Essay

Rodchenko and Popova and Architecture of the Constructivist Period - Essay Example Aleksander Michailovich Rodchenko was seen as originator whose work was mocked as construction art by another artist Kazimir Malevich in 1917. The word evolved to become an honourable term by 1920 in the Realistic Manifesto of Naum Gabo while Alexei Gan used it as title of his book Constructivism printed in 1922 (Cooke, 1995, 106). As an art, it combines the particular properties of an object as well as its spatial presence, thus, presentation in three-dimension although it would soon encompass two-dimensional works of books, posters, montage and factography (Cooke, 1995). In this essay, it will be demonstrated how the works of arts and expressions of Russian avant- garde artists Lyubov Popova and Aleksandr Rodchenko have significantly influenced constructivism and how their principles were applied in constructive architecture. Constructivism is described as the objective analysis of a systematic practice which consists of set of principles (scientific) to be applied in the productio n of useful goods (Fer, 1989, 16). In this context, the pioneer constructivist artists have incorporated and explored the different elements of arts i.e. line, color, plane, volume, space, material etc. beyond their traditional uses so that they (artists) could freely express their feelings and to produce utilitarian/practical works. Constructivism has opposed the traditional art which is figurative and decorative. The constructivists have exhibited a new territory of imagination to convey futuristic design (Brandy, 2009). In addition, constructivism also literally utilized industrial materials such as wood or marble dust [Figure 5] to exhibit artifice and illusion (Fer 1989, & Aspden, 2009). Discussion Constructivism was seen to be a reaction of Russian artists on the pomposity of the previous eras about high art. In addition, there was already an on-going Russian Futurism exexmplified by industrial, angular styles, soon, works of the likes of Malevich’s Suprematism showed g eometric abstraction (Cooke, 1995). It has not been easily accepted during the earlier period. In 1920 during the formative years of constructivism, Rodchenko was commissioned by the Bolshevik government as director of the Museum Bureau and Purchasing Fund. He was not only a teacher but responsible in the reorganisation of art schools as well as museums. Much propaganda at that time both governmental and otherwise used Rodchenko’s art, design and concepts that saw the debut of â€Å"the end of painting† (Akbar, 2009, P 1). Together with his comrade Liubov Popova, they bid their farewell to the bourgeois practice of painting which they described as frivolous and pretentious (Cooke, 1995). Aside from industry shaping the Russian Futurism, the constructivist also were engaged in festivals, street designs, and post-revolution of the Bolshevik government where the UNOVIS group of Malevich propaganda plaques and buildings such as the 1919 work of El Lissitzky’s Beat t he Whites with the Red Wedge. In their works as exemplified by Rodchenko, POpova and their fellow artists, a new explosion of creativity and innovative styles was integrated in the paintings which he both applied rushing diagonal lines and bold colours [Figure 1& 2]. Rodchenko

Challenging environment Essay Example for Free

Challenging environment Essay Mrs. Dae is a 28 year old Caucasian female. She presents clean and well dressed. She is approximately 5’ 6†, 145 lbs. She appears healthy and in shape. No visible physical deformities. She has normal gate. She is open and cooperative. She has a normal rate of speech and makes appropriate eye contact. Mrs. Dae expresses herself appropriately. In discussing family history, Mrs. Dae has little trouble recalling events. She is unaware of some family history on her father’s side. Mrs. Dae is orientated x 4. She has logical thought process. Mrs. Dae is alert, however, states she has been busy lately and is tired today. She reports getting approximately 6-8 hours of sleep nightly. Mrs. Dae is able to count backward from 100 by 7’s. She displays logical thought processes. No report of hallucinations or delusions. Mrs. Dae appears to have good judgment and insight. She is of high intelligence and is able to appropriately explain the meaning of a common proverb. (â€Å"A rolling stone gathers no moss†) (â€Å"How to†). Mrs. Dae appears happy and confident, with appropriate affect. During the interview Mrs. Dae was relaxed and participated in spontaneous conversation. She denies any suicidal or homicidal ideation. Strengths/ Weaknesses: Mrs. Dae is highly educated. She appears confidant with high self esteem. She reports she enjoys caring for others. She has good insight and appears to have good coping skills. Mrs. Dae has a supportive family. In terms of weaknesses, Mrs. Dae admits to taking on too many activities at once and at times she feels â€Å"burned out†. Family History: Mrs. Dae is the second of three children and grew up in a typical middle class American home. She has an older brother and a younger sister. Mrs. Dae’s parents were divorced when she was 7 years old. Ms. Dae and her siblings lived with their mother. Mrs. Dae reports her father was verbally and physically abusive toward her mother. This was the reason for the divorce. She does not recall being the victim of such abuse herself. However, she reports that her mother tells her that her father was â€Å"mean to all of us† (referring to Ms. Dae, her siblings and mother). Mrs. Dae denies any sexual abuse. Shortly after the divorce, Mrs. Dae reports all three children stopped seeing their father. She currently has no relationship with her father, however she reports speaking to him on the phone occasionally. Aside from these events, Mrs. Dae reports a normal childhood. She reports discipline as a child in the form of â€Å"grounding, which rarely occurred†. Mrs. Dae is currently married. She has been married for the past 8 years. She denies any previous marriages. Ms. Dae describes her marriage as â€Å"good†. She states she and her husband attended marriage counseling for approximately 3 months earlier in their marriage. Mrs. Dae reports that her husband has a well paying job. She denies any current financial hardship. The couple recently bought their first home. She reported some stress during the process. However, she did not think it was â€Å"more then would be expected when buying a home†. Mrs. Dae and her husband have one child, a 5 year old girl. Education and Work: Mrs. Dae graduated high school in the top 10% of her class and went on to college. She majored in psychology and graduated Cum Laude. She continued to earn her Master of Science degree. Mrs. Dae currently works with at risk youth in the prevention and advocacy department of a non-profit company. She has been with her current employer for one year. She reports being satisfied with her job. She states she makes â€Å"good† money and the work she does is rewarding. Mrs. Dae stated she plans on returning to school in the near future for her PhD in Psychology. Her long term goal is to go into private practice serving youth. Mental/ Physical Health: There is no known history of mental illness on her mother’s side of the family. Mrs. Dae reported there may be depression on her father’s side. Mrs. Dae denies any form of depression aside from â€Å"the blues† every now and then. Mrs. Dae reports history of cancer on both sides of her family. Mrs. Dae participates in annual physical examinations. According to her last physical she is in good health. Mrs. Dae denies substance use. She stated she will drink a glass of wine â€Å"once in a while†. Mrs. Dae denies tobacco use. Legal History: Mrs. Dae denies any significant legal history, aside from a few traffic tickets. Social: Mrs. Dae reports she has a group of friends, other married couples, that she and her husband spend time with. She is also a member of her church and participates in social events at the church. As her child recently started attending elementary school, Mrs. Dae stated she has joined the school’s Parent-Teacher Association. Spiritual: Mrs. Dae reports growing up Catholic but she did not go to church often as a child. She states that she no longer practices Catholicism, however, she does go to a non denominational Christian church. She goes to church on a regular basis. She feels strongly about her beliefs. Mrs. Dae reports that she prays on a daily basis and stated â€Å"this keeps me grounded†. Hobbies/Activities: Mrs. Day states she enjoys reading, yoga, and going to the spa with friends. She admits she has little time to spend on these activities. However, she reports that she and her husband give each other time with their friends, time together, and family time on a regular basis. References How to do a Mental Status Exam. Retrieved on November 9, 2007 from http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/assess/mse.htm

How the Authors of The Signalman and The Red Room Use First-Person Narrative :: Charles Dickens H.G. Wells Narratives Essays

How the Authors of The Signalman and The Red Room Use First-Person Narrative In this essay two novels will be compared. The first written by Charles Dickens entitled, `The Signalman` and the second is H G Wells’ `The Red Room`. I seek to find out how first person narration is used to manipulate the thoughts and feelings of the readers and how the two are similar. The two poems are both similar in that they are both pre 1914 prose about ghosts and are based on the supernatural, the two tales also create suspense and tension in the atmosphere surrounding the characters. The stories are written in first person native for example, the authors of `The Red Room` and `The Signalman` both tell the story using speech as the main technique telling the story through the narrator, â€Å"Is there any path by which I can come down and speak to you?† this makes the reader feel closer to the character due to his personal experience. The Signalman ============= At the start of `The Signalman` the atmosphere is bizarre. The story begins in a deep, damp cutting adjacent to a tunnel with a railway running through it, which is described as `barbarous`, `depressing` and with `forbidding air`. The scene is set at twilight therefore because of the darkness the two men don’t get to see each other properly and this enhances the mysterious element of the story. At the point in which he’s just about to go down `the cutting`, a vibration shakes the ground, Dickens writes, `vague vibration in the earth and air`, which describes the movement, he also uses a lot effective adjectives like, `violent` and `pulsation`, which conveys fears and adds to the tension which is building up, but this time it was just a train passing and the tension is lost. Dickens describes the cutting as being, â€Å"Extremely deep and unusually precipitous† and â€Å"Solitary and dismal†, he uses the detailed description to give the setting an eerie edge. The story only takes place within the cutting. The two men meet at the cutting at night, â€Å"I will come at eleven†, Dickens says, this sustains the tension due to the darkness and our own knowledge that the supernatural experiences always occur at night. The narrator feels very sympathetic towards The Signalman, as he keeps revisiting him to find out more about his life and his experiences, â€Å"But I expressly intend to make you another visit†, the narrator also talks about an â€Å"infection in the mind† and â€Å"deception of his sense of sight† and recommends `The Signalman` to see a doctor, when he sees the ghost, which reveals his level of concern for his new

Preparation and Properties of soap

Materials and Apparatus: Olive oil, 95% ethanol, beaker, 50% sodium hydroxide solution, Boucher alter, hot plate, salt solution, magnetic stirrer, filter funnel, glass rod, filter paper, weighing balance, watch glass and measuring cylinder. From the diagram above, we can clearly see that the ionic (highly polar and charges) natures of salts makes them soluble in water. However, the non- polar hydrocarbon (aliphatic) tail of the soap molecules would cause them to be miscible with non-polar substances and enable them to dissolve in water.Normally, solid soaps are consist of sodium salts of fatty acids and liquid soaps consist of potassium salts of fatty acids. Soap can be prepared by a process known as specification. Historically, soaps were made by boiling the fat of animal, lye and in a aqueous Noah and KOCH solution containing potash. Of course, this was done long time ago before anyone had any idea of understanding the chemical transformations. Now, we know that this process is a r eaction of esters with a strong base such as KOCH or Noah.The esters, triglycerides are the main constituents of vegetable oil and animal fats. The triglyceride is a trim-ester come along with 3 long fatty acid hydrocarbon chain. When triglyceride reacts with 3 equivalents strong aqueous base solution such as Noah or KOCH, the three ester bonds are hydroxide to yield 3 fatty acid salts (soap molecules) and one glycerol. The specification can also be called â€Å"base hydrolysis†. Industrially, soap is made by reaction of Noah together with vegetable fat. It is crucial to utilize enough Noah to make sure a complete specification Of triglycerides.If there is insufficient base, time and heat provided, then the result would be incomplete specification and the soap product can be very brittle. If the specification is complete, Nasal is added to precipitate the soap. The aqueous portion is decanted off. The remaining substance would be crude soap which contains some impurities such as Nasal, Noah or glycerol. In the lab, we do not have enough time to purify the crude soap. This purification would consist of re-dissolving the soap in boiling water and then cooling and precipitating again by adding Nasal.The soap in the experiment would be made out from olive oil, the chemical structure of olive oil (C52H9606) would be like this: Procedure: 1 . About ml Olive Oil was added to a mall_ beaker and dissolved it in ml of 95% ethanol. Excessive oil was not used to avoid additional ethanol to dissolve it. 2. When the olive oil was completely dissolved, the beaker was put on the hot plate and the temperature was maintained to about ICC. The flask was swirled to mix the solution. Next, ml of 50% Noah solution was poured down the glass-stirring rod intro the oil solution.A small amount of the Noah solution was trickled down the rod very slowly and then stopped to stir. Then, a little more Noah was trickled in. The Noah solution was not poured into the oil too quickly. Th is was due to the reason that pouring the Noah solution too quickly Will cause the oil to separate from the Noah solution, and the final product would be failure. The mixture was stirred until it thickened. We wanted to avoid getting a mixture with 2 distinct layers Noah solution on the bottom and oil on the top.When 2 distinct layers are forming, it was stirred vigorously using magnetic stirrer until the liquids are well stirred. 3. A small watch glass was placed over the mouth of the flask to minimize evaporation of the alcohol. 4. The oil-alcoholic-Noah solution was allowed to boil for at least 30 minutes. The undisclosed fat in the flask and solved by adding a little more ethanol and stirred. The temperature was kept just hot enough to have controlled boiling of the fat solution. 5. While the specification proceeded, a salt solution was prepared by completely dissolving go Nasal in 1 00 ml distilled water in a mall beaker.After he salt was completely dissolved, about half of thi s salt solution was transferred to another beaker and both beakers of salt solution was placed on ice to cool them. 6. After 30 minutes, the fat solution was tested to see if specification was completed by placing a few drops of the solution in a test tube of distilled eater. When the fat droplets floated to the top, the specification was not completed and allowed it to boil for an additional 10 minutes. 7. When the specification was completed, the hot reaction mixture was poured carefully into one beaker of salt solution and stirred for a minute or two.

Improved writing Essay

Probable Solutions: Reassign executives and match with the members Others to provide assistance whenever necessary Retrench one of the employees since two of eight executives have full-time administrative assistants anyway and only six are actually being serviced Benefits: To the employees †¢ Manageable and productive work To the company †¢ Cost savings To the supervisor †¢ Productivity improvement †¢ Less stressful †¢ Deadlines more likely to be met Draft My office provides secretarial support for the eight members of the executive team. Currently, their assignment is as follows: †¢ Jack Snieder is assigned to Ralph Cajun and Jessica Hilo †¢ Rachel King is assigned to Melanie Razor and David Thomson †¢ Bonnie Disselkoen is assigned to Samuel Daily and Frank Daily †¢ Molly Smakowski is assigned to Larry Miller and Victor Potack However, I have noticed that Jack and Rachel frequently have nothing to do, while Bonnie and Molly usually require overtime hours at least twice a month. Upon delving further, I learned that Melanie Razor and Jessica Hilo share a full-time administrative assistant who completes most of their secretarial work. On the other hand, Samuel and Frank Daily have no administrative assistant while Larry Miller’s assistant works only 15 hours a week. From this alone, we can already see a disparity in work assignments causing two of my team members to be overworked while the other two are underworked. For the former two, this could lead to stress and fatigue while for the latter two, work for them might lose its value since they have settled into boredom and lack of challenge. Moreover, the company is unnecessarily paying overtime costs. The best solution that I can see to this problem is to reassign the executives to a different member of the team. This way, the work load would be better distributed among the team members. There are no indications that the pairings of executives have anything to do with any common requirements. It may be that they were merely randomly assigned without making a careful study of the workload each executive would be giving. While present assignments can be maintained and just require the other members to assist when the other is loaded with work, this is not as good a solution because the sense of ownership will not be there. They will not have the proper motivation to turn out a good work when they will not get full credit. Another idea is retrenching one of the employees since two of eight executives have full-time administrative assistants anyway and only six are actually being serviced. This is not possible since not only would it lower morale even further, we are still unsure how much work load is given by the other six executives. If such a solution proves to be effective, this will impact a lot of factors. We will be seeing an increase in individual productivity. Each member of the team will get a boost in their morale for doing manageable work that is equally distributed. Work will be better organized and the capability of each team member will be fully tapped. This will also mean savings to the company since overtime costs will be lessened or even totally eliminated. This would affect the Supervisor’s work as well since the personnel will now be self-sufficient and self-motivated, she will have more time to focus on other administrative work. There will be less stress and deadlines are more likely to be met. MEMORANDUM To : Liz Jakowski From : My Name. Date : 02 February 2008 Subject : Productivity Improvement Currently, my office provides secretarial support for the eight members of the executive team. Their assignment is as follows: †¢ Jack Snieder is assigned to Ralph Cajun and Jessica Hilo †¢ Rachel King is assigned to Melanie Razor and David Thomson †¢ Bonnie Disselkoen is assigned to Samuel Daily and Frank Daily †¢ Molly Smakowski is assigned to Larry Miller and Victor Potack However, I have noticed that Jack and Rachel frequently have nothing to do, while Bonnie and Molly usually require overtime hours at least twice a month. Upon delving further, I learned that Melanie Razor and Jessica Hilo share a full-time administrative assistant who completes most of their secretarial work. Thus, this frees up a lot of Jack and Rachel’s time. On the other hand, Samuel and Frank Daily have no administrative assistant and are fully dependent on Bonnie while Larry Miller’s assistant works only 15 hours a week which also does not give Molly that much free time. It is apparent that there is a disparity in work assignments and work loads causing two of my team members to be overworked while the other two are under worked. This unevenness in work distribution could lead to stress and fatigue for the former two. For the latter two, there is the possibility that work for them might lose its value since they are slowly settling into a state of lethargy due to lack of a challenge. Such disparity also costs the company a lot of money in overtime costs which has to be paid to Bonnie and Molly if they are to meet the deadline imposed by the executives. I have worked my way up from a mere clerk and, until three moths ago, into an office manager. I have actual experience and exposure to what each of my staff are experiencing now. This work imbalance is certain to be taking a toll on their morale and motivation. I am, therefore, confident to recommend that we reassign the executives to a different secretarial support. This way, the work load would be better distributed among the team members. There are no indications that the pairings of executives have anything to do with any common requirements, that they cannot be separated and reassigned. It may be that they were merely randomly assigned without making a careful study of the workload each executive would be giving. Hence, I foresee that there should be no problems with regard to the executive’s preference as there may be none. It has been considered to retain present assignments and just require the other members to assist when the others seem to be loaded with work. This is not an efficient solution because of several reasons such as the sense of ownership will not be there. They will not have the proper motivation to turn out a good work when they will not get full credit. It is also a burden administratively since the supervisor would constantly have to go around and assess the work load of each individual at that particular moment. Retrenching a member of the team was also considered since there are two executives who had full-time administrative assistants anyway. This, however, cannot and will not be endorsed as this would lower morale even further and there’s the danger of losing the trust and cooperation of the team, which at this time of management changes, is an important factor. Moreover, we are still not entirely sure of the workload of the six other executives and to cut head now may be too premature. Hence, reassignment would be the best option and the proposal is as follows: †¢ Jack is assigned Ralph Cajun and Larry Miller †¢ Rachel is assigned Samuel Daily and Melanie Razor †¢ Bonnie is assigned Frank Daily and Jessica Hilo †¢ Molly is assigned David Thomson and Victor Potack This reassignment aims to address disproportionate work distribution. It is anticipated that with the work load relatively evenly distributed, we will be seeing an increase in individual productivity. Each member of the team will get a boost in their morale for doing work that is manageable. The tasks can be better organized and the capability of each team member can be explored, fully tapped and optimized. For the company, this would translate into savings on overtime costs. This would impact the Supervisor’s work, as well, such that close monitoring would no longer be as necessary as before since the staff will be self-sufficient and self-motivated. This will allow for more time to focus on other managerial and administrative work. There will be less stress as deadlines are more likely to be met. I hope that my proposal will be met with your favorable consideration.

Free Essays on Richard Russo Term Paper

In all of his novels evaluated Richard Russo wrote things that fit into the theme of social roles in small towns. In â€Å"Straight Man,† â€Å"Mohawk,† and â€Å"Empire Falls,† there are central male characters, William Henry Devereaux, Dallas Younger, and Miles Roby respectively whose lives and the one’s of those connected to them are the focus. Each is middle aged and going through a period of reflection and question during which they are trying to figure out how they got to the current point in their lives and how to improve the relationships with those they care about. Although they all share the similarities of middle aged men, each with their own job, home and set of people they care about, they each provide a very different perspective on small town life. William Henry Devereaux, a.k.a. Hank, is a professor and the department head of English at the college in the small town he resides within. This sets him apart from Dallas and Miles who both have jobs that are more of the physical labor type. His job although equally dead ended and unfulfilling to him as those of Dallas and Miles, is one of more prestige and intellect. He also doesn’t have the same problem with debt as they do, as he wrote a book when he was younger that made him enough money to supplement his teaching income so he lives much more comfortably. However his societal role is still similar to that of those in Russo’s other novels, as he is a man whose reasoning and way of going about things often gets him into trouble and most people see him only as he is outwardly. Hank is often accused of not taking things as seriously as he should, and he usually just listens to their criticism and goes on. He is much more at peace with himself and doesn’t have t he anger that engulfs some people because of this. However others that don’t have that sort of restraint or ability often just get angrier at him because of this. In Russo’s other books his main characters oft... Free Essays on Richard Russo Term Paper Free Essays on Richard Russo Term Paper In all of his novels evaluated Richard Russo wrote things that fit into the theme of social roles in small towns. In â€Å"Straight Man,† â€Å"Mohawk,† and â€Å"Empire Falls,† there are central male characters, William Henry Devereaux, Dallas Younger, and Miles Roby respectively whose lives and the one’s of those connected to them are the focus. Each is middle aged and going through a period of reflection and question during which they are trying to figure out how they got to the current point in their lives and how to improve the relationships with those they care about. Although they all share the similarities of middle aged men, each with their own job, home and set of people they care about, they each provide a very different perspective on small town life. William Henry Devereaux, a.k.a. Hank, is a professor and the department head of English at the college in the small town he resides within. This sets him apart from Dallas and Miles who both have jobs that are more of the physical labor type. His job although equally dead ended and unfulfilling to him as those of Dallas and Miles, is one of more prestige and intellect. He also doesn’t have the same problem with debt as they do, as he wrote a book when he was younger that made him enough money to supplement his teaching income so he lives much more comfortably. However his societal role is still similar to that of those in Russo’s other novels, as he is a man whose reasoning and way of going about things often gets him into trouble and most people see him only as he is outwardly. Hank is often accused of not taking things as seriously as he should, and he usually just listens to their criticism and goes on. He is much more at peace with himself and doesn’t have t he anger that engulfs some people because of this. However others that don’t have that sort of restraint or ability often just get angrier at him because of this. In Russo’s other books his main characters oft...

Life and Travels of Ibn Battuta, World Explorer and Writer

Life and Travels of Ibn Battuta, World Explorer and Writer Ibn Battuta (1304–1368) was a scholar, theologian, adventurer, and traveler who, like Marco Polo fifty years earlier, wandered the world and wrote about it. Battuta sailed, rode camels and horses, and walked his way to 44 different modern countries, traveling an estimated 75,000 miles during a 29 year period. He journeyed from North Africa to the Middle East and Western Asia, Africa, India and Southeast Asia. Fast Facts: Ibn Battuta Name: Ibn BattutaKnown For: His travel writing, which described the 75,000-mile journey he took during his rilha.Born: February 24, 1304, Tangier, MoroccoDied: 1368 in Morocco  Education: Schooled in the Maliki tradition of Islamic lawPublished Works: A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Travelling or The Travels (1368 Early Years Ibn Battuta (sometimes spelled Batuta, Batouta, or Battutah) was born in Tangier, Morocco on February 24, 1304. He was from a fairly well-to-do family of Islamic legal scholars descended from Berbers, an ethnic group indigenous to Morocco. A Sunni Muslim trained in the Maliki tradition of Islamic law, Ibn Battuta left his home at the age of 22 to begin his rihla, or voyage. Rihla is one of four forms of travel encouraged by Islam, the best known of which is Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. The term rihla refers to both the travel and the genre of literature that describes the journey. The purpose of rihla is to enlighten and entertain readers with detailed descriptions of pious institutions, public monuments and religious personalities of Islam. Ibn Battutas travelogue was written after he returned, and in it he stretched the conventions of the genre, including autobiography as well as some fictional elements from the adjaib or marvels traditions of Islamic literature.   The first seven years of Ibn Battutas Travels took him to Alexandria, Mecca, Medina, and Kilwa Kiswani.   Wikipedia Users Setting Off Ibn Battutas journey began from Tangier on June 14, 1325. Originally intending to make a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, by the time he reached Alexandria in Egypt, where the lighthouse was still standing, he found himself entranced by the people and cultures of Islam.   He headed for Iraq, Western Persia, then Yemen and the Swahili coast of East Africa. By 1332 he reached Syria and Asia Minor, crossed the Black Sea and reached the territory of the Golden Horde. He visited the steppe region along the Silk Road and arrived at the oasis of Khwarizm in western central Asia.   Then he traveled through Transoxania and Afghanistan, arriving in the Indus Valley by 1335. He stayed in Delhi until 1342 and then visited Sumatra and (perhaps- the record is unclear) China before heading home. His return trip took him back through Sumatra, the Persian Gulf, Baghdad, Syria, Egypt, and Tunis. He reached Damascus in 1348, just in time for the arrival of the plague, and returned home to Tangier safe and sound in 1349. Afterwards, he made minor excursions to Granada and the Sahara, as well as to the West African kingdom of Mali. A Few Adventures Ibn Battuta was mostly interested in people. He met and talked with pearl divers and camel drivers and brigands. His traveling companions were pilgrims, merchants, and ambassadors. He visited countless courts. Ibn Battuta lived on donations from his patrons, mostly elite members of Muslim society he met along the way. But he was not just a traveler- he was an active participant, often employed as a judge (qadi), administrator, and/or ambassador during his stops. Battuta took a number of well-placed wives, generally daughters and sisters of the sultans, none of whom are named in the text.   Ibn Battuta is thought to have reached Asia.   Wikimedia Users Visiting Royalty Battuta met countless royals and elites. He was in Cairo during the reign of the Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun. He visited Shiraz when it was an intellectual haven for Iranians fleeing the Mongol invasion. He stayed in the Armenian capital of Staryj Krym with his host, the governor Tuluktumur. He detoured to Constantinople to visit Andronicus III in the company of the Byzantine emperor Ozbek Khans daughter. He visited the Yuan emperor in China, and he visited Mansa Musa (r. 1307–1337) in West Africa.   He spent eight years in India as a qadi in the court of Muhammad Tughluq, the Sultan of Delhi. In 1341, Tughluq appointed him to lead a diplomatic mission to the Mongol emperor of China. The expedition was shipwrecked off the coast of India leaving him with neither employment nor resources, so he traveled around southern India, Ceylon and the Maldive islands, where he served as qadi under the local Muslim government. History of the Literary Rilha In 1536, after Ibn Battuta returned home,  the Marinid ruler of Morocco Sultan Abu Ina commissioned a young literary scholar of Andalusian origins named Ibn Juzayy (or Ibn Djuzzayy) to record Ibn Battutas experiences and observations. Over the next two years together, the men wove what would become the Book of Travels, based primarily on Ibn Battutas memories, but also interweaving descriptions from earlier writers.   The manuscript was circulated around different Islamic countries, but not much cited by Muslim scholars. It eventually came to the attention of the west by way of two adventurers of the 18th and 19th centuries, Ulrich Jasper Seetzen (1767–1811) and Johan Ludwig Burckhardt (1784–1817). They had separately purchased abridged copies during their travels throughout the Mideast. The first English language translation of those copies was published in 1829 by Samuel Lee. Five manuscripts were found by the French when they conquered Algeria in 1830. The most complete copy recovered in Algiers was made in 1776, but the oldest fragment was dated 1356. That fragment had the title Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Traveling, and is believed to have been a very early copy indeed if not an original fragment.   The complete text of the travels, with  parallel Arabic and a French translation, first appeared in four volumes between 1853–1858 by Dufrà ©mery and Sanguinetti. The full text was translated first into English by Hamilton A.R. Gibb in 1929. Several subsequent translations are available today.   Criticism of the Travelogue Ibn Battuta recounted tales of his travels throughout his voyage and when he returned home, but it was not until his association with Ibn Jazayy that the stories were committed to formal writing. Battuta took notes during the journey but admitted that he lost some of them along the way. He was accused of lying by some contemporaries, though the veracity of those claims is widely disputed. Modern critics have noted several textual discrepancies which hint at substantial borrowing from older tales.   Much of the criticism of Battutas writing is aimed at the sometimes confusing chronology and plausibility of certain parts of the itinerary. Some critics suggest he may have never reached mainland China, but did get as far as Vietnam and Cambodia. Parts of the story were borrowed from earlier writers, some attributed, others not, such as Ibn Jubary and Abu al-Baqa Khalid al-Balawi. Those borrowed parts include descriptions of Alexandria, Cairo, Medina, and Mecca. Ibn Battuta and Ibn Juzayy acknowledge Ibn Jubayr in the descriptions of Aleppo and Damascus.   He also relied on original sources, relating historical events told to him in the courts of the world, such as the capture of Delhi and the devastations of Genghis Khan. Death and Legacy After his collaboration with Ibn Jazayy ended, Ibn Batuta retired to a judicial post in a small Moroccan provincial town, where he died in 1368. Ibn Battuta has been called the greatest of all travel writers, having traveled farther than Marco Polo. In his work, he provided priceless glimpses of the various people, courts and religious monuments around the world. His travelogue has been the source of countless research projects and historical investigations. Even if some of the stories were borrowed, and some of the tales a bit too marvelous to be believed, Ibn Battutas rilha remains an enlightening and influential work of travel literature to this day. Sources Battuta, Ibn, Ibn Juzayy, and Hamilton A.R. Gibb. Ibn Battuta, Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354. London: Broadway House, 1929. Print.Berman, Nina. Questions of Context: Ibn Battuta and E. W. Bovill on Africa. Research in African Literatures 34.2 (2003): 199-205. Print.Gulati, G. D. Ibn Battuta in Transoxiana. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 58 (1997): 772-78. Print.Lee, Samuel. The Travels of Ibn Batuta Translated from the Abridged Arabic Manuscript Copies. London: Oriental Translation Committee, 1829. Print.Morgan, D. O. Battuta and the Mongols. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 11.1 (2001): 1-11. Print.Norris, Harry. Ibn Battuta on Muslims and Christians in the Crimean Peninsula. Iran the Caucasus 8.1 (2004): 7-14. Print.Waines, David. The Odyssey of Ibn Battuta: Uncommon Tales of a Medieval Adventurer. London: I.B. Tauris Cp, Ltd, 2010. Print.Zimonyi, Istvn. Ibn Battuta on the First Wife of Ãâ€"zbek Khan. Central Asiatic Journal 49.2 (2005): 303-09. Print.

I will tell you later Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

I will tell you later - Essay Example America demanded for a response after endorsing presence of authoritarian governments with the purpose of assuring stability. However, there was change in the 1970’s and 1980’s as famous movements that were demanding change became very frequent2. As these movements acquire much momentum, the United States was unable to ascertain political and economical stability, which was very necessary by then. In addition, in 1980, the foreign policy used by the US was amended to a democracy promotion. The global economy continued gaining more relevance, and it was during this moment that a new elite sprout on Capitalist strength3. This was in 1980 prior to the finish of Cold war. This was very significant because America it illustrates that America majored in globalization of political and economic features prior to the end of the bi-polar hegemonic system. On the other hand, Sen argues that Globalization does not entirely reflect westernization. According to Sen, globalization is neither new, nor westernized; however, the benefits are justifiable4. Therefore, these two authors points out that we should look at the perspectives of globalization in the sense that, it is something that has been existing and it is not about transformation5 . Based on the readings, Globalization involves sharing goods and services or rather continuity of goods, concepts and authority among many nations, which leads to dependence and interconnection. In this case, globalization becomes a positive factor for change. This is because of improved technology; also, the entire world in under control and it is also empowered through global transactions. I tend to believe that globalization becomes a negative aspect because, firstly, the diffusion of both the traditions and cultures. These factors are fading day in day out. However, this is a temporal way because

Visible and invisible techniques in the architecture Essay

Visible and invisible techniques in the architecture - Essay Example Therefore, the idea for use in this case is exploring the unknown to known using visible spaces. According to Blundell- jones, Petrescu & Till (125), spatial boundaries and connection are created by the mind upon conceiving a piece of artworks.   In most cases, space relies on the construction already in place such as a building or the existing natural environment. This is to mean that the idea of using space is not a nouvelle concept in the field of architecture. It is from it that creativity emanated and other ideologies associated with creative construction such as architecture.   When visible and invisible space is used in architecture, it guides in focusing on the right medium since all pieces of art are constructed in space (Blundell- jones, Petrescu & Till 3). It complication comes from the designing stage. It is from the presentation that it will influence the viewers for a given piece of artwork.   Space is a reminder that our experience in real life is spatial in show ing connections that exist; therefore, it is evident that beings and the universe are similar.   Ã‚  According to Blundell- jones, Petrescu & Till (143), the unique aspect about invisible and visible space is that they experience a flow as a form of architecture. They indicate imaginary boundaries, which can be shifted in whatever direction depending on the artists and the viewer for the art works. This technique is commonly used in construction of modern buildings. Usually, space flows by sequencing connections shown by the voids present. in a given piece of construction. Consequently, rhythm and tonal variation are the visible elements when considering the creation of space for a piece in architecture. Therefore, artists intending to be compassionate in their architectural works have no obligation but to utilize space in its visible form in order to express the invisible. In construction, the use of space elements wisely, an architect is not supposed to experience distraction by his/ creation. Instead, they should use the template and the construction

Congress and Presidency in the United States Essay

Congress and Presidency in the United States - Essay Example The federal government of the United States is divided into three branches that are intended to perform separate functions independently. These branches are the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. However, the legislature is more powerful since it has the role of oversight and making laws that affect the operations of the arms of government. The president, on the other hand, is the head of state and plays a significant role in the coordination of the executive to deliver its mandate to the citizens. Therefore, there is a dependency created by the Congress and the presidency, and they share legislative powers (Dewhirst and Rausch, 2009). While the doctrine of separation of powers was intended that the three arms act autonomously, it has turned out over time that it is a system of shared powers. According to Richard Neustadt, a president is a person trusted by the public to offer viable solutions to problems. Thus, he or she should work not as a master, but as a coworker with the elected leaders in the Congress (Lee, 2012). In this regard, the primary duties of the presidency are to persuade the Congress to legislate on crucial matters. Similarly, the Congress also depends on the president to signs bills into law, thereby making the sharing of power more conspicuous. Nevertheless, there are constitutional provisions that allow the Congress to pass bills into laws. For instance, if the president fails to sign a draft bill in 10 days, it automatically becomes law.

Cheap Air Travel Essay Example for Free

Cheap Air Travel Essay In contemporary society, it is an interesting phenomenon that cheap air travel is becoming increasingly popular. Yet at the same time, people have different opinions over whether it is advantageous for our life. Some people asserts that its advantages outweigh its disadvantages while others argue the reverse. Personally, I’m in favor of the former view. For many countries, tourism accounts for is large part of a nation’s GDP and without it the economy would suffer; to put it another wayï ¼Å' foreign tourists usually spend a lot of money on the services that the host country provides, among others, boosting the souvenir sales in the scenery spots and as a result the local business thrive. Moreover, through encouraging tourism, governments are promoting the image of their cities and countries. . For exampleï ¼Å'in my country, China, where 2008 Olympics was hosted, cheap air travel made long-distance travelling more affordable to common people ,people have a refreshing’s perception of our country. From the opposite standpoint, tourism also allows local people to gain exposures from to people abroad, not only broadening their horizon but also stimulating idea exchange. This win-win situation is not easy to form unless the travelling cost is affordable. I would agree that every coin has two sides. One possible reason for this is that not all tourists have good manners. In some cases their inappropriate behaviors y may even have a negative influence on the local population and even threaten local people’s safety and health, such as the infamous September-11 attacks happened in New York. But these bad situations occurrences are rare and some risk-averse countries therefore establish strict visa policies to particular population which they identify as high risk. From above, I would admit that the trend of cheap air travel has pros and cons. Despite that,However, I’m convinced that this it is beneficial and is worthwhile to be promoted by governments , although we should take effective measures to keep dangerous people away.

Huckleberry Finn - Critical Essay :: essays research papers

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the noblest, greatest, and most adventuresome novel in the world. Mark Twain definitely has a style of his own that depicts a realism in the novel about the society back in antebellum America. Mark Twain definitely characterizes the protagonist, the intelligent and sympathetic Huckleberry Finn, by the direct candid manner of writing as though through the actual voice of Huck. Every word, thought, and speech by Huck is so precise it reflects even the racism and black stereotypes typical of the era. And this has lead to many conflicting battles by various readers since the first print of the novel, though inspiring some. Says John H. Wallace, outraged by Twain’s constant use of the degrading and white supremacist word ‘nigger’, "[The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is] the most grotesque example of racist trash ever written" (Mark Twain Journal by Thadious Davis, Fall 1984 and Spring 1985). Yet, again to counter that is a quote by the great American writer Ernest Hemingway, "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn†¦it’s the best book we’ve had†¦There has been nothing as good since" (The Green Hills of Africa [Scribner’s. 1953] 22). The controversy behind the novel has been and will always remain the crux of any readers is still truly racism. Twain surely does use the word ‘nigger’ often, both as a referral to the slave Jim and any African-American that Huck comes across and as the epitome of insult and inferiority. However, the reader must also not fail to recognize that this style of racism, this malicious treatment of African-Americans, this degrading attitude towards them is all stylized of the pre-Civil War tradition. Racism is only mentioned in the novel as an object of natural course and a precision to the actual views of the setting then. Huckleberry Finn still stands as a powerful portray al of experience through the newfound eyes of an innocent boy. Huck only says and treats the African-American culture accordingly with the society that he was raised in. To say anything different would truly be out of place and setting of the era. Twain’s literary style in capturing the novel, Huck’s casual attitude and candid position, and Jim’s undoubted acceptance of the oppression by the names all signifies this. Twain’s literary style is that of a natural southern dialect intermingled with other dialects to represent the various attitudes of the Mississippian region; he does not intend to outrightly suggest Negro inferiority.

Lada de Brasil Case

Lado do Brazil is struggling to remain a profitable importer of cars in the Brazilian market. To remain profitable LDB needs to increase its sales and maintain its efficient cost structure. The recession, regulatory uncertainty, and increased competition are all factors that are reducing and threatening the sales and profitability of the company. In order to counter these threats and increase sales, LDB needs a more aggressive sales strategy, needs to continue to leverage its existing relationships with dealers, local parts manufacturers, and the local government, and should solely focus on being a low cost provider.This should allow LDB to maintain profitability throughout the recession, and continue to be the import leader in a growing and underserved Brazilian auto market. Although the relationship with the Russian auto supplier (VAZ) is not the primary focus of our analysis, it is important to note that VAZ is in the midst of an uncertain economic and political period. Their abil ity to provide LDB with cars could be jeopardized, thus, a contingency plan is essential. LDB should explore partnerships with other automakers, Toyota or Hyundai. CURRENT CHALLENGES The most pressing challenge faced by Lada is declining sales.In the second half of the year, sales declined consistently. LDB’s market share declined in Q4, indicating its competitive edge is diminishing. Mitigation of the challenges below is imperative. Market The Regulatory Environment   is a hindrance to our price competitiveness and profitability. The primary issues are high tariffs and potential price freezes, but constantly changing rules (ex. tax exceptions, rate changes) threaten our competitiveness. High inflation and Foreign exchange risk are both consistent threats to our ability to compete in Brazil.High inflation leads to constant re-pricing and decreases the availability of financing. It also leads to cruzerio devaluation relative to the dollar and has caused us to lose money on o therwise profitable sales in the past (taxis). Increased price competitiveness of the market is also of concern. Domestic producers have recently agreed to cut prices in exchange for tax breaks, and there is speculation of new low cost cars entering the market. Internal Parent Supply As the USSR transitions away from Communist rule to a free market economy, VAZ becomes unable to serve its demands for domestic and foreign supply.The ability of VAZ to provide LDB with cars at a competitive price is at risk. In addition, theres are speculations that Fiat will purchase a 30% stake in VAZ, increasing uncertainty of the future of LDB’s parent company. RECOMMENDATION By enhancing sales strategies as outlined below, and by taking steps to protect our price advantage, sales should increase and we will retain our position as a price leader. Sales Strategies Refine Product Offering LDB’s value proposition is selling low cost vehicles. The higher priced Samara has consistently sol d poorly and dilutes LDB’s brand.LDB should phase out the Samara in favor of the Laika and Niva. The Laika has been the best seller and should continue to be popular as a cost conscious choice. The Niva’s strong summer sales, coupled with the less competitive S. U. V. market suggests that the Niva is the best opportunity for sales growth. Increase Direct Sales LDB should expand the direct import program. The elimination of a middle man is advantageous because it reduces consumer prices and can increase LDB’s profitability. Implement â€Å"Just-in-time Delivery†To reduce dealer price risks and to incentivize dealers to sell more Ladas, LDB should leverage their bonded warehouse by executing a policy of â€Å"Just-in-time Delivery† of the cars. Instead of requiring dealers to front capital and use inventory space, they hold a minimum inventory and could purchase cars as needed knowing LDB would deliver promptly. This helps eliminate currency risk bec ause money and cars are exchanged simultaneously. Argentina The pact between Brazil and Argentina offers LDB the opportunity to increase sales by selling cars in Argentina without additional tariffs.If the local market continues to stagnate, this could be an alternative market. Supplier Strategy The supplier, VAZ, is operating in an uncertain economic environment and is experiencing difficulties meeting production. To mitigate this risk, LDB should consider partnerships with Hyundai or Toyota. These firm are both low cost manufacturers with an interest in the Brazilian market that would allow us to continue our import business in Brazil. ALTERNATIVES In the process of reaching the stated recommendations, alternative options were considered.To increase sales, LDB could partner with a local bank to offer financing directly to consumers. This makes our car more accessible to consumers that don’t have the assets to purchase outright. Although we believe this would be an excellent opportunity to increase sales, financing is not a core competency of LDB, and finding a banking partner could prove difficult. An additional alternative would be to sell a more upscale car to cater to a demographic that has higher income, resulting in higher margins. Mercedes is fifth in production displaying that there is an available niche market with few competitors.However, the higher-priced cars are contradictory to LDB’s value proposition and dilute the brand message as the lowest priced car on the market. Unlike Mercedes, Lada is not associated with luxury and prestige. LDB could increase its total demand by engaging in contracts to supply cars to the Brazilian government and large institutions. Due to experience with secondary sales platforms, LDB would be able to navigate relations outside of traditional dealer relations. The volume of the negotiated contracts would also allow for substantial discounts of 25% or more.However, in a recession, institutions are unlikel y to engage in financial commitments, even though our car is the lowest priced. This option may be feasible under more economically prosperous times when firms are actively expanding. CONCLUSION To increase sales and overall profitability in the current market environment in Brazil, LDB should refine its product mix to better fit the domestic demand. Additionally, LDB should further penetrate the market by focusing on building long-term relations with dealers and expanding to sell directly to consumers without access to dealers. While focusing on increasing market hare, LDB should diversify its supply channels to mitigate the risk of VAZ being unable to supply cars at a competitive price. While mitigating the risks in the short-term, these strategies position LDB for long-term success. 1. Figure 3 Figure 3 LDB ’s Business Process LDB ’s Business Process 2 . 2 . Daily . Daily . 2 . 2 . 1 . 1 . 4 . 4 . 3 . 3 . 1 . 1 . Direct Sales 1. Consumers contact the dealer and purc hase the car in full at a 20% discount. 2. LDB sends the car to the consumer directly. 3. LDB exchanges Cr into USD daily to avoid currency risk Direct Sales 4. Consumers contact the dealer and purchase the car in full at a 20% discount. . LDB sends the car to the consumer directly. 6. LDB exchanges Cr into USD daily to avoid currency risk Dealer Sales 1. Dealers sell the cars to the consumers using our demo cars. 2. Consumers pay the dealer in Cr. 3. Dealers pay LDB in Cr. 4. LDB sends the cars to the dealers. (Just in time delivery) 5. LDB exchanges Cr into USD daily to avoid currency risk Dealer Sales 6. Dealers sell the cars to the consumers using our demo cars. 7. Consumers pay the dealer in Cr. 8. Dealers pay LDB in Cr. 9. LDB sends the cars to the dealers. (Just in time delivery) 10. LDB exchanges Cr into USD daily to avoid currency risk