Summaries of Five Lectures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summaries of Five Lectures - Research Paper Example Often companies overlook the actual cause by focusing on the tip of the iceberg. At this stage, companies also decide whether to undertake exploratory (exploring the motivations of consumers), descriptive (answering questions such as what, where, when, how) or causal (establishing cause-effect relationships in consumer’s behavior) research. Next, a plan is formulated which is implemented by collecting either primary or secondary data is the desired manner. There are two main types of research: qualitative (comprising of focus groups, observations and third-person techniques) and quantitative. Primarily, companies engage in research by employing the four core media; that is, telephone, internet, mail and face-to-face conversations. For instance, Pepsi conducted a blind-taste test (known as Pepsi Challenge) where consumers were told to taste two cups (one with Pepsi one with Coke). The results revealed that Pepsi was the popular choice amongst Americans. Lecture 3 discusses the three core steps of marketing namely segmentation, targeting and positioning. Segmentation refers to grouping the population into categories based on common characteristics pertaining to behavior, psychographic elements or profile of customers. Segmentation based on behavioral aspects tends to focus on the purchase behavior, benefits, features, usage patterns as well as perceptions of the customers. Psychographic segmentation is based on lifestyle patterns and personality traits of the customers. Profile refers to categorizing the market based on age, income and socio-economic status. Targeting comes after segmentation and refers to the selection of one or more such groups towards which the elements of the marketing mix are aimed at. These segments are evaluated on the basis of criteria such as their potential profitability, size, as well as their coherence with the organizational goals. Finally, positioning refers to the whole or space in customers’ mind that the company wis hes to acquire. In short, the company decides the area in which it would differentiate itself from competitors as well as how it intends to do so. For example, Diet Coke positioned itself against Coke Zero by appealing to a different target market (women) compared to Coke Zero that targeted athletics and sportsmen. Lecture 4 discusses the buyer behavior process. This begins with an analysis of the various roles that consumers take on as â€Å"initiators†, â€Å"influencers†, â€Å"deciders†, â€Å"buyers† and â€Å"users†. A personal consumer is one who is the end user of the product bought, whereas, an organizational consumer is one who buys with the intention of using the product in the manufacture of some other product. The process of making decisions involves recognition of the fact that the consumer has an unsatisfied need which he/she attempts to satisfy, searching for potential ways to satisfy that need, evaluating alternative products on th e basis of various criteria, purchasing and finally, evaluating the decision in retrospect. When the product falls short of the customer’s expectations he/she may experience cognitive dissonance. Consumers purchase products owing to peer pressure (for instance, a Mercedes to show off his status) as well as his/her personality traits (for instance, drinking ground coffee instead of Nescafe’s 3-in-1 satchel). The buying process for organizations is far more complex and involves a more rational, well-informed choice as opposed to purely hedonic or impulsive behavior

Air pollution in Beijing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Air pollution in Beijing - Essay Example As this has occurred, countless thousands of factories have been erected to support this growth and to keep up with the increased demand. In the end, this has resulted in an unstable equation when considering pollution and the environment. It is well documented that pollution is a problem, particularly for the very old and very young among us. Pollution can upset the state of the ecosystem, cause children to miss out of valuable outside playtime, prohibit adults from free exercising, and contribute to a host of long-term illnesses such as cancer and breathing problems. There are many factors contributing to the pollution in Beijing, many being attributed back to the massive growth in the urban sector and the burgeoning number of factories and automobiles operating within the city. Couple that with the growing deforestation to make way for more buildings and urban development, and it does not take long realize the seriousness of the pollution issue in Beijing, China. This paper will d iscuss the problem of pollution in Beijing, its effect on the general population, and the problem that it poses for the environment if recent trends are not reversed. The Problem of Pollution Pollution is causing numerous problems in Beijing City. The situation affects the ecosystem and the health and safety of every person residing with the city limits. Ma, Lu, and Sun (2008) sum up the severity of the problem by pointing out, â€Å"The landscape pattern change in Beijing led by rapid urbanization has negatively influenced urban ecosystem health and has caused several environmental problems† (326). It is important that these issues be discussed openly, solutions proposed and implement, and that everyone does their part to begin to reverse the recent trends of over polluted air. Beginning with the changing landscape best approaches the problem. The past half-century has seen Beijing gradually lose must of its land to over development. Not only has this building boom created a n overabundance of polluting agents in the air, but it has deteriorated the very ecosystem that is designed to give new life to the city and to help rid the air of those very particles that cause damage (Ma, Lu, & Sun 327). While it is true that 50% of the world now live in Cities (United Nations, 2005), China far surpasses even this fact. It is important to examine the factors that lead up to the current pollution problem in Beijing by examining the reasons why the cities within the country has expanded so. China has the largest population in the world. This population explosion in the past century has greatly contributed to the rapid urbanization of its cities, and urban areas have seen record percentages of population growth. Beijing is not only the capital of China, but it is the third largest city in the country and it continues to grow and develop at a frightening and frantic pace. It is estimated that the urban density within Beijing itself is now up to a staggering 84.3%, wh ich is the second highest in China and one of the highest in the world (Ma, Lu, & Sun 328). In just the last 20 years, this urbanization and population growth has drastically changed the entire landscape pattern of the city, causing pollution to become an even greater problem as the pollutants simply have no where to go. The Chinese are notoriously quiet about problems existent in their communities, but recently there has been a public uproar against the air

Memorandum International management associated Essay Example for Free

Memorandum International management associated Essay Businesses have crossed borders, and it has been growing rapidly in recent decades because of the liberalization of government policies, and technological expansion. To satisfy the global demand of customers, it requires strong managements skills, sensitivity to cultural issues, and intercultural competence. As the multinational corporations grows and improve the quality, and operate at international level, this is why managers should ask three critical questions, first why should I expand internationally? Second where should I expand? Finally, how to expand? Which will help to achieve successful strategic objectives. `In this memorandum the Board of Directors for ABC Complete Kitchens, Inc. concerns of the board of directors of the plant relative to international sales of products of for ABC Complete Kitchens, Inc will be examined. This memorandum analyzes the international management considerations associated with the plant. ABC Complete Kitchens, Inc is anticipating nearly twenty percent of the sales from the international and overseas market. Therefore, the board of directors has expressed their concerns about the management of  international aspects for the plant. Some issues have been identified in overseas management procedures, and considerations for the same are to be provided. This memorandum expresses the concerns for the same. The ABC, Inc needs to adopt international management strategies to sustain its competitive position in the market via adequate cultural, technical, political, and economic environment. Localization Concerns After knowing why to expand either to increase sales or to cut costs or for other reasons . The ABC, Inc, should decide which countries to enter first, which type of countries to chose, what criteria to follow to make these choices. The best suggestion for ABC, Inc is enter the countries with the largest potential customers for its products, however managers should also think about how likely they are going to success in particular foreign market, and how to measure not only the geographic distance, but language, cultural, administrative, and economic distances as well. Language Concerns Language affects the way of employees, customers and business partners communicate with each other. Based on the level of foreign language knowledgebasically the Englishin the countrys society, the ABC Inc. must carefully decide whether it can use English as a working and advertising language or if its management has to learn the countrys own language and build the strategy on that language (Kozenkow). Cultural Concerns The habits, behaviors and consumer preferences of every society are determined with Culture. While implementing a business strategy overseas, ABC Kitchen Inc, should consider all the cultural characteristics of the targeted society. When entering new country the t firm should ask if the customers want the same thing, or it will have to modify the product to fit their satisfactions. . Therefore, for increasing overseas sale, ABC Inc, must plan its overseas strategy keeping in mind of the culture of the country for which the strategy is being planned. Administrative and International Laws concerns The ABC kitchen, Inc, need to abide and respect the different regulations,  government policies, and legal systems, because countries vary widely on these dimensions, which require the firm to has a deep understanding on how to meet those regulations to avoid failure, even if the firm has the best products in the markets. Technical development concerns Differences among the technical development and facility of markets internationally or within the United States determine fundamentally the opportunities of production, sales and marketing of the operating businesses. Management can build your advertising and promotion strategy exclusively on the Internet if the majority of the national population or local community uses the Web as its primary source of information. Economic concerns An other important factor is economic concern which is the average of purchasing power customers in different countries, and how elastic this power is, therefore, it means how much demand for the product changes, as the price goes up and down, because this is a big deal for the firm to know who are used to buy products in the market, where every one is wealthy. In other hands, may people with low wage should be a target. Economic differences like these have a major influence on what type of products will be demanded. Supply Chain Management Supply chains are an integral part of global quality and cost management initiative, because a typical company’s supply chain cost can represent more than 50% of assets and more than 80% of revenues. (Ball, 2010), in other word, the ABC, Inc should reduce the inventory of chain supply to reduce the cost. In order to do that the Board of Directors of ABC Inc. has to expresses reconsiderations for management across business functions in supply chain management. Managing the flow of raw materials, supplies as well as finished products are equally important as the management of sales and marketing. Competition Another concern is the competition in overseas market. Local products tend to be cheaper than the internationally exported products due to various forms of taxes included in them. Therefore, how will be the completion met in the  overseas market and what the management plans to do with the taxes and prices in the overseas market, the board of directors should be interested in knowing these aspects. Finance and Accounting Another factor that the firm should take it on consideration is the accounting practices and standard changes across the national borders, it is an obstacle to merge subsidiary financial results with those at the parent company, this is why there is a growing movement toward convergence of accounting standards across countries (Ball, 2010). This convergence will help the financial management to be more integrating, because the statements will be comparable. ABC complete Kitchen Finance management is particularly a concern point, as overseas countries change in value in terms of each other based on currency exchange rates. How will the ABC Inc. comply with financial laws and regulations in the host country, the concern particularly addresses following questions to be answered: What management is doing to understand how fluctuations in currency value change international business transactions? What is the process for financial tools such as derivatives, hedges, payment timing, exposure netting, price adjustments, balance sheet neutralizing, and swaps, and how they affect business performance? When and how to pay exporters in forms other than money; buyers frequently prefer payment rendered in the form of goods or services (countertrade)? Human resource concern Board of directors of ABC complete Kitchen Inc. has expressed interest and concern about the strategies of management and have questioned that how will be the needs of the resources and workers will be met across different countries. Furthermore, what is the best way to meet the needs of these employees and also best utilize their skills and talents to keep the business functioning smoothly? (Business) Ethics and Society Concerns After the ABC kitchen,Inc established a business global plan for marketing, operations, and human resource management , should now establish an ethically and socially business plan among its international management considerations. â€Å"The purpose of the firm is not simply to make profit, but to create value for all of its stakeholders, business success is judged not simply by company’s financial, but by how well it serves broad social interests† (Laweren, 2008). In other words if ABC ,Inc want to successes internationally, it should adopt strategy that apply ethical values and the respect of people on its global environment and for different people that affect the company, from the stakeholder ,to the shareholders, employees, customers, and society. To achieve that the Broad Director of the firm should adopt a stakeholder theory that consists on: identifying the relevant stakeholders group, determining the stake of each group, determining how the expectation of each group are met, finally look for the stakeholder interests. By following these steps the firm will build a good relationship with the shareholder, moreover will build reputation and trust that will enhance its performance. Finally, f or the hiring process the ABC ,Inc should put values and ethics as requirement to hire new employees, because it will not just help the organization but the global market place. Conclusion In summary, getting global strategy wright can be very difficult, because it requires matching the wright reasons for going global with the wright places and the wright strategies. The ABC Complete kitchen, Inc should follow the steps suggested while managing significant differences between countries, and responding to the intense rivalry from both global and local competitors, however when the challenges are great, the ABC Inc should get it wright, to win in a really big way. References Ball,G. (2010). International business: The Challenge of global competition,12th Edition, New York, NY: the McGraw-Hill Companies Boundless.com. (n.d.). Considerations-when-managing-a-global-corporation. Retrieved from https://www.boundless.com/management/textbooks/boundless-management- textbook/globalization-and-business-14/managing-international-corporations- 107/considerations-when-managing-a-global-corporation-499-10752/. Business, R. f. (n.d.). International Management. Retrieved from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Gr-Int/International- Management.html. Kozenkow, J. (n.d.). International Management Challenges. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/international-management-challenges-56168.html. Lawerence,W. (2008). Business and Society: Stakeholders, Ethics, Public Policy, 12th Edition. New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies. Sullivan, D. (2011). Business strategies for organizational effectiveness within the global Perspective. Pearson Education, NJ: Prentice hall.

Changes In Global Trade And Financial Flows Economics Essay

Changes In Global Trade And Financial Flows Economics Essay Globalisation is the increasing level of economic integration between countries leading to the surfacing of a new market place. Globalisation has resulted in a reduction in trade protection. This is because of the increased interaction between countries has led to the possibility to purchase goods with similar quality to those developed locally, but for a cheaper price. Financial flows throughout the global economy have immensely increased due to more interaction. In the early 1970s industrial development took place in developing countries, so companies moved production oversees, allowing for lower production costs mainly due to cheap labour. In 1983 the financial system was de-regulated and the exchange rate was floated. This means that the value of the Australian dollar is determined by the supply and demand of the currency. This led to greater accessibility of Australian firms to world capital markets and reduced exporting costs. But this increased the instability of the exchange rate. In the late 1980s Australian manufacturers were persuaded to export to the international market through tariffs, subsidies, local content schemes and quotas. This was in order for them to survive in the large international market. There have been major changes in trade patterns that reflect changes in the global economy. An example is the growth of China being directly related to the demand of raw materials. The increased volume of trade between countries can also be attributed to advances in technologies and new trade agreements such as the Australia United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA). Trade growth is also due to the increase in demand of the resources that Australia has high amounts of. The constantly growing Asian economies demand raw materials that Australian companies extract from the land support growth in certain industries. An example of this is the trade between Australia and China. China is in demand of resource commodities in order to expand their infrastructure and support the 8% growth rate. Explain why globalisation has resulted in a reduction of trade protection Trade protection is a form of regulation that is imposed by a government in order to protect certain industries from cheaper oversees alternatives. Globalisation has resulted in a reduction of trade protection. This is because of increased production possibilities in developing countries that have lower wage rates than developing countries, leading to lower costs and greater profits. The removal of trade barriers can occur because a certain country can: Produce a good not available in another country Produce a good for a cheaper price than goods produced locally Produce a good more efficiently, allowing another country to focus on goods that they can produce efficiently Produce a good that is of better quality because of development of technical skills. However, there are trade protection rules in place in order to protect certain industries and to reduce effects of off shoring on domestic markets. Reasons for protection include: Infant Industries: These are industries that are at the beginning of the product lifecycle and have yet to establish themselves in the market. Therefore they have not yet experienced economies of scale (have not produced enough so that the cost of producing is lower in bulk). Because of this it is very difficult for them to compete with large foreign competitors, who take advantage of economies of scale and offer their products at lower prices, domestically. Although this is a reason for protection, if it is not removed at the correct time the industry may become reliant on government protection and never mature. Therefore a balance must be found between protection and allowing domestic industries to mature. Dumping: This refers to the selling of goods in export markets for a cheaper price than the cost of production. This creates revenue for the exporters that are dumping, but destroys the market for the importing company as they cannot compete with the cheap prices. Dumping is prohibited because of its potential to destroy industries quickly. Dumping may occur because a company wishes to: Gain market share, to reduce excess stock or to deliberately destroy competitive, domestic producers. Dumping also affects employment levels, because consumers will purchase the cheaper good, as the law of demand states the lower the price, the more demand there will be. Domestic Employment: Cheap imports reduce the market share of producers because of consumers purchasing cheaper products. As a result of this unemployment may occur in a certain industry because they may not compete. There may be structural change in the domestic economy because of this inability to compete. An example of this is in the United States in the 1980s where consumers preferred cheaper Japanese alternatives, therefore employment in the car industry decreased rapidly and the structure of the domestic economy changed to specialisation in the computer industry. Explain how trading blocs have impacted on protection levels Trading blocs are intergovernmental, multilateral agreements between countries within an area that decrease regulation on each others exports. Trading blocs have impacted on levels of protection. Since trading blocs are intergovernmental agreements, there must be deregulation in order to achieve maximum trade efficiency. An increase in the amounts of trading blocs internationally has led to a decrease in protection levels between countries in the trading blocs. An example of a trading bloc that has eliminated all trade barriers between the members is the European Union. This was established in 1993 and, although there is minimum regulation, there remains a common tariff between the members. The reasons that countries would want to join a trading bloc are: Improved growth, increased efficiency through importing cheaper goods and services, increased competition, economies of scale (larger markets due to free trade, investment in production due to increased trade and increased technolog y. Explain the consequences of deregulation on financial markets Deregulation of financial markets is where the banks have regulations removed from them. Between the years of 1983 and 1985 the financial system was deregulated by: The cessation of interest rate constraints on banks. This allowed banks to, more efficiently, fight for business (in the form of deposits and loans). Floating the Australian dollar: This is where the value of the currency is determined by the supply and demand of that certain currency. This changes the cost to import from or export to Australia, because the value of the dollar fluctuates. There is an inverse relation between the value of the dollar and the cost to import/export from/to Australia. Granting 40 foreign exchange licenses: This allowed foreign banks to enter the Australian financial system, and was done in order to boost competitiveness in the financial sector. In order to make the Australian banks more competitive, the procedure to set up domestic institutions was made more simple. The consequences of de-regulation are to do with the effects of speculation on appreciation and depreciation of the currency. When there is speculation that the value of the Australian dollar will rise, more people will purchase when it is still low. This increased demand will then cause the dollar to rise because of the floating exchange rate (as shown above). This in turn will have a negative effect on exports from Australia because the currency is worth more in comparison to others. An example is if the USA are importing goods from Australia with the Australian dollar buying 40 US cents. There will be more exports from Australia at this exchange rate in comparison to when 1 Australian dollar will by 1 US Dollar. Outline the role of the WTO, IMF and the World Bank in the global Economy The World Trade Organisation is a global establishment that supervises and implements rules controlling global trade. It is at the middle of decreasing trade protection and barriers. The trade policies that are determined by the WTO and multilateral agreements have expanded world trade; therefore it is seen as a symbol of globalisation. The accomplishment of the WTO in decreasing obstructions to trade and encouraging globalisation can be attributed to a reduction in mainly tariffs and quotas. This is done by: Enforcing international agreements and trade rules: Controlling trade disputes Observing trade policies Supervise trade negotiations While many countries have based their development on export and support globalisation entirely, there are many opponents to globalisation that have hindered the WTOs protection reduction scheme through protesting. This is known as the anti-globalisation process and is undertaken by numerous individuals/organisations because they are opposed to transnational corporations having un-regulated power and specifically because of profit maximisation leading to reducing costs which may lead to a more dangerous work place. The success of the WTO is measured by world trade figures. The amount of merchandise trade exports in 1990 was 14 times bigger than in 1950. The International Monetary fund is an establishment that has been set up with the intention to help countries finance trade and assist with balance of payments. Its prime intention is to guarantee steadiness of the worldwide financial structure, the system of exchange rates and worldwide payments that allows countries and its people to purchase goods and services from each other. In short it promotes globalisation. This is completed by loaning funds to nations in crisis to aid them in paying debts, imports and stabilising currencies. Examples of nations needing financial aid are Russia in 1998, many countries in Asia in 1998 and Argentina in 2003. The countries that obtain help from the IMF usually have conditions imposed on them. The types of conditions that the IMF imposes include: An increase in taxes Decreasing financial assistance on food and fuel Requiring members to disclose monetary and fiscal policies Since these reduce the living conditions of the impoverished, the IMF is frequently perceived as supporting global capital at the expense of the poor. It is, in addition, criticised for pushing nations at the beginning of the economic life cycle to open their economies, float their currencies, and reduce manufacturing and trade barriers. Since there are lags, it takes a while for the income levels to rise and demonstrate the benefits of these actions undertaken by the IMF. The World Bank is built as an organisation for financially supporting long standing expansion scheme for developing nations. The loans that are made towards these developing nations have a very low interest rate and are commonly referred to as soft loans. It not only lends money cheaply to developing nations, but also enforces procedures in order to endorse trade, boost exports and deregulation. An example of this is where some farmers in certain impoverished nations are persuaded to harvest produce for global demand, rather than for neighbouring areas. This may be done in order to boost profits from exports for the entire country. Although this may have a negative impact on local areas because rather than having those supplies used for the locals, they are used, instead for use in exports. Analyse how the global credit crisis has changed global trade and financial flows The global credit crisis has affected global trade and financial flows within the economy greatly. The following trade statistics show the trade numbers between the years 2005-08. Year Imports Exports 2004 9.5 10.5 2005 6 6.5 2006 6.5 8.5 2007 2 6 2008 -12 1.5 The trend of the data can be analysed in the following graph. Results taken from World Trade Organisation website: http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/its2010_e/its10_toc_e.htm From the results above it can be seen that between the years 2004 and 2008 there was a drastic decrease in the export and import numbers internationally from 10.5% to -12%. This was due to the effects of the Global Credit Crisis. This will be shown below The global credit crisis began having major impacts in 2007, and still has major impacts on most economies in 2010. The global credit crisis began in the 1980s, where gigantic companies produced mechanical goods. At the end of the decade these firms identified that much more money could be made by investing into the financial industry. An example of a company that took part in this exercise was GE, who by the 90s, was making 10 times more money in investment, than in the production of goods. Due to the amount of cheap loans available, they borrowed much and became in debt. This money was then used to invest in financial bubbles. At first hefty profits were made, and many companies followed suit and by 2005 there was 14 so much money invested in speculation, that in value it equalled 14 times the value of the American economy. Debt began being offered to low income earners to in order to make more money and they could not pay it off. This had an incredible impact on the rest of the wo rld, showing the theory that when America sneezes, everybody catches a cold. Australia was one of the less affected countries due to its link with China. The global credit crisis had a large effect on global trade and financial flows. They include: Less demand for goods and services: Since there was far less demand, the price of elastic goods and service will go down, translating into less production, leading to greater unemployment. From this unemployment, there will be less household income therefore less goods and services will be bought. It was like a never ending circle. Less availability of credit: After the banks had gone bankrupt, there was no body to lend money to consumers, meaning spending was minimal. Rapidly decreasing Gross Domestic Product -Australia has developed a foreign debt of almost $A500 billion from borrowing money in order to fix the extended account deficit. There have been major changes in trade patterns that reflect the changes in the global economy. The rapid growth of China and the export of their manufactured goods, have led to a massive increase of raw materials demanded of certain countries like Australia. Results show that in 2003 the exports from Australia to China were triple what they were in 1990. This ever growing link between Asia and Australia has such a large importance that one of the objectives of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) is to have Australia join so that free trade can occur between them. In conclusion it can be said that the structure and target of Australian trade is greatly affected by the trends of the global economy.

Taking a Chance in Hurston’s Novels, Their Eyes Were Watching God and Seraph on the Suwanee :: Their Eyes Watching God Seraph Suwanee

Taking a Chance in Hurston’s Novels, Their Eyes Were Watching God and Seraph on the Suwanee â€Å"‘All right then, you name somethin’ and we’ll do it. We kin give it uh poor man’s trial anyhow.’† â€Å"‘Anyhow Ah done got rested up and de bed bugs is done got too bold round heah. Ah didn’t notice when mah rest wuz broke. Ah’m goin’ out and look around and see whut we kin do. Ah’ll give anything uh common trial.’† pp. 168-69; Their Eyes Were Watching God â€Å"Arvay woke up next morning with hope and determination. Nothing beats trial but a failure, Arvay decided. She might not win Jim back, but she meant to give it a poor man’s trial. That is the best that she could do. If she failed, it was not going to be because she never tried.† p. 316; Seraph on the Suwanee The first passage shows no sign of weakness or unsureness; there are only bold declarations of fact. Janie tells Tea Cake to â€Å"name somethin’† and they would be capable of doing it (168). Tea Cake shares the same attitude with Janie, telling her that he is rested and that he is â€Å"goin’ out† too â€Å"look around† for something for them to do (168-9). The indecision lies not with the two of them but instead with the outside world. The use of active, present-tense verbs makes the passage vibrant and lifelike. It is clear to the reader from this passage that the couple is happy and confident in themselves; they will give most anything â€Å"a poor man’s trial† (168). They are not worried about their future, and the impression is that they â€Å"kin do† practically anything and still be happy (169). In the second passage, there is sureness tainted with uncertainty. Arvay has â€Å"hope and determination† to accomplish her goal, but she is unsure about its outcome (316). She thinks that â€Å"she might not† regain her status with her husband (316). She is not positive that Jim will take her back. Because she is willing â€Å"to give it a poor man’s trial,† the extent of her resolve is shown (316). However, her lack of confidence shows in the next sentence, where she admits that there is a possibility for failure. Arvay has resolved not to lose Jim â€Å"because she never tried† (316). While the sentences are active in this passage, the past tense lends them an air of resignedness and doubt.

julius caesar - flattery :: essays research papers

In William Shakespeare's tragic play Julius Caesar, an under appreciated factor of flattery and persuasion plays an important role in the choices of the leaders. Cassius uses flattery with Brutus. Decius uses flattery with Caesar, and Antony uses flattery with Brutus. Cassius persuades and flatters Brutus. Cassius knows that Caesar would do harm to Rome if he became leader. Brutus would be a powerful force in the conspirator's movement to kill Caesar before Caesar becomes king and destroys Rome. Cassius really needs Brutus on his side, so in order to persuade Brutus, he uses lots of flattery. Whenever Cassius talks to Brutus he throws in "good Brutus", "gentle Brutus" or "dear Brutus" to make Brutus feel comfortable and confident. He also uses overlooked flattery when speaking to Brutus. Cassius realizes all his sweet talk has done well when he responds to Brutus with "I am glad/That my weak words have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus" (I, ii, 8). By this, he means that his words have lit a flame, or triggered a though in "the great" Brutus's head. Decius uses flattery and persuasion when speaking to Brutus. Decius is an active member of the Conspirators so he is very motivated into getting Caesar to go to the Senate House. The first thing that Decius says when he walks into Caesar's house is "Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar" (II, ii, 30). Decius also goes on and calls Caesar "most mighty". Decius is already on Caesar's good side. After catching up on Calpurnia's dream, he uses his quick wit to distort Calpurnia's foreshadowing dream by saying it is "misinterpreted". He explains that the dream "Signifies that from (Caesar) Rome shall suck/Reviving blood, and that great men shall press/for tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance" (II, ii, 31). Caesar seems to be amazed by this version of the interpretation; in fact, he likes this version a lot better mainly because Decius uses so much flattery. Antony deceives Brutus and the other conspirators with his keen wit and his sweet talk. After a brief minute of expressing sorrow, Antony goes right into saying "Friends am I with you all, and love you all" (III, I, 42). Antony is using flattery in order to get Brutus on his good side so he can speak in the order of Caesar's funeral. Antony asks Brutus if he can, Brutus agrees without hesitation. julius caesar - flattery :: essays research papers In William Shakespeare's tragic play Julius Caesar, an under appreciated factor of flattery and persuasion plays an important role in the choices of the leaders. Cassius uses flattery with Brutus. Decius uses flattery with Caesar, and Antony uses flattery with Brutus. Cassius persuades and flatters Brutus. Cassius knows that Caesar would do harm to Rome if he became leader. Brutus would be a powerful force in the conspirator's movement to kill Caesar before Caesar becomes king and destroys Rome. Cassius really needs Brutus on his side, so in order to persuade Brutus, he uses lots of flattery. Whenever Cassius talks to Brutus he throws in "good Brutus", "gentle Brutus" or "dear Brutus" to make Brutus feel comfortable and confident. He also uses overlooked flattery when speaking to Brutus. Cassius realizes all his sweet talk has done well when he responds to Brutus with "I am glad/That my weak words have struck but thus much show of fire from Brutus" (I, ii, 8). By this, he means that his words have lit a flame, or triggered a though in "the great" Brutus's head. Decius uses flattery and persuasion when speaking to Brutus. Decius is an active member of the Conspirators so he is very motivated into getting Caesar to go to the Senate House. The first thing that Decius says when he walks into Caesar's house is "Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar" (II, ii, 30). Decius also goes on and calls Caesar "most mighty". Decius is already on Caesar's good side. After catching up on Calpurnia's dream, he uses his quick wit to distort Calpurnia's foreshadowing dream by saying it is "misinterpreted". He explains that the dream "Signifies that from (Caesar) Rome shall suck/Reviving blood, and that great men shall press/for tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance" (II, ii, 31). Caesar seems to be amazed by this version of the interpretation; in fact, he likes this version a lot better mainly because Decius uses so much flattery. Antony deceives Brutus and the other conspirators with his keen wit and his sweet talk. After a brief minute of expressing sorrow, Antony goes right into saying "Friends am I with you all, and love you all" (III, I, 42). Antony is using flattery in order to get Brutus on his good side so he can speak in the order of Caesar's funeral. Antony asks Brutus if he can, Brutus agrees without hesitation.

Humans or Robots? Essay

As Americans, we are told from a young age that in order to have a fulfilling life we must work hard to reach the American Dream. We must get an impressive degree; we must get married by age thirty to someone of the opposite sex; we must have two kids—one boy and one girl; and most importantly we must work a nine-to-five job, writing reports at a desk in a successful corporate business. If one does not fulfil these requirements, others expect that they probably were not up to par, or as deserving, as the other Joe Schmo who did. In Daniel Orozco’s short story, â€Å"Orientation,† the narrator is showing a new employee around the office, telling him/her about all of the rules that he/she must follow, about the personal lives of the other employees’, and about the â€Å"perks† he/she will have as an employee. By illustrating the corporate workplace as being void of any human element, the story argues that the workplace is an impersonal and a relentles sly unforgiving environment, and that people should be aware of this crisis in corporate America, and furthermore see the faults of the corporate workplace. The story begins with the narrator telling the new employee rules about his/her phone, and that he/she may not answer it or make any personal phone calls, unless it is an emergency. However, after the narrator tells the new employee what he/she must do in the case of an emergency call, the narrator describes the consequences to not following the rules by saying, â€Å"If you make an emergency phone call without asking, you may be let go† (484). This illustrates the company’s capacity for human emotion (which is obviously extremely low), showing that the company’s value of its rules is more important than any emergency. An emergency is something that comes up unexpectedly and needs to be attended to right away to fix the problem. In this case, the company has no empathy for its employees but rather for the efficiency of the business. The employees are expected to put their job before everything in their lives, even though a job is, in most cases, a source to suppo rt the other aspects of their lives. The narrator goes on to point out the receptionist who is a temporary employee, but is only labeled temporary because historically they always  seem to quit. The narrator states, â€Å"Be polite and civil to our temps. Learn their names. Invite them to lunch occasionally. But don’t get too close to them, as it only makes it more difficult when they leave† (484). The narrator is instructing the new employee to be â€Å"polite† and â€Å"civil† to the receptionist, which contrasts the human tendency to want to be friendly to co-workers. This illuminates the narrator as being robotic and emotionless, just like the company. The narrator and the company alike are incapable of genuine emotion, which is evident when the narrator tells the new employee to be â€Å"polite† and â€Å"civil† but to not get too attached. The emotional ability of the narrator is clearly forced when he/she tells the employee to be â€Å"civil† towards the receptionists, to â€Å"learn their names†, and to â€Å"invite them to lunch occasionally.† The low magnitude of what the narrator perceives as friendly is disturbingly unhuman-like. The narrator has no difficulty telling the new employee to put in the bare minimum of his/her emotional effort, by purely tolerating the receptionist, without being too mean or too nice to her. The narrator expects the new employee to be just as detached and emotionless as the company, because if he/she is not, it would only make it emotionally harder for him/her to endure the emotionless acts and values of the company. In another attempt to make the company appear good, the narrator tells the new employee about the comprehensive health plan that covers the costs of any family illness or tragedy. The narrator uses the example that if anything happened to any of Larry Bagdikian’s daughters, all expenses would be covered and that, â€Å"he would have nothing to worry about† (486). The irony behind this is that if an illness or tragedy happened to any of his daughters, he would have the illness or tragedy to worry about rather than the breadth of his health plan. Like any good father, he would fret about his child’s well-being above any financial costs. This piece of evidence has a strong connection back to when the narrator said that if the new employee ever made an emergency phone call without asking, the new employee would be let go. Another example of how the comprehensive health plan does not take away worry is when the narrator talks about how Barry Hacker’s wife died, and how she was completely covered but she has â€Å"haunt[ed] him† (487) since. The company’s comprehensive health plan shows that the company expects  family illnesses and tragedies to come up, but the company would rather make up for their lack of empathy during the emergency, when it is already too late and has turned into a tragedy. Although the company tries to make the comprehensive health plan look like a perk to the job, Orozco argues that it is more of a plan to compensate for the company’s faults and is purely intended to take employees’ attention away from the corrupt workplace environment. An ongoing pattern throughout the story that illuminates the strict workplace environment is shown in the repetition of, â€Å"you may be let go†. A good example of this is when the narrator states, â€Å"Feel free to ask questions. Ask too many questions, however, and you may be let go† (484). In a humane workplace, there are typically universal rules that, if broken, would result in an employee being fired. However, the company’s rules that will get an employee fired are all irrational. The company expects its employees to act without human error and to balance everything with perfect proportion. This is manifested when the narrator says to not ask â€Å"too many questions† but does not tell the new employee what that exactly means. The amount of questions that the new employee will perceive as too many is subjective, but the narrator sees it as an objective amount and expects the new employee to also see it objectively and without further clarification. The narrator goes on to explain the rules about the coffee pool and the microwave oven. When talking about the coffee pool, the narrator says, â€Å"You are allowed to join the coffee pool of your choice, but you are not allowed to touch the Mr. Coffee† (486). Immediately after, the narrator goes on to describe the rules for the microwave oven when he/she states, â€Å"You are allowed to heat food in the microwave oven. You are not, however, allowed to cook food in the microwave oven† (486). When it comes down to it, the company’s strict guidelines have little to do with the company itself. The rules for the Mr. Coffee and the microwave oven are both very simple and perplexing. Rules are generally used as safety precautions or for efficiency. Touching the Mr. Coffee and cooking food in the microwave oven have nothing to do with safety or efficiency, and have everything to do with the unforgiving and power-driven nature of the company. Through the absence of any human element, the story argues that the corporate workplace is emotionless and harsh and that it sends a negative message to corporate workplace employees. Orozco’s agenda behind writing â€Å"Orientation† was to articulate how corporate bureaucracies exploit their employees by subjecting them to irrational standards and by expecting them to work without human error. I agree with Orozco because corporate businesses tend to care more about the money and the success rate of the business, rather than their employees. This subjects the employees to neglect and in essence makes them slaves to their workplace. The message is not outdated, and the workplace conditions are currently, in my opinion, more taxing than the author intended to portray. The message that we should always be aware of the faults in the corporate workplace will never be outdated, and furthermore it is important to remember our history for generations to come so that the history of corporate workplace conditions does not repeat itself.