Relationship Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Relationship Paper - Essay Example I am a believer of strong family relationships as I have been raised with my parents holding on to each other as they go through the daily trials life brought along. In effect, I have been looking forward to building my own family the way I have been raised. Demureness was one virtue I always appreciated in my mother, one that in my own opinion, a real woman should possess so that this was the first thing I looked for in a woman. I guess in part, this is because of the fully accepted impression that men are expected to be strong as the head of the family, able to bring in the needs of the family by working difficult jobs while women are delicate, from their actions to their works. Armed with such a conviction, this has served as my guidance in finding the right woman for my self. I met my wife in _________ whose very refined movement caught my attention and whose cultured speech strengthened my desire to know her better. I soon learned she was looking for a man who wanted a lasting r elationship and not just one that would melt after a few years. Seeing it through the exchange theory (Adler & Proctor, 2007 p. 280), I now see how my wants were gratified as much as hers in the relationship we were trying to build. I was looking for the traits that would be to my advantage, having a woman who can submit to me as her male partner while she on the other hand, was looking for a man who could stick to just one woman for a lifetime. A man of simple words and direct to the point, there have been miscommunications in our relationship as we learned to express our thoughts and ideas which proved to be a great task to both of us because my wife usually spoke on a seemingly different level, saying something different from the way I hear her. So many times, we tried to understand each other but letting things pass just made it work during our experimenting and intensifying stages. When we decided to commit to each other through marriage, getting to the final stage of a relatio nship called bonding (Knapp & Vangelisti), we sealed our relationship in giving our vows to love each other until death. Marriage does not end trials and troubles in a relationship but it sure forces a person to indulge one’s self in making it work. Our communication problems did not end when we got married rather we seem to have thought that each of us should be able to read one’s mind by this time because at this period, we should have known each other pretty well. This made the problem even worse which usually led to a cold war between us, my wife usually keeping quiet, not answering simple questions. The arrival of our children did not even help resolve our problems instead, they were involved in a tug of war where my wife and I tried to get their attention to one of us alone and let the other feel how it could be to be alone, abandoned. These days, there are still some misunderstandings but we have grown, being wiser in our actions and speech and reminded that if we truly want our relationship to last, we have to make things work. This includes learning to be articulate in communicating our thoughts, putting one’s self to the shoes of the other for us to understand further what one is saying. The subject matter we have been discussing in class gave me a clearer view of my relationship with my wife and is helping me a lot in the improvement of how I deal with her these days. I have learned that in a relationship, it sure takes two to tango and the resolution we tried to employ in our

Toyota - Promotion Essay Example for Free

Toyota Promotion Essay The promotional marketing aspect of Toyota is by far one of the major keys to success of the entire organization. It is so critical to Toyota that they recently spent a total of $2. 86 billion in advertising expenses, which ranks them at number six in the world for the highest advertising budget (Evans, 2011). The message is clear for Toyota. Their new organizational goal and slogan is â€Å"Moving Forward. † That is exactly their plan in the upcoming years for being right on the heels of top automakers General Motors and Ford Motor Company. To achieve this goal, the primary aspect of the organization is to get their promotional marketing out through advertising, personal selling, offering sales promotions, and being involved in publicity. Toyota spends a significant amount of money on advertising to convey their message clearly. The company plans to move forward, surpassing other automakers to claim the number one spot, by producing vehicles that are fuel efficient, reliable, affordable, and practical. One of the best examples in their product line is the Toyota Corolla. The target market for this vehicle is rather perplexed or simply genius. Rather than targeting a specific target market, this vehicle is designed for the needs of many consumers including families, college students, and professionals. But the real question here is how to target several consumers in different areas? The answer is by advertising everywhere possible. Toyota advertisements can be found just about everywhere including primetime television, popular radio stations, newspapers, magazines, internet banners, billboards, sporting events, sponsorships, and any of their cars driving down the road. Although the cost of advertising may seem like a big number, Toyota considers it a necessary commodity for achieving the number one auto manufacturer in the world. The only way to purchase a Toyota product is through a sales consultant at a certified retail outlet and is the reason why personal selling is a critical part to the overall success of the organization. This concept is a huge benefit for Toyota’s volume because a sales consultant has the ability to influence and persuade a consumer into making a uniformed and educated decision on their product. The biggest benefit for a sales consultant is the ability to offer a test drive which creates value and ownership in a consumer’s mind to the actual product they desire. In addition, this interaction builds a relationship and allows the consumer to get direct feedback quickly and professionally to any questions they may have. Since personal selling is a critical part to consumer purchasing, Toyota ensures that their sales consultants are highly motivated, trained, and professional. In fact, a requirement for employment as a Toyota sales consultant is to actively complete sales/ product knowledge training through their virtual online Toyota University. If a sales consultant fails to meet these standards, then they are welcomed to stay in sales but just not with Toyota Motor Company. Furthermore, sales consultants are also judged on a customer satisfaction index or survey which every new Toyota owner receives. The sales consultant is expected to provide superior customer service and is awarded financially for doing so. Sales promotions are the best way to capture the interest of a consumer. Not only does Toyota advertise their Corolla as a dependable, fuel efficient vehicle, but when they do they also include several incentives or sales promotions to interest the consumer in the product. The main goal of these advertisements is to get consumers into the retail outlets to meet with a sales consultant. According to Toyota. com, current incentives on a 2012 Toyota Corolla include combined rebates up to $2,000 and also 0% financing for up to 60 months. The idea is for the consumer to perceive the ability to take an additional $2,000 off the manufacturers suggested retail price and finance the vehicle for free at an affordable payment. In addition, a significant portion of consumers like to lease their vehicles and the current promotion on a brand new Corolla is only $149/ month with minimal cash due at signing. Going back to the target market and using an incentive as an example, a $500 rebate is included for any consumer who is trading a non-Toyota product. The goal of this incentive is to persuade consumers into considering Toyota and ultimately creating a bigger market share for the Toyota brand. Finally, where Toyota is spending a significant amount of their advertising is on their complimentary maintenance plan with roadside assistance for two years called Toyota Care that is available on any model they offer. Right now Toyota is the only brand offering this benefit and the promotion adds value to any prospective consumer (Toyota. com). Toyota admires the community and takes a part in publicity. Another avenue of marketing is to get the brand name out there in a casual but attention grabbing fashion. One way Toyota does this is by sponsoring the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Any event that takes place at this state-of-the-art facility has Toyota’s name tattooed all over it. The name Toyota not only appears on the side of the building, but also on ticket stubs, apparel, and broadcastings. This marketing approach gets out to huge live audiences who come to see big acts like Lady Gaga, Madonna, and the 2013 NBA all-star game. Another recent approach Toyota has taken is an event called the Tundra Endeavor Challenge. On October 13, 2012, the Toyota Motor Company will try to stun the world when their Toyota Tundra stock model attempts to tow the space shuttle Endeavor to its new location at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, CA. The shuttle and apparatus will weigh almost 300,000 pounds! The event is supposed to attract thousands of people and if done successfully, the Toyota Motor Company will have a very intuitive marketing accomplishment (Toyota. com) It is obvious that Toyota sees the promotional marketing aspect of the organization as a major key for success. In conclusion, the ultimate goal in moving forward is to get the Toyota brand name out there in a unique fashion. The goal is to provide the best products for the best value and with the best customer service. The foundation of the promotional marketing for Toyota relies on advertising, personal selling, sales promotions, and publicity.

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, published in 2001 by Barbara Ehrenreich, is a book in which the author goes undercover and investigates the lives of the working poor by living and working in similar conditions. The book demonstrates fairly well two social paradigms, namely conflict theory (inspired by Marx and Weber) and structural-functionalism (inspired by Talcott Parsons). Conflict theory is clearly demonstrated throughout the book-social order based on inequality, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. There is also evidence of structural-functionalism, though it is not the best fit. Structural-functionalism is defined as a society in which there are groups of people organized into levels that enable individuals in this society to find stability, order and meaning (Kimmel, Aronson, and Dennis 2011). Ehrenreich shows that there are certainly levels within society, however, because of the inequalities that are present, the individuals in the working poor are unable to find stability or order because they are running a never-ending race so to speak. These inequalities have many effects on society at large (both wealthy and those in poverty), as well as the families within the working poor. The economic inequality in our culture has many probable causes, but they all affect society as a whole, regardless of your class or status. These effects include things such as trust/social cohesion, crime/deviance, and population health (especially that of the working poor). There is a correlation between income inequality in a society and general mistrust, demonstrated by a U.S. General Survey (Uslaner and Brown 2002). One economist, a Joseph Stiglitz (2012), argues that this inequality has also led to distrust of businesses and the government. Crime is also a correlated factor in societies with a bigger economic gap. Several studies have been done that show a significant increase in homicides, both in the U.S. and worldwide, in societies that have a large margin between the rich and the poor (Martin, Wilson, and Vasdev 2001). Homicides are generally the most common measure of violent crime due to the fact that statistics are reported worldwide. There are also numerous consequence s for population health in societies with a larger economic inequality. Researchers have found that these societies have a slightly lower life expectancy, and a higher incidence of social and health problems like incarceration rates, teenage births, mental illness, obesity, education and others (Wilkinson and Pickett 2009). It has also been shown that this inequality and social stratification can be linked to to anxiety, depression, drug abuse, and other stress-related disorders (Booth 2010). It is because of this constantly present inequality that I believe Ehrenreichs book most accurately represents conflict theory. At one point in the book, Ehrenreich remarks, Maybe, it occurs to me, that Im getting a tiny glimpse of what it would be like to be black (p. 100). This is a slightly good point because, while we as a society view class as an achieved status, oftentimes it is fixed and ascribed much like race. Of the consequences brought about by this societal inequality and conflict, the working poor themselves experience the majority. Throughout Nickel and Dimed we are shown that there are many hidden costs to being poor, and oftentimes those in poverty are stuck in a rut with no way out because of them. The working poor have to live day-to-day in hotels accumulating costs, where is would normally be cheaper to rent an apartment if they could simply afford the security deposit and starting utilities. Without a semi-permanent shelter and rising debt, the working poor are us ually forced to buy less healthy, more expensive meals because they dont have the luxury of the appliances needed to cook and store food. Being poor is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, and those who believe they are stuck in poverty for the rest of their days are often likely to do just that. In another part of the book, Ehrenreich and other maids are watching a training video on how to clean rooms and vacuum. The video itself is slightly demeaning, almost as if made to be watched by young children. In one part of the video, the man giving instructions says See, I am the vacuum cleaner (p. 74). This sort of paints a picture in the readers head as to how the company views and treats its employees: like they are mindless robots whose only purpose is to serve the business. To the rich, that is basically what they are. The rich view the working poor as a group in society that is made to be taken advantage of, very similar to Karl Marx view of the proletariat. In their eyes it fulfills the structural-functionalism paradigm of society-as many say, someone has to do it. Unfortunately this is not the case, because the theory calls for all individuals in society to have stability and order in their lives. As evidenced by Ehrenreichs investigation into the working poor, the last th ing the working poor have is stability, therefore this theory is not an entirely accurate representation of our culture. Instead there is the ever-present conflict between the rich and working class. It is shown by both Ehrenreichs book and in the real world that the working poor are blocked from advancing in society by many different obstacles. These obstacles are things like housing, transportation, and other basic necessities (Ehrenreich 2001). For instance, the working poor often do not have a permanent residence or family to stay with while they save money, and cannot afford a large deposit for an apartment. This means they have to settle with weekly hotel rooms, which end up being more expensive, yet are the only affordable option because they dont require large down payments. Transportation is another common factor; if one is a member of the working poor they likely do not have their own car and have to rely on public transportation. Depending on the location it is do-able, but public transportation in our society is still not widely-available in every city. One study shows that single mothers who were able to work out a carpool or something similar with their peers were m uch less likely to require government aid (Eden and Lein 1997). Food and clothing are also problems; without savings it is much harder to buy uniforms and such for jobs. The working poor also have to deal with odd work schedules, often working all times of the day and never having consistent hours. Not only does this mean it is harder to save up money, but being able to spend so little time at home also puts the working poor in a position where it is difficult to find the time to cook for themselves, and are often left with the choice of unhealthy fast food. Working odd hours also leaves parents helpless when it comes to childcare; while there are many options for childcare including free programs and social networking with peers, working at all hours of the night means you might not always have a babysitter lined up. Obviously this has negative consequences for both the children and the parents. Ehrenreichs book shows quite well how the conflict theory can apply to our society and the ever-growing gap between the rich and the working poor. In recent years people seem to be taking more notice of the working poor, but the gap is still as large as ever. In her evaluation at the end of the book, Ehrenreich states, The working poor, as they are approvingly termed, are in fact the major philanthropists of our society. They neglect their own children so that the children of others will be cared for; they live in substandard housing so that other homes will be shiny and perfect; they endure privation so that inflation will be low and stock prices high. To be a member of the working poor is to be an anonymous donor, a nameless benefactor I agree with the author in the sense that the working poor are definitely taking one for the team so to say. They carry out the menial labor that is required in our society, but not everyone wants to do. Unfortunately because we dont live in a utopia, they suffer for it. They make great sacrifice by doing jobs they often know dont lead to advancement in society, because they know that it has to be done by someone. The conflict theory applies to both Ehrenreichs book and our society in the real world-there are numerous inequalities in the workforce, and the allocation of resources for individuals in our society is distributed unfairly.

Pollution and Culture in Greenland :: Greenland Environment Ecology Pollute Essays

Greenland is contaminated with considerable amounts of pollution, caused by large-scale atmospheric circulations, especially in winter. The pollutants in the Arctic are primarily sulfur, which is highly acidic, in both gas and aerosol form. Most of these pollutants are from anthropogenic sources deriving mainly from industrialized areas in the Eurasian continent. In addition to threatening environmental stability, pollution is speeding the unraveling of traditional Inuit culture in Greenland. Climate change is affecting the entire world, yet Greenland is especially sensitive to slight fluctuations due to its dependency of the natives’ traditional lifestyles on the environment. Melting ice and permafrost restrict access to hunting grounds making a traditional way of life consisting of hunting seal and caribou more difficult.2 Every four years, the Inuit living in Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and Siberia convene the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) to discuss issues of concern. The ICC lobbied successfully to ban a dozen organic pollutants, carried north by winds, that do not evaporate in the Arctic cold. These pollutants were infecting meat and berries, staples of the Inuit diet, as well as the breast milk of nursing mothers.3 There are many more problems facing the sustainability of Greenland, such as trans-boundary pollution and the fact that the Inuit are not an effective lobbying group due to differences in culture, dialect, and lack of communication. In November of 2004, a report by 250 scientists warned that the Arctic is warming twice as fast as the global average, which threatens to wipe out several species including polar bears, and melt summer ice around the North Pole by 2100.4 One of the reasons for the increased warming is that the dark water and ground in the arctic soak up more heat from the atmosphere than ice or snow. The levels of carbon dioxide today are about 379ppm and increasing, a comparable level to 55 million years ago when there was no ice on the planet due to the warmth of the atmosphere.5 If the Greenland ice cap melts, the sea level will rise six or seven meters. Although this is a worst-case scenario, it seems clear that steps must be taken to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide and other pollutants in our atmosphere. Investigations of pollutants in Greenland during the past fifteen years show that the troposphere is burdened with high levels of trans-boundary pollution. The major anthropogenic contributors to this â€Å"Arctic haze† are central Europe, and northern Russia.

Use the Slept Framework to Analyse the Current External Business

A. Written Report (25%) You are required to analyse the business environment of a UK based manufacturer of a luxury product of your choice. Please note that: * The actual company is hypothetical. * It is assumed to supply to the upmarket department stores and boutiques around the world but its main market is the UK. * You must agree your specific product with your tutor. * By luxury product, we mean an expensive product that is not a basic necessity. To complete this assessment task, you must: a. Use the SLEPT framework to analyse the current external business environment for issues that may affect your company.Attach this in the Appendix. No word limit for this section. b. Drawing on your analysis of the external business environment, explain and justify the three most important issues currently facing your company. Word limit is 2000 words for this section. Word Limit The word limit is 2000 words (excluding any items in the appendix**). Students are advised to stick to the word lim it – if you exceed the word limit, it should be within the 10% rule. Work submitted that exceeds the word limit may be penalised on the basis of failure to demonstrate academic discipline. *The Appendix should only be used to support your discussion (which is what is being marked) with reference materials e. g. diagrams, scanned images, Internet printouts, articles etc. It should not be used to supplement your essay so that more words can be squeezed into your assignment! In other words, a poorly written essay with a fantastic appendix is not going to achieve a good grade. Referencing To get a good grade, your discussion must be underpinned by a wide selection of secondary sources and academic materials (e. g. books and journal articles) throughout your work or where appropriate.All work must be fully referenced (preferably using the Harvard Referencing System) to acknowledge sources used or consulted for the production of your report otherwise it would be considered as plagi arism. Correct referencing is a vital skill you will need to master for any academic writing. Please DO NOT USE references taken from Wikipedia, MarketingTeacher. Com, QuickMBA. Com or similar websites that allow students to do a quick ‘copy and paste’ quotations of academic concepts. These websites may be useful for initial research and/or reading but they should not end up in any part of your work as they are not legitimate academic sources.This kind of practice does not encourage deep learning. Deep learning can only come about if you invest time and effort into in-depth reading in original sources. A) Use the SLEPT framework to analyse the current external business environment for issues that may affect your company. Attach this in the Appendix. No word limit for this section. I will be using SLEPT in order to analyze the external business environment for key issues that may affect my hi-fi firm. ‘Rich Sounds' is a luxury selling Hi-fi Company based in the Uni ted Kingdom. The company does compete internationally, however its main trade mainly takes place within the UK.The market is estimated to be worth ? 2 billion in 2007 compared with a peak value of ? 2. 1 billion in 2005. The growth of the market for portable music players and, more recently, for home docking stations has offset a decline in home hi-fi system sales. The arrival of the iPod marked a sea change in the audio equipment market. Sales of MP3 players have grown dramatically at the expense of other portable music players, especially CD players. In the home, CDs remain the dominant format but are increasingly played on PCs and laptops – this change has adversely impacted the sale of conventional home audio equipment (Mintel. Rich Sounds does compete at the higher end of the hi-fi market with brands such as ‘Sony’ and ‘Panasonic’. SLEPT framework is used to analyze the current external business environment for issues affecting a business such a s Rich Sounds. The luxury hi-fi market has many external influences which can affect it. Technology is one of the main external influences from the SLEPT analysis. Development in technology has meant that smaller and sleeker devices such as iPods are selling instead of traditional hi-fi systems. Advances in technology, for example advertising has hugely helped the growing sales in the hi-fi market.Many electronics companies tend to have huge celebrity endorsements which in return boost their sales as people nowadays tend to favour electronics which are advertised by celebrities and follow the trend. It is said that companies such as Rich Sounds need to spend at least ? 1million on advertising in order to compete at the top level. (Mintel) Also more and more people tend to download their music nowadays and this means an increase in competition for Rich Sounds as more people would buy computers and laptops rather than hi-fis.Ownership of PCs has now reached high levels and the majorit y of consumers are accessing the Internet at least once a week at home. Another issue in SLEPT is economic factors. The current ‘credit crunch' has resulted in more and more people having less disposable income and this knock on effect means electronic sales could suffer. It is thought that due to this, people are less likely to buy hi-fi's, but instead buy necessities. The credit crunch has also reduced the amount of affluent people and this means it could reduce the market size and this means Rich Sounds could become more competitive.It could be said that spending on repairs has fallen dramatically over the last five years, as lower product prices mean it is often more cost-efficient to replace than repair. The final issue linked to economic factors is society. Hi-fi's are associated as being a seasonal product especially at Christmas time when people are buying them for presents so this is when Rich sounds would expect a huge increase in sales. Also people that work long ho urs and work further away from home can help boost Rich Sounds sales. Nowadays, commuting to work is tedious to a lot of people and so they can listen to audio equipment at this point.The final issue in SLEPT is political issues. Although there is not much to say for this point, I can briefly say that tax issues affect my firm. B) Drawing on your analysis of the external business environment, explain and justify the three most important issues currently facing your company. Word limit is 2000 words for this section. I will now discuss the three most important issues from the SLEPT analysis and these are the technological, social and economical issues. Trends are an important aspect of the economic environment.Nowadays it is becoming increasingly more fashionable to follow celebrity trends and those celebrities who advertise electronics such as hi-fis tend to sell the most. An example of this is when Sony used Justin Timberlake dancing on their adverts to help promote their goods and this saw a huge increase in sales. Research suggests that the two most popular hi-fi companies are Panasonic and Sony and these spend millions and millions on advertising. This means Rich Sounds could advertise new equipment with different celebrities to help promote it hugely. Another economic factor is the ‘credit crunch'.It has resulted in people having a lot less disposable income and so therefore hi-fi sales will fall dramatically. Due to this people will not splash out on luxury goods like hi-fis, however they will buy necessities instead. This provides a knock on effect and therefore Rich Sounds sales may fall. Also the credit crunch has seen a reduction in the amount of wealthy people and this can reduce the size of the market and therefore make Rich Sounds more competitive. http://academic. mintel. com. lcproxy. shu. ac. uk/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show&/display/id=271602/display/id=299002#hit1

LVMH’s company Essay

Strengths LVMH has a strong brand positioning meaning that the company strongly placed itself as a leader in the luxury sector. The company offers more than 60 brands of high value perception and identity to their customers. Due to high customer loyalty, image of their brands and value perception those brands are less affected by economic cycles. Most evidently, LVMH expressed resilience against the economic conditions specifically in 2009 and 2008. This is an indicator that the strength of their brands enables their revenues to sustain growth even through touch economic situations. This is due to their huge customer base across the globe accompanied by their loyalty; thus, making their penetration to new markets with quick. The associations of LVMH with celebrities and major events have enabled them to enhance their luxury positioning. For example, Charlize Theron represents the J’adore perfume by Dior, while Moet & Chandon positioned their communications platform to events like the Oscars and the Golden Globe. Those marketing strategies were aimed in order to increase their brand visibility and recall. Moreover, their customers are targeted successfully through enhancing their brands images. All in all, those associations would eventually augment the luxury and its value that LVMH aims at building. Weaknesses A shortcoming in LVMH’s company is their limited presence in the retail division. This means that the company is highly dependant on sales to retailers. This in turn has caused the company’s luxury goods vulnerable to destocking by their retailers in order to avoid losses. Most evidently, the wines, jewelry, and watches departments were highly affected negatively by the retailers destocking. Therefore, this has made LVMH’s revenues in danger of destocking made by retailers. There is also a weakness evident in the conflict of interest within the company, where LVMH would be categorized into two major segments: fashion vs. liquor markets. However, the company’s broad acquisition of the art  auction market Pury & Luxemborg has been questioned due to some criticism that it adds more burden to LVMH. This is yet another criteria to the conflict of interest believed to be internally dealt within the company. Opportunities The luxury market is believed to be a growing market in the emerging economies. The growing high net worth individuals (HNWI) in a lot of countries across the globe is an indicator that the sales of luxury products are estimated to increase. In effect, LVMH has been focusing in increasing their investment in emerging countries, such as the Middle East, in their hopes that higher growth rates will be evident. Moreover, LVMH was able to assess the trends in those markets specifically in Asia’s market in order to succesfully penetrate them. Hence, the growth of the HNWI’s wealth accompanied by the structure of investments to reach to a broader customer base would intensify and diversify LVMH’s revenue flow. LVMH owes a great deal of their market share to their products on women’s accessories. This would include their brands in handbags, jewelry, and watches amongst many others. Although the fashion accessories has seen a downfall during 2009; nevertheless, it is hinting that it is uprising to a recovery into growth since 2010. Most notably, women handbags were the most notable in the accessories market growth inversely reacting to the market’s decrease during the same time. Those leather goods have been a great indicator in both the men and women’s categories in the market share that there is a high growth of sales and revenue. Even if key markets have been experiencing low growth due to the economic collapse and recovery, the accessories market proves as an opportunity to LVMH for growth. Selective retailing provides an opportunity to LVMH in one of the most growing markets in the world: China. Even though selective retailing has seen a decline in growth due to restrictions in spending due to less amount of travelers; however, China tourism is predicted to show a robust expansion. The economic liberalization; as well as, the constant development and transformation in China boosted their tourism industry. Some indicators  have been predicting that China would be a leading tourism destination by 2020. Therefore, LVMH has been focused on launching its selective retailing in China in order to take an advantageous stance from this growing tourism in terms of revenue.

Affirmations Lesbian Gay Community Center (Ferndale, MI). essays

Affirmations Lesbian Gay Community Center (Ferndale, MI). essays The Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center in Ferndale, Michigan is a highly inclusive organization, designed to promote tolerance and provide services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-gender individuals. It defines its central original mission statement as gay is good, you are not alone." Although this mission statement seems to target gay youths, its philosophy has expanded to include bisexual and trans-gender individuals, in addition to lesbians and gay men and it tries to create a community atmosphere of safety and acceptance for all people, regardless of age, in the Michigan area. Our focus is on helping lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender individuals find and develop community where we value and respect ourselves and others (About us, Affirmations, 2008) Affirmations is a social organization as well as an awareness-raising and political advocacy organization. One of its most recent efforts involved a trans-gender remembrance weekend, designed to raise awareness about the violence done to transgendered people. The weekend involved a screening of Boys Dont Cry, the Academy-Award winning film that told the story of Tina Brandon, a trans-gender youth who was murdered. The film was also combined with a potluck and a candlelight vigil, highlighting the combination of fun and consciousness-raising awareness that is at the heart of the spirit of Affirmations. There was also a re-Christening ceremony held for transgendered people who have taken new names of the opposite sex than those names given to them by their families (Civic, Affirmations, 2008). This affirms the new family and community that is created through Affirmations. This ceremony is particularly interesting and reflective of the offerings of Affirmations, because it stresses the communal nature of Affirmations and its desire to help its members create a new identity in the spirit of gay being ...

Questing Asians ambiguities essays

Questing Asians ambiguities essays Ever since Asian Americans had arrived in the United States, they had also been conceptually misrepresented and interpretive. The general misconception and way of thinking is often that all Asians look the same. Yet when distinctions are made between the ethnic groups, they are usually indistinguishable generalizations or ruthless definitions. When Americans usually see a human being with slanted eyes, they automatically assume that person is Chinese. If not Chinese, they would call them by their stereotypical names such as flips, gooks, chinks, etc. They may not know it but these miscontraceptions hurt Asian Americans. More recently, Abercrombie and Fitch, a popular department store has taunted the image of Asians by saying that all Asians own laundry stores. In their quest to change and ultimately eliminate these misconceptions, Asian American writers, actors, athletes, and artists have worked their way into the mainstream media of the United States to portray positive and accurate images of Asian Americans and finding their own ways to express how they feel about being Asian American. Coincidentally, the past decade has emerged into a full-blown Asian epidemic in America due to the growing popularity of famous and rising Asian American entertainers. For example, actors and actresses such as Rick Yune, Nicole Bilderback, Kelly Hu, and Lucy Liu are in high demand right now. In Portraits of Asian-Pacific Americans by Kim Sakamoto Steidl stated, the entertainment industry has become more sensitive to these ethnic stereotypes. One purpose of having racially diverse actors is to educate people about the negative effects of these stereotypes and to insure that Asian Americans have access to a range of acting roles(p63). Mako, a 30-year-old veteran of stage, film and television was nominated for an Oscar as best supporting actor. His performance in the film The Wash was a strong and realistic portray...

Research on medical ethics Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

On medical ethics - Research Paper Example The present usage of best-practice anti-malaria drugs, optimal forms of pilot training in high-G environments, and some forms of optimal fitness training for the soldiers are also examples of the end results of military medical research. Ethics has always been an integral component of every walk of life. The profession of arms, like any profession, lays down codes of conduct for medical too that bind members of a ship, a regiment, or a squadron, or an entire service or nation. Many tenets of military medical ethics at the national or international level are understood as the Laws of War, most formally codified in the Geneva Conventions. (Pearn, 2005, 10) By contrast, at the individual level, issues of medical ethical import are a recent phenomenon. (Day, 2005, 349) Military dictates of discipline, control by line of command, and the subservience of any individual rights for the greater aim-all are themes that, at least in the historical context, have made medical ethics questions irrelevant. The core doctrines on which the discipline of medical ethics is built beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice often represent the antithesis of what service members are required to do. (Gillon, 2004, 186) Historically, a parallel system of loyalty, respect, courtesy, and chivalry has evolved to form an alternative modus operandi that binds those who command to those who obey. According to Pearn (2006) since the Second World War, and specifically since the Nuremberg Trials of 1945 and 1946, the medical ethics responsibilities, indeed some medical ethics rights, of service members have been specified. The International Military Tribunal was established by the London Agreement of August 8, 1945. Representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union (and with the provisional membership of France) formed the Tribunal. Subsequently, 19 other nations accepted the provisions of its

International Business Theories. Outward Foreign Direct Investment Essay

International Business Theories. Outward Foreign Direct Investment from China - Essay Example Introduction It is said that no country is an island. The fact behind this saying is made evident in several theories including economic theories. For instance it is out of this realization that several countries and regions of this world are forming organizations and unions that seek to bridge the borders that hinder the easy flow of investment from one country to the other; allowing that investors of other nations have free access to do business and trade in other countries. A number of such organizations and associations of the world that foster free movement of investment for economic purposes can be mentioned. Some of these include the Gulf Countries Cooperation, Middle East and North African Organization, European Union and Economic Community of West African States. The freedom for other foreigners and foreign businesses to do business and invest in other countries bring to fore the discussion on foreign investment. Foreign investment comes in different forms, depending on what is involved in the investment. The differences in investment packages has over the years resulted in economic terms such as foreign indirect investment, outward foreign direct investment and inward foreign direct investment. Today, economic scholars seem more comfortable, discussing the phenomenon of flow of investment from one country to another as just foreign direct investment. ... To this end, Graham and Spaulding (2005) explain that â€Å"the definition has been broadened to include the acquisition of a lasting management interest in a company or enterprise outside the investing firm’s home country.† There is no denying the fact that China and India remain some of the world’s largest attracters of foreign direct investment; specifically outward foreign direct investment. This paper is therefore dedicated to researching into the general trend associated with foreign direct investment from those two countries in relation to how international business theories adequately explain the reasons for outwards foreign direct investment in those two countries. Overview of outward Foreign Direct Investment from China By definition, China is one of the most celebrated countries that enjoy â€Å"a type of investment that involves the injection of foreign funds into an enterprise that operates in a different country of origin from the investor† ( Economic Watch, 2011). Simply put, China enjoys massive foreign direct investment. Without saying the least, recent survey conducted by the United Nations has proved that investors rank China as the world’s first most important destinations for foreign direct investment over the 2010 to 2012 period (Asia Briefing, 2011). The implication of this top spot is that China enjoys and benefits from outward foreign direct investment like no other nation in the world. Indeed the success of China as the top ranked dates far back as Shaukat and Wei (2005) notes that â€Å"China is by far the largest recipient, and in 2004 surpassed the USA as host destination. It has consequently

Corporate Governance and Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Corporate Governance and Finance - Essay Example Company Background Apple Inc. was instituted in the year 1977 and is headquartered in California, United States of America. The company along with its subsidiaries designs, produces, and sells mobile communication devices, personal computers, media devices, and handy digital music players among others. Apple Inc. also sells a range of associated services, software, networking solutions, peripherals, digital content and other forms of applications. Apple Inc. caters to a broad array of clients, ranging from individual consumers, to small and mid-sized enterprises and education, corporate and government customers (Apple Inc. (a), 2012). The products as well as services offered by Apple Inc. comprise of iPhone, Mac, iPod, iPad, Apple TV, in addition to a collection of specialized and consumer software applications. Apple Inc. also provides the iOS, iCloud, and Mac OS X operating structure, in addition to an assortment of accessory, service as well as support offerings. Apple Inc. also v ends and distributes digital content as well as applications by means of the App Store, iTunes Store, Mac App Store and iBookstore. The Company markets its products throughout the globe via its stores, both online as well as retail in addition to direct sales force. Apple Inc. also sells via wholesalers, intermediary cellular network carriers, retailers, as well as value-added resellers. Furthermore, Apple Inc. also markets a range of third-party iPhone, Mac, iPad, and iPod attuned products, such as application software, printers, speakers, headphones, storage devices, as well as many other accompaniments and peripherals, via its retail and online stores (Apple Inc.(a), 2012). Company History Apple was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in the year 1976. Originally, the... This essay stresses that the subject of corporate governance is associated with the jobs and accountabilities of a business organization’s Board of Directors in handling the business and their associations with the organization’s shareholders as well as other stakeholder. Characteristically, in any corporate organization the full time executive directors possess extensive powers with reference to the dealings and matters of the organization they are paid to manage in support of the shareholders. Nevertheless, the executive directors might not always bear the interests of the shareholders in their mind while carrying out their executive responsibilities. Consequently, this had resulted in endeavors to make the directors more liable for their strategies and actions. This paper makes a conclusion that Apple Inc. practices strong corporate governance principles and hence the company has not faced any major instances of conflict of interest. The comprehensive assessment of the corporate governance as well as the code of conduct of Apple Inc. revealed that the Company abides by strict guidelines and always attempts to protect the interests of its stakeholders. This strict abidance to the required market practices have resulted in positive fortune for the Company. The assessment of the financial position of the company illustrated that the position of the company had further fortified since the years and the stock price movements revealed that Apple is provided good value for shareholders’ money.

E-Commerce Business Model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

E-Commerce Business Model - Assignment Example The main objective of the e-commerce organisation is to attract online customers and to increase the sales (SportsDirect, 2013). The following image will show screen-print of SportsDirect: SportsDirect follows Business-to-Consumer (B2C) business model. There are significant differences between Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) customers. Concerning B2C customers, it involves business transactions between organisations and customers. The basic concept behind this business model is that e-retailers can sell the products to the customers through various tools such as internet shops or telemarketing. On the other hand, in B2B business model, both purchasers and sellers are business organisations. The purchasing procedure in B2C and B2B is also dissimilar. In B2C, the purchasing method is simple where customers use their credit or debit cards along with providing other necessary information in order to make a sale. Conversely, in B2B business model, the payment can be done through invoice, especially for bulk purchases (Barkley & et. al., 2007). There is substantially more stake in sales opportunities in B2B websites in comparison to B2C websites. However, it can be observed that several B2B websites had faced bad customer experiences than B2C websites. Majority of B2B websites focus on designing websites for themselves rather than for the suitability of customers. Thus, this attitude creates a hindrance in the way of potential customers who use internet in order to discover organisations which can satisfy their requirements. However, it is worth mentioning that internet had significantly altered the relationship between organisations and customers where majority of interactions are demand oriented (BusinessWire, 2006). The quick development of collaborative internet services has resulted in a continually increasing number of e-commerce websites. With the increase in e-commerce

Personal Statement on Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Statement on Ethics - Essay Example Division of ethical area is figured out by philosophers. Meta Ethics Meta Ethics explore the root of ethical principles and the message they convey. It highlights universal truth, strength of God and intention behind ethical decision. It includes emotions of an individual in certain situation (Vendemiati, 2004). Normative Ethics It comprises of good communication skills, responsibilities that we must follow and control our behavior in convenient manner. Normative Ethics are more towards practical solutions. Act which should be done and main reason behind it. To leave whatever defined as a wrong (Levinas, 1969). Applied Ethics It involves the investigation on limited controversial issues. Controversial issues like infanticide, abortion, environmental affairs, nuclear war, animal rights, capital punishment and homosexuality (Lyon, 1999). Personal Values I am a human being who prefers to behave in ethically and morally correct ways. Ethics are important to me. Evil thoughts may force on e to take wrong actions and hurt other. There are steps a person takes in life out of jealousy to reach some goal in life which is very important. People take ethically wrong steps basically when they want to achieve their desired goals and to do that they are willing to take any steps, positive or negative. I do not believe in short cuts. I believe in achieving my goals, through my own efforts and by following the right path. My belief is to serve humanity in every possible manner. I prefer to apply my knowledge and skills to contribute to the society and serve others. I believe that one should try to socialize and make friends. Obey laws to make this world a better place. Contribute peace, remain loyal, try to be honest as much as possible, work hard and help others, respect social rights of others. Keep the surroundings clean. Give liberty to others. Take suggestions from others before making decisions. Don’t impose orders. To me, following these above mentioned facts is f ollowing an ethically correct code in life. Differentiate right form wrong: It is human perception to define right and wrong. Something which is right for one is not correct for others. To me ethical values are created by social setup, religion and legal laws. First of all there are some aspects which are right for everyone like peace, friendship, love, truth, liberty, freedom, practical solutions and good deeds. Such aspects are considered as ethical intuition. Second thing we approach is our religion. As a student, I am interested in study of religions, and I have noted that almost all popular religions of the world preach humanity and ethical behavior. Consider Buddhism, enlightened awareness of Buddha is considered. Buddha was a peace loving human being and the religion he has preached also talks about equal rights and ethical conduct. These ethics includes no killing, lying, intoxicants, stealing, and sexual misconduct. In Christianity ethical values include love, mercy, grace and forgiveness. Forgiveness is important because humans commit sins (Fagothey, 2000). If we cannot forgive each other our grudges will not let us human beings behave ethically. In Islam ethical values are to follow the Allah and His prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him). Muslims are accountable for every good and bad deed in the end of this world. Third thing is the law and

Differences between Race & Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Differences between Race & Gender - Essay Example This paper highlights that Stanton et al describe the way men have mistreated women in the society for so long. Man is said to have never allowed a woman to exercise her rights, deprived her voice before the law, and the woman has been denied right to own property. Stanton et al however condemn these cores of actions and suggests that only God has the sole responsibility of defining the roles and abilities of men and women in the society. â€Å"We insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of United States†. This paper declares that Dub Bois talks of seclusion by the society which makes you odd and feel discriminated, he talks of the problem of the twentieth century as the color line. It once dawned on him that he was different from others when a young lady refused to pick a card from him while seated amongst other people. This matter was the first hand experience of Dubois on brutality of discrimination. Meanwhile the women in America underwent lives of suffering struggling with a lot of burdens on their shoulders; â€Å"in all the roles was to seek fulfillment as wives and mothers†.  

E-Commerce Business Model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

E-Commerce Business Model - Assignment Example The main objective of the e-commerce organisation is to attract online customers and to increase the sales (SportsDirect, 2013). The following image will show screen-print of SportsDirect: SportsDirect follows Business-to-Consumer (B2C) business model. There are significant differences between Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) customers. Concerning B2C customers, it involves business transactions between organisations and customers. The basic concept behind this business model is that e-retailers can sell the products to the customers through various tools such as internet shops or telemarketing. On the other hand, in B2B business model, both purchasers and sellers are business organisations. The purchasing procedure in B2C and B2B is also dissimilar. In B2C, the purchasing method is simple where customers use their credit or debit cards along with providing other necessary information in order to make a sale. Conversely, in B2B business model, the payment can be done through invoice, especially for bulk purchases (Barkley & et. al., 2007). There is substantially more stake in sales opportunities in B2B websites in comparison to B2C websites. However, it can be observed that several B2B websites had faced bad customer experiences than B2C websites. Majority of B2B websites focus on designing websites for themselves rather than for the suitability of customers. Thus, this attitude creates a hindrance in the way of potential customers who use internet in order to discover organisations which can satisfy their requirements. However, it is worth mentioning that internet had significantly altered the relationship between organisations and customers where majority of interactions are demand oriented (BusinessWire, 2006). The quick development of collaborative internet services has resulted in a continually increasing number of e-commerce websites. With the increase in e-commerce

Differences between Race & Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Differences between Race & Gender - Essay Example This paper highlights that Stanton et al describe the way men have mistreated women in the society for so long. Man is said to have never allowed a woman to exercise her rights, deprived her voice before the law, and the woman has been denied right to own property. Stanton et al however condemn these cores of actions and suggests that only God has the sole responsibility of defining the roles and abilities of men and women in the society. â€Å"We insist that they have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of United States†. This paper declares that Dub Bois talks of seclusion by the society which makes you odd and feel discriminated, he talks of the problem of the twentieth century as the color line. It once dawned on him that he was different from others when a young lady refused to pick a card from him while seated amongst other people. This matter was the first hand experience of Dubois on brutality of discrimination. Meanwhile the women in America underwent lives of suffering struggling with a lot of burdens on their shoulders; â€Å"in all the roles was to seek fulfillment as wives and mothers†.  

So Much to Tell You by John Marsden Essay Example for Free

So Much to Tell You by John Marsden Essay How does the composer, John Marsden, use a variety of techniques to reveal the struggle involved in Marina’s journey towards wholeness? The novel, ‘So Much to Tell You’ by John Marsden explores the concept of growth and change through the character, Marina, and her struggle to become whole. Throughout the course of the book, Marina develops from someone who is so psychologically wounded that she is unable to engage with members of her community, to someone who experiences healing and demonstrates the capacity to reach out to others. The contrast of Marina’s character from the beginning of the novel to the end portrays her development during her journey to heal. The composer uses techniques to convey Marina’s growth and change throughout the novel. In the early stages of the novel, it is evident that Marina has an extremely wounded psyche due to conflict within her family. This leads to her having a resultant lack of spiritual wholeness, which she continually struggles with to heal. The damaged nature of her psyche is highlighted in the recount of Marina â€Å"Looking at the fragmented stars† on Ann’s doona and Ann’s dialogue, â€Å"They do fit together† foreshadows the ultimate reintegration of Marina’s psychological health. When Marina describes her â€Å"grey school blankets† which are sombre, lifeless and boring, even though there is an underlying tone of yearning, she is ultimately characterising herself as boring and lifeless also. Throughout Marina’s journey to wholeness we see many stages of struggle and conflict, and many of these struggles originate from Marina’s own lack of self-worth and her diminished ability (in the early stages of the novel) to communicate. This fearfulness of communication is conveyed through the rhetorical question she uses when she refers to the possibility of her teacher reading her journal: â€Å"What if he reads them? If he doesn’t keep his promise†¦I am lost. In this particular quote the metaphorical use of the word ‘lost’ highlights her fear of engagement with others and indicates that fear is an obstacle she has to overcome if she is to heal, grow and adjust to the way her life is changing and continue on her journey to wholeness. Marina’s struggle with communication and continued lack of wholeness is very present when Marina refers to her tennis practice: â€Å"I sat under a tree and watched†¦watched all the tennis players†. This description of Marina passively watching a tennis game, rather than actively participating in the game, symbolizes her inability to participate in life and also acts as a ontrast between the warm interactions displayed by the other girls and the social isolation Marina feels. This particular incident highlights the psychological damage that has taken place in Marina as there is a contrast between her present inaction and her recount of her past involvement in the lines, â€Å"In primary school, I played sport a lot and was quite good at it†¦I beat the other girls by miles†. Marina is characterised as steadily accepting awareness of the fact that other girls also struggle psychological problems and this moves her further along the path towards wholeness. Marina’s intense reflective tone in the lines, â€Å"It didn’t occur to me that there might be other people who are feeling really bad. Little dark islands floating in the shadows of the school† captures her recognition that other people also feel socially isolated. This recognition is suggested through the metaphor of the â€Å"little dark islands† which is intratextually connected with Marina’s use of an implied metaphor of an island to describe her own state of mine at the beginning of the novel: â€Å"the words break over my desk in soft waves†. Paradoxically Marina’s realisation that other people also feel isolated helps to make her feel less isolated. Marina’s relationship with her father is a major struggle that she has to face on her journey towards wholeness. Marina’s description of her father as a poisonous presence and the use of a descriptive simile in the line ‘like a radioactive cloud’ represents him as toxic and dangerous, but this is contradicted when she shows a glimmer of empathy in the question, â€Å"What’s it like where he is? †. This continued emotional uncertainty of Marina’s as she vainly attempts to clarify whether she loves or hates her father, is a major theme running through the novel and the evolution of her relationship with her father is crucial to her personal growth. Through the progression of highly emotional journal entries, we begin to learn that solely, Marina feels guilty for putting her father in jail. When she makes the comparison between scared and scarred: â€Å"I just realised how alike those words are† we learn that under all her barriers she is still scarred emotionally because of her father’s â€Å"brooding, quiet and ugly silences†. When Marina states that it is â€Å"really important to know whether he hates me or not† we realise that in every way she is imprisoned by the unknown presence in her mind, which is her father. We can acknowledge affirmation of this when she â€Å"draws stripes, which aren’t stripes at all, but are bars, prison bars† on the sand and can understand it as a symbol of Marina being trapped by vestiges of mistrust, fear and self-deprecation. When Marina arrived at Warrington she didn’t speak. However, as she progressively begins to address her struggles she becomes more accustomed to expressing herself in her journal and soon finds her â€Å"voice†. It is through her journal that she initially allows herself to express her pain, release her deepest thoughts and continue on her journey to wholeness. When Marina gives Cathy a flower: â€Å"I nearly backed out, but I didn’t. I placed it on her bed†, it was the first time Marina had reached out physically towards someone. This is a signpost of her mental health and is the first physical sign of her breaking down her self-imposed barrier. In expansion of Marina growing in health, the weekend at Mr Lindell’s, when Marina â€Å"picks up the ball and throws it back†, she visibly interacts with others and shows signs of progression on her journey towards wholeness. When Marina expresses that she â€Å"scored the wrong family† she discovers that not all families are destructive and this allows her to release her initial complete hatred towards all relationships. When Marina says that she wants her father to â€Å"hold her and forgive her† she shows stark contrast to her original aversion to close proximity at the beginning of the novel. Her motivation to meet her father grows greater day by day and it eventually is much greater than her fear. She expresses anxiety in the lines, â€Å"I keep imagining him seeing me and then his face going cold and hard† but soon disregards this and continues on her path towards wholeness as she states that she gets â€Å"courage† when she reads his letter. Once Marina begins to accept and let her father back into her mind, she begins to travel in great leaps along her journey to wholeness. At the end of the novel, the intense moment between Marina and her father (so much so that the â€Å"air was swollen†) releases Marina from her internal prison, and allows her to speak to her father and say: â€Å"I’ve got so much to tell you†.

Impact Of SMEs On Economic Development

Impact Of SMEs On Economic Development CHAPTER 4 Small businesses contribute substantially to two fundamentals of poverty reduction job creation and economic growth (The World Bank Group). In the previous chapter we examined a complete picture of MA in the theory of banking and at offering economic evaluation and strategic analyses of the process, also high lighting the performance of commercial banks in post consolidation period in Nigeria. It then viewed the benefits, consequences and limitations of MA and concluded with recent estimates of the effects of bank consolidation on Small Business Lending. In this chapter we shall be looking at the roles of SMEs, its benefits and impacts on the economic development. We shall also be looking at how SME get funded and the main sources of cash. Finally we will compare this credit availability to SMEs before consolidation and after consolidation in the Nigerian banking sector 4.0 Introduction Small enterprises are the seeds of the private sector, and also the source of innovation and diversification. They supply larger companies and develop their own activities and product lines. When they grow, they provide employment and tax revenues. Small and medium-sized enterprises can be the motors of economic growth. In most African countries, however, the business environment is not conducive to enterprise development ( Bercy, 2005 ). Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) are important for successful economic growth and social development. SMEs, properly supported, foster Entrepreneurship a proven pre-requisite for national economic success. Public and private policy support of SMEs is most effective when SMEs are part of the formal sector. One key objective therefore is to encourage migration of SMEs from informal to formal sector (Oyekanmi, 2006) Nigerian SMEs in informal sector are beyond the reach/help of public or private policy Policies do not provide sufficient support Difficult access to finance To use SMEs to stimulate economic growth and encourage businesses requires SMEs to move from informal sector to formal sector. 4.1 Definition of SMEs SME is an acronym for small and medium enterprise. It is a term that is used in a different way in different country and used differently even within the same industries. In the United States for instant SMEs can be used to express firms from small office home office to even large company. In Europe SMEs is used to refer to a business firm or company that has fifty to two hundred and fifty employees with an annual turnover of seven to forty million euro. Yet these SMEs must have a total asset less than twenty-seven million euro. In Canada, the industry uses the term SMEs as a reference to any company that has less than five hundred employees while categorizing company with employees above this number as large business. The definition of SMEs is country specific which is measured on size and level of development. In Nigeria SMEs are the moral fibres of the economy, a large percentage of businesses in Nigeria employ less than one hundred employees (Oyekunmi, 2006). This segment provides fifty percent of employment and fifty percent of the total industrial output. This can be said that most of the developing nations, its private economy comprises totally of SMEs and seen as the only reasonable employment opportunity for communities ( Oyekunmi, 2006) 4.2 Impact of SMEs on Economic Development Nowadays, the importance of SMEs has been recognised worldwide and their immense involvement to economic growth, community organisation, employment, catalysts of growth, innovation and skills and development. SMEs account for over 95% of enterprise and 60%-70% of employment, and generate a large share of new jobs in Organisation for economic Co-operation and development economies. (OECD Africa). Since the dawn of industrial changes and globalisation the importance and contribution of small firms is enhance as the economies of scale reduces. Nevertheless a lot of the conventional problems SMEs faces have also become more acute in this global environment. Such problems as lack of funding or credit availability, problems in utilization of technology, constrained managerial capabilities, regulatory weight down and low yield. Since every economy stands to gain from SMEs precise strength and weakness, policy framework and the role of government must evolve for these enterprises to flourish , adapt to new demands and strains and to reap the benefit of globalisation. For this reason encouraging entrepreneurship is high on the agenda of governments in OECD member countries, developed and developing economies. The importance of entrepreneurship stands out in this time of innovative change, and fostering a climate to help the dynamism in firm creation is considered fundamental worldwide.( OECD African Economic Outlook ,2009) 4.3 Role of SMEs to Economy Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) occupy a place of pride in virtually every country or state. Because of their significant roles in the development and growth of various economies, they have been referred to as the engine of growth and the vehicle for socio- economic change of any country. SMEs are seen as an authentic medium for the realization of national economic objectives of poverty alleviation and employment generation at low investment cost. Another benefit of SMEs includes access to the infrastructural facilities made available by the very existence on these enterprises. Also the spur of economic activities through supplies of items produced, distribution process stemming from rural to urban centre, enhances the standard of living of the employees and their families as well as those who directly and indirectly related with them ( Onuorah, 2010). The benefits of SMEs are innumerable and cannot be exaggerated. These benefits are summarized below. Economy contribution in the provision of outputs in form of goods and services. Generation of employment involves creation of jobs at relatively low capital cost. And the employment opportunities provided reduces village to city (rural-urban) migration and allows for even development Utilization of local resources: This promotes the use of local raw materials requiring simple technology SMEs help to reduce income disparity by developing a group of both skilled and semi-skilled workers as a basis for expansion Income generation: SMEs constitute major avenues for income generation and participation in economic activities in the lower income and rural brackets of developing societies especially in agriculture, trading and services. Stiglitz and Weis (1981) observe that small and medium scale firms with opportunities to invest in positive net present value projects may be blocked from doing so because of adverse selection and moral hazard problems. This selection problem occurs when providers of funds cannot validate the firms access to quality projects. While the hazard problems is related with the possibility of SMEs diverting funds to alternative projects or taking more risks than they can afford to. (Ogujiuba, Ohuche, Adenuga, 2004). Since SMEs ordinarily do not have access to public funds through the capital market, they obviously have to depend on banks for funding. The reliance on banks makes them even more vulnerable for the simple reason that crisis in the financial system can have a great impact to credit supply to SMEs, thus, SMEs are subject to funding problems in equilibrium and these problems are worsening during periods of financial instability. Berger and Udell (2001) further note that shocks to the economic environment in which both banks and SMEs exist can significantly affect the willingness and capability of banks to lend to small and medium scale firms. Government worldwide have realised the importance of SMEs and have encouraged them by originating and creating policies that are favourable to encourage, support and make funding accessible. To encourage the developments in small and medium enterprise are a plus as the role SMEs plays in economic development. (Oladele, 2009). 4.4 SMEs Promotion in Nigerian The Nigerian government has supported the SMEs development programs since its independence, yet very few of which have yielded impressive results. Now the challenge is to recognise the factors that influence their performance and development as well as the implications of these factors for policy. Ever since the attainment of independence in Nigeria, every known regime recognizes the importance of promoting SMEs as the basis of economic growth. As a result, several micro lending institutions were established to enhance the development of SMEs. Unfortunately, records indicate that the performance of SMEs in Nigeria has not justified the establishment of this overabundance of micro-credit institutions. Odedokun (1981) notes that in spite of the quantum of credit made available to the SME manufacturing sector; the contribution of the index of manufacturing to GDP was only 7 percent between 1970 and 1979. Source: CBN Annual Report, 2008 The major credit programs and specialized credit delivery institutions implemented to promote SMEs in Nigeria between the year 1971 to 1997 includes: The small scale industries 1971, agricultural credit guarantee scheme (ACGSF)of 1973, the Nigerian Agricultural and Co-operative Bank of 1973, the Nigerian bank for Commerce and Industry of 1973, the small and medium scale enterprises loan scheme 1 2 of 1992, National Economic Reconstruction Fund of 1994 and The Family Economic Advancement Program of 1997.( Oyekunmi, 2006). Others includes micro credit institutions include the Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry (NBCI), National Economic Reconstruction Fund (Nerfund), the Peoples Bank of Nigeria (PBN), the Community Banks (CB), and the Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM), and the liberalization of the banking sector. (Ogujiuba, Ohuche, Adenuga, 2004). In addition there has been an entrepreneurship development centres in three zones since 2008, which is has trained nine thousand people and is expected to create about five hundred and twenty-five thousand jobs in three to five years. Most of these programmes failed due to poor administration in loan processing and credit procedure, poor monitoring techniques and the abuse of the scheme attributed to corruption (Oyekunmi, 2006). CBN initiated together with the Bankers Committee In 1999, an interventionist strategy called the Small and Medium Industries Equity Investment Scheme (SMIEIS). This scheme requires banks to set aside 10 percent of their profit before tax to fund SMEs in an equity participation framework. (Ogujiuba, 2004). SMIEIS requires all banks in Nigeria to set aside 10% of their PBT for equity investment in SMEs (revised to 5% from end 2006) ( Oyekunmi, 2006) According to Mambula (1997), since its independence, the small business development programs have generally yielded poor results, despite the immense amount of money invested by the Nigerian government. But this can be associated to the fact that these funds hardly reached the SMEs business because funds got lost to bureaucratic bottle neck and end up in accounts of public office holders. It has however been worrisome that despite the incentives, policies, programmes and support aimed at revamping the SMEs, they have performed rather below expectation in Nigeria. 4.5 Funding opportunity for SMEs To assist SME development, priority should be given to financial reforms and appropriate financing. Effective financing of SMEs should include regulatory reform the creation of a friendly business environment for doing business, the extension of guarantees to local banks to entice them to lend in local currency (e.g. USAID Development Credit Program), tax incentives for rewarding companies that agree to have their financial statements audited, the creation of equity funds suitable for SMEs, financial incentives for partnerships, etc. (Bercy, 2005). SMEs being very unique and important and because of their relative small size can be negatively affected by changes in the financial institution especially banks during crisis period. The credit availability to SMEs is very important and significant not only from a theoretical point of view but also for policy purposes. In many countries different innovation have enthused extensive restructuring in the financial sector. Commercial banks have engaged in mergers and acquisitions, which has lead to the vanishing of many small credit institutions and appearance of complex financial conglomerates. Merger has open previously isolated markets due to the lifting of geographical barriers hence reducing market segmentation. SMEs can be funded in two major ways; internal finance, concerned with getting money from personal savings and from friends and relatives and external finance when the company grows and begins to expand. External financing is sourced from most financial institutions. There are two notable variants of external finance and these include debt financing and equity financing. Dept financing engages interest bearing instruments and are secured by asset collateral and have term structured into it. This can be long termed or short termed. Examples of dept finance include loans, overdrafts, leasing and hire purchase arrangement and letters of credit. Equity financing allows the banker or investor the right of ownership in the business. This as such may not require collateral since the equity participant will be part of the management of the business. ( Ogujiuba et all, 2004). We have seen the two approaches to overcome financial gap to SMEs. This approach has been further encouraged by two approaches. The first has been to broaden the collateral based approach by encouraging bank lenders to finance SMEs with insufficient collateral. The second approach is to broaden the viability based approach since its concerned with the business itself and the aim has been to provide an increase return in the general business, create a favourable environment and reduce risk. Viability based financing is especially associated with venture capital. This often entails a detailed review and assistance with the business plan. A common aim or feature of the viability based approach is the provision of appropriate finance that is tailored to the cash flows of the SME. (Berger and Udell, 2005). Levy in 1993 reported that smaller enterprises have limited access to financial resources compare to larger organisations and he discussed the impact of his findings in economic growth. SMEs funding is supplied through the business financial market in the following Retained Profit The Financial Market The use of banks. Government monetary policy 4.5.1 Retained Profit In the course of running a business profits are made, when these profits are kept for future use to expand the business it is referred to as retained profit. This profit is there for use to help buy new machinery, vehicle, computer etc to improve the business and keeps it going. On the other hand the retain earnings can be used to expand the business by diversification. And it can also be kept for a rainy day. 4.5.2 Financial Market The financial Market is a system that allows buying and selling of financial securities and instruments. It is a centre where bonds and stock are traded, and allows people to buy or sell commodities such as precious metals or agricultural good and other items of value at low transaction costs. Both general markets (where many commodities are traded) and specialized markets (where only one commodity is traded) exist. In finance, financial markets facilitate: The raising of capital (in the capital markets) The transfer of risk (in the derivatives markets) International trade (in the currency markets) The financial market matches those who want to buy with those who want to see. Money market is one component of the financial market for asset involved in short term borrowing and lending usually not exceeding one year. Trades in the money market involve T-bills, Commercial Papers (CP), bankers acceptance, Certificate of Deposits (CD) and both mortgage and asset backed securities. 4.5.3 Banks The systems of banking in Africa are not properly adapted to lending to SMEs with some exceptions. This makes financing a more difficult approach, hence making financing more flexible would be a welcoming help (Bercy, 2005). All over the world the importance of promoting SMEs as a channel of growth and industrialization has been recognized. One of the vital roles of the banks is to devise a way to creating loan package and providing loans to small business that are otherwise not properly informed. (Berger, Klapper and Udell 2001). Conversely credit provision to small borrowers may be affected by a number of factors. Bank consolidation is one of the major factor affecting credit to small borrowers. The creation of mega bank suggests that large institution devote less of their asset proportion to lending to small business than smaller less complex institution. ( Emeni and Okafor, 2008) .These mega banks may be oriented towards transaction lending and providing capital markets services to large corporate clients. These institutions often have their headquarters in business metropolis far away city centre that are a great distant from small borrower. Ogujiuba, Ohuche and Adenuga, 2004) Banks in Nigeria although reported to being highly liquid and wanting to make loans available, they are usually put off by the uncertain nature of SMEs. And since these banks do not provide the necessary funds required to start a business, run the business and keeps it going, SMEs tend to rely on personal assets for their working capital. This reliance on personal funds makes it very difficult to operate at optimum capacity, increase output and make sales. It also limits investment to develop, expand operation or even improve technology. This risk on bank not lending is attributed to lack of information on SMEs true situation in terms of finance and their performance ability to repay loans both principal and interest. And since the judicial system is not reliable, banks cannot enforce contracts, hence making business environment generally risk prone and uncertain.(Ogujiuba, Ohuche and Adenuga, 2004) The table below show the proportion of loans given to SMEs by commercial banks. It gives a brief summary for six years from 2000- 2005 of the ratio of loans given to SMEs to the total credit available to commercial banks in Nigeria. From this table it can be deduce that percentage of loans made available to SMEs is very low and over the years it reduces even more to a more trivial proportion. Table 4.1 Ratio of Loans to SMEs to Commercial Banks Total Credit YEAR Loan to SMEs (=N=M) Commercial Bank Total Credit (=N=M) Ratio of Loan to Total Credit (%) 2000 44,542.3 508,302.2 9.7 2001 52,428.4 796,164.8 6.6 2002 82,368.4 954,628.8 8.6 2003 90,176.5 1,210,033.1 7.5 2004 54,981.2 1,519,242.7 3.6 2005 50,672.6 1,899,346.4 2.7 Source: Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin Volume 16, 2005 4.5.4 Government policy (New Monetary Policy) The Nigeria Government in a bid to encourage small and medium scale enterprises has introduced several monetary policies. This has been mentioned in the previous chapters. The success of this strategy is based on its proper implementation, co-ordination and supervision. These monetary policies includes: The Small and Medium Enterprise Equity Investment Scheme (SMEEIS), the Small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee Scheme (SMECGS) and the Microfinance Banks and Micro Credit Fund. 4.5.4.1 Small and Medium Enterprises Equity Investment Scheme (SMEEIS) The Small and Medium Enterprises Equity Investment Scheme is a voluntary initiative of the Bankers Committee in agreement with CBN, approved IN 1999. It was aimed at mitigating the risk-averse behaviour of banks. The scheme was a responds by the federal government to the promotion of small and medium enterprises as a tool of industrialization, poverty alleviation and job creation or employments. This scheme required all commercial banks in Nigeria to set aside annually ten percent of their profit before tax (PBT) for promotion of small and medium enterprises and equity investments. This was the banks own contribution in responds to the federal governments efforts in economic growth. This takes care of the burden of all financial charges such interest under normal bank lending. In addition the scheme provides financial, advisory, technical and managerial support from the banking industry. ( Soludo, 2005). Activities approved for funding under the scheme includes manufacturing, constru ction, Information technology, education, tourism and services. The funds set aside by banks under the scheme increased from N13.1 billion in 2002 to N41.4 billion in 2005. However, actual investments grew much slower from N2.2 billion in 2002 to N12.1 billion in 2005, representing only 29.1 per cent of the funds set aside. This further increased to N21billion in 2007 representing a further 21.5 per cent of funds set aside. (CBN Statistical Bulletin, 2008) Figure 4.2 Banks Investment in SMEs through SMEEIS Source: CBN Statistical Bulletin, 2008 Table 4.1 SME Reserve for Small and Medium Scale Industry of Top Five Commercial Banks in Nigeria. (NM) Zenith First Bank UBA Union Bank Intercontinental 2009 3,729,204 11,193,000 2008 3,729,204 9,439,000 2,635,000 3,868,498 2007 3,729,204 7,916,000 2,635,000 5,537,000 3,868,498 2006 3,729,204 6,998,000 2,635,000 4,931,000 2,387,122 2005 2,580,324 1,379,000 2,050,000 4,429,000 1,527,532 2004 1,224,242 1,379,000 1,426,000 3,491,000 856,935 2003 1,224,242 1,379,000 865,000 2,280,000 856,935 Source: Annual Reports of the Various Banks Various studies have pointed out that inadequate data on SMEs business activities and the vague scope of economic activities are some of the major issues constraining disbursement of funds under the scheme. Two very important policy actions were than taken by the Bankers Committee in 2005, to restructure the scheme so it could take proper effect. The first policy action was to implement the funding of all business activities with the exception of general commerce and financial services under this scheme. It was restructured to contain and provide for non-industrial enterprises so that other sectors of the economy such as agriculture, housing, transport and utilities can be funded under this scheme. The name of the scheme was, therefore, changed to Small and Medium Enterprises Equity Investment Scheme (SMEEIS), to reflect the expanded focus. The Bankers Committee also embarked setting the guidelines for the management of withdrawn un-invested funds during the year. The second policy a ction was to set the limit of banks equity investment in a single enterprise. This was increased from N200 million to N500 million, thus accommodating the real medium sized industries that constitute the missing middle in Nigerias industrial structure. These two policies had an instantaneous impact on the scheme as investment rose by 29.4 per cent in 2005 to N12.1 billion. The cumulative amount set aside by the banks at end- December 2005 stood at N41.4 billion, compared with N28.8 billion at the end of the preceding year 2004. The final benefit of this policy is expected to manifest fully from 2006, following the success on bank consolidation exercise in 2005. (CBN Annual Report, 2005). 4.5.4.2 Small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee Scheme (SMECGS) CBN established the Small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee Scheme (SMECGS). This scheme was set up in a bid to ease the rigid nature of the credit market in Nigeria, to also augment credit to the real sector and complement its 500 billion Naira Power/Manufacturing facility; the Management of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approved the establishment of a N200 billion Small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee Scheme (SMECGS), to promoting access to credit to manufacturers and SMEs in Nigeria. It is funded one percent and managed by CBN. The aim ideas behind this scheme is to fast track the development of SMEs and the manufacturing sectors in Nigeria as a whole by providing guarantees, creating an atmosphere favourable for industrialization, increasing the accessibility of credit and generate employment. ( Soludo, 2006) 4.5.4.3 Microfinance Banks and Micro Credit Fund The Microfinance Policy Regulatory and Supervisory framework was a major policy initiative of the Bank in 2005 after consolidation of banks. Microfinance Banks and Micro Credit Fund was a replacement to community banks with a deadline to microfinance bank latest December 2007. The policy, among others, addresses the problem of lack of access to credit by entrepreneurs who do not have access to regular banks; strengthens the weak capacity of such entrepreneurs, and raises the capital base of microfinance institutions. The key elements of this framework was to set aside not less than one percent of the annual budget by state governments and local government for on lending through the microfinance banks, in addition to endorse and authorise the management of microfinance banks, establishment of the micro credit funds and introduce deposit insurance for micro finance banks to protect depositors funds. Problems associated with Credit availability for SMEs According to Cork and Nisxon, (2000) poor management and accounting practices have hampered the ability of smaller enterprises to raise finance. Owning to the nature of small business and the personal lifestyle of individual owners, goes a long way to affect operations and sustainability of the business. As a consequence of the ownership structure, some of these businesses are unstable and may not guarantee returns in the long run. However, there is reason to hope because according to Liedholm et al. (1994), a large number of small enterprises fail because of non-financial reasons. Remmers et al. (1974) reported the debt/total assets ratio to be independent of firm size while Peterson and Schulman (1987) reported that debt/total assets ratio to first rise and then fall with size of firm. Whatever sides you choose to take, the granting of loans to SMEs depends solely on the decision of the loan granting institution. And this choice is also depended on size of the balance sheet of the SMEs. The general problems associated with credit availability for SMEs everywhere is summarized below. Bad Credit History An adverse borrowing history of SMEs particularly if it is involving a sister organization will discourage the lender. The logical presumption is that if you do not have a good credit history then that is indicative of a personality pattern which means that in the future you will face the same problems as you are trying to clear you refinancing initiative. The bank is then well advised to stay away from you or at the very most offer you some very stringent terms for borrowing. Poor business plans Most SMEs applying for loans do not present convincing feasibility studies or attractive business plans. They are therefore regarded as high-risk ventures. Lack of Collateral Thirdly, even those SMEs with business plans not backed by adequate collateral. The lack of adequate collateral would be unacceptable risk for the lender. As banks cannot afford to take any chances of non-repayment of loans, they insist on these collateral requirements being met. In as much as they have nothing to fall back on should you default on your loan repayment obligations? Good financial management requires that they do not accept a refinancing initiative until they are sure that you are more than capable of covering the full loan if circumstances demand it. Collateral is the final reserve to meet this criteria and if it is missing, then the decision is likely to be negative. The impact of regulatory and monetary factors on bank loan The result is that monetary policy effects on bank lending depend on the capital adequacy of the banking sector; lending by banks with low capital has a delayed and then amplified reaction to interest rate shocks, relative to well-capitalized banks. Other implications are that bank capital affects lending even when the regulatory constraint is not momentarily binding, and that shocks to bank profits, such as loan defaults, can have a persistent impact on lending. Financial crisis Again bank financial distresses may also be an important determinant of credit availability during periods of credit crunch and accompanying financial crises. However, there are very few small firms that will satisfy the rigorous condition set by the traditional feasibility appraisal model, which is often designed for both small and big firms. While some aspects of the criteria of the feasibility model are met by some small firms, others are not met at all, therefore for banks to lend , they need to develop lending rules that accommodate the peculiar characteristics both for the SMEs and their owners. Other reasons In addition, many SMEs do not hold deposit accounts in the formal banking sector, which the banks require from loan applicants. Another reason SMEs were not given any concessions in terms of loan conditions was that in Nigeria no law exists to protect bankers against default. Yet another reason banks resist loans to SMEs is the unwillingness of owner/managers to acquire formal training. Such training is useful in providing added expertise and competence in a chosen field of business and in improving chances of obtaining loans.( Mambula, 2002) THE END .

Gun Control is Racial Discrimination Essay -- Gun Control Essays

Gun violence is one of the most serious problems in the United States. Each year in the U.S., more than 35,000 people are killed by guns, a death rate much higher than that in any other industrial nations. In 1997, approximately 70 percent of the murders in the United States were committed with guns. However, ironically, the United States also is the country that has the most gun control laws. Gun control laws generally focus on passing legislation—by local state, or national government—to restrict legal ownership of certain firearms. Seemingly, gun control laws may decrease criminals’ access to guns, but in fact the same laws also have their negative effects. Thus, the controversy over gun control is always heated. But my paper is not about whether guns should be controlled or not. From another angle, looking closely at those gun control laws and their enforcement, we can not only see the criminal problem in America, but also another important social problem in America—racial discrimination. The racial problem of gun control has raised attention of some American scholars in the U.S. For example, a black man, General Lancy, who is the founder of a little organization known as the National Black Sportsman’s Association, often called â€Å"the black gun lobby† said when asked his opinion of gun control: â€Å"Gun control is really race control. People who embrace gun control are really racists in nature. All gun laws have been enacted to control certain classes of people, mainly black people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Some white men have said almost the same thing. Investigative reporter Robert Sherrill concluded in his book The Saturday Night Special that the object of the Gun Control Act of 1968 was black control rather than gun control. Congress passed the act... ...ontrol certain classes of people†¦Ã¢â‚¬  References: 1. Sam B. Girgus, 1981, The American Self. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 2. Michael Golay and Carl Rollyson, 1996, Where American Stands. Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 3. Seymour W. Itzkoff, 1994, The Decline of Intelligence in America. London: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. 4. Don B. Kates, Jr., 1988, Restricting Handguns. Durham, N.C.: Duck University Press. 5. Jonathan Rauch, 1994, Demosclerosis: The Silent Killer of American Government. New York: Time Books. 6. James D. Wright, Peter H. Rossi, and Kathleen Daly, 1988, Under the Gun: Weapons, Crime, and Violence in America. Colorado: Sage Books. 7. Zhu Yongtao, 1991, Essentials of British and American Cultures. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. 8. http://www.handguncontrolinc.org/history.htm

Architecture History Pyramid Paper -- Architecture Essays

Architecture History Pyramid Paper Pyramids have been around for centuries, and for over 43 centuries some pyramids have been one of the tallest land structures made by man. Throughout the many decades, pyramids have been remade using modern materials and new technologies, but it remains a myth as to how the Egyptians were able to mold such a huge land mass with their lack of technology. One of the most famous pyramids to this day are the Pyramids of Giza. The most famous of all three pyramids of Giza, is the Great pyramid of Khufu as known as Cheops. Khufu was built by the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty around 2560 BC to be his burial tomb. Khufu's son Khafre, who was next in the royal line, commissioned the building of his own pyramid complex which includes the sphinxes. Menkarure, who is believed to be Khafre's son, built the third and smallest of the three pyramids at Giza. Giza however, is more than just three pyramids and the Sphinx. Each pyramid has mortuary temple and a valley temple lin ked by long causeways that were roofed and walled. The great pyramid is believed to have been built over a 20 year period. They first prepared the site, and somehow transported the blocks of stone into there correct placements. In the process of building the pyramids an outer casing was placed over the surface, which was used to smooth the surface, but disappeared over the years. Several theories suggest that ramps were constructed from the sands and the blocks were pushed or pulled into place. Others say that the blocks were placed using long lever with a short angled foot. The Great pyramid was 145.75 m (481 ft) high, which is located in Cairo, Egypt. Over the years, it lost 10m (30 ft) off its top. The ... ... since 1972. This building has so many windows that in order to wash them all, it takes at least a month. The "wings" which start at the 29th floor are necessary near the top of the pyramid to support elevators on the east side and a stairwell and smoke tower on the west side. And being that San Francisco is prone to earthquakes, the foundation consists of a steel and concrete block that sits 52 feet underground and is designed to move during earthquakes. The companies responsible for the building and designing of the Transamerica building are William L. Pereira & Associates, and other firms which also shared input, were Lowe Enterprises, Dinwiddie Construction Co., Chin & Hensolt Inc., Simonson & Simonson, Glumac International, Western Waterproofing Company of America, and Cushman & Wakefield. The total cost for the Transamerica building is around 32,000,000.

A Farewell to Arms Essay

The two novels The Grapes of Wrath & A Farewell to Arms both contain a main character who shares some of the same qualities depicting how they live their lives. The Grapes of Wrath, written in 1939 involves the character known as Tom Joad; A Farewell to Arms has a very similar character in ways that might not be open to the public eye known as Frederic Henry. Written by Ernest Hemingway in 1928, A Farewell to Arms discusses the reality of war, the relationship between love and pain, and the feeling of losing someone whom which you care for greatly. Written by John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath describes a man’s ability to want to survive. The book also talks about how Tom Joad transforms throughout the book into a different man. Tom Joad and Frederic Henry I believe both have a sort of unselfishness to them and how they go about life. After Tom was released from jail after 4 years he began devoting his time and energy to the present moment in every single and separate day. Tom began caring for other people first and always putting himself second. Henry exhibits the same type of characteristic I feel because after his experience in war he felt as if all he was doing was completing his duty for which he should get no type of praise or recognition for it. Tom and Frederic both share an unconditional feeling of love for someone. You can see how much Tom truly loves his family because he did anything he could to keep everyone together and to get the whole family to where they were trying to get to. Frederic on the other hand is deeply in love with Catherine. Because of how Hemingway narrates Henrys feelings for Catherine you can really see that his feelings are pure and honest. Both Tom and Frederic had to deal with the loss of a loved one. When Casy was murdered by a policeman, Tom turned around and killed the policeman. What he did was not necessarily the right thing to do nor was it the wrong thing to do. But in  his situation he didn’t know how else to deal with it, so he did what came natural to him. Frederic however lost the women of his dreams and went into a state of depression you might say. He had no friends or family and he was caught in a time of extreme loneliness. They Both lost someone who they cared the world of and still managed to stay on path even if it took them a little while to do so. The Grapes of Wrath and A Farewell to Arms contain two characters who I believe are very similar protagonist. They are both characters whom which the reader can feel for no matter who the reader is. Tom and Frederic are unselfish, caring men, who have the mentality to keep their eyes on the prize and keep doing what they set out to do. A farewell to arms Essay Ernest Hemmingway’s A Farewell to Arms is an examination of war, loyalty, desertion, love and loss. His novel tells the story of an American, Fredric Henry, serving in the Italian army during World War I. Using a first person narrative we witness the horrors of war, the beauty of love, and the pain of loss. While the novel is fiction there are many similarities to Hemmingway’s life, which he uses as inspiration in his work. These experiences add substance to his tale of love in a time of war. The story is broken into five books, each covering a different aspect of narrative structure. The first book is an excellent example building the exposition of a story, beginning with Lieutenant Henry describing the village where his unit is stationed. Through Henry’s eyes Hemmingway describes the beauty of the village and the neighboring countryside. He also alludes to the impending conflict that is soon to ravage the land, detailing the men and equipment that come through the streets. Book one also introduces love affair of the two central characters of the story; Fredric Henry, an American serving as a Lieutenant with the Italian Army and Catherine Barkley, an English working in the local hospital. Their relationship develops quickly but is just as quickly tested when Henry is severely injured in battle. Book Two continues to build on the love affair between Henry and Catherine. After Henry is moved away from the front to an American hospital, where he is soon reunited Catherine and they resume their affair. Henry is faced with the not only major surgery and a long recovery, but also having to hide his relationship with Catherine. Elements of both Henry and Catherine’s personalities are fleshed out in greater detail. Henry is a fairly aloof man. He does not care much for the war and he is not interested in the merits or the glory of war; however he is a good and dedicated soldier. Catherine is very submissive toward Henry. She often gives control of the relationship to Henry, becoming almost co-dependent. As their time together increases Henry finds himself growing more and more dedicated to his relationship to Catherine. As the fall arrives Henry is faced with two new major complications; he must return to the battle front and Catherine is now pregnant. Henry being a man of honor promises his love to Catherine and that we will not desert her. Henry moves onto the front where things will go from bad to worse. Henry is moved back to the front and he begins to see how the war has changed not only the countryside but those around him as well. Because Henry is not Italian he does not feel the same sense of loyalty those around him feel and he begins to question his duty to the war efforts. His summer with Catherine has given Henry a new outlook on life and a different cause to commit to. This adds to the rising conflict of the story as now Henry is back in harm’s way and will soon see thing that will change his perception of war and his life and force him to make a choice that will change his life. The main crisis of the story is in Book Three. Not long after returning to the fight the Italian defenses are broken and the army is ordered to retreat. Henry must take his ambulances and drivers across the Italian country side to the rally point. As they trek through the ravaged landscape Henry begins to see the war as being hopeless and his thoughts move toward being with Catherine once again. During the retreat Henry is forced to kill another soldier for not obey an order. He also sees as one of his men is killed by fellow Italian soldiers. These two events cause Henry to detach completely from his duties as an officer. The story reaches the climax as Henry is being separated from his men and about to be executed. No longer feeling any commitment to the cause and knowing that he will be shot simply for being an officer Henry decides to flee and start his new life with Catherine. After escaping execution and reuniting with Catherine, Henry realizes that he longer has any associations to the war in Italy and is dedicated only to Catherine. The couple makes their way into Switzerland to begin a life and await the birth of their child. It is in this time that the story takes a moment for pause, almost as a build up for one final crisis. It is nearly 3:00 AM and Catherine has started going into labor, and this is where the final crisis comes in to play. As Catherine goes through hours of intense labor, Henry can only stand by and watch. He prays to God for her safety. He prays for the safety of the one thing he holds dear. He asks for the protection of the center of his universe, Catherine. The baby is delivered still born and Catherine dies shortly after. Henry says his final good byes to Catherine but they bring him no peace. He sees no purpose in their deaths, simply an event he was powerless to stop. He is left with nothing but a walk back to the hotel in the rain, bringing the story to its conclusion. Hemmingway’s tale of war, love and loss carefully uses each book of his story to bring all the narrative elements into play. The first two books build the exposition and set up the rising action. He uses book three to set the final crisis and bring about the climax. Book Four brings the action down to set up for the tragic conclusion in Book Five. A Farewell to Arms Essay â€Å"A writer’s job is to tell the truth† ? Ernest Hemingway. This quote means that it is a writer’s job to convey some sort of truth or accuracy to the reader. I agree. This is shown in the novel, A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway through the setting and characterization in the novel. It is also shown in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee through the themes and setting of the novel. In the war novel, A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway demonstrates that it is a writer’s job to convey some sort of truth to the reader through the setting of the novel. This novel takes place during a time of war and shows what war is like, realistically. For a war novel, there is not a lot of fighting but instead more of getting from one place to another and the situations that occur in the interim. This portrays a truth to the reader because it shows how war is in reality and that it is not all death and destruction. Hemingway expresses the emotions of the characters accurately for time of war and conditions or situations the characters are put into. The author shows us the characters interact with each other and how they deal with the war surrounding them. For example, in Book III of the novel, the priest says that people that summer finally realized the war and that people were gentler because they had been beaten. This, truthfully, shows how war affects people and their emotions because it shows how they are disappointed. Through the setting of the play, Hemingway tells the truth by stating that people are â€Å"trapped biologically† because of their setting and the fact that it is human condition. In the novel, Frederic feels trapped because of Catherine’s pregnancy. In the novel, A Farwell to Arms, the author establishes that a writer’s job is to deliver accuracy and truth to the audience of the piece of work through characterization in the novel. Hemingway shows the reader what war can do to a person. He shows this through Frederic’s personality and his change throughout the story. Frederic went from an innocent man who joined the army because he was in Italy at the time and spoke the language and after a lot of experience becomes cynical. This work of literature also shows how war can be dehumanizing on an individual. In Book III, Frederic shoots at a sergeant and thinks nothing of killing another human being because that’s what occurs in war. Another way that the author tells truth in this novel is by showing that some characters keep their morals and human values. For example, in Book III, Frederic stops his fellow officers from harassing the two young girls who needed a ride. During the war times, most men did not have respect for their fellow people but Hemingway shows the reader that a select few fight to keep their morals straight. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee confirms that a writer’s job is to tell the reader the truth through the themes of this novel. One theme of this novel is racism; the townspeople are prejudice towards Tom Robinson because he’s black. Even though, many know and believe that he is innocent and he did not rape Mayella they still blame him and find him guilty in court. Another theme of this novel, that shows truth as well, is the coexistence of good and bad. Harper Lee shows his reader that in his story, just like it is in the real world, good and bad exists. The good in this story is Atticus and him trying to fight for Tom and stands up for him as his attorney to show he supports him even though the town turns against him and he knows he can’t win. The bad in this story is racism and inequality. The author of this novel conveys a lot of truth because these problems still occur to this day in real life situations. Another important theme that expresses truth to us from the author is innocence and the loss of that innocence. When the novel begins, Scout and Jem seem very innocent to the evil in the world, mostly because they had not ever witnessed it. After they see the racism, prejudice and unjust treatment that are put onto many characters they start to lose that childlike innocence. This is a strong truth, to this day. Young innocent people are losing and missing out on a lot because of their environment and surroundings. In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the author shows the audience that the writer’s job is to distribute the truth to the reader through, the literary element, of setting. This story takes place in Maycomb, Alabama. Maycomb is home to many complacent, racist and prejudice people. The people of Maycomb try to ignore the truth that is plain to see by not acting on it. They let people in the town, who may be of different skin color like Tom Robinson, be stepped on and treated unfairly just because of his skin tone while many of the people of the town know he is innocent. During the course of the novel, the Great Depression is occurring. This sets the stage for poverty to be a strong point in this story. The characters make this a separation element. Another factor of setting that expresses truth in this novel being in the South in these days. The South had many rules and segregation laws concerning black citizens and white citizens. This caused an increase in the racism. As shown above, the two novels, A Farewell to Arms and To Kill A Mockingbird, both have many literary elements that help the author to express truth in his/her literary work. Some of these literary elements were setting, characterization and theme among many others. A farewell to arms Essay Hemingway bases most of his books on events that he has experienced. Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms is a book about war, identity, and individualism. His style of using in media res, character, and dialogue, and how he splits the book into five parts, changes the way readers interpret the book. Ernest Hemingway lived through World War I and World War II. During World War I, Hemingway wanted to join the American army, but he was not accepted into it because of his eye sight. Since he wanted to help in the war effort, he moved to Italy to become a Red Cross ambulance driver. During this time, he was severely injured in the legs by enemy mortar fragments. His time in Italy influenced much of his book, A Farewell to Arms. War is a reoccurring theme in the novel. The main character Frederic realizes more and more of how bad war really is throughout the story. One critic, Schneider, said, â€Å"War is not glamorized†¦ Instead, it is presented in a very real and horrifying fashion from the perspective of the ambulance driver† (Telgen 179). In the book Hemingway wrote, â€Å"I wiped my hand on my shirt and another floating light came very slowly down and I looked at my leg and was very afraid† (Hemingway 56). At this point in the novel, Frederic starts to realize the realities of war. Another critic, Markley, said, â€Å"It’s still a game to him† (Bloom 174). Near the middle of the book, Frederic and his fellow soldiers retreat from Caporetto. It this section, Frederic is fully awakened to the horrors of war, and sees it in a completely different way. Identity plays a big role in Frederic’s character. According to Schneider, â€Å"Frederic’s identity is displaced by the late introduction of his name to the reader, the fact of his being an American in the Italian Army, and his constant play with words† (Telgen 177). In the novel, the narrator, Frederic, is not introduced until the fourth chapter, and the jokes he tries to make in the story don’t translate well into Italian. This shows how Frederic’s identity sticks out compared to the rest of the soldiers. Another critic, Waldhorn, said, â€Å"Frederic Henry absorbs what others teach, then acts at last on his own resolve. His situation is again different, however, for he has no wholly exemplary male figure before him. † (Waldhorn 118). Throughout the novel, Rinaldi influences Frederic until the climax. Rinaldi is the one who introduced him to Catherine, and along with Catherine, he was the one that was there for him when he was injured. At the climax, Frederic doesn’t listen to Rinaldi, and deserts the army for Catherine. This shows that Frederic’s identity became clearer throughout the novel. He ends up doing what he feels is the right thing to do. Individualism is shown mostly by Rinaldi, a surgeon and a friend of Frederic. Schneider said, â€Å"For example, Rinaldi has the satisfaction of having become a better surgeon through practice. He is also better with women for the same reason. † (Telgen 178). In the novel, Frederic says that there is more to life than women and being a surgeon, Rinaldi says, â€Å"Go to hell† (Hemingway 13). This shows that those two things are very important to Rinaldi, and that he doesn’t like it when others say bad things about it. Hemingway opens the story in the middle of World War I. According to Markley, â€Å"A Farewell to Arms opens in media res – literally, in the middle of the thing† (Broom 172). In the beginning paragraph of A Farewell to Arms, it says, In the late summer of that year we lived in a house in a village that looked across the river and the plain to the mountains. In the bed of the river there were pebbles and boulders, dry and white in the sun, and the water was clear and swiftly moving and blue in the channels. Troops went by the house and down the road and the dust they raised powdered the leaves of the trees. The trunks of the trees too were dusty and the leave fell early that year and we saw the troops marching along the road and the dust rising and leaves, stirred by the breeze, falling and the soldiers marching and afterward the road bare and white except for the leaves. (Hemingway 3) In this paragraph, Hemingway describes the setting of the book, and starts off the book in the middle of World War I. Hemingway bases his characters from his experiences. According to Waldhorn, â€Å"What is perhaps most remarkable is the absolute trust Frederic inspires in his reliability as a narrator. Never again in a novel would Hemingway maintain the precisely appropriate distance between himself and a hero so like him. A perfect apprentice, Frederic blends admirably the familiar traits of the hurt, uprooted young man who must†¦ learn ‘how to live in it’† (Waldhorn 116). In the novel, the characterization of Frederic only reveals his thoughts and emotions. This style allows the reader to have their own thoughts on what Frederic looks like. Hemingway uses short and direct dialogue to tell the story. Another critic, Graham, said, â€Å"They are active, direct and, one might argue, uncomplicated people with an almost fatalistic acceptance of life†¦ There is nothing new to learn: even with the various cases, the characters simply observe†¦ While they seem to understand what they do and what goes on about them, they never seem to assimilate the knowledge† (Bender 19). In the novel, the length of the dialogue between the characters varies very little. This style of writing allows readers to have their own thoughts on what’s happening, not Hemingway’s, when reading, because readers interpret what the characters say in different ways. The form of the novel is broken up into five parts. Waldhorn said, â€Å"In large measure, Hemingway achieves his effect by correspondences. Each of the five paragraphs of the opening chapter, for example, is roughly proportional in length to each of the five books of the novel, and the pace anticipates the cadence of the novel as a whole† (Waldhorn 117). In the novel, the five parts are divided to represent the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion. This set-up of the novel is like an English five-act play. Book one introduces the characters and situation; book two develops a romantic plot; book three is the climax, when Frederic deserts the army for Catherine; book four makes it seem as though Frederic and Catherine have successfully escaped the war; and book five is the tragic ending when Catherine dies. In conclusion, A Farewell to Arms is a book about war, identity, and individualism. His style of using in media res, character, and dialogue change the way readers interpret the book. Also, the five book structure of this novel splits the book similar to an English five act play. All of these factors plus parts of Hemingway’s life contribute to the final product, and play a big role in how the reader reads and interprets the content. Bibliography Bender, David, ed. Readings on Ernest Hemingway. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997. Bloom, Harold. Modern Critical Views of Ernest Hemingway. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1985. Oliver, Charles. Critical Companion to Ernest Hemingway. New York: Facts on File, Inc, 2007. Telgen, Diane, ed. Novels for Students. Detroit: Gale Research, 1997. Waldhorn, Arthur, ed. Ernest Hemingway. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc, 1972. A farewell to arms Essay NAGARE ASHWINI TUKARAM 14110080SUMMARY: After a wintertime leave spent visiting the nation, the protagonist, Lieutenant Henry comes back to the captured town at the front where his unit lives. One night his flatmate, a specialist, and lieutenant in the Italian armed force named Rinaldi, acquaints Henry with two British medical caretakers: Catherine Barkley and her companion Helen Ferguson. Catherine and Henry discussion of the war and of her life partner, executed in battle the prior year; plainly she has been damaged by the experience. On his second visit to the British healing facility, they kiss. At the point when Henry again visits Catherine, she reveals to him that she adores him and asks whether he cherishes her. He reacts that he does. One night, Lieutenant Henry and his kindred emergency vehicle drivers sink into a burrow over the waterway from the foe troops. While the drivers are eating, the Austrian siege wounds Henry in the leg and murders one of the alternate drivers. Henry is transported via prepare to an American doctor’s facility in Milan. Catherine Barkley touches base at the healing center, to which she has been exchanged. By and by, she and Lieutenant Henry announce their affection for each other, after which they engage in sexual relations in the healing facility bed. Henry and Catherine spend the mid-year together while he recovers from an operation on his leg, going by eateries around Milan at night and afterward putting in evenings together. At summer’s end, be that as it may, Lieutenant Henry is requested back to the front, and Catherine discloses to him she is three months pregnant. On their last night together in Milan, Henry purchases a gun, and he and Catherine consume a space in a lodging. Not long after Lieutenant Henry’s arrival to the front, the Austrians (now joined by German troops) shell the Italian armed force and in the long run get through the lines close to the town of Caporetto. Henry and the other emergency vehicle drivers withdraw with whatever is left of the Italian powers in a long, moderate moving segment of troops and vehicles. They get two Italian architect sergeants. At last, the ambulances pull off the principal street. When one of the vehicles winds up noticeably stuck in the mud, the two sergeants decline to aid the push to unstick it and ignore Lieutenant Henry’s request to stay with the gathering. He discharges at them, injuring one; another rescue vehicle driver at that point utilizes Henry’s gun to complete the activity. Henry and the three drivers desert the ambulances and set out by walking for the Tagliamento River, crosswise over which lies security. Before long they spot German troopers out yonder. One driver is shot to death by kindred Italians discharging in mistake. Another driver escapes, to surrender to the Germans. At long last safe from the foe, Lieutenant Henry watches that Italian armed force officers like himself are being shot by the military police for forsaking their troops. He additionally fears being confused for a German covert agent. Thus he jumps into the Tagliamento River, betraying the Italian armed force, and swims shorewards downstream. Henry crosses some portion of the Venetian plain by walking, at that point sheets a moving train, covering up among weapons put away underneath a canvas. Frederic Henry touches base in Milan, in secret. Catherine Barkley and Helen Ferguson are truant from the healing center, having gone on vacation to the Italian resort town of Stresa. So, Henry makes a trip through prepare to Stresa, where he discovers Catherine and Helen. Finding late one night that Henry will be captured as a miscreant in the morning, Henry and Catherine rapidly get ready to escape into nonpartisan Switzerland. Through the stormy night, they go in a little, open watercraft crosswise over Lake Maggiore. The next day they are captured and quickly confined by Swiss authorities, after which they are discharged. Frederic Henry and Catherine Barkley move into a chalet on a mountain above Montreaux and spend an ideal winter there. At winter’s end, they leave the mountains for an inn in Lausanne. At long last, Henry takes Catherine to the healing facility, where her child is stillborn. Catherine dies soon because of numerous hemorrhages. He tries to say goodbye to her, but it is like saying goodbye to a statue, and he walks back to his hotel room in the rain. INTRODUCTION World War I started in 1914 and finished on Nov. 11, 1918. Battled principally between the Triple Alliance forces of Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Triple Entente nations of England, France, Russia, Italy, and the U.S. (Italy abandoned from the Triple Alliance in 1915; the U.S. joined the war in 1917), the Great War, as it was called, with its huge extension, modernized weaponry, and unclear political battle over land, destroyed to Europe’s scene and populace. Generally, 50% of the 70 million men and ladies serving in the war were slaughtered, harmed, or taken prisoner. A Farewell to Arms is significantly influenced by Hemingway’s own particular wartime encounter. Rejected from the U.S. armed force for his poor vision (which he later erroneously guaranteed was because of boxing), Hemingway’s assurance to join the war exertion landed him a post with the Red Cross as an emergency vehicle driver on the Italian front. He seized the opportunity to be a canteen supplier on the bleeding edges, giving out chocolate and cigarettes to the troops amid fight, and on July 8, 1918, he was hit in the leg by an Austrian mortar shell. Regardless of the injury, he figured out how to convey an Italian trooper to the close-by summon post. Be that as it may, automatic weapon discharge struck him in the knee and foot, and he was at the end sent to a doctor’s facility in Milan, Italy. Comparable damage comes to pass for Henry in the novel. Amid his recuperation, the 19-year-old Hemingway had an affair with an American Red Cross nurse seven years his senior, Agnes von Kurowsky. This experience aroused Henry’s sentiment with Catherine in the novel, however Hemingway in all probability decorated it; most researchers trust Agnes, a conferred nurture, never let him move past kissing and did not respond his extraordinary emotions. In spite of the fact that she didn’t kick the bucket amid the war, as Catherine does, Agnes, in the end, dismissed Hemingway through a letter. The painful emotions of a broken body and heart no doubt embittered Hemingway. CHARACTER SKETCH: Lieutenant Frederic Henry The hero and genuinely detached storyteller, Henry is a youthful American ambulance driver with the Italian armed force. Nonetheless, he doesn’t feel emphatical about the reason and unquestionably isn’t out for wonderfulness. He turns from the revulsions of war to an enthusiastic, dreamer relationship with Catherine Barkley, and the all-devouring adoration occupies him from the fierceness around him. All things considered, he is great at his activity; an even-tempered, unselfish man who practices beauty underweight when he is harmed and when he should shoot a forsaking designing officer, Henry satisfies the code of the â€Å"Hemingway legend.† He influences him â€Å"to isolate peace† when he concludes that he never again has any commitment to the armed force and that his devotion is to Catherine. Catherine Barkley A British Voluntary Aid Detachment, Catherine is in sorrow over her life partner’s current demise toward the begin of the novel. Henry offers an enticing bounce back, and she plunges into this new occupying love. She later concedes that she was marginally â€Å"insane† when she initially met Henry, and her conduct backs this up: she gives herself so promptly to a close odder, and her diversions of tease and prodding verge on the adolescent. Notwithstanding, she increases some measure of autonomy later on, as when she enables Henry to push the pontoon over the lake for their escape, however, she is ordinarily meek and anxious to please with Henry (though, surprisingly, so is he with her). Like Henry, she trusts the world is out to pulverize individuals’ satisfaction. THEMES: LOVE AS A RESPONSE TO HORRORS OF WAR AND WORLD Hemingway more than once underlines the horrendous destruction war has created for everybody included. From the opening record of cholera that executes â€Å"just† 7,000 men to the realistic depiction of the ordnance barrage to the degenerate brutality amid the Italian withdraw, A Farewell to Arms is among the most forthcoming against war books. Be that as it may, Hemingway does not only denounce war. Or maybe, he arraigns the world everywhere for its environment of devastation. Henry as often as possible reflects the world’s emphasis on breaking and slaughtering everybody; it is as though the world can’t stand to give anybody a chance to stay upbeat and safe. Surely, at whatever point Henry and Catherine are happy, something goes along to interfere with it – be it Henry’s damage, his being sent back to the front, his looming capture, or, at long last, Catherine’s passing from labor. With such hopelessness going up against them every step of the way, the two swing to each other. Catherine, particularly, dives too effortlessly into adoration when she initially meets Henry. She concedes she was â€Å"insane† at, to begin with, no doubt finished the genuinely late passing of her life partner, however Henry, as well, capitulates to the allurements of affection. Love is a pleasurable preoccupation (see Games, beneath) that occupies darlings from the outside world; the two regularly disclose to each other not to consider whatever else, as it is excessively excruciating. Covered up inside the safe house of Catherine’s delightful hair, Henry and Catherine feel shielded from the savage outside world. The significant issue with such idealist adore is, as Henry and different characters bring up a few times, one doesn’t generally know the â€Å"stakes† of affection until the point that it is finished, or that one doesn’t think about something until the point that one has lost it. Henry barely enables himself to consider existence without Catherine while he is infatuated, and once he loses her, it appears to be far-fetched that he will recuperate.