Jane Addams and Civic Housekeeping Essay

In the early 20th century, more and more issues began to face cities of the United States. Specific issues that cities began facing more and more included the rise in poor sanitation and health concerns in local tenement housing. In order for women to gain access to the public sphere and emerge out of the private sphere, and gain some sort of status with the men of society, Jane Addams proposed the idea of â€Å"civic housekeeping† which would let women use their skills from the home in order to clean up the issues in local tenement housing and ultimately, in the local government. Growing up in the post-Civil War era, Jane Addams was born into a wealthy family, fueled by her father’s political and business success. Jane was raised in a way, by her powerful father, John Addams, that she was instilled with a strong sense of leadership and pride. John Addams died while Jane was at a very young age of 21, and was changed emotionally for the rest of her life, and it even affected her relationships with men later in life, as she was never married. Jane was very devoted to her father and loved him very much, and their close relationship was important to Jane as she kept his memory for the entirety of her life. While the idea of educating women in the post-Civil War time period was not very popular, Jane Addams was encouraged by her father to attend college at the Rockford Female Seminary. This encouragement was not given with love, but with the idea of John Addams expressing his power and wealth, which enabled him to send his children to college and get an education. Jane was very successful in her time at Rockford University, being an integral part of her college debate team and a huge participant in her classes. Jane Addams, so highly educated and respected among women, and even men in society, was called the â€Å"model of feminine excellence in the American terms4,† and was seen as a savior for women across the United States who wished to spread their roots and do something more important with their lives while serving their country at the same time. Jane Addams was a very intellectual and prominent female for a woman of her time period, considering she attended college, which was uncommon for many females until more recent years. Attending college as Jane Addams did in her time period, was an opportunity that women were just starting to get as colleges for women began to open, in addition to universities already in existence beginning to accept women into their programs5. Addams was seen as a great influence among women in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She was also viewed as progressive and conventional, which was essential for someone to be in the quickly emer ging, industrializing future of the United States. Her topics of speech were ones that were talked about across the country, and more specifically and especially, at the University of Chicago, where she was praised. Addams’ interest in social activism would lead to her, and a college friend, Ellen Gates Starr, to beginning their first venture in social activism and seen as an act of genius, opening their first settlement house, also known as a â€Å"Hull-House,† in which the name was given due to the previous owners of the homes in Chicago. This Hull-House that Addams and Starr opened would later, while not the first in the United States, become the most known settlement home in the nation. This was only the beginning of Jane Addams’ personal journey into the public sphere, and more importantly, the inspiration for many women to try and start their own journeys towards gaining entry into the public eye and gaining any sort of right that would grant them the abilities to do what the men in their lives, which were their husbands, sons, fathers and brothers have been doing since before anybody could remember. The starting of Jane Addams’ journey was one that would bring only positive impacts to the United States, with a few bumps in the road of course. By starting the tenement houses in Chicago through the Hull Houses, Jane Addams and Ellen Starr had already begun their journey into the  public sphere. Through opening the tenement houses and allowing people to see them and come live in them helped the two women make a name for themselves, with the more well-known woman of the pair being recognized for much more, was Jane Addams herself. Addams saw rights and freedom for women as a â€Å"perfectly possible† thing to attain, as she was optimistic and very assertive on her way to work for women’s equality and rights. The optimism that Jane Addams had was not without a price to pay on her part, as there were many negatives that had to be dealt with along the way like setbacks in acting, legislation, supporters, etc. These settlement housing complexes, along with other emerging municipally supported housing and projects, were failing considerably as time went on, in more ways than not. Ways these housing and government projects were failing were in hygiene and sanitation, in addition to perishable products that went uninspected, like meat and dairy products, which eventually made citizens very ill, and even killed a few. Local factories emitting toxic fumes also did not help the issue at all. Toward the late 19th century, as more and more women began entering the workforce and emerging from the home, into the public sphere, the need for women in local government and important jobs began to be pressed on local leaders. Getting women out of the home, being the private sphere, and into the public sphere through her ideas of â€Å"civic housekeeping† was Jane Addams’ main goal in society. â€Å"Civil Housekeeping,† was a term that Addams used to refer to the cleaning up that women needed to do in tenement homes, local buildings, and more importantly, and more discretely, local government. Addams’ main goal was to eventually bring women into the public sphere and local government, through civil housekeeping. Since men were so fond of keeping women in the home, in order to clean, cook, or even just stay out of the men’s business, women began seeing themselves as possible saviors for issues that cities were facing. The way that women began seeing themselves was through expressing their  skills that they used inside the home and applying them on a much larger scale, which would hopefully assist in resolving the problems in tenement homes and other areas of cities that were being affected by environmental circumstances. Jane Addams proposed her ideas to the men of society by explaining how well women work in the home, be it cooking, cleaning, etc., so why would they not be able to help clean up the tenement homes and other parts of the city, to help out other citizens and keep their families and homes alive. Addams’ of course had the ulterior motive of working her way, along with many more women in society, into the realm of local government, in the hopes of gaining more and more rights for women in the future. The reason that Jane Addams was so influential in her speeches and movements was not only because of the fact that she was educated, but that she had been born of a very rich and politically powerful family in the post-Civil War, which was a time of peril and misfortune for those devastated by the effects of the battles that tore across the south in the Civil War. Although a feminist ideal, the proposal of â€Å"civic housekeeping† was appealing to men in power in the local governments. With many health violations and many previous, failed attempts at keeping up appearances and up to code in municipalities, â€Å"city housekeeping has failed partly because women, the traditional housekeepers, have not been consulted as to its multiform activities.†12 This aspect of women entering the public sphere, as proposed by Addams, was never examined or considered by men because they had always forced the socially constructed gender roles and affirmed that women can and will only stay in the home to perform their family duties. The good and welfare of the people, including their health and living conditions was never considered by men of local government and Jane Addams proposed to change that, in order to rejuvenate and maintain the health and welfare of local citizens, especially the women and children who were suffering due to the failur e to keep up the cities, specifically tenement housing. Another part of Addams’ proposal while discussing women being brought in to clean up the homes, was bringing diverse and multitalented people who can perform many different tasks and complete them well, which would eventually show improvement across the board. In part, this was attractive to the men in  power, because in the long run, it would make them look good. While creating and executing her ideas of civic housekeeping and advocating for many other rights for women like suffrage, Addams was very distinguished from other women only hoping to attempt and succeed as much as she did. Jane Addams was very fortunate to have the quality of being able to successfully execute in fields that women normally did not participate in, which included professionalism and business fields. A key characteristic and factor that Addams possessed to successfully attain her credibility and position in society. Jane today is seen as a woman who cannot be compared to any other woman of her time period, and even today, as some goals that she strived for and eventually attained were only attainable through ways that were common in the early twentieth century, as she used her tenement houses and her local salon to spread word and expand her ideas among people. A product of her time period for sure, Jane Addams was a woman who achieved many things in a society that discriminated against and belittled women. Addams was a woman who saw things differently than other women, and that is what helped her achieve what she achieved. Eventually, her goal of getting women out of the private sphere of the home and oppression by man, was successful. Camilla Stevens stated that, â€Å"men set about trying to run the city as a business, and women aimed to make the city more like a home,†14 which Jane Addams quickly changed in her efforts for women that made a new presence for women in America. Through civic housekeeping, women slowly but surely made their way into the public sphere. Without Jane Addams’ strong advocating and activism, efforts made by women may not have even been made to achieve rights and a sense of equality to men, and the oppression of women by men of society would have continued and could have been much worse today. Jane Addams was a successful woman of her time period and through civic housekeeping, began the cleanup of homes and communities in and around Chicago, which led for a much brighter future for not just men, but women and children who wished to have much healthier and happier lives at home. Bibliography Addams, Jane. The modern city and the municipal franchise for women. Baltimore, Maryland: National American Women Suffrage Association, 1906. (Jane Addams Article from Moodle Site) Hamington, Maurice. â€Å"Two Leaders, Two Utopias: Jane Addams and Dorothy Day.† NWSA Journal 19.2 (2007): 159-186. JSTOR. Web. 3 Dec. 2013. Shields, Patricia M.. â€Å"Democracy and the Social Feminist Ethics of Jane Addams: A Vision for Public Administration.† Administrative Theory and Praxis 28.3 (2006): 418-443. JSTOR. Web 3 Dec. 2013. Conway, Jill. â€Å"Jane Addams: An American Heroine.† Daedalus 93, no. 2 (1964): 761-780. JSTOR. Web 3 Dec. 2013

Reflection of Daily Nutrition Intake Essay

Hypothesis: My daily caloric intake is anticipated to be higher than the recommended allowance of carbohydrates, lipids and sodium; however, it is expected to be lower than the recommended allowance for proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Research: In the United States, people use almost their entire food budget on processed foods which often have been treated with chemicals after being harvested or butchered. These chemicals are additives and preservatives which are substances intended to change the food before it is purchased by customers. Additives can be flavorings that enhance the food’s taste, dyes that alter the color, and dietary additives, such as vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and other supplements. Preservatives are used to extend a products shelf life by preventing bacterial or fungal growth, oxidation (which can lead to the discoloration or rancidity), or inhibiting the natural ripening of fruits and vegetables. Packaging is considered an â€Å"Indirect Food Additive† because it can add substances to the food it protects. A common preservative in the food that I eat is called propionic acid, which prevents mold in bread. Also, most processed foods rely on additives to restore the flavor that is lost in processing or create new flavors altogether. For example McDonald’s chicken products like Chicken McNuggets ® add â€Å"chicken flavor†. A food additive is considered fit for human consumption after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves it. However, this decision can prove to be poor because when certain chemicals are added to processed food products, some of these food and color additives provoke an allergic reaction or other critical health problems. For example, monosodium glutamate (MSG) causes headaches, nausea, weakness, difficulty breathing, drowsiness, rapid heartbeat, and chest pain. This can be avoided because it is required for all of the ingredients to be listed on the food label. Unfortunately, additives and preservatives are often unclear as to what they include. Saturated fat is found in foods from animals and certain types of plants. Foods from animals include beef, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, and other dairy products made from milk. Foods from plants that contain saturated fat inclu de coconut, tropical oils, and cocoa butter. Two types of unsaturated fat are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. They are found mostly in fish, nuts, seeds and oils from assorted plants. Trans-fatty acids are found in small amounts in various animal products such as beef, pork, lamb and the butterfat in butter and milk. Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are considered to be healthy because they may help lower one’s blood cholesterol level when replacing saturated and trans fats. Unsaturated fatty acids are found in two different types: â€Å"cis† and â€Å"trans.† These terms refer to the hydrogen atoms physical positioning around the carbon chain. The cis form is more common than the trans form. In some studies hydrogenated fats, or trans fats, mostly raised the total LDL cholesterol level and lower the HDL cholesterol levels. This could result in the heightened risk of heart disease. Essential Vitamins and Minerals are often called micronutrients because only a small portion is needed to live a healthy lifestyle. Without these micronutrients one is almost guaranteed to become infected with a disease like scurvy, blindness or rickets. Although they are both considered micronutrients, vitamins and minerals differ in basic ways. Vitamins are organic and can be broken down by heat, air, or acid. Minerals on the other hand are inorganic and hold on to their chemical structure. Essential Vitamins include Fat-Soluble and Water-Soluble Vitamins. The water-soluble vitamins are B and C and the fat-Soluble Vitamins are A, D, E, and K. The fat-soluble vitamins include A, D, E, and K. Firstly, Vitamin A is vital for good vision, prevents night blindness, keeps mucous membranes healthy and is necessary for healthy skin and hair growth. Next, Vitamin D is found in foods obtained from the sun. It helps bones use the mineral calcium to build strong bones and it prevents rickets. Also, Vitamin E helps breakdown polyunsaturated fats. It is an antioxidant that protects blood cell membranes from too much oxygen. Finally the fat-soluble Vitamin K is essential for the clotting of blood. It can be found in foods or produced in bacteria in the small intestines. The water-soluble vitamins are B and C. C is the most famous vitamin, and is also referred to as ascorbic acid. It helps form collagen, grow and repair body tissue and blood vessels, and prevent scurvy. However, too much Vitamin C can lead to the creation of Kidney stones and the breakdown of red blood cells. Vitamin B is complex and has several different types such as B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), Naicin, B6, B12, and Folacin. Amino Acids are organic compounds. They are the monomers of proteins and consist of both an amino group and a carboxyl group. The human body is unable to synthesize certain amino acids called â€Å"essential amino acids,† â€Å"the human body can synthesize all of the amino acids necessary to build proteins except for the ten called the â€Å"essential amino acids.†Ã¢â‚¬ (Nave 1) For example, some of the â€Å"essential amino acids are Leucine(leu) and Phenylalanine. Conclusion: My hypothesis was correct because as I cataloged my daily nutritional intake I found that the recommended allowance of carbohydrates, lipids and sodium is lower than what I eat and the recommended allowance for proteins, minerals, and vitamins is higher than what I eat. I am supposed to take in approximately 2000 calories a day and, on average, I only eat 900 calories a day. As I reflect on my daily nutritional intake I realize that in order to have a completely healthy lifestyle I must have more essential vitamins and minerals as well as proteins in my diet. Works Cited American Heart Association . â€Å"Cholesterol.† www.heart.org. American Heart Association , n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. . â€Å"Helpguide helps you help yourself and others.† Helpguide helps you help yourself and others. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. . Nave, R. â€Å"Essential Amino Acids.† Essential Amino Acids. University of Arizona’s Biology Project , n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. . Sustainable Table. â€Å"Food Additives, food additives pose threat – The Issues –

Caring For Those Left Behind

The Ignited States of America is a nation that has been fighting two wars on two fronts for thirteen years. With an all-volunteer force, our nations military is made up of brave men and women from all walks of life, brought together for one common goal; the safety of our nation. However, with this desire for safety also comes sacrifice, and not in the way that most people think of when they think Of our military members.I am referring to those who are left behind when a service member packs a bag and heads for a foreign land. The spouses, children, parents, and other dependents of these men and women. A life like no other Being a dependent of a service member is a task that the majority of the American population will never take on. The stress that these family members go though can be both physical and psychological, due to factors including deployment cycles, long and unpredictable duty hours, relocations, and living in a foreign country (Padded Poses, 2013). Frequent moves that military families go through can lead to a loss of a support network.The process of having to start over every few years and find a new job, make new friends while leaving old ones and leaving everything familiar behind can take a huge toll on a person. In addition, family separations, even short ones, can leave a military spouse to report feelings of loneliness. If there is a child at home, this spouse is now effectively a single parent. Deployments to war zones can bring a whole new dimension of stress to the family left behind, s their loved one now faces the risk of serious injury or death (Padded Poses, 2013).How are medical professionals, who may or may not have first- hand experience with this unique lifestyle, to adjust the care that is given this portion of the population? Care Enough to Ask While most spouses and family members of service members receive on- base medical services, there are those that are seen in civilian facilities. Families of members of reserve units more often than not live too far from a military facility, so they will seek care in the local community.As healthcare providers, it is important to ask about military affiliation and where in the deployment cycle (past, current or future) a family may be. In addition, it is important to ask questions about the service member themselves. Asking these questions can give a provider insight into stress levels, sleep quality and self-care. If symptoms Of anxiety or depression are present, further screening can be recommended. This line of questioning lets the patient know that you care enough to ask. From here, additional support can be offered when deed. Assessing the mental status of the patient can be crucial to providing proper care. In a study of National Guard spouses, 34% met the criteria for one or more mental health problems including depression, suicide ideation, and hazardous alcohol use. (Padded Poses, 2013). This means that more than one out of 4 spouses of the 1. 1 million military spouses have had what could be considered a mental health emergency. Another area of concern is the coping mechanisms the spouse is currently using to deal with the stress and separation.Everything from financial situation, level of communication, level of familial dysfunction and age of the spouse can give indication of the level of coping skills said spouse possesses. Taking a full history and asking questions pertaining to these areas of concern can assist a provider in making proper recommendations. Once all necessary information has been collected, the provider can then assist the spouse with support groups, coping skills, and stress management. Recommendations can be made with regards to self-care.Getting enough leap can be an all important factor in self-care, as a lack Of sleep can worsen any mental state. This combined with poor nutrition, a lack of exercise and a consumption of alcohol or other mind altering substances can have disastrous results, especially to one already suffering from stress. Every encounter with a military spouse is a chance for education on how to maintain proper self-care, health and well-being. Reflection Many good points are made in this article on how to help the families of military members. As this may be a situation that have not all dealt with, it s good to have a guideline to go by. Eel that more light needs to be brought to this unique situation. In addition, more guidance needs to be given to providers on how to deal with family members of service members who have returned with mental injuries, as well as physical ones. Dealing with a spouse with mental health issues can be just as challenging, if not more so, than caring for one with visible wounds. Conclusion Any family separation can bring about anxiety, but a separation due to a deployment of a loved one to a war zone can present multifaceted healthcare deeds by those left behind.

Home depot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Home depot - Essay Example The combined sales of both stores surpassed $7.2 billion. The Home Depot stores cater more to men, contractors, and serious do it yourselfers. Lowe’s on the other hand caters more to women and people looking to put the finishing touches on decorating projects. Home Depot has a greater physical market presence, but Lowe’s due to its superior product selection has been able to achieve greater customer acceptance. In the home improvement industry customers are not loyal to a specific store. I believe that Lowe’s has a better corporate image than Home Depot. During the past year while watching television I have on numerous occasion seen television commercials advertising Lowe’s. In the same time frame I have not seen any commercial for Home Depot. Despite having similar prices my perception based on the advertising I have seen is that Lowe’s has better price points on its merchandise. The fact that Lowe’s has better customer service is a strength that helps create a better corporate image in the eyes of the

Human Resources Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Human Resources Management - Essay Example In keeping with the theme of globalisation, the expansion of a business depends largely on the integration of the organisations operations with the prevailing culture of a region. Strategic planning is an essential form for the management of the business in accordance with the derived objectives. The planning helps in deciding the goals of the organisation, making management of resources for the future along with observing whether the structure is aligned to meet the needs of the business (Lawrence, n.d.; Free Courseware Project, 2008). Human resources management is important for recruiting the right person, managing the talent within the organisation and also handling the performance of the management and the employees. This would help the company to progress in the economically volatile marketplace and expand the business in the global market for long-term sustainability. Moreover, the business model used by human resources management to coordinate the design, talent management and many strategies effectively is useful for the purpose of expansion. The HR management takes considerable steps to manage the employees effectively and motivate them which lead to the increase in the organisations’ growth. A proper management style followed within the organisation, along with its effects on the internal and the external environment facilitates a business to expand. Human resources management acts as a mediator which manages the perspective of the employees and the goals of the management by understanding the needs of the organisation for its success. The effectiveness of the HR management will certainly facilitate to retain the talented employees and empower a pool of employees to take up challenging roles and responsibilities which in turn would assist the organisation to achieve its goals regarding expansion in the global market with profit and sustainability (Mohrman, 2007; Tan & Mahoney, 2012; Pearson Education Ltd, 2013). The objective of the study is to evaluate the role played by strategic human resource management in augmenting the responsibility of human resources’ for monitoring the external environment. The implication of the human resource strategies and policies on the organisation is evaluated in lieu of the internal and external contexts. The study evaluates the effect of strategic HRM on the HR management practices of three of the leading organisations based in the United Kingdom namely Unilever plc, BT plc and GlaxoSmithKline plc. The successful implementation and the negative effects of the organisations’ strategic HR management practices are also evaluated in the study Review of Pertinent Literatures According to Schuler and Jackson (2008), â€Å"in recent years, the evolution of strategic human resource management has meant that human resource’s responsibility for monitoring the external environment has grown.† The statement is feasible to a certain extent for the effectiveness as the mana gement resources must be capable of understanding the objectives of the people and the organisation. Moreover, it leads to the increase in the effectiveness of the organisational performance. Human resources management of every organisation depends essentially on planning, staffing, performance appraisal, compensation and the retention of labour. As affirmed by Rioux & et. al. (2000), the HR management not only maintains the internal environment but also manages the culture, organisational design, and other

Food Safety Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Food Safety Paper - Essay Example Food can easily get contaminated by a number of reasons. Some types include microbiological contamination which is unnoticeable and occurs swiftly if food is left open. Another type of contamination includes physical contamination which is noticeable to the naked eye but occurs due to inattentiveness towards food in particles form. The last type of contamination is chemical contamination which occurs through airborne chemical substances which settle into food and may be very harmful (D'Mello, 2003). In UK, during the last 15 years, there has been a substantial increase in incidents related to food safety. In 1980, incidents regarding food-borne illness were around 12,700 in UK which bolstered up to 100,000 in 1998. The Health Education Authority (HEA) conducted a research which portrayed that around three million children even under teenage make their own breakfast and that 65 percent of such children serve their parents with evening cooked meals. There were 57 percent of children wh o prepared food with pets around them, and 46 percent shared their food with their pets during preparation (Food and Drink Federation, 1996). This shows how food safety is left loose and can be harmful for both, children and their parents. The incidents of most concern to citizens of the United Kingdom involve many unknown factors. In 1986, the first incidence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in British cattle was reported. It was not until 1996, however, that U.K. scientists identified a possible link between BSE, a new-variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), and 14 deaths. This discovery resulted in the slaughter of all beef cattle over 30 months old and worldwide bans on sales of British beef. The sale of beef on the bone also was temporarily banned. Research into the long-term impact of BSE in cattle and it’s; relationship to CJD in humans is ongoing. The British government is investing heavily in research to learn more about the long-term impact on the populati on (Patnoad, 2001). Food safety involves a number of steps which need to be carried in order to ensure safe consumption. For this, the food must be well stored in clean and sanitized storage facilities, followed by proper preparation equipments and preservation facilities. In the United Kingdom, the sanitation process of food begins immediately after the food items are acquired from the market and is carried out effectively until the leftovers of the food are dealt with properly. These sanitation measures are not too complicated and can be easily practiced at home too. These measures are constructed with a series of processes that are followed in order to provide quality sanitized food from the commercial kitchens in UK to the customers, effectively. Firstly, it is made sure that food is prevented from getting contaminated through any types mentioned earlier. This is done by the decisive action of storing the food properly. Food items like sugar, flour, spices and cornmeal should be kept in airtight containers to barrier out bacteria present in the air. Also, items like vegetables and meat should be safely kept into airtight containers into a cold storage like freezer (Griffith, 1995). Commercial kitchens in the U.K have laid down basic kitchen sanitation guidelines which they follow which ultimately serves to be a vital element of food safety. They ensure that their preparation counters are properly sanitized and disinfected

Australian Migration Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Australian Migration Law - Essay Example The 90-day period is to be reckoned from the time the Secretary responded to the Registrar’s written notice of the existence of such an application for review under s 418 (1). Within 10 days of receipt of that written notice, the Secretary must respond with a written statement concerning the decision being reviewed setting out the findings of facts of the deciding person, evidence supporting such decision and reasons for such decision under s 418 (2). The only exception to the reviewability rule is when the Minister has forbidden it by issuing a conclusive certificate which precludes a review of his decision if he has determined that a review would not be in the best interest of the country in accordance with s 411 (3). For Mischa’s application to be valid and aside from complying with the prescriptive period of 28 days, his application must be: in the prescribed form; with the prescribed application fee, if one is required. In addition, such application can only be lod ged by Mischa while he is in Australia. Q2 Advise Mischa with respect to his situation. Include in your advice responses the following questions: (a) What is his current immigration status? (b) How can he remain in Australia lawfully whilst he responds to these allegations and the decision to cancel his visa is reviewed? Ans.: The cancellation Mischa’s protection visa has the effect of making him an unlawful citizen. This is the principle laid down in s 15, Part 2 of the Migration Act 1958, which makes the unlawful status effective immediately after cancellation unless the individual is the holder of another valid visa. For Mischa to be able to stay in Australia lawfully, he must apply for another visa. However, under s 48 (1) (ii) and s 48A (1) (b) of the Migration Act of 1958, Mischa is prohibited from applying for another protection visa. What Mischa can do to make his stay in Australia legal while waiting for the conclusion of the review of his appeal with the RRT, is

Macro and Micro Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Macro and Micro Economics - Essay Example These three components account for the significant differences observed in the various economies in the world. Economic performance in the context of institutional effects on an economy consider expropriation of risks by governments, applicable laws, quality of bureaucratic procedures in the economy unethical practices like corruption, contracts repudiation by governments, trade operations and liberties that are civil in nature. In the view of these factors, the applicability of ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ policies in developing countries can be evaluated in the global context. The underlying interest is to determine the universality and global application of a ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ policy under the context of institutionalisms. The Assessment Liberalization policies in many developing economies are yet to receive full integration into the prevailing economic systems. Regulatory frameworks that are institutionally installed have been the primary pillars of market moni toring in these economies. Levels of development vary across developing economies, and so are the levels of development in developed economies (Roland, 2004, p.109-131). The role of deregulation practices in these economies is expected to take time before it is realized, even with the notion that ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ policies of liberalization are good for domestic and international business. Africa, Asia and Latin America economies for example shows that the characteristics of, and reasons for, liberalisation are to a large extent country and sector-specific (Greif, 2006, p.164). The general take that one is good for all fails to account for the individual characteristic of each economy, and therefore the intended economic impact of such a policy may not be realized. While liberalization of market and economies in the developed nations has been procedural over time, the developing nations’ case is characterized by hasty liberalization activities, backed up by pol icies that generalize the developing world’s scenario. Many and more important aspects of market and economy liberalization are overlooked in the process, resulting in inappropriate capacities of regulation and public apparatus that fail to account for specific economic conditions as need be. As a result, most institutions in these economies are strained to comply, even when they face significant challenges such as: information-sharing and enforcement problems, capture risk, difficulties in introducing competition and the manifold formation of universal service obligations which arguably acquire particular connotations in developing countries (Eicher and Schreiber, 2005, p.73). ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ policies are designed to apply and function universally, whether formulated ad implemented for developed or developing economies. The institutional critique of these policies in developed countries cites their uniformity in application and functionality. However, in dev eloping countries, these policies are in a way adopted in a wholesale manner due to the fact that the institutions that advocate for them are economically influential to developing economies. In most cases therefore, the intended impact of the policies in the various economies that adopt them fail to be realized. Liberalization ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ policies for example are aimed at expanding deregulation of economies through the removal of market restrictions in terms of entry and exit, price reduction,

Austria's Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Austria's Politics - Essay Example The amendments have helped in increasing the political role of the president, as well as the process of election. Originally the president is elected by the members of the parliament. The amendments give the right of electing the president to the people instead. Austria is known to have a weak federal system. This is reflected upon the way that even though the constitution strictly states that each of Austria's nine provinces shall have jurisdiction over matters that is not under the federal government. These matters that should have been under provincial power involve the laws that are already decided by the federal government. These laws include education, financial and judicial legislation. The president as in many parliamentary system plays the ceremonial role. It is said that the president in Austria has the duty of constructing, guarding and dissolving governments. Since the president is elected by the people, it follows that the president is responsible and liable to the people. In such case, every action that the president does should promote the welfare of the people. In this view, the president is given the authority to assign members of the cabinet. In Austria, both the parliament and the government are under the pres... It happened in 1986 and 1971. The president is also granted with emergency powers. Emergency powers refer to the authority of the president during an emergency which gives him the right to act even without consulting the Nationalrat first. In such instances, the cabinet needs to give the president the right to conduct provisional laws. Nonetheless, such laws could either be void or implemented by the Nationalrat after four weeks. The chancellor which is in other parliament referred to as the prime minister is the real head of the government and the parliament. The chancellor is elected and can be dismissed by the president; nonetheless, the chancellor shall be the leader of the political party which holds the highest number of votes or seats in the so-called parliamentary election. The chancellor is the one who functions as the coordinator of the cabinet. However this does not give him the right to force or order other minister to act or conduct personal orders. The president has the power to appoint members of the cabinet and also to dismiss the cabinet as a whole. On the other hand, if the president would dismiss only one member of the cabinet, there must be a recommendation that comes from the Chancellor. The Nationalrat or National Council holds the power that is necessary to create National Legislations. Aside from the president, the NAtionalrat has the authority to remove the entire cabinet by means of a "vote of nonconfidence". Unlike the president, the Nationalrat can remove an individual member of the Cabinet using the "vote of nonconfidence". Treaties, laws, amendments and other forms of legislation can only be approved or implemented by the Nationalrat. Also elections could only be legitimate if one-third of

Personal & Career Development Programme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal & Career Development Programme - Essay Example You will carry out a literature search on a business in a specific sector which forms a short report in the journal. The focus of the research should be on their business model, products or services, potential business developments, customer or client base. This is designed to help you prepare for questions in an interview which ask you to display knowledge of their business operations. In carrying out the research you should avoid relying solely on information published by the organization and look for independent views and analysis. Google Business Model Google has made enviable strides in a very short time. The company is only in its thirteenth year but it is bigger than many older companies (Google, 2011). The main mode of income generating at goggle is advertising (Betz, 2011). They place advertisements on various products, which they provide free (Murthy, 2007). They even allow users to share in the advertising fees through Google Adwords and Google Adsense (Hill, 2004). In sho rt, Google provides multiple platforms for advertisers to put their advertisements and provides services to end users without cost. Products and Services Google has a very wide range of products. The most popular ones are the Google search engine and Gmail (Hochman, 2010). The search engine helps internet users to find information from the internet based on keywords (Girard, 2009). Gmail on the other hand is a free email platform that allows users to send and receive emails among other services. Other service offered by Google is the YouTube service. This was an acquisition by Google to help in prop its web presence. In addition, there are services such as Blogger through which Google to give free blogs. Potential Business Developments Google has been in the process of improving its services (Gaist, 2009). One of the recent, changes are the upgrade of the appearance of its search engine and the impending system wide change of the appearance of the Gmail email platform. As a company, Google generally avoids making too many changes on its products, opting to build on existing ones by adding optional functionalities to them (Rothkopf, 2009). A case in point is the recent introduction of Google+, which is Google’s attempt at entering the social media scene. It is simply an extension of Gmail. This ideal also shows in Google’s concept of a single sign in. Once a user signs in to any of Google’s applications, they can access all other products provided they registered to use it. Another interesting development that Google is pushing through is Google Places. This application will make it possible for people to know in real time where others are, based on their cell phone signal (Bailyn & Bailyn, 2011). This product is yet to hit the market in a big way, but it will become significant when people get comfortable with others knowing where they are at any one time. Customer Base Google’s customers are the advertisers who put up their adverts on the platforms Google provides (Betz, 2011). End users of the services are not the customers of the company (Paliwal, 2006). They do not generate revenue for Google. They simply provide Google with potential consumer groups to whom the company’s customers can advertise. Reference List Bailyn, E. & Bailyn, B., 2011. Outsmarting Google: SEO Secrets to Winning New Business. Que Publishing. Betz, F., 2011.

Nursing Leadership Paper Essay Example for Free

Nursing Leadership Paper Essay They have an open concept design, select menus, and our outside landscaping that allows their residents to enjoy a comfortable setting during either their short or long term stay. Their care is directed by an interdisciplinary team of professionals that includes a Medical Director, attending physicians, 24 hour licensed nurses, a dietary manager, activity director, social worker, and therapist for physical, occupational and speech rehabilitation. At Park Manor, the goal is to provide the care and services to meet the physical, emotional and social needs of each of our residents. I got to work with the MDS nurse, an MDS nurse is the nurse in the long term care facility who schedules and completes the RAI-Resident Assessment Instrument, a detailed assessment done at least quarterly on every nursing home resident. The MDS nurse is also usually responsible to coordinate the completion of the care plans for the resident based on the results of the assessment. We were collecting data from a whole bunch of sources; from the nurses, aides, resident, families, doctors, progress notes, therapy notes, etc. Then we completed the paper/computer MDS form based on our complete assessment (using the data collected). A RUG score (or resource utilization grouper) score is generated based upon our answers which is used to determine medicare/medicaide reimbursement rates for the facility. The MDS is used to create the care plan, determines reimbursement rates and determines quality measures/indicators per federal standards. State Surveyors pull these reports prior to inspection visits and to know who is losing weight and who may have pressure ulcers, etc.

Assess the contribution made by the Jesuits Essay Example for Free

Assess the contribution made by the Jesuits Essay The Jesuits are not only indicative of the developments in Catholic faith and theology but they also made a significant contribution in the Counter Reformation movement. On a theological level, the Jesuits helped the Catholics to express their faith- a critical ingredient to Catholic revival. The Jesuits made the Church infinitely stronger and better equipped to face the future in 1600 than it had been half a century earlier. Spain, Italy and Portugal remained firmly Catholic while ground was recovered all over southern Germany and the Habsburg lands and eventually Poland and Rome were won back to Rome. Seeing as the Reformation was on a theological plane, the Catholic response also existed along a theological plane. The Jesuits were part of a wide movement in the Church that had existed since the fifteenth century where a high level of interest was place in meditative prayer and charitable works. When these two concepts overlapped, the notion emerged whereby spiritual satisfaction could be expressed in a methodical way of life. The Jesuits were a vehicle through which this could happen. After the Council of Trent the Catholic Church, armed with its Tridentine decrees, placed renewed emphasis on continuous prayer, self-control and improvement, and particularly charity. The Church was looking for a more practical religion where people could be actively involved, as argued by John Bossy. An organisation that was a manifestation of these developments were the Jesuits. By joining the Jesuits ones sense of spirituality was enhanced and such theological challenges that were desired would be provided. Norvegus was one such Jesuit who undertook the spiritual challenge were he did the challenging task successfully of persuading Scandinavian theology students in the 1580s to be Catholic. The Jesuits had great security in their faith, shown, for instance, by their willingness at one point to do charitable works in Hamburg only to be lynched. The Jesuits had such devout members for their methods of the four main stages of training, or weeks as they were knows, were totally unique. The Jesuit would take the individual and train them up to moral standard whereby they could be presented to the church at the end of the process as someone who was spiritually and ethically strong. The members of the Jesuits were thus indifferent to the world and its pleasures yet were equipped to work within it. The Church, to its great advantage, was thus equipped with members who were certain of their faith and in their knowledge of God. The Jesuits were important in a spiritual sense for through their spiritual exercises they emphasised the important theological issue derived from an Aristotelian idea where the mind is employed to contemplate suffering of Christ and God. Loyola takes this a stage further when he proposes that the mind can be used to motivate us into good and charitable apostolic action. From Loyolas contemplation for achieving love he outlines how you can meditate to understand, as suggested when he said, Take my freedom, my memory, my understanding and use me as you wish. The ultimate outcome is that individuals had increased understanding of God that it was possible to become totally servile. With such members, it was inevitable that the Catholic faith strengthened. The Jesuit theology was important in justifying Papal dominance. A great manifestation of the developments towards a more practical faith was the spiritual exercises. In theological terms, the spiritual exercises placed a great emphasis on Papal hierarchy. Hierarchy within the Church could now be justified by theology and this validation of this much disputed factor to Catholicism enabled the Church to produce a strong front. Such comments of Loyola as I will believe that the white object I see is black if that be the will of the hierarchal Church suggests the importance of obedience and hierarchy which the Jesuits so promoted. The Jesuits were part of the move towards Catholic revival not only through realising the importance of the Churchs abuses and poor administration but also through challenging the Lutherans. An essential role of the Jesuits to aiding the Catholic faith was the recovering of lost souls in Lutheran territory as well as persuading people out of Europe to convert to Catholicism. A fine example was set by Francis Xavier who became the best know Christian missionary of modern time. He tried to educate the people of the East, particularly in Japan and India on the values of Christianity. The conversion of non-Christians was Loyolas initial motivation in founding his Society and he realised its importance right back in the 1540s when the Jesuits were established. The Papacy also viewed the order as one where their principle function was converting individuals to Catholicism, but particularly those who were Lutheran. As shown by the title given by the Papacy, Regimi militantis ecclesiae, when the order was founded in 1542, they were viewed as an almost militant organisation who could counter the Lutherans with their total obedience to the Pope. The Jesuits would not have received the Papal Bull and this particular title if the Catholics did not realise there would be a spiritual armed struggle between the Jesuits and Luther.

The Tragedy By Pablo Picasso

The Tragedy By Pablo Picasso The Tragedy by Pablo Picasso was painted in 1903 in Barcelona, Spain (nga.gov). The piece was constructed by oil on wood. It stands at 41 7/16 x 27 3/16 inches (nga.gov). The time at which The Tragedy was created is known as Picassos blue period. At this time he was dealing with the recent suicide of his close friend Carlos Casagemas (Artist Pablo Picasso). The blue period was defined by gloomy and depressive subject matter, and an overuse of blue colors. Both of these characteristics are evident in The Tragedy. The scene in the painting is that of a middle aged man, a woman, and a young boy standing on a shoreline. The scene is dark blue and gloomy which helps to create an overwhelming feeling of sadness evident in the painting. The three of them are position at an angle from the viewer and the woman stands with her back to the viewer. Their body language tells us of stress and depression. Picasso provided little detail to the sky or ocean, both of which are blue. The dark sand also lacks detail and has been mixed with shades of blue. The bodies and clothes of the people are the only detailed parts of the work. This was done to make sure that the viewer knows the importance of the piece is human emotion. The three of them are without shoes, and their clothes are dark in color suggesting that they are wet. Picasso mostly used line and color to complete the visual elements of The Tragedy. The colors of the blue period reflected the depression of his own life into his art. This is especially true in this work. The lines in this piece are mostly vertical. Most are a part of the makeup of the people. Two strong vertical lines outline the woman and one strong vertical line holds up the right side of the man. Other vertical lines make up the remainder of the man and also the boy. These types of lines are also very emphasized in the makeup of their clothes. One strong horizontal line separates the water from the sky. The strong horizontal line helps to balance the painting which is mostly dominated by vertical lines. The work is mostly still with slight motion apparent where the water meets the shore. Picasso used several white, flowing lines to represent this motion. Otherwise the ocean and the sky are calm and still. The painting is not quite symmetrical. The woman stands to one side of the scene, and the boy and man to the other. Though this would seem to set the piece off balance, Picasso did a great job of keeping the work very well balanced through the use of color and line. The scale of the people in comparison to the water and sky is not well proportioned. The people almost seem too big for the scene. Though this is so, I believe it is an effect used to again show the focus of humans and their emotion to this work. The deep blues of this art is what caught my eye. When I saw this piece I knew I needed to know the story. After some research on the piece I feel as though the story Picasso is telling us is still unknown. Perhaps he wanted the individual viewer to interpret the story in their own way. One review on the work (The Artist Pablo Picasso) suggested that the man, woman, and boy are a family. This review suggests that the family is not stranded on the beach as many would assume at first look, but rather that they are a homeless family who live on or near this beach. The reviewer says that the way the family stands suggests this possibility. He argues that the family seems familiar with the area and stands aloof as if in deep thought rather than looking as though they are distraught and confused as they would if they were lost. A second review of the work written by Jon Corey suggests that guilt is a main theme in the work. He says that multiple characteristics of the mans posture suggest that he is the guilty party. These characteristics include a dropped head and one foot a step back from the other. He says that the body language of the woman implies that she is the one who reprimands the man. Corey also suggests that the three subjects are not a family. This is illustrated through the distance between the three of them. We assume that if they were a family there would be a stronger feeling of connectedness between the three of them. Although I agree more with the latter analysis of the work, Corey does not tell us his view of where the three of them came from. In my personal opinion I think that the three of them did come from the sea, but like Corey I do not think they are a family. They all look cold and wet as if they had just washed ashore. I feel that that they are the only three survivors of a ship that capsized. Perhaps guilt is a theme of the piece in that they feel guilty of being the only survivors. Blue is my favorite color, and though it represents sadness especially in this particular work, I am still very drawn to it. I think that the mysteriousness of the work also draws me in. I am not typically a fan of Picasso, but I like this piece. It is something that I would have in my own home if given the chance. I am still interested to know if there was an intended story behind the work or if it was simply meant for me to tell my own. Works Cited Artist Pablo Picasso, The. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.theartistpablopicasso.com/pablo- picasso-painting-tragedy.htm (2010, April 21). Corey, Jon. (2007, November 13). Art History. Retrieved from: http://quazen.com/arts/art-history/pablo-picassos (2010, April 21). National Gallery of Art. (2010). Pablo Picassos The Tragedy: Metamorphosis of a Painting. Retrieved from http://www.nga.gov/feature/picasso/index.shtm (2010, April 20). Claude Monet: The Japanese Footbridge 1899 Claude Monet was a French artist who lived from 1840 until 1926. This painting titled The Japanese Footbridge was completed in 1899. The piece is a scene from his own water garden at Giverny (nga.gov). The scene was recreated by him over 250 times during the later half of his life. He became so obsessed with painting this particular scene that eventually became the only topic of his works (nga.gov). There are multiple other works by Monet with same or similar titles and content. This piece is 32 x 40in and was created by oil on canvas (nga.gov). Monet was a major part of the impressionism movement. The term impressionism was actually an insult made toward a work by Monet (Frank 366). The term stuck and the movement grew. The focus of these artists was landscapes, seasons, and time of day. The impressionist wanted to portray what the eye actually sees rather than what the mind knows (Frank 365). From this movement The Japanese Footbridge was created. The painting depicts a stream surround by very tall and thick grass. The stream is covered in light pink lily pads. The water is not clear, but rather emphasizes the reflection of the grass surrounding it. As an impressionist piece the colors are not separated, but instead meshed together making a less vivid image of the scene. Starting the bottom of the work you see the scene as if from almost eye level with the water. At the top of the canvas a blue-gray bridge crosses the stream leading to either side of the grassy banks. There are trees in the background giving us a sense that the stream winds out of view. Like most of Monets work and that of other impressionist there is very little to the scene. The bridge, water, grass, lily pads, and background of trees complete the scene giving us no view of the sky or what lies to either side of the stream. The visual elements of the work give the viewer a feeling of peace when viewing the painting. The lines are soft and curved. The curve of the bridge is the most prominent line in the work. The soft yet bold line of the bridge combined with its blueish-gray color sets the mood for the viewer. Although it is a peaceful scene, the balance of the color scheme sets the mood to neither happy nor sad. The dark greens and blues contrast the light pinks and white. The scene is very still which also helps the viewer to feel at peace. There is no recognizable notion to movement of the water leading us to believe it is either a still stream or a very slow moving one. This lack of notion makes me feel as though time is standing still in the painting. The center of the work is light in contrast to heavy. The heaviness or mass in the piece is focused in the background and to the sides. This mass is concentrated in the thick forest of tress in the background and the overgrown grass to the sides. The focus of light (color) is on the bridge. In a few spots on what we see as the front of the bridge the color is very light blue. It almost does not match the rest of the bridge. Monet used this to give the illusion that the sun is reflecting off the bridge. Knowing that time of day was important to his work, I must conclude that this is a scene at either sunset or sunrise. The painting is almost perfectly symmetrical. The stream runs directly through the center of the work dividing the two grassy banks into two small equal proportions. The way the water winds smoothly around the lily pads leads the eye to the trees of the background. In this background there is a dark spot in the trees that falls in the center of the work. This spot helps to divide the work to be even more symmetrical. The bridge railings were positioned just enough off center to prevent the work from being perfectly symmetrical, but the work is still very well balanced. A reflection of the bridge falls in the bottom of the painting extending the balance from not only left to right but also top to bottom. With the reflection of the bridge Monet makes it clear to us that this is a wooden bridge by revealing the bottom of the bridge in the reflection. In the reflection we see brown that we do not see if the actual bridge. I have found from this class that I enjoy impressionism more than any other types of art. I cannot say that this is my favorite piece by Monet since I favor the work Impression: Sunrise as one of my favorite works of art in general, but I do like The Japanese Footbridge. I like the serenity of the scene and I love the bridge. I think the things I do not like about the painting are the view and the colors. I feel a little trapped in the small scene Monet provides for us and I want to be able to see what lies outside of what he is allowing us to see. I also find the colors a little dull. Like all artists I am sure he had a purpose in choosing his colors, but something a little brighter would have made the piece better for me. Even the use of more light could have brightened it up just enough to take away that neutral feeling of neither happiness nor sadness. Over all I think it is a good painting. He used the visual element and the principles of design in a way to make the piece easy o n the eye and enjoyable to look at. Works Cited Frank, P. (2009). Prebles Artforms. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. National Gallery of Art. (2010). The Collection. Retrieved from http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg85/gg85-74796.html (2010, April 19). The Shipwreck By Claude Joseph Vernet Claude Joseph Vernet was a French painter in the eighteenth century. He was the most famous water and landscape artist of his time (nga.gov). He was well known for portraying weather and time of day in his work (nga.gov). Most of his pieces included scenes of either rain, lightning, clouds, moonlight, sunset, storms or a combination of these subjects (nga.gov). He Specialized in [these] stormy seascapes, often depicting sailing vessels in distress (nga.gov). Vernets painting The Shipwreck is an example of one of these specialized seascapes. The piece is 44 ÃÆ'- 64 inches and was created with the use of oil on canvas. The scene in The Shipwreck is that of a ship being washed under by massive waves. The ship has approached the beach, and the few remaining on board are just seconds from either safety or disaster. Most passengers have made it to the safety of the beach and are frantically watch as the ship is overcome with water. The wind is so powerful that the sail of the ship is being pulled inland and is running almost parallel to the beach. Those who have escaped the sinking ship have done so by climbing down the ropes of the sail and dropped safely off the rope and onto the beach. The survivors stand holding ropes of the sail in what looks to be an attempt to stabilize the ship just long enough for the remaining passengers to escape via this route. Two people hang from the ropes of safety as though debating when to let go and make the fall to land. A person on the beach stands beneath them with their arms raised as to say Jump and I will catch you. Four people have made it to the top of the sail and are approaching the safety of the ropes. Another person climbs the sail in an effort to reach the top and make his way down the rope. One last person can be seen on the deck of the ship. His back is to us as he leans over the side of the ship that is yet to go under. He leans hard. It makes the viewer ask if the man is on his way overboard or if he is his last attempts to reach out for someone who has already gone overboard. To the right a person is stranded on a boulder that lines the beach. To the left another bolder strands two more people. Behind these two people a huge wave crashes against the tall rock shore line. In the front left hand corner a group of people have made it away from the crashing shore and to a safer place. Three of them attend to a limp woman who seems to be injured or even unconscious. Another man in this area rolls a barrel up the beach to a safer place. In the back ground another ship can be seen. It also looks as though it too will soon be taken by the storm. Atop the tall rocky shoreline a castle can be seen in the distance. Vernet used lightening from the storm to create light in this piece. A huge diagonal streak of lightening hangs in the sky just above the second ship. The sky is lit in pink around the lightening while the rest of the sky is covered in dark, stormy grays and blues. The lightening streak has a sharp line that shows its strength and assertiveness in the sky. This line points directly to a city in the background of the painting. The city is lit by the lightening in a warm pink. The warmth of the city symbolized a safe place. It says to the viewer; If only the ship would have washed ashore here, everything would be okay. Vernet used other sharp, assertive lines as well. The mast of the ship which hangs over the beach holds a sharp line that points toward the upper left hand side of the painting. The eye follows this line upward and to a broken tree branch that hangs in the rocks of the shore. Vernet used color to show us that this tree has recently been broken in the midst of the storm. The remaining tree limbs blow hard to the left indicating the direct of the overpowering wind. From there the eye is caught by the white of a breaking wave against a dark background. This is when the two people stranded on the boulder are noticed. From the boulder the eye is taken by horizontal lines of the waves of the sea and carried over to the sinking ship. This is when the viewer takes more detail to deck of the ship. From here the viewer is also made aware of a man stranded on a second boulder. Line and color are the strongest visual elements in this piece. Though line plays a great role in the flow of the work, I feel that Vernets use of color is what made the painting great to me. The dark sky is lit by the lightening in a pinkish orange. This color is reflected on the city in the background. Above the city the sky is purple. The purple blends into a dark blue and grays which then become lighter blue in spots above the ship. These lighter blue spots were used to portray the sun that is hidden behind the dark, stormy clouds. The portrayal of the sun is also evident on the beach. In the area that is the focus of the piece, the sun shines down and lights the people. The sand here is lighter, and the ocean is green in this area rather than blue. In the sky above this area a break in the clouds reveals the blue sky. This is where the sunlight is coming from. I think the use of light here gives the viewer a sense of hope, and the knowing that these people will survive. In contr ast to these people, the last man aboard the deck of the ship is very dark. A small area of light reflects of his back just enough to make him noticeable. I feel that this man was painted in dark colors to portray his fate of not surviving this shipwreck. The color and the seascape is what made me choice this painting. I love the blues, greens, and purples of the piece, and water is my favorite subject when it comes to art. After close attention to the detail of this piece I respect it in a different way. The symbolism of light and dark in this painting is beautiful. I have never really thought of art in that sense until now. It has opened my eyes to how perfectly the visual elements can be manipulated to create something meaningful. Works Cited Claude Joseph Vernet: The Shipwreck. (2010). Retrieved from the National Gallery of Art website: http://www.nga.gov/feature/artnation/vernet/index.shtm. (2010, April 24). Vincent van Goghs Girl in White After research on Starry Night by van Gogh, I have taken interest in him. I wanted to research another piece by him so I choose Girl in White. I choose this piece for two reasons. The first reason was because I wanted to study something far different from Starry Night. At first glance of this piece it is easy to see that the content and colors used are considerably different in the two paintings. Secondly, the time at which this was painted is interesting to me. I know that he died in July of 1890 after a self inflicted gun shot wound to the stomach (Life of van Gogh ). Girl in White is dated 1890 (nga.gov) as well, meaning this piece by him was created in the midst of his final emotional breakdown. Girl in White was done in the post-impressionist style which van Gogh is known for. It a 26 1/4 x 18 1/16 inch oil on canvas (nga.gov). The content is exactly what it sounds like it would be. A girl dressed in a white dress stands in the center of the painting. She is surrounded by tall flowers and appears to be standing in the middle of a field. There is little detail to the work. The flowers in the piece hardly even resemble flowers. Van Gogh simply used long, thick brush strokes to represent these flowers. They are slightly off color to the rest of the back ground which makes them more noticeable. He also painted occasional small red circles which represent the buds of the flowers. The girl is dressed in a white dress. To me this dress looks to be a wedding dress, but she wears a large sun hat on her head which means this probably is not a wedding dress. Although titled Girl, this does not look to be a girl, but rather a woman in her mid to late twentys. What little facial features van Gogh did provide make to woman appear to be stressed and unhappy. If this were a young girl I would expect a lighter mood expressed on her face. The lines in the piece are all vertical. The woman appears to be very tall because of the way these lines were used. The long straight lines of her dress, long arms, and near abnormally long hands and fingers make this so. A curved line used in the hat which falls across her forehead helps to break up all the vertical lines. Without this line, the painting would seem too sharp and less appealing to the eye. The placement of the woman on the canvas also gives this vertical appearance. The very bottom of the canvas consists of the lower half of her dress, but her feet are not showing. The upper part contains a small amount of the surrounding field, but the womans hat nearly reaches the top of the canvas. Her body takes up most of the space vertically, yet more of the field is apparent to the left and right of the woman. This combined with many vertical lines emphasizes her appearance of being very tall and thin. Van Gogh used light in an interesting way in this piece. I feel that it is hard to focus on this womans face because it appears dark and shaded from light. Instead the eyes are more drawn to the lighter areas of the woman which focus on her dress around the breast area and lower stomach. I do not know if this was meant to be symbolic of fertility in anyway, but it seems possible. The colors in this piece are plain and far different from a lot of his work toward the end of his life. Van Gogh painted with dull colors in his early works, but had taken a drastic turn in color scheme in his later pieces. I personally feel like this piece is reflective of the emotional pain he was enduring at the time this was created. Since dark colors a usually associated with death and dying, which I believe van Gogh was debating at the time this was created, I feel that the light colors used here represent his peace he associated with no longer being in his cruel world. It is known that van Gogh used color to express emotion in his work and this helps me to draw this unusual conclusion. When I look at this piece and consider the artist, and the year it was created, a story comes to my mind. I do not know if the story I create is anywhere close to the truth. I did not research this piece by van Gogh specifically, instead I wanted to take my own view of it and analyze it without any outside bias. The story I see is that of van Goghs lover after his death. She is dressed in her wedding dress when she hears the news of his death. In deep sorrow she wanders aimlessly into a field. There she stands with no direction of where to go, and the confusion and sadness is shown on her face. The light reflected on her breast and stomach could be symbolic of their plans to have children or symbolize that she is already in the early stages of pregnancy. Works Cited Life and Art of Vincent van Gogh. (March 23, 2010). Retrieved from http://lifeofvangogh.com National Gallery of Art. (2010). The Collection. Retrieved from http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/vangogh/vangogh-46505.html (2010, April 28). Thomas Morans Grand Canyon of Yellowstone Thomas Moran was born in England in 1837. He moved to the United States as a young boy, and grew up in Pennsylvania. Though born in England, he is considered an American artist (nga.gov). The subject of his art was always American landscapes. Grand Canyon of Yellowstone was completed in 1872 and is considered a part of Morans western collection. This painting is said to have launched his career as an artist (nga.gov). Grand Canyon of Yellowstone is a landscape scene from Yellow Stone National Park in Wyoming (Smithsonian). The view is from inside of a canyon. The viewer looks out over a ledge and straight ahead to a water fall in the distance. A mist has built up from the fall and it clouds the view. From the mist, the eye catches the blue water of the Yellowstone River (Smithsonian) and carries the viewer back to the ledge. Two people stand in the distance at the edge of the ledge. It is said that one of these two people is Moran himself (nga.gov). Also in the distance what appears to be a horse and people with luggage are making their way up the trail toward to viewer. The viewer is looking west. I think this is important to the work because it symbolizes Morans plans of exploration further west. It is as if he stopped here and took in the view of the direction he was headed. I know that the viewer is looking west because more vegetation is apparent on the right side of the canyon. More vegetati on indicates a northern direction. I know this from personal experience in the western United States. Moran used light to show us how huge the western sky is. He did this by creating large dark and light areas throughout the piece. This is significant because starting with the position of the viewer the ground goes from dark to light, back to dark, and again to light in the far off distance. The first dark area is not as important as the second because it is likely only the shadows of the canyon. The second dark area however is representational of a cloud over head. This is noticeable because of the way the ground is again lighter in the distance. If you have ever experienced the huge western sky this is easy to catch on to. I think Moran did the piece this way because he wanted to include the feeling of the large sky without actually showing it. The view from which the scene is painted does not allow much room for the sky so he had to show its enormousness in a different way. In the far distance above the canyon the land flattens to a plateau. In the even further distance snowcapped mountains can be recognized. This is also another indication that the viewer is looking west and toward the Rocky Mountains. The scale at which Moran painted himself and the other people helps us to grasp the vastness of canyon. They are so small that they are almost not even noticed. This gives the viewer an idea of how huge the canyon really is. Moran was painting for those who had never seen anything like this before, and he wanted them to be ale to feel completely engulfed into the scene as he had felt. I do not feel that Moran did anything too fancy with the piece as far as visual elements are concerned. I think he painted what he saw the way he saw it, and that is what makes it great. I think this is obvious by his use of colors. They consist of dull browns and earth tones. They are not popular or catchy colors that would typically draw you into a painting, but they are the true colors that he saw. Because of this I can appreciate this painting more than any other that I have studied. I know that it is real. There is no underlying meaning or message to be heard. It is just truth. He wanted you to see the canyon as it really is and appreciate its natural beauty. Landscape pieces are my favorite subject in art. I am especially fond of Morans western collection because of my own personal attachment there. I can relate to his art better than any other artist I have studied because I know what he felt when he painted these scenes. I know that I felt the same way the first time I traveled west. It is an indescribable feeling of beauty and you become completely engulfed in to it. To me there is nothing else like it, and I long to be back there almost every day! I am so glad I found this piece because it helps to fill in a little piece of me that is missing.

Impact of Relationships Upon the Themes of Shakespeares Othello Essay

The Impact of the Relationship between Othello, Iago and Cassio Upon the Themes of Othello The major themes present in Othello are Jealously, Betrayal and Appearance vs. Reality. Each one of these themes are reinforced throughout the play in Iago's evil plot. They are represented or seen by Othello, Iago and Cassio and the relationship between them; dictating the motion of the play. Othello is the main character of the play. He is a moorish general and head of the army of venice. He is a warrior, honest, and loves his new wife Desdemona very much. His only mistake is trusting his ensign, Iago too much and allowing Iago to come between his marriage. Iago makes Othello believe that his wife, Desdemona, is cheating on him. Iago is Othello's ensign, and the main villain of the play. He hoped to be promoted to the position of lieutament, but Othello chose Cassio over him. To get revenge, he brings forth a plot to convince Othello that Cassio and Desdemona, are having an affair. Iago is truly evil, and cares only about himself. Cassio is Othello's lieutanent who was chosen over the veteran soldier, Iago, for the position. Cassio is a young and handsome Florentine and is very polite with the ladies. By getting drunk and hurting Montano, Governor of Cyprus, he gets discharged from being Othello's lieutanent. The relationship between Othello and Iago is not sincere as Iago makes Othello and everyone else believe. Iago fools everyone into believing that he is an honorable man and loyal friend so that he can get punish Othello for not promoting him to lieutenant. No one ever suspects him of wrongdoing until the end of the play. By the first scene ... ...ssio is like a triangle where even though they are three different characters, they are connected in a way. Othello who has so much power as the general and head of the army, has a weakness in trusting people by their appearance. One of these persons is his ensign Iago, whose reputation is that of an "honest man", but inside he is an evil person. His envy towards Othello drives him on deceiving him and Cassio into believing his supposed loyalty. Iago betrays him by plotting against him using Cassio who is manipulated and innocent of his evilness. Cassio's only interest is getting the position as Othello's lieutanent and by this he gets used by Iago, who disliked him from the beginning because that was the position he wanted to receive. By bringing Cassio in, we close the triangle understanding how the relationship between them dictate the motion of the play.

The Death of Creativity in Brave New World :: Brave New World

The Death of Creativity in Brave New World      Ã‚  Ã‚   Aldous Huxley, in his distopian novel,Brave New World, presents a horrifying view of a possible future in which society has become a prisoner of the very technology it hoped would save us.   In Brave New World Huxley's distortion of technology, religion, and family values, is much more effective than his use of literary realism found in his depiction of a savage reservation. Through his use of distortion Huxley tells a classic tale with the theme of, be careful what you wish for, because it may not truly be what you wanted.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Huxley effectively uses distortion in -Brave New World through his depiction of social values of the future. For example, when Barnard Marx hears somebody talking about Lenina in the locker room, he becomes upset. Leaving the building, everyone he passes recommends soma for his bad mood. Huxley shows the reader that drug use is becoming more and more an acceptable way out for a weak society.   He is showing society that we are becoming emotionally incapable of dealing with pain and hurt. Furthermore, the students, while speaking with the director of the London Hatchery, are told at one time people were viviparous, and were disgusted and outraged. Huxley is trying to warn society that its lack of commitment and endurance will eventually be its downfall.   Lack of the experience of pregnancy severs the emotional ties of the woman and her child.   An emotionless society feels no guilt.   In addition, Lenina, when accused of lack of promiscuity by Fanny while in the locker room, religiously denies it. Monogamy requires commitment, pain, and work.   Huxley is predicting humans progressing to a society of people who are unable to focus on anything but pleasure; unable to handle the work of a commitment.   He knew the road we were on would lead the wrong way.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Huxley also uses distortion to open peoples eyes to the world of religion.   For example, Bernard Marx hurries and frets about being late to his orgy-porgy session because he is running behind.   Huxley's prediction of the church moving away from God and towards man is becoming evident even sixty-three years after his book appeared.   Church figures, such as, Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggert, have appeared numerous times on the news and in the papers for using the church for money and sex.   Furthermore, when Bernard and Lenina visit the reservation they are appalled at the practice of a cross of Christianity and Hinduism.  Ã‚   A warning that lack of religious tolerance could be one of the greatest downfalls of our time.

King Lear :: essays papers

King Lear Act I Scene i: Set in the royal court, the first scene of Shakespeare's King Lear pivots upon the refusal of the aged monarch's youngest daughter, Cordelia, to follow the suit of her sisters Goneril and Regan in professing love for their father, and Lear's wrathful decision to disown Cordelia. Nevertheless, Act I, scene i of Lear begins with a parallel subplot about the bastard Edmund's treachery toward his father Gloucester and his brother Edgar. At the start of the scene, we first see the loyal gentlemen Kent and Gloucester discussing Lear's intention to leave the realm to his daughters and their sons-in-law. The dialogue is interrupted by the appearance of Edmund, the illegitimate son of Gloucester. In due course we learn that Edmund is not only a bastard but also an inveterate villain, the male counterpart to Lear's "evil" daughters, Goneril and Regan. Trumpets blare as a majestic Lear arrives with his retinue and announces that his "darker purpose" is to hand over his kingdom to his t hree daughters. He proceeds to ask each of them to express their love for him in words. Goneril tells her father that he is dearer to her than "eyesight, space and liberty" (l.56); the second daughter Regan answers that she is "an enemy of all other joys" (l.73). But Lear's youngest daughter, Cordelia, responds that she can add nothing to what her older sisters have said. Cordelia refuses to go beyond her own heart and conscience; she loves her father, but not to the exclusion of all else. Lear becomes infuriated, and then disinherits and disowns his youngest daughter. The goodly Kent's efforts to restore Cordelia only provoke Lear's wrath and lead to the nobleman's banishment. When two suitors for Cordelia's hand in marriage, the Duke of Burgundy and the King of France appear, Lear tells them that they must take her without a dowry. The Duke of Burgundy refuses but the King of France takes the fair and true Cordelia with him. In the scene's final exchange, Goneril and Regan reveal themselves as the coming villains of the tragedy, with the bastard Edmund lurking in the background Scenes ii, iii, iv, & v: Here Shakespeare returns to the subplot, as Edmund devises a scheme to set his father against Edgar, Gloucester's legitimate son. He shows Gloucester a phony letter in which Edgar tries to enlist Edmund into a murder plot against their father.

Consumer behavior Essay

1. A marketer of health food is attempting to segment its market on the basis of Australia consumers’ self image. Describe the four types of consumer self-image and discuss which one would be most effective? There have 4 types of self image which are actual self image mean that how consumers see themselves; the second one is ideal self image mean that consumers would like to see themselves; third one is social self image mean how consumers feel other see them and the last one is ideal social self image which mean how consumers would like others to see them. For the health food products that are consumed privately, consumers might be guided by the actually self image. Consumers might select a different self image to guide their attitudes or behavior 2. Describe the type of promotional message that would be most suitable for: a) Highly dogmatic consumers b) Inner directed consumers c) Consumers with high optimum stimulation levels d) Consumers with high degree of recognition e) consumers who are visualizes vs consumers who are verbalizes 3. Find three print advertisements based on Freudian personality theory? Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of personality is the cornerstone of modern psychology. This theory was built on the premise that unconscious needs or drives, especially sexual and other biological drives are at the heart of human motivation and personality. Inside the theory, there have three interacting systems are id, superego and ego. For example, there has an id-driven impulsive behavior which is the Courtesy of Interflora @ Interflora Australia. The other example is emphasizes the pleasure benefit from Passion Pink Venus. 4. How does sensory adaptation affect advertising comprehension? How can marketers overcome sensory adaption and increase the likelihood that consumers will notice their ads? The term adaptation refers specifically to getting used to certain sensations, becoming accommodated to a certain level of stimulation. Sensory adaptation is a problem experienced by many TV advertisers during special programming events such as Olympic games. Some  markets seek unusual or technological media in which to place their advertisements in an effort to gain attention. 5. The retail stores have images of their own that serve to influence the perceived quality of the products they carry, as well as the decisions of consumers as to where to shop. A study of retail store image based on comparative pricing strategies found that consumers tend to perceive stores that offer a small discount on a large number of items as have lower prices overall than competing stores that offer large discounts on a smaller number of product. 6. Describe how manufacturers if chocolate bars can apply their knowledge of differential threshold to packages and process during period of: a) Rising ingredient costs – the financial risk because the product will not be worth its cost, it is depend on their choices to a few safe alternative. b) Increasing competition – it is the social risk which a poor product can attract customers to choice and it may cause in the social embarrassment. c) Heightened consumer awareness regarding nutrition and ingredient labeling – it is the psychological risk which a poor product choice will beuise the customers’ ego.

Act 4 of the crucible is dynamic theatre Essay

The Crucible provides us with what can only be described as masterpiece of dramatic writing. Written by Arthur Miller in 1952, the most powerful scenes in â€Å"The Crucible† have several common characteristics; very effective use of stage directions, long build-ups of suspense that come crashing down in thundering climaxes, intense displays of emotion and an abundance of dramatic irony.  The play, set in 1692, is based upon the outbreak of accusations of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. Miller wrote the play using this 17th-century case (and fictionalising it) to comment on a 20th-century phenomenon – the exposure of suspected communists. In 17th century Salem the inhabitants feared witchcraft as America feared communism in the 1950’s; and many similarities can be drawn between the events of the two periods. Both were exaggerated out of all reasonable proportion and each contains communities that display an irrational fear of an ill perceived threat to their stability of life. Indeed, the theme of culpability that runs throughout the play is mirrored constantly in modern society, particularly in politics, where those in office are frequently blamed for incidents that are completely beyond their control. The writing of this play stemmed from Miller’s personal interest in the Salem witch trials and at the time, America was in the middle of the McCarthy political â€Å"Witch Hunt†. Miller himself was called before a committee, and he began to notice a certain resemblance between the two trials, such as ‘naming and shaming’ by people anxious to divert attention from themselves, together with confessions given under duress. This has resulted in the play being seen as a political allegory. At the beginning of act 4 we see symbolic setting and scenery created through Miller’s clever use of stage directions, which in turn, introduces and establishes the tone that will continue throughout the remainder of the play. For example, the reference to â€Å"moonlight seeping through the bars† of the darkened cell metaphorically suggests to the reader that there is still hope for the  wrongly accused sufferers of the witch hunt, the light being a positive aspect in the otherwise bleak atmosphere. This technique of using light symbolically is revisited later in the scene; â€Å"the new sun is pouring in†, reinforcing the theme of dramatic lighting that is so very important within the play. It is perhaps this phrase that best sums up the intensity of relief felt at the end of the ordeal, and emphasizes the theme of transition and change, highlighted in particular by the word â€Å"new†. Another way in which Miller successfully creates tension within the play is through the use of apposite props and evocative scenery, most notably in the jail; â€Å"†¦a high barred window, near it, a great, heavy door†. This evokes a strong sense of oppression, in particular the â€Å"heavy door† which could be arguably be seen as a metaphor for the ignorance displayed by the townspeople of Salem. Furthermore, we see the play end on a very dramatic note; â€Å"The final drumroll crashes, then heightens violently†, surely emblematic of the last brutal act of the witch-hunt; the violent demise of the hero and the end of the suffering of those persecuted by fear and ignorance. Dramatic theatre would be nothing however, without the powerful characters at the heart of the story, and the depth they bring to it through their emotions and actions. At the very beginning of the scene, we see a representation of the main theme of the story; the helplessness of the villagers against the cruel authority of Danforth, illustrated by the forcible removal of Tituba and Sarah Good from their cell. The power struggle between those in office and the common man draws great empathy from the audience and reinforces the brutality of the entire ordeal. Indeed, the women’s response to the guards; â€Å"We goin’ to Barbados, soon devil gits here†¦Ã¢â‚¬  highlights the villagers’ great superstition around Satan, giving the audience insight into how the situation has spiraled out of control, and how their fears fuel the fires of hysteria, allowing the oppression of the villagers to continue unabated.

The Personal Network Solutions Division of Sony

Sony, â€Å"Manufactures, markets and sells consumer and professional audio and video equipment, telecommunication products, computer and peripheral products, recording media and energy products, semiconductors and other electronic components.† (sony.com) It is a very broad company that operates in many different business areas. The focus of this assessment is centered on the personal network solutions division of Sony. Personal Network Solutions Co. (PNSC) Handycam ® and Digital Handycam Camcorders Digital Mavica ® and Cyber-shot cameras Glasstron ® audio/video eyeware Online photo service â€Å"Image StationSM† Memory Stick ®digital media products VAIO ® (Video Audio Integrated Operation) personal computers Trinitron ® computer displays CLIÉ ® handheld device Sony operates in five business units. The computer and digital media devices both fall under the same unit at Sony. Sony does have the benefit of many business strengths. The most notable of which is its business name. Sony products have a reputation for being â€Å"before their time† as far as the features many of them have. Many Sony products demand a premium price for being such a technological masterpiece. Sony has continued to use this premium price scale in its computer line as well. By doing so it prices itself out of the value or budget line that many consumers seek. Sony has a reputation for producing high quality electronic devices and has also developed a loyal customer base. Sony is able to gain customers from an early age with its video game systems PS One and PS 2. Sony could feed off of this and make these customers attracted for life. Sony products are always on the cutting edge of technology. Sony has always pushed the envelope on design and cannot stop if it hopes to remain an electronic powerhouse. Sony hopes to expand its electronic market with the recent introduction of its CLIE† PDA or personal digital assistant. Competitors of Sony†s have dominated this area and now it should be able to compete. As with most companies, where there is strength, there is also weakness. This is definitely true at Sony with its biggest weakness being its inability to distribute its high end products as quickly as the market is demanding them. This was very evident during this past Christmas when Sony released the before mentioned Playstation 2. Demand was so high for this product that it is just now available in the stores as production and distribution has met up with demand. It did not help that there was a defect in the first shipment of the machines to the US and many who had to wait in long lines ended up with useless devices and had to wait until more arrived to have theirs replaced. Being on the cutting edge of the technology field makes opportunities always around the corner. However the work must be done to make it to the corner. Sony puts the needed resources into its research and development of all of its products. Without a doubt, Sony produces some of the most high quality electronic devices in the world. Now it would like to do the same thing in the computer market. Sony first started producing consumer pc†s in the mid 90†³s. Since then it has concentrated primarily on the consumer pc and especially the smaller format or laptop version of the pc. This represents a definite opportunity with which Sony could gain even more of the consumer electronic market. As with all companies there are many threats, which must be considered when conducting business. Some of these threats come from outside the company as some of them come from within. One such outside threat is that of the United States economy. Consumers are much less likely to make major purchases, such as a new computer, during times of economic trouble. While control of the entire economy is out of the hands of Sony, it can make some changes to assure that economic trouble does not completely cause the company to shut down. Sony is also entering an area of electronic business that they are not as familiar with. All electronic products eventually become obsolete. The computer sales market is one electronic area that is very time volatile. Newer, faster computers are always being released. Sony has for a long time operated in electronic business that has not been as technology and time sensitive. Current market conditions for Sony are not where it would like for them to be and are not at levels seen in past years. Much like other technology companies, Sony is in a transition period in which it is trying to find its permanent location in all markets. Sony has a main goal of staying ahead of the competition as all electronic devices enter the digital age. Current Conditions and Alternatives Sony†s current market emphasis is based on offering a consumer driven product line with some business products available in various markets. Sony has not been able to keep up with other computer specific companies in the areas of business applications. â€Å"I don†t recommend any Sony products [to business users] since they don†t have the infrastructure to match a Dell or a Toshiba or a Compaq,† says Ken Dulaney, vice president mobile computing at Gartner Group. â€Å"Their products are more applicable for consumers; they don†t work with businesses.† Sony may not be able to match the competing computer companies on the basis of size, however it is able to compete in terms of quality and technology. Many of the features available on a consumer pc's are not available on business pc†s. Sony could remove some of the more ‘neat† features that its pc†s have and develop a line that would better suit a business application. There is no way to gain a full understanding of how the Internet and access to it has changed the way computers are used and designed. Computers today are much more advanced that those purchased only a few years ago. For those reasons, companies who had previously been involved in computer markets have had to change the way in which it manufactured machines. Sony has the benefit of being fairly new to the computer business and an understanding of the need to adapt to changing broadband technology. CEO Nobuyuki Idei stated, â€Å"What we are and will be is a broadband entertainment company,† in his 1999 vision of the company. Even though there have been some management changes the desire to stay on top of broadband entertainment is still present at Sony. (pcworld.com, surprises, 1) â€Å"Every chance he gets, the 62-year-old Idei spreads the word about Sony's future as an Internet company: Everything from the venerable Walkman to the popular PlayStation game console will soon connect to the Web.†(businessweek.com, Slump at Sony, 1) With new technology always around the corner, Sony must continue its current plan of being a broadband company. Sony has many new products in use today that take advantage of technological advances that have previously been unseen. For Sony to remain a leading edge electronic company it must continue with current company plans. There are many possible alternatives in which Sony can and should pursue. Many of the alternatives are time based and could not be made immediately. However, as Sony is well aware, to compete in an industry that is constantly changing, you, yourself have to be able to make changes as well. Sony could focus the majority of its attention to the cash cow it current has in the video and electronic market. This of course would be its Playstation 2 video game system. This system has already sold over 10 million units and Sony currently expects to sell 20 million in the 01-02 fiscal year due to increase in the production speed of the system. Sony will soon be seeing a new competitor enter the market of its video game system. Microsoft will be releasing it†s own version of a video game system that has many critics panting. Many believe that the new system by Microsoft will be the biggest direct competition in the video game field for Sony since it has entered the field. There is a huge demand in the computer field for compatibility of products. Sony has made it possible for several of its computer products to use the same format of small removable memory. Better know as the Memory Stick, the chewing gum sized ‘card† has ability to store both music and video on a single card. Thus the card can be used in Sony†s video camera line; it†s VAIO line of personal pc†s as well as the long time favorite, Walkman music device. It would also be possible for Sony to enter the business computer field of the market. Although there is definite competition in this market, Sony has the technology in its research and development department to make the business machines fly. The only downfall to this idea is the fact that Sony products are so highly sought after for the ‘neat† features that it†s products posses. To remove features from its current line to make them affordable to the business field would be an image-changing move. Sony products demand a premium price that business customers cannot afford to pay for. Sony joined the major players in the computer business with the introduction of it†s VAIO Direct website where consumers can purchase computers directly from the company. Although not as fully customizable as other companies† computers, Sony still allows the user to make some changes that defiantly affect the performance and function of the machine. Along with this Sony could expand it†s variety of computer uses to include specific areas or markets. The company has already shown its ability to manufacture a top level gaming system for the home. Why could it not take what it has learned from this development and manufacture a gaming specific line of computers that was easily upgradeable as new computer technology becomes available? Along with the gaming pc, there are other areas that could benefit from specifically designed products. For a long time the Apple computer has been the choice for those interested in making movies on the computer. With Sony†s ever increasing line of video cameras and accessories, it is only logical for it to create a movie specific line of pc. Computer design companies pay large prices for computers that are capable of running memory intensive design software. Sony could enter this market with a product designed specifically for the computer drafter. Many believe the next explosion of use for the computer will come in the automobile industry. As time goes by more and more automobiles are incorporating a type of computer into the vehicle. This unit does basic functions such as check e-mail and assist with driving directions. Sony could join efforts with its audio development division to produce an affordable and effective automobile pc. Sony is a world leader in the electronic business. It is new to the field of personal computers. Sony has used its past experience to set up a basis for operation in the computer business. There are some changes that it must make if it wants to remain in the computer business however. Sony should continue with its current plan of producing consumer pc†s and try to avoid the general business market. Consumer pc†s vary from those of business pc†s in both features and price. Sony would have to remove features from its computers while at the same time dropping the price to make them an affordable business option. This decision would change the image of Sony computers from a feature packed, top of the line computer, to one resembling the mainstream computers. Sony should also enter the market specific computer business with models available in three different fields: movie making, drafting, and gaming. With these market specific pc†s, Sony could still include all of the features that make its computers enjoyable to own while adding necessary hardware or software to enable them to meet the specific demands of each field. Most specifically, Sony should definitely create a computer designed with the computer gamer in mind. Sony has reached millions of children with the production of the Playstation line of home video game systems. From here, it should continue with a computer for the children to use as they grow up. The unit should be easily upgradeable but feature all necessary parts from the beginning. With its strong brand recognition, this would, in tern, help in the sales of all Sony electronic products. Sony has made a major advance in its distribution methods of its computers. With the opening of the VAIO Direct website, Sony gave its consumers the ability to customize computers to some extent. The competition of Sony allows its customers to fully customize its computers. If Sony wants to remain at the forefront of the computer business, it must allow the machine to be adapted to specific uses. Much like the customized computers for various markets, Sony must also make its normal computers customizable to the average consumer. This variety in design will help Sony receive the premium prices that it has demanded in the past for its top-notch products.