Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness Research Paper - 3

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness - Research Paper Example This paper illustrates that globalization is the process of improving the interactivity of the social, political interdependence, cultural, financial economic and incorporation of markets that are triggered by the development of technologies in the communication and transport sector at the same time liberalizing trade. Globalization together with the unparalleled change in technology has led to a weakening of the borders from the States control. There is an increase in the volume of cigar and money at an alarming rate which kills the tobacco industry. Fake tobacco products are smuggled into the State by organized criminals. There are various networks of companies, people, and groups who evade taxes and royalties to bring in fake cigarettes which look similar to the genuine products. As a result, they trade like any other company’s products hence killing the revenue collected by the company. The products sold by these smugglers cost much lower than the genuine products. With gl obalization and technological change, the products can be designed in a way, that one cannot differentiate them genuine products. The taxes can be avoided easily with fake documentation which can pass for the real documents. Application of the industrial organization model and resource-based model by Marlboro firm to earn above average returns can be done in various ways. First, with the application of the industrial organization model, Marlboro firm can make use of alliances with other cigarettes manufactures to form an association like a cartel. Since the organized cooperate more with other close competitors in the tobacco industry, this will reduce the probability of the collaboration to lift the revenues of the firm. Moreover, the firm can also make good use of its resource-based model by differentiating their products and making it known to the customers about the genuine products and how to separate from the fake products. All it takes are the internal resources of the company to implement strategies that can easily reduce cases of smuggling. In addition, the government regulatory controls can be partnered with, by the company by having agents or inspectors who are able to draw a clear line between fake and genuine products.

Explain the theory of Virtue Ethics Essay Example for Free

Explain the theory of Virtue Ethics Essay Aristotle originally introduced virtue Ethics to society in ancient Greek times. Virtue Ethics tells us that we should look at the character of the person instead of the actions or duties a person performs. Instead of concentrating on what is the right thing to do, virtue ethics asks how you can be a better person. Aristotle claims that leading a virtuous life is easy, and those who do, do so to be happy. Happiness is the ultimate goal for everyone in life. To become a better person, you must practice virtuous acts regularly. After a while, these acts will become routine and so the virtuous acts will be nothing more than everyday life and the person a virtuous person. Aristotle said that although virtues should become a habit we must never forget that we behave in such a way because it is right. For example, if a singer practices singing everyday, they will become better at it and used to doing it. This is the same as people who practice their virtues and soon automatically act in the right way, by practicing our skills we improve them, becoming happier. Virtues should not be an effort, but simply a part of everyones personality. Aristotle says that virtue is something that we acquire and are not just born with, people are not inherently good or bad, but become good or bad according to the habits they develop. Aristotle said that a virtue was a Golden Mean in between to vices. These Vices are two extremes of a scale at opposite ends, one of excess and one of deficiency. For example the vices would be shamelessness and shyness, and the virtue modesty. Another example of this would be rudeness and a sense of humour as the two vices and the virtue as wittiness. Such virtues must be cultivated, we must learn when to use certain virtues and to what extent, for example we must not ever use humour in excess to act like a fool, but at the same time we must also not pass into rudeness. Two philosophers, Anscombe and MacIntyre say that there has been a mistake in how virtues have been portrayed. The majority of people look at the actions a person does to judge whether they are virtuous or not. The way in which we behave provides an opportunity for others to judge our virtues and vices. This however is not right. People should look at the character within and  look at what the person believes is right and how they think they should help people instead of what they do to help. A famous example of a virtuous person is Mother Theresa. She helped millions of suffering people across the world and for this became well known as a virtuous person. There are hundreds of other virtuous people who would have liked to have helped but were unable to do so in such a huge way who are not considered as virtuous, but these people are just as virtuous but not recognised for it. Aristotle tells us that we are most likely to learn virtuous behaviour from watching others. If we experience others being kind to us and see the happiness it creates we are more likely to practice it then if we were just told to do it. For example, if we were told to be courageous we may occasionally stand up for small things that we disagree with, but if we see someone telling others off for not doing the right thing then we are more likely to not allow bad behaviour towards ourselves. Aristotle said that the best way of becoming virtuous was to follow in the footsteps of a virtuous person, e.g. Mother Theresa and do what they do. Virtue Ethics is relative; Aristotle recognised that virtues in one country may not be the same as virtues in another. He believed that there was no absolute platonic good beyond our world. As virtues have evolved through habits of society it is probable that different societies would deem different actions good or bad. However there is no difference between the virtues of a community and individuals within that community, the supreme happiness that Aristotle talks about is one for the community, and not just and individual. MacIntyre suggests that philosophy is too far removed from ordinary life and said that it is not good enough that philosophers spend their time debating the nature of ethical language or forming reasoned theories of morality in a way that is far removed from real people and real life. All actions are done in order to reach an aim. A successive series of actions are also for an aim, for example getting up in to morning to go to work, is to make money, is to feed our families is to go on nice holidays is to but them nice things etc. all ultimate aims is to make people happy, everything is subordinate to the supreme good, which is happiness. Everyone has  different ideas of what happiness is and different things all make different people happy, and Aristotle called this feeling of all round well being eudemonia. Therefore, Virtue Ethics concentrates on what a person is then what a person does. Its aim is to achieve something, which people genuinely want rather then being based on arguably incoherent ideas about the after-life. It is a system, which can be easily applied and understood by all. It fits into a variety of philosophies, and religions, which both do and dont include God. However, there are a few problems with Virtue Ethics. Ones of these which has been pointed out by MacIntyre is that although a virtue is the golden mean between two vices it cannot be applied to all virtues. Virtues such as promise keeping, loyalty, and compassion do not fall between any two vices and so Aristotles theory of this does not really work. Another problem with this theory is that it is of little help to people faced with a moral dilemma. It does not help them make a decision like other theories such a natural law or utilitarianism.

Efforts to Break the Stalemate on the Western Front Essay -- Papers

Efforts to Break the Stalemate on the Western Front There are five main factors that are crucial in explaining the development of a stalemate on the Western Front. All the armies and navies of Europe faced each other across fortified front lines. The pre-war plans had succumbed to the technological surprise of 1914-15: that the withering firepower of machine-guns, cartridge rifles, and rapid-fire artillery favoured the defence. Infantry in deep trenches, fronted with mines and barbed wire and backed by artillery, could not be dislodged by frontal attack. Accordingly, military and political leaders spent the war groping for means of breaking the stalemate in the trenches. First, neutrals might be enticed to enter the war, perhaps throwing enough weight into the balance to provide victory. Second, new weapons, tactics, and theatres might break the deadlock or achieve strategic goals elsewhere. Third, more and more men and material might be squeezed out of the home economy to tip the balance of forces or wear down the enemy by economic attrition. The first of theses means determined much of the diplomatic history of the war. The second stimulated technological developments such as poison gas, tanks, and submarines, as well as the peripheral campaigns of southern Europe and the Middle East. The third determined the evolution of war economies and the character of what came to be called total war. In 1916 German strategists again turned west with the expressed intention of bleeding France white and breaking her army's spirit. The object of attack was to be the fortress of Verdun, and the plan called for substitution of ordnance for manpo... ...arose. The Schlieffen plan represented a pristine militarism: the belief that all factors could be accounted for in advance, that execution could be flawless, that pure force could resolve all political problems including the plan itself. By October 1914 all the plans had unravelled. After the German defeat in the battle of the Marne, the Western Front stabilised into an uninterrupted line for 466 miles from Newport on the Belgian coast south to Bapaume, then Southeast past Soissons, Verdun, Nancy, and so to the Swiss Frontier. Both sides dug-in, and condemned themselves to four years of hellish stalemate on the Western Front. I conclude that the most important three factors are none of them; they all are equally the same as they play their different roles in the development of a stalemate on the Western Front.

Indigenous Art History and the Education System Essay -- Indigenous Ar

â€Å"His Buffalo and horses are always in motion--they're running for their lives. They can't be caught. That's real freedom†(Lee). In the American educational system the curriculum is supposedly designed to enrich the hearts and minds of all the students who wish to become enriched. Professional educators throughout western civilization compose their contributions as to what is considered to be in the best interests of the students. However, some oversights have been made apparent. The history of Indigenous American Art has been ignored, for too long, at the expense of the students who happen to be the descendants of the first peoples of this continent. Furthermore these students also happen to be the majority within the Los Angeles Unified School District; whether these students are of American, Canadian, Mexican, or Central American ethnicity they almost always have one thing in common, the indigenous blood that runs through their veins. Science has established that environment greatly influences behavior, whether that environment is a classroom, a home, or the American Continent. Subsequently, this continent is reflected within the hearts and minds of its people, and inevitably in our artistic expression. We the first people of this continent have existed here for thousands of years before the western civilization stumbled its way to this side of the planet. Indigenous American Art and its history play a vital part in our facet of the human experience. What's more, it is fundamental for fulfilling our potential and responsibilities as human beings. In addition to the contribution to our collective psyche, indigenous art is a historical and anthropological timeline of natural and supernatural phenomena. It is apparent that ... ...de as we all account for each other and ourselves with clear wisdom and responsibility before creation. Works Cited Gangel-Vasquez, Janice. â€Å"Re: Native Art History II†. Email to the author. 17 August. 2003. Lee, Jeff and Donna Hand. â€Å"2 dimensional Art-Ed Defender†. Trophies of Honor. 9 Aug. 2003. www.msstate.edu/Fineart_O...troph1.htm Martà ­n del Campo, Edgar. â€Å"Mesoamerican Deities†. Edgar†s Mesoamerican art page. 7 Oct. 1996. 9 Aug. 2003. members.aol.com/emdelcamp/edgar2.htm McMaster, Gerald R. â€Å"Towards an Aboriginal Art History†. Native American Art in the Twentieth Century. Ed. W. Jackson Rushing III. New York. Routledge. 1999. 81-96. Moreno, Lisa M. â€Å"RudyResponse†. E-mail to author. 15 Aug. 2003. Surrounded by beauty: History and Culture. 9 Aug. 2003. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts. www. Artsmia.org/surrounded-bybeauty/history_culture.html

Employment Barriers of Ex Offenders Essay

Finding Employment quickly is a priority for individuals leaving prison, and is usually mandated as a parole requirement. Ex offenders often require some flexibility in their jobs, in order to meet court ordered or parole mandates, such as drug counseling, and therapy, and to meet regularly with their parole officers. Returning prisoners also enter a competitive labor market with a combination of literacy problems, limited skills, and limited experience . Therefore they have limited access to job offering career ladders, mobility, training, or a job security. The lowest paying, lowest skilled jobs are the easiest to secure. Many make what they can of these opportunities because need to work to meet the obligations of their release. An ex offender is a person who has been convicted of criminal offense and has completed their sentence either in prison or in the community. Over 600,000 people are being released from prisons each year. Many suffer from various of serious difficulties as they attempt to reenter society. Among the most challenging situations they face is that of reentry in the labor market. Employment can be called a cornerstone of successful supervision. Employment for offenders reduces recidivism. It has been shown to be an important factor in reintegration, especially for men over the age of 27 years of age who characterize most individuals released from prison. Offenders reentering the community have a better chance if they are given enough support to stay out of trouble for the first 6 months following release. Offenders are destined for minimum wage, unskilled, menial jobs. Lack of education and job skills are the primary reasons, but the problem goes beyond that. Criminal convictions stigmatize offenders, directly limiting their future work opportunities and consequently encouraging them to return to crime for a source of income. Not only is it the predominant community attitude against knowingly hiring individuals with felony convictions, but strictly enforced laws prohibits licensing of such persons in many occupations. When you help offenders improve themselves and develop a sense of responsibility and self-esteem, employment opportunities will become more readily available A barrier is something that makes it more difficult for a person to job search or successfully complete the hiring process. Employment fills a vital need for most individuals; it provides income, social connection, and feelings, of societal contribution and self worth. For ex offenders returning to the community after a period of incarcerations, employment can make the difference between succeeding and returning to prison. (ISEEK) There are a numerous myths and truths with employing ex offenders: Myth: Ex offenders are only capable of doing manual or repetitive work Truth: Ex offenders represent a cross section of workforce. Many of them have valuable, in demand skills and qualifications Myth: Ex offenders are not educated  Truth: Nearly one in three have graduated from high school and or college Myth: Ex offenders are unreliable Truth: Ex offenders are as reliable as other workers. Myth: Once a criminal, always a criminal Truth: Ex offenders cannot prove themselves unless someone gives them a second chance Myth: Someone will always have to watch over an ex offender Truth: Ex offenders are people who paid the price for their crime and most of them want to make a fresh start. Ex offenders do not require extra supervision on the job Myth: Other employees will not want to work with them Truth: There is no need for employees other than line managers to know of the employee’s past Myth: The existence of a criminal conviction is an indication of being trustworthy Truth: Many people assume that ex offenders have basic character flaw that is not found in the normal population. Myth: Our company policy excludes ex offenders because of the type of work involved or legal restrictions. Truth: It is common misunderstanding those certain professions and certifications bar people with criminal records, just to name a few. Ex offenders have a variety of characteristics that greatly limits their employability and earnings which include limited education and cognitive skills, limited work experience, and substance abuse and other physical and mental health problems. Ex offenders face significant barriers to employment after release from prison. Barriers include employer attitudes towards individuals with criminal records, legal barriers, educational and financial obstacles, substance abuse and health issues, and lack of stable housing. The work experience that they had accumulated prior to incarceration was generally well below what it might have been in the absence of their participation in crime On top of that periods of time they have spent incarcerated have impeded them from gaining any additional private sector experience, an no doubt help erode whatever job skills, positive work habits or connections to employers they might have had beforehand. Thus, if and when they do attempt to reenter the labor market after incarceration, the poor skills and very limited work experience that they bring with them limits both employability and earnings potential. Most offenders reenter the outside world with little other than $ 40 of gate money or no money, no housing, no credit, no transportation, no driver’s license, no documents, no insurance, and no appropriate clothes for job interviewing and work settings. They also have limited access to health care services. Finding a job is difficult when you’re struggling to meet basic needs for food, shelter, and clothing. Many community based organization and support groups, such as Goodwill Industries, Salvation Army, churches and other nonprofit organization, assist offenders with such basic needs. Ron 2005) A large fraction of these men suffer from substance abuse and other health problems. Among the small fractions of ex offenders who are women, numbers suffer from depression and or past sexual abuse. All of these factors limits employability because they limit the basic job readiness that employers almost universally seek as a pre-condition for employment. Besides these skills a nd health problems, most ex offenders are minorities, nearly half are African American, an nearly a fifth are Latino and Asian. To the extent that minorities continue to suffer labor market discrimination, this will further impede the ability of ex offenders to gain employment or earn higher wages. Most return to low income and predominantly minority communities that have relatively few unskilled jobs, and to peer groups who presumably provide relatively a few contacts to the world of legitimate work. (H. J. Holzer 2003) In addition to the barriers these individuals face have little control, the attitudes and choices that they make may also limit their employment outcomes. After months and possibly years of incarceration, few ex offenders reenter society with a positive I can do it attitude. Many feel worthless, hopeless, and unwanted. Their negative attitudes are obvious to family members, friends, and employers. These attitudes affect their motivation to take action that lead to success in finding a job. They are filled with anxiety and uncertainty, uncertainty of how people will receive them, uncertain about their families, uncertain about their housing and financial situations, uncertain whether or not they will find a job, succeed on the outside or become another recidivism statistic. Ex offenders is a significant group in the labor market. It has been estimated that they constitute up to one third of the working population. At least 90 per cent of those leaving prison enter unemployment and they comprise between 2 and 3 percent of the average monthly in flow to the unemployment pool. Ex offenders re substantially more likely to remain unemployed in the long term rather taking a number of short term jobs. It is likely that a large number of these men might be able to find some kind of work if they search long enough, but at jobs that pay very low wages and provide few benefits or chances for upward mobility. Many ex offenders may simply choose to forego these employment options, in favor of illegal opportunities or more casual work. They may accept these jobs temporarily, but may not retain them for very long. Their attachments to the legitimate labor market might be quite tenuous over the longer term, both as a result of these relatively unappealing options, or perhaps because of their own estrangement over several years from the world of work. Thus, the limited employment outcomes that ex offenders experience will at least partly reflect barriers, perhaps compounded by their own attitudes towards and response to these circumstances. The barriers faced by ex offenders because of their very limited skills, poor health, and race or area of residence often reflect a difference between these characteristics and those sought by employers on the demand side of the labor market. Education is often a key to success. It frees offenders from many barriers to employment. Ex offenders tend to have low levels of education, lack many skills associated with better educated people. The poor skills and work experience of most offenders generally conflict with the skills and credentials sought by employers, even when trying to fill relative unskilled jobs. Those with substance abuse an other health problems are the least likely to be job ready, and will likely face few job offers or high discharge rates upon being hired. (Ron 2005) The federal government, as well as many state and local governments, place special legal restrictions on people with criminal records. Many drug offenders are prohibited from acquiring public housing or receiving other forms of public assistance. While employers cannot discriminate against individuals solely on the basis of their criminal record, they can refuse to hire if they can show that your background will negatively affect their workplace and business. State and local governments may include additional restrictions on certain opportunities, especially any position that deal with public safety. Finding work can be a challenge for some job seekers with criminal backgrounds. Having a criminal record can undermine employment prospects so that ex offenders are often penalized by the courts and later in the labor market. Having a job is widely recognized by ex offenders and those that work with them as the single most important factor in their resettlement and in preventing reoffending. It helps to know which barriers might be in the way and how to handle employer attitudes. Employers perform checks to gain additional information about ex offenders and checking seems to have no effect on hiring ex offenders for those employers not legally required to perform checks. Ex offenders looking for work often have a harder time than other job seekers. A felony conviction can be considered a barrier to employment. While employment is critical to ex offenders successful reintegration, prospective employers have their own set of interests when considering whether to hire an ex offender. Stoll,2008) Most employers are unaware of the tax incentives, bonding programs, and intermediary organizations currently in place to facilitate employment of returning offenders. Early work experience sometimes leads to wage growth over time, though this has not been particularly true among welfare recipients and others. Employers generally seem interested in the support system that seek to bridge the gap between ex offenders and prospective employers, but need to know more about the programs and how they fit with their needs. Although, many employers like to give a qualified es offender a second chance, they are averse to taking risks that they feel could threaten their workplace or reputation. In spite of the numerous barriers to employment of ex offenders, there is reason for some degree of optimism. Employers who had hired ex offenders reported mostly positive experiences. A great number of employers are reluctant to hire individuals with a past, citing lack of skills and work history, untrustworthiness, and fear of liability for negligent hiring, among other things. Criminal record information has the potential to present unintended barriers for offenders seeking employment. Across the country, states have provided employers with varying degrees of access to criminal record information on prospective and current employees. Advocates for limiting the availability of criminal record argue that providing such information to employers unfairly discriminates against ex offenders an makes it more difficult for them to obtain employment. Many employers argue that they should know who their employees are and whether they pose an unnecessary risk to the work place. (Holzer 2003) The United States Congress created two financial incentive programs to benefit employers who hire ex-offenders. One program gives an employer a tax break of $2,400 once an ex-offender has been hired and has worked for a certain number of hours. The other provides fidelity insurance bonds as an incentive to hire an ex-offender who might normally be considered high risk by mainstream insurance companies. These programs are often under-utilized. As a provider, you should educate your employer contacts about these programs and inform them that the State or your organization can assist them with the paperwork. Some employers have reported that they were â€Å"on the fence† about hiring an ex-offender, but the financial incentives â€Å"sealed the deal. † (Stoll 2008) Another program is The Federal Bonding Program issues fidelity bonds which serve as insurance policies for employers. Bonding protects an employer in case of theft, forgery, larceny, or embezzlement of money or property by an employee covered by the bond. The bond coverage is usually $5,000-$10,000, free for an employer, and good for up to one year. The bond becomes effective the first day of employment. Federal Bonding Program as an employer job-hire incentive that guaranteed the job honesty of at-risk job seekers. Job seekers who have in the past committed a fraudulent or dishonest act, or who have demonstrated other past behaviour casting doubt upon their credibility or honesty, very often are rejected for employment due to their personal backgrounds. Their past life experience presents an obstacle to their future ability to secure employment. More specifically, employers view these applicants as being â€Å"at-risk† and potentially untrustworthy workers. This fear is further heightened by the fact that Fidelity Bond insurance commercially purchased by employers to protect against employee dishonesty usually will not cover at-risk persons because they are designated by insurance companies as being not bondable. As a result, these job applicants are routinely denied employment. Carter 2007) Ex-offenders, including anyone with a record of arrest, conviction or imprisonment, and anyone who has ever been on probation or parole, are at-risk job applicants. When you combine figures for the US inmate population and the offender population in the free community who are now on probation or parole, the total number of persons under correctional supervision approaches 7 million individuals. More than 600,000 inmates are released from prison or jail annually. Past experiences reveal that 67% of them will be recidivists. Failure to become employed after release is a major factor contributing to the high rate of recidivism. Having a record of arrest, conviction or imprisonment functions as a significant barrier to employment since employers generally view ex-offenders as potentially untrustworthy workers and insurance companies usually designate ex-offenders as being not bondable for job honesty. (U. S. Department of Justice) There is restriction to the federal bonding program; workers must meet the State’s legal age for working. The job usually is to be for at least 30 hours per week. Workers must be paid wages with Federal Tax automatically deducted from their pay check. Self employed persons cannot be covered. A total of $5,000. 00 bond coverage is usually issued, with no deductible amount for the employer. The employer gets 100% insurance coverage. Larger bond amounts can be issued if the certified agency issuing the bonds has acquired a special bond package and has determined a larger bond amounts are appropriate.

Romeo - A Character Profile From Romeo and Juliet

Romeo - A Character Profile From Romeo and Juliet One of the original star-crossd lovers, Romeo is the male half of the ill-fated pair who drive the action in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. Much has been written about the origins of the character, and the influence Romeo has had on other young male lovers throughout Western literature. But Shakespeares Romeo is an enduring representative of young love gone tragically wrong.   What Happens to Romeo Most interpretations of Romeo and Juliet estimate him to be about 16 years old, and Juliet to be about 13.  The heir of the House of Montague, Romeo meets and falls in love with Juliet, the young daughter of the House of Capulet. For reasons unexplained, the Montagues and Capulets are bitter enemies, so the young lovers know their affair will anger their families.  But the titular couple isnt interested in family feuds, and quickly fall in love.    Romeo and Juliet secretly marry with the help of his friend and confidant, Friar Lawrence. But the two are doomed from the start; after Juliets  cousin Tybalt kills Romeos friend Mercutio; Romeo retaliates, killing Tybalt. He is sent into exile, only returning when he hears of Juliets death. But Juliet has only faked her death unbeknownst to Romeo, who kills himself in a fit of grief. She awakens to find him dead and takes her life, this time for real.   Was Romeos Death Fate? After the young lovers die, the Capulets and Montagues agree to end their feud. Shakespeare leaves it mostly to his audience to decide whether this means that Romeo and Juliets deaths are fated. Could the feud have been ended any other way?   Questions long debated among Shakespearean scholars: Is the outcome of the play the result of bad luck? Or were Romeo and Juliets deaths predestined as part of the legacy of their families feud? Origins of the Romeo Character Most Shakespeare historians trace the origin of the Romeo character back to Greek myth. Ovids Metamorphoses  tells the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, two young lovers in Babylon who lived next to each other and communicated through cracks in the walls, their parents having forbid them meeting because of an ongoing family feud. The similarities to Romeo and Juliet dont end there: When the pair arrange to meet finally, Thisbe arrives at the predetermined spot, a mulberry tree, to find a menacing lioness. She runs away, but accidentally leaves her veil behind. Pyramus finds the veil when he gets there and believes the lioness has killed Thisbe, so he falls on his sword (literally). Thisbe returns and finds him dead, then kills herself with his sword.   While Pyramus and Thisbe may not have been Shakespeares direct source for Romeo and Juliet, it was certainly an influence on the works from which Shakespeare drew. Romeo first appeared in Giulietta e Romeo, a 1530 story by Luigi da Porto, which was itself adapted from Masuccio Salernitanos 1476 work Il Novellino. All of those later works can, in some way or other, trace their origins to Pyramus and Thisbe.

Job Interview Advice 9 Ways to Ruin a Job Interview

Job Interview Advice 9 Ways to Ruin a Job Interview Toward the end of last year, U.S. News World Report published an article by Rebecca Koenig entitled Job Interview Mistakes to Avoid. Ms. Koenig highlighted 25 job interview mistakes, and I was inspired to share some of them. Amongst the many blatant interview faux pas, you will find answering your cell phone during the interview, wearing overly casual clothing, and flirting with your interviewer. But its not just these obvious gaffes that will create problems for you with your potential next employer. Here are 9 of my favorite ways to ruin a job interview: 1. Be negative about anything or badmouth an old boss. Never say you didn’t like the kind of work you were doing at your prior job. If you didn’t like something before, the interviewer will assume you probably won’t like the work at the next job either. If you’re asked specifically to name something you didn’t like, find something minor and emphasize what you learned and what you did like. As a side note, also do not act rude or say anything negative to the receptionist. How you treat everyone in the office is part of your interview and will be judged! 2. Be late. When it comes to job interviews, being on time is being late. I don’t care whether your car broke down or your subway stalled or your printer cut off part of the address of the firm. Plan to get to the interview an hour early and none of these events will make you late. And always have the employer’s phone number somewhere where you can’t possibly lose it so if anything does happen (despite your plan to get there an hour early) you can call as soon as you know there is a problem. 3. Question whether you want the job. The interview is not the place to have doubts! Fake it till you make it. After you get a job offer, worry about whether you want the job. If you express doubts even subtly during the interview, you can be sure you won’t get the offer. 4. Apologize for any aspects of yourself or your life. Doubting yourself or any hints of low self-esteem will not help you in your interview. You are who you are and you’ve made the choices you’ve made. Be proud or at least accepting, state the facts as the facts and never apologize! 5. Fail to answer the questions. Too often, job candidates will follow the interviewer’s question with a stream of consciousness answer that does not answer the question that was asked. You might do this out of nervousness. So after each question, take a deep breath, repeat the question to yourself, and make sure you answer it – clearly and concisely. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use the question to make points you want to make. If you can find a way to slip in a story that highlights your accomplishments, go ahead! Just make sure you’re addressing the topic the interviewer wants you to address. 6. Ask salary information. This is a big no-no! You will get your salary information after you get the offer! However, do be prepared with a strategy in case your interviewer brings up the topic. 7. Come unprepared. You absolutely must do your research before every job interview! If you dont look at the company’s website, know the company’s brand and values, and use Google to find out about any newsworthy events, you are not prepared. If you don’t do this research, the interviewer will wonder whether you’ll do your research on the job. A sure sign that you haven’t done your research is asking a question you could have known the answer to by reading a company website. So don’t mess this up! In addition to researching the company, research your interviewer. Know their LinkedIn profile top to bottom – where they’ve worked, what their interests are, and who your common connections are. Come prepared with questions and conversation topics! 8. Use casual/chatty language or get too personal. We all want to be friendly, but don’t get too buddy-buddy with your interviewer. You are interviewing as a professional and your demeanor will be judged. Exhibit the demeanor in an interview that you would exhibit in the office. 9. Lie. I’d rather you make any of the other 7 mistakes listed in this article than mess up on this one. Even if you’re hired, when your lies are discovered you will be fired. What are your favorite interview stories? Please share your successes and bloopers below! A great resume and LinkedIn profile are key to landing any job interview. If you need writing help, check out our  resume  and  LinkedIn profile writing services and then  contact us with your questions.

Putitans model society essays

Putitans model society essays The Putiian wanted to create a model society based soley on religion. The aspirations which led the Puritans to New England were, tge Puritans wanted to purify the Aglican church also they wanted to set up an utopian society based on how they thought the Aglican church should be ran: the Puritans did not completley fulfill theier aspirations, While in England the Puritans believed that the Aglican church was changing in ways they did not like and they wanted to change things, therefore leadinf them to America. During the 17th century, the New England Puritans tried to create a model society based on their dis-like for the Anglican church. The Puritans believed that the Aglican Church had become Catholic, they wanted to purify the Anglican CHurch and get rif of the Catholic influence. The Puritans believed that id they came to New England, and create a model society them the Anglican Church would call them back to England to purify the church. They had thier own constituion so the king and Parliment could not intervene of destory the utopian society that they were trying to create. The utopian soceity the Puritans wanted was based on the Aglican Churcb with out the Catholic influences. The utopian society they wanted was based n religion. They wanted a model society based on the Biblw and other believes they belived were religiously right. The Puritans did not exactly fulfill what they wanted top accomplish. They did not accomplish a utopian society based on religion becasue the British interfered and the Aglican church in England never asked them to come back. The utopian society they wanted to create, was not as great as they wished it would have been. Yhe ideas they had about purifing the Anglican Church did not go as planned. They were hoping that the Aglican church would call them back to England, England never did. The aspirations they wanted were not fulfill to the extent they had wanted. ...

Workplace Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Workplace Issues - Essay Example One of the more typical elements that lead to gender workforce diversity problems is the manner in which the company or firm views the independent skills and abilities of their workers, or the existence of bias and stereotyping in other people's behavior. For example, in corporate governance issues, the manner in which the company or firm views the responsibilities of males and females can inhibit or deny workers to particular occupations (Riccucci, 2002). The traits and attitudes of both males and females are also not the same from each other and can be identified as a major cause of gendered workplace problems. According to Smith (2003), males in the workplace are normally identified by dominant traits, which are the reasons why they are not lacking in self-belief, brute force, coercion, freedom, the will to win and the motivation to succeed. These traits of males enable them to utilize an aggressive managerial mechanism, which is helpful in persuading other people and enhancing the special capabilities of the workers. Meanwhile, females in the workplace possess serene traits that stand for love, respect, compassion and understanding. Females with serene traits normally talk with hesitation, manage a simple lifestyle and provide help to her co-workers (Lieberman, 2003). As these traits are not really significant components as to the manner that managers and presidents of organizations are typically viewed, females are not the immedi ate preferences for top level jobs in the firm. Males meanwhile assume their top positions as company managers and CEOs. d. What personality traits are beneficial and/or detrimental in your workplace In my workplace, males and females perform most of the time of acts as the foundation concerning how other individuals perceive them as potential CEOs of organizations. The interactive capacities for instance, which is an integral element of an excellent manager, are not the same among males and females in my workplace. As the interactive mechanisms of males are seen to be perfect for leadership positions, men in my workplace normally are always on the top candidates for highly coveted leadership jobs. e. Who is responsible for fostering motivation in the workplace Despite the various dilemmas concerning cultural workforce diversity, research studies prove that this is an essential factor of an excellent firm as well as gives positive points. According to Arredondo (1996), the hiring of an extremely diverse workforce with regards to race and ethnicity can be very helpful as it gives the company a greater roster of highly qualified individuals. This also improves the chances of the company to recruit workers that are capable enough for particular organizational deficits and necessities. In most organizational functions, workforce diversity can also support in providing a variety of helpful concepts that are critical in making informed choices. Therefore gendered workforce diversity widens the organization's views and improves its choices for establishing selections.

Animation Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Animation Question - Essay Example The squash will make a bouncing ball appear deformed although the nature and shape will remain the same after the squashing action. The principles of stretch and squash would make the scene appear more appealing to the audience. The principles make transitions between different parts of the play appear attractive and smoother (Loose 1). When a human character is thrown he/she would strive hard to stop falling. Perhaps he or she would spread hands, widen his mouth and probably make some bitter sounds but eventually land on the ground. On the other hand, a briefcase is a concrete object and possibly would neither stretch nor squash very much. It may open while falling or break upon reaching the ground. An umbrella is lighter and probably when thrown it may pop open while descending and stretch thus reducing the pace at which they fall. The umbrella may then flip inside out and I acceleration would increase hence triggering squashing and stretching as it lands. A flowerpot may separate from the organic flower as it stretches and probably squashes upon making an impact with the ground. Bowling balls are weighty and made of compact solid material hence will have both low stretch and squash. Therefore, the effects of falling would not be clearly evident on the bowling balls since they are had. The most squash and stretch is seen when a football is thrown from the window. The air in an inflated football makes the stretch even greater as the ball comes down and severe squash during impact with the

Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Final - Essay Example Driven by the need to nurture my abilities and address my weaknesses I have focused on the resources addressed throughout this semester. Throughout the course, I have realized that I have what it takes to be a leader. This has been informed by various leadership tests I have taken and the reasonably high scores I have registered. However, lack of a guide and a model through which I can nurture the requisite skills has been a major challenge. All the same, I can now recognize a leadership theory that provides a rationale on what I need to work on to be a respectable and inspiring leader. This theory has also been critical in providing a means through which I can construct certain strategies that would provide a means of developing the attributes associated with the type of leader I envision. Authentic leadership theory is a contemporary leadership theory. It emerged in the late 1990s from a broad field of scientific inquiry that highlights positive organizational phenomena leading to enhanced human well-being (Marquis & Huston, 2009). The theory enforces that for one to be considered a leader he must be true to himself and his values and act accordingly. This explains why some scholars also refer to it as congruent theory this is because the leader must match his activities, deeds and actions with his values, beliefs and principles. There are five characteristics which differentiate an authentic leader with the other leaders. The first characteristic is purpose. An authentic leader understands clearly both his purpose and passion. This understanding is nurtured by an ongoing process of self reflection and self awareness. The second characteristic is values, an authentic leader has a clear link between purpose and passion as this is informed and sustained by a clear matc h with his beliefs and actions (Nichols, 2008). The other characteristic is heart an authentic leader looks after his own affairs and has a genuine concern for the

Principles of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Principles of Management - Essay Example ASDA's values are to keep daily prices low, for which it also has a label for itself which is ASDA Smart Price. They boast that all the products under the ASDA Smart Price are the cheapest price available anywhere. Environment consists of the surroundings within which every organization operates. The world is going through tremendous changes, such changes whose impact is very far-reaching and powerful. And thus, organizations cannot operate in isolation. The environment has made them interdependent with other factors and dependent on other units within the environment. (Rayner, 2005) The external environment is that environment which is outside the boundaries of the organization. But nevertheless, it affects the organization through its activities and happenings. The external environment can be further sub divides into the general environment and the task environment. The general environment is that part which affects the organization indirectly. Whereas, the task environment is that part which affects the organizations workings and productivity in a direct way. The general environment has various dimensions, like that of international, technological, socio-cultural, economic, and legal-political. Various changes in these dimensions are highly likely to affect how the company operates. (Buchanan, 2007) When it comes to recession, a lot of changes have resulted in the above mentioned dimensions. In the international dimension, the financial crisis has hit the whole globe, thus leading to a shortage of funds all around the world. The technological dimension has not been affected much since it has become more of a necessity than a luxury and thus cutting down on technology has not been made much due to recession. The socio-cultural dimension has altered since people are now cutting down on luxury items, holiday trips and other extravaganzas of life that they used to enjoy. Simple living is the talk of the day. The economic dimension is in a very messy position since the financial crisis has strained the economies of almost every country in the world, especially the big giants. And lastly, the legal-political dimension has changed so as to inculcate the financial crisis. Tax laws have changed; labor unions are concerned about getting laid off. Thus, recession has affected almost every dimension of the general environment. (Watson, 2005) The task environment consists of the groups of people with whom the organization is interacting on a regular basis. This includes the customers, the competitors, the suppliers, as well as the labor market. A common mistake is to assume that the labor market is equivalent to the employees who are working at the organization. This is not so. The labor market consists of those people whom the organization can hire, they are the potential employees. Recession has also affected these groups of people. The customers are now choosier about what to buy and want the greatest value for their money. Employees have a fear of getting laid off by the company. And suppliers now have less bargaining power as compared to their clients since clients are cutting down on production

History of a Winery Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History of a Winery - Research Paper Example The high quality wine that is produced by the company is among the list of 150 top brands in Burgundy region. Some of the notable brands includes white Bourgogne Aligotà © , red Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains , Crà ©mant de Bourgogne, Crà ©mant de Bourgogne blanc de noirs, and AOC Bourgogne Pinot Noir among others. The company is known for its reputation of producing high quality wine and this has been successful due to the acquisitions of vineyards in 1980s up to 1990s (Fred, 2013). Maison Louis Jadot has more than 300 acres that belong to the family. This makes the company to yield high profit since the 300 acres belong to the family and thus the company management takes effective control of it. As a result, the company supplies large quantity of wine that is of high quality. The company management has been authorized to negotiate for the grape requirements with other growers with non binding agreements (Boehm, 1987). They sign agreements like willing seller willing buyer so as to strengthen the relationship between the company and the growers and finally they attain a collaborative partnership. The good terms of trade between the company and the growers of grapes makes the company to maintain the supply of grapes thus making it easy to attain a consistency in the production of its brands. Louis Jadot has specialized in wine making for almost 150 years and has been expanding to other wine making facilities and making contracts with growers to meet the demand of high quality wine. Louis Henry Denis Jadot is the man behind the Maison Louis Jadot, when he founded it in 1859 though the first vineyard was established in 1826 by Jadot family. The company is known for producing Burgundy wine in the market under the leadership of Jadot family. The family has its own vineyards. Because of large consumption of wine in the area, the company buys grapes from estates such as Domaines Lapalu, Medoc,

Principles of Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Principles of Management - Essay Example ASDA's values are to keep daily prices low, for which it also has a label for itself which is ASDA Smart Price. They boast that all the products under the ASDA Smart Price are the cheapest price available anywhere. Environment consists of the surroundings within which every organization operates. The world is going through tremendous changes, such changes whose impact is very far-reaching and powerful. And thus, organizations cannot operate in isolation. The environment has made them interdependent with other factors and dependent on other units within the environment. (Rayner, 2005) The external environment is that environment which is outside the boundaries of the organization. But nevertheless, it affects the organization through its activities and happenings. The external environment can be further sub divides into the general environment and the task environment. The general environment is that part which affects the organization indirectly. Whereas, the task environment is that part which affects the organizations workings and productivity in a direct way. The general environment has various dimensions, like that of international, technological, socio-cultural, economic, and legal-political. Various changes in these dimensions are highly likely to affect how the company operates. (Buchanan, 2007) When it comes to recession, a lot of changes have resulted in the above mentioned dimensions. In the international dimension, the financial crisis has hit the whole globe, thus leading to a shortage of funds all around the world. The technological dimension has not been affected much since it has become more of a necessity than a luxury and thus cutting down on technology has not been made much due to recession. The socio-cultural dimension has altered since people are now cutting down on luxury items, holiday trips and other extravaganzas of life that they used to enjoy. Simple living is the talk of the day. The economic dimension is in a very messy position since the financial crisis has strained the economies of almost every country in the world, especially the big giants. And lastly, the legal-political dimension has changed so as to inculcate the financial crisis. Tax laws have changed; labor unions are concerned about getting laid off. Thus, recession has affected almost every dimension of the general environment. (Watson, 2005) The task environment consists of the groups of people with whom the organization is interacting on a regular basis. This includes the customers, the competitors, the suppliers, as well as the labor market. A common mistake is to assume that the labor market is equivalent to the employees who are working at the organization. This is not so. The labor market consists of those people whom the organization can hire, they are the potential employees. Recession has also affected these groups of people. The customers are now choosier about what to buy and want the greatest value for their money. Employees have a fear of getting laid off by the company. And suppliers now have less bargaining power as compared to their clients since clients are cutting down on production

BUS 187 Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

BUS 187 Project - Essay Example Hofstede also emphasized on the understanding of people’s behavior and thus their previous, present and future behavior can be predicted (Hofstede, 150). In this regard, five dimensions of culture have been identified: uncertainty avoidance, power distance, and masculinity versus femininity, individualism versus collectivism and long term versus short term orientation. France exhibit; 15-16 power distance, 10-11 individualism, 35-36 masculinity and 10-15 and uncertainty avoidance (Hofstede, 180). Individualism and collectivism have been cited as the most important aspects in which societies differ. According to Patwardhan (249), the understanding of the difference between individualistic and collectivist society is crucial in understanding consumer behavior (Patwardhan, 249). France with individualism versus collectivism index of 10th and 11th shows that it is highly individualistic. This shows that both countries are not compatible with direct selling as a strategy. Since France is highly individualistic, the ties between individuals are loose thus actions are rarely taken in a collective manner and everyone is expected to bother much about his or her immediate families (Patwardhan, 250). In this respect, the interest of French society does not prevail over the interest of individual members of the society. This is a very key factor L’OREA L Company in designing the brands and their respective marketing, promotional and advertisement campaigns. Unlike collectivism, the French think of themselves as â€Å"I† and do not act collectively or draw their identity from the society. This analysis therefore presents the consumer behavior of France which must be considered in marketing. France as an individualistic society does not promote direct selling as a mode of promotion of products. However, advertisement is likely to perform very well in

Sociology Research Essay Example for Free

Sociology Research Essay Sexism is also known as  gender discrimination  or  sex discrimination, is defined as prejudice or discrimination based on sex; or behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex. Sexism is a form of discrimination or devaluation based on a persons sex, with such attitudes being based on beliefs in traditional stereotypes of gender roles. The term  sexism  is most often used in relation to discrimination against women, in the context of patriarchy. Sexism involves hatred of or prejudice towards a gender as a whole or the application of gender stereotypes. Sexism is often associated with gender-supremacy arguments. Gender stereotypes A 1952 magazine feature stereotyping women drivers. Gender stereotypes are widely held beliefs about the characteristics and behavior of women and men. Gender stereotypes are not only descriptive, but also prescriptive beliefs about how men and women should be and behave. Members of either sex who deviate from prescriptive gender stereotypes are punished; assertive women, for example, are called bitches whereas men who lack physical strength are seen as wimps. Empirical studies have found widely shared cultural beliefs that men are more socially valued and more competent than women at most things, as well as specific assumptions that men are better at some particular tasks (e. g. , mechanical tasks) while women are better at others (e. g. , nurturing tasks). For example,  Fiske  and colleagues surveyed nine diverse samples, from different regions of the United States, and found that members of these samples, regardless of age, consistently rated the category men higher than the category women on a multidimensional scale of competence. Gender stereotypes can facilitate and impede intellectual performance. For instance,  stereotype threat  can lower womens performance on mathematics tests due to the stereotype that women have inferior quantitative skills compared with men. Stereotypes can also affect the assessments people make of their own competence. Studies found that specific stereotypes (e. g. , women have lower mathematical ability) affect women’s and men’s perceptions of their abilities (e. g. , in math and science) such that men assess their own task ability higher than women performing at the same level. These biased self-assessments have far-reaching effects because they can shape men and women’s educational and career decisions. Gender stereotypes are sometimes applied at an early age. Various interventions were reviewed including the use of fiction in challenging gender stereotypes. For example, in a study by A. Wing, children were read  Bills New Frock  by  Anne Fine. The content of the book was discussed with them. Children were able to articulate, and reflect on, their stereotypical constructions of gender and those in the world at large. There was evidence of children considering the different treatment that boys and girls receive, and of classroom discussion enabling stereotypes to be challenged. Sexist and gender-neutral language Research has found that the use of  he  as a generic pronoun evokes a disproportionate number of male images and excludes thoughts of women in non gender-specific instances. Results also suggest that while the plural  they  functions as a generic pronoun for both males and females, males may comprehend  he/she  in a manner similar to  he, as  he  usually is placed before the dash and  she  after. This is usually done because the word  she  already contains the word  he  so it is positioned after the dash. It also has nothing to do with stereotypical gender roles. Nearing the end of the 20th century, there is a rise in gender-neutral language in western worlds, which is often attributed to the rise of  feminism. Gender-neutral language  is the avoidance of  gender-specific job titles, non parallel usage, and other usage that is considered by some to be sexist. Supporters claim that having gender–specific titles and gender–specific pronouns either implies a systemic bias to exclude individuals based on their gender or else as unnecessary in most cases as race-specific pronouns, religion-specific pronouns, or persons-height-specific pronouns. Some of those who support gender-specific pronouns assert that promoting gender-neutral language is a kind of semantics injection itself. Anthropological linguistics and gender-specific language Unlike the  Indo-European languages  in the west, for many other  languages  around the world,  gender-specific pronouns  are a recent phenomenon that occurred around the early 20th century. As a result of  colonialism, cultural revolution occurred in many parts of the world with attempts to modernize and westernize by adding gender-specific pronouns and animate-inanimate pronouns to local languages. This resulted in the situation of what was  gender-neutral pronouns  a century ago suddenly becoming gender–specific. (See for example  Gender-neutrality in languages without grammatical gender: Turkish. ) Gender-specific pejorative terms Gender–specific pejorative terms intimidate or harm another person because of their gender. Sexism can be expressed in a pseudo–subtle manner through the attachment of terms which have negative gender oriented implications  such as through  condescension. Many examples include swear words. A mildly vulgar example is the uninformative attribution of the term hag for a woman or fairy for a man. Although hag and fairy both have non-sexist interpretations, when they are used in the context of a gender–specific pejorative term these words become representations of sexist attitudes. The relationship between rape and misogyny Research into the factors which motivate perpetrators of  rape  against a specific gender, for example, women, frequently reveals patterns of hatred of said gender and pleasure in inflicting psychological and/or physical trauma, rather than sexual interest. Researchers have argued that rape is not the result of pathological individuals, but rather systems of male dominance, cultural practices and beliefs that objectify and degrade women. Mary Odem, Jody Clay-Warner and Susan Brownwiller consider sexist attitudes to be propagated by a series of myths about rape and rapists. They state that contrary to those myths, rapists often plan a rape before they choose a victim and that acquaintance rape  is the most common form of rape rather than assault by a stranger. Odem also states that these rape myths propagate sexist attitudes about men by perpetuating the thought that men cannot control their sexuality. In response to  acquaintance rape, the Men Can Stop Rape movement has been implemented. The US military has started a similar movement with the tagline My strength is for defending. Occupational sexism Occupational sexism refers to any  discriminatory  practices, statements, actions, etc. based on a persons  sex  that are present or occur in a place of  employment. One form of occupational sexism is  wage discrimination. In 2008, the  Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development  (OECD) found that while female employment rates have expanded considerably and the gender employment and wage gaps have narrowed virtually everywhere, on average, women still have 20% less of a chance to have a job and are paid 17% less than men. Moreover, the report stated: [In] many countries, labor market  discrimination  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ i. e. the unequal treatment of equally productive individuals only because they belong to a specific group – is still a crucial factor inflating disparities in employment and the quality of job opportunities [ ] Evidence presented in this edition of the  Employment Outlook  suggests that about 8% of the variation in gender employment gaps and 30% of the variation in gender wage gaps across OECD countries can be explained by discriminatory practices in the labour market. The report also found that despite the fact that almost all OECD countries, including the U. S. have established anti-discrimination laws, these laws are difficult to enforce. Gender stereotypes Gender roles  (or sex roles) are attitudes and activities that a society links to each sex. A culture that defines males as ambitious and competitive encourages them to seek out positions of leadership and play team sports. To the extent that females are defined as deferential and emotional, they are expected to be supportive helpers and quick to show their feelings. According to the  OECD, womens labor market behavior is influenced by learned cultural and social values that may be thought to discriminate against women (and sometimes against men) by stereotyping certain work and life styles as male or female. Further, the OECD argues that womens educational choices may be dictated, at least in part, by their expectations that [certain] types of employment opportunities are not available to them, as well as by gender stereotypes that are prevalent in society. There is a long record of women being excluded from participation in many professions. Often, women have gained entry into a previously male profession only to be faced with additional obstacles. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive an M. D. in the  United States  and  Myra Bradwell, the first female lawyer in the state of  Illinois, illustrate the prevalence of women being excluded from certain professions and the changing culture. Professional discrimination continues today according to studies done by  Cornell University  and others. Some have hypothesized that gender bias has been influencing which scientific research gets published. This hypothesis coincides with a test conducted at the  University of Toronto  led by Amber Budden. The study showed that, in the journal  Behavioral Ecology, after implementation of double-blind review in which both the author and reviewer identity is concealed, there was an increase of 7. 9% in the number of papers authored by women. This was more than three times the increase of female ecology graduate students in the United States. In addition, women frequently earn significantly lower wages than their male counterparts who perform the same job. In the U. S. , for example, women earn an average of 23. 5% less than men. In 1833, women working in factories earned only one-quarter of mens wages, and in 2007, womens median annual paychecks reflected only $0. 78 for every $1. 00 earned by men. A study showed women comprised 87% of workers in the child care industry and 86% of the health aide industry. Some experts believe that parents play an important role in the creation of values and perceptions of their children. The fact that many girls are asked to help their mothers do housework, while many boys do technical tasks with their fathers, seems to influence their behavior and can sometimes discourage girls from performing such tasks. Girls will then think that each gender should have a specific role and behavior. A 2009 study found that being overweight harms womens career advancement but presents no barrier for men. Overweight  or  obese  women were significantly under-represented among company bosses, whereas a significant proportion of male executives were overweight or obese. The author of the study stated that the results suggest that the glass ceiling effect on womens advancement may reflect not only general negative stereotypes about the competencies of women, but also weight bias that results in the application of stricter appearance standards to women. Overweight women are evaluated more negatively than overweight men. There is a tendency to hold women to harsher weight standards. At other times, there are accusations that some traditionally female professions have been or are being eliminated by its roles being subsumed by a male dominated profession. The assumption of baby delivery roles by doctors with the subsequent decline of  midwifery  is sometimes claimed to be an example. Wage gap [pic] Euro stat  found a persisting gender pay gap of 17. 5% on average in the 27  EU Member States  in 2008. Similarly, the OECD  found that female full-time employees earned 17% less than their male counterparts across OECD countries in 2009. In the U. S. , the female-to-male earnings ratio was 0. 77 in 2009, meaning that, in 2009, female full-time, year round (FTYR) workers earned 77% as much as male FYTR workers. Womens earnings relative to mens fell from 1960 to 1980 (from 60. 7 percent to 60. 2%) and then rose rapidly from 1980 to 1990 (from 60. 2% to 71. 6%), and less rapidly from 1990 to 2000 (from 71. 6% to 73. 7%) and from 2000 to 2009 (from 73. 7% to 77. 0%). At the time when the first  Equal Pay Act  was passed in 1963, female full-time workers earned 58. 9% as much as male full-time workers. The gender pay gap has been attributed to differences in personal and workplace characteristics between women and men (education, hours worked, occupation etc. as well as direct and indirect discrimination in the labor market (gender stereotypes, customer and employer bias, etc. ). Studies always find that some portion of the gender pay gap remains unexplained even after controlling factors that are assumed to influence earnings. The unexplained portion of the wage gap is attributed to gender discrimination. The estimates for the discriminatory component of the gender pay gap vary widely. The OECD estimated that approximately 30% of the gender pay gaps across OECD countries is due to discrimination. Australian research shows that discrimination accounts for approximately 60% of the wage differentials between women and men. Studies examining the gender pay gap in the United States  show that large parts of the wage differential remain unexplained even after controlling for factors that affect pay. One study examined college graduates and found that the portion of the pay gap that remains unexplained after all other factors are taken into account is 5% one year after graduating college and 12% 10 years after graduation. Research done at  Cornell University  and elsewhere indicates that mothers are less likely to get hired than equally qualified fathers and, if hired, would be paid a lower salary than male applicants with children. The  OECD  found that a significant impact of children on women’s pay is generally found in the United Kingdom and the United States. ]  Fathers, on the other hand, earn  $7,500 more on average that than men without children. Glass ceiling The term glass ceiling is used to describe a perceived barrier to advancement based on discrimination, particularly gender discrimination. In academic achievement, great improvements have been made. However, as of 1995 in the United States, women received about half of all Masters degrees, but 95 to 97% of the senior managers of Fortune 1000 Industrial and Fortune 500 companies were male and in the Fortune 2000 Industrial and service companies, only 5% of senior managers were women. The  United Nations  asserts progress in bringing women into leadership and decision making positions around the world remains far too slow. Objectification Some argue that  sexual objectification  is a form of sexism. Some countries, such as  Norway  and  Denmark, have laws against sexual objectification in advertising. Nudity itself is not banned, and nude people can be used to advertise a product, but only if they are relevant to what is being advertised. Sol Olving, head of Norways Kreativt Forum, an association of the countrys top advertising agencies, explained, You could have a naked person advertising shower gel or a cream, but not a woman in a bikini draped across a car. Sexism in the Workplace Sexism in education is clearly associated with sexism in the workplace. When women are expected to â€Å"stay in the home,† they are unable to access the necessary educational resources to compete with men in the job market. If by chance they are able to secure a position, women may be less prepared educationally for the task, and thus draw lower wages. In recent decades more women have entered the United States workforce. After WWII (from about 1947), about 30 percent of women were employed outside the home; today, at the start of the 21st century, the figure is well over 50 percent. (Some estimates approach 75 percent if â€Å"part-time† jobs are included. Yet women are far from treated equally on the job. Typically, they hold lower-paying, lower-status jobs than men. In fact, women may account for only 25 percent of the upper-level managers in large corporations. And although half of the employees in the largest, most prestigious firms around the United States may be women, perhaps as few as 5 percent or less actually hold senior positio ns. In general, women are under-represented in the higher-status, higher-paying occupations, such as university teaching, law, engineering, and medicine. In contrast, women are over-represented in the lower-paying occupations, such as public-school teaching, nursing, and secretarial work. In stereotypical female jobs, referred to as  womens ghettos, women are subordinate to the positions of men. For example, executives supervise secretaries who are likely to be women, and lawyers supervise paralegals, who are also likely to be women. Women in the same jobs as men usually earn less, even though these women may have the same or better training, education, and skills. As a general statistic, women make only 60 percent or less than men in comparable positions. Why this disparity? Sociologists speculate that, in some cases, the fact that women often must take time off to have and raise children interrupts their career path. As much as Americans may hate to admit it, women in the United States still bear the primary responsibilities of child-rearing. Conflicting demands may partly explain why married women with children are more likely to leave their jobs than are childless and single women.

Trends in the tourist sector: Georgia

Trends in the tourist sector: Georgia Tourism Paths of the Black Sea Region Research and analyze of main trends of Tourism Sectors in Georgia (Part I) Abstract The study ,, Research and analyze of main trends of Tourism Sectors in Georgia† consists of two parts, in the presented article we will propose the first part of the research which had been conducted in the frames of the project â€Å"Tourism Paths of the Black Sea Region† implemented by ICCT and funded by the European Union in the BSR. The survey results will help the countries’ surrounding the Black Sea to see the strong and weak sides in terms of tourism development, enabling them to make better planning in future. The study covered the following issues: to determine local and foreign tourists preferences while traveling in Georgia, tourists’ travel motivations, main impact and influencing factors on tourists’ decision how they got the information about Georgia. Key Words: Tourism trends, tourism sectors – research and statistics Target Groups: Foreign and local tourists; Tourist Information Centres; Research design and methodology The study was carried out in target cities and municipalities covering 12 administrative units : Ambrolauri, Tbilisi, Rustavi, Tbilisi, Gori, Kvareli, Batumi, Poti, Mestia, Mtskheta, Telavi, Kutaisi. About 150 respondents were questioned. Foreign and local tourists’ survey results During the researches the following amount of the respondents participated among which 92% were foreign tourists, and 8%- the Georgian tourists . 82% of foreign tourists visited Georgia for the first time, while 18% traveled for the second time. The absolute majority of tourists who arrived in Georgia was looking for the possibilities of recreation, cultural tourism, tourism activities and mountain walking: Among the tourists were those whose aim was to have a holiday and those who showed their interest in sightseeing, attending cultural events and tasting traditional Georgian cuisine and wine. About 63% of the survey participants received the tourist information via the internet. Also the high rate went on recommendations provided by friends and relatives, resulting in a total of 44% . The role of travel agencies in the development of national tourism should be noted, which attracted 31% of total travelers: Most of the tourists prefer traveling together with the partners or friends. Respondents’ experience concerning this issue was as followed: Tourists start planning to travel much earlier before they decide to travel. It should be noted that 43% of tourists arrange their travel schedule 1-3 months before the trip, 32% -1 month before, while 26% more than 3 months in advance. Among those who plan to travel more than 3 months in advance are the families who belong to the consumer segment: The majority of tourists visiting Georgia apply to the low-cost airlines, but for local transportation they prefer a rented car, which is probably determined by a low development level of public transportation : The main stream of tourists visiting Georgia for periods was ranging from 3 to 14 days. In particular, the average duration of the visit periods was distributed as followed: During the general assessment the majority of the tourists highly estimated the conditions of the tourist sites; 86% said that the quality level of service was excellent. Only 2% complained on the service quality, while 12% refrained from answering. The impressions of the traveling were of high assessment: The tourists assessment displayed strong and weak features of the typical tourist places. In particular, the environmental contamination was detected: Ultimately, traveling along Georgia, the majority of respondents positively estimates their trip. 83% of travelers said they were satisfied with the decision to travel in Georgia . 68% of respondents believed that the experience of traveling in Georgia had exceeded all their expectations. Only 26% had a reason to express dissatisfaction, mainly due to the pollution of the environment or the low quality of service. In order to create the travel motivations of tourists, especially for the second visit, it is not enough just to possess the rich cultural, historical and natural heritage resources. There are additional factors that affect the degree of tourist’s satisfaction. During the survey/study the following priorities were determined: In Modern marketing the most effective advertising was considered to be the recommendations. The best way to determine a real impression of customers was to determine whether they recommended this product to their acquaintances. Providing from these factors, the percentage of spreading positive information among the respondents who had the second visits was very high: Tourist Information Centers in Georgia are in the development process. They can be found/are available only in the active tourist regions and cities . One of the research directions of their work was to define efficiency and quality of service . 90% of respondents said that they were satisfied with the services provided by the Information Centers: The average travel time and expenses in Georgia are different. It depended on the users age, employment status, sex and other variables. According to the overall data, the average expenditure per tourist has the rate of 1,023 EUR. Among the most low budget segment of the tourist market are students and the high budget tourist are middle-aged employed women / men. In accordance with the nationalities, most of the money spent in Georgia falls on Russian, Ukrainian and Western European tourists. The different needs of the average expenditure was as followed (amounts are in euro currency): 72% of visitors said that they did not exceed the costs incurred while traveling to Georgia by the specified amount. 20% of the guests said that the cost was much less than planned. The proportion of consumer respondents who said that the costs exceeded expectations were the students . Overall, tourism expenditure assessment is as follows: In relation to travel costs 70% said that the service was worth the fee/expenses. 64% of respondents believe that in Georgia prices are reasonable for accommodation and food service . 70% think that the prices of additional services, excursions, spa services, entertainment and other facilities are absolutely acceptable. The average age of the surveyed tourists was 37 years old, including the youngest- 19 years old, while the oldest is 65 years old . Among the respondents 44% were women and 56% men. The distribution of tourists interviewed by country of origin are as follows: Research Results of Tourist Information Centres One of the aims of the research was to share the experience and level of development of tourism in urban and regional information centers throughout the region in order to establish better tourists’ characteristics. As a result of the information obtained, it was possible to compile a profile of the typical tourist, taking advantage of the determination and identification of areas for development. The information centers were visited by 67% of foreign tourists and 33% of Georgian tourists. Among studied 12 administrative units only one region noted that there was provided a staff training sessions and communicative course of English.In other 11 regions negative answers were received about the trainings sessions in the regions that pointed to the lack of the work done in this direction. Urban and regional information centers occasionally cooperate with local public agencies and private companies involved in the tourism sector. However, a lot of work should be done, because it will encourage the rapid development of tourism at the local level: 92% of Tourist Information Centers stated that they are still working on statistical data collection. See below the tourist characteristics of the regions which were based on the data received from the Tourist Informational Centers after they had filled the questionnaires. Characteristics of tourists by region: Ambrolauri Tourist profile:Mountain Resort. The regions most active tourists:Georgian, Polish, Ukrainian, French and Israelis tourists. Consumers age:20 to 60 years. The Consumers goal: Vacation 82%, Cultural Tourism 45%, Ecotourism 20%. Interests:83% of visitors interested in cultural and natural monuments. The type of consumer:67% of tourists in the region were vacationers with families Duration of stay:42% of visitors stayed at an average of 10 days The popular means of transport:Due to the lack of transport and poor roads, 50% use a rented car, while 43% use the private cars, and a small portion of the bus. Akhaltsikhe Tourist profile:The region is rich of Historical monuments The regions most active tourists:Polish, Russian, Ukrainian and German tourists. Consumers age:20 to 50 years. The Consumers goal:In this region 68% of the visitors were oriented to the recreation and cultural tours and 31% tourists were wishing to visit relatives and friends. Interests:80% of visitors were interested in the historical and cultural monuments. The type of consumer:89% of tourists in the region, are traveling with a partner Duration of stay:52% of visitors stayed at an average of 7 days The popular means of transport:This region is easily accessible and has comfortable transport facilities. 62% of visitors used a bus / mini-bus to arrive, while 32% used train. Bolnisi Tourist profile:Historical and multi-ethnic region The regions most active tourists:Russian, Ukrainian, Azerbaijani and German tourists. Consumers age:20 to 35 years. The Consumers goal:45% of visitors to the region were cultural recreation-oriented and 40% of tourists were wishing to visit relatives. Interests: 98% of visitors were interested to view the historical sites The type of consumer:45% of tourists visited the region with a partner, while 35% of tourists were traveling with their families. Duration of stay:42% of visitors stayed at an average of 7 days The popular means of transport:Transport facilities are readily available in the region. 58% of visitors to the bus / mini bus travels, while 25% of the rented car. Borjomi Tourist profile:Healing / health resort. The regions most active tourists:Georgian, Ukrainian, Russian, Azeri and Kazakh tourists. Consumers age:25-75years The Consumers goal:The goal of the journey is to restore the health 65%, Ecotourism 20%, entertainment 5%. Interests:Nature monuments, local healing tasting water and rafting. The type of consumer:The consumer segment of families with children is 85% and the elderly couples 10%. Duration of stay:25% of visitors stayed at an average of 7 days, and 65% stayed for 8–14 days. The popular means of transport:The public transport facilities connecting the region is well developed.Most of the tourists travel by minibus 55% and 20% by train Gori Tourist profile::The Historical region The regions most active tourists:Russian, American, German and Polish tourists. Consumers age:23-65 years The Consumers goal:Cultural tourism 65%, visit to friends and relatives 25%. Interests:View historical and cultural sites 65%. The type of consumer:Single traveler 30%, middle-aged and older couples 55%. Duration of stay:about 7 days The popular means of transport:The public transport facilities connecting the region is well developed. The populartransport is a minibus 45%, rented cars 34%. Kvareli Tourist profile:The Historical region, Wine-producing region. The regions most active tourists:Georgian, Russian, American and German tourists. Consumers age:21–54 years The Consumers goal:Vacation 30%, cultural recreation-35% and Entertainment 32%. Interests:The local cuisine and wine tasting 45%, cultural sites 30%. The type of consumer:Single travelers 45%, young and middle-aged couples 40% Duration of stay:7–days – 45%, 8–14 days-30%. The popular means of transport:Rented cars 35%, own cars 32% and minibus 30%. Tbilisi Tourist profile:The capital, administrative and cultural center. The regions most active tourists:Polish, Jewish, Ukrainian, Russian, German tourists. Consumers age:21–75years The Consumers goal:Entertainment 43% , businesses tours 35% and visit of relatives / friends 34%. Interests:Cultural sites 45% taking part in events 48% of business meetings 35%. The type of consumer:Single travelers 30%, of of families 33% and of couples 37%. Duration of stay:7 days – 40%, 7–14 days – 36%. The popular means of transport:The plane 65%, own cars 25% and the train 10%. Telavi Tourist profile:The Historical region, Wine-producing region. The regions most active tourists:Czech, Polish, Belgian, Israeli tourists. Consumers age:30–50years The Consumers goal:Cultural Tourism 45%, and visit of relatives 24%. Interests:Cultural sites 67%, the local cuisine and wine tasting 63%. The type of consumer:Middle-aged couples 47%, the families 52%. Duration of stay:

Scripture Analysis :: Religion

Scripture Analysis "It is finished!" John 19:30. What Christ is referring to here is the accomplished salvation of the people. What that means is that when we are saved, we do not have to put out burnt saccrifices up to Him. It is no longer needed because Christ died for us, which took away the iniquities of our sin. He did this out of great love for us. This is exemplified in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotton son that who so ever belief in him shall have eternall life!". That verse is very important to us, or should be, because in a way, one could base his/her relationship with the Lord upon it. The reason is because God loved us so much that he did that for us so that is the least that we could do. In Genesis 3:15 it says that we will be punished for our sins. Yes, that is true, but God will forgive and forget them if we repent. You see this is not possible without Jesus dying for our sins. In Romans 5:6-8 it says that Christ died for all of us. Even the bad ones, ALL. This is a sign of the Victory that Christ had won a victory here. The reason is because of all of the lives that he saved and will later be saved. In Romans 5 it says that Jesus died for All Sinners! We are all sinners so his death was for all. When Jesus says that "It is finished", he can also be reffering to the older predictions of Christs' life. There is one in particular that it might have been talking about in Isaiah. That is the one in which Isaiah talks of the life of Jesus and the crucifiction, in very short and brief detail. The suffering in which Jesus took for us lasted all through the night, and then in the morning the thrusted a sword into His side to see if he was alive. After the water poored out of His side, you can say that it is officially over. In my heart it is not completely over, just that of that era. Jesus will always live in my heart and not until the very end times is it over in my heart. When the life of Jesus was over, at the same exact time God tore the

Ann Petry’s The Street Essay -- Black motherhood Petry Street Essays

Ann Petry’s The Street In our society of today, there are many images that are portrayed through media and through personal experience that speak to the issues of black motherhood, marriage and the black family. Wherever one turns, there is the image of the black woman in the projects and very rarely the image of successful black women. Even when these positive images are portrayed, it is almost in a manner that speaks to the supposed inferiority of black women. Women, black women in particular, are placed into a society that marginalizes and controls many of the aspects of a black woman’s life. As a result, many black women do not see a source of opportunity, a way to escape the drudgery of their everyday existence. For example, if we were to ask black mother’s if they would change their situation if it became possible for them to do so, many would change, but others would say that it is not possible; This answer would be the result of living in a society that has conditioned black wom en to accept their lots in lives instead of fighting against the system of white and male dominated supremacy. In Ann Petry’s The Street, we are given a view of a black mother who is struggling to escape what the street symbolizes. In the end though, she becomes captive to the very thing she wishes to escape. Petry presents black motherhood, marriage and the black family as things that are marginalized according to the society in which they take place. The main image that Petry gives of the black mother is Lutie, though there are other images that are crucial in explaining this image. Lutie is a single black mother living on â€Å"the street.† Her world revolves around providing for her son, and trying to make sure that they ar... ...courage to survive in the world. On the other hand, her portrayal of marriage and the black family appears to be negative. Marriage is seen as a convenient thing—as something that is expected, but not worth having when times get rough. At least this is what Lutie’s and Jim’s marriage became. The moral attributes that go along with marriage do not seem to be prevalent. As a result, because marriage and the black family are seen as the core of the black community, blacks become more divided and begin to work against themselves—reinforcing among themselves the white male supremacy. Instead of being oppressed by another race or community, blacks oppress themselves. Petry critiques these issues in the black community and makes them more applicable to our lives today. These issues still exist, but we fail to realize them because of our advancement in society today.

Wal-Mart’s Positive Effect on a Community

When it comes to shopping for clothes, groceries, and other belongings; there is one question customers must ask themselves. Do you shop with your head or your heart? Shopping with you head refers to looking for discounts and saving as much money as you can while, shopping with your heart is going to a local store and paying extra to support a family owned business. Most respond with saving money and getting discounts. Wal-Mart is one of the largest employers in the United States and their inventory includes groceries, pharmacies, automotive and hardware supply areas.It is a store that provides plenty of things you need in one place at the lowest prices. Low income, middle-class or upper class; Wal-Mart helps the majority of the community. Although many people believe Wal-Mart shuts down and overruns small businesses, what Wal-Mart brings to the table is that it employs a vast amount of jobs. I am for Wal-Mart because I believe the lives of people in less fortunate communities benefi t from these stores, instead of the common belief that they suffer for them.Their slogan of â€Å"Save money, Live better† is exactly what they are able to do for their customers. The best feeling you can get when shopping is coming out of a store and getting all the items and goods you desired for a manageable price. Wal-Mart gives you the opportunity to achieve that feeling. With the low prices for large quantities, these huge stores help out the whole community (especially rural areas). The Case for Wal-Mart,† by Karen De Coster and Brad Edmonds clarifies,† If the truth be told, Wal-Mart improves the lives of people in rural areas because it gives them access to a lifestyle that they otherwise would not have- a gigantic store showcasing the world’s greatest choice of products from groceries to music to automotive products† (633). I absolutely agree with Coster and Edmonds statement that customers should be obligated to buy brand labels accessories for discounted prices.Wal-Mart gives discounts, up to seventy percent off, prices all year around- unlike other supermarkets or clothing stores that only have seasonal discounted times. Wal-Mart gives shoppers the chance to go into their stores and purchase close to anything they can think of at lower prices then Wal-Mart’s competition. When all is said, Wal-Mart improves the lives of everyone in a community because it allows consumers to buy goods for relatively cheap prices. Unlike any other retailers, Wal-Mart employs people for jobs not careers.There is a possibility to climb the ladder within the company, but working at Wal-Mart doesn’t really jump-start to any other job opportunities. But the fact is that Wal-Mart does provide a vast amount of people. The number of different departments and employees that are required to run one Wal-Mart store hires a great number of people. With the amount of people needed for each section and subsection at these stores, Wal-Mar t has the ability to give many people jobs. Wal-Mart has been one of the most successful anti-poverty programmers in America. It provides entry-level jobs that unskilled workers badly want – there are often five or 10 applicants for each position† (Urbach). Wal-Mart is also beneficial with giving high number of jobs because most of the jobs that they are hiring don’t need a high school or college degree. For areas with high number of people who don’t have diplomas, Wal-Mart gives the opportunity to them by supplying them a steady supply of money.These are unskilled workers that aren’t exactly looking for job progression, but are looking for any job they can get and keep. It’s the perfect combination of a company that needs to hire a great amount of people, and the kinds of workers that don’t really have many other options. Wal-Mart’s geographic position is very helpful and convenient to many communities. These mega-stores may se em like they just follow whichever area is large enough to hold their enormous square footage, but actually they are positioned in just the right place.The fact that most are within short driving distance to other supermarkets, makes it worth for the consumers to go to Wal-Mart first, see what they have, and then from there go to the other stores. People who shop at Wal-Mart, trust that they will be able to find most if not all of their shopping list. Even if it is farther than another store, people are willing to go the extra mile or two to get the savings they would not be able to find anywhere else. Wal-Mart’s slogan sums up how their customers shop and enjoy the savings, â€Å"Save money, live better†.I couldn't agree more. With people being able to save money, community’s benefit immensely. Especially low-income communities, Wal-Mart is good because it gets money into the citizen’s pockets and encourages them to spend more than they would or could ha ve before. â€Å"This then allows them to have some money to invest in productive assets or to buy those other things that will make their lives more comfortable and enjoyable† (Urbach). Customers of Wal-Mart aren’t just happy because of the deals they get by shopping at those stores.What makes Wal-Mart customers the happiest is knowing that from the money they saved, they have extra to spend on other things. Many nonbelievers against Wal-Mart state that it will shut down small businesses and affect the economy in a negative way. Putting a Wal-Mart in a striving community is a positive. One reason is because it drives up competition. What we strive for as human beings is competition. It is a life essential tool for business. Opposing common belief, â€Å"after a new Wal-Mart is built, other small businesses sprout up nearby and cash in on the new retail traffic† (Gruss).Studies have shown that other businesses and companies do better and grow when Wal-Mart is in close proximity to them. Critics of Wal-Mart have understandable reasons to question this huge corporation; they don’t want to have to lower their prices to compete with Wal-Mart’s. Instead of trying to battle with them, they claim that Wal-Mart is bad for communities and small businesses. But there is proof that small businesses open and flourish once a Wal-Mart is opened. Wal-Mart’s drive up competition that encourages people to go to multiple stores to compare to the prices they offer.Wal-Mart has over 1. 2 million employees and more than 3,600 stores nationwide. The fact is that everyone has shopped at Wal-Mart once in there life. To be accused for ruining small businesses and communities is non-sense. Wal-Mart is the number one place to buy all your goods without spending too much money. And with that savings, customers can afford to save for other necessities they need to pay off. Employing huge amount of people and creating jobs in the economy has helped the United States. Americans love Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart loves America right back.