My Autobiography about the Importance of Friendship

I have never found anything more important to the growth of my well-being than friendships. I will be talking about my friendships as a child, the heartbreak of having to lose them, and comparing that to the way I value friendships now. So, let’s go back in time to when I was a young child at the age of four. When I was four years old I found my best friend and he continues to hold that spot to this day. His name is Garrett. When we first met, he was six and I was four, so logically we didn’t get along at all. The way I met him was, my dad was dating a woman named Kristi. He was getting really close to her and saw that Kristi was getting along with my sister and I very well. So, he wanted us to meet the rest of Kristi’s family. The†¦show more content†¦He wouldn’t charge us rent or anything. So, we joyfully agreed to go ahead and do it. When we got there we soon noticed we were now outside of our element. We were now eating three full meals compar ed to before and what we thought was three full meals. In comparison what we ate before was the size of two small bowls. We drank sweet tea while we laid on the beach under an umbrella with painting and oceans all around us. We felt like we were in heaven just as the rich in Nguyen’s poem did.(Binh Khiem, 410) Since where we were living was thirty minutes away from the middle school and it was a rich neighborhood, neither me nor my sister made any friends. I soon became lonely and was willing to give anything to move back to Minnesota. We knew we couldn’t do that since we had sold our house in Minnesota and were getting a place to live for free. I became lonely fast, it seemed like only yesterday I was smelling the flower’s freshness like Gabriela Mistral did, and now I’m heavy with weeping knowing that I would probably never see Garrett or any of my other friends ever again.(Mistral, 519) This is when I realized exactly what was important to me, and I ag ree with what Hafiz writes, â€Å"Two hundred sacks of jewels were not worth thy soul’s disgrace.†(Hafiz, 408) Or in my case, there is no amount of money that could ever replace friendship. We would soon learn though that Leo Tolstoy wasShow MoreRelatedThe Spiritual Autobiography By John Knight955 Words   |  4 PagesIn going with the definition of how to construct the spiritual autobiography, I would start with the events, the people and the places that influenced the relationship with God or a higher being. According to Knight, those who were raised in a religious home their journey starts at birth and grows through age. (Knight, 2011) Parents who teach their children about God and who pray with them and worship with them have a close relationship with their God. Knight also states that should you find GodRead MoreShooting Stars By Lebron James And Buzz Bissinger1175 Words   |  5 PagesThe book ‘Shooting Stars’, is and autobiography written by Leb ron James and Buzz Bissinger, provided a fantastic read. Published in 2009, the book briefly covered Lebron’s early life while spending the majority of the time covering his teen years. The reader is informed about the struggles that Lebron and his single mother faced through his early years. He had to move houses often due to financial circumstances and thus found it hard to make friends. James soon found a passion for basketball andRead MoreThe Picture Of Dorian Gray Essay1460 Words   |  6 Pagesthe â€Å"friendship† between Dorian and Basil has influenced his art, and why Basil refuses to show anyone else the painting. Basil, who is utterly infatuated with Dorian, describes their relationship as something that goes beyond friendship, beyond art. Basil is not only attracted and inspired by Dorian’s beauty; he also treasures Dorian’s innocence and wishes to keep it intact. To better explain to Lord Henry about the importance of Dorian’s influen ce over his art, Basil tells Lord Henry about the momentRead MoreIf You Ask Me?1369 Words   |  6 PagesI read Betty White’s autobiography, If You Ask Me (and Of Course You Won’t), because I believed she would have a lot of insight on the topics we were covering in class. Betty White is a 93 year old actress who has lived a life full of adventure and continues to pursue her dreams every day, paying no mind to her age. In her book she discussed a majority of the topics we have hit on so far in lecture. The ones that struck me as the most interesting were the physical effects of aging, close relationshipsRead MoreEssay on Benjamin Franklins Autobiography1429 Words   |  6 PagesESSAY ON BEN FRANKLIN’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography is an inspiring tale of his personal, as well as public achievement throughout his life. Franklin’s life embodies the exemplary model of a life composed of discipline, self-reliance and self improvement. From his humble beginnings as an apprentice candle and soap maker in his father’s business to a successful business man, author, philosopher, civil activist, politician scientist, inventor, and diplomat, above all BenjaminRead MoreThe Things They Carried1417 Words   |  6 PagesSpring Book Review In The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien tells the tale of not about war, but rather about war’s effect on one’s mentality. Ultimately, this novel is built on a foundation of the items that the soldiers of the Vietnam War carried. Whether it was the way Jimmy Cross uses the pebble to escape from his duties as a soldier or when Norman Bowker realizes that courage comes form within, not from receiving a Silver Star; O’Brien uses baggage as a symbol throughout the book to teachRead MoreAutobiography of a Face: Lucy Grealy1611 Words   |  7 PagesAutobiography of a Face: Lucy Grealy The psychology of beauty is complex not just because the concept of beauty is as yet undefined, but also because it is largely true that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder or how individuals perceive other people or things. The importance of beauty has been taught since the first civilizations. It is known that the cave people of the Mesolithic period (around 10,000 B.C.) softened their skin with castor oil and grease, and also used plant dyesRead MoreFilm Review Of The Intouchables Directed By Oliver Nakache And Eric Toledano1206 Words   |  5 PagesFilm Review- Statement of intention: My intention for this film review is to convince the reader to watch the film â€Å"The Intouchables†. As I believe this film is well worth watching as it portrays very good themes and has important life lessons incorporated throughout the movie. The Intouchables Are Really An Untouchable Pair The Intouchables Directed and written by: Oliver Nakache and Eric Toledano Rating: R (for language and some drug use) Genre: drama, art house, international, comedyRead MoreThe Discovery Of The Dark Races1512 Words   |  7 Pagesmany different cultures within East Africa. â€Å" The discovery of the dark races was to me a magnificent enlargement of all my world† (Dinesen 20). It is important to remember that while Isak was friends with the Kikuyu and Somali people, it is clear that her European culture ranked superior to theirs. â€Å"But I felt the silent overshadowed existence of the Natives running parallel with my own, on a different plane† (Dinesen 24). Out of Africa uses the dream-like experiences from Isak Dinesen’s years in EastRead More Maya Angelou Essay1926 Words   |  8 Pageslearned gave her confidence to be a teacher, a preacher, and an inspiration to millions. Maya Angelou was courageous. Based on Angelou’s most prestigious autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, along with others, certainly reveals the occurring hardships and misfortunes of her life. In Maya Angelou’s first published autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, in 1970, she focuses in on the concept of black skin, and the emotions and fears that come along with it. Caged Bird begins

Media as extension of man Free Essays

Marshall McLuhan is widely considered as one of the most important intellectual figure of 20th century and widely noted for his contribution on media culture and philosophy of media studies. McLuhan rose to international fame in 1960s when his work on mass media and its effect on social and individual behavior was published. . We will write a custom essay sample on Media as extension of man or any similar topic only for you Order Now His remarkable observations on nature of simple things those have central importance in defining the cultural and behavioral outlook of society. In predicting the role of media, especially through modern revolution of electronic revolution and use of computers, views of McLuhan adopted futuristic tone in stating the extended role of medium itself as the message, from its earlier perception of just being a carrier of the message. He realized the importance of electrical processes in shaping and defining the reality of world, views that have been validated especially after computer revolution and increasing integration of world through internet as chief medium of communication and medium of message Medium as Message As a prelude to understanding the media as the extension of man, McLuhan puts particular emphasis on the importance of medium itself that is generally regarded as just a carrier of messages or information as playing the role of message. This implies that the medium through which the messages are being communicated is not an inert entity, rather it participates in the process by extending the role of man and contributes by adding further dimension in affairs with help of technology. In the context, McLuhan uses his famous example that dwells on nature and role of electric light. Light, as McLuhan points out, is not just a medium of information, but also complete information in itself. Although the general and common view puts actual significance on the content of the message that light visibly carries and ignores the role of light itself, the fact remains that it is the medium itself that defines the scale and nature of human association with the information (McLuhan, 151). McLuhan illustrates this by signaling out major corporations such as IBM, GE and ATT who took time to realize the fact they are not in the business of producing machines and equipments but in the business of channeling information. McLuhan argues that media also similar and defining effect on social and cultural psyche of people. Notwithstanding the content that it carries, it’s the media that has transforming powers on the society and people. Thus McLuhan dispenses with the notion that media as a medium can be treated as a passive entity, unresponsive and non-participative in the entire process of information processing that it is facilitating in its capacity as a medium. A television, radio, or telephone engage people irrespective of the content that they deliver and thus extends the role of man through their technological inputs. Before the advent of electrical age, the age of computing and information technology there was ambiguity over the role of medium as the message. But with the instant speed and extent that electricity has provided, media as a medium has certainly become as the message and it contains the potential to institute change, alter the paradigms and establish new cults irrespective of the nature of the content that it carries and delivers. Assisted and buoyed by technology, media extends the role of man. Media as extension of Man Technology plays a central role in McLuhan’s theory of media as extension of man. The extension, as it is apparent, is the extension of the mental faculties, knowledge, approach and culture of the man in the changing world. The electric technology has helped man to grow his conscience and mental capacity to attempt to comprehend things on a far greater scale than ever possible. In words of McLuhan, the stimulation provided by electronic technology represents the final extension in role of man where creativity, knowledge, and consciousness will collectively grow and extend over entire humanity in affecting the extension of man. The role of technology is evident in the process as it’s the diligent pursuance of technology that has brought transformation of world into a global village. People are interacting with each other on changed scales and electric speed, by causing a rapid contraction of social and political forces to create an implosion that increases people’s sense of responsibility and acts on different groups of people to alter their previous positions and integrate them in the new order of things. Commenting on the expanding field of human desire of knowledge, McLuhan says that electric speed and reach has made concept of partial and incomplete knowledge an obsolete thing. Mankind now vie for wholeness, completeness and depth of knowledge, in conformation with the changing form of electric age over its pervious mechanical world. There is a renewed sense of finding out the world once again, armed by newly realized power of electric and computer technology and in its new extension, mankind doesn’t want to accept things in their previous forms. Rather it aims to overthrow imposed patterns and declare the individuality of things and events in totality (McLuhan, 149). The role of new technology in media has always created conflicts and challenges in the society until finally it extends the role of man and then overtaken by new emergent technology. McLuhan presents two strong instances of this fact (McLuhan, ). First when he quotes Alexis De Tocqueville, who was first to master the understanding of print and typography technology, to inform that De Tocqueville had predicted rise of America and relegation of England from their approach and reaction towards the new technology of print in media. England, burdened with its tradition of oral laws, did not fully accept the new technology of print and as such choose to ignore the power of new media. America on the other hand embraced the new technology and hence was benefited immensely by the uniformity and continuity that new technology of print culture had to offer thereby extending their role in the contemporary world. Taking this argument further, McLuhan theory can be stretched to further dimensions that a similar transition is taking place with the advent of new electronic mediums of computer and information technology. In fact, McLuhan himself states that to many people in the contemporary literate world the new media technology would appear as unsettling as the technology of print would appear to tribal natives of remote Africa. Thus the new electric technology guiding media in forms of television, computers, movies, information technology, Internet and mobile phones demands a similar extension of man over rudiments of past age of mechanical technology, detribalizing society senses through its blinding speed and seemingly infinite capacity to channel and process information. In a very pertinent analysis of the new emergent media, riding on electric and communication technology, McLuhan states the new media presents a possibility to completely overrule the cognitive, analytical and cultural traits of the societies it affects because this medium is made much more strong by having its content as another medium which is usually print or speech. The new media gives the power of vision, voice and interaction to an already potent media of print that it integrates in its own design, and in the combined synergy it overpowers the viewers who are left numb and awestruck (McLuhan, 114). The nature of the modern media also plays a very important role in extending the role of human mind and consequentially the whole society.   McLuhan presents his important and famous demarcation of mediums as ‘hot’ and ‘cool’ mediums. A hot medium as defined by McLuhan is one that involves high definition, high data processing, and requires little imagination on the part of viewer. On the other side a cool medium is one that is not high definition, has low amount of data and users have to apply considerable imagination and their own creativity to comprehend the whole picture. Thus categorizing media in these two categories, McLuhan points out that by this definition a radio is a hot medium and a telephone is a cool medium, a movie is a hot medium and TV is cool medium, a photograph is a hot medium and a cartoon is a cool medium. A very important feature of the hot and cool medium emerges by virtue of their definition. A hot medium demands little participation by viewers, in the sense that it is so complete in information that it leaves little for imagination. Similarly, the cool medium is involves a higher participation by people because it leaves many gaps to be filled by audience. Hot and cool media play very different role in affecting the psyche and culture of the society where they unfold. In this context McLuhan states that developed countries having specialized themselves with mechanical technology of past age face the fear of retribalizing by the new electric media whereas the less developed nations that encounter the new technology extend their role by detribalizing themselves. Thus the less developed countries in themselves cool medium, while the developed and highly urbanized western countries are hot medium. The role of media has extended the role of man by changing his very perception of world. While the preceding mechanical age was focused with expanding the horizons of world, rediscovering and redrawing the limits of human knowledge and hence affecting a cultural and knowledge ‘explosion’, the modern technology pushing ahead media has reversed the process by bringing everything together, thus affecting a kind of implosion where entire world practically faces itself through the media. People, willingly or unwillingly, have been clubbed together, sharing the same space with more and more people. The electric media, it can be safely said, thrown every one is every one’s else life. In what can be surely reckoned today as one of the most prophetic statements, McLuhan clearly said that the new electric media has a remarkable capacity to decentralize the functioning of society, a fact that is more than evident in our modern world. But writing in 1960s, McLuhan had predicted that whereas mechanical system requires some fixed centers of operation and hence lead to development of great urban centers, electric power would decentralize the social-cultural space by providing equal opportunity to every place and hence as any place, equipped by power of electric media can act as center. This change and extension of social roles is almost complete today as we can see that through a combination of electric mediums of computer, telephones, video conferencing, Internet, and electric power any room or place can act as the center of large operations. This is the power of new media that is implicit in McLuhan’s writing, transforming every one’s earlier role and nature of functioning. The nature of modern media, acting through computers, Internet and information technology, is all encompassing and sweeping, just in lines of its predecessor forms of media. The theatre, when it emerged took over written form of drama; movies took over all the novels and written work and TV took over the movies. Today computers are perfectly poised over to take over all the forms of media. Radios, Televisions and gramophones helped many hitherto obscured persons for example poets, artists, speakers, and writers to gain recognition world over. Today the power of information technology expands this role further by bringing further convergence of world as we see it. In affecting this convergence it is simultaneously delegating new roles to people that has the responsibility to interact and evolve in much closer proximity of every body else.                            How to cite Media as extension of man, Essay examples

Food Poisoning Essay Example For Students

Food Poisoning Essay You know, when you eat an egg, and it doesnt taste right, look right or smell right? Well that means that it could be contaminated with a dangerous substance (Like Chelsea). Food poisoning is the result of ingesting organisms or toxins in your food. Food poisoning can affect one person, or it can occur as an outbreak among several people who all ate the same thing. Even though food poisoning is quite rare in North America, 60 to 80 million people get affected by food poisoning each year, and 6 to 8 million die from it each year. It mainly occurs at picnics, school cafeterias, or at big social events, like parties with food at them. These are all cases where food is contaminated by something, or it isnt prepared correctly. Most of the time, people get contaminated by under-cooked meats or expired dairy products. Bacterias also cause deadly poisoning. Most cases are caused by common bacteria (see Jonathans speech) like Staphylococcus or E. coli. The main evil ones are Staph Aureus, E. coli enteritis, salmonella, shigella, campy lobacter, cholera, botulism, listeria, bacillus cereus and yersina (gee, funny names!). Kids (like me) and the elderly, (like Mr. Bark), and people with diabetes, heart disorders or kidney disease, have a much higher chance of having deadly symptoms from bacteria in our food. In places like Africa, there are many more diseases that can affect Canadians, because there are many bacterias that our bodies arent used to. It is also warmer and there are lots of insects that can carry the diseases around. And now for the symptoms of being poisoned (this is my favorite part). Depending on what exactly your stupid brain told you to eat, the symptoms vary. They can last form 2 hours, to days, weeks, months, years, decades! OkI shouldve stopped at weeks, but thats still a long time. You can have nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, or head ache. Those are only the good ones! More serious effects include respiratory distress, kidney failure, bleeding disorders, arthritis, nervous system disorders or death!!!

Vietnam Essays (821 words) - Vietnam War, Indochina Wars

Vietnam Vietnam is a country 9000 miles away from the United States. Yet America felt that its national interest to protect the peace in south Asia and stop communist was threatened strongly enough to fight a war there. Therefore, American considered that the establishment of the Iron Curtain of Europe must be stopped to happen again in Asia. Meanwhile, the communist take over of China, the Korean War and the communist victory over the French in Vietnam all led many Americans to fear that The communists were taking over the world and America must dispatch force to stop their expansion. At that time, most American believed in the Domino Theory, suggesting that if one Asian country fell to the Communist the others would quickly follow. The U.S. government believed that by helping the South Vietnamese government to resist the invasion of the North Vietnam and prevent the spread of communism to throughout the world to stop advance of communist is the only one and most important perspective for A merican strategy in the Cold War. After the WWII, US government considered that the communism pose a great threat to world peace. For example, communist easily established so-called Iron Curtain in the east Europe and overthrew Chang regime in the China and drove out France from Vietnam. Therefore, with France withdrawal from Vietnam, American wants to prevent a Communist takeover as well as reluctance on apart of American presidents to assume of primary responsibility for fighting Vietcong and their North communist Vietnam allies. Meanwhile, From Truman, American presidents all had done enough to avoid charge as who lost Vietnam to communist. by 1954, instead of keep the promise of Geneva of taking place a free elections in order to elect a leader to rule the united Vietnam, American assisted Nyo Dinb Diem as the president of Vietnam, established American- style government in the southern Vietnam. By the mid-1950s, the Vietcong pose a great threat against South Vietnam, and the North began to pump weapons, advisors , and other resource into the southern cadres, which were reorganized as the National Liberation Front in 1958. At this time, losing the Vietnam to communist also strikes into American presidents heart, therefore, in the late 1950, US government dispatched hundreds of special advisers (later in war the numbers was up to thousands) to assist S. Vietnam military to fight with Vietcong. Vietnam had become entangled in the cold war maneuvers of the United States and Communism. With United States backing, American found out the president of Vietnam who didnt have ability to fight with communist in the countryside and to start social and economic reforms. Meanwhile, his repressive tactics directed not only against Communists but also against the Buddhist majority and other critics. Therefore, US government decided to overthrow Diem regime and support pro- America of generals regime. However, America also resolved on Americanize for Vietnam War, because most people believe American forc e could defeat the ill-prepared Vietcong and their North allies. However, it was also clear to Johnson and his government that American military involvement must not reach levels that would provoke the Chinese and Soviet into direct intervention. Therefore, although fighting with helicopters and gunship chemical defoliants, and napalm, became like the trench warfare of World war one ----a war of attrition. As Clark Clifford of new secretary of defense said: we have no military plan to end the war. The American intervention of in Vietnam in 1965, the danger and blind foolishness of ideological war become increasingly obvious for about 25 years. The US faced an internal crisis in anti-war and anti-government movement. As the war dragged on and opposition mounted students and others developed sophisticated ways to avoid evade, or resist the draft. Over 20000 young men simply refused to accept obey their draft notices and 4000 of those young men served prison sentences. Meanwhile, hundreds of young men instituted court challenges to the draft. The result was a much broader interpretation of them conscientious objector so as to allow exemption for those with moral and ethical objections to war rooted in secular rather than spiritual principles. Some 56,000 men qualified for conscientious objector status during the Vietnam War,

Free Essays on The Great West And US History

Great West The expectation proved false, for during the next generation, the South became solidly united behind the institution of slavery as new economic factors made slavery far more profitable than it had been before 1790. Chief among these was the rise of a great cotton-growing industry in the South, stimulated by the introduction of new types of cotton and by Eli Whitney's invention in 1793 of the cotton gin, which separated the seeds from cotton. At the same time, the Industrial Revolution, which made textile manufacturing a large-scale operation, vastly increased the demand for raw cotton. And the opening of new lands in the West after 1812 greatly extended the area available for cotton cultivation. Cotton culture moved rapidly from the Tidewater states on the East coast through much of the lower South to the delta region of the Mississippi and eventually to Texas. Northerners rallied to oppose Missouri's entry except as a free state, and a storm of protest swept the country. For a time Congress was deadlocked, but Henry Clay arranged the so-called Missouri Compromise: Missouri was admitted as a slave state at the same time Maine came in as a free state. In addition, Congress banned slavery from the territory acquired by the Louisiana Purchase north of Missouri's southern boundary. The frontier did much to shape American life. Conditions along the entire Atlantic seaboard stimulated migration to the newer regions. From New England, where the soil was incapable of producing high yields of grain, came a steady stream of men and women who left their coastal farmsand villages to take advantage of the rich interior land of the continent. In the backcountry settlements of the Carolinas and Virginia, people handicapped by the lack of roads and canals giving access to coastal markets, and suffering from the political dominance of the Tidewater planters, also moved westward. As more and more settlers penetrated the wilderness, many ... Free Essays on The Great West And US History Free Essays on The Great West And US History Great West The expectation proved false, for during the next generation, the South became solidly united behind the institution of slavery as new economic factors made slavery far more profitable than it had been before 1790. Chief among these was the rise of a great cotton-growing industry in the South, stimulated by the introduction of new types of cotton and by Eli Whitney's invention in 1793 of the cotton gin, which separated the seeds from cotton. At the same time, the Industrial Revolution, which made textile manufacturing a large-scale operation, vastly increased the demand for raw cotton. And the opening of new lands in the West after 1812 greatly extended the area available for cotton cultivation. Cotton culture moved rapidly from the Tidewater states on the East coast through much of the lower South to the delta region of the Mississippi and eventually to Texas. Northerners rallied to oppose Missouri's entry except as a free state, and a storm of protest swept the country. For a time Congress was deadlocked, but Henry Clay arranged the so-called Missouri Compromise: Missouri was admitted as a slave state at the same time Maine came in as a free state. In addition, Congress banned slavery from the territory acquired by the Louisiana Purchase north of Missouri's southern boundary. The frontier did much to shape American life. Conditions along the entire Atlantic seaboard stimulated migration to the newer regions. From New England, where the soil was incapable of producing high yields of grain, came a steady stream of men and women who left their coastal farmsand villages to take advantage of the rich interior land of the continent. In the backcountry settlements of the Carolinas and Virginia, people handicapped by the lack of roads and canals giving access to coastal markets, and suffering from the political dominance of the Tidewater planters, also moved westward. As more and more settlers penetrated the wilderness, many ...

Lysander the Spartan General

Lysander the Spartan General Lysander was one of the Heraclidae at Sparta, but not a member of the royal families. Not much is known about his early life. His family was not wealthy, and we dont know how Lysander came to be entrusted with military commands. The Spartan Fleet in the Aegean When Alcibiades rejoined the Athenian side towards the end of the Peloponnesian War, Lysander was put in charge of the Spartan fleet in the Aegean, based at Ephesus (407). It was Lysanders decree that merchant shipping put into Ephesus and his foundation of shipyards there, that started its rise to prosperity. Persuading Cyrus to Help the Spartans Lysander persuaded Cyrus, the Great Kings son, to help the Spartans. When Lysander was leaving, Cyrus wanted to give him a present, and Lysander asked for Cyrus to fund an increase in the sailors pay, thus inducing sailors serving in the Athenian fleet to come over to the higher-paying Spartan fleet. While Alcibiades was away, his lieutenant Antiochus provoked Lysander into a sea battle which Lysander won. The Athenians thereupon removed Alcibiades from his command. Callicratides  as Lysanders Successor Lysander gained partisans for Sparta amongst the cities subject to Athens by promising to install decemvirates, and promoting the interests of potentially useful allies amongst their citizens. When the Spartans chose Callicratides as Lysanders successor, Lysander undermined his position by sending the funds for the increase in payback to Cyrus and taking the fleet back to the Peloponnese with him. The Battle of Arginusae (406) When Callicratides died after the battle of Arginusae (406), Spartas allies requested that Lysander is made admiral again. This was against Spartan law, so Aracus was made admiral, with Lysander as his deputy in name, but the actual commander. Ending the  Peloponnesian War It was Lysander who was responsible for the final defeat of the Athenian navy at Aegospotami, thus ending the Peloponnesian War. He joined the Spartan kings, Agis and Pausanias, in Attica. When Athens finally succumbed after the siege, Lysander installed a government of thirty, later remembered as the Thirty Tyrants (404). Unpopular Throughout Greece Lysanders promotion of his friends interests and vindictiveness against those who displeased him made him unpopular throughout Greece. When the Persian satrap Pharnabazus complained, the Spartan ephors recalled Lysander. There resulted in a power struggle within Sparta itself, with the kings favoring more democratic regimes in Greece in order to diminish Lysanders influence. King Agesilaus Instead of  Leontychides On the death of King Agis, Lysander was instrumental in Agis brother Agesilaus being made king instead of Leontychides, who was popularly supposed to be Alcibiades son rather than the kings. Lysander persuaded Agesilaus to mount an expedition to Asia to attack Persia, but when they arrived in the Greek Asian cities, Agesilaus grew jealous of the attention paid to Lysander and did everything he could to undermine Lysanders position. Finding himself unwanted there, Lysander returned to Sparta (396), where he may or may not have started a conspiracy to make the kingship elective amongst all Heraclidae or possibly all Spartiates, rather than confined to the royal families. War Between Sparta and Thebes   War broke out between Sparta and Thebes in 395, and Lysander was killed when his troops were surprised by a Theban ambush.

CompareContrast Nathaniel Hawthorne's heroines in The BirthMark and Essay

CompareContrast Nathaniel Hawthorne's heroines in The BirthMark and Rappaccini's Daughter - Essay Example This has led to a few of them being described as "dark heroines" (Bell, 20); Beatrice Rappaccini, the bewitching daughter of the brilliant, but sinister scientist Rappaccini and to a lesser extent, Georgiana Aylmer, the beautiful young wife of the obsessed scientist Aylmer, are examples of poignant, yet powerful 'dark heroines'. This short essay shall compare and contrast the heroines of two of Hawthorne's short stories, 'The Birth-Mark' and 'Rappaccini's Daughter' respectively. This essay shall cite appropriately from them and other secondary sources to show that, while both the heroines testify to their purity of character by their ultimate sacrifices, Hawthorne's portrayal of Beatrice Rappaccini more than Georgiana Aylmer, aptly suits a 'dark heroine'. Both 'The Birth-Mark' and 'Rappaccini's Daughter' of Hawthorne warn the society regarding the excessive pursuit of science and technology without morality. The stories end as tragedies with the heroines falling victims to the evil obsessions of the dominant men around them. In 'The Birth-Mark' Hawthorne depicts his heroine Georgiana as a powerful image of beauty, that she is praised by her husband Aylmer as one who "came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature" (The Birth-Mark 1021). She is young and beautiful, but for one "visible mark of earthly imperfection" (The Birth-Mark 1021) on her cheek. ... er husband in particular, and the male world in general perceived as negative - "Masculine observers contented themselves with wishing it away, that the world might possess one living specimen of ideal loveliness without the semblance of a flaw" (The Birth-Mark 1022). Indeed this becomes the focal point of the story itself, and ultimately causes her death. Hawthorne introduces the element of evilness in the form of Aylmer, young Georgiana's science-loving husband; what was trivial matter to him before marriage, appears "more and more intolerable with every moment" to him after marriage, and he is obsessed with removing it, so as to make her perfect. "I am convinced of the perfect practicability of its removal" he retorts to her innermost fears of it being fatal. Here again Hawthorne introduces the element of fantasy in the form of Georgiana's dream, of approaching doom. He scorns, scoffs, chides, coaxes and cajoles her (The Birth-Mark, pp. 1027-8) to have trust in his science, and even tries to hide the fact that it may be "dangerous" (The Birth-Mark, p.1030). Though Hawthorne's heroine is aware that the experiment may not be to her advantage, she is sweet and pure in character, loves her husband so much that she is unable to see him pained over the blemish in her cheek. She would rather give her life than allow it to stand between their happiness, and begs him "Remove it, remove it, whatever be the cost, or we shall both go mad!" (The Birth-Mark 1030) That her love is pure and untainted is explicitly brought out by Hawthorne through her quiet words "There needed no proof; Give me the goblet I joyfully stake all upon your word" (The Birth-Mark, 1031). She remains true in her love for her husband, till her dying moment, though she allows him to realize his folly of

Power, Ideology, and Terror in the Atomic Age Worksheet Essay

Power, Ideology, and Terror in the Atomic Age Worksheet - Essay Example Therefore, nuclear development defied power, such that the more weapons and bombs a country made the more the power it gained over the others. The number of countries producing nuclear weapons continued to increase where in1961, UK and France had successfully produced and tested nuclear bombs. In addition, at the end of 1964 China joined the list to become the fifth in nuclear bombs production. In 1968, 21 countries approved a non-proliferation treaty that prohibited any more production of nuclear bombs with the aim of creating a nuclear weapons-free zone. Lastly by 1991 more members had joined the treaty making the treaty the world greatest arms control agreement. There are three significant events that happened during the cold war that help define the war. These include Berlin airlift, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the fall of the Berlin wall. The first event on Berlin airlift occurred in 1948 where Germany was divided amongst the victors of World War two which are US, UK, France and Soviet. The second event on soviet invasion of Afghanistan occurred on 24th December 1979. This was a strategy since Soviet took advantage of the counties divided focus and instability to attack it without its knowledge. Lastly, the fall of Berlin wall that occurs in 1989. The fall of this wall symbolizes the ending of the cold warfare. The fall of Berlin wall do not only symbolize the ending of the cold warfare, but also the collapse and revolution of communism in Europe. For more than 40 years, the soviet had imposed community rules that had divided the west from the east. However, reformers under social movement and the ant-communist trade union put an end to this in 1998 to form a centralized and one Europe. The main factors that caused the collapse of communism were the reform movement and the solidarity of the reformist. In conclusion, this paper gives a clear description of the cold

The book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

The book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay John Steinbeck wrote the book Of Mice and Men in 1936 after Wall Street crashed in 1929 and overnight the great depression set in, in America. Everyone lost all their money after investing in the stock market and no one had any money and jobs because company collapsed due to the knock on affect of the crash. As a result, people forgot about trying to settle down with a family and just thought about trying to stay alive. But still in the back of their minds the American Dream still lived on and at some point would all like to have their own plot of land living a carefree life. To stay alive though to do this they had to get any money they could. They travel around the country as migrant workers just looking after themselves going for any job that came up. They had to keep going, from job to job, people had no time to make friends. There were two special characters though, two men who traveled around together and were both very close friends. Although you could call them the odd-couple, due to the fact that they were both very different. But they looked and cared after each other, were together for a long time and learned they were so close they had to keep travelling together and try to go at it wit each other. These two guys didnt really have much before the Wall Street crash and didnt need to care about making it all back. The story is about two people who dont just care about themselves but want to look after each other. These two people were Lennie and George. In the book George says Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world, they got no family. They dont belong no placebut us! An why? Because I got you to look after me and you got me to look after you John Steinbecks style carries a lot of symbolism. Even the town Soledad where its set means loneliness. All this shows that the lifestyle after the Wall Street crash forced people to go at it alone and the American Dream was getting further and further away. Steinbeck wrote this book because he saw the USA as a lonely place at the time. Even though Lennie and George have each other and arent as lonely as everyone else, there are still times wee they are lonely. When Lennie was younger all he had was his Aunt Clara who was the only one who looked after him and then she died. Until George came to live all the time with Lennie, all he had was his soft mice that he liked to pet. He had nothing else and was very lonely. Then when George came Lennie must have seen him as a savior and would do anything for him and listens to everything he does. But because he is mentally challenged he cant sometimes go through with his promises. When saying all this, John Steinbeck is expressing that Lennie and George are no two ordinary migrant workers doing it alone moving from place to place. Lennie and George are different because they stay together. But when Lennie acts like he does, George gets very annoyed and says God a mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an work, an no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month came, I could take my fifty bucks and go into town ant get whatever I want. This makes Lennie sad, but really George wouldnt do this because he cares too much about Lennie. Lennie gets upset when people talk about leaving as he has had a lot of that happen to him in his life, with not knowing his parents and his Aunt Clara dying he has become sensitive to that happening and apologizes for whatever has made George say this very quickly. In the Book Candy is another very lonely character he is also symbolized through his dog who just goes through life then he gets quite old without making much significance and just kill him or send him off without say when hes worthless and dont care about his feelings. He is extra worthless as he got his hand lopped off in one of the farm machines and makes him not as useful as he was. This will happen to Candy, hell get fired and he knows this because he starts to get left out of everything. He knows time is not on his side and hell get canned before too long. This is why when he hears George and Lennie have a plan to get a farm and he had money to make this plan happen for all of them, (from compensation when he got his hand chopped off) he wants to be in on it so he cant be fired and would just do the easy jobs. Then he could stay with shelter and not get chucked out to die. I also think that he wants something to show for his life and the farm would be something good as the money he has wouldnt be a good indication for a successful life as he has no one to pass it on to. I think Steinbeck has put Candy into the book so there was another extreme of loneliness. The character shows that in America in the 30s no one had any respect or sympathy for old folk and when they get too old they are just sent out for the vultures not caring about feelings. This shows in Candy and when they are speaking to the stable buck and he says Nobody listen to you, Candy then says No he agreed Knowbody listen to us. This shows that Candy knows whats going on and his time is approaching fast. Crooks is also another extreme of loneliness just because he is black. He isnt even allowed to sleep in the same bunkhouse. They say I stink, but I say they stink. He says this, not because they smell but because he thinks the way they treat him stinks. Even on special occasions, for fun they beat him up. They dont treat him like a fellow human at times and dont like speaking to him. He gets lonely because he doesnt get to talk to anyone all day. This shows the racism of the time and how in America they still had the ideals of the slave trades and the black were nailed to the bottom of the social pile. Then in the book he wants to join in with the ranch plan as he thinks its his way out of hatred and the stereotypes. But eventually he rejected the ranch because he knew that he was also useless because he had a crooked back and he would be not respected, and he told Lennie that because he was mentally retarded that George might leave him. He says this because he is thinking about the thoughts of the times, but doesnt know that George would never leave Lennie. Another character is Curleys wife. She is very lonely and seeks for attention. This is because she is a woman and they just think she is someone who is just there to cure Curleys needs. But also she is a person. She said, Im stuck in the house all day and no one to talk to. People see her as a Tart because she seeks attention and flirts with all the workers on the ranch behind Curleys back, but Curly knows it is going on and gets very jealous and protective. She says when she was younger she met a man who could have put her in the movies, but when he sent her a letter saying she was in, her mum hid the letters because she was too young to leave. But maybe she had thought up these ideas that the man was actually interested in putting her in the movies or just trying to chat her up and then Curleys wife when she didnt hear anything might have blamed it on her mum and wanted to believe she was good enough to be in the movies. Then she left home to try and make her dream come true but never really had a plan. Then she met Curly and thought maybe this was the key to getting to the top, but now she is stuck on the ranch. She knows she will never fulfill her dreams. Steinbeck always refers to her as Curleys Wife and she never has a name all through the book. This is because no one needs or thinks it is necessary to get to know her because she is a woman. This character shows hatred of women at this time and how they meant nothing. All of the Characters, Crooks, Lennie, Candy and Curlys wife, have personalities that are lonely and in America at this time these personalities were outcasts. In the book they were excluded from everything because they were different. I also see Carlson as someone who thinks as a community and not for peoples feelings. For example at the end of the book when George has killed Lennie, then Slim is comforting him, he says Now what ya suppose is eatin them two guys? Not considering that George has just killed his old best friend who has traveled with for a long time. He cant understand why they feel this way, as he thinks as the community thinks at the time in how everyone has to try to do it for themselves and you cant have friends in this time but Lennie and George did. In the Book Slim and George get to know each other a bit. George likes to get to people and he thinks everybody is stupid not making any friends and being cautious of Everyone: -Maybe everbody in the whole damn world is scared of each other? He thinks everyone thinks they cant get to know anyone but he doesnt see this in George. John Steinbeck wrote this book in the 1030s when all these prejudiced feelings to people who are different were going on. He recognized this, what people were doing and how they were making everyone else lonely, but at the same time making themselves lonely too. When he wrote this he had a different character for all different aspects of loneliness and prejudice he could see in America at the time. He described it through migrant workers due to how on the farms it was capitalist with the boss looking down on his workers and by doing this, also people wanted to be the boss and not have to look up to people. To do it, they couldnt really do it with everyone else because than he couldnt have anyone else to look down on, so they had to go alone. Owning a farm somewhere and being your own boss was back than the American Dream. But by going alone they would never have enough money, so as their dream fails, along with it, so does their spirit. These 3 points show hoe different aspects of life all culminated to kill their spirit and make them lonely. It all spirited from themselves.

Adderall: A Growing Trend Among College Students Essay -- Documentary

Adderall: A Growing Trend Among College Students Brian,* a 20-year-old Northeastern University student, carefully lays out his â€Å"stash† of blue pills on a table one Sunday evening. As he organizes them into groups according to size and dosage, he mentally runs through his class work and assignments for the week. â€Å"A physics quiz on Tuesday,† he says, eyes still fixed on the dozen or so blue pills on the table. â€Å"A calc test on Friday and a lab due on Thursday.† Brian sinks back into his chair with a sigh of defeated enthusiasm. A weekend full of late night socialization and early afternoon wake up calls has finally given way to the harsh realization of an intense week of school work. As Brian prepares for Monday morning to rear its ugly head, he is comforted by the sight of those tiny blue pills laid out delicately on his table. This, he explains, will sustain him through the hellacious school week ahead of him, and provide him with the motivation and concentration he needs to get his work done. â€Å"I’d be much more stressed out if I didn’t have these,† he says. â€Å"It’ll make the week go by a little easier. That’s not to say it won’t be brutal though.† Those tiny blue pills laid out on Brian’s table are the prescription drug Adderall. Manufactured by the British based pharmaceutical company Shire, Inc., Adderall has become the leading medication prescribed for those diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The National Institute of Mental Health describes ADHD as, â€Å"one of the most common of the psychiatric disorders that appear in childhood in which an individual can’t stay focused on a task, can’t sit still, acts without thinking, and rarely finishes anything†. If left untreated, the effects of ADHD... ...y guess is that it is more of a psychological habit. I think the best approach would be to challenge students to find a different approach to dealing with stress and increasing workloads, and not to turn to pharmaceuticals as the answer.† Whether or not college students at Northeastern and across the country will heed such advice remains to be seen. But as it stands the use of Adderall without a prescription continues, and it seems unlikely to go away as long as students continue to find their desired results. Recreational experimentation with drugs and alcohol are commonplace and are part of the maturing process that is college, but such experimentation for the means of academic success is a relatively new phenomenon, and one that promises to gain more momentum as long as â€Å"academic steroids† like Adderall continue to make its way into thecollege campus culture. Adderall: A Growing Trend Among College Students Essay -- Documentary Adderall: A Growing Trend Among College Students Brian,* a 20-year-old Northeastern University student, carefully lays out his â€Å"stash† of blue pills on a table one Sunday evening. As he organizes them into groups according to size and dosage, he mentally runs through his class work and assignments for the week. â€Å"A physics quiz on Tuesday,† he says, eyes still fixed on the dozen or so blue pills on the table. â€Å"A calc test on Friday and a lab due on Thursday.† Brian sinks back into his chair with a sigh of defeated enthusiasm. A weekend full of late night socialization and early afternoon wake up calls has finally given way to the harsh realization of an intense week of school work. As Brian prepares for Monday morning to rear its ugly head, he is comforted by the sight of those tiny blue pills laid out delicately on his table. This, he explains, will sustain him through the hellacious school week ahead of him, and provide him with the motivation and concentration he needs to get his work done. â€Å"I’d be much more stressed out if I didn’t have these,† he says. â€Å"It’ll make the week go by a little easier. That’s not to say it won’t be brutal though.† Those tiny blue pills laid out on Brian’s table are the prescription drug Adderall. Manufactured by the British based pharmaceutical company Shire, Inc., Adderall has become the leading medication prescribed for those diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The National Institute of Mental Health describes ADHD as, â€Å"one of the most common of the psychiatric disorders that appear in childhood in which an individual can’t stay focused on a task, can’t sit still, acts without thinking, and rarely finishes anything†. If left untreated, the effects of ADHD... ...y guess is that it is more of a psychological habit. I think the best approach would be to challenge students to find a different approach to dealing with stress and increasing workloads, and not to turn to pharmaceuticals as the answer.† Whether or not college students at Northeastern and across the country will heed such advice remains to be seen. But as it stands the use of Adderall without a prescription continues, and it seems unlikely to go away as long as students continue to find their desired results. Recreational experimentation with drugs and alcohol are commonplace and are part of the maturing process that is college, but such experimentation for the means of academic success is a relatively new phenomenon, and one that promises to gain more momentum as long as â€Å"academic steroids† like Adderall continue to make its way into thecollege campus culture.

Research Proposal Essay

This research project is entitled ‘Safe pedestrian practices: the perception of children in Sri Lanka’. Road traffic accidents are one of leading causes of death amongst child pedestrians in low-income countries. Despite this, little research has been done into effective interventions to reduce child mortality in these countries. This study aims to provide original and useful data from Colombo, Sri Lanka which will help in the development of new or existing road safety interventions and education, particularly in relation to child knowledge and perception. The method of research involves recruiting school children aged 8-9 years from the Holy Family Convent and St. Peter’s College schools situated on Galle road, Colombo. These schools have been selected as they have similar location, one being a girls school, the other a boys school. The first part of the study involves a draw and write technique where the children will be asked to draw a picture of themselves crossing Galle road, the main road by their school. They will then be given a piece of paper with the instruction ‘tell me what you have drawn and why’. Six children from each class will be then purposively selected to take part in a focus group. Content analysis will be used when analysing this section of the results. Finally I will carry out a two day observation of child pedestrian behaviour on Galle road. Behaviour of the children will be compared using the UK’s Green Cross Code. It is estimated that the research will take approximately four weeks to complete. This includes, recruiting and gaining consent from the participants, carrying out the draw and write activity, completing two focus groups and carrying out the observational study. The estimated cost of this research  £1163. Background Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide with 86% of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries despite accounting for only 40% of motor vehicles[i]. RTAs are the overriding cause of child injuries killing approximately 180 000 children under 15 each year. Children are rarely the cause of road traffic accidents but suffer as pedestrians, cyclists and passengers[ii]. Lack of research in low-income countries has meant a slow introduction of effective intervention strategies to reduce the mortality rates. Many factors are accountable for the high RTA rates in low-income countries including impaired driving, lack of enforcement and vehicle type. However the most significant differences found in low-income countries are the wide variation in road vehicles and the high number of vulnerable road users. The mixture of road users including pedestrians, bicycles, handcarts, mopeds, rickshaws, motorcycles, vans, cars, trucks and buses means that schemes to combat this problem have not been required in the same extent in high-income countries and therefore local research is needed[iii]. Child pedestrians account for a large proportion of vulnerable road users. The high number of pedestrian and cyclist casualties in these countries reflects not only their inherent vulnerability but also insufficient attention to their needs in policy-making3. A study in Pakistan observed 250 pedestrians in the top 10 risk areas for pedestrian RTAs in Karachi. They observed walking and crossing the road and walking on the pavement. Only 60% of the pedestrians looked left and right before crossing. 52% crossed the street less than 2 seconds before a vehicle passed the point they had just crossed. 35% caused the traffic to swerve to avoid the observed pedestrian. Of the 250 pedestrians observed walking on the street edge, 82% had a pavement available to them but were not using it[iv]. Of the pedestrians using pavements 28% encountered an encroachment and 84% of these stepped on to the street to avoid it. Among those who were observed stepping on the road from the sidewalk, 66% did not look out for oncoming traffic4. Possible study limitations were that only pedestrian behaviour was studied, not actual accidents and the study sites were the top ten risk sites for RTAs in Karachi so may not be transferable to other situations. The advantage of this data is that it was carried out in a low-income country which means the findings can be drawn on for other settings. Policy changes such as restricting the amount of pavement space being used by stalls or shops and publicity to highlight the danger of such behaviour along with the important of observation when crossing roads may make a large difference to fatality rates. Risk perception has been widely studied as a risk factor for injuries however literature relating to child pedestrian safety is seriously lacking. Zeedyk et al[v] carried out research on children who had been taught a programme of road safety. They carried out two studies, both focussing on the skill of finding a safe place to cross the road. Firstly they tested the effect of the programme in improving knowledge and secondly whether the children transferred their knowledge to change their behaviour in a traffic environment. Initial results encouragingly showed that the interventions were effective in increasing the children’s knowledge of safe and dangerous places to cross roads and that this information was retained for six months. The second study however showed that this knowledge did not influence behaviour and that those children who had received knowledge on safety when crossing roads behaved no differently from those children who had receive no information whatsoever. That is the children were not applying the knowledge they had displayed during pre-testing5. The study’s main limitation is that it does not allow any further information on why the children didn’t apply their knowledge in the real situation, only that they didn’t. Research in Australia[vi] into the parental risk perceptions of childhood pedestrian road safety found that cultural risk factors significantly affected risk perception and safety behaviour. The results showed that Chinese and Arabic speaking parents perceived the road environment to be significantly less risky to their children than parents from the other two language groups. One significant limitation of this study is that assumptions were made that the language spoken by an individual was closely linked to their cultural make-up. Since the main finding was the differences between perceptions from different cultural groups it seems important that this factor is reliable. Despite this, this study reinforces the need for local research from which local interventions can be implemented. As described there is very little research on road safety in low-income countries, particularly regarding the safety of child pedestrians. Intervention strategies to help reduce child pedestrian mortality can only be implemented if the factors underlying the increasing rates are established. It is hoped this study will help to describe the behaviour and perceptions of children in a named area in Sri Lanka regarding safe pedestrian practice. The study will help build on existing knowledge of child pedestrian safety but provide an original and detailed description of the behaviour and perceptions of Sri Lankan children in a defined area. The data produced from this study will identify the knowledge and behaviour of child pedestrians, what they perceive to be safe practices and why they think this. This study anticipates highlighting the importance of child perception in safety behaviours. Child perceptions should be taken into account when considering the design of safety education programmes and road safety interventions. Research Question The background literature shows a clear gap in research into the behaviour, knowledge and perceptions of child pedestrians in low-income countries. The research question for this study is: Child pedestrian fatalities: the accountability of child perceptions in Sri Lanka The aim of this study is to discover the perceptions children in Sri Lanka have regarding road safety and specifically related to their own safety as pedestrians which may influence their risk of being involved in a RTA. The results of this study will enable a greater understanding of how a defined group of children in Colombo, Sri Lanka use the local roads, what they know about road safety, how they perceive it and therefore whether they generally behave in accordance to their knowledge and perceptions. This was discussed above by Zeedyk et al5 who found the knowledge of the children in their study did not affect their behaviour. The objectives of this study are to: – Observe and record the road behaviour of children in the local area – Identify what the children know about pedestrian safety – Discover whether the children know why certain practices are safe – Make comparisons between what the children know about road safety and say they are aware of and how they behave in the real situation Detailed Research Proposal pedestrian injury Children are particularly vulnerable to pedestrian death because they are exposed to traffic threats that exceed their cognitive, developmental, behavioral, physical and sensory abilities. This is exacerbated by the fact that parents overestimate their children’s pedestrian skills. Children are impulsive and have difficulty judging speed, spatial relations, and distance. Auditory and visual acuity, depth perception and proper scanning ability develop gradually and do not fully mature until at least age 10. Method RTA death rates in Sri Lanka totalled 11 per 100 000 population in 1995[vii] with pedestrian accidents accounting for 45% of the total fatal accidents, one of the highest rates in Asia[viii]. The research will be carried out among children in Sri Lanka. The selected site is Galle Road, Colombo which is the main road from Colombo to Galle along the west coast of Sri Lanka and is the location of a number of schools. The assumption will be made that the majority of child pedestrians walking alongside and crossing that particular road are from one of the local schools. The study population will be girls and boys aged 5-15 years old attending schools in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Research shows RTAs predominantly affect those under the age of 15 [ix]. Schools in Sri Lanka are commonly single sex which means children will be selected from 2 schools, St Peter’s College, a boys’ school and Holy Family Convent, a girls’ school. Worldwide, boys are more likely to be affected by RTAs than girls so studying boys and girls may highlight important differences which could account for such a difference between them[x] [xi]. I was unable to find any research indicating which children are most at risk of RTAs only that those under 15 are an increased risk compared to the rest of the population. Research from Canada suggests children aged 6-9 years are most at risk and in a survey on children’s road safety practice several countries including the UK, New Zealand and the US identified those under 10 as most at risk[xii]. Research such as this in low income countries is scarce. Consequently I have decided to select the age groups 7-8 and 9-10 years as my sample. The methods being used in this study have been deemed inappropriate for children under 6 to carry out. Two classes of children, aged 7-8 and 9-10 from each of the schools mentioned year group will be studied, giving a total of 4 classes. Variations in ages might allow for difference in safety knowledge due to age to be identified. For example if the younger children perceive a certain dangerous practice to be safe and the same results are found in the older children this may indicate a problem with safety education or local road dangers rather than naivety due to age.

Information Technology Management Emphasis Essay

The Master of Business Administration—Information Technology Management is specifically designed for experienced business professionals and managers seeking upward career mobility in the information technology arena. The program prepares you for a mid-level to upper-level information technology management position in business, industry, and non-profit organizations. MBAITM Understanding the Competency-Based Approach Practically speaking, what does it mean when we say that WGU programs are competencybased? Unlike traditional universities, WGU does not award degrees based on credit hours or on a certain set of required courses. Instead, students earn their degrees by demonstrating their skills, knowledge, and understanding of important concepts through a series of carefully designed assessments. Progress through your degree program is governed, not by classes, but by satisfactory completion of the required assessments that demonstrate your mastery of the competencies. Of course, you will need to engage in learning experiences as you brush up on competencies or develop knowledge and skills in areas in which you may be weak. For this learning and development, WGU has a rich array of learning resources in which you may engage under the direction of your mentor. You will work closely with your mentor to schedule your program for completing the assessments. (We discuss assessments in much more detail later in this guide.) You will work closely with additional faculty members as you proceed through courses of study that are designed to lead you through the content you must master in order to pass individual assessments. The benefit of this competency-based system is that it makes it possible for people who are knowledgeable about a particular subject to make accelerated progress toward completing a WGU degree even if they lack college experience. You may have gained your skills and knowledge of a subject on  the job, accumulated wisdom through years of life experience, or, indeed, took a course on a particular subject. WGU awards a degree to you based on the skills and knowledge that you possess and can demonstrate, not the number of credits you have on your transcript. Accreditation Western Governors University is the only university in the history of American higher education to have earned accreditation from four regional accrediting commissions. WGU’s accreditation was awarded by (1) the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, (2) the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, (3) the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and (4) the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The university’s accreditation status is now managed by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The university is also accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), and the WGU Teachers College is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The Health Informatics program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The Degree Plan The focus of your program is your personalized Degree Plan. The Degree Plan is a detailed blueprint of the learning resources and assessments that comprise your program. The length of your program depends on both the amount of new information you need to learn and the amount of time you plan to devote each week to study. Students will vary widely in the specific skills and information they need to learn. For example, some may be highly knowledgeable in a subject matter and would not need to engage in new learning opportunities. Others may find that portions of the program require completely new learning and that they may need to take an online class or participate in a study module to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to pass the program competencies in that area. Some individuals may be able to devote as little as 15ï€ ­20 hours per week to the program, while others may have more time. For this reason, you will complete pre-assessments to help your mentor form a profile of your prior knowledge and experience for use in creating your Degree Plan. WGU’s Mentoring Approach ]Our mentoring approach is a powerful component of the WGU educational experience. When you enroll at WGU, you will begin interacting with your personal mentor, course mentors, and support staff. Your mentor takes an active role and a personal interest in your success. Whether by e-mail or phone, your mentor will be your ―point personâ€â€" of communication throughout your program. Your mentor will help motivate you to work hard to complete your program. When you have questions or concerns, your mentor team will help you resolve them. You and your mentor will work together to evaluate your educational background, strengths, and weaknesses. With this analysis, your mentors will help determine in which areas you are already competent (and can move quickly to assessment) and areas you need to work on; this will become your personalized Degree Plan. Your mentor will direct you to the Courses of Study that contain the best learning resources for you (courses, texts, independent study modules, etc.) and are supported by course mentors that serve as your content experts for each area of study. As you proceed through your academic program, you and your mentor will determine when you are ready for the required assessments. If you are ready, your assessment will be scheduled. You will follow this same process as you proceed through each domain. Connecting with Other Mentors and Fellow Students As you proceed through your Degree Plan, you may also have direct contact  with other faculty members. These communications can take a variety of forms, including participation in learning communities, office hours via the courses of study, and webinars. As a WGU student, you will have access to your own personal MyWGU Student Portal that will provide a gateway to courses of study, learning communities, and program communities where you will have interactions with faculty and other students. Courses of study and communities are specifically designed to support you as you develop competencies in preparation for your assessments through the utilization of threaded discussions, blogs, and chats that are guided by content experts. You will access your program community during the Education Without Boundaries introductory course to network with peers who are enrolled in your program and to receive continued support through professional enrichment and program-specific chats, blogs, and discussions. WGU also provides a Student Services Associate to help you and your mentor solve any special problems that may arise. Education Without Boundaries Orientation Education Without Boundaries (EWB) is a required orientation that focuses on acquainting the student with WGU’s competency-based model, distance education, technology, and other resources and tools available for students. You will also utilize tutorials, message boards, online MBAITM chats, and other activities to connect with other students in your program. This orientation is completed before you start your first term at WGU. Transferability of Prior College Coursework Because WGU is a competency-based institution, it does not award degrees based on credits but on demonstration of competency. However, if you have completed college coursework at another accredited institution, you may have your transcripts evaluated and may be able to have some lower-division or co-requisite assessments cleared. The guidelines for determining what will  Ã¢â‚¬â€¢clearâ€â€" through transfer vary based on the degree program. The following transfer guidelines generally apply to graduate programs: Graduate domains (i.e., subject areas) cannot be cleared through transfer. Requirements in the domains that can be considered the degree major cannot be cleared through transfer. Furthermore, WGU does not clear any requirements based on the student’s professional experience and does not perform a â€Å"resume review† or â€Å"portfolio review† that will automatically clear any degree requirements. Degree requirements and transferability rules are subject to change in order to keep the degree content relevant and current. Remember, WGU’s competency-based approach lets you take advantage of your knowledge and skills, regardless of how you obtained them. Even when you do not directly receive credit, the knowledge you possess may help you accelerate the time it takes to complete your degree program. Continuous Enrollment, On Time Progress, and Satisfactory Academic Progress WGU is a ―continuous enrollmentâ€â€" institution, which means you will be automatically enrolled in each of your new terms while you are at WGU. Your terms are six months long. Longer terms and continuous enrollment allow you to focus on your studies without the hassle of unnatural breaks between the shorter terms that you would experience in a more traditional environment. At the end of every six-month term, you and your mentor will review the progress you have made and revise your Degree Plan for your next six-month term. WGU requires that students make measurable progress toward the completion of their degree programs every term. We call this On Time Progress – denoting that you are on track and making progress toward on time graduation. As full-time students, graduate students must enroll in at least eight (8) competency units each term, and undergraduate students must enroll in at least twelve (12) competency units each term. Completing at least these minimum enrollments is essential to On Time Progress and serves as a baseline from which you may accelerate your program. We measure your progress based on the assessments you are able to pass, not on your accumulation of credit hours or course grades. Every time you pass an assessment, you are demonstrating that you have mastered skills and knowledge in your degree program. For comparison to traditional grading  systems, passing an assessment means you have demonstrated competency equivalent to a ―Bâ€â€" grade or better. WGU has assigned competency units to each assessment so that we can track your progress through the program. A competency unit is equivalent to one semester credit of learning.

For Example in French and Its Synonyms

'For Example' in French and Its Synonyms We say for example when we want to illustrate, expand upon, or explain something, and so do the French, who say par example.  Same construction, same meaning. Par exemple is also one of those everyday expressions thats just as common in French as it is in English. In fact, its one of the ​most common phrases in the French language, along with such famous expressions as  bon appà ©tit,  dà ©j vu, and  je taime. Here are a couple of examples of how to use par exemple: Il est important de faire du sport. On peut, par exemple, faire du tai chi.It’s important to practice a sport. You can, for example, practice tai chi. On pourrait proposer ce garà §on, par exemple, a toutes les filles.We could suggest this boy, for example, to all the girls. Par Exemple Without a Verb Note that when using par exemple, we often omit part of the sentence, which is implied. Il est important de faire du sport : du tai chi, par exemple.It’s important to practice a sport: tai chi, for example. The repetitive words â€Å"one can practice† are implied after the colon in the above English language example. Synonyms of Par Exemple There are two approximate  synonyms for par exemple in French but nothing as direct as the English for instance. As French instructors will tell you, French is poor in vocabulary, rich in syntax. So instead of par exemple, you could say: Ansi, meaning literally  thus  or thereforeThis word is quite old-fashioned and not used as much as par exemple.Il aime les fruits. Ainsi, il mange une banane tous les jours.He likes fruits. Thus, he eats a banana every day.Comme, meaning literally such asTu peux manger quelque chose de là ©ger. Comme un fruit.You can eat something light. Such as (or Like) a piece of fruit. Meaning of the French Expression Ça Par Exemple Ça par example  is an interjection that expresses surprise and sometimes disapproval, but not always. The expression is  a bit old-fashioned, though, and it’s not so common these days. Instead, a French speaker today would probably prefer a more literal expression like, Je ne peux pas le croire, or â€Å"I can’t believe it.† Finalement, aprà ¨s t’avoir fait la cour pendant des mois, il t’a posà © un lapin! Ça par exemple!Finally, after courting you for months, he stood you up! I can’t believe it! Mistakes to Avoid When Using Par Exemple The word exemple in French is written with an e in the middle, not the  a  we use in the English word â€Å"example.† Also, the for is not translated as pour (literally for) but as par (literally by). So the  French expression literally translates to by example, and many French speakers  make the mistake of saying by   (instead of for) when they try to say for example in English.

The 5 Canons of Classical Rhetoric

The 5 Canons of Classical Rhetoric The classical Canons of Rhetoric specify the components of the communication act: inventing and arranging ideas, choosing and delivering clusters of words, and maintaining in memory a storehouse of ideas and repertoire of behaviors. . .  This breakdown is not as facile as it looks. The Canons have stood the test of time. They represent a legitimate taxonomy of processes. Instructors [in our own time] can situate their pedagogical strategies in each of the Canons.(Gerald M. Phillips et al., Communication Incompetencies: A Theory of Training Oral Performance Behavior. Southern Illinois University Press, 1991) As defined by the Roman philosopher Cicero and the unknown author of Rhetorica ad Herennium, the canons of rhetoric are these five overlapping divisions of the rhetorical process: Invention  (Latin, inventio; Greek, heuresis)Invention is the art of finding the appropriate arguments in any rhetorical situation. In his early treatise De Inventione (c. 84 B.C.), Cicero defined invention as the discovery of valid or seemingly valid arguments to render ones cause probable. In contemporary rhetoric, invention generally refers to a wide variety of research methods and discovery strategies. But to be effective, as Aristotle demonstrated 2,500 years ago, invention must also take into consideration the needs, interests, and background of the audience.Arrangement  (Latin, dispositio; Greek, taxis)Arrangement refers to the parts of a speech or, more broadly, the structure of a text. In classical rhetoric, students were taught the distinctive parts of an oration. Although scholars didnt always agree on the number of parts, Cicero and Quintilian identified these six: the exordium (or introduction), the narrative, the partition (or division), the confirmation, the refuta tion, and the peroration (or conclusion). In current-traditional rhetoric, arrangement has often been reduced to the three-part structure (introduction, body, conclusion) embodied by the five-paragraph theme. Style  (Latin, elocutio; Greek, lexis)Style is the way in which something is spoken, written, or performed. Narrowly interpreted, style refers to word choice, sentence structures, and figures of speech. More broadly, style is considered a manifestation of the person speaking or writing. Quintilian identified three levels of style, each suited to one of the three primary functions of rhetoric: the plain style for instructing an audience, the middle style for moving an audience, and the grand style for pleasing an audience.Memory  (Latin, memoria; Greek, mneme)This canon includes all the methods and devices (including figures of speech) that can be used to aid and improve the memory. Roman rhetoricians made a distinction between natural memory (an innate ability) and artificial memory (particular techniques that enhanced natural abilities). Though often disregarded by composition specialists today, memory was a crucial aspect of classical systems of rhetoric. As Frances A. Yates po ints out in The Art of Memory (1966), Memory is not a section of [Platos] treatise, as one part of the art of rhetoric; memory in the platonic sense is the groundwork of the whole. Delivery  (Latin, pronuntiato and actio; Greek, hypocrisis)Delivery refers to the management of voice and gestures in oral discourse. Delivery, Cicero said in De Oratore, has the sole and supreme power in oratory; without it, a speaker of the highest mental capacity can be held in no esteem; while one of moderate abilities, with this qualification, may surpass even those of the highest talent. In written discourse today, says Robert J. Connors, delivery means only one thing: the format and conventions of the final written product as it reaches the hands of the reader (Actio: A Rhetoric of Written Delivery in Rhetorical Memory and Delivery, 1993).   Keep in mind that the five traditional canons are interrelated activities, not rigid formulas, rules, or categories. Though originally intended as aids to the composition and delivery of formal speeches, the canons are adaptable to many communicative situations, both in speech and in writing.

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 19

Strategic management - Essay Example People of Stockholm are relatively proactive when they are charged to pay fees for using the roads because of their awareness over increasing degree of emissions. The same cannot be said to be true for the people of Delhi. A topic becomes interesting when it is on a burning issue of interest to all stakeholders. Increasing degree of emissions in the air has reached threatening levels from the increasing vehicular traffic and emissions of gases, harmful for all human beings. When a comparison is made between such cities, which are not parallel in the matter of advancement, the topic becomes more interesting and relevant. Although Delhi is the capital city of India and one of the leading developed cities in the matter of infrastructure development, yet its comparison with Stockholm, the capital as well as the largest city of Sweden, is inclined to show gaps in transport policies, adopted by these two cities’ governments. The major theme of this topic, as acknowledged by the authors, is that more than planning and functioning of the sophistication in transport means, the politics of sustainable transport plays a decisive role on the urban planning of these two cities and to highlight the differenc es of major transport functions and operations in these two cities, although similarities also exist in both cities’ urban development projects. The introduction includes two tables at the outset. Both the tables analyse the data of the two cities on the parameters of population, area, population density, household size and gross per capita income. One thing that comes to sharp notice is the time period of the data that begins from the year 2003 although the article print year is 2010. When it comes to statistical comparison of data, in my view, data should not be older than five years for the writing of such articles. One gets a blurred view when Delhi is

Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (1993) Assignment

Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (1993) - Assignment Example Regarding this issue, was the court’s mandate in determining the general standard for the admittance of expert scientific testimony, in the case of a federal trial. As the petitioners, Jason Daubert and Eric Schuller were minors born with serious birth defects. Their parents on behalf of the two, sued the respondent, alleging the cause of the defects to be attributable to their mother’s ingestion of Bendectin. As a prescription anti-nausea drug, marketed by the respondent, they were of the view that the entity was liable for criminal neglect amongst other irregularities. This necessitated research studies which eventually led to the lack of direct linkage between the drug and birth defects in human beings. The respondent showcased an affidavit, from a renowned leading expert on various risks associated to exposure to different chemical substances. He was of the view that the drug was not associated with any form of defects, with no study having found it is having the characteristics of a human teratogen. Consequently, he viewed maternal utility of the drug, during the first pregnancy trimester, as not showing any risk factors for human birth defects. The petitioners, not contesting the aforementioned published details, instead respond to the motion by way of utilizing the testimony of eight experts, working for the firm. They did earlier on come to the conclusion that the drug can cause birth defects. Basing their conclusions on both ‘in vivo’ (live) and ‘in vitro’ (test tube) animal studies, a link was found, between the drug and resultant malformations. In addition, was the aspect that pharmacological studies, in regard to the drug’s chemical structure; purported to show similarities to that of other substances that were known to cause birth defects. Last, was the fact that ‘reanalysis’ of previously published epidemiological (human statistical) studies, further portrayed the lack of conclusiveness; in regard to matters pertaining chemical

Marketing Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Principles - Essay Example They also tend to be the high volume, low cost items. The top FMCG companies are characterised by their ability to produce the items that are in highest demand by consumers and, at the same time, develop loyalty and trust towards their brands. Danone is an FMCG company with over 90,000 employees and operates in 125 countries World-wide. Danone’s brands include Evian ,Actimel, Volvic and Activia. Officialy created in 1990 as a branch of Danone Belgium, and hit UK with the yogurt drink Actimel in 1999. Worldwide Group Danone has two subsidiaries in the UK - Danone UK Ltd and Danone Waters UK & Ireland. Danone UK Ltd is the fresh dairy business behind Britain’s fastest growing yogurt brands, Activia and Shape, as well as Britain’s best-loved yogurt drink, Actimel and new luxury Greek-style yoghurt, Oykos and one more new range of super thick, super tasty strained yogurt with a hidden layer of fruit compote, Danio. Danone Waters UK & Ireland represents Evian, the worlds most popular mineral water. Its portfolio of bottled waters also include Volvic, Volvic Touch of Fruit and Badoit. Danone mission is â€Å"to bring health through food and beverages, to as many people in the UK as possible†. Danone funds nearly  £180 million in research and development each year. This essay about Danone UK Ltd., has been divided into four parts. The first part deals with explaining marketing process and marketing orientation to the newly developed product in organization. The second – is analysing the macro and micro environmental factors, examining the concept of segmentation and identifying the factors that will influence buyer behaviour and propose a new positioning strategy on newly developed product. The third, explaining how the new product was developed, evaluating a range of distribution methods, discussing and critically evaluating pricing methods,

HRM Best Practice and Fit Approach

HRM Best Practice and Fit Approach The discussion between promoters of best practice and best fit approaches has sparked widespread controversy in the human resource management (HRM) area. The topic has gained much scholarly attention because it not only addresses a theoretical controversy but also possesses a high degree of practical managerial significance. The essay has the aim to analyse best practice and best fit approaches in HRM of a multinational enterprise. The reader receives insight into Lincoln Electrics organization through a case-study analysis of practical HR approaches serving as a basis for developing practical managerial implications in the last part of the paper. 2. Critical evaluation of best practice and best fit practices in HRM 2.1 Best practice approach The best practice approach claims that certain bundles of HR activities exist which universally support companies in reaching a competitive advantage regardless of the organizational setting or industry (Redman and Wilkinson 2009). Best practice models imply a close connection between HR practices and organizational performance and are often associated with high commitment management (Paauwe Boselie 2003). Empirical research in the best-practice field shows similar groups of HR polices which are especially suitable for maximizing performance irrespective of market and product strategies (Peffer 1998, Guest 2000). Best practice bundles of activities are characterized as mutually compatible HR activities which forge high levels of workforce competence, encourage motivation and introduce a workdesign boosting employee commitment (Maloney and Morris 2005). Based on concepts from expectancy theory (Vroom 1964, Lawler 1971) best practice HR will result in higher levels of quality, product ivity and low rates of absenteeism and wastage (Guest 2000). The best practice approach suffers from a series of limitations. Firstly, when implementing best practice standards organizations run risk of introducing mutually prohibitive combinations like team working and compensation based on individual performance resulting in a deterioration of employee collaboration through overexaggerated competition (Delery 1998 in Redman and Wilkinson 2009). Secondly, high commitment management systems are generally a complex undertaking requiring large inputs of planning and top level management commitment. Thirdly, critics like Milkovich and Newman (2002) argue that best practice HR lacks direct linkages with organizational strategies and is minted by the belief that outstanding high performing human resources will influence strategy. By making HR policy precede corporate strategy an organization risks prescribing standardized sets of one size fits all best practice approaches which will not support the particular needs of employees and be detrimental t o overall strategic objectives (Maloney and Morris 2005). Fourthly, discussions with regard to the appropriate choice of best practice measures resulting from an insufficient research methodology and theoretical definition exist (Marchington and Grugulis 2000 in Redman and Wilkinson 2009). 2.2 Best fit approach The best-fit model is considered as a variant from precedent models of Harvard, Michigan and York and is called matching model for HRM (Sparrow and Hiltrop 1994). It is based on developing HRM policies according to business strategy. Strategy involves planning future activities, performances objectives, and policies towards reaching the corporate aims. HRM strategy should be designed and applied to support the given corporate strategy (Lawler 1995). The best-fit approach questions the universality assumption of the best-practice perspective. It emphasizes contingency fit between HR activities and the organizations stage of development, an organizations internal structures and its external environment like clients, suppliers, competition and labour markets (Redman and Wilkinson 2009). HR policy should be minted by the appropriate context of individual employees and therefore support the overall competitive strategy. Aligning HRM practices to strategies can enable companies to create p otential competitive advantages (Schuler and Jackson 1987 in Redman and Wilkinson 2009). The best fit approach is also subject to sever criticism. Firstly, Boxall and Purcell (2003) criticizes that in a changing business environment companies and their strategies are subject to multiple alternating contingences and that it is merely possible to adjust entire HR systems to new challenges frequently. Secondly, as companies move through their life-cycle HR practices have to be aligned which leads to an alternating treatment of employees which can have a demotivating effect and show inconsistency in corporate culture (Boxall and Purcell 2003). 3. Analysis of Lincoln Electrics HRM approach 3.1 Evaluation: Best practice or best fit approach in certain HR practices 3.1.1 Selection practices For the hiring of its U.S. workforce Lincoln Electronic is applying best practice methods as it pursues a selective employment approach aiming at attracting skilled personnel that can connect to the companies high performance ethic and live up to quality standards. New hires have to pass a three-month probation period and prove their work dedication in trainee programme (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). For the established U.S. operations promoting experienced employees from within can be regarded as an element of best fit approach of aligning HR goals with corporate quality strategy (Lawler 1995). It is coherent with Lincolns strategy of binding the best employees and rewarding them for their long-term achievements with responsibility thus keeping its intellectual capital and ensuring a sustainable competitive advantage in fields of performance, knowledge and quality. In the international management Lincoln made the mistake of relying too much on inexperienced U.S. managers from within a nd only after the disaster of the international subsidiaries started to move from its unitary strategy towards a more responsive best fit approach to external environmental by hiring more internationally experienced external managers in China and Europe which fits the international expansion strategy (Hastings 1999). In its Chinese recruitment it adapts to the Chinese labor market by personally promoting and introducing prospective employees through senior management to identify personalities who can live up to performance, education and quality requirements applying a best fit approach (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). This is in line with common relationship and social network oriented selection practices in China (Warner 2005). 3.1.2 Training practices Lincoln is applying a best fit strategy which aims at enhancing employees abilities, technical and business knowledge through a significant investment in globally recognized best practice training methods (Marchington Grugulis 2000). Examples are a sophisticated trainee program for sales and engineering trainees, constant vocational trainings for experienced workers and regular work certification programs (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). These actions aim at supporting and maintaining the superior efficiency objectives creating core competences compared to industry rivals and a competitive advantage. Lincolns approach to training employees resembles the immersion training conducted by Toyota which also conducts extensive investment in workers qualifications to achieve highest productivity and quality (Spear, 2004). 3.1.3 Reward system The reward system which has been invented by founder James Lincoln is at the core of the successful individual performance working system. In the US, Lincoln employs a highly compensated piece-work system which is linked to individual employee performance based on a multitude of work-related factors (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). The reward system is able to motivate employees for achieving commitment through a remuneration which is at the top of its industry (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). Payment system possesses clear management commitment and is seen as the key for achieving outstanding employee commitment leading to advantages in costs, productivity and quality (Hastings 1999). Group collaboration within the company is created through specific bonus pools which are allotted to work group performance. The bonuses are then distributed to the members of that group according to their quantified relative performance on the semi-annual merit rating based on factors like idea generation, qu ality, reliability, dependability and output (Milgram Roberts 1995). Employees are closely bound to the organization through a long-term stockpurchase plan as part of their remuneration making them entrepreneurs at their workplace (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). Classification of the reward system in one of the HRM approaches is ambiguous. Lincoln invented the individual performance-system as the major component towards developing its employees for becoming its core strength through an unbeatable motivation and quality-drive (Milgram Roberts 1995). This is the utilization of the best fit approach minting HR towards organizational strategic objectives. The performance payment system has proven immensely successful becoming an internal best practice. Empirical studies by MacMillan and Schuler (1984) confirm the success of individual performance- pay with end-of-year bonuses at US bearings company Baimco and at the aviation company PEOPLexpress. For its global operations Lincoln is forc ed to abide by national restrictions in the legal environment (e.g. prohibition of piecework in Germany) and traditional working habits in the socio-cultural environment to align its reward system to local standards (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). In Europe, it is forced to conduct a best fit approach abiding by local regulations and adjust to differing standards of motivation where workers value benefits like vacation over annual bonuses. 3.1.4 Employee participation The best fit approach is also utilized for the field of employee participation. The company possesses an open-door policy where employees can contact management directly. Flat hierarchies with minimal supervisory management lead to very low communication barriers and wide-opportunities for taking responsibility (Milgram Roberts 1995). Due to participation is one of the evaluation criteria for employee remuneration Lincoln has a very high workforce participation rate concerning continuous improvement suggestions. Similar continuous improvement and feedback programs are also pursued by Japanese companies like Nissan in order to enhance productivity (Erstand 1997). That not only encourages idea generation but also directly involves employees in major decisions like the turnaround after the economic crises (Hastings 1999). Although workers are not unionized a very lively participation with the management board takes place through the Employee Advisory Board leading to a very high level of workforce loyalty. The best fit participation approach supports the core competence and sustainable competitive advantage of productivity and innovative quality as major strategic objectives (Pfeffer 1995) 3.2 External and internal factors influencing Lincolns HR strategy 3.2.1 External factors Firstly, the legal environment both in Lincolns domestic market and international markets significantly influences the HR strategy. Regulations regarding the legality of piece-work systems, vacation requirements and working hour limitations force Lincoln to adapt HR practices in all fields elucidated in chapter 3.1. In the U.S. more performance driven and entrepreneurial HR approaches are possible whereas regulations in Europe, Asia and Latin America force Lincoln to adhere to adapt local HR practices (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). Secondly, Lincoln is affected by the cultural diversity of its operations again creating barriers for the introduction of performance driven measures in markets like Western-Europe and China. Whereas in the U.S. traditionally hierarchy is low and employee idea generation is common, Chinese culture is more subversive and critical idea generation practices will fail (Zhu 2005). Similarly hiring and training practices are different across cultures: The U.S. and Europe allow for the application of best practices in recruitment and training. In Asia Lincoln needs to align to the environment of conducting rather relationship oriented hiring and in-depth skill development (Warner 2005). Thirdly, different market maturity and industry-life-cycles between developed and developing markets affect Lincolns HR approaches with differences in hiring, training and workforce participation. 3.2.2 Internal factors The first major internal factor affecting Lincolns HRM is the life-cycle of the respective subsidiary. U.S. and Canadian operations have a historical presence with high levels of employee loyalty, trust, identification with the individual performance culture and a well attuned work organization and low hierarchies (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). Due to recent acquisitions and Greenfield investments in Europe and Asia loyalty and identification with the overall corporate objectives and working ethics is unincisive (Hastings 1999). Lincoln is challenged developing HR-approaches to create employee involvement and implement the performance driven internal values. Especially, immense discrepancies between the subsidiaries international managers and the U.S. headquarters management are major obstacles for the development of globally coherent HRM strategies which can enforce the overall companys performance (e.g. objections against incentive system, language barriers, management philosophies) (Hastings 1999). Lincolns executives do not possess the required international management skills and are very much minted by idealized U.S. practices. 3.3 Practical managerial lessons and broad implications for HRM practices Practical managerial HRM implications which can be drawn from the Lincoln case are the following. Lincolns HRM strategy is based on a best fit approach designed to achieve an optimal vertical fit with the overall corporate strategy with a strong alignment towards the competitive strategic objectives of employee productivity and product quality on the companys domestic American market (Basset 1999). Lincoln is immensely successful on the U.S. market because it matches HR approaches to corporate, competitive and functional level strategy to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Internationally, Lincoln is not able to transfer the U.S. model of best fit to its subsidiaries. Environmental factors like legal requirements and cultural differences make it impossible to use a system which is based on individual performance (Bjà ¶rkman Galunic 2003). Lincoln is limited in fitting its HR approach to what would be best for reinforcing its efficiency and quality driven competitive advantage. The Lincoln case illustrates that in a global context companies are influenced by a multitude of contingences. A universalist HRM approach within a MNC applying a certain bundle of HRM best practices will not render an optimal outcome for the entire organization (Sims 2007). According to Dowling et al (2008) International managers need to take a more detailed approach by identifying individual circumstances of national subsidiaries and fitting HRM strategies to achieve a mutual enforcement between local requirements and corporate strategy. For some a best practice approach might be a superior solution while for other subsidiaries only certain best practice elements (e.g. hiring, training, rewards etc.) might prove to be effective: In Europe Lincoln fails to develop any sort of HRM strategy which can satisfy the environmental requirements and reinforce its competitive differentiation strategy at the same time. Due to a lack of international knowledge Lincolns managers rely on the stat us quo (Hastings 1999). In Europe an introduction of best practice methods with a HPWS would have immediately allowed ensuring better control and performance in the newly acquired international subsidiaries through standardized practices (Maloney and Morris 2005). The best fit approach in Lincolns Chinese subsidiary incorporates lessons learned from the European failure: Lincoln is able to adapt HR strategy to environmental requirements of culture, legal requirements and the market and at the same time introduce best fit approaches in hiring and employee development to support its competitive strategy. The broader implication is that there is no single best way to approach HRM. Companies should design their approach according to elements of best practice and best fit to achieve the best possible outcomes. Studies conducted by Mendonca Kanungo (1994) and Cyert March (1963) show that the adaption of HRM approaches to local international environments is essential for companies leading to and adaption of processes and practices to fit with the local workforce. Successful MNCs like Unilever, Royal Dutch Shell and Nestlà © are those that conduct HRM strategies based on localized requirements incorporating elements from best fit and also standardized best practices (Briscoe Schuler 2004). In this context a localized resource-based HRM approach can be a good possibility to create synergies between internal competences with strategy and performance. 4. Conclusion To put everything under consideration, one can see that best fit and best practice approaches offer companies powerful tools for shaping human resource management processes. The case study has illustrated that an application of one bundle of best practice strategies across all geographies of MNCs, as proposed by Pfeffer (1998), is almost impossible because of regional differences in work-related practices, laws culture and characteristics of motivation. Similarly, sticking to a best fit strategy which is only aligned to the contingency of strategy and a neglect of environmental forces and internal capabilities can lead to a failure of HR in international markets. The case has shown that the concepts of best practice and best fit have to be analyzed and adapted to suit the localized needs of international subsidiaries in order to pave the way to overall global competitive advantages through HR.