Essay on Police Brutality and Corruption - 681 Words

Police Brutality and Corruption Corruption in policing is viewed as the misuse of authority by a police officer acting officially to fulfill his/her personal needs or wants. There are two distinct elements of corruption; 1) misuse of authority, 2) personal attainment. The occupational subculture of policing is a major factor in both creating police corruption, by initiating officers into corrupt activities, and sustaining it, by covering up corrupt activities by other officers. Police corruption is a complex phenomenon, which does not readily submit to simple analysis. It is a problem that has and will continue to affect us all, whether we are civilians or law enforcement officers. Since its beginnings, many aspects of policing†¦show more content†¦A new form of police corruption developed in the early 1980s and into the 1990s, which include brutality, discrimination, sexual harassment, intimidation, and illicit the use of weapons. The Mollen Commission found that most corrupt officers start off as honest and idealistic. The career of corruptions begins with passively accepting minor gratuities that gradually begin to involve more serious violation of the laws, involving larger amounts of money and officers initiating corrupt acts. It can be said that power inevitably tends to corrupt, and it is yet to be recognized that, while there is no reason to presume that police officers as individuals are any less fallible than other members of society, people are often shocked and outraged when officers are exposed violating the law. There deviance elicits a special feeling of betrayal. The danger of police corruption could invert the formal goals of the organization and may lead to the use of organizational power to encourage and create crime rather than to deter it. There has been many attempts to put an end to police corruption, with no real success. An attempt to eliminate corruption, by increasing salaries, more training, incentive for education, and the development of policies that foc us directly on factors leading to corruption. Despite many efforts by the police departments to control corruption, it still exists. Police corruption has a very long standingShow MoreRelatedPolice Brutality And Corruption The Police943 Words   |  4 PagesPolice Brutality and Corruption The police are meant to serve and protect us. They are seen as heroes in our community. So it can be quite shocking and hard to believe that police brutality is a real problem. It is getting worse every day, and it must be fixed. The police have become too comfortable, and think they can do anything they please in the name of justice. It is our job as the community to remind them that they must follow a set of rules themselves. Sooner or later they will be controllingRead MorePolice Brutality And Corruption, War, And Peace1640 Words   |  7 Pages This research question will clearly address the variations of police practices over the past 5 years in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, due to the recent incidents regarding police brutality and corruption. Using Chapter 12 Politics, Power, War, and Peace, will help show the relationships between politics in law enforcement and police officers, which deals with a lot of power and peace. Chapter 12 Politics, Power, War, and Peace, Section Cultural Controls in Maintaining Order states â€Å"EveryRead MorePolice Brutality And Corruption Of Public Order1718 Words   |  7 PagesPolice is defined as â€Å"the civil force of a national or local government, responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of public order† . 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Police officers and others in the criminal justice system have created a poor reputation for themselves from the actions they haveRead MoreEssay on Ethics in Policing824 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation† (Merriam-Webster Online). This concept is prevalent in the world of police work since police officers are supposed to be the â€Å"good† in whatever is considered a â₠¬Å"bad† situation. Many police departments offer training in ethics during the time in which a cadet is in the police academy and after officers are put on the streets, which is called in-service training. It is the hope that while this training is available to officersRead MoreArgumentative Essay : Police Brutality1561 Words   |  7 Pageshas been an overwhelming amount of police brutality in recent years. Police brutality can be defined as, when a police officer uses more force than necessary. This issue has spread throughout the United States of America, and is putting the lives of our citizens in great danger. Police brutality is not only physical, but it can also be verbal attacks; and, in most cases, it is caused by false arrest and racial profiling due to police corruption. Police brutality has been and continues to be a majorRead MoreCrime: Police Brutality and Conclusion A. Police Essay examples1706 Words   |  7 Pagesand the Police Part I: Outline Eileen Garcia CJA/344 Cultural Diversity in Criminal Justice June 17, 2013 STEPHEN HUMPHRIES Police corruption and citizen complaints relative to ethnicity I. Introduction A. Police corruption Police corruption has become an international problem. This was initially a common practice during the period when the police institutions were being developed but the effect has been felt by many people, even affecting peacekeeping operations. The police abuse

The Between Quality Attributes And Its Variables - 890 Words

From this we can distinguish that slag is the real reason for the dismissal the radiating throwing and in the following spot metal fold is there and afterward break and after that others. Others imply that sand, id+, thickness and so forth. Along these lines slag and metal fold are in charge of the real dismissals. They are the two most compelling deformities CAUSE AND EFFECT DIAGRAM: Circumstances and end results outline is a graph which gives the relationship between quality attributes and its variables. It is a pictorial presentation in which all conceivable causes and their impact (issue) are shown Circumstances and end results chart is a straightforward however effective instrument to take care of issue. Circumstances and end†¦show more content†¦2) Draw the spine graph from left to right, ending at the head and compose the quality trademark (impact). 3) Draw the huge bone and compose the essential driver. 4) Draw the medium size bone and compose the auxiliary cause (sub cause). 5) Draw the little bone and compose the tertiary (cause which is optional to a sub cause). 6) Ensure that all causes (variables) which impact the impact (quality trademark) are shown in graph. From above diagram we observe that how many components are due to a particular cause and how all these X’s are affecting Y’s(yield). Control Charts roles in Quality Systems. Control graphs are the most generally utilized instrument as a part of value Systems. Control graphs convey a considerable measure of data viably. Figure demonstrates a procedure in which every one of the results are inside as far as possible. The upper control limit (UCL) is .18 and the lower control limit (LCL) is .02, and all the focuses fall between these two points of confinement. This implies the procedure is in control and working effectively. In the event that a portion of the focuses were to fall outside of the UCL or LCL, it would flag that the procedure is not in control and move should be made to amend the issue. The following are the benefits of the Quality Control: 1) Profitability is improved. 2) Improvement of the exactness of the item. 3) Improving nature of the item. 4) Standardization of

Importance of Concordia Daycare Essay Example For Students

Importance of Concordia Daycare Essay My name is Wararat. I was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. I just graduated from Srinakharinwirot University in Computer Science. I had been a part of Concordia since I was young. I came here on school holidays, because my aunt worked here. I really liked staying here, because I met many friends. My friends in Concordia lived in community near Bangna Highway. My aunt always taught me that we should help each other. Some of my friends had cerebral palsy, but I never felt that they were different. I thought we were all innocent. We could play together, and it was very fun. I have very valuable childhood memories. I have learned a lot of things in Concordia. I learnt about Gods story. We were fostered from this place that, â€Å"Everyone should look upon yourself as having value then you will be proud and you will always have good thinking and doing good things. † I also did many activities with my friends. I went to skills development camp, and I had a very good relationship with friends. I got experiences from role-playing, and singing on Christmas day too. There are many volunteer teachers from abroad, that helped us increase our knowledge and success. All of volunteer teachers didn’t expect us to clever students. Ms. Nelson, was the first teacher that I was impressed by. She was aware of the importance of children. She had a commitment, and willingness to work with the hearts of children in the communities. She made me like English, and made me want to learn of the culture of the west. For this reason, I have my dream. If I had the opportunity to visit these countries, I would. I want to say a big thank you to Ms. Thaweesin, many children in Concordia called her, â€Å"kru Dang. † She is the one who thinks about the importance of under privileged children. She has been responsible for the child development projects to help and support these children. She gave them a lot of smiling, laughing, and a lasting impression. I have been in Concordia since childhood. I was impressed and wanted to change from being a recipient, to be giver to the children in the next generation. I have plans to teaching children how to use computers on Saturdays at Concordia. I could try teaching to give children the opportunity to learn, and get a better chance in life as Ive ever received. I really would like to to thank the foundations that support Concordia Daycare, to be the place for helping under-privileged children. It can reinforce their intelligence, honesty, patience, and foster loving. The foundation expects that helping sufferring people will allow them to take better care of their children. This is a way to help many children, live happily. It provides them with better chances. The most important thing is, that it can shape them into being good people in the future.

My Gleaners Experience Essay Example

My Gleaners Experience Essay I am a member of the Eastern Star, my branch is the Pride of the East 524. We sponsor a group of young ladies from the age of eight to eighteen. These young In our care are been taught how to become responsible grown women. Our motto Is good behavior is always in style. I am one of the supervisor that teaches the girls the responsibility of giving back to their community. In the spring we work at the food bank, we pack, sort and help citizens take their things to their cars. We teach the young ladles to have compassion for their neighbors. The holidays we take gifts, play bingo and sing Christmas carols to seniors citizens In nursing homes. I set up meeting and contact each Gleaner of the next meeting and sometimes responsible for getting them to these meeting. I am responsible for setting up castles for our young ladles, so we have district day In our region where I set up competition for our girls to compete In dance, singing, poetry, oratorical and track and field against other girls In the district. I must find a venue for the competition to happen. If our girls wins, they get to compete in regional. In regional we compete with girls from across the eastern region of North Carolina. In July, we attend the Annual Assemblage where Gleaners and Knights assemble to pick their king and queen for the year. They also pick who would lead them in the following year. My role as supervisor is to help these young ladies in every possible way that I can to excel in school and at home. We expect so much of our youth that we must put our time in to get so much more from them. We will write a custom essay sample on My Gleaners Experience specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on My Gleaners Experience specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on My Gleaners Experience specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

How to Be an Amazing and Successful Substitute Teacher

How to Be an Amazing and Successful Substitute Teacher Substitute teaching is one of the most difficult jobs in education. It is also one of the most important. It takes a remarkable person to be able to adapt effectively to all the situations that will be thrown at them as a substitute teacher. Substitute teachers are used in virtually every school across the country every day. It is vital for school administrators to compose a list of top notch people who can successfully substitute teach. Flexibility and adaptability are probably the two most important characteristics that a substitute teacher must possess. They must be flexible due to the fact that they are often not called until the morning of the day they are needed. They must be adaptable because they could be subbing in a second-grade classroom one day and a high school English class the next. There are even times when their assignment will change from the time they are called to the time they actually arrive. Although it is beneficial for a substitute to be a certified teacher, it is not a requirement or necessity. A person without formal training in education can be a successful substitute. Being a good substitute teacher starts with an understanding of what you are expected to do and also knowing that the students are going to test the waters to see what they can get away with and be equipped to deal with any obstacles. Before You Sub Some school districts require new substitutes to attend some type of formal training before they are placed on the substitute list while others do not. No matter the case, you should always try to schedule a short meeting to introduce yourself to the building principal. Use this time to let them know who you are, ask them for any advice, and find out any specific protocol they may have for substitute teachers. Sometimes it is impossible to meet with the teacher but always do so if you have the opportunity. Although meeting the teacher in person is ideal, a simple phone conversation can be extremely beneficial. The teacher can walk you through their schedule, provide you with specific details, and give you a lot of other relevant information that will make your day go smoother. Always try to obtain a copy of the school’s student handbook. Have a solid understanding of what the school expects from their students and teachers. Some schools may even have a substitute policy designed to protect substitutes from poor student behavior. Carry the student handbook with you and refer to it when necessary. Don’t be afraid to ask the principal or a teacher for clarification. It is essential to understand that every district has its own unique student handbook. While there will be similarities, there will also be significant differences. It is essential that you learn each school’s procedures for emergency situations such as a fire, tornado, or lock-down. Taking the time to have a firm understanding of what is expected of you in these situations can save lives. In addition to knowing the overall protocol for an emergency situation, it is also vital that you have knowledge of emergency routes specific to the room you are subbing in as well as how to lock the door if necessary. Being professional starts with how you dress. Make sure that you know the district’s dress code for teachers and adhere to it. It is equally crucial to understand that you are working with minors. Use appropriate language, don’t try to be their friends, and don’t get too personal with them. Meet with the School PrincipalVisit with the TeacherKnow the Student HandbookKnow Emergency ProtocolBe Professional While You Sub Arriving early is a key component of your day. There are so many things a substitute needs to do to ensure that they have a fantastic day before school begins. The first thing they need to do is to report to the appropriate place. After checking in, a substitute should spend the remainder of their time looking over the daily schedule and the lesson plans, making sure that they have a clear understanding of the material they will be required to teach that day. Getting to know the teachers in the rooms around you can provide you with a lot of assistance. They will likely be able to help you with questions specific to the schedule and the content. They may also be able to give you additional tips specific to your students that could benefit you. Finally, it can be beneficial to build a relationship with these teachers because you may have the opportunity to sub for them at some point. Every teacher runs their room different, but the overall makeup of the students in the room will always be the same. You will always have students who are class clowns, others who are quiet, and those that simply want to help. You want to identify the handful of students that will be helpful throughout the day quickly. These students can assist you with finding materials in the classroom, making sure you stay on schedule, etc. The classroom teacher will be able to tell you whom these students are if you are able to visit with them beforehand. This is the single most crucial component of being an effective substitute teacher. Students of all ages are going to push a substitute to see what they can get away with. Start the day off by setting your own expectations and rules. Don’t let them get away with anything. Hold them accountable for their actions and don’t be afraid to assign them consequences. If this doesn’t get their attention, then go ahead and refer them to the principal. Word will spread that you’re a no-nonsense substitute, and students will begin to challenge you less and less making your job much easier in the long run. The single biggest thing that will bother a regular classroom teacher about a substitute is for the substitute to deviate from their plans. The teacher leaves specific assignments that they fully expect to be completed when they return. Deviating or not completing these activities is seen as disrespectful, and you can bet that they will ask the principal not to put that substitute back in their room. Arrive EarlyGet to Know Surrounding TeachersIdentify the HelpersBe StrictStay on Task After You Sub A teacher wants to know how your day went. It is beneficial to include students that were helpful as well as the students that gave you problems. Be detailed including what they did and how you handled it. Address any issues you may have had with the curriculum. Finally, let them know that you enjoyed being in their classroom and give them your phone number to contact you should they have any additional questions. It is important that you leave the room in as good of or better condition than it was when you arrived. Do not let students leave materials or books strung out all over the room. At the end of the day, take a few minutes to have the students help pick up trash on the floor and get the classroom back in order. Leave a NoteStraighten the Room

Dave Chappelles †Block Party

Dave Chappelles – Block Party Free Online Research Papers In the summer of 2004, one man had a vision. This man, a comedian and actor named Dave Chappelle, wanted to throw a giant block party in the heart of the Bronx. Chappelle compiled a variety of acts to play at his concert, ranging from contemporary stars like Kanye West to unlikely reunion acts such as The Fugees. â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† is a good movie because it breaks away from many stereotypes associated with hip-hop. Bell hooks, an infamously outspoken writer, composed an essay dealing with white supremacy in our society. Hooks, writing about the romanticized myth of Christopher Columbus, states, â€Å"Indeed, the invitation to celebrate Columbus was for some of us a compelling call to educate the nation for critical consciousness- to seize the moment to transform everyone’s understanding of our nation’s history† (Columbus, p. 198). Hooks believes that â€Å"civilization† is synonymous with â€Å"whiteness†, and together they both stand for domination (Columbus, p.199). Hooks asserts that people of color should embrace principles of solidarity to stand against this domination (Columbus, p. 204). â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† epitomizes this notion of solidarity. Chappelle’s film has a good social message because it defies many cultural stereotypes. Hip-hop culture traditionally glorifies a hedonistic lif estyle, objectifies women, and perpetuates a thuggish attitude. The ideas and themes present in â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† go a long way in dispelling some of these assumptions about hip-hop. â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† is an extremely unconventional motion picture for several reasons, and perhaps this explains the limited success it found in theaters. â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† was filmed in the style of a documentary; the events happening on screen are unscripted. For example, many scenes showcase candid conversations between many of the performers during rehearsals for the concert. The live, unedited nature of â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† creates a raw, visceral experience that is for the most part absent from cinema today. In an era of over-produced, big budget Hollywood blockbusters, this movie with zero special effects or computer animation separated itself from the crowd. However, movie attendees were not attracted to this low budget concert documentary. â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† was met with abysmally poor reception in theaters. The film made less than twelve million d ollars during its theatrical run, which barely exceeded a month. Over fifty percent of those twelve million dollars came in the opening weekend, and each following week both the ticket sales and the number of screens showing the movie nationwide dropped significantly (Box Office). Whether purposefully or not, Chappelle seemed to directly address the film’s financial woes when, speaking on behalf of the performers at his concert, he declared â€Å"’We all have a message we want to get across, †¦ and its not just about making money’† (Benedikt, â€Å"Movie†). Chappelle wanted to throw a concert for the underprivileged youth of the inner city ghetto, and he did not care in the slightest whether or not he would be turning a profit. An entertainer giving back to his fans in such an idealistic way is rare in today’s popular culture, and the party that Dave Chappelle throws in the slums of the Bronx is an inspiring example. While the film did quite poorly in theaters, it was met with much critical praise. The fact that critics supported the movie but ticket sales lacked so severely presents an interesting conundrum. Some may say that the disjointed, choppy nature of the film was a turn off to people going to watch a movie. Others may maintain that the genre and coarse nature of the live music performances that are a central part of â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† simply did not appeal to the mass market. Another distinct possibility is that perhaps the social message that â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† asserted was unwelcome in mainstream popular culture. In one scene of â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party†, a group of black college students talk candidly with a famous musician. This artist, Wyclef Jean, tells them that they have an opportunity to better themselves. He warns them that by blaming the â€Å"white man†, many young, poor, black kids convince themselves that they will never better their situation. Jean angrily dispels that common excuse and shouts that the â€Å"white man ain’t responsible for s***† (Gondry). Jean inspires the group to refuse to blame the â€Å"white man†, and to go out and make something of their lives. Hip-hop artists are not known for giving rousing speeches to under-privileged students about the importance of continuing their education. Another key scene in the film showcases Talib Kweli performing his song â€Å"Get By†. Kweli is a well-known, successful singer in the hip-hop community. He sings, â€Å"They [people] need somethin to rely on, we get high on all types of drug?/When, all you really need is love† (Kweli). Here Talib Kweli discourages the use of drugs, a mainstay of the generic hip-hop stereotype. He also advocates love. Hip-hop artists often seem to not even be aware of the concept of love. According to the general stereotypes, hip-hop is all about instant gratification and pleasure. The fact that this extremely successful artist is singing about love from the stage to all of these impoverished youth is supremely noteworthy. These scenes show a completely different side to hip-hop. Another common stereotype of the hip-hop that â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† challenges is the objectifying of women. In the mass majority of hip-hop music videos, women’s entire purpose is to gyrate and rub against the microphone coordinators. These ladies are always scantily clad, and they consistently send out an extremely sexual vibe. In â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party†, there are several instances where women are shown in an extremely positive light. Not only are these women not shown in an overtly sexual light, but also they are portrayed as promoting good, constructive ways for female African Americans to enjoy the hip hop culture without degrading themselves. One particular scene features critically acclaimed hip-hop singer Lauryn Hill display her child with much parental pride. After a riveting performance, Hill declares, â€Å"This is where I’ve been!† as she points to her barely on stage young child (Gondry). Hill is referring to the long break she took from her musical career to have and raise her baby. Typically hip-hop promotes the idea that women are nothing more than play things to be used by men and discarded without any further consequences. By showing Lauryn Hill as a proud mother, â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† advances the idea that hip-hop vixens are nothing more than worthless skanks. The moment in the movie is brief; Lauryn Hill’s child is only seen on camera for a fleeting instant. However, the message rings loud and clear. The editors of â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† could have easily left Lauryn Hill’s child out of the final version. By choosing to leave the footage of Hill pointing out her child in â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party†, Chappelle again asserts that his film has a good social message. The next stereotype of hip-hip that is demystified in â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† is the pro-thug life attitude that many people commonly associate with modern hip-hop. Many successful contemporary hip-hop artists are famous for flaunting their street credibility. This may mean that a rapper has a history of crime. Some of the biggest stars in hip-hop today have made their entire careers rapping about being former drug dealers and battling against the police. Others brag about acts of violence committed against rival rappers. The hip-hop community is known for taking advantage of conflicts between two famous rappers and making money off of their disputes. The entire hip-hop industry is fueled by this idea that the more a rapper is involved in illegal activity, the more marketable he will be to the mainstream audience. Many hip-hop artists come off as uneducated, trouble making street hoodlums. In â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party†, this en tire notion of hip-hop being full of thugs is absent. The artists that perform are, for the most part, very different from the stereotypical hip-hop star. Instead of appearing as mumbling hooligans, these artists seem to be legitimate singers and songwriters. Throughout the film, scenes of conversations between the concert’s various performers show the artists to be thoughtful, literate people. The dress of one particular performer in â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† is sure to surprise many critics of the hip-hop industry. One rapper named Common is known for his unique sense of fashion style within the hip-hop community. Instead of the all too conventional baggy jeans, baseball cap and chain, Common adorns himself in a newsboy cap, fitted designer jeans, and a collared shirt and tie under a nice sweater. This is hardly the dress of an up-to-no-good street thug. The hip-hop community has its standards, and â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† does not attempt to change any of those. Instead, Dave Chappelle simply tries to show the public that there is more to hip-hop than thugs and gangsters. â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† has a great social message. It challenges many of the stereotypes that the average person associates with hip-hop. In doing so, this film shows that it is full of hope. A little girl watching rap videos may see â€Å"Dave Chappelle’s Block Party† and realize that there is more to being a woman involved in hip-hop than a rear-shaking dancer, and it is okay for her to want to raise a family. This movie could teach young boys that they do not need to be drug-dealing murderers in order to be successful rappers. The sense of hope at the end of the film is truly inspiring. The attendees of the concert all seem to have had a memorable experience. Chappelle himself called the block party â€Å"the best single day of my career† (qtd. in Benedikt). Coming from a man who has had a hugely successful career, this means a lot. Chappelle must have realized the lives that he touched that rainy day in the Bronx. The oppo rtunity to see all of those wildly successful hip-hop acts perform live, for free, will most likely never present itself to any of the people at the concert again. After all, the block party was in a bad neighborhood in the inner city Bronx. In an interview with Todd Gilchrist, a well- known online journalist, Chappelle spoke about one of the lasting effects of the movie. He says, â€Å"One of the things in the movie for me, one of the bigger things, was the feeling of community† (Gilchrist). Clearly Chappelle must have realized some sense of the larger implications of his block party. Inspiring all of those African American people with pride in their culture, pride in their race, and pride in themselves is a truly great achievement. Chappelle must know that the lives he touched that rainy day September will forever remember that there is more to their race than the accepted hip-hop stereotype. Thanks to the video release of the documentary, hopefully that message will continue to reach more people. Research Papers on Dave Chappelle's - Block PartyWhere Wild and West MeetQuebec and CanadaHip-Hop is ArtCapital PunishmentThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationOpen Architechture a white paperAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Lifes What IfsMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

Social Media, and how dose it effect the community Research Paper

Social Media, and how dose it effect the community - Research Paper Example Social media have made significant and changes in communication or interactions in the community, among the individuals and organizations. This study examines ways in which social media has influenced the community both negatively and positively. Social media differ from traditional media in the terms of usage, quality, accessibility, permanency, etc. (Piskorski 42). In the modern world people from all diversity spend more time on social media sited such as twitter, Google plus, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc. Studies have established an increased usage of social media in terms of time spent on the social media sites as well as increasing number of users (Dijck 57). The increasing use of portable internet enabled devices such as smartphones are the main contributing factors to increasing use of social media. For example, in 2011 the total time spent on social media by US residents amounted to 66 billion minutes depicting a 99% increase in social media usage to 121 billion minutes in 2012 (Jones 1). Therefore, social media have resulted to the establishment virtual community in which people exchange information more often and are to control content of information that they share. Social media have increased business development and expansion (Piskorski 24). Most companies have set their presence in the social media to enable the clients to comment about the products. Sometimes companies reward customers by awarding points to customers for commenting on their products or referring new customers (Dijck 83). An example of a company that has used social media to reward customers is McDonalds, which issued $5 and $10 gift cards randomly to 100 clients who checked-in one of their restaurants (Dijck 84). The offer increased check-ins from 2,146 to 2,865. The company received several new blog posts, articles and comments from new clients. The Social media have become one of the most effective means on obtaining customer feedback that has helped

Statistics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Statistics - Assignment Example For ratio or interval scale data, the median is suitable than the mean if the sample or population size is small and the data is scattered (Cohen 229). The concept is interesting because it identifies ignorance that lead to unnecessary or inaccurate data description that is common in statistical reports. It has informed me of the need for precision in reporting data through selection of a single and suitable descriptive statistics for reporting. Pearson correlation helps in investigating and understanding possible associations, strength of association, and directions of associations between a pair of variables. Investigating the relationship between households’ weekly income and corresponding weekly expenditure is a potential study for the Pearson correlation. In the study, weekly income is the independent variable, X, while weekly expenditure is the dependent variable, Y. A stratified random sampling design is be used to identify participants from different ranges of income and paired data recorded for each household. Area of residence, with the effects of social class, is the basis of stratification and correlation analysis informs data analysis with r and r2 values as the key statistics. A positive r value, such as +0.7, is expected and this shows that household income and income expenditure have a strong positive correlation. This means that increase in the value of one variable leads to corresponding increase in the value of another. The r2 value indicates reliability of the proposed relationship and shows percentage of the data that the relationship explains. In this case, r2 is 0.49 and means that the correlation coefficient explains 49 percent of the analyzed data (Weinberg and Abramowitz 130). T-test for independent samples can be used to investigate effects of training on an organization’s sales representatives. Two groups would be involved in the study. One group, the treatment group, is a sample of 20 sales representatives from a

Victorian London Essay Example for Free

Victorian London Essay Charles Dickens was born in 1812 in Portsmouth, but spent most of his time in London and Kent. He grew up not being particularly wealthy, especially after his father was arrested for debt when dickens was nine years old. Charles Dickens knew poverty, especially poverty in London, and wanted to better himself through his writing. However he also wanted to educate the educated. At that time the only people who could read were the upper and middle classes as they were the only people who could afford to go to school. But most of London and indeed the countrys population were made up of poor, uneducated people. Dickens wanted to show the wealthy people what others suffered and wanted to tell them what life was really like for the poor. However, Dickens had to be very careful not to alienate his readers. If he produced a story that was too harsh then his readership simply wouldnt believe it. He had to tell them gently otherwise he would fail. I am going to examine whether dickens was successful in his aim of educating his readership, and whether he was accurate in his description. We meet the character of scrooge immediately, during dickenss description of Marley, scrooges ex-business partner. We can tell two things from the quote, even Scrooge was not particularly cut up by the sad event [Marleys death], but that he was an excellent man of business. The first thing we can tell from the source is that scrooge is a man of business and therefore of the middle class. The second is scrooges lack of heart; he does not care very much about Marley, his business partner and friend. Dickens is telling us that scrooge is representative of the middle classes. Dickens then describes scrooges personal characteristics. He is a tight fisted hand at the grindstone. We are being told how much of a heartless person he is through a vile description of his character and when scrooge talks about Christmas he is shown to be even more heartless. Not even Christmas could warm his spirit. This is inferred to us through the quote, no warmth could warm him, no wintry weather could chill him. His clear distaste for Christmas, every idiot who goes out with Merry Christmas on his lips should be boiled in his own pudding with a stake of holly through his heart. This makes dickens readers realise that scrooge has to change. Dickens then moves on to give his first, albeit brief, description of the life of the poor in Victorian London. A man arrives at scrooges office collecting money for charity. Scrooge is surprised and asks the man if there are any prisons. The man replies that there are. Scrooge then asks if there are any Union Workhouses. The man replies that there are. Scrooge asks finally if there are the treadmill and Poor Law in full vigour. The man replies that they are very busy. In Victorian times there were very few places the poor could go to get help. They would steal or get involved with other crime or go to a workhouse where they would labour for gruel (a kind of porridge) and a space on the floor to sleep. Families were split up and children sent away. Scrooge is happy with these solutions and does not care if they are inhuman or not. Scrooge then sums up the attitude at the time by saying, but besides I dont know that. Just because scrooge does not know acknowledge the dreadful conditions he feels that he has no need to want to change them and rejects basic provisions for the poor. However at the time his was not an extreme view, especially in the middle classes. They had mostly worked their way up the social ladder and feel that if they did it then others can do it -why should they have to pay through higher taxes and charity. The basic message is that the middle class doesnt want to pay, mainly because they think that the existing system is fine. Another view of scrooges is represented in the quote if they had better die they had better do it quickly and decrease the surplus population. Scrooge clearly thinks that these poor people are a waste and it is their fault for having too many children, a system is in place and if they dont like it then tough. Dickens wants his readerships attitude to change and he has decided to do it through four ghosts, and four lessons. This is because he cannot tell them himself or he would never have got the book published as it would have been too risky, and so he got around this by using a third party the ghosts. The ghost of Marley appears and confronts scrooge. Scrooges way of judging people is by how good a businessman they are, just as Marley had done. In death Marley realises this is wrong, the first lesson. In order to change he has to receive three ghosts otherwise he cannot hope to shed the path I [Marley] tread. Not only is dickens telling his character to listen to the ghosts and learn the lessons, he is saying it to the readers as well. The first ghost, the ghost of Christmas past, visits Scrooge and shows him up to a point where he could have chosen to go down a different path. Immediately after seeing how a simple act can make people happy Scrooge changes and wishes to say a word to Bob Cratchit and apologise. Scrooge is then shown what he has lost. He sees Bell who had left him because he spent too much time at work. Bell is married with children and he sees what he could have had and then what he has been missing out on Christmas celebrations. Scrooge is then met by the ghost of Christmas Present. At first Dickens describe the houses as black enough, and the windows blacker, showing the poorest part of London for what it really is. But then he changes showing the shops in London full of food, as if the poor have no problem getting all this food in a happy congruously festive atmosphere. The sentence, steeples called good people all, to church and chapel. Dickens even throws in the idea of going to church to appease his readership and make them feel more charitable if the poor were seen as good Christians like they believed themselves to be they would feel more charitable towards the poor. He even talks about the bakers ovens cooking geese, almost saying they arent that poor because they can afford geese and implies that everyone is the same and generalises the poor. This is before we consider the poor living conditions. Dickens then further identifies the poor with the Cratchits by establishing the identity off Tiny Tim. Scrooge is the introduced to his nephews party and scrooge enjoys being there so much he doesnt want to leave. This is the first real clue as to how much scrooge has changed. The ghost then produces the hideous figures of want and ignorance. To make the blow hit harder they are depicted as children. They are Dickenss way of telling his readers what actually goes on in the perversion of humanity. They are not actually real, rather symbolic representations like cartoon characters and they are different from what scrooge is being told about them. Dickens tells his readers through the ghost to look out for them, particularly ignorance but at the same time he cannot tell his readers the truth. The last ghost appears and shows scrooge his own funeral, but scrooge fail to appreciate the meaning of it. Then the ghost shows scrooge his own grave. Scrooge then tells the ghost that he is a changed man, but is uncertain if the future can be changed. We are also shown the picture of Bob Cratchit weeping over the loss of his son Tiny Tim. Even in death we are not shown a picture of Tiny Tim suffering, there is no illness. Dickens uses this sentimental effect to show how he will be missed. When scrooge wakes up the change is immediately noticeable. He visits his nephew to reunite the family; again this is something his readers will approve of, and makes the Cratchits lives happier. The main message of the book is be charitable and give money to the poor. Dickens is so aware of his readership, however, that he has to insert the mechanical point telling his readers that Tiny Tim did not die. In conclusion Dickens does not describe the social conditions of the poor in London adequately. The proof of this is in Mayhew, who described the social and other appalling conditions in London for the poor. It shows that dickens is not being truthful. He shows the poor homogenously, grouping them together but there is a substantial between dickens version of Victorian London and reality. Dickens needs to get his point across about changing but he can only do so if he provides a sanitised version for his readers. In reality the Cratchits are very well off for people of their class, they have a respectable home and Bob Cratchit has a good job that pays fifteen shillings a week, which is a huge amount for a poor family. I think that dickens wanted to show London as it truly was for the poor but he couldnt do that because people were too sensitive about their own position and standing and felt vulnerable so he inserts pictures such as going to church and no suffering whilst alerting his readers to the problems. To a certain extent he is successful as he shows that there are problems in London but he does not go far enough to show the reality and alienate his readers.

Diversity Statement - I am Korean :: College Admissions Essays

Diversity Statement - I am Korean My first interaction with the cruelty of the "real" world was in fourth grade, in a small suburban town in South Carolina. "You Chinese freak! Come on, use your karate against me!" boys would shout mockingly, then start spouting phrases of nonsense as if they meant something. Pshaw. I was, am and will always proudly be a Korean. When I interact with new people, they spend their time guessing my heritage. Chinese and Japanese are always the first nationalities they guess. Others who are familiar with people of my ancestry catch on more quickly. And then there are those who automatically assume. A very small number of people can guess correctly on their first try. We live in a country that drills into our heads ideas about freedom and equality. Wars have been fought, violence has been used and many have suffered so that this country can live up to its ideals. Could such a great country make false promises and hopes? Perhaps, because, after all, the U.S. is run by humans, and that means mistakes will be made. But shouldn't the U.S. have learned its lesson by now and not make the same mistakes repeatedly? In 1997, a Civil Rights lawsuit against the City of Atlanta was brought by Korean-American store owners about riots that took place in their business. Police watched the destruction and did nothing. The city's attorney argued that the Federal Civil Rights statues were written exclusively for the protection of African-Americans, not other minorities, including Korean-Americans. Atlanta's position in this matter was rejected by the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, but many are appalled that a city so involved in civil rights could hold such an insulting view against our "certain unalienable rights." Their view was not only discrimination against Korean-Americans, but against descendants of other minority groups residing, visiting or working around Atlanta. Koreans, as well as other minorities in Atlanta, might have to deal with the fear that we will not be protected by the laws of the city because of prejudice. Signs of prejudice are everywhere.

Philippine’s Political Dynasty Essay

The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines states in Article II Section 26, â€Å"The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. † How can we define political dynasty? Political dynasty is a family, clans or group that maintains power for several generations. These clans root themselves into our national and local governments for many decades. Almost every position in the government has been posted either by relatives, or friends who are indebted to the clan for appointing them into position. In a sense, they have already established political kingdoms throughout the country. In the course of the rising and expanding political kingdoms ruling over the country, it has become hard to tell where democracy is to be found. With rules unclear and morality questioned, people can never tell if they deserve more than what they are getting from the government. Political dynasties inhibit democracy, further adding instability and weakness of political institutions that are supposed to be working on their sense of rationality and individualism for the country. With political dynasties, it is no longer a question on qualifications and slogans, it will now be a question on connections and guns. The establishment of political dynasties is an effective way of monopolizing and perpetuating power. With various seats in the government occupied by a single family it would be easy to manipulate the system to benefit their family. The concept of check and balance will be thrown out the window. More often than not, politicians get to be elected not because of their merit, but because they belong to a family that is been in the government for generations.

Operational Budgeting and Profit Planning Essay

Introduction: Why Budget? While a budget planning is a laborious process it is crucial for the success of any company. The budgeting process forces managers to be proactive in planning for the future while fostering communication and coordination within a company. Different departments must work together in order to develop a proper budget. A properly formulated budget will aid to define a company’s objectives and provides guidelines to avoid wasted actions. Also, risk can be mitigated when objectives and action plans are clarified through the budgeting process. This article will identify the key components of a budget as well as the methodologies involved in the budgeting process. The influences of management behavior will be discussed followed by a brief example of bad budgeting practices and its consequences. Master Budget The master budget is a summary of a company’s plans that sets concrete targets for sales, production, distribution and financing activities. Companies prepare cash budget not only for operating activities but also for investing and financial activities. This is because management should be aware in advance of any borrowing needs and when loans can be repaid. Budgets are interdependent because the figures of one budget are conventionally utilized in the preparation of another. Budget estimates are dependent on the nature of the business, its products and services, processes, organization, and management needs. It is a detailed model of the firm’s operating cycle that includes all internal processes which is developed into a cash budget, a budgeted income statement, and a budgeted balance sheet. Advantages The Master Budget defines the organizations objectives and strategies. As well as allowing the company to realistically project future cash flows, it also smoothens the functioning of organizations operating cycle. Disadvantages Disadvantages of developing a master budget is that it is both time consuming and highly complex. However, it should be noted that the advantages of a proper Master Budget far outweighs the disadvantages. Components of the Master Budget The Sales Budget includes the forecast of sales revenue, sale units and sales collection in the future market conditions. The Purchase budget would include purchase of merchandise for sale and raw material for manufacturing. It is expressed in terms of sales dollars. The Selling Expense Budget presents expenses the organization plans to incur in connection with sales and distribution. The General and Administrative Expense Budget presents the expenses the organization plans to incur in connection with general administration such as the accounts department, the IT department, law etc. The Cash Budget summarizes all cash receipts and disbursements expected to occur during the budgeting period. After a company makes sales predictions, an organization uses information regarding credit terms, collection policy, and prior collection experience to develop a cash collection budget. Other items included are an allowance for bad debt, cash sales, sales discount, allowance for volume discounts, and seasonal changes of sales prices and collections. The cash budget shows cash operations deficiencies and surplus expected to occur at the end of each month, which is used to plan for borrowing and loan payments. Budgeted Financial Statements are pro forma statements that reflect the â€Å"as  if† effects of the budgeted activities on the actual financial position of the organization. It reflects the results of operations assuming the budget predictions. Budget Development in a Manufacturing Organization Manufacturing organization converts the raw materials into finished goods and sells it to the customer for consumption. It prepares the master budget before production to make the organization successful and survive in a competitive environment. For example, a Bicycle manufacturer will plan a Master Budget in the following fashion: A Sales Budget will be based on the anticipation of sales of the Bicycle and pricing policy, expected number of units to be sold and the revenue generated. Once the sales budget is completed the Production Budget will derive the total volume of Bicycle units to be manufactured based on the targeted sales and inventory required to maintain sales. For example, if the expected number of sales of Bicylces for the month of January is 500 units, the production budget will plan for 650 units (Sales projected (500) + inventory as per company s strategy (30%)). The Purchase budget will be obtained based on volume of Bi Cycles to be manufactured, material required to manufacture a single unit and the cost of materials. As per the above example, the material required for 650 units will be budgeted for the month of January. The Manufacturing Cost Budget will be derived from the cost of making 650 units of bicycles using the design of product and process used to manufacture while considering the raw material cost, direct labor cost and manufacturing over headed cost. Finalizing the Budget For efficient and effective budgeting two questions must be addressed: Is the proposed budget feasible? Is the proposed budget acceptable? To be feasible the organization must be able to implement the proposed budget. Possible actions include obtaining equity financing, issue long-term debt, reducing the amount of inventory on hand, or obtaining a line of credit. Constraints for infeasibility are availability of merchandise and production capacity for a manufacturer. When evaluating the budget, management must consider various financial ratios such as return on assets, profit margins, etc. The company must compare the return provided by the proposed budget, the past budget and industry average as well as the organization’s goals. Budgeting Methodologies Input/Output Approach Companies using the Input/Output approach calculate the required input or resources through estimating the potential output or performance. For example, if a microchip manufacturing plant requires 5 grams of metal to create one microchip and each gram costs $2, then each microchip costs $10 of material. Thus, a projected output of 1000 microchips would cost $10,000 and 5 kilograms of material. This approach is mainly used for industries with a measurable relationship between effort and return, such as manufacturing, service, and merchandising but is not compatible with industries that are inelastic to unit level changes. Activity-based Approach The Activity-based Approach is subset of the Input/Output which reduces the potential for error by determining cost through evaluating the cost of each activity in the manufacturing process rather than focusing on inputs such as machine or labor hours. Thus, the approach provides a more accurate picture of costs involved by providing costs at each level of production. It results in a more efficient budget by allowing the identification of the optimal set of activities. However, it is far more time consuming to produce. Incremental Approach A budget prepared using the previous year budget as a base with some percentage increase or decrease is called incremental budget. Budget  justification is to be given only for the percentage change not for the base amount (previous year’s budget). This type of budget is best suited for non-profit organizations, government organizations or in organizations in which the amount of output is weakly correlated to the money spent. For example, the Boston Public School budget for FY12 increased by 1.2% from the FY 11 and for FY11 it increased by 0.4% of the FY 10 budgets (OBM 2011, 2012). The increase in both budgets was justified as improving opportunities for English Language learners, arts and physical education, but not for their existing programs. The advantages of this budget are that it is easy to practice, quick preparation, stability and conflict avoidance between departments due to different budget approval. Some of the main disadvantages are there is no incentive to red uce expense as peopmsle are tempted to spend the allotted expense so that their future budget is not affected. Also, no room for innovative changes to the budget is given. Minimum Level Approach In this type of approach a minimum budget level is fixed for carrying out ongoing projects and activities and anything above the budget should be justified. For example, the R&D budget in a pharmaceutical company is fixed for ongoing projects and new projects must be approved by the management. Main advantages are ongoing projects will not be disturbed due to budget changes and last year budget will not be approved without revision as in the case of Incremental approach. The Minimum level approach is considered as Zero Level Budgeting in some organizations in which for every amount spent, justification must be (TWF n.d.). For example if an R&D department of an Electronics manufacturer puts forth many project proposals to the management , based on the market trend and project feasibility, the management will approve the most profitable project. Advantages of this method are that allocation of resources is very efficient and detects inflated budgets. However, this method consumes a significant amount of time and resources. Manager Behavior Top-down vs. Bottom-up In addition to macro methods of budgeting (Input/output, activity based, incremental, and minimum level) there is also a distinction between top-down/imposed and bottom-up/participative budgets. These two methods represent opposite extremes of a spectrum of which a company’s budgeting procedure may fall on any point. As the name suggests, a Top-down Budget is formulated by a small number of high ranking managers who make all decisions regarding a company’s objectives which are then received by the lower managers who implement the plan. Because only a few people are involved in the decision making, it is quick and saves time. It also avoids the cushion that is lower management tend to build into their budgets. However, because only a few people are involved in the decision-making process, those not involved may lack the motivation and commitment to properly implement the plan. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Bottom-up process of budgeting. It begins at the lowest possible management level, whose budget plan is then integrated with the proposals at the next level. The process is continued until a comprehensive holistic budget is developed for the company. The Bottom-up process ensures that managers at each level clearly understand their roles in meeting company objectives. Therefore, budgets are usually far more accurate and employees are more committed to their self-made budget. However, inefficiencies tend to occur with a bottom-up process. Managers tend to provide a budgetary slack (understating revenues or overstating expenses) in order to provide a cushion against underperformance or unfavorable reviews. While this may cause inefficient spending, it can provide funds to reduce risky activities of which there is insufficient information. Budgeting Periods There are three types of budgeting periods used by companies: Fixed-length, Life Cycle and Continuous/Rolling Budgets. The type of period used is determined by the context of the budget. Most companies use fixed-length budgets determined at the beginning of a specified period. However, for single projects, a Life Cycle budget is more attractive, where a company  determines the budget for the entire project; especially if the project occurs within a period or over multiple periods. A continuous budget may be more useful than a fixed-budget as it forces managers to be continually updating their budget. Where a one-year budget plan is only available at the beginning of the year, a 4 quarter rolling budget requires managers to continually have a budget plan for a whole year at the beginning of each quarter, thus, sustaining the budgets relevancy. Forecasts, Ethics, and Open Book Management In addition to deciding methodologies of budgeting, a manager must also consider company forecasts, ethics and employee support. A manager must allow for the development of various forecasts and consider them during the budgeting process. Industry forecasts, such as economic conditions, as well as internal forecasts, such as collection periods, should be factored into the budget. Because ethical issues regarding budgeting are rarely illegal, there is a strong incentive to either pad the budgetary slack or overstate performance. Organizations should be firm in their rules against unethical behavior as it is easy to fall into a moral gray area. Finally, in order to properly motivate employees by gaining support for the budget, many companies have adopted an Open Book Management approach. The approach involves interacting with employees by sharing information and teaching employees to understand the relevant financial information. Sample Analysis A well formulated budget is crucial in order to facilitate a company’s operations. However, when a company’s budget is poorly formulated, it can have disastrous consequences. An example is OGX Petrà ³leo e Gà ¡s Participaà §Ãƒ µes S.A. owned by Eike Batista. At the company’s peak in 2009, it achieved an IPO of $3 billion (Spinetto et al. 2013). However, the company filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 30, 2013 with debts of $5.11 billion with Batista being sued for violations of disclosure ruels (Fontevecchia 2013). While its failure was due to a variety of factors, we will argue that poor budgeting  is a crucial factor. Within the petroleum industry, the exploration and production process is both a high risk and high expense venture where predicted outputs require complex calculations (Suslick et al. 2009). Even after production has begun, the projected output may change depending on a variety of variables (Katusa 2012). OGX had calculated potential output at 4.8 billion barrels and therefore invested heavily into the required infrastructure based on this estimate (Spinetto 2013). However, these decisions were made before the wells were operational which resulted in final outputs at roughly 50% of the initial amount (Katusa 2012). Management decisions at OGX were made by Bastista and a small group of managers and its inputs were based on an estimation of outputs (Katusa 2012, Spinetto 2013). In addition, performance was highly overstated due to â€Å"[Batista’s] tendency to shoot the messenger† (Spinetto 2013). Therefore, OGX should have adopted a bottom-up minimum level approach of budgeting as well as adopting a policy of reporting performance after confirmation. A bottom-up approach would have generated a much more precise picture of performance and costs while a minimum-level approach would have required confirmation of projected outputs before beginning operations at the cost of time. In addition, reporting performance after confirmation would have avoided any overstatements of performance. Conclusion To be successful in a competitive environment a company must develop proper Master Budget in order to promote proactive thought, communication and coordination within a company. It is also an important aide to planning and risk management. In order for a company to run smoothly, the Master Budget must balance all the variable constituents of a company’s operational activities. In addition, methodologies used, while utilized at the management’s discretion, should reflect the context of the company’s operations. As illustrated in the OGX example, failure to properly develop a budget can have catastrophic consequences to a company. References City of Boston: Office of Budget Management (OBM). 2011. Summary Budget. Retrieved Oct. 2013 from http://www.cityofboston.gov/images_documents/02%20Summary%20Budget_tcm3-16341.pdf City of Boston: Office of Budget Management (OBM). 2012. Summary of Budget. Retrieved Oct. 2013 from http://www.cityofboston.gov/images_documents/02%20Summary%20Budget%20A_tcm3-24767.pdf Easton, P.D., Halsey, R.F., McAnally, M.L., Hartgraves, A., & Morse, W.J. 2013. Financial & Managerial Accounting for MBAs 3rd Ed. Cambridge: Cambridge Business Publishers. Fontevecchia, A. 2013. Death of the Brazilian Dream: Ex-billionaire Eike Batista’s OGX Files for Bankruptcy. Forbes, Oct. 30. Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2013/10/30/death-of-the-brazilian-dream-ex-billionaire-eike-batistas-ogx-files-for-bankruptcy/ Katusa, M. 2012. Brazilian Oil Dreams Get a Sobering Reality Check. Casey Research, July 2012. Available at: http://www.caseyresearch.com/cdd/brazilian-oil-dreams-get-sobering-reality-check Spinetto, J.P., Millard, P., & Wells, K. 2013. How Brazil’s Richest Man Lost $34.5 Billion in a Year. Bloomberg Businessweek. (October): 60-65. Suslick, S.B., Schlozer, D., & Rodriguez, M.R. 2009. Uncertainty and Risk Analysis in Petroleum Exploration and Production. Terrae 6 (1): 30-41.

The Scarlett Letter Essays (1445 words) - English-language Films

The Scarlett Letter Essays (1445 words) - English-language Films The Scarlett Letter The Effective Use of Symbolism The novel, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an intriguing account of a Puritan community that experiences a breakdown in beliefs. The story deals with a woman, Hester, who commits adultery with a Calvinistic minister resulting in the birth of a child (Martin 110). As compensation for her crime of passion and her refusal to name her lover, Hester is sentenced to wear an embroidered scarlet letter on her bosom. It is this letter, or secret sin, that becomes the emphasis of the novel and assumes many different roles (Martin 111). Hawthorne starts the novel by portraying the literary reality associated with the different aspects of the letter (Martin 110). From the start, Hawthorne seems to say, this is a scarlet letter; because of that, it is capable of further meaning. The letter will have to carry the burden of the tale (Martin 111). Hawthornes use of symbolism is fully developed in the multi-meanings hidden in the scarlet letter through a variety of characters. The scarlet letter represents different ideals to different people and should be given the proper consideration (Martin 114). In the Puritan community, the letter is viewed as a moral obligation to inform others of Hesters sin, one that they feel should be dragged out into the sunshine (Hawthorne 43). They believe the letter symbolizes psychological and religious truth. The Puritans are a people amongst whom religion and law were almost identical, and in whose character both were so thoroughly Foti 2 interfused, that her mildest and severest acts of public discipline were alike made venerable and awful (Hawthorne 40). It is said that meager, indeed, and cold, was the sympathy that a transgressor might look for, from such bystanders at the scaffold (Hawthorne 40). The Puritans are firmly against Hesters actions and feels that she has disgraced them along with herself. They feel that she must take responsibility for her actions. The effect of her punishment however is not what the Puritans had hoped to achieve. Hesters sin has grown from that of passion to one of purpose. Even with Hesters sympathetic attitude, she was not filled with regret and therefore the letter had not done its task (Martin 122). To the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, the scarlet letter contains a whole new meaning. He views the letter as a constant reminder of his sin and cowardice. His guilt continues to grow as a result of his not being able to come forth in front of the community and take responsibility for his actions. His guilt and sin become magnified by his inability to stand beside Hester at the scaffold. Dimmesdale, also is ironically charged with questioning Hester and trying to convince her of the importance of identifying her fellow sinner (Hawthorne 52). He begins to feel more and more grief and it begins to affect his mental and physical state. He soon becomes weak; however, it is believed by the community to be because of his too unreserved self-sacrifice to the labors and duties of the pastoral relation (Hawthorne 80). When Dimmesdale is believed to be near death, the community again believes it is because the world was not worthy to be any longer trodden by his feet (Hawthorne 88). Dimmesdale se ems to be haunted by Satans emissary, in the guise of old Roger Chillingworth. This diabolical Foti 3 agent had the Divine permission, for a season, to burrow into the clergymans intimacy and plot against his soul (Hawthorne 94). Chillingworth proposes to Dimmesdale that a sickness, a sore place, if we may so call it, in your spirit, hath immediately its appropriate manifestation in your bodily frame (Hawthorne 99). However, Dimmesdale denies and refuses to discuss it with him. Dimmesdale becomes weaker and weaker because by the constitution of his nature, he loved the truth, and loathed the lie, as few men ever did. Therefore, above all things else, he loathed his miserable self! (Hawthorne 105). Before Dimmesdales death, he finally confesses to his sin on the scaffold and frees his soul and conscience. Spectators have testified to seeing on the breast of the unhappy minister, a SCARLET LETTERthe very semblance of that worn by Hester Prynneimprinted in the flesh (Hawthorne 182).

The Two Meanings of Apprehend and Apprehension

The Two Meanings of Apprehend and Apprehension The Two Meanings of Apprehend and Apprehension Although spelled in the same way in each case, apprehend can be used to mean two different things. The same is true of apprehension. Get up to speed with how these terms should be used so that you can write with flair and confidence. Apprehend (Understand or Capture) The verb apprehend has two main meanings. The first is to understand or learn something. If we were struggling to understand someone, for instance, we might say: I cannot apprehend your meaning. The second sense of apprehend is to arrest and detain a suspected criminal. When used in this context, the word would appear in a sentence like this: The suspect was apprehended at midnight, carrying the stolen goods. Apprehension (Understanding or Anticipation of Misfortune) One common sense of the noun apprehension corresponds to the first definition of apprehend above, as it refers to understanding something: Your son has good apprehension of algebra. The second meaning of apprehension is anticipation or misfortune, usually characterized by fear or anxiety about the future. When used in this context, it would appear in a sentence like this: Mary was full of apprehension before taking to the stage to perform. Although apprehension can be used to describe apprehending (or capturing) a criminal, it is an unusual term in this context. If you would like more advice about word use, or to have a 500-word sample of your writing proofread for free, get in touch with the professionals at Proofed today!

Case study (enron case) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case study (enron case) - Essay Example These should be in the form of compliance officers or corporate ethical committees that oversee the ethical conduct in the company. Portraying myself in the role of the fictional executive, I find that I face a dilemma in terms of whether I should report the instance of unethical behavior or keep it to myself. Considering the fact that I came across a conversation between senior executives regarding unethical behavior, I have to face up to the fact that I need to take a stand on whether I betray their confidence and blow the whistle or keep quiet and let the other employees of the company suffer along with the shareholders. This dilemma is compounded by the fact that I know for certain that unethical business practices are being followed at the very top and that I cannot remain mute and at the same time, I do not have the right channels to report the behavior. In this paper, I discuss the course of action that I should undertake with reference to various theories of moral behavior as well as provide explanations for the scenarios of whether I should report and why and whether I should not report and why. There are issues of conflict of interest in both the scenarios. If I chose not to blow the whistle, I might be doing so because I stand to benefit from the stock options that have been offered to me. If I chose to disclose, I might end up comprising my fellow executives as well as my own position in the process. Of course, the conflict of interest in not blowing the whistle is greater than the other scenario. With regards to Kantian moral theory, the best course of action would be to blow the whistle on the wrong doing that is going on in the company. Kantian theory states that one should do the right thing irrespective of the consequences. Hence, the right thing to do in this case would be to complain either to the top management

Cross-Cultural Communication in the Management Research Paper

Cross-Cultural Communication in the Management - Research Paper Example In a progressively international construction market, communication problems will pose as one of the most crucial tests facing construction project managers. Having said that, the researcher recognized that an understanding of the importance and impacts of cross-cultural communication and the means by which it can be managed will provide the capacity to meet and get past these challenges; therefore justifying the need to study it. It consists of the effective rules for doing business, the boundaries between competitive and unethical behavior and the codes of conduct in business dealings. Business cultures differ and are affected by different cultural priorities and what is acceptable and allowable by society. This kind or culture is not immune to collision and that they particularly do so in the context of a foreign environment where business and cultural priorities differ from one’s own way of doing things. In addition, an integrated cultural framework is going to be devised so as to pinpoint the major differences in culture. To summarize, international project management necessitates an effective process regarding communication assessment. Tone identified several areas wherein varied cultures play a part in project management. He noted two situations that if not taken seriously and not dealt with will cause cultural difficulties. The first scenario is where a Canadian project manager for example and a manager in China, manage a construction bridge in a particular country which is both not their own.

Migration in United Kingdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Migration in United Kingdom - Essay Example However, asylum seekers cannot be mistaken for refugees. In the year 2002, it was found that from 84, 130 applications 10 percent were refugees, 24 percent were granted exceptional level and the remaining amount were refused both.( McConnachie 2005) This paper would seek to analyze the role of the immigration policies in regard to the asylum seekers. At present, the United Kingdom is facing a major crisis in regard to illegal immigration. In fact, from the year 19991 to the year 2001 alone, immigration made up more than half of Britain's population growth. An institute for Public Policy Research study of the 2001 census calculated a 2.2 m rise, including 1.14 m born abroad. Westminster is recognized as the official law making authority regarding matters such as immigration and asylum issues in regard to Britain and those that happen outside the European Union enabling control and allowing control over the borders. The United Kingdom provides an automatic right to asylum as it has signed the UN convention. A lengthy legal process has to be initiated in order for the determination of the status of application. However in order to ensure that the process becomes more simpler and allows the honest applicant s to actually gain the right to have the status of asylum seeking, this automatic right has to be waived or done away with. An important distinction as to be made between asylum seekers and refugees- Refugees are those people who have be granted this special status by the country in which they have sought asylum. The current population in the United Kingdom alone of refugees is about 2 percent of the total world refugees. These people have UN traveling documents and have the same basic rights as the U.K. citizens in terms of traveling and the basic service. Hence, it is quite difficult to figure out exactly how many are at present in the U.K. Another type of immigrants are illegal immigrants who at presently are several thousands according to a survey by carried out recently. These people are those who are employed in the unregulated economy of U.K. Besides encouraging the international human traffickers and smugglers, it is resulting in pushing down the lower skilled jobs wags due to an excess supply. Hence, creating cultural cases as the British feel that their jobs are being threatened by the influx of these illegal immigrants. An Act; the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 regulates the ways of tackling these illegal immigrants. Those employers who would hire these people would be severely fined and a smart card provision is being considered in order to remove the chances of illegal immigrants being allowed to work. However, whether this has been a successful policy can be seen from the number of cases which are reported daily as deported ones. U.K. needs to review its current policy and make it much more stringent in order to make it so unfavorable that no immigrant would consider U.K. a safe haven. While it has been generally notified that asylum seekers are those people who are victims of crime and injustice-however, in several cases that has not been the case. There are many people who come to U.K. illegally, seek work in the unregulated circles and when are discovered, claim to be asylum seekers. Others are those

Gatsby Automobile Essay Essay Example for Free

Gatsby Automobile Essay Essay There are many different themes, images, and symbols in Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby that render great importance to the development of the story. One particular image and symbol seen throughout Fitzgerald’s novel that acts as a major contributor to the plot is the automobile. The image of the automobile can be seen in relation with any of the characters in the novel who involve themselves in with driving an automobile or even simply talking about an automobile. Two characters in the novel that Fitzgerald uses to portray the images and symbols of the automobile are Tom Buchannan and Jay Gatsby. These two automobile owners are created into the strongest conductors of Fitzgerald’s imagery and symbolism throughout the novel. The automobile can be seen as representing a few different types of images and symbols. A possible symbol of the automobile may stand for the respective automobile owner’s status in society. Almost all automobiles in the nineteen-twenties were black and just about as plain as could be. These black automobiles were owned by all those who could just barely afford an automobile, to those who were average, middle class people, to the extremely wealthy who could easily afford three or four automobiles. What makes this piece of history so important is the fact that Fitzgerald gives both Tom and Gatsby brightly colored automobiles. The personalities of these two characters effortlessly magnifies the showiness and in Gatsby’s case, gaudiness. Gatsby’s absolutely obnoxious Rolls Royce is â€Å"a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of windshields that mirrored a dozen suns. † No one in the nineteen-twenties had such an untasteful looking automobile that Gatsby. One obvious and straightforward possible explanation for Gatsby’s hideous automobile is that he wants to show off his wealth, status, and â€Å"success† in his many trades. Another not so obvious reason for this hideous yellow automobile could be an image produced by Fitzgerald to try to illustrate Gatsby’s need to reach out and grasp Daisy’s attention. Unfortunately, because Gatsby was formerly a much lower class man, living on a farm out west with his family, his wealth and riches cannot buy him any class or style. A very similar situation can be seen with Tom Buchannan and his automobiles. He too, is very showy and flashy in his actions to show the world his possessions. Tom, like Gatsby, has an unusual colored car. This blue automobile is a symbol of wealth, status, and riches, just like Gatsby, but it can represent another image. Every single time Tom heads over to Wilson’s Garage for some gas or to see Myrtle, Wilson asks Tom about purchasing his old automobile. Tom plainly and seemingly without thinking puts the topic off to the side as if it wasn’t important and he didn’t want to talk about it. Sadly for Wilson, the automobile in a sense symbolizes Myrtle. Tom pushes the car aside as if it didn’t matter much at all to him, just like he uses Myrtle and makes all those empty promises to her about trying to divorce Daisy and being together forever. The images and symbols throughout The Great Gatsby create many dimensions to such a superb plot and character development. These amazing images set up by Fitzgerald give the novel a complete feel of full development. Fitzgerald ties in all the different elements of the story by using the one simple entity of the automobile.

New Trends and the Evaluation of Scholarship :: Essays Papers

New Trends and the Evaluation of Scholarship Introduction The advancement of information and communication technologies over the past decade, particularly the growth of the Internet, the World Wide Web (Web), and email, have had an impact on how scholarship is conducted and are re-defining many aspects of scholarly communication. Interdisciplinarity, collaboration, and disintermediation are three aspects of scholarly communication that are on the increase as a result of the advancement of information and communication technology. The trend towards increased interdisciplinary and collaborative scholarship, combined with the disintermediation of traditional journal publishers and publishing as more scholarship is made directly available electronically, make the evaluation of scholarship more difficult. This paper will briefly examine these trends, the advancement of new technology, and how they may effect the evaluation of scholarship. Backgound Changes in scholarly communication and the evaluation of scholarship are discussed in this paper in the context of several concepts. Operationalizing the key concepts used in this discussion results in the following definitions. Scholarship is both the work, and the result of the work, performed by scholars to produce new information to be added to a body of knowledge. The addition of scholarly work to a body of knowledge is accomplished by communicating, usually in writing, either in print or digital format, the findings produced by scholarship to the wider, usually academic, community. Borgman (2000) defines scholarly communication as â€Å"†¦the study of how scholars in any field†¦use and disseminate information through formal and informal channels† (p. 144). Evaluating scholarship entails examining the written results of scholarly work, but it also includes examination of the methods and procedures used to produce that work. Interdisciplinarity refers to the increasing trend of scholars to participate in research and publication activities with other scholars outside of their own academic discipline. Webster’s online defines discipline as â€Å"a branch of knowledge or teaching; the subject matter of instruction† (Webster’s, 2003). â€Å"Interdisciplinarity is a term which refers to the integration of concepts across different disciplines† (Wikipedia, 2003). The most complete definition found was one quoted in Lattuca (2002) and specifies the different types of interdisciplinary actions that are at the core of interdisciplinarity. Interdisciplinary – An adjective describing the interaction among two or more different disciplines. This interaction may range from simple communication of ideas to the mutual integration of organizing concepts, methodology, procedures, epistemology, terminology, data, and organization of research and education in a fairly large field. An

Discipline in School Essay

Discipline is very important in a civilized life. Discipline can be defined as control over one’s desires and obedient’ to codes of behavior. If there is no discipline, there is confusion everywhere. Discipline is of great importance in school and at home. If there is no discipline in schools, it is not possible to imp education effectively. It is necessary to maintain law an order in the society. There should be discipline at home also. Children must be taught self-control. Parents themselves should keep discipline. Children should be taught the value discipline in childhood. A country cannot face extern wars if its armed forces are not disciplined . Unfortunately, there are not much discipline today schools, colleges and government offices. That is w India is facing many problems . Discipline is necessary for people in all walks folia Students studying in schools and colleges, Define personnel, industrial workers – all must have disciple Only then a nation can progress| A student needs to be very punctual to his routine. He should be very regular and sincere to his studies. He should be hard working. He should always be ready and active in various other extracurricular activities. He should remain active and smart. He should learn how to face difficult situations and how to win over them. A student is the future of the country. It is he who has to take the responsibility of the country. He should be healthy and fit. Physical education is as important for students as to be studious and sincere at studies. A student should always be in good health and fitness. For this he should get up early in the morning. He should take exercise daily. He should play game of his choice daily. It is well known that a healthy body has a healthy mind. He is mind will be strong and sharp only when he is physically strong, fit and healthy. The biggest task of a student is to study. A student should be very devoted and sincere to his studies. He should be very punctual. He should know the importance of time. He should regularly do his home work. He should have an urge to learn new things. He should have respect for his teachers and elders. He should be very cooperative with his friends. He should help the needy. Discipline demands self-control and dedication. One who cannot control himself cannot control others. He has to dedicate his individuality in the larger interest of society. Discipline is a virtue. It needs to be cultivated from early childhood. It cannot be developed overnight. It takes time and requires patience. When discipline is enforced, it fails to bring the desired result. True essence of discipline is lost when it is enforced . Student life is the formation period of life. The foundation of adulthood is laid down during the time. The man grows with the habits and manners acquired at that time. These things hardly change. So a student should be much disciplined in his student life. One who is disciplined raises high in life. Life of great men is examples of discipline. The great men have made mark in their lives, because they strictly follow their goals with all the earnestness and sincerity. So, we should try to be disciplined from the early stage of life. Both at school and at home they should be made to follow the rules of discipline. Parents, teachers and elders have significant role to play. A student should always learn good habits. This will lead to the formation of a good society and nation as well. |

Formula 1 Constructors

Introduction The Formula One World Championship was started in 1951 by private sportspersons. Today, Formula One is the world’s biggest motor sports event and is arguably the second most popular sport in the world. It consists of ten teams, with two cars each, contesting a 17-race series. It involves two titles, the Driver’s Championship and the Constructors Championship. Formula One today is a highly dependent on technology (Denison and Henderson, 2004). This article will discuss the resources, capabilities and attributes required by Formula One constructors.This article will also analyse the reasons for the dominance of different constructors during different periods, by using one of the methods of identifying competitive advantage. It will analyse the reasons behind their inability to sustain their dominance and also suggest ways by which these constructors could have sustained their competitive advantage. â€Å"A firm is said to have competitive advantage when it i s implementing a value creating strategy not simultaneously being implemented by any current or potential competitors. (Barney, 1991:99) Resources, capabilities and attributes required by Formula One Resources can be classified as financial, physical, human, technological and organisational (Grant, 1991). The financial resources required by Formula One constructors are vast (close to $1 bn), the human resources required are a staff of around 450-800. They need highly qualified staff like race engineers, designers, aerodynamicists, composite experts and system specialists. They require physical resources including their own testing and development equipment like wind tunnels, test tracks and other equipment.They also need to constantly change their strategies to counter strategies of the other teams. All the teams and members need to work as a cohesive unit. Based on Porter (2004) we can identify factors important for competitive advantage in the Formula One industry. Technology deve lopment is crucial to competitive advantage in the racing industry. Technology development involves steps to improve the racing car in aspects like power, stability and drag. It involves steps like research, product design and servicing procedures.Human resource management is also key to competitive advantage in the racing industry. Human resource management involves activities like recruitment, training, and development of employees. In Formula One human resource management involves choosing the right drivers, engineers and designers who are expertds in their fields and also good team players. It also involves training new drivers, engineers and designers and keeping them satisfied and motivated so that they don’t leave and join other competitors. Firm infrastructure involves activities like general management, planning, finance and accounting.This can also be an important source of competitive advantage as management and planning are crucial to success in the racing industr y. Value linkages are also an important source of competitive advantage in the racing industry. Linkages can be both internal and external. Internal linkages include co-ordination between various departments within the firm like the design team, racing team and the technical team. External linkages include co-operation and co-ordination with component suppliers and sponsors(Porter, 2004). Attributes are qualities or skills possessed by constructors.Attributes include trust, relationships, history and management structure within a firm (Barney, 1995). These skills relate to ways in which they do things. These skills and qualities are not easily transferable, as they cannot be easily copied. These skills and qualities are generally developed over a long period of time. Formula one constructors require attributes like knowledge, experience and flair for innovation. A firm’s capabilities are based on the resources it has. Capability means the ability of a firm to perform certain tasks based on the resources it has.Capability is created by the integration of many key resources and attributes. Resources and attributes alone do not lead to competitive advantage, but capabilities are a source of competitive advantage. The key resources of an organisation need to be identified, and capabilities, due to a combination of particular resources that need to be identified. Capabilities involve efficient interaction between people and other resources. Formula One Constructors require engine manufacturing, car design and technological capabilities. Key capabilities are those that are not shared by the firm’s competitors.Strategy of an organisation has to be based on its resources and key capabilities to gain a competitive advantage (Grant, 1991). For example, Ferrari had the unique capability of manufacturing engines, which its other competitors did not have. Hamel and Prahalad, (1990) describe key capabilities, which lead to competitive advantage as ‘core competencies’. Ferrari’s success in the mid 1970s Ferrari was the dominant Formula One Constructor’s Championship in the mid 1970’s. Using one of the many approaches to determine competitive advantage, the reasons for Ferrari’s dominance can be identified.Some approaches to determine competitive advantage are explained below: Porter’s (1980) five forces model helps to position a firm in the best way to tackle competitors. This model helps in understanding the competition and formulating strategy accordingly. Carl Shapiro’s (1989) approach is based on making competitive firms act in unproductive ways. This theory can only be used where competitors are closely placed. Barney’s (1995) resource based approach believes that competitive advantage is due to unique resources. The capability of the firm is based on its unique resources.He suggests that it is important to understand the firm’s internal strengths and weaknesses to understand how exactly competitive advantage can be gained. Barney’s (1995) approach is based on SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. Barney’s (1995) approach implies that only those firms that use their internal strengths to make use of the available opportunities gain competitive advantage. Strengths and weaknesses can be understood by 1. Continuously checking whether resources and capabilities of a firm help it in the changing environment. 2.Checking whether these capabilities and resources are unique to the firm. 3. Understanding if the resources and capabilities of the firm are difficult to imitate. 4. Checking if the firm’s processes make use of the resources and capabilities effectively. Teece (1997) suggests that dynamic capabilities are a source of competitive advantage. â€Å"Dynamic refers to capacity to renew resources so as to achieve congruence with the changing business environment. † (Teece et. al, 1997:515). A ccording to Teece (1997) dynamic capabilities of a firm depend on its processes, position and path.Processes mean the way things are done in the firm, position means the technology, assets and customer base the firm has, path means the ways available to the firm to do things. These dynamic capabilities of the firm lead to competitive advantage. Porter (2004) introduced the concept of value chain to determine competitive advantage. It was based on identifying the primary and secondary activities of the firm. Primary activities include activities like inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales and service.Secondary activities include firm infrastructure, human resource management, technology development and procurement. It then identifies and separates activities that are unique strengths of the firm in relation to the competition. Spanos and Lioukas (2001) argue that Porter’s value chain is based on external factors of competition and ignores the cr ucial internal resources and capabilities of the firm. Rumelt (1984) also argues that strategy of a firm should be based on its unique resources and capabilities.McWilliams and Smart (1993) argue that Porter’s value chain theory lead managers the wrong way by suggesting to develop unique activities based on the resources, even though the activities may not be beneficial to the firm. From the various views it can be seen that Barney’s (1995) approach, based on identifying and focusing on unique resources and capabilities, based on SWOT analysis, is more relevant in analysing competitive advantage in Formula One. Using SWOT analysis we can identify that one of the strengths of Ferrari was the use of component knowledge as a source of competitive advantage.Component knowledge means skills, resources and knowledge related to particular parts of a system. For example, in Formula One it means technical and design skills related to engine, chassis and gearbox. (Pinch et al, 2 003). The Ferrari 12-cylinder engine and 312-T car was a result of component knowledge. In 1975, Ferrari designed a new car 312T, which had a wide low body, powerful 12-cylinder engine and a revolutionary transverse gearbox. All these improved the balance and handling of the car. 312T had a chassis, engine and gearbox combination, which could not be matched by the engine, gearbox combination of the competing cars(Johnson, G et. l, 2008). The component knowledge behind this engine and car could be easily understood, but could not be easily transferred because it was based on firm specific component knowledge and because it didn’t fit in with the systems of other manufacturers; hence it was not used widely. The other strength that was the reason for Ferrari’s success was the use of architectural knowledge as a competitive advantage. Architectural knowledge considers the whole system and the interaction between component knowledge of its various parts (Matusik and Hill, 1 998).It is difficult to transfer architectural knowledge between organisations because it is distinct for each organisation and develops over time. The highly efficient practices introduced by Montezemolo were the architectural knowledge of Ferrari. Montezemola ensured that each team concentrated on a specific task, for example, chassis, gearbox, engine and suspension. This helped avoid conflicts and helped in getting a great car made. The system of having each team concentrating on a specific task to avoid conflicts was also a part of architectural knowledge of Ferrari.Architectural knowledge also helps in determining the ability of organisations to acquire new knowledge. (Zahra and George, 2002). Human resource management was another strength, which was a factor of competitive advantage in Ferrari’s success, as Montezemola recruited the right driver in Nicki Lauda, who could communicate effectively with the technical team. Another of Ferrari’s strengths were the uniq ue resources that it had, like its Maranello factory where it made its own engines and the test track in Fiorano, which is one of the most advanced and sophisticated test tracks in the world, which enabled it to test and develop cars.All these strengths were the reason for Ferrari’s dominance in the 1970’s. McLaren’s domination in the late-1980’s In September 1980 Dennis was appointed as the team principal. Dennis bought in Barnard as a car designer. Barnard had ideas of making the racing car chassis of carbon fibre, instead of metal. Barnard left in 1986 but a lot of progress in car design had been made by then. By SWOT analysis we can identify the strengths of McLaren, which endowed it with competitive advantage. One of McLaren’s strengths during this period was the efficient and disciplined way in which the organisation was run.They prepared carefully for all the races. Many elements that contributed to McLaren’s success are still unknown . This is an example of architectural knowledge being used for competitive advantage. (Pinch et. al, 2003). Good human resource management can be seen to be another strength, which was the reason for McLaren’s success as McLaren had the right people for the job in Dennis and Barnard. Dennis had good managerial skills while Barnard had highly innovative design skills. Dennis, in turn, recruited the best drivers in Senna and Prost, who were crucial to McLaren’s success.Senna was fast and determined whereas Prost was fast and good at tactics. Another of McLaren’s strengths was the use of external linkages of value chain as a competitive advantage, by its collaboration with Honda for engines. All these strengths helped McLaren dominate F1 from 1988 to 1991. Williams’ success in the mid 1990’s Williams developed on the ideas of ground effect, carbon composite monocoque, semi-automatic gearbox and active suspension. Williams considered the driver to be o nly part of the system.Using SWOT analysis we can determine that one of the strengths of the Williams team can be attributed to use of cluster level architectural knowledge as a source of competitive advantage. Cluster level architectural knowledge refers to knowledge shared by groups of organisations in a particular geographical area. Cluster level architectural knowledge also involves common ways of thinking and habits among organisations in the cluster. Hence it becomes difficult for organisations outside the cluster to copy the technologies developed in the cluster.An example of cluster level architectural knowledge can be seen in UK’s ‘Motorsport Valley’. Many technologies used in Formula One cars have been developed here, for example, the use of carbon composite materials, traction controls and active suspension systems (Henry and Pinch, 1999). Brown and Duguid (2001) argue that component knowledge is the ‘cargo’ that is moved around on the â⠂¬Ëœrails’ of cluster level architectural knowledge. The ‘Ground effects’ technology was developed in Motorsport Valley and was first used by Lotus.The Williams team that was in the same area was the one that applied the ‘ground effects’ technology efficiently. Thus, all the technologies developed in the ‘Motorsport Valley’ were transferred to and adopted by Williams, this contributed greatly to its success. (Pinch et. al, 2003). Thus it can be seen that Williams developed strong and unique capabilities in the designing of the car body, chassis and gearbox. Human resource management was another strength, which also acted as a source of competitive advantage. Frank Williams was the founder of Williams and he appointed Patrick Head as the Technical Director.The attributes of entrepreneurial energy and technical excellence helped them to succeed. Patrick Head appointed good drivers like Senna and Prost. Another strength of Williams was thei r external linkages. Their linkage with Renault helped them use the powerful and reliable Renault engine, which complemented their FW15 chassis. All these strengths that acted as sources of competitive advantage led to William’s domination from 1992 to 1994. Ferrari’s return to winning ways after 1999 Montezemela was brought back to Ferrari, as CEO in 1992. He set up a new design department with 50 people.Ferrari’s focus shifted from engine to integration of main parts. The strengths of Ferrari, identified using SWOT analysis, was that value linkages (Porter, 2004), both externally and internally became a source of competitive advantage for Ferrari. Internal linkages were the co-operation between the departments manufacturing engine, chassis and the aerodynamics department. These were crucial in integrating all components of the car efficiently. External linkages were the collaboration with Bridgestone for making customised tyres for Ferrari and with Shell for f inancial and technical support.Another strength identified was good human resource management, which also acted as a competitive advantage by Ferrari’s appointment of Montezemela as chief executive and Schumacher as the driver. Ferrari recruited Schumacher in 1996, who was a great driver and motivator. He communicated well with the engine technicians. The core competency (Hamel and Prahalad, 1990) of Ferrari was the capability of manufacturing powerful engines. Since Ferrari manufactured its own engines they were able to integrate engine, chassis and aerodynamics early in the process. This was the most significant and unique strength of Ferrari.All these factors helped Ferrari win the constructors championship in 1999, after a gap of 12 years. Reasons for Ferrari, McLaren and the Williams teams not being able to sustain their success Using SWOT analysis we can see that one of the major weaknesses of Ferrari, due to which they could not sustain their success, was their lack of dynamic capabilities. Dynamic capabilities mean the ability of firms to adapt their competencies to the changing times and changing external environment. Ferrari needed the dynamic capability to create newer cars, which were more powerful, had better balance and had great aerodynamic properties.Penrose (1959) and Teece (1982) were the first to suggest that, to sustain competitive advantage, firms will need to utilise their firm specific capabilities and also develop new capabilities. Deeply ingrained ideas of architectural knowledge prevent the organisation from acquiring new knowledge. (Henderson and Clark, 1990). Another weakness of Ferrari was their strongly ingrained architectural knowledge that prevented them from initially accepting the ground effects technology, as it was concentrating only on engine design. (Pinch et. al, 2003). Lack of dynamic capabilities to adopt the ground ffects technology and bad human resource management that led to loss of Nicki Lauda from Ferrari, were major reasons due to which Ferrari was unable to maintain its success after 1979. One of the weaknesses of McLaren, identified by SWOT analysis, due to which they were unable to maintain their competitive advantage, was the pulling out of Honda from Formula One. McLaren were not prepared for this and did not have any other good engines to replace Honda. Thus the lack of ability to maintain external linkages as a source of competitive advantage was the one of the reasons for the failure of McLaren.The other significant weakness identified was their not continuing to use human resource management as a source of competitive advantage. The loss of Senna to Williams in 1993 was a big blow to McLaren and they had not developed any new drivers to replace him. The main weakness that was the reason for the decline of Williams was the use of technologies developed by them by other competitors, like Benetton. Their competitors easily replicated their component knowledge. Since their capab ilities could be easily copied they could not maintain competitive advantage in the long term.The death of Senna in an accident left Williams without a good driver. Another weakness was the lack of dynamic capabilities that led to their not having a good replacement for Senna. Renault’s decision to supply engines to Benetton also meant loss of competitive advantage. The inability of Williams to maintain external linkages as a source of competitive advantage was another weakness identified. The main weakness that was the reason for the decline of Ferrari after 2004 was they were not able to adapt their capabilities and external linkages to the changed rules.The strategies that could have been developed by each of these teams to further sustain their period of dominance. Spanos and Lioukas (2001) and Wenerfelt (1984) suggest that Porter’s value chain and the Resource based view are complementary and considering both together can help in sustaining competitive advantage. But from empirical studies conducted by Spanos and Lioukas (2001) it was found that focusing on unique resources and capabilities was more beneficial in sustaining competitive advantage than focusing unique activities in relation to competition.Thus it can be concluded that it is important to consider both your firm specific unique resources and capabilities and to develop activities that are unique in relation to competition in developing strategy, to sustain competitive advantage. Capabilities that are not easily transferable, that cannot be easily copied, that are not transparent and those that last a long time act as significant sources of long-term competitive advantage (Grant, 1991). Walker, (2007), suggests that to sustain competitive advantage a firm must use tactics of offence and defence.Offence involves working towards dominating the competition and defence involves taking steps to maintain the dominant position. Ferrari could have continued their dominance from the 1970à ¢â‚¬â„¢s if they had used opportunities identified using SWOT analysis to develop dynamic capabilities to adopt new technologies like ‘ground effects’ and to recruit other good drivers to replace Nicki Lauda. Miller (2003) suggests that the differences between firms are a source of sustained competitive advantage.Hence it can be said since from all the racing constructors only Ferrari made their own engines and other parts, they could integrate the parts much better. This was another opportunity for Ferrari to use this capability as a long-term competitive advantage and helped extend their period of dominance. McLaren could have used opportunities identified to maintain external linkages as a source of competitive advantage by persuading Honda against quitting Formula One or by developing other external linkages for supplying engines, as a replacement for Honda. They needed to develop dynamic capabilities to have good alternative drivers for Senna.Teece et. al (1997) su ggests that competitive advantage can be sustained by improving efficiency. Hence, considering this theory McLaren could sustain their competitive advantage by improving their efficiencies continuously. Williams could have used the opportunities identified to develop strong architectural knowledge, which would not have been easily replicated by their competitors. The fact that all new technologies like ground effect, active suspension and semi-automatic gearbox were first developed by Williams was the differentiating factor from other racing constructors.Hence by Miller (2003)’s theory Williams needed to use that capability to sustain their competitive advantage. They needed to develop their innovative capabilities in a way that they could not be easily copied. They also needed to develop dynamic capabilities, in terms of other drivers, so that they had a replacement for Senna. To sustain competitive advantage after 2004, Ferrari needed to have dynamic capabilities, which wou ld help adapt their capabilities to the new rules. ConclusionFrom the study of the periods of dominance of various Formula One constructors, it can be concluded that each of the constructors had individual strengths, which they could have used as their core competencies and developed dynamic capabilities to be ahead of the competition. They need to focus on their unique resources, capabilities and develop unique activities, in relation to the competition, to gain competitive advantage. Success in Formula One is dependent on a variety of factors like the cars, the drivers, the management etc. Hence the constructors need to continuously improve their cars and retain their good drivers, to succeed.