Teen Driving Project

Teen crashes are a constant problem in our society. Teens are extremely likely to get into a crash within the first 6 months of driving. Teens forget to scan the road for hazards that may harm them, drive to fast for road conditions or being distracted. TeenDiving.com says that distractions, drowsiness, texting, and driving under the influence are the absolute main reasons for teen crashes. Anything from putting you makeup on to drinking alcohol, even to falling asleep, can seriously put your life in danger. An online poll of 16-19 year olds showed that over 50% admitted that they text while driving, this is completely unacceptable. When you know you are doing something that can kill you and you don't stop. Teens think they are invincible when they truly are not, and that's what they have to realize to stop they naive behavior.If they are in a crash they have to know that it is important to call the police if it is serious or if anyone is hurt. Also none of the cars should be moved b efore pictures have been taken or the police say that I is okay. It's important that you call the police before anyone else. Even if the other drive doesn't agree, some states mandate it. Then you can call your insurance agent and make any appropriate claims if needed.More teens should take a driver's ed class to learn more about benefitting their safety. Parents and teachers and even their old siblings can have a huge influence on them. Teens just need to be shown that a crash can be seriously bad for everyone in every way. Whether its some hurt or killed or someone's money going towards some else car. http://teendriving.com/driving-tips/on-the-road/#avoiding-accidentsThe problem can be solved by having more teens take drivers ed. I've learned so much from this class and it has made me I better driver. I encourage everyone every teenager to take this class. I personally plan to get my friends to sign up so that they can be safe as well. I feel like I can help them be a better drive r if they took the class and that they will benefit just as much as I did.

Lan-Based Computerized Office Equipment Borrowing System Essay

INTRODUCTION: Now a day, local area networking particularly computer jobs makes differences which are essential in our daily lives. Computer helps such an online marketing, online gaming as well as online reporting news updates to be specific. Local area networking also helps to do things in a short period of time. In fact computer change the lifetime state of the people in partnership himself and make it more essentials. LAN makes the industry more productivity in a way that some of the most companies used this to communicate more easier in terms of trading. As a result trading of products and equipments organized well and manageable. In reality, local area networking (LAN) is now part of our culture and industry, from the simple social works now enhanced and develops. One of that is Lan-Based Computerized Office Equipment Borrowing System which is used by the universities and also some big companies. In a ways that from the papers used to borrow, it becomes computerized to be more organized in borrowing equipments/items. A computerized borrowing system will even eliminated the rate of factual errors which are typically present in using manual process. It is helps to minimize the time consumption of gathering and borrowing equipments/items unlike on manual scheme. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY: Today we are living of the modern world, In fact technologies more enhanced, as the result it is now used in different kind of job, business, companies and big universities. In term of education, Lan-Based Computerize Office Equipment Borrowing System helps in transmission and borrowing data online to avoid some difficult circumstances and loss of that data and items not just in that mean but also to minimized the time consumption in gathering and borrowing equipments. In terms of business, Online Borrowing is also helps to minimized some factual errors which is typically found in manual transmission and borrowing of items and equipments. You can now also borrow books and some informative items used by the students online, with the help of Local Area Networking (LAN), the borrower will present his/her identification online with the help of LAN we can avoid the loss of items and data. We also we minimized the time consumption of borrowing and transferring item and equipments. Generally, Lan-Based Computerized Office Equipment Borrowing System helps in our lifetime it changes the lifetime of the people and makes it more essentials. Education, Big companies and universities are some of project beneficiaries. THEORITICAL FRAMEWORKS: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS: The following illustrations explain the existing system and how does the proposed system will improve the borrowing system in St. Catherine Institute of technology. Existing System: Figure no. 1 Manual Scheme of Student Examination Proposed System: Figure no. 2 Proposed System LAN – Based Student Examination System STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: 1. What is LAN – Based Computerized Office Equipment Borrowing System? 2. How the students rate the manual office equipment borrowing system? 3.1.1. Fair 3.1.2. Good 3.1.3. Satisfactory 3. What are the features of the LAN – Based Computerized Office Equipment Borrowing System? 4.1.4. Faster processing of borrowing request 4.1.5. More accurate borrowing schedule 4.1.6. Provides records of borrowing transactions 4.1.7. Establishes the formal approach of borrowing 4. Do you think it will be faster to trace delinquent borrower? * No   * Yes 5. Do you think it will be efficient and effective to both students and teachers to have this kind of program? 6. (LAN-BASED COMPUTERIZED OFFICE EQUIPMENT BORROWING SYSTEM) * No * Yes SCOPE AND LIMITATION: LAN – Based Computerized Office Equipment Borrowing System for SCIT covers only features the true identification of the students who have borrowed the equipment/item. This also covers the content of the items to be barrowed showed online. These systems help us to minimize the time consumption in terms of borrowing equipments. In assurance the people who`s responsible on borrowing data and equipment should only be used their true identification to avoid some difficulties and problem regarding equipment/item borrowing. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: This study benefits the STUDENTS, the INSTRUCTORS, the SCHOOL, the RESEARCHES and the FUTURE RESEARCHES. Students * This kind of program will very helpful to students because borrowing and returning equipments/items from office will be more easier, and because it is now computerized, students will not be confused on where or who to borrow. The student’s benefit it in terms of it minimized the time consumed on borrowing equipment. Instructors * The system gives the instructors assurance form the borrower because it’s all recorded form the program itself. Less time and avoid lost of the equipments/items borrowed. School * This study can promote the school by having an accessible and hassle-free computerized office equipment borrowing system. It can lead people, particularly students to enroll in this school. It also helps lessen the expenses because there will be no need of a lot of papers and record and personnel to manually identify all who’s borrow the equipment. Future Researchers * This study will also benefit the future researcher, because by this study, they can visualize and do a great research in the future. It can be a guide to their future study. DEFINITION OF TERMS: Chapter 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES Related Foreign Literature According to Robson (2001), usability is the key requirement for users, says Elisabeth Robson, Product manager for Online Library Center. The catalogue has become a way to pull together disparate resources, including commercial resources and web links. Management system also allows circulation, including check and in check libraries to purchase materials and track where they are. According to Chad (2009), consulting is at a major point in the wider information economy within which library system from part of a larger whole. He was writing in briefing paper about the study in library management system. This study examines the system used in higher education libraries across the UK and came up with some significant observation and recommendations. It noted that the LMS market in UK higher education is already and that four main vendors ( EXLibris , Innovative , SirsiDynix and Talis ) have almost 90 percent of the market. This market maturity means, according to the authors, that the benefits to libraries of changing LMS provider are limited. Library users expect to find the everything together says Stephen Abram, vice president for innovation at SirsiDynix, the leading provider of software solutions and associated service for libraries. According to her traditionally, the library management system or integrated library system (ILS) was responsible for running libraries efficiently and effectively. Over last few years the role of the ILS has been expanding from meeting the library need to delivering user experience. Local Literature According to Eden (2011), views that most libraries are forced to work with few staff because of having a more improved and modernized system for their library. According also to the study the library administration need to emphasize to their staff that the organization has vested interest in providing them with the tools and training they need to assist the organization in new information market place. These maybe include search engines, circulation system and the online access catalog. According to Lopez (2002), University of the Philippines Mindanao when UP in Mindanao accepted its first batch of student in 1996, the Main Library collection was integrated with the core collection with the core collection of the School Management ( SOM ) Library at the Stanfilco Bldg., Ladislawa Avenue , Buhangin, Davao City. The Filipiniana and General References were housed together with the Collage of Art and Sciences (CAS) collection room 2 of the Philippine Coconut Authority. In the second sem ester AY 1996 – 1997, the CAS Library moved to its main campus in Bago Oshiro. Upon recognition of UP in Mindanao by Board of Regents (BOR) as constituent unit (CU) of the UP system, the cast split into two namely: Collage of Humanities and Social. Sciences (CHSS) and the Collage of Mathematic. (CSM). The Main Library transferred to newly renovate building were in the main collection was set-up besides the books of the CHSS and the CSM. In July 2002, the library established the Library Educational Media Information Technology Office (LEMITO). The LEMITO handles the audio visual services, internet and the connectivity of the library. It currently holds the office at the Elias B. Lopez Hall Dormitory. Later, the main library collection which grew from 100 titles to 6,191 volumes at the end of May 2004, and was transferred to the Administration Bldg today, the Main Library occupies the former UP in Mindanao Cultural Center (UPMCC) building. Related Studies The study of Charuasia (2010) connotes the term library with use of automatic Data processing machines to perform routine library activities. It implies a high degree of Mechanization of various routine and repetitive tasks & operations and processes are left to be performed by human beings. The study stresses library automation as the application of computers and utilization of computer based products and services in the performance of different operations and functions or in the provision of various services and output products. In addition to computer advancement, telecommunication and audio-visual technologies gives a way to new possibilities in information processing and handling. The study of Back & Bailey (2010), explored the design space of mash-up techniques for the faultless inclusion of information from Web services into websites. They considered the cases where an Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) is either the target of such addition or the basis of the information bei ng included. They focused on client-side techniques in which each user’s browser contacts Web services directly because this approach lends itself to the creation of HTML widgets. The widgets allow the integration and customization of Web services without requiring programming. They also described in detail the functionality and use of several widget libraries and Web services we built. Although the specific requirements for each system differ because of their respective nature, all systems are designed to be deployable with minimum effort and resource requirements. This low entry cost, combined with the provision of a high-level, non-programming interface, constitute two vital precondition for the broad adoption of techniques in libraries, which in turn has the potential to vastly increase the reach and visibility of their electronic resources in the wider community.

People Behaviour Essay

Methodology is concern with both the detail research methods through with data is collected, and the more general philosophies upon which the collection and analysis of data are based. In methodology there are two types of research methods in which researchers can depend on when researching. These are â€Å"Quantitative† and â€Å"Qualitative† research. Quantitative research deals with a term which August Comte came up with, â€Å"Positivism.† This quantitative research deals with more scientific research than based on theory, it focuses on scientific methods of study. Despite the considerable influence of the ‘scientific’ approaches to sociological methodology, an alternative series of interpretive or qualitative approaches has long existed within sociology. Qualitative research often collects subjective data such as information about people’s emotions, feelings and values and also isn’t structure like quantitative research. Between both the ‘Quantitative and Qualitative research’, quantitative uses questionnaire to gather data. A questionnaire is a number of preset questions that can contain open-ended, fixed choice or combination of both types of questions. In this essay it would be shown that questionnaires cannot be used to capture the truth about people’s behaviour, but to an extent. In questionnaire research the same questions are usually given to respondents in the same order so that the same information can be collected from every member of the sample. There are many methods on how to distribute questionnaires. The first method would be the postal questionnaire, as the name suggests it is mailed to the respondents with a stamped address envelope for return to the researcher. Postal questionnaires are rather inexpensive, time consuming and has little less than fifty percent (50%) of  the questionnaires posted back. This would seriously bias the researcher research, since there may be systematic differences between those who returned questionnaires than those who did not. For example, the main response to a postal questionnaire on marital relationships might come from those experiencing marital problems and wish to air their grievance. If non-respondents were happily married, the researcher would be unjustified in making generalizations about married life on the basis of the return questionnaires. Therefore the researcher would not be able to analyse the questions clearly and would not be able to analyse properly the married couples who are happy, sad, frustrated or even devoice, because of the lack of questionnaires missing from married couples. Apart from the first method, the second method has a far higher return rate than the postal. This is because it is to administer the questionnaire to a group such as a class of students or workers at a union meeting. This method is less expensive and maintains the advantage of the presence of an interviewer. However, the interviewer must ensure that the respondents do not discuss anything while doing the questionnaire, due to the researcher would like the respondent own view and not from the help of others. This would therefore give the researcher an image towards how the respondent expresses themselves towards the questions within the questionnaire. The first two (2) methods that were stated above both used questionnaires mainly the first through postal and the second has an interviewer present at the time the questionnaires were given out. This method in the other hand is done through the telephone. This is mostly used in conducting of market research for companies, but it is not usually regarded satisfactory by sociologist. According to (Aldridge and Levine, 2001), it is hard to establish rapport in such interviews, disadvantage groups tend to be under-represented in samples, it is difficult to ask sensitive questions, respondents cannot be expected to remember a wide range of possible answers to fixed-choice questions, and visual aids cannot be used. This may make the respondent very uncomfortable and due to that they would not be willing to cooperate and answer the telephone questionnaire.  Therefore this may make it very hard on the researcher due to he or she would not be able to gain a proper response from the responden t. The fourth possibility is to administer questionnaires by e-mail. According to (Geoff Payne and Judy Payne, 2004), this may be a useful way of conducting dispersed groups of people, or those who might not wish to be questioned face-to-face. For example, it has been used in a study of people who committed self-harm. Although this method has its advantages, it also has its disadvantages. A problem of this is that genuine anonymity is difficult to assure since it is possible to track the source of an emailed response. Another big problem may be that the sample is restricted to those with access to computers and may therefore be unrepresentative, although the significance of this will diminish as the number of people without email and internet fails. This therefore would be a problem to the researcher because he or she may not be able to interpret the behaviour of the respondent towards the questionnaire and also the respondent may not take on the research seriously. These things hinder the researcher from collecting data towards his or her research. There are many reasons towards why questionnaires are inappropriate to capture the behaviour of people. But there are one or two reasons that could help the research in that, but only up to an extent. The second method that was stated can be of use in this by the interviewer watching every one’s reaction towards the questionnaire. This can determine the respondent answer by the feedback he or she gave during reading the questions. In conclusion, questionnaires can be used to capture people’s behaviour but to an extent. Yet it have been shown in this essay that you cannot simply capture someone behaviour with the use of questionnaires. It is due because the respondent can lie during the questionnaire or even the researcher would not get back a proper feedback to determine the respondent answer. In the end it has been shown that questionnaires cannot capture peoples’ behaviour.

The Problem of Scepticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Problem of Scepticism - Essay Example The problem of skepticism may be divided into ‘what’ can be known by a person because every individual has a certain amount of knowledge about plenty of things and most people presume a great number of things from the implications of the situation at hand. Some of these facts may seem to be so true to a person that anyone doubting them would be doing a very pointless job. For example, one writes with a pen on a paper; this is a very common aspect of daily living and it is not possible to be skeptic about such a statement because it is quite obvious that a pen is an instrument one uses to write on paper. However, it may so be understood that just because most people believe in a certain aspect of life, it may not actually be true. For example, earlier, people were under the impression that the world was flat and not round, however, science proved them wrong by making it clear that the Earth is round and it revolves around the sun unlike popular theory at the time accordin g to which the Earth was the major segment of the universe around which every star and planet revolved. Optical illusions are another aspect of beliefs that most people have which do not turn out to be true in the end. Sometimes people presume that they are seeing someone familiar from a distance however on coming closer they realize that they are mistaken about the same and that it is a different person. Optical illusions play tricks on a person’s eyes and make them believe in something that does not exist. It is possible to be skeptic about everything that occurs around oneself however, in that case, it will not be possible to believe in what the reality or actuality of the situation is. If one keeps going on about this fashion, then it might not be easy to understand when to stop questioning and when to start believing in what is happening around a person. A man will be caught up in infinite regress if he goes on doubting everything happening around him and will not be abl e to differentiate between an experience and an actual situation.  

Promoting Democracy in Cuba Annotated Bibliography

Promoting Democracy in Cuba - Annotated Bibliography Example The author points to limitations on both sides of the fence in terms of the absorptive capacity of the targeted country and the ability of the promoting country to provide appropriate support. He stresses the dangers that may result from over-selling democracy which may reduce a prospective country’s commitment to the process and refers to some of the problems that occur under perverse examples of democracy assistance and promotion. The author indicates that evaluating democracy assistance continues to be an extremely imprecise art which is affected by elements of doubt and offers assistance in terms of approaches to take in promoting democracy internationally. The following study looks at the future of democracy in Cuba and shows how active and direct democracy has worked against the Cuban communist regime. The author who is a lecturer at the University of Colorado indicates that the promotion of the democracy has led to changes in the political economic system in Cuba. The imposition of economic blockade by the United States government is both direct and active as the aim of this drastic measure is to place direct pressure on the Cuban government to change its political system. All countries depend on trade and the United States is a powerful trading partner with states such as Florida a stone throw away. The author also indicates that demise of socialist economic system in the Soviet Union has also had a devastating though indirect impact on Cuba because of the preferential trade agreements which the government of Cuba had with the Soviet bloc. This is indirect and passive because it is through the direct promotion of democracy in the Soviet Union that led to changes in the political economic system on Cuba. The fact that the Soviet Union no longer exists meant that the Cuban governm ent lost the support that allowed them to stave off some of the negative impact that the US economic blockade presented. Both of these have led

Bauhaus and Modernism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Bauhaus and Modernism - Essay Example In the humming windowless hallway leading to his office, he stops in front of a metal box full of chilled metal cylinders. He inserts several polished silver disks into a slot and pushes one of the glowing square buttons to receive a modern marvel of preserved mass-produced liquid. Entering his office, he settles back into a tubular metal chair and grabs one of the antiquated but comforting newspapers waiting on a nearby projection of the wall that serves him as a desk. As he sips his drink and scans the headlines, an article draws his eye because it is contained within a slightly shaded box and uses bold, sans-serif letters. The words inform him that inflation is causing the economy to collapse. Anxious to protect the small space he calls his own, the man then turns to the electronic box sitting on his desk as a faster and more focused means of gaining essential information. As he waits for the flickering lights to settle on his rectangular screen, he suddenly thinks about how much of his world is shaped by boxes. He realizes that they make him feel mundane and standardized and inwardly blames the Modernist movement that was born out of the Bauhaus. If he took the time to follow that line of thinking, though, the man would learn that the Bauhaus and the Modernist movement were focused instead on ideas of comfort and creative familiarity. The earliest elements of what today’s experts refer to as characteristics of the modern period arose through the combined energies of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

IRS and UBS Case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

IRS and UBS Case - Research Paper Example romised to back off of the demand of obtaining information about the remaining 42,000 accounts that were allegedly involved in illegal tax evasion activity. This settlement came following a case that was filed in the Southern Florida District court in America where the U.S government accused the United Bank Switzerland of aiding American citizens in illegal tax frauds. This case was filed by The Internal Revenue Service that claimed that UBS was helping its clients, an alleged 52,000 American citizens to escape from having to pay duly owed tax revenue to the IRS. This tax evasion probe let to a whirlwind case that was followed closely by a large number of people all over the world and brought to light the murky world of off-shore banking which has long been rumored to be a business which lets wealthy and the ultra-rich stash off their money in unknown overseas locations where they are virtually untraceable by tax-collectors and other government agencies. According to the United States law, a taxpayer who has a foreign account with more than $10,000 must file a Foreign Bank & Financial Account Report (FBAR) with the treasury by the 30th of June annually.(Gary S. Wolf Law Offices, 2009).These FBAR rules were established in 1970 as a part of the Bank Secrecy Act and since 2003, the Internal Revenue Service has been enforcing these laws. The IRS – a part of the Department of Treasury- received 322,000 FBAR’s in the year of 2007 and it still estimated that there were nearly 1 million overseas accounts held by American citizens out of which nearly 700,000 were undisclosed. The criminal penalties that can be issued for an undeclared foreign account and/or unreported income can be up to 24 years in jail. Filing false income tax returns and committing perjury in this case can result in a count of 1 felony and 3 misdemeanors against a person and can result in up to 14 years in jail and willful non-disclosure of a foreign account worth more than $10,000 can result in

Research Paper About The Business And Operations Of Fedex

About The Business And Operations Of Fedex - Research Paper Example In addition to that, FedEx bought Kinko’s in 2004 and rebranded the offering into FedEx Office. With this brand, the company provides office supplies and printing services to consumers including computer use products, USBs, paper, business and greeting cards, stationery, mailing boxes and supplies, etc. b. Role of technology FedEx uses topnotch technology and MIS in everyday business that allows tracking of big and small packages across the globe. With the most advanced telecommunications and computer networks in place, a customer is able to log into the FedEx online website and track the exact location of the shipment and have an accurate understanding of when the product will reach destination. FedEx also offers FedEx Ship Manager at fedex.com, FedEx WorldTM Shipping Software and well staffed call centers (fedex.com) for the help of customers in tracking their shipments. In addition to that, FedEx utilizes advanced software and programs to assist employees in their everyday work and to be more efficient. For corporate clients, the company has innovative products such as Critical Inventory Logistics service through FedEx Supply Chain. c. Product life cycle FedEx is a mature company that has been in business since 1973. FedEx is in the maturity stage, as shown in the diagram1. However, the company has managed through innovation, new product development, increased customer outreach and efficient business practices to expand this cycle with higher sales volume. d. Price elasticities The logistics industry is highly competitive with not only international players such as DHL, FedEx and Maersk but also an abundance of local (domestic) players in various countries. This means high price elasticity for some of FedEx products. In the U.S. market alone, the two biggest players are UPS and FedEx and customers switch between the two based on the product and service prices. e. Substitute products and service The logistics industry is directly related to businesses and consumer demand for their products. A logistics company is run on a huge investment and requires use of infrastructure. The occurrence of FedEx substitutes is limited to competition such as UPS and DHL; there are no real substitute options for logistics companies that can service the customer need satisfactorily. Market trends Economic activity has a direct impact on the demand for logistics and transport. The logistics industry sees a boom when economies are robust and active: businesses have consumer demand for their products and the timely delivery of the products is based on the performance of the transport company. Conversely, a slow or bad economy shows a sluggish demand for logistics services. The economic downturn of 2007 impacted the logistics industry in a negative way. With a recessing global economy, trade slowdown and conservative consumer demand, logistics industry also faced scarce demand. a. Consumer behavior FedEx has individual customers as well as business or corporate customers. Both types of consumers have a few definite needs. They want specialized, customized products that target their specific needs. While creating a customized product for a corporate customer is more feasible and cost effective than creating one

Models of Decision-Making Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Models of Decision-Making - Research Paper Example The Classical model of decision making can be utilized in the organization to make various business decisions (Li 1). This is a prescriptive method of decision making and assumes that managers are rational and logical in their decision making process and their decision will be governed by the best interests of the organization. My organization recently purchased new manufacturing equipments. The main problem was increasing costs of servicing the old machine, low output and raw materials wastage during the manufacturing process. The management made the decision by following the classical model since the purchase decision was rational. The management followed a clear sequential process of analyzing the costs involved in servicing the previous equipment and associated benefits (Li 2). The management also conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the new equipments by factoring all associated costs and expected output to the organization. The management also considered other alternatives incl uding upgrading the previous equipment or leasing the equipment from a third party. After the rational and sequential analysis of the decision criteria, the management found it prudent and reasonable to purchase the new equipment instead of upgrading or leasing one from third parties. The management later bought the new machine and made a follow up to ensure it met the objectives of the decision (Li 3). The administrative model is also refereed as the behavioral model or neoclassical model. There are numerous factors which determine how a problem or decision can be classified in to the classical model, administrative and political model. For the classical model, the decisions or problems will be classified in this model if the decision aims at accomplishing a particular well-known goal (Ayobami 1). The logical criteria for making the decision should be economic interest and the decision maker should be rational. There must be conditions of certainty including

Primitivism and Exoticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Primitivism and Exoticism - Essay Example If an entity is being adopted or being infiltrated in the other culture then the entity becomes foreign for that specific culture. Exoticism deals with the exotic adoptions in arts from diverse and previous cultures and incorporates it in the modern era of art. It demonstrates that â€Å"Exoticism is to space what Primitivism is to time†. However, Primitivism and Exoticism in the modern music congealed the preceded understanding of these two schools of thought in the modern art. Exoticism and primitivism in music do not only deal with foreign or previous contents and contexts but also utilized the developed outcomes of those contexts in the modern manner. This paper is aimed to discuss the association of Exoticism and Primitivism to the music in the era of modernism and it will be discussed in the light of chapter seven of the book Modernism and Music: Anthology of Sources by Daniel Albright. Primitivism The side of modern music which is embarked in the ideology of Primitivism is contained with some distinct traits which are not usually found in the conventional ideals of primitivism in other modern art forms like paintings. It can be understood by contrasting the two art forms in the domain of Primitivism. Primitivism in the art is accepted to be consisting on three major factors. These major factors are intensely separate in their realistic sense and concepts. However the modern primitivism does incorporate all three of these distinct factors which are fascination, the factor of disgust and a significant proportion of terror. Modern primitive art is formulated by the compilation of these three factors in which the pessimistic account is more illuminated than the optimistic shade of the demonstration. (Albright, 2004). Primitivism in modern music is significantly different from the other art forms regarding Primitivism. It can be said that Primitivism in music contains a less amount of pessimism as compared to the Primitivism in painting and literature. Musical primitivism is immensely based on research and this research involves the analyses of folksongs. The researchers of these folksongs realize the non modernity of those folksongs which were produced in the preceding times. The essence of Primitivism is steeped under the principle that the art of previous times must be adopted and demonstrated on the canvas of modern art in the modern times. Similarly, the Primitivism in modern music manifests the correspondence of preceding folksongs with a lesser of the dark side (Albright, 2004). Primitivism and Modernism Modernism is often described as the post feudal and post colonial era in which the preceding ideologies were replaced with the modern ideologies including the equality of mankind. The most fundamental change which is marked to be identified as the major change was the rise of capitalism and industrialization in the prominent parts of the world. This major change initiated the congealment of society by every possible aspect and perspective including the system of politics in the society, educational system and most importantly the art. The period of modernism is also known as the era of enlightenment in which many thinker and artists played there significant roles in their scope of excellence. Many of the artistic movements were formed and appreciated in

Close reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Close reading - Essay Example On arrival at the hotel, we were welcomed by a smartly dressed lady in a white shirt and blue nicely fitting skirt. I later learnt was a headwaiter. She welcomed us in a professional manner and showed us to an unoccupied table close to the counter. The waiter gave us the menu to go through and as if to save time, she went through it mentioning the main dishes offered as I perused with little attention to what she was saying until I heard her mention the word Balut. I paused to look at her and she went on to underscore how favorite the food was among many patrons in the hotel. I asked the waiter to tell me more about ingredients and preparation of Balut. She explained that a duck’s egg prepared in the Filipino traditional style was the core component of the food. She said the egg is boiled and served when hot or warm and that it may not be as delicious if served when cold. My friend nodded in agreement and with a suggestive smile took the menu from my hands. I was curious and wanted to know more because I did not know anything unique in a duck’s egg apart from the fact that it is usually bigger than that of a chicken. The waiter informed me that other accompaniments depend on the tastes and preferences of the customer, for example ground pepper mixed with sour milk that is not fully fermented, lemon chips or garnish. Rice can also be served together with balut. What amazed me is the simplicity with which the waiter explained to me as if I was a member of the South Asian immigrant community who know balut. The waiter also informed me that apart from being a delicacy, balut has therapeutic value, which is the feature that is mostly sought after by immigrant South East Asians. According to Cherry and Morris, balut is known to strengthen the human immune system and was cholesterol free. I felt that I had come to the right place

The Life and History of Aristotle Essay Example for Free

The Life and History of Aristotle Essay Aristotle was born in 384 b. c. in the small town of Stagira on the northeast coast of Thrace. His father was the physician to the king of Macedonia. It could be that Aristotles great interest in biology and sci ence in general was nurtured in his early childhood as it was the custom, according to Galen, for families in the guild of the Asclepiadae to train their sons in the art of dissection. When he was seventeen years old, Aristotle went to Athens to enroll in Platos Academy, where he spent the next twenty years as a pupil and a member. At the Academy, Aristotle had the reputation of being the reader and the mind of the school. He was profoundly influenced by Platos thought and personality even though eventually he was to break away from Platos philosophy in order to formulate his own version of certain philosophical problems. Still, while at the Academy, he wrote many dialogues in a Platonic style, which his contemporaries praised for the golden stream of their eloquence. He even reaffirmed, in his Eudemus, the very doctrine so central to Platos thought, the doctrine of the Forms, or Ideas, which he later criticized so severely. There is no way now to reconstruct with exactness just when Aristotles thought diverged from Platos. Platos own thought, it must be remembered, was in process of change while Aristotle was at the Academy. Indeed, it is usually said that Aristotle studied with Plato during Platos later period, a time when Platos interests had shifted toward mathematics, method, and natural science. During this time, also, specialists in various sciences, such as medicine, anthropology, and archeology, came to the Academy. This meant that Aristotle was exposed to a vast array of empirical facts, which, because of his temperament, he found useful for research and for his mode of formulating scientific concepts. It may be, therefore, that the intellectual atmosphere of the Academy marked by some of Platos latest dominant concerns and the availability of collected data in special fields provided Aristotle with a direction in philosophy that was congenial to his scientific disposition. The direction Aristotle took did eventually cause him to depart from some of Platos doctrines, though the degree of difference between Plato and Aristotle is still a matter of careful interpretation. But even when they were together at the Academy, certain temperamental differences must have been apparent. Aristotle, for example, was less interested in mathematics than Plato and more interested in empirical data. Moreover, as time went on, Aristotles gaze seemed to be more firmly fixed upon the concrete processes of nature, so that he considered his abstract scientific notions to have their real habitat in this living nature. By contrast, Plato separated the world of thought from the world of flux and things, ascribing true reality to the Ideas and Forms, which, he thought, had an existence separate from the things in nature. It could be said, therefore, that Aristotle oriented his thought to the dynamic realm of becoming, whereas Platos thought was fixed more upon the static realm of timeless Being. Whatever differences there were between these two great minds, the fact is that Aristotle did not break with Plato personally, as he remained at the Academy until Platos death. Moreover, throughout Aristotles later major treatises, unmistakable influences of Platos thought are to be found in spite of Aristotles unique interpretations and style. But his distinctly Platonist period came to an end upon Platos death, when the direction of the Academy passed into the hands of Platos nephew Speusippos, whose excessive emphasis upon mathematics was uncongenial to Aristotle, for which reason, among others, Aristotle withdrew from the Academy and left Athens. It was in 348/47 b. c. that Aristotle left the Academy and accepted the invitation of Hermeias to come to Assos, near Troy. Hermeias had formerly been a student at the Academy and was now the ruler of Assos. Being somewhat of a philosopher-king, he had gathered a small group of thinkers into his court, and here Aristotle was able for the next three years to write, teach, and carry on research. While at Hermeias court, he married this rulers niece and adopted daughter, Pythias, who bore him a daughter. Later, when they had returned to Athens, his wife died and Aristotle then entered into a relationship with Herpyllis, which was never legalized but which was a happy, permanent, and affectionate union from which there came a son, Nicomachus, after whom the Nicomachean Ethics was named. After his three years in Assos, Aristotle moved to the neighboring island of Lesbos, settling there for the time being in Mitylene, where he taught and continued his investigations in biology, studying especially the many forms of marine life. Here he also became known as an advocate of a united Greece, urging that such a union would be more successful than independent city-states in resisting the might of Persia. Then, in 343/42 b. c. , Philip of Macedon invited Aristotle to become the tutor of his son Alexander, who was then thirteen years old. As a tutor to a future ruler, Aristotles interests included politics, and it is possible that it was here that he conceived the idea of collecting and comparing various constitutions, a project he later carried out by collecting digests of the constitutions of 158 Greek city-states. When Alexander ascended the throne after his father Philips death, Aristotles duties as tutor had come to an end, and after a brief stay in his hometown of Stagira, he returned to Athens. Upon his return to Athens in 335/34 b. c. , Aristotle embarked upon the most productive period of his life. Under the protection of the Macedonian statesman Antipater, Aristotle founded his own school. His school was known as the Lyceum, named after the groves where Socrates was known to have gone to think and which were the sacred precincts of Apollo Lyceus. Here Aristotle and his pupils walked in the Peripatos, a tree-covered walk, and discussed philosophy, for which reason his school was called peripatetic. Besides these peripatetic discussions, there were also lectures, some technical for small audiences and others of a more popular nature for larger audiences. Aristotle is also said to have formed the first great library by collecting hundreds of manuscripts, maps, and specimens, which he used as illustrations during his lectures. Moreover, his school developed certain formal procedures whereby its leadership would alternate among members. Aristotle formulated the rules for these procedures as he also did for the special common meal and symposium once a month when a member was selected to defend a philosophical position against the critical objections of the other members. For twelve or thirteen years Aristotle remained as the head of the Lyceum, not only teaching and lecturing, but above all formulating his main ideas about the classification of the sciences, fashioning a bold new science of logic, and writing his advanced ideas in every major area of philosophy and science, exhibiting an extraordinary command of universal knowledge. When Alexander died in 323 b. c. , a wave of anti-Macedonian feeling arose, making Aristotles position in Athens very precarious because of his close connections with Macedonia. As Socrates before him, Aristotle was charged with impiety, but, as he is reported to have said, lest the Athenians should sin twice against philosophy, he left the Lyceum and fled to Chalcis, where he died in 322 b. c. of a digestive disease of long standing. In his will he expressed sensitive human qualities by providing amply for his relatives, preventing his slaves from being sold and providing that some of his slaves should be emancipated. As with Socrates and Plato, Aristotles thought was of such decisive power that it was to influence philosophy for centuries to come. From the vast range of his philosophy, we shall consider some aspects of his logic, metaphysics, ethics, politics, and aesthetics. ETHICS Aristotles theory of morality centers around his belief that people, as everything else in nature, have a distinctive end to achieve or a function to fulfill. For this reason, his theory is rightly called teleological. He begins his Nicomachean Ethics by saying that Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good If this is so, the question for ethics is, What is the good at which human behavior aims? Plato had answered this question by saying that people aim at a knowledge of the Idea of the Good. For him this supreme principle of Good was separated from the world of experience and from individuals and was to be arrived at by the minds ascent from the visible world to the intelligible world. For Aristotle, on the other hand, the principle of good and right was imbedded within each person; moreover, this principle could be discovered by studying the essential nature of man and could be attained through his actual behavior in daily life. Aristotle warns his reader, however, not to expect more precision in a discussion of ethics than the subject-matter will admit. Still, just because this subject is susceptible of variation and error does not mean, said Aristotle, that ideas of right and wrong exist conventionally only, and not in the nature of things. With this in mind, Aristotle set out to discover the basis of morality in the structure of human nature. Types of Ends Aristotle sets the framework for his ethical theory with a preliminary illustration. Having said that all action aims toward an end, he now wants to distinguish between two major kinds of ends, which can be called instrumental ends (acts that are done as means for other ends) and intrinsic ends (acts that are done for their own sake). These two types of ends are illustrated, for example, in every action connected with war. When we consider step by step what is involved in the total activity of a war, we find, says Aristotle, that there is a series of special kinds of acts, which have their own ends but which, when they are completed, are only means by which still other ends are to be achieved. There is, for one thing, the art of the bridle maker. When the bridle is completed, its maker has achieved his end as a bridle maker. But the bridle is a means for the horseman to guide his horse in battle. Also, a carpenter builds a barrack, and when it is completed, he has fulfilled his function as a carpenter. The barracks also fulfill their function when they provide safe shelter for the soldiers. But the ends here achieved by the carpenter and the building are not ends in themselves but are instrumental in housing soldiers until they move on to their next stage of action. Similarly, the builder of ships fulfills his function when the ship is successfully launched, but again this end is in turn a means for transporting the soldiers to the field of battle. The doctor fulfills his function to the extent that he keeps the soldiers in good health. But the end of health in this case becomes a means for effective fighting. The officer aims at victory in battle, but victory is the means to peace. Peace itself, though sometimes taken mistakenly as the final end of war, is the means for creating the conditions under which men, as men, can fulfill their function as men. When we discover what men aim at, not as carpenters, doctors, or generals, but as men, we will then arrive at action for its own sake, and for which all other activity is only a means, and this, says Aristotle, must be the Good of Man. How shall the word good be understood? As Plato before him, Aristotle tied the word good to the special function of a thing. A hammer is good if it does what hammers are expected to do. A carpenter is good if he fulfills his function as a builder. This would be true for all the crafts and professions. But here Aristotle distinguishes between ones craft or profession and ones activity as a person. To be a good doctor, for example, did not for Aristotle mean the same thing as being a good person. One could be a good doctor without being a good person, and vice versa. There are two different functions here, the function of doctoring and the function of acting as a person. To discover the good at which a person should aim, Aristotle said we must discover the distinctive function of human nature. The good person, according to Aristotle, is the person who is fulfilling his or her function as a person. The Function of Man Aristotle asks, Are we then to suppose that while carpenter and cobbler have certain works and courses of action, Man as Man has none, but is left by Nature without a work? Or, if the eye, hand, foot and in general each of the parts evidently has a function, may one lay it down that man similarly has a function apart from all these? Surely, man too has a distinctive mode of activity, but what is it? Here Aristotle analyzes mans nature in order to discover his unique activity, saying, first of all, that mans end is not mere life, because that plainly is shared with him even by vegetables, and, says Aristotle, we want what is peculiar to him. Next there is the life of sensation, but this again manifestly is common to horses, oxen and every animal. There remains then an active life of the element that has a rational principle. .. if the function of man is an activity of soul which follows or implies a rational principle then the human good turns out to be activity of soul in accordance with virtue. Since mans function as a man means the proper functioning of his soul, Aristotle sought to describe the nature of the soul. The soul is the form of the body. As such, the soul refers to the total person. Accordingly, Aristotle said that the soul has two parts, the irrational and the rational. The irrational part in turn is composed of two subparts, the vegetative and the desiring or appetitive parts. For the most part, these are something contrary to the rational principle, resisting and opposing it. The conflict between the rational and irrational elements in man is what raises the problems and subject matter of morality. Morality involves action, for nothing is called good unless it is functioning. Thus Aristotle says that as at the Olympic games it is not the finest and strongest men who are crowned, but they who enter the lists, for out of these the prize-men are selected; so too in life, of the honourable and good, it is they who act who rightly win the prizes. The particular kind of action implied here, if one has in mind Aristotles analysis of the soul, is the rational control and guidance of the irrational parts of the soul. Moreover, the good man is not the one who does a good deed here or there, now and then, but the one whose whole life is good, for as it is not one swallow or one fine day that makes a spring, so it is not one day or a short time that makes a man blessed and happy. Happiness as the End Human action should aim at its proper end. Everywhere people aim at pleasure, wealth, and honor. But none of these ends, though they have value, can occupy the place of the chief good for which people should aim. To be an ultimate end an act must be self-sufficient and final, that which is always desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else, and it must be attainable by people. Aristotle seems certain that all people will agree that happiness is the end that alone meets all the requirements for the ultimate end of human action. Indeed, we choose pleasure, wealth, and honor only because we think that through their instrumentality we shall be happy. Happiness, it turns out, is another word or name for good, for like good, happiness is the fulfillment of our distinctive function; or, as Aristotle says, Happiness is a working of the soul in the way of excellence or virtue. How does the soul work to attain happiness? The general rule of morality is to act in accordance with Right Reason. What this means is that the rational part of the soul should control the irrational part. That the irrational part of the soul requires guidance is obvious when we consider what it consists of and what its mechanism is. Referring now only to the appetites, or the appetitive part of the soul, we discover first that it is affected or influenced by things outside of the self, such as objects and persons. Also, there are two basic ways in which the appetitive part of the soul reacts to these external factors, these ways being love and hate, or through the concupiscent and irascible passions. The concupiscent passion leads one to desire things and persons, whereas the irascible passion leads one to avoid or destroy them. It becomes quickly apparent that these passions or capacities for love and hate, attraction or repulsion, creation or destruction, taken by themselves could easily go wild. In themselves they do not contain any principle of measure or selection. What should a person desire? How much? Under what circumstances? How should he relate himself to things, wealth, honor, and other persons? We do not automatically act the right way in these matters; as Aristotle says, none of the moral virtues arises in us by nature; for nothing that exists by nature can form a habit contrary to its nature. Morality has to do with developing habits, the habits of right thinking, right choice, and right behavior. Virtue as the Golden Mean Since the passions are capable of a wide range of action, all the way from too little to too much, a person must discover the proper meaning of excess and defect and thereby discover the appropriate mean. Virtue is concerned with our various feelings and actions, for it is in them that there can be excess and defect. For example, it is possible, says Aristotle, to feel the emotions of fear, confidence, lust, anger, compassion, pleasure, and pain, too much or too little, and in either case wrongly. To feel them when we ought to, on which occasions, toward whom, and as we should is the mean; that is the best state for people to be in, and this is virtue. Vice, again, is either extreme, excess or defect, and virtue is the mean. It is through the rational power of the soul that the passions are controlled and action is guided. The virtue of courage, for example, is the mean between two vices: namely, cowardice (defect) and foolhardiness (excess). Virtue, then, is a state of being, a state apt to exercise deliberate choice, being in the relative mean, determined by reason, and as the man of practical wisdom would determine. Therefore, virtue is a habit of choosing in accordance with a mean. The mean is not the same for every person, nor is there a mean for every act. Each mean is relative to each person inasmuch as the circumstances will vary. In the case of eating, the mean will obviously be different for an adult athlete and a little girl. But for each person, there is nevertheless a proportionate or relative mean, temperance, clearly indicating what extremes—namely, gluttony (excess) and starvation (defect)—would constitute vice for that person. Similarly, when one gives money, liberality, as the mean between prodigality and stinginess, is not an absolute figure but is relative to ones assets. Moreover, for some acts there is no mean at all; their very nature already implies badness, such as spite, envy, adultery, theft, and murder. These are bad in themselves and not in their excesses or deficiencies. One is always wrong in doing them. Deliberation and Choice There are in the rational soul two kinds of reasoning. The first is theoretical, giving us knowledge of fixed principles or philosophical wisdom. The other is practical, giving us a rational guide to our action under the particular circumstances in which we find ourselves, and this is practical wisdom. What is important about the role of reason is that without this rational element, we would not have any moral capacity. Again, Aristotle stressed that although we have a natural capacity for right behavior, we do not act rightly by nature. Our life consists of an indeterminate number of possibilities. Goodness is in us potentially; but unlike the acorn out of which the oak will grow with almost mechanical certitude, we must move from what is potential in us to its actuality by knowing what we must do, deliberating about it, and then choosing in fact to do it. Unlike Plato and Socrates, who thought that to know the good was sufficient to do the good, Aristotle saw that there must be deliberate choice in addition to knowledge. Thus, Aristotle said that the origin of moral action—its efficient, not its final cause—is choice, and (the origin) of choice is desire and reasoning with a view to an end. There cannot be choice without reason. And again, intellect itself moves nothing, but only the intellect which aims at an end and is practical. Morality and moral choice imply human responsibility. If some ways of behaving are right and others wrong, it is necessary to discover why a person acts in a wrong instead of a right way. If we are to praise or blame, praise virtue and blame vice, a person must be truly capable of making a choice. Aristotle assumed that an act for which a person could be held responsible must be a voluntary act. A genuine choice is a voluntary action. But not all our actions are voluntary. Thus, Aristotle said that praise and blame arise upon such as are voluntary, while for the involuntary allowance is made, and sometimes compassion is excited. The distinction, as he saw it, between voluntary and involuntary acts was in general this: Involuntary acts are those for which a person is not responsible because they are (1) done out of ignorance of particular circumstances, (2) done as a result of external compulsion, or (3) done to avoid a greater evil. Voluntary acts are those for which a person is responsible because none of these three extenuating circumstances obtain. The Virtues In a general way we have already defined virtue as the fulfillment of mans distinctive function and as the mean between extremes. Another way to describe Aristotles concept of virtue is to consider each virtue as the product of the rational control of the passions. In this way we can combine all aspects of human behavior. Human nature consists for Aristotle not simply in rationality but in the full range covered by the vegetative, sensitive or appetitive, and the rational souls. Virtue does not imply the negation or rejection of any of these natural capacities. The moral man employs all his capacities, physical and mental. Corresponding to these two broad divisions in man there are two functions of reason, the intellectual and the moral, and each has its own virtues. There are accordingly intellectual virtues and moral virtues. The intellectual virtues are philosophical wisdom and understanding and owe their birth and growth to teaching and learning. Moral virtue comes about as a result of habit, whence comes the name ethics (ethike), formed by a slight variation from the word ethos (habit). All the moral virtues have to be learned and practiced, and they become virtues only through action, for we become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts. The cardinal moral virtues are courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom. In addition to these, Aristotle considered also the virtues of magnificence, liberality, friendship, and self-respect. And although he acknowledged the central role of reason as a guide to practical and moral action, he nevertheless concluded that philosophic wisdom is superior to practical wisdom, that contemplation is most likely to lead to happiness. Contemplation Aristotle concludes that if happiness is the product of our acting according to our distinctive nature, it is reasonable to assume that it is acting according to our highest nature, and that this activity is contemplative we have already said. This activity is the best, says Aristotle, since not only is reason the best thing in us, but the objects of reason are the best of know-able objects. Moreover, contemplation is most continuous, since we can contemplate truth more continuously than we can do anything. Finally, we think happiness has pleasure mingled with it, but the activity of philosophic wisdom is admittedly the pleasantest of virtuous activities. POLITICS In his Politics, as in his Ethics, Aristotle stresses the element of purpose. The state, as man, is endowed by nature with a distinctive function. Combining these two ideas, Aristotle says that it is evident that the State is a creature of nature, and that man is by nature a political animal. So closely does he relate man and the state as to conclude that he who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god. Not only is man by nature destined to live in a state, but the state, as every other community, is established with a view to some good, exists for some end. The family exists primarily to preserve life. The state comes into existence in the first instance to preserve life for families and villages, which in the long run are not self-sufficing. But beyond this economic end, the function of the state is to ensure the supreme good of man, namely, his moral and intellectual life. Unlike Plato, Aristotle did not create a blueprint for an ideal state. Even though Aristotle viewed the state as the agency for enabling people to achieve their ultimate goals as human beings, he nevertheless realized that any practical theory of the state must take note of what kind of government is adapted to particular states [that] the best is often unattainable and that the legislator must be acquainted with which is best relatively to circumstances how a state may be constituted under any given conditions [and] how it may be longest preserved, concluding that political writers, although they have excellent ideas, are often unpractical. For these reasons, Aristotle had little patience with Platos most radical ideas. Ridiculing Platos arrangement for the abolition of the family for the guardian class and providing a public nursery for their children, Aristotle said that there is no reason why the so-called father should care about the son, or the son about the father, or brothers about one another. The communal ownership of property would likewise destroy certain basic human pleasures as well as engender inefficiency and endless disputes. Types of States Aristotle was willing to recognize that under appropriate circumstances, a community could organize itself into at least three different kinds of government. The basic difference among them is primarily the number of rulers each has. A government can have as its rulers one, a few, or many. But each of these forms of government can have a true or a perverted form. When a government is functioning rightly, it governs for the common good of all the people. A government is perverted when its rulers govern for their own private gain or interests. The true forms of each type of government, according to Aristotle, are monarchy (one), aristocracy (few), and polity (many). The perverted forms are tyranny (one), oligarchy (few), and democracy (many). His own preference was aristocracy, chiefly because even though ideally an individual of exceptional excellence would be desirable, such persons do not exist with sufficient frequency. In an aristocracy, there is the rule of a group of men whose degree of excellence, achievement, and ownership of property makes them responsible, able, and capable of command. Differences and Inequalities Because he relied so heavily upon his observation of things, it was inevitable that Aristotle would make some mistakes. Nowhere is this more true than in his estimate of slavery. Observing that slaves invariably were strong and large, he concluded that slavery was a product of nature. It is clear, said Aristotle, that some men are by nature free, and others slaves, and that for these slavery is both expedient and right. To be sure, Aristotle took great care to distinguish between those who become slaves by nature, a mode he accepted, and those who become slaves by military conquest, a mode he rejected. He rejected slavery by conquest on the highly defensible grounds that to overpower someone does not mean that one is superior to him in nature. Moreover, the use of force may or may not be justified, in which case enslavement could very well be the product and extension of an unjust act. At the same time, speaking of the proper treatment of slaves, he proposed that it is expedient that liberty should be always held out to them as the reward of their services. The fact is that in his own last will and testament, Aristotle provided for the emancipation of some of his slaves. Aristotle also believed in the inequality of citizenship. He held that the basic qualification for citizenship was a persons ability to take his share in ruling and being ruled in turn. A citizen had the right and the obligation to participate in the administration of justice. Since a citizen would therefore have to sit in the assembly and in the law courts, he would have to have both ample time as well as an appropriate temperament and character. For this reason, Aristotle did not believe that laborers should be citizens, as they had neither the time nor the appropriate mental development, nor could they benefit from the experience of sharing in the political process. Good Government and Revolution Over and over again Aristotle made the point that the state exists for the sake of mans moral and intellectual fulfillment. A state, he said, exists for the sake of a good life, and not for the sake of life only; also, the state is the union of families and villages in a perfect and self-sufficing life, by which we mean a happy and honourable life. Finally, he said, our conclusion is that political society exists for the sake of noble actions, and not mere companionship. Still, whether a state produces the good life depends upon how its rulers behave. We have already said that the perverted forms of government are distinguished from the true forms by this, that the good rulers seek to achieve the good of all, whereas the perverted rulers seek their own private gain. Whatever form a government has, it will rest upon some conception of justice and proportionate equality. But these conceptions of justice can bring disagreement and ultimately revolution. Democracy, as Aristotle knew it, arises out of the assumption that those who are equal in any respect are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal. On the other hand, Aristotle said oligarchy is based upon the notion that those who are unequal in one respect are in all respects unequal. Hence, being unequal in property, they suppose themselves to be unequal absolutely. For these reasons, whenever the democrats or oligarchs are in the minority and the philosophy of the incumbent government does not accord with their preconceived ideas, [they] stir up revolution Here then are opened up the very springs and fountains of revolution. Aristotle concludes that the universal and chief cause of this revolutionary feeling [is] the desire of equality, when men think they are equal to others who have more than themselves. He did not overlook other causes such as insolence and avarice as well as fear and contempt. Knowing these causes of revolution, Aristotle said that each form of government could take appropriate precautions against it; for example, a king must avoid despotic acts, an aristocracy should avoid the rule by a few rich men for the benefit of the wealthy class, and a polity should provide more time for its abler members to share in the government. Another precaution is to guard against the beginning of change. Most important of all, Aristotle urged that there is nothing which should be more jealously maintained than the spirit of obedience to law. In the end, men will always criticize the state unless their conditions of living within it are such that they can achieve happiness in the form of what they consider the good life.

The Southwest Airlines

The Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline. Southwest is the largest airline in the world by number of passengers carried per year (as of 2009). Southwest maintains the third-largest passenger fleet of aircraft among all of the worlds commercial airlines. As of May 3, 2009, Southwest operates approximately 3,510 flights daily. Southwest has its headquarters on the grounds of Love Field in Dallas, Texas. Southwest Airlines has carried more customers than any other U.S. airline since August 2006 for combined domestic and international passengers according to the U.S. Department of Transportations Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Southwest Airlines is one of the worlds most profitable airlines, posting a profit for the 37th consecutive year in January 2010. Southwests successful business model involves flying multiple short, quick trips into the secondary (more efficient and less costly) airports of major markets, and using only one aircraft type, the Boeing 737. The Southwest Effect The success and profitability of Southwests business model led to a common trend being named after the company, the Southwest Effect. Since Southwests original mission in Texas was to make it less expensive than driving between two points (in the early 1970s, during the first major energy cost crisis in the U.S.), it developed a template for entering markets at rates that allowed the airline to be profitable, yet only on the basis of lean operations and high aircraft use. The key concept to the Southwest Effect is that when a low-fare carrier (or any aggressive and innovative company) enters a market, the market itself changes, and usually grows dramatically. For example, when fares drop by 15% from their historical averages, the number of new customers in that market may not just double, but actually quadruple, or more. Southwest has been a major inspiration to other low-cost airlines, and its business model has been repeated many times around the world. Europes EasyJet and Ryanair are two of the best known airlines to follow Southwests business strategy in that continent (though EasyJet operates two different aircraft models today). Other airlines with a business model based on Southwests system include Canadas WestJet, Malaysias AirAsia (the first and biggest LCC in Asia), Sir Richard Bransons and Australias Virgin Blue (although Virgin Blue now operates two aircraft types), Qantass Jetstar (although Jetstar now operates two aircraft types), Thailands Nok Air, New Zealands Freedom Air, Mexicos Volaris and Turkeys Pegasus Airlines. Although Southwest has been a major inspiration to many other airlines including Ryanair, AirAsia and Jetstar, the management strategies, for example, of Ryanair, AirAsia and Jetstar differ significantly from those of Southwest. Goals and Objectives Ensure highest quality Customer Service in the air or on the ground. Ready to help customers under any circumstances. Are there to ensure you make it from point A to point B safely To stay the most successful with low-fare, high frequency point-to-point carrier. History of Southwest Airline Ø On February 20, 1968 the Texan Aeronautical Commissions approved plans to fly in 3 states, the c5eators are Rollin King and Herb Kelleher Expanded through 1980s to 1990s by 1993 Southwest Airlines could fly in 34 states in 15 states They also expanded into new destinations California, Northwest, Florida, East Coast The competitors could not keep up, 500 pound cockroach that was too big to stamp out: Ø While the airfare was dropping the traffic went up tremendously, in 1994 United started a shuttle service, the large air carriers were feeding traffic into transpacific and transcontinental routes, they could not keep up In 2004 Southwest Airlines is fourth largest domestic carrier, customer boarded In 2002 they traveled in 58 cities and 30 states, it has been 13 years in a row that they are profitable, even after September 11, 2001, net income fell 52.9 percent, Southwest was the only airline company that had a profit all the other companies were in the red Was the first airline to achieve the Triple Crown, they had five difference Triple Crown dedicated to the Employees of Southwest Airlines for their excellent achievements. Southwest Airlines Mission and Vision Statement Mission The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit. To give ordinary people the opportunity to fly. To the employees We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer. Vision To have a conservative increase growth, capitalize and cutback schedules of other airlines. To continue expanding conservatively in long-haul success. New Mission Statement Southwest Airlines is a company that is for anyone and every that wants to get from point A to point B by flying. Our service and philosophy is to fly safe, with high frequency, low-cost flights that can get passengers to their destinations on time and often closer to their destination. They fly in 58 cities and 30 states and are the worlds largest short-haul carrier and we make sure that it is run efficiently and in an economical way. Their technology is current such as our check-ins process is faster. Striving to expand and grow in a conservative manner is key, and being financially stable by keeping quality high and cost low. Their excellence is managing cost by our rapid twenty-minute gate turnaround, a non-stop flight with our airplanes, and a more productive workforce which keeps above our competitors. They treat our employees like customers, family and motivate and compensate them for doing a job well done. They continue to be in the Fortune Magazines most admired companies (2 nd in 2002) 100 best companies to work for. Since 1972 we have ranked first in Money Magazines featured in The 30 Best Stocks. In their communities they make donations to charities to organizations and people in time of need. New Vision Statement Their vision is to expand our locations both domestic and overseas by being the largest and most profitable airline company to achieve both short and long-haul carriers efficiently and with low cost. Also to be an airline carrier that has the most productive workforce to guarantee the best flight possible for each and every passenger. Acquisitions Morris Air One airline influenced by Southwest was Morris Air, founded in 1984 by June Morris and David Neeleman, based in Utah and operating in the northwestern U.S. Southwest Airlines purchased Morris Air and absorbed the capital and routes into its inventory and service. David Neeleman worked with Southwest for a short period. When his non-compete agreement expired, Neeleman founded JetBlue Airways, a competing airline that also incorporates (and in some ways, improves upon) many principles and practices pioneered by Southwest, including building a positive, warm employee culture and operating a simple fleet. Muse Air Southwest Airlines has mostly pursued a strategy of internal growth, rather than by acquisition of other airlines as commonly occurs. However, in addition to acquisition of Morris Air Transport (see above), Southwest did acquire competitor Muse Air in 1985, which operated McDonnell Douglas MD-80s. Muse Air was renamed TranStar Airlines. TranStar Airlines was then closed in August 1987. ATA Airlines Towards the end of November 2008, Southwest announced it was buying the operating certificate and the remaining assets of ATA Airlines. This acquisition transferred to Southwest Airlines ownership of New York LaGuardia slots formerly controlled by ATA. The transaction did not include any aircraft, facilities or employees of ATA. Political: Deregulation in 1978 1st big political win for southwest airlines. Government helped two major airlines get out of financial trouble after 9/11 attack. Economic: When economic conditions are unfavorable: Airliners very susceptible/vulnerable Discount airlines see profits People look for cheaper travel options Social: Flying on planes to get to where you need to be has been the norm for the last 30 years and will continue to be the norm in the foreseeable future. As more and more Spanish speakers come to live and travel in the US there is more need for airlines to be bi-lingual. Technological: Some airlines have converted to e-tickets, and have a self-checking machine. Many people use the internet to compare prices to find the best option for their trip. Environmental: Airlines have cut prices and offered expensive frequent flyer programs just to grab customers away from other airlines The regular airlines are starting to get away from the hub system and switch to the point to point system that southwest airlines uses. Legal: Legal issues have hindered airlines from making a full 9/11 recovery. Porters 5 forces Model Rivalry among competitors: There is high competition for Southwest airlines because other airlines are also there in US which are providing same services to the customers. Its main competitors are United airlines, Alaska airlines etc. Rivalry among competitors sets the price-Southwest Airlines is a discount airliner. Rivalry is increasing, as the market decreases, and competitors downsize, the competitors become more or less equal in size and capacity. This means that as economic conditions worsen, competitors downsize and then compete for the same remaining market. Threats of new entry: The threat of new entrants is low, the demand is not high. On top of that, there are hurdles, not necessarily the greatest; the FAA. Government regulations and restrictions imposed on those involved in this industry. Such would be government sanctions consequent of international issues. Threats of substitutes: Threats of substitutes is very high because many other form of transportation such as high speed trains, video conferencing, buses etc. While these alternates cannot offer the speed of travel, most of Southwest Airlines customers are attracted to the low price. Bargaining power of Buyers: The bargaining power of buyers is very high because many other airlines are present for which passengers can opt for instead of Southwest airlines. Suppliers include those who provide service/products necessary for Southwest Airlines to their business function. For Southwest Airlines, suppliers include mechanics (and other maintenance people), providers of fuel, food (the snacks that are offered). The suppliers do not have much bargaining power. Customers include both residential and commercial sectors. There is no bargaining power for customers, as there is no threat of backward integration; it is unlikely that customers of Southwest Airlines are going to build their own airplanes and fly themselves. Bargaining power of suppliers: The suppliers power is low for Southwest airlines because they have to charge the premium according to the strategy of competitors otherwise the passengers can switch off to the other airlines where he can have maximum benefits in terms of quality of service and the monetary value. BCG Matrix The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix is a simple tool to assess a companys position in terms of its product range. It helps a company think About its products and services and make decisions about which it should keep which it should let go and which it should invest in further. In 1970s, BCG experience curve work led to inside that has a significant impact on business thinking i.e. of rapid growth in market share was the important as the curve suggested then the usual approach resource allocation in which each business unit funded in on growth seems to be recipe for its failure. Business with low market share but high potential would never generate enough cash to win the race down the experience curve. Those with the high market share but few changes of growth would generate far more cash than those would use productivity. The BCG matrix can be diagrammatically represented as follow Question Marks Question marks are products that grow rapidly and as a result consume large amounts of cash, but because they have low market shares they dont generate much cash. The result is large net cash consumption. A question mark has the potential to gain market share and become a star, and eventually a cash cow when the market growth slows. If it doesnt become a market leader it will become a dog when market growth declines. Question marks need to be analysed carefully to determine if they are worth the investment required to grow market share. Dogs Dogs have a low market share and a low growth rate and neither generates nor consumes a large amount of cash. However, dogs are cash traps because of the money tied up in a business that has little potential. Such businesses are candidates for divestiture. Stars Stars generate large sums of cash because of t heir strong relative market share, but also consume large amounts of cash because of their high growth rate. So the cash being spent and brought in approximately nets out. If a star can maintain its large market share it will become a cash cow when the market growth rate declines. Cash Cows As leaders in a mature market, cash cows exhibit a return on assets that is greater than the market growth rate  ± so they generate more cash than they consume. These units should be  µmilked extracting the profits and investing as little as possible. They provide the cash required to turn question marks into market leaders. Strategies for Southwest airlines Ansoff Matrix Market Penetration Strategy Encouraging existing Customer to buy more Showing benefits for using more (associating freebies/extra service/membership with primary offering). Try to look for foreign entrants weakness. Product Development Seek additional distribution channels (More tie ups collaboration: Try seeking collaboration with international carriers, Bilateral discussions over seats and code-sharing between the carriers). New product development. Market Development Strategy Try to find out new customer group (Old-retired persons). Special offering for first time fliers. Diversification strategy May go for other services like international flights etc. (concentric diversification). May go for arrangement fashion shows (horizontal diversification). May go for other things, which can lure the youth. SWOT Analysis of Southwest Airlines Strengths Southwest has successfully adopted a cost leadership strategy. Southwest maintains operating expenses per available seat mile at 15-20% below average. The company has no baggage handling, no meals, no central reservations, and no assigned seats. Because all of its planes are Boeing 737s, maintenance, turnaround, and training costs are contained. The company has embraced technology that will reduce costs (e.g., ticketless travel). The company has a reputation for great customer service. 28 years of safe, reliable operations 5 consecutive years of Triple Crown Customer Service 5 consecutive years of record profits and 24 consecutive years of profitability Top ranking in the Airline Quality survey conducted by The National Institute for Aviation Research for two of the last three years A route system that has grown to 52 airport in 25 states, carrying more than 50 million customers on 243 Boeing 737 aircraft, etc. The company has a strong, fun-loving, employee-oriented culture. The companys mission statement focuses on these aspects of the business. The companys growth has been steady and planned. Southwest enters new markets only when they can achieve frequent flights. The companys marketing focuses on its low prices, convenience service and sophisticated combination of advertising, public relation and promotions. Weaknesses Gap between Southwest and the rest of the majors has narrowed as other carriers have attempted to emulate Southwest formula. Southwests competitors are offering shuttle services that compete directly with the company. They are also operating, investing in, and forming alliances with regional carriers. As the result of its steady, planned growth strategy, there are numerous untapped domestic markets Pilot and Flight Attendant Unions have increased salary and benefit packages to be the highest in the industry. Continued increases in Seat cost per Mile will not allow southwest to remain a low fare carrier. External Opportunities and Threats Opportunities There are opportunities for expansion to new markets. The new Boeing 737-700 has the ability to fly longer distances nonstop, which may change the definition of short haul. Demographic trends appear favourable to an airline focusing on price and reliability. The consumer continues to seek convenience and time savings. Flying, rather than driving, will meet that need if the price is right and the airline is reliable. The competition is looking to international, rather than domestic markets, for growth opportunities. Improved computer technology will allow more ticketless transactions and reservations made by PC. Threats Southwests ability to hold the line on costs will impact its cost leadership position. The largest cost component is labour. This cost could be impacted by union actions, which cover 85% of Southwests workforce. The second largest cost component is fuel, which could be negatively impacted by economic or political events. Government regulation could hinder Southwests ability to control costs, control fares, or enter new markets. Recent government crackdown on safety (e.g., insulation, cargo fire detection) means costly retrofits. Proposed re-regulation would limit existing firms ability to respond to under-pricing by new companies. Prior to deregulation in 1978, carriers were limited in their ability to enter new markets. The government recently proposed an increase in facility tax rates, which would have resulted in higher costs. Improved telecommunications may lower demand for air travel, or may lower demand for discount airlines. E-mail and teleconferencing can result in less need to travel. Consumers may demand personal technology on planes, such as movies, phones, games, etc. Alternative forms of transportation, such as a high-speed railway, could weaken demand for air travel. Also, if the economy weakens, people may choose to drive rather than fly. Southwest would be hurt if the public perception were that low price equates to low quality. Competitive Advantage for Southwest airlines Focus on Customer Service. Embracing the New economy through the use of internet tickets sales. Focus on lowest cost fares. Internal demand Keeping fares lower through cost reduction methods Lowest cost due to no assigned seating No meals on flights Lower overhead expenditures Use Hubless system to reduce costs

How to Overcome Ethnocentrism

How to Overcome Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism is when one tends to judge other ethnic or cultural groups according to the dominant, or superior, culture in which they belong. This judgment places special concern on behavior, customs, language, and religion. To overcome ethnocentrism through communication, one must first have an open mind in order to develop cultural awareness and sensitivity to others. To even the most highly motivated individuals wanting to reduce or eliminate their ethnocentrism, this is not an easy task. Efforts must be made to increase knowledge about cultural differences and similarities in order to have a better understanding of the need for a diverse population and to help overcome any prejudices. You may need to change lifelong beliefs about yourself and your culture. Moreover, recent research suggests that people often have beliefs and biases that theyre not even consciously aware of and that may even conflict with the beliefs they think they have. (Thill and Bovà ©e, 2008, pg 75) Some ways in which to learn about other cultures would be to read foreign books, learn a foreign language, browse foreign internet sites, watch foreign movies or television, attend services from another religion, travel or study abroad, learn to appreciate cultural music, or join cultural clubs to cultivate friendships. A degree of ethnocentrism is natural when being introduced to a different culture. Fortunately these cross-cultural barriers can be overcome through exposure. In my life experiences, prejudices have simply been nothing other than fear of the unknown. Explain the eight main types of cultural differences. Provide an example of each (5 points). When communicating in a diverse world, one must recognize and accommodate cultural differences to avoid the chance of any misunderstandings. There are eight main types of cultural differences: contextual, legal and ethical, social, nonverbal signals, age, gender, religion, and ability. Any attempt at communicating, cultural context plays a role in. Cultural context is the pattern of physical cues, environmental stimuli, and implicit understanding that conveys meaning between two members of the same culture. (Thill and Bovà ©e, 2008, pg 76) There are two types of cultural context, high-context and low-context. As an example, in a high-context culture, ones position and status is valued more highly than their competence, whereas in a low-context culture, ones competence, position and status are valued equally. Cultural context also affects legal and ethical differences. In a high-context culture, verbal agreements are viewed as more important than written agreements, and in a low-context culture, a written agreement is binding, with little to no value placed on a verbal agreement. The nature of social behavior differs between cultures, and at times, quite markedly. A good example of this difference is in a high-context culture, time is often seen as more flexible, meaning late schedules or appointments are overlooked in order to maintain relationships, whereas in a low-context culture, schedules, appointments, and deadlines have rigid requirements. Being late might be seen as disrespectful, lazy, or incompetent, and normally unacceptable. Nonverbal differences could be grouped along with social differences as they are both a type of behavior, but can also differ quite markedly between cultures. Examples of these differences can include greetings such as a handshake, possible intrusion of personal space, facial expressions, eye contact or posture. The remaining four differences, I believe could be grouped together, as each one, age, gender, and ability are things that one cannot change in themselves. Even though I feel religion should be a choice, in some cultures that it not allowed. All four of these differences have the potential to bring about controversy while communicating. Some cultures give the most respect, power, and freedom to their elders, while other cultures believe that the younger generation can bring fresh ideas and creativity to the table. Some cultures allow more women to hold executive positions, while others still believe men should hold the positions of authority. While some cultures find people with impaired abilities a significant disadvantage and may not give them equal opportunities, other cultures recognize these individuals as an opportunity to help them with tasks that they find difficult or almost impossible to perform, and can possibly lead to finding new inventions in which to aid these individu als. Some cultures believe they should be allowed to express their religious beliefs in any environment, while others do not believe in openly expressing themselves so as to avoid friction between individuals. In todays economy, anyone who can make a contribution that has a positive impact on society should be allowed, but we all must learn to see past our cultural differences. List and discuss the important components of successful intercultural communications (5 points). Intercultural communication is difficult and in order to communicate successfully, there are barriers we must work through. Important components of communicating successfully are to research and study other cultures and languages, learn to respect preferences for communication styles, learn to write and speak clearly and listen carefully, and help others adapt to your culture. Learning just the basics of any culture, even common phrases, can help get you through everyday situations. There are many ways of researching and studying other cultures and their languages from reading books, to watching movies, traveling to another country, or even taking classes to learn a second language. Knowing the communication style of a culture is particularly important in effectively communicating, whether it be verbally, or nonverbal. Learning other communication style also shows that you respect their culture. Writing and speaking clearly and listening carefully are also a part of effective communication. If youre in a meeting, making a presentation, or listening to a presentation, in order to give or get appropriate and realistic feedback, you must be an effective writer, speaker, and listener. One word can have different meanings to different cultures. When helping others adapt to your culture, both can learn which forms of communicating are easier for each culture w ritten or oral. Since successful communication plays such a vital role in todays society, it is imperative that any stumbling blocks be overcome so there can be a win-win situation for everyone involved. List the seven components of writing and speaking clearly. Provide an example of each (5 points). In learning to write and speak clearly, it is recommended one follow these seven components: 1) Use simple and precise language; 2) Be brief; 3) Use transitional elements; 4) Address international correspondence properly; 5) Cite numbers and dates carefully; 6) Avoid slang, idiomatic phrases, and business jargon; and 7) Avoid humor and other references to popular culture. Listed here are samples for each component: 1) the word run, used as a verb or noun, would have over 40 distinct meanings, where the word taxi, which may differ slightly in spelling would tend to be recognized as the same meaning; 2) organize your thoughts and materials to eliminate any redundancy so your information can be conveyed in the shortest and simplest way possible, and if need be, break information into smaller sections to help readers capture your message; 3) using transitional words and phrases such as even though, furthermore, because of all this helps readers understand what they are reading; 4) be sure you correctly use all address elements for a country, e.g. (city + hyphen + postcode), and another country may use (city + state (abbrev.) + postcode); 5) a date written as 1/2/03, in one country may mean the first of February, 2003, but in another country mean the second of January, 2003; 6) such idiomatic phrases as its on the tip of my tongue should be avoided as your audience may not have any idea what you mean; and 7) what is funny to one person can be entirely different from what the next person thinks. Lets say making a joke about a popular entertainer like why was Lady Gaga carried on stage in an eggshell and dressed like a newborn. This would most likely be completely alien to your audience. So unless you are familiar with your audience, it is best to avoid humor altogether. When communicating in intercultural conversations, whether speaking or writing, remember to become familiar with their communication style and adapt accordingly, and to follow the seven components of writing and speaking clearly. On page 94 of your text, do exercise 3.1 (Intercultural Sensitivity: Recognizing Variations). Be sure to provide a rationale for your answer and use citations or references to the text or other materials to support your answer. You may find it helpful to visit your textbook Web site and go to the Featured Web Sites section for Chapter 3, then visit the Executive Planet Web site for some additional information about communicating in a business setting with specific countries. (10 points) A Canadian toy company representative, Ms. McGraw, is in a first negotiations business meeting with Mr. Morioka, a manufacturer of miniature truck wheels in Osaka, Japan. Ms. McGraw has just finished explaining her companys expectations for the design process, the materials procurement, and aggressively emphasizing their willingness to close the deal by laying their contract out on the table. Mr. Morioka is increasingly vague in his response to accept the contract by saying softly, perhaps that will be difficult, shows little interest in the negotiations, and Ms McGraw doesnt understand why. One possibility of a cultural difference that could be affecting their communication is the fact that women still dont play a prominent role in business, and woman executives who visit those countries may find that theyre not taken seriously as businesspeople. (Thill and Bovà ©e, 2008, pg 78) Age difference could also have an effect because in the Japanese business culture, elders are valued for their wisdom and experience they bring to the company. Another possibility could be in nonverbal communication such as how they are greeted or if there is a lot of direct and frequent eye contact. The Japanese traditionally prefer a slight bow of the head and eye contact can be considered aggressive. (Thill and Bovà ©e, 2008, pg 80) All aspects of Japanese life, especially business relations, are governed by strict rules of etiquette. A foreign business person who is either ignorant of, or insensitive to, Japanese customs and etiquette needlessly jeopardizes his companys prospects in this country. (Japanese Customs, Etiquette, and Culture, http://www.buyusa.gov/japan/en/customs.html)