What do the French, Italian and British economies tell us about the Essay

What do the French, Italian and British economies tell us about the extent to which there has been a convergence in the character of business systems across Europe - Essay Example The markets in Western Europe have been strong, active and stable for quite a long time.The countries in Central and Eastern Europe have to catch up. The introduction of Euros as common currency has already begun the gravitation process towards strengthening of the whole European market.The convergence in business systems across Europe has been the natural consequence of the European Union and its predecessors. There has never been a time in history when business convergence in Europe was as steadfast and purposeful as in the present. The factors responsible for this phenomenon are manifold. Some factors like the establishment of European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in 1959, followed by the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1961, and the current European Union (EU) are visible, and there are others such as the impact of globalization on Europe whose full impact have yet to be assessed holistically.Since the formation of the European Union, the European nations have diverted thei r resources and exports from the global market to the European market. Britain's example of trade shift from United States to the European Union is significant. Also, the effort to converge educational facilities in Europe is a welcome development. (European Convergence Reaches Higher Education).France, Italy and Britain are among the top and largest economies in the world. Over 50% of Britain's exports is now concentrated within EU. Also, in the cases of France and Italy, major business partners constitute the EU nations and USA. (Background Notes: France and Italy). In a broader context, the business systems the world over have converged significantly as a result of globalization and the effects of mergers and acquisitions. The markets in Western Europe have been strong, active and stable for quite a long time. However, the countries in Central and Eastern Europe have to catch up. The introduction of Euros as common currency has already begun the gravitation process towards strengthening of the whole European market. (Claire Smith). 3. Why Convergence The economies of Europe are laden with the twin responsibilities of addressing the needs of their own nation at home and also with their obligations to the EU. Agriculture, industry, economy, travel, methodologies, and every other aspect of the way things are done are traded within the EU as first preference. Moreover, innovation and advanced research are the key cornerstones. (President Chirac's wide-ranging interview). However, the industry has shifted focus on value more than competition in order to survive. Large corporations that were once avowed rivals merge or acquire the other. Behemoths like Corus were taken over by outside players like the Tatas of India. They read the clear message on the wall. Deliver or disappear! The market of the day is highly oriented towards value and innovations. The consumer has become extremely aware of the innovative nature of some industries like telecommunications and has high expectations. The telecom and information industries have done their bit by introducing new devices and schemes every now and then further whetting the consumer's

Higher education Essay Example for Free

Higher education Essay Scholarship plays an important role in the life of every human being whether men or women. This section of the blog focuses on those Indian scholarships and grants which are provided specifically to women. Generally financial aids for women are designed with a unique objective whether it is to encourage women to become leaders in their respective fields, research and development programs, doctoral schemes and many more in order to lead a brightful career. Several organizations of India have came forward in order to provide excellent scholarship opportunities to women such as DST, UGC, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Government of India, Mumbai School of Business, ISM Dhanbad, etc. These Indian scholarships offers strong financial support to women and will help them to fulfill their dreams. Please have a look on the below listed financial aid opportunities and search out the appropriate scholarship. 1. Scholarship Program: DST Women Scientists Fellowship Scheme Employer: DST Level of Study: Research Fellowship. Brief Scholarship Description: The Fellowship Scheme for Women Scientists for societal programmes is initiative of the Department of Science Technology. This scheme is addressed to women scientists and technologists who have â€Å"break in their careers† due to social responsibilities but have desire to return to mainstream science and work as bench-level scientists. All those women having a burning desire to utilize their scientific acumen through active research and development projects which are aimed at meeting societal needs and aspirations are eligible. Women scientists desiring to apply for this scheme are required to develop their own research project / proposals demonstrating science and technological applications for societal benefits. Scholarship Website: http://www. dstwosbari. org/ 2. Scholarship Program: L’Oreal India For Young Women in Science Scholarship Programme Employer: L’Oreal India Level of Study: Research Brief Scholarship Description: L’Oreal India For Young Women in Science Scholarship Programme encourages and supports young women from Delhi/NCR or Maharashtra to pursue careers in science. The Programme was instituted in 2003 and has consistently helped young women to pursue scientific research and development. A scholarship of Rs. 250,000/- each is granted to 10 promising young women and covers college fees for study in any scientific field in a recognized college or university in India. Scholarship Website: http://www. foryoungwomeninscience. com/ 3. Scholarship Program: Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child Employer: UGC Level of Study: Postgraduate. Brief Scholarship Description: University Grants Commission invites online applications for the award of Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child for the academic session 2011-13 with the purpose of supporting post-graduation education through scholarships to such girls who happen to be the only child in the family. Scholarship Website: http://www. ugc. ac. in/notices/SGC201113. pdf 4. Scholarship Program: Fair Lovely Foundation Scholarships Employer: Fair Lovely Foundation. Level of Study: Graduate, Postgraduate Doctorate Brief Scholarship Description: Fair and Lovely Scholarships 2012 are awarded to women only. The Fair Lovely Foundation provides scholarships worth up to Rs. 1 lakh each year for deserving girl students from low-income families who display an excellent academic track record, as well as social initiative and drive. Scholarship Website: http://www. fairandlovely. in/fal_foundation/scholarship_eligibility. aspx 5. Scholarship Program: Indian Oil Academic Scholarships. Employer: Indian Oil Corporation Limited Level of Study: Bachelors Masters Brief Scholarship Description: Indian Oil Corporation Limited – India’s largest commercial enterprise and No. 1 Indian Company in Fortune ‘Global 500? listing under its Corporate Social Responsibility Programme is awarding Educational Scholarships to meritorious students across the country with special encouragement to girls physically challenged. Scholarship Website: http://www. iocl. com/Aboutus/Scholarships. aspx 6. Scholarship Program: Lila Poonawalla Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship in Engineering Employer: Lila Poonawalla Foundation Level of Study: Undergraduate Brief Scholarship Description:The scholarship is for a period of four academic years and is subject to the candidate passing in all subjects and securing a minimum overall score of 60 % marks each year in the same college. For each subsequent year, the candidate will have to submit the college mark sheet for verification before raising the claim. Scholarship Website: http://www. lilapoonawallafoundation. com/pages/UGscholarshipcriteria. aspx 7. Scholarship Program: Lila Poonawalla Foundation Scholarship for Post-Graduate studies in India or abroad Employer: Lila Poonawalla Foundation Level of Study: Postgraduate Brief Scholarship Description: Applications are invited for Post-Graduate studies in India or abroad in any discipline, for the academic year 2012 – 2013 from Pune District. Those who have completed their graduation or has appeared for the final year examination they only can apply for LPF Scholarship. (Only those candidates who will pursue their first year post graduation in academic year 2012 will be able to apply for scholarship) Scholarship Website: http://www. lilapoonawallafoundation. com/pages/Postgraduatescholarship. aspx 8. Scholarship Program: Women Scientists Scheme (WOS-C) Training, India 2012 Employer: Government of India Level of Study: Training. Brief Scholarship Description: â€Å"Women Scientists Scheme (WOS-C)† on IPR, a scheme of Department of Science Technology, Government of India for the women scientists is being implemented by Patent Facilitating Centre (PFC) of Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC). The scheme aims to train women scientists having qualifications in science / engineering / medicine or allied areas in the area of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and their management for a period of one year and eventually develop a pool of women scientists geared up in creating, protecting and managing intellectual property in India. Scholarship Website: http://www. tifac. org. in/images/pdf/advt_wos12. pdf 9. Scholarship Program: Girl Genius Scholarship Employer: Mumbai School of Business Level of Study: Master Brief Scholarship Description: Mumbai School of Business has initiated two unique scholarships to empower the most deserving female student. The scholarships are Girl Genius for Poor Girls and gifted girls who have financial problems and can’t afford education The main focus is providing better education a career opportunities to young women in the 21st century. The girl students are selected on merit-cum-need basis throughout the world. Scholarship Website: http://www. msb. edu. in/gggs. html 10. Scholarship Program: Budhwanti Mrig Memorial Educational Scholarship (For girl students) Employer: ISM Dhanbad Level of Study: Graduate and Postgraduate Brief Scholarship Description: The number of scholarships covers 2 each year starting from 1st Year girls in 2009-10 which will be followed by renewal and fresh award number increasing to 8 after 3 years. The value of scholarship is Rs. 4000/- per month Scholarship Website: http://www. ismdhanbad. ac. in/student/scholarship. htm 11. Scholarship Program: Girl Genius Scholarship Employer: College of Hospitality and Tourism Level of Study: Higher Education Brief Scholarship Description: In association with the FICCI Ladies Organization Girl Genius Scholarship has been established to award deserving young women demonstrating scholastic ability, leadership, and innovative thinking. These national scholarships seek to encourage young women aspiring to advance their education. The awardees will be given tuition waiver and free residency for three years to pursue their higher education. Scholarship Website: http://www. chat. edu. in/scholarships. html Read more at AcademicJobs. in Scholarships in India for Women : AcademicJobs. in Career Blog India http://academicjobs. in/blog/scholarships-in-india-for-women/2012/06/#ixzz2Pyr.

Runaway Statues: Platonic Lessons on the Limits of an Analogy :: Philosophy Plato Analogy Essays

Runaway Statues: Platonic Lessons on the Limits of an Analogy ABSTRACT: Plato’s best-known distinction between knowledge and opinion occurs in the Meno. The distinction rests on an analogy that compares the acquisition and retention of knowledge to the acquisition and retention of valuable material goods. But Plato saw the limitations of the analogy and took pains to warn against learning the wrong lessons from it. In this paper, I will revisit this familiar analogy with a view to seeing how Plato both uses and distances himself from it. Plato's best-known distinction between knowledge and opinion occurs in the Meno. The distinction rests on an analogy that compares the acquisition and retention of knowledge to the acquisition and retention of valuable material goods. But Plato saw the limitations of the analogy and took pains to warn against learning the wrong lessons from it. In the next few pages I will revisit this familiar analogy with a view to seeing how Plato both uses and distances himself from it. Recall Plato's analogy. To acquire an untied work of Daedalus is not worth much, like acquiring a runaway slave, for it does not remain, but it is worth much if it is tied down, for his works are very beautiful. What am I thinking of when I say this? True opinions.(1) When one owns a valuable statue fashioned by a great artist, one becomes responsible for its security. So life-like it is that it may "run away and escape," jokes Plato, the point being that because fine statues are attractive to other people, their owners must take precautions against their loss by tying then down. Opinions, on this analogy, are potentially flighty, like a slave who runs away from an owner. A slave who runs away is, from the slave-holder's point of view, "worthless." Plato writes, For correct opinion, as long as they remain, are a fine thing and all they do is good, but they are not willing to remain long, and they escape from a man's mind, so that they are not worth very much until one ties them down by (giving) an account of the reason why... After they are tied down, in the first place they become knowledge, and then they remain in place. That is why knowledge is prized higher than correct opinion, and knowledge differs from opinion in being tied down.(2) A valuable statue bought and put in a garden must be "tied down.

A Universal Game of Literacy Essay -- Reading Writing Language Essays

A Universal Game of Literacy "The blank page is nothingness-the silence- on which the words enact their epic journey, which is both a quest for a meaning and a creation of meaning." O. B. Hardison The Bible introduced the concept of God as a creator of the universe. In contrast, Darwin's theory supplanted the idea of a single creator orchestrating all extant processes by affirming the role of chance in shaping the reality. According to Darwin's story, random events create chaos in the universe and then re-establish order characterized by certain patterns of life. Like the changes in the environment, the emergence of specific patterns cannot be predicted. Yet, no matter how chance might shape reality, language adapts to mirror all of the changes. Consequently, by molding language to reflect the emerging patterns of life, chance begets new meanings. Building bridges between time and space and arranging the patterns created by chance inside these domains, language contains the expression of meanings. Therefore, using language to describe the surrounding world, we control the universe. The role of language in the formation of reality also makes us reconsider our notions of self an d freedom. Fueled by chance, random memes generate new patterns. As Dennett contends, memes need human minds in order to live and "reproduce" (give rise to a new idea, thought or meme). As soon as a meme assumes a trivial meaning, it is supplanted by other memes. Once a meme is anchored in a brain, it is "processed" and changed in compliance with the idiosyncrasies of that particular brain. Then, it is passed to other brains. According to this description of memes, an individual cannot generate germinal memes without being influenced by ... ...ht in an effective way, those who have mastered to the art of expression elicit emotions and thoughts from the audience. The ability to achieve this grants immortality to the text and its creator. Random events inspire new meanings, contained in words. Arranging words to transmute time and space, people manage to control the universe. Giving us the freedom of thought, language allows us to impose order on the surrounding world, thus enabling us to create reality and grow. Having the ability to transmute the environment according to our own volition, are we free to do whatever we want? Are we entitled to the right to do so? References: Daniel Dennett, Darwin's Dangerous Idea (New York, N.Y.: Touchstone books, 1996) George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-four (London: Penguin Books, 1990) Jonathan Culler, Literary Theory (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000)

Healthy Living Essay

Why is a healthy lifestyle so important for us? It is important because it can help us to avoid the disease and illnesses such as hypertension and cancer. Having a healthy lifestyle also makes the life become more enjoyable and the most important thing is a way to keep our body in good condition in order to accomplish day-to-day tasks. When you’re living a healthy lifestyle in your future, it will make all of us have a healthy body and mind. It is also very important to have a healthy lifestyle because it will save your life in the future. By living a healthy lifestyle you will be fit and you’re able to do things that you have never done before, or even thought about. In addition, there are several ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle that is exercise, eating healthy and reducing stress. Exercising regularly is very important because through exercise it can boost the metabolism in our body. It also can help us burn off the excess calories in body and increase the mobility in our muscle and joints. Next, eating healthy is also a very important way. Eating healthy does not mean eating expensive food with little waste. We should choose to eat the food that contain minimal amount of unhealthy fats. We must also choose to eat a variety of different whole foods instead of eating processed foods. Last but not the least, healthy lifestyle can bring us lots of benefits that we can’t be expecting. Managing your weight is the key to obtaining all of the health benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle. A weight reduction of just 10% will significantly reduce risk of heart disease and other obesity-related illnesses. The other benefits are reduced tension and blood pressure. There are so many ways to having a healthy lifestyle and we can take more benefits from having a healthy life. So, let’s practice this healthy lifestyle by doing exercise regularly, have enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, and stay away from unhealthy habits such as consume junk food, and don’t ever having a lot of stress. Be healthy, be happy. Sources: www.health.com www.wholeliving.com www.healthylivingforlife.com www.shape.com

Word Choice in English Composition and Literature

Word Choice in English Composition and Literature The words a writer chooses are the building materials from which he or she constructs any given piece of writing- from a poem to a speech to a thesis on thermonuclear dynamics. Strong, carefully chosen words (also known as diction) ensure that the finished work is cohesive and imparts the meaning or information the author intended. Weak word choice creates confusion and dooms a writers work either to fall short of expectations or fail to make its point entirely. Factors That Influence Good Word Choice When selecting words to achieve the maximum desired effect, a writer must take a number of factors into consideration: Meaning: Words can be chosen for either their denotative meaning, which is the definition youd find in a dictionary or the connotative meaning, which is the emotions, circumstances, or descriptive variations the word evokes.Specificity: Words that are concrete rather than abstract are more powerful in certain types of writing, specifically academic works and works of nonfiction. However, abstract words can be powerful tools when creating poetry, fiction, or persuasive rhetoric.Audience: Whether the writer seeks to engage, amuse, entertain, inform, or even incite anger, the audience is the person or persons for whom a piece of work is intended.Level of Diction: The level of diction an author chooses directly relates to the intended audience. Diction is classified into four levels of language: Formal which denotes serious  discourseInformal which denotes relaxed but polite conversationColloquial which denotes language in everyday usageSlang which denotes new, often highly informal words and phrases that evolve as a result sociolinguistic constructs such as age, class, wealth status, ethnicity, nationality, and regional dialects. Tone: Tone is an authors attitude toward a topic. When employed effectively, tone- be it contempt, awe, agreement, or outrage- is a powerful tool that writers use to achieve a desired goal or purpose.Style: Word choice is an essential  element in the style of any writer. While his or her audience may play a role in the stylistic choices a writer makes, style is the unique voice that sets one writer apart from another. The Appropriate Words for a Given Audience To be effective, a writer must choose words based on a number of factors that relate directly to the audience for whom a piece of work is intended. For example, the language chosen for a dissertation on advanced algebra would not only contain jargon specific to that field of study; the writer would also have the expectation that the intended reader possessed an advanced level of understanding in the given subject matter that at a minimum equaled, or potentially outpaced his or her own. On the other hand, an author writing a childrens book would choose age-appropriate words that kids could understand and relate to. Likewise, while a contemporary playwright is likely to use slang and colloquialism to connect with the audience, an art historian would likely use more formal language to describe a piece of work about which he or she is writing, especially if the intended audience is a peer or academic group. Choosing words that are too difficult, too technical, or too easy for your receiver can be a communication barrier. If words are too difficult or too technical, the receiver may not understand them; if words are too simple, the reader could become bored or be insulted. In either case, ​the message falls short of meeting its goals . . . Word choice is  also a consideration when communicating with receivers for whom English is not the primary language [who] may not be familiar with colloquial English. (From Business Communication, 8th Edition, by A.C. Krizan, Patricia Merrier, Joyce P. Logan, and Karen Williams. South-Western Cengage, 2011) Word Selection for Composition Word choice is an essential element for any student learning to write effectively. Appropriate word choice allows students to display their knowledge, not just about English, but with regard to any given field of study from science and mathematics to civics and history. Fast Facts: Six Principles of Word Choice for Composition Choose understandable words.Use specific, precise words.Choose strong words.Emphasize positive words.Avoid overused words.Avoid obsolete words.(Adapted from Business Communication, 8th Edition, by A.C. Krizan, Patricia Merrier, Joyce P. Logan, and Karen Williams. South-Western Cengage, 2011) The challenge for teachers of composition is to help students understand the reasoning behind the specific word choices theyve made and then letting the students know whether or not those choices work. Simply telling a student something doesnt make sense or is awkwardly phrased wont help that student become a better writer. If a students word choice is weak, inaccurate, or clichà ©d, a good teacher will not only explain how they went wrong but ask the student to rethink his or her choices based on the given feedback. Word Choice for Literature Arguably, choosing effective words when writing literature is more complicated than choosing words for composition writing. First, a writer must consider the constraints for the chosen discipline in which they are writing. Since literary pursuits as such as poetry and fiction can be broken down into an almost endless variety of niches, genres, and subgenres, this alone can be daunting. In addition, writers must also be able to distinguish themselves from other writers by selecting a vocabulary that creates and sustains a style that is authentic to their own voice. When writing for a literary audience, individual taste is yet another huge determining factor with regard to which writer a reader considers a good and who they may find intolerable. Thats because good is subjective. For example, William Faulker and Ernest Hemmingway were both considered giants of 20th-century American literature, and yet their styles of writing could not be more different. Someone who adores Faulkners languorous stream-of-consciousness style may disdain Hemmingways spare, staccato, unembellished prose, and vice versa.

Treetop Forest Production Limited Organization Structure

Treetop Forest Production Limited Organization Structure Introduction This article focuses on the organization structure of Treetop Forest Production Limited. Treetop Productions is a sawmill factory that is located at British Colombia in Canada. The main purpose of the factory is to convert raw logs that have been cut from local forest into building grade timber. The sizes of timber that the factory releases as finished products are mainly of 2-by-4 and 2-by 6 in size.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Treetop Forest Production Limited Organization Structure specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More All the timber that is released as finished products have a standard size. The factory has been in operation for the last thirty years. Throughout this time, the factory has been working in an effective and efficient manner. It has been incurring minimal running and operating costs to achieve optimum output. However, the company bought new plant and machinery equipments and undertook a r epair and maintenance exercise. All these efforts were to maintain the effectiveness and efficiency of the factorys operations. To support its activities, the company has a strong workforce that comprises of a general manager, 16 supervisors and supporting staff. The organization also has approximately 180 unionised staff who work on a contractual basis. All these employees are divided into the following departments: Boom Sawmill Planner Packaging Shipping and maintenance All of these departments work on two shifts except the planner and shipping departments that work on the morning shift and the maintenance department that work the night shift. In addition, all these departments apart from the packaging department have a supervisor in their entire shift. To compensate on this, the planner supervisor is in charge of the department during the morning shit while the sawmill supervisor is in charge of the department during the afternoon shift. The distance between the packaging depar tment and these two departments is long. As a result, the packaging department has been receiving minimal supervision. This has resulted to a decline in the performance of the department. Most of the products of the factory are sold in the international market. Here, the customers mainly rely on the packaging of these undifferentiated goods to decide on which company to buy from. Initially, Treetop had been experiencing high rates of purchase of its products.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, as a result of the laxity of the packaging department, many consumers have declined purchasing products from Treetop and instead purchased from rival companies. This has tremendously reduced the revenue of the company. In addition, there is a huge backlog of work in the packaging department. This has come about as a result of increased production from other department a nd laxity on the packaging department. To compensate for this backlog, the employees of the department have to work more hours during their shifts. This in turn increases the cost budget of the factory as a result of the overtime dues. In addition, employees of the department have been increasing their breaks and going home early. This has impacted negatively on the operations of the department and that of the factory as a whole. This scenario is common is many manufacturing and processing companies. There has always been the case of poor performance from one or more departments that in turn affect the performance of the entire factory in a negative way. According to the theory of structural causes of conflicts, the performance of one department leads to the underperformance of another department. To ensure that all the departments in an organization work effectively and efficiently, corrective measures have to be installed by the administration for an ideal situation to prevail. In this case, the management should ensure that the packaging department is supervised effectively. In addition, the employees of the department should be motivated in order to boost their morale. Analysis and Discussion From the information that has been presented in this case study, it is evident that lack of proper leadership is the main problem that the packaging department is facing. The main problem that the packaging department is facing is poor supervision. As a result, the employees find it easier to bend the rules and regulations of the factory. Poor supervision has led to the employees not being able to meet the set goals and targets of the factory. The employees have also commenced on a habit of increasing their breaks. It has been reported that they extend their tea break by five minutes and lunch break by ten. In addition, some of the employees also go home before their shift ends. This is a clear indication of poor supervision from the management and the development of bad behaviour from the employees.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Treetop Forest Production Limited Organization Structure specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Leadership is an essential factor in the running and management of an organization. It is the work of a leader to lead a group of individuals, supervise, motivate, educate and control his staff (Reisner 16). Leadership has been one of the key management tools that have been researched on for many years now. Several theories with regards to leadership have been presented. Perhaps the theory that applies the most in this case scenario is the theory of the role of human factor in human management (Bass 22). Theory was first presented in the academicians like Taylor and McGregor during the 1930s. According to them, it was essential to control the actions of employees and at the same time provide conducive working environment for them. This can be achieved with the us e of proper leadership styles, employee motivation (through rewards, salary increments, bonuses and promotions) and interpersonal communication. If these set of practices are applied, then the employees of the packaging department will increase their efforts and in the process, they will be able to meet the goals and targets of the factory as well as their own personal goals. Conclusion and Recommendation From the above analysis, it is evident that the poor performance of the packaging department is as a result of poor supervision. Supervision falls under the management of the organization. Therefore, to improve on the activities of the packaging department, it is essential for the company to improve on the manner in which the packaging department is being supervised. According to the policy of the factory, each department should have a different supervisor for each shit. The company has sixteen supervisors. Furthermore, only three departments have more than one shift. This makes se ven active supervisors on a specific day (the packaging department is not included). Therefore, on one specific day, eight supervisors are left free. I therefore recommend two of these supervisors to be assigned to the packaging department. This will not only improve the efficiency of leadership in the factory but will also boost its performance. In addition, these supervisors should be equipped with great leadership skills (Jago 330). In this case scenario, they should learn how to motivate hardworking employees. This will make employees to work even harder and attain the set goals and target. This will in turn boost the performance of the department and the entire factory as a whole.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bass, Bones. â€Å"From Transactional to Transformational Leadership: Learning to Share the Vision.† Organizational Dynamics 18.3 2010: 19-31. Print Jago, Arnold. â€Å"Leadership: Perspectives in Theory and Research.† Management  Science 28.3 1982: 315-336. Print Reisner,Richards. â€Å"When a Turnaround Stalls.† Harvard Business Review 45.1 2002: 15-18. Print

Review of Reading Eggs for Children Ages 4 to 8

Review of Reading Eggs for Children Ages 4 to 8 Reading Eggs is an interactive online program intended for children ages 4-8 and designed to teach children how to read or to build on existing reading skills. The program was originally developed in Australia by Blake Publishing but brought to schools in the United States by the same company that developed Study Island, Archipelago Learning. The premise behind Reading Eggs is to engage students in a fun, interactive program that initially builds a foundation for learning to read and eventually guides them towards reading to learn. The lessons found in Reading Eggs are designed to tie into the five pillars of reading instruction. The five pillars of reading instruction include phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Each of these components is necessary for children to master if they are going to be expert readers. Reading Eggs provides an alternative avenue for students to master these concepts. This program is not intended to replace traditional classroom instruction, instead, it is a supplemental tool in which students can hone and build the skills which they are being taught at school. There are 120 total lessons found in the Reading Eggs program. Each lesson builds on a concept taught in the previous lesson. Each lesson has between six and ten activities that students will complete to master the overall lesson. Lessons 1 through 40 are designed for students who have very little reading skills. Children will learn their first reading skills at this level including sounds and names of the alphabet letters, reading sight words, and learning essential phonics skills. Lessons 41 through 80 will build on those skills previously learned. Children will learn more high-frequency sight words, build word families, and read both fiction and nonfiction books designed to build their vocabulary. Lessons 81 through 120 continue to build on previous skills and will provide activities for children to read for meaning, comprehension, and to continue to increase vocabulary. Here are some key components of Reading Eggs. Its Teacher/Parent-Friendly Reading Eggs is easy to add a single student or a whole class.Reading Eggs has terrific reporting that makes it easy to monitor individual student or whole class progress.Reading Eggs provides teachers with a downloadable letter to send home to parents. The letter explains what Reading Eggs is and provides login information for students to work on the program at home at no additional cost. It also provides parents with the opportunity to have an account to track their child’s progress at no additional cost.Reading Eggs provides teachers with a comprehensive user guide as well as toolkit loaded with books, lesson plans, resources, and activities. The teacher toolkit has several books and activities that they can use in conjunction with their Smart Board to interactively teach lessons to the whole class. Its Instructional With Diagnostic Components Reading Eggs provides teachers and parents with the opportunity to assign specific lessons to students. For example, if a kindergarten teacher is teaching the letter â€Å"K†, the teacher can go in and assign the lesson over the letter â€Å"K† to all of the students to reinforce that concept.Reading Eggs also provides teachers and parents with the option of giving each child a diagnostic placement test. This test consists of forty questions. When the child misses three questions, then the program assigns them to the appropriate lesson that corresponds to how they did on the placement test. This allows students to skip past concepts which they have already mastered and places them at the level in the program where they should be.Reading Eggs allows teachers and parents to reset a student’s progress at any time in the program. Its Fun and Interactive Reading Eggs has kid friendly themes, animations, and songs.Reading Eggs allows users to create and personalize their own unique avatar.Reading Eggs provides users with motivation by providing incentives and rewards. Each time they complete an activity, they are rewarded with golden eggs. Their eggs are kept in their â€Å"eggy bank† which they can use to buy reward games, clothes for their avatar, or accessories for their house. In addition, when a user completes a lesson they earn an animated â€Å"critter†, which they collect as they go through the program.Reading Egg lessons are set up similar to a board game where you move from stepping stone to another by completing an activity. Once you have completed each activity, then you have completed that lesson and get to move on to the next lesson. Reading Eggs Is Comprehensive Reading Eggs has hundreds of extra learning activities and games aside from those in the standard 120 reading lessons.The Playroom is loaded with over 120 learning activities covering a wide range of topics ranging from letter reinforcement to art.My World allows students to visit eight destinations loaded with fun, interactive activities.Story Factory allows students to write and build their own stories and then enter them into a weekly story writing competition.Puzzle Park gives students a chance to earn some more Golden Eggs by completing word puzzles and practicing sight word recognition.The Arcade is a place where students can use their earned Golden Eggs to play much fun, interactive reading games.Driving Tests contains assessments covering sights words, phonics skills, and content area vocabulary. If a student satisfactorily completes a test, they are rewarded a racing car game which they can play to earn more golden eggs.Skills Bank is designed to build a student’s ski lls in spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation. Music Cafà © allows students to access and play their favorite songs that hear within a lesson. Its Structured Reading Eggs provides students with a comprehensive dashboard located on the left of their screen. This dashboard keeps track of which lesson they are on, how many golden eggs they have earned, and allows them access to their stuff and all the other places they can go to the program.Reading Eggs forces students into order by padlocking activities. You must complete activity one to open activity two.Reading Eggs also locks components such as My World, Puzzle Park, the Arcade, Driving Tests, Skills Bank until a user has mastered the appropriate number of lessons to have developed the skills necessary to use those components. Research on Reading Eggs Reading Eggs has been proven to be an effective tool for children to learn how to read. A study was conducted in 2010 that paralleled the features and components of the Reading Eggs program to essential elements that students must comprehend and possess to be able to read. Reading Eggs uses a variety of effective, research-based learning activities that motivate students to successfully complete the program. The web-based design features those components that have been proven to be highly effective in getting children to be high functioning readers. Overall Impression Reading Eggs is an exceptional early literacy program for parents of young children as well as schools and classroom teachers. Children love using technology and they love to get rewards and this program combines both of them effectively. In addition, the research-based program successfully incorporates the five pillars of reading. You may feel concerned if you think young children may be overwhelmed by the program, but the tutorial in the help section was terrific. Overall, Reading Eggs deserves five out of five stars, because it is a wonderful teaching tool that children will want to spend hours using.

Paraphrase, Summary and Quotation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Paraphrase, Summary and Quotation - Essay Example It was defined by African Americans and given the name Lindy, Jitterbug, or swing. Most of World War II soldiers hailed from the city or the big towns in America by that time. Most rural areas did not have good educational systems and so the minimum requirements in educational cut the rural people. During that time, there were little interactions with other tribes, which prevented learning of other languages other than English. Prior knowledge on shooting did not add value to persons who wanted to join the troops. After joining the army, a soldier received a through shave and given uniforms called combats to keep neat like other soldiers. Additionally, new soldiers received a vaccine to protect them form diseases, viruses, and boost their immunity. The reason behind this is that a soldier’s work involved moving across regions with disease causing pathogens. Life of a Soldier in the World War II proved hard. First, the soldier underwent tough training to keep fit called â€Å"fatigues.† Secondly, World War II soldiers received training on different co mmands by harsh superiors who appeared prone to hardship. The passage records the life of an American soldier who qualified to fight in the World War II. He had distinct characteristics from the soldier of the World War I and spoke English. To qualify, one needed high school education, driving licence among other qualifications. Soldiers received special training after the selection process under a harsh commander. To become a soldier in the World War II, a soldier had to pass various requirements. According to Sulzberger, â€Å"When he went off to serve his country, he had had some high school education; he knew how to drive a car, how to swim, how to do the Jitterbug or The Big Apple or the Lindy† (Sulzberger 125). Other qualifications included ability to speak in English and he needed not have

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 16

History - Essay Example The blue dragon is pictured moving in up and down waves like a fancy kite dragon I once saw flying in the air. It is a good luck sign in most Asian countries and is a very happy creature as compared with western dragons. It is in the classic ginger Jar shape. This kind of porcelain was really popular and expensive, since the cobalt blue dye had to be imported from India through China, so it was only used for dragons. These made their way west on the Silk Road, along with the rare and coveted silk to western European courts all the way to Great Britain even during the most isolationist times. The motif and some of the shape and technique was copied in the UK, as I have seen these before outside of the museum, even in boot sales. (Dragon Jar 2009) Things like this, spices and silk made the trade with the east very profitable, and controlling the Mediterranean was the key to domination. Mostly the trade was dominated by the Mughal Empire, China or the Portuguese. The next artifact I noticed in this collection was another lovely round teapot with a bird on it. Since it also originated in Korea during the same time period, I have to assume the bird is the Phoenix, the alter-ego of the Dragon even though it is very small, because the painting is done with Cobalt Blue. The teapot is in lovely condition and sports a ropy handle and a lid. It could also have been used to serve wine. Clear bottles were likely very rare in Asia as they were using more porcelain and clay, so this would not have been an unusual way to use a teapot. In the Chinese artifacts there were many beautiful dishes in porcelain from China, even one with the same kind of dragon on it, also pictured moving like a flying snake with six legs. This plate was very colorful in red, blue and green. It was even decorated on the underside, and must have been some household head’s prized

Globalization and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Globalization and Culture - Essay Example In my opinion, globalization is a modernizing force than can nurture local cultures and allow them to spread across the world. Globalization is not a destroyer of local cultures and traditions. It is an opportunity for local, regional, and ethnic cultures and traditions to spread and grow. Owing to cultural globalization, cross-cultural contacts have significantly increased. These interactions have shaped the world to be what it is today. For example, religion may be considered a cultural practice. On that note, religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam all began in specific places of the world (Fu and Chiu 637). Today, thanks to globalization, these religions are practiced in almost every corner of the world. These common religions have been embraced and accepted by different people from all over the world because of globalization. Globalization has enabled the crossing of international boundaries, therefore, allowing cross-cultural contacts that have led to the spread of these religions. This shows that globalization is not a destroyer of cultures and traditions. It is, in fact, a promoter of cultures and traditions (Fu and Chiu 638). Other cultural practices such as traditional music from Africa, for example, have been able to reach the Western world because of globalization. Globalization has allowed locally recorded music to reach audiences from all over the world (Fu and Chiu 639). Also, Anglo-American pop music has been able to spread everywhere through mediums such as MTV. These cultural practices have not been destroyed. In fact, globalization has helped to spread them all over the globe, and they are constantly being accepted by more and more people. Traditional recreational practices such as sports, games, and other leisure activities have also gained popularity in regions that they never used to be practiced before. Football is a good example (Fu and Chiu 640). Language, being part of culture, has also benefitted from

Quality Issues in Qualitative Research Assignment

Quality Issues in Qualitative Research - Assignment Example Triangulation refers to use of more than two different methods in research as a means of confirmation of results (Miller, 2012). It aims at increasing the validity and reliability of data in research. With regard to this particular research, it is important for the researcher to use a variety of individuals in answering the research questions. Also, it is important to carry out sequel interviews and observations in order to verify the results of the initial study. Transferability relates to the ability of a piece of research to be applicable to other fields with similar characteristics to that of the researcher. It is advisable to ensure transferability by stating central assumptions as well as proper authoring the context of the project. (Miller, 2012) Fine Motor Skill Disability can be related to similar fields and the findings of the author can be used to determine if technology may or may not be used in said fields. Trustworthiness in research is all about credibility of all the information stated in the research project (Miller, 2012). This research involves the use of interviews and observation as means of data collection. These means are all first hand and cannot be verified by a third party therefore, it is the duty of the researcher to ensure that the interviews are carried out without bias, and are reported exactly as they occurred. The researcher must not doctor results in order to suit his own personal

Why does work matter for modern societies Essay

Why does work matter for modern societies - Essay Example The complexities of the modern world have also led to people changing their forms of production in order to fit into the world. Modernity has led to a change in labor division from the usual organizational division of labor to social divisions. Divisions of labor have changed and there is a clear varianceamid the pre modern societies and the modern societies. In the pre modern societies, labor was divided based on social units, similarity and familial basis while in the modern world it is divided based on market, state and the civil society. Work is important to the modern world since the modern world has brought about a lot of social differentiation and hence increasing structural complexity. Despite each individual participating in different careers, work holds the society together and wipes away their differences. The pre modern societies were faced with similar challenges, problems since they all belonged to similar locations, families, religion and their levels of education were equal a situation termed as mechanical solidarity. However, in the modern society, people are very different and they have to inter-depend on one another in order to survive. The modern population has different abilities and each human being can do something in a unique and better way than another. This characteristic of the modern society makes it important for every human being to work so that they may serve another human being in their area of specialty and at the same time, get services form other human beings in their different areas of specialty. The pre-modern societies were undifferentiated since they shared strong beliefs and sentiments and this characteristic is termed as collective conscience. The modern societies have a characteristic of being more differentiated due to them having less defined beliefs a nd sentiments but instead have norms and values. This characteristic of the modern society being different and in some way

Quality Issues in Qualitative Research Assignment

Quality Issues in Qualitative Research - Assignment Example Triangulation refers to use of more than two different methods in research as a means of confirmation of results (Miller, 2012). It aims at increasing the validity and reliability of data in research. With regard to this particular research, it is important for the researcher to use a variety of individuals in answering the research questions. Also, it is important to carry out sequel interviews and observations in order to verify the results of the initial study. Transferability relates to the ability of a piece of research to be applicable to other fields with similar characteristics to that of the researcher. It is advisable to ensure transferability by stating central assumptions as well as proper authoring the context of the project. (Miller, 2012) Fine Motor Skill Disability can be related to similar fields and the findings of the author can be used to determine if technology may or may not be used in said fields. Trustworthiness in research is all about credibility of all the information stated in the research project (Miller, 2012). This research involves the use of interviews and observation as means of data collection. These means are all first hand and cannot be verified by a third party therefore, it is the duty of the researcher to ensure that the interviews are carried out without bias, and are reported exactly as they occurred. The researcher must not doctor results in order to suit his own personal

Discussion 2 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion 2 - Article Example t will require continued changes in the nursing practice because the learners and faculty have to learn how to respect the diverse population with different beliefs and values. As noted by Diekelmann, (2012) in page 6, there is also a shortage of nursing faculty which has a constraint on nursing education. There are also changes in student demographics because the racial and ethnic diversity among students in schools is increasing. In addition, students are now entering nursing schools at older ages with different work experiences. Many are raising families and there are those with full-time careers. This has a constraint on their education because it needs a lot of flexible schedules. The other factor affecting nursing education is the technological explosion in the health sector. A look at the current scenario in the health care sector shows that there is rapid growth in technology resulting to a radical impact on how nurses get educated (Willis Commission on Nursing Education, 2012). It has promoted the technological applications for example, telemedicine. Therefore, nurses in this century not only have to learn on concepts of health promotion, reduction of risks and disease prevention among others but need to be skilled in the use of computers. There is also distance learning that links students from different locations with the nursing faculty. The advancing technology continues to stimulate the critical thinking of students and their acquisition of skills in environments which are

To what extent do you feel that the presentation Essay Example for Free

To what extent do you feel that the presentation Essay In Shakespeares time a womans status in society was very much based upon their fathers or husbands success. This subsidiary status was based on religious conceptions of hierarchy whereby according to the medieval church, Adam was created first, and Eve from his body; she was created specifically to give him comfort, and was to be subordinate to him, to obey him and to accept her lesser status. Furthermore, it was also based on the renaissance stereotype of women, which was split between the Virgin Mary and the Whore of Babylon. The Virgin Mary being represented by Ophelia to show her innocence and purity, and the Whore of Babylon by Gertrude to show her impurity and experience. These misconceptions show that although Shakespeare uses Gertrude to portray his view of women he does not highlight the naivety of Ophelias character and is instead clouded by the idea of imperfection within Gertrudes character. The concept of equality between the sexes was non-existent in Shakespeares time. Renaissance and Medieval literature was often misogynistic so there was a general distrust of women, which is portrayed in Hamlet. The husband was given the accepted role of head of the household, his duty being, to give his wife and children moral guidance as women had very little authority and were made out to be insignificant citizens. However, a modern audience would view Hamlet differently with a more educated opinion because of the changing situation of women in society since the Elizabethan era. Many people would find the derogatory and anti-feminist comments made in Hamlet profoundly offensive and nowadays they would be unacceptable. The role of women in Hamlet is represented by the two characters of Ophelia and Gertrude. Ophelia, who is Hamlets lover and the daughter of the kings prime minister Polonius, and Gertrude, Hamlets mother, who is the widow of the old king Hamlet and the wife of the current king of Denmark; Claudius. Both of these characters are portrayed as weak and nai ve to depict Shakespeares views and the views of the society on women. Women had little rights; they could be educated, although they could not go to university. Also, they were not allowed to vote, enter the professions, or become heirs to their fathers titles. One of the main themes within Hamlet is obedience as women were expected to remain obedient to their husbands or fathers throughout their lives. Obedience is key to Ophelias character as her actions are derived from her obedience towards Laertes and her father, Polonius. Nowadays obedience is less of an issue and a modern audience would probably not understand its importance to the play and why Ophelia goes to the extreme length of not ever seeing Hamlet again after Polonius orders her not, to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet. Her relationship with Polonius is a stereotype of the father-daughter relationship in Shakespeares time whereby her opinion is not relevant. He does not listen and is very dismissive of her, Ay, fashion you may call it. Go to, go to, yet she still shows him the utmost respect by referring to him as, my Lord. Although he cares for her he is very patronising towards her and treats her like a child, Affection? Pooh! You speak like a green girl. His tone towards her brings out the notion of her inferiority. Polonius forcefully orders her to, Look tot, I charge you. Nevertheless, Ophelia does as she is told, I shall obey. This is similar to Gertrudes language to Claudius as she also tells him, I shall obey you, when he informs her of his wish to spy on Hamlet with Ophelia. Ophelia agrees to let Claudius and Polonius spy on Hamlet because she believes that she must obey him. Furthermore, she may want to prove to her father of Hamlets devotion to her. This is shown when she notifies the Queen by referring to her wanting Hamlets madness to be caused by his love for her, I wish it may. However, Ophelias relationship with Laertes is much less strict than with Polonius in the sense that she seems to feel more comfortable around him than Polonius and tends to listen to him more. She promises to take his advice by telling him that she, shall the effect of this good lesson keep as watchman to my heart. However, at the beginning of the scene Laertes goes straight into his advice when he tells her, My necessaries are embarked. He does not show her any brotherly love and is straight to the point, which makes him seem cold and unaffectionate. There is an extensive use of shared lines between the start of Laertes and Ophelias discussion: (Laertes) No more. (Ophelia) No more but so? This method helps to emphasize the power relationship between the two characters. He speaks first then she follows with her short and general answers to his long speech, which highlights her natural carelessness of innocence. It seems as though he is undermining her when he gives her advice. Although, she acknowledges and accepts his control over her as she tells him his advice, Tis in my memory locked, and you yourself shall keep the key of it. Ophelia is unable to make her own decisions about Hamlet as she tells her father, I do not know, what I should think. Therefore, as a result she turns to her father who tells her, I will teach you. Which, later on leads to her destruction as she thinks Hamlets madness is caused by her rejection of him. Shakespeare uses her inability to think for herself to represent how women had very little independence and their roles were confined. They were expected to be silent observers and according to Michael Best, a dominant woman or one that showed any attempt at asserting their views was seen as, unnatural, a symptom of disorder. Shakespeare demonstrates this by Gertrudes limited intelligence as she makes a very general comment towards Hamlet, All that lives must die. Her speech seems tentative and she tends to echo Claudius when she Thanks Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz. In present society the Queen has more authority and would have a more equal relationship with the king than Gertrude does with Claudius. Although Gertrude is obedient towards Claudius she makes less sacrifices for him unlike Ophelia, who risks her relationship with Hamlet to obey her father. In fact, marrying Claudius helps Gertrude to remain within the royal family of Denmark after the death of old king Hamlet. Hamlet is incredibly unkind to Ophelia. In act 3 scene 1 Hamlet perceives from Ophelias strange behaviour, that she was not acting of her own accord but as a decoy. We notice this as he begins contradicting himself: he tells Ophelia, I did love you once and goes on to say, I loved you not. There is also a change in the direction of his speech as it is aimed at the spies. Those that are married already-all but one-shall live. The caesura in the line allows the audience to pick out this particular line and helps us to understand its significance as a threat directed at Claudius. Hamlets crude comments suggest Ophelia is false and impure when he tells her to get thee to a nunnery in order to save herself from being corrupted by sexual temptation. Although another interpretation could be that he believes women corrupt men and she has corrupted him by falling in love with him. However it can be argued that his unforgivable behaviour towards Ophelia was a pretence to make her believe in his antic disposition. Furthermore, whenever Hamlet is in his antic disposition he uses prose, which is what he uses to talk to Ophelia in this scene. According to feminist critic, Lee Edwards, We can imagine Hamlets story without Ophelia, but Ophelia literally has no story without Hamlet. This is because Ophelias character is used to create a sub-plot, which involves the relationship between her and Hamlet. This creates more interest as the focus is diverted from Hamlets revenge plan. However, it then leads into the wider context of the play as Hamlet is betrayed by her and later on kills Polonius, which is followed by Ophelias madness. Ophelia uses verse, and formal rhyme towards the end of her soliloquy and concludes with a rhyming couplet, O, woe is me thave seen what I have seen, see what I see. This method is used in order for the audience to pay particular attention to Ophelia noticing the contrast within Hamlets violent and irrational personality now, with the harmonious and high qualities he used to show. Although Hamlet humiliates her with sexual disgust and gross innuendo, Ophelia avoids his meaning be saying he is, blasted with ecstasy using his madness to block out the negative elements of his change. Shakespeare brings out his own views of women in Hamlets character. According to R. S White, Hamlet projects upon Ophelia the guilt and pollution he believes exist in Gertrudes behaviour. He has strong feelings about her marriage to Claudius and describes it as, A bloody deed, almost as bad as kill a king, and marry with his brother. It is because of her actions that he begins to condemn women and makes rather derogatory comments, Frailty, thy name is woman. Hamlet comments a vast deal on Gertrudes sexuality and lets her know that he, thought-sick at the act of her making love over the nasty sty. He uses this sexual imagery to show his disgust by describing Claudius with beast like references. Gertrude loves Hamlet and shows genuine disbelief when he confronts her, speak to me no more, these words like daggers enter in mine ears. She trys to protect him from the king after all that he has said to her. Hamlets behaviour towards Gertrude and Ophelia would create much more sympathy now than it would have done in Shakespeares time, as the audience would have been used to the treatment of women and would have agreed with the Hamlet, the heroes opinion. Gertrude dies by drinking poison from the cup, which, is provided by Claudius and meant to kill Hamlet. Her death has no major significance unlike Ophelias death. The ultimate fate of Ophelia, madness and eventually death, is a result of her fathers death and her inability to cope with it. She is driven to her madness by Hamlets betrayal of her. This is reflected in her songs as she sings, Before you tumbled me, you promised me to wed. According to Charney Maurice, within Renaissance drama madwomen were more strongly defined than madmen, and womens madness was interpreted as something specifically feminine. For Ophelia madness is the only time she is able to express her repressed feelings without being challenged or punished. Her death is beautified with the image of her lying in the water surrounded by her garlands of flowers, which are used to symbolize her innocence. Gertrudes extensive use of imagery creates a pretty image to represent Ophelias character like the hoar leaves, which symbolize a grey colour to represent age, to emphasise her youth and innocence. Her symbolic meanings are purposefully created to appear specifically feminine. Ophelia can be seen as a representative of women in Shakespeares time because of her strong emotions, which were stereotypically womanly. Although, her madness can be seen to symbolize womens oppression in society. She is the ultimate victim and is on the receiving end of Hamlets revenge plan and his male desire. It is her suffering from Hamlets wild and insulting behaviour, which creates our greatest sympathy for her. However this would be limited in a Shakespearian audience because of the stereotype and general distrust of women. Gertrude can also be seen as a victim although she does not gain as much sympathy as Ophelia because of her inconsiderate behaviour towards Hamlet and old Hamlet. Yet we would feel sympathy, as we know she is oblivious to the conspiracies surrounding her. Bibliography http://absoluteshakespeare. com/guides/hamlet/hamlet. htm http://web. uvic. ca/shakespeare/library/SLT/intro/introsubj. html http://www. tk421. net/essays/hamlet/hamlet. html http://www. clicknotes. com/hamlet/questions. html.

Resource Based View Strategy Formulation

Resource Based View Strategy Formulation Resource-based view (RBV) is a tool to determine strategic resources and how it affects the performance of the firm based solely on reviewing its internal environment while the external environment remains fixed. Firms using RBV competes in terms of their resources and capabilities. The aim of this paper is to study the factors that influence firms performance. The RBV emphasizes on the firms resources as the essential elements of competitive advantage and performance. It assumes two assumptions in examining sources of competitive advantage which are that the firms are heterogeneous in terms of the resources they control and that resource heterogeneity can continue over a period as the resources used to implement their strategies are not easily portable across firms (Bridoux, F, n.d).. The RBV method of analyzing firms performance is focused that other vital factors tend to be disregarded. Resources are not valuable of themselves; instead they are valuable because they allow firms to perform activities that in return create advantages for them. The competitive value of resources can be enhanced or eliminated by changes in technology, competitor behavior, or buyer needs which an inward focus on resources will overlook (Sheehan, N Foss, N, 2007). Resource uniqueness is essential as this differentiates between the firms. However, resource uniqueness is not sufficient to achieve sustainable competitive advantage and thus the resources must also be valuable, rare, imperfectly imitable and non-substitutable. RBV suggests that business processes that exploit valuable but common resources can only be a source of competitive equality; business processes that exploit valuable and rare resources can be a source of temporary competitive advantage; and business processes that exploit valuable, rare, and costly-to-imitate resources can be a source of sustained competitive advantage (Bridoux, F, n.d). The merits and demerits of RBV as the best strategy route One of the important contributions of RBV is the ability of it to measure and identify the internal environment of the firm. The importance of using RBV as a strategy route is to be able to work the inside-out approach. This means that companies using RBV focus on their internal strengths more as it is the root of their competitiveness. Furthermore, RBV recommends that effective management of operations can create uniqueness in the firms resources. Louis Vuitton is one firm in a competitive industry which has the edge over their competitors because of their product uniqueness. Louis Vuittons expertises are their design skills and manufacturing efficiency (R. Duane Ireland, Robert E. Hoskisson, Michael A. Hitt, 2008). While they may not be able to control the external environment, Louis Vuitton can use the RBV model and analyze their position and work on their strategies. Many organizations have been faced with dilemmas on how to use their resources strategically. Organizations that fail to efficiently convert their resources and capabilities into business processes cannot expect to recognize the potential competitive advantage of these resources. The RBV has little contribution in terms of predicting firm performance because of its nature of being tautological (Truijens, O. (n.d) and its focus is too narrow. Also, as a measure which only focuses on the internal environment, the RBV cannot be taken as the best strategy route. Many firms which focus mainly on the internal environment encounter competitive disadvantages to their business. For example, when IBM, a successful company achieved its success many of their competitors entered into the market. IBMs competitors included other big names such as Hewlett Packard (HP), Dell and Compaq (McNeilly, 2000). IBM did not pay close attention to their competitors because they were focused greatly on their in ternal strengths and not those of their competitors. Some other firms which have experienced failures from the strategies are Marlborough. Marlborough took the price cut strategy too far as they did not consider their competitors possible moves. The CEO of Marlborough started a price war by reducing their prices to attract consumers and gain more market share. However, their competitors also followed in reducing their prices which resulted in Marlborough facing losses. (McNeillly, 2000). RBV is not the only factor which determines performance of the firm. In industries such as the airline industry, other external factors such as timing and marketing are also essential. Entering into the industry requires good timing and this can be influenced by the economic position and consumer choice of quality and lower price. For example, Southwest airlines which are one of the well-known low cost carriers in the United States used the niche market strategy to maintain competitive advantage from its rivals. They avoided large airports, focused mainly on short flights which are ideal for families and business people, as well as excluded seating requirement and on flight meals to reduce their cost (Anonymous, 2010). Porter also mentions the common strategy of lowering cost, and product differentiation allows firms to access its strengths. Firms achieve superior positions based on being a cost leader or earning price premiums at the activity level (Anonymous, 2010). In the cost leader method of achieving sustainable competitive advantage, the firm would sell its products either at the average price to earn profits or below the average price to gain market share. The broader market usually adopts cost leadership. Wal-Mart is a cost leader. Their strategy was to form a close relationship with their suppliers which allowed them to reduce cost when purchasing in bulk (Walden University, 2010). Differentiation is another strategy mentioned by Porter. Firms produce products that vary from others and have unique features to compete against their competitors. This uniqueness of the product also allows firms to charge higher prices for their product. However, there are a few different types of differentia tion strategies. The few common ones include differentiation based on additional features, packaging, and design and positioning (Scribd, 2011). Louis Vuitton is an example of a firm that applies differentiation through design and positioning. Exploring processes, capabilities and the ability to appropriate rent and Porters industrial analysis Porters framework discusses the role of firms in formulating appropriate competitive strategy to achieve superior economic performance, and competitive approach. Also, the source of profits is not to be found in the firm but rather in the structure of the industry, especially the nature and balance of its competitive forces (Bridoux, F, n.d). However, the assumption of any relationship between firm performance and rent generation may be inaccurate. The RBV states that performance consists of rent generation and rent appropriation and we cannot predict firm performance from rent generation only. One such example is IBM. IBM assembled the strategic capabilities that built most of the modem for the personal computer industry. Yet Intel and Microsoft were ultimately able to appropriate a lot more of the related rent (Russell W. Coff, 1999). The factors that allow resources to generate rents should be valuable, rare, imperfectly imitable and non-substitutable. This issue was addressed by identifying the conditions under which a firms resources become valuable by bringing the external environment into the resource-based view. Through nurturing the internal competencies and applying them to an appropriate external environment, a firm can develop a viable strategy. Thus, for a firms resource to become valuable, it must allow the firm to exploit opportunities or neutralize threats in the firms environment (Russo, M Fouts, P, 1986). Resources as an option or real options refer to resources which are bought in present time and are either used or kept to be used in a later period. For example, land can be bought and used right away or it can be kept for use later. Real options create strategic flexibility for firms and when used effectively they can retain or increase in value. These types of resources are very useful in indus tries that have high competitiveness and use high technology. The pharmaceutical industry is one industry where there is high competitiveness. Firms such as Johnson Johnson, and Pfizer invest hugely in research and development in order to develop large numbers of drugs which can used to treat different illnesses although most of the time these drugs fail. Due to the uncertain nature of the products, these firms have to focus widely (R. Duane Ireland, Robert E. Hoskisson, Michael A. Hitt, 2008). However, firms resources on their own accord do not contribute to competitive advantage. Thus, these resources must be combined to form capabilities which in turn develop into core competencies and are used by firms to create value. Capabilities result from combining resources. Honda uses its capabilities in product design, engineering and manufacturing. Moreover, they place a great deal of emphasis on their workforce. Honda encourages their engineers to dream. This allows their employees to discover new things which add to their knowledge. This knowledge in turn will simplify their daily work. Core competencies are the capabilities which the firm pursuits and performs well. Core competencies have a competitive edge when the firms add value and outperform their competitors. The factors of core competencies which lead to a competitive advantage are valuable, rare, imperfectly imitable and non-substitutable (R. Duane Ireland, Robert E. Hoskisson, Michael A. Hitt 2008). Conclusion In conclusion, the RBV cannot be accepted as the best strategy route due its nature of being narrowly scoped and ignorant of the external environment. This measure does not provide accurate information on the firms performance. However, in a stable industry the RBV can be considered as one of the best strategy route. A firms performance should undertake many other factors which include timing, marketing, and advancement of technology, competitor behavior as well as the needs of consumers. I disagree that RBV is the best route as external factors are also very crucial in determining the performance and rent generation of firms as other external factors must also be considered. Porters external environment analysis focuses on the external factors that affect a firms performance. Dynamic industries focus more on the external environment thus preferring to use Porters theory In order for the RBV method to be more effective and efficient; it has to be studied along together with the exter nal environment. That way, firms are aware of their resources and capabilities and can nurture the internal competencies to apply them with appropriate external environment, which will allow the firm to develop practical approaches.

shoeless joe :: essays research papers

W.P. Kinsella William Patrick Kinsella was born may 25, 1935 in Edmonton, Alberta. His father was a contractor and his mother was a printer. As an only child, Kinsella spent his early years in a log cabin near Lac Ste.-Anne, sixty miles northwest of Edmonton. He rarely saw other children and completed grades one through four by correspondence. " Having no contact with children, I considered myself a small adult" (Authors and writers for young adults, 130-131). His parents, grandmother, and aunt read to each other and told stories, Kinsella began writing fantasies when he was five or six; mostly baseball fantasies. Why did Kinsella like to write about baseball so much? The family moved to Edmonton when he was ten, and his father, a former Semi pro baseball player began taking him to baseball games. In eighth grade, Kinsella won a prize for "Diamond Doom," a baseball mystery. At age eighteen, he published his first story, a science fiction tale about a totalitarian society, in the Alberta Civil Service Bulletin. Kinsella worked as a government clerk, manager of a retail credit company, account executive for the City of Edmonton, owner of a n Italian restaurant, and taxicab driver while attending the University of Victoria where he received a B.A. in 1974. Then he attended a writer's workshop at the University of Iowa, earning a master of fine arts degree in 1978. He taught at the University of Calgary from 1978 to 1983. But he hated the academic life so he quit to write full time. Kinsella was married to Mildred Clay from 1965 to 1978. He married the writer Ann Knight in 1978 and they settled in White Rock, British Columbia and Iowa City, Iowa when not traveling to attend major league baseball games. Kinsella has two daughters, Shannon and Erin. In 1982 Kinsella wrote a best selling novel, "Shoeless Joe". "Kinsellas 1982 mythical baseball fable drew on the author's long-term love of the game" ( Wilson, Kathleen. 229). This book is about a middle-aged man that lives on a farm with his wife, Annie and daughter, Karin. One day when this man, Ray Kinsella, is walking through his cornfields he hears the voice of an major league baseball announcer. It says, " if you build it, he will come". Ray soon finds out that "it" is a baseball field and "he" is Rays father who used to play AAA ball.

Characterization in Harriet Beecher Stowes Uncle Toms Cabin Essays

Characterization in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin Either they deny the Negro's humanity and feel no cause to measure his actions against civilized norms; or they protect themselves from their guilt in the Negro's condition and from their fear...by attributing to them a superhuman capacity for love, kindliness and forgiveness.   Nor does this any way contradict their stereotyped conviction that all Negroes are given to the most animal behavior. - Ralph Ellison (Litwack   3) The above quote by Ralph Ellison, author of The Invisible Man, is a good starting point for an analysis on the characterization within Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin.   For many modern critics and readers alike, both black and white, harshly criticize the author for her stereotypical depiction of a black man as only being noble if he possesses a "superhuman capacity for love, kindliness and forgiveness," like her most noble and humane character in the work, Uncle Tom.   However, a deeper analysis of character will demonstrate that to Stowe's Christian framework, the sacrifices and nobility of Uncle Tom are not ones of defeat and subjugation, rather they are his only option from a moral point of view-and Tom is of the highest moral character possible, some would say a level that is unrealistic in the face of his real abuses.   This analysis will show how Stowe uses such characterizations to depict the horrendous nature of slavery in an attempt to change public opinion regarding the once sacredly held American institution.   A conclusion will discuss how my own thinking has been affected by the work. The character of Ophelia is used to contrast the North and the South.   Ophelia is an abolitionist who finds the atrocities of slavery ho... ...braham Lincoln would have been more than won over by this type of characterization, one so adept at pointing out the weaknesses of the white mentality and injustices while extolling the highest virtues as ones possessed more typically by blacks.   The same thing could be done with the Jews who were held in Bondage by the Egyptians, even though today the sufferings Moses and his people endured would more than likely make most readers who do not consider the period and ideology of the society in which a work is created scoff at the humility with which they tolerated their bondage. Works Cited Litwack, L.   Been In The Storm So Long:   The Aftermath of Slavery.   Alfred A. Knopf, New York:   1979. Stowe, H.B.   Uncle Tom's Cabin.   Houghton Mifflin Co., NY:   1948. Sundquist, E.J. (ed.)   New Essays on Uncle Tom's Cabin.  Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge:   1986.

Is Social Security going Bankrupt? Essay

Background of Research When the US Social Security retirement system was instituted in 1937, one major objective was to provide incentives for older workers to retire so that more jobs would be available for younger workers. At that time, life expectancies were considerably lower, and there were far more working-age adults than elderly. Now, however, continuation of current benefit levels has been presented as a major funding problem. 2 In order to increase the ratio of workers who pay Social Security and Medicare taxes to the number of people receiving Social Security retirement income and Medicare benefits, or at least to reduce the rate of decline, public policy is turning toward encouraging people to delay retirement. Similar changes in attitude are apparent throughout the economy. In decades past, workers in the US were required by many employers to retire at a certain age, usually 65, and seldom later than 70. Today mandatory retirement ages are rare. How does the Social Security retirement system in the US work? All workers in the US are required to participate in the Social Security retirement program, regardless of citizenship. Currently, 6. 2 percent of a worker’s pay is withheld, up to a maximum that is adjusted annually. An additional 1. 45 percent (with no maximum) is withheld to support Medicare, making a total of 7. 65 percent of earnings for most workers. The employer contributes the same amount. Self-employed workers must pay not only their own but also the employer’s portion, a total of 15. 3 percent up to the Social Security maximum for the year and then only the Medicare tax on any excess. To receive benefits upon retirement, one must have received credit for working at least 40 quarters. Full benefits have long been available at age 65; reduced benefits are available at 62 years of age, with increased benefits for those who continue to work up to age 70. In order to help maintain the solvency of the system, the full retirement age (FRA) is gradually being increased to 67 years of age for those born in 1960 and later. 4 Reduced benefits are still available at 62 years of age but will be reduced proportionately more since they will eventually be available up to five years earlier than the FRA. The maximum age for earning increased benefits for delaying retirement will still be age 70. Most Americans know that Social Security is headed toward bankruptcy. Nothing makes the point better than the poll taken a couple of years ago in which young people said they had a better chance of spotting a UFO than receiving Social Security benefits. But many may not know why the system is threatened. In order to develop a solution – one that meets my goal of saving Social Security for today’s retirees and those near retirement, the baby boomers and their children – we need to understand the serious difficulties facing Social Security. However, little research has been conducted on those who continue to work beyond the traditional retirement age, sometimes for many years. Since this group is gaining in size we need to better understand the factors associated with the decisions these workers make about maintaining their attachment to the labor force (or, in some cases, beginning employment). Increased healthcare costs for the elderly, in particular the costs of prescription drugs not currently covered by Medicare, have undoubtedly been a factor for many who have decided to continue working for pay. Employer-provided health insurance generally pays for most prescription drugs, minus a modest co-payment. Recent erosion of the retirement savings of many Americans after a precipitous decrease in the US stock market during the first half of 2000 has also contributed to the reversal of the trend towards earlier retirement that reached a low in 1993. By 2003, the overall labor force participation rates for those 65 years of age and over had increased to 18. 6 percent and 10. 8 percent of men and women, respectively, from lows of 15. 6 and 8. 2 percent. One important question that has yet to be answered satisfactorily is what impact having to work longer will have on the well-being of the oldest old. American policy-makers seem to assume that there will be little negative impact because the elderly are, in general, healthier, and are living longer. In recent years there has been much alarmist talk of the impending bankruptcy of Social Security, but it is in the private sector that real dangers of default now loom. Social Security is safe through 2041 or longer, but the pension fund crisis is already squeezing corporate budgets, with disastrous consequences for jobs. If nothing is done, this pension-and-jobs crunch will intensify over the next two years. While many CEOs sold at the top of the market, the pension funds and holders of 401(k)s were left with depreciating paper. Swooning stock markets have caused the major pension funds to lose 40 percent or more of their value since March 2000. Even the well-stuffed 401(k) has become a 201(k). Pension funding has become so central to today’s capitalism that these developments menace the financial good health of corporate giants as well as individual retirees. Most reports on the crisis have, understandably, focused on the plight of the 42 million Americans who have 401(k)s or the equivalent. But the impact on corporate pension schemes, on which a similar number of people depend, has been just as bad. Many businesses must now forgo investment or face bankruptcy because they cannot meet their pension obligations. (Achenbaum, 1986) In a â€Å"defined benefit† scheme (DB) the employer guarantees a pension calculated as a proportion of salary; this can be an onerous obligation for a company with many former employees. In a â€Å"defined contribution† scheme (DC), like the 401(k), only the contributions are defined, so benefits rise and fall with the market. Public-sector DB schemes are generally well and cheaply run, and are anyway guaranteed by state or federal authorities. But balanced-budget rules often force those authorities to meet pension underfunding by cutting other programs. Most large private schemes are now badly underfunded, their asset values depleted by stock declines and too many past-contribution holidays. We know this courtesy of recent reports from analysts at Merrill Lynch and UBS Warburg. Adrian Redlich of Merrill has undertaken massive research into the 348 companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 with a DB scheme. He warned in November that these schemes would end the year with a pension shortfall of $300 billion, and this is still the best estimate. If underfunded nonpension benefits are included, an even scarier deficit looms. (Hudson, 1999) The pension crunch is not simply a result of CEO misbehavior; it’s also rooted in a flawed structure that aggravates the boom-and-bust cycle. During a boom, the pension fund soars and no contributions are needed to maintain fund solvency. But when times are bad and the employer faces cash ebb, the actuaries insist there must be more dough on the table. Companies hide the unpleasant truth by fancy accounting. When they can no longer do this, they cut investment programs. This financing regime is dangerously pro-cyclical–that is, it encourages booms and aggravates recessions. New laws could enhance the rights of those in pension plans, but last year’s House and Senate approaches to reform of DC schemes offered the wounded patient a Band-Aid, when what is needed is a blood transfusion. (Achenbaum, 1986) The House bill was quite gentle on corporations. It reduced the time employees have to wait before their pension holdings are vested, but it allowed employers to continue contributing to 401(k)s with matching company stock. Ted Kennedy’s Senate proposal limited the amount of their own stock employers can contribute and gives employees more say in how their retirement fund is invested. But Kennedy didn’t propose obliging employers to offer a contribution. More robust proposals are not yet in sight. In addition to reliable regulatory structures, more resources are needed. The pension-jobs squeeze has only just begun. For individuals its reality has been softened thus far by house price inflation and earnings that continue to rise slowly. But while many investors prefer not to know about it, the goosing of the DB pension numbers by unreal assumptions could well prove as dangerous to economic health as the Japanese banks’ huge inventory of nonperforming loans. Will the Bush Administration stand by and do nothing as this time bomb ticks away? If the Administration simply wished to help the corporations out of a tight spot, they could be legally released from their obligations to retirees. This would allow them to resume investing. But it would be grossly unfair and provocative. Another solution might be to pump money into the PBGC. But to use taxpayers’ money to bail out pension funds in the current deflationary situation would be a dangerous exercise. And the PBGC arrives on the scene too late anyway: It only kicks in once Chapter 11 is staring a company in the face. The DB funds might be rescued by imposing on employees compulsory additional contributions. But this would weaken demand and could spark a firestorm of resentment. The most likely outcome is one that would allow employers to convert DB schemes to a DC logic, using â€Å"cash balance† or some kindred formula, but shortchanging employees in this way would create legal as well as political difficulties. A determined plan could address the pension crisis before it gets any worse. Corporations should be obliged to make up for their past and present derelictions by replenishing their employees’ retirement funds. However, simply forcing employers to contribute cash to every worker’s pot or company scheme is not the answer. Opponents would rightly warn that this would raise labor costs, drain cash flow, undercut investment and reduce demand. Applied anytime soon, it would mug an ailing economy and send unemployment skyrocketing. It would aggravate, not solve, the pension crisis. There is one approach that would shore up depleted savings without threatening a shaky economy: The funding gaps could be plugged by obliging all corporations to issue new stock or bonds each year equivalent to, say, 10 percent of their profits. This share levy, or stakeholder premium, would be calculated like a corporate tax, but unlike such a tax, it would not be a deduction from cash flow, nor would it be passed on to consumers. And unlike payroll taxes, it would not add to labor costs, thus giving no reason to lay off workers. A great advantage of the share levy is that unlike an ordinary tax, it would not exacerbate the problems of an economy threatened by recession. The issuing of new shares does not oblige companies to pay out more in dividends–it simply adds to those who will receive such dividends in the future. The levy should be calibrated to insure that all retirement funds gain more than they lose. While it would act in some respects like a wealth tax, it would not take demand out of the economy. And its revenues and payments could be adjusted to moderate the swings of the business cycle. (Kingston, Schulz, 1997) Defining the Problem Believe it or not, in 1945 there were about 42 workers for each person receiving Social Security benefits. By 1960, that ratio had shrunk to about 5 to 1. Today, it’s 3. 4 to one and by 2030, there will be just 2. 1 workers for each beneficiary. At the same time, Americans are living longer. That’s good news. But it means retirees will receive benefits for a longer period. Americans are also having fewer children, which mean relatively fewer workers paying Social Security payroll taxes. It is those taxes that finance current benefits. (Buell, 1999) Aside from these demographic trends, first-time Social Security benefits are growing far faster than inflation. These benefits now rise with overall wage growth, and wages are rising faster than prices. The result: over the next 75 years, benefits will increase more than 20 times, while prices will go up at half that rate. A retiree in 2060, for example, has been promised annual benefits starting at over $140,000. The result is a system that would require people in the future to work longer hours and pay more in taxes to support retirees. By 2034, payroll taxes would need to be increased by 50% to pay promised benefits or benefits would need to be slashed. Between now and 2070, benefits will exceed payroll taxes by a cumulative $120 trillion. Is it any wonder young people don’t expect to receive their Social Security? Something better can be done and is happening. Every generation of Americans has left a legacy of prosperity for its children. We cannot let our legacy be a Social Security system drowning in a sea of red ink.

Producing a modern version of the play Essay

What difficulties have you experienced in producing a modern version of the play and how have you gone about solving these? A Midsummer Night’s dream looks at many themes and issues surrounding love and magic. The play looks into love, relationships, magic and how men and women treat each other. The play starts off with two minor characters in the play that appear at the beginning and at the end, Duke Theseus of Athens and Hippolyta the Queen of the Amazon’s discussing their forthcoming wedding. This part of the play creates images of weddings and romances. Recurrent images throughout the play appear here the moon, heaven and fate. There is a romantic tone and the language is also romantic as the Duke says ‘she lingers my desires’. The theme is love. Egeus, Hermia’s father enters angry with his daughter, and Lysander whom she is in love with. Egeus tries to threaten Hermia into marrying Demetrius. This is whom Egeus would like his daughter to be with, as he believes Demetrius can do no wrong and would care for Hermia unconditionally. Hermia is then given an ultimatum; she either marries Demetrius or dies. The language is full of hatred and ‘full of vexation come I’. This gives imagery of fantasies. The theme is of stolen love and fantasy. The tone of the actors is harsh and changes toward the end when Egeus says ‘†¦ stubborn harshness. And, my gracious Duke†¦ ‘. Hermia loves Lysander with all her heart. She doesn’t want to marry Demetrius and she certainly does not want to die, so the love-struck couple decide to escape and run away to the woods to be wed. Hermia sticks up for Lysander and says he is a worthy gentleman. The topic is that Hermia would die for Lysander; she doesn’t desire Demetrius. The language is full of anti-Demetrius, and the tone is occupied with sadness. Once again there are recurrent images of the moon, suggesting fate will deal its own hand this occurs when ‘†¦ on Diana’s altar†¦ ‘ is mentioned. Goddess of chasity and moon means this. Just as the two young lovers head towards the wood they meet Helena. Helena is a good friend of Hermia. She loves Demetrius, and is very jealous of Hermia’s beauty, for she is whom Demetrius loves. They tell Helena of their plans to elope. She then tells Demetrius to get on the good side of him (because he loves Hermia). The language in this area of the play is full of jealousy, and has a bitter tone. Hermia greets Helena with ‘God speed, fair Helena! Whither away? ‘ and she replies in a very cold and resentful tone saying ‘Call me fair? †¦ Demetrius loves your fair’. We then meet the actors, also known as the mechanicals that are going to perform an act at Duke Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding. We find out they are not the cleverest of people. One actor who is called Nick Bottom is introduced to us and his occupation is a weaver. We discover he is greedy and wants to take over everyone’s parts in the play. Bottom uses rhyme and rhythm when he speaks reciting poem. A Midsummer Night’s dream is about two worlds, earth and the fairy world. In the fairy world we meet a fairy, servant to Titania and Puck (Robin Goodfellow), Oberon’s lieutenant. We learn of Puck’s mischievous behaviour. The fairy introduces us to Puck with such rhyme and rhythm creating calmness, ironic to Puck’s character. Oberon and Titania are king and queen of the fairy world. Together they are parents to an Indian child servant. However, the two argue about whom the child is to stay with. We gain knowledge of who loves whom in the real world. Titania blames Oberon for the natural disasters in the real world. Titania suggests that the result of the quarrel causes strong gusts of wind, stormy sea, fog, loss of crop, floods, frosts etc. She also says that they have caused ‘murrion’, murrain is a fatal disease in sheep caused by wetness. In today’s society we can relate to this as we have experienced the terrible foot and mouth disease spread around the whole countryside. However, we cannot relate to the natural disasters as a result of quarrelling as these are occurrences which no one human being has force and control over. Due to the argument between the king and the queen of the fairy world Oberon decides to take revenge over Titania. He remembers of a flower, which contains a potion. The potion will make a living being fall in love with the first living thing they see. You can convey the magic of the flower with an anti-drugs to appeal to today’s society. Helena and Demetrius enter the wood. Helena tells Demetrius how she feels, but he doesn’t feel the same way. She is determined to win over his heart, and whatever Demetrius says and does, despite the nature of it, Helena falls more deeply in love with him. Helena keeps on following Demetrius, she throws herself at him at every opportunity she has and she doesn’t like to not see him. Demetrius’ tone of voice is hostile and his language is full of hatred. Images created are of hate. Demetrius says ‘ Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit; for I am sick when I do look at thee’. Images of hell are also present. Oberon listens into the conversation between the pair, and he decides to side with Helena. He decides to help Helena out, as he feels she deserves someone to treat her fairly, and someone that will make her very happy. He tells Puck to drop some of the potion from the magical flower into Demetrius’ eyes. Whilst Titania is sleeping Oberon put the magical drops into her eyes. Mean while Lysander and Hermia enter the woods and fall asleep. Puck saw Lysander in the woods, confused, he put the drops into his eyes. Helena then goes deeper into the woods after losing track of Demetrius. She sees Lysander on the floor. He is still and very pale, and Helena thinks he is dead. She begins to shake him and he awakes. Lysander looks into Helena’s eyes and he falls instantly in love with her; he does not love Hermia any more, thanks to the magical flower. Lysander follows Helena leaving Hermia alone; he tries to convince her of his undying love. As Hermia is left alone asleep she has a terrible nightmare. She has a nightmare of a serpent eating her heart. The images create a vision of hell. Hermia wakes to find Lysander is not there, she is scared and very worried. The actors try to find a ‘convenient place’ for their rehearsal. They discover the wood is the perfect position to practice. The actors continuously seek to find fault with the play. They suggest that the killing of Pyramus could not be shown because it would scare the women watching. They also recommended that they could not have the part of a lion roaring as the audience would be afraid. After the trouble getting the play started, they began. Puck enters on scene; he is unseen and unheard. He thinks to himself what do we have here? Puck’s character is portrayed as a mischievous character; this shows when he plants an ass’s head on Bottom’s head. The mechanicals create humour with word play, and also there are many misunderstandings. The actors do not know what impact they are having on the audience, as they are not supposed to be comedic. However they are and don’t know which adds humour to the language and imagery. Bottom is puzzled as the actors surrounding him run away from him calling him names whilst being afraid. This is very ironic. He wonders around singing and whistling to himself. Titania awakes and when she notices Bottom she instantly falls in love with him. She instructs her fairies to tend to his every need. Imagery and themes of slavery are presented here. Puck explains to Oberon about his incident with Bottom and he agrees it was better than he could have devised. The duo watch Hermia and Demetrius in an argumentative conversation. Hermia believes Demetrius has hidden Lysander from her, so he can have her for himself; this is far from the truth. Demetrius tried to justify himself, but Hermia would have none of it. He eventually gave in, lied on the floor and fell asleep. Oberon realises Puck has made a mistake with the magical flower. We are then with Lysander and Helena, and Lysander is still trying to convince Helena of his love for her. Demetrius wakes to find Helena, and once again the magic begins, he loves Helena. Helena thinks the two men are lying to her, trying to mock her. She thinks everyone is in on the supposed plot, including Hermia whom now enters dazed and confused. This suggests the theme and idea of love is confusing.