International Business Management - 3445 Words

International business management refers to the effective management of business transactions that are to be performed across various countries. This is done to satisfy the objectives of people and organizations. Thus a firm should be aware of various issues while entering foreign markets. There are key political, cultural, social, legal and environmental issues that every organization must fully cover to ensure the smooth running of its business in foreign shores. Failure to do so may lead to may obstacles. It is always effective to take a proactive measure while conducting business in foreign markets. Ben Jerrys Homemade, Inc., the Vermont-based manufacturer of ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet based in Vermont. It was founded in†¦show more content†¦BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT: It is important to understand the business environment in Russia between 1992 and 1997 during which period Ben Jerrys was part of a joint venture called Iceverk in Russia at this period. Since 1991, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the communist period. • Political Instability: With the collapse of the Soviet Union political uncertainty for potential foreign investors in the newly democratic Russia. The country had to be rebuilt, and it was questionable what laws would be enacted and what laws would be discarded. Thats why, all foreign business operating in Russia were doing so under risk. • Management Problems: As a result of former communist work ideology, skilled managers were in short supply for the Karelia facilities. Managers, as well as subordinates, needed to be trained both in work habits and in Western capitalist philosophy. Consequently, managers had to be flown in from the United States until the Russians could learn the intricacies of free market as well as the production of high-quality ice cream. • Corruption and Mafia: With the fall of the USSR, the Russian Mafia has gained enormous power. The underworld is thought to control some 40 percent of the Russian economy. US businesses pay as much as 30 percent of their monthly profit for Mafia protection. This was aShow MoreRelatedChallenges of International Business Management1037 Words   |  5 PagesCHALLENGES OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT What are the challenges of International Business Management? International business management is a term that is used collectively to describe all commercial transactions which include; †¢ Private †¢ Governmental †¢ Sales †¢ Investments †¢ Transportation The above take place between two or more nations. It involves all business activities which partake in cross border activities of goods, services and resources between nations. PrivateRead MoreInternational Business Environment And Marketing Management1853 Words   |  8 PagesI chose international business environment as my topic of interest The reason why I chose this topic because I would like to become an international business manager in the future, so as a result of that I have to know a lot about the international business environment and that will help to develop my career in international of business management and yes international business environment is related to my area of study or professional field of study, as a student of business administration andRead MoreManagement in International Business1120 Words   |  5 Pagesworldwide employments presently consist of 4,263 stores and 660,000 employees in fifteen nations externally the United States. There are completely controlled stores in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and the UK. With two.one million workers globally, the business is the gigantic independent entrepreneur in the US and Mexico, and 1 of the gigantic in Canada. In the monetary span in 2010, Wal-Mart’s worldwide departmentalizing commerce were $one hundred billion, or 24.7% of overall mark eting. Wal-Mart hasRead MoreImpact Of Management On International Business Essay804 Words   |  4 PagesImpacts of Management in International Business A multinational business will face many ethics challenges, but with the right management and the right training, these challenges can be dealt with in an effective and ethical way. It’s sometimes hard to understand the thoughts one may have when making a decision that is unethical. The best thing to do is to think through all options you have and options you think you may not have before taking action. Businesses starting in a new country willRead MoreAssignments for International Business Management2924 Words   |  12 PagesAssignments for International Business Management Assignment 1: The TATA case Tata Cars, India, has become the focus of public attention, and has caught the beady eyes of competitors in the automobile industry since it announced it would put the cheapest car ever on the market – first in India, but eventually also in the rest of the world. This plan is seen as a revolution in the car industry. Many potential customers all over the world anticipated the arrival of the Tata Nano. Millions of peopleRead MoreThe General Impact of Management in International Business1075 Words   |  5 PagesNowadays the international trade has a considerable extension; the exchange of goods, services, and natural resources is making in all over the world. Transportation and communication become quicker with the precious aid of the new technology. Often, several companies move from their native country to another one. The world is seen now as a global market where a diversity of societies is appealed to deal together. So, the management must from now on be considered in larger sense as several countriesRead MoreInternational Business Management Essay620 Words   |  3 Pagescategorize your problems and solutions? What was as short-term and what was a long-term problem? Standing as Mr. shuhei’s point of view, I would like to concentrate on the overall manufacture framework, which was how Toyota was running its oversea business in the historical strategy chosen and market response in the following fiscal year. Toyota has two main largest oversea markets, North America and Europe. At first, I want to focus on comparing the two main oversea markets. For the North AmericaRead MoreRisk Management Course of International Business838 Words   |  3 PagesRecently, There are some personal reflections a great learning experience in the course of risk management of international business. I would like to share in this journal. It has been a long time since I defined the most fundamental and strong motivation of corporations is maximizing business profit. Even after the proposal of corporation social responsibility, I assumed that only the result of unharmed business operation can make company start to consider social responsibilities and until they increasedRead MoreSample Resume : International Business Management1737 Words   |  7 PagesTime: Marks Student’s Name ID Fatima Jasem Al Ali – BAF1406010 / Student’s Name ID / Student’s Name ID / Student’s Name ID / Student’s Name ID / Course Name International Business Management Course Code BUS 417 Semester Spring 2015 Instructor’s Name Dr.Moataz ,Dr.Ajayeb Dr.Tarek valuation Introduction Body of the Report Conclusion Recommendations References Appendix: Organization, language, presentation IndividualRead MoreA Short Note On International Operations Management And International Business3922 Words   |  16 Pages INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT MSC MANAGEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COHORT SEPTEMBER 2014 Module code: MAN7013 Prepared by: THANH VU NGUYEN Student ID: S13181084 Prepared for: TONY BIRCH Submission date: 3 July 2015 Introduction Coca Cola Company is known as the world’s largest beverage company with its flagship product Coca Cola, which is invented by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia. According to the 2005 annual report, the company operated

The Case Of The Enron Case Essay - 1197 Words

1.1. One of the most important fraud cases in the USA was The Enron case because of his criminal activity which involved a big part of USA. Let me give a short introduce about it, â€Å"In 1974, Kenneth Lay joined the Florida Gas Company, eventually serving as president of its successor company, Continental Resources Company. In 1981, he left Continental to join Transco Energy Company in Houston, Texas. Three years later, Lay joined Houston Natural Gas Co. as chairman and CEO. The company merged with InterNorth in 1985 and was later renamed Enron Corp. In 1986, Kenneth Lay was appointed chairman and chief executive officer of Enron.† (editors, n.d.) Kenneth got an executive team who did not have a proper accounting system at the company and they only wanted to show fake financial reports about the company due to they were looking for more investment. They did it because they wanted to hide their debts and failed projects in the market for recognition in the financial world. As it was said before, he started as an employee in a gas company where he got success and then he decided to build up his own company with the purpose of having the leadership in that industry, regardless of the consequences that they have for making wrong decisions. It seems that many things influenced at the moment when he decided to lie and cheat the power market and it is clear that the most important thing for him, it was to get money in an easy way and he did not even care about the results, he couldShow MoreRelatedEnron Case1075 Words   |  5 PagesMINI CASE: THE FILURE OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AT ENRON 1.Which parts of the corporate governance system, internal and external, do you believe failed Enron the most? In the evaluation of the Enron’s case; by trying to see the very big picture, it is not only about that the internal part of the corporate governance system was failed or but also the external part of the corporate governance system was also failed. As noted on the last paragraph of the mini case, many people from different positionsRead MoreEnron Case1899 Words   |  8 PagesENRON CASE Please read the Enron cases posted on blackboard and the one in your book then answer the following questions based upon the case and Chapter 9. Make sure that your answers are supported by the facts of the case and the concepts you learned from Chapter 5. Please rely only on the case/chapter 9 to answer the questions except for question # 12—requires outside search. Make sure your answers are sufficiently brief, concise, and relevant to the question. Please avoid generalRead MoreEnron Case7190 Words   |  29 PagesThe Enron Accounting Scandal Presented By: Jennifer Buondonno Nirmala David Robert Pufky Matt Rollings ENRON Page 1 of 27 Table of Contents Executive Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..3 (I) Introduction to the Enron case and the organizations involved†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 Background information industry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Organizations and officers involved†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..6 Accounting firm and partners involved†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.8 Enron’s industry†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9 Enron’s injured parties†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreEnron Case2918 Words   |  12 Pagesseemed eliminate confidence by the business world about the practice of good corporate governance in the United States. Enron was a company that was ranked as seventh out of the five hundred leading companies in the United States and is the largest U.S. energy company that went bankrupt leaving debts amounting to nearly U.S. $ 31.2 billion. In instance with the case of Enron known occurrence of moral threat behavior such as manipulation of financial statements with a record 600 million dollar profitRead MoreEnron Case2186 Words   |  9 PagesPart B: What role did the CFO play in creating the problems that led to Enron’s financial problems? In order to prevent the losses from appearing on its financial statements, Enron used questionable accounting practices. To misrepresent its true financial condition, Andrew Fastow, the Enron’s CFO, takes his role involving unconsolidated partnerships and â€Å"special purpose entities†, which would later become known as the LJM partnership. Taking advantage from the SPEs’s main purpose, which providedRead MoreEnron Case2402 Words   |  10 Pages Imane Malihi Prof. Fred Friend BLW411/511 March 27, 2014 The Downfall of Enron Corporation â€Å"Ethics and integrity are at the core of sustainable long term success †¦ Without them, no strategy can work and, as Enron has demonstrated, enterprises will fail. That’s despite having some of the ‘smartest’ guys in the room.† by Richard Rudden. As the quotation states, ethics and integrity play a key role in the success of any corporation; through these principles, companies can ensure their complianceRead MoreENRON Case Study1572 Words   |  7 Pages1. The Enron debacle created what one public official reported was a â€Å"crisis of confidence† on the part of the public in the accounting profession. List the parties who you believe are most responsible for that crisis. Briefly justify each of your choices. Following parties are believed to be the most responsible for the crisis. With any big organization going so bad, the blame starts with the top level executives, there was no different in this case. For Enron the blame started with Enron’sRead MoreThe Ethics Of The Enron Case1407 Words   |  6 PagesThe Enron case is a very popular case to show how the profession of accounting is vital to make the corporate world of business flow reliably. Enron was recognized as one of the world’s major electricity, natural gas, communications and pulp and paper’s company. However Enron was found to record assets and profits at inflated, fraudulent and non-existent amounts. Debts and losses were found to be excluded from financial statements along with other major transactions between Enron and other companiesRead MoreCase: 9 Enron928 Words   |  4 PagesCase 9: Enron; Questionable Accounting Leads to Collapse Bruce Smith Minnesota School of Business BS430 Business Ethics MR. Morris November 25, 2012 1. 2. 1. How did the corporate culture of Enron contribute to its bankruptcy? Effective leaders are good at getting followers to their common goals or objectives in the most effective and efficient way; unfortunately for Enron, in the end Ken Lay and Jeffery skilling were too focused on profits that nothing else mattered. In theRead MoreEnron Case Study2596 Words   |  11 PagesEnron a Case Study Enron, once known as the worldwide leader in energy trading, began as a natural gas pipeline company. â€Å"At its peak, Enron brokered up to 20 percent of America’s energy transactions. These included basic contracts to deliver natural gas from wells to pipelines for distribution to homes, contracts for the purchase of electrical power facility out port, and more complex financial contracts, which allowed power companies to manage price and market risk† (Ackman)

Scoping of Nutrition Education Resources

Question: Discuss about the Scoping of Nutrition Education Resources. Answer: Introduction: The National Healthy School Canteen guidelines provide the national guidance as well training to the canteen manager. This helps them to make healthier foods for the school students in the school canteen. However, Peralta, Dudley and Cotton (2016) mentioned that there are regulation ranges that a school food service system needs to maintain. The school canteen managers need to maintain the food safety and the work health and safety. The ACT public school food and drink policy (2015) helps to develop the school food and drink policy to support the guidelines for the implementation of the National Healthy school canteen guidelines (2013) (Veugelers, 2015). This policy helps to provide knowledge of the food and nutrition to the school students and their parents. Example of the school canteen legislation and curriculum overseas is the school canteen legislation England. This legislation helps to educate the parents about the healthy eating and maintenance of the normal BMI range. In Australia, childhood obesity became a big issue that can lead to various health issues. According to Peralta, Dudley Cotton (2016), 24 % boys and 21.5% girls were suffering from the obesity and overweight in 2010 in Australia. The school canteen legislation can help the kids to educate about the healthy eating behavior. Therefore, the schools need to develop some curriculum activities for the school students. The teachers needs to make the students aware about the strong effects of the physical activities to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid the health issues. In such circumstance, the parents also need to be aware about the healthy food habit of their children. For this purpose, an action plan strategy is made and recommendation is given. Action plan strategies and recommendation Strategies Activities Timeframes Responsible persons Resources required Success measurement Raise awareness among the students to quit bad food habits Organize food time and habit information session Develop posters and pamphlets for the students Arrange meeting with the parents May to July Health and wellbeing committee School teachers Program coordinator Budget Materials for poster making Time of the school teachers Time of the program coordinators Record of the number of present students with their parents Measure the post program activities Create healthy food habit policy Set up a working group to develop and imply the healthy food habit policy July to October School teachers Program coordinator Aware students Policy makers Budget Time of the policy makers Time of the school teachers Time of the program coordinators Developed policy implementation Knowledge and awareness among the students Promote and support the healthy food habit Promote the policies and program awareness among the general public October to May Program coordinator Aware students Budget Time of the program coordinators Number of the participants in the program Success of the program Table 1: Action plan strategies and recommendation (Source: Ronto et al., 2017 and Nathan et al., 2015) References Nathan, N., Wolfenden, L., Williams, C. M., Yoong, S. L., Lecathelinais, C., Bell, A. C., ... Wiggers, J. (2015). Adoption of obesity prevention policies and practices by Australian primary schools: 2006 to 2013.Health education research,30(2), 262-271. of Healthy Eating and Active Living.Canadian Journal of Diabetes,39, S3. Peralta, L., Dudley, D., Cotton, W. (2016). Teaching Healthy Eating to Elementary School Ronto, R., Ball, L., Pendergast, D., Harris, N. (2017). Environmental factors of food literacy in Australian high schools: views of home economics teachers.International Journal of Consumer Studies,41(1), 19-27. Students: A Scoping Review of Nutrition Education Resources.Journal Of School Health,86(5), 334-345.doi.org/10.1111/josh.12382 Veugelers, P. (2015). The Effectiveness and Return on Investment of School-Based Promotion

Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual property, such as copyrights, trademarks, and patents, is a phrase that is often used in reference to different unique kinds of creations of the human mind or intellect for which the creators are given certain exclusive rights to a variety of intangible assets. The intangible assets include, but not limited to, musical, literary, various works of art, terms, signs, and inventions. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Intellectual Property Rights specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Internationally, the governing body is the World Intellectual Property Organization, and it is responsible for granting exclusive rights to the owner of the intellectual property for a varying period, according to the type of the intangible asset. Because of the benefits of intellectual property rights, they should be protected by all countries. In order to protect intellectual property, a number of agreements are usually reached to ensure that the owners retain the exclusive rights regarding their use. The first agreement is copyrights, which refer to the set of exclusive rights, specified under the copyright laws of a country, that guard the original authors of both published and unpublished works of literature from unaccredited reproduction and republication (Bainbridge, 2009). In this form of intellectual property, the creator of the copyright is endowed with the responsibility to control how the work is used for a specified period, after which the work is open for others to use. The second agreement is trademarks. These refer to any unique symbol or indicator used mostly by companies for identification purposes, for example, the products of Nike Inc. can easily be identified through the design of their logo. Once registered, a trademark has a legal protection and any unauthorized use of that trademark can make the originator to sue the responsible individuals for trademark infringement. The third fo rm of intellectual property is patents, which refer to the granting of exclusive rights to an originator for a specified time period for discovering any new, beneficial, and no-obvious thing (as opposed to the rights of authorship of any form of art or literature). Advertising Looking for essay on intellectual property? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A patent is usually granted by the state in exchange for the originator’s agreement to disclose the aspects of the invention to the rest of the people (Smith Russel, 2005). Another type of agreement is trade secrets, which refer to the initiatives an organization can put in place to ensure that it gains a competitive edge in the market, for instance, an organization can protect trade secrets by issuing contracts to its workers or by locking sensitive information away in a bank vault. Lastly, industrial design rights, often conferred for a period of ten to twenty-five ye ars, have been employed to shield the aesthetic design of items that are not entirely serviceable. Protecting intellectual property rights has many benefits. Importantly, the rights shield the originator from unauthorized use of his or her ideas; consequently, the originator can comfortably earn the sweat of his or her hard work. In addition, the introduction of the rights has played an essential role in enhancing inventiveness and creativity because the originator of the idea often feels free to disclose his or her inventions to the public without the fear of being misused. The costs of protecting the intellectual property rights usually vary from one country to another and the type of intellectual property to be protected. Further, it is important to note that the costs are far less compared to the damages one can incur due to the misuse of his or her ideas. Reference List Bainbridge, David, Intellectual property, 7th edn, Pearson Longman, New York, 2009.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Intellectual Property Rights specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Smith, GV, LP Russel, Intellectual Property: Valuation, Exploitation, and Infringement Damages, John Wiley Sons, Hoboken, 2005. This essay on Intellectual Property Rights was written and submitted by user Ariella Romero to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Major Samuel Nicholas, USMC in the American Revolution

Major Samuel Nicholas, USMC in the American Revolution Samuel Nicholas - Early Life: Born in 1744, Samuel Nicholas was the son of Andrew and Mary Shute Nicholas. Part of a well known Philadelphia Quaker family, Nicholas uncle, Attwood Shute, served as the citys mayor from 1756-1758. At age seven, his uncle sponsored his admission to the noted Philadelphia Academy. Studying with the children of other prominent families, Nicholas established important relationships which would aid him later in life. Graduating in 1759, he earned entry into the Schuylkill Fishing Company, an exclusive social fishing and fowling club. Samuel Nicholas - Rising in Society: In 1766, Nicholas organized the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club, one of the first hunt clubs in America, and later became a member of the Patriotic Association. Two years later, he married Mary Jenkins, the daughter of a local businessman. Shortly after Nicholas married, he took over the Connestogoe (later Conestoga) Wagon Tavern which was owned by his father-in-law. In this role, he continued to build connections across Philadelphia society. In 1774, with tensions building with Britain, several members of the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club elected to form the Light Horse of the City of Philadelphia. Samuel Nicholas - Birth of the US Marine Corps: With the outbreak of the American Revolution in April 1775, Nicholas continued to operate his business. Though lacking in formal military training, the Second Continental Congress approached him late that year to aid in establishing a marine corps for service with the Continental Navy. This was largely due to his prominent place in Philadelphia society and his connections to the citys taverns which Congress believed could furnish good fighting men. Agreeing, Nicholas was appointed Captain of Marines on November 5, 1775. Five days later, Congress authorized the formation of two battalions of marines for service against the British. With the official birth of the Continental Marines (later US Marine Corps), Nicholas had his appointment confirmed on November 18 and was commissioned as a captain. Quickly establishing a base at Tun Tavern, he began recruiting Marines for service aboard the frigate Alfred (30 guns). Working diligently, Nicholas raised five companies of Marines by the end of the year. This proved sufficient to provide detachments for the ships of the Continental Navy then at Philadelphia. Samuel Nicholas - Baptism of Fire: Having completed recruiting, Nicholas took personal command of the Marine Detachment aboard Alfred. Serving as Commodore Esek Hopkins flagship, Alfred departed Philadelphia with a small squadron on January 4, 1776. Sailing south, Hopkins elected to strike at Nassau which was known to have a large supply of weapons and munitions. Though warned of a possible American attack by General Thomas Gage, Lieutenant Governor Montfort Browne did little to bolster the islands defenses. Arriving in the area on March 1, Hopkins and his officers planned their assault. Coming ashore on March 3, Nicholas led a landing party of around 250 Marines and sailors. Occupying Fort Montagu, he paused for the night before advancing to occupy the town the next day. Though Browne had managed to send the bulk of the islands powder supply to St. Augustine, Nicholas men captured a large number of guns and mortars. Departing two weeks later, Hopkins squadron sailed north and captured two British ships as well as fought a running battle with HMS Glasgow (20) on April 6. Arriving at New London, CT two days later, Nicholas traveled back to Philadelphia. Samuel Nicholas - With Washington: For his efforts at Nassau, Congress promoted Nicholas to major in June and placed him at the head of the Continental Marines. Ordered to remain in the city, Nicholas was directed to raise an additional four companies. In December 1776, with American troops forced from New York City and pushed across New Jersey, he received orders to take three companies of Marines and join General George Washingtons army north of Philadelphia. Seeking to regain some momentum, Washington devised an attack on Trenton, NJ for December 26. Moving forward, Nicholas Marines were attached to Brigadier John Cadwaladers command with orders to cross the Delaware at Bristol, PA and attack Bordentown, NJ before advancing on Trenton. Due to ice in the river, Cadwalader abandoned the effort and as a result the Marines did not take part in the Battle of Trenton. Crossing the next day, they joined Washington and took part in the Battle of Princeton on January 3. The campaign marked the first time that US Marines served as a fighting force under US Army control. Following the action at Princeton, Nicholas and his men remained with Washingtons army. Samuel Nicholas - The First Commandant: With the British evacuation of Philadelphia in 1778, Nicholas returned to the city and re-established the Marine Barracks. Continuing recruiting and administrative duties, he effectively served as commandant of the service. As a result, he is generally considered to be the first Commandant of the Marine Corps. In 1779, Nicholas requested command of the Marine Detachment for the ship of the line America (74) then under construction at Kittery, ME. This was denied as Congress desired his presence in Philadelphia. Remaining, he served in the city until the service was disbanded at the end of the war in 1783. Samuel Nicholas - Later Life: Returning to private life, Nicholas resumed his business activities and was an active member in the State Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania. Nicholas died on August 27, 1790, during a yellow fever epidemic. He was buried at the Friends Graveyard at Arch Street Friends Meeting House. The founding officer of the US Marine Corps, his grave is adorned with wreath during a ceremony each year on November 10 to mark the services birthday. Selected Sources Major Samuel Nicholas USS Nicholas: Samuel Nicholas

Open House at Private Schools

Open House at Private Schools If youre applying to a private school, you might notice that many of them offer something called an open house. What is it and why should you attend? In the most simple terms, a private school open house is a chance for you to visit the school. Some schools have a block of time where prospective families can come and go, meet the admissions team, and take a quick tour, while others offer full programs that require families to register in advance and arrive by a specific time. Open houses may have limited space, so if its not clear whether registration is required, its always a good idea to check with the admissions office to be sure.   Exactly what happens at an open house can vary from school to school, but typically you can expect to hear from the Head of School and/or the Director of Admission, as well as one or more of the following things during an open house.   A Campus Tour Nearly every private school open house will have an opportunity for prospective families to tour the campus. You might not be able to see the entire  campus, especially if the school is set on hundreds of acres, but youll likely get to see the main academic buildings, the dining hall, library, the student center (if the school has one), arts facilities, gymnasium, and select athletics facilities, as well as a School Store. Often these are led by students, giving you a chance to ask questions about life from a students perspective.  If youre attending an open house at a boarding school, you might also get to see a dorm room or at least the inside of the dormitory and the common areas. If you have a special request for a tour, you will want to call the admission office in advance to see if they can accommodate you or if youll need to schedule a separate appointment.   Panel Discussions and Question Answer Session Many private schools will host panel discussions where students, faculty, alumni and/or current parents will talk about their time at the school and answer questions from the audience. These discussions are a great way to get a general overview of life at the school and help you learn more. Usually, there will be limited time for questions and answers, so if your question doesnt get asked and answered, just ask to follow up with an admission representative later on.   Class Visits Attending a private school means going to class, so many schools will offer students and their parents to attend class so you can get an idea of what the classroom experience is like. You may not be able to attend the class of your choice, but attending any class, even if its conducted in another language, will give you an idea of the student-teacher dynamic, style of learning, and if youll feel comfortable in class. Some schools will offer students the opportunity to shadow current students for an entire day, giving you the full experience, while others only provide the opportunity for visitors to attend one or two classes.   Lunch Food is an important part of a school, as youre going to each lunch here every day and if youre a boarding student, breakfast, and dinner, too. Many private school open houses include lunch so you can try the food and see what the dining hall is like.   Club Fair Schools will sometimes offer a club fair, where prospective students and families can learn about after-school sports, activities, clubs, and other things that happen on campus as part of student life. Each club or activity may have a table where you can ask questions and meet students who share the same interests as you.   Interview Some schools will offer a chance for prospective students to interview during the open house event, while others will require a second personal visit to conduct these. If youre not sure if interviews are possible or if youre traveling from a distance and want an interview while youre there, ask if its possible to schedule one before or after the event.   Overnight Visit This option is less common  and is only found at select boarding schools, but occasionally prospective students are invited to spend the night in the dorm. These overnight visits are arranged in advance  and are not available if you just show up at an open house unexpectedly. Parents will typically find lodging in town or nearby, while students stay with a host student. Visitors are expected to participate in whatever activities happen at night, including study halls, so be sure to bring a book to read or homework. Lights out rules are also expected to be followed, as are restrictions for when you are allowed to leave the dorm at night and in the morning. If youre doing an overnight, you may wish to bring your own shower shoes, towel, and toiletries, in addition to a change of clothes for the next day. Ask if you need to bring a sleeping bag and pillow, too.   A common misconception about open house events is that attending means youre absolutely going to apply. Usually, its quite the opposite. These massive gatherings of prospective families are designed to introduce you to the school and help you decide if you truly want to learn more and complete the application process.

Joan Alexandra Molinsky Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Joan Alexandra Molinsky - Essay Example In 1987, however, Rivers life began to spiral downward when her husband, Edgar Rosenberg, committed suicide. This event, combined with a declining career, was the onset of a deep depression for Rivers, as well as the beginnings of bulimia. Rivers states how a devastating loss affects hunger in two ways - erasing it or launch it to new heights. "For me the suicide inspired a gastronomic space program." she claims (Rivers, 1997, p.98). She describes the beginnings of a binge - overeating rich foods until she felt bloated and her clothes became too small - at which point she reached the solution of self-induced vomiting. Occasional purges soon evolved into weekly then twice a day rituals. Rivers timed her purges to happen roughly a half hour after a meal; she realized she must admit the problem to her therapist when she pulled over to vomit in a rest area bathroom. When she finally admitted her bulimia to her therapist Dr. Michael Greenstein, his observation reflects the general state of her life: out of control. Because of this, one of the few things she has been able to control is her bodily intake and output, which has manifested itself in the form of bulimia. Eating disorders are actually psychological disorders and can frequently be triggered by traumatizing events. The proper name of bulimia is Bulimia Nervosa (BN), which translates as "ox hunger", and refers specifically to a binge and purge cycle happening at least twice a week for at least six months. Purging methods include self-induced vomiting, or the abuse of laxatives, diuretics or enemas. Bulimics may also resort to fasting or exhibit obsessive compulsions to exercise. Sufferers often share similar personality traits: they tend towards perfectionism, while retaining a sense of low self-esteem despite their accomplishments. Depression is a frequent contributor to the disorder's development as well. Unfortunately, since the psychology of bulimia is often related to larger emotional issues, both the condition and the original problems complement and augment each other, resulting in a worsening of all symptoms (Eating Disorders, 2005). There are several Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment (CB) methods for BN: such as various behavior, psychodynamic, family, or experiential therapies, or a Twelve-Step program using the disorder as an addiction. CBT is a process by which the patient comes to recognizes the true psychological issues, learn more constructive coping mechanisms in relation to these, and then modify their behavior to return to more acceptable eating patterns while preventing relapses. Anti-depressants frequently help, as they curb the appetite while inhibiting the root depression; different anti-depressants seem to work equally well (Wilson and Pike, 2001). With Dr. Greenstein, Joan Rivers learned to identify her grief of her husband's suicide and was able to return to host a daytime talk show through the years 1989-1993 (Wikkipedia, 2006), the ending of which coincided with the death of her therapist and her returning to live in New York. Her depression was growing worse. The combination of her husband's los s, her talk show ending, a brief Broadway show collapsing and the failure of her jewelry venture

The Current State of the Caribbean Is Better Explained Through Essay

The Current State of the Caribbean Is Better Explained Through Reference to Contemporary Rather Then Past Global Relations - Essay Example This report stresses that the very conspicuous feminist changes within the Caribbean would be noted in the visibility of Caribbean women in different occupational positions which were once reserved only for European people and the challenges to a transforming relationship between gender and global capitalism are also highlighted This paper makes a conclusion that globalization and its impact on the Caribbean thus seem to depend on several factors such as improved education that can highlight the particularities and specialties of the Caribbean region and bring out the features that would attract the world. Tourism would be a major reason for which businesses and industries would be willing to invest in the Caribbean and the region remains as an attractive tourist destination, making it a full blown participant in the global economy and the process of globalization. The importance of equal gender relations and the significance of comparative education have been discussed considering that women’s position in society and especially within the Caribbean society in this context could be very important in bringing out the changes in global relations. Caribbean society is changing with the changes of global economy and women’s relations may actually define how the Caribbean society projects itself to the world. The importance of education also should not be undermined as only a modern form of education within the Caribbean would help it to relate to a globalized changing and interlinked society.

Love, Death and Fascist Iconography Essay Example for Free

Love, Death and Fascist Iconography Essay To the fascist artist, his or her own art is merely a vessel that encapsulates his or her own socially-motivated beliefs. The works of Yukio Mishima and Leni Riefenstahl, for instance, embody the essence of their individual nationalities at the height of their individual careers—nationalities that might transcend origin and geography, yet extol   culture, tradition, ritual and society.   Mishima and Riefenstahl exhibit incredible parallelism in their works. Mishima, in his short story Patriotism, describe the human form with such detail and meticulousness reminiscent of Riefenstahl’s style in her 1930’s films. Much like Riefenstahl’s The Last of the Nuba, the naked body is depicted as a means of fascist iconography—the body, perfect and pure in its own way, merges with a bigger community of bodies of like characteristics (Evans 31). Susan Sontag’s treatise on the works of Riefenstahl, Fascinating Fascism, breaks down the latter’s appreciation and fascination of the strong and beautiful Nuba figure as examples of Nazi ideology corresponding to the idea of aesthetics for fascists. Sontag writes, â€Å"Riefenstahl’s portrait of them evokes some of the larger themes of Nazi ideology: the contrast between the clean and the impure, the incorruptible and the defiled, the physical and the mental, the joyful and the critical (par. 27).† This description is echoed in Mishima’s Patriotism, when the lead character Takeyama decides to commit seppuku—ritual suicide by disembowelment—as an act of redemption from the dishonor incurred when his comrades formed alliances with the mutineers.   Mishima’s imagery of Takeyama and his wife Reiko’s preparations for the ritual, as well as the metaphors he uses in describing the couple’s physical forms conveys a fascination for perfection and beauty a la Riefenstahl—remarkable symbols of fascist iconography, as Sontag would consider. In its own effect, Takeyama, Reiko and the Nuba become examples of the â€Å"master race†, where everyone is beautiful, strong, and does not age (Trimborn McCown 256). Mishima and Riefenstahl’s works are also parallel in such that their depictions of death are detailed, beautiful and almost enthralling.     In Patriotism, death in is portrayed as a reward, a happy and celebrated ceremony that requires the utmost preparation. In the Nuba culture, death is a central event, along with fighting. In the Japanese culture, as evidenced by Mishima’s paramount detail in describing Takeyama’s death, death is a way for one to demonstrate his or her enduring loyalty and nationalism to the Imperial system. Death in both Mishima and Riefenstahl’s works surpass life’s merriest events—birth, marriage, love—at times besting even life itself. Mishima writes, â€Å"All around, vastly and untidily, stretched the country for which he grieved. He was to give his life for it. But would that great country, which he was prepared to remonstrate to the extent of destroying himself take the slightest heed of his death? He did not know; and not matter (par. 63).† Takeyama’s examination of self not only mirrors the authors suggestions of his own death wish, it also echoes the sentiments of those under the spell of a fascist ideology—their so-called patriotism—that converts their idea of nationhood as something not only territorial, but equally and incredibly spiritual. The young lieutenant and his bride chose their own death by seppuku, which may be seen as either an honorable and extremely devout approach, or as a self-destructive and deadly consequence of their fanaticism. Mishima unintentionally diverts the reader’s attention from this concept with his alluring illustrations of fascist ideals and concepts, again reminiscent of Riefenstahl’s imagery in her Nazi films. Sontag would consider it an absolute expression of fascist art, in the sense that it â€Å"glorifies surrender, exalts mindlessness, and glamorizes death (par. 36).† Above everything, Mishima verifies in his work and own life the burden that comes with the duty to abide by cultural tradition—duty can be all in one beautiful or ugly, life or death. Works Cited Evans, Mark. Movement Training for the Modern Actor. London, UK: Taylor and Francis,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2008. Mishima, Yushio. â€Å"Patriotism.† Trans. Geoffrey W. Sargent. Mutantfrog Travelogue. 27   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   June 2009. http://www.mutantfrog.com/patriotism-by-yukio-mishima/ Sontag, Susan. â€Å"Fascinating Fascism. â€Å" University of California Santa Barbara. 27 June 2009.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/classes/33d/33dTexts/SontagFascinFas  Ã‚  Ã‚   cism75.htm Trimborn, Jurgen McCown, Edna. Leni Riefenstahl: A Life. New York: MacMillan, 2007.

The Positronic Man :: essays research papers

THE POSITRONIC MAN An extraordinary story about an extraordinary robot. In the twenty-first century the creation of the positronic brain leads to the development of robot labourers and revolutionises life on Earth. However, to the Martin family, their household robot NDR-113 is more than a tool, it is a trusted friend, a confidant, and a member of the family. Through some unknown manufacturing glitch, NDR-113 or known as Andrew has been blessed, with a capacity for love and a drive toward self-awareness and development that are almost...human. This story is set on an Earth, which is just starting to get used to the idea of robots. Even so, it is an earth that was not ready for Robot NDR-113. Andrew, with his ability to assimilate emotions, and an unexpected gift for fine arts, both astounded and worried people. In an attempt to become human, he develops several prosthetic devices, which prove a godsend to humans. Almost, however, is not enough. Andrew's dream is to become accepted as human. Facing human prejudice, the laws of robotics, and his own mechanical limitations, Andrew used science and law in his quest for the impossible, arriving at last at a terrifying choice: to make his dream a reality, he must pay the ultimate price. I must say that I didn't have very high expectations for this book because I am not a very big science fiction fan, but this book changed my mind. There are many reasons why this particular book changed my view on science fiction. One of the major reasons for my enjoyment of this book is the way in which it was written. Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg set this story up wonderfully. I personally liked the way the book is structured. The first chapter takes place at the end of the story so you start thinking about what is going to happen right from the start. Then, as you near then end of the story you return to where you began in the first chapter and finish the story with a thought provoking ending. Another major reason that I liked this particular story is because it touched on many ethical aspects, from different points of view. Such as, what it means to be human, how humans in general would be perceived by an intelligence that has no knowledge about the way we as human’s reason or think. The authors also showed how humans will react when they find out that they can create a being with the ability to not just think in a logical pattern but also be creative and intelligent well beyond their own abilities.

Ge Talent Machine Essay

DESCRIPTION GE believes its ability to develop management talent is a core competency that represents a source of sustainable competitive advantage. This case traces the development of GE’s rich system of human resource policies and practices under five CEOs in the post-war era, showing how the development of talent is embedded into the company’s ongoing management responsibilities. It describes the development of a 25-year-old MBA named Jeff Immelt, who 18 years later is named as CEO of GE, arguably the biggest and most complex corporate leadership job in the world and how he frames his priorities for GE and implements them, pulling hard on the sophisticated human resource levers his predecessors left him. Immelt questions whether he should adjust or even overhaul three elements of GE’s finely tuned talent machine. LEARNING OBJECTIVE To examine the importance of managing human capital as carefully as financial capital as a scarce strategic resource. SUBJECTS COVERED Business policy; Competitive advantage; Core competencies; Corporate strategy; Diversified companies; Human resource management; Implementing strategy; Leadership; Management development; Organizational behavior SETTING Company Employee Count: 300,000 ï‚ · Company Revenue: $132 billion revenues ï‚ · Event Year Begin: 1960 ï‚ · Event Year End: 2003 BUILDING THE TALENT MACHINE: HISTORY OF GE’S HR PRACTICES Strengthening the Foundations: Cordiner’s Contributions Ralph Cordiner was president of GE from 1950-1958 and CEO from 1958-1963. Under his leadership, the following initiatives were implemented: 1. Decentralized GE’s management structure, transferring authority down to nearly 100 department-level businesses. 2. Spent $40 million annually on management education, almost 10% of its earnings. 3. Initiated a new management evaluation process known as â€Å"Session C,† which resulted in career development plans and the rating of subordinates on a six-point scale from â€Å"high potential† to â€Å"unsatisfactory.† 4. Introduced a system of objective performance evaluation tied to 28 position levels (PLs) that showed entry, median and maximum level salaries for each level. Systematizing HR Processes: Borsch and Jones Fred Borsch was CEO from 1963-1972. During his tenure he: 1. Implemented a new round of corporate diversification. 2. Overcame department managers’ tendency to keep talented managers to themselves, which was accomplished by having the top 2% of GE’s employees (PLs 13-27) report directly to him. 3. Had GE business leaders identify potential managerial talent and track all â€Å"high potentials† to make sure they were exposed to a wide range of GE businesses. Reg Jones was CEO from 1972-1981. He introduced a more formal and structured approach to strategic planning, creating 43 strategic business units and adding another organizational layer—the sector—to put groups together based upon common characteristics. Supercharging the System: Welch’s Initiatives Jack Welch became CEO in 1981. During his time as CEO, he: 1. Concentrated on improving performance in order for GE to become #1 or #2 in their current businesses. 2. Implemented the â€Å"fix it, sell it, or close it† strategy for businesses that were not #1 or #2. 3. Eliminated over 100,000 jobs. 4. Collapsed the 29 positions levels (PLs) into seven broad bands. 5. Granted stock options for performance. 6. Invested heavily in management development. 7. Reconsidered competing for management recruits from the pool of most hunted college and business school graduates. Went after disciplined, self-motivated candidates from Midwestern engineering programs, night schools and former military officers. 8. Insisted managers be evaluated on how they live up to GE’s values, as well as objective performance measures. 9. Added a disciplined performance analysis to Session C by asking managers to rank subordinates on a â€Å"vitality curve†: the top 20%, highly valued 70% and least effective 10%. 10. Tightly integrated HR systems with other business elements to constantly look for â€Å"high potentials.† THE MAKING OF A CEO: THE RISE AND RISE OF JEFF IMMELT Jeff Immelt joined GE in 1982. He was a 25-year old Harvard MBA who impressed the GE Harvard MBA recruiting executive so much that Immelt didn’t even need to go through the normal process of going through the corporate referral center. The recruiting executive recommended Immelt to senior management and suggested that Jack Welch get involved to make sure Immelt didn’t take a job somewhere else. Within 30 days of his hiring, Immelt was part of a team presenting to Welch. The Plastics Experience: Building Skills Immelt started out as a regional sales manager for GE Plastics with 15 people reporting directly to him. Over the next seven years, Immelt held positions as product manager, sales manager and global marketing manager. He was one of 150 other young â€Å"high potentials† being tracked for positions at the highest levels of the company. In 1987, Immelt was selected to attend the Executive Development Course at Crotonville. This course was important for Immelt’s possible selection as a company officer and provided him excellent networking opportunities with other high potential managers. The Appliances Challenge: The Turnaround Test In 1989, Immelt was moved to the Appliances service business. He was placed in the Appliances business to figure out what to do with over one million defective refrigerators that had been sold by GE. Immelt knew this was an excellent opportunity and that he would either â€Å"sink or swim.† Over one million refrigerator compressors were replaced with new units that came from competitors. The recall operation went well and Immelt was asked to run the entire marketing and product marketing operations, reporting directly to the CEO of Appliances. Immelt got frank feedback during his Session C evaluations and was counseled that he needed to listen better, to empower his subordinates more and to channel his energy into bringing his people along with him when he wanted action. In 1992, Jack Welch moved Immelt back to Plastics. Plastics Redux: Trial by Fire After a year back at Plastics, Immelt was named head of Plastics Americas, reporting directly to the CEO of Plastics. Immelt faced challenges when his operation missed its numbers by $30 million, due to cost overruns, and he had tried to renegotiate prices with its big customer, General Motors. GM was ready to stop doing business with GE when Welch and GM’s CEO decided to work together in order to solve the problem. Welch checked with Immelt regularly to see how Immelt was handling the situation. Welch was not happy with Immelt, but he watched Immelt closely and allowed the decisions made regarding the relationship with GM to be Immelt’s. Immelt understood that he would not be punished for making a mistake. He knew, however, that â€Å"you can fail† but â€Å"we don’t allow you to make the same mistake twice.† Medical Systems: Putting It All Together In 1997, Immelt was appointed to run GE Medical Systems. Prior to Immelt’s arrival, GE Medical had been focusing on cost-cutting. Instead, Immelt emphasized growth and started to expand into other businesses and make GE Medical a more global company. He started acquiring companies, investing in new technologies and restructuring global operations. Immelt’s style was to engage and energize those around him. Immelt began to mentor and coach other high potential managers, and as a result of his leadership and the success of his team, in four years, GE Medical’s sales doubled and its profit more than doubled. Because of his excellent work leading GE Medical, by 2001, Jeff Immelt had become one of the front-runners to succeed Jack Welch as CEO of GE. The Succession Process Welch’s list of CEO succession candidates included then-current business heads, some senior corporate officers and about a dozen young â€Å"hot shots,† like Immelt. From 1994, members of GE’s board visited various GE businesses to get a direct impression of potential CEO candidates. By 2000, it was widely speculated that the three top contenders were Jeff Immelt, Jim McNerney and Bob Nardelli. In October 2000, the board discussed the three finalists and in November, Immelt was unanimously voted CEO designate. NEW HANDS ON THE CONTROLS: JEFF IMMELT, CEO Jeff Immelt’s first day as CEO was September 10, 2001. He called it the â€Å"one good day† of his first year on the job. The next day was 9/11 and from then on, GE’s businesses, like those of other companies, faced hard times and a drop in its stock price. Immelt’s Priority: Leveraging Human Capital for Growth Immelt was committed to GE’s continued growth and he spent an estimated 40% of his time on human resource issues. He said, â€Å"Every initiative I’m thinking about gets translated immediately into recruiting, Crotonville and Session C.† Immelt’s five key human resource initiatives were: 1. Target technology skills during Session C reviews. Review the business’s engineering pipeline, the organization of its engineering function and evaluate the potential of its engineering talent. (Immelt was concerned that technology-oriented managers were under-represented in GE’s executive ranks.) 2. Open new channels of communication between businesses and geographical areas. Share ideas. 3. Emphasize customer relationships and marketing. 4. Develop GE’s globalization strategy. (Immelt appointed Ferdinando Beccalli as the company’s first CEO of GE Europe; named a new president and CEO of China; and began offering courses at Crotonville to Chinese management and Chinese customers.) 5. Invest in businesses heavier in human capital than in physical capital. (Immelt identified six growth platforms—healthcare information technology, water technology and services, oil and gas technology, security and sensors, Hispanic broadcasting, and consumer finance.) THE TALENT MACHINE IN 2003: SERVICE, TUNE UP, OR OVERHAUL? In 2003, Immelt was reflecting on his first full year as CEO. Times had not been good; GE’s stock was down and employees were uneasy about the economic downturn. Management and employee turnover was low, but Immelt wanted to make sure that when the economy picked up, employees would be motivated and engaged. He wondered if it was time to adjust or overhaul GE’s talent machine. The Vitality Curve While the rankings-based vitality curve had been controversial to many outsiders, long-term GE employees viewed it as part of the company’s meritocracy-based culture. Immelt felt that other companies had experienced difficulty with the process because it requires feedback, coaching, training and clear performance goals. All the elements of the evaluation system must work together. However, in early 2003, Immelt noticed that BankAmerica had successfully recruited over 90 GE employees. These employees had been targeted, not from the top 20%, but from the highly valued 70%. Immelt felt this group was the backbone of GE and were not to be considered just average. Should the system be modified to differentiate within this group? Should recognition and rewards be less sharply focused on the top 20%? Or, should the entire concept of performance ranking at GE be questioned? Recruitment GE was driving toward more service-intense global businesses. Immelt wondered about the talent pool he would need to run these businesses. One proposal was to target MBAs with marketing management career interests. Immelt also wondered if GE was not over-reliant on its US-based recruitment programs. Since 40% of GE’s revenues were generated offshore, should there be more non-Americans in executive positions? Executive Bands One problem with the collapse of the 29 PLs into seven broad executive bands was that some employees, especially in international locations, felt that their promotion opportunities were limited and the frequency of clearly defined job promotions decreased. In more hierarchical business cultures, such as India, perceived status and level were highly valued. While there might not be a real difference between a PL15 and PL16, for many it represented an important psychological reward.

Las Ferreterias de Mexico

Good management- Most of the Employees value rewards of different nature and they are therefore motivated by positive rewards. Employees are known to put less effort to those activities or tasks that are not well rewarded and hence in order to motivate them in their work, a good scheme for rewarding them is important. These rewards are different in nature and include compensation, awards, off duties and many others. Mr. Gonzalez came up with the idea of implementing compensation plan as a way of improving performance of the employees in the company.His intention was to include managers, buyers and salesmen in this new compensation incentive. However, the consultancy firm found this to be difficult since it was challenging to measure the performance of the salesmen and buyers. The consultancy firm therefore advised Mr. Gonzalez to use the plan for managers of the companies only without including other staffs. The success of any plan or policy depends so much on the involvement of peop le who will be affected by that plan in its development.Employees will always support implementation of a plan they were involved in its development. For instance, considering their views before the development of the scheme will make them to own the plan and therefore support it when it comes to the implementation of the plan. This means that for the success of the new compensation plan, Mr. Gonzalez had to make sure that he involved all the parties who will be affected by the new plan. In the development of the new compensation schemes, Mr.Gonzalez sought the services of the consultancy firm who worked together with the human resource and finance department representatives. The involvement of these two departments was important in order take care of financial and human resource considerations during the plan implementation. However, the plan did not involve other staffs who were to be affected by the plan. This include managers from other departments such as store managers and sal es manager who were the beneficially of the new plan.This could make it difficulty for the company to implement the plan since there may be tradeoffs between the performance of the whole team and that of individual managers (Gerhart et al, 2009). During the development of the plan, it was necessary to take and consider the views of other managers and not just human resource and finance managers. This would have made the plan makers to consider all the issues like bonus pool allocation, performance measures to be used and other important issues that may affect theimplementation of the plan. This would have ensured issues like how the bonus will be allocated among the managers. The plan allocated 70% of the bonus to the store managers and the rest to corporate staffs and regional managers. Though, store managers perform a crucial role in sales, other department managers may not be comfortable with the way the bonus is allocated. The allocation of the bonus could have been agreed by al l departmental managers before the implementation of the new plan.BONUS POOL ALLOCATIONAccording to the new compensation plan, the bonus pool would be allocated among store managers depending on the bonus units they have earned. A 5% earning in ROI would earn a store manager one unit of bonus. Any additional percentage earning in ROI would earn an additional bonus unit. This formula will continue to apply as the percentage in ROI earning increases. The allocation will also put into consideration those store managers who have been in their position for a period less than a year.The allocation of bonus among regional managers would be different where the formula used will consider the bonus unit that has been earned by stores in the managers’ region divided by all total unit bonus that have been earned by all stores in the company. Finally according to the new compensation plan, bonus pool for the corporate staff would be divided by the CEO, depending on the ROI earnings of the corporation in that year. The formula used in the compensation plan is very clear and simple hence understandable by all managers. A good bonus plan should be simple and clear to the parties who are affected by that plan.This would make it simple for those party affected by the plan to implement it. Clarity of the compensation plan means that the plan has little or no ambiguity and uncertainty about the standards that will be used to measure the performance of the beneficiaries. This means that the superiors are not in a position to show any favourism or bias when measuring the performance of their subordinates. In this company, the formula applied is based on the allocation of bonus pool among the store managers according to the unit bonus they have earned relative to the ROI earning.The formula is simple and managers can easily understand it and work hard to increase their ROI earning in order for them to increase their bonus units. Again, the formula is fixed and it may not be p ossible for those people who will be assessing the performance of the managers to show any bias or favouritism. This will ensure the efficiency of the compensation plan. This also applies to the formula used to calculate bonus for regional managers and corporate staffs. A good reward system should produce some impacts to the corporation.The system used should be aimed to improve the performance of the organisation after its implementation. Managers and other staffs ought to be motivated to work hard by the reward system as they strive to earn the promised bonus. Their increased performance will be reflected in the increased performance of the whole company. In addition, a good reward system ought to be timely where employees are rewarded immediately without any delay. This will motivate workers to work even harder in the next period thus improving the performance of the corporation in the long term.THE PRINCIPLLE OF CONTROLLABILITYAccording to the controllability principle, all empl oyees ought to be held accountable only for those variables that are within their control (Giraud et al, 2008). Employees ought not to be penalized when things fail because of bad luck as well as not being rewarded when things succeed because of good luck. Thus managers should be held accountable for the outcomes of the variables they control. At managerial level, many factors that affect the performance of an organisation are only partially controlled. However, managers are usually in a position to make decisions that may make the uncontrollable factors affect result in a positive way.The advantage of this method is that managers can be held accountable for the areas they are intended to influence. This will direct all the effort of the managers to the areas that can improve the performance of the organistion (profit centre). For instance, the compensation plan employed by Mr. Gonzalez will hold managers accountable for their profit centre.The main profit centre of the corporation are the stores thus basing the compensation plan of the managers on performance of this area will ensure that, managers effort are directed to the profit centre. Managers will also be more responsible since they will be accountable for all the factors they are controlling in the stores. However managers should also be rewarded for those factors they do not control and yet affect the outcome of their division outcome.BONUS DECISION ON CORPORATE PROFITThe new compensation plan is based on the ROI earnings at the end of financial year. The allocation of bonus among corporate staffs is based directly on the ROI earning of the corporate while among the managers it is indirectly based on ROI earnings. This means the bonus compensation plan may have impact on the corporate profit as it becomes expenses to the company.Increased ROI does not necessarily translate to increased profit and therefore basing bonus compensation on ROI may reduce the profit of the company due to increased expenses. The payment of all bonuses may be too expensive to the corporation thus reducing the profit of the organisation. However, this does not mean that the increased performance of the managers would not increase the profit of the corporation.QUESTION TWO CHALLENGES OF USING ROI Though the use of ROI to measure the performance of different division has a many advantages, it also has many disadvantages (Rachlin, 1997). Using this method to measure the performance of managers in the corporation may pose a number of challenges to Mr. Gonzales. According to Hoffman and Rogelberg (1998), the method may be referred to as a discretionary system since it does not include all the staffs of the corporation. The plan only covers the managers and does not cover other players in profit generation such as salesmen and buyers.This means that the plan will not motivate all the workers together since it only covers some of them and not all of them. This will be difficult for all the employees to be unite d in order to achieve a common goal of improving performance of the organisation. Increasing ROI earnings can only occurs when all the employees of the organisation combine their effort together to achieve a certain level of ROI earnings. This is not possible when all the staffs are not rewarded fairly for their effort.ROI performance measures show the ratio of the profit in relation to the investment used to generate it. This measure at times may be problematic for instance when it comes to the determination of the investments that were used to generate a given level of profit. It is difficult to measure the amount of fixed asset that was used to generate a given level of profit. Mr. Gonzalez may find it difficult to relate the profit generated in a given store with fixed assets that were used to generate that profit. This because fixed assets will be used in more than one financial year.The use of ROI earnings to measure the performance of managers may lead to sub optimization whe re managers concentrate only on the ROI earnings of their division without necessary working to improve the performance of the whole corporation. Improving the ROI of a certain division is usually a short term goal which may not increase the performance of the organisation in the long term. Managers and other staffs may work very hard only for the purpose of earning the bonuses in the new compensation plan without necessary aiming to improve the performance of the company.The measure of earning on investments may also include those factors that are not controlled by the managers. This may include liabilities and assets that are not controlled by division managers and yet they affect the profit of a given store. Division managers usually control receivables and payments within that division and they should only be accountable for that. Holding division managers accountable for factors they do not control may be unfair to them. Thus Mr. Gonzalez ought to look for a method of measuring performance that will be fairer to all the managers.The use of ROI method may also create unhealthy competition among the store managers. Bonus pool is allocated among store managers according to the percentage of ROI they have earned in their stores. The managers can therefore do anything possible to increase their ROI so that they can increase their bonus. This may involve manipulating their revenue and expenses in order to report high profit figures at the end of financial period. This behaviour will create unnecessary short term pressure among the managers which can be avoided using a different method of measuring the performance of the managers (Eva & Mika, 2010).This may have a negative impact to the long term performance of the company. Each division may also work more independent without co-working with other divisions since different divisions will be operating like rivals which may also not improve the long term performance of the company. It is also difficult to know whe ther the increase in sale in a certain store is as result of the new compensation plan (Sammer, 2006). It may take sometime before Mr. Gonzalez knows whether the implemented plan is successful.This is because there are other factors that are not controlled by the manager that may result in increased ROI earning. The use of the ROI method compare all managers on the same platform without considering differences in areas like their division, their region and many other differences. For instances, managers in different departments carry out different operations that have different expenses and revenues. These differences will also affect their department profitability and thus their earnings in ROI.Different regions also have different rate of sales and although efforts put by manager in that region matters, regional differences will also affect the outcome of those regions. The use of ROI to measure the profitability of the manager does not put into consideration factors like regional differences which will affect the outcome of a certain region. Thus rewarding managers using ROI earnings which do not consider such factors will be unfair to some managers who may come from those regions that are not favourable.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)In 1979, Dr. Norman Rosenthal moved from his home in South Africa to New York. Over a short period of time he found that the short days, compared with those in South Africa, were affecting his energy levels, and that these feelings would usually persist until spring. In 1984 at the National Institute for Mental Health, this one doctor's brush with seasonally induced depression began the study of what is commonly called winter blues, or more clinically, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).What is it and who gets it?Affecting approximately 5% of the US population SAD is a seasonally induced depressive disorder that manifests itself during the darker months of the year, typically between October and April, with symptoms often completely abating shortly thereafter. A person with SAD has problems responding to the seasonal changes in light. Though nearly anyone can potentially be affected, the prototypical SAD patient is a woman in her 20's or 30's living in a far northern climate experiencing feelings of anxiety and fatigue.seasonal affective disorderIn order to meet the clinical definition of suffering from SAD, a person must exhibit the symptoms through two consecutive winters. (Morano, 2003)Americans are more than twice as likely than European to have SAD. This can be the result of several factors, including cultural response biases, genetic differences, seasonality and climatic variations. (Lam, 2002) Women are also more than 4 times as likely as men to exhibit symptoms of SAD. (Hardy, 2004) Children of SAD sufferers are also likely to suffer from SAD, as this order is believed to be genetic, and hereditary.SAD definitely has a stronger prevalence as you move into northern climates, but studies have only shown this prevalence to be modest (Lam, 2002).SymptomsSAD tends to generate a 'hibernation-like response' (Morano,

How to Write a Lead Paragraph

How to Write a Lead Paragraph How to Write a Lead Paragraph How to Write a Lead Paragraph By Mark Nichol Absent or in spite of a photograph or other visual information, the headline is the first thing most readers notice. But even the most captivating headline has to be followed by a lead paragraph (known in journalistic jargon as a lede) that convinces the reader that the article is worth reading. What’s the function of a lede? (The odd spelling supposedly derives from the tradition of distinguishing the noun lead or the adjectival form in â€Å"lead paragraph† from the homonym lead, as in â€Å"lead type.†) An article is a story, and the lede is the pitch to woo the reader. But that analogy is of dubious use if your storytelling overtures are along the lines of â€Å"Let me tell you about this crazy thing that happened to me today† no more useful than clearing your throat or shuffling papers before you give a speech. In person, your audience might patiently and politely await your account, but readers, knowing you’re not there to have your feelings hurt, will likely not hesitate to move on. But what if you cut to the chase and said, â€Å"A guy pulled a gun on me today†? Your audience will almost certainly invest some time and effort into hearing what comes next. By the same token, a lede must be constructed to attract attention. What content, exactly, goes into a lede? The first paragraph of an article provides the main points without digressing into details; those can follow in subsequent paragraphs. A lede tells the reader something interesting and/or newsworthy, providing context and perspective. Ideally, it speaks to the reader’s curiosity, and perhaps their desires or fears. It might introduce conflict or controversy. The traditional lede for a news article includes what journalists call the 5 Ws (and sometimes an H thrown in for good measure): This term is shorthand for who, what, when, where, and why (plus how). Of course, a lede that includes all five (or six) elements is usually overstuffed; it’s better to focus only a couple or at most a few of these. (One of the most celebrated newspaper-article ledes, in reference to a man who was shot and killed because he attacked a fast-food worker over an order of fried chicken, tells you only who and what and is reticent about the what: â€Å"Gary Robinson died hungry.†) The challenge to writing a good lede is achieving both specificity and brevity. To be specific, remember who and its friends. Pick one, or another question, to answer, and wrap the lede around it. To accomplish brevity (ideally, a lede should consist of less than thirty words), choose strong, vivid nouns and verbs, eschew verbosity and redundancy, and make every word count. To test the lede, read it aloud, and omit adjectives, adverbs, and wordy constructions and, especially in these search-engine-driven times, focus on keywords. To craft an effective lede, avoiding writing what readers already know and telling readers what you’re going to tell them. Keep to one point, and avoid attribution and specific numbers (an exception to the specificity rule). Think of the lede as an elevator speech the proverbial opportunity to sell your story to a movie producer or book publisher with a brief pitch during the interval the two of you share an elevator ride. This is your chance; take it. What if you just can’t put a lede together? Write a placeholder sentence, and come back to it later after you’ve completed the rest of the article the result may show you the way. You might also think about potential ledes before you even begin to report or research, or during the process. You may not end up using anything you come up with at that stage, but it will get you thinking. Also, keep in mind that the traditional journalistic lede isn’t the only way to go. Besides the summary form, there’s also the anecdotal lede, the question, the quotation, and the direct approach or a combination of forms. Remember â€Å"A guy pulled a gun on me today†? Though the question, quotation, and direct forms are challenging to pull off, the anecdotal form, a hallmark of what is called narrative journalism or narrative nonfiction, is increasingly popular and often intuitively constructed. Here’s the lede to a true first-person story I might write: â€Å"I had always wondered how I would react if someone pulled a gun on me. Today, I found out.† Would you like to read more? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should Know11 Writing Exercises to Inspire You and Strengthen Your Writing20 Criminal Terms You Should Know

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

Music - Essay Example However, in October 2005 the famous three (Dave Gahan, Martin L. Gore and Andrew Fletcher) released Precious (the 1st single from the CD), and soon after it the CD itself. It is crucial to pay profound attention to the track list of the CD so that to have a better understanding of the overall mood and musical qualities of Playing the Angel. The opening song of the CD â€Å"A pain that I’m used to† is exclusively powerful and emotional. It is very integral, and at the same time filled with various musical elements. The â€Å"industrial† noise at the beginning of the track transform into pulsing rhythm at the background and the reserved vocal line of David Gahan. Bit by bit the sound comes back to the roughness and the craziness of the initial motive. Contrasted to this musical aggression are the â€Å"phlegmatic† guitar parts. â€Å"John The Revelator† is the seconds track of the album, and it is close in its musical characteristics to the first one. Its zest is in the combination of vivid rock’n’roll-style melody, electronic effects and old-fashioned accompaniment. â€Å"Suffer Well† has amazing refrain that is at the same time extremely expressive, ecstatic and elevated. â€Å"The Sinner In Me† is gloomy and a bit tense, with a lot of nice electronic effects. But its problem is that is it situated between two real masterpieces – â€Å"Suffer Well† and â€Å"Precious†. â€Å"Precious† is the first single from Playing The Angel and reminds of their earlier song Enjoy The Silence. In both songs the voice of Depeche Mode’s frontman David Gahan has similar vocal qualities: it is melancholic and a bit â€Å"distant†. The song has a very remarkable keyboard party that contains magical elements in each and every sound and in its overall harmony. â€Å"Macro† is one of the two songs at the CD with Martin L. Gore’s vocal. The refrain of

It took a long time, but there is now a good standard of protection Essay

It took a long time, but there is now a good standard of protection against unfair standard contract terms imposed by one par - Essay Example In the past, one party to a contract could violate the contract by exploiting the loopholes in the English Law. But today, legal safeguards are in place to stem such practices (Gretchen 2000, p.67). UK has various statutes stating that when one of the parties to a contract disobeys the contract, the other is at liberty to seek legal redress. Contract law encompasses issues as whether a validly executed contract is in place, what it entails, whether the actions of a party amounts to contract violation, and the level of compensation that a victim of contract violation is entitled to. Historical development Standard clauses were in a contract conceived out of the need for discipline among parties in business practices; however, it was insignificant in pre-commercial practices (Howells, and Weatherill, 2005p.p.101). In ancient times, the largely primitive societies employed other methods of implementing the dedication of parties to an agreement. Before the advent of contract law, deals a nd promises between individuals were done through familial connections or under religious organizations. In the ancient system premised upon barter, transactions were self-enforcing since transactions would be deemed complete by both parties at once. In contrast, Blythe (2005, p.77) argued that many parties is such transactions would notice problems with the commodities after the transaction was complete, but these historical challenges have been usually arbitrated through property law. The lack of fair standard terms in contact law would complicate the issue, since clear rules guiding the promise such as the conduct of both parties was lacking. In the ancient English law, the then primitive society continued to employ notions of issues to do with property instead of a pledge (Gretchen 2000, p.67). In the society’s ancient forms of transactions involving informal contracts, familial connections helped in securing the credit in as much the same way as when a community or an et hnic group provided hostages for the period within which the debt was to be settled. Other types of security included promising a property such as land or giving away individuals as pawns (Bar 2004, p.54). Some credit options were basically commonly accepted across board: livestock, for example, would be assigned to a concierge whose services were paid with a fixed proportion of the animal’s young ones. The problems arising from the quantification of values of assets impacted the enforceability of the largely casual agreements, especially following the expansion of business transactions beyond familial connections in the second half of the twentieth century. These business activities eventually led the development of solid, enforceable, binding laws of contracts in the modern United Kingdom (Heidemann 2007, p.35). Modern statutes put in place enforceable promises, which basically went hand in hand with the expansion of the country’s market economy. In contrast though, cases of violations of standard terms of contract even after the enactment of the first major contract law in 1977 persisted. The Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, which basically aimed to streamline the behaviour of parties in a contract were still rampant in the United Kingdom (Forte 1999, p.121). Legal safeguards The English law of contract has sections dealing with unfair standard terms

Whats wrong with school teacher play student, learns to lie and cheat Essay

Whats wrong with school teacher play student, learns to lie and cheat - Essay Example Glanz realized that the students found the classes boring, lied and manipulated their teachers, and they did not work hard to get good grades. She realized that the students did not learn much in the classrooms as they were demotivated and turned off by the fact that they had little responsibility and power over their education. They expected the teachers to do everything for them and assumed that their role was to sit down and listen. They thought that the teachers were bores and their role was to distribute the information required for the students to pass tests. Glanz was saddened by the fact that teachers did not realize the communication gap that existed between them and their students. She learned that political corruption had made some students believe that there was no need to put in effort as it had little value. Students had a low opinion over honesty and this attitude encouraged many of them to cheat in their exams and feel no remorse about their actions. As Glanz returned to her former school, she decided to demand more from the students by making sure that they were responsible for their education. She did not accept their excuses easily and ensured that they put in effort in every aspect of their education (Banas 658). Students find many classes boring, put in little effort to pass their exams, use excuses to refrain from doing homework and other tasks, and manipulate teachers to complete their tasks. I think that this has been the trend for many students but there are an exceptional few who work hard to get good grades. In my opinion, many classes are boring and the teachers are sometimes bores. This is because the students do not play an active role in class. They are expected to sit in class quietly as the teachers give instruction. Therefore, the students feel detached from the learning process. I agree with Glanz as she concludes that students are demotivated because they have little responsibilities and

Mass Media Influence On American Society Media Essay

Mass Media Influence On American Society Media Essay It is the power that shapes and molds the mind of virtually every citizen, young or old, rich or poor, simple or sophisticated (Sweet Liberty, 2000, 1). The media is a part of everyday life in America. News and events outside of ones home or neighborhood are brought to their area via the newspaper, magazines, radio, television, and the internet. As the quote above mentions mass media, and its components, are very powerful and are capable of influencing ones mind, as well as their behavior. The images and stories introduced to children and young adults make it difficult for these viewers to distinguish between fact and fiction (Cable News Network, 1998, 3), thus stimulating confusion and blind emulation. In Torrs Violence in Film and Television, film and television editor, Harvey Roy Greenberg, says that different forms of aggression, either spoken, sung, danced, or written have appeared in practically every clime and time. In other words, the media and violent entertainment have been around since ancient times. In the Stone Age, violent images were painted and carved into their stone canvases, the Romans enjoyed gladiatorial combat, and the Victorian English enjoyed plays and puppet shows often featuring murder and swordplay as ways of exciting the audience (Torr, 2002, 15). Violence on television, or portrayed in literary form, may have been more mild and censored in the past, but all the same, the public was still vulnerable and easily influenced by what they witnessed and experienced. Hollywood, currently, is very candid and graphic in its productions, especially depending on the director and editor. However, in contrast with todays wild interpretations and brutal killings, in the 1930s, Hollywood abided by production codes. These codes regulated all aspects of screen content, with an elaborate list of rules outlining what was permissible to show and what was not (Torr, 2002, 22). As times changed and American society became more informed about reality and the violence which took place, the codes were modified, eventually leading to film ratings. Although Americans were more aware and the ratings provided some restrictions, this did not mean that emulation and confusion were eliminated completely. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ virtually from the cradle, children in the United States are bombarded by violence on TV, in movies, and in song lyrics (Cable News Network, 1998, 2). Children are easily swayed and influenced by the many images and pictures presented to them through the media. By high school graduation, children will have spent roughly 50 percent more time in front of a television than in front of a teacher (Dudley, 1999, 32). Parents, often times, are too drained or pre-occupied with their own lives, leading their children to find comfort in watching television or playing video games which, consequently, become the prime examples for their actions and behaviors. For all too many Americans, the real world has been replaced by the false reality of the TVà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Sweet Liberty, 2000, 2). These children hear the news and watch shows and films where innocent people are being stolen from or being killed, but they have nobody there to teach them the difference between what is real and what is not, what is right and what is wrong. An article printed in Time magazine, titled Suburban Smackdown, is a great example of how the media persuades children to impersonate what they view on television. The article concentrates on the violence of wrestling and how some children and young adults are putting on shows, costumes, masks and all, for their neighbors based on these wrestling characters they see on TV. It may not be the Rock vs. the Undertaker on prime-time TV, but the high school boys of the Extreme Wrestling Federation of Sayerville, N.J., try hard to make their contests look just as real' (Fonda, 2000, 49). It may be fun and games for a lot of these kids, but images seen on a Best of Backyard Wrestling video included kids jumping onto barbed wire, setting their opponents on fire, and other kids somersaulting onto mattresses studded with sharp objects (Fonda, 2000, 49). And the violence seems to be trickling down from teenagers to tots (Fonda, 2000, 49). The Wrestling Federation and the high school boys imitati on is similar to a slippery slope. The professional wrestlers are not setting a good example for these boys by promoting fights and violence for no reason, other than winning a trophy, and these high school boys are not setting a good example for even younger children because they are expressing that violence is fun and okay. One year before this article was published, in Dallas, a three-year-old boy was killed after his seven-year-old brother stiff-armed him in the throat, trying to imitate a move he had seen on television (Fonda, 2000, 49). After hundreds and thousands of years of media influence, it cost childrens lives and innocence for the pro-wrestling federations to run dont-try-this-at-home ads during their matches. Children are a large majority of the population influenced by the media, but it is not them alone who imitate and follow what they see and hear on a daily basis. Media experts say the last four decades of research have shown a clear correlation between violence on television and the development and display of aggressive values and behavior by both children and adults (Torr, 2002, 99). Adults watching the news are influenced by the events occurring locally as well as internationally; however, it not so much what they hear, but more how it is being presented. For example: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦which items are emphasized and which are played down, the reporters choice of words, tone of voice, and facial expressions; the wording of headlines; the choice of illustrationsall of these subliminally and yet profoundly affect the way in which we interpret what we see or hear (Sweet Liberty, 2000, 2). Not only does the news affect the way adults think and view the society, but film and violent enterta inment also play a large role in influencing their behaviors and actions. A good, very recent example involves Mel Gibsons movie The Passion of Christ. . . . A Fort Bend County man has fanned the flames of the fervor when he confessed to killing his girlfriend after viewing the movie in hopes of seeking redemption (Klentzman, 2004, 1). The Passion of Christs message influenced this man in a positive way, in confessing for his mortal sin, but the other side to this positive media influence is not so bright Leach, the man convicted of the murder, suffocated his girlfriend and got the idea of making it look like a suicide from the weekly series CSI (Klentzman, 2000, 2). Music and its lyrics have also played an enormous role in shaping and molding American societys minds. Todays music is absolutely nothing like the Oldies. The modern-day society is accustomed to hearing music where 50 percent of the lyrics are what are considered bad words. Heavy metal and rap lyrics have elicited the greatest concern, as they compound the environment in which some adolescents increasingly are confronted with pregnancy, drug use, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, injuries, homicides, and suicide (Dudley, 1999, 55). Artists like Marilyn Manson and Eminem have parents worried because they do not want their children being exposed to such vulgar language, afraid they will try to emulate these particular artists and the stories conveyed through their lyrics, often times including the subjects of beating their wives or slitting their wrists. Another good example of how the music world influences peoples minds and behaviors is the suicide of Nirvanas Kurt Cobain. When Kur t Cobain died, I died with him was the note left by an eighteen-year-old who, along with two other friends, executed a suicide pact following Cobains death (Dudley, 1999, 34). MTV and other music stations play a crucial role in young adults lives. With continuous coverage of celebrities and music artists, many people find the need to conform. Parental awareness, supervision, and discussion are critical variables in heading off additional tragedies (Dudley, 1999, 34). Video games have become a more recent trend, but just as the other sources of media, these games have the potential of influencing and molding the minds of children and adults. In the past, video games like Pong, consisted of a ball which would bounce off of two sticks. Nowadays, video games like Mortal Kombat or Grand Theft Auto, consist of cursing, shooting, beating, and killing humans and monsters. The National Coalition on Television Violence found that more than 75 percent of video games contained violent images (Sherrow, 1996, 71). Many researchers believe that video games have a stronger effect on children than merely watching television because the players take a direct and active role in the violence; the researchers also believe that the players of these games will become desensitized towards violence and disregard human life because, in these games, they are able inflict pain, but no pain is inflicted back on them (Sherrow, 1996, 71). Many of these images mimic reality, us ing lifelike scenes and situations. What we see happening, is that there is so muchà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦realistic-type violence portrayed in movies and other situationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦They think that if you shoot somebody, they get upà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Cable News Network, 1998, 4). As well as promoting violence, video games also encourage anti-social behavior. Instead of going outside and playing sports or interacting with other people, many people choose to stay indoors, in a dark room, playing on their video game systems. With the advancement of technology, how can one forget the Internet? Since its development in 1993, the Internet has been an excellent resource for research, entertainment, and communication. However, the Internet also has many flaws. Like video games, the Internet also encourages anti-social behavior; one may be able to communicate through AIM services and such, but it is possible to be addicted to the Internet. Those addicted to the Internet do not feel the need to socialize in another setting, perhaps outside. Also, the Internet has many websites for games, interesting facts, and useful yellow page information; however, it also has many websites very inappropriate for children and young persons, like pornography or violence. As mentioned above, lines of communications are often opened up through the Instant Messaging services, although this may be a positive thing, it can also lead to dangerous and harmful situations. For example, children using the Internet and talking to their f riends through instant messages may enter chat rooms. These chat rooms are full of strangers and people of all ages trying to take advantage of young minds. For instance, there have been many cases where older men have posed as 10-year-old boys in order to meet up with a child of the same age group and rape or kidnap them. Parents may try to block and limit what their children see or do on the Internet, but with the education and information children and young adults receive today they can easily break the locks placed upon their access on the computer. Although media images may be enlightening, a lot of the time they are disturbing and provocative, especially depending on the audience. Common sense just tells you that theres obviously an influence. Television is the most powerful medium in the world. Movies, the entertainment industry, the music industry, theyre very powerful (Cable News Network, 1998, 14). As one is able to tell, the mass media is present in our everyday lives. By watching the news, reading the newspaper, watching the television set, or going to the movie theatres, the media is always there. Whether one may realize it or not, in one way or another, the media has influenced their behaviors and/ or actions. From birth to death, people in America will live in a society in which their education and their futures revolve around the mass media and its messages, whether they are positive or negative; it is the American way of life.