Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Gender differences in Communication

Gender differences in Communication For as long as there have been two different genders, there was a difference in communication styles between men and women. It was evident before and later, when women began fighting for equality rights and fair treatment. Verbal and non-verbal differences in communication lead to prejudice and partially, it comes from the fact that men and women are different not only biologically but mentally as well.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Gender differences in Communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Charles Greenwood mentioned that even looking at The Early Communication Indicator (ECI), children of very young age have particular communication styles, ranging from gestures to vocalizations and utterances (Greenwood et al., 2013). As a result, the unique nature of each particular style of communication comes from biological and social or environmental factors. Women would communicate both verbally and no n-verbally in a way, which the modern society describes, as feminine. This is due to the influences of male preferences and social roles. Since birth, both boys and girls are conditioned to behave in a certain way, which is representative of their role in society and family. Girls are taught to be more sensitive and rely on their feelings while boys are given lessons in masculinity. The society expects a certain â€Å"style† from each gender and thus, the separation in professional and leisure-time communication has been created (Ashford LeCroy, 2010). Communication styles can be qualified as instrumental and expressive since each one is specific to males and females. Men are more focused on finding out the neutral and clear cut facts about something, which leads them to being more direct and assertive. There is a much greater reliance on logic and the â€Å"instrumental† nature of things. As such, males are interested in how something can be used practically and in a n application to the physical factors. One piece of knowledge or information usually, leads to another, thus creating a â€Å"thinking chain†. Women use a much different technique in communicating, as it stems from better insight into the matter of things. Because women were segregated for such a long time and prevented from taking up higher and more prominent positions, they have developed a unique method of communicating in reaching their goal. Women tend to center on the person, deeper insight into the context and personality of the speaker and the general situation.Advertising Looking for critical writing on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This allows for better qualitative analysis of information, linking it to the individual presenting the facts. Their communication is more personal, and is directed to the emotional side of the person. Of course, it would be unwise to conclude that all me n and women exhibit these qualities, as there are women who want to have all the authority and men who have profound insight, but the standard for the majority is upheld by existing evidence. It is interesting to note that professionally, there is a difference as well. Desjarlais-deKlerk and Wallace write that healthcare professionals use unique set of communication skills to attend to a particular gender and person. Especially in rural areas, medical staff is well aware of the families, their cases and so, the communication style adjusts on a more personal level. This type of communication decreases anxiety and develops trust (Desjarlais-deKlerk Wallace, 2013). This can clearly be aligned to women’s communication style, as they develop a more individual understanding towards a person, thus connecting on a closer and more effective level. At the same time, it is difficult to say which style is the best because every individual has their unique technique in the interaction wi th other people. But the modern times have made gender differences less noticeable with men being great negotiators and women strong fighters. This is much noticeable in the relationships that exist today. Sexual communication has stayed very much prevalent for centuries. One of the oldest gender constructions came from the functioning of the family. This is where conflict might arise, as women were taught to have a role of homeowners, raising children and teaching children how to be more sensitive to the surrounding environment. Men were hunters and centered their life on providing for the family, so strength and calculation would be something a father would teach his children. Even though the world has greatly changed, the separation is still noticeable through social and private roles in communication. Each gender has their own way of communicating in a relationship or family, and the goals or expectancies each individual has are also unique.Advertising We will write a cu stom critical writing sample on Gender differences in Communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The majority of positions of power are still held by men, thus the communication style tends to be authoritative, depriving women of a chance to demonstrate their strengths. Women are forced to communicate in a non-demanding way, allowing the man to be in charge. Often, the conflict stems from inability to understand the meaning behind the communication, as each gender bases communication on own understanding of others and the environment. As a result, each person uses their own style, and it becomes difficult to align to the thought process and emotions of the other person (Krolokke, 2006). References Ashford, J. LeCroy, C. (2010). Human behavior in the social environment: a multidimensional perspective (4th ed.). Belmont: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning. Desjarlais-deKlerk, K, Wallace, J. (2013). Instrumental and socioemotional communicatio ns in doctor-patient interactions in urban and rural clinics. BMC Health Services Research 13(1), 261-268. Greenwood, C., Walker, D., Buzhardt, J., Howard, W., McCune, L., Anderson, R. (2013). Evidence of a continuum in foundational expressive communication skills. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 28(3), 540-554. Krolokke, C. (2006). Gender Communication Theories and Analyses: From Silence to Performance. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Analysis of the Differences Between Laws and Ethics

Analysis of the Differences Between Laws and Ethics Ethics refers to a set of rules or guiding principles that inform and govern people’s conduct in various situations and circumstances. For example, different professions have different codes of ethics that determine how they behave and act. Ethics influence behavior and decisions in various ways. In addition, it can be classified into different groups including personal ethics, professional ethics, and universal ethics that govern society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of the Differences Between Laws and Ethics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, law refers to rules or codes of practice that are created and reinforced by an authority such as a government in order to bring order and cohesion. Law is compelling because failure to adhere to its precepts leads to punishment. Moreover, law is diverse because its implementation includes various forms including constitutions, policies, term s of service, and other forms of legal provisions. Law and ethics have several similarities. First, they influence human conduct and decisions in order to benefit individuals and society. People follow ethics because it represents principles and values that direct society. On the other hand, people follow law because it creates a common ground to unify people and create order among individuals in society. Second, they serve the main aim in society. They improve the moral status of individuals in society. Law enforces certain rules with a punishment threat if broken. Ethics relies on people’s rationality and sensibilities in order to influence people’s behaviors. They are both responsible for maintenance of order and social cohesion. Law and ethics have several differences. Law is compelling while ethics is not. Breaking law results in punishment while acting without regard to ethics does not have punishment. Acting ethically is a personal responsibility while obeying l aw is mandatory for everyone. Again, they influence people’s conduct in different ways. Ethics usually affects people’s behavior with regard to how they treat those who are close to them or those whom they interact with regularly. In contrast, law affects people’s behavior with regard to people whom they rarely interact with. Ethics is defined by the values, customs, or beliefs of a community or society. In contrast, law is defined by universally accepted standards and behaviors. Ethics is immune to societal or communal change while law is not immune to change. Ethics changes only when the morals, perceptions, and values of society change. On the contrary, law can be changed by an act of a governing body or a decision by lawmakers.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ethics tells people what they ought to do and in what ways. For example, business peop le are expected to serve their customers with honesty and fairness. This concept does not apply to law because it tells people what they are not supposed to do and what they must do. It has prohibitions and mandates. Unlike ethics, it does not tell people what they should do and in what ways. Finally, ethics influences individuals internally while law influences people externally. While law is enforced, ethics is not. In conclusion, law and ethics are similar because they aim to promote order and cohesion in society. In addition, they influence behavior in ways that benefit individuals and society. On the other hand, they are different in several ways. Law is enforced while ethics is not. Law is easily changed while ethics is immune to changes. Changes depend on shifts in people’s moral values and cultures. Finally, law is binding because it tells people what they cannot do and what they must do. Ethics tells people what they ought to do. People are free to either adhere to e thics or not. On the contrary, it is mandatory to follow law.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Robert E. Lee Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Robert E. Lee - Essay Example Evaluating Lee is certainly not easy since there are quite a few different opinions about him. In essence, we have to take all available evidence into account before we can judge Lee to be brilliant, flawed or pragmatic. Considering his background and personal history, we know that he was a well bred individual who was a career army man as he showed his keen dedication to work even while at West Point. It was perhaps this training which showed him how to understand that the odds were insurmountable and the best course of action for the union was to surrender. As compared to his northern counterparts, Lee seems to have a completely different notion about life and how things are supposed to work since the north was unwilling to accept certain changes which had been brought to their economic systems. And production houses which did not need slave labor much. However, despite his defeat at the hands of his enemies, he remains a great leader since he had the foresight to see that the war, the battle and the games between the leaders had all finished which allowed him to sit down and negotiate a peace treaty. In comparison to Grant, Lee had very different ideas about what America should be like and he certainly would have thought his viewpoint to be better. However, in defeat he accepted that his ideals may never come true and he accepted that the victorious party gets to shape America as it wants. This makes him both a great leader and a flawed general since he accepted defeat which shows his greatness yet the defeat itself shows that he was flawed. In this manner, it becomes plain to see that what Freeman (1934) and Nolan (1991) have written about Lee is very true indeed. He was great as a man since he believed in his ideals and was willing to fight for them. He was great as a leader since he recognized defeat and did not continue to put his armies in danger while he knew that the war could not be won. However, the idea of defeat brings with it a

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Cultural anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cultural anthropology - Essay Example The two techniques facilitate a society to attain similar quantities of proteins continuously, though gathering one utilizes less energy since it entails collecting edible foodstuffs from the field where the coverage may not be too wide (Wilson & Wilson, 2007). Conversely, hunting entails crossing terrains in search of animals meant for hunting, hence entailing high-energy utilization. However, both gathering and hunting provide the societies with a wide range of selection of proteins even in times of paucity, which maintains high protein outcomes to evade starvation (Park, 2007). Contrastingly, hunting and gathering result in labor specialization among the communities where each task’s allocation depends on the gender. For illustration, men assume hunting task since it encompasses much energy while the women undertake to gather. Nevertheless, some foraging communities have embraced egalitarianism where no certain gender assigned to a given task, hence resulting in a classless society that does not have social stratification. This emanates from the notion that the main objective is to shun extinction of human species via adaptive modus operandi (Wilson & Wilson, 2007). ... This inclines them adoration, thus religion among the foraging societies that are much rooted in nature (Park, 2007). 1. Hutterites’ organizational structure encompasses that of chiefdom. Since their association is more intricate than a tribe or band but less complex than a state. Hutterites comprises of numerous colonies where a leader together with other key advisory associates makes daily decisions. These verdicts entail how the people in the relevant colonies ought to conduct themselves, hence maintaining peace and unity, which is vital in their regions. The colony’s political makeup and demarcations encompass: 1. Colony 2. Gemein – It is a religious unit comprising all baptized adults. 3. Colony’s executive board constituted of at least five to seven el ders. 4. Council members - They are the architects of day-to-day verdicts in the colony for the populace. 5. Head preacher – He is the link to the external humanity besides being the colony’s economic executive. Hutterites' socialization contrary to other surrounding people ensures that it prepares its people to be compliant, hardworking and reliable adults in the colonies (Wilson & Wilson, 2007). This makes the people productive, thus stabilizing their economy and making their organization more strong. Additionally, social control entails absolute adherence to the set rules and punishment for any defiance that may arise among the colonies. The unforgivable cases encompass murdering and deserting the colony, which yield to excommunication from the colony. 2. The search for reliable information regarding the origin and time of modern language has entailed anthropologists to devote themselves to diverse, intensive studies (Nanda & Warms, 2011).

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Exxon Mobil Resources and Capabilities Essay Example for Free

Exxon Mobil Resources and Capabilities Essay Mobile is one of the most successful companies in the oil and energy industries today. But what makes them so successful? In an effort to answer this question, a thorough internal investigation can be helpful in determining what aspects of this company are making it an industry leader. Two aspects of this internal analysis of Exxon Mobile are the company’s resources and capabilities. Resources One of the most reputable resources that Exxon Mobil has today is a strong brand name. Exxon Mobil operates all over the world and is recognized in every part of the world (Datamonitor, 2008). When people all over the world know who a company is, what they do, and where they are located, the company gains a unique competitive advantage over the rest of the industry. A good way to analyze this resource is to use the VRINE Model (Strategic Management, 2007). This breaks down in order to analyze its value, rarity, inimitability, and exploitability. For this resource I’ll start by assessing its value. The question that must be answered is, â€Å"does this resource allow the firm to meet market demand or protect the firm from market uncertainties? † (Strategic Management, 2007). In the case of the brand name resource, I believe that it gives them ample protection against uncertainty and enables them to compete, if not lead, in the industry. Exxon operates in over 200 countries around the world (Datamonitor, 2008) The fact that this company is present all over the world, and not many other industry competitors operate in so many different regions, proves that this particular resource is very valuable to the company. If a company can possess something that another company cannot, value is inevitably created for that resource. This resource also protects them from uncertainty because this brand is already established itself within the market and can thrive in it without too much concern about the well being of the company, thus limiting some uncertainty. Next in the VRINE model is assessment of its rarity. Do any other companies possess such worldwide recognition as Exxon Mobil’s brand name can bring? There are some companies that have come close in competing with Exxon Mobil, such as ConnocoPhillips and Chevron, but none can compare with the unique profitability and opportunities that the name Exxon can bring to a region. The name is undoubtedly trusted throughout the world and rarely rivaled. Those aspects of the brand name recognition make this brand name a rarity. The next step in the VRINE model is to assess the inimitability. To assess this, the question of can competitors â€Å"acquire the valuable and rare resource quickly, or will they face a cost disadvantage in doing so? † (Strategic Management, 2007). The simple fact that the Exxon Mobil name is trademarked and registered makes it impossible for any other company to replicate its name. Also it would cost a substantial amount to buy out the company and gain its name. This alone makes the brand name inimitable. Now assessment of the nonsubstitutability is needed. The question arises, â€Å"is there protection against ready substitutes? † (Strategic Management, 2007). For Exxon, their name reputation is one that substitutes have a very difficult time matching. Exxon is leading the industry and continues to be a leader of almost every aspect of the industry today. Though substitutes are present in the industry, none can surpass the reputation of Exxon Mobil. The final step in the VRINE Model is to assess the resource’s exploitability. The question to answer is, can the firm â€Å" nurture and take advantage of the resources and capabilities that it possesses? † (Strategic Management, 2007). For Exxon, they can bring the company anywhere in the world and use the recognizable name to establish credibility and power in that region. This gives the company a considerable advantage when it comes to exploiting its brand name to establish the company around the world. After analyzing the resource using the VRINE Model, all aspects of the model have been met, so it is safe to say that this resource can give them a competitive advantage among its competitors. Another important resource that Exxon possesses is the presence of human expertise capital throughout the company (Datamoitor, 2008). Exxon employs many scientists and engineers that are researching and finding new ways to gain access to more energy resources and make the new innovations less harmful to the environment (Annual Report, 2007). This human capital has proven to be a very important resource for the company as shown by their development of new ways to increase liquid natural gas supplies and â€Å"enhancing heavy oil recovery† (Annual Report, 2007). Using the VRINE model again, I will assess this resource. In analyzing the value of the human expertise capital, again we must consider whether this resource helps the company meet market demand and can eliminate some uncertainty. In this case, I believe that the unique research department that houses these scientists and engineers is one that gives the company a great capability to compete in the market, and even excel within the industry. I believe it also eliminates some uncertainty because while the company is researching and developing cutting edge technology, it keeps them knowledgeable about all the new innovations and ideas that are throughout the industry. This makes the resource very valuable. Next, the rarity of the resource must be analyzed. I believe that this resource is rare because of the entire department (the Upstream Research Center) within the company devoted to letting these scientists and engineers use their knowledge to propel the company into the future (Annual Report, 2007). Some companies have R D departments, but they don’t posses the funding for such expertise and capabilities within these departments like Exxon has in its Upstream Research Center (Annual Report, 2007). This makes the breadth of their scientists and engineers and rare resource among it competitors. Following the VRINE Model, inimitability is the next aspect to analyze. I believe that it would be very difficult for any company to gain the human expertise capital that Exxon has. Exxon pays particular attention to its scientists and engineers by providing opportunities to use their knowledge to help solve every day problems that the company is facing. Many of these scientists and engineers had PhDs in their respective fields, thus making their ideas more credible and valuable to the company (Annual Report, 2007). This make the human expertise capital an inimitable resource because it makes it hard for other companies to replicate the magnitude of the distinguished human capital that Exxon possesses. The next step in the VRINE Model is nonsubstitutability. It would be nearly impossible for a competing company to substitute an equally effective team of engineers and scientists. The cost would be too great for the company. Exxon is leading the way in Research and Development trends, and substitutes for the quality of employees that Exxon has would be very difficult for other companies, making the nonsubstitutability of Exxon’s human capital very high. The final step is to analyze the exploitability of the human expertise capital. Exxon has proven that the expertise that is present can be exploited to develop new and innovative ideas that help Exxon maintain as an industry leader. One example of the result of this exploitation is the development of Metallyte UBW-ES, which is a new polypropylene film for packaging that has unprecedented sealing power (Datamonitor, 2008). This example proves that the exploitability of this human expertise capital makes this resource a valuable asset to the company. After analysis of the human expertise capital resource using the VRINE Model, it can be said that this resource gives Exxon Mobil a competitive advantage in the industry. Capabilities After assessing the resources that Exxon has available to them, it is now easier to illustrate what Exxon’s capabilities are because of the acquisition and ownership of these resources. One of Exxon’s important capabilities is their extensive research and development capabilities. Exxon’s research and development capabilities are very dynamic in the sense that as new energy conservation and developments arise, they can adapt their research and development departments to meet the new technologies and innovations. Their research and development capabilities go insofar as to â€Å"improve existing products, and enhance service† (Datamonitor, 2008). Using the VRINE Model again, it can be easy to see if this capability really gives Exxon a considerable competitive advantage. First we have to look at the value of this capability. Exxon has utilized the company’s valuable resource of human expertise capital do help head the research for new improvements and innovations that help lead the way for Exxon to grow (Annual Report, 2007). One such innovation is the development of Enable mPE, which has â€Å"substantially reduced waste and energy consumption across a wide variety of film applications† (Datamonitor, 2008). This capability allows them compete within the market and gain headway in developing potentially high profit innovations, thus giving value to their research and development capability. Next the rarity needs to be assessed. Though almost all of Exxon’s competitors have research and development departments, none have invested the amount that Exxon has. Also there are only a handful of top competitors within the energy industry so that alone makes Exxon’s R D department rare. In fiscal year 2007, Exxon invested $814 million in R D. Though the idea of an R D department is not a rarity in its own right, the amount invested and products produced because of their extensive R D work makes this a rare capability among its competitors. The next assessment in the VRINE Model is the inimitability of this capability. As mentioned before many other companies have a R D department, but not to the extent that Exxon’s is being funded and operated. In the past 5 years, Exxon has invested upwards of $3. 5 billion in research and development alone (Annual Report, 2007). Very few of Exxon’s competitors can match that without having an almost impossible financial obligation afterward. That is one feat that few companies can imitate. The next step is to analyze its nonsubstitutability.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Childhood Obesity in America Essay -- Obesity in Children

It’s a scary feeling when climbing a simple flight of stairs only to reach the top and be completely out of breath. In America today this is the reality that many children face. Obesity has become an epidemic in our world, it has many contributing factors, affects learning abilities but there are preventive methods for it. Although little is being done about obesity, it's affecting the lives of many but mostly children and by a multitude of different factors. The rising numbers of obese children has reached an alarming rate. With many Americans, â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬Ëœobesity’†¦carries the connotation of being extremely overweight. [But] health professionals define overweight as an excess amount of body weight that includes muscle, bone, fat and water; whereas obesity is specifically defined as an excess amount of body fat† (Andrews 1). More often than not we tend to switch these definitions and have false pretenses. Although, there are many health threats in the world today, â€Å"†¦childhood obesity (is) one of the leading health threats in the United States† (2). Even the statistics show that obesity is becoming an epidemic. In fact, â€Å"[s]ince the 1970s, the prevalence of obesity has more than doubled for preschool children and adolescents and more than tripled for school-aged children† (1). With the increasing numbers it causes people to wonder if there are other causes for obesity. Through tests and observations it has been found that obesity can be caused by other factors. Many scientists â€Å"†¦believe there are other causes for the obesity epidemic besides too many French fries†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Belluz 1). Eating habits can contribute to obesity but they’re not the only factor playing into the bigger picture. For instance, â€Å"[p]ollutants, like DDE, are believed to... ...n't be the ones that are out of breath. Work Cited Andrews, Shirley P., and Stan Andrews. â€Å"Fitness fun for everyone: classroom games and activities to support reading and math.† Childhood Education 2009:97. Beebe, Ginger, and Joe Thompson. "The problem of childhood obesity." Arkansas Business 2010: 7. Belluz, Julia. "Born to be fat: does prenatal exposure to chemicals called 'obesogens' help explain the epidemic of obesity?" Maclean's 8 Nov. 2010: 89. DeSantis, Cari. "On child obesity." Policy & Practice 2010: 3. "Move it." Current Events, a Weekly Reader publication 25 Oct. 2010: 6. "Physicians Group Urges Schools To Go Veggie.† American School & University 2010. 5. Skolnik, Neil S., and Mackenzie Mady. "Clinical guidelines for family physicians: screening for obesity in children and adolescents." Family Practice News 2010:49.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

E-marketplace, E-mall, E-tailing Essay

There are various electronic commerce activities and mechanisms. E-Commerce Activities and Mechanisms include the following but not limited to: E-Market Place: It is an online market usually B2B where buyers and sellers exchange goods or services. EC transactions take place in the electronic equivalent of a mall called the electronic marketplace (e-marketplace). Electronic marketplaces utilize different tools (electronic shopping cart, e-catalog, fulfillment technologies, and checkout and payment mechanisms) to provide the equivalent brick and mortar shopping tools. Types of Electronic Market Places: 1. Electronic Storefronts: A single companys website where products and services are sold. Example: Walmart 2. Electronic Malls: An Online Shopping Center where many online stores are located. 3. Market Place: An Online market, usually B2B where buyers and sellers negotiate. Electronic retailing is a form of electronic commerce. E-Retailing — This type of e-commerce refers to the act of using internet by retailers to perform business activities. It covers retailing using a wide variety of technologies or media. E-Tailing — Selling of retail goods over internet. E-Tailing is short form of E-Retailing. E-tailing can be used as a synonym with business-to-consumer transaction. To keep it short, Online retailing can be referred to as E-Tailing. E-tailing has resulted in the development of e-tailware–software tools for creating catalogs and managing the business connected with doing e-tailing. A new trend is the price comparison site that can quickly compare prices from a number of different e-tailers and link you to them. Example: Bestbuy site provides a customer to select a product upto 3 or more varieties and compare them. Examples of e-tailing are Dell, Walmart, Amazon. Comparison: Following are some of the key differences between e-marketplaces, e-malls, e-tailing and physical marketplaces, malls, and retail outlets. 1.E-Marketplaces, E-Malls and E-Tailing is all about the business taking place in an online manner, nothing is physical. 2.There is a wide variety of selection available online when compared to the physical outlets or malls. More options available online. 3.Certain tools are provided to compare the prices between different products and services which lead to an easier desired selection process. 4.No need to drive to the physical location of the mall for purchases. Tools and Techniques for a successful E-Commerce presence: Tools: Few tools for successful e-commerce are listed below but are not limited to: 1. Analytics: Analytics gives the idea of the sales where they are originating from. It is not enough to know that our products and services are getting sold. We need to know how the customers are visiting our site, how the traffic is being redirected to our site and how the marketing efforts are done. Some ecommerce scripts have statistics built in or available through a plugin. Standalone packages such as Google Analytics also provide you with a way to thoroughly check your stats, and all you do  is place a line of code on your site for tracking. Analytics allows you to check all of your data online. You also have access to it whether you have access to your ecommerce servers or not. 2. Accounting Software: Having the right accounting software for your ecommerce store is essential to keeping you in the black. This simplifies the book-keeping process and cuts down on the chance of human error causing issues with accurate profit and loss numbers. 3. Cross Selling: Cross selling is an easy way of exposing additional products to the customer based on their search. For example, if a customer is visiting a site to buy a phone, the site will automatically recommend the customer to also take a look other available options such as phone accessories, headphones etc. 4. Currency Converter: Dealing with international shipping is a struggle for many ecommerce site owners. When your product has mass market appeal overseas, you want to make it simple for international customers to order. A currency converter is particularly useful, whether you have it as part of your script, or as an additional tool. Planet Management, a payment processor who offers international payments, reports that ecommerce stores who use their service to offer multiple currencies increase international sales by up to 25 percent. Techniques: According to Miller (2000), Business approaches and broad range of technology tools that are used to support collaborative product definition management (cPDm) initiatives are having a tremendous impact on the ways companies operate. A major change in enterprise computing is underway as companies apply best-practice processes in combination with a wide range of technologies including product data management, collaboration, visualization, collaborative product commerce, enterprise applications integration, component supplier management, and others. The pace of improvements in cPDm-related technologies continues to  accelerate, and companies use these tools to implement process change faster than ever. Whereas not long ago, companies were talking about three- and five-year plans for implementing data management systems; they now are asking what results to expect in six months or less. This represents a significant step forward in industry and a strong emerging movement that is becoming an essential element for companies to successfully compete in the 21st century (Miller, 2000). According to Shaun Ryan, CEO of site search provider SLI Systems (http://www.sli-systems.com) (NZX: SLI), the best retailers use different techniques and features to create an equivalent merchandising experience that help visitors identify brands, sales or seasonal promotions and to draw more attention to products. Shaun summarizes three primary steps – tuning, merchandising banners and reports – which can add significant value to your eCommerce efforts. Tuning rules are designed to help promote or demote specific products as the merchandiser sees fit. For example tuning rule places certain products on the top of the list where as certain products on the bottom of the list or even off the list. This way it helps the merchandiser to prioritize which products should be shown and which should be not. â€Å"Banners can be shown anywhere on the search or navigation page and can be triggered by a number of different rules. For example the banner could contain logos and other imagery associated with the keyword or facet. If someone searches for a TV or clicks on the TV category you could show a banner that displays a TV selection widget.† Reporting allows merchandisers to easily access key data about customers’ search behavior. The Top Searches report can give useful insights about the most popular keyword searches, showing you the language that your customers use and identifying some possible candidates for fine tuning or adding banners. References Turban, E., King, D., Lee, J., Liang, T. & Turban, D. (2012). Electronic Commerce: Managerial and social networks perspectives. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Miller, E. (2000). Survival Tools for an E-Commerce World. Computer-Aided Engineering, 19(6), 52. PR, N. (2013, December 5). Easy Techniques Fuel E-commerce Merchandising. PR Newswire US. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://blog.compete.com/2013/12/04/best-ecommerce-tools/ (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.yourdesignonline.com/4-tools-building-successful-ecommerce-site/

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Mark Zuckerberg

Running head: THE MAN CONNECTING THE WORLD1 The Man Connecting the World Rachel Ritchey West Virginia Wesleyan College THE MAN CONNECTING THE WORLD2 My definition of success is achieving a desirable outcome or goal in life and to achieve success one must illustrate the qualities Coplin states. Throughout his life Mark Zuckerberg has developed the skills Coplin says in his list of ten things and Mark has efficiently demonstrated these qualities. Through his success Mark Zuckerberg has connected more than half a billion people with the company Facebook. Even though there are many different definitions of success, it should be obvious that successful people share common qualities such as those found in Bill Coplin’s list of 10 Things Employers Want Students to Learn in College. Reaching success was not easy but, Zuckerberg took the necessary steps to get there. These steps include influencing people, solving problems, and using quantitative skills. Mark Elliot Zuckerberg was born on May 14, 1984 in Dobbs Ferry, New York. His father ran a dental practice, and his mother was a psychiatrist up until the birth of Randi, his oldest sister. At a very early age Mark started to become interested in computers. He developed his first software at age 12. He created Zucknet, a messaging system from an Atari BASIC, and his father actually put it to use in his dental office. His parents soon hired a tutor to keep up with his budding interest in computers. Mark first attended high school at Ardsley High School, and around the same time started taking some graduate courses at nearby Mercy College (Grossman, 2010). Soon, Zuckerberg transferred to Phillips Exeter Academy, a private school in New Hampshire. There he excelled in academics, THE MAN CONNECTING THE WORLD3 but also discovered another talent of which was, fencing. He was captain of the fencing team but also, excelled more with computers as he developed a name for himself as a â€Å"Programming Prodigy. † His next step in developing software was described as an early version of Pandora, named Synapse. Companies like Microsoft and AOL actually offered to buy it off of him, and hire him before he had even graduated high school. He declined both offers and decided to continue his quest for knowledge. (bio. 2011) Zuckerberg enrolled at Harvard in 2002 after graduating from Phillips Exeter Academy. By the time he began his sophomore year he already had a reputation as the go-to software developer on campus. It was around this time he developed something called CourseMatch, a way for students to choose their classes based on what courses were popular with other users. Next he invented Facemash, a way to compare two studentâ⠂¬â„¢s pictures and vote on who is more attractive. Immediately Facemash became extremely popular, but was shut down because administration deemed it inappropriate. With the popularity of Mark’s other projects, three of his fellow students Divya Narendra, Camron Winklevoss, and Tyler Winklevoss, approached him one day about an idea called Harvard connection. They wanted to use Harvard’s student networks to create a dating site. Mark agreed to help, but soon moved on with his own ideas. (bio. , 2011) Zuckerberg’s new idea was to create his own network with various features for users. So, along with another three friends Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes, THE MAN CONNECTING THE WORLD4 nd Eduardo Saverin they worked together to create their own social network. They developed a site users could create their own profiles, upload photos, and talk to other users. They called this site, The Facebook, and ran it out of their Harvard dorm room from February 2004 to June 2004. Mark then took a huge risk, dropped out of Harvard, and moved to Palo Alto, California to devote his time solely on â€Å"The Facebook. † At this time users were strictly students at Harvard, but the site then opened to Ivy League schools only. The Facebook was shortened to just Facebook, and by the end of 2004 the site had one million users. (bio. , 2011) This brings me to an inevitable quality Mark shares with Coplin’s ten things, Using Quantitative Skills. He has been creating software since he was about twelve years old, which had brought him to where he is today, as a software programmer and developer. He attended one of the most accredited schools of all-time, Harvard University. This serves as an example of how well educated he is just in all areas of academics. Another thing Coplin states is, â€Å"Performance will be measured in numbers just as the performance of your company or agency is measured in the number of sales, the amount of income, or number of people served. † (Coplin, 2003) Zuckerberg is well aware of applying this to his company as CEO and founder of Facebook. He must constantly pay attention to these parts of business because of the number of people he is serving. THE MAN CONNECTING THE WORLD5 Facebook’s next boost came from the venture capital firm Accel Partners, with an investment of $12. 7 million dollars in their network (Kirkpatrick, 2010). This led to the expansion of Facebook, which then opened to other colleges, high schools, and international schools. By December 2005 they reached 5. 5 million members. With Facebook’s popularity, other companies wanted to advertise on the site, but Zuckerberg turned down their offers. (bio. , 2010) Common with all big companies, at some point they face problems. Unfortunately in 2006 the three students that Mark helped make Harvard connection with forced him into a lawsuit. They claimed that he stole their idea and after lawyers found incriminating messages from Zuckerberg, they came to a settlement. Although it was a $65 million dollar settlement, the dispute still continues today. (bio. , 2011) The next controversy Zuckerberg faced took more of a toll on his reputation. In 2009, Ben Mezrich wrote a book called The Accidental Billionaires. Mezrich retold the story of Zuckerberg’s life, but heavily fabricated it. He included invented scenes, imagined dialogue and fictional characters. Not only did he manage to cause controversy with his book, but also he actually sold the rights of the story to screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. Sorkin’s portrayal of Mark’s life was called The Social Network, which went on to be nominated for eight Academy Awards, and take home an Oscar for best picture. Mark strongly opposed the film’s storyline and went on to say, â€Å"It's interesting what stuff they focused on THE MAN CONNECTING THE WORLD 6 getting right; like, every single shirt and fleece that I had in that movie is actually a shirt or fleece that I own, so there's all this stuff that they got wrong and a bunch of random details that they got right. † (bio. , 2011) Developing such an influential company makes him somewhat of a target. He is constantly facing problems, and coming up with new solutions. Therefore another skill he possesses is Solving Problems. He has always under the pressure of creating something pleasing for Facebook users. The web page regularly changes formats, and introduces new features. One thing Coplin directly says is, â€Å"Problem solvers are into continuous improvement. † (Coplin, 2003) Mark’s problem solving skills were also useful when it came to problems in his personal life. He has encountered lawsuits and found a way to settle and move past. Along with lawsuits, the public criticism he’s faced was handled maturely and with integrity. In spite of all the criticism, and negative publicity he still received recognition for his accomplishments. In 2010, Time Magazine named him Person of the year. (Grossman, 2010) Vanity Fair placed him at the top of their New Establishment list and named him number one on its 2010 list of the Top 100 â€Å"most influential people of the Information Age. † Forbes ranked Zuckerberg at No. 35—beating out Apple CEO Steve Jobs on the Forbes 400 list. Mark’s net worth was is an estimated $6. billion dollars. (bio. , 2011) Mark’s wealth has made him a billionaire six times over (Grossman, 2010). THE MAN CONNECTING THE WORLD 7 With the money he’s earned through his hard work, he’s decided to involve himself in philanthropic causes. He donated 100 million dollars to save the failing Newark Public Schools system in New Jersey. On December 9, 2010, Zucke rberg, Bill Gates, and investor Warren Buffett signed the â€Å"Giving Pledge†, promising to donate at least 50 percent of their wealth to charity over the course of their lifetimes. bio. , 2011) He not only wants to help people connect with the social network he’s created but he wants to help charitable causes with the money he worked so hard for. With the company make has created, he has wired about a twelfth of humanity into a single network (Grossman, 2010). When relating Zuckerberg to Coplin’s list of ten things, virtually any of them can be applied but the most obvious one in my opinion is Influencing People. He not only influences people through charities but clearly through the social network he has created. Nearly half of all Americans have a Facebook account, and 70% of Facebook users live outside the U. S. (Grossman, 2010). This just goes to show the number of people he reaches and has an impact on. Facebook has 800 million active users and is currently growing at a rate of about 700,000 people a day (Duff, 2010). Like Coplin says find the basic need, or the main point of interest and stick to it (Coplin, 2003). Mark undoubtedly found a point of interest for the world. Mark Zuckerberg is someone that has the qualities Coplin says that employer’s value and he has demonstrated them throughout his life. Bill Coplin’s THE MAN CONNECTING THE WORLD 8 list of 10 Things Employers Want Students to Learn in College serves as an example of the qualities of successful people. When applying the ten things to a successful person Zuckerberg’s life serves as the perfect example. His success story shows the way to develop yourself to reach success by using the same things Coplin states in his list of ten things. He has basically created the social network that has taken over the world. The accomplishments he has made are something that we witness, and we are impacted by his success in our own lives everyday. THE MAN CONNECTING THE WORLD9 References Coplin, B. (2003). 10 things employers want you to learn in college. Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press. Cooper, C. (2011). The future according to Zuckerberg: All Facebook, all the time. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2011/09/22/scitech/main20110419. shtml Kirkpatrick, D. (2010). The Facebook effect: The inside story of the company that is connecting the world (1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed. ed. ). New York: Simon & Schuster. Grossman L. (2010). Person of the year. Retrieved Dec/15, 2010, from http://www. time. com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2036683_2037183,00. html Mark Zuckerberg. (2011). Biography. com. Retrieved 07:45, Nov 13, 2011 from http://www. biography. com/people/mark-zuckerberg-507402 Duff, C. (Producer), &. (2010). One minute on Facebook. [Video/DVD] Retrieved from THE MAN CONNECTING THE WORLD10 http://www. time. com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2036683_2037109_2037113,00. html

Friday, November 8, 2019

Toni Morrison essays

Toni Morrison essays Toni Morrison was born in the steel town of Lorain. Ohio on February 18, 1931, her name at that time was Chloe Anthony Wofford. Morrison was the second of four children. Her family was made up of migrant sharecroppers on both sides. Her parents George and Ramah Willis Wofford moved north to Ohio to escape racism and find better economic opportunities. Morrison was born into a very proud family her father worked and new many trades including welding and construction. George kept three jobs at the same time during Morrisons childhood. He took great pride in his appearance and work always being sure to be well dressed and at his work each time he welded a perfect seam he would also weld his name into the side of the ship. George would tell Morrison folk tales of the black community, making sure to transfer some of his African-American heritage onto her. She also gained from her father a slight distrust for whites she says My father was a racist. As a child in Georgia, he recei ved a shocking impression of adult white people, and for the rest of his life felt he was justified in despising all white, and that they were not justified in despising him. Morrisons mother was a church going woman who sang in the choir. Lorain was a small industrial town populated with immigrant Europeans, Mexicans and Southern blacks intertwined in the city. Morrison attended an integrated school in Lorain. In the first grade she was the only black student in the class, she was also the only student who could read. She was a great student who hoped to one day be a ballerina dancer like her favorite Maria Tallchief. She loved to read everything from Dostoyevski to Gustave Flaubert. She was friends with many of the white students in her school and it was not until she started dating that she really experienced racism first hand. Morrison graduated with honors in 1949 from Lorain High School. Morrison...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Sample Topics for Comparison Contrast Essays

Sample Topics for Comparison Contrast Essays In high school and college literature classes, one common type of writing assignment is the comparison and contrast essay. Identifying points of similarity and difference in two or more literary works encourages close reading and stimulates careful thought. To be effective, a comparison-contrast essay needs to be focused on particular methods, characters, and themes. These ten sample topics demonstrate different ways of achieving that focus in a critical essay. Short Fiction: The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of the House of UsherAlthough The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of the House of Usher rely on two notably different types of narrator (the first a mad murderer with a long memory, the second an outside observer who serves as the readers surrogate), both of these stories by Edgar Allan Poe rely on similar devices to create their effects of suspense and horror. Compare and contrast the story-telling methods employed in the two tales, with particular attention to point of view, setting, and diction.Short Fiction: Everyday Use and A Worn PathDiscuss how details of character, language, setting, and symbolism in the stories Everyday Use by Alice Walker and A Worn Path by Eudora Welty serve to characterize the mother (Mrs. Johnson) and the grandmother (Phoenix Jackson), noting points of similarity and difference between the two women.Short Fiction: The Lottery and The Summer PeopleAlthough the same fundamental conflict of tradition vers us change underlies both The Lottery and The Summer People, these two stories by Shirley Jackson offer some notably different observations about human weaknesses and fears. Compare and contrast the two stories, with particular attention to the ways Jackson dramatizes different themes in each. Be sure to include some discussion of the importance of setting, point of view, and character in each story. Poetry: To the Virgins and To His Coy MistressThe Latin phrase carpe diem is popularly translated as seize the day. Compare and contrast these two well-known poems written in the carpe diem tradition: Robert Herricks To the Virgins and Andrew Marvells To His Coy Mistress. Focus on the argumentative strategies and specific figurative devices (for example, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and personification) employed by each speaker.Poetry: Poem for My Fathers Ghost, Steady as Any Ship My Father, and Nikki RosaA daughter investigates her feelings for her father (and, in the process, reveals something about herself) in each of these poems: Mary Olivers Poem for My Fathers Ghost, Doretta Cornells Steady as Any Ship My Father, and Nikki Giovannis Nikki Rosa. Analyze, compare, and contrast these three poems, noting how certain poetic devices (such as diction, repetition, metaphor, and simile) serve in each case to characterize the relationship (however ambivalent) between a daughter and her f ather. Drama: King Oedipus and Willy LomanDifferent as the two plays are, both Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller concern a characters efforts to discover some kind of truth about himself by examining events from the past. Analyze, compare, and contrast the difficult investigative and psychological journeys taken by King Oedipus and Willy Loman. Consider the extent to which each character accepts difficult truthsand also resists accepting them. Which character, do you think, is ultimately more successful in his journey of discoveryand why?Drama: Queen Jocasta, Linda Loman, and Amanda WingfieldCarefully examine, compare, and contrast the characterizations of any two of the following women: Jocasta in Oedipus Rex, Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman, and Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Consider each womans relationship with the leading male character(s), and explain why you think each character is primarily active or passive (or bot h), supportive or destructive (or both), perceptive or self-deceived (or both). Such qualities are not mutually exclusive, of course, and may overlap. Be careful not to reduce these characters to simple-minded stereotypes; explore their complex natures. Drama: Foils in Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass MenagerieA foil is a character whose main function is to illuminate the qualities of another character (often the protagonist) through comparison and contrast. First, identify at least one foil character in each of the following works: Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass Menagerie. Next, explain why and how each of these characters may be viewed as a foil, and (most importantly) discuss how the foil character serves to illuminate certain qualities of another character.Drama: Conflicting Responsibilities in Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass MenagerieThe three plays Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass Menagerie all deal with the theme of conflicting responsibilitiestoward self, family, society, and the gods. Like most of us, King Oedipus, Willy Loman, and Tom Wingfield at times try to avoid fulfilling certain responsibilities; at other times, they may appear confused as to what their m ost important responsibilities should be. By the end of each play, this confusion may or may not be resolved. Discuss how the theme of conflicting responsibilities is dramatized and resolved (if it is resolved) in any two of the three plays, pointing out similarities and differences along the way. Drama and Short Fiction: Trifles and The ChrysanthemumsIn Susan Glaspells play Trifles and John Steinbecks short story The Chrysanthemums, discuss how setting (i.e., the stage set of the play, the fictional setting of the story) and symbolism contribute to our understanding of the conflicts experienced by the character of the wife in each work (Minnie and Elisa, respectively). Unify your essay by identifying points of similarity and difference in these two characters.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Nine Circles of Dante's Inferno Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nine Circles of Dante's Inferno - Essay Example Franke (2009) is of the opinion that Dante’s Inferno is conceived primarily as an expansion of the ancient epic motif of the katabasis or â€Å"going down† of the protagonist to the underworld for a revelation of his destiny from beyond the threshold of death. The poet’s contemporary political and literary circles criticized the work by viewing it as the reflection of Dante’s hatred for his political opponents. In addition, the journey also portrays the tales he had listened to from his elders and religious mentors, which describes the pains and sufferings inflicted upon the individuals who, according to his view, led a life of deviancy and sin on the earth by breaking the law o religion and morality. It is because of his adherence and commitment with the same faith that Dante demonstrates feelings of sympathies and remorse for some sinful individuals burning into the flames of Inferno, while he is delighted on finding a few of them on finding them at such a horrible dwelling. Similarly, Dante also takes pity on a group of people because of their miserable plight by stating them as not the guilty of the sins they are being punished. For instance, during his visit of the first inferno, he laments over the pitiable plight of renowned poet Virgil, who appeared to be undergoing punishment in the first circle of inferno along with other non believers. Since Virgil belonged to the era before Christ, he could not develop faith in Jesus. As a result, he was kept in the first circle attributed to the non-believers (Canto I, lines 79-130). Hence, having no belief in Jesus Christ is a minor in Dante’s eyes. Surprisingly, the holy personalities, including Adam, Noah, Abraham and others are also seen in that very circle by Dante, which were bless with salvation and pardon by Jesus Christ (Lines 55-57). The purported visionary Dante found debauchers and adulterers in the second inferno; because of the sinful life they spent while their stay on the earth. Since the kings, queens and other people associated with the royal family or court remained in revelry making with or without the consent of the other. Consequently, both adulterers and rapists fall in this category of sinners being inflicted with pains and sufferings in the hell. Colossians (3:5-6) also condemns in these words: â€Å"put to death whatever in your nature is rooted in earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desires and that lust which is idolatry. These are sins which provoke God's wrath.† Dante finds gluttonous and voracious people in the third and fourth circles of inferno; since the poet had found his political rivals as greedy and ravenous, he personally attacked the rivals including Cisco, the politicians belonging to the Black Guelph party, and others and vehemently condemned their lust and greed. Consequently, he views greed as more heinous sin than fornication. Similarly, he finds the offenders of observing anger and heresy as in fifth and sixth circles of the hell, because of displaying cruelty upon others as well as declaring the mortal world as the end of life respectively. Furthermore, violence, chaos and ruthlessness are greater sins in the eyes of Dante. The poet has included the oppressors, seizers of the wealth and properties of others and homosexuals in this very category. He is of the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Media and Gender Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Media and Gender - Research Paper Example With the advent of media and information technology, sweeping changes has manifested itself on women. Today, women spend all their time and resources on media, and are willing to anything in order to be beautiful or change their natural outlooks. This clearly shows that women use media as a tool of educating themselves as a way of seeking freedom from the yoke of women folk, which has enslaved them for long (Joo, 2012). It is evidently clear that most of the media houses take considerable airtime to advertise what appropriate appearance a woman should have in the modern world. This includes the likes of â€Å"figure eight†, tall and slender and less body weight women. Some of these ideal desirable body structures are may not be attainable practically by some of the women. This creates a negative mindset of dissatisfaction from such women should they fail to attain such desirable qualities (In Carter et al, 2014). Therefore, they start a voyage of events that will see them modify their natural bodies in order to pose those deemed desirable by the society. The main problem associated to most of these processes and operations women have to go through may bring adverse lifelong damages in health of victims. The worst outcomes arise where the desired body appearance fails to happen, or the desired characteristics become abnormal, the likes of the various cases that have been documented. Several w omen are on record to have for instance, applied breast enlargement cream only for one of the breasts to be extremely larger than normal and fail to match with the other pair. The main problem is that, some of these outcomes remain unchanged forever and hence a permanent scar of psychological dissatisfaction rules the entire life of a woman in question. Scholars have cautioned on negative results of female objections in the media. It is not, therefore, miracles to find women in the society who are bed-ridden after suffering the negative images that are