Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Baruch Spinoza Essay Research Paper The task free essay sample

Baruch Spinoza Essay, Research Paper The undertaking of merely merely lasting is for most of us a smattering in itself in this life. However, merely a few in a life clip choose non to be satisfied with merely merely survival instead they assume the yoke of redefining life for themselves and for others. In doctrine of faith, pantheism is normally in struggle with traditional spiritual authorization, which claims that the pantheistic belief is nil more than a profane signifier of idolatrous worship. A adult male by the name Benedictus ( Baruch ) Spinoza took it upon his shoulders to build an interpretable theory of this deistic belief and as a consequence earned the name of the male parent of Pantheism. I, George Meza, had the privilege of look intoing the life of this rational mastermind as he struggled along the way of enlightenment in a society that was as different to him as his theory of moralss was to the Synagogue and the Church. We will write a custom essay sample on Baruch Spinoza Essay Research Paper The task or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Spinoza? s works ranged from the political to the theistic, from the mathematical, to even the rational. I ask the inquiry what tests and problems in the life of Baruch Spinoza could deliver such a passion for what was known at the clip as dissident divinity. What was the impact of Spinoza? s work on our technologically advanced society that has put aside footings such as G-d and ethic and has attempted to redefine the term free will? The Spinoza household arrived in Amsterdam, via Portugal in 1498, due to persecution the household decided to travel by the name Spinoza. Baruch? s male parent and gramps were originally Spanish crypto-Jews # 8212 ; that is, Jews who were forced to follow Christianity in post-Islamic Spain, but in secret remained Judaic, Spinoza # 8217 ; s parents had died when he was rather immature, I believe that this was a major influence on his ulterior work. His male parent Michael died when he was 21 ; Baruch Spinoza was born in the Amsterdam one-fourth of Vloedenburg ( now Waterlooplein one-fourth ) , Holland in November 24, 1632. What most people don? T know is that Spinoza was born to a traditional observant Jewish place and the foundation of his theories had traditional Judaism as its anchor. As historian Paul Johnson one time said, ? Judaism is a extremely efficient societal machine for the production of intellectuals? . When Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand initiated the Inquisition in 1492, Jews had to happen a new topographic point of abode that would digest their societal and spiritual differences. Much of Europe such as England, France and Italy were non happy to have them ; nevertheless, Amsterdam was significantly more tolerant, and the Jews who arrived, though non yet able to go citizens due to common antisemitism, where able to bask their spiritual patterns much more openly than elsewhere in the European part. The Sephardic ( Spanish ) Judaic people refer dearly to Amsterdam as # 8220 ; Little Jerusalem # 8221 ; and # 8220 ; Mokum. # 8221 ; Hebraism is a faith of survey, reading, commentary and statement, all of these properties easy expressed Spinoza? s manner of life. At the Judaic high school that Spinoza attended Spinoza learned doctrine and divinity under one of the most superb Talmudist of the clip the honest Morteira of the Manasseh Ben Israel religious order. At the clip Amsterdam played a big function in the transmutation of Judaic idea, which finally lead to the development of Spinoza? s train of idea and his deistic beliefs. Even today, it is non uncommon to hear such Hebrew words as # 8220 ; mazel tov # 8221 ; ( good fortune ) and # 8220 ; meshuga # 8221 ; ( you? re loony ) in the Amsterdam idiom. Today Amsterdam has one of Europe? s largest Judaic historical museums in dedication to the Spanish/ Portuguese descendent Jews of Spinoza? s clip. When Descartes move to Holland in 1629, the state had already been known for its assemblage of intellectuals, it was merely a affair of clip since another great one would originate. The Language of Spinoza? s place was either Ladino, a Hebrew Portuguese idiom or Portuguese for the household had fled spiritual persecution in Portugal after go forthing Spain for the same ground some three coevalss before that. Spinoza was besides good educated in Dutch, Latin, Spanish, Hebrew and Greek this histories for the many linguistic communications in which his books were written in. Baruch? s name was Hebrew for? blessed? , nevertheless, that was non a name that he had earned in the eyes of the modern twenty-four hours clergy in that epoch. Through Spinoza? surveies in traditional Hebraism he was ever looked upon as the most superb and interested pupil in all his categories, nevertheless, the more he embraced in Judaism the more he felt empty through the incompatibilities with the philosophy. Finally his convulsion made him turn to the survey of Christianity and so doctrine, which left him even more baffled than earlier. Although his spiritual instructor applauded his atte mpts in hunt for truth they were ever more interested in the societal sentiment at the clip. When Spinoza was 24 old ages old he wrote a paper saying his belief that God # 8217 ; s will was non separate from the Torahs of nature. Spinoza viewed head and affair as two properties of a individual, godly substance, the unity of ultimate world. Therefore, he believed that head and organic structure, although different in visual aspect, are non truly separate entities. Harmonizing to Spinoza, a human being is a finite version of God ; therefore the human head is a illumination of the cosmopolitan head of God. Spinoza said that mental procedures are mechanic, and therefore deterministic, following a causal concatenation. Part of his statement was that if God was perfect, and made this universe perfect, so why would he interrupt his ain regulations of nature in order to execute certain miracles, which by definition were Acts of the Apostless beyond nature # 8217 ; s. As a pantheistic monist, Spinoza was of the belief that there is no dualism between God and the universe ; we need non travel beyond the immediate present experience to seek for a being outside of it. God moves and lives in nature ; the whole of it, the full unive rse is God. The paper did non go excessively popular with the Christians of Amsterdam. The Jewish community, which under other fortunes may hold been more tolerant, had no purposes of destructing the good relationship they enjoyed with their Dutch hosts. The Judaic community leaders in Amsterdam asked Spinoza to abjure what he had written as an mistake of unscholarly truth. Nonetheless, Spinoza believed that what he had written was the truth. Spinoza firm refused to abjure his statement. After assorted unsuccessful efforts to alter his head, Spinoza was accused of unorthodoxy, philistinism and â€Å"contempt for the Torah ( the Hebrew Bibles ) before the Tribunal of the Congregation which finally lead his exclusion him from their community. This is frequently called an â€Å"excommunication, † though there is truly no such thing as â€Å"excommunication† in Judaism. Three old ages after his exclusion the Amsterdam Synagogue officially petitioned the municipal governmen ts to denounce Spinoza as a â€Å"menace to all piousness and morals.† Therefore break uping his ties to the Judaic people. And even until today the main Rabbis of Israel have been petitioned to officially raise the expletive upon him, nevertheless, this has non happened yet. Spinoza refused to abjure something he profoundly accepted as truth. Their refusals merely lead Spinoza to a deeper strong belief of documenting the elements of God and life. Due to the loss of his credibleness and the decease of his parents Spinoza choose to be known by the Latin signifier of his name Benedictus. For a clip, Spinoza was associated with a former Jesuit who ran a school for kids. Spinoza used this as an chance to foster his ain instruction and to supplement his income by learning in the school. At this clip he besides learned the trade of lens crunching for spectacless and telescopes. Spinoza? s remarks against Judaism did non discontinue as a consequence of their rejection, Spinoza? s th eory was that Moses did non compose the Torah ( The Jewish Bible ) and that it instead developed itself through many writers over centuries. Therefore, the Bible text ( The Torah ) and its moral content had to be studied, analyzed, and critiqued like any other book. Biblical narratives were non to be believed as actual ; they were simply intended to learn abstract constructs through concrete illustrations. Because nature is governed by ageless Acts of the Apostless of the across-the-board God, miracles were impossible. Spinoza maintained that traditional rites were otiose and meaningless for the rational modern adult male. In his late mid-twentiess, he supervised a treatment group on philosophical and theological issues. Many of Spinoza’s friends in his not-so-solitary old ages of survey were members of the assorted dissenter Christian groups jointly known as Collegiants. These little religious orders, who were sometimes small more than treatment groups, typically rejected al l spiritual ceremonials for their calumniatory theories on God and the existence. As his ain thoughts developed, he went on retreat from Amsterdam for three old ages to explicate them in composing. Spinoza left his hometown in 1660 and settled in Rijnsburg. This small town was a safety for collegiants, a Baptist religious order to which friends of his belonged. He had a little room in the house of the sawbones H. Hooman, where he prepared lenses for optical instruments, and where he wrote down his speculations with a quill. There, he wrote A Short Treatise on God, Man and his Well-Being, and On the Improvement of the Understanding. He besides composed a geometric version of Descartes’ Principles of Philosophy, which friends encouraged him to print. Part of the intent of the work was to pave the manner for printing his ain ideas, which were critical of Cartesianism. By bring forthing such a work, he could non subsequently be accused be accused of non understanding Descartes. T he work appeared in 1663 and was the lone authorship of Spinoza’s published with his name on it during his life. Spinoza was many times given the chance to learn at the University of Heidelberg, nevertheless, Spinoza modestly rejecting the academic bearer in order to be free from any limitations on his rational activities that might be made by theologists. Spinoza besides rejected a pension offered him by Louis XIV, male monarch of France, on the status that he dedicates one of his plants to the sovereign. Baruch Spinoza died of TB, seemingly aggravated by his inhaling glass dust from lens crunching. During his life-time and for a period subsequently Spinoza influenced German idealism. Through work forces such Gotthold Lessing, Johann Gottfried von Herder, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, his work was scholarly hit in no clip across Europe. Carl Marx, the male parent of Communism, liked Spinoza, the male parent of pantheism, for what he took to be his mercenary history of the existence. With all the plants that Spinoza was known for his? Ethica Ordine Geometrico Demonstrata? ( 1677 Ethical motives Demonstrated with Geometrical Order ) had to hold been his most popular, presently selling out his old creative activities. Although sentiments vary about Spinoza’s beginnings ( at his decease merely 161 volumes were found in his little library ) , no 1 can deny the considerable influence of Descartes. On February 21, 1677 Baruch Spinoza died in The Hague of TB due to inordinate glass dust inspiration. With the short 44 old ages that he lived on Earth, Spinoza was feared and reviled as a unsafe atheist his life was nil short of superb and thorough. I believe that this scenario is non foreign to any of the great revolutionists of our clip, with much victory comes much forfeit. Although Spinoza sacrificed much in his chase of the truth, his work was non recognized as great boulder clay during the center of the 18-century when the universe had evolved from their dark and simplistic comma. Today Baruch Spinoza is known as one of the universe? s greatest positivist who of all time lived. It is a shame that it took so long to promote Spinoza to the tallness where he belongs.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Financial Research of the Google Inc Essay

Financial Research of the Google Inc Essay Financial Research of the Google Inc. Essay Financial Research of the Google Inc. Essay Investment in corporate business remains an important and attractive issue that may be influenced by huge investment potential. Publicly traded companies demonstrated various dynamics of stock growth during the long and short term. However, each company has its individual pace of growth, because it has different possibilities to enter the foreign market, occupy large niches, ensure high long-term profitability, satisfy shareholders, etc. Consequently, the choice should rely on proper finance research of the demanded, relatively stable company with strong strategic and resource potential. For example, Google Incorporated (Google Inc.) provided the growth of the share price and appears to be excellent choice for investment. Rationale for Selection Google Inc. has been chosen because this company represents a profitable toolset for capital growth. It is evident that investment in Google promises high returns with minimal risk. Such a possibility has existed since 2004, when the companys shares were sold on stock exchanges. Google Inc. provides two types of shares: Class A is dedicated to general circulation and Class B (preferred stock) available for the employees only. The development of communication means and the Internet allows buying the shares even on foreign stock exchanges. There are long-term and short-term options for investment in the shares of Google Inc. The short-term option involves the purchase of the shares not to receive dividends, but to resale them as soon as possible after the shift of exchange. Investing through a broker by such a scheme will not work, as the interest for the service will cut almost all the profits. The main disadvantage of this option is the amount of investment accessible for investors with regard to fluctuations of a price. Direct access to stock exchanges requires significant capital, which narrows the circle of shareholders to the largest and most reliable business partners. This may be the advantage of investment in Google Inc., as large investments are usually carried out by the investors with vision and long-term priorities. It can form a stable supply for the corporation and thereby protect other inves tors from business losses. In addition, the choice of Google Inc. as a potential object of investment was made due to the benefit of long-term investment. It involves making a profit from the payment of dividends on shares or selling them years or even decades after the purchase. The expectations of an investor to receive an increase in share value in several years can be justified. Given the dynamics of the development of Google, this growth may be continued. The company provides an advantage of a long-term approach where high initial capital is not needed and brokerage services are available for such investments, which simplifies the processes of buying and selling. Natural and objective disadvantages of investment in Google Inc. are a certain level of uncertainty and lack of long-term guaranteed income. However, such shortcomings are common in the entire area of investment, regardless of the historical success of a corporation. However, taking into account the dynamics of the growth of Google, the riskiness of losses seems improbable. Google Inc. is a target for profitable investment. There are some factors that may affect the positive decision to invest in Google Inc. Investors can significantly reduce the risk of their investments due to diversification. By investing in an investment fund or stock, they can spread their investments among various financial instruments. While some investments fall in value, others are likely to rise, which evenly distributes the risk among investment in Google Inc. and other attractive businesses. High liquidity of the companys shares allows converting investments into cash quickly and without losses. Selling the shares can be just as easy as dealing with the shares of another company, but the corporation adequately satisfies the interests of its shareholders. The availability of the corporation’s shares permits investing from the most accessible sources. This provides investors with certain freedom of action. Moreover, investing in the corporate capital does not require additional studies of the companys activities as it demonstrates its activity quite openly and transparently. This is displayed in regular mapping of outcomes of financial and investment activities. It is enough for the investor to follow the results of investment efficiency. Professional management of the corporation belongs to the advantage of Google Inc., which attracts a large number of investors. Investment funds are managed by a team of professionals. They have more experience, knowledge, and information than an average investor. Herein, it is very important for making a decision to buy or sell. However, it should be remembered that not all investment in the company regularly show satisfactory results. However, the decline in investment activity can be attributed to the behavior of business in the market. Investor Profile and Strategy In order to start investing, it is necessary to have something to invest. Creation of the necessary initial capital precedes the establishment of an appropriate person and profile of an investor. Investments in a corporation are accompanied by high business activity and a large number of corporate bonds. Its work concerns the attraction of large-scale business and international operations. Therefore, investors should possess professional knowledge in the area of investment. These professionals are divided into speculators and managers. Speculating investors receive income from the difference between the purchase and sale in the short term. Their main task is to buy cheaper stocks and sell them at the highest price. Such investors are characterized by a large number of transactions within a short period. The main characteristic of such investors is risk exploitation of their money. The managing investor of Google takes the finances of other people under control. As a rule, it is a legal entity or an individual entrepreneur providing their services free of charge. Their task is to multiply the investment funds. This person is well versed in the laws of the market, has a specific strategy, the necessary knowledge, and experience. A manager may also perform a large number of sales transactions of stock during a day, but their main difference from the speculator is that they risk other peoples money. There are certain laws regulating the activities of such persons or organizations. Therefore, it is expedient for the investor without sufficient funds for independent investment to give their funds to the specialist. There is an opportunity to attract investment by non-professionals. These are investors for whom investment is not a professional occupation. In this case, they should make maximum efforts and try to track the profitability of the position as an investor. An independent investor without professional knowledge and skills is the type of an investor who prefers to manage their savings at their own discretion. They make their own decisions about the objects of their investment and identification of a worth toolset. Moreover, they fully assume all risks associated with this activity. Their difference from professional investors is that investment is non-professional and additional activity. Their position is weaker when compared with professional and experienced investors. They carry out a small number of transactions and prefer to make long-term investments with a periodic review of their investment portfolio. Characteristics of the most suitable investor involve a different level of investment activity and its management. Long-term investment is best suited for passive investors who hold the strategy of retention of the acquired equity. It would be a good strategy, but in times of crisis, it is possible to lose more than half of the capital. Search of short gains may attract active investors who manage a portfolio and perform purchasing and selling operations on the shares of Google Inc. This is an active investing strategy. It can follow the portfolio of a passive management strategy. For example, active investors may buy the shares of Google Inc. and make short sales. However, this strategy should be accompanied by a major focus on stock selection. This type of investors is characterized by a relaxed attitude to a temporary fall in the market, of course, except for a crisis condition, as well as the ability to wait for favorable moments for a long time. Active investors may abandon a perpetual (long) investment and balance investments each year. The time horizon of investment of Googles investors includes long-term investors with investment horizon of more than 10 years, with medium-term investment horizon of 3 to 5 years, and short-term investments with a maturity from 1 to 3 years. However, higher possibility of a successful return on investment is inherent to long-term investors, as the company of the most demanded segment of the market successfully implements strategic plans and large enterprise operations. Regarding the degree of risk tolerance, the most suitable investors for Google are moderate investors. They do not engage in frequent speculations and are not afraid to change the structure and volume of investments in the event of market fluctuations. Such investors adhere to the following problems of the investment strategy: Preserve capital during following years; Gradually increase the capital; Earn high profits (Holburn Zelner, 2010). Strategy is the main reference point behavior for investor in different situations. However, if an investor prioritizes high earning before capital preservation, it is the way for defeat. Therefore, the investment strategy should vary, depending on the overall success of Google Inc. Thus, the simplest and most effective strategies that can be applied with respect to Google Inc. as separate alternatives and components of the overall strategy are the following: A strategy of dividends The essence of this technique is very simple. The investor buys the stock at or before closure of the register of shareholders in order to gain profit from the issuing company in the future (Lin Pavlova, 2006). A long-term investment strategy Many investors try to use the shares of Google Inc. in the long run, buying them for a period not less than one year. This strategy is simple, but it is very attractive due to its potential returns. In addition, this approach allows investors at least to partly diversify their risks. The main difficulty is the selection of the period of stable growth of the corporation, as it will bring profit to its owners. If there are doubts about profitability, they may form a portfolio, taking into account the yield of the stock market index. The resulting profit will be proportional to the growth of this indicator. A strategy for medium-term investment The shares are purchased for a few months. The base of the profit is the fluctuations in the value of the securities. An investor can buy the stock cheaper and sell it when the price is at its peak (Pike Neale, 2006). However, the determination of the date of purchase or sale requires a fundamental and technical analysis of the situation, forecast of the market movement, and a rapid response to its changes. Financial Ratios and Health of Google Inc. Financial ratios of Google Inc. are relative measures of financial performance of the corporation that express the relationship between appropriate dynamic parameters and form the basis of financial management and the practice of evaluation of the financial health and indicators of Google Inc. In order to assess current financial condition of Google Inc., a set of coefficients comparing the dynamics of these indicators is used. The factors beyond the standard values or a negative trend characterize particular weak points of the company. The investors interested in short-term efficiency of Google Inc. prefer a low level of current ratio as it eliminates their common risks and improves the business utilization of corporate resources. Current ratio was 4.75 in September, 2013, while next year demonstrated its decline to 4.47 in September, 2014. In 2015, its indicator was 4.77 (YCharts, 2015). Therefore, this ratio increased during the last three years by 0.2. That means that the corporation did not sufficiently use its current assets to cover its short-term liabilities and obligations. Exclusion of inventories from the assets of Google Inc. allows determining the liquidity of the corporation and its ability to quickly cut the debts with marketable securities and cash. This indicator was 4.58 in December, 2013. Later, it increased to 4.80 in December, 2014. Liquidity capacity decreased to 4.77 in September, 2015 (GOOGL Quick Ratio, 2015). Therefore, this ability of Google Inc. to quickly turn particular assets into cash to pay obligations in the short run was slightly decreased. Earnings per share determine the volume of earnings per outstanding share of Google Inc. The corporation identifies this indicator for shares of class A, B, and C. Obtain earnings per basic class A and B were $ 19.13 in 2013, which increased to $ 20.9 in 2014 (Investor Relations, 2015). The third quarter of 2015 identified $ 5.80 per share that was more by $ 0.64 than in the first quarter of the same year. In contrast to basic earning, its diluted alternative simultaneously increased. In 2013, EPS was $ 18.7 that increased to $ 20.5 in 2014. Later, the third quarter of 2015 demonstrated its annual growth to $ 5.7 per share. Similar trends characterize dynamics of basic earnings per class C share that was $ 19.1 in 2013 and increased to $ 20.9 in 2014 (Investor Relations, 2015). This earning increased to $ 5.8 at the turn of 2015. Diluted earning per this type of share was $ 18.7 in 2013 and increased to $ 20.5 in 2014. Despite certain growth of EPS in the second quarter of 2015 to $ 6.4, this indicator was still higher by $ 0.63 at the turn of 2015 than at the beginning of the year. The third quarter of 2015 determined its growth to $ 5.7 per share. The valuation of a share is executed through the ratio of the price of a share and earning per share. This ratio decreased from 29.4 in 2013 to 24.99 in 2014 (GOOGL P/E Ratio, 2015). Nevertheless, Google Inc. increased this ratio to 33.7 in December, 2015. These changes mean that it will take fewer years. to earn the price back for the company’s stock. In this case, short- and median investors are not in advance comparing to long-term investors, who are more interested in higher P/E stock. Total revenues of Google Inc. increased from $ 55 billion in 2013 to $ 66 billion in 2014, while the third quarter of 2015 confirmed the annual growth to more than $ 18 billion in 2015 (Investor Relations, 2015). These changes were conditioned by the structural growth of revenues from the basic activities of Google Inc., such as its own and network members’ websites and other sources. Thus, the most rapid and positive growth concerned the revenues of its own websites. The annual growth rate was a slight increase by 1 percent. The revenues generated in the area of the websites of network members declined by 5 percent from 2013 to the third quarter of 2015. Other revenues increased by 2 percent from 2013 to 2015. The ratio of cash with regard to debt showed that the company could easily pay off its debt with the exceeding amount of cash that increased from 11.2 in 2013 to 12.3 in 2014 (Guru Focus, 2015). Later, the ratio sharply increased to 13.9 in September, 2015. Therefore, t he company had significant liquid resources to cut its debt. The level of profitability of Google Inc. attested gradual increase of total net income from $ 12.7 billion in 2013 to $ 14.1 billion in 2014. Net income slightly increased to $ 3.9 billion at the turn of 2015. Therefore, the activity of Google Inc. has been profitable in these last years due to advantageous business directions and wide expansion throughout the world. The financial condition of the corporation is defined by its ability to finance its activities. It is characterized by the provision of financial resources necessary for normal functioning of the company, their proper placement, and efficiency of use, financial relations with other legal entities and individuals, solvency, and financial stability. Financial state of Google Inc. is sustainable. The companys ability to make payments timely to finance its activities demonstrates its good financial condition. It depended on the results of its industrial, commercial, and financial activities. Production and financial plans are successfully carried out, which has a positive effect on the financial position of the corporation, increase of profits, and solvency. In turn, a strong financial position has a positive effect on the execution of corporate valuation, forecasting activities, decisions on capital structure etc. Risk Level of Google Inc. Investment risk is a possibility or likelihood of full or partial failure to reach the results of the investment expected by investors. The activities of Google Inc. make investors face the following risks: specific (commercial) and regional risks. Specific (commercial) risks are associated with the uncertainty of obtaining the expected commercial result from the implementation of a specific project. They relate to specific characteristics of the project itself or specific characteristics of the market conditions. Specific investment risks occur at the level of entrepreneurial activity of specific enterprises in the corporative composition of Google Inc. Strategies and approaches to minimize these risks are the responsibility of the project developers and insurance companies that perform particular operations, depending on an investment project as well as the investment policy of Google Inc. The means of economic policy (fiscal, price, customs control, tariff) may indirectly influence risk reduction. In addition, another risk is associated with limited investment opportunities in some regions, where the company is represented. To reduce this risk, Google may apply a strategy of selective incentives to increase investment activity and attract additional resources in appropriate regions. The total risk level of the company is affected by the capacity to unite all possible directions of the business and investment policy of the corporation. Investment risk may be maintained at low level through a proper policy of harmonious development of the business and rational utilization of its assets. Recommendations for Investment Opportunity In order to increase the appeal and interest of investors to Google, the corporation should improve the corporate strategies of those business units and the acquisitioned companies within its entrepreneurial structure. (Mackey, Mackey, Barney, 2007). Herein, the company can be easily associated with a completed investment object. Any prospect of crisis that may hurt the multinational global company requires strengthening of competitive advantages, ongoing liquidity, and accessibility of the capital for investment even in complicated economic conditions (Campello, Giambona, Graham, Harvey, 2011). Google Inc. would facilitate its business sustainability and enhance its own investment attractiveness in crisis. To sum up, Google Incorporated employs all possible measures to remain a successful target for investment. It was chosen for this financial analysis due to a range of factors determining its priority for an investor. The financial analysis revealed its stable financial health and efficient financial ratios. Successful performance faces challenges of financial and regional risks that should be reduced through a set of improvements and advancements related to the business practice of Google Inc.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

How Christianity Contributes to Patriarchy-Research Paper Essay

How Christianity Contributes to Patriarchy-Research Paper - Essay Example Once they’ve entered into that ‘happily ever after’ world following the wedding at the end of the story, the patriarchal concept of women has them managing the household, caring for the children and entirely confined within the boundaries of the husband’s property. While the fairy tale suggests this life will be full of fancy dresses, grand parties, leisure and pleasure in domestic felicity within the grand castle of the prince – the songbird in the golden cage – the reality is all too often a life dominated by the dragon. When the story takes this turn, women find themselves as the beaten-down house slave forced to bend all of her effort to someone else’s thoughtless whims and desires regardless of the harm this might bring upon herself. It is only with the assistance of other women that they are finally able to break the vision of the fairy tale to understand their realities and find a new means of approaching life. An understanding o f how this patriarchy has affected the female psyche, whether it is the actual fairy tale presented or merely stories couched on a similar theme, provides a great deal of insight into the feminist issues illuminated through Sandra Cisneros’ stories â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek† and â€Å"One Holy Night.† In â€Å"Woman Hollering Creek,† Sandra Cisneros’ main character, Cleofilas, grows up watching telenovelas on TV, which are like soap operas, in which the classic Cinderella themes are played out over and over, reinforcing Cleofilas’ fantasies regarding what her future life will be and the patriarchal vision of women’s approved roles in society. In the telenovelas, life was seen to be full of â€Å"all kinds of hardship of the heart, separation and betrayal† (220), but a loving woman, always patient and always kind, could expect happiness in the end. â€Å"Cleofilas

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Critically analyse why treaties on human rights do not grant rights Essay

Critically analyse why treaties on human rights do not grant rights directly to individuals - Essay Example nited Nations High Commissioner for Human rights, human rights are inherent to all human beings regardless of their nationality, colour, religion, language, place of residence, sex or any other identifiable status of the individual (Ramcharan, 2010). Universal human rights are expected to be indivisible, interrelated and interdependent and human beings should enjoy such rights without any form of discrimination. Steiner arguesthat ‘human rights violations still occur within a state rather than high seas or outer space outside the jurisdiction of any one state’ (Ramcharan, 2010, p 45). In this case, states are expected to assume the obligations of protecting and fulfilling human rights to their citizens through positive actions lead to enjoyment of the basic human rights and respecting such rights (Steiner, Alston & Goodman, 2008). The UN charter that aims at ensuring global peace and fundamental human rights has led to numerous conventions that have been adopted in order to protect individual human rights and protect the citizens from atrocities such as genocide and torture (Bayefsky, 2001). Majority of the rules have been codified in to customary rules of international law thus binding even the countries that have not ratified the conventions. Each state has the responsibility of safeguarding individual human rights within its territory, but as Turkin emphasized ‘conventions on human rights do not grant rights directly to individuals’ since the rights will vary from state to the other or from region to region due to government structures and regional treaties and declarations of human rights (Provost, 2002, p 98). In this paper, I will demonstrate that all states have a duty to respect the universal fundamental rights within territories, prohibit discrimination and have the duty to respect such rights and co-operate with other states in attainment of such objectives. Thesis: treaties on human rights treaties grant rights directly to i ndividuals. State

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Coca Cola product life cycle Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Coca Cola product life cycle - Case Study Example This concept holds that the life of any product can be divided into four distinct periods. The first one is the introduction phase, in which the initial sales are made to customers that like trying out new products, although sales in this phase are inadequate to recuperate costs of the product’s development (GecÃŒÅ'Evska et al, 2010: p209). The second phase is the growth stage, in which the sales rapidly increase with increasing product popularity and profits begin to be generated. The third stage is referred to as the maturity stage, which generates most of the product’s profits and sales and is the longest phase. Most companies seek to prolong this phase to increase profits by implementing extension strategies. The last stage is decline, in which the product sales begin to fall and being profitable. Marketing strategies should be adapted to external dynamics within the marketplace for every stage (Matsokis & Kiritsis, 2010: p789), which Coca-Cola has done to make it t he most consumed global soft drink company. Coca-Cola was founded in mid-1886 by John Pemberton and was first introduced in form of a soda fountain drink (Coca-Cola Company.com, 2012: p1). During this stage, it was sold at 5 US cents for each glass. Because John Pemberton’s partner and accountant Frank Robinson believed that C’s would be attractive in advertising, they settled on the name Coca-Cola. The objective of Coca-Cola during this phase was to generate initial awareness about the product and put it in the market for trial by the public, which exceeded Dr. Pemberton’s initial targets (Allen, 2012: p13). In addition, they only launched a basic product that was not even sold in bottles. Rather, they sold the product from soda fountains located strategically at Dr. Pemberton’s businesses. In addition, the company used a cost plus pricing strategy during this phase and it has been suggested it is most likely they used price skimming in order to

Friday, November 15, 2019

Impact Of New Media On Internal Communications Media Essay

Impact Of New Media On Internal Communications Media Essay Cornelissen (2008) defines internal communications as communication with employees internally within the organization (pg195) He also went further to state that the emergence of new inventions in technologies like internet blogs and emails has evolved into messages not just been restricted to the confine of the office, but have faded the boundaries between internal and external communications. This translates to the fact that employees can now distribute information about an organization or even a co-employee electronically to outside stakeholders and they can share their views and publish their grievances as well as organise and demand action from the organization. With access to email, blogs and social networking sites for sharing corporate information, many employees become corporate communications professionals themselves. Before the advent of World Wide Web, media communication as means of mass communication was to a large extent one-sided. Newspapers were written by a few people and read by thousands; television programmes (including news and documentaries) were made by a few people and watched by thousands; books were typically written by one person and read by thousands. Internal communications was no different. Employee newsletters were typically developed by a handful of employees and disseminated to the entire workforce. The advent of Web 2.0, which brought with it a clutch of new technologies such as social networking websites, blogs, etc., changed this nature of few-to-many communication. These new technologies allowed everyone to participate in the discussion. Suddenly, communication was not communication at all; it became discussion i.e from one way to two way method of communication. This is a fundamental shift in perspective. In the workplace, the roles and explicit power of the players however have not changed. The employers are still the employers with the power to hire and fire employees; the employees are still employees who are bound by their employment contracts to their employers and are most times to be seen and not heard. Hence it is interesting to examine if there has been a change in the nature of internal communication within the workplace as a result of the advent of the new media. This paper attempts to examine the ways in which each new major technology has changed the nature of internal communications, and concludes with a view towards the future. 2.0 New Media inside the Workplace Holtz (2006) points out that any technology that becomes a commonly used tool on the Internet will find its ways onto Intranets. There is always a lag between the widespread adoptions of the new technology and the adoption of the technology by corporations. Holtz is also of the opinion that this is because business leaders tend to dismiss new technologies with contempt, viewing them as nothing more than diversions for youngsters and computer nerds. (pg22). These business leaders will eventually see a different side to this as the roles between the old and new media is obviously changing, or should I say have changed? Companies used to rely on the intranet and emails to communicate with their employees, so also face to face, but with the emergence and infiltration of new media into peoples lives, communication has taken a totally different form, and it is bound to improve in years to come. According to Henneman 2010, Gartner Inc, a research and advisory firm have predicted that social networking will replace email as the primary form of communication for 20% of business users by 2014. 2.1 Instant Messaging A prime example of this is the use of instant messaging. Initially no corporate use of instant messaging was found to be acceptable. However, as the technology began to be used more and more widely, it began to be adopted by corporations. Today instant messaging is used by a large number of companies to provide customer support, and to facilitate internal communications. Within the corporate network, especially within large corporations, instant messaging represents a non-intrusive method by which two employees can communicate. If two employees speak over the phone, the conversation may not be private because it is conducted in an office cubicle where conversations are easily overhead. Instant messaging on the other hand allows two employees to communicate without making any noise whatsoever, and therefore the conversation can remain private. Instant messaging also allows these two employees to communicate without moving from their cubicle. Isaacs et al (2002) find that social use of instant messaging (IM) has a rather different nature compared to the use of instant messaging in the workplace. They find that whilst social use of IM is short, quick and the users multitask when chatting using IM. Media switching is also very common. However, the use of IM in the workplace is slightly longer, and therefore comparable to other impromptu conversations such as face to face conversations, phone calls, etc. Media switching was also not common. Two main styles of use could be identified, namely working together and coordinating. Working together involved the use of IM For a number of collaborative activities, such as multipurpose discussions. The conversations are rather intense, with threading of the messages. Pairs of employees who work together tend to use IM more frequently, and for working together. The use of IM for coordinating on the other hand is often with the objective of scheduling interactions in other mediums. The conversations here are slow paced, with fewer and longer turns and little threading and multitasking. Cameron and Webster (2004) find that the success of the use of IM depends on whether a critical mass of users has been established. They also find that employees use IM as a replacement for other communication media and also as an additional method for reaching others. Both Cameron and Webster (ibid) and Herbsleb et al (2002) find that IM is used in internal communication where informal communication generally takes place. 2.2 Social Networking Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Skeels and Grudin (2009) report that the use of social networks websites are increasing in the workplace. They opine that the nature of use of social media in the workplace, the impact of this use on productivity, and the nature of any evolution in enterprise-friendly use are all open questions. Their study finds that the use of social networks often creates tensions which span social groups and the organisations firewall, That is to say, the impact of the use of social networking websites can have an influence not only on the internal communications but also on the image and business of the organisation externally. Furthermore, they find that the use of social networking websites have only weak ties to productivity. 2.3 Blogging and Micro-blogging Ehrlich and Shami (2010) examine the use of micro-blogging in the workplace and find that confidentiality issues separate micro-blogging inside the workplace and outside the workplace. Micro-blogging was however relatively widely used, for the following main purposes: Conversation and help from colleagues internal micro-blogging allowed the employees to have conversations with their colleagues in an environment that was perceived to be familial. As the discussions were kept within the corporate boundaries, they believed that constructive criticism could be voiced, and to seek for help. The sense of belonging to the organisation also gave some employees an obligation to help others and actively search for colleagues who needed help. Real time information sharing and awareness One of the main benefits of internal micro-blogging was that it allowed employees to gain information in real time. It allowed for the free sharing of information as well as ideas. Reputation management The authors of posts in the micro-blogging also attempted to use this activity as a method of reputation management. They published information that was of use to a wide variety of people not only with the desire to help their audience but also with a desire to enhance their reputation as having access to the latest information. Feeling connected micro-blogging helped create a sense of interconnectedness and familiarity, especially amongst mobile workers. This was partly because micro-blogging did not focus solely on work-related topics but also included personal topics. 2.4 Wikis Hilska (n.d.) examines the effects of the implementation of a wiki-based intranet. He finds that wikis have multifarious uses in such a work environment such as writing the minutes of meetings, publication of news and announcements, task management, project management, documentation, for use as home pages for individuals, departments and work groups, etc. Wikis therefore can be said to be used for both internal communication as well as collaborative work. He also finds that there is a lot to be gained from the use of wikis, such as enabling people to participate in internal communication, participate in collaborative projects, share information, seek for information from colleagues, and manage work. Wikis also facilitate easy authorship by all the employees in an organisation. The main disadvantage of using wikis that was identified is that it was difficult to find relevant and up to date information. 3.0 Discussion Fidler (1997) points out that the rise of the new media is but one wave of change amongst many others that have occurred in the past. He points to the changes in communication that can be traced back from the time of recorded history, such as the invention of the telegram message, the invention of the telephone, the printing press, etc. In all of these changes that have been introduced into communication, it can be said that the principle of survival and delayed adoption has held true. The different forms of media, as well as media enterprises will adapt and evolve in response to the changing environment, otherwise they will become extinct. The forms of communication will evolve, such that the older forms of communication will no longer be used. The telegram for example, became quite irrelevant when telephones were invented and widely adopted. As VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology matures and becomes more usable, the migration of users to the Internet may well render the telephone obsolete. The Apple iPhone for example facilitates videoconferencing between users directly using the Internet. This technology is therefore already sufficiently mature and established. What remains is for the adoption of the technology and crossnetwork adoption of common protocols. The main question that arises from the discussion above is, as the nature of communication has changed from a few-to-many style of communication to a discussion in which a large segment of the traditional audience participate in the communication, how has the nature of communication in the workplace changed? Lengel and Daft (1989) make the important point that the selection of medium of communication has an impact on the meaning of the message. This collaborates with other findings discussed above that IM is generally preferred for informal communication. Holtz (2006) also explains that the employee is not just an employee 24/7; he is also a customer, shareholder, etc. Hence internal corporate communication cannot always be distinguished from external corporate communication. Indeed the use of the new media for whistleblowing and activism is very high (Walter, 2009). The author agrees with van Dijk (2006, pg. 240) who states that new media has the effect of organising the entities engaged in the communication or discussion. As the media facilitates both public and private discussions, the choice of medium of communication reflects the desire of the initiator of the communication to have the contents of the conversation be public, or kept private. Furthermore, new media always provides an electronic record of the communication. This facilitates the verification of the message and authorship of the message. This helps to provide structure to the collection of individuals who collectively use the media. Within corporate environments, it can be seen that organisations that have a relatively flat structure generally employ new media to a greater extent than those that have a rigid and bureaucratic structure. The flat structure allows for open communication, and the consequent formation of societal structures with the use of new media. It encourages pa rticipation and interaction by opening a door of opportunity for employees to speak their minds. Rooksby et al (2009) provide an excellent overview of the use of new media in the workplace. They explain that internally new media technologies are often used to locate the person who would know the answer to a question, rather than to find the answer to the question itself. One of the reasons for this could be that as the economy becomes more and more knowledge based, the answers that are sought could be implicit knowledge and not codified. This use of new media for expertise finding represents an opportunity for the people in the organisations to share their expertise. This in turn facilitates organisational learning, knowing and judging peoples competencies, the creation of ad hoc teams to solve time-critical problems, and generally developing social capital. They further explain that information itself is not a scare resource any longer, but time and attention are. Social networking technologies help people deal with information overload by finding the right person, source of help. These technologies help people become connected, and to share and consume information. This in turn leads them to form social connections, satisfying the human need to connect to people in their vicinity. Rooksby et al (2009) state that social capital is difficult to quantify; it is also difficult to identify its exact influence on the productivity of an organisation. However, the formation of social relationships that is facilitated by the social networking technologies helps to build trust, reciprocity, and understanding between the workers in an organisation. This is clearly very important for the success of the organisation. Cornelissen (2008, pg. 194) explains that organisations require employees to cooperate in order to achieve the companys goals. Todays organisations are often large corporations with a large number of employees. These employees are frequently required to perform highly specialised tasks, resulting in efficiency payoffs. These tasks however need to be coordinated, such that together they create value for the organisation. The organisation has to balance its own needs as well as the needs of its employees in order to ensure that they remain motivated and happy. Internal communication therefore serves a number of purposes, such as to fulfil the needs of the employees. Raeth et al (2010) narrate that the cycle of adoption of new media can be described as having three distinct phases, namely the idea phase, the project phase and the use and impact phase. The idea phase is when the idea for the development and deployment of new technology is put forward inside the organisation. This idea phase moves forward when there is support from management, proper justification for the project, funding, etc. When development is initiated, then the adoption of the new technology is said to move to the project phase. Here the actual system is developed and deployed. When it is adopted by the rank and file employees, then the adoption is considered to have moved to the use and impact phase. In this phase, the new systems are used, and the benefits are facilitated by training, communication and advocation. There is also analysis as to whether the systems are successful in achieving the desired goals. Rooksby et al (2009) also highlight that one of the major problems associated with the use of social media is time wasting. The time spent by employees in social networking websites is not always productive, and this could lead to significant wasted time. Furthermore, there are also concerns about the privacy and confidentiality of information that is published on new media technologies, such as blogs and social networking websites. In workplace uses, there is a similar concern about the maintenance of confidentiality of information. Cornelissen (2008, pg. 194) explains that new media technologies have served to blur the boundaries between internal and external communications. This means that the communications that would otherwise have remained within the organisation are sometimes disseminated outside the organisation. 4.0 Conclusion The author contends that new media has indeed changed society, and consequently the nature of internal communications, as described by Popp (2009). As the world has become more and more globalised, this is reflected in the changes in society where people have friends and family all over the world. New media facilitates interaction between these people in far flung geographical areas. Herman and McChesney (2001) rightly state that communication is becoming more important in todays globalised economy. Society is also changing, as it is becoming more open, democratic and activist in nature. New media has certainly been a facilitating factor to this change, but it is important to note that society itself could be said to have been ready for change. Without this, new media alone would not have been able to effect any change. The author opines that in line with these changes in the wider society, a similar change in internal communications (in the delayed adoption fashion) is also already occurring. New organisations tend to have a flat structure, which is more democratic. The use of social media for internal communications allows for the effective communication of employees in far flung geographical locations. A prime example of this is the organisation which supports one of the most well known open source databases in the world, MySQL. The employees in this organisat ion are scattered all over the world, and have to rely on new media for communication. The rise of democracy can be thought to coincide with the rise in organisations with a flat structure. For these reasons, it can be said that the changes inside the workplace mirror the changes in wider society to a large extent, with a delay. The new media does indeed bring a number of benefits to the corporate entity, just as they do to the wider society, such as creating relationships, enabling collaboration and communication, etc. Klopper (2010) also states that internal communications tools create the opportunity for employees to not only ask questions but to answer them, increasing their visibility as an influencer in their niches. He refers to a study done by IBM which looked at over 5000 posts by their employees who use an internal IBM micro-blog called blue twit which though similar to twitter but can only be used internally, it was revealed that employees benefitted as they saw their interaction on bluetwit as family conversation because users could constructively criticise company products. As a result, people were able to use this tool to engage in a two way communication. Hence in conclusion, it has been noted that the new media of the past is the old media of today. Change is inevitable, and it has been seen that internal communications within the workplace often tends to be a reflection of the general nature of communications in the wider society, and has helped companies recognise the fact that they need to keep changing in order to meet up or surpass their competitors and in so doing not lose manpower and company reputation due to absence of employee engagement. Hayes (2010) notes that some organizations probably fail to recognise the need for change until they have little choice but to react to an unforeseen situation. Naslund (2010) believes that social media and communities are as distinctive as the businesses in which they exist.. Undoubtedly building internal communities and introducing social media initiatives can be an effective method in building the brand, exchange opinions, discuss freely and encourage employee engagement and interaction, it is also a new and refined method of identifying with the lively society that have been created within the company, so also an influential means of re-instating the facts that employees make up the framework of the company.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Aryabhatta Biography Essay

While there is a tendency to misspell his name as â€Å"Aryabhatta† by analogy with other names having the â€Å"bhatta† suffix, his name is properly spelled Aryabhata: every astronomical text spells his name thus, including Brahmagupta’s references to him â€Å"in more than a hundred places by name†. Furthermore, in most instances â€Å"Aryabhatta† does not fit the metre either. Time and place of birth Aryabhata mentions in the Aryabhatiya that it was composed 3,630 years into the Kali Yuga, when he was 23 years old. This corresponds to 499 CE, and implies that he was born in 476. Aryabhata was born in Taregna (literally, song of the stars), which is a small town in Bihar, India, about 30 km (19 mi) from Patna (then known as Pataliputra), the capital city of Bihar State. Evidences justify his birth there. In Taregna Aryabhata set up an Astronomical Observatory in the Sun Temple 6th century. There is no evidence that he was born outside Patliputra and traveled to Magadha, the centre of instruction, culture and knowledge for his studies where he even set up a coaching institute. However, early Buddhist texts describe Ashmaka as being further south, in dakshinapath or the Deccan, while other texts describe the Ashmakas as having fought Alexander. Education It is fairly certain that, at some point, he went to Kusumapura for advanced studies and lived there for some time. Both Hindu and Buddhist tradition, as well as BhÄ skara I (CE 629), identify Kusumapura as PÄ Ã¡ ¹ ­aliputra, modern Patna. A verse mentions that Aryabhata was the head of an institution (kulapati) at Kusumapura, and, because the university of Nalanda was in Pataliputra at the time and had an astronomical observatory, it is speculated that Aryabhata might have been the head of the Nalanda university as well. Aryabhata is also reputed to have set up an observatory at the Sun temple in Taregana, Bihar. Other hypotheses Some archeological evidence suggests that Aryabhata could have originated from the present day Kodungallur which was the historical capital city of Thiruvanchikkulam of ancient Kerala. For instance, one hypothesis was that aÅ›maka (Sanskrit for â€Å"stone†) may be the region in Kerala that is now known as Koá ¹ ­uá ¹â€¦Ã¡ ¹â€¦allÃ… «r, based on the belief that it was earlier known as Koá ¹ ­um-Kal-l-Ã… «r (â€Å"city of hard stones†); however, old records show that the city was actually Koá ¹ ­um-kol-Ã… «r (â€Å"city of strict governance†). Similarly, the fact that several commentaries on the Aryabhatiya have come from Kerala were used to suggest that it was Aryabhata’s main place of life and activity; however, many commentaries have come from outside Kerala. Aryabhata mentions â€Å"Lanka† on several occasions in the Aryabhatiya, but his â€Å"Lanka† is an abstraction, standing for a point on the equator at the same longitude as his Ujjayini. Works Aryabhata is the author of several treatises on mathematics and astronomy, some of which are lost. His major work, Aryabhatiya, a compendium of mathematics and astronomy, was extensively referred to in the Indian mathematical literature and has survived to modern times. The mathematical part of the Aryabhatiya covers arithmetic, algebra, plane trigonometry, and spherical trigonometry. It also contains continued fractions, quadratic equations, sums-of-power series, and a table of sines. The Arya-siddhanta, a lot work on astronomical computations, is known through the writings of Aryabhata’s contemporary, Varahamihira, and later mathematicians and commentators, including Brahmagupta and Bhaskara I. This work appears to be based on the older Surya Siddhanta and uses the midnight-day reckoning, as opposed to sunrise in Aryabhatiya. It also contained a description of several astronomical instruments: the gnomon (shanku-yantra), a shadow instrument (chhAyA-yantra), possibly angle-measuring devices, semicircular and circular (dhanur-yantra / chakra-yantra), a cylindrical stick yasti-yantra, an umbrella-shaped device called the chhatra-yantra, and water clocks of at least two types, bow-shaped and cylindrical. A third text, which may have survived in the Arabic translation, is Al ntf or Al-nanf. It claims that it is a translation by Aryabhata, but the Sanskrit name of this work is not known. Probably dating from the 9th century, it is mentioned by the Persian scholar and chronicler of India

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Letter of Advice for a Newly Engaged Couple Essay

Congratulations Susan and Gerald on your impending marriage. If I might, I would like to contribute some words of advice and suggest some effective communication tools to make your marriage successful and satisfying. Successful communication between couples increase the likeliness for a happy marriage, something every couple strives for. Communication is a process of many aspects that must be continually practiced and perfected. Though there are stumbling blocks in any relationship that may affect communication, following the advice in this letter will help you learn the many aspects of the communication process that must be continually practiced and perfected. I have put together a list of suggestions of communication tools and things to watch out for you both that will serve as a helpful guide in working towards effective communication in your marriage. The list begins with the first effective communication tool which is to develop and practice perfecting your emotional intelligenc e. â€Å"Accurately perceiving others’ emotions may help to more correctly perceive the partner’s needs and opinions and result in better perspective taking.† (Schrà ¶der-Abà © & Schà ¼tz, 2011, p. 156). Without emotional intelligence, you will not be able to understand, interpret, and correctly respond to the emotions of the other person. Emotional intelligence allows my husband to correctly perceive when a particular issue is important to me even if he does not feel the same way. By disregarding the importance of the issue for me, he is showing a lack of empathy and/or a lack of sensitivity towards the situation. The repeated practice of this process helps couples in developing â€Å"relationship satisfaction or closeness† with each other. (Schrà ¶der-Abà © & Schà ¼tz, 2011, p. 156). â€Å"People who are aware of their emotions and are sensitive to the emotions of others are better able to handle the ups and downs of life, to  rebound from adversity, and to maintain fulfilling relationships with others.† (Sole, 2011, Ch. 2.5, para. 4). Read more:  How many words is a 10-minute speech. Emotional intelligence can be achieved by raising self-awareness, providing empathy for the other person, and by developing self-control over your emotions. (Mind Tools, 2013). Self-awareness is paying attention to what you are focusing on and how you will interpret the world. (Sole, 2011, p. 74). Self-awareness will allow a person to have control over their thoughts, emotions, reactions which will all have an effect on their behavior. A person that does not develop self-awareness could make tense situations worse by their behavior, reactions, lack of empathy, or a lack of sensitivity. A person that does not have control over their emotions lessens the likeliness of rational and coherent thinking. The next communication tool on my suggested list is to practice self-disclosure, also another opportunity to develop emotional intelligence. Self-disclosure is described as â€Å"sharing your private feelings, fears, doubts and perceptions with your partner.† (Schoenberg, 2011). There is nothing to be gained if there is no self-disclosure between two people. The ideal self-disclosure between each other should mirror each other. If the level of self-disclosure is not identical for each person, it could lead to feelings of resentment, anger, embarrassment, low self-esteem, and the like which can lead to conflict. As the back-and-forth of the self-disclosure process progresses, so should the level of intimate information. If the levels of self-disclosure are mirrored, it can build a feeling of trust and it can give each person a feeling of closeness to the other person. When my husband and I first started dating, we would spend hours deep in conversation getting to know each other. We have since enjoyed talking to each other. It is easily forgotten how to have meaningful conversations amid the bustle of life where functional conversation or polite pleasantries become a daily routine. In an article I read that was written by Schoenberg (2011), it suggests taking at least 10 minutes per day to discuss self-disclosure topics with each other. This could be a great technique to build a strong and firm foundation that also helps strengthen your emotional intelligence skills. As we grow older, we change in our feelings, perspectives, perception, and the like. In taking the time to practice the suggested daily 10 minutes to engage in mini sessions of self-disclosure, it keeps a couple connected, growing together in sync, and  it improves the quality of communication. I will use myself and my husband as an example of the effectiveness of the 10 minute self-disclosure technique. My husband is busy with his day at work in the Army and I am busy with school and taking care of the kids. Every day is a nonstop busy day where we each have our responsibilities. Every evening before we got to sleep, my husband and I take the allotted time to remember ourselves as a couple. Even though we have been married for 11 years, we still ask each other simple open ended questions such as, â€Å"What movie did you like the most as a kid?†, â€Å"What did your family do for fun growing up?†, and â€Å"What places would you like to visit?†. When you ask open-ended questions such as â€Å"who†, â€Å"what†, â€Å"where†, â€Å"when†, â€Å"why†, and â€Å"how†, it requires â€Å"more than a â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† answer and encourages the other person to talk†. (Sole, 2011, p. 172). There is always a possibility for you to run into stumbling blocks within interpersonal interactions to each other. Stumbling blocks could be in the form of self-image, self-esteem, and misinterpretation. Self-image is what we tell ourselves what we look like, if we are fat or skinny, pretty or ugly, smart or dumb, and the like. It is important to have a positive self-image because in accepting and loving yourself, it will allow you to be accepted and loved by another person. (Sole, 2011, Ch. 3.1, para. 29). If you do not have a positive self-image, it can be difficult to accept that another person accepts and loves you which could lead to distrust in a relationship. Self-esteem is your sense of self-worth and the level of satisfaction you have with yourself. (Sole, 2011, Ch. 3.1, Para. 30). A low self-esteem could cause problems within the relationship because it could bring a pessimistic attitude to difficulties that may rise. For many people, weight issues have the potential to cause low self-esteem. A great example of this concept would be myself at the times when I am at my heaviest and/or I am badly in need of a haircut. My outlook is grim and chocked with frustration. I tend to have a negative attitude towards those around me and I have little to no desire to leave the house. This is in opposition to when I have improved my appearance and my self-esteem raises along with my attitude. I try to maintain a healthy self-esteem, which I suspect allows me to pull myself out of the pocket of low self-esteem when needed. A person with a healthy sense of self-esteem thinks highly of themselves and has confidence in their ability to bounce back from any adversities. If I did  not do my best to maintain a healthy self-esteem, I do not think I would be able to pull myself o ut of the low pockets of self-esteem. Instead, I would most likely fall into a depression. To further demonstrate this concept, we can use an analogy of a person that takes vitamins on a daily basis. The person takes vitamins to strengthen their immune system but that does not guarantee they will never get sick. A healthy immune system will â€Å"make you less vulnerable to disease and better equipped to overcome it†. (Esteemed Self, 2013). In applying this analogy towards a person’s self-image, a healthy self-image will not guarantee there will never be adversities. A healthy self-image will make a person less at risk of succumbing to adversity and able to overcome it. In essence, having a healthy self-image allows a person to believe in themselves and to be okay with the way they look, feel, and so forth. Another potential stumbling block is misinterpretation. Misinterpretation occurs when one person incorrectly perceives the message of the other person. It is important to give feedback and to receive fee dback to ensure proper communication. Correct understanding is essential for effective communication between each other. Misinterpretation can come from the tone in a person’s voice or from any nonverbal communication. The tone of a voice can sound very unfriendly from the sender, perhaps from having a bad day, which could confuse the listener. The listener could internalize the negative tone in the speaker’s voice thinking it is directed at them. Other problems with the tone of our voices could include unclear mumbling, yelling, talking too fast, or an irritated tone could all contribute to miscommunications. We must be conscious of the tone in our voices to avoid any miscommunications. Nonverbal communication is the message that our bodies give off. Much like the tone of our voices, it is important that we are mindful of what our body language is telling the person we are speaking to. For example, what we do with our eyes while we are communicating can signal to the other person if we are uninterested or bored in the conversation (not making eye contact, looking away, looking at our wat ch, etc.). Much like our eyes can communicate a message to the other person, so can our facial expressions. Our facial expressions can signal to the other person how we feel but, at times can be miscommunicated as insincerity. (Sole, 2011, p. 119). Body posture and hand gestures are also part of the nonverbal communication that we must be cognizant of. Body  posture can send messages of disinterest if, for example, a person is folding their arms while they are communicating. Folding your arms can be very tempting to do, especially during a conflict. The examples of nonverbal communication mentioned will only serve as an aggravation to the situation, or rather conflict. An example of this is when my husband would smile as he was making a point during our disagreements (conflicts). It was not a genuine smile, but rather a condescending smile. After thinking about the behavior during our disagreements, my husband and I made a pact to do our best at avoiding this type of negative nonverbal communication. It is important to practice a healthy sense of self-concept, which is an inventory of your strengths, weaknesses, traits, race, heritage, and any other description that makes you who you are today. (Sole, 2011, Ch. 3.1, para. 1). Throughout your life up to this point, you have had many experiences to react and interpret different situations. My particular example of this would be the cultures that I grew up in. One illustration would be the Hispanic culture that my family and I are a part of. I experienced a sense of belonging to the Hispanic community and it therefore played a part in defining my self-concept. A sense of belonging is an important experience for a person so that they will see themselves as â€Å"loved, loving, and valuable†. (Ferrer & Fugate, 2003). In short, a person with a healthy sense of self-concept is able to have balance in their lives and is able to have better control over themselves, such as their emotions. This healthy sense of self-concept has a positive effect on relationships. Much like self-esteem or self-image, a negative sense of self-concept has the potential to keep a person from developing a feeling of belonging. In lacking the feeling of belonging, it could serve as a wedge that separates the individual from another person thus preventing any closeness in forming. Throughout our formative years, we experience reactions from people that serve as a form of feedback or we perform a self-analysis on ourselves based on that feedback. One or both of these make their own particular contribution in shaping our self-concept, a sense of who we are based on a combination of the cultures we have belonged to. Over time, this combination of who we are strengthens our self-concept and is an important influence on your ability to perceive and overcome difficulties. In application to your relationship, your self-concept has an influence on how you will handle  personal and sensitive issues that may arise. When communicating with each other, it is essential to develop good listening skills. Listening has the power to make the other person feel worthy, appreciated, and respected. It is a very uncomfortable feeling when you are speaking to someone, they have poor listening skills, and you are left to wonder if they even care about what you are talking about. Comprehension listening, or â€Å"critical listening†, is listening for facts, information, or ideas that may be of use to you. (Sole, 2011, Ch. 7.3, Para. 16). Empathetic listening is when you make an attempt to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. (Sole, 2011, Ch. 7.3, Para. 18). Both types of listening will be of great use to you in your marriage. A great technique for both types of listening is the speaker-listener technique. To begin the exercise, the first speaker has the floor and when he or she is finished, the listener then summarizes what the speaker just said. This process is repeated back and forth throughout the disagreement or conversation. This technique helps in ensuring both people communicating are understanding each other. In taking a moment to summarize what the speaker has said, it gives validation to the speaker. This could also tie into emotional intelligence, or more specifically, the ability to be empathetic towards the other person. When a person does not feel validated, they will be less likely to listen to the other person. This is an effective technique to use when two people have difficulty in commun icating with each other. Case in point, during the early years of my marriage to my husband, we were having difficulty during our disagreements. Our disagreements were filled with emotions and were very tense. Each of us wanted to get our point across and wanted the other person to listen to us. We realized we were accomplishing nothing. We made a decision to attend counseling where we learned the speaker-listener technique. My husband and I both have a better understanding the importance of validity. It is essential for a person to be heard and validated in a conflict. In doing so, they will be more open to compromising with the other person. It has taken me many years to understand the importance of communication skills such as self-disclosure, emotional intelligence, and the speaker-listener technique. All of these skills combined help in avoiding the type of pitfalls that can hurt a marriage rather than help. I stress the importance of all of these skills to you so that you will be successful in the coming years of  marriage. I will also stress avoiding stumbling blocks such as low self-esteem and misinterpretation that can rob any marriage of the joy of healthy communication. I am confident that both of you will be successful in practicing and perfecting the art of communication in the years to come. One last note to remember, interpersonal communication is ever changing because people are ever changing, therefore you will always need to practice and perfect it. Good luck on your marriage and have fun learning to communicate with each other! References Esteemed Self. (2013). The Dangers of Low Self-Esteem. Retrieved from http://www.esteemedself.com/what-is-self-esteem/the-dangers-of-low-self-esteem/ Ferrer, M., & Fugate, A.M. (2003). Helping Your School-Age Child Develop a Healthy Self-Concept. EDIS. Retrieved from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy570 Schoenberg, N. (2011, January 17). Can we talk? Researcher talks about the role of communication in happy marriages. McClatchy-Tribune News Service. Retrieved from ProQuest Newsstand. Document ID: 2240370261 Schrà ¶der-Abà ©, M., & Schà ¼tz, A. (2011). Walking in each other’s shoes: Perspective taking mediates effects of emotional intelligence on relationship quality. European Journal of Personality, 25(2), 155-169. Doi:10.1002/per.818 Sole, K. (2011).Making connections: Understanding interpersonal communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Mind Tools. (2013). Emotional intelligence. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_59.htm

Friday, November 8, 2019

Free Essays on A Visual Analysis Of “Jonah Cast Up”

A collection of marble sculptures called the â€Å"Jonah Group† is now on display at the Cleveland Art Museum. â€Å"Jonah Swallowed, Jonah Cast Up, Jonah Praying, Jonah Under the Gourd Vine, and The Good Shepherd,† are the separate titles for each of the different statues depicting events in the Bible story. They are part of the John L. Severance Fund; numbered 1965.237, .238, .239, .240, .241 respectively. The â€Å"Jonah Group† was created in Asia minor, approximately 270 to 280 AD. These statues most likely decorated the water fountain in a wealthy private home. This visual Analysis focuses on â€Å"Jonah Cast Up.† â€Å"Jonah Cast Up,† this sculpture portrays the miraculous event of Jonah being spit out of the Whale. It consists of a strangely shaped whale lying on its stomach. The whale arches its back so that the curvy tail twists up over its head. Shooting out of the whale’s mouth is Jonah. He is halfway out head first with his arms o utstretched straight above his head. The figures rest on a rectangle base that is roughly 3 inches tall and approximately a square foot in area. The whole sculpture is 15 inches tall, 16 inches long, and 81/2 inches wide. The Jonah figure is missing a left hand which has broken off over time. It is a statue showing action and movement by the way Jonah is being cast up and out of the whale’s mouth. The sculpture, as all of â€Å"The Jonah Group,† is constructed of white marble from Roman Imperial quarries in Ancient Phrygia. Having been unearthed from a large pithos in central turkey, nearly fifty percent of the sculpture’s surface remains covered with a thin layer of light brown dirt or dust. The surface is so smoothly shaped that the stone looks soft to the touch. Under an outdoor fountain, the wet statue would have a brilliant white shine. The figure of Jonah has a well proportioned, muscular, upper body sculpted resembling a Greek God. He has a full beard and wavy flowing hair. In this sculpture,... Free Essays on A Visual Analysis Of â€Å"Jonah Cast Up† Free Essays on A Visual Analysis Of â€Å"Jonah Cast Up† A collection of marble sculptures called the â€Å"Jonah Group† is now on display at the Cleveland Art Museum. â€Å"Jonah Swallowed, Jonah Cast Up, Jonah Praying, Jonah Under the Gourd Vine, and The Good Shepherd,† are the separate titles for each of the different statues depicting events in the Bible story. They are part of the John L. Severance Fund; numbered 1965.237, .238, .239, .240, .241 respectively. The â€Å"Jonah Group† was created in Asia minor, approximately 270 to 280 AD. These statues most likely decorated the water fountain in a wealthy private home. This visual Analysis focuses on â€Å"Jonah Cast Up.† â€Å"Jonah Cast Up,† this sculpture portrays the miraculous event of Jonah being spit out of the Whale. It consists of a strangely shaped whale lying on its stomach. The whale arches its back so that the curvy tail twists up over its head. Shooting out of the whale’s mouth is Jonah. He is halfway out head first with his arms o utstretched straight above his head. The figures rest on a rectangle base that is roughly 3 inches tall and approximately a square foot in area. The whole sculpture is 15 inches tall, 16 inches long, and 81/2 inches wide. The Jonah figure is missing a left hand which has broken off over time. It is a statue showing action and movement by the way Jonah is being cast up and out of the whale’s mouth. The sculpture, as all of â€Å"The Jonah Group,† is constructed of white marble from Roman Imperial quarries in Ancient Phrygia. Having been unearthed from a large pithos in central turkey, nearly fifty percent of the sculpture’s surface remains covered with a thin layer of light brown dirt or dust. The surface is so smoothly shaped that the stone looks soft to the touch. Under an outdoor fountain, the wet statue would have a brilliant white shine. The figure of Jonah has a well proportioned, muscular, upper body sculpted resembling a Greek God. He has a full beard and wavy flowing hair. In this sculpture,...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Interstellar Movie Review Essays

Interstellar Movie Review Essays Interstellar Movie Review Paper Interstellar Movie Review Paper as seen in the movie, they telephoned several light years by going though the wormhole. This works by bending the space so that you will not have to travel on a linear plane, but by a short cut. Imagine a piece of paper, draw a dot on one side and the other, then fold the paper so that one dot is under the other, and make a HOLE. That is how a wormhole works. For black holes, yeah, they suck everything, even light, in the movie, TARS got the gravity data from the black hole, cause in space, gravity is most abundant in black holes. Along with time, gravity slows time, shown in Miller, when 3-4 hours was equivalent to 23 earth years, and how Cooper looks young(he went into the black hole, remember? ) despite being 107, and Murphy on her deathbed at the age of 80-90. Then there is the Etceteras. It is the space that Cooper relayed data to the past version Of himself and to the child and adult Murphy. The etceteras transcends time and space by showing out time like a drawer full of folders, ready to be accessed. And since they are at the center of the black hole, yes, mime slows, but at a very skewed rate. The whole encounter of TARS and Cooper lasted only seconds there, but for Murphy and the others, it took half century, further explaining that Murphy was already in her deathbed when she was reunited with her father. Lastly, who are those extra-dimensional beings? It is imposed in the movie that they are future humans who understood ad, which pretty much seems to be the path of the humans under Murphy,since she decoded the secret of gravity and time because of that data her father Cooper sent for her, which means that the whole story repeats itself, after a Eng time, after humans have settled on planet Edmunds with Murphys exodus and Amelias colony of embryos, since humans understand gravity and time, theyll open a wormhole in the past again, to help professor Brand and Murphy in the past, and open a Etceteras for Cooper in the past again, and you get the point. The story just repeats itself over and over again. Interstellar,l give it 10/10 stars, because it is a very deep movie and, if you add subtitles,it will probably the best science movie anyone could have watched, or at least one of the best.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Discuss in scholarly detail ways that building intra-organization Essay

Discuss in scholarly detail ways that building intra-organization cooperation between information systems personnel and line managers improve the information systems - Essay Example ferent managers perceive the environment differently.† Information system personnel can evaluate and ratify several technical aspects of ISs but the line managers can provide them important operational insights into these systems because of their firsthand practical experience. Line managers that interact with information systems can reflect the limitations and weaknesses observed in the system and this feedback can play a vital role in important modifications. Zientara (n.d., p.4) declares the â€Å"Line managers continual dissatisfaction with the quality of information systems services† as the failure of information systems. The growth and advancement of distributed information systems has also instigated the need of intra-organization cooperation because consolidation of information received from various modules of the information system can be used to further improve the system. Eduardo states, â€Å"A new purpose of the informal distributed information systems for innovation that arise from the interaction of the accumulated stock of knowledge emerging at the individual (micro) level.† It can be safely deduce that the information accumulated by the line managers can provide a useful insight into the information systems for further

Friday, November 1, 2019

Ned Kelly Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ned Kelly Business Plan - Essay Example Budgeting in business is beneficial not only because it enables projecting the yearly expenses to be incurred while following a certain plan, but it also allows to determine how costs will incur and how can they be controlled resulting in efficient operations (Dury, 2008; Albrecht et al., 2008). As for instance, without doing any budgeting of the business activities, an entrepreneur may only be able to visualize to a certain extent that what expenses will be incurred and how they will be financed and what revenues would be required to keep the business profitable. But, on the other hand, with budgeting the entrepreneur is in fact able to foresee that what expenses will be incurred and how much revenues will be required to cover those expenses and at the end make profits. This in turn allows not only setting up targets for revenue generation, but also allows ascertainment of cost controlling techniques (Jiambalvo, 2010; Horngren & Harrison, 2009). In this regard, cash budgeting is con sidered as one of the most beneficial and important procedure to forecast the results of a certain business approach or plan on monthly basis (Horngren & Harrison, 2009). ... Keeping in view these benefits, cash budget can also be prepared for taxi business and revenues and expenses can be forecasted, which can be then used to ascertain the required working capital to be raised. Apart from this, as it has been noted that the owner of the taxi business requires the amount of money required to be taken from bank to be ascertained prior to starting the business. In this regard, it is pertinent to ascertain the cash inflows and outflows expected from a year’s operations and the net profit or loss which will be earned by the business. Having taken into consideration the information provided for the case, income statement and cash budget has been prepared and presented as follows for the business to be started by Ned Kelly. Income Statement The income statement forecasted for Ned Kelly’s business has been presented as follows: Forecasted Income Statement Amount Sales ? 417,312.00 Less: Â   Diesel (15 % of Total Sales Revenue) - ? 59,875.20 Mainte nance Costs (? 120 per taxi per month) - ? 4,320.00 Annual Road Tax and Licence Fee (3 x ? 600) - ? 1,800.00 Drivers' Salaries per Month (9 x ? 24,000 / 12) - ? 216,000.00 Drivers' Social Security (10 % of Gross Annual Salary) - ? 21,600.00 Cost of Sales - ? 303,595.20 Gross Profit ? 113,716.80 Depreciation - ? 12,000.00 Office Staff's Salaries per Month (4 x ? 16,000 / 12) - ? 64,000.00 Office Staffs' Social Security (10 % of Gross Annual Salary) - ? 6,400.00 Utility Costs - ? 6,000.00 Rent - ? 18,000.00 Local Property Tax Charges - ? 5,000.00 Drawings - ? 30,000.00 Advertisement - ? 6,000.00 Net Profit - ? 33,683.20 Sources: (Albrecht et al., 2008; Dury, 2008; Horngren & Harrison, 2009; Jiambalvo, 2010) It can be observed