Stock Market and Stock Option Plan

Should the company implement the proposed employee stock option plan? In a typical stock option plan, the employee is offered a specific number of shares which he/she can exercise (buy) at some specified time in the future. The price at which the employee can buy the stock is equal to the market price at the time the stock option was granted (grant price). The employee's gain is equal to the market value of the stock at the time it is exercised, less the grant price. If the market price of the stock remains the same or decreases relative to the grant price, then the stock option is worthless. Stock options are typically offered to managers, most technical individual contributors and about half of the other professionals. Smaller organizations offer stock options more widely, in some cases to all employees In THTF case, stock options are offered to the former category. There are various factors that Tsinghua Tongfang should consider before implementing the proposed employee stock option plan. Future growth Stock options are appropriate for small companies where future growth is expected. Being a young company, THTF looks to be well posed for future growth. Cultural differences In China, there is high importance attached to feeling valued and having a sense of belonging. This results in Chinese companies having to maintain a good reputation for treating their employees well or risk unwanted attention. In the current economic climate, competitions for key employees are extremely fierce. Options, to a certain extent, do inspire loyalty and commitment and provide employees with a sense of ownership which is a unique and potentially powerful compensation tool. However, research (Economist’s article â€Å"False Options†) has shown that unlike the US counterparts, the Chinese rarely exercise vested stock options during their tenures at the firm. This may be due to the perceived notion in China where cashing out stock option may suggest disloyalty to the firm since once the options are cashed, the alignment of ownership and management no longer exists. Thus, options become an ineffective measure. Hence, there may a need for the company to consider the level of understanding among its Chinese employees with regard to options. An option may become an ineffective measure as seen from above. Educating employees is one resolution but the cost and logistical burden of such undertaking may outweigh the potential benefits for company and its employee. In THTF’s case, as the key management are pushing for the implementation of the stock option, it can be inferred that they do understand the usefulness of stock options. Retention Retention of employees is of great interest especially in the high-tech industry THTF was based in. Key management were highly sought after. Stock options can serve as a retention mechanism as stocks options will motivate employees to remain with the firm as they can see their investment grow. Stocks options will also encourage less risk-averse and optimistic employees or have employees that can increase value to work at the firm. This may be aligned with THTF interests. Therefore, stock options can help to retained and attract suitable people to work at the firm. However stock options can fall underwater due to bearish stock market conditions rather than poor firm performance and cause major morale and retention problems. This may lead to stock options not having their intended effects. Still, in this THTF’s case, they are currently in a robust and high-growth economy, thus stock prices are unlikely to fall. From an incentive point of view, employees benefit when stock price goes up, so stock options motivate employees to increase their company’s price. This si aligned with the shareholders interest as when stock price goes up, presumably value has been created. The stock options may get the employees to think like shareholders. Nonetheless, this may not be the case. An option holder does not share the downside in holding the stock. If the stock loses value, the option holder will simply just fail to exercise the option and thus avoid the loss. Risk that would scare off a shareholder is a matter of indifference to an option holder. This may lead management taking too much risk as the upside to taking the risk gives high paybacks whereas there is virtually no downside. In THTF, other measures need to be put into place to make sure of the interests’ alignment before implement stock options compensation. Employees From the employee’s point of view, receiving stock options is a huge benefit as the employee can reap financial success from the firm. But is it really so? The executives may suffer from the more volatility then the market as they are too under diversified with their stake too over concentrated in a irm. Employees should not put their eggs – instruments and salary – into one basket. Thus, this will lead to the undervaluing of options by the employees. This shows that options are wasted on employees. Market Paranoia Stock options compensation may also lead to the market being deeply suspicious of the corporation. When top executives are paid in stock options compensation, they get huge compensation packages which are hidden away from public scrutiny. Furthermore, stock options also dilute shareholders. Management may also manipulate the market before the stock options grant date to get a better deal for themselves which would lead to excess volatility. Thus, having stock options compensation may lead to distrust from the market, having long term adverse effects on the stock prices. Conclusion Given the current restrictions and ambiguities of the Chinese laws and regulations applicable to options, THTF should take a conservative approach to such practice. If THTF determined that the use of options is immediately necessary for the recruitment and retention of employees, the options should be granted.

European Environment Essay

Introduction Turkey’s entry into the European Union has been a matter of controversy for years. Although the nation is applying great effort to breaking the entry barrier, so far its efforts have been futile. Why? It seems too big, too poor and too different from Europe. The little piece of Turkish territory that is situated in Europe cannot persuade the European policy-makers that the nation is part of the European civilization. However, Turkey keeps pushing and at one point the nation might succeed in attaining its goals. In this paper, we will examine the advantages and disadvantages of joining the EU for the largely Asian country and for the EU itself. After all, the almost forty-year struggle for EU membership waged by Turkey should be motivated by the perceived advantages of the membership in the union. For the EU, the acceptance of such an unusual member can also bring some distinct advantages as well as disadvantages. EU perspective 1.1. Cons for Europe Unlike pros, the cons of accepting Turkey into what has previously been a group of white, Christian and affluent nations are apparent at first glance. Former European Commissioner Frits Bolkestein’s â€Å"too big, to poor, too different† is a perfect designation for what Turkey appears to be to the Europeans and what it bring them in the not-so-remote future, changing the landscape of Europe forever. Turkey is indeed too big in proportion to population. At the moment, it numbers about 70 million, but considering the rapid growth rates, it may soon become the largest European nation (Lamb 2004). As the EU often determines how much power to give the nations in accordance with their population size, Turkey may grab more power in the EU than European policy-makers are willing to give it. Anyway, â€Å"that would immediately shift the balance of EU power to the East† (Lamb 2004). At the same time, Turkey will bring the borders of the EU closer to the unstable Middle Eastern region. Iraq, Syria, Iran – all these explosive neighbors would come one step closer with the entry of Turkey. Those who oppose its entry point to the fact that it is already a member of NATO and so it is unlikely that joining the EU would help to broaden the cooperation in any meaningful way. Besides, Turkey is too poor to be admitted into the alliance that enjoys one of the highest living standards in the world. The completion of the integration process between Turkey and the EU would require opening the borders between the two nations to admit free flow of capital, goods and people. This could immediately flood the European Union with a massive stream of immigrants from Turkey willing to work for larger EU salaries. The probability of this unwelcome scenario is corroborated by the fact that â€Å"in a recent poll by the Turkish Gallup Institute, 23 percent of Turkish workers asked said they would move to Western Europe countries if part of the EU† (Lamb 2004). This would surely oversaturate the European labor market and increase unemployment. A constant concern is the clash between Muslim and Christian values. Although Turkey is already a borderline state between the two civilizations, it still remains a Muslim nation that retains much of the ethical concerns of this world. The clash of two very different civilizations is therefore a matter of concern. The cost of admitting Turkey can be overwhelming for the EU budget that has already aroused considerable controversies. The opponents of admitting Turkey insist that â€Å"Turkey’s membership will cost more than all ten of the countries admitted in May combined† (Lamb 2004). This is impossible to check since all the expenses cannot be quantified at this point. Surely, with a large agricultural sector, Turkey will be able to claim a large portion of EU agricultural subsidies, and the ‘old European’ nations like France and the UK may not like it, claiming those subsidies themselves. 1.2. Are there any pros? Although not all Europeans may want to admit it, accepting Turkey into the EU has not just cons, but pros as well. The nation, being big in the size of the population, can not only drag the block down with its sheer size, but also increase its weight on the international arena. The EU and the prospects of entering it are already a major factor in the politics of the nations situated in the geographic proximity of Europe. At the same time, the entry of Turkey will expand the boundaries of Europe and put more nations in the orbit of European influence. It will, effectively, enlarge the boundaries of European influence into Asia and provide a new vehicle for European impact on Asia. The very things that are believed to be the cons can be turned into pros. Thus, despite the calls of those envisaging the clash of cultural values between Muslims and Europeans, there is another counterclaim. Thus, Turkey as part of the EU can turn into â€Å"a bridge between the two cultures, and a proof that Europe isn’t a club just for Christians† (Lamb 2004). Turkey’s membership can prove a way toward achieving a workable compromise between the Christians and Muslims. The economic part of the cons, namely, Turkey’s alleged poverty can also be seen from the other side. Even if Turkey’s per capita income is behind that of most European nations, â€Å"Turkey’s economy — in contrast, incidentally, to many of the more established EU states — is growing rapidly† (Lamb 2004). This turns the nation into an excellent investment opportunity and makes it a desirable EU member since Turkey’s growth can last for years and decades after the entry to the EU and propel the region’s economic growth. Anyway, Turkey’s economic situation is not worse than that of poorer EU members like Portugal, and the subsequent fate of those states has demonstrated how much advances they have made. In comparison to the next candidates for EU membership, Bulgaria and Romania, Turkey has a higher capita income. Another area which has gives Turkey extra points is the geopolitical position of Turkey and its prospective role in strengthening the EU’s security. Thus, the proponents of Turkey’s membership say that it â€Å"could be a model for a modern Islamic democracy — one which could influence other Muslim states into moving towards Western ideals† (Lamb 2004). This, on its own, will urge the Muslim nations to abandon their anti-Western stance, if any, and focus on peaceful integration with the West. In addition, â€Å"Turkey has a large and powerful military presence and would offer the EU a stronger presence in a geo-politically vital region† (Lamb 2004). The opponents object, however, that Turkey has a negative image in much of the Muslim world and thus cannot be reasonably considered as having the power to break its negative perception to influence the West. The Turkish Perspectives 2.1. The Political Situation For Turkey itself, its membership in the European Union would mean a total shift of geopolitical direction. Although seen as advantageous by many, it is by no means certain that the majority or even all of the population support this move, perceived by many as too dramatic a shift from the previous political course. However, there are many distinct pros for Turkey in joining the EU. To realize how the EU accession will spearhead reforms and progress in Turkey, one needs to look closer at the history of this nation that became the first modern and secular Islamic state ever. The remains of the destroyed Ottoman Empire were turned by Mustafa Kemal, alternatively known as â€Å"Ataturk†, or â€Å"the father of all Turks†, into a secular republic. This was a breakthrough movement in the history of the Muslim world, offering an alternative to the previously monarchial structures. Kemal â€Å"abolished the caliphate, secularized academic curricula, †¦replaced Turkey’s Arabic script with a Latin one†, â€Å"disbanded religious courts, Westernized the legal system, and gave women suffrage and equal rights† (Philips 2004). Since then, the commitment to secularism and democracy, embodied in Turkey’s constitution, has been upheld by the Turkish military that have watched over the development of the country. This role given to the nation’s officers is established in Armed Forces Internal Service Law of 1961, the constitution of 1982, and the role of institutions such as the National Security Council (NSC). The Turkish military have with success fulfilled this role, batting off the inroads made by extremist and fundamentalist forces, preventing the threat of terrorism and separatism. Now, the admission of Turkey into the EU will provide further incentives to liberalize the state policies and give individuals freedom of expression. Thus, each nation that has a chance to be admitted into the EU must meet the so-called Copenhagen criteria that, among others, include â€Å"democratic questions concerning human rights, minority rights, prevention of torture and independent judiciary† (EMEP 2004). These requirements contain points that can contribute to the progress of human rights in Turkey. After all, the nation is said to have some after-effects of the Muslim rule in place that hamper the preservation of human rights. This concerns, for instance, the freedom of religion and the separation of religion and state. Thus, although Turkey is considered a secular state, it continues to give broad privileges to the mainstream Hanafi school of Sunni Islam and sponsor imams in government employment, sometimes even sending them to areas of the EU where Turkish minorities reside (Wikipedia). At the same time, the Greek Orthodox Church has faced hurdles in its functioning in Turkey. Thus, the church has not been able to open the Theological School of Halki (Wikipedia). Proponents of Turkey’s membership insist that the nation could have been inspired to change this if given a reasonable chance to enter the European Union. Besides, many note that Turkey still preserves some Islamic traditions that are a concern in terms of their compatibility with global democratic standards. Thus, the continuing existence of polygamous marriages is at odds, many say, with the EU policies on women rights and gender equality. Turkey continues to oppress its Kurdish and Alevi minorities, although it recently recognized officially the Kurdish language. In addition, Turkey signed the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (CDRHI) that contains some controversial statements including norms unacceptable for a member of a democratic community that the European Union is. Thus, â€Å"that declaration has contradictory statements on the equality of and the non-discrimination between sexes as claiming in principle that legal systems should be defined in accordance with Shariah† that has long been recognized by the EU as incompatible with its democratic values. The accession into the EU and, more importantly, successful integration with the union would most probably make the chances of Islamic fundamentalists even slimmer. The reforms implemented at the urge of the EU would further lessen the chances that Turkey will embrace Shariah as a state law code. The rights of Turkish minorities would be at smaller risk, and Turkey would have an incentive to implement the freedom of speech and religion. All this would most probably improve the political situation in the country, making it more susceptible to democratic values. At the same time, the opponents of the EU membership point to the peculiar role of the Turkish military in safeguarding the nation from the impact of Islamic fundamentalists. The army â€Å"has overthrown three prime ministers since 1960, and in 1997 it engineered a soft coup to oust the Islamic Welfare Party (REFAH), after just one year at the helm of an improbable coalition† (Philips 2004). At each time, the power was soon transferred to the civilian secular authorities. In this way, the Turkish military has served as a guardian of the country. However, the Western-style democratic reforms, it is feared, giving broader rights to the political expression of minority views, would also open the way for fundamentalists and Islamic hard-liners. The power of the military to contain them would then be undoubtedly curtailed, and the nation would prove more vulnerable to their potentially negative impact. The very mechanisms through which the military has sought to purge the nation of the overly zealous religious fanatics would be destroyed, and the nation would be unprotected. Besides, it is by no means a certainty that Turkey will be able to ensure the separation of religion and the state in case of its accession. Thus, the question of whether democratization would increase is open to dispute. 2.2. Economic Consequences While democratization is, despite the limitations described above, seen as a benefit of EU membership by many Turks, the economic consequences of joining the union remain more disputable. Will Turkey really benefit from the accession to the union that places heavy demands on the economic policies of the members to ensure integration? Will its firms be able to survive the competition against the well-developed European companies? Turkey, in case of gaining entry, will have to abide by the economic policies set down in EU’s Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties that were established by the union long before Turkey’s plausible accession. EMEP, the Turkish Party of Labour, has long stated that the EU economic policies can be ruinous to certain sectors of the domestic economy. Thus, if the EU Council adopts a plan on the liberalization of the telecommunication industry, Turkey will be forced to sell its part of the PTT. The Turkish oil company, the Petrol Ofisi, also stands little chance, in the opinion of the EMEP, to withstand the liberalization policies. Finally, the agricultural sector of Turkey that is a significant part of the national economy, will not survive should the EU decide to give up subsidies for the producers of agricultural products such as beetroot, cotton, tobacco and other products. At the same time, for ordinary citizens accession to the EU continues to symbolize economic benefits that will hopefully be translated into higher life standards. To Turks, the entry has come to be associated with â€Å"a higher income, better healthcare and medical treatments, access to higher education, the freedom to travel, and a carefree retirement† (Zaptcioglu 2004). However, experts continue to worry about the realization of the Maastricht criteria for economic situation in a prospective member that, allegedly, will be harder for Turkey to meet than the Copenhagen ones. The nation now has a national debt of $270 billion. The Maastricht requirements mean that debts are no more than 60% of the national income (Zaptcioglu 2004). The skeptics’ plan to overcome this hurdle is â€Å"should pull out of the tariff union and at the same time apply to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for different and better terms for paying off its debts† (Zaptcioglu 2004). However, it is controversial whether Turkey should risk spoiling relations with the West in this fashion in order to gain entry to the EU. The current economic impact of integration with the EU is also debatable. Thus, Turkey currently has a tariff union with the block it hopes to enter some day. This union was established with entering the Customs Union Treaty in 1995. EMEP (2004) points that the union works to the disadvantage of Turkey, leading to increase in its trade gap with Europe to the amount of $10 billion. However, this is not the opinion of only one political party that may be exploiting facts to prove a point. Manisali and Sinan Aygà ¼n, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce in Ankara, also lament the deprivation inflicted on the economy by the union. Aygà ¼n says that â€Å"Turkey has become an import country for European industrial products, but, according to the tariff union regulations, is not permitted to export its agricultural products into the EU† (Zaptcioglu 2004). This means that the union is not equitable and gives EU broader advantages than Turkey. There is certainly fear that the policies implemented in case Turkey joins the EU will be similarly skewed in order to give the EU an advantage. Thus, the accession to the EU could adversely affect the Turkish economy, subjecting the domestic policies to the dictate of the Brussels power. It is not certain that Turkey will be able to maintain its growth if it is forced to adapt to the adverse EU decisions on economic policy. 2.3. Impact on Turkey’s Foreign Policy Since demands concerning the foreign policies of the this prospective member are among the most important demands on Turkey, it is highly probable that the nation will have to change its relationships with neighbors. Thus, Turkey will most probably have to recognize Cyprus, something it has been reluctant to do for years. The island that remains divided into two parts after the conflict of 1974 involving a Greek coup d’etat and a Turkish military intervention. The island, divided into two parts, the Republic of Cyprus that is part of the EU and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus recognized by Turkey, remains a matter of dispute for Turkey and Greece. The EU accession will most likely lead to the requirement for Turkey to recognize the Republic of Cyprus. In the same way, the Aegean dispute between Turkey and Greece as well as the relations with Armenia remain open to controversy. The boycott of Armenia including the construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline outside of the Armenian territory was caused by Turkey’s perception of Nagorno-Karbakh area as unlawfully occupied by Armenia. Romano Prodi, ex-President of the European Commission, has made it one of the requirements to resolve the conflict with Armenia (Wikipedia). Thus, entering the EU, Turkey will have to abandon part of its sovereignty in decision-making and succumb to the EU demands. This will limit the ability of the nation to pursue independent policies that may differ from EU wishes. Conclusion Turkey’s accession to the European Union remains open to controversy. The union balks at letting in a state that due to its sheer size will exert influence on the EU environment and can make integration more difficult. The acceptance of a Muslim state is also a controversial subject because the ensuing clash between the Islamic and Western values is hard to avoid. From the perspective of Turkey itself, its membership in the EU is also fraught with positive and negative consequences. While it is certain that it will contribute to the democratization of the state and the improvement of the human rights situation, Turkey will also have to pay attention to the political stability. The unique role of the Turkish military in preserving the secular doctrine may be challenged, which will open the way for fundamentalists. On the economic side, the cons may outweigh the cons unless Turkey can count on substantial subsidies. Finally, accession to the powerful body of nations will mean greater security on the international arena. At the same time, Turkey will have to count on losing part of its sovereignty and the need to succumb to the EU authority on many important issues. Bibliography Accession of Turkey to the European Union. Wikipedia. 30 January 2006 . EMEP (The Party of Labour). Turkey and the European Union. October 2004. 30 January 2006 . Lamb, Scott. â€Å"TURKEY AND THE EU: The Pros and Cons.† Spiegel Online 14 December 2004. 23 January 2006 . Phillips, David L. â€Å"Turkey’s Dreams of Accession.† Foreign Affairs (September/October 2004). 30 January 2006 . Zaptcioglu, Dilek. â€Å"They Will Never Accept Us!† Quantara (2004). 30 January 2006 .   

Quality is Being Perfect

Achieving quality† is said to be a major issue throughout industry, commerce and government bodies. It†s just not passing craze of flavour of the month. Quality is vital for growth, survival and prosperity of every organisation. Nowadays, more and more organisations are placing greater emphasis on quality in order for them to prosper and become successful. In this essay I will be explaining the different concepts of quality, which are established by different institutes and people. I will then compare these concepts and give my view on each of them. In the second part of this essay I will be looking at areas of commonality and difference between ‘quality of product manufacture† and ‘quality in service†. Quality is difficult to define but what is sure is that we all know when it is achieved and when it is not. This assessment of quality is subjective and it can vary from different perceptions of individuals. It is the perception of the individual, by what influences his experience and what he thinks. Overall, the word quality can mean different things to different people. For example, the first car that I bought appeared to me to be of superior quality, even though it was thirteen years old, had many rust patches and the roof was leaking. On the other hand, a company director who drives a Rolls Royce may think that the car is a load of scrap. The second-hand car to me was quite satisfactory where it got me to my required destinations, but the company director may think it is bad advertisement and unreliable. For this reason, quality can be defined as ‘fitness for purpose†. It can be defined as fitness for purpose because the second-hand car was fit for my purpose. The definition ‘fitness for purpose†, was defined by an early American quality guru, Dr Joseph Juran. He always believed that if a product was fit for purpose, then it was a quality product. But from my perspective, this is not always true. This is because the second-hand car that I bought was fit for my purpose (transported me in safety), but it was not conceived to be a quality car by many of the people who I showed it to, except the sycophants who always tried to please me. Many people stated that the car was a ‘reject† due to the fact that it was rusty and the roof was leaking. Now that I have sold it, I would agree with these people, it was not a quality car, but it was fit for purpose. So therefore, this prime example gives you an indication that ‘fitness for purpose† does not always mean quality. The definition begs the question of ‘whose purpose? † Plato†s (philosopher) theory suggests that it was the customer who defined the purpose and the customer who defined quality. But Juran†s definition does not even mention the purpose of the customer. Another problem with the fitness for purpose definition is that the purpose may not always be known. Juran believes that the majority of quality problems are because of poor management, rather than poor employee work. In general, he believes that management controllable defects account for over 80 per cent of total quality management problems. Overall, Juran†s definition is too elementary where there is a need to closely define to what is going to be offered, then quality can become ‘conformance to requirements†. Conformance to requirement is widely used in industry to define quality. â€Å"This definition is often attributed to Philip Crosby, another well-known guru of quality†. (Owen,B 1995). Crosby believed that if a product were conformed to requirement, then there would be no such thing as a quality problem where the company itself has established its products based directly on its customers† needs. The Crosby definition places an emphasis to meet a certain specification that also leads to an emphasis on the reliability of the product or service. Reliability ranks with quality in importance where â€Å"it is the ability of the product or service to continue to meet the customer requirements†. (Oakland, 1995). Crosby also states that when a product is produced or when a service is delivered, it should have ‘zero defects†, where you should ‘get it right first time†. What zero defects means is not that people never make mistakes, but that the company does not start expecting them to make mistakes. But from my point of view and from Juran†s perspective, the zero defects approach cannot always help an organisation to achieve quality. Juran believes that employees should be given long-term training, where it should start at the top of the hierarchy of the organisation. The problem with Crosby†s quality control approaches are that there can be clear dangers that the customers can become less important than the standard of the product because there is too much emphasis on control and getting things right first time. This is because every organisation should be able to make certain mistakes and learn from them the next time around. One advantage of his approach is that he places more emphasis on prevention, rather than inspection, so therefore, there can be increased quality where the costs can decrease and thus increasing profits. The main problem with Crosby†s definition is that it is too simplistic. Producing a product that is conformed to requirement that has had no problems during the manufacturing process does not necessarily mean that it is a quality product. For example, a golf player who completes a round without breaking the rule is not necessarily a good quality player. Also, a driver who drives home without breaking the law is not necessarily a quality driver The fitness for purpose and conformance to requirement definitions seeks to establish a level of performance that is acceptable to customers where their needs are met and where they have no cause to complain. But between these two levels there is a ‘grey† area, where the specification is achieved, but where the customers may feel that they have not gained value. For this reason quality can be concerned with ‘ providing a service that delights our customers†. This definition was originated by the late American quality guru, Dr W. Edwards Deming. â€Å"He was the first American quality expert to teach Japanese managers about quality. â€Å"Deming†s work in Japan has been identified as putting Japan on the road to leadership in international business and industry†. (Internet). Deming argued that the customer should not just be satisfied, but delighted in order to gain repeat custom. He also stated that you should always keep ahead of your customers† expectations that include every aspect of supplier-customer relationship, not just the product or service being provided. From my perspective, Deming†s approach to quality is much more perplexing than Juran and Crosby†s definitions. Both Juran and Crosby were focused too much on the product, but Deming covers all of the aspects of quality. Deming also allocates the measurement of quality through statistical calculations where Juran and Crosby are more concerned with the production process measurements. Another quality guru, Armand V. Feiggenbaum who is the chairman of the International Academy of Quality, stresses that quality does not mean ‘best†, but ‘best for the customer use and selling price†. What Fienbaum†s definition is trying to say is that products should be produced to customer requirements and be sold at a good reasonable price, thus achieving quality. From my perspective, this is a good definition. For example, if I buy a television that contains a lot of features, it†s reliable, unique and it is at a good reasonable price, then it would be a quality product to me. Also many people associate price with quality, people expect better quality when paying more, thus Fienbaum gives a good clear definition of quality. To Fienbaum, quality is a way of managing an organisation. He stresses that quality does not only mean that customer problems have to be fixed faster. Like Juran, he says that leadership is essential to a company†s success. Finally, I am going to talk about a well known Japanese guru, Kaoru Ishikawa who is known as the father of ‘quality circles†. Ishikawa stresses that ‘quality does not only mean the quality of a product, but also of after sales service, quality of management, the company itself and the human being. Ishikawa†s definition is trying to say that all of the aspects of the organisation have to be known to be of good quality standard. For example, Rolls Royce produces quality cars but also the company itself and the management is known to be of good quality. So therefore if all of the aspects of the organisation are good quality, then this can lead to good corporate reputation, thus increasing sales and profits. Overall, Ishikawa†s definition is similar to Deming†s and Fienbaum†s definition, where there is a focal point to look at all of the stages of providing quality. In conclusion, all of the guru†s definitions are different and have all proved to be successful in their own situations. It is also worth remembering that all the gurus are consultants and have different definitions due to the fact that they come from different business backgrounds, so therefore, their approaches to quality differ from each other. Now that I have defined the different concepts of quality, I am now going to explain the difference between ‘quality in product manufacture† and ‘quality in service delivery†. A product is any goods other than land, bridges or buildings and includes a product which is comprised within another product whether by virtue of being a component part or raw material or otherwise†. (Dale and Plunkett, 1994). On the other hand â€Å"A service encounter is any direct interaction between a service provider and customers†. (Dale and Plunkett, 1994). Industries, such as financial services, health care, tourism, government, transport and communications have their business activities focused on services rather than products. Quality customer service is now a focus of every organisation where it is typically achieving a competitive advantage. â€Å"Consumers, be they individuals, households or businesses, are more aware of the alternatives on offer; in relation to both services/products, and to provide organisations and rising standards of service†. (Dale and Plunkett, 1994). Overall, the quality of service delivery has become as important as the quality of product manufacture. However, they have several characteristics that distinguish them from each other when providing quality to customers. One main difference between quality in product manufacture and quality in service delivery is that products are tangible and services are not. So therefore when manufacturing a product, a firm will have to make sure that there are no defects on the product and that the product is conformed to requirement. This is because if there are any defects on the product, then consumers have a right to complain with tangible evidence (the product). On the other hand, services are intangible; there is usually little or no tangible evidence to show once a service has been performed. For example, when a mortgage adviser has given his proposition to a consumer, later the consumer will have little or no evidence of the service delivery to prove how good or bad it was. So consequently, from one perspective, service organisations can afford to make mistakes and not get blamed for them, although it can lead to a bad corporate image and serious damages, such as in health care situations. Overall, quality in a product will be evident but quality in service delivery does not always have to be evident due to the fact that services can be intangible. Another key difference between these two is that poor quality products can be replaced but poor quality services cannot always be replaced. So therefore, as Philip Crosby says, you will have to ‘get it right first time† with ‘zero defects† when delivering a service. Overall, an organisation can afford to make mistakes when achieving quality in a manufactured product. But an organisation cannot afford to make mistakes when delivering a service due to the fact that it is very hard or impossible to rectify a poor quality service. For example, if a nurse in the hospital drops a baby and as a result, the baby has a brain damage, then this mistake in the service will be very impossible to rectify. So therefore, in services, such as health care, there are generally fewer errors than in products due to the serious consequences that a service organisation (hospital) can face if it makes a mistake. As Deming states, organisations will have to delight the consumer through their services in order to achieve quality. So therefore, it is essential for service providers, such as doctors, to get it right first time. One other major difference is that it is more difficult to use quality standards in services than products, in the conventional sense. This is because there is the characteristic of heterogeneity, where variability exists in services as a function of labour inputs and non-standardisation of delivery. (Dale and Plunkett, 1994). There can be small variations in products but services can have large variations, it all depends on the individual who is delivering the service. Overall, different individuals deliver services in various different ways. Elimination of the virus of variability in products is easier to tackle than services. Deming†s concept of statistical control is widely used in industry in order to eliminate variation in products. The behaviour of the process remains the same over time with controlled variation and by the use of statistical control. If no statistical control is used, then the behaviour of the process is likely to change, usually in unpredictable ways and at unpredictable times with uncontrolled variation. So therefore, statistical control over the manufacturing of products can achieve quality and eliminate variation. But the problem with the statistical concept is that it cannot eliminate variation in service delivery, the statistical concept is only suitable for manufacturing products. From my perspective, training the staff can only eliminate service variation as Juran says. Overall, I think that huge variations in products such as Walkers Crisps can devalue the product because consumers expect the same taste from each packet, that is said to be of good quality and number one in the UK market. However, there is slight variation in Walkers Crisps, but this is usually common with ever packet of crisp. Recently, there was a research taking place in the UK that is working towards eliminating the variation of tastes of each crisp. The elimination of variation in crisps is another step towards achieving quality in product manufacture. On the other hand, it is sometimes said that the variation in services often produce quality. However, variations in services are usually dealt with by training the staff. Last of all, I think that it is harder to achieve and control quality in service delivery than product manufacture. This is because services (such as doctors† time) cannot be stored to meet fluctuations in demand, but products can be stored. In order to conform to requirement and delight the customer (achieve quality), service organisations will have to meet demands at perplexing times, or otherwise they will find it very difficult to achieve quality. An organisation that does not meet fluctuating demands can gain a bad corporate image, thus decreasing the overall quality of the organisation. I think that service organisations can only meet fluctuating demands by setting out standards. For example, opening seven days a week rather than five days a week or specially opening when demands are excessively high. Realistically, this can be very difficult to achieve. A recent example of a service organisation that is not meeting fluctuating demands is the National Health Authority (NHS). The flu syndrome has recently affected many people in the UK, including the elderly. As a result, more people have been attending to the doctors and hospitals, thus making it more difficult for the NHS to cope with the increasing demand levels. Many appointments and operations have been cancelled in many hospitals due to the increase of patients. This prime example gives you an idea that service organisations cannot always deliver quality due to the fact that they cannot always deliver there services on time. In the above example, many people have criticised the NHS of not providing quality services, in other words, not coping with the fluctuation of demand levels. Overall, I think that only if the whole organisational chain is functioning efficiently can quality be achieved in both products and services. The quality chain links all of the business, and its external suppliers, to provide quality to the consumers. This objective is only achieved if each chain link provides quality. If one fails, then the overall objective of achieving quality is very unlikely to be achieved, the chain will not be functioning properly. For example, if a sales assistant does not have enough knowledge on a certain product, then the customer will not receive sufficient information on the product by the sales assistant,thus the quality of the product will be unrecognised. So therefore, the sales assistant is letting every one else down in the quality chain, thus, the chain will not will moving effectively. In overall conclusion, I think that different individuals perceive quality in different ways because everyone has different perceptions. I also think that in their definitions of quality, the gurus are looking at different aspects of quality in order to find different ways of saying the same thing. Basically, ‘meeting customer requirements† achieves quality because you are producing and delivering what the customer wants you to produce and deliver. As well as meeting customer requirements, ‘delighting the customer† is also a good concept of quality because you are going beyond your customers† expectations when delighting your customer with a product or service. However, all the gurus have different definitions due to the fact that they specialise in different business backgrounds, thus they all give a good definition of quality based on their past experiences. There are many differences in achieving quality in a product than achieving quality in a service. One of the differences is that services are tangible and products are not. Thus leaving little or no evidence of service delivery, even though is was not perceived as good quality. However, if mistakes are made in certain services, then these can not always be rectified, but when manufacturing a product, mistakes can usually be rectified easily without facing serious consequences. The main difference between quality in product manufacture and quality in service delivery is that products can be stored to meet fluctuations in demand, but on the other hand, services cannot always be stored, thus decreasing the quality of service delivery. A good example of a service not being stored is the NHS that is not meeting its recent demand levels. Also, another difference between these two is that there is more variation in services than products. Product variations can usually be controlled, but service variations are more difficult to control, thus this can decrease or increase the quality of service delivery. Last of all, I think that it is more important for service providers to ‘get it right first time† due to the fact that poor services are hard to replace, where faulty products are easily replaced.

The Great Depression Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Great Depression - Research Paper Example It began in the U.S but quickly spread to the entire world. It hit hard on major cities, especially those dependent on heavy industry. It took a toll on prices, tax revenue, personal income and profits. International trade shrunk by over 50% to 75%. Unemployment in the U.S increased to over 25%, while GDP fell by over 36%. Consumption declined and so did the industrial output. Additionally, it had political ramifications. It led to the election of President Roosevelt in U.S and the rise of Hitler’s Nazi regime in Germany. Historians argue that it was one of the major causes of the World War II. Not even Roosevelt’s New Deal could pull the U.S economy out of the depression. Countries began to recover in the mid 1930s. Ironically, the beginning of World War II marked the end of the Great depression. Causes Recessions in a business cycle are normal, and a product of balances between demand and supply. What turned normal events into a recession has been a subject of widespr ead debate. A combination of domestic and international factors was culpable for the great depression: structural weaknesses and individual events. a) Boom to Bust The period following World War I is widely regarded as an era of prosperity for the American people. U.S.A had just emerged as a leading superpower. Business started thriving and the quality of life improved dramatically. There were post war reconstructions and low interest rates which ignited the boom. President Coolidge in his state of the nation address in 1929 noted that the nation had never witnessed better prospects than it did then. Automobiles were growing cheaper and more popular. Stock prices were on an upward trend. In fact, the Dow Jones Industrial Average quadrupled between 1924 and 1927. The market experienced the biggest bullish run ever. Many people thought that this was a permanent phenomenon. Many investors were lured into the stock market, some investing on margin using loans. According to Suddah (2008) , out of every 5 dollars loaned by banks, 2 were spent to buy stock. In essence, there was a huge supply of money, which primarily led to speculative stock prices. Besides stock markets, there was a boom in the real estate sector. There was a surge in the real estate sector particularly because of the low market interest rates. Why did the boom to bust contribute to the depression? Boom and bust is a normal feature of a capitalist economy. It was bound to end. It had been a period excessively easy monetary policy. There was a general absence of proper regulation in the monetary sector. It led to excessive speculation, where investors speculated that the share price would keep the upward trend. As a result of increased demand, the share prices became artificially higher: and did not reflect their real value. The speculative euphoria and the boom psychology created underlying weaknesses and imbalances within the economy. Consequently, the nation was not able to deal with the downward spiral in the economy. b) Stock Market Crash of 1929 The stock market crash is widely regarded as the major cause of the depression. The artificial prices of stocks were finally destroyed. What happened was that when the bull market came to an end, share prices began to fall as from September 3 1929. Speculators began sensing loses to their savings and even homes. On the Black Thursday, there were many people trying to offload their shares. That increased the supply while very few investors were willing to buy.

Describing demonstrative communication. Demonstrative communication Essay

Describing demonstrative communication. Demonstrative communication includes nonverbal and unwritten communication and involves such things as facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and so forth - Essay Example In demonstrative communication, the sender sends the right message and the receiver captures and understands it well before responding. Moreover, in demonstrative communication, individuals receive information through their senses and then create communication in form of facial expressions, body languages, eye gazes and blinking of the eyes among others (Cheesebro, O’Connor & Rios, 2010). As defined earlier, demonstrative communication refers to nonverbal or unwritten communication. Therefore, this type of communication involves sending and receiving wordless messages from the sender to the receiver. Demonstrative communication is effective or positive at workplace because it reinforces verbal communication, for example dressing properly, friendly demeanor and firm handshake at work place shows more information concerning thecharacter of an individual during job interviews. Most people at work place highly rely on these qualities in reinforcing the verbal performance. Demonstrative communication is effective at work place because an employee can tell that the other employee is friendly by the way he or she smile and speak in a cheerful manner(Cheesebro, O’Connor & Rios, 2010). Demonstrative communication is effective and positive at work place because it helps an individual in knowing what other people think about him or her because of the nonverbal signals that they exude. In addition, people can apply demonstrative communication at workplace in order to analyze people’s reactions for their own advantages. For example, when an organization specializes in selling houses and when they tell a client about the price for the house, the client’s reaction will help an organization in determining whether the price is accommodative or not. Demonstrative communication is beneficial at work place because it gives room for self-expression, whereas self-presentation tells more about and individuals’ personality. For example, in a workplace, a

Unionization and strikes in the healthcare industry Term Paper

Unionization and strikes in the healthcare industry - Term Paper Example imes strikes are used by employees to force their governments or employers to change certain policies for which they do not like (Lewin, Keefe, & Kochan, 2012). However, various acts and policies exist that have served to affect this unionization process as well as strike. Among them is PT self determination Act, Federal Healthcare quality act and laws such as ERISA, HIPPA. This paper therefore seeks to discuss the background of unionization and strike in the health care industry outlining the effects of unionization and strikes in the health care sector. Further it will explain how the different acts among them PT self determination Act, Federal Healthcare quality act and laws such as ERISA, HIPPA affects striking and unionization in the Health care industry. Finally, the paper will give a brief conclusion summarizing this topic of discussion. Freeman, & Han, (2012) discuses that; unionization and strikes are subject to law and are thus regulated by the laws as provided by the constitution and other sector acts. In the recent past the number of health practitioners covered or bound by a collective bargain agreement or those who have registered as members of workers union has been edging upwards. This trend can possibly be attributed to the backlash against the belt tightening experienced in certain hospitals as away to respond to the recent downturn in economy. Additionally, reforms in the health sector also play a major role in the rise of unionization of the health sector. Unions want to have a future; as such they understand that organizing the health workers will give them an inroad. The cost cutting pressure in the health care sector is making nurses and other health workers in this industry feel a lot of loss in control within their jobs. They experience a lot of uncertainty of the unanticipated outcomes or impacts of the health care reforms. As a result, there has been a merger across the health care practitioners associations. This includes Committee of

Video games Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Video games - Research Paper Example Based on changing trends among children it is also evident that video games have replaced traditional physical games that were common some years back. Initially, there was a common stereotype that as compared to women, men had dominated in the consumption of video games. Today, the number of women who play these games is almost equal to that of men. As time goes by, video games continue to evolve and advance hence attracting the interest of the media. Since many people have been attracted to this form of entertainment, the term ‘gamer’ is commonly being used by the media to refer to people who play video games. Media has played a significant role in shaping public perception on video games. Media has contributed to popularizing video games to a large extent because almost everyone is talking about the new games in the market. Prominence received by games such as Doom and Grand Theft Auto can be attributed to media coverage. As a result, many people have been attracted to this form of entertainment hence leading to a tremendous growth of the video game industry. Developing and selling new games that meet various demands of consumers has become a thriving business. In recent times, manufacturers are facing stiff competition from different players in the industry. This has forced them to make improvements to existing games and develop new ones. Examples of transformations that have occurred include the introduction of 3D games alongside the improvement of digital quality of sound and images. In regard to this matter, media coverage has shaped the public debate by raising the question of how much revenue governments generate from the sale of video games. Evidence from medi a sources indicates that in 2014, revenue from video games in the United States alone had amounted to approximately 886 million dollars. This figure has since risen (Statista 1). Imagine how much the government would lose if video games were to be banned. Through the media,

AN EXAMINATION OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH IMMIGRATION AND ETHNIC RELIGIOUS Essay

AN EXAMINATION OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH IMMIGRATION AND ETHNIC RELIGIOUS PLURALISM THREATENS THE WELFARE - Essay Example As briefly indicated in the above, ethnic and religious plurality constitute a potential threat to the very notion of the welfare state and its associate welfare citizenship. Plurality, implying conflict and difference, is antithetical to the very principles upon which the welfare state is predicated; the principles of shared identity, commonality and homogeneity. Even while conceding to the reality of the stated threat, however, this research will posit the claim that the management of plurality through multiculturalism has the potential to control and limit this threat. Understanding the extent to which ethnic plurality and religious diversity can function as a threat to the welfare state, is predicated on an appreciation of the implications of nation-hood and the social citizenry to which it gave rise. If the idea of the nation was invented, imported, and implemented by elites, it had also to appeal to the rest of the population who had not known dignity before the age of nationalism. Weber observes that "the idea of the nation for its advocates stands in very intimate relation to [their] prestige interests" (Weber 1978: 9251530). While the dominant political strata, such as feudal lords, modern officers, and bureaucrats are the primary exponents of a desire for the political power of the state, since "power for their political community means [political, economic, and social] power for themselves" (Weber 1978: 911/520), it is those who appropriate leadership in a community of culture, the "carriers of culture." who promote the idea of a nation (W eber 1978: 9261530). These are, for Weber, primarily intellectuals, but also artists, editors, authors, journalists, etc. (Weber 1946a: 1791485). While, originally, the "masses" had little to gain and little to lose within the political project of the state, or within the "cultural" mission of the nation (Weber 1978: 9211527, 9251530), they can increasingly identify with the nation-state's prestige due to the "democratization of state, society and culture" (Weber 1946: 1781485). The implication here is that the nation emerged as an imagined entity but attained concrete reality because of a shared social identity, a common culture which, in turn, gave rise to shared historical memories and heritage. In other words, the state is inherently founded upon shared social identity and it is the latter which gave rise to the nation, and not vice-versa. Within the context of the stated, the nation may very well be an imagined entity but it, nonetheless, bestows identity upon its populace (Gre enfield, 1992). Citizenship derives from the nation which, in turn, emerged as a direct outcome of

US relations with Cuba Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

US relations with Cuba - Essay Example Cuba and the United States of America have had a complex history of relationships. â€Å"Nothing is ever simple in relations between the United States and Cuba†. Both have had interest in one another since well before either of their independence movements. Relations between the North American mainland and the Caribbean Spanish colony began in the early 18th century through illicit commercial contracts between the European colonies of the New World, trading to elude colonial taxes. As the Spanish influence waned in the Caribbean, the United States gradually gained a position of economic and political dominance over the island, with the vast majority of foreign investment holdings, the bulk of imports and exports in its hands. It also boosted the legal and illegal trade and soon Cuba became a comparatively prosperous trading partner in the region.In the last quarter of 20th century, the Cuban resistance against the Spanish colonial rule grew stronger. Initially the rebels fight ing for independence were supported by US President Grant led government, yet as the fighting erupted across mainland, US President Grant declined his support and hence the resistance was curtailed. US Secretary of State James G. Blaine wrote in 1881 of Cuba, â€Å"that rich island, the key to the Gulf of Mexico, and the field for our most extended trade in the Western Hemisphere, is, though in the hands of Spain, a part of the American commercial system†¦ If ever ceasing to be Spanish, Cuba must necessarily become American and not fall under any other European Domination† (Sierra, 4). Domination" (Sierra, 4). The United States major intervention in the Cuban conflict started on February 15th, 1898 when the American battleship USS Maine sank in Havana Harbor due to an explosion of some unknown reason. In Cuba the war became known as "the U.S. intervention in Cuba's War of Independence" (Franklin, 5-34). On the 10th of December 1898 Spain relinquished control of Cuba to the United States with the Treaty of Paris.The treaty put an end to the Spanish Colonial Empire in the Americas marking the beginning of United States expansion and long term political dominance over the region. Immediately after the signing of the treaty, the US-owned "Island of Cuba Real Estate Company" opened for business to sell Cuban land to Americans (Sierra, para. 1), yet the struggle against the U.S. military rule continued under the brave leadership of Cuba's national hero Jose Marti, until on May 20, 1902 Cuba was finally granted formal independence. Nevertheless, United States authorities had already made a decision to continue its right to intervene in Cuban affairs (either to preserve its independence or stability) and on March 2, 1901, a year before formal impedance, the Congress of the United States of America had passed an act called Platt Amendment (Bevans, 1116-17). Despite recognizing Cuba's transition into an independent republic, United States continued to exercise its right. The Plat Amendment was repealed in 1934 and both countries entered a new agreement called the "Treaty of Relations". Among other things, the Treaty of Relations continued the 1903 agreements that leased the Guantanamo Bay naval base to the United States. The rise of General Fulgencio Batista in the 1930s to de facto leader and President of Cuba for two terms (1940-44 and 1952-59) led to an era of close co-operation between the governments of Cuba and the United States. According to U.S. Ambassador to Cuba Arthur Gardner, "Batista had always leaned toward the United States. I don't think we ever had a better friend. It was regrettable, like all South Americans, that he was known-although I had no absolute knowledge of it-to be getting a cut, I think is the word for it, in almost all the, things that were done. But, on the other

Zinc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Zinc - Essay Example But it varies with different temperatures, as the appearance becomes ductile when heated at ranges 110-150  °C. Zinc is a reactive metal that was first discovered in 1746, and the person who discovered zinc was Andreas Marggraf. The symbol of zinc is denoted with â€Å"Zn†. Being in the group of transition metals, it is the property of zinc that it conducts electricity and heat. The valence electrons of zinc are present in more than one shell. Being placed in the transition metals, it has several oxidation states. Zinc has hexagonal crystalline structure. The atomic number of zinc is 30. It has the atomic mass of 65.39 a.m.u (atomic mass unit). Zinc has a melting point of 419.58  °C and it has a boiling point of 907.0  ° C. The density of zinc is 7.133 g/cm3. The numbers of neutrons are 30 and then numbers of protons/electrons are 35. ISOTOPES OF NEUTRON: The isotopes are the atoms containing different number of neutrons and same number of protons, responsible for alteri ng total number of nucleons. There are ten isotopes of zinc that are shown in the table below. Half Life Zn-62 9.26 hours Zn-63 38.5 minutes Zn-64 Stable Zn-65 243.8 days Zn-66 Stable Zn-67 Stable Zn-68 Stable Zn-69m 13.76 hours Zn-70 Stable Zn-72 46.5 hours Zinc has two oxidation states and the valence electrons are in s shell. ATOMIC STRUCTURE OF ZINC:- The atomic structure gives us an idea about the structure of atoms and its arrangement. The atomic structure includes atomic radius, atomic size, covalent radius, cross section, and crystal structure. The atomic radius of zinc is 1.53 A °, the atomic volume is 9.2 cm3/mol, the covalent radius is 1.25 A °, cross section of 1.11, and the structure is hexagonal in nature. ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION OF ZINC:- The electronic configuration tells us that how much electrons are placed in the specific shell. The electronic configuration of zinc is 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 3d10, 4s2.This electronic configuration makes the process easier to remove 2 of 4s electrons and easier to form compounds like ZnO, Zncl2 and ZnSO4.   SOURCES OF ZINC:- The annual production of zinc is 5,020,000 tons. It is found in the minerals such as zincite (ZnO), zinc blende (sphalerite) (ZnS), calamine, and franklinite. CHEMICAL PROPERTIES:- Zinc has electronegativity of 1.65 Pauling, Heat of fusion of 7.322 kJ/mol, electron work function of 4.33 eV, it has an electrochemical equivalent of 1.22g/amp-hr, and a valence electron potential of 38.9. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:- It is hard, brittle, bluish white transition metal. The enthalpy of fusion is 7.32 kJ/mol, enthalpy of atomization is 129.7 kJ/mol, average atomic mass of 65.39 and boiling point of 907 ° C. COMPOUNDS OF ZINC:- Many compounds of zinc are formed, but ten are discussed over here. 1. Zinc Borate: It is also called as fire brake ZB. Zinc borate has elements containing Zinc, Boron and oxygen. It has a chemical formula 3ZnO. 2B2O3. Its CAS number is 1332-07-6. Its casewell number is 909b. It is white powder. 2. Zinc carbonate: It is also called carbonic acid and zinc spar. It has a formula of ZnCo3, made up of zinc, carbon and oxygen. It has CAS number 3486-35-9. 3. Zinc sulphate: It has oxygen, sulphur and zinc. The formula is ZnsO4. The CAS number is 7733-02-0. Casewell number is 927. It is also called Bonazen having several other synonyms. 4. Zinc chloride: Is formula is ZnCl2. It has elements containing zinc and chlorine. Its CAS number is 7646-85-7. Its casewell number is 910. It is also called as butter of zinc. 5. Zinc Oxide: It has elements zinc and oxygen. Its chemical formula is ZnO2. Its CAS number is 1314-13-2. It casewell number is 920. It is also called as snow white. 6. Zinc stearate: Its formula is Zn(C18H35O2) 2. It has carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and zinc. Its

Personal relationships Essay Example for Free

Personal relationships Essay As human beings we all have similar interests however, Rosenbaum (1986b) proposed a repulsion interpretation for this well –established relationship. According to Rosenbaum, attitude similarity does not lead to liking, but attitude dis-similarity does indeed lead to repulsion. Attraction toward a person described by the individual’s personality alone differs when paired with a photograph or political affiliation. With the popularity of social networking and the internet it might be useful to research the subjects of physical attractiveness and similarity when the intimacy factor is absent. Although 94% of internet daters deny that their profile contains any fibs (Gibbs et al,. 2006), psychologists Toma et al. (2008) decided to measure the heights and weights of 80 internet daters, as well as checking their driving licences for real age. When this data was checked against their profiles, it was found at least nine out of ten had lied on at least one of the attributes measured. The most frequent anomaly was in regards to weight. Women tended to shave pounds off, while men gave themselves a boost in height. Even though the vast majority fibbed on their profile it was only by a small amount as most people want to meet up eventually. Toma and Hancock (2010) took photographs of the internet daters and compared them to their online profile pictures. Although less physically attractive people were the most likely to choose a self-enhancing photo, overall the differences were minimal towards the lab photo. Scholars say a certain amount of fibbing is socially even necessary to compete in the online dating world. By boosting one’s attributes, they can increase their chances of a relationship developing in the future. So this would point to the fact that we value goods looks not just in other people but also in ourselves. Opposites attract, well this is not the case when it comes to internet dating. Fiore and Donarth (2005) examined data from 65,000 online daters, the found that people were choosing based on similarities to themselves. That includes ethnicity and religion. Of all the data analysed 80% of the contacts initiated by white members were to other white members, and only 3% were made to black members. Online dating agencies have taken advantage of this fact by setting up dating websites to caterer to this for example JustChristian. com, or Afrointrodution. com. Although researching internet dating is a good way of examining interpersonal relationships, there is only limited data on how well it works. Most of the research is based on heterosexual daters therefore ignores the comparison with homosexual daters. Most people think of it in consumerist terms (Heino et al, . 2010) users are â€Å"Relation shopping†, looking at other people’s features weighing them up, then choosing potential partners, as though from a catalogue, its human relationships reduced to check boxes. Social psychological studies have not so much influenced our opinion on interpersonal attraction, but reinforced the reasons why we find people attractive for example; physical attraction, proximity, familiarity or reciprocal liking. Most of the research is potentially artificial focusing on forced social settings or attitude surveys. It can ignore ecological or cultural relationship criteria. What is prevalent though is the need to form relationships with other people maybe for romantic reasons or friendship. References 1. : Walster et al. 1966. (N/A). Matching hypothesis. Available http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/matching_hypothesis. Last accessed 28th Jan 2012. 2. Duck S. (1995). Repelling the study of attraction. The Psychologist, N/A (8), 60-63. 3. http://www.prenhall.com/divisions/hss/app/amberdigital/aronson/content/10.pdf. (accessed on 28/01/2013) 4. Arthur Aron, Jodie L Steele, Todd b Kashdan, Max Perez (2006)When similars do not attract: Test of a prediction from the self- expansion model, personal relationships 13, 387-39 5. P H Aronson Interpersonal attraction from first impressions to close relationships chapter 10 http://www.prenhall.com/divisions/hss/app/amberdigital/aronson/content/10.pdf 6. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/fashion/online-dating-as-scientific-research.html?pagewanted=all_r=0 7. http://www.spring.org.uk/2010/09/online-dating-10-psychological-insights.php

John Brown DBQ Essay Example for Free

John Brown DBQ Essay John Browns Raid in the South led to an explosion of passion and ultimately the secession of the south. Many radical abolitionists in the North felt that John Browns actions were Justified and that he was a hero. These radical abolitionists maximized the damage caused by him and his followers and created an almost godly figure out of him. Not all Northern Republicans saw him as a hero, but rather as a terrorist and a convict. Southern slave holders and normal men alike were astounded, frightened, and infuriated by John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry. These two radically opposing iews clashed together and caused the succession of the South. Radical Abolitionists supported John Browns actions immensely and applauded his drive to free the slaves from the grasps of the slaveholders. Many of these strict abolitionists also believed that he was a hero, divinely appointed by God. This shows how much they revered him and how justified they believed his actions to be. In Document C, the Topeka Tribune explains that all Republicans revered him, just in different amounts. It explains that one class of Republicans thought that he was a hero and a philanthropist. The other class pretended not to approve of John Brown but really did respect him. When John Brown was executed for treason against the state of Vlrglnla, many northern abolltlonlsts were sent Into a rage. Even though he was dead, his spirit and Ideals still Inspired and affected many abolltlonlsts, as seen In Document G. This song explains that even though his body is buried and decomposing underground, his soul still marches on. As you can see, many radical abolitionists revered, respected and approved of John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry, which directly opposed the Souths view. Secondly, not all Northern Republicans saw him as a hero, but rather as a terrorist and a convict of the state. Many Northern citizens, although sympathetic to slaves, did not approve of John Browns actions and thought that he was insane and morally wrong. This view was the majority of the Northern Republicans and showed that Radical abolitionists were maximizing the damage that John Brown Inflicted on the south. In document A, Horace Greely explains that although he wishes that all slaves were able to run away from their slaveholders and never be recaptured, he did not approve of what John Brown did. This shows that he was an abolitionist, but not a very radical one like the ones in the before mentioned paragraph. He clearly states in the document that he did not support what John Brown did in the south which was the ideas of many Northerners. Document D, consists of reviews of a book about the Life of John Brown. Most of the reviews talk about how radically abolitionist the book is and how biased it is. This shows that the majority of the North did not support the doings of John Brown and that it was a small minority of whites that maximized the event. All of these events show that even hough it could be perceived that the North was overwhelmingly supportive of the doings of John Browns Raid on Harpers Ferry. Lastly, southern slave holders and normal men alike were astounded, frightened, and Infuriated by John Brown. The events caused by John Brown eventually caused the breakdown and eventual split In the Democratic Party. Popular sovereignty was created to cool tempers In both the North and the South but ultimately ended in the split in the Democratic Party. The order to be able to better protect themselves, they strengthened state militias and armies. This prepared them for the eventual war with the Union and it also supplied more confidence in the southerners. In the trial of John Brown, he was asked a series of questions. One of the comments given by a bystander was To set them free would sacrifice the life of every man in this community. John Brown responded with, l do not think so. l know it, I think you are fanatical. The bystander then responded with, And I think you are fanatical. Whom are gods would destroy they first make mad, and you are mad. l This series of questions and answers shows the general consensus of the South, that he was a fanatical, crazy man. As you can see, all of these things combined caused a massive amount of pressure to be put on the ties between the North and the South which consequently caused the succession of the South. In conclusion, all of the tensions built up caused by John Browns Raid on Harpers Ferry and the Trial of John Brown caused the decline in relations between the North and the South and the final succession of the South. The Northern radical abolitionists enlarged the event and made the southerners enraged by the raid on Harpers Ferry. The southerners were astounded, frightened, and infuriated. These emotions clashed and destroyed the Union.

Alone In The Dark Media Essay

Alone In The Dark Media Essay People sometimes find themselves alone in the cold, cruel, unforgiving darkness with nothing around them. Suddenly, they see a flickering flashlight in the distance. Running, they quickly come to the flashlight, but just as their fingertips brush against the comforting plastic the flashlight disappears. It is scary to think about, isnt it? For many college students this becomes a reality when their dreams, ambitions, and hope flicker out like a dying flashlight battery and disappear into a world of darkness due to poor preparation for exams. Many college students may take tons of notes during the semester in preparation for midterms and final exams. Unfortunately, they fall into pulling All-Nighters or other educational pit holes even with adequate notes. When facing the threat of failing a midterm or final, college students should have two goals in mind. The first goal should be to maintain stress levels while dealing with the exam. The second goal should be to do well on the exam with no problems because of proper study preparation. With the following tips and advice, college students will be able to hit the books with ease and avoid falling into study pit holes. Procrastination is a common aspect of the college life. Many students value their social scene more than their study scene. Every waking moment does not have to be devoted to studying. If, however, something as simple as shopping can be put off to a later date, the pupil should put it off. Too many students fail their exams due to trips, parties, or social events that they place before their studies only to realize their foolishness when it is too late. When preparing for a college midterm or final, it is very crucial to have time management. Students often put off studying until the last minute and find that their brain overloads and all information is wiped clean. How can a college student avoid such a disaster? The answer is simple. Plan ahead. Plan ahead. Plan ahead. College students are lucky when it comes to taking major exams. The instructors of each college course generally hands out a syllabus with important dates. A great way to start for people to start off off planning for midterms and finals is to get a daily planner. With a planner, the student can mark the days of the midterms and schedule daily study sessions to help them prepare. It is very important, especially at a college level, to prioritize study time. Many students are juggling more than fifteen credit hours and will panic the closer it gets to exam time. Even the most intellectual student will sometimes study for one subject more than another. The end result of such a procedure is not a pretty sight. The proper method of studying involves dividing time equally among all subjects. Prioritizing allows students to be mindful of their study time and allows all of their subjects to get equal attention. Everyone is different when it comes to studying. Some students can study with the radio on or with lots of noise while others prefer peace and quiet. It is important when it comes to preparation for exams to find a study spot that works. The choice is up to each individual person, whether it is in the tub or in a park. Another good way to prepare for taking midterms is for students to schedule study breaks. Many students will try and study one week before their exam and will be too ldquofriedrdquo to take the exam properly. When planning for a study session, students should take breaks that last ten minutes. Study breaks will stimulate the brain and will relax the student. Taking these steps will enable students to concentrate more on the subject they are studying. Here are ways that students can find relief from studying: Going for a run Reading a novel Having a snack Watching a television show Playing a video game Study breaks are meant to give the student a small amount of time to relax and refresh themselves. Often, college students dont give their brain a decent break and the overload causes multiple problems like mental fatigue, physical fatigue, and the inability to study. Falling asleep during a midterm is not uncommon for college students. Most of the time students will attempt to cram the night before getting as little as three hours of sleep. Students usually are fooled into thinking that they can function at a proper mental level to think critically when taking an exam. Like studying, proper sleep plays a valuable role when it comes to mental preparation for an exam. Many times people fail exams because they didnt understand their concept matter. It is important if students dont understand something to go and ask the professor for help. The worst thing a student can do is not ask questions. Students should talk to them, ask for study guides, and get together with one-on-one development plans. When midterms and finals come around, students should not find themselves unprepared. They should not attempt to pull an All-Nighter and end up falling into pit holes that could have been avoided with proper preparation. Learners should not let their dreams, ambitions, and futures fade away because without proper study methods they will be nowhere except by themselves alone in the dark.

Sociolinguistics and Fairy Tales; An Integrated Approach to Adult ESL

Rationale The purpose of this study is to consider the current materials adult ESL students’ use and incorporate authentic material (through the use of fairy tales) as a way of helping adult learners achieve proficiency in second language through a mock prospectus. This study investigates the sociolinguistic, sociocultural and psychological features found in fairy tales, including Grimm’s tales, and the potential of using modern fairy tales as practice material for ESL learners. It explores various dimensions of fairy tales and demonstrates how they can be used as content to instruct and provide language practice to ESL learners. Fairy tales are predominantly taught to native English primary school students. They are a ‘semi-logical’ language that is inherent to the English language. Teachers can use similar texts so that adult ESL students can benefit becoming familiar with certain grammatical structures and vocabulary. It is essential to discover whether adult ESL students can comprehend the language used in fairy tales. Therefore, the following hypotheses can be made; Are the linguistic features in a modern fairy tales similar to standard/basic everyday texts? Do these texts have the potential to be authentic enough for standard language use? Can these texts allow students to be more active and confident in their English proficiency and self-development? What problems can occur if the mock prospectus is implicated? The main theory used in this study will be Krashen’s Input Hypothesis; the ‘i’ as the students’ familiarity with the stories and the +1 as the target language acquired. Teachers must provide students with opportunities to use meaningful language and, allow for immediate corrective feedback. Storytell... ... Little Pigs’ New York: Viking. Tomlinson, P., and Philpot, T. (2007) ‘A Childs Journey to Recovery’ Jessica Kingsley Publishers Tomlinson, P., Dockrell, J., Smith, L. (2003) ‘Piaget, Vygotsky and Beyond; Central Issues in Developmental Psychology and Education’ Routledge Tomlinson, B. (1986) Openings London: Lingual House Zinn, L. (1990) ‘Identifying Your Philosophical Orientation,’ Adult Learning Methods :39-77. Zipes, J. (2007) ‘Why Fairy Tales Stick: The Evolution and Relevance of a Genre’ Routledge: New Ed. Zipes, J. (2002) ‘Breaking the Magic Spell: Radical Theories of Folk and Fairy Tales’ Social Sciences 5(6) University Press of Kentucky. Zipes, J. (2002) ‘The Brothers Grimm: From Enchanted Forests to the Modern World’ (2nd ed) Palgrave McMillan Zipes, J. (1994) ‘Fairy Tale As Myth Myth As Fairy Tale’ in Clarke Lecture. University Press of Kentucky,

Alcohol Abuse :: essays research papers

Alcohol Abuse   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alcohol abuse is a very dangerous condition in that it can cause many problems in a persons life and affect many aspects of their lifestyle. Alcoholism (or alcohol abuse) somehow effects everyone's life at some point in time; through a parent, a sibling, a friend, or even personal encounters. Alcohol abuse, as a medical diagnosis, refers to a pattern of behavior characterized by excessive alcohol consumption. This consumption can occur at regular intervals, regular weekend intervals, or during binges, which are considered as being intoxicated for at least two successive days. Difficulty in stopping, reducing the amount of alcohol use, and impaired social/occupational role functioning are all characteristics of alcohol abuse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A number of theories in the medical feild are used to explain alcohol abuse. These are the biologic-genetic model, learning/social model, the psychodynamic model, and the multidimensional model (McFarland 457). Each different model, for alcoholism have varied explanations as to how and why people use and abuse alcohol.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The biologic-genetic model states that there is a specific genetic vulnerability for alcoholism. There has been extensive studies on factors in the genes that could determine or influence the use of alcohol from generation to generation. However, these studies have shown no hard evidence for an association between alcoholism and inherited factors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The learning and social model proposes that alcoholism is a process that is slowly developed within a social situation or atmosphere. This model of alcoholism has also been researched by using both human and animal subjects. A conditioning model of alcohol tolerance has demonstrated that specific cues from the environment such as odor, sight, and taste, produce a stimulus that results in alcohol consumption. If ethanol, the addictive ingredient in alcohol , is not supplied, a psychological compensatory response called a craving is produced.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The psychodynamic model of alcoholism proposes that problematic child rearing practices produce psychosexual maldevelopment and dependence/independece conflicts. It is believed that while habitual alcohol use is in process, the habitual drinker may use behavior such as exaggeration, denial, rationalization, and affiliation with socially deviant groups. Results of these behaviors may include decreased work efficiency, job loss, alienation of friends and family, or even hospitalization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The multidimensional model of alcoholism combines the interaction of biological, behavioral, and sociocultural factors. These three factors contribute together to make the strongest model, in which most alcoholics fit. The biological model relates to the progression from occasional initial relief drinking, to the increase of tolerance, and from loss of memory during heavy drinking periods to an urgency of drinking. The behavioral model is helpful in the identification of high-risk situations, in which alcoholics are most likely

Gay Men Should Be Allowed To Donate Blood :: essays research papers

â€Å"A man who has had sex with another man within the last five years, whether oral or anal sex, with or without a condom or other form of protection, is not permitted to donate blood and must please not do so.† This was the statement issued last Thursday by a spokesman from the South African National Blood Service (SANBS). This statement had caused a huge dispute between the SANBS and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance (GLA) Every newspaper has headline after headline about this new topic, every news update on all radio stations, every news program on the television, everybody is talking about this latest disruption in our some-what peaceful lives. The GLA states that on Friday, the day after the statement was made, they donated gay blood, some newspapers claim that 120 units were given, another says over 600 units were donated, all the stories are very conflicting, which one, if any, are we to believe? A big question everyone is asking is that if they did donate gay blood, why did they if they were clearly asked not to, and when they did, it means they lied on the forms about their sexual activities. What good is this going to do anyone one may ask, but if you were in that situation, would you not do something about it to? If they suddenly decided that any white female is forbidden to donate blood, no matter what your HIV status is, would you not retaliate and cause a rebel? This causes us to think, (for once), what the gay men did was wrong by donating their blood, but we cannot point fingers and judge them if we would have done the same. What the SANBS is totally wrong, discrimination of any kind is against the law and yet they are blatantly doing it in front of the whole country, and world. Way back when HIV and AIDS was first discovered, the gay men were the only ones that seemed to be infected with this disease, so at that time it was a reasonable rule to ban them from donating. But now we are in 2006 and every single gender, race, religion and group has been infected with HIV so to only ban gay men is unacceptable.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Essay

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. is a chain of restaurants located in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and France, specializing in burritos and tacos. Its name derives from chipotle, the Mexican Spanish name for a smoked and dried jalapeno chili pepper. The restaurant is known for its large burritos, assembly-line production and use of natural ingredients. The company has released a mission statement called Food with Integrity, which highlights its efforts in using organic ingredients,[3] and serves more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant chain. Chipotle is one of the first chains of fast casual dining establishments. Founded by Steve Ells in 1993, Chipotle had 16 restaurants (all in Colorado) when McDonald’s Corporation became a major investor in 1998. By the time McDonald’s fully divested itself from Chipotle in 2006, the chain had grown to over 500 locations. With more than 1400 locations in 43 U. S. states, Washington, D. C. , two Canadian provinces, the United Kingdom, and France, Chipotle had a net income in 2012 of US$278 million and a staff of 37,310 employees. Chipotle Mexican Grill in 2012 2012 has been the year of Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG -0. 92%). The stock is an absolute superstar, hitting 37 new record highs so far, according to CNBC. -When the company went public in January 2006, the stock doubled on its first day from $22 per share to close at $44 per share. – At late of Febuary 2012, Chipotle’s stock price had climbed to $380-$385,up more than 80% since january 1,2011 and up 334% since january. – Chipotle shares traded at $421. 37 Mar 27, and are up nearly 26% this year. Over the last 12 months, the stock has gained 65%. Chipotle’s run has obviously been the subject of much chatter among investors. Why is this stock so high, and how much further can it go? Many investors think that Chipotle’s numbers are just headed up, and the stock has room to grow as well. Chipotle’s growth is mentioned with the launch of ShopHouse, the Asian-themed restaurant the company has opened in Washington D. C. ShopHouse has been wildly popular with little to no advertising. The success had opened up the possibility that Chipotle could very well strike gold a second time. The company isn’t saying much about whether it will expand ShopHouse, but investors are certainly pricing the idea into Chipotle shares. Chipotle has no debt and about $400 million in cash, according to Seeking Alpha. And Chipotle is in that best-of-both worlds position because it can compete directly with fast food, but also stand up against more upscale restaurants, such as Panera Bread (PNRA -1. 01%). Finally, Chipotle is gunning for international expansion, recently opening new locations in London and planning one for Paris.

Outline and Evaluate One Theory of the Formation of Romantic Relationships (4+8 Marks) Essay

The reward/ need satisfaction theory (RNS) was devised by Byron & Clore (1970) to explain the formation of romantic relationships, based on the principles of behavioral psychology. According to the theory, people form relationships with those who are most rewarding/ satisfying to be with which happens through conditioning. The elements of Skinner’s operant conditioning proposes that we repeat behaviors with positive outcomes (rewards) and avoid those with negative outcomes (punishments). Relationships positively reinforce by our partner satisfying our needs/rewarding us (through love or attention), but negative reinforcement also plays a part in the likelihood of formation as a relationship avoid us feeling lonely which both result in us seeking further contact with them thus forming a relationship. The theory also suggests that we may associate a person with positive feelings due to the even in which they meet; this is called classical conditioning. This form of conditioning involves pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to create a conditioned response, for example being at a party (NS) and feeling happy (UCR), then meeting a person (UCS) and associating this stimuli (now CS)with the happy feelings to create a CR of happiness whenever in their presence and we want to be with the person that makes us most happy, thus forming a relationship. An issue raised surrounding the RNS theory is that it fails to consider free will. It suggests that without rewards a relationship will not form however evidence from modern relationships argues otherwise, for example a rewards and satisfaction is given in one night stands, yet no relationship is formed, plus no association can be made through cyber relationships because the couple have not met, yet a relationship still manages to form. This evidence goes against the theory suggesting that other factors such as similarity, opportunity and our own choices play a role in relationship formation thus proposing the theory is deterministic as well as simplistic. On the contrary, research evidence has supported the RNS, one study conducted by Aron et al (2005). To begin the experiment, participants answered a questionnaire rating how intensely in love they were then they were shown photos of their partner during an MRI scan. It was found that dophamine-rich areas of the brain (area associated with rewards) had higher activity when shown their partner than when shown an image of their friend. These findings show that we form relationships with those who are rewarding. High temporal validity is a strength to this study because it was conducted recently. This means the couples used in the experiment have a higher ability to reflect modern day relationships therefore the findings are more generalisable to modern relationships. Along with that the study is strong physical, empirical evidence because of the use of MRI scans. Brain scans produce reliable, physical, solid evidence therefore have scientific proof for the link between relationships and rewards. The importance of reward level in determining relationship satisfaction was also demonstrated by Carte et al (1982) in which he asked 337 participants to asses their current relationship in terms of reward level and satisfaction and found that reward level was superior to all other factors in determining relationship satisfaction concluding that rewards are a greater factor than any when it comes to relationship formation. However a criticism of these findings is that the reward/need satisfaction theory only explores the receiving of rewards, whereas Hays (1985) found that we gain satisfaction from giving as well as receiving. Most of the research into RNS theory has been conducted in the US with US participants, making it difficult to generalize to different cultures. The theory, as well as the research, has an ethnocentric bias in the fact that it is based on relationships in western cultures, therefore reflect relationships of western societies, but these are very different to other cultures were people may not get a choice in their partner e.g. arranged marriages. Lott (1994) found that women in other cultures focused more on the needs of others than rewards, suggesting that there are differences in the value of rewards which this theory emphasizes so much about. As a result of this cultural bias, the RNS theory is not a universal explanation of relationship formation.

How did poets in the early stages of World War 1 seek to glorify war Essay

‘Who’s for the game’, ‘The Soldier’, ‘In Flanders Field’ and ‘Rendezvous’ are four poems that I feel are apt examples of typical poetry written in World War 1. Poetry throughout this period of time, share similar qualities of which I hope to explore further, one of these qualities is the recurring theme of the glorification of war. The themes of early war poetry tend to same themes that reoccur in most poems. These themes are glory, honour, duty, patriotism and a united front against adversary. All four poems seem initially different, in tone, language, and writing techniques, but all glorify war. I intend to explore how the different writing techniques used in the poems portray the same message, and how their poem glorifies war in its own way. World War 1 was the first major war to affect Britain’s people and the urgency of recruitment for the war created influence for many poets who were opinionated about the war; th e result was extreme propaganda poetry. Many of these poets later changed their approach to writing due to the tragedies of war, and although the poems are more reflective and respectful, they still promote war as a worthy cause for the understood tragedies. The war also created many poets, soldiers who use poetry as an outlet for their thoughts these poems were usually brutally honest, reflective very emotive. Then towards the very end of the war poems became to bare the truth about war, poets found the deaths were to great to justify the glory of them. The poems depicted horrific images of war and mocked people who had previously glorified war. In the early stages of war, poet’s attitudes towards war were positive; many thought the results of war would outweigh the suffering that would occur during. This was due to the fact they had not experienced anything like this and did not know what to expect. They expressed this attitude in the poetry written. Many poets felt very patriotic towards England and felt England had come together to fight a common cause this is reflected by the use of patriotic imagery and language. Poems like ‘Who’s for the Game?’ and ‘The Soldier’ make the patriotism a poignant aspect of the poem, whereas rendezvous and ‘In Flanders Field’ are reflective and sentimental and display patriotism. ‘Who’s for the Game?’ does this by use of its ordering tone, guilt and shame tactics to persuade the reader into thinking the same and in turn feel more patriotic towards England. ‘Who’ll give its country a hand?’ the repetitive use of who’ll/who creates an interrogating tone to coincide with the rhetorical questions. ‘The Soldier’ creates similar feeling but in a different way, it does it by the continual use of the personification of England. ‘A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,’ the dust being the soldier, English man, and England personified as its mother. In this first few years of war realism was sparsely use in poetry war was depicted as an event that would change a man for the better and horrendous truth of war was forgotten this point is made known in all four poems but prominently shown in ‘Who’s for the Game?’ by Jessie Pope. An example of this is the running metaphor depicting war as a game. Its attitude about war is very optimistic for England’s soldiers and that would be hardly any loss from the war. All poems written at the start of the war although influential in themselves were influenced by the desperate need for people to enlist this encouraged A vast amount of forceful propaganda poetry that used extremely powerful writing tactics to persuade the reader to join beyond any logical reasoning. Although the majority of poetry written at the start was propaganda there were some reflective and sentimental poetry however even these poems contained underlying propaganda to get people to recruit. ‘Who’s for the Game?’ is a typical extreme propaganda poem it’s forceful in its approach, using imperative and declarative sentences. This sense of goading the reader combined with glamorisation and undermining of war creates a much enhanced propaganda poem, although logically contradicting in the sense that if the war were as glamorous as its portrayed it would not need to be forced upon the reader. ‘Rendezvous’ on the other hand is not as obvious in recruiting people but was probably effective in doing so. ‘Rendezvous’ continuously personifies death, linking death with nature creating the image of death as a friend and a natural and peaceful occurrence. This is propaganda in a subtle way as it shows death as something that shouldn’t be feared therefore war shouldn’t be feared if the worst that can happened is death, this is a theory that was present throughout ‘Who’s for the Game?’ and is a very unrealistic and misleading point of view on war. ‘In Flanders Field’ is more of an introspective than propaganda poem respectfully attributing those who have died. Yet, it establishes the conflict and hatred towards Germany; ‘Take up the quarrel with the foe’ asking people to fight for those who died. This places guilt on the reader and creates more seriousness. It also has a relaxed atmosphere of the dead speaking as if death was a worthy sacrifice, a theme that runs through most early war poetry whether the poems are propaganda, respectful or pensive. The use of language and the form and structure differs from poem to poem but contributes to the overall effect and tone of a poem. ‘In Flanders Field’ the form of the poem has a constant rhythm and rhyme. Each line has eight syllables apart from the twice repeated line ‘In Flanders Field’ which has four; this makes this line stand out in contrast to the rhythm of the rest of the poem as this is an important line. There is fluctuating rhyme pattern the main rhyming sounds in this poem are ‘O and ‘I. This makes the poem flow more and creating a familiarity within the text and establishes links between lines. ‘The Soldier’ a patriotic thus persuasive pro war poem is also emotive and a tribute to the soldiers. This respect and love for England is shown through the form of the poem, the poem is a sonnet commonly used for love poetry. It consists of 14 lines but is split into eight lines and six by the rhyme as it changes after the eighth line signalling a slight change in context. ‘Who’s for the Game?’ consists of four stanzas and has a constant 1,2,1,2, rhyming pattern to concur with the statement sentences and commands. ‘Rendezvous’ has a structure of three stanzas each stanzas progressing in idea and length from the last. In the need to be so influential and persuasive early war poetry are lined with writing devices that accentuate the main themes they try to get across to the reader. Such writing devices were rhetorical questions to interact with reader and create an informal relationship between the reader and writer. To shame and persuade reader to recruit guilt tactics were used. Scare tactics to show realities of war, later in WW1 era. Each poem has used different writing devices and in different ways to harmonize with the themes and style of each poem. ‘The Soldier’ and ‘Rendezvous’ both use personification throughout their poem; ‘Rendezvous’ personifies death as a friend, and ‘The Soldier’ personifies England as a mother. They both also use repetition of a main word that is important to the theme and motives of the poem itself. ‘Rendezvous’ use of the word death accustoms the reader towards it ‘The Soldier’ achieves the same effects by repeating the word ‘England’ so as to familiarise it as a friend. ‘Who’s for the Game?’ uses hyperbole to exaggerate and a continuous metaphor of war a game to glorify war and represent it as fun and it exaggerates the supposed glamour of the war. it also uses forceful shame and guilt tactics. ‘Who’ll give its country a hand?’ making the reader feel more patriotic through guilt and a sense of obligation that they have to be patriotic. ‘And who thinks he’d rather sit tight?’ shaming the reader who hasn’t joined yet implying that there missing out and makes them feel wrong for thinking they shouldn’t go to war. Like in ‘Who’s for the Game?’ ‘In Flanders Field’ uses guilt tactics but for a more emotive result ‘If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow’ its up to the reader to join the war for those who died so they did not die in vain. It also frequently uses a linking imagery of poppies and the dead soldiers and the poppies symbolise remembrance making the poem more reflective and stirring. Rhetorical questions were used in many war poems and ‘Who’s the Game?’ uses rhetorical questions almost all the way through as mentioned earlier rhetorical questions are used to interact with the reader and help the reader connect and relate with the contents of the text in turn the writer will persuade the reader to share the same view point. The rhetorical questions used in ‘Who’s for the Game?’ are used to interact with the reader but also used in a style of interrogation this gives Jessie Pope control over the reader making his views (glorification of war) valid to the reader; so the reader responds and is influenced by them. After reading all four poems I have a general idea of the style and motivations of typical early poetry I have come to the conclusion that it is not just the poems itself but the way the writer use writing methods to manipulate the reader into thinking the same way. It is therefore the interpretation that these methods insight that causes the response it does; influencing men to recruit. All four poems were similar in theme, and the motivation to inspire people to enlist by glorifying war or applying a sense of obligation and pressure on their target audience, young men. It is in my opinion that the more abrupt style of poem like ‘Who’s for the Game?’ would have been more influential on the reader at that time as it question the man as a person and is so aggressive it would of been hard to dismiss at the time under the circumstances. In retrospect, it would not be as influential now as people are not as patriotic. Poems with a more emotive tone as ‘In Flanders Field’ and ‘The Soldier’ contained propaganda promoting war but as it wasn’t very prominent so may of influenced many without them feeling as manipulated as they would with the more extreme poems. The emotion in ‘Rendezvous’, ‘The Soldier’ and ‘In Flanders Field’ made me inclined to feel the emotion also. The glorification of war was revealed by the poem by the overall language, tone, form and structure of the poem.