Earth is my mother Essay

The author’s purpose in writing was to understand for herself and to be able to present Navajo sandpaintings as â€Å"dynamically sacred living entities whose meanings lie in the process of their creation and use† (page xix). Sandpaintings, created from different colored sands and sacred objects, are not art. They are representations of mythical beings and legends created for the purpose of reestablishing someone’s health and harmony. The study of sandpaintings and their various meanings permits the reader considerable insight into Navajo land-tied religious beliefs, world view, creation myths, society, history, and even concepts of time. The author, Trudy Griffin-Pierce, provides little autobiographical information in the book. She mentions her rootless Air Force upbringing and how her early readings were devoted to books about Native American culture, especially the Navajo. Although she is distantly related to the Catawba Indians of South Carolina, she always felt a kinship with the Navajo and lived for a time with a Navajo family, learning their traditions, history, and language. This bond drew her to Arizona after she completed her undergraduate degree in art at Florida State University. N. Scott Momaday, in his â€Å"Forward†, adds that Ms. Griffin-Pierce is a very creative artist, capable of understanding and discussing the artistic dimension of the Navajo world. She makes the inventive and imaginative Navajo system of belief without our understanding. Ms. Griffin-Pierce received her doctorate in anthropology from the University of Arizona in 1987, where she is currently Assistant Professor in the Anthropology Department and teaches three courses. The information on her website at the University of Arizona reveals that this was her first published book. She has written four newer books, The Encyclopedia of Native America (1995), Native Americans: Enduring Cultures and Traditions (1996), Native Peoples of the Southwest (2000), and Paridigms of Power: The Chiricahua Apache Prisoners of War and Naiche’s Hide Paintings (in press); and two articles, â€Å"When I am Lonely the Mountains Call Me: The Impact of Sacred Geography on Navajo Psychological Well Being†, and â€Å"Navajo Religion†. All of her writings center on the history of Indians in the United States’ Southwest. She is currently studying aging and dementia among Arizona’s Native Americans. In Earth is my Mother; Sky is my Father, Ms. Griffin-Pierce details Navajo religious beliefs, world views, historical myths, societal structure, and astronomical concepts before she discusses the use and structure of Navajo sandpaintings. Basic Navajo religious beliefs are still followed by many Navajos who chose not to assimilate the tenets of Christianity presented to them in the 1800’s. There is no word for â€Å"religion† in the Navajo language. Spirituality, health, harmony, and beauty are inseparable. The universe is an all-inclusive whole where everything has a unique place and beneficial relationship to all other living things. God is the â€Å"Unknown Power† worshipped through His Creation. The Navajo also have a close relationship with the Holy People, with whom they interact daily. (page 34) Navajo religious beliefs are closely tied to their intense longing for and their love of their homeland, which they consider the â€Å"point in space from which all conceptions of the cosmos proceed†. (page xv) The land and the earth is their foundation of all belief, wonder, and meaning in human existence, and the four sacred mountains are the center. There are no permanent religious centers. The Native American Church is a local peyote visionary religion.    The Navajo have a circular concept of time that permits their mythic, spiritual world to coexist with their physical world. The author suggests that the Navajo sacred sandpaintings cannot be understood unless we accept the Navajo’s â€Å"mythopoetic context of layered time, space, and meaning†. (page 7) Navajo spirituality affirms humanity’s place in nature as a whole. Their ceremonies restore the interconnectedness of all life. They believe sickness results from failure to maintain reciprocal responsibilities with the environment, infringement of ceremonial rules, and transgressions against one’s own mind and bodies. Her purpose in writing this book is to share a more humane, more connected view of the world and its contributions in reestablishing humanity’s alignment with the universe. (page 9) Navajos still worship gods and goddesses of specific purposes. Their deities include the Sun; Changing Woman, who brings the earthly seasons; and their children, Hero Twins, Monster Slayer, Born-for Water, First Man and First Woman, First Boy and First Girl, the trickster Coyote, and the Speechless Ones, who cannot utter words. (page 34) These are often depicted in the sandpaintings. Navajos have a concept of the â€Å"Holy Wind†, reminiscent of the Christian Holy Spirit, as a being that exists everywhere and is in all living beings. For them this means that all living beings are related and that humanity has a responsibility to care for other living beings. Curiously, in Navajo Creation stories, the Holy People spoke, sang, and prayed the world into existence with their sacred words. Since everyone has an inner form and is part of the Holy Wind, each has a Holy Person located within. Oneness with the universe creates a responsibility to treat one’s fellow creatures with the same respect one has towards oneself. (page 73). The Navajos were among the last American Indians to migrate from Asia to North America and were late in arriving in the Southwest. They settled in the geographical area bounded by the four Sacred Mountains in the Four Corners area of the Southwest. Their geographical isolation protected them from diseases brought by the Spaniards and provided them with access to stealing their horses, sheep, and goats. They learned weaving from the Pueblos. The Navajo societal structure was and is matriarchal, clan, and family based, and they dwell in isolated family groups structured by the nuclear family, the matrilocal extended family, close relatives, and other relatives. Many Navajo live in frame houses today, but some still choose well-constructed hogans. (page 21) Navajo ceremonial healings involving sandpaintings are conducted by highly trained practitioners called â€Å"chanters† who have learned to sing the elaborate Navajo rituals. The Navajo chanter can cure witchcraft, exorcise ghosts, and establish immunity to illness.   A chanter is a priest, not a shaman, and never enters the shaman’s characteristic trance state. Most chanters are men. Women become diagnosticians, or shamans who acquire knowledge in a trance state. (page 39) Navajo ceremonials are rites (rattle is not used) or chants (rattle accompanies singing. The major rites (Blessingway and Enemyway) use drypaintings with pigments made from plants, including corn, pollens, cornmeal, flower petals, and charcoal. The author explains that Enemyway is a form of exorcism against the ghosts of aliens, violence, and ugliness. The chanting ceremonies (Holyway, Evilway, or Lifeway) use sandpaintings of different colors of sand, ocher and charcoal. Other sacred objects, vegetation, and bowls of water are incorporated into both types of ceremonies. (pages 40-41) There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different sandpainting designs. A sandpainting is a place of entry where supernaturals enter and leave, attracted by their likenesses in the painting. The establishment of this pathway lets the evil or illness in the patient be replaced by the good, or healing power of the supernatural being. (page 43) The healing ceremonies last for several days. It takes four to six people three to five hours to complete a sandpainting six feed in diameter. The workers begin in the center and work outwards. (page 45. The Navajos’ basic concept is that the powers of the heavens and earth are drawn into the sandpainting for the purpose of healing. Time is compressed so that powerful mythic events of the past coexist with the present and restore harmony and well being to the person being healed. (page 58) The sandpainted image is intended to let the sick person project his or her mind through time and space, rising above present earthly limitations.   The Navajo layered worldview becomes meaningless during a ceremony as all layers of heavens and underground become one. The Navajos study the constellations and star arrangements primarily for determination of seasons, and they are not part of the ceremonial core of sandpaintings, even though depictions of mythical gods of creation in the form of constellations may be used. (page 103) One of the more interesting myths is how Younger Brother went to the sky country and met an inner circle of hostile beings whom he left to stay with the friendly Star People in the outer dwellings. These friendly Star People, whom the Navajo call â€Å"The People†, and the hostile beings are still incorporated into sandpaintings. The author concentrated on the â€Å"Mother Earth, Father Sky† sandpainting because it is the most familiar to outsiders and presents the most detailed depiction of the Navajo heavens of sandpaintings in use today. (page 175) She describes the intricate, careful, detailed process involved in making a sandpainting. Mother Earth and Father Sky must be identical in shape and size. The act of creating a sandpainting is healing because it focuses everyone’s thoughts on the principles of balance and order. (page 177) The painting becomes â€Å"alive† to serve its transcendent purpose when the chanter strews sacred pollen on it and blesses those attending. (page 183). The sacred and blessed sandpainting forces the patient to reconnect in time and space to past and present sacred forces and reminds the patient of her connectedness to humans present physically or spiritually. (page 194) This book accomplishes the author’s stated purposes and does discuss the themes in detail. However, the information is disorganized and scattered, making the book itself hard to read. The author’s purpose was to teach the reader how to understand and appreciate the making, content, and purpose of Navajo sandpainting, which she accomplishes. Some of the information presented about Navajo religious beliefs is curiously similar to Christianity, and the author does not sufficiently discuss whether or not these were original to the Navajo who migrated to the Americas or picked up and changed a bit from what Christian missionaries tried to teach them. The Navajo ties to the religious symbolism of their land is remarkably similar to early Hebrew thought, but no mention is made of that. The textual sources used by the author are all documented research papers or books that are fairly recent in date. One would wish earlier sources had been consulted on some issues, but their availability is not known. The author combines quite boring detailed information with her myths and more lively text, making the book itself a challenge to complete. BIBLIOGRAPHY Southwest Studies Program. Biography of Trudy Griffin-Pierce. University of Arizona. http://web. arizona. edu/~swst/faculty/tgpierce. htm. Griffin-Pierce, Trudy. Earth is my Mother; Sky is my Father. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1992.

Parts of Speech Essay

When the idea of the traditional eight parts of speech comes to mind, flashbacks to sitting in the back row of my middle school English language class flourish through my brain. I don’t remember too much about them today, however I do know that it was drilled into my brain until we could fully understand and use them all. The eight parts of speech: such a key component of language, yet such a complicated piece of my learning career. Out of all eight of the parts of speech, the verb, the noun, the pronoun, the adjective, the adverb, the preposition, the conjunction, and the interjection, the ones that I remember the most are the verb and the noun. I am not quite sure how such basic ideas of language can be so complicated to actually explain. My previous days of schooling were definitely not the most challenging or puzzling. So how is it that I use these in depth concepts in daily conversations? I honestly think that in my earlier school days, we simply discussed all of these eight parts of our language and never actually were shown how they are all connected. As I look back now, the approach to teaching the basic patterns of the English language, such as these key parts of speech, have never been too effective. These parts of speech constantly keep being brought up in my daily life yet somewhere along the lines, we get caught up in simply knowing the parts of speech rather than being able to use them effectively on our pieces of written work. All of these great facts have no purpose if we are unable to use them in our daily lives. Reminiscing back to this seemingly simple concept really does stress how important proper grammar and knowing how to make the eight parts of speech useful truly is. As a student entering the world of learning again, the importance of being a good writer and being well-spoken increasingly influences my life. To be a good writer is one thing, to honestly know what you’re trying to portray through your work is a completely different idea on it’s own. Being knowledgeable about the parts of speech and how they can be used in many facets of language is fantastic. Naming the parts of speech in isolation does not bring focus to how important these words can be, but knowing how to effectively use them in writing is what truly is important. These eight  concepts of writing came up all throughout the early years of my educational career and they’re importance is brewing back up once again in my life. Concepts in language never go away, making them one of the most important and best things you can ever learn, just hopefully this time they can stick!

GLO-BUS: Developing Winning Competitive Strategies

GLO-BUS Developing Winning Competitive Strategies Welcome to GLO-BUS. You and your co-managers are taking over the operation of a digital camera company that is in a neck-and-neck race for global market leadership, competing against rival digital camera companies. All digital camera makers presently have the same worldwide market share, although shares vary by company across the four market regions – Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America. Currently, your company is selling close to 800,000 entry level cameras and 200,000 multi-featured cameras annually.Prior year revenues were $206 million and net earnings were $20 million, equal to $2. 00 per share of common stock. The company is in sound financial condition, is performing well, and its products are well regarded by digital camera users. Your company’s board of directors has charged you and your co-managers with developing a winning competitive, marketing strategy, one that capitalizes on growin g consumer interest in digital cameras, keeps the company on the ranks of the industry leaders, and boosts the company’s earnings year after year.Some Background Information Your company began operations five years ago and maintains its headquarters in Lisle, Illinos,USA. It assembles all of its cameras at a modern facility in Ha Noi, Vietnam and ships them directly to cameras retailers (multi-store chains that sell electronics products, local camera shops, and online electronics firms) located in Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America.The company maintains regional sales offices in Milan, Italy; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Toronto, Canada to handle the company’s sales and promotion efforts in each geographic region and help support the merchandising efforts of area retailers who stock the company’s brand. Retailers endeavor to maintain ample inventories of camera models in their own stores and warehouses to satisfy shopper demand. S easonal Production and Seasonal Demand. Camera demand is seasonal with about 20 percent of consumer demand coming in each of the first three quarters of each calendar year and 40 percent coming during the fourth quarter holiday season.Retailers place orders for digital cameras roughly 90 days in advance of expected sales, so as to have ample numbers on hand to satisfy camera buyer demand in the upcoming quarter. Thus, during Quarter 1 they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 2; during Quarter 2 they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 3, during Quarter 3, they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in the peak holiday season fourth quarter; and in Quarter 4 they order the number of cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 1 of the following year.Assembly and Shipping. The company has a staff of people engaged in new product R&D, engineering, and design; this group has the capability to develop new and improved camera models as directed by top management. Once co-managers settle on the desired specifications and performance features for the company’s line-up of camera models, the needed parts and components are obtained from suppliers having the capabilities to make deliveries to the company’s Ha Noi assembly plant on a just-in-time basis.Cameras are assembled by four-person product assembly teams at well equipped workstations. Shipping department personnel ready retailer’s orders for shipment and stack them on the loading dock for pickup by independent freight carriers. The cameras are delivered anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks later, depending on a retailer’s location and the means of transportation. The cost of boxing the cameras, packaging them for shipment, and freight averages $3 per camera. Many countries have import duties on cameras.Import duties in each of the four geographic regions currently average $5 for entry-level cameras and $10 for multi-featured cameras. Import duties are subject to change in upcoming years. Competitive Efforts. To capitalize on advances in digital technology and keep its cameras appealing to consumers, the company from-time-to-time introduces new and improved models, adds performance features, restyles its camera bodies or housings, and upgrades the internal camera software.Aside from company efforts to make its cameras lines appealing and competitive with those of rival companies, the company’s sales volume and standing in the marketplace is affected by the prices at which it sells its cameras to retail dealers, advertising expenditures, the number of retail dealers it is able to attract to carry its brand, the number and length of quarterly promotions, the size of the price discounts offered to retailers during these promotions, the length of the warranty periods on its cameras, brand image and reputation, and the caliber of the technical support provided to its digital camera users.Stock Listings. The companyâ €™s stock is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange in the United States and on several other stock exchanges. The closing price in Year 5 was $30 per share. The company’s financial statements are prepared in accord with generally accepted accounting principles and are reported in U. S. dollars. The company’s financial accounting is in accord with the rules and regulations of all authorities where its stock is traded.The World Market for Digital Cameras The industry your company competes in consists of 4 companies. All companies are on an equal footing from a global perspective, but there is one essential difference in the competitive positions of the rival companies – the percentage of cameras being sold in the four geographic regions (Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America) are not identical from company-to-company as follows:Percentages of Company Sales Volume in (unit sales) North America Europe-Africa Asia-Pacific Latin America Yo ur Company 40% 30% 20% 10% Competitor A 10% 40% 30% 20% Competitor B 20% 10% 40% 30% Competitor C 30% 20% 10% 40%In effect, each company presently has a strong market position in one region, intermediate market positions in two regions, and a weak market position in one region. So there are market share differences among the companies in the industry within each geographic region of the world camera market. In upcoming years, company managers can undertake actions to alter their sales and market shares in all regions, opting to increase sales and share in some and to decrease sales and share in others. Market Growth.The global market for digital cameras is projected to grow 8-10% annually for the next five years (Years 6-10) and then to grow at a slower 4-6% annual rate during the following five years (Years 11-15). These projected growth rates apply to all four geographic regions and to both entry-level and multi-featured cameras. However, in any one year, the growth rate in each r egion can deviate from the 9% average for Years 6-10 and the 5% average for Years 11-15 by as much as 1% in either direction, with different size deviations for each region. The same goes for the projected growth rates for entry-level and multi-featured digital cameras.Hence, there is an element of uncertainty surrounding just where within the 8-10% range and the 4-6% range the growth rate for a particular year will actually fall, for either a given geographic region or a particular type of camera. Ratings of Digital Camera Performance and Quality. The World Digital Camera Federation, a well respected affiliation of camera industry trade groups and camera experts, tests the performance and quality of the camera models of all competitors and assigns a performance-quality or P/Q rating of 1 to 5 stars to each company’s entry-level camera line and multi-featured camera line.Currently, both the entry-level and multi-featured camera lines of all competitors have a 3 star P/Q ratin g. Spirited competition among rivals is, however, likely to result in different P/Q ratings in the forthcoming years. Digital Camera Retailers. Worldwide, there are some 50,000 retailers of digital cameras scattered across the world; each of the four major geographic regions of the world market has 12,500 retailers, some of which are multi-store retail chains (100 per region), online electronic retailers (400 per region), and local camera shops (12,000 per region).Retailers with store locations that also sell cameras on their websites are not included in the online category. Multi-store chains account for the biggest percentage of entry-level camera sales, with online retailers second; local camera shops account for the biggest share of multi-featured digital camera sales, with online retailers second. Retail markups over the wholesale prices of digital camera makers run 50% to 100%; thus an entry-level digital camera wholesaling for $160 could retail for $300 or more and a multi-fe atured camera wholesaling for $360 might carry a retail list price of $700.Such markups give retailers the latitude to put digital cameras on sale from time-to-time at 10% to 20% off regular price and still make a decent profit margin. Retailers typically carry anywhere from 2-4 brands of digital cameras and stock only certain models of the brands they do carry, but in all four geographic markets there are around 20 ‘full-line’ camera retailers that stock most all brands and models. Chain store retailers are drawn to carry the best selling brands and mainly stock entry-level cameras.The makers of weak selling camera brands have difficulty convincing major retail chains to devote display space to their models. Local camera shops and online retailers are, however, more amenable to stocking and promoting low-volume brands, especially those with above average P/Q ratings and respected brand images. Local camera shops and online electronics retailers devote much of their mer chandising effort to multi-featured digital cameras because of their bigger profit margins.In the multi-featured camera segment, local camera shops enjoy an advantage over online retailers because many multi-featured camera shoppers prefer to â€Å"touch and try out† the functioning of the multi-featured cameras they are considering and seek out the opinions of camera savvy personnel in local camera shops before finalizing their purchase. In choosing which brands of multi-featured cameras to carry and feature in their local ads, local camera shop owners put a fairly heavy weight on P/Q ratings, warranties, brand image, and the number, length, and price discounts of manufactures’ promotional discounts.Online retailers use essentially the same criteria in deciding which multi-featured camera brands to give top-billing and search priority on their websites. Digital Camera Buyers. Digital camera shoppers are generally quite knowledgeable; many do extensive Internet researc h to educate themselves about the features, performance, and prices of competing digital camera brands and models. The World Digital Camera Federation’s much publicized P/Q atings are trusted by camera shoppers; its frequently visited website has detailed information concerning the results of its performance tests and the basis for its P/Q ratings of each camera brand. Both camera makers and online electronics retailers have extensive information on their websites about currently available models. Numerous websites and publications review new and improved camera models as they are introduced by manufactures.The buyers of entry-level digital cameras are considerably more price sensitive than multi-featured camera buyers and many do comparison shopping on price in selecting which brand to purchase. The purchasers of multi-featured cameras are much more particular about camera performance and picture quality. Many price sensitive consumers shopping for their first digital camera are inclined to wait to make a purchase until electronic retailers have special sales promotions and offer entry-level camera models at sizable discounts off the regular retail price.It is common for camera retailers to also have special sales promotions for overstocked multi-featured models. The Competitive Factors That Drive Market Share Competition among rival camera makers centers around 11 sales determining factors: – How each company’s wholesale selling price (for both entry-level and multi-featured cameras) compares against the corresponding industry-wide average price in each geographic region. – P/Q ratings. – The number of special promotions each quarter. – The length of the special quarterly promotions (in weeks). The size of the discounts off the regular wholesale price during these promotions. – Advertising expenditures. – Product selection, as measured by the number of models in each line of cameras (entry-level and mul ti-featured). – The number of retailers carrying the company’s brand. – The length of the manufacturer’s warranty period. – The ease with which users of a company’s digital cameras can obtain responsive technical support when they encounter difficulties. – Brand reputation among buyers and retailers.With these 11 competitive determinants of sales and market share in play in each camera segment in each geographic region, you and your co-managers have many options for crafting a strategy capable of producing good profits and return on investment and keeping your company in contention for global market leadership. For example, you can – Employ a low-cost leadership strategy and pursue a competitive advantage keyed to having lower costs and selling your digital cameras at lower prices than rivals. Employ a differentiation strategy that sets your company’s digital cameras apart from rival brands based on such attributes as a higher P/Q rating, more models/styles to select from, and such marketing attributes as more advertising, longer warranties, more promotions, better technical support for owners of your digital cameras, or a bigger network of retail outlets carrying the company’s brand. – Employ a more value for the money strategy (providing 4-star digital cameras at lower prices than other 4-star brands) where your competitive advantage is an ability to incorporate appealing attributes at a lower cost than rivals. Focus your strategic efforts on being the clear market leader in either entry-level or multi-featured cameras. – Focus your company’s competitive efforts on gaining sales and market share in those geographic markets where your company already has high sales and deemphasize sales in those areas where your company has a comparably low market share or where profit margins are relatively low. – Pursue essentially the same strategy worldwide or else have regio nal strategies tailored to match the differing competitive conditions and actions in North America, Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Focus your company’s competitive efforts on those regional markets where sales are highest or most profitable and either deemphasize or withdraw from one or more geographic areas where market share is low and/or profit margins are small. Thinking Strategically: The Importance of Trying to Out-Maneuver Rivals Making Decisions. The following areas should be the basis of your decision making process. They are as follows: Product Design Marketing Assembly Compensation, Training, and Labor Force Special Order Bids Social Responsibility and CitizenshipFinance What Your Board of Directors Expects. The Board of Directors has given you and your co-managers broad strategy-making and operating authority to pursue the achievement of performance objectives, subject to two primary constraints: (1) Your company may not merge with another company ; the Board wishes the company to remain independent. And (2), company co-managers are expected to comply fully with all legal and regulatory requirements and to conduct the company’s business in an ethical manner. Good Luck. R. G. Revers PhD

Web Based Business Models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Web Based Business Models - Essay Example Many of Apples flaws are not in its operating system, Mac OS X, but rather in software like Safari, QuickTime, and iTunes. Music and iPod sales are important factors in Apple’s revenue matrix. The company sold 28 million iPods, 248 percent revenue and 409 percent unit increase year over year. Highlights of the company’s iPod line this year included the introduction of the iPod shuffle and iPod nano — the nano was introduced near the end of Apple’s fiscal 2005. Helping along iPod sales are sales at Apple’s iTunes Music Store, an international operation that operates in more than 20 countries worldwide, totaling $621 million in revenue. Apple opened up 38 new brick and mortar retail stores in 2005, expanding operations internationally into Canada, Japan and the U.K. Retail sales grew almost double, to $2.4 billion during 2005. Apple reports annualized revenue per store of $22.4 million. The retail segment of Apple’s operations reported operating income of $151 million during 2005, compared to $39 during 2004. esearch & Development (R&D) spending increased substantially for 2005 — up 9 percent from 2004 to $534 million. But with Apple having a banner year for Macintosh and iPod sales, the R&D spending as a percentage of total net sales dropped year over year from 6 percent to 4 percent. Apple highlighted lawsuits it’s currently fighting and a few that it’s settled, as well. The company noted its disagreement with Beatles management company Apple Corps. Ltd., which is scheduled to go to court on March 27, 2006, as well as class action suits for Apple’s wireless networking products, allegations of defective memory in PowerBook G4s, sales tax, patent violations, iPod battery life and more. Pending or issued settlements include undisclosed arrangements over a â€Å"music jukebox† patent, a false advertising claim against DVD Studio Pro, and a settlement with

Car Manufacturing and Costing Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Car Manufacturing and Costing Systems - Essay Example Meanwhile, by 1939, the UK car manufacturing Industries have reached to the extent where they seconded the United State worldwide in terms of manufacturing car, as there were 20 Independent car manufacturing companies based in UK. Additionally, according to Stephen King (2005) that "BEFORE THE Second World War, there were hundreds of UK car companies. Had you wanted to buy a car, you could have opted, in the 1930s, for an elegant Alvis. Going back a bit further, you might have preferred the rather underrated, yet classy, Albion. Now, with the administrators called in to sort out MG Rover, it looks increasingly likely that you will no longer be able to 'Buy British' at all unless you're heading for the niche world of Morgan or for self-employment as a taxi driver". The costing system that was used in most manufacturing companies in the 1930s was the volume based costing system. This therefore implies that this costing system must have been employed in the car manufacturing process in the United Kingdom during this period. A volume-based costing system is a costing system that assigns overheads to products based on the output level achieved. (Blocher et al, 2005). Overhead or indirect costs are arbitrarily assigned to products based on either labour or machine hours rather than based on the product's demand for activities and thus resources. (Blocher et al). A vA volume based costing system allocates costs to products using arbitrary methods such as direct labour hours. These systems have proven to be appropriate when manufacturing systems used to be labour intensive, when labour used to be the principal value-adding activity in the raw material conversion process. (Cooper and Kaplan, 1992). However, with the advent of sophisticated technological developments and automation of manufacturing processes, direct labour is no longer directly working in the conversion of materials to products. Instead labour is simply engaged in setting up machines and supervising production activities (Kaplan and Cooper, 1992). Under the volume based costing system products that are manufactured in low quantities tend to incur more costs than those that are produced in large batches. The costs incurred per unit on these low-volume products are usually higher than that for the high-volume products. (Kaplan and Cooper, 1992). Therefore, when a volume based costing system is used to allocate overhead costs to products both low- and high-volume products are allocated equal amounts of costs. (Kaplan and Cooper, 1992). Activity based costing (ABC) a cost accounting system that recognizes the fact that costs are incurred by each activity that takes place within the organization and that products (or customers) should bear costs in proportion to their demand for activities (Owe and Law, 1999) is the costing system that was used in the UK car manufacturing industry in the year 2000. This is so because car manufacturing in the year 2000 became computerised and the role of labour in manufacturing was mainly supervisory. Apportioning overheads using labour or machine hours while appropriate in the 1930s could not be appropriate in 2000. ABC was proposed by Professor Johnson

Dealing with Crime and Disorder in Urban Parks Essay

Dealing with Crime and Disorder in Urban Parks - Essay Example The parks in the urban areas are quite large and the security that is present in these parks is not strong enough and not in much number that they can keep a strong check on what is going inside the park. They are only responsible of watching over the outside of the park that no terrorist or burglar enters the park; they only keep an eye on the people who are entering the gate and do not allow who they feel suspicious. The illegal drug dealers know many ways and techniques through which they can make their way to various places from which they can trade and the drug dealers have now chosen urban parks as their main spot of dealing and they usually enter the park well dressed and like respectable ordinary people so the security officers cannot differentiate them from ordinary people. These people then carry out their illegal business in the park and it can only be observed by the people who visit parks regularly for recreation and it cannot be stopped by the local security officers. T his crime has increased and become wide spread and nearly all big parks in the urban areas have been reported for the same issue. ... rolling or other such things then they inform their in charges which then come in a jiffy and quickly wind up their work before any concerned official can get informed and make any sort of raid. The illegal drug dealers have a very wide spread network and informants who are also wide spread in many different years who keep an alert eye 24/7 to prevent their business from being caught by the police (Kinnane, 1979). A very sad part of this whole case is that there are some black sheeps of our own police department who themselves are involved in such activities and business and they are basically those who inform these drug dealers about the raid the police are about to do and other details being discussed in the police department like informing them about the operational planning of the police department. The greatest threat that this business pose is the wide dealing of syringes; the dealers do not care about the syringes being used or unused, they just sell them and the addicted are in so want of them that they also do not care about the syringe and this is a major reason for many incurable diseases that are now a days becoming wide spread in many parts of the country. It is very necessary that a proper operational policing strategy is developed to control this serious and rapidly increasing issue (Ireland, 1996). A proper operational strategy must be designed in order to eliminate this issue from the root. If a weak strategy is designed then it will not be able to overpower the strong network of the illegal drugs business dealers. Like other departments it has become a necessity for the police department as well to design strategies, tactics and techniques and pay a lot of attention towards strategic planning in the past few years because with the advancements in

Financial analysis and comparison of amazon and ebay Essay

Financial analysis and comparison of amazon and ebay - Essay Example Two of the mainstream [and most popular] e-commerce businesses today are Amazon.com and eBay Inc. Both of these online sites are in major competition with each other. This paper would discuss a comparative financial analysis between both sites through their respective financial ratios and therefore, their financial conditions during the year 2007 to 2009 – when the recession was at its peak. Amazon.com. was founded by Jeff Bezos on 1994 while followed by Pierre Omidyar who founded eBay Inc. on 1995. Amazon.com only used to be an online bookseller but now has widened its scope and now sells a variety of products online. Amazon.com is the largest non-travel e-commerce site across the globe (Keynote, 2009). Meanwhile, eBay Inc. is a significant networking company which specializes on online auctions. Almost anything can be possibly bought and sold in eBay Inc. It owns PayPal and Skype (Keynote, 2009). Liquidity: Liquidity, which is determined in the balance sheet, is a crucial factor in the financial condition of the business. Liquidity is the capability of the business to defray obligations with the use of its cash in times necessary and thus, sustain the business in the long run. The higher the liquidity, the more competitive it becomes (Credit Guru, 2009a). Liquidity uses the Current Ratio, Quick Ratio/ Acid Test where inventory is not included and the Net Working Capital Ratio. Liquidity Ratios are better if they are higher (Zeromillion, 2009). By the end of 2009, eBay Inc. had a 2.3 current ratio while Amazon.com had 1.3. This means that in meeting $1.00 of its current liability, eBay Inc. had $2.30 cents of current assets while Amazon.com had only $1.50 cents to cover up $1.00 of its current liability. In this case, eBay Inc. was more capable of outlaying cash for its obligations due within the specific year than Amazon.com. The same was true for the previous years. eBay Inc. had 2.32 times as much as it required in meeting its current liabilities by

Article critque Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Article critque - Essay Example Stark says that managers must also include all employees who work in the organization as part of the planning process, instead of only relying on other finance officers. Stark suggests that there needs to be a plan that establishes the business need for a forecast and that it should be followed for best results. He outlines a plan for them. In order to create a plan, Stark suggests that when the organization is making the forecast, they should use at least two years of data. This data should include data from "multiple healthcare information systems (HIS), spreadsheets, small departmental databases and enterprise data warehouse information (p. 2). These sources will give the most accurate forecast. He suggest that data has to come "in their pure form" to make the forecast completely accurate. They also have to find a way to gather the information before it is purged from their system (he explains that most healthcare organizations purge data around the two year mark). Once the information is gathered it should be examined in a visual way either through trend, distribution or scatter graphs to see whether it is "clean data" or "to find anomalies" (p. 3). Once the information is gathered, a model is then build using either a "cause and effect, time series [or] judgment model," depending on the needs of the particular hea lthcare business (p. 3). According to the biographic information, Stark is VP of product management for an organization called MedeFinance. Although he works in finance the model he used seems to be left up to the individual organizations to interpret as to how to use it. Parts 3 and 4 of the model that have to do with building the model and evaluation of the model are difficult to understand for the lay person. If this was something that was being explained to employees other than financial people, it would be better written in laymens terms. Also, some financial managers may have difficult understanding the

Week 1 discussion questions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 1 discussion questions - Coursework Example By counting the number of branches we can obtain all the possible outcomes of any event. It may be drawn horizontally or vertically. Mean is usually referred to as the average of a number of values. It is obtained by taking the sum of all the given values and then dividing by the total number of entries. It is quite simple to find the mean of the values. However the students may face a problem if there is a zero in the given data; adding a zero will not affect the value of sum but if zero is not counted as an entry huge errors may arise in the mean value. The students may also experience difficulties in accepting the result of the mean of the given numbers because the mean that is obtained may sometimes be a number from the given data and sometimes may vary from the given values; this variation can sometimes be large and sometimes be small. At this point the students face difficulty in accepting the answer. For

A Critical Evaluation of How Muslims Living in Britain Can be Both Essay

A Critical Evaluation of How Muslims Living in Britain Can be Both British and Muslim - Essay Example Issues of identity in Britain have largely centred on the concept of ‘otherness’. Muslims were considered ‘aliens’ in the 1950s and 1960s. The term ‘alien’ means otherness, and also means difference, threat, and inequality (Ahmad and Sardar, 2012: 2). Towards the latter part of the 20th century, cultural difference became very popular and otherness became the latest thing. Difference is no longer intimidating; and otherness today is valued for its commercial aspect, the exoticism and delight it could provide. Still, identity has been one of the most important concerns for Muslims living in Britain. Contrary to earlier thoughts on identity, which view it in quite permanent terms, the present belief is changeable and continuously influenced by the evolving environment. This essay critically evaluates how Muslims living in Britain can be both British and Muslim. This essay analyses the historical events, social and political aspects, and cultural f actors that contributed to the creation of a distinctive Muslim identity. The different features of identity class, ethnicity and religion are believed to be subjected to historical dynamics, and it is viewed as being continuously reinterpreted and recreated according to external and internal factors. The diverse and worldly characteristic of British society is believed to create various opposing identities. A large number of Muslims living in Britain have had to harmonise their religious and ethnic features at the individual and societal levels. All have been made difficult by drastic cultural and social transformation in the latter part of the 20th century, forcing them to adjust and compromise (Norcliffe, 2004). As the impact of the cultural and societal norms from which they came from on behaviour and beliefs has disappeared with the appearance of a bigger population of Muslims born and educated in Britain, they have become more and more integrated into the British society. Bein g British and Muslim A national narrative that includes Islamic history would allow Muslims, especially younger generations of Britain-born Muslims, to understand how much of their own traditions are an important aspect of British traditions. This would help present and future generations gain a strong identity as British Muslims. However, there is a much larger benefit to be gained from Britain’s acceptance of its Islamic influences and the acceptance by British Muslims that British traditions are an important aspect of Islamic culture. Diasporas have historically influenced Islamic societies. Even the Prophet Muhammad moved from his homeland; and the community he formed in Medina were shaped by a diaspora (Ahmed, 2012). The historical Islamic culture was formed not by Arabs but by groups from Africa, the India, and central Asia. The Abbasid caliphate, widely viewed as the high point of Islamic learning and wisdom, was the product of a diaspora. The autonomous Muslim states that were built in the 20th century, like Malaysia and Pakistan, were usually formed in Britain by a diaspora (Gould, 2011). British Muslims can take advantage of this history to change Islam, as well as Muslim societies across the globe. The British Muslim scholars consider Britain as a perfect site of change. The study of Waqar Ahmad shows that British Muslim scholars have a dream of a democratic and diverse Islam. There are major internal changes that reveal â€Å"the fruition of a tangible Muslim consciousness among Muslim communities† (Ahmad and Sardar, 2012: 8). Muslims adapt to socially created and faith-oriented identities, and carefully choose how they define themselves. They made use of British history to defend their status like on Islamic schools, they formed their public

Military rape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Military rape - Essay Example However, today female soldiers working in the US military are also extremely vulnerable to sexual molestations mostly by their male counterparts (Whitten, 1999). As a result of the increasing rate of the military rape, today young people, particularly female candidates are reluctant to join the army (Nantais & Lee, 1999). This paper will specifically discuss the intensity of military rape in the US with particular reference given to various elements of sexual behavior. This will also discuss four different theories like the feminist theory, the cultural pathology theory, the strategic rape theory, and the biosocial theory in order to identify the root causes of military rape. Background Rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment that occur during military service are generally termed as Military Sexual Trauma (MST) by the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). The term ‘wartime rape’ indicates mass wartime rape rather than isolated examples of rape by individual soldiers . Admittedly, there are no reliable statistical data on wartime rape due to pressures from superior officers and the reluctance of victims to come forward. Reports indicates that increases in the frequency of wartime rape might range from an estimated 300% to 400% by the end of the World War II (Gottschall, 2004). While analyzing the available statistics relating to the number of cases reported, it seems that military rape has been becoming a mounting challenge to the US army. According to some estimates, more than half a million people have been raped while serving the US army; and nearly 100,000 cases of military rape have been occurred within the past seven years (Koss, 2004). Although both men and women in the military are exposed to sexual harassments, women are the major victims of unwanted sexual behaviors. To illustrate, a 1996 Department of Defense survey conducted on 90,000 active duty members (including men and women) revealed that 55 percent women reported unwanted uninv ited sexual attention or behaviors whereas the same was reported by only 14 percent men; and the survey also indicated that 78 percent women and 38 percent men experienced one or another form of sexual harassment or sexual assault (Koss, 2004). Unfortunately, many of these cases go unreported due to various reasons, and a significant percent of the reported cases fail to go to full trial or investigations. A recently published report indicates that â€Å"only 3 to 4 percent of cases reported to the Army Criminal Investigation Division proceed all the way through the system to court martial† (Koss, 2004). Evidently, this situation points to the sexual behaviors of military personnel which can increase the rate of military rape. A Detailed Study As discussed already, the incidence of military rape has been significantly increasing over the last decade. Many of the female soldiers who took part in the Iraq war reported that they were raped by their male counterparts. Some studie s point out the possibility that one out of every four women that serve the military will have to face some form of sexual assault within the time span of their careers (Kitfield, 2012). (Details of this citation not found in the proposal you sent. So not included in the reference list). According to Pentagon reports, over 19,000 sexual assaults occur in the US military annually and this data include the cases of both the genders.

Marketing Mix Essay Example for Free

Marketing Mix Essay Introduction Companies today try their best to continue to keep up with the changes of services, products and technology. Companies rely on their abilities in marketing to keep consumers interested in their products and services. The success of a company may rely on the company’s marketing performance. Marketing planning starts by thinking of the targeted audience needs, strategies, and the development of the products and or service needed. Developing a marketing strategy will consist of the marketing mix. The marketing mix is â€Å"the strategic plan that defines the company’s overall mission and objectives†. (Armstrong Kotler, 2011) Sprint will be used as an example as to how they implement the marketing mix to their company. Sprint’s overall mission and objective is â€Å"To be No. 1 in providing a simple, instant, enriching and productive customer experience†. (Sprint, 2012) The marketing mix includes the four Ps (elements) of marketing. The four Ps are product, place, pricing, and promotion. To better explain how the four Ps work in a company we will see how Sprint applies the four Ps to their company. Frist P Element: Products Sprint is constantly trying to keep up with the technology changes to ensure customer satisfaction. â€Å"Sprint is one of the premier wireless providers for smart phones in the US†. (Sprint, 2012) Sprint cells top of the line phones and phone services for residential customers as well as business customers. Sprint is not limited to just new products or service, but to enhance products or services that are already established as well. Marketer’s decisions on products are based on the nature of what the customer’s needs are. For Sprint to make sure they are listening to their customers and to know what their needs are they have blogs and chatting sessions on their website where everyone from customers to employees can share their comments, ideas, suggestions and opinions about improving products and services that are already established. Improvements can consist of phones to be able to handle more information or new technology added to the phones. Improvements can also be as simple as color or size. Decisions on products are also by the targeted customer (younger=texting abilities, older=tracking system for their children, oldest=being able to see the numbers on the key pad). Improvements may also be a wider range of service accessibility for fewer calls dropped. Second P Element: Place Where can Sprint be accessible to their targeted audience? Sprint makes themselves available through their website, kiosks in malls, as well as local Sprint stores. All places provide the phones and services needed. Not only regular customers are targeted, businesses are targeted as well. Sprint offers plans for businesses which provide packages which consist of several phones on one plan. The business plans are specifically designed to make it easier to conduct daily business transactions. The store supplies physical one-on-one people for those customers who prefer the person-to-person interaction. The store also provides a hands-on scenario where customers are free to look at the phones and see what they look, sound and feel like. The store provides a comfortable opportunity for the customers to make a personal educated choice. On the other hand, Sprint also provides their website. Sprint’s website provides a wider range of phone choices (new and used), wide range of services (phone service, wireless service, etc.) and for customers that need to ask question, Sprint provides online help (chat session, contact numbers, website links). The kiosk is just a convenience catcher. It is in a mall in hopes that a passing by customer will catch a glimpse of the products and be curious enough to stop, ask questions and possibly purchase a product on their way to another store. The store, website and kiosk are designed to give the customers all the tools and information needed to make the best choice for their personal or business needs. Sprint prides itself to making sure all their bases are covered and provides total accessibility to their customers in order to provide them with quick and convenient service available. In marketing a place is also known as the warehouse where, in this case, Sprint houses their phones for distribution so it is available for its customers. Third P Element: Pricing Pricing is a crucial part of the four Ps. Price is also considered a flexible marketing mix element. Marketers must consider the research, development, and services when pricing. In addition, marketers have to think about the how their company will price their products and services based on how much they will spend on fabrication and how competitors are pricing the same products and services. Customers are an important thought in the pricing process as well because they are the ones that are going to produce the revenue for the company. Marketers are also at the mercy of the economy; they will have to price low enough to get a good number of customers and gain a profit, but no low enough that they will get financially hurt in the process. Producing the right or good price for products and or services a company might have to consider redesigning products and services that may already exist. Sprint might offer better phones at a lower service plan or a better service with less expensive plan. Many times Sprint offers free phones to get new customers to purchase their service plan. Customers are given several options so that they do not feel like they are trapped picking a plan that does not accommodate their needs. Fourth P Element: Promotion The last element is promotion. â€Å"Promotion means activities that communicate the merits of the product and persuade target customers to buy it†.(Armstrong Kotler, 2011) This element is the one that helps with enticing the customers to buy their products and services. Promotions are done in numerous ways. Ways of promotion may include, but are not limited to, deals, rebates, discounts and internet sales. â€Å"Deals are short-term price reductions, commonly used to increase trial among potential customers or to retaliate against a competitor’s action†. (Kerin, Hartley Rudelius, 2011) Deals and discounts are a very common way of promotion. Almost all retailers use deals in order to bring in existing, as well as, new customers. Sprint sometimes will have deals where you can add a particular feature to your phone service; like texting. These deals go on for a particular amount of time just so you can try it for a discounted price in hopes to get you to purchase the feature. One common promotion that Sprint offers is rebates. Sprint gives out rebate promotions on some of their phones. A rebate, for example, is when a phone is purchased and the company (like Sprint) is willing to give you a portion or all of the money you paid for the phone for using their service. You will not be able to buy a phone without the service in order to get the rebate. At times the rebate is given when trying a new phone that they are piloting. Internet promotions are another way of getting people to buy products and services. Although Sprint is over both the store and the websites, they were able to provide in store special promotions that customers were not able to receive online. The same went for their website; they were able to provide online specials that were not given in the store. Most of the time the promotions were on phones; customers were able to purchase phones with a special on service or customers were able to purchase phones that have been refurbished or used. These particular internet promotions were not available if the customer went to the store and said that they saw the promotion online and ask if the store would honor it. Unfortunately, the answer to the customer’s question would be no. Conclusion The four Ps serve as the four main parts of the marketing mix. As shown each one of them has an individual function. Each element is equally important on its own as well as a whole of the marketing mix. All of the elements are an effective part of a successful combination. The combination consists of reaching the customer’s needs and wants and the company’s ability to produce revenue and profits. The four P elements of the marketing mix is one of the most crucial parts of a company’s marketing today and it proves to be a bit complicated at times. At times, not all customers will be satisfied and the company might suffer a loss but the ultimate goal is to be successful by any means using the help of the four Ps. References Armstrong, G. Kotler, P. (2011). Marketing: An Introduction. (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Kerin, R. A., Hartley, S. W. Rudelius, W. (2011). Marketing (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGrawHill Sprint.com (2012) About Sprint. Retrieved on December 20, 2012 from http://www.sprint.com/about/

Grammatical constraints on code-switching

Grammatical constraints on code-switching Grammatical constraints on code-switching The behaviour of bilingual and multilingual speakers in a wide variety of speech communities and a broad range of social contexts has been the subject of research since the 1970s. Specific attention has been paid in the literature on bilingualism/multilingualism to the phenomenon of code-switching, one of the results of which has been the proposal of and subsequent debate surrounding a number of different grammatical approaches to it. This essay will attempt to examine and discuss some of the main grammatical approaches to code-switching, and go on to look at the arguments advanced to support (and undermine) these. As Poplack (1980) mentions, authors of the early literature when not focusing on the sociolinguistic and discourse elements relating to code-switching concluded that code-switching was a phenomenon that occurred at random. Subsequent research has shown that there are code-switching patterns and that switching is, in fact, subject to grammatical rules; the debate now is centred on what, exactly, those rules are. The various theories put forward by scholars in this field of research seek to elaborate universally-applicable rules that account for all instances of code-switching in all language pairs. As will be seen in this essay, and as is claimed by Gardner-Chloros and Edwards (2004) and Alvarez-Cà ¡ccamo (1998), none of these theories achieves its aim. It is worth bearing in mind that, broadly speaking, there are two main â€Å"types† of code-switching: intersentential and intrasentential. The latter is arguably of greater interest to researchers as â€Å"it is only there that the two grammars are in contact† (Myers-Scotton and Jake (1995)). There are several main grammatical approaches to code-switching which fall into a number of broad categories, each of which will be discussed in turn. Gardner-Chloros and Edwards (2004: 3-4) argue that any given grammatical approach to code-switching depends on the sense of the word â€Å"grammar†. They claim that at least five senses of the term can be identified and, of those five senses, grammatical approaches to code-switching have focused (explicitly or otherwise) on the following two: Formal grammar; and Chomskyan/Universalist grammar Poplacks study of code-switching amongst a sample of bilingual Puerto-Ricans in New York City (1980) is an empirical test of two simple constraints that, she claims, are universally applicable: the Equivalence Constraint and the Free Morpheme Constraint. The Equivalence Constraint dictates that intrasentential switches will only be made by any bilingual speaker (regardless of the speakers proficiency in his or her L2) â€Å"at points in discourse where juxtaposition of L1 and L2 elements does not violate a syntactic rule of either language, i.e. at points around which the surface structures of the two languages map onto each other†. So a bilingual speaker implicitly obeys the syntactic rules imposed by the respective grammars (which, in this model, are deemed to share rules that apply to the use of particular lexical items or language constituents) and will only make a switch from one code to the other at points where that switch will not violate the rules of either grammar. Indeed, the title of Poplacks paper is a case in point: (1) Sometimes I start a sentence in Spanish y termino en espanol(â€Å"and finish in Spanish†) Here, the switch is made at a point in the sentence where the Spanish subordinate clause â€Å"y termino en espanol† does not violate the grammatical rules of English (which are deemed to set the framework for the sentence): the verb â€Å"terminar† is correctly inflected (â€Å"termino† first person singular, present indicative) as the English verb â€Å"to finish† would be (i.e. â€Å"I finish†) had the clause been uttered in the latter language and indeed, the grammar of the subordinate clause does not violate any grammatical rules of Spanish, were the entire sentence to be uttered solely in Spanish. The Free Morpheme Constraint states that an intrasentential switch may be made by any bilingual speaker â€Å"provided [a] constituent is not a bound morpheme†. Thus a sentence such as: (2) And what a tertuliait was, Dios mio! (And what a gathering it was, my God!) is acceptable under the Free Morpheme constraint (note that idiomatic expressions such as Dios mio above are â€Å"considered to behave like bound morphemes in that they show a strong tendency to be uttered monolingually†), unlike a sentence such as: (3) *Estaba type-ando su ensayo (She was type-ing her essay) Subsequent discussion and research have shown that Poplacks Constraints theory is not universally applicable to all language pairs or all instances of code-switching. It would appear that the Constraints model sits perfectly with Poplacks own data set drawn from her sample Puerto-Rican speech community, and may be appropriate for language pairs which share particular grammatical, syntactic or lexical features, such that these facilitate switches that indeed do not violate any grammatical rules of either of the languages in contact. Nevertheless, Poplack has continued to defend and refine the model, arguing that instances of code-switching that violates either or both of the constraints are not code-switches at all, but rather what are termed by Poplack â€Å"nonce borrowings† (a term first coined by Weinreich (1953)). These, it is argued, are tantamount to single-word code-switches: words from the L2 are used in an L1-dominant utterance but have yet to become an established pa rt thereof. Poplack argues that the Free Morpheme constraint is â€Å"a consequence of the nonce borrowing hypothesis (Sankoff et al, 1990)†. However, further research has yet fully to substantiate the claim of universal applicability of the Constraints model to all language pairs and all instances of code-switching. Other constraints models have also been put forward, amongst others, by Pfaff (1979) in her study of Spanish-English code-switching and borrowing. She argues that there are four main types of constraints on constraints: functional, structural, semantic and discourse-related.   Further constraints have also been formulated by Woolford (1983) in her generative model of code-switching (again based on data from Spanish-English bilinguals). Such constraints models can be contrasted with the far more elaborate Matrix Language Frame model developed and advocated by Myers-Scotton and her collaborators (1993 and subsequently refined: 1995, 2000), in which sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics are combined within a grammatical approach to code-switching. The notion of a base or matrix language was not new when the MLF model was initially published by Myers-Scotton. Work by Klavans (1985), Joshi (1985) and others had already posited a â€Å"frame† or â€Å"matrix† into which elements of the other language could be embedded. The broad lines of the MLF are as follows. Myers-Scotton makes the case for code-switching to involve a base or matrix language (ML), into which pockets of embedded language are inserted. The ML, then, is the â€Å"unmarked† language choice that provides the grammatical structure for the utterance or discourse, with â€Å"islands† of EL inserted at grammatically acceptable points of that utterance. She distinguishes between different types of morphemes and the role they play in code-switching: the ML supplies the system morphemes (closed-class items) in the sentence, while the EL supplies a proportion of the content morphemes (open-class items). There is also a psycholinguistic dimension to the MLF model, in that the ML is deemed to be more â€Å"activated† than the EL; it therefore lends itself more readily to providing the frame for code-switching between a bilingual speakers two (or more) languages. In seeking to define â€Å"matrix language† Myers-Scotton argues that the decision made on the part of bilingual speakers to make intrasentential switches is â€Å"based on social, psychological and structural factors†. It is these factors that essentially form the basis of a definition of the ML. There are two structural criteria involved:  § The ML is the language that projects the morphosyntactic frame for the CP that shows intrasentential CS. This is operationalised by two principles: the morpheme order principle, which states that the â€Å"surface morpheme order (reflecting surface syntactic relations) will be that of the ML†; and the system morpheme principle, which states that â€Å"all system morphemes that have grammatical relations external to their head constituent (i.e. participate in the sentences thematic role grid) will come from the ML†.  § The ML generally supplies the greater number of morphemes in intrasentential code-switching. The sociolinguistic aspects of the MLF model underpin the psycholinguistic ones: as stated above, the ML is the â€Å"unmarked† or expected language choice for the exchange between code-switching speakers. It is pointed out, however, that this is not always the case, for instance when the speakers do not share the same first language. It is also argued that the ML can change over the course of an exchange, in relation to situational changes for example. The distinction between content and system morphemes is central to the MLF model, in that they help to identify the ML and EL. Under the MLF model, content morphemes come mainly from the EL, with system morphemes coming principally from the ML to form the frame in which code-switching can occur. There are, however, difficulties in using morphemes to identify the ML, particularly when a speakers bilingualism is quite balanced. The quantitative criterion states that the majority of the morphemes in a code-switched utterance will come from the ML. However, this raises the issue of sample size which Myers-Scotton herself concedes is difficult to determine and comes up against instances of code-switching by balanced bilingual speakers who use both of their languages more or less equally; the number of morphemes from each language will, therefore, be more or less equal, thus undermining the applicability of the quantitative criterion posited in the MLF model in identifying the ML. . Like the Constraints model, subsequent research and commentary have led to the MLF model being refined into its current form, the 4-M Model. In this theory, further distinctions are drawn between categories of system morpheme. Attempts are also made to resolve issues in the original MLF model, such as double morphology. An interesting aspect of the MLF model is that it does not adopt the â€Å"sentence† as an appropriate unit for the grammatical analysis of code-switching. Myers-Scotton instead uses the CP (complement phrase) as an analytical unit, which she defines as a syntactic structure expressing the predicate-argument structure of a clause, plus the additional syntactic structures needed to encode discourse-relevant structure and the logical form of that clause. Because CP explicitly assumes that the unit of structure includes COMP (complementizer) position, it is a more precise term than either clause or sentence. For all of its innovation and complexity which sets it in stark contrast with the simplicity of the Constraints model discussed above the MLF model does not account for all instances of code-switching in all language pairs, fitting only with certain language pairs, and particularly with Myers-Scottons data set drawn from East African languages and dialects; as well as â€Å"cases of very asymmetric bilingualism† where the speakers proficiency in one or other of the languages in contact is weaker. So neither the Constraints model nor the MFL model gives a complete grammatical description of code-switching; instead, they each describe a particular form or class of code-switching into which particular language pairs or forms of bilingualism fit. A more complete view is therefore required. Muysken (2000) proposes a typology of code-mixing (a term that he favours over â€Å"code-switching†, which he reserves for referring to instances of rapid interchange between languages in the same discourse) that attempts to encompass both of the models discussed above, with an additional component that he terms â€Å"congruent lexicalization†. He argues that there are three main types of CS: Alternation: this is a form of code-switching in which bilingual speakers alternate between their two (or more) languages. An example of alternational code-mixing is Poplacks Constraints model. Insertion: in this form of CS, speakers insert chunks of switched constituents from the L2 into discourse framed in L1. Muysken argues that the MLF model is an illustration of insertional code-mixing. Congruent lexicalization: this is code-mixing between language pairs that share close morphological and phonological ties. An example of one such language pair (and the corresponding code-switching) is provided by Clynes study of Dutch-English code-switching in Australia (1987). Muysken argues that different language pairs will fit into one or other of those types. So, rather than proposing a â€Å"one size fits all† grammatical approach to code-switching/code-mixing, he acknowledges that code-mixing/code-switching between different languages pairs will display different characteristics, rather than claiming that all instances of code-mixing/code-switching will fit into a single immutable model or theory. It is interesting to note that Muysken is also a proponent of the Chomskyan Government model of code-switching. In a paper co-authored with Di Sciullo and Singh (1986), it is argued that the government constraint, whereby there can be no switch in codes between a governor constituent and its corresponding governed item, will serve to predict which switches will and will not be acceptable, regardless of the languages in contact in a bilingual persons lexicon. The model, however, does not account for or predict all instances of code-switching; indeed, bilingual speakers will code-switch at any point in any given utterance, Government or no. Even when the scope of the model is restricted to lexical government by non-function words (Muysken 1990), it remains an overstatement. It must also be borne in mind that this model will change as many times as Chomskys theory of Universal Grammar goes through its various transformations; in its current incarnation of the Minimalist Program, the not ion of Government has been cast aside altogether owing to definitional difficulties Another take on the generativist approach to code-switching is the â€Å"null theory† of code-switching. A number have been put forward (Mahootian (1993), Chan (1999), MacSwan (1999, 2000), Woolford (1983)). The basic premise of the â€Å"null theory† approach whether it is couched in terms of Tree Adjoining Grammar (Joshi 1985) or the Minimalist Program/Principles and Parameters is that code-switching can be described in terms of grammatical principles relevant to monolingual grammars, without postulating additional devices or constraints that are specific to code-switching itself. This is an attractive argument, but far from compelling. Generativist models are highly abstract, to the point where they are too far removed from the realities of bilingual speech. The underlying premise of Chomskys notion of the monolingual â€Å"ideal speaker† is not helpful here, as it leads to generalisations about bilingual speakers that are simply not accurate, as they are not a reflection of how bilinguals combine their languages in speech. Additionally, the â€Å"ungrammatical† nature of speech weakens any grammatical model of code-switching (see below). There are a number of reasons why none of these models (perhaps with the exception of Muyskens proposed typology of code-mixing) can account for all instances of CS. 1. Variability: As Gardner-Chloros and Edwards rightly point out, this variability is found between communities, within a single community, right down to the speech of individuals and even within the speech of a single individual within the same conversation (2004: 4). This may be the end result of and, at the very least, related to the idiolectal competence of individual speakers. 2. Nature of bilingual speech: Bilingual speakers are known to employ all kinds of devices and â€Å"tricks† to avoid being constricted by the dictates of grammatical rules. Speakers use pauses, interruptions and other means to neutralize any grammatical awkwardness resulting from switching at a particular point in the sentence.These devices serve a functional purpose in allowing speakers to make full use of both of their languages, and legitimising combinations from languages that are typologically different (e.g. word order). 3. Abstract nature of the notion of â€Å"grammar† and â€Å"sentence†: These are abstractions used by linguists to conceptualise language behaviour, in this instance amongst bilingual speakers. The issue here is whether such abstractions are relevant to the analysis of CS as seen in bilingual speech. The concept of the â€Å"sentence† may not be appropriate to the analysis of code-switching in any event: speakers rarely utter fully-rounded, grammatical sentences in everyday discourse and code-switch at will with seemingly little concern for the grammaticality of the (intersentential or intrasentential) switches that they make so effortlessly. Furthermore, from a grammatical analysis perspective, Gardner-Chloros and Edwards argue that even if the sentence were to be accepted as the â€Å"upper limit of grammar† and a meaningful unit in the context of code-switching, this would mean that grammatical approaches would only seek to explain intrasentential swit ches whilst omitting intersentential switches and conversational â€Å"moves† (2004: 5). The fundamental question at issue is whether or not a grammatical approach to code-switching is even appropriate. Given the variability of code-switching and the nature of speech in general and bilingual speech more specifically it seems particularly difficult to formulate any kind of universally applicable principle or constraint that accurately predicts how, where and when a bilingual speaker will switch codes, let alone whether that switch will â€Å"grammatical†. Variability lays at the very heart of code-switching; it is a reflection of a human ability to handle and manipulate language in any way that serves the speakers purpose in any given situation and with any given interlocutor(s). Another salient point that emerges is whether code-switching is even an observable fact. Gardner-Chloros (1995) argues that CS is an â€Å"analyst construct†, a product of linguists conceptualisations of language contact and language mixing and, as such, not separable from borrowing, interference or pidginisation (1995: 86), be it in ideological or practical terms. She also argues that the abstract concept currently accepted in bilingualism research is â€Å"fuzzy† and should in fact be used as a much broader term for a range of interlingual phenomena in which strict alternation between two discrete systems is the exception rather than the rule (1995: 68). If that is indeed the case, is it possible to begin to formulate a â€Å"grammar of code-switching† when there is still uncertainty as to what code-switching actually is? The arguments put forward by Alvarez-Cà ¡ccamo (1998) are also related to the points raised by Gardner-Chloros. In tracing the development of code-switching as a field of bilingualism research and of applied linguistics as a whole, he distinguishes between linguistic varieties and communicative codes, arguing that code-switching pertains to the former category and, as such, suggests that â€Å"code-switching† is perhaps a misnomer. He proposes that the concept of CS in its current form be both narrowed to exclude unrelated phenomena that have come under the banner of â€Å"code-switching†, and broadened to include those elements that have been excluded (including aspects of monolingual speech). It is difficult to see how an all-encompassing approach to code-switching can be put forward until the phenomenon of code-switching has been properly identified (and presumably labelled: â€Å"In order to argue convincingly for or against the existence of â€Å"code-switching constraints† and â€Å"code-switching grammars† () research should first convincingly prove that (a) speakers who code-switch possess two (or more) identifiable systems or languages, each with its identifiable grammatical rules and lexicon; and (b) â€Å"code-switched† speech results from the predictable interaction between lexical elements and grammatical rules from these languages.† (Alvarez-Cà ¡ccamo (1998: 36)) However, the issue here again lays in the conceptualisation of bilingual speech. Abstractions used by linguists in examining language phenomena such as code-switching remove the â€Å"human† element reflected in discourse strategies employed by bilingual speakers (discussed above; see below). A further aspect of code-switching, while not strictly grammatical, is discussed by Bentahila and Davies (1995):   the variables related to language contact situations, and how those change depending on developments in the contact situations. In a study of different generations of Moroccan Arabic-French bilinguals, they examine the relationship between patterns of code-switching and patterns of language contact and the influence of extraneous factors on those patterns. They point out that code-switching is affected by the nature of the contact between a particular pair of languages: duration of contact, for instance, and the impact of governmental language planning policies. They found that while all the bilingual speakers in their sample speech community used the same languages, their use of those same languages depended on their proficiency in both, which in turn depended on their age and the effects of governmental language planning and nationalist policies pursued in the post-c olonial continuum. It could be argued that evolving patterns of code-switching contribute to the variability of code-switching practices amongst bilingual speakers and, therefore, constitute another (indirect) reason why grammatical approaches to code-switching so often fall short. In summary, then, a number of grammatical models of intrasentential code-switching, with each claiming to predict where in the sentence a bilingual person will switch languages and that such switches will be made in such a way as not to violate any of the grammatical rules of either of the languages in contact. It is contended that, rather than achieving that aim, each model is specific to the data sets on which they are based, and can only really apply to similar language pairs. They therefore only describe an aspect of a phenomenon that is far more complex than the models would suggest. Furthermore, the applicability of the various models also depends on the â€Å"kind† of bilingual concerned and their proficiency in their respective language pairs: the Constraints model appears to be more relevant to more balanced bilinguals, for instance, while the MLF model seems to be more appropriate to more asymmetric bilinguals. It must be remembered that the models are not in stasis but rather continually refined and amended in relation to developments in their particular theoretical backdrop: the Government model of code-switching, for instance, is based on a theory of Universal Grammar that is itself evolving over time. Muyskens typology of bilingual speech (2000), which draws on the leading models of code-switching/code-mixing and seeks to account for all instances of code-switching by taking into account the various aspects involved therein, appears to be the most rounded of the grammatical approaches to the phenomenon, in that it encompasses the disparate aspects that have formed the focus of individual models. There is also the issue of whether code-switching is a phenomenon in its own right and, if not, what linguistic phenomena the concept of code-switching can be deemed to cover. Has the concept become an umbrella term used to describe a number of different linguistic devices employed by bilingual speakers? Or are these elements that are indistinguisha ble from a wider phenomenon? To conclude, it would appear that research into and grammatical approaches to code-switching have lost sight of the fact that code-switching is an abstraction used by linguists to conceptualise an aspect of the behaviour of bilingual speakers. After all, â€Å"languages do not do things; people do things, languages are abstractions from what people do† . Such a conceptualisation has led to researchers attempting to fit bilingual speech behaviour to a particular model rather than the other way around, discounting aspects such as variability, bilingual discourse strategies and the fact that code-switching is a creative, innovative process designed, it would appear, almost to avoid grammatical constraints altogether. Abstract grammatical models cannot reflect the realities of language contact and use. Not only that, but code-switching is also a gauge of language change and shift; this being the case, it is plausible that a grammatical shift would ensue, thus undermining a given m odel. Factors such as those mentioned by Bentahila and Davies (1995) must also have some kind of impact on grammatical models when these are based on a language contact situation which is shifting and evolving. A step back towards the realities of bilingual communication and speech acts, combined with an acceptance of the variability that they necessarily entail as reflected in the typology proposed by Muysken (2000) would constitute a more appropriate starting point for any grammatical approach to code-switching that sets out to be all things to all bilingual speakers.

The Arras Medallion Essay -- Art Analysis

The Arras Medallion was issued to commemorate Constantius Chlorus recovery of Britain’s and the rescue of London in 296 AD . It is the intention of this source criticism to evaluate the medallion and determine its value to the study of government and society under Diocletian. The source provides valuable insight into how the tetrarchs presented themselves. It will be suggested that the source reveals the tetrarchs promotion of images that portray them as united and equal. In addition there is a sense of militarism and just rule that the tetrarchs where also keen to promote. Along with corroboration of literary sources and a possible, however slight, example of individualism makes the sources valuable with regards to tetrarchic propaganda. The deciphered legend on the obverse of the coin (Flavius Valerius Constantius noble Caesar) indentifies the figure as Constantius Chlorus. The inclusion of PTA on the bottom of the reverse side indicates that it was made it Trier. Given that he is identified as Caesar the coin can be attributed to anywhere between 293 and 305 AD. However, as the reverse shows a depiction of the re-conquest of Britain it was likely commissioned in 296/7 AD . Constantius is seen wearing a laurel wreath and armour and looking to one side. These features along with the stubble beard are key similarities that many tetrarchic coins shared . Indeed the coins of the tetrarchs are so similar in form that without the legend, identification of the individual would be difficult. This was part of the tetrarchs desire to appear united and equal to create contrast with the destructive divisions that occurred during the early third century. According to Southern the adoption of Flavius Valerius into his name was also... ...s an example of the tetrarchic unity being challenged. The source also corroborates the literary account and reveals the desire of the tetrarchs to appear just in rule. Whether the source is an accurate depiction of the reaction to the tetrarchs is another matter entirely. Overall, the Arras medallion proves valuable in the study of Diocletian’s reign as it provides insight into how the tetrarchs wanted to be perceived. Bibliography Casey, P,J,. 1994 Carausius and Allectus: The British Usurpers, Routledge, London, 1994 Rees, R., 2004 Diocletian and the Tetrachy, Edinburgh University Press Ltd, Edinburgh, 2004 Southern, P,. 2001 The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine, Routledge, London, 2001 Internet resource http://tetrarchy.com/coppermine/(accessed 07/04/2012)

art is hugs and kisses :: essays research papers

Art is Hugs and Kisses   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In society today, we as citizens of the world have to face the day to day reality that coexisting with mother natures’ natural beauty is a hate imposed ugliness. Every day we are force fed a horrible dosage of crime, hate, pollution, and bad attitudes that if not balanced out by beauty, would be to overbearing to partake. In my mind, art is everywhere. It’s more than just paints and brushes. It’s the way the dusk sky looks after a hard day, or a baby jerking their chubby little arms’ around in a little wading pool. It’s anything that’s visually or emotionally stimulating. It’s accidental as well as preconceived. It’s what makes life bearable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People now-a-days are too busy. Day’s are so filled with appointments and deadlines that people become robotic, and their emotions and creativity grow stagnant and are only used when called for by tasks imposed upon them. In my book art is just as important a human necessity as food clothing and shelter. Art is a drawback to thousands of great memories in our lives. Everyone remembers that Norman Rockwell painting hung above gram’s T.V., or the beautiful floral designs construed in icing on their wedding cake. Art is not only reminiscent but is also a cushion of comfort for those overwhelmed by tragedy and loss. After the horrible act of terrorism that took place last Tuesday, people were left in a depressed awe. Along with love and support from the nation, people overlook all the beautiful forms of art that flourished following it. There was a picture in Newsweek of the half-crumbled hotel across the street. It was cloaked with about 40 flags and ha nd painted signs of support from fellow citizens that was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in a while. It was a blatant picture of art. It showed love and compassion from a city that does not express it often.

Foucault Panopticism Essay -- Panopticism Michel Focault Essays Papers

Panopticism by Michel Focault Works Cited Not Included â€Å"Our society is not one of spectacle, but of surveillance; under the surface of images, one invests bodies in depth; behind the great abstraction of exchange, there continues the meticulous concrete training of useful forces; the circuits of communication are the supports of an accumulation and a centralization of knowledge; the play of signs defines the anchorages of power; it is not that the beautiful totality of the individual is amputated, repressed, altered by our social order, it is rather that the individual is carefully fabricated in it, according to a whole technique of forces and bodies. (pp.333-34)† In the essay, Panopticism, by Michel Focault, he makes the argument that we live in a society of â€Å"surveillance†. Meaning that our society is based on amalgamation of â€Å"forces and bodies† all of which act to create the individual. It is principally this surveillance which forms the basis of power that draws the individual to believe that the world he lives in is one that is continually watching over him. This constant friction of mental forces (those who fear or have a certain curiosity) shapes who the individual becomes within the society. According to this passage, Focault gives support to the basic argument concerning the panopticon, that communication is key to knowledge. Within the panopticon, there is no communication among the prisoners or those who view them. This becomes another aspect of power; it underlies the main idea of separation and communication as a form of shaping forces in the panopticon. The first phrase in the passage testifies to the basic structure of our society. The goal for our society is â€Å"to procure for a small number, or even for a single individual, the instantaneous view of a great multitude† (333, Focault). The purpose of such a society is so that relations between the individual and the state can be better controlled. That the â€Å"infinitely small of political power†(331, Focault) who run the state can watch the many citizens. It must be acknowledged that to view each citizen is not simply to watch them, but to exercise the power that surveillance entails. â€Å"And unlike the methods of judicial or administrative writing, what was registered was in this way were forms of behavior, attitudes, possibilities, suspicions – a permanent account of individuals behavio... ...pticon where in the center of every cell stands a guard. Whenever we walk into a store for purchasing purposes, we are always under observation. There is a circular glass piece on the top of the ceiling with a rotating camera looking down upon each of our movements. We think someone is watching us. How do we react to the surveillance? It is an act of societal conditioning and discipline. It has proven to be a form of behavior to give us a guilty conscious or the simple fear of being caught.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Our society is not one of spectacle, but of great surveillance; it is rather that the individual is carefully fabricated in it, according to a whole technique of forces and bodies† (pp.333-34). Foucault’s argument may not be understood with his difficulty of writing, but with the examples and proof of such a mind-game that we live in our society today is a good way to understand his point of judgement. We live in a society that watches over one’s movement to arbiter if their behavior or movement is wrong. We have many secret services in our world today that know more about us than we know ourselves. It is an ultimate fear, anxiety, and affliction that we live-out our lives everyday.

Ingersoll Rand (a) Decision Sheet

Ingersoll-Rand (A) Problem Statement To decide the distribution channel to use for the Centac 200, the new 200 hp centrifugal air compressor. Whether the distribution be handled by the direct sales team or use the distributor/air centre channel. Also, the case highlights merits and demerits of each of the channels in detail. Decision Clabough should opt for the direct sales team channel. Rationale for Decision Experience – Historically, the centrifugal air compressors have been handled by the direct sales team only owing to their large hp size and technical expertise required. They have the required experience to sell centrifugals. * Competition – Also, the nearest potential competition to Centac 200 is from the Z series rotary compressor from Atlas-Copco’s which is being sold by distributors. So by opting to sell through the direct sales team, IR can avoid head-on competition and also completely differentiate a rotary from a centrifugal in the market. Expertise – Considering that it is the first medium centrifugal, the direct sales team is better positioned to supply the technical expertise. They have well established service capabilities. If IR chooses the distributor channel, it will have to incur additional costs(and time) on intense distributor training. * Attractiveness – May not be attractive to distributors owing to the very low spare part requirements in centrifugals. Apart from that, IR would not want the attention of distributors to be shifted from the smaller compressors, which form a big share of its total revenues. Recommendation In order to combat the risk of sales reps ignoring the Centac 200, IR may choose to offer higher sales commission to the direct sales team on Centac 200 sales. Also, the â€Å"Full Partner Program† can be extended to centrifugals too where the distributors earn commission on references made to the sale team, thereby also involving the distributors in the process.

Competition in Energy Drinks, Sports Drinks, and Vitamin-Enhanced Beverages Essay

Porters five-forces model reveals that the general secondary drink industry attractor is high. Some swallow companies, such as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, bring in mastered the art of rat building in the alternative beverage market and have been rewarded with rapid harvest-tide rates. The rising population of health informed consumers is increasingly leaning towards alternative beverages that be believed to offer greater health benefits. The sanitaryest matched force, or most important to schema formulation, is the threat of entry of new competitors. agonistical pressure from rival sellers is high in the alternative beverage industry. The number of brands competing in sports drinks, energy drinks, and vitamin-enhanced beverage segments of the alternative beverage industry continue to grow individually year. Both large and small vendors ar launching new products and fighting for marginal retail shelf space. More and much consumers are moving away from traditional soft dri nks to healthier alternative drinks. necessitate is expected to grow worldwide as consumer purchasing role increases.Another strong competitive force is emptor negotiate index finger. Convenience stores and grocery stores have material leverage in negotiating pricing and slotting fees with alternative beverage producers repayable to the large measuring of their purchase. Newer brands are very vulnerable to buyer military unit because of limited space on store shelves. Top brands like trigger-happy Bull are about always guaranteed space. This competitive force does not discover Coca-Cola or PepsiCo as much due to the variety of beverages the stores want to offer to the customer.As a result of this certain appeal, the cardinal companies alternative beverage brands can almost always be found shelf space in grocery/ whatchamacallum stores. Distributors, like restaurants, have less major power to negotiate for deep pricing discounts because of quantity limitations. The we akest competitive force is the bargaining power and leverage of suppliers. Most of the raw materials wanted to manufacture alternative beverages are underlying merchandise such as flavor, color, packaging, etceteraThe suppliers of these commodities have no bargaining power over the pricing due to which the suppliers in the industry are relatively weak. naked as a jaybird materials for these drinks are basic commodities which are slow available to every producer and have low cost which makes no discrimination for any supplier. Low switching be limit supplier bargaining power by enabling industry members to miscellany suppliers if any one supplier attempts to entreat prices by more than the cost of switching.