Monday, September 30, 2019
Frankenstein and Bladerunner Table
IdeaFrankensteinContextBladerunnerContext Doppelganger, defining qualities of humans and monsters†¢Doppelgangers confront †¢Ambiguity of narrative: M not real unless F story verified > connection between the two (Gothic) †¢Quest for knowledge, revenge, masculinity, eloquence, love of nature: M: â€Å"The very winds whispered in soothing accents, and maternal nature bade me weep no more†and F: â€Å"my spirits were elevated by the enchanting appearance of nature††¢Humanity vs. ambition †¢Solidarity vs. connection Blurring between the two – creativity, logic, beauty, abhorrence †¢Abomination as human > moral dilemma. Isolated, Laconian figure during monologue evokes pity. Rhetorical questions â€Å"Why should I pity man more than he pities me? Shall I respect man when he condemns me? ††¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"the sun shone upon me as upon man††¢City vs. Country, industrial revolution †¢Gothicism – nature, horror, monsters within society †¢Science overthrowing God – still human? †¢Doppelgangers confront †¢Knowledge vs. instinct †¢Group vs. isolated genius †¢Deckard ‘becomes’ a replicant Replicants positioned as logical, responsive , intuitive, beautiful: Z: vitality; L: revenge, fear, brutality; P: Roy’s kiss, positioning of tongue, immature, instinctive, honest kiss with R in front of S; R: instinct, reason, curiosity, humour, understanding and acceptance †¢Z: public place: mash of culture with their hats on, no connection except murder and death †¢L: D’s doppelganger? R (empathy and connection to D) shoots him †¢P: death of abandoned toy: materialism killed her: laughing doll †¢R: renewal, baptism, dove, blue light sky, lasting connection to D†¢Impersonal information society †¢Migration – different cultures > globalisation Contraception†¢ Responsibility of creator and ethical responsibilitie s of scientists†¢F vs. M †¢Tacit deal – F made M so he is responsible for him †¢M = empathy, F = selfishness, ambition †¢V: greatest good for greatest number †¢Progress needs to be tempered by human empathy †¢Pride and ambition lead to suffering †¢Usurpation of God contradicts responders beliefs and highlight ethical breach â€Å"I should have been your Adam, but I am the fallen angel [Lucifer]††¢F pleads for a mate. Foucaulian shift: M more human â€Å"You must create a mate for me†¦ I demand it as a right to which you must concede†> â€Å"You are my creator but I am you master – obey! †¢empiricism and modernism †¢scientific development and industrial revolution – no questioning of morals – pantheism †¢well received because of hierarchical society – F tells all levels to â€Å"seek happiness in tranquillity and avoid ambition†– confirmation of values†¢ Tyrell vs. Roy †¢Created seeks out creator – dopplegangers †¢Created more perfect than creator †¢Created still dependant though independent of creator †¢Ethereal vs. physical/ sensual †¢Creations ‘more human than human’ †¢Science and progress at detriment of humanity †¢Impersonal and personal connections Tyrell objectifies replicants: â€Å"she is an experiment, nothing more,†â€Å"you are the prodigal son††¢Consumerism †¢Globalisation – transnationalism †¢Capitalism †¢Loss of identity through loss of culture †¢Mass migration †¢Technology as a part of life Criticism of genius†¢Ã¢â‚¬Ëœgenius’ > pride, ambition > downfall †¢Genius removes you from human connection > God complex †¢Progress must not give way to indulgence †¢M. objectified in the quest for scientific advancement †¢Superficiality of society and lack of concern for human suffering †Å"If you could precipitate me into one of those ice- rifts†¦ you would not call it murder. †¢F’s creation and pride is corruption of God’s work (storm) †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"the cup of life was poisoned forever, and although the sun shone upon me, as upon the happy and gay of heart, he saw around him noting but a dense and frightful darkness††¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"as the dazzling light vanished, the oak had disappeared, and nothing remained but a blasted stump†¦ entirely reduced to thin ribbons of wood†foreshadowing †¢Destruction of innocence and family – Elizabeth, Clerval, William†¢Scientists, philosophers and historians elevated to great levels of importance †¢Reactionaries to change †¢Man creating own destiny – Reformation Effects of industrial revolution – science at the cost of humanity – grave robbers †¢Setting: distinction between nature and human society, the sublime, Romanticism – Byron a nd Percy (criticism – applies both F and M to nature), comfort, science lab and university. †¢Questions pantheism and ‘casual’ science, galvanism†¢Being removed from being human > holding yourself above others > detriment †¢Instinct and logic is greater than intellect (more human) †¢Overcrowded, paradoxical city, C’s inhospitable lab, T’s Godlike palace, S’s dilapidated and pathetic home†¢Impersonal corporatism, mass media †¢Migration – take over of minority groups Archetypical evil genius – society moe used to impersonal figures of power The agony of isolation and the Outsider†¢Progress – isolation †¢Don’t take human connection for granted †¢Destruction of Bride: M’s last hope of connection destroyed (setting) lose hope †¢Humanity vs. M †¢M vs. F†¢Shelley affair > socially shunned †¢Prejudice when revealed she was author (young, 19yo woman)â⠂¬ ¢Genius > isolation †¢Knowledge = power †¢Safety in numbers†¢Tough military life, searching for stability, wanting what’s impossible †¢Impersonal corporate worlds
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Organizational Culture and Strategic Human Resource Management Essay
Organizational Culture and Strategic Human Resource Management Introduction            Different scholars have given the term culture different meanings according to the context in which it is applied. People have different cultures from their area of origin, but organizations tend to have almost similar cultures governing the relationship between the employer and employees or among the employees themselves. Carla defined culture as interactions, behavior patterns affective understanding and cognitive constructs which are acquired through the socialization process. These patterns are used in distinguishing members of different cultures through the way they behave. Lederach (1985) stated that culture refers to shared schemes and knowledge obtained from a set of people through interpreting, perceiving, responding and expressing social realities.            Consequently, Organizational culture refers to how people from a given organization are required to behave concerning their employment and their code of behavior concerning the operations and activities carried out in any given organization. These codes give employees a sense of belonging or identity, appointing and aligning a common view which enables them to act according to such cultures (Bates, Amundson, Schroeder, & Morris, 2010: p. 1565). Different organizations have different ways of maintaining organizational cultures. Most of the companies adopt an impressive rate of retaining employees with a high level of satisfaction as a way of maintaining strong cultures in the workplace. These are important towards the success of the business as well behaved and motivated employees are more productive compared to those who are non-motivated in a given organization. These strong organizational cultures can be maintained through the following ways:            Responsive to the needs of an employee; despite the company catering for the pension schemes and the salary of the employees, it is also required to respond to other interests of the employees such as; lifestyle benefits, healthy, working conditions, leisure and the study days. This motivates the employee to maintain good standards of behavior and in turn increases their output.            Ongoing development; this comprises of the developments that are carried out in the business organization such having talents day mentoring schemes, which offers training to employees on how they can improve their services. This makes the employees feel that their future is being invested in and that the company is supporting their professional and personal growth.            Social calendar; this involves a well balanced social interaction regarding business activities, which creates a good morale. It involves social healthy and social events, which are carried outside the office setting, which creates an inter-team bonding and a buoyant atmosphere which is a form of motivation to the employees.            Honest feedback and openness; employers are required to create an environment that brings an open culture which makes employees in every stage share their suggestions, ideas and concerns. When strategies of a well structured feedback are put in place, business owners can as well monitor the levels of employees’ satisfaction and be able to alleviate any arising issue.            Innovative approach; this comprises of the ways a business conducts its activities and the ways it relates with the members of staff. The company should strive to portray good examples and allow its employees to attend industrial events. This makes sure that they become updated with the c trends and advance in their area of work.            Committed leadership; leadership is a very essential component in any given organization; this should involve all team members especially those in the management sector. Company culture can only be maintained through having committed, clear and inclusive leadership where all members are represented. Importance of Maintaining Organizational Culture            The recent past, there has developed a high concern on how businesses have chosen to carry out their daily operations. The culture of an organization in the leadership concept has become a major component used by leaders to come up with a dynamic organization. Leaders do ignite the process of culture formation through imposing expectations and assumptions on their subjects or followers. Schein (2011: p. 370) stated that as companies stabilize due to their success of completing its primary tasks, assumptions of leaders becomes shared which facilitates the socialization process of new members. This result to the success of the organizational leaders’ consistency, giving clear signals regarding their priorities, believes and values.            When ethical cultures are promoted through leadership, leaders become successful which facilitates organizational growth, maintains good services that the society demands, ability to solve issues before they end up becoming serious disasters and become competitive against their rivals. Schein (2011: p.374) also discovered that corporate cultures are very important on matters concerning decision making in the organization. He stated that if decisions are made without considering the forces of the operative culture, it may result to undesirable and unanticipated consequences. This is due to complex issues confronting leaders when deciding on the best method of generating the achievements of the organization when faced with complex environments. Their success will depend on the understanding, and the knowledge leaders have concerned the organizational culture. This makes them predict the results of their decisions by preventing anticipated re percussions. Arguably, an organization that maintains such strong culture can also realize the following benefits. Enhanced corporation and mutual trust Development of an informal control system within the organization            Assisting workers in modifying their behaviors through providing behaviors, which are justified Schein (2011: p.373) also characterized the culture of an organization in three levels. The first level consisted of artifacts and behavior levels which are most visible as they are always around us. Such an observable cultural level consist of an outward manifestations behavior patterns of culture which can be seen in the physical layout of dress codes, work environments, levels of technology, behaviors and attitudes of people. The second level comprised of the organizational values that determine behavior and are unobservable which are different from the artifacts and physical behaviors. They give the difference between operating values and the stated values such valuing customers and qualities. Operating value refers to actual manifestation of true values in force. Schein (2011: p.373) emphasized that for better understanding of culture one h as to get the deeper level of beliefs and assumptions. The relevance of culture is the learned beliefs, values and assumptions which are taken for granted and shared as the company becomes successful.            The most challenging issue concerning the organizational culture is whether they can be changed. Some of these cultures are maintained, created and transformed by leaders or the people. Hartman (2006) stated that culture comprises of laws, history, language as well as systems and rules, informal and formal practices, rituals and beliefs. However, ethics of an organization operates on the whole moral culture of the business organization. Schein (2009: p.109) recommended the following five embedding primary mechanism which can be used by leaders as major tools to teach the organizations they lead on how to think, perceive, behave and feel from their own unconscious and conscious convictions.            Leaders’ attention on a regular basis control and measures: organizational leaders and founders communicate their beliefs, values and priorities based on where they are paying their attention. Their overtime measure and emphasizes can lead to a greater effect on the culture of the organization. Schein (2009: p.110) stated that such a process ends up becoming a powerful way of delivering a message especially when the leaders portray a total consistent to their behavior. These leaders consistency is the one that sends a message showing their priorities, beliefs and values which is high importance rather than the actions’ intensity. Northouse (2008: p.370) argued that every leader should have an agenda, proposals, a series of beliefs; values issues and ideas which they desire to discuss which has significant effects on the values the organization exhibits. Schein (2009: p.112) stated that leaders can apply both negative and posi tive signals as tools of capturing the subordinates’ attention on important issues concerning the organization.            Leaders’ reactions towards organizational crises and critical incidents: all organizations are bound to experience crises which are known to draw every ones attention in such an incidence. The way leaders react to such crises; it gives more information concerning the values, culture and norms of the organization (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 2013: p.130)            Schein ((2009: p.113) quoted that if an organization is confronted with crises, the way leaders and other shareholders deals with such a situation, it creates values, new norms, working procedures and reveals underlying assumptions, which are important. Crises generate emotional involvement and attention to those related to the organization mostly if such crises threaten the existence of the organization. When the organizations assumptions are exposed in such an incidence, the potential is increased to either reinforce the current culture or make a change on such current culture. In such situations, leaders may influence the culture of the organization so as to support ethical behaviors and strong morals which reinforces creation of new values in the organization. Such situations give the leaders an opportunity to coach, teach and mentor their followers.            How resources are allocated by leaders, status and rewards: organizations are required to prepare a budget which is a basic tool used in resource allocation of the company, this allocation reveals the leaders beliefs and assumptions. If the allocation of resources is balanced, it improves the efficiency of the operations, creates consumer satisfaction and increases the values of the company.            Deliberate teaching, role modeling and coaching: when a leader becomes a good role model by showing personal examples, it sends a very beneficial and a powerful message to the organizational members mostly for consistent and ethical actions. Schein (2011: p.272) stated that a subordinate derives their personal ethics from what they perceive or observe as ethical standards practiced by the leaders.            How leaders select, recruit, excommunicate and promote: this gives a significant way through which leaders can transform the culture of the organization and their assumptions through selecting, promoting and retaining people business organization. Schein (2009: p.115) stated that leaders and organizational founders establish unconscious culture in the organization through advancing and hiring anyone, whom they thought has such values they desire and eliminate the undesirable ones. If the corporate culture of the business organization is corrupt, people in the organization tend to ignore the right things and engage in activities which are unethical along their ways of operations.            SHRM on the other hand refers to the intentions and plans of the organization on how it should achieve its goals through people. It is a process which comprises of three propositions: the first one indicates that competitive advantage has a major source which is human capital; secondly, it indicates that the organization strategic plan is implemented by people. Finally, is that the organization should adopt a systematic approach that defines where the company wants to go, and the ways it should do to get there. These strategies of HRM define the plans and intentions associated to organizational overall considerations such as its effectiveness and more precise aspects related to people management, which involves resourcing, employee relations and rewards, learning and development. It addresses organizational issues in a broader perspective which are associated to changes in culture and structure, organizational performance and its effective ness, matching resources concerning future requirement, and management of change. Its main aim is to develop capability processes, which ensures things, are done effectively. Aims of adopting SHRM            The rationale of SHRM is to bring an agreement and understanding based on developing an approach of people management in the long-term. Boswell (2010: p. 1489) suggested that SHRM is meant to achieve competitive advantage using HRM.            It provides a perspective on how to address success factors or critical issues related to people, strategic decisions made which have a long term and a major impact on the organizational success and behavior. Its fundamental aim is to come up with strategic capability by making sure that the business has a skilled, well motivated and committed employee which brings competitive advantage.            The objective of SHRM is providing a sense of direction always in a tabulated environment in order to ensure the company needs and the employees collective needs are met through implementation and development of coherent and practical programs and policies of human resource. Holder and Dyer (2008: p.66) stated that the aims of SHRM should be to provide a unifying framework which is integrative, broad and based on contingency. Storey, Wright, & Ulrich, 2009: p. 108) termed the aims of SHRM that they should emphasize on aspects of human relations of people management, communication, emphasizing continuous development, involvement, working life quality, security of employment and balance of work-life.            It should attempt to have an achievement of balancing both the soft and hard elements. Almost every organization strives to achieve its objectives and must ensure that the required resources needed to achieve such objectives they are used efficiently. Quinn (2013: p. 96) stated that when the management is taking an extensive planning, they should consider the people in mind, take an account of the aspirations and the needs of all the organizational members in the soft concept of SHRM. Importance of having SHRM in an organization            In most cases, the importance of SHRM in a business organization becomes hard to overemphasize them because human beings act as the driving forces in any business organization. This calls for the organization to have strategies of implementing a well-thought out and well planned SHR ideas (Kang & Kim, 2011: p. 390). This will facilitate coordination and having a proper channel of human capital to ensure increased productivity (Kane, 2006: p. 190). Better strategies on human resources, which are solid, allow the business organization to develop a good relationship with the organizational workers, and have peaceful coexistence and mutual benefits from the host community.            A well and properly implemented a plan on SHRM helps the organization to attain its goals through the employees performing their necessary duties which are geared towards achieving such goals. In such a situation, the benefits of SHRM are seen since departments of human resources identify key areas in the organization which requires manpower (Sarros, Cooper & Santora, 2008: p.150)            These departments are also required to carry out key steps on matters of recruiting ideal candidates who can fill vacancies and helps the organization to achieve its short-term, long-term goals and its vision. Strategic approaches to HRM            Approach based on resources: Barney (2011: p.46) indicated that aims of based resource approach are developing the capability of achieving the fit between opportunities, resources and obtaining value addition from well deployment of resources.            Strategic fit: strategies of human resource should have an integral part that contains strategies of the business which contributes in the planning processes of the business as they are carried out. Integration is a necessary concept in a business as it gives the congruence between strategies of human resource and the business itself when done vertically (Barney, 2011: p.48). The aim of carrying out both horizontal and vertical integration in a business is to ensure a coherent approach is achieved as far as management of people is concerned.            Management at high-performance: this management aims at making an effect on the firm’s performance through its people in areas such as quality, productivity, levels of consumer services, profits, growth and delivery of improved shareholders value. This management carries out practices such as selection procedures and vigorous recruitment, relevant training and extensive management, development activities and process of management performance.            Few years ago, researchers and professionals have been focusing on whether corporate culture has any effect on the company performance and its effectiveness. Kanter (2013: p.22) in his book Managing Knowledge Workers Unleashing Innovation and Productivity demonstrated that companies with better SHRM outperformed those with less progressive practices. In illustrating the link between organizational culture and its effectiveness, the proposition focuses on four major traits of culture which needs to be examined in order to get the clear link between the two. Such traits are; involvement, adaptability, consistency and mission.            Consistency and involvement are mainly focused on the internal composition of the organization and its mission. Mission and adaptability on the other hand focuses on how external factors of the environment and the organization are collated. Research has proposed that the culture of an organization has to be strong, and give strategic competitive benefits and its values and believes have to be firmly held and widely shared (Koch & McGrath, 2010: p.340). This proposal is only meant if the purpose of the corporate culture is to improve its effectiveness and the overall performance.            Although previous reviews and studies show that SHRM has become general probably with respect to performance and HRM, it has been mainly limited to the relationship between organizational performance and HR practices (Vijayasiri, 2010: p.48). Strategic HRM accepts functions of HR as a strategic important partner when formulating the strategies of the company and their implementation through practices of HR. Deley (2009: p.38) adopted a perspective view based on resources which emphasized on acquiring competitive benefits through the means of utilizing organizational resources through employees. Through the research for SHRM of organizational effectiveness, the following areas were used to determine whether such strategies are successful:            Outcomes on human resource, which made an evaluation concerning the behaviors of the workforce/ employees;            Outcomes of the organization which are based on quality, productivity and services;Outcomes on financial accounting related to profitability and investment returns;Outcomes on capital market for public organizations that are, shareholders returns and stock value.            Finally, strategic HRM is a very important factor to be mentioned despite whether there is a significant research done or not. There is supportive evidence which shows that there is a strong link between effectiveness and culture. SHRM fully depends on the organizational culture for its successful implementation (Denison, & Mishra, 2013: p. 214). Valuation of styles and viewpoints and development of ways which are concrete facilitates learning in the organization from differences which shows high benefits obtained when organizational structure, processes and procedures are maximized.            Conclusively, research has been done which shows how national cultures are diversified and how they influence the behaviors of the employees, this inspires optimism on the emerging perspectives related to SHRM practices and culture (Siddique, 2013: p.230). Globally, there is a lot of research that is carried out on how organizations allocate resources, make decisions, manage, negotiate and motivate employees, develop and train their employees (Linn, 2008: p. 90). These researches reveal that culture is one of the most important determinants of the organizational behavior. Consequently, a culture plays a great role in the field of HRM which takes heed of methodological and the existing theoretical pitfalls. This shows that, for the SHRM to be implemented successfully, organizational culture has to be maintained at high standards by both the employer and the employees. References Barney, N. J. (2011). Competence, governance, and entrepreneurship: advances in economic strategy research. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Original work published 2000) Bates, K. A., Amundson, S. D., Schroeder, R. G., & Morris, W. T. (2010). The Crucial Interrelationship Between Manufacturing Strategy And Organizational Culture. Management Science, 41(10), 1565-1580. Boswell, W. (2010). Aligning Employees With The Organization’s Strategic Objectives: Out Of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"line Of Sightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢, Out Of Mind. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17(9), 1489-1511. Deley, A. (2009). Best human resource management practices in Latin America. London: Routledge. Denison, D. R., & Mishra, A. K. (2013). Toward A Theory Of Organizational Culture And Effectiveness. Organization Science, 6(2), 204-223. Holder, J., & Dyer, G. (2008). Strategic human resource development. London: Sage Publications. (Original work published 2003) Kane-Urrabazo, C. (2006). Management’s Role In Shaping Organizational Culture. Journal of Nursing Management, 14(3), 188-194. Kang, M., & Kim, H. (2011). Influence Of Strategic Human Resource Management Of On Organizational Culture And Organizational Citizenship Behavior Of Private Facility Security Guards. The Journal of the Korea Contents Association, 11(4), 389-403. Kanter, A. D. (2013). Managing knowledge workers unleashing innovation and productivity. Westport, Conn.: Quorum Books. Koch, M. J., & McGRATH, R. G. (2010). Improving Labor Productivity: Human Resource Management Policies Do Matter. Strategic Management Journal, 17(5), 335-354. Linn, M. (2008). Organizational Culture: An Important Factor To Consider. The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, 21(3), 88-93. Northouse, C. (2008). A Model To Explore The Mystery Between Organizations’ Downsizing Strategies And Firm Performance: Integrating The Perspectives Of Organizational Change, Strategy And Strategic Human Resource Management. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 21(3), 367-384. Pacanowsky, M. E., & O’Donnellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Trujillo, N. (2013). Organizational Communication As Cultural Performance. Communication Monographs, 50(2), 126-147. Quin, C. (2013). The effectiveness of a paid parental leave policy on return rates of new mothers: [a research report submitted to the Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the] Diploma in Human Resource Management. Hoboken: Springer. Sarros, J. C., Cooper, B. K., & Santora, J. C. (2008). Building A Climate For Innovation Through Transformational Leadership And Organizational Culture. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies , 15(2), 145-158. Schein, E. H. (2009). Organizational Culture.. American Psychologist, 45(2), 109-119. Schein, E. H. (2011). Organizational Culture And Leadership: A Dynamic View, By Edgar H. Schein. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2010. Human Resource Management, 24(3), 370-375. Siddique, C. (2013). Job Analysis: A Strategic Human Resource Management Practice. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 15(1), 219-244. Storey, J., Wright, P. M., & Ulrich, D. (2009). The Routledge companion to strategic human resource management. London: Routledge. Vijayasiri, G. (2010). Reporting Sexual Harassment: The Importance Of Organizational Culture And Trust. Gender Issues, 25(1), 43-61. Source document
Saturday, September 28, 2019
MGMT499 1 DB Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
MGMT499 1 DB - Research Paper Example Jeff Bezos is also another aspiring leader. The leader is the chief executive officer of Amazon. The CEO is achieving significant transaction deals. The director bought The Washington Post, and Amazon is yielding billions of returns. The leader also stated that Apple is testing drones that will be useful in making delivering products to the customers within thirty minutes. The chief executive of Apple, Tim Cook, is an uninspiring person according to the Business Insider and the Benzinga journals. The CEO is the reason the Apple Company is experiencing too many employee departures. The other leader, who is uninspiring, is the Cuban president Raul Castro. The reason is underlying the statements that the leader is said to be reluctant and appears to be ruling in an incompetent way. The reference also leads to many people questioning his ability to govern. The person who appointed the leader, Mr. Fidel, is the one who pointed out that Raul is poor in delivering any speech. The president also is incapable of delivering real messages to reporters especially those who are from foreign countries (Latell, January 21,
Friday, September 27, 2019
Issues in Employee Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Issues in Employee Performance - Essay Example However, having a sound output for the company depends on the quality of human capital one organisation has. In order to attain quality productivity, one must select competent personnel of which can deliver the expected output based on the set goals and objectives of the company. Moreover, on the other hand, those who have been employed in the company should be measured based on ones productivity and accomplishment, a process of which leads towards employees performance management. Primarily, employees’ performance management focuses on developing ones capabilities. Aguinis (2007) mentioned in one of his writings that performance management is â€Å"a continuous process of identifying, measuring and developing the performance of an individual.†Aguinis (2007) further added that this continuous capacity building needs clear objectives, observing and measuring performance and regular feedback. However, Cokins (2004) does not limit performance management to capacity buildi ng but rather â€Å"performance management helps managers to sense earlier and respond more quickly to uncertain changes.†Understanding the Nature of Employees According to Dan Hill (2008) employee management is the most emotional part of the business. It is a relationship that links the superior and the staff where interaction takes place and sometimes intense. Fast phased working environment mostly leads to misunderstanding or disagreement affecting office relationship. Emotionally confronted with reality cannot be avoided since it party dominate the relationship that shadows rationality and objectivity affecting company goals and specific work assignments. In some cases of which are highly damaging to the company’s reputation and as part of correcting the actions of which has negatively undertaken by an employee, immediate termination of employment should be considered and served to the employee. However, in less grievous cases, disciplinary action may take its pla ce in order to help the employee improve their quality to meet work standards. It should always be kept in mind that majority of employees would like to succeed in their respective position in which in order for an employee to advance to their respective careers, constant guidance and coaching is expected from their superior. This would help them improved and be recognized once ability enabling them to integrate concretely to the company’s operations giving them a sense of belongingness and for them to be able to recognize their personal problem and being able to improve oneself. Performance Management Wilson (2005) conferred that performance management has its own set of process, concept of which its approach has a holistic philosophy that integrates employees motivation, awareness of expectation from the superiors, personnel development and training, monitoring and performance measurement for them to be able to know the key areas for improvement. According to Mathis and Jac kson (2008) performance management should emanate from the organizations needs to meet its strategic objectives. Performance management serves as a strategy relating to every activity of organisation (Armstrong, 2005). Armstrong (2006) mentioned that installing a performance management system in the workplace creates an atmosphere that enables employees to performance in high
Thursday, September 26, 2019
The Baptism of Pocahontas by John Gadsby Chapman Essay
The Baptism of Pocahontas by John Gadsby Chapman - Essay Example Both "The Warning of Powhatan" and "The Crowning of Powhatan" were displayed at the National Academy of Design in New York in the year 1836. His Landing at Jamestown and The Crowning of Powhatan were later imprinted in the 1840s for accepted magazines. Chapman's companion Henry Alexander Wise had set up a decree in the United States House of Representatives in the year 1834 to structure a committee to choose American artists to complete the United States Capitol Rotunda cycle commenced by John Trumbull. On 28 February 1837 the Select Committee opted Robert Weir, John Vanderlyn, Henry Inman, and John G. Chapman to paint sight from American history. According to his agreement, Chapman entertained $10,000 in four payments. The completed painting, The Baptism of Pocahontas, was revealed on 30 November 1840 and was escorted by a leaflet elucidating the artist's approach to the theme and a concise history of Pocahontas as well as the Jamestown colony. John Gadsby Chapman sought to use the Jamestown legend as a paradigm of the confrontation between English settlers and Native Americans. His Baptism of, installed in the U.S. Capitol rotunda in 1840, combined historical mythmaking, concerns about the fate of the "noble savage," and respect for the Virginia heritage. Like Custis, the artist had deep roots in the Virginia soil; his father, Charles, came from an old Prince William County family; his maternal grandfather, John Gadsby, owned the famous Alexandria tavern that is now a Virginia landmark. Born near there in 1808, Chapman grew up with Mount Vernon and its powerful Washington legacy a few miles to the south and the newly constructed federal city taking shape upriver on the Potomac. Both were to have a profound effect on his future ambitions. During a brief and futile attempt to study law in Winchester, Virginia, he formed a close friendship with future Virginia congressman and Governor Henry Alexander Wise2. In 1828, the youn g artist toured Europe, there enriching his artistic education while making friends with such notables as James Fenimore Cooper, Samuel F.B. Morse, and the sculptor Horatio Greenough. Chapman might have taken advantage of such influential friends to help him launch his career in New York upon his return in 1831. Instead he chose to settle in Virginia, where he eked out scant living painting portraits. (Alexandria Gazette, 1832) During his youth, Chapman had witnessed the rebuilding of the Capitol after its destruction during the War of 1812 and had later watched John Trumbull install his four Revolutionary War paintings in the rotunda. Hoping one day to create a similar "national picture" for the Capitol, he began to contact influential politicians and exhibit his paintings around the District of Columbia3. By this time, Chapman had moved to New York City, where he was establishing a creditable reputation as a printmaker and illustrator. As soon as he returned home, the artist began painting episodes from the Pocahontas saga, the first being two small canvases -- The Coronation of Powhatan and The Warning of Pocahontas -- which he exhibited at the National Academy of Design in 1836. In 1837, he composed his own version of the famous rescue scene, Pocahontas Saving the Life of Captain John Smith and between 1839 and 1841; he
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6
History - Essay Example The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed a vote of the people to determine if slavery would be allowed or not. This causes Kansas to become a battle ground with violence over pro-slavery and anti-slavery views. The Topeka Constitution was created by the legitimate government in Kansas, but the initial government that gained power by fraud continued to remain in power. Dred Scott v. Sandford, a Supreme Court ruling in 1857 ruled that slaves that lived in free territories were still slaves. It further stated Congress did not have the right to exclude slavery from the free territories. In 1860 Lincoln won the election as the first Republican president. The events listed above were a few of the arguments about slavery and slavery in the free territories. If the United States had not expanded its borders the question of slavery might have stayed a free North and slave South longer than it did. However both the North and South felt their way of life was being overrun by the opposite position. It so on became an issue of the whole country had to have slavery or be free. The only other option was for the South to leave the Union. That did not work well either. Bibliography Stevens, J. (2007). Abraham Lincoln's Understanding of the Nature of the Union: Secession, Slavery and the Philosophical Cause.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Character Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7
Character Analysis - Essay Example The character of juror number 8 can be recognized as a person who is very creative. The name of Juror # 8 is Fonda and he belongs to the field of architecture. The profession he is working in is alone enough to categorize his as a creative individual. This is because in the field of architecture an individual is responsible for designing structures that are physical in nature. Architects are individuals involved in the area of creating buildings and designing homes and they have to be creative in their work in order to create new and improved designs (Puccio 346). Another reasons due to which he can be referred to as a creative individual is that he has tremendous amount of experience in his field. Within the movie he can be witnessed performing various acts that reiterate the fact the he is quite a creative individual. For example while solving the mystery of whether the boy killed his father or not, he develops a blue print of the room in which the father was living. Furthermore, h e even tries to defend the boy my measuring the area that the father had travelled to open the door of his room. Fonda is a person who can be referred to as an individual who prefers making decisions in an ethical manner. There are various theories that help in identifying whether a person and his actions are ethical or unethical. One such theory is the ethical decision making theory of utilitarianism. The theory argues that individuals and their decisions and action can be categorized as ethical if he makes decision while ensuring the his decisions lead to the benefit of the entire society and not just a few members of the society (Puccio 24). If his actions and decisions are considered under the light of utilitarianism, he can be considered as an ethical person. This is because unlike other individuals, he ignored his own self-interest and gave precedence to the interest of the young boy. Due to his action of questioning the
Monday, September 23, 2019
Regionalization planning, preparation, and response approach Research Paper
Regionalization planning, preparation, and response approach - Research Paper Example are known to have a history of coordinated aid agreements and function mutually, some regions are characterized with different partners coming together in the context of federal homeland security arrangements in order to initiate effective planning. This paper examines the issues of regional planning, preparation and responses approaches in the context of their economic, social and legal impacts. In addition, the paper will incorporate the role of the Saint Leo University core value of Community as it relates to local response to terrorism; such as, mutual aid agreements, regionalization approaches, multi-jurisdictional training or exercises, cross-discipline training or exercises, interoperable communications, etc. Body Regionalization or regional coordination relates to using government resources in harmonizing ways in order to achieve objectives that are mutually agreed amongst different stake holders in the given region. Regionalization also helps in overcoming the disjointed cha racteristics of federal systems and grants as provided to states and other local bodies. Coordination is successful through vertical processes amongst local, state and federal government as also through horizontal processes in different regions. Resources can be efficiently aligned to achieve security in communities, but this often requires considerable planning within the given judicial jurisdictions. The neighboring jurisdiction can be impacted by urgent situations in many possible ways, such as through implementing mutual aid agreements and the acceptance of evacuated citizens. After the September 2001 terror attacks, the US has strengthened efforts and initiatives towards improving the programs established to safeguard the safety, health and welfare of people and community during... The extent of regionalization after the beginning of the Cold War led to the creation of enhanced opportunities for nation states as well as state sponsored entities to adopt asymmetrical strategies of attacking stronger opponents such as the US. Although value systems of terror organizations and terrorists pertain to overcoming the stronger enemy or to force it to abandon its initiatives in regional conflicts, the main objective of terrorists is to use operational methods to achieve a combination of such objectives. Nevertheless, terrorism is designed in evoking responses from the government of the targeted nation or society in efforts to force it to alter its external policies. Federal initiatives in the US have mostly focused on regionally integrated approaches to provide the needed services to citizens. This aspect is very important in the area of national security because there is an urgent need to address the threat of terror attacks in order to effectively manage the usage of federal security funding. It has become apparent that regional strategies in this regard have helped in ensuring that such funding is spent in coordinated and complementary ways in targeting the evident security gaps. Regionalization plans have targeted emergency readiness while other areas are characterized with a number of broad aspects that are encouraged by the federal government, mostly through the designing of regional strategies and allocation of funding to states.
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Gender Oppression in Hollywood TV shows from 2000s-present Annotated Bibliography
Gender Oppression in Hollywood TV shows from 2000s-present - Annotated Bibliography Example Here they carried out an analysis to find out more about gender inequality both on the screen and behind the camera. Their findings were as fascinating as they found out that cases of gender oppression are still on the rise in Hollywood. A part from having a considerably small representation in Hollywood, the females are treated with lots of prejudice-given feminine roles, made to be dependent on their male counterparts and can not assume leading roles in these films. Indeed, this article can be of much value to me when conducting a research on the topic. It has a lot of important information which can help me to conduct my research. As these scholars state, gender inequality is still an issue in Hollywood. If properly analyzed, it can help me to understand the extent to which female oppression is practiced in Hollywood. Its findings capture diverse areas that will form part of my research by giving it a baseline for analysis. This article was written by Chloe Beighley and Jeff Smith in 2013. It was aimed at studying the qualitative and quantitative disparities in gender representation in Hollywood shows produced in 2012. To do their research, these scholars opted do use a sample of 7 films from which they would analyze how the male and female genders have been appearing in these shows. After carrying out an extensive survey, they found out that gender oppression is a reality in Hollywood. It has been manifested in a large number of Hollywood shows. Despite occupying a passive position, the female characters are either given stereotypical roles or placed to be under men. In fact, they found out that only 12 shows had female leading characters. The rest of the 55 had men in dominant roles. When conducting a research on Gender Oppression in Hollywood TV shows, I will have to include this article a one o the references. It has a lot of
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Pros and cons of online research Essay Example for Free
Pros and cons of online research Essay Technology Advisory Board is a leading international online marketing research and marketing consulting firm where engineers, scientists, computer scientists, information systems professionals, software developers, web developers, and executives in technology industries all over the world come to share ideas, opinions, and suggestions by participating in online research interviews and scientific surveys. The site also believes that respondent will learn as a panel member about upcoming technology trends and developments (since respondent have access to survey results giving one an opportunity to learn what one peers are thinking anytime). In addition, as a panel member one can earn extra cash by participating in an online survey or discussion and the amount depends on the length of the survey or discussion. The site also helps major international corporations, governmental agencies, and universities better informed about intelligent decisions relating to technology-related issues, new equipment and devices, and new software systems and services. The site faces a lot of challenges that will be discussed in the next paragraph. One of the obstacles to collecting information internationally from the panel members is the lack of consistency by the site information. Respondent have to update account each time he/she is to login into his account and the account information is not well documented. This can frustrate the respondent thereby hindering one of the objectives of the site in getting adequate views and opinions of respondents. The unavailability of the site services to all countries is another negative effect the site is facing as a global online research marketer. When some countries are restricted in participating, then I believe it is not a global marketing research marketer. In addition to the percentage of households without internet access in the world, technology advisory board must take the opportunity of reaching the remaining segment of people with access to internet through innovative ways of conducting the research. One option is to encourage the use of offline means of participating, since the online means is the only one used. Another option is using both the qualitative and the quantitative statistical models to get respondent views either offline or online. Lastly, technology advisory board can introduce offline e-mail survey which is inexpensive compared to the conventional online survey. However, the site makes use of the advantage of the versatility that the increased penetration of broadband offers online research marketers. In addition, the online survey is very fast in terms of getting speedy opinions and views from respondents. More importantly, online research marketers should develop marketing strategies not just from the findings of online research, but also the offline findings. What they can do is to encourage the introduction or use of the offline findings. They can do this by introducing new strategies in form of sending offline mails to panel members and require their opinions. In addition, they could introduce the use of feedbacks in their sites by asking respondents to give views about how the marketing research can be improved. On the other hand, both qualitative and quantitative research is needed before strategy can be defined by the marketers and this is necessary in forming new ways of improving online marketing research. In conclusion, the use of online marketing research has only being on the increased in the US than any other country in the world. I think this service should be encouraged especially in Asian, African and Latin American countries where it is believed marketers can capture demand in the nearest future. References Survey: Internet Should Remain Open to All. Marketing Memos: The Pro and Cons of Online Research Retrieved May 14, 2010, from http://www. consumeraffairs. com Technology Advisory Board (2010) Retrieved May 14, 2010, from http://www. technologyboard. com Consumers Losing Confidence in Online Commerce, Banking. Retrieved May 14, 2010, from http://www. consumeraffairs. com
Friday, September 20, 2019
The cruise tourism
The cruise tourism INTRODUCTION Although cruise tourism started in the early 1920s, it became more popular in the last half of the 20th century especially for the middle-aged, affluent demographic mainly in North America. It was a way for them to revel in the sun during winter months while avoiding the crowded tourist spots. The industry has since seen tremendous change in fortunes and is now actually the fastest growing sector within the tourism industry with an annual growth rate averaging 8% since 1980 (Robertsen, 2010). The most popular destinations are as follows with the Caribbean taking the lions share at 50%, the Mediterranean 15%, Alaska 8%, the trans-Panama Canal has 6% of the traffic while west Mexico and northern Europe account for 5% and 4%. The South Pacific sees around 2% of the total cruise tourists. Around 80% of all cruise tourists come from North America although that figure is expected to decline as other markets catch up in the coming years. With estimated global revenue of 27 billion US dollar s and carrying approximately 18 million passengers around the globe, the cruise tourism industry is a major income earner for any economy. CRUISE TOURISM IN CHINA Although China currently sees around 10,000 cruise tourists in its ports in a year, the Chinese government is trying to institute measures to see this number go up to 600,000 passengers by the end of 2010 (Zhao, 2010). Some of the major hurdles that are seen as hampering the Chinese market include strenuous customs procedures, cabotage restrictions (a foreign flag ship is not allowed to call on more than a single Chinese port on one itinerary) and restrictions on Chinese cruise companies (Chinese companies cannot currently curry out cruise operations). Several events have helped to market China in the globe as well as increase the tourist numbers. One of them is the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The world financial crisis has also turned the worlds attention to China due to its improved infrastructure. This has benefited both outbound and inbound business numbers. Chinas growing economy and large middle class population is also seen as a target for large cruise ship companies and many of th em are already beginning to make China a key destination. In 2009 the Costa and Royal Caribbean International Cruises made bold moves by making Shanghai their home ports, increasing the travel options for Chinese cruise tourists. In fact the Cruise Industry News online magazine reports that Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan all reported double digit growth in the first months of 2010. CRUISE TOURISM IN EUROPE Cruise tourism in Europe in more developed than it is in China mainly because of its established ports and the distribution of income in European economies. G.P Wild report that about 2.5 million European nationals embarked on cruises from European ports (from a total of 2.8 million passengers) in 2005 while 13.1 million passengers visited European ports. They generated about 8.3 billion Euros in revenue, not counting the tremendous effect that the cruise industry has on other industries like ship building, restaurants, hotels and catering, sales and marketing, among others (2007). The cruising industry in Europe has been growing steadily over the years preceding the financial crisis leading to the dropping global share of the cruising traffic held by North America. This is because of the huge potential for cruise tourism in Europe. 3% of the North American population is cruising while it is 1% in Europe. This means that Europe has a greater potential for growth. Also, the new EU cit izens from Eastern Europe are pushing up the demand as their lifestyles continue to change with their changing economic conditions. While cruising was formally the preserve of the middle aged, new products have been introduced that attract children, young adults and even the elderly (Cartwright Baird, 1999). Ultimately, Europe offers the greatest growth potential in the cruise tourism industry. It offers the unique advantage that a large chunk of its population lives relatively near to the sea and so cruise liners see Europe as offering the biggest potential for growth. PERCEPTIONS OF EUROPEAN PASSENGERS In as much as there are many motives for taking a cruise, many traditional European passengers take cruises for reasons that can be summarized as the uniqueness of cruises. The perception of a cruise is that it gives them the opportunity to sample various locations in just one trip. Additionally, there is the common perception that one gets pampered on a cruise, treatment that they would not get anywhere else. Since the vast majority of Europeans have never taken a cruise, it is seen as something new and exciting. There are other opinions on cruising like; one can easily make friends on a cruise, one can shop for a variety of items, it is an opportunity to learn and it is the in thing in tourism right now (Mancini, 2004). Although the opinion of cruise tourism among Europeans is good, there is a problem with its uptake because of some perceptions. Some people view cruising as an activity for the rich. The growth of the industry in China has also been influenced by Chinese consumer behavior. Mr. Qian Yongchan, chairman of China Communications and Transportation Association, summarized the behavior of the Chinese like this: the young and middle aged seek a higher quality of living while large corporations will choose cruise tourism as a means of encouraging their employees or to develop relationships with their clients (2009). The rest of the Chinese population, it seems, is disinterested in this form of tourism. PERCEPTIONS AND BEHAVIOR OF CHINESE TOURISTS CONSUMER PERSEPTIONS Chinas sustained per capita GDP growth which now stands at 3,268 USD has led to the growth of an economically strong, young, middle class who want to enjoy luxury and opulence. Activities that were previously viewed as European are now being demanded. This has seen the growth of the many enterprises including tourism and cruise tourism in particular. Yongchan reports that the number of Chinese cruise tourists reached 93,000 in 2007 (2009). This goes to show that the perception of the Chinese tourist towards cruise tourism is changing. VALUES The modern Chinese tourist has begun to value diversity in their tourist products. Chinese tourists have ventured out of the traditional markets in Taiwan, Europe and North America to go into Africa, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Cruise tours offer a good opportunity for them to do so. MOTIVATION The serge in Chinese tourist numbers is being motivated by the new found wealth of the common Chinese people, the growth of the middle class and the opening up of the Chinese market and economy. The Chinese governments increased economic and social obligations in the world are also propelling the Chinese to tour more of the globe. CULTURE EFFECTS The world tourism industry has become more acceptable to the Chinese culture. They now offer products that are not seen as excessive according to Chinese culture. Chinese ingenuity is also having a significant effect on the industry. COMPARISON OF CHINESE AND EUROPEAN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR The modern Chinese tourist does not differ much from the European tourist. Information technology makes certain that both consumers have access to the same information. Popular culture propagated by the media also means that the demands, like and dislikes of both sets of consumers is similar. Nevertheless, the Chinese tourist differs from the European in their experience. Europeans have been at this game for a long time while the market in China is just being opened up. Their expectations also differ in the sense that the Chinese tourist is more conservative than their European counterparts. For example, while casinos may be a big attraction to a European tourist, it may not pull in the crowds in China. POTENTIAL CHINESE MARKET FOR CRUISING The per capita GDP of the main Chinese coastal cities have grown to levels the same as those of medium developed economies. These will provide a strong foundation for passenger liner tourism in the future for Chinas outbound cruise tourism. Its strong economic performance will be another asset (Yongchan, 2009). Chinas diverse and scenic landscape will ensure that tourist numbers keep going up in the future and the plans instituted by the Chinese Transport and Communications Association to improve cruise tourism in the country will also see it rise to one of the top destinations offered by cruise liners (Dervaes, 2003). BENEFITS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHINESE MARKET TO THE EUROPEAN MARKET Will the development of the cruise industry in China help Europe sell cruises to Chinese markets? The simple answer is yes. Development of the industry will not only benefit the Chinese market but Europe, North America and the whole cruise industry. Development of Chinese ports and shipbuilding industry will help the global industry by providing alternatives in the sector; the Chinese market will provide a new bracket of tourists while China itself will be a new destination for cruises from around the world. REFERENCES Cartwright, Rodger Carolyn Baird (1999). The Development and Growth of the Cruise Industry. Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann Dervaes, Claudine (2003). Selling Cruises. New York, USA: Cengage Learning. Dowling, Kingston (2006). Cruise Ship Tourism. Cambridge, MA: CABI Publishing. Golden, Fran W. Jerry Brown (2002). European Cruises Ports of Call. Hungry Minds. Hannafin, Matt Heidi Sarna (2004). Frommers Cruises Ports of Call 2005: From U.S. and Canada Home Ports to the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii More. John Wiley Sons. Ludmer, Larry H. (2002). Cruising the Mediterranean: A Guide to the Ports of Call. Montreal, Canada: Hunter Publishing. Mancini, Marc (2004). Cruising: A Guide to the Cruise Line Industry. New York, USA: Cengage Learning. Maxtone-Graham, John (2000). Cruise Savvy: An Invaluable Primer for First Time Passengers. New York, USA: Sheridan House, Inc. Maxtone-Graham, John (2001). Liners to the Sun. New York, USA: Sheridan House, Inc. Stern, Steven B. (1997). Sterns Guide to the Cruise Vacation. 7th ed. Pelican Publishing Co. Robertsen, Graeme (2010). Cruise Ship Tourism Industry. Retrieved 2010-05-05 from http://www.lighthouse-foundation.org/index.php?id=112L=1 China Hospitality News (2009). Marketing MICE Cruises in China. Retrieved 2010-05-05 from http://www.chinahospitalitynews.com/en/2009/01/05/9635-marketing-mice-cruises-in-china/ Yongchang, Qian.(2009). The New Age of China Cruise Industry is Coming. Retrieved 2020-05-05 from http://www.ccyia.com/index.php/industry/viewen/1280 Zhao, Paul (2010).Chinas Cruise Industry is Growing Fast. Retrieved 2010-05-05 from http://prlog.org/10560599 G.P> Wild (International) Limited and Business Research and Economic Advisers (2007). Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the Economies of Europe Cruise Industry News (2010). Upward Trend for International Tourism. Retrieved 2010-05-05 from http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/3941-42910-upward-trend-for-international-tourism.html
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Europe In 2010 :: essays research papers
Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is a single currency area within the European Union single market in which people, goods, services and capital move without restrictions. It creates the framework for economic growth and stability and is underpinned by an independent central bank and legal obligations on the participating Member States to pursue sound economic policies and to coordinate these policies very closely. As trade between the EU Member States reaches 60% of their total trade, EMU is the natural complement of the single market. This market will work more efficiently and deliver its benefits more fully with the removal of high transaction costs brought about by currency conversions and the uncertainties linked to exchange rate instability. EMU and the economic performance of the Euro area will have their largest external effects on neighboring economies in western Europe and on developing and transition countries with important trade and financial links to Europe, including countries that link their currencies to the Euro. Among emerging market economies, those likely to be most affected are the transition countries of the central and Eastern Europe and the Baltics. The global environment has been favorable in a number of respects for the transition to EMU and the achievements of its objectives. The strong demand for euro-area exports from industrial countries at more advanced stages of the business cycle and the depreciation of the currencies of euro area countries over the past four years fostered a strengthening of growth in the euro area and helped to offset the effects of the Asian crisis. There are also challenges for EMU in the global economic environment: The crisis in Asia and other emerging market economies could produce adverse spillover effects and make the monetary policy more difficult to carry out. The continuation of the crisis could result in weakening of the external demand, which, in turn, could dampen confidence and domestic demand. The financial market volatility could increase the uncertainty in assessing the economic indicators. The economic crisis in emerging markets could influence the commercial banks in the euro- area to make substantial provisions for non-performing loans. THE FUTURE OF EURO It is, of course, impossible to predict the properties of the behavior of the exchange value of the Euro. With regard to broad trend, it seems likely that the Euro will tend to appreciate against the U.S. dollar and pound sterling over the next few years, but depreciate against the Japanese yen when Japan’s economic recovery begins. The United Kingdom and the United States have
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
New technologies dismiss social relationships Essay examples -- Tech
In this fast-changing world, new technologies have become essential in societies and have an impact on everyone’s life. This process of â€Å"technologization†has grown exponentially since the nineties and the beginning of the Internet, which has significantly decreased boundaries of communication. Some expert agreed that new technologies would make communication and exchange easier, and thus give an incentive to communicate with other people. However, those change have caused communication to change and people have totally change their way to communicate. Ever since people have become increasingly dependent on those technologies because they only see their advantages and convenience for everyday life. New technologies dismiss social relations; due to the way people use them. This paper will argue that an excessive use of new technologies can damage people’s social interactions, which in term might cause numerous social issues. To support this argument, three reasons will be approached: the first part will explain how new technologies make people more selfish and individual by explaining online communication issues; second, people rely so much on new technologies that there has been an increase in technological addiction which turn people into technological aliens. To finish, advanced technologies change people’s behavior in their everyday life; here, the fact that virtual life comes over real life will be developing. This research will demonstrate how new technologies dismiss social relationships by comparing and analyzing different academic sources. In order to proceed, the word communication needs to be defined. According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, communication is the process by which people exchange... ...umà ©riques, Des Enfants Mutants ??" Sciences Humaines [France] Oct. 2013: 35-37. Print. Kelion, Leo. "Hannah Smith Death: Father Says Daughter Was Victim of Cyberbullies." BBC News. BBC, 08 June 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. Kudler, Amanda. "Video Games Timeline." Infoplease. Infoplease, 2007. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Netburn, Deborah. "The Business and Culture of Our Digital Lives." N.p., July 2011. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. Soong, Jennifer. "When Technology Addiction Takes Over Your Life." WebMD. WebMD, June 2008. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Tong, Krystel. "Social Networking Leads to Social Isolation." Prezi.com. Prezi.com, Apr. 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. Turkle, Sherry. "Sherry Turkle: Connected, but Alone?" TED: Ideas worth Spreading. TED, Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. Young, Kimberley. "Gà ©nà ©rations Numà ©riques, Des Enfants Mutants ?" Science Humaines [France] Oct. 2013: 52-55. Print.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Zerg vs. Protoss :: essays research papers
Zerg V. Protoss      On planet Char, controlled by the mind controlling warp weapon, the Zergs, a fierce alien race, were at war with the Terren, a human like race. The Zerg were being pushed off their own planet. So Kerrigan, the leader of Zerg, devised a brilliant plan. She was going to genetically engineer a new breed to help destroy the Terren. They would combine part of them and the Terran to create the Protoss, a new alien race. Their plan is a success and their Protoss is powerful enough to push back the Terren. When Terren hears of the new breed, Protoss, they quickly challenges the Zergs to a battle in order to win over the Protoss. During the battle of Gloopinbopper, Zerg pushes on, with the help of the new creation Protoss. After days of battling and heavy losses they easily overruns the Terren and out numbers them ninety-eight thousand seven hundred and thirty four to thirty-seven thousand four hundred and fifty two. The Zerg’s final push to reconquer their home planet and retake the mind controlling warp weapon is once again a success. After the long and strenuous battle the Protoss begin to realize the sheer strength they possess within themselves. They decide that they are tired of being treated as pure slaves and begin to devise a plan to overthrow the Zergs and take over of the mind controlling warp weapon. After months of planning they finally have a devious idea on how to take over. But w hile still in the planning stages the Zerg realizes what they are planning and attack. The Protoss are caught off guard and have no choice but to retreat to the deserted planet of Pigglywigglywump. The Terren hear of what is going on between the Protoss and the Zerg. So they decide to use what little troops they have left to try to take over the weak Zerg and buy the Protoss time. With the time the Protoss gain they build a crystal powered mega bomb that is capable of destroying anything and everything around it, with the exception of the Protoss. In the meantime the Zerg have destroyed the Terran and are planning to continue their attack on the Protoss.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Green Computing Essay
Green computing or green IT, refers to environmentally sustainable computing or IT. It is â€Å"the study and practice of designing, manufacturing, using, and disposing of computers, servers, and associated subsystemsâ€â€such as monitors, printers, storage devices, and networking and communications systemsâ€â€efficiently and effectively with minimal or no impact on the environment. Green IT also strives to achieve economic viability and improved system performance and use, while abiding by our social and ethical responsibilities. Thus, green IT includes the dimensions of environmental sustainability, the economics of energy efficiency, and the total cost of ownership, which includes the cost of disposal and recycling is the study and practice of using computing resources efficiently. To comprehensively and effectively address the environmental impacts of computing/IT, we must adopt a holistic approach and make the entire IT lifecycle greener by addressing environmental sustainability along the following four complementary paths: †¢Green use  reducing the energy consumption of computers and other information systems as well as using them in an environmentally sound manner
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Nativism: Race and Immigrants
Nativism is the feeling that immigration and foreigners are detrimental to native-born Americans. Unfortunately, nativist’s feelings are not based on political convenience or logical theories, but on ignorant assumptions that produce religious, racial, and cultural discrimination. Many nativist groups or individuals, both in the past and presently, have one thing in common- the fear of not being in control. The basic thing one has to see is that misinformation and short-sighted fear can often produce the absence of fairness and human dignity.The Ku Klux Klan was a racist group who also committed atrocities in the name of nativism. The KKKs were formed because many people were started to get afraid of the â€Å"rising power of the blacks†and also hated immigration and Jews. â€Å"What was the rising power of the blacks? †Is it because they were not slaves or maybe because they simply wanted to vote, a constitutional right! African Americans were still treated li ke property in the South under the Jim Crow Laws.African Americans were denied their constitutional right to vote by various ways of intimidation; but yet the KKKs could do whatever they wanted and be protected by the â€Å"constitutional†idea that they had the right to express themselves. The KKKs were also anti-Semitic and anti-Semitism was prevalent in the U. S. To understand immigration better one has to see the factors that produced and produce immigration to America. Industrialization and social changes in Europe produced mass immigration from countries like Germany, France, and Ireland.The Industrial Revolution transformed the small, agricultural society into a manufacturing economy which helped the U. S. to prosper and excel. Social changes were another major factor that stimulated immigration. Political upheavals, religious persecution, and a search for adventure were the basic reason for the relocation of these people. Why would they come to the U. S. to purposely try to create a political or cultural upheaval, if the whole reason they left their homelands was escape these problems?The truth of the matter is that they just wanted to seek a peaceful setting that they could create a family and contribute to American society. There were two types of immigrants- the old and the new. The old immigrants of the past( which consequently was also divided into old and new immigration categories) and the new immigrants of today; mostly the Hispanics and Asians. Most of the old immigrants were Europeans- French, Irish, German, Italian, and Polish. Although the new immigrants of that time were discriminated by the native†Americans and the older immigrants ( British, French, and German) there was not the same animosity that is seen between present immigrants and native Americans. In the present, 86% of the newest immigration comes from Latin America and Asia while Europe only contributes 10%. The main difference between present immigration and past immigration is that most immigrants from Europe were male and white; however, present immigration is that most of today’s newcomers are from Developing Countries ; therefore, most are colored people who, either are married or have a family.Some may say that new immigrants are less skilled than the old immigrants and that furthermore, they do not want to â€Å"Americanize†but actually most of the newest immigrants are educated and professionally trained. The problem with the American government is that they don’t give Hispanics or Asians any opportunities because they know that these immigrants will succeed! In fact what they do is oppress these immigrants until these people get fed up and retaliate for survival; then the Americans say how much a problem immigrants are without knowing that in time of vulnerability any human being is going to act irrational.This is a day to day event in the U. S. ; one could say it is â€Å"political drowning of an immigrant. â € Why is it that these immigrants cannot have equal jobs as the people who have been educated here? The idea that new immigrants cannot effectively contribute to the American economy just because they are culturally different is simply naive. Why is it that the old immigrants did contribute to the advancement of the American economy and the newer immigrants are people who are just useful for menial jobs? One hopes that society’s judgment of present immigration is not determined just on their color of skin.The problem with American society is the pessimistic attitude they obtain when things are not going their way. As Harry Truman wisely said, â€Å"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties! †Economically speaking, immigration is beneficial for the American economy. Several arguments are given to try to prove this wrong. Some may say that immigrants take away jobs from Americans . But what jobs? Most immigrants work as maids or janitors, jobs that Americans do not want to do.What would the U. S. do without immigrants who are willing to do humiliating jobs for scarce amounts of money? Or maybe these critics of immigration are talking about the few amount of immigrants who want to excel and become successful? The anti-immigration people feel threatened and fear that these â€Å"minorities†will surpass the â€Å"native†Americans and they will no longer be able to control and manipulate these â€Å"ignorant, gullible immigrants. †Another argument is that immigrants receive more than their fair share of welfare benefits.But yet again in actuality immigrants pay their fair share of taxes. Julian Simon, an economist states, â€Å" immigrant families typically pay more taxes than their native counterparts do. †Also according to Julian Simon, immigrants arrive young and healthy and use fewer services on the average than do native fami lies. New waves of young immigrants do not receive expensive Social Security, Medicare, and other aid to the aged. Finally a common argument is that for the U. S. , immigration is not an economic necessity but a luxury. And like all luxuries, it can help- or it can hurt.The American economy is vital for the existence of the values that this democratic nation was based on. It’s ignorant to say that immigrants do not boost or stimulate the American economy! James Carter, Jr. once said,†Our American values are not luxuries but necessitiesâ€â€not the salt in our bread, but the bread itself. Our common vision of a free and just society is our greatest source of cohesion at home and strength abroadâ€â€greater than the bounty of our material blessings. †The common vision that Carter was talking about was and is the most important thing of all- moral values!Currently there are some myths that blind American society concerning immigration. For instance the myth t hat most immigrants are illegal; eventhough, no one really knows how many illegals there are, it is estimated that 300,000 people enter the country illegally each year compared more than a million people who are entering the U. S. legally. Another myth is that most immigrants have less education than native-born Americans. Actually of African-born residents, 88% have had a high school education or better compared with the 77% of native-born who have had a high school education or better.Lastly, the myth that the newer immigrants refuse to learn English. Most of the new immigrants want to learn English but since their so busy trying to survive and work, they don’t have the time or money to have English classes. It seems that at of all the disliked races, the Hispanics and Asians are probably the worst discriminated class. Since blacks have become appeased with what they have, they really don’t create much of a problem. The whites can use them as their puppets and give t hem â€Å"little treats†such as an â€Å"almost important†job.The African- American community is complacent, besides a few black leaderS, they just want to leave things the way they are. Unfortunately the blacks have gone so far and advanced so much that they don’t want to risk losing it all; eventhough, the dream that powerful people such as Dr. Martin Luther King had has not yet been accomplished. It seems that everything that goes wrong is blamed on the Hispanics and Asians. The Asians have always been discriminated somehow in American History beginning from California discriminating the Chinese to the Japanese internment camps after Pearl Harbor.The U. S. has never really had a solid relationship with Asia. But what about Hispanics? In the Immigration Act of 1921 their was no limits put on Latin American countries because the U. S. wanted a good diplomatic relation with Latin America and because cheap labor from Mexico was needed on the farms of California . One could argue the throughout American history immigration has been validated by American society if it is beneficial for the natives in America just as long they don’t feel threatened.For instance the Bracero Program, in 1942 when America needed the labor of aliens to help it with its war effort they allowed Mexicans to work temporarily in America’s industries. It appears that the volume of immigration seemed to rise sharply during periods of prosperity and to sink rapidly during periods of prosperity. The question still remains the same- is it really because of cultural differences or racial differences? But is it really a racial thing? Or does transcend just a simple racial problem? Are we really seeking racial equality?For so long The Nordic theory has told us that the white man deserves to be in power. For so long the white man has thought himself as the majority and all the other races see the white people as the dominant race. But in reality the white race is a minority, they in essence have psychological domination in that everybody thinks they are the supreme race. All the minorities of the world resent the domination that white people have exerted for so long. This resentment turns into hate and eventually the minorities are going to do the same thing the whites did and sometimes even unconsciously do  hate another human being.If one condemns the oppression of the â€Å"white man†than one is in danger of establishing his own form of pride in equality as a substitute for the racism he rejects. Furthermore he becomes arrogant over his own lack of arrogance and becomes prideful over his own lack of pride. To escape from this danger, he needs to cease arguing for the equality of all races, and just assume that racial identity makes no difference. There has always been the delusion of white supremacy based on the fact the white culture is vastly superior than any other culture.The genesis of the dogma of white superiority reveals a fundamental confusion between supremacy and superiority. The first is an undeniable fact of the present world; the second is an invention of the mind to defend the first. Basically the conclusion is that because he is supreme, he is also superior. For so long the colored man has had to submit to white control and pretty soon they are going to get fed up. This could lead to a racial war which would be pointless because this whole racial problem is spiritual not physical!In conclusion nativism belongs to something deeper than just immigration or even racism. Most of the nativists in the Know-Nothings and the KKK did not know that they were blindly proclaiming that the white race is the supreme race. America was built on the basis of freedom and unalienable rights that most countries could not offer. The racial problem will never go away because of the nature of a human being. A human being is individual and only cares about himself and unfortunately the U. S. is a capitalist ic nation who only cares about its interests.One could wish that the social injustices, racial discrimination, and different stereo-types will cease to exist, but as long as humans live on this earth there will always be injustices. The U. S. government will never be perfect no matter how democratic the principles are. Unfortunately, democracy has its flaws and deficiencies just like and other government. Harry Truman wisely said,â€Å" No government is perfect. One of the chief virtues of a democracy, however, is that its defects are always visible and under democratic processes can be pointed out and corrected. We will never live in a just and faultless world because it is both spiritually and psychologically impossible. And history will just keep repeating itself in a continuous cycle, history is a very powerful tool to acclimate one’s self with the human race or the human identity. But one has to remember that one of the best things about good history is its power to red uce national arrogance and to promote reflection and caution for later on. Until we start looking at the human history through the world’s perspective and not just â€Å"American History,†then we will truly excel not only as American people but as a human kind!
My Big Fat Greek Wedding Essay
â€Å"My Big Fat Greek Wedding†is a romantic comedy that explores cultural differences in a combination of romance and humor. The story revolves around Toula, a thirty-year-old Greek American single woman, who lives with her family in the suburb of Chicago. She works in her family’s business, a restaurant called â€Å"Dancing Zorba’s.†Toula is expected to marry from their ethnic background. However, she struggles with her strict father to convince him that she longs for something else in life. She enrolls in college and takes computer classes. She manages her aunt’s travel agency and starts dating Ian Miller, a white high school English teacher. They date secretly for a while, before she has the courage to introduce him to her family. Her father is angry over her dating a non-Greek. The overall of the story occurs when both sides try to adjust to each other. This movie relates a lot to the five themes of geography we have been studying. It relates to location because they live in the suburbs in Chicago, which is a place. A location is people and places are positioned variously on the Earth’s surface. Also, the father lived in Greece before coming over to the U.S. So therefore, location relates to this movie. It also relates to place, physical and human characteristics distinguish one place from other places. In Greece, you have a very religion type of country. Houses are made to represent the Parthenon, which to the Greeks, is the home of Athena. Rather in, Chicago, you have very modern houses that don’t symbolize really anything. It relates to relationships within places also because in the movie, the family’s house in Chicago resembles the Parthenon, which you wouldn’t exactly see in such a city. It can also relate to movement because the family is constantly on the phone with each other. With Greeks, you would normally have a huge family, so they are constantly talking on cell phones or driving to each other’s houses to gossip. Also, last but not least, it can relate to region. The Earth can be divided into regions to help us understand similarities and differences of people and places. For example, Greece and Chicago are divided because they are very two different places. I really enjoyed watching this movie in class. It was very humorous and I learned a lot. Before watching this movie, I didn’t know that when you marry, your job as a woman is to basically cook, clean, and have kids. That shocked me completely. I loved the movie, however it was very predictable. By the way they set up the movie, you could easily tell what was going to happen next. But the overall movie was great. I would definitely recommend this movie to my friends to watch, it’s a very good movie if you just want to have a good laugh.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. Essay
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, as discussed in Darden Business Publishing Case UVA-F-1479, appears to be at a crossroads. After years of astronomical growth, the company find its share price plummeting in the midst of discoveries about faulty accounting practices. The following paper examines several issues behind the sudden decline First, the historical income statements and balance sheets are examined to determine the financial health and current condition of the company. This is followed by an analysis of key financial ratios across time and versus industry standards. Next, the paper addresses if Krispy Kreme is financially healthy at year-end 2003 and, if so, what accounts for the firm’s recent share price decline. The paper concludes with a discussion of the intrinsic investment value in the company. Income Statement and Balance Sheets Close review of the income statement leads to some noteworthy conclusions. The first quarterly column of the 2004 income statement shows that the company gained thirty-four million dollars in discontinued operations from the sale of the Montana Mills venture. In the same quarter the firm lost approximately twenty-four million dollars. It is likely that this maneuver was made to deflect attention from or make up for the company’s poor performance and mounting losses. Generally, this is not a sign of a healthy company but rather signals an alarm since the loss in that quarter was closer to fifty-eight million dollars when not considering the sale. Krispy Kreme may have been struggling to make ends meet through its operations, and perhaps the company hoped to make up lost income through the sale of a venture. Furthermore, operating expenses were increasing while net income was decreasing. In May 2004, the company had seven million dollars in closing costs and still showed losses. An aggressive expansion strategy did not result in enough income to cover these costs. Additionally, quarterly comps decreased dramatically. From May 2003 to May 2004, operating income dropped from $23,702 million to $18,636 million. This decrease is even more pronounced when examining the quarters ending in August. Krispy Kreme’s balance sheet is no less indicative of poor financial health, particularly with a substantial increase in year over year long-term liability figures. The two major contributors to this increase in long-term liabilities include Krispy Kreme’s revolving lines of credit and its long-term debt. First, the revolving lines of credit greatly increased from nothing in fiscal year 2002 to eighty-seven million dollars in fiscal year 2004, demonstrating a burgeoning dependence by Krispy Kreme on outside finance to support operations. Second, long-term debt increased from 3,912 million in 2002 to 48,056 million in 2004. This anomalous and significant increase in long term debt could mean that Krispy Kreme is having trouble paying off its debt. After analyzing both the income statement and balance sheet an initial assumption can me made that Krispy Kreme does not appear to be financially healthy. The next step of understanding this case is to determine how financial ratios extend our understanding of the abovel statements. Financial Ratios The following financial ratios were analyzed: quick ratio, current ratio, return on assets, return on equity, net profit margin, receivables turnover, inventory turnover, asset turnover, cash turnover, debt-to-equity, and times interest earned. These ratios are included in a time series (Case Exhibit 7) raise and in a cross-sectional chart of quick-service restaurants (Case Exhibit 8). To begin, the time series ratios are detailed in Figure 1. Starting with the liquidity ratios we noticed some significance in the changes of the current ratio. The increases in the current ratio in 2003 and 2004 signal that Krispy Kreme is borrowing over the long term, not the short term, resulting in an increase of cash affecting assets. The current liabilities would not be affected by this increase in cash or long term. This corroborates the balance sheet, as with the current ratio rise we see a gain in cash and cash equivalents plus a gain in long term debt. Figure 1. Krispy Kreme Analytical Financial Ratios The debt-to-equity ratio in 2003 and 2004 imply the company is also using more long-term debt from shareholder equity to run the company. In 2004, the balance sheet shows a jump in the number of share of common stock. The selling of more stock to pay for long term debt is not usually a good signal to investors. It may mean a corporation wants more cash to finance activities, which in conjunction with other figures could mean it is trying to offset some losses. A lower times interest earned ratio may also mean fewer earnings are available to meet interest payments and that the business is more vulnerable to increases in interest rates. This ratio has declined dramatically since 2002. Negative findings of the company are apparent when looking at the activity ratios. The receivables turnover ratio has been declining since 2001. This decline in receivables turnover implies that company is not being as efficient in the collection of accounts owed as it should be. Not collecting the credit in a timely manner means that they are not gaining interest for the firm, but potentially giving others a free loan for the time being. Furthermore, the asset turnover ratio for Krispy Kreme has been declining since the company went public in 2000. As seen in Figure 1, the ratio was at a high in 2000 at 2.10 and is not at 1.01 in 2004. This lower asset turnover ratio signals that the company is not doing well in using its assets to generate sales. The final subcategory in the time series ratio analysis are the profitability ratios, which show some positive signs for Krispy Kreme. The return on assets ratio is relatively stable at 8.64% in 2004. Krispy Kreme is still doing relatively well by using current assets to generate income. Unfortunately, the return on assets has come down from a high of 10.33% in 2002, a signal to investors that Krispy Kreme is not ameliorating its use of assets to create income. However, the operating profit margin ratio displayed a steady increase for the company, resulting in more operating income for every dollar of sales. The increasing net profit margin also shows Krispy Kreme is generating more profit for every dollar of sales. The change from 6.81% to 8.58% in 2004 shows that Krispy Kreme is now making another 1.7 cents per dollar of sales. Examination of the financial ratios between Krispy Kreme and its peers in the quick-service restaurant industry reveals a few key facts about the company’s financial state. Foremost is the relatively high liquidity index of the corporation as measured by both the quick and the current ratios. Compared to a respective mean of 0.80 and 1.17 for each aforementioned ratio, Krispy Kreme weighs in at 2.72 for the former and 3.25 for the latter – approximately three times the average. As these figures measure a firm’s ability to pay bills in the short term without stress, it may not be farfetched to suggest Krispy Kreme has liquefied many of its assets to satisfy the doubts of short-term creditors. This band-aid solution may be short-lived, however, since current assets and liabilities are never a dependable tool for forecasting. Exorbitant liquidity also suggests an ineffective use of cash and other short-term assets and a lack of borrowing power. The other noteworthy aspect of these industry ratios is the low level of turnover on both receivables and inventory. Krispy Kreme’s receivables turnover ratio of 9.70 is about four times smaller than the mean of 37.51 for most quick-service restaurants. This is possibly an indication of the firm’s inability to collect on its due bills. Inventory turnover for the corporation is at a ratio of 17.76 versus the industry mean of 64.70, also about four times less than standard. Low inventory turnover can signify a poor management of said inventory. Combined with poor cash management, this spells trouble for investors. Nevertheless, there is a redeeming factor for the corporation, although given the looming sale of several stores, it may not be one that lasts very long. The profitability ratios of Krispy Kreme are comparable to those within the industry, and a good set of such ratios is a reflection of how efficiently a firm uses its assets and how well it manages its operations. In order for Krispy Kreme to make good on these numbers, it will need to convince creditors of its long-term solvency and improve its turnover. At the end of fiscal year 2003, the financial health of Krispy Kreme is neither stellar nor abysmal. The company has several indications of future tribulations that it needs to sort out, but from a financial standpoint it is relatively in good standing and could be said to pass the litmus test of profitability. Some symptoms it needs to examine include its acutely high short-term solvency. Does the firm find itself liquefying at an excessive rate to satisfy short-term creditors? If so, the company needs to reduce the scale of its operations and cut costs until longer-term loans are able to be secured. At that point, it may be able to grow again without the burden of investor and media hype. Furthermore, the firm needs to apply pressure to its debtors and try to improve its receivable turnover ratio. In this way, Krispy Kreme may be able to raise more capital and manage its assets more effectively. Finally, with the increased scrutiny and speculation concerning the company’s financial reporting, it should seriously address these concerns and restore investor confidence before stock prices continued to decline. Stock Price Evaluation Given Krispy Kreme’s mixed financial health, what accounts for sharp decline in it’s share price? On May 27, 2004 Krispy Kreme announced poor results for the first time in its history as a public company. Earnings were down 10% due to the trend toward low carbohydrate diets, or at least as reported by the company . Krispy Kreme decided to divest Montana Mills for $40 million in stock and also planned to close three of its new Hot Doughnut and Coffee shops. The Wall Street Journal published a negative story on the accounting principles that Krispy Kreme used for franchise acquisitions. The company also had to pay Michigan franchise’s top executive $5 million as part of a severance package. On July 29th, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC) launched an informal investigation on â€Å"franchise reacquisition’s and the company’s previously announced reduction in earnings guidance.†In September 2004, Krispy Kreme announced that it would reduce number of new stores from 120 to around 60. In the beginning of 2005, the company announced previously issued financial statements for fiscal year ended 2004 would be restated to correct certain errors. Krispy Kreme then delayed the filing of its financial reports until the SEC’s investigation had been resolved. Numerous problems, both salient and hidden, tarnished once-optimistic forecasts for Krispy Kreme, changing it from a solid company to a risk. Investors have now lost confidence and the share price has steadily dropped. Although the company’s actual financial health may have been more benign, public perception has been sullied nearly irreparably. Intrinsic Investment Value Barring incisive and insightful financial analysis, there must be a source of intrinsic investment value in the company which can be gleaned from financial statements. The perceived quality and expectations of the investors hass a strong influence on this innate value. If the investors feel that a company will be profitable the intrinsic value will likely increase and vice versa. Intrinsic value also has much to do with brand image, as in Krispy Kreme’s distinctive green and red vintage logo, it’s â€Å"Hot Doughnuts Now†neon sign and the perceived quality of the doughnuts. These accoutrements drive traffic and sales, two key indicators of a food service company’s health. Furthermore, the central Krispy Kreme retail concept, The Factory Store, is a prime contributor to intrinsic value. Krispy Kreme creation of â€Å"a doughnut theatre†illustrated by custom machinery and doughnut viewing areas is a significant point of distinction from its competitors by offering more than just a product but a complete experience. These subtle differences add to the Krispy Kreme mystique, which adds a level of perceived quality. Conclusion The brief history of Krispy Kreme since its IPO in 2000, reveals a company that has already seen its ups and downs. These undulations characterize the growth of many such firms. Several conclusions on the state of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts can be drawn from the Darden School case. First, Krispy Kreme is a company that is moderately healthy, but seems to be turning for the worse. Second, a time series profitability ratios suggest good health, but peer-to-peer current and quick ratios show a startling scramble to meet short-term obligations. Third, in an era of high-profile accounting scandals, clandestine reporting practices scare off investors, leading to Krispy Kreme’s decline in share price. Finally, Krispy Kreme may be able to trade on its brand equity to leverage poor financial practices.
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