Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Long and Short Term Causes of the First World War

Long and Short Term Causes of the First World War Free Online Research Papers The First World War commenced in August 1914 and was directly caused by the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife on the 28th June, 1914 by Gavrilo Princep, a revolutionary from Bosnia. Although this single event had triggered the First World War, the actual causes of the war are quite complicated and continue to be a matter of debate amongst historians. World War I was the result of rising tensions amongst European leaders due to the pattern of aggression that emerged against each other. This aggression received further support by way of the increasing nationalism that had spread into all countries in Europe. The fear arising from the high levels of economic and colonial competition and the increasing risk of war made most of the European countries to form military alliances that further led to an arms race. Consequently tensions kept escalating which ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I. At the outset, the immediate cause of the First World War was an incident and not a specific reason that had been brewing or planned by opponents of the assassinated leader. Franz Ferdinand was the heir apparent to the Austrian-Hungary Empire and while visiting the city of Bosnia became a victim of the assassin. The taking over of Bosnia by Austria had been viewed as an infringement of the citizen’s independent rights in governing their country. Despite the unwillingness of Bosnia, its capital city was taken over by Austria-Hungary which generated a lot of antagonism amongst the Serbian people. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand was viewed by Austria-Hungary as an insult and it felt intimidated by Serbia. Austria-Hungary immediately reacted by taking defensive measures and started preparing for the war that now became inevitable. Turkey united with Austria-Hungary and Germany while on the opposite side Italy and Japan united with Russia, Britain and France. This m erger of nations came to be called the Triple Alliance (McKay p.889). While preparations for war were continuing, the United States chose to remain non committal for some time but eventually decided to unite with the Triple Alliance in view of its assessment of German strategies as being egocentric ambitions. During the Congress of Vienna in 1815, nationalism was largely ignored and instead, nations decided to preserve peace. However Italy and Germany were not a part of such understanding and continued to be divided states. The revolutions and nationalist movements in Italy culminated in Italy’s unification in 1861 while unification of Germany happened in 1871. The Franco Prussian War of 1870-71 had left France much disgruntled due to the loss of Alsace-Lorraine and Revanche. There were complications within the Balkans and Austria-Hungary in regard to nationalism because of the presence of several nationalist groups in these countries. There was a clash and conflict between the Pan-slavism of Serbia and Pan-Germanism of Austria-Hungary (McKay p. 884). The short term causes of World War I were the alliances and ententes that had become a practice with most European countries. As a result of the alliances there was tremendous pressure on leaders which led to rivalries on the international front as nations began to take sides and thus get ideologically divided on the basis of their political leanings. Imperialism was in the forefront from 1850 to 1914 and powerful nations competed with each other in colonialism. Nations used their military might in conquering weaker nations which began to be seen as an indication of power, wealth and high political status. Such a pattern encouraged more nations to adopt the practice of political expansion which resulted in more rivalry amongst nations. Amongst the royals, the British Crown held the maximum countries under its control; as much as 25% of the world was ruled by it. France and Russia were the biggest challenge to the British prior to getting into alliance with them in 1904 and 1907 respectively. The alliance with France and Russia was formed primarily to check the aggression by Germany in different parts of Europe. Britain also became a strong ally of America while it was at war with Spain. This alliance became very crucial for both countries especially after the commencement of World War I (McKay p. 905). Another short term reason for the war was commercial rivalry. The resentment between Austria and Serbia occurred by chance because of the economic issues relating to the piling up of huge arsenals. Britain was much ahead than other nations in terms of industrial and economic development and the competition was increasing rapidly to extract the maximum earnings from such activities. Although most European countries were in the race for industrial growth, Britain’s main economic rivals were Germany and America. The US had built massive infrastructure and attained immense wealth by 1914 because of its economic opulence, and after the commencement of the war, the US was best placed in supplying goods to Europe (McKay p. 883). This aspect of economic development had a deep meaning in being a cause for the outbreak of World War I. Britain and Russia were posing a grave threat to Germany in getting ahead economically, which made Germany to manipulate in forcing Russia to enga ge in war. The arms race was a long term cause that had major implications in making the European nations to go to war against each other. As one country acquired some weapons other countries raced to get hold of better ones in order to have the upper edge in acquiring the means for protection and defense. It was not long before most countries were deeply involved in the arms race. After suffering defeat at the hands of Prussia in 1870, France started acquiring more arms. Germany was not scared of France because of the armaments acquired, but because of the alliance France had with Russia. Germany would not be able to stand against the combined power of the two countries and hence decided to take them on individually. After the crisis in Morocco in 1906, more of military arsenal was acquired by most countries in Europe to meet threats arising from the training plans undertaken by the Russian armed forces. It was believed that Russia had acquired arms to such an extent that no country coul d stand against it in the event of a war. Under such circumstances Germany made plans of conducting defensive attacks in order to successfully combat the Triple Entente (McKay p. 885). Most countries had begun to expand their armies and navies. The armies of France and Germany had doubled between 1870 and 1914. There was increasing competition between Germany and Britain to expand their respective navies. It was decided by the British in 1889 that the empire must have a navy that is at least two and a half times larger than the second largest navy. Such a decision inspired Britain to launch the Dreadnought which was conceived in 1906 by Admiral Sir Fisher. The effectiveness of such battle ships was amply demonstrated in the Russo Japanese War of 1905. Accordingly, Germany too increased production of battle ships. Despite efforts for disarmament during the Hague Conference of 1907, international rivalry led the arms race to pick up pace. After the Morocco crisis in 1905, Germany declared its intention to support the cause of independent Morocco, which was given to France by Britain in 1904. France was defended by the British and a war was averted because of the 1906 international conference in Algeciras which permitted France to treat Morocco as a French protectorate. There was another conflict which happened because of the annexation of Bosnia by Austria-Hungary in 1908. The Great Serbian Movement’s objective was to acquire Slavic Bosnia which made Serbia to give threats of war on Austria-Hungary. Russia had already sided with Serbia and thus began to mobilize its forces which made Germany to threaten Russia with war. In a way World War I was postponed after Russia backed out because of the threat, but at the same time relations between Serbia and Austria-Hungary continued to deteriorate. There was a crisis for the second time in Morocco in 1911 when warships were sent to Agadir by Germany in protest against French occupation of Morocco. This time also Britain supported France and warned Germany of serious consequences. But Germany agreed to allow France free access to Morocco only if a part of French Congo was given to it. The Balkan Wars of 1912-13 saw the Turks being driven back to Constantinople while the Balkan States fought amongst themselves over control of territories. The breaking point was reached in Europe on 28 June, 1914 when heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne was killed in Sarajevo by a Serb who belonged to Black Hand organization. Immediately Germany pledged full support to Austria-Hungary and pressurized them to declare war on Serbia. At the same time France reiterated full support to Russia. In being convinced that Serbia had conspired against the interests of Austria-Hungary, the country issued an ultimatum to Serbia, to which Serbia consented immediately. War was declared on Serbia by Austria-Hungary on July 28, 1914, and on July 29 Russia started partially mobilizing its army in support of Serbia. Germany threatened war if Russia did not withdraw its forces while France also started to mobilize in anticipation of war between Russia and Germany. War was declared by Germany on Russia on August 1 and France entered the war after two days. Britain joined the war after Germany invaded Belgium in violation of Belgium’s officially declared neutrality. The World War I had commenced. References McKay J P, (2007). A History of Western Society: Volume 2. Bedford/St. Martins. Research Papers on Long and Short Term Causes of the First World WarAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Analysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaDefinition of Export QuotasBringing Democracy to AfricaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationCapital Punishment19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraQuebec and Canada

Saturday, November 23, 2019

English Composition Writing Tips How to Make Yours Paper Truly Awesome

English Composition Writing Tips How to Make Yours Paper Truly Awesome English Composition Writing Tips: How to Make Yours Paper Truly Awesome Would you like to upgrade your English composition writing skills? If so, this composition writing guide can help. Before you begin to write the paper there is some work you will need to do ahead of time to make the process run smoothly. Begin with reading the assignment. I know that is stating the obvious, but we thought we should throw it out there as there are a great deal of assignments where this critical step is missed. Necessary Writing Exercises to Perform Beforehand Next, you can get out a notebook and begin writing. Not the actual composition, but just your thoughts about the paper. Think of it as a diary, it is for your eyes only, so write whatever you want. This is like a warm up before the big game because it gets your mind â€Å"worked out†. It also helps to spur ideas because you are writing without the constraints and requirements of the assignment in mind.   This is also a good time to try out a web diagram or cluster bubble where you place your topic or main idea in a circle in center of the paper and draw lines out to other bubbles and write ideas or observations. Later you can go back and connect related ideas with other lines or â€Å"webs†. Critical Elements: The Thesis and Outline The final thing you should do before you begin the actual writing is to draft an outline and write your thesis. This is where your diary writing will come in handy.   Use the main ideas and topic to fashion the outline. By this stage of the process you should have an idea of your thesis because you can not start writing without it. Your thesis is generally a summation of the point your essay is trying to make. The thesis should be specific and make a good topic for a discussion, in other words, an undecided issue or even a controversial point. Make Your Case Reread your thesis and consider the argument for your thesis. You will need to write about 5 paragraphs for each point your thesis makes. This is not a hard and fast rule, but a general guideline. You will need about 5 paragraphs to â€Å"prove† your thesis argument. Support Your Case Next consider your main points. You will need to substantiate your main points by using reasoning and proof. Proof may include the actions of the characters who are the subject of your book. Reasoning is your thought process or logic regarding how you formulated your main points. Remember, your thesis is your argument and you are trying to get the reader to see things your way.   If you come to this stage of writing and find that your thesis is too weak, stop and reformulate it. It is central to your essay so there must be a strong argument that you can back up. Rough Draft Revision Have someone read the rough draft and give feedback. You will need a fresh pair of eyes to see elements you may have missed. It is also a good idea to wait at least one day between the rough draft and revision, to give your mind time to marinate in the subject. This of course can only be done if time permits. Be open to making changes and consider the feedback given. Be sure to remove redundant sentences, clarify any confusing pieces and even consider eliminating the weakest points from the essay so it will be succinct and strong. Proofreading This goes without saying, but the final step should be proofreading the paper. You might also have another student proofread the paper and in exchange proofread theirs. As the saying goes, â€Å"Two heads are better than one†.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Sustainable Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sustainable Operations Management - Essay Example Its main focus is on the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes involved in value creation for sustainable development and growth. The term sustainability aims at keeping a balance between the human needs and prevention of the ecosystems on which our future generation depends. In specific, it refers to the exploitation of resources with the orientation of technological changes and minimal environmental damage to the present as well as future needs. The adoption of sustainable development theory is at an ever growing pace with the increased awareness of eco-friendly environment and analysis has indicated that since after the introduction of UN Agenda 21 (Moore, pp. 20-28, 2008), things seem to accelerate significantly in this area. In order to compete with the global market, businesses are paying more attention towards the environmental consequences of their products or services. They have realized the importance of operations strategy to support the company’s objectives and corporate goals. This trend has transformed the nature of operations to green product design, triple bottom line reporting and close-loop supply chains (Lippmann, pp. 1-9, 1999). The involvement of operations management is present from strategic to tactical and operational levels. Its activities include â€Å"site location, layout and structure, inventory management, traffic and materials handling, equipment selection and maintenance, designing technology supply chains, etc† (Metz, 1998). In this regard, this paper will focus on the issues companies confront while developing their policies regarding sustainable development (Moore, pp. 29-33, 2008) in the area of supply chain management. Supply Chain Management The term supply chain interchangeably used as ‘demand chain’ or ‘value chain’ refers to the voluntary commitments made by the companies to manage better relations with the suppliers (Metz, 1998). It manages in three different directions: t he information flow in all the departments, the funds flow and the materials flow to the concerned places. As the aim of this assignment is to identify and discuss some of the key issues faced by the companies in the development of a sustainable supply chain policy, it has been an observation that companies have realized that the value they provide to their customers in the form of a product or service is not enough to survive in this competitive world (Webb, pp. 1-5, 2000). There is a constant need to address and resolve the sustainability issues throughout the supply chain. â€Å"Some of the most popular and important approaches to SCM includes collaborative planning, outsourcing, customers-suppliers partnership and ISC (integrated supply chain) design† (OECD, 1999). In specific, there are three dimensions on the basis of which a sustainable supply chain policy is developed. Particularly, UN Agenda 21 (Moore, pp. 29-33, 2008) divided the dimensions in two categories: social and economic. However, this paper has identified environmental, social, and ethical concerns that directly affect the performance and image of the company. Environmental Issues: a) the use of natural resources b) gas emissions c) waste management concerns d) harmful substances e) energy consumption f) deforestation g) global warming h) ozone depletion i) Nuclear radiation. Social Issues: a) Role and responsibility of the company towards the social

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Apology versus Crito Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Apology versus Crito - Essay Example Apology versus Crito He questions politicians, poets and craftsmen and discovers that they in fact lacked proper knowledge. He challenges the people of Athens and proves that they are ignorant and foolish. He affirms that he is the wisest man because he knows that he knows nothing. His chief complainant is a man named â€Å"Meletus† (Apology) whom Socrates criticizes and questions him severely for calling him an atheist and blaming him for violating god made laws. Socrates claims strongly that he is not scared of the wrong accusations of the society and his life after death and because according to him it is unwise to fear death when you do not even knows what happens to the life after ones demise. Socrates calls Athens as â€Å"a lazy horse† (Apology) and compares himself to a gadfly who stings the people to provoke them. Socrates does not like politics as in his opinion his involvement in politics would have prevented him to serve for his people; lastly he defends himself and his sincere friends who stood by him through thick and thin, and praises his associates for loving him unconditionally. Moreover he favors death to imprisonment and exile, he thinks that â€Å"a life that is not examined is not worth living† so he would continue philosophizing even if his life is at stake. The â€Å"Apology† provides the most significant defenses of a truth-seeking life by Socrates. In his speech he contrasts himself with many well-known people and persuades that his philosophy and thinking is far better and different from others as he does not believe in just acquiring knowledge but rather clarifying ones judgment his philosophical views are entirely different from other philosophers, according to him, the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Zaras Fast Fashion Essay Example for Free

Zaras Fast Fashion Essay Absrtact This paper was written for the purpose of researching and illustrating fast fashion strategies which include strategic integrated supply chain, manufacturing and sourcing methods. Fast fashion is explained as a system that involves more control over operations and customer â€Å"strategic behavior† by using the combined benefits of both the â€Å"quick response production capabilities† or â€Å"short production and distribution lead times†, which minimizes clearance items by finding more reasonable balances between supply and demand, and the â€Å"enhanced product design capabilities† or â€Å"highly fashionable product designs†, which plays homage to customer values. This paper also analyzes methods used by fast fashion leader, the Spanish, Inditex owned Zara. A closer look at Zara’s supply chain, market responsiveness, flexibility, technology, pricing and costs strategies and methods are examined and compared to other fast fashion retailers that can appropriately be deemed as competition for Zara. Also, globalization and other operational strategies are discussed that all come together to show the remarkable success of the Spanish company. When thinking of the term fast fashion, one may think of the change in fashion trends and how quickly certain styles can be deemed as in, and the next second, those same styles are no longer looked at as having any resemblance of being fashionable. That would be the definition of a trend or fad in itself; â€Å"an intense but short-lived fashion; craze† (Dictionary.com 2012) . However, â€Å"the phrase ‘fast fashion’ refers to low-cost clothing collections that mimic current luxury fashion trends† (Joy, Sherry, Venkatesh, Wang, Chan, 2012) . It is a system that enables young, trendy customers to quickly attain and keep up with the ever changing latest fashions and trends from the runway, celebrity styles and other trendy inspirations for reasonable prices. Fast fashion is a system that involves more control over customer â€Å"strategic behavior† by using the combined benefits of both the â€Å"quick response production capabilities† or â€Å"short production and distribution lead times†, which minimizes clearance items by finding more reasonable balances between supply and demand, and the â€Å"enhanced product design capabilities† or â€Å"highly fashionable product designs†, which plays homage to customer values, which in-turn persuades customers to purchase full priced items rather than shopping around or waiting for items to go on-sale (Cachon Swinney, 2011, p. 778) . Globalization, Manufacturing and Sourcing Strategies for Fast Fashion Firms According to Mihm (2010) , supply chain, market responsiveness, flexibility, technology, pricing and labor costs are all factors in globalization and manufacturing and sourcing strategies. For instance, firms that are mainly involved with outsourcing and other third parties have less control of their supply chain and hands control to those third parties. On the other hand, firms that predominantly sell their own brands and designs are generally more vertically integrated and have minimal involvement with third parties. These firms can have control over all aspects of their supply chain and are also capable of controlling their sourcing. Fast fashion firms are generally vertically integrated. Mihm (2010) also states that â€Å"fast fashion and market responsiveness seem to be inseparable† and stresses the importance of supplying correct quantities in order to support demand for each individual store. In terms of fast fashion, market responsiveness refers to the speed of respond ing to consumer demand and accurately distributing and supplying appropriate quantities and styles in each store at the right times (p. 56) . Firms can achieve this by research and development (R D), technology, and forecasting. R D normally is in charge of coming up with new products and innovations and an alternative to research is â€Å"imitation† or copying outside products and ideas (Meredith Shafer, 2010) . The imitations strategy is one that mirrors the strategies of fast fashion firms in that ideas and designs for new merchandise often come from runway designs, celebrity fashions and customer input and ideas. Furthermore, fast fashion firms often allow individual stores and locations to have control over store merchandise by using a pull system rather than a push system. The pull system uses the just-in-time (JIT) concept mentioned by Meredith Shafer (2010) . The JIT system lowers lead times and merchandise orders by allowing quick and instant deliveries of exact order quantities, which eradicates having over stock and the need for â€Å"safety stocks† (p. 258) . With many fast fashion firms implementing major globalization initiatives, technology is a key factor in communication, efficient logistics, and business success. Information technology (IT) systems provide the ability to collect and share important information, such as trends, orders, â€Å"production and shipping data†, using constant transfer and communication throughout the entire supply chain. IT systems help mitigate â€Å"real-time† communication from consumers to store managers to market specialists and designers, to suppliers and to manufacturing and production facilities, then to distributors, and back to stores and the customers (Mihm, 2010, p. 56) . Moreover, IT systems product lifecycle management (PLM) software, and sourcing programs can keep track of all sourcing and development activities and are designed to react to and handle change and conflict, which helps with flexible suppliers and positively effects production. These technologies speeds up production time, placing communication and processes in real time and allows an ease to the supply chain (Speer, 2006) . Mihm (2010) states that firms in the fashion industry use a technology known as computer-aided design (CAD), which includes laser cutting machines and automated sewing machines that ultimately â€Å"eliminates wasted fabric† and cuts production time; allowing companies to be more efficient by saving time and money. Another way fast fashion firms make use of flexibility â€Å"also includes changes in the construction and coloring processes used to make garments.† â€Å"For example, garments are often dyed after they are constructed thus allowing the manufacturer to produce the best selling colors quickly† (Mihm, 2010, p. 56) . Furthermore, â€Å"improved logistical programs including air freight and expedited customs clearance for imports also fall within the technology factor.† Many fast fashion companies are leaning towards globalization and have highly vertically integrated supply chains and therefore provide their own world-wide souring, and manage their own design, manufacturing, and logistics models. â€Å"All of these influences have dramatically changed the way the apparel business operates in the age of globalization, making the fashion industry appear borderless† (Mihm, 2010, p. 56) . Mihm (2010) states that â€Å"lower labor costs are a major contributing factor to fast fashion since cutting, sewing and fitting are labor intensive, and are integral parts in constructing need high levels of education† and therefore do not require salary or high wages. For example, in China, labor rates are only around 60 cents per hour. â€Å"Additionally, capital equipment costs are very low, making it easy to open an apparel plant almost anywhere† (p. 56) . Along with lower labor costs, it is also important to manage labor times to further mi nimize labor costs and increase efficiency and profitability (Desai, Nasar, Chertow, 2012, pp. 71- 72) . Lastly, a major factor influencing fast fashion and fast fashion retail strategies has to do with keeping merchandise prices at least moderately low. Mihm (2010) mentions that a key factor in keeping prices low is by maintaining low labor costs (p. 56) . Additionally, Desai et al. (2012) discusses the impacts and importance of maintaining control over all costs including; production, materials, labor, transportation, manufacturing and overhead and other costs. Maintaining control over all costs is essential to efficiency, maintaining low product costs and business success. However, many items that may be considered basic and require less production costs, and labor costs and time may still be sold for premium price points do to customer perceived value and brand value (pp. 64-72) . All about Zara Zara, the Spanish fast-fashion retailer belonging to â€Å"Inditex, one of the world’s largest distribution groups†, is one of the leading international fashion companies in the world (Zara, 2012). In 1975, Chairman and founder of Inditex, Amancio Ortega, opened the first Zara shop in Spain and he came up with a philosophy for business success which states, â€Å"‘you need to have five fingers touching the factory and five touching the customer’† (Ferdows, Lewis, Machuca, 2004, p. 106). The philosophy can be said to be the basis for Zara’s business model and retail strategy that successfully runs a fully vertically integrated supply chain by vertically integrating all features of the sourcing and manufacturing process (Mihm, 2010) including, design, production, distribution and sales. By providing constant information about consumer’s demands and desires, customer actions and feedback are the soul of the Zara model (Inditex, 2012), whi ch ultimately allows the company to maintain control of its products from the design stage until the customer purchase stage. Zara has taken retail globalization by storm and now has 1,721 stores all in prime locations in great cities spread across eighty-seven countries. A Closer Look into the Zara Model Because Zara has full control over its supply chain, their sourcing strategy differs from the strategies normally used by companies in the industry (Mihm, 2010). For instance, Zara purchases many of its fabrics and other supplies from Inditex owned companies. The company also owns its own manufacturing and production facilities, which allows the majority of profits stay within Zara and the Inditex group; it also boosts overall company flexibility and allows the full control over the supply chain system that would otherwise be unattainable if the firm did not embody the fast fashion method and mainly outsourced to third parties (Ferdows, 2004, p. 109) . Moreover, only basic items like T-shirts and common woolens are out sourced to, or bought from, manufactures in low- cost areas like Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe (Capell, 2008); the rest of Zara’s products, which are more fashion sensitive, are designed by the 300 in-house designers and are manufactured in Zara manufacturing facilities. â€Å"All finished products pass through the five-story, 500,000-square-meter distribution center in La Corufia, which ships approximately 2.5 million items per week† (Ferdows, 2004, p. 109). Furthermore, Zara production facilities maintain stock piles of neutral fabrics that can be dyed, printed on, or altered for the purpose of speed and convenience to help mitigate design and production times (Mihm, 2010). In terms of production and labor times and costs, Zara has the ability to easily adjust production to the change in demand. The company is able to do this because many of their facilities are highly innovated and specialized, and normally run one single shift per day (Ferdows, 2004, p.109) . It seems that Zara operates its manufacturing facilities using a combination of transformation systems to maximize efficiency. For instance, job shops would be used for smaller facilities that produce more basic and/or custom items. Cellular production systems, that also utilizes JIT, would largely be used for a fast fashion firm like Zara because the system allows the facility to reduce production time and costs, reduce labor time and costs and increase flexibility and market responsiveness and minimizes waste and excess stock. For instance, Meredith Shafer (2010) state that the advantages of cellular production include; reduced setup times, increased equipment capacity that results in lower eq uipment and maintenance costs, and increased floor space. The system also allows increased efficiency to produce small batches of varieties, which ultimately increases flexibility to respond to customer demand, reduces over stock and excess inventory that can take up space, and minimizes lead times and increases throughput times, which improves forecasting and market responsiveness and enhances revenues. Other advantages include greater operational control, lower overall costs and an exclusivity value sense from customers that discourages purchase postponement (pp. 71-72) . Furthermore, like other fast fashion firms, Zara utilizes innovation and IT systems to communicate information through every part of the organization. These IT communication systems are especially important to Zara because their products go from the design stage to store shelves in as little as two weeks. To make this happen, store managers record selling trends, determine customer desires and quickly sends the information to the design headquarters where ideas, innovations and designs for new fashions are created and more appropriate forecasting can be made. The speed and this system automatically gives â€Å"Zara a competitive advantage† (Capell, 2008) . Competition and Competitive Advantage The term competitive advantage refers to any factor that will give a firm a lead on its competitors. This can mean anything ranging from new innovations, ideas and products, costs and pricing, locations and market share, to marketing and operational strategies, and so on. Zara is recognized as being a leader in the fast fashion retail industry and has steam rolled ahead of competitors such as Gap, Express, Uniqlo, and H M. Compared to its competitors, Zara is completely vertically integrated and uses sophisticated IT communication systems for constant and speedy communication, whereas competitors are less involved in ease of communication and still heavily outsource to third parties, which significantly reduces their control over process, time and quality (Desai, 2012 ). This is where Zara gains their biggest competitive advantages, which are speed, quality and customer value. Customer value is a huge advantage for Zara wherein the receive customer support, repeat, satisfied custome rs, and increase revenue. The fact that Zara often produces trends at super speeds, even before they show up in luxury shops, induces Zara as an innovative firm which further attracts â€Å"early adopters† who desire the freshest looks and don’t mind paying higher prices for items that they may value as exclusive (Meredith Shafer, 2010, pp. 14-15). Additionally, Inditex and Zara factory workers are paid more that the industry average (Capell, 2008) . Also, with the smaller quantities of vast varieties of the freshest trends, Zara gains â€Å"85% of the full ticket price on its retail clothing, while the industry average is 60% to 70%.† Because of this, Zara is also able to gain â€Å"higher net margins on sales than its competitors†. For instance, in 2001, Inditexs net margin was 10.5%, Benettons was only 7%, HMs was 9.5%, and Gaps near zero (Ferdows, 2004, p. 106) . Conclusion and Recommendations Overall, Zara is the perfect example for fast fashion retailing. The company truly has taken a step forward in strategies for successful operations, management, globalization and supplying and selling the latest trends at lightning fast speeds with minimal costs and wastes. The only negative that I find with Zara is with their pricing strategy in nations outside of Spain. According to Kumar Linguri (2006) , Zara is considered a low-cost retailer, whereas in countries such as the US, Japan and Mexico, Zara is considered more of a luxury retailer due to pricing differences (p. 82) . Even though pricing differences are based on individual country economics, there still should not be such a disparity in pricing and perceived value between countries. One final suggestion is for Inditex to consider investing in opening distribution centers and/or manufacturing facilities in other market areas to continue the speed in supply chain and lead times in all markets throughout the world. References Capell, K. (2008). Zara Thrives By Breaking All the Rules. Businessweek, (4104), 066. Cachon, G. P., Swinney, R. (2011). The Value of Fast Fashion: Quick Response, Enhanced Design, and Strategic Consumer Behavior. Management Science, 57(4), 778-795. Desai, A., Nassar, N., Chertow, M. (2012). American Seams: An Exploration of Hybrid Fast Fashion and Domestic Manufacturing Models in Relocalised Apparel Production. Journal Of Corporate Citizenship, (45), 53-78. Dictionary.com. (2012). Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fad Ferdows, K., Lewis, M.A., Machuca, J.A.D. (November 2004). Rapid-fire fulfillment. Harvard Business Review, 82(11), 104-110 Inditex. (2012). Investors. Retrieved from http://www.inditex.com/en Joy, A., Sherry Jr, J.F., Venkatesh, A., Wang, J., Chan, R. (2012). Fast fashion, sustainability, and the ethical appeal of luxury brands. Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body Culture, 16(3), 273-295. doi:10.2752/175174112X13340749707123 Meredith, J.R., Shafer, S. M., (2010). Operations management for mbas, 4. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Mihm, B., (2010). Fast fashion in a flat world: Gl obal Sourcing Strategies. International Business Economics Research Journal, 9(6), 55-63 Speer, J. K., (2006). Top 5 sourcing strategies. Apparel Magazine , 47(12), 32-35. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.limcollege.edu:2357/ehost/detail?sid=4b23db26-6002-4704-9709-23540fa18525%40sessionmgr111vid=1hid=127bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=bthAN=22112593 Zara. (2012). Investors. Retrieved from http://www.zara.com

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Lateralization of Function in Cerebral Hemispheres :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Lateralization of Function in Cerebral Hemispheres One of the major goals of neuroscience is to be able to understand the relationships between the structures of the nervous system and a persons outward behavior. Often times it is difficult or unethical to directly study the nervous system during a behavior and indirect methods must be used instead. One example of such an indirect method is using a subjects preferred hand to predict which of the two Cerebral Hemispheres is dominant. The are some difficulties with his method of studying lateraliztion of function but if it can be better understood it could have many practical and theoretical implications for the study of neuroscience. The Cerebral Hemispheres are very similar in appearance, but they differ significantly in their structure. One of the best known differences between the two structures is motor control; the right hemisphere controls the left half of the body and the left hemisphere controls the right half of the body. These motor control differences were discovered mainly through the examination of paralysis caused by stokes or other damage to a specific hemisphere. In 1861 the theory of lateralization of function was expanded with the discovery by Paul Broca of structure in the right hemisphere that controlled speech, this structure is now known as Broca's area Like many other advances in neuroscience this discovery was made possible by an unfortunate stroke victim, who in this case lost his ability to speak. After his death Broca examined his brain and discovered damage in the right hemisphere at this now famous location. This finding was followed soon after by the discovery of an area, also in the right hemisphere, responsible for understanding of written word. This area become know as Wernicke's area named after the man who discovered it by "studying patients with select comprehension deficits" (1) and comparing these deficits with damages to the brain. These two discoveries created a watershed of experimentation as other scientists attempted to discover more functional differences between the hemispheres. This body of research has created a very stereotyped understanding of the two hemispheres. The left hemisphere is known as the language hemisphere. It is also believed to control general cognitive functions. Some researchers have gone so far as to ascribe consciousness to the left hemisphere. The right hemisphere is assigned nonverbal process such as special relations and the detection of complicated auditory tones . Lateralization of Function in Cerebral Hemispheres :: Biology Essays Research Papers Lateralization of Function in Cerebral Hemispheres One of the major goals of neuroscience is to be able to understand the relationships between the structures of the nervous system and a persons outward behavior. Often times it is difficult or unethical to directly study the nervous system during a behavior and indirect methods must be used instead. One example of such an indirect method is using a subjects preferred hand to predict which of the two Cerebral Hemispheres is dominant. The are some difficulties with his method of studying lateraliztion of function but if it can be better understood it could have many practical and theoretical implications for the study of neuroscience. The Cerebral Hemispheres are very similar in appearance, but they differ significantly in their structure. One of the best known differences between the two structures is motor control; the right hemisphere controls the left half of the body and the left hemisphere controls the right half of the body. These motor control differences were discovered mainly through the examination of paralysis caused by stokes or other damage to a specific hemisphere. In 1861 the theory of lateralization of function was expanded with the discovery by Paul Broca of structure in the right hemisphere that controlled speech, this structure is now known as Broca's area Like many other advances in neuroscience this discovery was made possible by an unfortunate stroke victim, who in this case lost his ability to speak. After his death Broca examined his brain and discovered damage in the right hemisphere at this now famous location. This finding was followed soon after by the discovery of an area, also in the right hemisphere, responsible for understanding of written word. This area become know as Wernicke's area named after the man who discovered it by "studying patients with select comprehension deficits" (1) and comparing these deficits with damages to the brain. These two discoveries created a watershed of experimentation as other scientists attempted to discover more functional differences between the hemispheres. This body of research has created a very stereotyped understanding of the two hemispheres. The left hemisphere is known as the language hemisphere. It is also believed to control general cognitive functions. Some researchers have gone so far as to ascribe consciousness to the left hemisphere. The right hemisphere is assigned nonverbal process such as special relations and the detection of complicated auditory tones .

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Fast Food and Food Handler Wear Essay

1. Infrared thermometers are used to measures? Surface temperatures 2. Food cannot be refrozen once it is thawed because? Dangerous bacteria can grow on thawed food 3. What is the minimum temperature for transporting hot food and hot food holding items? 135 (F) degrees 4. The appropriate freezing method for destroying the anisakis parasite in fish is? -4 f degrees and held for 7days 5. What type of jewelry may a food handler wear while preparing food? Plain band 6. A women runs out of the bathroom in a fast food restaurant, and frantically tells the manager that the bathroom sink has backed up and is overflowing. What should the manager do? Close the restroom and call a plumber to unblock the drain 7. The concentration of a sanitizing solution is compromised when? The solution is to hot 8. All of these foods are potentially hazardous expect for? Raw asparagus 9. If the water supply to an establishment is shut off and there is no alternate portable water source? The establishment needs to close until the water supply is restored 10. The minimum internal temp of a pork roast or tuna casserole cooked in a microwave is? 165 (f) degrees for 15seconds 11. A food handler reports to the manager that he has been diagnosed with hemorrhagic colitis. The manager must? Ask the person to leave the establishment and report the incident to the health dept. 12. Clean plates are required for each trip to the buffet because? Contamination can be prevented 13. Frozen foods, other than ice cream, must not be stored at a temp. Over? 0 f degrees 14. Hand washing is not allowed in sinks that are? Used for food prep 15. Light bulb in food prep area must? Be covered to prevent physical contamination 16. The safe way to thaw large poultry or meat product is? In a frig at 41 f or lower 17. The minimum temp and time allowed for cooking a roast beef is? 130 f for 112 min 18. Hand antiseptics can be used? After proper hand washing 19. Which of the following is the best method for killing bacteria in ground beef? Cook to 155 f for 15 sec 20. Which of these disease- causing bacteria may be found in the shell eggs? Salmonella 21. Cooked food is a self serve establishment that has been in the danger zone of under 135 f to over 70 f internal temp of? 165 f – for 15 sec 22. When displaying live shellfish for consumption, the FDA food code requires that you? Have a HACCP plan and a variance 23. The chef prepared a large quantity of homemade beef stew and divided it up into two shallow pans for cooling. He placed the pans in the refrigerator and stirs them frequently. However, he was unsuccessful in cooling the stew from 135 f to 70 f within 2 hrs. What must the chef do to cool the stew? Reheat stew at 165 f for 15 sec and begin cooling process again 24. The entire hand washing process should take at least? 20 sec 25. Listeria bacteria is especially dangerous because? It can grow in dish water 26. Back siphoning occurs when the portable water pressure is lower than the waste water pressure and the waste water backs into the portable water-cross connection? Air gaps 27. Which of these foods in the most likely source of botulism? Vegetables in a swollen can 28. The internal receiving temp of fresh? 41 f 29. Which organism is most likely to multiply in vacuum or airless packaged foods? Clostridium botulinum 30. The minimum wash temp for chemical sanitizing in a ware washing machine should be? 120 f degrees 31. To manually hot water sanitize in a three sink process, the item must be in the water that is at minimum? 120 f – 30 sec 32. Which of the following is a safe food handling practice? Clean and sanitize food surfaces in constant use every 4 hrs 33. In a Hazards Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan, CCP’s are identified in? Flow chart 34. Measure a chicken noodle casserole where do you insert thermometer? Into the center or thickest part of the casserole 35. Grease traps must be cleaned on a regular basis because the can? Cause a backup 36. Product stuffed with either raw chicken or beef must be cooked to an internal temp of? 165 f for 15 sec 37. The first step in planning a food safety training program is? Identify the topics for the training 38. When cooking in a microwave, potentially hazardous foods should? Be rotated or mixed halfway through the cooking process 39. To ensure that the items are sanitized, the temp of a ware washing machine’s final sanitizing rinse must be at least? 180 f degrees 40. What two factors are the most important for controlling food borne illness in the food preparation process? Time and temp 41. Reduced Oxygen Packaged food must be stored? In refrigeration 42. An outbreak of typhoid fever, caused by the Salmonella Typhi Bacterium, is most likely to occur after? Flooding 43. Which of the following fall into the â€Å"eight most common food allergens† category? Milk, Wheat, Soybeans 44. Enterohemorrahagic E. coli is a? Bacteria that produces shiga toxins. 45. Which of the following bacteria are found in soil? Bacillus cereus 46. The anisakis simplex worm is most likely to be found in? Under cooked fish 47. Which of the following illness DO NOT have to be reported to the local health dept? Giardiasis 48. Which type of temp probe would use to measure the temp of an oven or refrigerator? Air 49. Which of the following is NOT a method for removing oxygen from packed foods? HMR 50. For traditional steeped tea, the hot water should be a minimum of? 175 f and steeped for minimum of 5 min 51. The correct method for calibrating a stem type thermometer is? In water and ice, and calibrate 32 f 52. Shellfish dealer tags must be kept on file for how many days after the shellfish was harvested? 90 days 53. You have a food delivery arriving in an hour that will consist of milk cartons, fresh chicken breasts, and vacuum-packed bacon. What is the best thermometer to use to check product temperatures on all of these products? Bimetallic thermometer 54. Food borne intoxication is caused by eating food that contain? Poison producing microorganisms 55. To free up space in the kitchen, a busser is asked to manually clean some pot and pans in a three-compartment sink. First he scrapes and rinses the items. Then, he washes them in the first sink, rinses them in the second sink, sanitizes them in the third sink, and sets the items on the drain board to air dry. What did the busser do wrong? He forgot to clean and sanitize the sinks before using them 56. PCO stands for? Pest control operator 57. The best method of preventing an outbreak of Hepatitis A is? Proper hand washing procedures 58. On her morning shift, a food handler puts on clean disposable gloves, and begins to move defrosted hamburger patties form the refrigerator to the preparation area, as directed by the cook. Then, she is asked to slice tomatoes. When she’s done, she slices raw onions. In this sequence of task, when should the food handler change gloves? After moving the hamburger patties to the preparation area 59. The chef just finished preparing raw chicken breasts in a citrus marinade. She will store them in the refrigerator for the next shift to cook and serve for dinner. In order to prevent possible cross-contamination, where should the chef place the tray of chicken breast in the refrigerator? On the bottom self next to the ground turkey 60. A food handler comes to work with a bad cold, but insists that he is well enough to work. The employee is asked to take his temperature, and it turns out that he has a fever. What should the manager do? Send the employee home 61. Which of the following bacteria might be found in a food worker’s hand wound? Staphylococcus aureus 62. A father takes his four year old daughter and her friend to the local hamburger diner after swimming lessons. The friend wants a hot dog, and his daughter wants a hamburger. Because the father likes his hamburgers rare, he orders a rare hamburger for himself and his daughter. What should the server do? Explain that the restaurant cannot serve rare hamburgers to young children 63. Salmonella spp. Bacteria have recently been found in contaminated? Produce 64. A food worker used a Quats sanitizing solution in a three compartment sink as the final step in the cleaning and sanitizing process. She confirmed that the water temp was 75 f, she followed the manufacturer’s concentration instructions, and she completely immersed the cleaned metal cooking pots in the solution for 15 sec. last, she let the pot air dry before storing it. What did the food worker do wrong? She didn’t immerse the pot long enough 65. Which of the following foods are most easily contaminated with the Norovirus? Ready to eat foods 66. Shigella spp. Bacteria are most likely to be found in contaminated? Water 67. A catering company is preparing and transporting hot and cold foods to a customer site for a birthday party. The customer will then reheats and serve the food to guests at the appropriate time. Which of the following must the catering company provide to the customer? Reheating instructions for hot foods 68. A customer has just finished eating a seafood salad with a peanut dressing. As he is paying the bill, the customer starts to have trouble breathing. His face starts to swell, and he breaks out in hives. Most likely the customer is suffering from? An allergy attack 69. In the final hour of a local fund raising event, your food booth runs out of ice for cold beverages. What is the best course of action to follow? Send a volunteer to the nearest store for a bag of ice 70. A food handler in a small coffee shop has just finished deep frying a batch of chicken nuggets, when a customer order comes in for fried shrimp. What does the food handler need to do to avoid cross- contact? The food handler should use a different fryer and oil assigned to cook seafood 71. At an offsite catered event, the food service manager has been hot holding a beef stir fry at 145 f, when suddenly she loses her heat source. Guests are in line waiting to be served. What should the manager do? Begin to serve guests, because the stir fry can be out of temp control for up to 4 hrs 72. A server walks up to a newly seated party of two. The female customer announces that she has a wheat allergy. What should the server do? Wait till the customer orders, and then check with the manager to confirm if any of the ordered items contain wheat

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Literature research paper Ancient India the Vedic Period Essay

The study of the literature provides a peek into the timeframe during the period 1500BC to 500 BC. This period in the Ancient Indian history has been regarded as Vedic period which is the time when Vedic Sanskrit texts were composed in India. The society and civilization which evolved during that time has been known as Vedic civilization which flourished on the Indo-Gangetic plains of the Indian subcontinent. Vedic literature is of paramount importance in the understanding of the social, economic and religious flavors of India. Among all modern Indian philosophic systems the Vedic tradition is the foremost. It has been recognized as the sound platform on which the pillars of Hinduism has evolved. Vedic literature has an infallible reputation for the evolution of Hindu orthodoxy, and is composed of three classes: the collection of hymns, incantations and sacrificial formulas. These are the first tentative Indian philosophy. (Navone, 1956). The Vedic Literature can be classified as the basis for the Hindu Vedic civilization. They are classified into several chronological branches. Rig Veda is considered the oldest of the text and consists of many elements which have common thread with the Indo-Iranian texts both in language and content. Such similarity does not exist in reference to any other text. (Vedic Age)This is followed by the â€Å"Brahamanas† or theological prose testimonials; the â€Å"Aranyakas,† containing the meditations of the woodland hermits and the â€Å"Upanishads† the secret doctrines. (Navone, 1956). These are the first tentative Indian philosophy which has been the foundation for later development of the values and the beliefs of Hinduism through ages. The depth of context and content provided by the Vedic literature has attracted great explorers and later missionaries to rediscover the essence of India during the Vedic period. The true scientific knowledge of India became available when the study of Sanskrit and other ancient languages was first undertaken. Rigveda forms the backbone of the Hinduism and the compositions of this time has great impact on the society and the culture of the time. The political units were divided into three segments and the heads were appointed for each segment. The three segments were ruled by Rashtra and the head of the state was considered Rajan or the King. It was a democratic system where the King ruled with the consent and the approval. The King was in charge of the protection and justice of the citizens. The society and economy evolved where agriculture flourished and the cows and bulls held important sacrificial significance. The caste system evolved and marriage rules became strict and families evolved as patriarchal where the birth of the son was considered significant. Religion evolved with great emphasis on worship. Rishi’s , composers of hymns were considered divine. Yoga and Vedanta became the basic elements of religion. People worshiped the elements of nature Sun, Moon , Wind, Rain, Dawn and Earth. The greatest exponent of Vedanta was Shankracharya, he referred to a definite system and defined doctrines differentiating from the other similar systems. The most radical divergence of Vedanta was its teaching that the world originated from a single principle. (Navone, 1956). Bibliography Navone, J. J. , S. J.. Sankara and the Vedic Tradition . 1956.Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 248-255 Published by: International Phenomenological Society. Jstor. http://www. jstor. org/stable/2104222? &Search=yes&term=Period&term=Ancient&term=Vedic&term=India&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DAncient%2BIndia%2BVedic%2BPeriod%26wc%3Don%26dc%3DAll%2BDisciplines&item=19&ttl=3025&returnArticleService=showArticle. Accessed on 24-2-2009. Vedic Age, Cultural India, Cultural India . net; Accessed on 24-2-2009, http://www. culturalindia. net/indian-history/ancient-india/vedic-civilization. html

Friday, November 8, 2019

Pros and Cons of MBA Dual Degree Programs

Pros and Cons of MBA Dual Degree Programs A dual degree program, also known as a double degree program, is a type of academic program that allows you to earn two different degrees. MBA dual degree programs result in a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree and another type of degree. For example, JD/MBA degree programs result in a Juris Doctor (JD) and an MBA degree, and MD/MBA programs result in Doctor of Medicine (MD) and an MBA degree. In this article, well take a look at a few more examples of MBA dual degree programs and then explore the pros and cons of earning an MBA dual degree. Examples of MBA Dual Degree Programs JD/MBA and MD/MBA degree programs are popular options for MBA candidates who want to earn two different degrees, but there are many other types of dual MBA degrees. Some other examples include: MBA and Master of Science in Urban PlanningMBA and Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)MBA and Master of International Affairs (MIA)MBA and Master of Science in JournalismMBA and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)MBA and Master of Public Health (MPH)MBA and Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)MBA and Master of Science in Social WorkMBA and Master of Arts in EducationMBA and Master of Science in Data Science Although the above degree programs are examples of programs that award two graduate-level degrees, there are some schools that allow you to earn an MBA in conjunction with an undergraduate degree. For example, Rutgers School of Business has a BS/MBA dual degree program that awards an MBA in conjunction with a Bachelor of Science in accounting, finance, marketing, or management. Pros of MBA Dual Degree Programs There are many pros of an MBA dual degree program. Some of the advantages include: Flexibility: If you have academic or career goals that involve multiple disciplines or require multiple areas of expertise, an MBA dual degree program can help you maximize your graduate education and gain the knowledge and skills you need to achieve your goals. For example if you want to practice law at someone elses firm, you probably don’t need an MBA dual degree, but if you want to open your own law firm, work with mergers and acquisitions, or specialize in contract negotiations, an MBA degree can give you an edge over other people in your field.Career Advancement: An MBA dual degree could fast-track your career and make you eligible for promotions that might take longer to get or not be available without an MBA. For example, an MD may be perfectly suited to work on the clinical side of a primary care practice but may not have the business skills needed to run a primary care office or work in a non-clinical administrative position. With hospital administrators earning more on average than the doctors who work for the hospital and the need for healthcare reform on the rise, an MBA could be a valuable asset for physicians. Savings: An MBA dual degree program could save you time (and maybe even money). When you earn dual degrees, you could spend less time in school than you would if you earned the degrees separately. For example, it will take you four years to complete a traditional bachelors degree program and another two years to earn a masters degree. A BS/MBA program, one the other hand, could be completed in just five years. Cons of MBA Dual Degree Programs Although there are many pros of MBA dual degrees, there are cons that you should consider before applying to a program. Some of the drawbacks include: Time commitment: Earning two different degrees means you will have to spend more time in school than you would if you were earning just one degree. For example, most full-time MBA programs take two years to complete. If you are earning a JD/MBA, you will need to spend at least three years in school (in an accelerated program) or four to five years in school in a traditional JD/MBA program. This could mean taking more time off work, more time away from family, or putting other life plans on hold.Financial commitment: A graduate-level education isn’t cheap. Top MBA programs are notoriously expensive, and earning an MBA dual degree is even more expensive. Tuition varies from school to school, but you could end up spending $50,000 to $100,000 per year on tuition and fees.Return on Investment: Although an MBA education can be helpful for professionals who are opening their own business or working in a management or leadership capacity, there isnt any job that officially requires an MBA dual degree. For example, you dont need an MBA to practice law, medicine, or dentistry, and an MBA is not a requirement in other professions like engineering, social work, etc. If an MBA isnt essential (or valuable) to your career path, it may not be worth the time or financial investment.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Ancient Greek Eroticism - An Introduction

Ancient Greek Eroticism - An Introduction Our knowledge about ancient Greek eroticism changes constantly, as more literary and artistic evidence is found and analyzed and as contemporary scholarship puts a new spin on old data. The Concept of Eros in Greece Ancient Greek society had different words for different kinds of love. Eros, for the most part, denoted love that had a sexual component. It could refer to the ideal marital affection between men and women, but also encompassed homosexual relationships. The concept of pederasty, which involved an older man who was both lover and mentor to a young man, also was connected to the idea of eros. This was not uncommon across all the varied Greek city-states. Sparta had homosexual relationships built into the structure of the training all young Spartan men received, although there is some disagreement among historians about whether the relationships were more paternalistic mentorships or primarily sexual. In other Dorian areas also homosexuality was widely accepted. Thebes saw in the 4th century the creation of a battalion of homosexual lovers- the Sacred Band. In Crete, there is evidence of ritualized abduction of younger men by older men. Contrary to popular belief, eros was not solely a sexual institution. In the case of pederastic eros, the relationships were considered educational above all else. Plato also theorized that eros could be directed towards mathematics and philosophy, rather than sexuality, in order to harness that driving energy towards improving ones mental and spiritual state. Sexuality, Myth, and History By the end of the 5th century BC, the concept of erotic and/or romantic homosexual love was enshrined in myth and art. Poets told stories in which male gods had relationships with young, beautiful human men, while myths also depicted similar relationships between human men or tweaked existing myths to fit this dichotomy of lover and beloved. One of the better-known myths of this sort is that of Achilles and Patroclus. According to the myths, Achilles, hero of the Trojan War, had an older and wiser companion named Patroclus. When Patroclus was killed in battle, Achilles completely broke down. The original Homeric texts did not specify a sexual relationship between the men, but later authors firmly interpreted their bond as romantic and sexual. The myth of Achilles and Patroclus was said to have inspired Alexander the Great in his relationship with his closest companion, Hephaestion. Again, however, the true nature of that relationship is unknown: whether they were lovers or had a non-sexual close companionship. In general, homosexual relationships between men were predominantly between an older and a younger partner. The idea of an adult male being the beloved of another man would have been frowned upon or outright stigmatized, since adult men were supposed to become dominant and not passive. Restrictions on Greek Women Women were considered the guardians of Athenian citizenship, but that didnt confer any rights. A citizen of Athens had to make sure all his wifes children were his. To keep her away from temptation, she was locked away in the womens quarters and accompanied by a male whenever she went outside. If she were caught with another man, the man could be killed or brought to court. When a woman married, she was a piece of property transferred from her father (or other male guardian) to her husband. In Sparta, the need for Spartan citizens was strong, so women were encouraged to bear children to a citizen who would sire well if her own husband proved inadequate. There she wasnt so much her spouses property as the states- as were her children and her husband. Because of this emphasis on the need for citizens, however, Spartan women had higher social standing, and the city-state honored the institution of marriage and the marital bond. Same-sex love between women was less recorded due to the role of women in society as a whole, but did exist. The most famous evidence of this is the poetry of Sappho, who wrote romantic poetry directed at women and girls. However, love between two women did not have the same usefulness as the educational/military bond of male-male relationships, and was therefore not supported socially. Plato and Current Theories of Greek Sexualities In Platos Symposium (a treatise on Athenian eroticism) the playwright Aristophanes offers a colorful explanation for why all these sexual options existed. In the beginning, there were three types of double-headed humans, he said, varying according to sex: male/male, female/female, and male/female. Zeus, angered at the humans, punished them by splitting them in half. From then on, each half has forever sought out his other half. Plato himself had a very wide range of views on homosexuality: early texts show him praising such relationships as preferable to heterosexual ones, but he also wrote later texts denouncing them. Scholars also continue to debate whether or not erotic love and sexual preferences were considered defining personality categories in ancient Greece. Current scholarship, including feminist and Foucauldian, applies a variety of theoretical models to the literary and artistic evidence we have about ancient sexuality. To some, sexuality is culturally defined, to others, there are universal constants. Application of Athenian literary evidence from the fifth and fourth centuries to preceding or succeeding generations is problematic, but not nearly so hard as trying to extend it to all of Greece. The resources below reflect a variety of approaches. Sources and Further Reading Cullhed, A, Franzen C, and Hallengren A. (editors). Pangs of Love and Longing: Configurations of Desire in Premodern Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2014.Dover, KJ. Greek Homosexuality. 3rd editon. London: Bloomsbury Press, 2016.Ferrari, Gloria.  Figures of Speech: Men and Maidens in Ancient Greece. University of Chicago Press, 2002.Foucault M. The History of Sexuality. Volume 1: An Introduction. Vintage Press, 1986.Foucault M. The History of Sexuality. Volume 2: The Use of Pleasure. Vintage Press, 1988.Hubbard, Thomas K. A Companion to Greek and Roman Sexualities. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell.Skinner, MB. Sexuality in Greek and Roman Culture, 2nd edition: Wiley Blackwell, 2013.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Current Events in Public Health Leadership and the Fiedler Contingency Assignment

Current Events in Public Health Leadership and the Fiedler Contingency Theory - Assignment Example gs forth to two factors in leadership referred to as leadership style and situational favorableness as outlined in fielder contingency model (Ornstein, & Lunenburg, 2007). This paper seeks to analyze a recent activity in relation to Fielder Contingency Model. Alzheimer disease is a disease that affects the human brain and if not treated at an advanced stage may have lethal consequences. As such, it has been necessary to carry out research on the disease in order to look into the problem and propose solutions that might eliminate it, or provide medicine effective in avowing adverse effects on the victims. Research entails looking into a specified problem and using relevant literature and results obtained, bring out a solution. In this regard, research might include different parties and the success of the entire project is determined by the coordination of each and every party. Therefore, good leadership is essential to ensure smooth undertaking of the research. The research on Alzheimer disease was executed using rats as specimen, as Terrence believed argued , â€Å"We believe the rats will be an excellent, stringent pre-clinical model for testing experimental Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics† (Thomas para 2). From the research, it emerged that high level of beta-amyloid in the brain leads to the occurrences of the health disorder, Alzheimer. The disease affects a substantive percentage of American population, about five million, making it an important aspect of research, which would ensure that citizens live happy lives, free from diseases. The research on Alzheimer disease was carried out by a team of experts headed by Professor Terrence Town. Each person acted at different capacity and the joined effort led to the success realized. In concluding presenting the results, Professor Neil argued that presenting the results to interested researchers with results obtained would be of great help in the future. This is an aspect of good leadership as in recognizes

Friday, November 1, 2019

Teenagers and Young Adults Are Changing Marketing Practices Literature review

Teenagers and Young Adults Are Changing Marketing Practices - Literature review Example The world has said to be entered in the era of globalization as there are no real boundaries and distances are contracted because of the free flow of information and knowledge. Indeed, the advancements in information and communication technology (ICT), especially the arrival of the internet, have facilitated networking and information sharing among people worldwide. For instance, this has not only benefited the trade and commerce but also provided new business and investment opportunities to entrepreneurs across the globe. Also, this has resulted in intense competition among the firms because new people/ investors/firms regularly enter the corporate world, which ultimately benefits consumers in terms of greater variety and availability of choice. However, it is worthwhile to mention that this competition also put greater strain on marketing personnel, since they have been bombarded with various new responsibilities and duties to ensure survival, growth and sustainability of an enterp rise. (Chan & Fang, 2007) Marketers have realized the fact that teenagers (under age bracket of 12 – 16 years) and young adults (16 + years) could be the most attractive and lucrative market segments; since they have relatively better purchasing power as well as inclination to acquire innovated products and accept ideas. Nevertheless, Spero and Stone (2004) argued that this segment was not provided sufficient channels, which they could use to express and share their ideas, values, aspirations and opinions with the general public.