King Leopolds Ghost Essay

Between 1880 and 1920, the population of the Congo was slashed in half: some ten million people were victims of murder, starvation, exhaustion, exposure, disease, and a plummeting birth rate. Why do you think this massive carnage has remained virtually unknown in the United States and Europe? During all this death there was only a few who would go down into the Congo because of all its dangers. So with hardly anyone already going down there and those who did brave the dangers would usually come back insane from a disease of some sort, there was just not enough evidence to prove how bad it was really getting even with those who made it out fine. There was also no communication possible only by mail and considering the dangers no persons would risk their life to take a letter to and from the jungle. So how can you, with not enough brave people to go down there, get the information out to the world. But even those who got it out and tried to spread the word would be persecuted for saying such things because nobody wanted to help them because that would put their life in danger. No one in their right mind would even venture down to that part of Africa. So with no phones, pagers, computers, or mail to get the word out and sickness and animals killing most that went down there. Even those who go looking for these camps cannot usually find them because there in rural eras of the jungle which, for some, are impossible to attain. There was just no possible way to get word out to the rest of the world to get help. Now even with all the technology to find and go to them we still don’t hear much of them. We have all the vaccines to fight off all the disease and help the dying people in Africa. So even though we have all that still not much people want to help because they are caught up in the world they are living in and nothing else matters until they get what they need and want. The human race is selfish and only looks out for themselves. Question 6 The European conquest and plunder of the Congo and the rest of Africa was brutal, but so was the European settlement of North America and, long before that, the conquest of most of European by the Romans. Hasn’t history always proceeded in this way? Well yea, history has a way of repeating itself. Nothing only happens one time in history. There is always going to be those crazy Hitler type people out there and those who go power drunk and take over their country and then try to take over the world. And yes, whenever you go exploring a new place it’s going to be difficult. Have you ever heard someone say’ â€Å"I went exploring a new continent and it was easy. † There is so much that goes into exploration. You need tools, maps, guides, protection from animals and natives. Pretty much anything new you do is not going to be easy for you to do. Anything you do needs time, practice, and plans, but most important in needs to be organized. If nothing was organized the world would be in chaos. So yes history has and will be forever keep repeating itself to keep balance and stability to the world. It will always have its ups and always have its downs. It doesn’t matter who or what you do to try and prevent it. God has established the status quo and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Question 13 Hochschild quotes Roger Casements as insisting to Edmond Morel’s â€Å"I do not agree with you that England and America are the two great humanitarian powers †¦ [they are] materialistic first and humanitarian only a century after. † What evidence supports or refuses Casement’s judgment? Would Casement be justified in making the same statement today? Now back in that time we were more of a humanitarian country because first of all we didn’t have all the same technology we did today. Second we were pretty much a new country and we were trying to make a good name for us. Then third we went to war for other which was no cause of our own and all we did was help out less fortunate countrys than us. See now during this time it is a little different. We have all sorts of distractions. We have technology, we have more murder, and we are being more protective of our people. We use to go to war for no cause just to help out but now when we are attacked we don’t want to go to war. So you can say we are and have been a little of both the whole time. Back then we went to war to help people now we are sending missionaries to camps around the world to help people. But in the end let’s hope that we become more

Case Analysis

Organizations that remain stagnant In their strategy eventually become so salary to their competitors that the only differentiating characteristic between them is price; this hometown, according to Cummings and Gnawing transforms these companies into â€Å"lemmings† that blindly follow their peers without unleashing their full potential. An organization can set itself apart and create new paths for itself by changing its strategy to meet the new environment, a change Into what the authors call the Annual chimera† or PVC.In mythology, a chimera Is a multi-headed, different-faced creature with different body parts. The idea behind the chimera analogy is clear: organizations can differentiate themselves by adapting to the changing environment, hangs brought about by technology and increasing globalization. Most companies want to â€Å"differentiate themselves by developing a unique network of psychological characteristics and associations that separate them from others. Th ere is a clash between the old school management theories and the PVC: where the previous theories focused on cost reduction and efficient production, the PVC focuses on differentiation and customization. The clash emerges because the focus of these two ideas necessarily contradicts the other, as in how can you reduce cost but still customize your product? The PVC Is consistent with the resource-based model since It views organizations â€Å"In terms of their distinctive constellations of tangible and Intangible resources, the sum of whose parts create unique and often Inimitable capableness. The value chain analysis, according to the PVC, is not the preferred method of viewing strategy; instead, strategy should be a mixture of resources and value to create a hybrid organization that is both agile and also maintains its ability to produce what its customers want. 4. Dell faces Increased competition from Its rivals such as HP, Acre, Apple, and Leno and must stay agile to keep its ma rket share. All of them segment their customers effectively and then set their strategies to focus on each segment.Dell has four market segments that it has identified: home users, large enterprise customers, small/medium businesses, and the public sector. Dell's strategy is to maintain its focus on each of these segments to provide better customer service to malting loyalty. Acre group's strategy Is to acquire other competing brands and en to tailor tense Dramas to meet tenet segments needs. Acres strategy Is salary to Dell's, however Acre does not possess the knowledge that Dell has gained in-house to successfully focus its strengths into different brands for different segments.HP also segments is markets, however it started out by focusing on printing and imaging and not personal computers. HP also focuses its strategy on the services-side of computing, a segment that Dell does not compete in directly. HP seems to be focusing its PC sales on new, fancy-looking computers rather th an setting itself apart eased on its customer service or services business. Apple, on the other hand, does not segment its market in the same way that Dell, HP, and Acre segment their markets. Apple's market is a niche computing market that serves the â€Å"high-end† computer user.Dell does not need to directly compete with Apple since Apple-loyalty is based on the niche, and not based on the quality of service or quality of product like Dell's loyalty is based. Leno started out late in the game and purchased Vim's personal computer division and is the largest producer in Asia. Leno focuses, like HP, on the services-side of computing, a segment that Dell does not compete in yet. Dell also offers adjacent products like televisions and entertainment products, segments that Leno does not offer.Dell should compete with Leno only in Asia and the Middle Eastern markets in the future. Based on the previous analysis, Dell should continue to focus its strategy on its current market se gments and not venture into new territory such as services and other management tools. While Dell might consider Asia as its next frontier, there are many issues with facing Leno on its own ruff, as well as new entrants to the market as developing countries like India begin their own computer producing companies.I would recommend that Dell maintain its focus on Asia and keep its strategy limited to offering quality customer service and affordable, customizable personal computers in the U. S. 2. We must classify environments because firms can control certain aspects of it, and cannot control other aspects of it. General environment segments directly influence an industry and include segments such as political, demographic, and coloratura. Firms cannot control the general environment segments, however these segments directly influence the strategies these firms will choose.On the other hand, industry environment factors directly influence a firm and its strategic choices: the power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, and the intensity of rivalry among competitors. Successful firms gather all the necessary information on the external environment and then also gather intelligence on their competitors in the industry to properly form their strategy. Five important factors in the general environment include anemographic, technological, coloratura, global, and legal segments.The demographic segment considers that age and population of the market as well as the income of customers; technology considerations include advances in communication and product innovation; coloratura segment analysis includes workforce diversity, shifts in product characteristic preferences, and shifts in work/career preferences; the global segment considers emerging new markets and different cultural attributes; finally, the legal segment considers laws and regulations that may affect strategic decisions. Case Analysis Organizations that remain stagnant In their strategy eventually become so salary to their competitors that the only differentiating characteristic between them is price; this hometown, according to Cummings and Gnawing transforms these companies into â€Å"lemmings† that blindly follow their peers without unleashing their full potential. An organization can set itself apart and create new paths for itself by changing its strategy to meet the new environment, a change Into what the authors call the Annual chimera† or PVC.In mythology, a chimera Is a multi-headed, different-faced creature with different body parts. The idea behind the chimera analogy is clear: organizations can differentiate themselves by adapting to the changing environment, hangs brought about by technology and increasing globalization. Most companies want to â€Å"differentiate themselves by developing a unique network of psychological characteristics and associations that separate them from others. Th ere is a clash between the old school management theories and the PVC: where the previous theories focused on cost reduction and efficient production, the PVC focuses on differentiation and customization. The clash emerges because the focus of these two ideas necessarily contradicts the other, as in how can you reduce cost but still customize your product? The PVC Is consistent with the resource-based model since It views organizations â€Å"In terms of their distinctive constellations of tangible and Intangible resources, the sum of whose parts create unique and often Inimitable capableness. The value chain analysis, according to the PVC, is not the preferred method of viewing strategy; instead, strategy should be a mixture of resources and value to create a hybrid organization that is both agile and also maintains its ability to produce what its customers want. 4. Dell faces Increased competition from Its rivals such as HP, Acre, Apple, and Leno and must stay agile to keep its ma rket share. All of them segment their customers effectively and then set their strategies to focus on each segment.Dell has four market segments that it has identified: home users, large enterprise customers, small/medium businesses, and the public sector. Dell's strategy is to maintain its focus on each of these segments to provide better customer service to malting loyalty. Acre group's strategy Is to acquire other competing brands and en to tailor tense Dramas to meet tenet segments needs. Acres strategy Is salary to Dell's, however Acre does not possess the knowledge that Dell has gained in-house to successfully focus its strengths into different brands for different segments.HP also segments is markets, however it started out by focusing on printing and imaging and not personal computers. HP also focuses its strategy on the services-side of computing, a segment that Dell does not compete in directly. HP seems to be focusing its PC sales on new, fancy-looking computers rather th an setting itself apart eased on its customer service or services business. Apple, on the other hand, does not segment its market in the same way that Dell, HP, and Acre segment their markets. Apple's market is a niche computing market that serves the â€Å"high-end† computer user.Dell does not need to directly compete with Apple since Apple-loyalty is based on the niche, and not based on the quality of service or quality of product like Dell's loyalty is based. Leno started out late in the game and purchased Vim's personal computer division and is the largest producer in Asia. Leno focuses, like HP, on the services-side of computing, a segment that Dell does not compete in yet. Dell also offers adjacent products like televisions and entertainment products, segments that Leno does not offer.Dell should compete with Leno only in Asia and the Middle Eastern markets in the future. Based on the previous analysis, Dell should continue to focus its strategy on its current market se gments and not venture into new territory such as services and other management tools. While Dell might consider Asia as its next frontier, there are many issues with facing Leno on its own ruff, as well as new entrants to the market as developing countries like India begin their own computer producing companies.I would recommend that Dell maintain its focus on Asia and keep its strategy limited to offering quality customer service and affordable, customizable personal computers in the U. S. 2. We must classify environments because firms can control certain aspects of it, and cannot control other aspects of it. General environment segments directly influence an industry and include segments such as political, demographic, and coloratura. Firms cannot control the general environment segments, however these segments directly influence the strategies these firms will choose.On the other hand, industry environment factors directly influence a firm and its strategic choices: the power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, and the intensity of rivalry among competitors. Successful firms gather all the necessary information on the external environment and then also gather intelligence on their competitors in the industry to properly form their strategy. Five important factors in the general environment include anemographic, technological, coloratura, global, and legal segments.The demographic segment considers that age and population of the market as well as the income of customers; technology considerations include advances in communication and product innovation; coloratura segment analysis includes workforce diversity, shifts in product characteristic preferences, and shifts in work/career preferences; the global segment considers emerging new markets and different cultural attributes; finally, the legal segment considers laws and regulations that may affect strategic decisions. Case Analysis The Effects of Advertising CONSUMER BEHAVIOR COURSE – Brief overview The schedule will be available in September Dr. Anne-Laure Sellier Tisch 8-11 Phone: (212) 998-0553 Fax: (212) 995-4855 [email  protected] nyu. edu Office Hours: flexible, call for appointment Teaching assistant: TBA Optional Readings: I highly recommend you go through the readings below. However, please note we will never refer to the Solomon book in class. I will merely indicate what chapters are relevant for each class, and you can use the book as a tool to better grasp some of the concepts we will discuss in class. . Solomon (2008). Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having and Being (8th ed). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 2. Additional journal articles, exercises, and recent news from the popular business press will be provided throughout the semester. The journal articles will provide you with a deeper insight into selected topics and methods of consumer behavior research. The business news articles, cases, and exercises will give you the opportunity to apply the conceptual framework to current real-world marketing problems.The readings and assignments will be handed out in class and/or posted on the Blackboard. 3. Most cases assigned for the class are in the course pack, and some will be posted on Blackboard, as we will enjoy freshly baked cases from the London Business School and the industry. Overview: Consumer behavior is one of the most interesting and important aspects of marketing management. Virtually all decisions involved in developing an effective marketing mix for a product or service rely on thorough knowledge of the consumers who comprise the target market.Understanding the behavior of the consumer can help marketers anticipate reactions to changes in the marketing mix, or determine whether new products are likely to be adopted. Consumer behavior is also closely related to marketing research. A practical understanding of the consumer can aid in the selection of an approp riate research methodology, question design and selection, as well as in interpreting consumer responses to such questions. In this course we will directly examine the available theory and research concerning the behavior of the consumer in order to understand its most basic principles.The majority of the course will focus on the consumer as an information processor of one sort or another. We will examine the motivational and perceptual factors upon which buyer behavior is built, as well as look at more complex processes such as persuasion, attitude judgment, and decision-making. In practical terms, we will address the following questions: What kinds of marketing stimuli do consumers notice? How can we get them to notice our marketing messages? What motivates consumers? What do consumers value?What elements can we include in our marketing mix to motivate consumers to learn more about our product or to buy it? What kinds of information are consumers good at remembering? How can we ai d consumer memory for our brand name and product features? What makes consumers evaluate products as good or bad, and how can we persuade them that our product is good? How can we get consumers to choose our product over competitors? What features do consumers care about, and how does this influence their decision? What are the main things that determine whether consumers are satisfied with a product or not?The goals of this class are: †¢ to acquire a framework for analyzing consumer behavior problems †¢ to learn how consumer behavior can be affected by different marketing strategies †¢ to show how behavioral evidence can be used to evaluate alternative marketing strategies †¢ to learn about and use consumer behavior theories in marketing and social psychology The course is structured as followed: we will discuss a case; it will be followed by a lecture related to the case. Note that we discuss the case for 1h30 / 2 hrs, so you are expected to be thoroughly prepa red for class discussion.Course prerequisites: a solid understanding of your Core Marketing course Course Grades: Class participation Written assignments (2) Final exam 20% 40% 40% N. B. on class participation: Attending all sessions is obviously crucial. It will also give you the opportunity to actively participate in class discussions and obtain a high class participation grade. Note, however, that your mere presence is not sufficient to earn points for class participation. What matters is the quantity and, especially, the quality of your contributions to class discussions.Assignments Assignments are due at the beginning of the relevant class. They are to be prepared in groups of 4 or 5 students. Students are expected to choose who they want to work with. All groups should be formed before the third week of class. Length: 3 pages (single spaced), plus any appendices, graphs, etc. The assignments involve a case analysis. Groups will write a brief paper examining the buyer behavior issues involved in two case readings assigned for the class, and describe the implications these principles have for the strategy they propose in the case.Each case will have associated questions with it that will help you structure your answer. Each assignment is due at the beginning of the class where the case will be discussed. Final exam The final exam will be a three-hour case-study, closed book, involving questions related to consumer behavior. It will take place during the last week of the course. We will finalize the exam date during our first class. Please make sure that you will not have any other work / interview-related commitment that day.Course Website This website has many useful things on it, including continuously updated information on assignments, readings, course schedule, etc. Also, we will use it as a platform to discuss consumer behavior issues covered in the press during the semester. Please check Blackboard regularly. Class Notes I will hand out hard copies of the slides after the case discussion in every session. In addition, the PowerPoint slides for each class will be available for downloading from the website as of right after class. Note, however, that these slides only present an outline of the class discussion.You will need to take notes to fully capture the material discussed in class. Additional Literature You can find additional relevant literature (e. g. , for your team project) using the Bobst Business Databases ( http://www. nyu. edu/library/bobst/database/d_bus. htm ), as well as links on the class website. Class Policy †¢ Be prepared: Make sure that you have read the readings assigned for each class. This will help you to better understand the material discussed in class and to actively participate in class discussions.Attend regularly: Regular attendance will provide you with more opportunities to contribute to class and thus increase your participation grade. Please note that you are responsible for knowing any ch anges or assignments announced in class. Arrive on time: Late-comers are very disturbing. Systematic tardiness will have a negative impact on your participation grade. Respect assignment deadlines: Late assignments will not be accepted without a prior agreement. Be honest: Cheating and plagiarism will result in a grade of â€Å"F† for the assignment/test for all parties involved. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Case Analysis Organizations that remain stagnant In their strategy eventually become so salary to their competitors that the only differentiating characteristic between them is price; this hometown, according to Cummings and Gnawing transforms these companies into â€Å"lemmings† that blindly follow their peers without unleashing their full potential. An organization can set itself apart and create new paths for itself by changing its strategy to meet the new environment, a change Into what the authors call the Annual chimera† or PVC.In mythology, a chimera Is a multi-headed, different-faced creature with different body parts. The idea behind the chimera analogy is clear: organizations can differentiate themselves by adapting to the changing environment, hangs brought about by technology and increasing globalization. Most companies want to â€Å"differentiate themselves by developing a unique network of psychological characteristics and associations that separate them from others. Th ere is a clash between the old school management theories and the PVC: where the previous theories focused on cost reduction and efficient production, the PVC focuses on differentiation and customization. The clash emerges because the focus of these two ideas necessarily contradicts the other, as in how can you reduce cost but still customize your product? The PVC Is consistent with the resource-based model since It views organizations â€Å"In terms of their distinctive constellations of tangible and Intangible resources, the sum of whose parts create unique and often Inimitable capableness. The value chain analysis, according to the PVC, is not the preferred method of viewing strategy; instead, strategy should be a mixture of resources and value to create a hybrid organization that is both agile and also maintains its ability to produce what its customers want. 4. Dell faces Increased competition from Its rivals such as HP, Acre, Apple, and Leno and must stay agile to keep its ma rket share. All of them segment their customers effectively and then set their strategies to focus on each segment.Dell has four market segments that it has identified: home users, large enterprise customers, small/medium businesses, and the public sector. Dell's strategy is to maintain its focus on each of these segments to provide better customer service to malting loyalty. Acre group's strategy Is to acquire other competing brands and en to tailor tense Dramas to meet tenet segments needs. Acres strategy Is salary to Dell's, however Acre does not possess the knowledge that Dell has gained in-house to successfully focus its strengths into different brands for different segments.HP also segments is markets, however it started out by focusing on printing and imaging and not personal computers. HP also focuses its strategy on the services-side of computing, a segment that Dell does not compete in directly. HP seems to be focusing its PC sales on new, fancy-looking computers rather th an setting itself apart eased on its customer service or services business. Apple, on the other hand, does not segment its market in the same way that Dell, HP, and Acre segment their markets. Apple's market is a niche computing market that serves the â€Å"high-end† computer user.Dell does not need to directly compete with Apple since Apple-loyalty is based on the niche, and not based on the quality of service or quality of product like Dell's loyalty is based. Leno started out late in the game and purchased Vim's personal computer division and is the largest producer in Asia. Leno focuses, like HP, on the services-side of computing, a segment that Dell does not compete in yet. Dell also offers adjacent products like televisions and entertainment products, segments that Leno does not offer.Dell should compete with Leno only in Asia and the Middle Eastern markets in the future. Based on the previous analysis, Dell should continue to focus its strategy on its current market se gments and not venture into new territory such as services and other management tools. While Dell might consider Asia as its next frontier, there are many issues with facing Leno on its own ruff, as well as new entrants to the market as developing countries like India begin their own computer producing companies.I would recommend that Dell maintain its focus on Asia and keep its strategy limited to offering quality customer service and affordable, customizable personal computers in the U. S. 2. We must classify environments because firms can control certain aspects of it, and cannot control other aspects of it. General environment segments directly influence an industry and include segments such as political, demographic, and coloratura. Firms cannot control the general environment segments, however these segments directly influence the strategies these firms will choose.On the other hand, industry environment factors directly influence a firm and its strategic choices: the power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, and the intensity of rivalry among competitors. Successful firms gather all the necessary information on the external environment and then also gather intelligence on their competitors in the industry to properly form their strategy. Five important factors in the general environment include anemographic, technological, coloratura, global, and legal segments.The demographic segment considers that age and population of the market as well as the income of customers; technology considerations include advances in communication and product innovation; coloratura segment analysis includes workforce diversity, shifts in product characteristic preferences, and shifts in work/career preferences; the global segment considers emerging new markets and different cultural attributes; finally, the legal segment considers laws and regulations that may affect strategic decisions. Case Analysis The Effects of Advertising CONSUMER BEHAVIOR COURSE – Brief overview The schedule will be available in September Dr. Anne-Laure Sellier Tisch 8-11 Phone: (212) 998-0553 Fax: (212) 995-4855 [email  protected] nyu. edu Office Hours: flexible, call for appointment Teaching assistant: TBA Optional Readings: I highly recommend you go through the readings below. However, please note we will never refer to the Solomon book in class. I will merely indicate what chapters are relevant for each class, and you can use the book as a tool to better grasp some of the concepts we will discuss in class. . Solomon (2008). Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having and Being (8th ed). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 2. Additional journal articles, exercises, and recent news from the popular business press will be provided throughout the semester. The journal articles will provide you with a deeper insight into selected topics and methods of consumer behavior research. The business news articles, cases, and exercises will give you the opportunity to apply the conceptual framework to current real-world marketing problems.The readings and assignments will be handed out in class and/or posted on the Blackboard. 3. Most cases assigned for the class are in the course pack, and some will be posted on Blackboard, as we will enjoy freshly baked cases from the London Business School and the industry. Overview: Consumer behavior is one of the most interesting and important aspects of marketing management. Virtually all decisions involved in developing an effective marketing mix for a product or service rely on thorough knowledge of the consumers who comprise the target market.Understanding the behavior of the consumer can help marketers anticipate reactions to changes in the marketing mix, or determine whether new products are likely to be adopted. Consumer behavior is also closely related to marketing research. A practical understanding of the consumer can aid in the selection of an approp riate research methodology, question design and selection, as well as in interpreting consumer responses to such questions. In this course we will directly examine the available theory and research concerning the behavior of the consumer in order to understand its most basic principles.The majority of the course will focus on the consumer as an information processor of one sort or another. We will examine the motivational and perceptual factors upon which buyer behavior is built, as well as look at more complex processes such as persuasion, attitude judgment, and decision-making. In practical terms, we will address the following questions: What kinds of marketing stimuli do consumers notice? How can we get them to notice our marketing messages? What motivates consumers? What do consumers value?What elements can we include in our marketing mix to motivate consumers to learn more about our product or to buy it? What kinds of information are consumers good at remembering? How can we ai d consumer memory for our brand name and product features? What makes consumers evaluate products as good or bad, and how can we persuade them that our product is good? How can we get consumers to choose our product over competitors? What features do consumers care about, and how does this influence their decision? What are the main things that determine whether consumers are satisfied with a product or not?The goals of this class are: †¢ to acquire a framework for analyzing consumer behavior problems †¢ to learn how consumer behavior can be affected by different marketing strategies †¢ to show how behavioral evidence can be used to evaluate alternative marketing strategies †¢ to learn about and use consumer behavior theories in marketing and social psychology The course is structured as followed: we will discuss a case; it will be followed by a lecture related to the case. Note that we discuss the case for 1h30 / 2 hrs, so you are expected to be thoroughly prepa red for class discussion.Course prerequisites: a solid understanding of your Core Marketing course Course Grades: Class participation Written assignments (2) Final exam 20% 40% 40% N. B. on class participation: Attending all sessions is obviously crucial. It will also give you the opportunity to actively participate in class discussions and obtain a high class participation grade. Note, however, that your mere presence is not sufficient to earn points for class participation. What matters is the quantity and, especially, the quality of your contributions to class discussions.Assignments Assignments are due at the beginning of the relevant class. They are to be prepared in groups of 4 or 5 students. Students are expected to choose who they want to work with. All groups should be formed before the third week of class. Length: 3 pages (single spaced), plus any appendices, graphs, etc. The assignments involve a case analysis. Groups will write a brief paper examining the buyer behavior issues involved in two case readings assigned for the class, and describe the implications these principles have for the strategy they propose in the case.Each case will have associated questions with it that will help you structure your answer. Each assignment is due at the beginning of the class where the case will be discussed. Final exam The final exam will be a three-hour case-study, closed book, involving questions related to consumer behavior. It will take place during the last week of the course. We will finalize the exam date during our first class. Please make sure that you will not have any other work / interview-related commitment that day.Course Website This website has many useful things on it, including continuously updated information on assignments, readings, course schedule, etc. Also, we will use it as a platform to discuss consumer behavior issues covered in the press during the semester. Please check Blackboard regularly. Class Notes I will hand out hard copies of the slides after the case discussion in every session. In addition, the PowerPoint slides for each class will be available for downloading from the website as of right after class. Note, however, that these slides only present an outline of the class discussion.You will need to take notes to fully capture the material discussed in class. Additional Literature You can find additional relevant literature (e. g. , for your team project) using the Bobst Business Databases ( http://www. nyu. edu/library/bobst/database/d_bus. htm ), as well as links on the class website. Class Policy †¢ Be prepared: Make sure that you have read the readings assigned for each class. This will help you to better understand the material discussed in class and to actively participate in class discussions.Attend regularly: Regular attendance will provide you with more opportunities to contribute to class and thus increase your participation grade. Please note that you are responsible for knowing any ch anges or assignments announced in class. Arrive on time: Late-comers are very disturbing. Systematic tardiness will have a negative impact on your participation grade. Respect assignment deadlines: Late assignments will not be accepted without a prior agreement. Be honest: Cheating and plagiarism will result in a grade of â€Å"F† for the assignment/test for all parties involved. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢

Case Treetop Forest Products Essay Example for Free

Case Treetop Forest Products Essay Identification (20%) Facts, assumptions and problem identification Building-grade lumber industry is competitive and product being sold is not differential; only differentiation is due to product packaging and presentation. Product packaging is biggest factor when buyers are making a purchasing decision between buying from Treetop or competitors. Over the last 2 years, Treetop has declined in ratings for package of lumber products as a result lost customers to competitors . Treetop has six departments: boom, sawmill, planer, packaging, shipping, and maintenance. All other departments have a supervisor; however, packaging department does not have one designated supervisor. Possible solution is to convert one of the workers to supervisor, or dedicate a supervisor 100% of the time to packaging To solve the issue supervisor from sawmill and planer deparments cover the shifts. Due to distance between sawmill and planing divisions, the supervisors are unable given full attention to the operations of the packaging division. (assumption) Distance cause the supervisor to visit the departments not as often as they should. Productivity in 3 divisions remained constant, Sawmill and planing division productivity increased; however, productivity decreased in packaging department and caused the following: Stockpile up Risk of damaged stock increased the inventory cost Cost Competitiveness suffered due to management placing additional employees from other divisions to solve the backlog issue faced by packaging department. Packaging department run two shifts – morning and afternoon Productivity level of afternoon shifts is less than morning shift employees Reason behind the decreased in productivity level in the department is due to following: Employees takes extended lunch and coffee breaks Leave few min early, specially afternoon shift Reallocation of temporary employees from different productive departments also follow the same practise after being in the packaging department for few days. Based on the case facts, organizational effectiveness and productivity is being effected by the in place practises of Packaging  Department. Following two major problems should be resolved to overcome the issues faced by Treetop: Packaging department’s employees are effecting the working habits of other department employees. Department wide meeting communicating the company values, performance issues of packaging department, statististics proving decline in packaging, and initiatives to stop extended lunches, coffee breaks, leaving few minutes early especially in afternoon shift Produce daily backlog reports showing increase in backlog and spoilage statistics. Use negative consequences (firing), within union contract. and positive rewards based on production and quality targets being met. Methods and implementation of rewards can be determined by using Nominal Group Technique (variation of brain storming)- 1)silently and independently document their ideas, 2)collectively describe ideas to other team members without critique, and 3)silently ad independently evaluate the ideas presented Packaging division does not have a supervisor to oversee the operation on daily bases. This needs to change immediately. If costs can’t be justified, perhaps  ½ time position added, that also is in production the other half , or Bal The packaging department is mostly at fault for majority of the Treetop Forest Productions Ltd recent decline of organisational success, not only are the packaging employees at fault, but also management for not monitoring the situation more effectively. It’s vital for Treetop Forest Products to improve and maintain their competitive edge within the building grade timber industry to ensure future success of the organisation. If solutions are not implemented immediately, the success of the organisation will continue to decline, placing Treetop Forest Productions Ltd in an unfavourable position where recovery may be implausible. Tackling the major issues illustrated within the packaging department will commence a strong positive path towards the future success of the organisation, placing them in a competitive position once again. There are possible solutions that can assist with effectively and efficiently dealing with this issue. Firstly, supervision and leadership needs a major  improvement within the packaging sector. As illustrated within all other fully supervised departments, work is completed efficiently and to a high quality standard. By providing packaging employees with the same supervision and leadership, near guarantees a positive change within the packaging department. Employing a leader with a with a transformational approach to leadership concerned with emotions, values, ethics, standards and long term goals will help to improve the work ethic within the packaging department. A supervisor with transformational leadership involves an exceptional form of influence that moves followers to accomplish more that what is usually expected of them. Furthermore, by introducing a new leader, costs will decrease due to supervised workers and the decrease of overtime; it can be implemented quickly, improv e productivity and increase the equity of work. As also explained within the issues of the packaging department, there is a lack of employee motivation. This is demonstrated through the low quality of work produced, longer breaks and early finishing times. Its important for managers to understand that each and every individual employee will have a set of drives, needs, decisions and behaviours to be motivated. By following the below diagram, Treetop Forest Products managers can use this to understand different emotional responses and resulting needs in the same situation. promote group cohesiveness and a pleasant working environment. In the short term, upper management could host a meeting or assembly between all departments to make them feel interrelated and important to the company. This could be a great motivation for the employees. In the long term, group evaluations could be necessary to measure the group’s performance and to see if the actions taken are resolving the problems. supervisor of the department. Learned Needs Theory: The Learned Needs Theory has three â€Å"learned needs† that can be defined as the â€Å"Need for Achievement†, â€Å"Need for Power†, and the â€Å"Need for Affiliation†. A need is amplified or suppressed through self-concept, social norms, and past  experiences (Internet Center for Management and Business Administration, Inc., 2002), although needs can also be learned through training whether it be strengthening or weakening the need. The members of the packaging department could have been more aware of their needs whether it is affiliation, power, or achievement and if they were more aware of what was there, there could have been more motivation on the part of the members to excel. Also, with the appointment of an actual supervisor, instead of taking them from other departments, it could have ensured that these needs be amplified through some forms of friendly competition or rewards. The â€Å"Need for Power† is stated as the need to make an impact on others, influence others, change people or events, and make a difference in life. If this need was taught to the members of the packaging department by the supervisors of the other departments, there could be a chance someone internally would strive so much for the need of power that he or she would emerge as the leader in a department with a declining productivity level. Having the ability to control others is a very powerful characteristic which everyone strives for internally, so if this need was brought forward by executives there would be an increase in competition and drive between the members to claim that position of hierarchy in the department. The â€Å"Need for Achievement† is the need and desire for excellence, competition, challenging goals, and overcoming difficulties. With the simple action as a reward put forth throughout the company internally that the employees of each section could enjoy, it could ignite an employee’s need for achievement and desire for excellence which in turn could ignite the competition in every employee to achieve success like his or her fellow employee has. People strive for recognition and success and if this need was amplified in the employees who have made it clear that they want to enjoy the benefits that come from a high productivity level, and brought out of those who believe that they don’t need success, Treetop Forest Products could internally enjoy success of their own making their business profit at its maximum rate. The â€Å"Need for Affiliation† is defined as the need for individuals maintain close, intimate relationships, or approval of other people. If Treetop Forest Products could bring out this need in the packaging department by showing them how the other departments in the company get along which in turn brings the productivity level up within the  department. Although, the employees of the packaging do well of getting along with each other by performing bad habits such as leaving early or extending their breaks, if that could be  transformed through the training of good habits such as exceeding expected productivity levels and working hard, the affiliation that is present now could be that much stronger and emphasized in the department. Also, in addition to affiliation within the department, there is also the possibility with the rise of productivity level and affiliation within the The team has strong cohesion, but needs to be turned around. (employees transferred are confor ming to the team norms of lack of punctuality)† Norms are the informal rules and shared expectations that groups establish to regulate the bahavour of their members.† Padge 225 chapter 8 Canadian Org Behaviour . It has to be set as a rethink to the department and communicating the new norms and aligning the norms with the company goals and objectives is critical. Through these simple needs that can be taught or learned, Treetop Forest Products could experience not only success from their five already successful departments but from the packaging department as well. If amplified the packaging department would benefit from the affiliation they would gain from the other departments, the power that employees could possibly gain with the increase of productivity via promotions or recognition, and the rewards that the employees of the packaging could gain through increased productivity levels. If Treetop Forest Products were to implicate these two simple theories there is a possibility that the packaging department would no longer be a harmful unit but instead an asset that Treetop can rely on. Through the Situational Leadership Theory, Treetop has the opportunity to find a leader that can adapt to the group and individuals and convert the now declining productivity level of the packaging department to an increasing level of productivity like the f ive other departments in the company. With the Learned Needs Theory, Treetop has the ability to install the needs for achievement, power, and affiliation to the packaging department to encourage friendly competition between the employees while still steadily increasing the productivity levels of the  department. Conclusion: Treetop Forest Products and Westboard Co have been suffering the consequences of the lackluster performance from their packaging department since there is no authority figure to keep the employees on task and working hard to produce sellable products for Westboard. With the packaging department not having their own supervisor, Treetop has appointed the supervisors of the sawmill and planing department as the supervisors of the packaging department during their shifts. With the packaging department being in a different location then the sawmill and planing department, it has caused the supervisors to make the packaging department an afterthought and with the productivity levels of the packaging department decreasing it has shown. After evaluating the case of Treetop Forest Product and the issues with their packaging department, they have been using the Contingency Theory which states that there is no one best way of leading and that a leadership style that is effective in some situations may not be successful in others and that while a leader may be very effective at one place and point in time may become unsuccessful either when transplanted to another situation or when factors around t hem change. This was clear in the case of Treetop Forest Product’s case because  although the leaders were very effective with their own departments, increasing the productivity levels of their respective departments, when transferred over to the packaging department their effectiveness did not follow. Each leader has their own key characteristics that play a major part in how they lead, whether it is their personality, drive, emotional intelligence, self-concept, etc. so what may be high and effective in one leader and his or her department may not be high and effective in a different department’s leader. Since the sawmill and planing departments were so successful when implanted into a failing department, the situation as well as the effectiveness of the leader changed. Instead of the Contingency Theory, there were others that if Treetop were to implement it could have made the productivity level of the packaging department go up while creating a better atmosphere within the company. If Treetop were to take the leader who was most able to conform his or her leadership style to that of the packaging department instead of just taking the top two  departments supervisors without considering the important variables such as distance and drive, Treetop could have improved the situation within the packaging department. With these simple changes to the company, Treetop could have quite easily changed the atmosphere and effectiveness of the packaging department to better the profits and trust gained from Westboard. If Treetop were to dedicate an individual supervisor based on performance and authoritative qualities within the department instead of having an external employee take on the responsibility of turning the packaging department around, the chances of increasing the productivity level of the packaging department would increase which would not only benefit the department but Treetop Forest Products and Westboard Co. respectively. Case Treetop Forest Products. (2016, Sep 15).

History of wool Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

History of wool - Essay Example The origin of wool can be traced back in Asia Minor just like the story of human civilization. This happened during the Stone Age period, over 10,000 years ago. Sheep was used by the primitive man who lived on the Mesopotamian plain for shelter, clothing, and food. With time, man learned how to weave and spin, and woolen materials turned to be part of their riches. Romans, Persians, and Greeks distributed sheep over Europe between 3000 and 1000 B.C, which improved the breeds. King Henry VIII, who reigned between 1509 and 1547, seized the flocks of monasteries and gave them out to the court favorites (American Wool 2). The shepherds who were left unemployed were then sent to prison for failing to repay their debts. This was part of the incitement that led them to migrate into America. England through his Kings tried to discourage the wool industry in North America, however, some few sheep that had been smuggled there had multiplied into over 100,000 sheep by 1665. There was even a law passed by Massachusetts that required a young people to spin and weave. The American tradition and folklore grew together with the wool industry. The eldest unmarried daughters in the family were charged with the spinning duties, hence the name ‘spinster. They wound spun yarn on a reel that when a given yardage was arrived at, it made a popping sound. American Wool. "The History of Wool Fact Sheet." Division American Sheep Industry Association Inc. (2013): 1-2. Web. 28 January 2015.

Analysis of a compelling project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Analysis of a compelling project - Essay Example While I agree with several of Lanier’s criticism’s of Technology, I nonetheless believe wholeheartedly that Technology is leading us forward and that it is revolutionizing communication in an ultimately positive manner. That said, Technology remains very unpredictable – as in the case of technological singularity – and often difficult to manage and direct once it has been released into the culture, particularly via the economy. Once the marketing cycle has taken up a piece of Technology, its future leaves the hands of the designer forever. Therefore, designers and technologists need to take our embryonic design steps very cautiously as we advance even farther into the realm of Technology. As Lanier explains: [Technology] can change how you conceive of yourself and the world. [Designers and technologists] tinker with your philosophy by direct manipulation of your cognitive experience, not indirectly, through argument. It takes only a tiny group of engineers to create technology that can shape the entire future of human experience with incredible speed. Therefore, crucial arguments about the human relationship with technology should take place between developers and users before such direct manipulations are designed (6). This supposition on the part of Lanier’s I agree with one hundred percent. ... Artificial Intelligence typically receives a negative treatment in the media, particularly in the cases of dystopian visions of a world once Technological Singularity has occurred. The standard plot line features hapless human beings at the mercy of or terrorized by malevolent Artificial Intelligence forms such as those found in I, Robot, Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and AI. The dystopian nightmare scenario of Technological Singularity received full treatment in the 2004 to 2009 sci-fi television series Battlestar Galatica, wherein a race of Artificial Intelligence life forms created by human beings and called the Cylons evolved to the point where they declared war on their human creators, exiled the human beings from their home planet, and hunted them mercilessly across multiple galaxies. While the dystopian, negative treatment of Technological Singularity may be the norm, it originates largely in fear and ignorance. I am not a technophobe, and I do not believe in the inhere nt dystopian view of Technology and Artificial Intelligence. I do however believe in mindful awareness of the power of technology to transform human society – for good or ill. In Lanier’s words, I understand that â€Å"Technology is not innocent, because its consequences are too direct† (Lanier 5). I found the topic of Week Four, You Are Not A Gadget: Technologies, Devices, Mediations to be the most appealing one and the lecture most aligned with my studies. The readings for this topic relate more with my interests in Design and Technology, and I believe that conducting research about this topic will benefit me in my future endeavors in the field of Design and Technology. Before coming to the

Yiddish Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Yiddish Literature - Essay Example ‘Joy’ is the story of a Rabbi who loses faith in his God with the adversities in his life. The Rabbi loses his children to death through sickness. His wife’s nagging and the tragedy makes him to question the existence of God. His faith trembles and he talks of shifting his belief to religion that believe in idol worship (Singer 32). He realizes that everything exist because his body makes him to feel the existence. Through the touch of the Berries and the cold water, he understands that the existence is momentary and so he does not have to worry about anything as he can’t do anything about it (Singer 33). This is the fact of life. When you experience difficulties that goes beyond your capacity of suffering, you start losing faith in your religious beliefs and question the existence of God. The absurdity of the situation is realized by the Rabbi in his deathbed. He sees the figures of his four sons, two daughters, grandfather and his father in the form of light and realizes that even when they are trying to come close to him, there is a restraint exercised on them which looks like fence. He becomes enlightened and just before dying tells Reb Abraham Moshe that one should always be joyous (Singer 37). The grotesque element makes him realize there is no point in missing the opportunity of being joyous on earth in hope of getting the joy or freedom after death in heaven. Vasil is a boy who hates and fears violence in his childhood but grows to be a soldier who resorts to violence and kills hundreds of his enemies himself. As a child he suppresses his fears

Aussie Slang Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Aussie Slang - Essay Example 8. To lend an air of solidity, concreteness, to the abstract; of earthiness to the idealistic; of immediacy and appositeness to the remote. (In the cultured the effort is usually premeditated, while in the uncultured it is almost always unconscious when it is not rather subconscious.) 9c. To soften the tragedy, to lighten or to 'prettify' the inevitability of death or madness, or to mask the ugliness or the pity of profound turpitude (e.g. treachery, ingratitude); and/or thus to enable the speaker or his auditor or both to endure, to 'carry on'. 15. To be secret - not understood by those around one. (Children, students, lovers, members of political secret societies, and criminals in or out of prison, innocent persons in prison, are the chief exponents.)" Australian slang, also known as Strine, is iconic to Australia and differentiated from the British English. Australian English is so different from the other varieties of English in accent and vocabulary that it almost sounds like a different language altogether. It must be admitted that the Aussie slang can be baffling to people from other parts of the world. Australians take pride in speaking their slang and believe that it reflects their attitude to life. The Aussie slang always brings to mind the harsh Australian land, and the no-nonsense "lets get on with it"

The similarity and differences of No Country for Old Men and Dead Man Research Paper

The similarity and differences of No Country for Old Men and Dead Man - Research Paper Example Similarly, Dead man is a movie that was directed by Jarmusch Jim, in 1996, and presents a storyline of a young man’s adventure, both mentally and physically, into the strange land. William Blake starts his journey to the western frontiers of America and encountered an odd and outcast Native American known as ‘Nobody’. The encounter with ‘Nobody’ helps William Blake to overcome difficult situations, which were hilarious and brutal. Similarities between No Country for Old Men and Dead Man There are varied similarities between the films, No Country for Old Men and Dead Man. First, both films are filled with darkness and uncertainty of life because both directors reveal issues of violence, murder and coldhearted villains. These act as the main duties of the central characters in both movies, and their lives are full of obscurity. Additionally, both directors tie uncertainty with pessimistic belief that there is little one can do about uncertainty aspects of human life (McCarthy 34). There is a lot of evil in both films because the directors keep reminding the viewer about the inherent evil of human beings in every scene. For instance, the marvelous expressionless humor is one of the darkest aspects in the film of No Country for Old Men. This has greatly affected the characters of different persons; for example, Chigurh is one character, who has dreadful characters because he engages in violence issues. Moreover, both films reveal the mysterious dead as the only certaint y, and at the same time reveal greatest mystery cases and violence. For instance, the adventure story in the Dead Man film represents certainty of life, to William Blake. Consequently, the journey is a long-lasting ceremonial to the person known as‘Nobody’ because his intention was to save Blake and bring him back to the spirit level of the human race. The non-western viewpoint about Nobody was that life was seen as an unending cycle; thus presenting the significance of the film title, ‘Dead Man’. Both films reveal cases of violence, some of which contributes to death; for instance, in the film of Dead Man, nobody helps in leading William Blake through situations most of which turns to be violent and on the same time hilarious. Contrary to Blake’s personality, he turns to be a criminal, a murderer and a vicious man, whose physical being slips away gradually. Both novels portray characters, most of whom are violent and engage in the world of cruel, br utal and chaotic occurrences. Secondly, both films presents the theme of evil. Many western genre films are full of evil; thus, many characters take part in evil things, in the society. Both directors acknowledge the evil practiced by the power-hungry rich men, who dominates the weak; innocent people are used to enable the powerful achieve their needs. For instance, many crimes are committed in both movies, whereby many people end up being victims of evil because the crimes committed are beyond measure (Raff 61). In addition, the theme of fate is revealed, and is the cause for violence cases, as every character in the movie strives to reach his or her destiny. For instance, the film of Dead Man is about a young man, who sets the journey and hopes to reach his destiny in order to accomplish his missions. Fate is also revealed in the film, No Country for Old Men, whereby we see violent cases taking place right from the

Zinn Essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Zinn Assignment - Essay Example Zinn has strong arguments and I agree that the perspective of the victims of â€Å"progress† is valuable to history. According to Zinn, racism was created to ensure that slavery, which was profitable for some people, could continue. To prevent collaboration between white and black people, which could lead to a successful rebellion against the wealthy people, certain laws were introduced. These laws declared blacks as inferior to whites, which produced a racial awareness. Inferior status and derogatory thinking blended into racism. I agree with Zinn, because his arguments are well thought through. Knowing the cause(s) of racism is important to be able to overcome it. Chapters 4 to 8 are all dealing with types of violent and nonviolent resistance or rebellion against various forms of oppression, such as the American Revolution. The fight against oppression is still a topic nowadays and it will always be an issue. Therefore, it is important to know how people rebelled against oppression in the past. In Chapter 7, Zinn addresses how women dealt with oppression and how some women demanded to be treated equally. Many women refused to accept their domestic position, which influenced the women’s rights movements. I found it very interesting that women did not only stand up for their own rights, but that they also spoke out against slavery. It seems that many women fought two battles, which is

The Basseri of Iran culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Basseri of Iran culture - Research Paper Example The kinship factors include the patrilineal, the marriage and the divorce aspects of the Nomadic tribe of Basseri and the way it is different to the cultural values to the rest of the country. The social organizational factors is a combination of a number of factors that include the rite of passage in the nomadic society, the headmen that lead the tribe and the Khan who is usually a wealthy person having a number of followers of his own that makes him strong enough to head the society. Economic Organization Nomadism The Basseri Nomads of Iran are the tent-dwelling pastoralists who are under a chief and politically centralized. It is officially stated that the Basseri are Shitte Moslems but such a religious affiliation does not exist to a very big extent among these people. These people seem to be very uninterested in religion generally. The ritual activities of these people are very few as they offer no communal prayer and are more likely to ignore the Islamic feast days. Even the ho ly month of Ramadan seems to be a very unlikely proposition for most of the people. It is concluded that because of the migration that these people had to do early in their history, there was progressively built tension and excitement and most people were confused whether the economic activity was a religious one or not. These tribes responded more to the movement that was in a more dramatic form rather than considering the utilitarian aspects of the whole movement. There was highly complex essence of tribal organization in Iran that was centralized Uymaq system. The Uymaqs were not only the pastoral nomads but were a combination of three economic forms, the pastoral, the commercial and the agricultural. Importance of Livestock The individual households of the Basseri of Iran hold usually herd their animals together in one or even more than one flock of 400 to 600 animals. This figure limits the number of households that are grouped together. The members of the camp are usually are widely drawn from both consanguineal and affinal groups. Some of the members are not even the immediate groups of these people in the society. The shepherds are usually hired by the members of the camp for the service contracts of one year so that they can care for a single flock of 400 to 600 goats and sheep. For every ten lambs that are born in the spring, they receive one lamb for their work all the year. Even if they quit a bit earlier, there is no pro-rated agreement as the lambs have not been born yet. All of the households owns and milks its own animals separately even though they are gazed together. Also, different households pay, give food and other materials needed by the shepherds in their contribution depending on the number of animals that they own with the addition of the two assistants that the shepherd usually has. Environmental Adaptation The major concentrations of the population of the vertical nomads in Iran occur during the summer. The camps are usually composed of as many as fifty tents during that period of the year. However, during the winter migrations, the camps are composed of as many as twelve tents and as few as one tent. The camps are usually separated by an hour long walk from the neighboring camps and also the pasture areas. However, the visiting between people from one camp to the other and staying connected with each other is a regular activity of the nomads in Iran.

Symbolic Significance in Chinese Culture and My Life Essay Example for Free

Symbolic Significance in Chinese Culture and My Life Essay We need to see the history of dumplings to find out the answer. Back to hundred years ago, dumplings are more like delicacy rather than a nice food to appease people’s hunger. When China was an economically backward country, people always eat cheap roughage such as corn, millet or rice as main meal. Smith describes rice is â€Å"a basic component of routine domestic and ritual activity. † (Smith, 2006) Dumplings were not the same thing. They were only appeared in Spring Festival as a decent food to highlight the day. Therefore, food like dumplings was also represented a happy and wealthy life that people wanted and pursued. Because of this reason, dumplings could have an outstanding impact in people’s everyday life. Although in nowadays dumplings is not a luxury food any more, people are still enjoy having dumplings whenever traditional festivals. The thousand years custom have formed to a culture appearance, carry down from generation to generation. No doubt, dumplings bring Chinese people infinite hope and happy, from past till now and possibly in the future. Dumplings gradually transferred from a general food to an influential mascot. This is because the dumplings are provided a satisfaction for people’s psychological need. In another words, Chinese people gave the auspicious meaning to dumplings in the process that people tried to create a health and good life. In the variable kinds of Chinese traditional food, dumplings are not the most â€Å"coroneted† one, but people only chose dumplings as a mascot. According to Lee, â€Å"a group’s customs and rules about appropriate social behavior can reflect important cultural values. (Lee, 2009) Except dumplings are very delicious, I think its unique looking is more correspond with Chinese national characteristics. Dumplings are a classic farcie food, contrast with burgers or pizzas, which all the material is clear at a glance. No matter what the stuffing of a dumpling is, people cannot know just by looking at it. The hidden character of dumplings just corresponds with Chi nese diffidence personality. Therefore, the decision was made by Chinese people according to their own appreciation standards, which meet their psychological needs. There are many different customs about dumplings in different regions of China. My grandparents are living at a country side in the north of China. They have a custom that bride needs eat dumplings in the wedding day. When I was very little, the bride was carried by a sedan to bridegroom’s house on the wedding day. Before that day, the mother of the bride would prepare 40 dumplings and hide them under the sedan seat. When the bride arrived on the husband’s home, the relatives would boil the hided dumplings for the bridal and the groom. The entire process means the new couples will happy and together forever. Lenkeit says that â€Å"culture is constantly changing†¦It changes internally through innovations and inventions-new ideas and combinations of old ideas to create new things. † (Lenkeit, 2009) This point explains the change of this custom. Since woman do not use sedan any more, a new â€Å"rule† replaced the old custom applied in weddings. In recent years, the mother of the bride will make some really spicy dumplings and ask groom to eat. She uses the â€Å"terrible† dumplings to show that it is not easy to get her daughter. In addition to those customs of dumplings in my hometown, dumplings also have impacts in my recent life. This is the second year since I came to US. I spend Spring Festival with my friends last year. We made a great dinner and many dumplings together to celebrate the most important holiday of the year. Like the customer for Christmas that people usually buy gift for their family members, the heart of Spring Festival is making and eating dumplings. Carrier indicates that the gift creates problems â€Å"because the objects people confront in such societies overwhelmingly are impersonal commodities. And because these objects are impersonal, they do not make good gifts. † (Carrier, 1993) For this point, dumplings would never cause problems. Although people could easily buy dumplings from supermarket, making dumplings is also an important part in Spring Festival. The process of making dumpling is more complex than making other food, but the process allows people stay together and communicate. In conclusion, dumplings are indispensable in Chinese traditional activities.

Effects Of Moderate Hyperhydration On Blood Pressure Biology Essay

Effects Of Moderate Hyperhydration On Blood Pressure Biology Essay Introduction The heart is an efficient machine that supplies the body with oxygenated blood and recycles unoxygenated blood (Weedman, 2009). Unoxygenated blood comes into the heart, is pumped to the lungs, oxygenated, and then returned to the heart to be pumped to the rest of the body (Weedman, 2009). Blood pressure (BP) can be found by measuring systolic over diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure is the pressure in the blood vessels while the hearts beats while diastolic pressure is measured by the pressure after the heart beat (Weedman, 2009). Diastolic pressure is also called the filling stage because it occurs when the heart is in a state of relaxation and the semi-lunar valve is closed (Weedman, 2009). In opposition, systolic pressure transpires during contraction where the tricuspid and bicuspid valves are closed (Weedman, 2009). Heart Rate (HR or also referred to as pulse rate (PR)), read by taking a pulse either on neck, upper arm (most precise measurement) or wrist, uses arterial pressure to calculate the rate that blood is flowing through the arteries (Weedman, 2009). It differs from blood pressure and is the number of times the heart beats in one minute (Weedman, 2009). Heart rate and blood pressure are great points of interest in the human population because of the importance of the heart in human anatomy. The heart muscle is pertinent to survival and therefore been tested and experimented on habitually. Many tests have been done on the heart by many well established doctors. One of these studies tests the effect of respiratory ailments and stress on heart rate (Weber, 1985). The results show that heart rate and blood pressure are directly correlated with stress, meaning that when someone is stressed the harder their heart pumps and the more pressure is put on the muscle(Weber, 1985). Nevertheless, there are many other factors that affect heart rate and blood pressure. Most of the factors discussed share a direct correlation with heart rate. There are also some lifetime diseases that stem from vascular problems that were before thought to have little to no affect (Skoog, 1996). For instance, a study conducted about Dementia revealed that most victims also consistently had high BP. There is more hypothesized evidence that supports this claim, but it has yet to be proven. Despite the ambiguity of the correlation of BP and Dementia, there are many health related concerns that surrounds BP and HR. This is pertinent to the experiment conducted because it questions what health hazards surround dehydration. As the research of BP and HR becomes more involved, so do the experiments concerning them. In the experiment conducted in LIFE103, a biology class at Colorado State University, 27 subjects tested the affects of hydration on BP and HR/PR. It is hypothesized that there will be a significant change in both BP and HR this is relevant because previous studies showed that a change occurred in similar experiments (Mountain and Edward, 1992). Its predicted that BP and HR will decrease after the addition of water into the body. Materials and Methods All variables were kept as similar as the environment would allow and subjects didnt consumer water for two hours before experimentation was started. There was an uneven mixture of male and female and all students were of different weights, but roughly fell into a broad spectrum of normal weight. Three basal readings were taken from the 27 participants. The participants measured themselves using a sphygmomanometer and recorded both heart rate and blood pressure. These were then averaged and if the average was off, additional measurements were taken. Heart rate and blood pressure served as the independent variables, while the dependent variables were the water and the environmental factors. After basal measurements were completed students drank 2 cups of water. Water temperatures varied from room temperature to cold and data was separated according what temperature water subject drank. The subjects were given five minutes to consume the water. A reading was taken directly after the water was completely consumed. Readings of BP and PR were taken in increments of three minutes since the initial reading until the time struck twelve minutes. There were five total readings. Information from all of the subjects was gathered and charted. Data was analyzed by comparing data to previous tests, earlier hypothesized values, and T tested. Probabilities were found and then information was compiled into a list of results. Excel was used to assemble the results and create graphs and tables. Results The experiment took approximately twelve minutes after water was consumed. The 27 subjects did not drink anything for at least two hours prior, dehydration levels; however were minimal because students were told to keep at a comfortable hydration level (and two hours isnt sufficient to dehydrate a body completely). Hydration levels after drinking approximately two ounces of water were also minimal because of the small amount drunk. Differences between heart rate and pulse rate are not obvious before and after consumption of water. The pulse rate (or heart rate) had a more visible change. Comparing averages of final PR (twelve minutes after water was drunk) to the basal reading yielded a change, but it was within a hundredth of a decimal point. The change in blood pressure was also nonexistent. Though, if compared the values of diastolic and systolic pressure change more significantly than the values of the PR. The data is summarized below in a mixture of charts and written description. This simply surmises that the average PR basal reading is less than the average post PR at twelve minutes. However, the data is inconsistent because the basal reading is a collection of three different measurements and there could be unknown outliers. Doing a T test, the information is shown to be probable (P PR T Test PR vs PR PR1 Basal vs PR 12 min PR2 Basal vs PR12 min PR3 Basal vs PR12 min PR0 min vs PR12 min PR3 min vs PR12 min PR6 min vs PR12 min T Test .00028 .00028 .00079 .772211 .979664 .413052 T test scores based on excel calculations concerning an experiment performed in class. (P Table 1 The results were inconclusive, the changes were so minimal that (when averaged) the difference between the beginning pulse rate and the final pulse rate were within hundredths of a decimal of each other. Blood pressure had little change. Systolic pressure decreased slightly as did diastolic, but it was too such a degree that the change could be accounted by many variables. Drawing these conclusions, earlier hypothesis and prediction cannot be supported (this conclusion supported by T-test). The chart below shows the change of pulse rate after the water was consumed. There is no significant change as the time progresses. Average of PR taken at times 0,3,6,9 and 12 were used compared to the time that the experiment progressed over. Figure 2 Comparatively, blood pressure had similar results. On a time scale, blood pressure had no distinctive change. Figure 3 is the change in systolic pressure over time while Figure 4 is the change of diastolic pressure over the time stretch that the experiment was done in. It shows that nothing can be conclusively found about either pressure because the unpredictable nature of the line. Discussion As earlier hypothesized blood pressure will change and so will heart rate, however they will not be affected heavily because of the small amount of change that is being inflicted upon the subjects. It was predicted that after an amount of time without drinking any water the subjects heart rate will speed and after water has been added, heart rate will slow down. Alternatively, the experiment could have been improved with more control. There were many variables that were not accounted for. Water temperature, amount of water drunk, amount of exercise allowed to be exerted by the subjects, sex of subjects, size of subjects and normal heart rate and blood pressure of subjects were not consolidated in the experiment. This could contribute to experimental error, for the hypothesis and predictions are supported according to many experiments done by professional, scientists. These experiments have slightly different variables and test for slightly different results, but their results are conclusive to what should have been found in the experiment conducted in class (this experiment was also performed more professionally with greater differences in the control group and tested group). In opposition to hydration, dehydration has a lasting effect on heart rate as well (Montain and Edward, 1992). Understanding how dehydration affects heart rate is pertinent to understanding how hydration affects it (Montain and Edward, 1992). Expectations would be that they are complementary of each other and this study titled Influence of graded dehydration on hyperthermia and cardiovascular drift during excursive focuses on the dehydration aspect on the body and how the heart rate and blood pressure react (Montain and Edward, 1992). Hyperthermia is another aspect of this experiment, but seeing as it does not pertain to the experiment conducted in class, it will be overlooked (Montain and Edward, 1992). Directly pulling information from the Montian experiment, there were a certain number of cyclists that took part in the experiment, but they all fell into the same category: capable, normally low heart rate people (1992). Though there was no difference in the amount of sweat that the cyclists produced, there was a significant difference in their heart rates based on what amount of liquid that they consumed (there were four different groups, each assigned to a different amount of water) (Montain and Edward, 1992). The study shows that the level of dehydration directly correlates with HR (Montain and Edward, 1992). The amount of water in the blood indirectly correlates with Heart Rate meaning that the less water there is the harder the heart has to beat in order to get the stagnant blood through the veins and arteries and into the entire body (Montain and Edward, 1992). The x-axis is time (out of 110), this shows that heart rate. The heart rate increases with the smaller amount of fluid. An experiment performed by Nadel et al. similarly tests the effects of hyperhydration and hypohydration on the heart rate and the circulatory system, however, the investigation compares and contrasts the two different conditions other than going into depth in one over the other (1980). Maximal arm blood flow was taken for both of the experiments and when in a hypohydration condition, the blood flow was reduced by almost 50% (Nadel et al. 1980). Though there was a difference in the amount of blood when hyperhydration conditions were met (subject drank 2 liters of water), the difference was not significant enough to make a large impact on the subjects heart rate (Nadel et al. 1980). However, when the subject then exercises the heart rate is abnormally slow compared to normal and hypohydration conditions (Nadel et al. 1980). A sufficient amount of water also helps maintain a constant internal temperature (Nadel et al. 1980). Temperature is actually a very good way to measure the blood p ressure and as seen in the figure 7 blood flow can be measured against temperature to find that the less water a person has, the higher the temperature is (Nadel et al. 1980). Measures blood flow versus temperature (rectum or esophageal temperature is always used in cases like this). An earlier experiment performed in the early 1940s noted in Effect of hydration state on circulatory and thermal regulations studied the same topic, but in a different manor (Nadel et al. 1980). Their findings were conclusive that even when hypohydration conditions are achieved, when water is given to the subject in large quantities, hyperhydration conditions are easily established and a quick rebound of water replacement in the body takes place (Nadel et al. 1980). In fact, the body reaches a steady condition in much less time than it takes the body to get into a critical condition. This illustrates the fast effects of water retake in the heart rate and body (Nadel et al. 1980). These detailed experiments are crucial in helping to understand why the classroom experiment had differed results. The study size, though it certainly inflicted the value of the data, was not the problem, but the quality of the subjects. They were all of different athletic potential and did not have similar heart rates or blood pressure rates. The collection procedure itself could also have some error. Subjects measured their own pressures and rates and did not exactly time it between each three minute intervals. There was also not enough time to collect sufficient data (hours of dedication were needed, not minuet minutes). However, this cannot completely dismiss the experiment, but seeing further evidence from the studies illustrated earlier, it is clear that the classroom results do not correlate with any of this previous research. Even though the experiments were exactly the same, similar results should have been expected because the basic outlines for both of the experiments were the same (Mountain vs. classroom experiment). Therefore, even if both experiments were testing for something different they should have experienced comparable outcomes. Data and conclusions drawn from this experiment are skewed and cannot accurately portray what happens when a sudden increase in hydration happens in the body. Therefore the null hypothesis has failed to be rejected. Sources Cited Weber KT, Janicki JS. 1985. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing for evaluation of chronic cardiac failure. The American journal of cardiology 55: Issue 2. Weedman and Sokoloski. 2009. Biology of Organisms: A Laboratory Manual for LIFE103. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. p 173 184. Skoog MD, L. Nilsson MD, G. Persson MD, B. Lernfelt MD, S. Landahl MD, B. Palmertz MD, L-A. Andreasson MD, A. Odà ©n PhD and A. Svanborg MD. 1996. 15-year longitudinal study of blood pressure and dementia. The Lancet 347: 1141 1145. Montian J and Coyle F. 1992. Influence of graded dehydration on hyperthermia and cardiovascular drift during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology 73: Issue 4. Nadel E R, Fortney M S, Wenger C B. 1980. Effect of hydration state of circulatory and thermal regulations. Journal of Applied Physiology 49: Issue 4.

Polygamy and monogamy practices

Polygamy and monogamy practices Since creation, according to bible, God created man and woman as well as animals which were both male and female. In such a situations where there exists animals of different sex, it allows the reproduction and stability of one generation after another generation. Human beings are known social beings, and in most cases need one another to survive, therefore its difficult to exclusively depend on themselves. To produce offspring, they usually marry and have children which in turn, becomes the standard of creation for the human population. Even though we all share the similarity of being human beings, there still exists differences in what we believe in and the values that we attach to various things. One of these things, is the topic of marriage, which by definition, is a reunion of a man and a woman to come together and live together as a husband and wife. Due to the diverse objectives that people have in marriage, some people consider that having one wife (monogamy) is the ideal met hod, whereas others believe in having a number of wives (polygamy) (Family,2009). This paper seeks to have an in-depth look at the two issues; polygamy and monogamy by looking at what the proponents of each thinks about it as well as look at countries that have practiced them. It will also look at pros and cons of each as well, and why people should respect one another despite which side they take. Last but not least, the paper will analyze the cultural beliefs of the two groups and dig deeper on why they hold on their beliefs and reasons they give to support their stand. Monogamy, is one of the most widely used form of marriage and its supporters believe in one man/woman to one wife/husband. Monogamy is derived from the Greek word mono, which means alone, and gamos, meaning re-union or marriage. It is believed that the majority of the human race practice monogamy as opposed to polygamy. One benefit considered of monogamy, is that it increases the chances of offspring survival because the parents collaborate together and raise the child ( Edward,1928). This perception does seem to be changing with time due to complexities of fast paced, modern life though. In the past, it was common for men to go to work while the woman was supposed to maintain the house hold duties, which also included raising the children. The modern world has changed this though, and now there is no distinct roles between men and women. Equally now, both must work hard to cope and deal with the challenges of modern life. Monogamy can be categorized and broken into four groups: soci al monogamy, sexual monogamy, marital monogamy and genetic monogamy. There exists small differences between these groups and that is why this paper all discussion will be centered on the man and woman perspective of monogamy. Many communities have in the past and are currently now practicing monogamy. Monogamy is as old as Adam and Eve, for during creation, God created one woman and one man. It is anticipated by some people that Christianity has a connection with the origin of monogamy ( Edward,1928). Europe just happens to be one of the countries where Christianity took its toll and spread rapidly. Before Christianity, Europe practiced polygamy. The roman culture believed in monogamy to such an extent that those who failed to observe the rules, faced dire consequences. Due to the severe penalties, some people even went to the extent of killing their wives so that they could have an opportunity of marrying another one. Cesar is an example of one who banished and killed his wife in o rder to get the opportunity of marrying another one (William,u.d.). This indicates how strong their culture laws were and how people desperately tried to abide by them. The great conqueror Napoleon, was also forced to divorce his first wife so that he could marry another one order to birth a son. This shows how deep rooted these cultures were by going to the extent of making a laws which were to be observed by all of the population. These cultures main goals were making sure the chances of immorality were reduced, as well as helping couples remain committed to each other. It is evident that no matter how strict a country was, monogamy is hard to uphold as it can be seen in Rome, where although marriage was monogamous, the sexual relationship did not follow the same, and mating was polygamous (Eshleman, 1994). People abided by the rules, and most cultural beliefs were upheld and embraced by the community. One downside to these beliefs, was lack in acceptance by all of its citizens an d some accepted it just because they lacked any alternatives. The communities that practiced monogamy stood a better chance of having families that worked together towards a common goal like raising children, giving them parental love and attention which are very crucial to the development child. As opposed to polygamous family, where most of the time the husband can not afford to be with all wives and his children at the same time. A polygamous father quite simply, cannot afford it. The children from these families are not likely in most cases to fully enjoy the parental love of both parents like those from monogamous family. In the Roman Empire, the consequences of bigamy were severe as death. This means that the citizens had no other option but to abide by them. The Empire saw it as a way to reduce the numbers of unwanted children, lower the levels of immorality, and lessen the amount of single mothers resulting from divorce, due to unfavorable conditions that arise with polygamy . Even though this culture was imitated, it still has its weakness because most its foremost people had children outside marriage as well as concubines on the side. It showed disregard for human rights, because some women were divorced or murdered so that the men could get the opportunity to marry another one. The culture also lacked proportion matching especially in comparison to modern days since the male to female ratio does not compute. This means that a great number of women would turn out to be single since their population is so high. In turn, the women who birth children out of marriage, will raise children that are not able to receive parental love from the father. Those children then do not have much choice but to lean on what they see their mother doing, and in some cases, the traits they acquire, might not be ideal ones. Polygamy is derived from the Greek word, which means the practice of having many women. This practice is very old and was practiced in many countries throughout the world. The practice is predominant in many African countries, where ones wealth is calculated in terms of how many children one has. They believe that when one person is in position to feed many mouths, that it translates to that one person having enough wealth since poor people could not afford to feed numerous children. Other countries have different reasons to why they allowed its citizens to practice polygamy. This discussion will focus on one of the African countries, Kenya, where currently, some of its communities still do practice polygamy (volume 10, 1967). Before colonization, people used to have their own standards of living as well as doctrines and laws that they had to abide by. Kenya happens to have more than 42 tribes where each tribe has its own beliefs and culture to follow. Most of these tribes, acknowledge polygamy and it is suggested by Ngugi (2006) that women once they perceive that they are reaching old age, could suggest that their husband marry another younger woman who to help him with house hold chores as well as marital needs. To many Kenyans, they believed polygamy to be essential in making it possible for the continuation of a generation. This was a time when children used to die in large numbers at extremely tender ages, due to diseases like measles, polio amongst others. It was then considered vital for a man to marry many women and reproduce many children so that even if a majority of them were dying, the hopes and chances that a few of them would survive was increased. The Kenyan culture accepted polygamy and eve n women themselves did not feel cheated nor did they object to it. A good example is the Luo community in Kenya in currently, polygamy is still practiced. Wife inheritance which is also a part of polygamy is being practiced as well (Ngugi, 2008)). According to their culture, this habit is encouraged to discourage the chances of the widowed woman from going out to look for other men, and instead be inherited by one of the brothers of her deceased husband. Another reason that is supported by those who practice polygamy, is to bring about a balance between men and women. Since the womens numbers are many, it is believed by the men practicing it, that more women in turn will be able to get husbands. The African culture means well in practicing polygamy, and has good intentions in doing so. These women and communities as a whole, believe it better to have a co-wife and abolish the need for their men to have hidden relations with other women outside the marriage. Therefore there was no more secret business, and men could inform their wives of their intention to marry another woman as they deemed right (Ngugi,2008). Lately though there has been a decline in the practice of polygamy, resulting from many people embracing Christianity i n Kenya. Many are now abiding by doctrines of the church and because of this immorality and promiscuity is on the rise. Research has shown that both married women and men are having other relationships outside their marriages, contributing to a high HIV infection rate in these groups. Polygamy is associated with such benefits as the impartiality in the distribution of wealth. This is because polygamy in most cases is practiced by men who are financially stable. By them marrying many women, there will be a steady flow of cash, either through gift or even just by merely supporting the women that he marries (William,2009). Immorality and promiscuity rates also decline along with sexually transmitted diseases, for the simple fact that a man will be content with women he has. There are also more morals imposed in such a society, and instead of women resulting to using devices such as sex toys to fulfill their needs, they stand a much better chance of getting men who will satisfy their ne eds sexually instead. Human beings are emotional and require a channel or means of satisfying those feelings. When that opportunity is not presented, they can result to other untraditional means to satisfy their emotions. Polygamy also has its shortcomings which can vary depending on how it is practiced. When it occurs with individuals who are not economically stable, children might suffer and lack basic needs due to the number of children the man will be providing for. It also neglects the children of paternal love since they can not have their father on daily basis. It can also make women feel not fully appreciated and wonder why their man would be looking at other women. In the current times, it can lead to mistrust, and increasing the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (Mirriam, 2006). In looking at both polygamy and monogamy, each one of them seems to have its advantages and disadvantages. Keeping in mind that humans are social beings who like to interact with each other, people should learn to appreciate other peoples cultures since we can perceive things differently and what some may consider as right, may be considered as very wrong in another country. Even though this has always been a controversial topic as to what people recognize as its pertaining issues, but it is really time for people to appreciate the difference that exists between people and the only way to solve this is by learning about the positive things from the given cultural community and disregard what could be perceived to be of less importance (Jenks, 2006). Communities can not exist on their own and they require a collaboration with others to co-exist peacefully. It is important to not only realize but appreciate that there are disparities between these two types of marriages and the childre n brought out of each of them exhibit the differences in the values that they learned from their parents. Research done has indicated that children from polygamous family might have more negative attitudes towards their step siblings and are often lacking in genuine love towards each other. In extreme cases, they sometimes rise against one another and even cause bodily harm to one another. Often lacking in fatherly love, they generally seem to perceive their father in a negative light as well. All that having been said, people will continue behaving differently and that is why laws play a vital role ensuring that people abide by them and operate within those boundaries. Through social interaction, people get to discover other peoples different ways of living and their abilities to interact with each other. References Jencks E N (2009).The History and Philosophy of Marriage: Or, Polygamy and Monogamy Compared: Oxford publishers Ngugi, J. polygamy in Kenya.Nairobi. Oxford publishers. Miriam K. (2006).Polygamy: a cross-cultural analysis. New York: Up. A citizen of Massachusetts (1882).Marriage: monogamy and polygamy on the basis of divine law, of natural law University of Michigan James Campbell An international journal of social, political and legal , Volume 10: 1967: retrieved on 6/12/2009 from: n+monogamy+and+polygamylr=client=firefox-a Edward B. (1928). The Journal of general psychology, Volume 1 retrieved on 6/12/2009 from http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=Kv37YlSy7oICq=journals+on+monogamy+and+polygamydq=journals+on+monogamy+and+polygamylr=client=firefox-a Say NO to monogamy and YES to polygamy.2009. Retrieved on 6/12/2009 from http://www.hipforums.com/modules/Journal/viewentry.php?journalnoteid=13005 William M .The family, society, and the individual: retrieved on 6/12/2009 from: gamydq=journals+on+monogamy+and+polygamylr=client=firefox-a Eshleman, J. (1994). The Family. retrieved on 6/12/2009 from: ygamylr=client=firefox-a