Kants Deontological Ethics in Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals Essay - 1

Kants Deontological Ethics in Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals - Essay Example Kant’s Deontology posits that the best way to act morally to act from duty with the consideration of the highest good, that is, acting through the moral determination of the will. Kant’s acting through the moral determination of will meant that the motivation of one’s action must pursue the good without a condition which is intrinsically good by itself (Kant 30). He formulated his deontological ethics in a categorical imperative of doing good for the sake of good regardless of its consequence (Kant’s Ethics). The three propositions of moral determination of the will are as follows; a. Universal Law formulation - "Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law (Kant 30) ". This means that if one is to act good, that will should not be subjected to any condition or any physical constraints. b. Humanity or End in Itself formulation - "Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your ow n person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end† (Kant 30). This meant the free will is a source of rational action. A logical free will should, therefore, be an end itself because an end is subjective that they needed to be pursued. Whereas, the rational action is objective and therefore must be categorically pursued. c. Kingdom of Ends formulation - is the integration of the first two laws that says "All maxims as proceeding from our own [hypothetical] making of law ought to harmonize with a possible kingdom of ends (Kant 30)". This meant an autonomous will is not subject to anything but it must bind itself to the first two laws to make it applicable to everybody that people by themselves are both a means and an end. Kant explained the etymology of the expression of his deontological ethics. According to Kant, imperatives imply what they meant which are command such as â€Å"wake up early†. Often they are hypothet ical imperative because they only serve a specific objective or purpose such as â€Å"wake up early so you will not be later for work†.

The Flow of Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Flow of Communication - Essay Example There are five types of messages that are most often communicated in the field of criminal justice. The list of five messages that are used include an email /memo, Letters, Reports; telephone Call, Personal Visit or email; long Memorandum reports with Visual Aids; Personal Visit or Telephone Call, Memorandum or Letter (McConnel 1993, pp. 44-45). The message type including email /memo, Letters, Reports depend on if the message requires a written record or not. The second factor is the requirement of an immediate feedback of the message, if so than the second category of telephone call; personal visit or an email is selected (Dean 1961, pp 12-16). The third important factor that is seen is the requirement of careful organization and supporting documentation, certification or credentials that may accompany the message; if so; long memorandum or reports with visual aids are generally selected. How urgent is the message is an important factor to be regarded when it comes to message types so considering the urgency, personal visit or telephone call; memorandum or a letter is taken into account (Arnold et al 1983, pp 34-35) The flow chart that has been given to us has to be taken into account if we are to discuss the ways in which the messages are communicated in many differ... This flow chart shows us the basic model of the communication of the messages (McConnell 1993, pp 12-13). When one has to communicate with the other person, a certain message has to be composed and sent to the other person. Thus the person composing the message and sending it is the "sender"; having an idea regarding the content of the message. The message is composed mentally therefore shaping up the idea, that idea has to be converted to a message of any form, whether it is the email or the report or a telephone call; keeping in mind all the factors that have been discussed above. The idea is converted into a message; thereby the message is encoded (King 1992, pp 23-25). The chosen channel of the message; as it depends upon the underlying factors; is sent to the receiver of the message. If it is the email, it will be sent through the available web services and so on. The receiver receives the message through the respective channel and the receiver decodes/opens the message. With the message there may be some additional feedback that awaits the receiver, so the sender may send the receiver some additional message that is received. The message that has been sent to the receiver might even require a reply of some sort; thereby the receiver may send a feedback to the sender (Adair 1997, pp 32-35). The whole communication cycle is a step-by-step formation of an organized channel of how the message is composed, thought over and sent to the receiver. In the beginning of it all, the message is just an idea. The idea is converted to an encoded message; decoded by the receiver. It all depends on the factors that underly the message that the channel of the massage is to be selected. The receiver always comes in

Wendys Old Fashioned Hamburgersis

Wendys Old Fashioned Hamburgersis 1. Executive Summary Wendys Old Fashioned Hamburgersis an international fast foodchain restaurant founded byDave Thomason November 15, 1969, inColumbus, Ohio, and moved its headquarters toDublin, Ohioon January 29, 2006. Wendys was Americas national food, and the worlds third largest hamburger fast food chain with approximately 6,700 locations. On April 24, 2008, the company announced a merger withTriarc, which is the parent company ofArbys. Following the merger, Triarc came to be known asWendys/Arbys Group. Arbys Group is the parent company of Wendys, and is a publicly traded company. Arbys group of restaurants is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wendys/Arbys Group, Inc. This report will be focusing on Wendys Burgers of the Wendys/Arbys Group. The main aim of this report is to investigate and analyze the marketing activities of Wendys Burgers. What is the Wendys orientation? What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of Wendys? What are the competitive advantages of Wendys? What is the impact of Wendys marketing mix? And its positive and negative effects on the market and competitors in similar segment. This report in its further course, will try to address the above questions and more. 2.INTRODUCTION Wendys/Arbys Group is the parent company of Wendys, and is a well known publicly traded company. Approximately 77% of Wendys restaurants are franchised, the majority of which are located in North America. Wendys and its affiliates, employs more than 46,000 people in its global operations. In fiscal year 2006, the firm had $9.45 billion (USD) in total sales.While Wendys sets its standards for exterior store appearance, food quality and menu, individual owners have control over the hours of operations, interior dà ©cor/design, pricing, staff uniforms and their wages. Wendys ended the fiscal year 2007 with just under 6000 Wendys Old Fashioned Hamburgers restaurants in operation. Of these, 1,274 (21%) were company owned and operated by the company itself while the remaining 4,662 restaurants were franchised. In addition to Wendys Old Fashioned Hamburgers, Wendys has invested in the Cafe Express and Pasta Pomodoro restaurant chains, owning 70% and 29% of those chains, respectively. Until 2006 Wendys International, Inc. also owned the ‘Tim Hortons and ‘Baja Fresh franchises. The chain is known for itssquareground beef patties in itshamburgers and the Frosty, a form of soft serve ice cream mixed with frozen starches contracted from potato products. The idea for Wendys old fashioned hamburgers was actually inspired by Dave Thomass trips toKewpee Hamburgersin his home town ofKalamazoo, Michigan. The Kewpee sold square hamburgers and thick malt shakes, much like the well-known restaurant that Thomas eventually founded inColumbus, Ohio, in 1969. Thomas named the restaurant after his fourth childMelinda Lou Wendy Thomas. 3.WENDYS ORIENTATION Nature of demand Over the past century, market for fast food has increased drastically, time being one of the major constraints. A recession in the early 1980s, combined with high beef prices and Wendys explosive as well as threatening growth incited the burger wars†. Wendys moved into the number three spot behind McDonalds and Burger King, fueled by its introduction of a chainwide salad bar, chicken breast sandwiches, fish sandwiches, and baked potatoes. Extent of demand As of December 2006, Wendys was Americas national food, and the worlds third largest hamburger fast food chain with approximately 6,700 locations. Approximately 77% of Wendys restaurants arefranchised and the majority of which are located in North America. Wendys and its affiliates employs more than 46,000 people in its global operations. In fiscal year 2006, the firm had $9.45 billion (USD) in total sales and earned total revenue of $2.5 billion (USD) in 2007. Orientation Wendys tries to sense the customers needs and demands. This proves that the company is purely marketing oriented. Wendys puts in much effort for orientation towards the marketplace and its market share. Companies have their respective beliefs concerning their marketing efforts which are usually varied from company to company. The challenging concepts beneath which companies perform their marketing activities are as follows: Wendys Production Concept Customers are attracted to those products which are readily available and cheaper in price. Organizations following this concept targets on accomplishing the large production competence, minimal costs and bulk distribution. Wendys Product Concept The way that Wendys Old Fashioned Hamburgers does business and markets its products to consumers is due to the change in our society to where the consumer wants the biggest, quickest, and best product that they can get for their money. Wendys introduced healthier options amid rising obesity levels and a general interest in healthier foods, some fast-food companies have been going in the opposite direction, introducing ever more calorific and fat-laden burgers in a bid to win customers. Wendys Selling Concept The concept of ready-cooked food for sale is the primitive and foremost selling concept of Wendys burgers. Wendys uses ‘fresh, never frozen beef/fresh ground beef in their hamburgers. Wendys has moved in line with the Quick Service Restaurant or QSR industry and has been working to offer healthy food choices. Wendys has added sandwiches and salads to its menu, and offers side dish substitutes for French fries like salads for health conscious customers. Wendys Marketing concept Marketing is the science of actualizing the buying potentials of a market for a specific product. It in turn reflects a selling concept because it centers on promoting a product rather than meeting a defined area of consumer needs. The marketing concept sidetracks the basic conflict between the buyer and the seller. Consumers want good quantity and quality products for less prices, where as producers wants to sell at high prices. The marketing concept does not provide a solution to the classic bargaining problem which is widely prevalent. Holistic Marketing Concept This involves development, design and implementation of marketing programs, processes, and activities that recognizes organizations breadth and inter-dependencies. Precisely, this concept is an approach to marketing that tries to identify and resolve the opportunity and difficulties of marketing activities. There are 4 main elements in Holistic marketing namely (Kotler and Keller 2006: 16): * Integrated marketing involving communications, products services, channels. * Social responsibility marketing involving Ethics, Environment, Legal and Community. * Relationship marketing involving Customers, Channel and Partners. * Internal marketing involving Marketing department, senior management and other departments. Wendys strictly follows the above concepts as it includes most of the marketing activities. Wendys Business Strategies Wendys new strategy puts its food products on center stage and changes its media-buying habits to zero in more narrowly on different market segments. TV spots and print ads will focus on specific audiences instead of delivering the same message to all demographic groups, tailoring the messages to the required audiences, broadening its scope. In addition, the nearly 6,700-unit chain will advertise on the Internet to attract younger consumers and use a character named Smart Square to appeal to them in TV spots/advertisements. Globally, all the Wendys employees work together to achieve in Driving Growth, Funding Growth and become Best Place to Work. 4.S.W.O.T Analysis â€Å"SWOT analysis is a structured approach for evaluating the strategic position of a business by indentifying its Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats† (Jobber 2007: 63). To get a clear idea of Wendys/Arbys groups outlook, it is useful to analyze the restaurants Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT). Additionally, a SWOT analysis summarizes the outcome of marketing audit of the company (Jobber 2007: 61). Positive factors Internal factors Negative or potential to be negative Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats External factors Strengths Positive, tangible and intangible attributes internal to an organization and within the organizations control forms the strengths of a company. * A strength in Wendys manufacturing is that their food is known for its freshness and quality. * This quality of food is said to be one of the main reasons why Wendys has outpaced the annual sales gain of McDonalds from 1998 to 2002 (â€Å"Industry Surveys,† 2003, p. 3). * The expert management system of Wendys burgers adds to its much strength in time managing and store managing skills. * The pleasant atmosphere of all the Wendys stores adds value to its strong customer oriented approach. * Hamburgers are made with fresh, never frozen beef which is a huge hit with the customers. * Being a Global brand, Wendys is capable of worldwide expansion with huge market left to be tapped and consumer base to capture. * Strong supply chain is one of the key strengths of Wendys burgers with the suppliers meeting the fast food chains constant demand for the in time supply of raw materials in turn meeting the customers requirements. * Another major strength of Wendys is its ‘mid night push plan, it is operating its stores after the mid night also, which attracts the teenage and young people a lot. * One of the major strength of the Wendys is its nutritional valued menu for the people who are maintaining a balanced diet. * Wendys is the first restaurant which is offering a special menu for children and even for the kids. Weaknesses Internal factors within an organizations control that detract from the organizations ability to attain the desired goal are the weaknesses of an organization. * A manufacturing weakness could be that it will be difficult for Wendys to make dramatic improvements in the area of store management in the future. * Breakfast menu Wendys experimented with serving breakfast for a short time, but the endeavor was unsuccessful due to several issues. * Constant management changes have lead to a reduction in customer as well as employee satisfaction hindering its growth and expansion. * The franchisee stores are given freedom to have their own store atmosphere and layout and also employee uniforms. * High dependence on a major country is the main weakness of the Wendys. Though it is globalized, it was operating mostly in USA and Canada. In the year 2007, more than 70% of its revenue is from the USA, this phenomenon leads to loss in profit rates in international market. * The Wendys spreading of its stores is relatively very less, when compared to its close rivals, McDonalds and Burger King. The McDonalds opening 200 stores per year, the Burger King is opening at a rate of 150 per year, but Wendys is opening only 50 stores per year, so the expansion of business is very less comparatively. Opportunities External attractive factors that represent the reason for an organization to exist and develop. Brand recognition is the significant factor affecting their competitive position. * Wendys international brand image gives it a scope for expansion into International markets. * Recession has little or no effect on the fast food industry which provides a great opportunity for growth and expansion. * Wendys was the first to introduce ‘fish sandwich making its mark and grabbing a huge market share. * Rising of restaurant business in USA is great opportunity for Wendys. According to the Forbs magazine survey, in the year 2007 more than 25% of USA government revenue from fast food sector. The reasons for increment in convenient food consumption is, increasing single parent families, dual working households, no time for active cooking at home, hike in living standards of people etc. Wendys can utilize this as a great opportunity to increase its business * Increasing population of teenagers and young people is a great opportunity for Wendys, as it was targeting them. According to the census in 2008, more than 40% of American people are teenagers, which was a great opportunity for Wendys. * Increasing opportunities in developing countries like China and India. In 2007 Wendys make one percent of its revenue from India and two percent from China, still to be increased. There is a great opportunity for Wendys to develop its business in developing countries as there is less operating cost when compared to the developed countries. Threats External factors beyond the organizations control which could place the organization mission or operation at risk. * Accusation Wendys was accused recently as a consumer found a human finger in one of its item (Chili). Such kind of accusations would surely affect the brand image and high chances of drop in the market share. Much time and money is consumed to regain the lost share of the fast food market. * Competitors Wendys faces stiff competition in the overall fast food industry, as McDonalds holds a dominating 18% share of the market with Wendys and Burger King holding shares of approximately 2% each. In recent years Wendys has been lagging behind McDonalds and Burger King in same store sales growth, an indicator of how established franchises are faring in the market. In addition to traditional hamburger-based fast food restaurants, Wendys must compete with chains such as Subway, Yum! Brands (YUM) and Jack In The Box (JBX). * Controversy Wendys found itself the focus of a boycott bygay rightsgroups when the company pulled advertising from the sitcomEllenin 1997, which it deemed controversial. * Illnesses caused by food are the major threat for any fast food company. Though more care was taken, there was chance of food borne illnesses like e coli, gastric trouble etc. This was a major threat for Wendys. * Food storage and transportation is also a major threat for Wendys. As it is more difficult to store raw materials as there are highly vulnerable to decomposition. * Targeting a particular section of people is a major threat for Wendys, as it is targeting the teenagers only. This leads to a loss in the satisfaction of people of other sections. * International Business expansion Limiting the business to the USA is the major threat to Wendys at international level. Limiting the business may leads to limiting the globalization and decreasing the brand name, profits and sales. Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Make the most of these Watch competition closely Threats Restore strengths Strategic turn around required 4.1 .Conclusion Wendys/Arbys group has to maintain all their strengths and grab all the opportunities. On the other hand, Wendys/Arbys group should sooner overcome all its weaknesses and work harder in overcoming the threats. 5.Competitive Advantage â€Å"Competitive advantage is the achievement of superior performance through differentiation to provide superior customer value or by managing to achieve lowest delivered cost† (Jobber 2007: 27). Competitive Factors Factors like being the third largest chain restaurant, having a large market share in USA and its target consumers being teenagers who form a majority of consumer base are considered as the competitive factors by Wendys. Product Strength Ââ€" Lack of differentiation- Consumers have accessibility to similar menu that is used by other hamburger chains of the same segment. Hence fulfilling consumers needs. Ââ€" Unique patty shape- Wendys burgers have a unique square shaped patty instead of a regular round patty, which other hamburger chains use. Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction Ââ€" Convenience- The ease of accessibility of its stores by deploying them in prime locations adds to consumers convenience. Ââ€" Speed of service- Implementing drive through and home delivery system in all its stores to attain speedy customer service. Market Share Ââ€" Third largest company in QSR or Quick Service Restaurants Ââ€" Introduction of new products like fish sandwich, square shaped fresh ground beef patty, salads in its breakfast menu, etc have been introduced by Wendys. Ââ€" Fifth in terms of highest total revenue generated next to McDonalds Corporation, Doctors Associates, Yum! Brands and Jack in the Box. Customer Concentration Ââ€" Location variables Setting up Wendys restaurants where the potential consumer(working class, teenagers, etc) concentration is high. Ââ€" Strengthen penetration To attain a firm grip in the market where it is already existing. Cost Control Ââ€" Centralized distribution center Wendys has the strongest supply chain management system which is very efficient in saving unnecessary expenses thus reducing the number of distributing centers in turn cutting down on costs. Ââ€" Reduce labor costs Costs associated with labor is a major factor in the success of any business. Wendys labor costs include upper management, but the bulk of Wendys employees are the workers at individual restaurants. Wendys achieved to cut labor cost by downsizing the number of managers from 3.6 to 3.3 by June of 2007. Wendys expects that this will not only decrease labor costs but also enhance efficiency at individual restaurants as they have found that a high number of managers can result in division of responsibility and confusion. In 2007 Wendys total operating costs were approximately $2.29 billion while total revenue was about $2.45 billion, leaving a slim operating income of approximately $156 million. If Wendys labor cost reduction initiative can successfully decrease labor costs without negatively impacting revenues, Wendys could see a substantial increase margins and operating profits. http://cdn.wikinvest.com/i/px.gif Ââ€" Economies of scale- Economies of Scale is achieved by balancing the capital invested and reducing costs. Investments Ââ€" International fast food market is the best place to invest in as far as Wendys investment options are considered. Ââ€" Research on untapped foreign markets in order to gain knowledge for future investments. Forces that Affect Competition Ââ€" The Economy caused businesses everywhere to focus on low cost to the customer, this presents a problem when every firm lowers its prices. Ââ€" The end result is that the low price becomes the new standard so competition now lies in value. Ââ€" Wendys has taken this road before during the inflationary period of the 1970s, with the slogan â€Å"Quality is Our Recipe†. Ââ€" The Super Size Me Documentary also affected competition among the major fastfood chain restaurants. Ââ€" Caused a public backlash against fast-food restaurants. Ââ€" In response to the 2004 film, Wendys introduced the Chicken Temptation ® selections to their existing menu. Competing in the Industry Ââ€" Overall Wendys needs to stand by their strategy of creating a niche market by way of their side dish offerings. Ââ€" Expand competition base by being innovative and effective. 5.1.Conclusion The major competitive advantage of Wendys is ‘Healthy Fast Food. 6.Marketing Mix Analysis †¢ The tools available to a business to gain the reaction it is seeking from its target market in relation to its marketing objectives †¢ 7Ps Price, Product, Promotion, Place, People, Process, Physical Environment †¢ Traditional 4Ps extended to encompass growth of service industry Marketing strategy is generally obtained by the 3 key elements namely the target markets, competitors targets and the competitive advantage (Anderson 2008). Once the marketing strategy is finalized, the company starts looking into the facts of the marketing mix. â€Å"Marketing mix is the set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market.† (Armstrong and Kotler 2009). Marketing mix is essential for the company to develop the demand for its products. This can be collectively done by the four vital categories which are well-known as 4-Ps of marketing mix. The 4-Ps are namely Product, Price, Place and Promotion (Armstrong and Kotler 2009: 83). Product Customer solution â€Å"Product is a good or service offered or performed by an organization or individual, which is capable of satisfying customer needs† (Jobber 2007: 28). Brand name and Quality The brand image is obtained by utilizing the fundamentals of marketing mix (Jobber 2007: 332). Wendys/Arbys Group is the parent company of Wendys, and is a publicly traded company. Wendys Restaurant Group, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wendys/Arbys Group, Inc. Wendys/Arbys Group, Inc. is the franchisor of the Arbys and Wendys restaurant systems and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WEN. A change in the companys ownership set the course for menu expansion and a strengthened brand. On September 29, 2008, Triarc Companies Inc. merged with Wendys International, Inc. to form Wendys/Arbys Group, Inc. Wendys/Arbys Group, Inc. is the third largest quick-service restaurant company in the United States. Wendys restructured its cleanliness standards, menu and other operational details to ensure that stores met the goals and standards of the parent company so that its franchises were competitive in the market. Wendys mission is to deliver superior quality products and services for their customers and communities through leadership, innovation and partnerships. Their vision is to be the quality leader in everything they do. Wendys has a strategic vision focused on these core values: Quality: Freshly-made products and superior service are their passion; consistent excellence in customer service is their goal. All actions are guided by absolute honesty, fairness and respect for every individual. People (consumers) are the key to success; they value all members of the diverse family for their individual contributions and their team achievements. Satisfying internal and external customers needs is the focus of everything they do. Continuous improvement is how they think and innovative change provides competitive opportunities. Features and Variety The Wendys menu features a variety of products that are stated below which are unique from its competitors. * Signature roast beef, including Roast burger. * Market Fresh deli sandwiches. * Market Fresh salads. * Toasted subs. * Jamocha and specialty shakes. * Curly Fries and Side kickers. * Wendys featuresFrench friesas a primary side item, but also offers a number of options for side items/dips, includingsalads(side and Caesar side),chili,yogurtwithgranola,mandarin oranges, andbaked potatoes. In several markets, the customer may request any of these side items to be substituted for fries in its value meals. * In June 2006, Wendys removed their classic Biggie and also the Great Biggie sizes in favor of a more traditional sizing system like; Small, Medium, and Large. * Frostydessert It is asoft serve ice creamdessert sold in chocolate or vanilla flavours. Also sold as a floatand a mix-in dessert called the Twisted Frosty. * In Japan, Wendys offers ared bean pasteand cheese sandwich called as an An Burger * Big Classic- It is a sandwich that directly competes with the Burger Kings Whopper. * Mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato,pickle, ketchup and onion served on aKaiser-style roll. A second version with bacon is available, called the Big Bacon Classic. * Baconator- with mayonnaise, 6 strips of bacon, two 1/4 pound (113.4 gram) patties, ketchup and two pieces of American cheese. * In Dec 2006, Wendys phased out and stopped offering their fried Home style chicken strips in most of its U.S.locations. There is now a chicken club combo in the place of the strips, which features a Home style chicken patty, Spicy chicken patty or a Grilled Chicken patty with Swiss cheese and also bacon. The Home style chicken strips are still available in parts of Canada. * In the Philippines they serve fried chicken, which forms staple at most fast food restaurants in that country. Price Customer cost â€Å"Price is the amount of money customers must pay to obtain(buy) the product.† (Armstrong and Kotler 2009: 83). The price of any product partially highlights its quality. Pricing Strategy The Pricing strategy primarily consists of * Getting to know the market. * Elasticity. * Keeping in pace with the competitors. * Because Price and Convenience are near universal throughout firms in the industry, Wendys must focus on becoming the â€Å"highly favored† fast-food choice. Doing so will give customers more inclination to visit store locations. Place Convenience â€Å"Place includes company activities that make the product available to target consumers.† (Armstrong and Kotler 2009). The vital role of marketing is the process of how the product is being sent from seller to buyer. The means by which the products and services reach the consumer from the producer and where they can be accessed by the consumer. The more places to buy the product and the easier it is made to buy it, the better for the business (and the consumer). Availability Approximately 77% of Wendys restaurants are franchised, the majority of which are located in North America. Wendys and its affiliates employ more than 46,000 people in its global operations. While Wendys sets standards for exterior store appearance, food quality and menu, individual owners have control over hours of operations, interior decor, pricing and staff uniforms and wages. Wendys operates in 19 countries around the world while its headquarters is based in Dublin, Ohio. It operated in more countries, but closed down in some of them due to certain circumstances. Inventory Wendys never uses frozen beef, its always fresh. Promotion Communication â€Å"Promotion means activities that communicate the merits of the product and persuade target customers to buy it.† (Armstrong and Kotler 2009). Different ways of promoting the product are Advertising Advertising is a major phase of overall product or service development and management. Advertising is specifically part of the outbound marketing activities, or activities geared to communicate to the market, e.g., advertising, promotions, public relations, etc. Wendys recently began a cross-promotion withNintendo. When you buy specific Wendys items you receive a code on that can be entered on the web siteFrostyFloat.comand be entered to win aWii. Wendys marketing arm engages inproduct placementin films (such asThe Day After Tomorrow,Mr. Deeds,Garfield: The Movie, andClick) and television and is sometimes seen on ABCs hitreality showExtreme Makeover: Home Editionserving food to the more than 100 construction workers. A recent Wendys commercial features the tune from theViolent Femmessong Blister in the Sun.ScrubsstarZach Braffcan currently be heard invoiceoverin Wendys newest commercials. With the launch of the new ad campaign, Wendys has also unveiled a new slogan, Thats right. Few of the advertising slogans of Wendys are given below US Canada * 1970 Present:Quality Is Our Recipe * 1978:Juicy hamburgers and lots of napkins * 1979: Hot-N-Juicy * 1980:Wendys Has the Taste * 1981:Aint No Reason to Go Anyplace Else * 1982:Youre Wendys Kind of People * 1983:Parts is parts * 1984:Wheres the beef? * 1986:Choose Fresh, choose Wendys * 1987:Give a little nibble * Circa 1990:The best burgers and a whole lot more(also was printed inside the hamburger wrappers during the 1990s) * 1997 Present:Eat great, even late * 2002:Its hamburger bliss. * 2004:Its better here * 2004:Always Great, Even Late. * 2005 2007:Do what tastes right.(primary slogan) * 2005 Present:It takes flair to be square. * 2007:Thats right. * 2007:Uh Huh. * 2007:Hot Juicy Burgers International * 1983:Its the best time forWendys(Philippines) * 2000 (approx) Present:We dont cut corners(New Zealand) * 2000 (approx) Present:Wendys cuadra contigo(Wendys fits with you). The wordcuadra(fit) is a reference to the wordcuadrothat meanssquare(Venezuela) * 2001 (approx) Present:El Sabor de lo Recien Hecho(The Flavor of the Brand New Made) (Honduras) * 2007 (approx) Present:Wendys es Sensacional(Wendys is Sensational) (El Salvador) Personal selling Personal selling involves incentive programs, sales presentations and trade shows (Armstrong and Kotler 2009: 383). Personal selling is oral communication with potential buyers of a product with the intention of making a sale. The personal selling may focus initially on developing a relationship with the potential buyer, but will always ultimately end with an attempt to close the sale Personal selling is one of the oldest forms of promotion. It involves the use of asales forceto support apush strategy(encouraging intermediaries to buy the product) or apull strategy(where the role of the sales force may be limited to supporting retailers and providing after-sales service). Sales Promotion Sales promotion is any initiative undertaken by an organization to promote an increase in sales, usage or trial of a product or service. Sales promotions can be directed at either thecustomer, sales staff, ordistributionchannel members (such asretailers). Public Relations Public relations can be used to build rapport withemployees,customers,investors,voters, or the general public. There are various kinds of public relations, but the most important are financial relations with public, product relations with public,and crisis public relations.  § Financial public relations providing information mainly to business reporters.  § Product public relations gaining publicity for a particular product or service (rather than using advertising).  § Crisis public relations responding to negative accusations or information.  § Wendys has their official worldwide websites where the it regularly updates information such as yearly annual report, products, interviews with management faculties etc. 6.1.Ad

Democracy Vs Dictatorship :: essays research papers

Imagine the next time you step into the voting booth your ballot only lists one candidate to choose from. Or perhaps your ballot lists four candidates, but they are all from the Liberal party. Dictatorships are one party political systems that are ruled by one leader or an elite group of people under the principle of authoritarianism. Some feel that dictatorships are the most effective form of government because decisions are made quickly and extreme nationalism benefits the military and economy. These individuals value order, nationalism, and authority. However, these systems often result in violence, repression of the public, and few provisions for changes to the system. Democracies are multiparty political systems that rest on the principle of rule by the people. Most people that live in democracies have civil liberties1, and political rights2. Individuals who feel that multiparty systems are the best government value equality, accountability, and freedom. Nations that have multi party political systems will meet the needs of the public better through the means of political equality, a higher standard of living3, and civil liberties. Dictatorships often occur when a nation is economically and politically unstable. An example of this is Napoleon’s coup d’ etat in 1799 France. In a system of authoritarian rule decisions are made efficiently because very few people are involved in the decision making process. The leader or elite group at the head of the government decides on new policies and economic measures, then makes sure that the public abides by them by using tactics of force and indoctrination. Dictatorial systems have helped nations recover from economic turmoil many times in the past. The extreme nationalism that is born from propaganda and government sponsored youth organizations encourages people to work harder for the benefit of their country. Newly motivated work forces easily meet their production goals. If the leader of a dictatorship is capable the country can rise to hold a great amount of international power. Building up the military is an important step to gain power. A strong milita ry will discourage other countries from attacking and also discourage the citizens of the country from rebelling. The force of nationalism, and new laws that can be easily passed regarding education (such that every male of a certain age must serve time in the military) allow military strength of dictatorships to multiply. The Soviet Union experienced a dictatorial system from 1917 to 1985.

Hamlet’s Moral Nature Leads to Death Essay

While rambling on about vengeance, the senseless prince Hamlet utters â€Å"I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven. O, this is hire and salary, not revenge†¦ or about some act that has no relish of salvation in’t; then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, and that his soul may be as damn’d and black† (3. 3. 77-95). This soliloquy is significant as it shows Hamlet’s intentions when he must delay his murder purposes to a specific time frame where Claudius is acting corrupt because then the King’s soul will descend into hell. Moral relativism is also evident when the melancholic prince moans â€Å"To be, or not to be: that is the question; whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer†¦ To die, to sleep;† when contemplating life and death (3. 1. 57-61). This unique proclamation further explains why Hamlet is incapable of murder because he is afraid of what lies after death, particularly hell and purgatory. For these reasons, religion is a main virtue of Hamlet’s moral nature leading his incompetence in seeking retribution on King Claudius. Another unambiguous quality in the Prince’s moral nature that leads to the dispose of Claudius is procrastination. While in the castle, the insane Dane Hamlet sadly proclaims â€Å"Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, and thus the native hue of resolution is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought, and enterprises of great pitch and moment with this regard their currents turn awry, and lose the name of action† (3. 1. 84-88). This declamation clarifies Hamlet is troubled by his  over scrupulous conscience which prevents him from immediately avenging his father’s murder. After finishing conversation with the Captain, the impractical prince Hamlet boldly states â€Å"How all occasions do inform me against me, and spur my dull revenge! What is man†¦O, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! † when realizing now is the time for him to act (4. 4. 31-65). Hamlet finally recognizes that he has held out his revenge for too long and must act on it after seeing Fortinbras’ army sacrificing money and men to get back a worthless piece of land just for honour. In due course Hamlet’s procrastination eventually leads to his death in the end. If it is not for the Danish Prince’s moral nature of procrastination, he could have very well avoided death by acting on his deed to his father. Last, the most important moral virtue that the saddened prince portrays is indecisiveness. When deciding whether or not to fulfill his revenge for his deceased father, Hamlet confidently declares now whether it be, bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple, of thinking too precisely on th’ event – a thought which, quarter’d , hath but one part wisdom   and ever three parts coward – I do not know why yet I live to say this thing’s to do ,sith I have cause , and will and strength , and means  to do. 4. 4. 39-44) This decision further describes that Hamlet is indecisive about when he must carry out retribution for his forbearer. Indecisiveness relates to both religion and procrastination qualities as well. Hamlet pronounces â€Å"I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven. O, this is hire and salary, not revenge†¦ or about some act that has no relish of salvation in’t; then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, and that his soul may be as damn’d and black† when determining when Claudius should be slain and go to hell (3. . 77-95). Not only religious virtues are apparent but also indecisive traits. Indecisiveness is evident while Hamlet needs to decide at what specific point in time to achieve his goal of retaliation. When speaking to himself in the castle, the melancholic prince sighs â€Å"Thus conscience does make cowards of us all† (3. 1. 84). Even though procrastination is evident in Hamlet’s speech, indecisiveness can be found as well. Indecisiveness is present in Hamlet’s speech because he is contemplating on his own life and death. For these examples, indecisiveness is in the Danish Prince’s moral nature that affects his ability to seek payback for his father. In conclusion, moral relativism, procrastination and indecisiveness are the three vital virtues that insane Prince carries. These traits prove the reoccurring theme that the need for revenge can consume you. Hamlet’s moral nature is the reason why he is unable to seek vengeance for his father immediately and if the insane Dane had taken action and fulfilled his assassination on Claudius instantly, Prince Hamlet’s fate would have ended better. Works Cited Shakespeare, William Hamlet.

Josef Mengele †the Angel of Death Essay

After the war many Nazi doctors were tried at Nuremberg, for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Yet the man who became the most infamous Nazi doctor — although Hitler himself may never heard of him — fled to South America and escaped prosecution. He was never caught and convicted, though he lived for decades thereafter. Mengele, called ‘Uncle’ by the countless children he subjected to gruesome experiments and unthinkable torture, and known as the â€Å"Angel of Death† in the concentration camps, was responsible for the torture and deaths of 400,000 people, and the torment of thousands more. The most important thing to note about Mengele is that he was not an isolated example of an evil maniac gone berserk. He was simply part of a system and a much wider network of Nazi doctors. His work may have been different from those of the other doctors only in quantitative terms not qualitative terms. Today, the Auschwitz experiments of Josef Mengele remain the most egregious example of the collaboration of unscrupulous researchers with equally unscrupulous senior scientists and prestigious scientific institutions – which is a phenomenon that could be happening on a wide scale in our own times, especially in matters of drug trials of giant pharmaceutical corporations. In 1947, the world learned of what is now the most infamous scandal in medical research: medical experiments conducted by Nazi doctors. Nazi doctors performed a variety of extremely disturbing experiments on prisoners in concentration camps. Some experiments were designed to further the war effort. For example, to study gunshot wounds, Nazi doctors shot inmates and examined their wounds. To study diseases such as typhus, Nazi doctors intentionally infected inmates with disease. To study human capacity to withstand exposure to cold, Nazi doctors stripped inmates and exposed them to icy water or blizzards. However, the majority of experiments had less to do with winning the war and more to do with promoting or substantiating Nazi ideology. Doctors were interested in sterilizing undesirables, â€Å"curing† homosexuality, and establishing anthropological differences between races. To find an effective means of mass sterilization, Nazi doctors injected hundreds of women with a caustic substance in the hope of obstructing their fallopian tubes, and inflicted severe burns and infections on both male and female prisoners by exposing them to high doses of radiation. To â€Å"cure† homosexuality, Nazi doctors injected hormones into inmates suspected of being homosexual. To catalog physical differences in race, Nazi doctors killed a number of prisoners, stripped the flesh off their bones, and saved their skeletons for an anthropological museum. Dr. Mengele is among the best known SS physicians at Auschwitz, and was responsible along with other SS doctors for â€Å"selections† and medical experiments that used prisoners as guinea pigs. Mengele could never have thought of himself as a monstrous psychopath, though, but only as a â€Å"biomedical scientist† participating in a broad program of racial research. During the Holocaust Mengele and many other Nazi physicians used thousands of camp inmates, especially those with disabilities and â€Å"deformities† as subjects for their biomedical racial â€Å"research. â€Å" Born in the Swabian section of Bavaria in 1911 into an upper middle-class family, Mengele eventually earned two doctorates. The first doctorate was in physical anthropology at Munich under Theodor Mollison in 1935 and the second was in medicine at Frankfurt under Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer in 1938. He received his license to practice medicine in late 1937 but apparently did not pursue certification in a specialty. Instead, he opted for research. As a student of anthropology, he had studied under the leading exponents of the â€Å"life unworthy of living† theory and it greatly influenced his thinking and behavior. The notion that some lives were not worth living was rapidly becoming academically acceptable. His two dissertation supervisors were eugenicists, and his dissertations in anthropology at Munich and in medicine at Frankfurt both dealt with research in racial hygiene. After finishing his second doctorate, Mengele continued his research in Verschuer’s Frankfurt Institute for Hereditary Biology and Race Hygiene. As principal investigator, Verschuer supervised the research of numerous assistants under a variety of DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – German Research Foundation) research grants. Verschuer’s 1938 report to the DFG on this sponsored research, focusing on the genetic study of twins and families, lists the work and publications of his assistant Mengele. Although Mengele did not join the Nazi party until 1938, he belonged to the brown-shirt storm troopers, the SA, during 1933-34 and in 1938 joined the SS. As an SS member, he was drafted during the war into the Waffen SS instead of the Wehrmacht, advancing by 1943 to the rank of captain (Hauptstrumfuhrer). He served as an SS physician to the Eastern front until he was wounded and therefore posted to the concentration camp death head units in the rear. He functioned during 1943-1944 as one of the SS physicians at the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. In his new post, Mengele performed the usual duties of a concentration camp SS physician as well as the special Auschwitz assignment of directing selections for the gas chamber. In addition, Auschwitz opened up unlimited opportunities for the ambitious researcher. Research subjects were available in large numbers, and the restraints of medical ethics did not apply. Further, Mengele could compel highly skilled inmate physicians to design and conduct research, perform tests and autopsies, and produce research papers, without the need to share credit with them. It is therefore not surprising that Mengele used Auschwitz as a research laboratory. Otmar von Verschuer, Mengele’s mentor who was himself a protege of Eugen Fischer, had left Frankfurt for Berlin in 1942 to succeed Fischer as director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Anthropology. Mengele had worked at the institute during SS assignments to Berlin and thus continued to contribute to Verschuer’s research projects (Cefrey 62). When Mengele went to Auschwitz, Vershuer realized the potential of this posting, and as principal investigator, he carried Mengele’s Auschwitz experiments on his DFG grants. Therefore, Mengele’s experiments — that often necessitated the killing of children, thousands of them (especially twins) — were part of the official program and in pursuing his shockingly macabre â€Å"research† he was only following the broad lines of Nazi research agenda. Driven by the desire to advance his medical career by scientific publications, Dr Mengele began to conduct all kinds of utterly atrocious medical experiments on living Jews, children, twins, disabled people, and all those who fell into the Nazi category of ‘Untermenschen’ – all of whom he took from the barracks of the concentration camp at Auschwitz, or ‘selected’ right away on their arrival, and brought to his hospital block. Mengele used the pretext of medical treatment to kill thousands upon thousands of prisoners, personally administering the horrific torture procedures, for example as by injecting them with phenol, petrol, chloroform, or by ordering SS medical orderlies to do so. From the moment of his arrival at Auschwitz, Mengele joined the other SS officers and SS doctors, among them Dr Clauberg and Dr Kremer, in the ‘selection’ of Jews reaching the Auschwitz railway junction from all over Europe. With a movement of the hand or the wave of a stick, he indicated as ‘unfit for work’, and thus destined for immediate death in the gas chambers, all children, old people, sick, crippled and weak Jews, and all pregnant women. Between May 1943 and November 1944 Mengele conducted, also along with Dr. Heinz Thilo, scores of such selections. Mengele was especially on the lookout for twins and other promising research subjects (Lifton 165). He also took an equally decisive part in several selections in the camp infirmary, pointing out for death by shooting, injection or gassing those Jews whose strength had been sapped by starvation, force labor, untreated illness or ill-treatment by the guards. On May 26, 1943, only two days after he arrived at Aushwitz, Mengele committed his first mass murder. There was a typhoid epidemic in the barracks of over a thousand Gypsies who had been brought to the camp two months earlier. For Dr Mengele, typhoid was not an illness to be cured, but one to be eliminated; that day, all the Gypsies were dragged out of their barracks and driven to the gas chambers. Against their names in the camp register were put the letters ‘SB’ – ‘Sondebehandlung’, Special Treatment. This was just a sign of much worse things to come. In perpetrating a host of such ghastly â€Å"medical and scientific experiments,† Mengele was of course being an independent member of a larger cohort of wanton butchers. These Nazi doctors most brazenly forsook their Hippocratic Oath and armed themselves with scalpels, forceps, and needles in inflicting immeasurable pain and torture on hundreds of thousands of innocent people, a significant portion of them being children. Mengele regularly mailed the results of his research on twins to the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute. There scientists analyzed the samples of blood obtained before death and the organs obtained after dissection. It was a systematic, organized and purposeful enterprise. Though few of these doctors collected scientifically valid data and many of the experiments were expressions of pure pathological sadism, the Nazi doctors justified their acts of torture and inhumanity as attempts to improve German medicine and advance science. Mengele himself, through his research on twins, dreamed of being able to genetically engineer a flawless race. The ultimate goal was to produce an ideal race of Aryan men and women endowed with only the finest genetic traits, who would rapidly multiply and rule the world. (Lagnado, Dekel 61) Of the approximately 350 doctors who are estimated to have committed medical crimes, only about 20 doctors and 3 assistants were brought to justice in Nuremberg (Spitz 50). Some others were tried, and sentenced to in American military trials at Dachau. Still many doctors escaped, including one who would become the most infamous of them all, Dr. Josef Mengele. Human experimentation neither arose with the Nazis, nor ended with them; however, the history of human experimentation in the West is usually divided into two eras: before the Nazis and after. Mengele is by no means such a grotesque aberration as he may appear to be at first. Nazi doctors perpetrated some of the most horrendous actions during the Third Reich, but the shadows of Auschwitz and Nuremberg are long. Though Mengele escaped scot-free, we at least know about his evil deeds; there may be many others of his ilk alive today and even working in collaboration with reputed organizations whose work we may never even come to know. Works Cited Cefrey, Holly. â€Å"Doctor Josef Mengele: The Angel of Death† New York : The Rosen Publishing Group, 2001 Lagnado, Lucette Matalon; Dekel, Sheila Cohn. â€Å"Children of the Flames: Dr. Josef Mengele and the Untold Story of the Twins of Auschwitz. † New York : Penguin Books, 1992 Lifton, Robert Jay. â€Å"The Nazi Doctors: Medical Killing and the Psychology of Genocide† New

Essay on Trevors Actions as a Means of Resolving his Conflicts in the Short Story The Destructors.

Essay on Trevors Actions as a Means of Resolving his Conflicts in the Short Story The Destructors. "The Destructors" is a very intriguing short story in which the author, Graham Greene, narrates the plight of an interesting young man living in post-World War II London. Trevor, or "T," as the gang prefers to call him is a unique young man with provoking yet disturbing ideas on life and social stature; moreover, he is the story's protagonist.From the beginning, Graham Greene establishes that Trevor is different than the other boys when the fifteen year old says, " 'It's a beautiful house.' " T. proves the difference between himself and the other boys; he uses a very composed and structured language in comparison to his friends because of his upper-class, knowledgeable yet unhappy upbringing. Trevor's dad has recently " 'come down in the world' and... his mother considered herself better than the neighbours." Amongst Trevor's family there is separation because of money, for his mom will not leave the upper-class life while his dad has come down in the world and must leave the upper-c lass status.English: Blue plaque outside Graham Greene's Birth...T., even though having been in a rich family, does not like the idea of people being segregated and judged by their social class. He believes that everyone should be treated equal in society regardless of money. Old Misery's house is a beautiful and high-class house in the midst of rubble and destruction. Not only does Trevor feel very uncomfortable with this house that is left standing, but he also wants and plans to see the demise of the house in a way that it could never be rebuilt. This is quite ironic because his father's occupation is an architect; someone who practices the art of creating buildings, and T. is planning on destroying this house despite his knowledge of what goes into creating a building. The house, which had "stood...

Expanding Descriptive Verb Use

Expanding Descriptive Verb Use One of the most important steps in improving writing skills is expanding the use of more descriptive language when describing actions. Students tend to repeat verb usage: He said..., She told him..., She asked..., He ran quickly..., He walked across the room.... The target of this lesson plan is to get students more aware of the subtle variations that they can employ by using more descriptive verbs such as: He insisted on..., She giggled..., They nibbled on..., etc. Aim Improve descriptive verb usage in writing Activity Vocabulary expansion activity followed by writing activity focusing on expanding on a bare-bones extract Level Upper intermediate to advanced Outline Write the verbs say, laugh, walk, eat, think, drink on the board and ask students to divide into small groups to think up as many synonyms for these verbs as they can.Once students have finished this exercise, pool the results together as a class. You may want to have a student take notes and photocopy the class results.Have students return to their groups to do the exercise below matching general meaning verbs to more specific verbs.Once students have finished, compare answers as a class. Your acting abilities might be called for to explain the subtle differences between a number of the verbs.Next, ask students to write a simple story about something that has recently happened to them. Instruct them to use simple verbs such as say, do, make, tell, walk, etc.Have students pair up and exchange their stories. Each student should then elaborate the texts of the other student by using as many verbs previously studied as they can.Once students have finished and compared their stories, the class can have some fun reading the stories aloud. Interesting Writing Match the more specific verbs to the general meaning verbs in column one.​ General Verbs tell move say laugh eat drink throw run move hold walk Specific Verbs exclaim toss stagger munch slurp twist writhe hurl sip order swallow insist giggle clutch fidget chuckle sprint mutter wander instruct nibble gulp snigger lob hug trudge munch jog mention wriggle bend grasp stagger whisper pass swallow Related Lessons Writing Storms Short writing exercises on assigned tasks Basic Essay Writing Style An overview of basic essay writing style

The Important Role of US Third Parties

The Important Role of US Third Parties While their candidates for President of the United States and Congress have little chance of being elected, America’s third political parties have historically played a major role in bringing about sweeping social, cultural, and political reform. Womens Right to Vote Both the Prohibition and Socialist Parties promoted the womens suffrage movement during the late 1800s. By 1916, both Republicans and Democrats supported it and by 1920, the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote had been ratified. Child Labor Laws The Socialist Party first advocated laws establishing minimum ages and limiting hours of work for American children in 1904. The Keating-Owen Act established such laws in 1916. Immigration Restrictions The Immigration Act of 1924 came about as a result of support by the Populist Party starting as early as the early 1890s. Reduction of Working Hours You can thank the Populist and Socialist Parties for the 40-hour work week. Their support for reduced working hours during the 1890s led to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Income Tax In the 1890s, the Populist and Socialist Parties supported a progressive tax system that would base a persons tax liability on their amount of income. The idea led to the ratification of the 16th Amendment in 1913. Social Security The Socialist Party also supported a fund to provide temporary compensation for the unemployed in the late 1920s. The idea led to the creation of laws establishing unemployment insurance and the Social Security Act of 1935. Tough on Crime In 1968, the American Independent Party and its presidential candidate George Wallace advocated getting tough on crime. The Republican Party adopted the idea in its platform and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 was the result. (George Wallace won 46 electoral votes in the 1968 election. This was the highest number of electoral votes collected by a third party candidate since Teddy Roosevelt, running for the Progressive Party in 1912, won  a total of  88 votes.) America’s First Political Parties The Founding Fathers wanted the American federal government and its inevitable politics to remain non-partisan. As a result, the U.S. Constitution makes no mention whatsoever of political parties. In Federalist Papers No. 9 and No. 10, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, respectively refer to the dangers of political factions they had observed in the British government. America’s first president, George Washington, never joined a political party and warned against the stagnation and conflict they can cause in his Farewell Address. â€Å"However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.† - George Washington, Farewell Address, September 17, 1796 However, it was Washington’s own closest advisers who spawned the American political party system. Hamilton and Madison, despite writing against political factions in the Federalist Papers, became the core leaders of the first two functional opposing political parties. Hamilton emerged as the leader of the Federalists, who favored a strong central government, while Madison and Thomas Jefferson led the Anti-Federalists, who stood for a smaller, less-powerful central government. It was the early battles between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists that spawned the environment of partisanship that now dominates all levels of American government.   Leading Modern Third Parties While the following is far from all of the recognized third parties in American politics, the Libertarian, Reform, Green, and Constitution Parties are usually the most active in presidential elections. Libertarian Party Founded in 1971, the Libertarian party is the third largest political party in America. Over the years, Libertarian Party candidates have been elected to many state and local offices. Libertarians believe the  federal government  should play a minimal role in the day-to-day affairs of the people. They believe that the only appropriate role of government is to protect the citizens from acts of physical force or fraud. A libertarian-style government would, therefore, limit itself to a police, court, prison system and military. Members support the free market economy and are dedicated to the protection of civil liberties and individual freedom. Reform Party In 1992, Texan H. Ross Perot spent over $60 million of his own money to run for president as an independent. Perots national organization, known as United We Stand America succeeded in getting Perot on the ballot in all 50 states. Perot won 19 percent of the vote in November, the best result for a third party candidate in 80 years. Following the 1992 election, Perot and United We Stand America organized into the Reform Party. Perot again ran for president as the Reform Party candidate in 1996 winning 8.5 percent of the vote. As its name implies, Reform Party members are dedicated to reforming the American political system. They support candidates they feel will re-establish trust in government by displaying high ethical standards coupled with fiscal responsibility and accountability. Green Party The American Green Partys platform is based on the following 10 Key Values: Ecological wisdomCommunity-based economicsGrassroots democracyDecentralizationGender equalityPersonal and social responsibilityRespect for diversityNonviolenceGlobal responsibility Greens seek to restore balance through recognizing that our planet and all of life are unique aspects of an integrated whole, and also through affirming the significant inherent values and contribution of each part of that whole. The Green Party - Hawaii Constitution Party In 1992, American Taxpayer Party presidential candidate Howard Phillips appeared on the ballot in 21 states. Mr. Phillips again ran in 1996, achieving ballot access in 39 states. At its national convention in 1999, the party officially changed its name to the Constitution Party and again chose Howard Phillips as its presidential candidate for 2000. The Constitution Party favors a government based on a strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and the principals expressed in it by the Founding Fathers. They support a government limited in scope, structure, and power of regulation over the people. Under this goal, the Constitution Party favors a return of most governmental powers to the states, communities and the people.

Nursing case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Nursing - Case Study Example I would ensure that I educate the patient on how to respond to certain occurrences. This would help the patient to overcome serious instances that lead to heart attacks such as shortness of breath. I would also consider assessing the nutrition that the family is providing to the patient. Here, I would ensure that the patient is taking the appropriate diet especially one that would strengthen their body so as to improve blood pumping capabilities. Therapeutic exercises are also important in these cases (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 2014). Therefore, as a professional, I would ensure that Mr. P undertakes exercises on a daily basis to further help in strengthening his body. These may help in eliminating the labored breaths that he experiences frequently. With regard to the despondence that Mr. P has developed, I would begin counseling sessions for him to change his perspectives on life, as this would be paramount to restoring his health. As for a treatment plan, I would recommend a disease management program. This is because currently, there is no known cure that can eliminate cardiomyopathy. However, it can be maintained and the symptoms can be suppressed to help the individual to lead a better life than how the situation would be if no treatment were offered. The disease management program would involve strategies that would help in relieving the existing complicating factors, stop the progression of the disease, and control the symptoms. When these aspects are addressed, the overall health for Mr. P would improve significantly. I would also recommend Mr. P to take specific medications to improve his situation. These include the medication that can reduce the exertion of his heart muscles, ease on the symptoms, and improve the ability for his heart to pump blood (The Johns Hopkins University, 2014). In as much as Mr. P would like to get out of the house, I would advise his wife to use caution with

GW F. Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche Essay

GW F. Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche - Essay Example rt of a great consciousness we would not be so concerned with our individual freedom therefore, we would agree to act rationally in a way that does not follow our individual caprice that would help us achieve our goals and objectives. Hegel argued that the concept of â€Å"Geist† involves subjective spirit/mind that is the individual potential force, while Objective Spirit/Mind is the force in action and Absolute Spirit/Mind is the goal, aim or target of the force as well as the realization of one’s target. Objective Spirit and Absolute Spirit/Mind have a continuous cycle between them such that: the goals established, understood and represented by the Absolute Spirit govern, lead and motivate the action and dynamic of people in the objective spirit. Absolute Spirit/Mind encourages people to reflect upon their own practice, learn from it and overcome any limitations. Schopenhauer asserted the principle of work by emphasizing that the will is the inner nature of the body as an appearance in time and space, he concluded that the inner reality of all material appearance is dependent on the individual will. Considering the notion of will as the key to existence, Schopenhauer, who is considered to be a pessimistic philosopher, explained that the tragedy of life arises from the nature of the will which constantly urges the individual toward the satisfaction of successive goals, none of the goals can provide permanent satisfaction for the infinite activity of the life force or will. Schopenhauer claimed that some things such as interests and moral life based on sympathy, alleviates the suffering that people’s experience in their lives. The only thing that stands in our power to achieve, is to use the personal qualities we possess in the most advantageous way as possible and follow such pursuits only when will call then to play (Hegel 46). Friedrich Nietzsche argues that, it is our freedom, ability to make and implement our own choices that distinguishes us from

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION - Research Paper Example practice of female genital mutilation, Egypt still remains the country where this practice is most prevalent According to World Health Organization, in Somalia the prevalence of female genital mutilation is almost 98 percent. Ethiopia, Mali and Sudan are other countries where the practice is very evidently prevalent. In Arabian Peninsula the practice is seen mostly among the Afro-Arabs, who are the descendants of various African races. The practice is seen generally among these races in Saudi Arabia, Southern part of Jordan and in Northern Iraq. It is actually migratory workers from East Africa and Nile Valley who have brought this practice to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. The practice is prevalent in some parts of Asia, like Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world and in South America too. THE CULTURAL COMPULSIONS AND STRANGE FAITHS: There are so many factors that cause the continuation of the practice of female genital mutilation in different communities. They include sometimes religious, but most often cultural and social factors present with in the families as well as the communities. In cases where the practice remains a social convention, conforming to what all others in the society are doing without questioning is the major factor that keeps this practice alive. The reason to oblige to this age old social custom is thus, the desire to belong to the society. Behind this social practice is the age old faith about how to bring up a girl. Thus female genital mutilation is done in honest faith as a way to prepare the girl for adulthood and marriage. In such societies the girl is not considered to be an adult until she has gone through these painful rituals and will not be able to get married without FGM. The parents follow the blind faith without any sense of guilt, but with a sense of responsibility to their girl child. Here it is done out of love or concern for the girl child. Thus FGM for these parents is a practice that keeps up their

Toxic Water Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Toxic Water - Article Example During the last five years there have been over 500,000 violations to the Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act was created in 1977. â€Å"The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters† (Epa). The problem with the water supply in many parts of the United States is a major health epidemic that must be dealt with. The biggest loser right now of the issues associated with the polluted water in many regions of the United States is the consumer. The toxic water is causing serious illnesses including cancer, liver damage, and damage to the nervous system. The reason the water is causing these diseases is because the water has high concentrations of toxins and chemicals such as arsenic, barium, lead, manganese within the water. The problem was not caused by forces of nature, it is man made. Many large corporations are violating the Clean Water Ac t by improper disposing of chemical waste which is reaching our rivers, lagoons, and lakes. The economic consequences of this problem are scary. The incidence of cancer could increase significantly if corrections are not taken to deal with the issue. Clay Massey, a six year old kid, suffer from scabs in his arms, chest, and legs that were caused by the toxic water in his region. The economic problems that the toxic water is causing are huge because thousands if not millions of Americans are getting sick due to low quality water. The healthcare system in America is already suffering from inflationary forces. The toxic water epidemic will further cause higher inflation as more people begin to get sick from the polluted water. The quality of life of many Americans is going down as they are been forced to purchase bottle gallons of water. A gallon of purified water cost around $1 and each person is supposed to consume a minimum of one gallon per day. A family of five people would have t o spend at least $150 dollars a month just on bottled water to meet their minimal water consumption needs. One of the problems with the controversy is that there is no absolute certainty that the polluted water is causing cancer since the real factors or variables that cause cancer are unknown, but in regards to dental care it has been proven that the toxic water is deteriorating the teeth and its enamel. The U.S. water utilities companies can reach market efficiency only if they provide a quality product that people are satisfied with. Many Americans do not understand how is it possible that the United States which one of the richest countries in the world with a gross domestic product per capita of $46,300 could be facing so many problems with its water supply in so many locations in America (CultureGrams). Many corporations are violating EPA regulation including the Clean Water Act by failing to report emission dumping toxins in the earth’s ecosystem. The Clean Water Act s trictly limits and monitors 91 chemicals or contaminants in tap water. Many states are arguing that they need more funding from the federal government to deal with the problem of water contamination. This is a very serious issue because people are getting sick from drinking tap water and in some cases the pollution is so severe that exposure to water during showers is causing allergic reactions in the skin of humans. The United States Congress and President

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Personal statement - Essay Example First, I could tell her absolutely everything. For the first time in my life, Ive found someone with whom I could share my deepest, darkest secrets. She also did the same and revealed personal details about her family and everything else in her life. It was so good for me to be able to share everything with someone else who is not only close to me emotionally but also physically for a great portion of the day, and that I could always go to. Second, she became a wonderful source of support for me. No matter what I told her, no matter what I was going through, she is always there to support me, show her empathy and caring, and do whatever she can to help me and encourage me in everything I do and in every decision I make. She is also great in giving me advice, consulting me on what I should no. I cant even count the times that I relied on her great advice which helped me so much. Third, with her remarkable sense of humor, she can always make me laugh. Regardless of what Im going throug h or how sad or depressed I might be, she always succeeds in making me laugh and smile and be cheered up. Then and only then I can relate to my problems and think about them, of course with her assistance.

Essay about a movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

About a movie - Essay Example Her family expects her to marry a Greek man and raise children. His father is over-patronising, according to Toula, as he refuses to let her pursue further education in a computer academy. She manages to achieve it with the help of her mother and eventually takes up an office job and stops working at her family restaurant. Toulaa, played by Nia Vardolas, undergoes sea change in terms of her looks, grooming and fashion in the mean time. At the same time, she falls in love with a young Anglo-Saxon Protestant, Ian Miller, who is a school teacher, played by John Corbett. Toula’s patriarchal Greek family, especially her overbearing father, refuse to accept their relationship and Ian agrees to be baptised as a Greek Orthodox Christian, which earns the family’s approval. The families get introduced and the couple get married eventually. The movie is a portrayal of ethnic-identity, romance and interaction between cultures. For example, while almost everyone in Toula’s large extended family interferes in wedding planning, Ian is surprised at just the size of her family and the number of cousins she has. Especially when the two families come together and interact, the differences are more evident. For instance, Ian’s nuclear family is surprised to see that every single person from Toula’s extended family being present at the introduction and make it a big party. The movie was very interesting to watch and it was pleasant and funny. It was also insightful into inter-cultural marriages. The range of characters and their vastly different characteristics made the movie a great

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Personal statement - Essay Example First, I could tell her absolutely everything. For the first time in my life, Ive found someone with whom I could share my deepest, darkest secrets. She also did the same and revealed personal details about her family and everything else in her life. It was so good for me to be able to share everything with someone else who is not only close to me emotionally but also physically for a great portion of the day, and that I could always go to. Second, she became a wonderful source of support for me. No matter what I told her, no matter what I was going through, she is always there to support me, show her empathy and caring, and do whatever she can to help me and encourage me in everything I do and in every decision I make. She is also great in giving me advice, consulting me on what I should no. I cant even count the times that I relied on her great advice which helped me so much. Third, with her remarkable sense of humor, she can always make me laugh. Regardless of what Im going throug h or how sad or depressed I might be, she always succeeds in making me laugh and smile and be cheered up. Then and only then I can relate to my problems and think about them, of course with her assistance.

Discrimination and Extreme Prejudice Essay Example for Free

Discrimination and Extreme Prejudice Essay RaStereotyping is a way of thinking about groups of people. It ignores the differences of the group, while emphasizing its similarity. One belief, that is a stereotype, is that red-haired people are hot tempered. Another belief is that Scottish people are stingy. Such thinking ignores many even-tempered redheads and generous Scottish people. Stereotyping emphasizes many differences between groups while ignoring their similarities to other people. It ignores that many blond and brown-haired people also lose their tempers. Stereotyping overlooks the fact that many American, Brazilians and French people are stingy. Stereotyping redheads or Scottish people usually does little harm. It typically leads to friendly kidding and good-natured jokes. Simple-minded stereotyping can be dangerous. The danger lies in exaggeration of differences in color, nationality, religion and language. We exaggerate the differences, ignoring what we share as human beings and become prejudiced. Prejudice is nourished by fear as it grows out of exaggeration. It is a profoundly negative emotion bearing the fruit of hatred. Racism is a form of extreme prejudice that leads to physical and psychological violence. Racists can be any color: white, black, brown, red or yellow. A white racist thinks all blacks are alike, while a black racist thinks all Hispanics are alike. In addition, a Hispanic racist may think all Native Americans are alike. The ethnic boundaries of racism pigeon hole another group, while having no boundaries of its own. It only requires a tangible object that can be pointed at, discriminated against, spat upon and attacked. The differences are not important because the attack comes from fear. Racism is expressed in labels including: chink, nigger, honky, wop, kike and Gook. Such is the power of stereotypical, simple-minded thinking. My brother was a small child when my family moved from Oklahoma to California, at the end of The Depression. Farmers had advertised in newspapers and flyers that there was plenty of work and good pay, luring families (like mine) from the overworked dust bowl farms. Many native Californians were angry that the Okies were arriving in such large numbers. As my brother entered his new school, he experienced stereotyping, by teachers and classmates. They teased him because he had an accent and wore Okie overalls. He worked hard at trying to fit in, even changing his accent. Though my brother made good grades and was a great athlete, the name calling continued and he remained the subject of many Okie jokes. As he entered high school, the stereotyping became prejudice. The hatred felt for him and others from Oklahoma became evident in the game, Get the Okie, where captured victims were thrown into garbage cans (where they belonged). My brother, who is over 65 years old, suffers from the prejudice he experienced as a young man, remembering the names of those who tormented him. He never understood the hatred directed at him, just because he came from another state.

Is Power Central To Our Understanding Of Politics?

Is Power Central To Our Understanding Of Politics? The right of nature, which writers commonly call jus naturale, is the liberty each man hath to use his own power as he will himself for the preservation of his own nature; that is to say, of his own life; and consequently, of doing anything which, in his own judgement and reason, he shall conceive to be the aptest means thereunto. Thomas Hobbes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ that during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war; and such a war as is of every man against every man Thomas Hobbes The etymology of politics is from a word of Greek origin, polis, which means the state or a group. Its idea was based on the perfect city state, and it was the work of Plato and Aristotle. Platos book The Republic precisely defines the meaning and objectives of this city state. Hence, the word politics, came in being, with the idea of making a perfect society. But it may be near to impossible to achieve an utopian society, than what it is now. During their observations Plato and Aristotle found some faultlines or weaknesses in the human society and therefore they started to have their own political philosophies. The book The Politics, by Aristotle describes that Man is by nature a political animal(The Politics, 1) or simply put, it is a inherent characteristic of man. Because of this, man should try to get a position within the city state. As per Aristotle, Political science is not a theoretical concept, but an inborn trait of human beings. The most fundamental meaning of politics is that, human beings are selfish creatures and all his acts, are towards the promulgation of his own interests and preserve himself. He likes to have his own beliefs and strategy which may differ from others in the society or group. Therefore there is a high chance of conflict, not only due to clash of various ideologies, but as our world had finite resources, people will try to get the maximum share for themselves, and if this were to happen, it would be a very difficult to live in. Politics will be very much required to prevent the society from collapse. Some people must be able to control the others in the society in order to enforce the code of conduct. We have also seen in our day to day lives that some people are able to exert more coercion, than others in the group, and it is because they have the confidence of others in the group. Earlier we saw that by primitive nature man looks after his benefit first, than those of other members in the society, so even the people in power will try to achieve some of their personal goals. Politics is essentially a struggle for power between the people who have some authority, and getting this power is only possible from help by the others. It will be by way of trying to mitigate the conflicts, by genuine or improper ways. They will try to reach out to the aggrieved parties with some promise of solutions and benefits, in such a way, to get their necessary support, and ultimately control over them. Therefore, politics is the way of achieving new power and retaining it, by honest or dishonest means, and this way, can be in between individuals, groups, state and its subjects, or even with in a family. We always think that government is the ultimate form of power. It is the politicians who manage the government and it is their plan of action which ultimately governs the society. Does it mean, that groups, societies or countries, where there is no government, there is no politics. Power is omnipresent in our actions and relations, with others. The very functioning of a society depends upon the power mechanisms with in it. The most common form of power known to us, is through the punishments by a group or a state to its subjects. But this may not be the case in all relationships, power is not expressed always through subjugation. Wherever there are various levels of governance, politics has to be there. For eg, in a family, the power is divided between the father, the mother, and various other family members, or in a bank between the manager and the clerks. This power is used the ultimate authority to get what he wants to and effectively manage grievances and disagreements. Therefore, power and authority are the most basic features of politics. With the struggle for power, there can be no politics. But at the same time, politics is the innate characteristic of humans, as per Aristotle. The writings of Foucault show us power may reside in certain traditions, and which makes these power relationship acceptable. For example the caste system which stills exists in India without the use of force. Power is also incorporated in beliefs and values, and through which humans experience their lives, and this authorizes various power relationships and its inter dependancies. Lukes asks to view power in three dimensions. The one dimensional power as per Lukes is that power is a related to our behavior and it is up to the man as to how much he can change the actions of other men, in a decision oriented process. The man with the most authority will be the winner in this process. The second dimension that Lukes discusses is about the ability to shape the agenda is a vital form of power to further ones interests. The three-dimensional theory of power by Lukes states that a person may behave or think in a particular way, which is not in his self interest. This dimension is a process in which the person with most power is able to change the weak in a way, in which he acts as per the whims of the powerful, on his own motivation, and without any imposition or forcible constraint for example, by creating a deep rooted ideology. But for Weber, power is the ability through which, an individual in a society, can achieve his or her own wish even against the opposition of others. Looking at the above notions of politics and power and the quotes by Hobbes at the start of this essay, it is very clear that man lives only for himself, and he has every right, to look after his self preservation, and without a common power to govern the society, man is always ay war against other men. This shows how politics and power are deeply intertwined and complex, and as per Locke it is human nature to be selfish. Out of this selfishness, comes out the desire to have more and more for oneself, and which can be achieved only by art of politics, to use soft and hard power, for capturing the minds and imagination of others. Therefore, power is central to our understanding of politics. In what does Foucaults concept of power alter conventional understanding of politics ? Decentralization of the position of power as suggested by Foucault is a very new way of looking at the concept of power. He has given us a new way to look at power, and taking us away from the observation of persons, who use power only as a tool of imposition, and also even away from the institutions from which these persons function, and guides us to the idea that power is everywhere and part of knowledge and truth. Foucault says what we are, it is because of power. Foucaults view of power is totally different from the previous ways of viewing power, in a way that, power is diffuse, not concentrated, embodied rather than possessed, discursive, rather than coercive. (Gaventa) He is against the notion that power is controlled and executed by a group of people, by way of acts of force, instead it is spread out. Power is everywhere and comes from everywhere so in this sense is neither an agency nor a structure (Foucault). It is like beyond power or system of truth that is diffused in the society, and it is in a state of constant change and bargaining. Foucault uses the term power/knowledge to show us the power is made of accepted forms of knowledge, scientific observations and truth. Truth is made in this world, and is a result of different types of coercion. It causes power to take various forms. Our society has its administration of truth, which is politicized, that is the forms of sermons, which it considers and makes it true, the structure which enables us to differentiate truth from falsity, the process by which each is approved, the methodology considered fine, in getting to this truth, that position of people who have the power of declaring the truth (Foucault). Administration of truth and rules of politics are a product of scientific enquiry and agencies, and forced on the society regularly through educational institutes and radio/newspapers/televisions, and the dynamics of political ideas. The quest for truth, is not to find out the ultimate truth, that can be acquired by society, but it is about the guidelines, which differentiate between truth and falsity, and precise factors of power are attached to the truth, an endeavor about the position of truth and its politico economic functions. (Foucault, in Rabinow 1991). Power enforces social discipline and standardization. Foucault moved his insight from the exercise of power by the state, as found in feudalism, to force their people, towards a new kind of disciplinary power as evidenced in the eighteenth century European society, such as jails, educational establishments and mental asylums. Their structures of monitoring did not have the need for coercion, as the subjects automatically performed in desired ways. Foucault was intrigued by the systems of prison vigilance, school regimen, administration setup, and demographic control, and accepted criteria about body conduct, inclusive of sex. He studied medicine, psychology, and criminology and their roles as departments of knowledge that describe the accepted patterns of behavior and aberration. Our bodies are dominated and made to function in a particular style, as a world of societal control of the general population, through what he called bio-power. Disciplinary and bio-power create a discursive practice or a body of knowledge and behavior that defines what is normal, acceptable, deviant, etc. but it is a discursive practice that is nonetheless in constant flux (Foucault). One of the central themes of Foucaults power is that it goes beyond politics and it is something which is there in day to day practices of society. Due to this, state centered power jams, including rebellions, dont bring in the necessary change in societies. He has also pointed out, how deeply norms are implanted in our minds, that we dont even recognize them, and it makes adhere to discipline ourselves without any willful imposition from others. It has a direct and creative role in our lives. It comes from various places, and operates from the top down and from the bottom up (Foucault). Power is at its zenith when it is inside specific institutions such as schools, prisons or hospitals, we should be careful about locating forms of power with particular institutions, because power is neither a superstructure nor a quality of an institution (Foucault). Politics was usually seen in the conventional sense as an external force trying to subjugate its subjects, and the subjects, feel coerced as they are not in a position to negotiate or for want of greater good of the society. It follows from the earlier points that power is not just applicable to political institutions as has been thought traditionally. For Foucault politics is not just limited to state politics, it has a wide range of system for domination, and is applicable to a plethora of techniques, from the subjects control of himself to the bio political control of people (Foucault). Therefore, Foucaults view of power changes the traditional way of looking at politics.

Macbeth tragic hero Essay -- essays research papers

Tragic Hero or Villain?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  MacBeth the play is considered a tragedy and every tragedy needs a tragic hero. There are many factors that caused the degeneration of Macbeth. Macbeth is not a villlian in this story he is a tragic hero. The major factor that started the downfall was the prophecy by the witches in Act 1, Scene 3.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The witches were praising Macbeth. The first witch said, â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis!† The second witch said, â€Å" All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawder!† The third witch said, â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! That shalt be King hereafter!† When Macbeth and Banquo are leaving the witches Banquo is told that he won’t be King but his son’s will be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the middle of Act 1 scene 3, Ross tells Macbeth that the Thane of Cawdor is being executed and he will be taking his place. Now Macbeth believes the prophecy told by the witches. He hasn’t quite figured out how he will become King. One of the things that could have also contributed to Macbeth’s downfall is that he is too vulnerable and he believes everything that he hears. The witches corrupt Macbeth’s character and make him power hungry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Act 1, Scene 5 Macbeth wrote a letter to Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth has a crazy idea; the King is staying in their castle, giving Macbeth a chance to kill the King and become King. Lady Macbeth corrupts Macbeth even more by putting ideas...

Robert Graves’ I, Claudius - Capturing a Strange Moment in History Essa

Robert Graves’ I, Claudius - Capturing a Strange Moment in History Tiberius' reign over the Roman Empire stretched the longest of any emperor during Claudius' lifetime. This may be a good reason why Robert Graves, in his historical novel published in 1934, â€Å"I, Claudius† devoted more than a third of it to the reign of Tiberius. â€Å"I, Claudius†, told through the eyes of the "half-wit" Claudius, records the history of the first Imperial family at Rome, including the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, and even Claudius himself. Livia, Augustus' wife and Tiberius' mother, played a crucial role throughout the reign of Augustus and Tiberius by eliminating all possible heirs other than her son to the throne of the emperor. By the use of poison and banishment, she was very successful in her aspirations and even manages to arrange for Caligula to succeed Tiberius, although she died several years before Tiberius. Tiberius also played a key role during this story, undergoing a change from a private army general to a mentall y-sick Roman emperor. Early in Tiberius' life, he had already become unpopular in Roman society. However, although he was sometimes accused of being over-cautious, he led the Roman army to several victories over the Germans, and became a national figure. But, as it was common with the Claudian family, Tiberius turned out to be one of the bad Claudians. Although being a celebrated general worked wonders for his political career, Claudius states that, on a personal basis, he was "morose, reserved and cruel." An excellent general, he won the respect of his soldiers by living as they did on a campaign. He seldom slept in a tent, and he ate and drank often no better than the rest of his troops. ... ...lthough the author's point-of-view, synonymous with Claudius, often makes the reader forget that it is not Claudius himself writing this, but Robert Graves almost 2000 years later. His writing is exquisite, and although some sections of the novel become static, his elegance and grace with his wording carries the reader through these sections without difficulty. Although it is fiction, to anyone who wants to get "up close" to the family of Augustus, I would recommend this novel. Why? The story of the Augustan age is, in the words of Tacitus, "a story that was the subject of every variety of misrepresentation, not only by those who then lived but likewise in succeeding times: so true is it that all transactions of preeminent importance are wrapt in doubt and obscurity" (iix). Works Cited Graves, Robert. â€Å"I, Claudius†. New York: The Modern Library, 1934.

Group Discussion

Introduction Discussions of any sort are supposed to help us develop a better perspective on issues by bringing out diverse view points. Whenever we exchange differing views on an issue,we get a clearer picture of the problem and are able to understand it. The understanding makes us better equipped to deal with the problem. This is precisely the main purpose of a discussion. The dictionary meaning of the word Group Discussion is to talk about a subject in detail. So,group discussion may refer to a communicative situation that allows its participants to express views and opinions and share with other participants.It is a systematic oral exchange of information,views and opinions about a topic,issue,problem or situation among members of a group who share certain common objectives. G D is essentially an interactive oral process. The group members need to listen to each other and use voice and gesture effectively,use clear language and persuasive style. GD is structured: the exchange of ideas in a GD takes place in a systematic and structured way. Each of the participants gets an opportunity to express his/her views and comments on the views expressed by other members of the group.GD involves a lot of group dynamics, that is, it involves both -person to person as well as group to group interactions. every group member has to develop a goal oriented or group oriented interaction. A participant needs to be aware of needs of other group members and overall objectives of the discussion. Definition: Group discussion may be defined as – a form of systematic and purposeful oral process characterized by the formal and structured exchange of views on a particular topic,issue,problem or situation for developing information and understanding essential for decision making or problem solving.Group Discussion and Other forms of Oral Communication There are several types of oral group communication. In Public Speaking,the speaker is evaluated by the audience;however there is not much interaction between audience and speaker. Audience,for the most part would only listen to the speaker. In the interview,a panel of members would assess the candidate for the requirement of selection or promotion etc. In meetings,there are discussions on issues mentioned in the agenda. Meetings may have multiple agenda.A chairperson conducts the meeting and controls and concludes the deliberations.. Group Discussion differs from debate in nature,approach and procedure. Debates include representation of two contrasting viewpoints while GD can include multiple views. A GD may help achieve group goals as well as individual needs. The examiner observes the personality traits of several candidates who participate in the G. D. Importance of Group Discussion skills A Group Discussion helps problem solving , decision making and personality assessment.Whether one is a student, a job seeker ,a professional engineer or a company executive one needs effective GD skills. Students need to participate in academic discussions, meetings, classroom sessions or selection GDs for admission to professional courses. A job-seeker may be required to face selection GDs as part of the selection process. Professionals have to participate in different meetings at the workplace . In all these situations, an ability to make a significant contribution to group deliberation and helping the group in the process of decision making is required.The importance of GD has increased in recent times due to its increasing role as an effective tool in a)problem solving b)decision making c)personality assessment. In any situation of problem, the perceptions of different people are discussed, possible solutions are suggested. The best option is chosen by the group. While taking a decision, the matter is discussed, analysed, interpreted and evaluated. While using GD as a tool for personality assessment, a topic-a problem, an opinion or a case – is given to the group consisting of eight t o ten members seated in a circle.The total time given for discussion is usually 30 minutes. Each candidate is expected to voice his opinion and offer counter arguments. The selection committee evaluates the candidates on the basis of their personality,knowledge,communication skills and leadership skills. Hence it is important to be able to take part in the GD effectively and confidently. Participants should know how to persuade their group members, how to reflect leadership qualities and how to make the group achieve its goal. Characteristics Of Successful Group DiscussionFor any group discussion to be successful,acheiving group goal is essential. Following characteristics are necessary: Having a clear objective: The participants need to know the purpose of group discussion so that they can concentrate during the discussion and contribute to achieving the group goal. An effective GD typically begins with a purpose stated by the initiator. Motivated Interaction: When there is a good level of motivation among the members, they learn to subordinate the personal interests to the group interest and the discussions are more fruitful.Logical Presentation: Participants decide how they will organise the presentation of individual views, how an exchange of the views will take place, and how they will reach a group consensus. If the mode of interaction is not decided, few of the members in the group may dominate the discussion and thus will make the entire process meaningless. Cordial Atmosphere: Development of a cooperative, friendly, and cordial atmosphere avoid the confrontation between the group members. Effective Communication skills: The success of a GD depends on an effective use of communication techniques.Like any other oral communication, clear pronounciation, simple language, right pitch are the pre-requisites of a GD. Non-verbal communication has to be paid attention to since means like body language convey a lot in any communication. Participation by all can didates: When all the members participate,the GD becomes effective. Members need to encourage each other in the GD. Leadership Skills: Qualities like initiation, logical presentation, encouraging all the group members to participate,summarizing the discussion reflect the leadership qualities. Evaluation in a GDIn any kind of GD, the aim is to judge the participants based on personality,knowledge,communicative ability to present the knowledge and leadership skills. Today team players are considered more important than individual contributors. Hence the potential to be a leader is evaluated and also ability to work in a team is tested. The evaluators generally assess the oral competence of a candidate in terms of team listening, appropriate language, clarity of expression, positive speech attitudes and adjustments, clear articulation, and effective non-verbal communication.Personality: Even before one starts communicating,impression is created by the appearance,the body language,eye-c ontact,mannerisms used etc. The attire of a participant creates an impression,hence it is essential to be dressed appropriately. The hairstyle also needs to suit the occassion. Other accessories also have to be suitable for the occasion. The facial expression helps to convey attitudes like optimism,self-confidence and friendliness. The body language, a non-verbal communication skill gives important cues to personality assessment.It includes the posture of a person, the eye-contact and overall manner in which one moves and acts. In the entire participation in the GD,the body language has an important role in the impact created. As non-verbal cues such as eye contact, body movements, gestures, facial expressions, and so on can speak louder than words, examiners closely watch the non-verbal behaviour of candidates. They generally evaluate the body language cues of candidates to determine personality factors such as nervousness, cooperation, frustration, weakness, insecurity, self-confi dence, defensiveness, and so forth.So, it is important to be careful while using non-verbal messages. However, one should recognise the power of non-verbal messages and use them effectively. Content: Content is a combination of knowledge and ability to create coherent, logical arguments on the basis of that knowledge. Also a balanced response is what is expected and not an emotional response. In a group discussion, greater the knowledge of the subject more confident and enthusiastic would be the participation. Participants need to have a fair amount of knowledge on a wide range of subjects.The discussion of the subject must be relevant, rational, convincing and appealing to the listeners. One needs to keep abreast with national and international news, political, scientific, economic, cultural events, key newsmakers etc. This has to be supplemented by one's own personal reasoning and analysis. People with depth and range of knowledge are always preferred by dynamic companies and orga nisations. The topics for GD tests may include interesting and relevant ideas pertaining to social, economic, political or environmental problems; controversial issues,innovations or case studies.To read daily newspapers, relevant magazines and periodicals, to watch news bulletins and informative programmes on television are is a simple ways to gather the general knowledge. One can use the Internet to improve one's knowledge about recent developments in different areas. Internet is a valuable source to acquire information along with mulitimedia form. Subject knowledge also includes the ability to analyse facts or information in a systematic way and to place them in the context of the framework of one’s personal experiences. For the expertise in the GD, the only way is to practice wherever one can.The other members can evaluate the performance and give suggestions. Communication Skills: First and foremost feature of communication skills is that it is a two way process. Hence t he communicator has to keep in mind the listeners and their expectations. The participants need to observe the group dynamics. Since GD tests one’s behavior as well as one’s influence on the group, formal language and mutual respect are obvious requirements. One may not take strong views in the beginning itself but wait and analyse the pros and cons of any situation. If one needs to disagree, learn to do so politely.One can directly put forward the personal viewpoint also. One may appreciate the good points made by others;can make a positive contribution by agreeing to and expanding an argument made by another participant. An idea can be appreciated only when expressed effectively. A leader or an administrator has the ability to put across the idea in an influential manner. Hence the participants in a group discussion must possess not only subject knowledge but also the ability to present that knowledge in an effective way. Since oral skills are used to put across the ideas, the ability to speak onfidently and convincingly makes a participant an impressive speaker. The members of the selection committee closely evaluate the oral communication skills of the candidates. The effective communication would imply use of correct grammar and vocabulary, using the right pitch, good voice quality, clear articulation, logical presentation of the ideas and above all, a positive attitude. It is expected that there are no errors of grammar or usage and that appropriate words, phrases etc. are used. One should try to use simple and specific language. One should avoid ornamental language.Clarity of expression is one of the important criteria of communication. When there is clarity of thinking, there is clarity in usage of language. Positive Speech Attitudes is another criterion of evaluation in the GD whereby the participant’s attitude towards listeners including other group members is judged. The temperament of the participant is also evaluated through t he speech pattern. Listening Skills: Lack of active listening is often a reason for failure of communication. In the GD, participants often forget that it is a group activity and not a solo performance as in elocution.By participating as an active listener, he/she may be able to contribute significantly to the group deliberations. The listening skills are closely linked to the leadership skills as well. Leadership Skills: The success of any group depends to a large extent upon the leader. One of the common misconceptions about leadership is that the leader is the one who controls the group. There are different approaches to the concept of leadership. By studying the personality traits of great leaders or actual dimensions of behavior to identify leadership one can learn to cultivate essential traits of leaders.In a GD, a participant with more knowledge, one who is confident,one who can find some solution to the problem and display initiative and responsibility will be identified as the leader. A candidate's success in a GD test will depend not only on his/her subject knowledge and oral skills but also on his/her ability to provide leadership to the group. Adaptability, analysis, assertiveness, composure, self-confidence, decision making, discretion, initiative, objectivity, patience, and persuasiveness are some of the leadership skills that are useful in proving oneself as a natural leader in a GD.The leader in a group discussion should be able to manage the group despite differences of opinion and steer the discussion to a logical conclusion within the fixed time limit. The examiners will assess whether each participant is a team player who can get along with people or an individualist who is always fighting to save his/her ego. Employers today look for candidates who can work in a team-oriented environment. GD participants need a number of team management skills in order to function effectively in a team. Some of the skills needed to manage a group effective ly include adaptability, positive attitude, cooperation, and coordination.In a selection GD, the group, which may consist of six to ten persons, is given a topic to discuss within 30 to 45 minutes. After announcing the topic, the total GD time, and explaining the general guidelines and procedures governing the GD, the examiner withdraws to the background leaving the group completely free to carry on with the discussion on its own without any outside interference. In the absence of a designated leader to initiate the proceedings of the discussion, the group is likely to waste time in cross talks, low-key conversations, cross-consultations, asides, and so on.The confusion may last until someone in the group takes an assertive position and restores the chaos into order. It could be any candidate. In order to get the GD started, the assertive, natural leader will have to remind the group of its goal and request them to start the discussion without wasting time. A few examples of the ope ning lines are given below: †¢ Well friends, may I request your kind attention? I am sure all of us are keen to begin the GD and complete it within the allotted time. Let me remind you that we have only thirty minutes to complete the task. So, let us get started. My dear friends, may I have your attention please? As you all know, we have to complete the discussion in 45 minutes and we have already used up five minutes. I think we should start the discussion now. Hello everybody. I am sorry to interrupt but I have something very important to say. We are here to discuss the topic — † Human cloning should be banned. â€Å"—and the time given to us is just 30 minutes. Let us begin, shall we? Leadership functions during a GD include initiative,analysis,assertiveness and so on. GD doesnot have a formal leader, hence one of the participants is xpected to take the initiative. The leader will promote positive group interactions; point out areas of agreement and disa greement;. help keep the discussion on the right track and lead the discussion to a positive and successful conclusion within the stipulated time. The ability to analyse a situation is a quality of leadership. Analytical skills and objectivity in expressing opinions are absolute requirements for leadership. With patience and composure one can develop the analytical skills. Reaching consensus by considering the group opinion will make the GD successful.Assertiveness, that is an ability to bring order to the group by handling the conflict is another desirable quality of leadership. Self confidence is a quality which helps win the agreement from other participants. In GD, participants can make a favourable and forceful impact on the group by being persuasive and convincing. In order to be persuasive, one has to advance strong, convincing, and logical arguments properly supported by factual data and forceful illustrations. A firm tone and a sober voice would also help in establishing on eself.A leader's ability to convince others and make them accept his/her views and suggestions will establish his/her credentials for leadership. Leaders are charactrerised by a high level of motivation and can motivate others too. A person with motivation can work hard to do the best job possible and can achieve targets. Team Management skills are important for a leader to manage the members of varied interests. Some of the skills needed to manage a group effectively include adaptability, positive attitude, cooperation, and coordination. Try this quiz