As I Lay Dying Novel †Literature Essay

As I Lay Dying Novel – Literature Essay Free Online Research Papers As I Lay Dying Novel Literature Essay Although the novel As I Lay Dying is a work which contains numerous universal lessons as well as countless personal applications, there are a number of these which cannot be ignored. One message that appears to be very important to both the plot and the central theme is that of love. Specifically, Faulkner makes the point that love can be expressed in many ways. This aspect of the book is a major lesson that can be learned from the actions of the various Bundren family members and their relationship to Addie Bundren. Often times, people in our society suppose that, because a person, be it a family member, romantic interest, or other relation, does not express their love to someone in literal terms, i.e. saying, â€Å"I love you,† that the person feels little or no love for them. Other people can see love when it is expressed not only in literal but in related ways, such as kindness and service. Nevertheless, as Faulkner shows in this novel, love for another can be expressed in various and extraordinary fashions. To begin with, one must examine the actual love the members of the family possess for Addie. Addie Bundren extracts a promise from her family, â€Å"when Darl was born I asked Anse to promise to take me back to Jefferson when I died†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When she indeed does die, all of the members of the family go on the trek to Jefferson, but each for different reasons. This displays the inherent love they have for their mother. Dewey Dell has no love for her mother, in fact, she is only glad to go on the trip because she needs an abortion. Darl says to her, â€Å"‘You want her to die so you can get to town: is that it?’† Darl himself has no specific reason expressed in the novel to want to go to Jefferson, and although he probably really loves Addie, despite his statement, â€Å"I cannot love my mother because I have no mother,† he accompanies the family centrally for respect of the promise she has left them with. The statement he makes shows how he apparently can feel the favoritism his mother has toward her â€Å"Jewel.† Jewel is truly the only character in the novel who clearly shows outward signs of love towards Addie. Although these signs are generally symbolic and very deep, they are there. The only way Jewel knows how to express himself is through anger and violence. This he displays countless times throughout the novel, with his physical actions and his verbal assaults, such as the one against the negroes and the white man. â€Å"I can see his [Jewel’s] ears taking on a still deeper tone of furious red†¦ When we pass the negroes their heads turn suddenly with that expression of shock and instinctive outrage. ‘Great God,’ one says; ‘what they got in that wagon?’ Jewel whirls. ‘Sons of bitches,’ he says.† This passage, for example, shows how defensive Jewel gets when normal people react to the obvious reeking stench of his deceased but beloved mother. Jewel is very violent and vulgar in his love. When he, concerning his mother’s gra ve, speaks, â€Å"Who the hell cant dig a damn hole in the ground?† His father, Anse, who apparently believes in only literal love, replies, â€Å"‘It aint respectful, talking that way about her grave,’ pa says. ‘You all dont know what it is. You never pure loved her, none of you.’† This statement is ironic in that Jewel is the one who loves his mother and Anse is traveling to Jefferson not for love or even respect, but for a selfish reason: â€Å"now I can get them teeth. That will be a comfort, it will.† Additionally, Jewel shows his love for his mother through a zoological conduit- his horse. The horse is a symbol of Jewel’s love for Addie as declared, â€Å"Jewel’s mother is a horse,† countless times throughout the novel. When they depart on their trip, Anse makes the comment that â€Å"I told him not to bring that horse out of respect for his dead ma, because it wouldn’t look right, him prancing along on a durn circus animal and her wanting us all to be in the wagon with her that sprung from her flesh and blood†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again, this is another ironic statement by Jewel’s hypocritical and disrespectful father. In truth, to Jewel, his horse represents his mother, and so, by riding it, he is much closer to her than he could ever be in the wagon next to her dead body. When the Gillespie’s barn is burning, Jewel rushes in to save his mother from burning, it is of importance to note that he rescues the horses first. â€Å"he [Jewel] leaps toward the stall where the horse screams†¦ he appears, his back arched, the muscles ridged through his garment as he drags the horse out by its head†¦He drags it on, slowly, terrifically†¦ and beats the maddened horse on out of the door.† It is only after he has done this feat that he goes back in and grabs the coffin containing Addie’s dead body. â€Å"Jewel runs crouching to the far end of the coffin and stoops to it†¦ We see his shoulders strain as he upends the coffin and slides it single-handed from the saw-horses.† Vardaman, the youngest son, although he loves his mother, is too young and inexperienced with life to understand the scope of what has happened. He wants to go to town to look at a toy train in the toy store. He says, â€Å"We are going to town. Dewey Dell says it [the toy train] wont be sold because it belongs to Santa Claus and he taken it back with him until next Christmas. Then it will be behind the glass again, shining with waiting.† He, like Jewel, also symbolically transfers his mother’s spirit into an animal; in this case, a fish. Again, because of his youth and limited experience, he does not accept the fact that his mother is gone. Instead, as he sees her dead body, he consistently talks about how the body in the box is not his mother. â€Å"My mother is not in the box. My mother does not smell like that. My mother is a fish.† Vardaman loves his mother very much, and so cannot bear the thought of his mother being gone forever. Although he never literall y talks about how he loves his mother, he always expresses it in his own way. It is often difficult to tell, from actions or words, if one person loves another. However, one very moving point that Faulkner made in this novel is that love can be expressed in more ways than simply saying, â€Å"I love you.† Although these three words can be in themselves very moving and meaningful, to many it is very important and comforting to know that the human psyche is capable of deeper and more intense feelings than what is literally apparent. Such a concept can be learned and more greatly comprehended from reading this novel. Research Papers on As I Lay Dying Novel - Literature EssayWhere Wild and West MeetHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionComparison: Letter from Birmingham and Crito19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyMind TravelTrailblazing by Eric AndersonThe Spring and AutumnEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm X

The Impact Of Ethical Sourcing Essays

The Impact Of Ethical Sourcing Essays The Impact Of Ethical Sourcing Essay The Impact Of Ethical Sourcing Essay The sourcing companies are preferred to source products at the lowest possible price, while at the same time ensure he suppliers produce the products With social and environmental considerations. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that products and raw materials purchase by or on behalf of a company consistent with the mission to develop and promote ethical responsibility at every stage in a fashion supply chain. In 1 9905, fashion retailers mainly focused on the economical aspect i. E. Sweet cost with reasonable quality, of achieving the products. While ethical issues are increasingly concerned recently in supply chain management. Globalization is likely one of the factors that contribute to the ransom, which many companies move the production lines offshore to those developing counties for the reason of lower production costs. Concerns on the human right of the workers and the environment protection have been raise in these countries. Change in consumer purchasing behavior may be another factor. This change may possibly increase pressure on fashion retailers or producers to sell or use products that are produced environmentally friendly and respecting human rights. Any failure would probably destroy the companies trustworthiness and even threaten corporate survival. International brands Gap and Nikkei are examples that suffered negative publicity as a result of failing to maintain the ethical issues in their production process. This appears to force fashion companies to adopt ethical sourcing and ensure their suppliers in all stages of supply chain act accordingly. 2. Finding and Discussion The impact of ethical souring on the selection of production sources can be divided into two aspects: the selection of suppliers and the selection of production materials. 2. 1 . Selection of suppliers Traditionally, under limited information about the suppliers, fashion buyers end to use price as a standard for selection Of suppliers in which the lower the price a supplier offered, the more likely the supplier will obtain the business in a pool of potential suppliers. In addition to price, quality, delivery time and services provided may also affect their choices. Today, however, fashion companies take into account two additional concerns, i. E. Social responsibility and environmental sustainability, when selecting new suppliers. Price used to be considered as a critical factor in evaluating and determining suppliers as the price of raw materials contribute most in the production sots. Therefore to cut the production costs, fashion companies may choose the suppliers with the lower price. This low price, however, may reflect lower standards in response to the workers treatment and environmental protection. As to keep costs low, suppliers may pay low wages, require the workers to work long hours, provide poor working environment for their workers and employ child labors in order to gain the business and undercut other potential suppliers. These unethical social problems are now widely criticized by public and therefore trigger a change in supply chain management. Cooperate with those unethical suppliers may have a risk of reputation damage , and consequently many companies start to consider ethical issues when they are choosing suppliers. The main barrier for ethical souring On selection Of suppliers may possibly be the Costs. It seems difficult for the suppliers to produce products as cheap as before and at the same time adherence to ethical production, because they may have to increase the wage rate, improve working environment, and use safe and environmental friendly raw materials. This apparently lowers the opportunities for suppliers o gain the business unless they undercut other potential suppliers on cost. Also, the costs of sourcing ethical clothing, inevitably, will increase accordingly. A fashion buyer may face a tradeoff when selecting suppliers between lower costs and concerning ethical issues. When adopting ethical souring, fashion buyers may not be able to access to the interior of the suppliers and evaluate whether the products are produced according to code Of ethics and environmental standards. Evidence from third parties, therefore, may be required to provide advice for the companies. For example, United Nation Global Compact (UNC), requires companies to follow universal teeth kcal principles, is a standard to encourage companies worldwide to adopt sustainable social and environmental policies. Also, several non- government organizations (NAG) were established to encourage fashion companies to sourcing materials or clothing produced by manufacturers with ethical concerns. The Clean Clothes Campaign, the Ethical Trading Initiative (IT) and Fair Labor Association are the examples of NAG to promote ethical standards in clothing production. However, these organizations that help in ethical sourcing may be criticized as not reliable. For example, one of the members in the IT, Gap, had been found inconsistent with the ethical standards by employing child labors. Consumers, therefore, may need self- adjustment on the companies performance and the information on the companies official website may provide a way. Some of the fashion companies, such as Patagonia and People Tree, provide transparency of information about where the raw materials come from and where the production is carried out on their websites. This is because these companies recognize that any inappropriate and unethical corporate actions in supply chains may affect the companies image and reputations in the market. 2. 2. Selection of production materials Selecting appropriate raw materials would be very important as the features of raw materials could have a great influence on the finished products. There is trend for fashion buyers to source clothing made from sustainable cottons and produced by Fair Trade manufacturers. For instance, Marks Spencer had sold clothing made from Fair Trade cotton since 2006; Monsoon sold Fair Trade clothing; New Look sold t-shirts made from organic cotton; Houses sold clothing made from recycled cotton fabric. Sustainable cottons refer to the cottons that are produced in response to social ethics and environmental protection. Examples are organic cotton, better cotton and recycled cotton. Organic cotton takes an important role in ethical souring and there are a growing number Of fast ion companies that start to take step towards using organic cotton. Timberland could be a typical example that does a lot to reduce damage to the environment in which 80% of the shoes are manufactured from organic cotton or recycled materials. HM, another example, is one of the leading users of organic cotton in the world. Cotton is regarded as the most popular fiber used in garment. Standard cotton farming is criticized for produce significant environmental problems as it is accounted for 1 1 % of the worlds pesticide consumption. Organic cotton, which is grown without pesticides and fertilizers, is therefore used to improve farmers health and reduce considerable environmental pollution. This kind of farming may possibly minimize the adverse effect on rivers or water source nearby. Better cotton, which is introduced by Better Cotton Initiative to promote good farming behavior, also growth with less irrigate water, chemical, and with more concern to the soil, natural environment and working condition for farmers. Recycled cotton, which is made from the scraps produced by textile mills or post-consumer cotton waste, is important to minimize unnecessary wastage and environmental impacts. Recycle cotton reduce waste to landfill and the use of virgin cotton, chemicals, water and land. Although it is environmental friendly to use sustainable cottons, there are several imitations regarding the usage of these cottons. There seems to be physical limitation for organic cotton and better cotton of having less output because of the absence of chemical pesticide and fertilizers. Apart from physical limitation, there is also economical limitation in which using sustainable cottons is very expensive. Cost of farmers will be increase as the certified organic seed is expensive. Farmers may possibly transfer these extra cost to manufacturers for producing sustainable cotton fabrics. The cost of fashion companies will increase accordingly as extra expense is resulted from using expensive cotton fabric, getting organic cotton certification and paying a Fair Trade premium to farmers. A huge investment of money, time and effort may be required to develop and train farmers skills for producing sustainable cottons in order to meet the international standard. 3. Conclusion Ethical sourcing may conceivably be the critical souring strategy for every fashion companies worldwide in the nearest future as it brings a great deal of benefit to the society while at the same time minimizes the environmental impact. It mainly affects the supply chain in the selection of suppliers and production materials. Although the change in criteria of selection production source may discourage the economic aspect as higher purchase price, it does promote the companys reputation and good image to be an ethical corporate as consumers concern. This may actually reduce operation costs of a company as more recycled materials are used and less effort may be put on promoting brand image. Reputation is a key to maximum corporate benefit and there is no other choice than employing ethical sourcing to maintain or improve reputation in the long term. With increase in reputation, new marketing opportunities could be found.

Plastic Surgery College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Plastic Surgery College - Essay Example Reconstructive surgery on the other hand can be defined as the surgery which can be pursued by so many people and this is only appropriate to those people who have irregular formations on their bodies. So, it is due to these irregular formations on ones body which has led to the reconstructive surgery by these people in order to try and make their bodies look good and also proportional. An example is the presence of a broken scar or even an earlobe which is so common to so many people. It is due to this fact you will tend to find that people will do plastic surgery on their bodies. So in real essence, plastic surgery is done on people's body in order to try and change their looks. So research was done in most of the teenagers and adults since these are the type of people who are basically doing plastic surgery so that they can be in a position to try and change their bodies' images. It was out of the research which was done on these people which gave the following advantages and disa dvantages. (Lovice, 2000). Plastic surgery can have so many advantages but only when the right procedures have been applied. A good example to explain this is the case of the cosmetic surgery which is one of the plastic surgeries used by so many people. This is because cosmetic surgery can be one of the things one would need in order to enhance ones image. Everyone would love to have a beautiful look and this is what is making so many people to dash for plastic surgery since with plastic surgery, one is in a position to improve on ones image. Plastic surgery has been a solution for so many people to try and change their images. Plastic surgery is seen to have peoples sensitivity, psychology and bodily. This is because in most cases, the representation or even the observation of ones body can be used in many cases to manage ones life obliquely. In this case, am trying to say than plastic surgery can help in improving ones facade and hence can be used as one of the achievement to ones life. You find that during the growth of a person especially those people who are brought up at the rural areas whereby they have to do most of the families activities say looking after the cattle, collecting firewood's, you will find that these people are exposed to so many body arms which will lead to so many scars in their bodies. At times, such scars are not well pleasing to look at and hence it is due to this fact you will find that so many people will do plastic surgery so that they can be in a position to improve on their appearance. So in this case, plastic surgery will have the impact of improving ones body hence leading to ones excel in life. (Lovice, 2000). Plastic surgery has also the advantage of making people to look healthier and energetic. You find that so many people can have the benefits of plastic surgery not only at their early ages but they can have these benefits even at any given age. This is because it is not sensitive to age. Even the old people can use plastic surgery so that they can be in a position to look good and healthy. So in this case, for example those adult people who do plastic surgery, they eventually prepare themselves mentally for the gorgeous and beautiful looks hence can make them look good and healthy. It is due to the development of their looks which can then be seen to make them live more energetically. Patients in this case are also seen to have an emotional powerful improvement while performing plastic surgery. An

The Brady Act; A policy review Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The Brady Act; A policy review - Case Study Example The examination of this study will show where there is a specific set of implementations for the crimes as well as changes in the understanding of the act through political and social rejection of the Brady Act. To alter this, there is the need to further examine what the gaps in the act are as well as what can be done to further prevent crimes through types of weaponry. Policies and acts are defined to provide protection and safety among the nation while regulating different actions by citizens in the United States. A policy which has come into effect since 1993 is the Brady Act, which is based on regulating the hand guns that are supplied to individuals in different states. The act was developed specifically to have regulations on criminals who try to purchase hand guns by creating controls and stipulations that are a part of receiving a handgun. The Brady Act has shown several prospects that are helping to regulate the crimes from hand gun purchases; however, there are also several questions in the legitimacy of the act as well as to what extent the act can provide a complete lowering of criminal rates within different states while offering the correct types of restrictions among those who carry firearms. The concepts that are in the study are based on the Brady Act and how it has changed the regulations with firearms. The author shows that the regulations and policies have been implemented over a longer period of time; however, this has not stopped the purchases of handguns by criminals. The author shows how the policies, such as background checks, five day waiting periods and state and federal regulations haven’t been able to alter the purchase in different states. The reinforcement of the act is one which the author shows as limited, specifically which is shown through the statistics of the Brady Act and the amount

Yahoo Company: Strategic Analysis

Yahoo Company: Strategic Analysis How can issues facing Yahoo! Be described as strategic? To understand and do differentiate strategy from other issues facing Yahoo! We need to look at what Strategy is? What defines as strategy? Strategy is set of actions that managers take to increase their companys performance relative to rivals. However in the view to access Yahoo! a fuller definition would be helpful. Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long term, which achieves advantage in a changing environment through its configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholder expectations. We have to identify if issues facing Yahoo! Is Yahoo! Concerned with the long-term direction of the company? What we clearly see is that Yahoo! Is lacking in a clear vision for the future, unfocused they have drifted way form what they are, no clear ownership and lack of accountability is eminent in the organization. Yahoos chief executive Terry Semel has said, Yahoo needs to refocus in order to maintain a leadership position in the face of strong challenges. Brad Garlinghouse mentions radical restructuring, which cannot be implemented over night it would take a considerable period of time, they need to achieve this in baby steps indicate that Yahoo is looking at long term, long term direction. Is Yahoo! Concerned with the scope of its operations? The issue of scope of activity is fundamental to strategy. This is about is Yahoo! Concentrate on one area of business activity, or they want to be in many. Currently its doing everything and be everything to everyone Brad Garlinghouse plans suggest to exit non-core business and eliminate duplicative projects and business, which is to concentrate on Yahoos strategic decision to few core activities. Compressing of the scope of activity is clearly a fundamental aspect of Yahoos plan. Is Yahoo! Trying to achieve some competitive advantage? Its about finding the competitive edge. Yahoo! Has a large audience, the company has a great customer loyalty. Brand has created instant attraction in the click market. But overlapping responsibilities coupled with trying to do too many things have increased Yahoos operating and maintaining cost is disadvantages for competitive advantage. Yahoo! Was forced to delay the introduction of a key upgrade to the technology in turn forcing it to lower revenue forecast. Is resource allocation one of the issues facing Yahoo!? Spreading peanut butter across myriad opportunity a clear strategic decision facing Yahoo! Its about company is not utilizing its massive resources financial, human and other assets. Careening into wide variety of new business ventures have left Yahoo! Unable to, compete effectively. Duplicating activities and giving different silo like Flicker and Yahoo Photos, 360 group and social group have being costly duplicating initiatives created unexpected cannibalization (eating its own market share). Are they trying to find a strategic fit with the environment? Strategy can be seen as the search for strategic fit with the business environment. Yahoo! Is looking for a stronger faster company, which means that the current over bureaucratic structure doesnt fit/match the quick changing highly competitive web market environment. Are they building on resources and competences? Its about exploiting the strategic capabilities, in terms of unique resources and core competences, to provide competitive advantage or to gain new opportunities. Yahoo! Is in the view to turn smoothly spread butter into a deliberately sculpted strategy, which indicated they want to take all the resources and competencies and concentrate and focus on few key business units. Is Yahoo! Concerned about stakeholder values and expectations? Strategy of an organization is affected by those who have the power in and around the organization, there values and attitudes influences strategy. Unclear ownership, argue and fight over ownership will have a negative impact on Yahoo! Intern will result in investors and employees values and expectations. Massive redundancies will alter employee expectations. Is there a transformational change? Delayer of Yahoo! To be efficient with, fewer people. Radical reductions in the head count by 15%-20% show that Yahoo! Is in for a transformational change. Therefore, as I have outlined above under each of the characteristics of a strategy and applied to Yahoo! Its clear that what Yahoo! Is facing is a strategic decision. A corporate strategic decision, which is concerned with the overall purpose of Yahoo and adding value to different part of the business. Which will impact Yahoos success or failure unlike with operational and tactical decisions the effects of which sometimes provide immediate feedback, likely results of corporate strategic decisions may not be evident for many years but, when felt could result in the failure of the entire business. The strategic decision to shift from advertisement income to charging users directly for personalized services like audio subscription and web page by Yahoo! Resulted in loss of revenue and plummeting of the share price. Strategy is a game about the future in which the whole company is at stake and which the possibilities for regretting a move or getting back are often not realistic or very costly. Therefore, strategy and strategy planning is the perhaps the most difficult but perhaps also the most important management tasks Yahoo is facing. (Exploring Corporate Strategy seventh edition page 7-9, by Jonson, Scholes and Whittington) To what extent do they differ from strategic issues facing your own organization? Strategic issues encountered by Yahoo more or less relevant to most organizations. However, it is likely that different strategic decision characteristic will be more important in some contexts and in some organizations than the other. Yahoo! Needs to be a stronger and faster company a company with clearer vision and clearer ownership and clearer accountability, it will need to understand the rapid development of technology, needs to continuously update and improve its search engine features and exploit new market opportunities. It gives a different emphasis for my company that of full service Hair salon providing haircuts, facial treatments and nail services to the needs of a local community. Hair Salon is operating in a single market, a small local community with a single or very limited product and services. Where as Yahoo! A global diverse company has its presence in all over the world. Its diverse not only with product and services but also with the geographical market. Therefore, the scope of the operation in my hair salon likely to be less of a strategic issue than of what Yahoo has to content with. The local community that I operate knows how I am and my service. I have created a great customer loyalty through experienced staff that I have carefully hired and try to expand my market share through word of mouth. A part from that I am the only salon in the 25-mile radius, which has given a great competitive advantage. Even though Yahoo! Has created a brand loyalty sustaining the competitive advantage and the market share would be very challenging with massive competitive nature of the market it operates in. Therefore, the ways in which the salon and Yahoo! Handle competitive advantage will differ in making a strategic decision. I started my business with the capital that I gained for sale of my property and bank debt that I still pay. I have utilized the capital and my exceptional talent in haircutting fully. I want to expand my business to include a tanning spa but my ability to raise capital has stopped me. Whereas if Yahoo! Is in hold of massive assets in terms of financial and human but the unfocused nature and lack of a cohesive vision have created problems to Yahoo! Therefore, the ability and allocation of resources are issues facing both companies but to what extent and access to capital will differ in terms of strategic decision. Yahoo! Is facing issues with values and expectations of the stakeholders due to unclear ownership. For a private enterprise like Yahoo the ultimate success criteria is value of the company to the owners: the stakeholder value. Therefore, in Yahoo stakeholder value is mother of strategic goals. I have to deal only to my customers and my self. As you can see even though values and expectations exist in both organizations to what extent it affects my salon and Yahoo! Makes a difference in the strategic context. Therefore, strategic issues facing Yahoo! Compared to my hair salon tend to be complex due to wide geographical scope and the wide range of products and services it has to offer to the differentiated market. The pace of change in the environment as well as competition yahoo is facing needs it to be fast, adaptive and customer responsive to the uncertainty. Strategic issues need to be integrated through out the value chain, a decision to decentralized managers have to cross functional and operational boundaries to deal with all over Yahoo! Critically examine how strategic issues differ between profit making and a non-profit oriented organization? There are similarities between for-profit and non-profit organizations. First and foremost, both types of organizations begin with a solid mission statement and a vision statement that drive the strategic planning process and remind all the members of the organization of their foundation. Both are organizations where assets are held and business transacted in the name of the corporation rather than the individuals occupied. To survive and grow, both need to create or bring in more revenue than they consume on operations. Both are involved in producing a good or service for customers. And, of course, both are managed and run by the people who are employed by the organization. We always hear about for profit companies, such as Yahoo! And the strategies they have developed. Even though, non-for profit organizations are not concerned with profit maximization they act to uplift the culture quality of life of the region they operate in, they too benefit from following good strategies since they need generate profits to survive and grow. However, it is the distribution of the remainder of the profits that is one of the differentiating characteristics between for profit and non-profit organizations. Therefore, the key strategic issues facing a, for profit company and non-for profit will differ. In a for profit organization the profits that are not re-invested in the organization are distributed to the owners of the company as cash. (If they do its to gain more return for the investment). The point is that the profits of a non-profit organization constantly go toward sustaining some cause that society deems as good and helpful and not into the pockets of the investors. We have to look at the values and expectations; values will be of central strategic significance and plays an important part in the development of strategy. Non-profit organizations charities, churches etc. the sources of funds will be linked to different objectives and expectations of the funder. The mere existence of the non-for profit lies in the hands of the funder or the funding body hence the long-term direction is depended. Therefore, funders are likely to have a stronger influence on the decision making process. These are mission-driven organizations working to increase the quality of life for a specific community or society Where, as a private company are looking at profit maximization working to the best interest of their stakeholders ROCI. There is no real measure of efficiency other than to carry out its mission and achieve its set out objectives within the money contribution it has raised or received. In contract profit organization are in inconstant need of achieving high efficiency and productivity to deal the customer expectations as well as maximizing in return on capital invested. A profit company is created when investors collectively transfer assets and talent to start the company. The company, which is in fact a fictitious individual in the eyes of the law, takes title and ownership of the assets, etc. and gives, in exchange for the assets, ownership shares in the company to those who contributed the assets. However, with a non-profit, individuals come together and provide assets and talent to start the corporation. But, these people who create the corporation do not receive any legal ownership in the corporation and, further, have no guarantee that they will be able to retain control of the corporation once formed. All of the assets are now to be used to advance that cause or provide the service for which the non-profit business was created Some characteristics are found in profit and no profit organizations but the frequency of strong impact is much higher on a no profit organization. Hence, the strategic decision that profit and no profit company makes will differ. We are reactive instead of charting an unwavering course tactics Critically analyze the accuracy of the statement that formal planning systems are irrelevant for firms. This is about strategy development process. Through which strategies actually develop in an organization. This process can be grouped into two main types. First is the notion of strategy development as deliberate management intent, which has been planned, that is formally created ahead of events. This is the concept of intended strategy. It is literally strategy as design. Second is emphasized on the emergence of strategy from internal and external factors existing in and around the organization. Where strategy emerge from day to day decisions and activities. This is the concept of emergent strategy. Quinn has termed it as logical incremental. Both approaches must be examined within the context of an increasingly dynamic, highly competitive and global business environment. The statement We are reactive suggest that Yahoo! Is following a planned or intended strategy. Being reactive is a characteristic of planned strategy. Which follows systematic process where analysis of organizations internal performance and external environment will result in long term plan. Senior management is in charge of defining the final objectives and the plan is then put into action. With logical and analytical analysis will allow organizations to formulate strategies to meet new opportunities and barriers. This approach will enable organizations to manage and organize complex activities on different business units quite effectively and efficiently. Intended strategic formulation is based on existing strengths and capabilities of an organization to optimize its growth. On the contrary, in times of rapid change and turbulence it fails to find alternatives and adapt that Yahoo! Is facing. Unplanned changers are a shock, so the strategy doesnt have a logical answer it tends to be reactive to change and the reaction this might not be timely as in the case of Yahoo! Or the result might be no action at all. The fact that logical approach implies that strategy development is always deliberate and everything strategy will be realized according to plan. Besides, perspective indented strategy formulations consist assumptions that are unsustainable to todays changing business world. Unpredictable acts of events will regularly force originally strategy of its course. Additionally, this method doesnt allow organizations to absorb any learned element to strategy so can limit organizations ability to response flexibly in todays changing environment. Further, this model fails to complement the modern team culture where everybody is part of a team and everyone can participate in the strategy building decisions that might result in dissatisfaction and low motivation. Charting an unwavering course implies that Yahoo! Need to follow a more emergent approach to strategy. Instead of meeting a premeditated plan; strategy evolves through a process of learning, adjustment and experimentation. An emergent approach leads to more creative and responsive strategy making which is well suited to the hyper-competitive and unpredictable environments of today this is what Brad Garlinghouse mentions in charting an unwavering course thats dealing with constantly changing market. In contrast with the prescriptive approach which focuses on creating a fit between established strengths and new opportunities, the emergent approach intentionally creating a misfit between these factors. Hence, its more suited to transformational change in organizations as well as managing helping to reduce resistance to change among employees. On the other side of the coin, when planning and implementation two simultaneous strategic process are taking place it runs the risk of confusion and being too slow. These mean valuable opportunities might be lost. Additionally, without analytical analysis objectives lack clarity and a basis of evaluating performance. Also conflicting strategic choices by different groups might hinder strategic development. Emergent strategies do not mean that management is out of control it is just more open, flexible, responsive and willing to learn. This is an important strategy in a complex, uncertain and changing environment. It best case scenario, it enables management to act before everything is fully understood. Nonetheless, such a strategy has the risk of lack of direction. A greater use of strategic planning tools for internal and external analysis would certainly facilitate improved organizational learning and enhance strategic thinking even while following an emergent approach. Deliberate strategies help to manage, to impose intentions on the organization and to provide a sense of direction. The prescriptive and emergent processes, rather than being mutually exclusive, can be complementary to each other. All in all, most viable strategies in todays business world should have customized elements of prescriptive and emergent characteristics in order to manage the complexities of their business. Analyze your own organizations approach to its strategic planning process. There are many different ways in which strategy could be understood, developed and implemented. All of these views have there own merit. Using analytical tools such an internal and external environment, research data like competitor analysis and planning systems like cash flow and budgeting will be useful to create design strategies. Which Yahoo! No doubt have used when developing its strategy. However, its critical to understand how experience and culture influences an organization. Like for my salon founder a naturally talented and creative individual is still a dominant influence on strategy. Strategy by idea is another concept, where a new idea might emerge through the organization from the variety of experience and behaviors that are found across the organization. Our salon, strategies are based on following of past strategies which has being influenced by the founder through his experience and the vast expertise, more of the same, we are in the view why fix when it isnt broken. We are driven by taken for granted assumption and the ways of doing things embedded in the culture of our salon. The best that can be expected is what Herbert Simon termed bounded rationality which results in managers satisficing rather than optimizing; they do the best they can within the limits of their circumstances, knowledge and experience. (Exploring corporate strategy seventh edition page 45) the strategies are developed as the outcome of the founder and his experience, which influence strategic decision. In order to grow and thrive in the future there has to be strategic planning with all aspects of people and salon management. Salons can often survive; certainly do well for periods of time in conditions of relative stability, low environmental turbulence and little competition. However, virtually none of these conditions prevail in the current world for great lengths of time. Investment in a process that leads to a well developed strategic plan will mean the difference between retaining your best clients and your best stylists and will mean the difference between successful profitable growth and steady decline. Therefore, we need to reassess our strategic thinking; we address our problems in much the same way as we dealt with a previous issue seen as similar. For example the recent profit downturn was interpreted, as decline in overall market condition where as the true fact being no new trend setting by our stylist. We lack hair-cutting techniques that are required by the Young Urban Professionals. It is therefore helps to understand of where innovative strategies come from and how organizations cope with dynamic environments. It also poses question about whether the top management really have control over strategic direction. Discuss ways in which the planning process could be improved? Whether you are a fan of Porters five forces or the concept of Blue oceans strategy or other relevant tools of analysis, a strategy process has simple logical sequence, like A comes before B, B before C. before you look for the blue ocean and sail out on it, its wise to know your limitations of your boat, and also practical to be able to navigate and know about the water you are about to experience. (Something about strategic panning by Bjarn Nielsen 2006) Systematic strategic assessment helps to find, and decide, the handful of really big issues facing the salon. It is the size and impact of these strategic issues that gives rise to the importance of the strategic plan and to improve their performance. Performance is about creating value for the main beneficiaries of the company. Strategic thinking and planning can help to keep the focus on value creation, and not on management tools or practices for their own sake. For example, a SWOT Analysis is a useful tool in one of the essential improving the salons planning processes. Our planning process has to follow, formal, well documented, clearly communicated, and simple procedures. 1. Commitment from people who will be affected by the plan This is the start and to ensure support for planning, and the implementation of the plan. Example stylist, the purchasing manger. 2. Long term strategic objectives to improve service of the salon These objectives should clearly promote the enduring purpose of the company. This means knowing and identifying for whom the salon exists, (the target market) and what services we seeks to provide. The intended clients must be defined in segments group. The services offered must also be client oriented. By creating a mission, vision statement to the salon. 3. Creating strategic options Analysis of key strategic issues and short-listing, according to worth and creating of alternative strategies. By examining alternatives, it is likely that the salon will find alternatives that are superior to the current approach. Our expert stylist spend to much time on washing client hair, we can analysis few alternative approaches to dealing either tell your clients to wash there hair and come, hire a new hair stylist, hire a trainee or cut the price and offer haircuts without wash. The business will encounter environmental changes; if Alternative, contingency, plans have been considered for these changes, the organization can respond more effectively. 4. Evaluate and Decide on strategies Effective formal planning uses systematic methods for evaluating the various alternatives. Evaluate to ensure that they do not go against any objectives. Ensure that all major strategic issues are addressed. 5. Monitoring of the strategies against the long-term objectives. Need a method of running the plans as it gets executed. The plan should provide for customer feedback. To allow for corrective action, the monitoring system should address the same objectives and factors determined as significant through the planning process. Too often there is a disconnection between the plan and its reality. Put simply find and decide what to do about the handful of really big issues facing the business. The strategic planning process and tools, such as SWOT analysis, will find the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, threats. These approaches, with their value-based management focus, will ensure that our business will have long run superior performance, and we will also be at less risk of failure.

John Wilkes Booth and the Politics of Assassination

The reading assignment from chapter 27 from our text entitled, â€Å"John Wilkes Booth and the Politics of Assassination† written by James W. Clarke discusses the authors belief that Abraham Lincoln’s death was brought on by political ideologies and not because of mental health issues as some have widely claimed. The author believes that what were happening at that period in time were the breeding grounds for Booth’s drive to assassinate Lincoln.Clarke writes, â€Å"political context of the assassination facts such as Lincoln’s unpopularity in the North as well as in the South, the vicious opposition within his cabinet and Congress along with the controversy surrounding his re-election of 1864† (306) were the true reasons behind his motives. Clarke uses examples from Booth’s childhood as everyone viewing him with a positive view and that view was shared by many including his friends and family. He points to his happy and health childhood as f act to his mental stability.Booth’s education was exceptional and along with his aspirations of following in his fathers footsteps into acting made him a very stable and intellectual man. He was considered to have gaiety and a passion for life. Clarke goes on to discuss how at 14 Booth lost his father and soon after, 3 years, he began acting. But when he began he had very harsh reviews that were critical of his ability in acting or his inexperience. Clarke believes he took these in stride and pushed forward in earnest to make a name all his own.Because the South seemed to praise his acting abilities more than the North, some theorize that this changed his attitude and he began to favor Southerner in lifestyle and beliefs that directed him to assassinate. Clark contends that although Booth did favor Southern audiences, the Northern audiences soon began to appreciate the actor’s abilities. Clarke asserts that women loved him and men from all walks of life wanted his frie ndship because they saw him as a man with wit and magnetism.The author maintains that this is the evidence for his motives being political instead of being pathological. Political events of 1864 such as the Civil War and the horrors of that bloody war along with the hatred the nation felt for Lincoln motivated the actor. So this sympathy for the South and because of his passions of justice and duty gave way to Booth’s actions. I find this very difficult to swallow. In my eyes and from what I read, Booth was a very self centered person and a very passionate actor that helped to make him feel invincible.The proof was in Clarke’s article when over and over he kept discussing Booth’s physical attractiveness and popularity among women as well as men. I believe that in Booth’s mind the assassination was a performance and felt he would gain even more popularity by his actions. I believe Booth did have some mental issues because anyone who kills another, for what ever motives has to have some level of mental illness. I’m sure that many at the time considered killing Lincoln, but only one person actually did the act.Charlie Manson was politically motivated when he told his followers to kill, but that didn’t diminish the fact he was totally insane. The same I holds true for Booth. Many can put excuses to another person’s actions, and especially when that person has been dead for quite sometime, but the fact remains that murder is an abnormal act in society; it’s against the societal norm and anyone who kills for whatever reason has mental health issues. Reference: Roberts, R. & Olson, J. S. (1986). American Experiences. Glenview, Ill. : Scott, Foreman.

Fruits and Seed Dispersal

Fruits and Seed Dispersal Nicole Saylor Meiko M. Thompson BIO 115 11/25/12 In this essay I will be answering questions about fruit and as to the reason why things are the way they are†¦ First up is some fruits are sweet and some are not is because, â€Å"Actually, the taste of a fruit depends on the compounds  present in it. Normally a fruit contains the  materials  like cellulose, proteins, starch, vitamins, certain acids,  fructose  or sugar. All these  materials  are found in mixed form inside the fruit and they have different proportions in different fruits.Fruits of  sweet taste have more  fructose  in them  whereas  the  fruits of  sour taste have more acids in them. † (Gemini Geek) so this means that the more or less acid a fruit has then more sweeter or more sour it will taste, and that all means something with no taste really to is to say to have no acid , or sugars that would give it a particular taste. The next in line is that the ri pening of a fruit and the seed dispersal go hand in hand in such a way that when a fruit ripens it is a signal from production mode of a seed to the dispersal of a mature seed that is ready to become another plant to create the dame cycle over again.To help explain this for example, â€Å"n dry fruits (cereals, nuts, dandelions) ripening consists of desiccation and is considered maturation. Ripening in fleshy fruits is designed to make the fruit appealing to animals that eat the fruit as a means for seed dispersal. Ripening involves the softening, increased juiciness and sweetness, and color changes of the fruit. Fleshy fruits are either climacteric or non-climacteric. Climacteric fruits produce a reparative burst with a concomitant burst in ethylene synthesis, as the fruits ripen. These include fruits with high degrees of flesh softening, like tomato, banana, avocado, peach etc. (Lecture 17)So we see that in this process of ripening and seed dispersal are that it is the plants way of making sure that the seeds that it produced to carry on and make more fruit plants or trees happens by making the fruit itself more appealing to animals which will at and then later disperse the seeds. The next question to address is how do we play a role in all of this and how do we effect it basically. Well we humans affect this natural process when we take over the land and granted that plants were here long before we were and before animals were.So plants have been able to grow without our aid if fertilizing the soil and etc†¦ For example, â€Å"Unlike colonist plants, the deep forests of our planet are largely independent from us. They don’t need us to prepare the ground or disperse their seeds. Plants, after all, colonized dry land well before animals did, and were doing quite well, on their own, before we arrived. Some kinds of trees need little help from animals of any sort. Because they don’t need our help, these trees have little to gain by feeding us. This is why we often find that there is relatively little food to be had in mature forests.You can’t eat wood. †(Kyle Chamberlain) So see plants were reproducing before animals and us but granted when animals came along it did make the seed dispersal process a lot easier. As far as I can see that a seed does not use sugar or starch for its metabolism unless it developing then yes. Because when a seed is developing it needs these to grow into a mature seed that can be dispersed, but since this seed has become mature and is dispersed then it start growing and producing its own sugars and starches from the light and dark process of photosynthesis.References The Gemini Geek (2012). Why Are Some Fruits Sweet While Others Are Sour? [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www. thegeminigeek. com/why-are-some-fruits-sweet-while-others-are-sour/ Iowa State University (2012). Lecture 17 [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www. public. iastate. edu/~bot. 512/lectures/seed&frui t. htm Chamberlin, K. (2012). Disturbance Ecology – The Human Habitat Project [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://sites. google. com/site/humanhabitatproject/home/disturbance-ecology