Essay on Setting in Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour

Elements of Setting in Kate Chopins Short Story, The Story of an Hour Setting exists in every form of fiction, representing elements of time, place, and social context throughout the work. These elements can create particular moods, character qualities, or features of theme. Throughout Kate Chopins short story The Story of an Hour, differing amounts and types of the setting are revealed as the plot develops. This story deals with a young womans emotional state as she discovers her own independence in her husbands death, then her tragic discovery that he is actually alive. The constituents of setting reveal certain characteristics about the main character, Louise Mallard, and are functionally important to the story†¦show more content†¦The breath of rain seems to cleanse Louise as well, as she views this as a way to start her life afresh. In this story, the time of year somewhat symbolizes her own internal springtime, further developing the rationale behind her character. If this story took place in a different time of year, it would not be as coherent. There would be no explanation for Louises sudden attitude reversal from mourning to enlightened anticipation of the future. The Mallards house, the area where the entire action of the story takes place, is extremely significant in understanding the subtleties of the plot and characters. The house is two stories tall, with two main rooms shown in detail: the front parlor, which is downstairs, and Louises bedroom, upstairs. The two floors are significantly different, both in the mood and in the emotions brought out in each one. It is in the parlor that Louise first hears of her husbands death and later ultimately discovers that he lives. Yet she achieves true enlightenment and understanding upstairs, in her bedroom. The particular level of the house that Louise is in conveys certain emotions and reveals two different aspects of her character. Downstairs she is the good wife, mourning the loss of her husband at first and later swooning from what the doctors believe to be joy that kills (14). Downstairs she must act like the typical late-nineteenth-century woman, completelyShow MoreRelatedThe Guilt that Kills in Kate Chopin ´s The Story of an Hour568 Words   |  2 Pages The Guilt that Kills â€Å"The Story of an Hour† (Chopin 353-354) by Kate Chopin, is a short story about a young lady, Louise Mallard, who has her life turned upside down in an elapsed time of an hour. Louise has just been informed of her husband, Brently’s, death due to a railroad disaster. Louise has heart trouble and this tragic news begins to take a toll on her. Louise’s sister, Josephine, is aware of her heart trouble so naturally becomes concerned when Louise starts to sob and locks herselfRead MoreStory of an Hour by Lawrence L. Berkove3379 Words   |  14 PagesLawrence L. Berkove (essay date winter 2000) SOURCE: Berkove, Lawrence L. â€Å"Fatal Self-Assertion in Kate Chopins ‘The Story of an Hour.’† American Literary Realism 32, no. 2 (winter 2000): 152-58. [In the following essay, Berkove contends that Chopins narration of â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is ironic rather than straightforward.] Kate Chopins thousand-word short story, â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† has understandably become a favorite selection for collections of short stories as well as for anthologiesRead More Oppression of Women in Chopins Story of an Hour and Gilmans Yellow Wallpaper 1246 Words   |  5 PagesOppression of Women in Chopins Story of an Hour and Gilmans Yellow Wallpaper    The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman share the same view of the subordinate position of women in the late 1800s. Both stories demonstrate the devastating effects on the mind and body that result from an intelligent person living with and accepting the imposed will of another. This essay will attempt to make their themes apparent by examining a brief summeryRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Happy Endings By Margaret Atwood Essay2649 Words   |  11 PagesIn the two stories â€Å"Happy Endings† by Margaret Atwood and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin, it is clear what roles women played during the time periods they were written. These roles vary greatly in each story. In Atwood’s story women are both independent and self-efficient; however, they are also still reliant on men for happiness. In Chopin’s story women are solely purposed around pleasing their husbands and caring for their families, and wanting anything but this would be greatly unusualRead More The Dilemma of Women Essay1817 Words   |  8 PagesKate Chopin wrote stories of women in different states of independence from the men in their lives. She felt strongly about feminism and wanted women to be liberated from the dependence of men. By looking at Chopin’s stories we can see how the characters longed to be strong and independent women. In â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, when Mrs. Mallard hears of her husbands death she feels liberated and is described as: When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. SheRead More An analysis of three short stories written by Kate Chopin, 1914.2340 Words   |  10 PagesAn analysis of three short stories written by Kate Chopin, 1914. Kate Chopin, a pre 1914 author was born in 1850, in Missouri, USA. She was the third child of five for her parents Mr and Mrs O’Flaherty; however she was their only child to live past the age twenty-five. Her upbringing was very unfortunate, when she was only 5 she was sent to a boarding school but returned home on hearing the news that her father had died. She remained home and stayed there for a further two years with herRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin1421 Words   |  6 Pages Essay One â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is arguably known as Kate Chopin’s best short story. Those who have read the story, can agree that Louise Mallard, receives tragic information of her husband, Brently Mallard’s death. Mrs. Mallard then accelerates through a sequence of emotional reactions of â€Å"new spring life† and â€Å"elixir of life† (476-477), but she receives another shock that her husband is actually alive. This shock is so devastating that it is fatal. Chopin’s depiction of open windows and springRead MoreFemale Empowerment in Kate Chopins The Awakening7915 Words   |  32 PagesHeinrich-Heine-Università ¤t Wintersemester 2010/11 Vertiefungsmodul Kurs: American Realism and Naturalism - Short Stories Seminarleiter: Georg Schiller Datum der Abgabe: 16.04.2011 Female Empowerment in Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Awakening† Anjana Dhir BA Englisch KF, Geschichte NF 3. Semester Table of Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. The FrenchRead MoreThe Story of an Hour and a Rose for Emily Essay2219 Words   |  9 PagesCompare Contrast The Story of an Hour and A Rose for Emily Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour and William Faulkners A Rosefor Emily both characterize the nature of marriage and womanhood bydelving into the psyches of their female protagonists. Also, althoughChopin makes no clear reference to geographic locale in The Story of anHour, both authors usually set their stories in the American South, whichimpacts these characterizations. These two tales share many other points ofreference in commonRead More Comparing the Symbology and Imagery in T. S. Eliot’s Poetry Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesAlfred Prufrock† is about a man with low self-confidence worrying about going to a party in the evening where he is sure that the women there with reject and ridicule him; â€Å"Rhapsody on a Windy Night† is about a man wandering his way back in the early hours of the morning to the place where he is staying. In â€Å"Rhapsody†¦,† the moon is featured as a forgiving woman, one who will not hold a grudge and gentles and watches over everything. She appears as a lonely woman, almost as one whose lover has

BenJerry Business Problems Free Essays

As Bob the new CEO of Ben Jerry’s, we believe that the following factors currently pose the most critical problem to the firm. Firstly, our internal x-factors namely manufacturing, inventory management, research and product development are in dire need of improvement. Currently, Ben Jerry’s is highly dependent on Dreyer’s for production of its ice cream; up to 40% of Ben Jerry’s total ice cream is produced by Dreyer’s. We will write a custom essay sample on BenJerry Business Problems or any similar topic only for you Order Now Ben Jerry’s high dependency on Dreyer’s hasn’t been solved due to its inability to open and operate its third factory in St.  Albans, Vermont. This was due to the lack of understanding of the complex automated manufacturing systems which led to the adoption of simpler proven processes. Bob was hired to solve this problem due to my expertise in manufacturing and distribution in the food industry, even though his work experience in several aggressive management style corporations remain a concern due to the fact that benjerry’s is one of the most famous conservative social enterprise. However, this social enterprise was being criticized for corporate activities from damaging tribal cultures till other smaller issue, these issues could damage the brand reputation and sales further in the future. There are also several other x-factors apart from manufacturing which must also be solved. In my perspective, the firm’s RD department is in need of improvement as the firm currently relies solely on the founder’s ideas and tastes, neglecting altogether the formal market research on the development of new flavors. This has led to problems of shortages and overstocks of particular flavors. Another serious problem within the firm is the 7:1 ratio, causing the firm to fail in attracting competent professionals and incentivizing mid-level employees from working hard and earning a promotion. The number one external problem facing the firm is the naturally slow growth in this higher competition industry and the shifting demand within the super-premium ice cream segment towards the premium ice cream and frozen yoghurt segment. From the figures in exhibit 4, the frozen yogurt per production increased approximately 73% from 1. 34 in 1989 to 2. 32 quarts in 1994. We can clearly see that this increase in production has been primarily to meet the growing demands of more health-conscious consumers. The effect of more value-conscious consumers can also be seen in the shifting demand from the super-premium ice cream segment to the premium ice cream segment. Therefore we believe that we should merge or takeover a key player in the premium ice cream segment in order to enter the growing premium market, as seen in exhibit 6, and better utilize our existing cash and assets which has been unproductive for the past several years, as seen in exhibit 2. Moreover, this will help us in dealing with the possible threat of Unilever buying Haagen-Dazs in an attempt to dominate the ice cream market. If this deal happens to go through, Haagen-Dazs will exceed us in every aspect including channels of distribution, marketing, and operations. Therefore, we believe that negotiations with Unilever are crucial at this moment in time. The higher competition has induced firms to advertise more, thus eating a substantial portion of the profits. In 1994, we spent $6 million on advertising alone, causing expenses to jump significantly resulting in a net loss for the first time in the firm’s history. If the competition wasn’t so high and we didn’t have to spend $6 million on ads, our firm would still have been able to absorb the cost of the write off without incurring a net loss. The higher competition in recent years causes the profit margin in the industry to fall with merging or taking over will improve our company reduce our operating costs, thus, higher profit margin. How to cite BenJerry Business Problems, Papers

Project Based Management of ABC Packaging Company

Question: Discuss about the Project Based Management of ABC Packaging Company. Answer: Introduction Project based management framework takes an important part to help the characteristics evaluation, which are common to the organizations. Project managers working within the small enterprises can begin the projects, which are the major reason of failure of the project without any kind of formal planning. It can be defined as the model, which can organize the activities of project (Akhavan, Reza Zahedi and Hosein Hosein 2014). ABC Packaging Company is a well-established company which is a family-owned organization. This organization has originated its operation in 1980 and over the years through business collaborations as well as strategic investments ABC is now leading exporter and manufacturer of distinct printing and packaging requirements in South Pacific with 150 employees. ABC packaging organization implemented a project last year that deals with developing a recycled fibre paper mill in Fiji for meeting the enhanced requirement for grooved cartons as well as guarantees a supply of corrugated paper on a daily basis with lower prices and better quality. This report aims to analyze the business case contents of ABC Packaging. This study also differentiates the best practices and academic theory of project management against what has actually taken place. Project Management Process Project management process is the discipline of controlling, executing, planning, initiating as well as closing the work of a tem for achieving particular objectives and meeting specific success criteria (Ahern, Leavy and Byrne 2014). Major characteristics of a project include involvement of several disciplines, Timeline that signifies a project has a definite beginning and end, clearly defined objectives, resources, functions, technical and complex in nature, dynamic that indicates unexpected problem scenarios, high cost overrun and risk probabilities (Ramazani and Jergeas 2015). In Fiji, No packaging company wanted to build a paper mill in the country. Thus, establishment of the first recycled fiber paper mill by ABC Packaging in the country is an authentic project with properly demonstrated goals. This project encompasses an initiation stage. Moreover, it would progress over several stages like design, development feasibility study as well as execution. Project would be finished after installation, doing and commissioning machinery trials (Yeow 2014). In addition, the project of developing paper mill involves several disciplines, resources and functions. These disciplines incorporate involvement of consultants, engineers, project managers and builders; making relationships with regulatory authorities, government and service providers such as water authority, land department, financial institutions, banks, port authority as well as lawyers. The projects of establishing paper mills are highly complicated and technical in nature. Therefore, this type of projec t has to comply with several Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines (OHS), Environmental Health and Safety Guidelines (EHS), and many more (Crvers et al. 2016). The dynamic nature of this particular project simply signifies the unexpected problematic scenario in between the project cycle like project time completion, shortages of cash flow, risks in commissioning as well as installing the plant. Within the in paper mill industry, one of the major risk factors is the increment in the cost of fiber. In recent years, the utilization of large amount of waste generation and of chemicals is under scrutiny. ABC Packaging organization hasnt properly followed the official processes of managing project and ABC cannot work within this kind of environment following the process of project life cycle should have been identified as well as structured within this project for achieving better results. All the processes of project management are correlated with each other. ABC packaging should identify these relationships. The project management process relationships have been portrayed as follows: Extend of Business Case Business case should have the responsibility in terms of providing justifications to undertake a project, evaluate cost, benefits and risk associated with alternative options. It should also provide the rationale for the preferred solution. Business case preparation is the major responsibility for the project managers possibly with advisory and specialist support (Jaber et al. 2015). It must be kept up-to-date reflecting the approved changes after its approval. ABC packaging should evaluate the following things those have to be addressed typically in the business case aligned with project management. Cost, benefit and Risk Evaluation Project cost incorporates invisible as well as visible cost factors; project manager should carefully analyze and estimate (Bull et al. 2016). It can be dependent on the physical resources required in regards to the raw materials, machines, equipments as well as human effort in accordance with advisory, consultancy and labor. Project Management team of ABC packaging organization has executed the project depending on the assumption that everything would go in accordance with plan. Significant cost factors like recurring cost have not been documented as well as evaluated in business case. Thus, it is essential for considering costs like the costs for training and development and other cost factors that would carry out to be incurred after the project completion. On borrowings, Interest cost has not properly documented (Mir and Pinnington 2014). Thus, these outcomes mislead the projected financial statements. Accounting advisory should be requested to prepare income statements as well as budgeted cash flows. In this business case, project benefits have been identified in comparison with the significant benefits of developing paper mill in the country against not having a paper mill for ABC Packaging (Khan and Rasheed 2015). Hence, in this scenario, SWOT analysis can help for identifying the wide potential as well as negative risk that apply to the project. Performing qualitative risk analysis and creating risk register also helps in achieving better as well as more reliable project outcome. Strengths (Internal) Reputation Well-established organization with huge popularity as a quality as well as a reliable supplier within the specialization of corrugated packaging. Geographical Location of Fiji is situated within the south pacific region where it can have the direct access on several implemented ports worldwide. Sole Supplier in the region In south pacific region, any paper mill does not manufacture grooved paper. Capacities Highly qualified well-trained staff and well equipped manufacturing plant. Customers The paper mill project already has customers because; currently this organization has been owned by a carton factory. Weaknesses (Internal) Labour Requirements Specialized labour force is necessary. It is challenging for maintaining a properly trained-labour force in Fijian locations simply because of the fact that many well-trained staff are aiming on getting opportunities for migrating to New Zealand and Australia. local transportation and Infrastructure In Fiji, Transportation facilities are not good. Heavy vehicles and Poor Road Conditions mass limits have created several issues to transport goods. Excessive Energy The project of paper mill needs the requirement of excessive energy approximately about 550 kWh that is 82500 kWh per day. It is very confusing that Fiji Electricity Authority is capable enough of supplying the required energy. Prices of increased raw material prices of OCC or waste paper in the world are enhancing Duty and taxes Income tax requirements as well as high import duty can result in profit for coming down. Opportunities (External) Increment in consumption as well as demand For paper, Domestic requirement can be expected to be enhanced in 2017 by 100% because of opening up of several new plants for manufacturing in the country. Increment in several utilizations of paper Recently, the papers are being utilized for numerous purposes. Potential of Forest plantation There is a huge forest area in the country that plays significant role to manufacture paper. Low labour cost In Fiji, Labour cost is very low in comparison to their rivals in New Zealand as well as Australia. Export potential A high potential is there for exporting paper into another pacific nations where they have the paper conversions small plants. Threats (External) Inexpensive Imports From China, competitive products of worse quality are imported Environmental issues The industry of paper manufacturing makes a huge environmental disturbance. Supply of OCC as well as Recovered Fibre There shortage of Fibre as well as OCC supply worldwide for huge barriers of environment protections implemented in several nations. Competition from existing organizations in New Zealand and Australia Paper market within the South pacific region is dominated by the other organizations in New Zealand and Australia. Thus, ABC packaging organisation would have strategies for overcoming the threats coming from them. Political Instability Fiji has become strong in political and economic stability, after election held on 17th September 2014 as a result of restoring democratic rules. Nevertheless, some chances of transforming the government are possible in upcoming election that has been sceduled in 2018. Project Time Management Plan Time management of a project is an important part of the managing project. Nevertheless, comprehensive plan of time management plan was not present on the stage of initiating the project (Karsakov, Bilyatdinova and Hoekstra 2014). Numerous projects fail for achieving expected results on time as well as within the budget for the absence of time management plan and the cost of detailed project. Time Management Plan for a project should incorporate required procedures for finishing the project on time. Comparison to the Literature - Project Phases Project Activities within the Project Phases Description of the Phase and Recommendations made in Literature Idea generation Initiation, Proposal, Concept, Ideation This particular project implementation stage sheds light on the basis for developing a recycled fiber paper mill in the country and to highlight the costs in construction and design of a turnkey operation. Pre Feasibility Initial assessment, Initial investigation, Research, Preliminary investigation, Evaluation Primary investigation for showing that ABC Packaging organization is able to manufacture annual corrugated paper requirement of the organization depending cost effectively on the standard of quality necessary by their consumers (Cicmil, Lindgren and Packendorff 2016). Cost savings identification and other advantages like access to export markets and income tax exemptions would be evaluated at this stage. Feasibility Complete Evaluation Investigation Authorization Business case Feasibility study for providing assumption and project expectations based on quality, profitability and cost savings enhancement are accurate. Development and Execution Implementation Production Construction Realization Development and tests Build The project design of paper mill should be submitted as well as decided for final approval. Moreover, it should obtain final certifications from the procurement of raw materials arrangements, recruiting employees, relevant government authorities and implementation of production process (Boss and Krauss 2014). Commissioning Validation Trial Beta Test The stage includes trailing out the product that is fluting and linerboard medium with newly installed equipments for the validation acceptance. If required, warranty period of request modifications generally start after commissioning (Burke 2013). Handover Completion, Release, Acceptance Implementation This stage encompasses step to hand on the project to the business unit. At this step, the commercial production begins. Thus, final payment would be done to the machinery suppliers. Post Implementation Review (PIR) Post Project Review, Project Audit This particular stage determines what is the project impact over a certain company and whether the benefits were delivered. Reviewing figures and ensuring project deliver the profitability and expected outcomes. Projects review performance obtains recommendation for the further improvements in future (Briand and Hodgson 2015). Inform public about the project and establish goodwill and reputation. Conclusion A conclusion can easily be implemented after conducting the entire study that project plan should be well-prepared for undertaking a successful project that in turns would enforce its image and position. In this context, this study has significantly portrayed the fact that the innovative project based management strategies take a significant part to achieve the organizational success factor. The project manager and sponsors should work together from the project beginning to the end for achieving the best outcomes. Detailed project management plan is always proven very important in terms of mitigating a lot regulatory, engineering and environmental issues and completing the project within budget and on time. References Ahern, T., Leavy, B. and Byrne, P.J., 2014. Complex project management as complex problem solving: A distributed knowledge management perspective.International Journal of Project Management,32(8), pp.1371-1381. Akhavan, P., Reza Zahedi, M. and Hosein Hosein, S., 2014. A conceptual framework to address barriers to knowledge management in project-based organizations.Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues,7(2/3), pp.98-119. Boss, S. and Krauss, J., 2014.Reinventing project-based learning: Your field guide to real-world projects in the digital age. International Society for Technology in Education. Briand, L. and Hodgson, D., 2015. The re-regulation of control in the context of project-based work.International Journal of Work Innovation,1(3), pp.287-304. Bull, J.W., Jobstvogt, N., Bhnke-Henrichs, A., Mascarenhas, A., Sitas, N., Baulcomb, C., Lambini, C.K., Rawlins, M., Baral, H., Zhringer, J. and Carter-Silk, E., 2016. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats: A SWOT analysis of the ecosystem services framework.Ecosystem services,17, pp.99-111. Burke, R., 2013. Project management: planning and control techniques.New Jersey, USA. Cicmil, S., Lindgren, M. and Packendorff, J., 2016. The project (management) discourse and its consequences: on vulnerability and unsustainability in project?based work.New Technology, Work and Employment,31(1), pp.58-76. Crvers, R., Wiek, A., de Kraker, J., Lang, D.J. and Martens, P., 2016. Problem-Based and

The Inquisitorial System of Criminal Justice free essay sample

This paper details the debate over the proposal to introduce the inquisitorial system of justice used in the European Union to Britain. This paper is an in-depth examination of the key arguments in the debate currently going on in Britain over whether or not to replace its adversarial system of justice and replace it with the inquisitorial system of justice now used in the European Union. The paper begins by defining both the adversarial and inquisitorial systems of justice. It then presents arguments in support of the Inquisitorial Model including that the system promotes equality; decreases miscarriages of justice; seeks to find the truth; argues that the judges in the adversarial system are poorly trained while its judges are chosen on merit. The author then presents their arguments against the use of the Inquisitorial Model and makes the following points about the inquisitorial system including that it ignores human dignity; that it will cause false imprisonment; argues that the European Union will be allowed to prosecute British Citizens and will therefore render British Law powerless; argues that it will l ead to the destruction of the Magna Carta and finally, argues that the system can be costly. We will write a custom essay sample on The Inquisitorial System of Criminal Justice or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The author then presents a final evaluation of the materials presented and details their own conclusions as to which system is better suited for use in Britain. Opponents of implementing the inquisitorial system argue the efficacy of the adversarial system. These opponents note that there are clear advantages to the current British system which include. The right of Habeas Corpus (that the accused must be taken to a public court within a very short period of time, usually 24 hours, and the accusers must produce their evidence then and there. The right to Trial by Jury at which jurors can in fact even disregard the law if they think it would give an unjust conviction. The jurors are thus sovereign. If found innocent, the accused cannot be tried again on the same charge. (Corpus Juris and the Effect on British Common Law Rights)

Essay about HCA230 Week 4 Listen Up

Essay about HCA230 Week 4 Listen Up Essay about HCA230 Week 4 Listen Up Candace Gordon July 15, 2015 HCA 220 Keninthe Davis Your title page should be centered between the left and right margins, and positioned on the upper half of the page. We need to practice active listening not only with each other, but also with our patients. Sometimes we may hear our patients, but we don’t really listen to them and pick up on their true message. I’m going to share with you now, how to practice active listening, and conclude with a list of benefits of active listening. Active listening is a practice that focuses on a speaker, rather than focusing on a response to the issue at hand. How many times have you been involved in an argument, only to not even hear the words coming out of your colleague’s mouth? When you practice active listening, you first listen to what the speaker has to say. After you listen to what the speaker says, repeat what you heard. If what you communicate back to the speaker is what they said, then their message was successful and you listened to them. On the other hand, if what you repeat back to the speaker is nowhere near what they said then they have some more communicating to do. Practic e this back and forth until the listener truly gets the message intended by the speaker. This is active listening. There are many benefits to this form of listening. First, active listening will boost morale. One of the biggest complaints from patients is that no one listens to them. We get defensive and say ‘yes we do listen – all we do is listen.’ What the patient means is that we hear them, but we don’t listen to their issue. Imagine how happy they would be if we practiced active listening with them and understood their needs! Second, active listening reduces missed communications and misunderstandings. If you practice active listening the speaker and the listener communicate back and forth until they are on the same page. This reduces conflicts. Active listening will also bring out more information. If your patient knows you are listening to them, they will volunteer more information. This information could help you do your job better – or eve n save a life. Name/Signature of person who wrote the memo References The second line of a reference should be indented. International Online Training Program on Intractable Conflict. Active Listening Retrieved from colorado.edu/conflict/peace/treatment/activel.htm Learning Through Listening Benefits of Teaching Retrieved from learningthroughlistening.org/Listening-A-Powerful-Skill/Listening-and- Learning/Benefits-of-Teaching-Listening/93/ A memo format should be similar to this: TO: 2nd Shift Staff SUBJECT: Listen Up DATE: March 31, 2015 FROM: Operations Supervisor Content and Development 53 Points Points Earned 48/53 Additional Comments: All key elements of the assignment are covered in a substantive way. The paper is 300 to 350 words in length. The paper is a memo describing the process of active listening and how it benefits the health care workplace. You successfully met the word length requirement – 341 words. Your paper did not have the style of a memo. How does the staff know you just attended a conference? A memo is an internal document used to communicate information to a select group. Remember, your introduction should preview the major points of the paper and the conclusion should always be used to summarize the major points of the paper. Please always close a memo with a name, signature and title. The content is comprehensive, accurate, and persuasive. The paper develops a central theme or idea directed toward the appropriate audience.

Compare and Contrast

Compare and Contrast Compare and Contrast Compare and Contrast By Maeve Maddox Jay asks â€Å"Compare with† = contrast; What are the circumstances by which one would use contrast as the verb instead? In general use, such as in writing a compare/contrast essay, compare means find the similarities and contrast means find the differences. Definitions from the OED: compare:. trans. To speak of or represent as similar; to liken. contrast: To set in opposition in order to show strikingly their different qualities or characteristics, and compare their superiorities or defects. Compare derives from Latin comparare to liken, to compare. Contrast derives from Latin contra, against plus stare, to stand. In Middle English the word was used in the literal sense to withstand or fight against as in battle. The word fell out of use until the end of the 17th century when it was reintroduced as an art term meaning to place in such juxtaposition as to bring strongly out differences of form, colour, etc., and thus to produce a striking effect. For differences in meaning between compare to and compare with, see Compared to or Compared with. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:45 Synonyms for â€Å"Food†Taser or Tazer? Tazing or Tasering?Quiet or Quite?

Food Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Food - Research Paper Example This may be seen, for example, in the cultural prohibitions against eating pork in the Jewish and Muslim religions – this is an essential part of their cultural heritage, and it sets them apart and defines them as a part of their cultural group (James, 3). Food also forms memories, and these memories and associations form the basis for what is commonly termed as â€Å"comfort food.† Wansink et al., (740) state that comfort foods are foods which conjure a comfortable and pleasurable state in the person, and that childhood experienced and social-affective contexts influence these food preferences. The psychological pleasure that these foods bring is based upon the feelings of pleasure and love which are behind these foods. The researchers state that this psychological response explains why some people love liver and onions, while others find this aversive. Moreover, chocolate is often favored in part because of its association with gift-giving and rewards in childhood exp eriences. At the same time, certain foods may have negative connotations, and these negative connotations creates food aversions. Concurs Wood (36), food often has a certain nostalgic appeal that is based upon sentiment, and is often associated with home and contentment. Familiar foods evoke comfort and psychological benefits. Wood also found, interestingly enough, that when individuals are in the midst of great personal change, they choose familiar favorites less often (Wood, 36). Thus, as Wansink and Wood acknowledge, there is a very powerful memory component in the consumption of food. Whether one remembers mum serving Yorkshire Pudding every Sunday evening at dinner, or one remembers one’s father serving curried chicken, these will be the foods which will be psychologically comforting, because these are the foods which are steeped with memories of home, childhood and love. These will be the foods which will create the nostalgic craving, that, interestingly enough, accordi ng to Wood, are not as appealing when an individual is going through great personal change. While this paper will concentrate on three different regions of the world, and some of the trends or the staples of their diet, James (3) cautions against using stereotypes in ascertaining typical regional diets, given the diversity within cultures for what people prefer to eat. James states that people have an idea about typical diets, such as a typical Italian diet, or Greek diet, or Spanish diet, and this is what gives society at large a general idea of what to expect when visiting these countries. Furthermore, as each region of the world is influenced by the global nature of society, as well as immigrants into the country and the general fluidity of the populace with regards to travel, food, according to James, has more of a global character than a local one. She points out that olive oil has only become a staple in the Provencal region since the end of the 19th Century (James, 4). Theref ore, James argues that regional cooking is influenced by globalization, and, as such, is ever evolving. Since there is such diversity in each of the areas which are explored – for instance, even in the United States of America, there are distinctive regions that serve different kinds of foods (southern food is much different than New England food, which is different from West coast food, etc) –

Latin American Market Vs. U.S Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Latin American Market Vs. U.S Market - Essay Example The paper discusses the anticipated market positioning of the company in the U.S.A., Mexico and Latin America. The Volkswagen Group of Latin America is today regarded as the leading automobile company in Latin America (Seume, 2001). This is not the case in the United Sates where there is a lot of competition in the automobile industry. The public has perceived the Volkswagen passenger cars as powerful vehicles in Latin America and in the United States. However, Volkswagen currently does not boast of being a top brand in the U.S. market especially given that its brands have proven to be less reliable compared to those of competitors. The U.S. market largely demands products that are highly reliable with a touch of luxury. The U.S. market also places a lot of emphasis on quality. In consideration of the above, Volkswagen should do its best to assure its customers in the U.S. market of quality, reliability and moderate pricing. In Latin America and Mexico where the income per capita and disposable income of nationals is lower compared to the U.S. statistics (Kotabe & Leal, 2001), the company should position itself as an affordable alternative to beautiful cars. The company should thus price its products relatively lower than competitors taking caution to produce more compact cars in view of production costs. The Volkswagen group in Latin America has set new records as far as sales revenue, vehicle sales and earnings are concerned. The Volkswagen Company has expanded its market share in Latin America as its distribution network has become more robust. In the United States, the company should strive to double its market share; from two percent to four percent by 2014 (Seume, 2001). Volkswagen in the United States should expand its regional offices due to the predicted high sales. In the U.S., the car manufacturer needs to strengthen its relations with

Black Death in Europe Essay Example for Free

Black Death in Europe Essay European people faced great hardship during the years 1347-1352 suffering from the effects of the Bubonic Plaque. Prior to this epidemic hitting Europe the population of Europe was growing faster than the food supplies could keep up with and economic crisis was beginning to take place. Once the Bubonic Plaque started spreading it took center stage and over population would not be an issue of concern any longer. The Bubonic Plaque, also referred to as the Black Death, was caused by a bacterial infection found mostly in rodents and their fleas. The infected fleas would come into contact with humans and death would occur in less than a week. Humans suffered from high fever, aching limbs, and lymph nodes would swell and turn black. Humans also contributed to the spread of the plaque by non-effected people coming into contact with the body fluids of an effected person. As the plaque spread the people of Europe found themselves shifting from community and family to worrying about survival of the individual. Men who worked with animals contracted the plaque and died. Women that contracted the plaque that survived could no longer carry a child and were abandoned by their husbands. Children found themselves fighting to survive as their parents were taken by the plaque. Families that did have children would abandoned their children who became infected, the plaque would kill children within hours of contraction if not immediately. In attempt to escape the plaque people that lived in the cities often traveled to the country and most often taking the plaque with them only cause more death. Europe lost roughly one third of the population due to the Bubonic Plaque. The economy during this time also saw a great shift from the twenty five million people lost due to the plaque. Feudalism, which was strong before the plaque, weakened as European people realized that they could work and survive on their own. Many of the farm workers died leaving the land in bad shape which meant poor crop return and a declining food supply. The famers and workers that managed to survive the plaque were able to demand more wages from the knights, baron, or king that owned the land they worked. The cows, goats, sheep, and other live stock that were used for food supply were often shared among communities but as people feared for survival these animals were brought inside homes to prevent exposure only causing more death from spread of the plaque and other diseases. Lastly the economy  suffered from lack of trade with other counties. The Bubonic Plaque’s massive death toll left other countries fearful of trading goods adding to the already hard economy. While the Bubonic Plaque did not completely vanish until late in the fifteenth century the effects on life and economy during the peak of contamination was dramatic. In a five year span Europe experienced entire towns and villages being left lifeless from the Bubonic Plaque. The bacterial infection spread without regard to social and economical class, killing both adults and children. Those that did survive the plaque found new opportunities through negotiating and rebelling.

Life and Death After the Invasion :: essays research papers

Returning to their New Hampshire home, Barney and Betty Hill had the worst time adjusting to the â€Å"invasion†. Barney began smoking and Betty began to hallucinating. * 3 weeks later* Barney was on the verge of getting fired from his assistant supervisor job because he constantly got high in the workplace. He also began hallucinating about small martians speaking to him and telling him that everyone in their town are secret F.B.I. Agents and are out to get him and his wife. Also, that it would be a good idea to take his wife and drive to the Grand Canyon. That is where no one would find him. Due to Betty’s â€Å"strange behavior†, her boss awarded her with another week off to relax. She planned a trip alone to Arizona. After her day shift was over, she walks over to her car and grabs the handle. Only the door is stuck. Betty tugs and tugs, but the door still wont budge. She takes a deep breath and tries for the door again. With a mighty thrust, she tugs. The door opens and Betty falls to the ground. Everything in her purse falls out. Her red lipstick rolls underneath the car. As she reaches to grab it†¦. SLAM!!! The car door shuts again. Puzzled, she opens the door and looks, but no one is in her car. She puts her key in and cranks the engine†¦ â€Å"DAMN IT!† cursed Betty. The car wont start. She looks at the gas hand to see if the tank was empty. The tank was full. She picks up her cell phone and tried to call her husband, only to be accompanied by static. â€Å"Hello?† Silence. She then begins to hear something really weird. Whispering. â€Å"Hello? Who is this? Can anybody hear me? Barney? Barney, can you hear me?†, questioned Betty. Before she could even hang up the phone, a bright light surrounding the car making it very difficult to see. She then decides to get out of the car and investigate. She reaches for the handle, but cant open the door for it seems to be stuck. Betty tries to scream, but nothing manages to come out. The light becomes so bright, that she passes out. When she comes to (10 minutes later), she tries the engine again. â€Å"Hotdog, it works!† Betty rejoices. Barney, feeling â€Å"light as a feather†, she attempts to drive home. He pulls up in his driveway, hitting the garage door.

Strengths of the Event Essay

The group found the event informative. In the feedback forms, they showed that the groups did enjoy some activities more than others but they said that they will that for a Another strength of the event was that all members of the group turned up on time with enough time for us to set up and plan for the event. The meeting one hour before the event meant that the group was able to organise and iron out any flaws in the planning of the event. So we were able to look at any equipment problems and set up of any resources and tables etc, beforehand and make sure we were prepared for the learners to arrive. Everyone was assigned specific tasks and kept up to date with each other’s roles in the class. This meant that everyone was aware of what everyone else was doing, so just in case on the day, or during the planning of the event someone was absent, we could fill their shoes relatively easily by stepping in for them. Everyone wore uniform. Looked professional and the learners were able to see this as something that made our group stand out from the learners. I think this helped them see a level of professionalism and made them want to listen to us as a group and take us seriously. The event was planned but the timings hadn’t been specified in a way that would work well for all the groups. For example, we started off the event with the plan to move groups on every 10 minutes onto the next activity, however the needed more time than just the hour we had to be able to move through and do an activity in every group and then we also needed time to go through prizes and certificates at the end. Another weakness of the event was that the classrooms were quite far apart. This meant that groups were having to spend time walking around the building.

Personality Theory: Abraham Maslow Essay

Of all the psychologists and their theories, the one I find most interesting and believe the most in is Abraham Maslow. I believe his hierarchy of needs is real and that people do fall in one of the levels of his pyramid. Most of us start at a bottom level in life and strive to reach a higher level of financial and educational stability along with a satisfying career. We all have basic needs in life and once we have these we climb the ladder to higher achievements in life. Abraham Maslow was an American psychologist who studied the Humanistic aspects of psychology. He became interested in psychology after learning about John Watson and his contributions to the behavioral theory. In 1943, Maslow created a pyramid he called the Hierarchy of Needs. This pyramid was based on a person’s basic lower needs to the higher needs in one’s life. Maslow disapproved of behaviorism and later on took a similar direction as Freud and his writings. He accepted the existence of the unconscious but, he opposed Freud’s conviction that the greater part of who we are is hidden past our consciousness. Maslow thought that for the most part we are aware of our actions and that without impediments in our life that we all could become psychologically fit people with a greater understanding of whom we are and better able to accept the world we live in. In areas that Freud saw pessimism or negative behavior in a person’s life, Maslow looked for more positives in mankind. Maslow believed that we are all born with certain needs and without meeting these needs a person was sure to die. The first and bottom level of his hierarchy was physiological needs such as warmth, shelter, and food. Physiological needs were concerned with a biological balance and homeostasis or equilibrium. Without these basic needs a person would not be able to thrive. The second levels of the pyramid were for security needs. These included living in a safe area away from any danger or physical threats. This is most often found in children who need the protection of their parents from any harm. These two bottom levels of the pyramid are also where in the workplace  most people start out at. Most people need to find work to create a safe loving home with food and warmth to keep themselves and their children from harm. The third level deals with social needs such as love, friendship and family needs. Many people spend a lifetime looking for belonging and love in their life. This third level focuses on a desire to be accepted by others and to fit in and feel like we have a place in this world. Many young people struggle through this period of time trying to find them and not really knowing who they can trust and not trust. The fourth level of the pyramid deals with Ego needs and self respect. It focuses on the need for self-esteem and respect from others. A person likes to feel like he or she has made something of them and have achieved success in all they do. We all like to strive for higher careers and increase our knowledge in the world while at the same time seeking autonomy in life. The fifth level of Maslow’s hierarchy is self-actualization. This level deals with the person and knowing they have used their full potential in life. At this level people become fully functional and act purely on their own volition and at the same time have a healthy personality. The fifth level is the hardest of all levels to achieve. To honestly be self-actualized means to really know who we are, where we belong in society, and to feel like we have accomplished all that we have set out to achieve. Self-actualization means to no longer feel disgrace or remorse, or even hatred, but to believe in the world and see human nature as naturally good. Many people in their lifetime do not reach this final level of Maslow’s hierarchy. Each level of Maslow’s hierarchy can be attributed to stages in a persons working life. I see employees who are struggling to make ends meet and keep a roof over their heads and feed their families. I see other employees who are beyond this level and are striving for a higher education to climb the ladder in their careers. I also see the top leaders of my workplace on the highest levels of Maslow’s hierarchy. They know who they are and have all they need in life. Many of the retirees I have seen have reached the self-actualization that Maslow created on his pyramid while others remained at the fourth level of autonomy and self-worth. I have also seen those that have reached a certain level on the pyramid and taken one or two steps backward. I have seen others that have one foot on one level and the other  on the next level trying to reach and pull themselves up. Maslow was a great psychologist and I would like to someday see someone further his research. References: AllPsych Online The Virtual Psychology Classroom retrieved on September 15, 2005 from http://allpsych.com DeeperMInd retrieved on September 15, 2005 from http://www.deepermind.com/maslow.htm Lahey 2003; Introduction to Psychology Eighth Edition; UOPHX text Mischel, W., Shoda, Y., & Smith, R. (2004). Introduction to personality: Toward an integration (7th ed.). New York: John Wiley and Sons.

8 Ways to Make a Terrible First Impression

8 Ways to Make a Terrible First Impression You know how important the first impression is. That’s why it can be really easy to screw it up- even if you only screw it up by trying too hard. Here are a few ways to really make a belly flop of your first impression. Study them and make sure to pivot in another direction! 1. Try Too HardWe know you want to be memorable. So do they. If you’re too witty, too eager, too high energy; if you finish your interviewer’s sentences or jump in too quickly with a personal anecdote or some sidebar to explain some aspect of your resume; if you’re generally just too RIGHT THERE rather than making an effort to listen to your conversation partner rather than perform†¦ then you’re trying too hard. And whomever you’re talking too is probably more tired than intrigued.2. Being Too â€Å"Different†If you’re laboring to point out your personal quirks in a transparent effort to set yourself apart from the crowd, you might actually be doing you rself a disservice. There’s nothing wrong with being average or above average. You don’t have to shout how unique you are at every conversational turn.3. Bad Body LanguageHow you carry yourself matters, too. Try not to cross your arms across your chest. Make sure to smile and make eye contact- as failure to do both can make you seem hostile and untrustworthy. And whatever you do, be respectful of others’ personal space. Don’t be the space invader.4. InappropriatenessDon’t gossip.  You’ll come off looking terrible. And don’t make rude or inappropriate jokes- particularly off-color ones or potentially political or bigoted ones either. No one will want to get to know you better if you’re rude or racist.5. RudenessIf you keep checking your watch- or worse, staring at your phone the entire time, then you deserve to make a bad impression. Grow up. Put your devices down and be present for the five minutes it takes to make a good imp ression.6. OversharingDon’t try to forge instant intimacy by sharing all the intimate details of your life. Your personal history should stay at least a little personal for the first 10 minutes of a new connection. And you never know when you might put your foot in your mouth because of not knowing anything about the other person’s personal history. Also, you and this person have literally just met. How can you be sure they’re trustworthy?7. NosinessOn the other hand, don’t ask a bunch of nosy personal questions to try and find out that other person’s intimate personal history. Let that stuff happen naturally over time as the relationship builds. If you even make it out of the conversation with a relationship to build, that is.8. SteamrollingThis includes filling every silence with chatter†¦ and assuming the other person agrees with you about everything you say, and then ranting on and on about it. Take a moment to step back and give your conv ersation partners some space to speak. Try listening for once and don’t be too stingy to relinquish your spot in the driver’s seat.

The Prison-Industrial Complex

The Prison-Industrial Complex Is prison overcrowding a vexing problem or a tempting opportunity? It depends on whether you see the  nearly 2  million Americans locked in prison cells  as  a  tragic  collection of misspent lives or a  vast self-sustaining supply of cheap labor. To be sure, the growing prison-industrial complex, for better or worse, views the inmate population as the latter. Derived from the  Cold War-era  term â€Å"military-industrial complex,† the term â€Å"prison-industrial complex† (PIC) refers to a combination of private-sector and government interests that profit from  increased  spending on prisons, whether it is truly justified or not. Rather than a covert conspiracy, the PIC is criticized as a convergence of self-serving special interest groups that openly encourage new prison construction, while discouraging the advancement of reforms intended to reduce the inmate population. In general, the prison-industrial complex is made up of: Politicians who play on fear by running on â€Å"get tough on crime† platforms.State and federal  lobbyists  who represent prison industries and the companies that profit from cheap prison labor.Depressed rural areas that depend on prisons for their economic survival.Private  companies that view the  $35 billion spent each year on corrections  as creating a lucrative market, rather than imposing a drain on taxpayers. Influenced by prison industry lobbyists, some members of Congress may be persuaded to press for  harsher federal sentencing laws  that will send more non-violent offenders to prison, while opposing prison reform and inmate rights legislation. Prison Inmate Jobs   As the only Americans not protected from slavery and forced labor by the  Thirteenth Amendment  to the U.S. Constitution, prison inmates have historically been required to perform  routine prison maintenance jobs. Today, however, many inmates take part in work programs that make products and provide services for the private sector and government agencies. Typically paid far below the  federal minimum wage, inmates now build furniture, make clothing, operate telemarketing call centers, raise and harvest crops, and produce  uniforms for the U.S. military. For example, the signature line of jeans and t-shirts Prison  Blues  is produced by inmate-workers at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institute. Employing more than 14,000 inmates nationwide, one government-managed prison labor agency produces equipment for the U.S. Department of Defense. Wages Paid to Inmate Workers   According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), inmates in prison work programs earn from 95 cents to $4.73 per day. Federal law allows the prisons to deduct up to 80% of their wages for taxes, government programs to assist crime victims, and the costs of incarceration. Prisons also deduct small amounts of money from inmates required to pay child support. In addition, some prisons deduct money for mandatory savings accounts intended to help convicts become re-established in the free community after their release. After deductions, participating inmates netted about $4.1 million of the $10.5 million total wages paid by prison work programs from April to  June  2012, according to the BLS. In privately-run prisons, inmate workers typically make as little as 17 cents per hour for a six-hour day, a total of about $20 per month. As a result, inmate workers in federally-operated prisons find their wages quite generous. Earning an average of $1.25 an hour for an eight-hour day with occasional overtime, federal inmates can net from $200-$300 per month. The Pros and Cons   Proponents of the prison-industrial complex argue that rather than unfairly making the best of a bad situation, prison work programs contribute to the inmates’ rehabilitation by providing job training opportunities. Prison jobs keep inmates busy and out of trouble, and money generated from the sales of prison industries products and services help maintain the prison system, thus easing the burden on taxpayers. Opponents of the prison-industrial complex  contend  that the typically low-skill jobs and minimal training offered by prison work programs simply do not prepare inmates to enter the workforce in the communities to which they will eventually return after their release. In addition, the growing trend toward privately-operated prisons has forced states to pay for the cost of contracts for outsourced incarceration. Money deducted from wages paid to inmates goes to increase the profits of the private prison companies rather than decreasing the cost of incarceration to taxpayers. According to its critics, the effect of the prison-industrial complex can be seen in the stark statistic that while the violent crime rate in the  United States has fallen by about  20% since 1991, the number of inmates in U.S. prisons and jails has grown by 50%. How Businesses View Prison Labor   Private sector businesses that use inmate workers profit from significantly lower labor costs. For example, an Ohio company that supplies parts to Honda pays its prison workers $2 an hour for the same work regular union  auto  workers  are paid $20 to $30 an hour. Konica-Minolta pays its prison workers 50 cents an hour to repair its copiers. In addition, businesses are not required to provide benefits like vacations, health care, and sick leave for inmate workers. Similarly, businesses are free to hire, terminate, and set pay rates for inmate workers without the collective bargaining limitations often imposed by  labor unions. On the downside, small businesses often lose manufacturing contracts to prison industries because they are unable to match the low production costs of a vast pool of low-paid convict workers. Since 2012, several small companies that had historically produced uniforms for the U.S. military have been forced to lay off workers after losing contracts to UNICOR, a government-owned prison labor program. Civil Rights Civil rights groups argue that the practices of the prison-industrial complex  lead to the building, expanding prisons mainly for the purpose of creating employment opportunities utilizing prisoner labor at the expense of the inmates themselves. For example, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) contends that the prison-industrial complex’s drive for profit through privatization of prisons has actually contributed to the continued growth of America’s prison population. In addition, the ACLU argues that the construction of new prisons solely for their profit potential will ultimately  result  in  the often unjust and lengthy imprisonment of  millions  of additional  Americans, with a disproportionately high number of the poor and people of color being jailed.

Term paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Term Paper Example Unfortunately, the inevitability of the assignment and seriousness of my instructor compelled me to set aside some evenings to study your book. I never knew that it would have such a lasting impact in my life. A couple of pages down from the cover page were enough reason to capture my attention in totality. It was beyond my wild imagination that a deaf person like you could be superbly gifted to come up with such a piece. As demeaning as this previous statement may sound, I must say that I personally do not read much from it as you have taught me to appreciate your coined concept of â€Å"deafhood.† And since your book sought to convince radical sectors, I being included, that deaf communities are far from being objects of pity and benevolence, I choose to regard the deaf culture just as any culture as I even dig deeper into your book. As a child I have always tried to figure out what life as a Deaf person is all about. Walking down the streets you meet countless people with varied facial expression. Some of them have smiling faces; others frowned, while others show no emotion. Also, you encounter people with different disabilities such as blind, lame, among many others. However, there is this special group you may never know their disability not unless somebody whispers to your ears or you see them constantly making some â€Å"funny† gestures. I am talking about the deaf people. Indeed the plight of the deaf is unimaginable. It is hard for them to communicate with majority groups as the majority group does not understand their language and neither do they understand the language of the majority group. Noteworthy, though, the majority groups have the ability to understand the language of the deaf, but the dead do not have the ability to understand the language of the majority. It is at such instances that I always pause and ask myself why our policy makers have failed to recognize sign

Compare and Contrast two poems from your own interpretation Essay

Compare and Contrast two poems from your own interpretation - Essay Example The mention of death, â€Å"This is how I want to die!† (Sexton 5–6) suggests the persona’s suicide ideation, hence confirming the first assumption. The persona is unmindful of the other images in the painting, thus he expresses, â€Å"The town does not exist† (Sexton 1). At the lower right side of Van Gogh’s painting is an image of a town with houses that seem to be eaten up by the magnificent clouds. The persona is too focused on the stars in the painting, hence neglects the other things around the stars. This fascination with stars is suggestive of an irony. Normally, happiness is associated with merry-making, having parties, loud music, singing, dancing, etc. However, in the poem, the persona equates happiness with a starry night, gloom, silence, solitariness, and even darkness. Death is thus viewed as a positive experience, a beautiful thought, an attraction. Madness is the main theme in Fagle’s poem. The persona could likewise be Van Gogh, and the time setting could be before he commits suicide. The persona feels madness creeping in him and tries to fight it and thus pleads, â€Å"God deliver me - help me now deliver/all this frenzy back into your hands.† (Fagles 23–24). There is the struggle to keep himself sane. It is interesting to determine what makes the persona insane? The introductory lines bear this idea of insanity, thus: â€Å"Long as I paint/I feel myself/less mad (Fagles 1–3). The persona acknowledges the fact about his madness. He believes that painting could keep him from insanity. However, this statement is an anti-thesis because as the readers follow the thoughts of the persona regarding his painting, they will be convinced that painting only makes the persona lose his mind more. In the consequent lines, the persona reveals how deeply he is engrossed with his art that he imagines a â€Å"clo udrack

World War III. Introducing C. Wright Mills and Goertzel Article Essay

World War III. Introducing C. Wright Mills and Goertzel Article - Essay Example Mills's collection market paper- back, The Causes of World War III, sold more than one hundred thousand copies to the civilians who were anguished by the Sputnik after they comprehended that the United States did not contribute to the campaign against the altering of the nuclear attack (Mills 32). In the book â€Å"The Causes of World War III†, it is noted that there was a â€Å"relentless thrust of assertion and a bludgeoning style, none of which affected the complexity of argument or the credibility of evidence†. According to Mills it was much easier for the Soviet Union to substitute the impassioned description for a thorough analysis. In spite of these weaknesses, Mills tries to view and compare the elites of United States and the Soviet Union in the year 1950. This is aimed at drifting and thrusting a force towards the war that was alleged to have affected the nations. In the year 1958, Mills describes that it was not evident that United States was ever going to en d the war with the North Vietnam or the Soviet Union. This was anticipated to the post World War II domination of the world strategies that were imposed by Americans and the Soviet Union and it was due to turn down. ... The explosion of the New Left movements in the 1960s is not only attributed to his art work alone, but they undoubtedly contributed to it. Mills' policies were not based on the prediction of the future, but the change that was to be inculcated. The New Left was often disparaged for not abiding by the policies that composed of positive proposals for change. Mills evaded the problem and through his pacifist manifesto of 1958, the radical, utopian demands, such as unilateral nuclear disarmament were combined with the practical modification that could easily be accepted by liberals. This included the recognition of Red China, the increment of foreign aid, and the enhancement of student interactions with the Soviet Union. Majority of the liberal reforms, were implemented making the book to yield not only in the promotion of specific policy proposals, but in shaping the zeitgeist of 10s prejudice. The potency and shortcomings of the New Left are projected in Mills’ polemical writing s (Mills 54). Facts Goertzel Uses Against Mills Analysis According to Mills analysis, there has been an introduction of the power elite in the 1960s. These are termed as the definitive assumptions, terminologies and research techniques. The objective approach of the examining group’s success is directed by the economic resources. The main principle of the sanction of power is the ability to maintain a balanced national income. The industrial complex is increasingly dominating the American nation. Goertzel states that there have been two main intervals of military upsurge during the last thirty years - the Vietnam War and the Reagan years. These upsurges are exceptional of the longer trend. These exclusions have been as

The Role Of Ward Based Advanced Nurse Practitioners Nursing Essay

The Role Of Ward Based Advanced Nurse Practitioners Nursing Essay This original research was conducted in a large teaching hospital in North West England that examined ward-based Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) and aimed to clarify their roles and expectations in patient care and how they impact the clinical practice. Study participants (which consist of five ANPs, 14 ward-based nurses, and five patients) were observed and invited to participate in interviews. The roles and skills of ANPs were observed and gathered from the interviews. ANPs were described as pivotal in the management of patient care and served as an invaluable link between the medical and nursing team. They frequently translated medical information for nurses, patients and other allied healthcare professional to make sure that the plan of care was well understood and provide further explanations if necessary. ANPs were observed to be confident practitioners, good information resource and by using their technical knowledge and skills served as a role model to support the nurses and junior doctors to enable them to be more efficient in providing care. In addition, ANPs were found to be less intimidating than doctors and more approachable in resolving care issues. Meanwhile, ANPs were faced with a number of challenges and have to ove rcome skepticism from other health professionals who have different views on the ANP role expectation and scope of practice. ANPs perceived that their education had not adequately prepared them for their clinical role. ANPs have great impact in nursing practice and patient care. Although the study strives to clarify the role of the ANPs, the findings regarding the role of ANPs are not clearly defined and lack consistency that may lead to role conflict and overload. Running Head: How are acute care nurse practitioners enacting their roles in healthcare teams? A descriptive multiple-case study This multiple-case study conducted in two-university affiliated teachings hospitals in Quebec, Canada aimed to understand how cardiology acute Care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) enacted their roles in healthcare teams. Data were collected from interviews, field notes, documents and time and motion study of NP activities. The work activity pace was faster before noon due to patient care demands. Participants in one hospital believed that NP role was not an integrated role of medical and nursing components but an expanded role because they assumed more expanded nursing role components than the medical role. In addition, NPs needed to consult with physicians for patient care decision making that were within their scope of practice. They did not have that much authority in regards to decision making due to lack of structures to formalize the organizational role. There were also inconsistent messages about the role expectations to attempt to formalize the prescriptive authority of NPs which had not been approved by the medical advisory board. On the other hand, participants in the other hospital believed that NPs enacted their role more in the medical component since the medical directives and prescriptive privileges had been approved by the medical advisory board. NPs had greater autonomy in their role and prescriptive authority. It was also noted that NPs participated very little in nursing activities such as implementing nursing care plans or use of clinical care pathways. In both hospitals, the largest role component was the clinical role. The transfer of prescriptive and decision-making authority must be addressed to enable NPs to work their full scope of role to optimize patient outcomes. Clarifying role structures were expected to enable the NPs enact their role in healthcare team and prevent role confusion. Running Head: Defining NP scope of practice and associated regulations: Focus on acute care This review of literature was conducted to define the NP scope of practice (SOP) with emphasis on NPs in acute care setting. Documents were gathered from different resources including National Council of State Board of Nursing (NCSBN), individual state board of nursing, and NP scope and standards of practice. According to Federation of State Medical Boards (2005) and NCSBN (2009), à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“SOP is a set of rules, regulations and boundaries within which a fully qualified NP may practiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . It defines what activities a profession can undertake. Both practice acts (state regulatory board form of statutes approved by legislators) and its rules and regulations define NP SOP and require approval from legislators to become law. The Consensus Model for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) Regulation was developed to resolve different issues concerning inconsistent APRN education and licensure requirement across jurisdiction and issues in certification. It helps stand ardize regulations for APRNs. Professional regulators are working together in implementing a consistent SOP for NPs in all jurisdictions. According to American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), NPs are licensed independent practitioners that provide nursing and medical services emphasizing on health promotion and disease prevention. In addition, NPs have a collaborative practice agreement with the physicians. However, regulations are different from state to state NP SOP are not clearly defined and further clarifications are needed especially as it pertains to NPs working in acute care to ensure that NPs are practicing according to their education, training and competency as evidenced by the certifications they hold. Running Head: NURSE-DIRECTED INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE CATHETER-ASSOCIATED URINARY TRACT INFECTION This research focuses on the evidence-based practice guidelines conducted at the University of Colorado Hospital as a quality improvement project to initiate a nursing-driven approach to reduce the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infection and improve patient outcomes. A catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most common cause of healthcare-associated infection. It is a major health concern leading to prolonged hospital stay and increased healthcare cost. Evidence-based use of indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) must be enforced to reduce the prevalence of CAUTI. In this project, an intervention design was implemented to evaluate the nurse-driven intervention incorporating evidence-based guidelines. The goal is to decrease the prevalence CAUTI by emphasizing health education on specific unit-based nursing practice. Improving the nursing care by educating the nurses regarding insertion, management and early removal of IUC to ensure the best practice and expanding this education to ancillary services (eg. rehabilitation and transport staffs) were found to positively impact the CAUTI rates. Focused unit interventions such as providing education on postoperative catheterization, use of bladder scanner to check for urinary retention to minimize IUC reinsertion, and encouraging early removal of the urinary catheter were found to decrease the catheter days and prevent infection. Providing education by infusing the best evidence into current practice are important interventions to raise awareness. Incorporating evidence-based guidelines and strategie s by focusing of nursing-driven interventions can improve patient outcomes.

Witches :: essays research papers

In the Malleus Maleficarum, Sprenger and Kramer’s basic argument about the origins of witchcraft is that witchcraft is found chiefly in women due to several reasons that focus on characteristics of women. Sprenger and Kramer argue that witchcraft in women is more probable because women were very naà ¯ve and impressionable, carnal lust is never satisfied in women, and they are of lower intelligence and weaker memories than men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Women are viewed as very naà ¯ve and impressionable because they are influenced much easier and therefore they are more likely to become involved with the devil. Women were â€Å"more credulous, and since the chief aim of the devil is to corrupt faith, therefore he rather attacks them†(120). Women being credulous and naà ¯ve makes it easier for the devil to entice them into witchery. They were also much more impressionable making them prime targets for â€Å"disembodied spirits† to influence them and cause wickedness (120). The spirits referred to are those of evil and without faith, and since women were more vulnerable they would be more likely to abandon faith and be inclined to follow the devil. Sprenger and Kramer state that a â€Å"wicked woman is by her nature quicker to waver in her faith, and consequently quicker to abjure the faith, which is the root of witchcraft† (121). This further shows how much more likely it would be for women to become witches since the naivety and impressionability of women is what would cause the quickness to waver and abjure faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sprenger and Kramer felt the insatiable carnal lust that was part of women led them to witchery because their lust cannot be satisfied and it would lead to involvement with the devil. Proverbs xxx states â€Å"There are three things which are never satisfied, yea a fourth thing which says not, It is enough; that is, the mouth of the womb† (127). Women basically are viewed as women obsessed with sexual encounters that could not be satisfied by man alone, so they in turn would become involved with the devil to fulfill their desires. This is also shown when a woman falsely accuses Joseph because he would not agree to have sex with her and he ends up imprisoned (121). As explained in the selection â€Å"when she hates someone whom she formerly loved, then she seethes with anger and impatience† (121). This shows how the lust of the woman who accused Joseph caused her wickedness to accuse him.

Management Control in Mnc’s

Control and organizational learning in MNCs: an analysis through the subsidiaries Abstract : For any large complex organization the problem of ensuring its constituent activity in accordance with overall policy and, at the same time adapt to its environment, is a central and continuing concern. Thus, the fundamental question which must be answered is ‘what control mechanism can facilitate the adaptation process in the local market? ’ In multinational corporations (MNCs), the control mechanism, imposed by headquarters, has an objective to integrate the subsidiaries’ activities to the global strategy. However, the presents on the local market necessitates the adaptation to the local environment characteristics. The objective of this paper is to contribute solving the dilemma between control and learning in an MNC. The interaction between control and learning process will be analyzed. The literature study leads us to develop a typology based on two factors: the stage of the learning process (knowledge production and mobilization) and its locus (local or global). The combination of these two factors provides four configurations. The control system produces knowledge, both locally and globally, which can be mobilized by the local or global units. A proposition to resolve our main problem is formulated. The combinations of these four configurations make it possible for an MNC to resolve the dilemma between control and learning. An application of this typology has been carried out by analyzing case studies of MNCs operating in Indonesia. Keywords: control, organizational learning, multinational corporations, local / global 1 Introduction For many companies the process of internationalization strategy leads them to operate in many countries spread over whole continents; they are then confronted with the increasing risks related to uncertainty which rapidly developing countries present (e. g. Argentina in 2001 or Asia in 1997). The MNCs must thus deal with a great number of local heterogeneous situations, fast growth in one, crisis elsewhere, which require local adaptive apacities, but at the same time require the implementation of coordination mechanisms or effective control systems, which do not paralyse initiative and innovation. In order to define the issue of globalization, the question of integration and differentiation can be asked, as was initially developed by Lawrence and Lorsch (1967). The new element which emerges is that of the scale, that of planetary organizations. It is thus a question of answering the centralization / decentralization dilemma which is also described as a local / global dilemma. Beyond the terminologies, this traditionally structural issue has developed in a context where differentiation is at a maximum: national cultures, logistic structures, regulation, local industrial structures and, more generally, multiplicity of specificities. One of them seems worthy of interest to us, the case of a local situation which is characterized by a fundamental crisis. These situations are of particular interest for the researcher: adaptation to major upsets and the decisions taken to respond to these random upsets within a time and space period. This question can also be found in the design of the control mechanisms. Whereas the definition of Anthony (1988) lets us believe that the only purpose of management control is to implement strategy, but the reality is more complex with an explicit role of questioning that strategy (Simons, 1995). Control appears thus not only one factor of order and integration, which fights against entropy and inefficiencies, but also like a vector for learning intended to restore the effectiveness of inadapted local or global strategies. This aspect is even more relevant when the environment is strongly heterogeneous, even more so when it is changing a lot. While taking into consideration that â€Å"the suitability of the control systems to forms of learning which are sought after within the framework of the strategy ensures a certain organizational performance†, we will try to reformulate the traditional integration / differentiation dilemma in terms of control / learning interactions. This movement, this rotation, has the advantage of representing a traditional problem in a more dynamic way. After all, the question of adaptation is not so much a problem of structure as a problem of process. After having specified the subject of our analysis, the MNC, and having outlined the meanings selected of control and organizational learning, we will then describe their possible interactions in order to define an analysis grid. This grid will be tested on French companies located in Indonesia. Control / learning interactions in MNCs The denomination of an MNC covers various realities which all raise such varied problems, in particular as regards integration and differentiation. Between the global specialist which provides a more or less universal model in all the countries of the world and the transnational organization which locates its global processes according to the comparative advantage; there are major differences in terms of goals as well as means. After having assessed the various forms of organization involved in international activities and specified their dynamics, we will develop a framework of analysis of the control / learning interactions in order to propose an analysis grid. The structure of the MNC and its dynamics The diversity of MNCs has led to the proposal of various typologies. The most frequently quoted are those of Bartlett and Ghoshal (1989) which distinguish global, multidomestic and transnational firms, and Heenan and Perlmutter (1979) which identify the ethnocentric, polycentric, geocentric and regiocentric models. These two typologies have some common points, for example, the ethnocentric can be associated with the global firm. The typology of Bartlett and Ghoshal (1989) will be used in preference to that of Heenan and Perlmutter (1979) which is more focused on the personal element. This factor remains the first lever of control but we wanted to focus on the way in which operations are organized, which will induce, inter alia, choices in the field of human resources. The configurations described by Bartlett and Ghoshal are ideal types which are seldom observed (Harzing, 2000). Organizational type Configuration of assets and competences Every MNC is faced with the integration / differentiation issue for two main reasons: †¢ organizations always show differences in relation to the standard described ideals, which lets us believe that differentiation and / or integration processes are still on going; †¢ the adoption of heterogeneous organizations according to function maintains tension between integration and differentiation. There are strong differentiating and integrating tensions within the MNC; they are sometimes reformulated in the form of a centralization / decentralization dilemma. These same tensions are observed in the divisional company; they are at the origin of the appearance of a particular coordination mechanism, management control. The basis of this coordination mechanism is on the one hand the decentralization of responsibility and on the other hand the centralization of information. This observation indicates to us a particularly relevant analysis approach. Whereas the differentiation forces introduce into the organization a form of entropy which requires an additional control effort, the integration forces, initially motivated by the search for economies of scale, pose problems of local adaptation. Therefore, the increased learning capacities are essential in order to benefit from these economies. The idealtypic model of a transnational organization would thus be that of a company which is able to strongly centralize information, but at the same time able to inspire considerable learning faculties within its subsidiaries. An other way to appreciate the differentiation integration link is to analyse the relationship between learning and control. The need for the latter must nourish the former. A larger meaning of control Since its emergence in the 1920s at General Motors and its first definition as suggested by Anthony (1965), management control has always proved delicate to define. Nevertheless, there is a certain consensus around the second definition of Anthony (1988), who stated management control â€Å"as the process by which managers influence other members of the organization to implement the organisation’s strategies†. Analytical vision Synthetic vision The analytical vision leads us to consider control systems as a whole set of control tools or means. The synthetic vision provides varied analysis grids in terms of dimensions, goals or configurations. Whatever the approach adopted, the field of management control appears in the end to be particularly wide: there is a divergence between the organizational practices and the meaning outlined by the majority of the researchers. This is why it appears preferable to use the expressions â€Å"control† or â€Å"organizational control† which cover management control but largely exceed it. By retaining such a definition, it is not a question of defending a hegemonic vision of control but simply of underlining the need for developing a whole set of systems with coherent objectives. This coherence is necessary in order to reach its strategic objectives, which is the main aim of control, but also to induce the essential learning in order to reinforce or to question the strategy. The definition of organizational learning is quite as difficult as that of control. Organizational learning and associated concepts The literature reviews devoted to organizational learning are numerous (Koenig, 1994; Huber, 1991;Levitt and March, 1988; Fiol and Lyles, 1985). Each one proposes an individual analysis of the phenomenon. For Levitt and March (1988), â€Å"organizations learn when they code in routines, which guide the practices, of the lesson of their history†. The definition suggested by Argyris and Schon (1978) is complementary: â€Å"we learn when we detect an error and correct it. An error corresponds to a difference between what we await from an action and what occurs indeed, once the committed action. An error, it is the difference between the intention and the result obtained. We also learn when we obtain for the first time an agreement between the intention and the result†. Although Levitt and March (1988) emphasize the organizational dimension whereas Argyris and Schon insist on the individual dimension, the two reflexions indirectly agree about the recognition of distinct levels of learning. For Levitt and March (1988) referring to the work of Cyert and March (1963, pp. 123-125) and Nelson and Winter (1982, pp. 96-136), the two main categories of routine must be distinguished. In order to characterize these two categories of routines, they can be qualified as static and the dynamic ones. The static routines consist of the simple repetition of former practices whereas the dynamic routines are continually directed towards new learning. This second category is a risky process made of trial and error; these routines enable innovation and thus allow organizations to change. These two categories can be put in parallel with the two levels of learning as described by Argyris and Schon (1978): the single and the double loop learning. The first process, when a dysfunction is noted, aims at correcting it by rehabilitating the practices (single loop). The second process requires the principles which underlie the practices to be reformed in order to correct the noted dysfunction (double loop). Based on the work of Argyris and Schon (1978), Sinkula (1994) proposes a more detailed analysis by retaining seven hierarchical levels ranging from encyclopaedic knowledge (declaratory) to the deutero learning (way of producing new knowledge). Management control, in its most traditional and restrictive meaning, plays a privileged role in the learning process: its aim is to identify the deviances, the variations and to explain them in order to undertake corrective action. But is it a question here of individual or organisational learning? The question is of utmost importance even if the individual learning is the basis of the organizational learning. Learning is thus the production process of knowledge. Having defined the concepts of control and learning, their interactions can now be analyzed. Control / learning interactions The link between control and learning is frequently made (Simons, 1995; Macintosh, 1994) even if systematic analysis are still rare. This is one of the research avenues as identified by Bouquin (1999) which are all the more promising as the reporting system activities are the principal sources of knowledge (Huber 1991). Only Kloot (1997) has thoroughly investigated this interaction, even if particular consideration has to be given to the context of the empirical investigations: two Australian districts. Kloot (1997) associates control systems with phases of the learning process but she concentrates mainly on illustrating the role of control systems in generative learning, which is the only way of facing the changing environment. Control systems as varied as appropriate accounting information, performance evaluation systems or a quality improvement program all appear to enable generative learning. These observations confirm those of Simons (1995): that organizations, in general, have an interactive control system which, through debate and dialogue, must enable the emergence of new ideas and new strategies. Simons (1995, p. 106) evokes double loop learning for the interactive systems whereas the diagnosis control systems do not generate single loop learning. Nevertheless, there is a contradiction between the two approaches. Kloot (1997) identifies within the two districts, multiple control systems which enable a higher level whereas learning according to Simons (1995 ), organizations should only have one interactive system. One can envisage two explanations which are more complementary than exclusive: either the identified learning is not of a higher level, or the districts observed are undergoing a crisis period so that they use all their diagnostic control systems in an interactive way. However, the learning process can not only be limited to the sole acquisition of knowledge. Thus, Huber (1991) described this process through the following phases: acquisition of knowledge, distribution of information, interpretation of information and organisational memory. The interest of this division lies in the variety of locus of these phases. Acquisition can be dispersed or on the contrary concentrated in specific services, distribution can be spontaneous or planned, interpretation specialized or generalized and the memory can be distributed or centralized, thus producing a great number of possible configurations. Without exploring all of them one is able to notice that a control can be carried out with each phase. It thus channels the knowledge production process and in return also mobilizes it. knowledge and control: If control is described as a vector of learning (knowledge production), it should also be noted that, in order to have a global vision of the interactions, control systems also mobilize knowledge. This last point will not be developed1 just like the influence of strategic orientations on the types knowledge produced. It is possible to think that the prospectors, such as they are defined by Miles and Snow (1978), will seek to induce more generative knowledge whereas the defenders will privilege more adaptive learning. According to the strategy, the control systems process different types of data. The control mechanisms thus appear as a privileged means of organisational learning, in particular from the point of view where organisational learning is considered as the transformation of individual knowledge into organisational knowledge. The vision of organisational learning as a process which was developed by Crossan et al. 1999) break the learning up into four phases (intuition, interpretation, integration and institutionalization) and associate them to three observation levels. This enables the transformation conditions to be specified. It is first of all advisable to outline that Crossan et al. are interested in strategic change whereas we are interested in all types of learning or knowledge, fro m the most factual to the most elaborate . To resume again with the terminology suitable for international management, institutionalization can be local as well as global. Incremental learning can also lead to local and global change; the same is true for radical learning. It is in the phases of interpretation and integration that the control systems play a major part in the transformation of individual learning into organisational learning. We will not talk about the intuition phase which is basically individual, or the institutionalization phase which consists of using produced knowledge2. During the interpretation phase, the individual, through language, names things and starts to explain what was only feelings, foreboding or sensations. When interpretation moves from the individual to the group, it becomes integration. It is through the permanent exchanges between the members of a community and through shared practices that shared interpretations or the collective conscience develop. The financial indicators illustrate this process. The operations managers generally start by interpreting only the consequences of his actions (intuition followed interpretation). Analysis grid proposal The analysis of control/organisational learning interactions reveals two phases of the same process: knowledge production and mobilization. Vis-a-vis the great diversity of knowledge produced, as illustrated by the typology of Sinkula (1994), it is essential to specify the range the learning. In the case of the MNC, the characterisation of the scope of the learning can be made by analysing the learning locus. Does it relate to a local or global scale? Does it occur in an operational unit or in a central body? By associating the process phase (production / mobilization) and its localization (local / global), four cases thus appear. They correspond to four major types of interaction, which bring out four forms of learning induced by the control tools. The terminology adopted in this typology is more than metaphorical: Knowledge mobilization Global Box 1: The media model ERP, CRM and SCM The integration of information systems enables global knowledge to be produced and circulated, erasing any local specificities, which will be mobilized in the same way. Knowledge is mediatized by technology. Box 2: The initiatory model Studies carried out by head office Studies carried out by head office (global production) are circulated to all the subsidiaries. Each one interprets them to its own local situation. Global knowledge is adapted. Knowledge production by the control system Local Box 3: The evangelist model Identification of best practices The development process of a product used by a subsidiary (local production) is used by all subsidiaries (global mobilization). The best practice, once identified, will be the good word spread through out the organization. Box 4: The epidemic model Benchmarking Exchanges between subsidiary managers, within a benchmarking process, could mean that a locally eveloped practice could be used elsewhere, but always in a local context. Contagious circulation could be more or less widespread. Analysis grid for control/ learning interactions Let us describe these four situations by means of some examples. During a monthly meeting between a manager and his subordinates, a performance follow-up system makes it possible to identify an interesting management practice (local production). This knowledge can be mobilized locally through interpersonal exchanges (box 4, benchmarking being another illustration) or globally if the practice is formalized and circulated throughout the organization (box 3, the ideas box is another example). By processing information from databases, an analyst based at head office will be able to identify a good practice (global production). If these conclusions lead to the formalization of a new management process, the mobilization will be global (box 1, example of a new procedure). If its conclusions are merely available, only the interested people will interpret them and use them freely; the mobilization will be local (box 2). To emphasize the link between the place where the knowledge is produced and that of its mobilization gives the control systems a logistical viewpoint, how then does the control reach its targets? Learning in general, is not limited to the production of knowledge; it is also a way of transmitting that knowledge. The substance of our typology can be found in this dual observation. The â€Å"controlled learning† can thus be defined as the effort made when applying the resulting knowledge and therefore intended to make organisational control effective. The four highlighted forms address this problem very precisely. The media model is also that of the mass media (corporate communication) as well as that of individualized media. It is also that of propaganda, of Utopia which makes us think that a small group can produce a single mental framework, circulated by means of communication technology, thus mediatizing the message. The initiatory model is characterized by two attributes: it can be secret but more often discrete and specific to the person addressed. Discretion guarantees its specificity. In this model, the head office which produces knowledge circulates in a general and ritualized way, by adapting its application to local situations. The main aim of ritualization is to obtain commitment from the receiver. The evangelist model is based on the gospel truth, which solves the problem of circulating a general message by a minority or marginal employee of a message with universal vocation. In extreme cases, one could speak about prophecy. At the heart of the evangelist model one can find the problem of conversion. Finally the epidemiologic model corresponds to a kind of organized anarchy, a network model, without any center or aim, is built through a dynamic of individuals and thoughts. Is there an ideal type? Are some types more adapted than others to certain situations? At this stage of the analysis it is still difficult to decide. It is probably the combination of these four types of mechanism which increases the chances of succeeding internationally by exceeding the local/global or integration/differentiation dilemma. The purpose of empirical study is to further appreciate the relevance of this analysis grid by seeing it in action. Methodology The complexity of the phenomena studied as well as the exploratory character of this research justify the choice of a qualitative method. One must defend the right level of analysis. By asking the classical question concerning the link between differentiation and integration or, in a more dynamic way, the interactions between control systems and learning process, the favoured observation point is the subsidiary. From a strategic point of view, the question is not so much that of choosing a structure than that of the capacity of managing in a way which is adapted to each local unit. These factors are enough to justify the level of analysis but do not take into account the interest of the case which we are studying with the precise aim of testing our analysis grid. It was necessary to find a critical situation in which the need for adaptation was increased by the specific nature and dramatization of local conditions. Indonesia was very recently one of those environments which best met our methodological requirements. The contingencies enabled a multiple yet quite informed examination. These contingencies have their limits, they bare subjectivity. We will have controlled them through different circuits. The managers of six subsidiaries of the largest French groups setup in Indonesia were met by the members of a bicultural research team made up of two Indonesian and two French researchers. In all cases one of the team members spoke the mother tongue of the managers. We met other local members of staff who provided us which additional information. The interviews lasted between 2 to 4 hours. In five cases out of six, more than two interviews were carried out. An information retrieval made it possible for us to prepare and complete the information collected. In all cases, the interviews took place on site, and were accompanied by site visits. They were supplemented by other meetings at the Franco-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, within the economic development department and from among other Indonesian colleagues and specialists. Indonesia is the fourth most populated country in the world with 220 million inhabitants. The country began to climb out of the 1997 crisis which affected the all of South-East Asia. Although it is very rich in natural resources (oil, natural gas, tin†¦ ) and very vast (1. 8 million square kilometres), in 2002 the primary sector only represented 17% of the GDP as compared with 44% the secondary sector and 39% for the tertiary sector. The year 2002 is the period of study, i. e. during the period immediately after the fall of Suharto, after the social, political and economic shock. This was a period during which the companies interviewed had no clear general direction. The interviews carried out were general. They concerned three main topics: the description of the Indonesian subsidiary, the manager experience and the relations with the group. During these meetings, we gave greater importance to the facts while being very conscious of the limits of such an approach: the crisis situation encouraged the managers to rethink the facts or modify their interpretation in order find some sort of coherence. We sought to identify the actions and the reasons which caused them. The actions seemed to us to be more important than the mental framework. The limits of this test lie in the difficulty of separating the actions from their intentions. Complex coordination mechanisms Given the impact of the strategic orientations on the types of learning, the six cases were split into three groups which are characterized by the combination of two criteria: the degree of the firm’s involvement in Indonesia, and the level of centralized or decentralized control. The degree of involvement is characterized by the level of the investment and assets; the centralized nature can be evaluated by the number of expatriates, the share of the capital controlled and the reporting characteristics. This classification is more down to the researchers than the application of strict criteria. It outlines an analysis in terms of strategic groups, from the nature of the criteria used, but also in the way they describe of homogeneous configurations. This aspect will not be developed. This split only has a methodological aim: to compare control and learning systems by partially controlling the data through the strategies which generate them. The first two companies which correspond to the first group, are characterized by (1) minimal involvement, the following two (2) through a relative immersion in the culture and the economy of the country linked to a large-scale involvement and by the autonomy given to the local unit, and (3) global piloting is the last involvement strategy identified, as it implies a large-scale investment, but with global piloting. Let us remember that all the companies observed are in a similar situation: they are confronted by a country with an attractive market but whose political uncertainties induce risks which strongly influence the entry strategies. Minimal involvement The potential of the Indonesian market is arousing a lot of interest. The first to enter this market could take a decisive lead. Any lost time could only be made up for by paying the full price later on; the preemption market strategy is thus a reasonable one. However, all the companies do not have the necessary financial resources to tap the market or wish to reduce the risk; they thus minimize their investments, while ensuring a presence on the market. Two cases corresponding to this situation were studied. The way in which involvement is minimized is very different in both cases: an alliance in the first case and a commercial presence in the second case. The common point between these two cases is that the local entity is used as place for learning, for experimentation and for observation. One could wonder whether the law rate of involvement does not simply reflect the intention to learn. Giving up immediate profits is the corollary of the hope of substantial profits in the medium/long term. EXAMPLE: PT Bank BNP Paribas Indonesia began its operations in Indonesia in November 1989 under the name of PT Bank BNP Lippo Indonesia. This was a joint venture between the BNP group and the Lippo Indonesia group, one of largest Indonesian conglomerates. Up until February 2000, the distribution of the capital was split between the BNP group with 70% and Indonesian partner with 30%. In October 2000, following the merger between BNP and Paribas, this joint venture became Pt. BNP Paribas Indonesia. For the Lippo Group, the co-operation with BNP Paribas was the result of its strategic development plan in the financial business through an alliance with an organization of worldwide reputation. However, the drop in business after the 1997 crisis led BNP Paribas to increase its share to 100%. PT BNP Paribas Indonesia provides corporate banking services for large Indonesia companies and MNCs. That means that BNP Paribas does not have a retail activity on the Indonesian market, which would be very heavy in terms of investment. The presence of BNP Paribas in Indonesia can be justified by its will to accompany its traditional clients, the MNCs, on the majority of their markets. It is also a question of eing present on a market which could experience strong growth. Thus, BNP Paribas is preceding its clients when they decide to enter the Indonesian market. The weak presence of the competition frequently puts BNP Paribas in a position of being the only key player, hich enables it to demonstrate its know-how and which can help it to grow on other markets. The interest of this strategy is further intensified by the fact that BNP Paribas represents other banks in Indonesia. The manager of the subsidiary carries out the daily management operations. The strategic decisions are taken after consultation with the regional office based in Singapore. Many operations are carried out using the regional SOP (standard operation procedure) or logistics platforms. As with every corporate bank, PT. BNP Paribas Indonesia uses strict procedures in terms of credit granting. For these decisions, the senior banker who is located in Paris or New York plays a determining role; he ensures the follow-up of major worldwide account portfolio. In other words, the manager of the Indonesian subsidiary is the nterface with the client (large Indonesian companies or MNC subsidiaries) but also with the market to make the regional office aware of business opportunities. Immersion Whereas the two preceding case is characterized by a will to minimize investment in Indonesia, the following case can be distinguished by the amount of heavy investment. From these two cases, it is articularly hard to generalize, but the local managers appeared to us to be very receptive to the local culture. The two managers interviewed have few contacts with the French expatriate community This situation is also the result of the plant location of these groups which are not present in the center of the Indonesian capital, but rather symbolic located on industrial parks in the suburbs of this large city. Another common point, lies in the large amount of autonomy in decision making and action taking at the subsidiary. The control mechanisms which have been developed are particularly complex; they illustrate perfectly the local / global dilemma. 4 Case n °3 : Aqua, a subsidiary of Danone This agro-food company has invested heavily in Indonesia by taking a majority share in a family company with more than 7. 000 employees. The family was unable to finance its large industrial investment projects. However, the transition was carried out carefully, over several years, with the objective of completely taking over the Indonesian company. The local manager shows the group culture: after 4 months of presence, he speaks to its teams in ndonesian. The manager is the only expatriate; the other managers are Indonesian and mainly trained in the United States or in Australia. The company also benefits from support functions in finance, marketing and human resources, called â€Å"task forces†, all based in Singapore. Every month, one of these teams plays a consulting role. As concerns technology, the local managers are kept directly informed; indeed, the law wage costs bring about very different problems from those encountered elsewhere. Generally speaking, there are few procedures. The group values are internalised, except communication which has to meet the group’s standards. Besides the geographic mobility of the few foreign managers, training is one of the main vehicles for spreading culture. This is only â€Å"in-house training† according to their specificity, which is organized in Asia or in Paris. One is tempted to conclude that control is based on values, ways of thinking, enabling the company to adapt locally with complete freedom. It can be noted that the Singapore regional coordination ensures the group’s presence even if it is only temporary, minimal and specific. The subsidiary is responsible for its financial performance, but the group influences the marketing methods, technologies and finance through a close but discrete piloting. Global piloting The last two subsidiaries studied have one main feature: they both â€Å"undergo† strict control from their head offices. The difference being from the two previous cases is that these companies are based in the Jakarta business district, completely immersed in a cosmopolitan culture. They are characterized by the large presence of expatriates and various and numerous contacts with the Parisian headquarters. Case synthesis and discussion The observations carried out reveal three recurring factors: the presence of French expatriates, the existence of an intermediary level between the parent company and the Indonesian subsidiary and the misuse of the joint venture. The French expatriate manager often represents the first lever of control. This observation must however be balanced: there are other mechanisms highlighted in the case presentations and there is also bias in the case selection. The French expatriate manager is happy to share his experience which, for the researcher, facilitates the exchanges a lot. It is a means for them to break with a certain form of nsulation. However, when reading the directory of French companies located in Indonesia, one can see that usually the manager is French. The proposed theoretical framework was based on the local / global distinction whereas the reality appears to be more complex with the existence of a quasi-systematic regional direction. A buffer seems necessary either to apply decisions or to support local initiatives. The Asian office is often located in ingapore or Bangkok but sometimes in Paris. The office generally has few means; it is a country manager who frequently carries out this coordination role. The analysis of the role of this level would in itself be a research subject. Finally, the joint venture is often presented as a privileged way to enter an unknown market. This type of governance would make it possible to spread the risk and take advantage of the local partner’s market knowledge. This is what we observed for only one of our six cases. In the other cases, the co-operation is only an administrative constraint which should imperatively be respected in order to obtain authorization to invest in Indonesia. One of the limits of this type of organization is that it makes us believe that development opportunities can only be seized with a minimum of involvement hereas a strong implication is essential to overcome the real cultural barriers. For example, how can one imagine working with a partner who always says â€Å"yes† or more precisely never dares to say â€Å"no†? Having raised these recurrent facts, it is now interesting to present a synthesis of the control mechanisms observed by classifying them according to the proposed a nalysis grid A first striking fact is the difficulty to observe mechanisms enabling the global circulation of local learning, except in the case global piloting strategies (case 5 and 6, L’Oreal and Total). The fact that these mechanisms are not emphasized does not mean that they do not exist. The two cases are in particular engineers who go back to France presumably with bags of local knowledge thus contributing without doubt to the constitution of a more global knowledge. In the other case, his type of knowledge is circulated through interaction between the local manager and his international business manager in Paris. In both cases, one can witness the role of a local information agent. The similarity between the two cases is to be found in the media learning models which move from the center to the periphery and which make up a form of group culture, including sophisticated reporting systems, as well as a specialized structure for international business. The tools which make it possible to produce and mobilize global knowledge (box 1), in accordance with the global corporate model, are mainly not that suprising: it concerns information systems and communication strategy. When products need to be adapted to a market, apart from communication, R&D centralization is a powerful control lever. An original tool has been identified with the case of the senior banker who can make us think of operational form of matrix structure. For the two global piloting cases (L’Oreal and Total) one can see the emergence of a configuration which is based on linking a media learning model (where the center lights up intensely the whole of its empire) and of an evangelist model, limited in range, which would seem to balance the other model. At this stage of the research, one could formulate the idea of a relation between these two models: the first would arouse the second, the latter being finally the control of the control. If the amount of investment justifies uniform knowledge, the weaknesses of the imperial model could be corrected by inoculation in the center of the organization coming from the periphery and brought about by the channel of conviction and personal experience from among the expatriate executives who were then repatriated. One observed the tools enabling organizations to capitalize from learning which is only produced and mobilized locally (box 4, the epidemic model). That mainly concerns cases 1 and 2 (Sanofi and BNP Paribas). It can be explained by the careful strategies of these firms and their limited involvement. The subsidiaries would be laboratories where one tries to adapt and control the local conditions for a possible expansion on a regional level. There is therefore a balance between the epidemic model and the media model which takes on the form of centralizing some knowledge which is mainly related to the technology of the product or service. This learning configuration thus enable a certain acclimatization, if possible, of a core competence and letting local learning processes adapt them. It has been noted that some tools producing global knowledge which will be differently mobilized from one country to an other: training, international experts and tasks forces (which only have an advisory role and distinguishing them from the senior banker). At first sight, we could have thought that these tools would not be widespread; that is not the case. Some of the tools observed are used in different ways. This is the case with corporate culture (box 1 or 2) or expatriates (box 1 or 4). A strong culture can lead to homogeneous behaviour at a global level (Total). However, when the respect for and the adaptation to local cultures are key values (Danone and Air Liquide), the culture brings about different behaviour according to the context. These two last cases are characterized by an initiatory learning model which is based on important information, expertise and training, but leaves the subsidiaries with a strong amount of autonomy. These companies core competences (technology, brand, markets knowledge†¦) could be circulated gently and unintentionally with support from the regional offices as concerns the cultural implications. This is backed up by a second occurrence: the need to adapt locally leads to the organization of learning around a central point made up of a local manager and his regional alter ego. Let us note that it is in these two cases that one observes the lowest number of expatriates and in some cases totally absent. These few cases not only illustrate the different types of control mechanisms used but also the variety of their uses. Two main results emerge. The first one is the identification of three learning configurations linked to the control systems. The first includes two flows, one based on the media model which is balanced by an other flow from an evangelist model. The second one is also based around a media model and uses local support through an epidemic mode. The third one which is also based on a media model which guarantees the group values, is organized around tension between an epidemic and an initiatory model. The first one ensures a certain homogeneity of initiatives and the second one the adaptation and the suitability. Conclusion The proposed analysis grid concerning the interactions control / learning which are based on the phases of the learning process (production and knowledge mobilization) and its locus (local / global) has been developed to study parent company / subsidiary relations. Numerous control tools which can be used in different ways have been observed; tools enabling the control / innovation or integration / differentiation dilemma to be overcome, to broaden its dynamic perspective and to provide deeper analysis of the adaptive process. This grid which was used during the observation period, even though superficial, has finally provided positive results. It reveals learning structures and takes into account their internal and external coherences. It appears to be relevant. One needs, of course, through further in-depth case studies, to test the validity of those three configurations which have been identified. Finally, since we are limited to examine the learning produced by the control system, it would be suitable to examine the relevance of this grid in relation to other sources of knowledge (i. . : dealings with the suppliers and customers, market research†¦ ). These results will necessarily be confirmed through further investigations. The perception of headquarters would be very enriching. One could also contemplate making some comparisons with the practices of American, British, Japanese or German companies. The interviewees have often underlined the differences that exist in practices between their group and their main competitors. It would appear that in terms of international management there exists a French exception. As far as the expert are concerned, the analysis grid represents a diagnostic tool which enables control system weaknesses or further action levers to be identified, to understand further the general configuration of relations between the parent company/ subsidiary and also the general coherence of adaptive mechanisms. It is finally possible to envisage using this grid to analyze other control situations. If we have chosen to work from the specific point of an international management problem, the suggested model could also be applied to other issues, provided that we take are taking into account a question of suitability between local and global learning and that there is a central link between this two points. We should also consider that organizational control systems play a key role in the acquisition, circulation, memorization and use of organizational knowledge.