Arabic Women in Leadership Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Arabic Women in Leadership - Term Paper Example In order to find the position of Arab women as leaders within various organizations, this paper will first discuss the social and traditional mindset towards Arab women where they are viewed as primarily suitable for domestic work; then it will discuss gender discrimination in workplaces in Middle East, and explore to seek whether men have innately better leadership qualities then women. While studying these issues the paper will also discuss the fine thread balance that working women must maintain between their professional and family life, the various obstacles that they face while entering the line of businesses, the indicators that are signaling a change for the rights of Arab women and the training programs or ways for leadership development focused on improving the workplace situation of Arab women.    Discussion Traditional gender bias in domestic labor in the Arab countries: Increased participation of women in workplace (primarily after WWI and WWII) had led to a kind of re volution that broke down the age old notion of division of labor where it was believed that in a family, men were breadwinners, while women took part in the domestic chores (unpaid), and were dependent on their male members for support of a financial kind (Blau, 1964). The bargaining and contract models, social exchange models had once predicted that increased participation of women in the workforce would bring them more freedom and justice both in office, and in home as regards fair division of unpaid domestic labor (England and Farkas, 1986). However this did not take place in reality and women were still facing bias, where they were still being viewed as being more suitable... This essay discusses that there have been some perceivable changes in the Middle East countries in the area of private businesses, with more women are forming their own enterprises, thus slowly changing the equation of a woman role in the national economy (ibid). Here OECD presents encouraging figures, where it shows that in Bahrain, in the 1960s, women workforce comprised of only around 5% of the total labor force of the country, compared to an average 30% women workforce in the US during the same time.Similarly, inâ€Å"United Arab Emirates, where female-owned businesses faired considerably better than those in the US in 2007, with 33% of the Emirate companies surveyed earning annual revenues of more than US$100,000, compared to only 13% of women-owned businesses in the US in the same year†¦.and from 1990 to 2003, women's share of economic activity in the MENA region increased by a fifth. In the Arab countries, there is no doubt that the patriarchal mindset is still widely pr evalent and women still considered more suitable for unpaid domestic work. Women are treated with general bias at workplaces, and especially so while selecting candidates for top managerial posts in a company when they are overlooked simply for their sex without any consideration for their capabilities or efficiencies. To make complete use of the economic potential, both men and women in the Arab countries must be given equal opportunities at the workplace, or else, the economy of these regions would always remain underused.

RENAL COMPONENT ASSESSMENT (IN ITU) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

RENAL COMPONENT ASSESSMENT (IN ITU) - Essay Example This notwithstanding, some people develop a medical condition where the kidneys are almost incapacitated or fail to adequately perform this role of filtration of waste products from the bloodstream. Once this situation is diagnosed, the person is said to be suffering from renal dysfunction, kidney failure, or renal insufficiency. The situation described above is only the end result of the health problem as it involves several complex component aspects that bring about this medical condition. This paper therefore aims to critically assesses and analyse renal dysfunction from a medical point of view, where emphasis is placed on renal anatomy and physiology, effect of renal system on cardiovascular and respiratory systems, clinical plans for renal dysfunction, and the treatment of various components of renal dysfunctional situations such as hyperkalaemia. Case Study Analysis This is a case of 90 year old Mrs. X (name withdrawn for ethical purposes of anonymity). Mrs. X has medical histo ry that includes hypertension, cataracts and previous rectal prolapse. Three days before her admission to the ITU, she had been presented to the Accident and Emergency Unit with abdominal pain. She was then treated for urinary tract infection using Trimethoprim and then sent home. On the day of admission to the ITU, which was three days after she left the Accident and Emergency Unit, Mrs. X was found with nausea, distended abdomen and suffering anuria for 3 days. Through an Electrocardiography, Mrs. X was identified to be showing ventricular ectopic beats with the following readings: blood creatinine 984, urea 54:8, potassium 8.7, CK 227, and CRP (c-reactive protein) 177. Indeed this case gives a multi-variant indication of possible complications that Mrs. X may be suffering from. But more significantly, it would be noted that most of the situational conditions of the patient are highly related, and for that matter, related to the functioning of her renal systems (UK Renal Associati on, 2012, p. 86). According to UK Renal Association (2012, p. 87), there are three major groups of renal failure, with each of these having their own causes based on their location within the renal system. These types are prerenal renal failure, postrenal renal failure and intrinsic renal failure. For patients with prerenal renal failure, they are diagnosed to have perfusion of the kidney, which signals that there is lack of proper cleaning in the blood (Web MD, 2010). This may be caused by dehydration, continual blood loss or heart failure. Postrenal renal failure on the other hand involves an inhibited flow of urine out of the two kidneys, leading to amassed pressure in the renal nephrons (Watts, Harri and Shaw, 2010, p. 98). This is often caused by factors including bladder stone, kidney stones, and neurogenic bladder. Intrinsic renal failure is however a damage to both kidneys and is not associated or caused by either prerenal or postrenal renal failures. Intrinsic renal failure is however caused by vascular diseases, diseases of tubules, and acute tubular necrosis. By comparison, it will be noted that Mrs. X is currently suffering from a postrenla renal failure as she shows symptoms directly related to her renal nephron functioning. Quite apart from these renal related issues, her experience with cataracts and hypertension could be said to be highly isolated for her current symptoms,

Common Moral Purpose in Organizations

Common Moral Purpose in Organizations Please answer all the following questions based on Weeks 2, 3, 4 and 5 and submit your answers through Turnitin by Sunday 2nd April at 11.59pm. Answers to each question should be around 250 words. Please use your textbook and journal articles to support your answers (2 to 3 references per question including the textbook required) Question 1: Do you think the term used by Barnard common moral purpose (pg. 103) is a good way to describe what happens in work organizations? Why or why not? (Please have a look at chapter 4: The Human Organisation to support your answer) A common moral purpose is somewhat of a good way to describing how an organisation functions according to Chester Barnard. It is appropriate in some aspects as individuals are usually advised of the companys goals and how to achieve them. Employees go to work to achieve a common purpose, whether that be creating a product or providing a service to customers. Usually their job descriptions and roles will relate to the companys objectives and long term goals. In this way employees do all have a common moral purpose. However, the concept of organised collective activity, in which individuals put the companies needs and objectives above their own may not always be possible to achieve. However, Barnard theorised that it can be accomplished through incentives such as recognition or rewards. This may encourage employees to be more productive, although if their main purpose is to come to work just to make a living, rather than to achieve the companys goals, incentives may not work effectivel y. The motives of the employees must be matched with companies for a common moral purpose to be achieved. Nevertheless, it has been suggested that an individuals personality may not be adequately overpowered by the forces of the common moral purpose. Employees must value companys ideas and believe in them. If this occurs a common moral purpose will be more easily achieved. El-Harber, N 2016, Foundations of Management, 1st Edition, New South Wales Mourkogiannis, 2005, Strategy + Business, The Realists Guide to Moral Purpose, blog post, November 23rd, viewed 27th March 2017 https://www.strategybusiness.com/article/05405?gko=fea8f Question 2: Rational-bureaucratic organizations are supposed to develop the best means to achieve their goals. Based on your reading of Chapter 5 (pg. 56), what would you say are some of the obstacles to making the best decisions about ways to reach a goal or solve a problem? Do some organizations have a more difficult time with this than others? What kinds of goals or problems do they deal with? (Please have a look at chapter 5: Bureaucracy, Rationalisation and Organisation theory to support your answer) The rational-bureaucratic organizational model is built on the machine metaphor of organisations that draws an analogy between the relationship among the parts of a mechanical device and the relationship among positions in an organisation. (El-Haber, 2016, p.56) This theory was conceived by Max Weber. It utilises a formal hierarchy, specialization, impersonality and promotion based on qualification and achievements, to help a company achieve their goals. These elements assist in accomplishing a fair and equal work place, clear directions and which then aids employees with who to seek guidance from. Yet there are still obstacles when applying this model in the workplace. The strict and rigid conformity to rules and procedures can undermine the companys main objectives. This occurs as employees are heavily focused on obeying company policies leading them to overlook the companys goals. This could then result in lessen productivity. In an organisation where products are produced, this c ould affect the end product. Another pitfall of this model is the assumption that a formal position equates to automatic authority. Authority and respect must be earnt by the authority figure and not demand. If it is, it may cause resentment and lessened productive among employees. Weber also believe that the most technically able employees should be put into these formal positions. This may be a contradiction as he stated that promotion should be able on qualifications and achievements. Someone may be highly technically able, but may lack the interpersonal skills and qualifications to effectively manage and liaise with employees. Although Webers model can benefits in achieving goals, it may negative affect product due to its disadvantages. El-Harber, N 2016, Foundations of Management, 1st Edition, New South Wales Stanley, H 1959, Journal article, Bureaucracy and Rationality in Webers Organization Theory: An Empirical Study, Vol. 24, No. 6, p. 791 795, 29th March 2017, https://www.jstor.org/stable/2088566?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Framing Apologies in a Political and Diplomatic Context Essay -- criti

Introduction This essay is an analysis of the 2005 paper, by Janna Thompson, â€Å"Apology, justice and respect: a critical defence of political apology.† A paper presented at the Australian Association for Professional and Applied Ethics 12th Annual Conference, Adelaide, September 28–30. This paper can be found at http://www.unisa.edu.au/hawkeinstitute/gig/aapae05/documents/thompson.pdf. Summary This paper critically evaluates the importance of negotiations and expansive discourse in framing apologies, especially in a political and diplomatic context. Focusing on two relevant Sino-American issues, viz. the 1999 bombing at the Belgrade Chinese embassy by US aircraft and the 2001 airplane collision between a Chinese fighter jet and an American spy plane, the author evaluates pragmatism in diplomatic apologies, with specific reference to the US apology to China during these two events. Methodology and Objectives This study was based on off-the-record interviews that were conducted in late 2001 with four anonymous US State Department officials who were involved in public negotiations of the US apologies. The author writes that his aim in carrying out these interviews was threefold. Firstly, he wished to clarify the intricacies of international diplomatic apologies. Secondly, he intended to â€Å"probe† the opinions of official diplomats on such apologies. Finally, he aimed that this study would contribute to a greater understanding of the characteristics of diplomatic apologies and the pragmatics involved therewith. Observations Through this study, the author puts forth the fact that most political apologies are framed in such a way that both the nations’ real political goals are achieved. For carrying out an act ... ...graphs 51, no. 3: 227-242, accessed August 10, 2011, http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/13165_Chapter1.pdf. Gopen, George, and Judith Swan. â€Å"The Science of Scientific Writing.† American Scientist, November, 1990. Accessed August 10, 2011. https://www.americanscientist.org/issues/issue.aspx?id=877&y=0&no=&content=true&page=4&css=print. Strongman, L. 2011. ‘What on earth?’: Understanding ambiguity toleration in business communication. PRism 8(1): 1-14, accessed August 10, 2011, http://www.prismjournal.org/fileadmin/8_1/Strongman.pdf. Thompson, Janna. 2005. â€Å"Apology, justice and respect: a critical defence of political apology.† Paper presented at the Australian Association for Professional and Applied Ethics 12th Annual Conference, Adelaide, September 28–30. Accessed August 10, 2011. http://www.unisa.edu.au/hawkeinstitute/gig/aapae05/documents/thompson.pdf.

Investigatory Project in Physics

Investigatory Project in Physics Submitted by : Jay Loteyro Anecito Trongcoso Submitted to: Ms. Matilde Macawile Balloon Powered Car When it comes to powering a race car, there are a ton of different options. Some cars are powered by gasoline, diesel, or other combustible fuels, or you can even power miniature race cars using a mousetrap! In the Balloon Powered Car, we'll show you how to build a racer that uses the power of air pressure to roll across a room. Objectives: a. ) to create a balloon powered race car for maximum speed and distance b. ) to incorporate Newton's Laws of Motion Materials: Foam core or corrugated cardboard * Wooden barbeque skewers * Regular cardboard * Straws * Tape * Balloons * Scissors * Wire cutters Procedure: 1. ) Start off by cutting the chassis of your car. We don't condone the use of blow torches or saws during Sick Science experiments, so you have to create the chassis using scissors and foam core (corrugated cardboard works great, too). Cut a 6Ãâ€"3 inch piece of your chosen material using the scissors. 2. ) A car is nothing without axles. Given the size of your car, wooden barbeque skewers will make perfect axles. Use wire cutters to snip two 4†³ pieces of skewer. 3. You need to mount the axles to your chassis in a way that allows the axles to turn freely. For mounts, cut two 3†³ sections of straw and use tape to fix the mounts to the front and back (3†³ sides) of your chassis. 4. ) Now that you have axle mounts, mount your axles! Slide the wooden skewers through the middle of the straws. 5. ) Axles are great, but humans invented the wheel for a reason. The wheel was invented for use on the Balloon Powered Car! Use scissors to cut four quarter-sized pieces of regular cardboard. Similar essay: Vinegar Battery Conclusion If it helps, you can trace a quarter or circle of similar size to give yourself some guidelines. . ) Push the cardboard circles onto the skewers, one on each end of both skewers. Without needing lug nuts or a compression wrench, you've mounted your wheels. 7. ) Cut the mouth ring (the lip that you blow into) off of the balloon. This will allow for a better seal between the balloon and the exhaust pipe. 8. ) For the exhaust pipe, insert a straw approximately 1†³ into the balloon. Use tape to securely fasten the straw inside the balloon. The tighter the seal, the better your exhaust pipe is going to work, so make sure as little air as possible can escape. 9. Mount the exhaust pipe so that the point where the straw and balloon connect is about 1†³ from the end of your chassis. Taping it at this point is your best bet. Secure the straw so that it points straight out from the chassis. 10. ) Inflate the balloon and pinch the straw to keep air inside the balloon. Place the racer o n the ground and let it go! Conclusion : The concept behind the Balloon Powered Car is pretty simple, but that doesn't make it any less impressive! When you blow up the balloon, set your racer down, and let it go, escaping air from the balloon rushes out of the straw causing propulsion.The principle at work is Newton's Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the case of the Balloon Powered Car, the action is the air rushing from the straw. The reaction is the movement of the car! The moving Balloon Powered Car has kinetic energy, but even an object that isn't moving has energy. This energy is called potential energy. The potential energy of the car is in the elastic material of the balloon. As the balloon fills with air, it builds more potential energy. As the air flows from the balloon, it changes to kinetic energy. This is the conservation of energy.

Literary Analysis: Monkey’s Paw

What makes a scary story? Is it the death of an important character or a guy in a mask scaring people? W. W. Jacobs, the author of The Monkey’s Paw uses numerous amounts of literary devices to make this story interesting. In my essay I will be responding to the theme, mood/imagery/personification, and foreshadowing. In this story a sergeant major is in possession of a monkey’s paw that appears to be magic. The paw allows him to make wishes. But every time the man makes a wish, death takes someone in return. He does make a wish for a vast amount of pounds, or money.But of course someone dies, and it just so happens that it was his son. The theme in this story is that with great power comes great precaution. For every wish, he must know that lives are at steak. Like the fact that he wishes for money, but his son dies. â€Å"What goes around comes around†, was a great quote that wasn’t used but is a grand example of what could, can, and did happen. â€Å"For tune rules peoples live. Sorrow† was another high-quality quote that explains that no matter what you do fate controls people’s lives.His son died because of an accident at work so therefore the company of the work place gave the family 100,000 pounds, so I would say that this was a strange coincidence. â€Å"A sergeant major is in possession of a monkey’s paw that appears to be magic. The paw allows him to make three wishes, but for a price. Every time he makes a wish death takes someone in return. The lesson or theme takes place in these aforementioned sentences. The theme is to be careful what you wish for. Foreshadowing is in this whole subsection, a man has a monkey’s paw and he gets to make three wishes.But if he does make a wish, someone will die in return. He does get his wish, but this wish takes course in the death process. In the story, the father makes a wish and the son dies in a terrible accident at work. In the occurrence the son’s e mployees felt sorry for the father’s family therefore giving him 100,000 pounds. â€Å"Without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlor of Laburnum Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned vibrantly. † The imagery was how the fire burned. The imagery also introduced the mood. The mood made me have a snug because the locale was at night and the blinds were drawn as the ire burned. The mood was showed by the imagery. Cold, wet, night time, and inside there was a flamboyant fire. That mood gave me the homely sensation because the weather was ghastly but inside there was a pleasant fire. The author W. W. Jacobs does an immense job at fusing the mood and imagery in one sentence. W. W. Jacobs does an equisetic job with the topic sentence using mood and imagery to hook the reader. In the foremost sentence the author fuses the mood and imagery to make a setting that gives the reader a snug feeling. I enjoyed the book The Monkey’s Paw

Caribbean Studies, History Essays

Caribbean Studies, History Essays Caribbean Studies, History Essay Caribbean Studies, History Essay Peasantry Peasantry in the Caribbean dates back to 1838. Technically, peasantry is a combination of the cultivation of a variety of goods and the raising of a variety of animals on fairly small pieces of property without the aid of hired labour and largely for subsistence purposes. Brierly and Ruben (1988) describe peasants as typically economically deprived people at the lower strata off society. Characteristics of Caribbean peasantry Historically existed on the crevices of society – any area where the main economic activities of the Europeans did not have control. Historically the peasantry existed in opposition to and in competition with the plantation despite their interdependence. According to Marshall, Caribbean peasantries incorporated non-agricultural activities such as fishing, shop keeping, and casual estate work. Caribbean peasantries have always involved the production of some goods for sale in local markets. Types of peasant communities in the Caribbean Europea n peasant communities Runaway slave communities – The maroons of Jamaica, Spanish Santo Domingo and Suriname for examples. (Many of these maroons traded products for weapons and or clothes. ) Slave farms on the plantation Significance and contribution of the peasantry to Caribbean society – â€Å"Emancipation in Action† (Sidney Mintz and Woodville Marshall) Social Enhanced money and time management skills of slaves and later ex-slaves. Engendered self-reliance, planning and political awareness among ex-slaves. Maintaining social and economic stability in rural and non-plantation areas via attempts to build self-generating communities, villages, churches, schools etc. Soften the rigid class divisions that existed Cultural New and renewed cuisines Artistry and artisanship Economic Slaves learnt cultivation skills and soil management. Added to the establishment of the local cooperatives movement and P. C. Banks Added to the export and trade of Caribbean c ountries via the diversification of agricultural produce Increases self-sufficiency especially in the export markets Difficulties Ex-slaves had tremendous difficulty in legally acquiring land due largely to government polices and planters’ activities. Completion from non-agricultural activities such as bauxite, tourism and oil in Trinidad; Migration particularly after 1945; Poor living standards for many peasants; Shortage of resources (capital, knowledge, storage and transportation facilities) Completion from cheaper imports Wasteful agricultural practices.

VisitBritain Britains National Tourism Agency

VisitBritain Britains National Tourism Agency Britain’s national tourism agency that markets tourism industry in Britain and oversees is known as VisitBritain. VisitBritain is a non-departmental public body that receives its funding from the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport. To ensure effective and appropriate marketing of Britain in 35 global markets, VisitBritain collaborates with partners within and outside the United Kingdom.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on VisitBritain: Britain’s National Tourism Agency specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the partners include Wales, Scotland, England, and London tourism boards as well as worldwide brands like the English Premier League, Samsung, and agencies run by the government such as operators, airlines, and UKTI (Miles Snow 1978, p. 64). The board of tourism in Great Britain Tourist Authority (BTA) formed under the Development of Tourism Act in 1969 employs the term â€Å"VisitBritain.à ¢â‚¬  The main aim of establishing VisitBritain was to promote the tourism industry within England and oversees. During its formation, the English Tourism Council and the British Tourism Authority had joined efforts. In an effort to promote tourism in Europe, VisitBritain and other members established the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) in 2006. VisitBritain also aims at promoting the tourism industry in the United Kingdom. According to a study conducted by a National Audit Study, planning and execution of marketing strategies applied by the organisation is excellent (Ramgulam, Raghunandan Raghunandan 2012, p. 331). Organisational Structure VisitBritain board comprises eight members, Christopher Rodrigues the acting chairperson, CBE, and other six. The secretary for Culture, Olympics, Media, and Sport appoints five members and the sixth member is appointed by Welsh Assembly. During Board meetings, the chairpersons of VisitScotland and VisitEngland join as ex-officia l members. Few observers are also invited during the meeting (Ramgulam, Raghunandan Raghunandan 2012, p. 333). Objectives of VisitBritainAdvertising Looking for assessment on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Ramgulam, Raghunandan, and Raghunandan (2012, p. 335), VisitBritain aims at motivating tourists from oversees to visit Britain and explore. Second, the organisation encourages residents of Britain to spend their holidays in Great Britain. It aims at improving and promoting the quality of facilities and services offered to tourists in Britain. It is its duty to offer advice on matters related to tourism to public bodies and the tourism industry in Britain. VisitBritain offers worldwide network to promote tourism oversees. Marketing strategies applied by VisitBritain VisitBritain inspires overseas tourists to tour Britain. A new partnership was launched by the Prime Minister betw een the tourism sector and VisitBritain at the beginning of 2011. The joint venture formed a foundation for a marketing program expected to last for four years. Events like the 2012 Olympic Games that will take place in London, Paralympic games, and 2012 Diamond Jubilee will attract large numbers of people to visit Britain. VisitBritain cooperates with a variety of industries, carriers, public diplomacy, and brands to develop public relation programs, digital content, marketing, and inspirational websites that attract tourists from overseas to tour the country. Tourists are motivated to visit and gain knowledge of different regions and nations in Britain. The aim of VisitBritain is to ensure that even with increased competition in the tourism sector; Britain is still among the top tourist destinations in the world (Sarles 2011, p. 40). VisitBritain launched the first global campaign through the broadcast media in June 2011. The organisation had several short films and advertisements during which potential visitors received warm and personal invitations from celebrities. In September 2011, VisitBritain used 3D artwork and conducted several stunts advertising the quality of services and offers in 10 cities around the globe. In addition, the organisation campaigned online through the internet to create awareness and reach as many people as possible. Online partners use digital and social media. Working with internet search engines like Twitter, Facebook, Google, and Yahoo, the web-based television has enabled VisitBritain to reach the majority of young people. Internet search engines offer a quick and efficient communication means for people at distant places. This motivates people to visit Britain. The success of VisitBritain in online activities is evidenced by the honors it has received like the Group travel award for providing the best online information and times online award for developing the best tourism board twitter site (Sarles 2011, p. 45).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on VisitBritain: Britain’s National Tourism Agency specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Government agencies of the United Kingdom in overseas countries also play a major role in promoting Britain’s tourism industry through promoting Britain as a convenient place to do business, undertake studies as well as spent holidays and vacations. VisitBritain has worked hand-in-hand with other partners like P and O Ferries, DFDS Seaways, Easy Jet, British Airways, Hilton Hotels, and Resorts, STA travel, and Radisson Edwardian. The above industrial partners have offered financial support toward promotion of the tourism industry through the campaigns. VisitBritain’s partners contributed around  £20 million in support of the campaigns (Hudson 2008, p. 80). Other important partners are tourism agencies like VisitWales, VisitScotland, and VisitEngland in the United Kingdom. They offer a ri ch variety of contents in the tourist destination areas encouraging tourists to tour Britain. The organisation wishes to mobilise Britons to invite their relatives and friends to come to Britain. Britain reaches out to more than 60 million people through social media. VisitBritain aims at attracting more visitors from within the United Kingdom. VisitBritain has established trade, consumer, and media websites in 21 markets around the world that help in creating awareness of large numbers of people. These markets account for three-quarters of the expenditure of inbound tourism. Different traditional and innovative strategies of marketing like social media, PR activity, press, branding, digital, and tactical advertisements are applied. This makes it easy for the organisation to analyse and offer advice on issues and challenges hindering the growth of tourism (Buhalis 2003, p. 60). VisitBritain carries out research and analysis of tourism industry, organises, and facilitates trade and s ales events, and merges with public diplomacy partners like UKTI, British Council, and FCO to ensure worldwide promotion of Britain. The main focus of the organisation is core markets and online awareness as well as networked representatives that enable VisitBritain to reach many potential tourists. Some of the marketing services offered by VisitBritain include market intelligence and insights, B2B, and media connectivity, match-funding, funding, and providing security to local partners, diplomatic public works, and helping overseas tourist agencies working to promote the tourism industry in the United Kingdom (Schuler 1992, p. 23). VisitBritain analyses the trends and performance of the tourism industry to give insights to the industry on how to develop products of interest to international tourists for efficient marketing of the industry. The organisation advises the UK government on issues related to tourism. The advice focuses mainly on the position of the tourism industry in Br itain in relation to her international competitors.Advertising Looking for assessment on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More VisitBritain examines the core markets to determine the necessary steps to be taken to ensure effective competition of Britain’s tourism. VisitBritain analyses and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the industry as well as establishing tourism strategies that could make the government, national board of tourism, public diplomacy bodies, and the tourist sector in Britain to cooperate. In 2010, Britain attained position seven in terms of international tourism and position six in the number of international tourists visiting the country. Turkey, Germany, and Australia are stiff competitors in terms of arrivals. This shows that there is a stiff worldwide competition in the tourism industry (Misiura 2006, p. 33). Britain’s tourism sector is competing with several emerging markets that are growing fast as well as cultural destination areas popular in other countries (Clarke Flaherty 2005, p. 46). For instance, China is among the three countries in the world with the highest number of tourists. Out of 130 tourist destination areas, Britain was ranked seven in the World Economic â€Å"Competitive Index† Forum in 2011. The aim of VisitBritain is to ensure that the tourism industry in Britain moves higher. Britain is ranked 21st in regulatory frameworks, 11th in infrastructure and business environment, and 3rd in as far as natural, cultural, and human assets are concerned. VisitBritain believes that if tourists are to travel from Latin America, Middle East, India, and Asia to Britain for the first time, necessary measures should be taken to make Britain a welcoming, accessible, and desirable destination area for tourists. To enhance competition and win the market share, VisitBritain has to cooperate with the tourism sector on issues pertaining to the development and packaging of products. Moreover, it has to cooperate with the government on issues concerning capacity of aviation and visas (French Runyard 2012, p. 60). For efficient marketi ng of Britain, VisitBritain works together with commercial partners to get marketing assets and funds. VisitBritain has established partners with Radisson Edwardian hotels, P and O Ferries, British Airways, DFDS Seaways, Hilton Hotels, and Resorts, American Express, and other boards. VisitBritain operates and distributes VisitBritain shop platforms through online and offline retail shops to third parties. Online shops enables tourists from all parts of the world to book for attractions in London and United Kingdom, sightseeing tours and make payments using their local currencies and language before travelling (Rogers 2012, p. 87). This is beneficial for tourists because they can plan for their holidays while at home countries to avoid long queues in Britain. The estimated number of annual visitors to the online shop is 1.8 million. Tourists are provided with quality products to enhance their stay in Britain. The organisation runs B2B marketing travel trade missions, workshops, and e xhibitions oversee that attract partners from the tourism sector. Around  £1.8 million of the expenses is generated in this way (Ashworth Kavaratzis 2010, p. 110). VisitBritain conducts campaigns that create awareness of potential visitors, thus contributing positively to tourism industry. The campaigns are mainly implemented in target markets through many events and channels to reach large numbers of people. Tourism businesses receive free insights, statistics, and market research from VisitBritain, including operator directories for tour and trade and market profiles. The relationship between VisitBritain and travel industries like B2B newsletters, exhibitions, workshops, assisted sales calls, workshops, and Agents training program help VisitBritain to create awareness on services and facilities available in tourist destination areas in Britain (Kotler Armstrong, p. 152). List of References Ashworth, G, Kavaratzis, M 2010, Towards effective place brand management: branding Eu ropean cities and regions, Edward Elgar Publishing, New York. Buhalis, D 2003, ETourism: Information technology for strategic tourism management, Prentice Hall, New York. Clarke, I, Flaherty, T 2005, Advances in Electronic Marketing, Idea Group Inc., London. French, Y, Runyard, S 2012, Marketing and public relations for museums, galleries, cultural and heritage attractions, Routledge, New York. Hudson, S 2008, Tourism and Hospitality Marketing: A Global Perspective, SAGE, New York. Kotler, P, Armstrong, G 2004, Principles of Marketing, (10th ed.), Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Miles, P, Snow, C 1978, Organizational Strategy, structure and Process, McGraw Hill, New York. Misiura, S 2006, Heritage marketing, Routledge, New York. Ramgulam, N, Raghunandan, M, Raghunandan, M 2012, ‘The quest for sustainable business tourism: an examination of its economic viability in Trinidad,’Global Conference on Business Finance Proceedings, 7, 2, pp. 331-342 Rogers, T 2012, Conference s and Conventions, Routledge, New York. Sarles, C 2011, ‘Introducing applied dissertations: Opportunities for industry connection in postgraduate study, Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport Tourism Education, 10, 1, pp. 37-48 Schuler, R 1992, ‘Strategic human resource management: Linking the people with the strategic needs of the business,’ Organizational Dynamics, 21, 1, pp. 18 -32

A Critical Evaluation of BRITISH AIRWAYS

A Critical Evaluation of BRITISH AIRWAYS HISTORY & BACKGROUND OF BA British Airways has been in operation since 1930s. During the start of the World War II, British Airways and Imperial Airlines merged together and started a new subsidiary company British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). The aim was to provide the long distance international services and to cover the short distance services in Europe. The British European Airways (BEA) was in operation. (Papadogiannis, 2006). In 1974, BOAC and BEA merged together to operate under the brand name of â€Å"British Airways†. During the early 1980s, BA encountered some financial problems. Therefore, Sir John King was appointed to take control over the privatization project which successfully transformed the organization in the year 1987. (Datamonitor, 2005) http://thanabut.blogspot.com/2007/05/1-introduction-this-report-is-written.html ORGANIZATION’S OVERVIEW British Airways is the UK’s largest & one of the leading premium airlines of the world. It oper ates its flights to the finest airports around the globe. The focal point of BA’s business is London with major operations at Heathrow, London City & Gatwick airport. Around 20  million people reside within the distance of these airports. Along with the passenger services, they also deal in worldwide air cargo business. They have one of the most extensive & busiest international air networks. In conjugation with their franchise partners they connect over 300 major destinations (airports) in the world. Records depict that BA carried around 32 million passengers all over the world in the year 2009/10. BA contributes a significant share in the UK economy. They play a crucial role in trade, commerce, fulfilling needs for business & leisure travel. During the financial year 2009/10 they generated revenue of about 8 billion GBP, which was 11% less as compared with that of the previous financial year. Out of this total revenue 87% came from the passenger travel, while cargo transp ortation accounted for 7 per cent & the remaining 6% revenue was from other activities. They transported & delivered about 760,000 tones of cargo to several destinations in Europe, America, Asia & all over the world. By the end of the fiscal year in March, 2010 BA had a large fleet of 238 aircrafts in service, which comprises of Boeing 747s,737s,757s,767s, Airbus 318s, 319s, 320s, 321s, Avros & Embraers etc. BA has a huge manpower of over 40,000 employees. (Hoovers, 2006) (www.britishairways.com) MISSION & GOALS OF BRITISH AIRWAYS Mission of British Airways The slogan of British Airways is â€Å"The World’s Favourite Airline,† so the organization’s mission is to make this slogan a reality by providing world class & efficient services both in-flight and on the ground. (http://finance.mapsofworld.com) The mission statement of British Airways is to be a leader in the international aviation sector & world travel industry. In order to successfully achieve this missio n they follow certain principles:- Honesty & a sense of responsibility towards their customers & company’s policies. Safety & security of passengers & the employees. Developing a strong feeling of innovativeness & team spirit among the staff members. Developing a global approach by delivering high quality services worldwide. It is the dream of every organization to achieve appreciation in the form of customer loyalty & long term relationship. The management aims at maximising profits by reducing the extra costs involved in the production process. Similarly, in the airline industry also customer satisfaction is given the first priority. Customers should get the value for their money. http://books.google.co.uk

Course journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Course journal - Essay Example The internet also allows us to do homework much more easily than we were in the past because there are many resources. We can complete all of our assignments in the comfort of our own home. Facebook has allowed me to connect with so many of my old friends. Malcolm Xs the Ballot or the Bullet speech was aweinspiring. The 1960s was an amazing time period with so much happening. Pop had reached records with bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, John F Kennedy died after being elected, and the Civil Rights Movement concluded with a bang when Malcolm X gave his incredible speech. The people of the 1960s must have been feeling jerked around over and over again. I see the speech on video and think, how could something draw so many people and be so depressing at the same time. We have many followers of Malcolm X and many enemies witnessing his speech. I could not imagine how anyone would want to listen to something so detrimental to my future as a black person. Unfortunately, this is how things were done at that time. Incredible political history was witnessed and Malcolm X paved the way for so many changes for the black population to become what it is today, accepted and strong. Segregation was his philosophy because he knew that wh ites were not going to do anything about improving the situation if blended together. He also took on a more violent approach because he knew that no changes would be made unless some drastic measures were made. Malcolm was a pas sionate person with powerful words to convey an even more powerful message. No speech in history could compare to his speech because no movement was like the Civil Rights movement. I am not black but I could not imagine living in the society they live in dealing with the prejudice they deal with. It appeared to be a life that was so hard to deal with that I am surprised at how brave Malcolm and others like him were. It takes a very special person to

Compare 2 articles Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compare 2 articles - Article Example They discussed topics concerning ways of reviving comparative education, nature and importance of comparative education, techniques of teaching comparative education, and popular forms of research in comparative education. He argued that first hand visitation was necessary in order to incorporate in comparative education study. Later on, he professionalized the society. By becoming professional, they wanted to be seen as a group of serious, scholarly-minded people with an elevated level of research, teaching, and publication (Brickman, 1968). He also made his own definition of comparative education. Moreover, he incorporated international education and comparative education under the domain of the history of education. He also opposed to the application of statistical and scientific tools in comparative education. Furthermore, Brickman dedicated most of his academic life to editing journals and various publications. Apart from editing different academic works, he advocated for making use of logics in assessing the arguments, claims, and reasons of individuals, as opposed to people themselves. Paulo Freire was born in Brazil in 1921 at Recife. His father was a successful banker who suffered bankruptcy due to the 1929 Wall Street crash. The family’s financial problems forced them to move to the countryside where they lived the life of peasants. Freire spent the greater part of his life trying to liberate the oppressed. He did this by advocating for education that enhances critical thinking; opposing straight restrictions to freedom, and pointing toward liberation of students and teachers all over the world. In Pedagogy of the Oppressed, he draws attention to ideological or political duty of education. In this work, he brings out versatile themes such as dialogue, the banking concept of education, and oppressive education. Erwin Epstein and other individuals opposed Brickman’s proposal of changing CES to CIES. Brickman had incorporated

The value and impact of information technology investments and the Thesis

The value and impact of information technology investments and the implications of those investements for effective management of the information systems organization - Thesis Example It has been concluded after performing this research that the technological resources are allocated by investing in the field of the information technology. Different firms which are existing and running business want to improve their operations and working systems of the business. Hence the impacts which are measured after the implementation of these technological advancements are known as the intangible benefits. These initiatives are increasing more in the developing countries which is discussed in detail in the report. This factor contributes in the overall economical performance of the organization as well as to the country. Moreover it is beneficial for the competition also. There are several reasons which are present in the thesis for which organization wants to improve the overall operations or few departments with the help of information technology investment. The value that is achieved by the use of IT is also described in paper for having a clear idea about the advantages and uses of these types of investments. The paper concludes with in-depth analysis of the framework discussed and provides some options which can be implemented in organizations looking for IT advancement. Technological advancements in every field are necessary and should be used by organizations striving for their development. Every organization whether big or small needs to be updated and want to invest more in the field of information technology. Every organization works specifically on improving their operations and processes with the help of latest information technology techniques and processes. Large companies focus more on these types of investments in order to get the maximum output from its operations and to earn more revenues.

Internal and External Pay Equity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Internal and External Pay Equity - Research Paper Example The equity theory states that the wages of the employee must match the job standards and the labor market (Dreher & Dougherty 2002). The managers hence believe that if they fail to match the wages wit the rest of the industry, chances are the best qualified employees will migrate to the rest companies that are paying better. The company that pays lowly will also not attract qualified people. This implies that incompetent personnel will be guiding the company which is translated as a management failure. According to Dreher & Dougherty (2002) matching the pay to the overall industry pay roll or the value of the job plays a great role in ensuring the satisfaction of the employee. This is because the morale of the employee is boosted when the relative wage that he or she is being paid is equal to the skills and abilities that he or she provides. When the image of a company is recognized, the employee feel appreciated, and works effectively to ensure the same level is either maintained or pushed to higher standards. According to the article, the only better way to ensure the best and qualified personnel are maintained in a business or company is by ensuring that their pay checks match those of their colleagues or the value of the job they are carrying out. The consequence of ignoring this is losing them to other companies and risking the operations of the company. Remuneration is termed the best motivation an employee

Dropout Rates In Educational Institutions Of Different Countries Research Paper

Dropout Rates In Educational Institutions Of Different Countries - Research Paper Example â€Å"Although high school graduates are attending college in record numbers, four in 10 are not adequately prepared for the course load that awaits them and are thus forced into remedial classes when they start college. This fact contributes to a staggering number of students pursuing a bachelor’s degree -- 42 percent, according to the infographic -- to drop out.† (Huffington Post) Course load: It seems that many students somehow manage to finish their high school but are not prepared for the challenging studies ahead. College education for such students becomes really tough which eventually forces many of them to drop out. In such cases, the academic performance of students during their high school comes into question because apparently, it did not prepare them for the tough studies ahead. Although in colleges remedial classes are offered to such students that are not doing well in their courses, if they have a weak grasp over their chosen courses then there is a possibility that they would not be able to pull it through college. Joining remedial classes requires extra effort on the part of the students and this may be a problem for those students that are working part-time or have other family-related responsibilities. The stress of the course-load for students with below-average academic performance may be overwhelming to an extent that they drop out of college/university. The percentage of such students is quite high-42%. This fact either pinpoints to the poor quality of primary and elementary education imparted in schools; or other problems like language barriers, which are more common in non-native students or students belonging to ethnic minorities.

Is Microsoft really a Monopoly Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Is Microsoft really a Monopoly - Term Paper Example Monopoly refers to a market where a particular individual or enterprise has sufficient control over a product or service and has the controlling power where it can decide the others who can have access to the product. In short, it is a market where one firm makes up for the entire market and it is the price setter for the price in that particular market. In these types of markets, the competition for the goods and services is normally less and the numbers of competitors within these markets are less. Substitute good and services are generally not available in these markets. These markets generally are comprised of a firm which takes up a greater share of the market when compared to others like in the case of perfect competition. A Monopoly is different from a monopsony where there is normally just one buyer of the products and services. This normally categorizes as an imperfect market. Also, the monopoly should be differentiated from a cartel, where a number of providers act together to coordinate the services and prices of the goods. Â  The word monopoly was firstly used in Aristotle’s politics (Baker, 2001). After understanding what a monopoly refers to it is also essential to understand a monopolistic market. This is different from monopoly and is useful to understand to check if the company falls into this category (Baker, 2001). Monopolistic markets are very common and can be considered in various aspects. There are a number of different sectors that fall into these markets. These markets are typically where there are a number of producers and many consumers in a given market, and the consumers feel that there are no price differences among the prices of the various competitors. Also, the barrier to entry and exit is very less within these markets and the producers have control over the prices. These markets in certain aspects are similar to perfect competition markets with the difference of not having heterogeneous products. Also in these types of competition, the product differentiation is very low. Here firms making profits in the short run normally break even in the long run as the demand will decrease and average cost normally increases (Baker, 2001). Â  

Dropout Rates In Educational Institutions Of Different Countries Research Paper

Dropout Rates In Educational Institutions Of Different Countries - Research Paper Example â€Å"Although high school graduates are attending college in record numbers, four in 10 are not adequately prepared for the course load that awaits them and are thus forced into remedial classes when they start college. This fact contributes to a staggering number of students pursuing a bachelor’s degree -- 42 percent, according to the infographic -- to drop out.† (Huffington Post) Course load: It seems that many students somehow manage to finish their high school but are not prepared for the challenging studies ahead. College education for such students becomes really tough which eventually forces many of them to drop out. In such cases, the academic performance of students during their high school comes into question because apparently, it did not prepare them for the tough studies ahead. Although in colleges remedial classes are offered to such students that are not doing well in their courses, if they have a weak grasp over their chosen courses then there is a possibility that they would not be able to pull it through college. Joining remedial classes requires extra effort on the part of the students and this may be a problem for those students that are working part-time or have other family-related responsibilities. The stress of the course-load for students with below-average academic performance may be overwhelming to an extent that they drop out of college/university. The percentage of such students is quite high-42%. This fact either pinpoints to the poor quality of primary and elementary education imparted in schools; or other problems like language barriers, which are more common in non-native students or students belonging to ethnic minorities.

Baudrillards ideas on the film The Matrix Essay Example for Free

Baudrillards ideas on the film The Matrix Essay It has long been a condition of western culture to act for the accumulation of material objects. This is in part due to the capitalist nature of the world within which we live. Marx identifies in The Critique of Capitalism the emergence of two new classes of people, namely capitalists and labourers. The term capitalist describes any person who has personal ownership of capital, which consists of raw materials, instruments of labour and means of subsistence (Marx). In contrast a labourer has only the value of his labour (life activity), which he exchanges with the capitalist for a wage and as such the worker sinks to the level of commodity (Marx). Because the labourer produces for the capitalist a commodity of greater value than that of his wages and in addition those wages are paid back to the capitalist in return for subsistence, therefore social control in exerted over the working class, whilst providing the capitalist with excess commodity. The labourer consentingly becomes a slave to the system on which he depends. In addition Marx states that as the relation between capitalist and labourer (manufacturer and consumer) develops, so competition between rival capitalists becomes apparent. In effect the capitalist is forced to capture more of the market by selling goods more cheaply by the consolidation and exploitation of labour power e. g. by machinery. Such a strategy ultimately limits the demand for labour and so new industries must be developed for exploitation. These new industries are necessary because capital exists only in relation to its ability to command labour and social control and as such they reciprocally condition the existence of each other (Marx). These forced increases in demand and therefore production are evident in the contemporary world market. Important to the development of Capitalism is the use of money which abstracts labour and commodity values to a common unit for the purpose of trade. In effect the labourer discovers that the product of his activity is not the object of his activity (Marx) thus a level of abstraction occurs, which was consistent with the modernist values of the time. Karl Marx and early capitalism were mainly concerned with production which remains important but it was Situationist, Guy Debord, who gave the first insights into late capitalism and the theories that best apply to todays world economics and culture of commodities. Debord, in his book The Society of the Spectacle, bases his examination of commodities around consumption, media, information and technology. As such Debord suggests that in societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has moved away into a representation. By this he means to describe the world and its products as mere appearances, where the real meanings and values of commodities are translated into signs. Essentially it is a world vision that has been objectified (Debord). Debord explains the phenomenon of the spectacle as resulting from the ever increasing production of capitalism. Because competition between capitalists inevitably leads to an excess of produce, so consumer demand must be increased. Such an increase is controllable by the spectacle as the real consumer becomes a consumer of illusions, (Debord) so he can be manipulated to believe he must consume beyond the basic necessity for survival e. g. leisure products. Therefore the spectacles form and content are identically the total justification of the existing systems conditions and goals (Debord). The spectacle is mediated in society as information or propaganda, as advertisement or direct entertainment consumption, (Debord). The effects of the mediated spectacle tend to lead the consumer to an experience of alienation as the consumers want for commodities is dictated to serve and maintain capitalism. In addition the spectacle constantly reinforces itself, for example the television, which is in itself a product of the spectacle that is then used by the capitalist to implement the advertisement of other spectacles. Essentially the spectacle is the nightmare of imprisoned modern society (Debord) and explains the transition from the degradation of being into having to having into appearing (Debord). Jean Baudrillard took Marxs Critique of Capitalism and Debords The Society of the Spectacle to their conclusions with his own theory of simulation and simulacra. Similar to the idea of the spectacle, Baudrillard describes a world where the subject of everything has been replaced by a semiological value that has become more important than the original, real meaning of the object. This object he calls a simulacra. In Simulacra and Simulation Baudrillard adds extra complexity to these ideas by establishing a hierarchy of simulation, which he gives four orders. In the first order the object is a copy of an original and so can be linked to a basic reality, for example a photograph of an actual event. The second order of simulation misrepresents the original subject; in the example the photography has been digitally manipulated in Photoshop to present a non-occurrence. In the third order a reality is recreated from a simulation of an original reality, when in fact, through the process of simulacra, the original has been lost, e. g. a scene is recreated from the digitally manipulated photograph of the original event. Finally, the forth order of simulation is the combined process of the first, second and third order to such an extent that the object bears no relation to reality or the original, for example the photograph has become a virtual reality. In this instance the link between reality and the signifying systems is almost impossible to ascertain, thus creating a hyper-reality. It is the use of one simulacra as a basis for the formation of another simulacra that shows the first signs of relevance to post modernity. Consequently, in post modernism, everything is understood in relation to everything that has come before, which in design manifests itself in referencing. Post modernism is also concerned with the fact that there is no right or wrong and essentially that no real truth exists. It is of course possible for a sign to make a transition through all four of the orders of simulation, constantly abstracting meaning and widening the gap between simulation and reality. However due to the complexity of repeated abstraction and signification it becomes necessary for an amount of speculation and simplification to occur when examining transitional examples. If we take, for example, the now famous emblem of automotive company Rolls Royce, it becomes apparent the extent to which a symbolic object can be re-simulated, each time loosing a part of its original meaning. Spirit of Ecstasy, designed by sculptor Charles Sykes and mass produced in 1911, is a cast metal emblem representing the figurine of a girl with arms outstretched to hold the folds of her gown blowing in the breeze. To the present day this emblem has been displayed on the bonnets of Rolls Royce cars and is the first order of simulation in terms of it being a representation of a real person from which the sculpture has been modelled. The object also references the figure heads of classic sailing ships in an attempt to convey the automotive product as an elegant, quite and reliable vehicle, which were the mediated associations with the brand during the early development of the company. In this instance the object enters the third order of simulation as a real event (model posing for sculptor) is created from an existing symbolic object (sailing boat figure heads) in order to be recreated as a new symbolic object (Spirit of Ecstasy emblem). At this point it is important to note that this example as an investigation could examine many more stages of referencing prior to the signs use as figure heads, though this could prove too difficult and inaccurate, again reinforcing the existence of a hyper-reality. The tea pot, designed by Michael Graves in 1985 for Alessi, brings the symbol to its conclusion. The tea pot employs a plastic emblem of a bird that is attached to the spout of the kettle and creates a whistling noise when the water is boiled. This creates a pun between the whistling of a kettle and the singing of bird but more importantly, its similar visual appearance (i. e. the wings of the bird and the outstretched arms and gown of the girl) makes a reference of Rolls Royce cars. Because during the late 20th century the values associated with Rolls Royce have matured to convey the brand as one of top class and status, so it are these value that are associated with Graves tea pot, supposed to the original associations that Rolls Royce was referencing from classic sailing ships. Therefore the product has clearly entered the forth order of simulation is it holds no relation to the original meaning that the original object as sign attempted to represent. Also, by referencing past signs, it can be described as a post modern object. Like Debord, Baudrillard agreed that simulation was important to the survival of capitalism as it, through mediation, can control the level of consumption within society. Baudrillard used the term valorisation to describe the process through which symbolic objects attain value. An excellent example of valorisation is Pokemon cards, which are essentially printed illustrations on card and so their use value is very low. However, via mediation, Pokemon cards have been given a simulated symbolic value that has made them desirable and powerful as a commodity. As well as design, Baudrillards theory of simulation and simulacra has also proved influential in film making, for example in The Matrix, directed by the Wachowski brothers. The Matrix is set in the future at a time when the real world has been reduced to a desert waste land by a war between humanity and machines; after the invention of artificial intelligence. Because the machines are dependant on solar power, the humans have caused the equivalent of a nuclear winter by blocking out sunlight. This has caused the machines to retaliate by imprisoning humans in gel filled pods so that energy can be extracted from them in the form of heat. In order to control the humans in this procedure a computer simulated world called the matrix exists, that all of the imprisoned humans are connected to, living their lives in what they believe is the late 20th century, oblivious to the fact that their real bodies are in stasis in the real world. The film therefore acts as a metaphor for contemporary western cultures. Firstly the matrix is an existence of the fourth order of simulation in that it is a system of mere signs that are completely detached from reality, i. e. hyper-reality. Just as in contemporary cultures, the people who live in the matrix are unaware that they are controlled by a system through simulation. You are a slave, neo, like everyone else you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch, a prison for your mind What is the matrix? Control. The matrix is a computer generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this (he holds up a copper battery) (Morpheus talking to Neo, The Matrix). In addition the film suggests that the prisoners of the Matrix are also dependant upon it, to the extent that they will fight to protect it. Baudrillards idea of mediasation appears in the film when it is suggested that there was a machine spawning a whole race of machines (Morpheus talking to Neo, The Matrix), thus the social control of the machines (mediation of signs) increasingly exert themselves with every new generation. Interestingly The Matrix seems to offer a solution to simulation and social control by the system, which is one of enlightenment. Once Neo understands the systems and can see the signs (computer code) of the matrix for what they really are, then he can choose to follow a different set of rules thus gaining control of his environment. As well as a theological basis on Baudrillard, The Matrix tends to convey the story via symbolic references and thus is post modern by nature. For example the follow the white rabbit scene employs a tattoo of a white rabbit, which is referenced from Alice in Wonderland in order to convey the uncertainty in discovering the truth of an alternate reality. In the same scene Neo also opens a copy Baudrillards Simulacra and Simulation in effect reinforcing links to that element of the film. In conclusion, I have identified the main themes surrounding Baudrillards orders of simulacra and simulation, shown how they relate to modern and post modern design and have given contemporary examples of their use in product design and film making. I believe that such an understanding of simulation has served well to better understanding referencing in post modernity. References Debord, G., (1977) The Society of the Spectacle, Black Red Poster, M., (1998) Jean Baudrillard: Selected Writings, Polity Press Tucker, R. C., (1978) The Marx Engels Reader Second Edition, Norton Company Bibliography Hebdige, D., (1994) Hiding in the Light, Routledge http://www.geneseo.edu/~bicket/panop/baudrillard.ht http://www.artisanitorium.thehydden.com/nonfiction/film/matrix.htm http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/master_frame.html

Public Housing Policy in the USA

Public Housing Policy in the USA Public Housing Public housing, introduced at federal level in 1937, provides for low-cost housing through public financing by means of publicly owned and managed multi-family developments. Several cities began providing public housing prior to the 1937 Housing Act, through local programs of their own. Furthermore, it was these kinds of local programs that helped mold the model for the federal program. Public Housing was environed to be a solution for homelessness, but due to several problems with residents and owners it was not as successful as planned. Although there are multiple themes and topics related to public housing and its poor success this paper will solely focus on 6 themes that are critical in understanding the history and advancement of public housing. These themes are in regards to the population it was aimed for, financing, federal public housing authority, local public housing authorities, design, and urban renewal. Public housing did not originally aim to provide housing for the â€Å"extreme† lower-class, it was actually aimed towards select members of the working class. More specifically, public housing’s original design intended to serve the needs of the industrial middle class, who were temporarily unemployed or lacked adequate employment during the Great Depression.[1] After the Second World War concluded, many individuals and members of the working class were able to purchase their own homes by utilizing low-interest mortgages via Federal Housing Administration (FHA). However, discriminatory practices took place through these benefits. In their study, sociologists Douglas S. Massey and Nancy A. Denton, demonstrate the discriminatory nature of these practices. These benefits were targeted, for the most part, towards non-Hispanic whites and consequently helped move non-Hispanic whites into the suburbs, while simultaneously keeping blacks.[2] Although Massey and Denton’s study focus on the segregation of blacks other minority groups were also affected and segregated as well. Regardless of what minority group an individual belonged to, public housings were segregated and the higher end ones were mainly exclusive to whites while the lower end ones were mainly exclusive to minorities. Public housing has also been viewed and portrayed as a solution for homelessness. According to urban planner Peter Marcuse’s study, many planners, architects and social workers had a more moralistic view because they believed that adequate housing was a necessity in order to improve the quality of life for slum dwellers. Furthermore, they viewed public housing as means of aiding the state in fulfilling its responsibility to ensure that decent and affordable housing was available for everyone in the United Sates. Early examples of unequal housing were the terrible conditions of the tenements where many immigrants lived, which inclusively disgusted many early reformers. As previously mentioned, minority groups lived in terrible public housing and in order to put an end to this the early reformers initiated demolition of the poor conditioned tenements, they also got rid of the design of interior rooms containing no windows, lastly they also bettered air circulation and added more lighting to public housing. The main issue with the terrible qualities of these tenants was that they led to dangerous and unsanitary living conditions. Within time, however, housing commissions were set up in many major cities in order to improve the quality of public houses by imposing regulations on landlords.[3] Landlords were therefore now being held responsible with providing adequate living conditions for all residents regardless of ethnicity and immigration status, which was consequently a major improvement in comparison to the previous lack of regulations and treatment of minority based public housing. In 1937, after a long struggle in Congress, the first national housing legislation passed. In addition to providing low-cost housing, the housing legislation also improved the deteriorating economy by providing construction jobs. Public housing was never actually thought of as being a long-term or permanent home for the poor. The actual purpose of the act was â€Å"to alleviate present and recurring unemployment and to remedy the unsafe and insanitary housing conditions and the acute shortage of decent, safe and sanitary dwellings for families of low income†[4] A modification was actually made to the original legislation in order to be accepted by congress which was the addition of â€Å"alleviation of unemployment† as of the main purposes of the act. This housing meant to house low-income families, which congress defined as, families who could not afford to build adequate supply of decent, safe, and sanitary residences.[5] The 1937 National Housing Legislation essentia lly intended to alleviate public housing of unsafe and insanitary living conditions. Tenant screening received support from advocates of public housing because they believed that in order to for housing developments to be successful, residents needed to be employed. According to Marcuse, when public housing was first constructed, qualitative tenant screening was the norm. But, by the 1950’s and earlier, very strict tenant policies became enforced. These strict tenant policies included that large fines for property damage were imposed and unwed pregnant women could be evicted. Other criteria included that families were required to possess two parents, the head of the household needed to be employed, and families needed to have some record of good housekeeping skills. Visits were inclusively made to future tenants’ previous homes in order to see if they were suitable candidates. Occasionally checking up on public housing developments to make sure the units were being adequately taken cared of, was another common practice.[6] The Federal Housing Authority developed several policies and programs as a response to difficulties with congress and to cope with presidential administrations. Problems with congress began with the first housing act, because it funded fewer units than it was designed to. According to law and real estate expert Michael Schill, the act only funded capital costs and expected rental income to cover most of the operational and maintenance costs.[7] Congress however wrongfully blamed rising costs in public housing to poor management. The real reason for rising costs were actually due to old buildings needing to be refurbished, high inflation, and increasing expenses. High inflation took place mainly due to tenant incomes declining. Financial problems also escalated with a small affluence of public housing construction between 1969 and 1970. The need to fund construction and other physical needs to public houses had a negative economic impact on residents, especially during that time becau se they’re income was significantly lower than usual. Public housing authorities were consequently left with a nearly impossible choice of raising rents, decreasing services and maintenance, or doing both. In January of 1973, the Nixon administration sanctioned a freeze on most federal housing programs. However, according to R. Allen Hays, Nixon and his advisors later viewed public housing as a tried and true program which is why the freeze was shortly lifted and Section 8 was created. Section 8 intended to replace both low and moderate income subsidy programs, ultimately it was intended to avoid too much exclusion of people of very low incomes and too much density of very low income individuals. The impact of section 8 was not a successful one because it was the low-point of subsidized housing production for the entire decade. It was not until Carter administration’s that subsidized housing construction rose. Although Carter had many unsuccessful initiatives, public housing was an obvious exception because during his administration housing programs reached high levels of production.[8] One dispute in favor of public housing was that it couldn’t be entirely removed becaus e of humanitarian and social cost reasons. Not even Congress could bring itself to completely abolish public housing. Public housing was crucial in not only providing housing for people in legitimate need but it also proved to be economically beneficially because it meant less vagrants and also created a greater circulation of wealth. However, in means of being economically beneficially, it was not as successful as it was in providing housing. This was in fact one of the only things public housing was successful in, because it suffered from many other problems. Furthermore, Local Public Housing Authorities also suffered due to rising rents and reduction of services. This took place during the 1960s and it displeased many tenants which created a series of rent strikes, which eventually concluded with the Brooke Amendment being added to the 1969 Housing Act. [9] In 1971 the Brooke Amendment provided operating subsidies to housing authorities to pay for losses and deficits and also capped public housing rents at 25% of the household’s income. Also, in order to qualify for admission, tenants’ incomes were required to be less than 80% of the area’s median income. Low-performing housing authorities continued to struggle, because their neglect led to the need of many repairs and modernization being needed. These housing authorities delayed maintenance needs and did not adequately fund modernization. Also low percentage of the rent going wards operation costs had a negative impact of public housing. Lastly, the solution of the housing authorities was a poor and greedy one because instead of increasing the percentage they increased the rent, which only led to the continuation of maintenance problems and buildings rapidly perishing. Beginning around the early 2000’s, the majority of the federal housing dollars began to be used for tenant-based housing vouchers, known as â€Å"Housing Choice Vouchers.† The way it works is the recipient pays 30% of their income towards rent and the voucher covers any difference there may be between what they paid and the rental price of the unit. According to Carole Walker and David Varady’s study, these vouchers have failed to satisfy the need of the public to have affordable housing.[10] One of the reasons why these vouchers have had little success is because individuals with vouchers have difficulty finding a public house because landlords prefer to rent to unsubsidized families because they can charge them higher rents. Poor design of developments is another problem that many public housing residents faced. Many public houses had no ventilation and windows in their interior rooms, which made meant that these public houses had rooms filled with unsanitary air. There was also a poor amount of light, which signified that man of these rooms were very dark in the sense that they had no windows, proper air flow, and adequate lighting. These houses resembled mental institutions more than houses. Families could therefore not thrive in in that environment because it was a very neglected and gloomy environment.[11] By the early 1940’s, high-rises was seen as a solution to provide an adequate living environment for tenants and also as a way to provide a better image for public houses. High rise buildings was glorified due to providing more spacing, but economically they were not as glorified because they were not exactly the cheapest form of public housing developments. High rises were more expensive in the long run than any other development because they provided much more units which meant much more operational and maintenance costs. They were also much more expensive and difficult to build which is why in some cases architects were unable to properly execute their original architectural/design plans.[12] Due to cost reasons and in order to encourage residents to better themselves, limits on unit amenities were enforced. One way which limits on unities were made due to cost reasons was how several services were no longer provided and how poor quality units were produced. Interestingly enough, Congress and housing authorities blamed tenants for the terrible conditions of the units when in reality it was mostly their own fault. Many of the services no longer provided were reliable elevators and some of the poor units produced had inadequate floor space.[13] This led to several security problems, which is why many housing authorities put the blame on the tenants, but in reality they were the source of the problem. Many public housing developments were also designed to be separated from the rest of the neighborhood/community. An example of this is how at times zoning policies placed buildings diagonally into the pattern of the street. A break in the street grid was also implemented in order to separate the public housing development from the rest of the neighborhood.[14] Due to its peculiar institutional look, many developments have become easily to identify visually, which has led to it being subjected to stigmatization and isolation. This is why its massive structure has been negatively critiqued. All these negative results were by no means intended or anticipated, it was a complete shock to housing authorities and architects, because the result it was supposed to produce was a benefit to residents. Residents were supposed to benefit from the design because they would be able to distinguish their residences from the rest of the neighborhood and be viewed as a symbolic building, but its separa tion from the community actually led to backlash. This was also only a logical result because if tenants are separated from the community they are not allowed to coexist with everyone else and provide a better image of themselves. By being isolated they only provoke a negative image of not wanting to be part of the community. Initially Site selection was completely under local control. However, this was a problem because local authorities carried on discriminatory site selection. Racial segregation was one of the practices they carried on in which a larger amount and the better quality ones were designated for whites over blacks and any other minority group. Local housing authorities also separated each racial into their own developments, i.e. some only housed blacks, some only housed whites, some only housed Mexicans, and some only housed Chinese.[15] A clearer example is the William Houses project in Brooklyn, New York which was exclusive to whites, and no other ethnic group was allowed to reside there. Another example is the Harlem River Houses project in Manhattan, which was built exclusively for blacks. This project was also built as a way to silence the demands made by the African-American community in New York for access to public housing. Urban renewal initiated in 1949 with Title I of the Housing Act, but proved to be problematic because it made it possible for large-scale slum clearance to take place without requiring that all cleared housing be replaced.[16] Law expert, Lawrence M. Friedman, emphasized in his study the dangerous aspects of slum housing and how it was crucial that it be illegalized in order to avoid further unsanitary living conditions which could spread not only among the slum housings but among greater society as well.[17] Actions would begin to take place with laws, however some of these laws were not effective. Title I for example did not mandate construction of low-income housing. Living conditions of the poor was largely disregarded due to the fact that it did not concern most of the population, since most of the U.S. population was middle-class. However, unsanitary living conditions could affect the greater population through the spread of diseases. This was one of the reasons why actions wer e taken towards slum clearance but unfortunately they were not effective and irrational. Gans documented a horrible example of urban renewal, a slum clearance project that took place in the West End of Boston, with little support from the neighborhood residents.[18] This was especially shocking because it signified the removal of a community that appeared to be perfectly functional. What was additionally more irrational was how the renewal process would be quite lengthy and would leave large unproductive areas in the center of the city. Although actions were being made in order to clear slum housing, the process was slow and irrational. The 1949 Housing Act ordered for 810,000 units of public housing to be constructed. However, by December of 1951 only 84,600 units of public housing were actually under construction. This led to the creation of the 1954 Housing Act, which mandated that public housing be built solely in areas of urban renewal/slum clearance. Therefore, new public housing no longer increased housing supply, instead it replaced deteriorating housing. Furthermore, slum dwellers faced the problem of displacement because they had to wait for the new promised public housing to be fully functional. That is why investment in urban renewal increased, because of the decline of public housing construction.[19] To conclude, public housing was originally designed in order to provide housing for all low-income individuals and families, but as time went on the infamous question of the deserving poor was brought up and low-income individuals and families had to fit into certain regulations in order to be allowed to live in public housing. Public housing also faced many financial difficulties at the federal level due to difficulties with congress and presidential administrations. Financial problems were also present at a local level and were reflected with poor housing authorities and rising rents and reduction of services. The actual design of these public housings also proved to be problematic, and its most problematic feature were perhaps the segregation among them and the violence that arose from some of these. Overall, public housing failed to be as successful as originally environed, because in practice they suffered from overcrowdings, racial tensions, violence, poor management, and finan cial problems. Bibliography Bickford, Adam, and Douglas S Massey. Segregation in the Second Ghetto: Racial and Ethnic  Segregation in American Public Housing, 1977. Social Forces. 69, no. 4. 1991. Friedman, Lawrence M. Government and Slum Housing: Some General Considerations. Law  and Contemporary Problems. 32, no. 2. 1967. Hays, R. Allen. The Federal Government and Urban Housing Ideology and Change in Public  Policy. 2nd ed. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995. Gans, Herbert J. The High-rise Fallacy. Design Quarterly. 24. 1992. Gans, Herbert J. The urban villagers; group and class in the life of Italian-Americans.. New  York: Free Press of Glencoe, 1962. Marcuse, Peter. The Myth of the Benevolent State: Towards a Theory of Housing. New York:  Columbia University, Graduate School of Architecture and Planning, 1978. Milbert, Isabelle. Slums, Slum Dwellers and Multilevel Governance. The European Journal of  Development Research. 18, no. 2. 2006. Public Housing. Social Service Review. 11, no. 1. 1937. Schach, Janice Cervelli. Planning and Design of Public Housing an Evolution of Structure.  Landscape and Urban Planning. 39, no. 2. 1997. Schill, Michael. Distressed Public Housing: Where Do We Go from Here? 60 University of  Chicago Law Review 497. 1993. The United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, and provisions of other laws and of  executive orders pertaining to the United States housing act of 1937, as amended. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Housing Authority, 1938. Walker, Carole, and David Varady. Housing Vouchers and Residential Mobility. Journal of  Planning Literature, 18.1 2003. [1] Bauman, John. Public housing, race, and renewal: urban planning in Philadelphia, 1920-1974. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1987. [2] Massey, Douglas S., and Nancy A. Denton. American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of an Underclass. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1993. [3] Marcuse, Peter. The Myth of the Benevolent State: Towards a Theory of Housing. New York: Columbia University, Graduate School of Architecture and Planning, 1978. 248-263. [4] The United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, and provisions of other laws and of executive orders pertaining to the United States housing act of 1937, as amended. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Housing Authority, 1938. [5] Ibid. [6] Marcuse, Peter. The Myth of the Benevolent State: Towards a Theory of Housing. [7] Schill, Michael. Distressed Public Housing: Where Do We Go from Here? 60 University of Chicago Law Review 497. 1993. [8] Hays, R. Allen. The Federal Government and Urban Housing Ideology and Change in Public Policy. 2nd ed. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995. [9] Ibid. [10] Walker,Carole, and David Varady. Housing Vouchers and Residential Mobility. Journal of Planning Literature, 18.1 2003. [11] Schach,Janice Cervelli. Planning and Design of Public Housing an Evolution of Structure. Landscape and Urban Planning. 39, no. 2. 1997. [12] Gans,Herbert J. The High-rise Fallacy. Design Quarterly. 24. 1992. [13] Schach,Janice Cervelli. Planning and Design of Public Housing an Evolution of Structure. 1997. [14] Ibid. [15] Bickford,Adam, and Douglas S Massey. Segregation in the Second Ghetto: Racial and Ethnic Segregation in American Public Housing, 1977. Social Forces. 69, no. 4. 1991. [16] Public Housing. Social Service Review. 11, no. 1. 1937. [17] Friedman,Lawrence M. Government and Slum Housing: Some General Considerations. Law and Contemporary Problems. 32, no. 2. 1967. [18] Gans, Herbert J. The urban villagers; group and class in the life of Italian-Americans.. New York: Free Press of Glencoe, 1962. [19] Milbert,Isabelle. Slums, Slum Dwellers and Multilevel Governance. The European Journal of Development Research. 18, no. 2. 2006.

Evil Spirits - Short Story :: Papers

Evil Spirits - Short Story A number of years ago, as a poor student, I was renting the top 2 floors of a house with 7 other school friends. We thought ourselves lucky to get the house for such a low rent, plus all utilities paid for. With eleven of us, we each paid about $75.00 a month. The house had its fair share of windows facing east and west, so it should be a brightly lit house in the daytime, but, somehow, the house was always rather dark and dim. We could never figure this out. Often at night, we'd hear bumps and creaks; we always put it down as the old 100-125 year old Victorian style house settling down until one night... It was a Friday night, just around spring, exams were done with, and winter was almost over. We were all really overjoyed and happy. We felt that we did well in our exams. That evening, six of us went to the movies, had dinner. After the dinner, we headed home. The celebration continued. We were drinking coke; some of the guys were drinking beer. We were all laughing and joking in the kitchen, when we heard the door open, and footsteps coming up the stairs. We thought, Jenny and Sue were home, they had opted to go to a fellowship rather than join us at our celebration. We called out to the 2 sisters to join us, when we recieved no answer, Tom poked his head outside the kitchen, the dim hallway was empty. We figured, incredible as it sounds, they probably did not hear us, so, Tom went upstairs to the girls' room. A few minutes later, he came back downstairs looking very puzzled. The girls weren't home, yet, we heard someone open the front door and come up those stairs. We shrugged it off as the house settling down or a streetcar coming by shaking the house. A week later, as I was sleeping, I woke up quite suddenly. Unsure what woke me up, I switched on the light.

Turning Points in History :: essays research papers fc

Turning Points in History   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Turning points in history can mean a change in the way the things are done in the past, sometimes for the better, and other times for the worse. Two notable turning points in history were the Industrial Revolution and also World War I. These both had some political, social and cultural impacts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Industrial Revolution was a time of great change and increased efficiency. No more would be goods be produced by sole means of farming and agriculture, but now by the use of machinery and factories. Technology was beginning to increase along with the food supply as well as the population. However, this increase in population would greatly impact the social aspect of that time. Urbanization was becoming much more widespread. Cities were becoming overwhelmingly crowded and there was an increase in disease as well as harsh child labor. Although child labor would be reduced somewhat due to unions, the Industrial Revolution still contained both it’s positive and negative results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   World War I was another major turning point in history. This turning point consisted in the way war was fought and how it has changed due to the advances in technology that took place during this time in the 1900’s. War was triggered in the Balkans where the Ottoman Empire had once maintained control. Industrialization and technology had both contributed to the advances in the development of weapons. This devastatingly was the cause of millions of deaths in World War I. War was now fought in trenches and they used machine guns as well as tanks and grenades. There was definitely a turning point in the way war would be fought. However, the most important turning point in the war had to be the involvement of the US. The US tried to remain neutral in the war but ended up joining the Allies. Thanks to the US’s involvement, however, the Allies received the help needed to win the war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion we can see that revolutions and wars can lead to positive and negative turning points.

National Security and Free Press Essay

The adage of â€Å"perception is reality’ is the impact media has regarding national security and the DoD’s response to media. Since John F. Kennedys assignation, through the Vietnam War, OPERATION Desert Storm to the present, people are fascinated with real-time media information for current events; this information is truth in the public’s eyes. President Bush’s decision to place troops in Somalia and President Clinton’s decision to remove troops from Mogadishu are national security ecisions made based on public perception (Belknap, 2001, 1). The National Security Council, consists of political officials, with the exception of the chiefs of staff military advisors; these elected officials make decisions in the interest of national security based on public perception derived from free press. Free press impacts national security by decisions based on public perception and the DoD should utilize free press to reveal benefits of military action in relation to national security (Snow, 2006, 4). Imbedded public media deployed with our C-130 unit with the intent of publicizing a soldier’s perspective of combat operation. This made us feel our involvement is shared along with the greater media picture to give the public a more complete understanding of war from tactical to strategic perspective. In the book Lone Survivor, a Navvy SEAL Team on an operation in Afghanistan let perception of civilian casualties the media would relay, sway combat decisions to save military lives Lutrell, 2007, 232). This perception is the â€Å"negative† impact soldiers face these days. Media imbed within military operations will relay to the public a tactical level perspective of the national security implications of free press. Overall, public opinion is influenced by free press; national security decisions are influenced by public opinion. The DoD should utilize the freedom of press to influence public opinion in the interest of national security. Belknap, Margaret

Comparing and Contrasting Cartoons Essay

Both of the following two texts, a cartoon strip and an extract from a memoir, share similarities and differences regarding the theme and context, audience, purpose as well as certain formal and stylistic features. The first extract is a cartoon strip written in 1986 by Cathy Guisewite. The cartoon features four panels with three female characters with narrations and speech bubbles to emphasize dialogue and the message regarding women’s rights and sex stereotyping. The context of the cartoon is to show the inequalities between genders. This is evident, when the women begin to associate boys with certain stereotypes such as â€Å"strong† and â€Å"tough†. Therefore indicating that women and girls today are portrayed to be the opposite. The first example of sex stereotyping is seen in the first panel of the cartoon when the first women asks the mother â€Å"is it a boy or a girl?† with the mother responding, â€Å"This is our baby’s chance to get to meet people totally free from sex stereotyping.† Therefore indicating that the mother is against sex stereotyping. Another example of sex stereotyping is featured in the second panel when the woman begins to associate boys by certain stereotypes such as phrases â€Å"look at that strong fist† and â€Å"mischievous sparkle†. The use of these phrases further emphasizes the fact that even today boys and girls are associated with certain words in order to define them as human beings in our society today. This stereotyping is continued even into the third panel of the cartoon when the woman yet again begins to use stereotypes by using the phrase â€Å"what a kicker! You have a tough strong.† The strong use of the emanata in order to emphasize the strong emotions shown by the mother is used in the last speech bubble of the third panel when she angrily replies, â€Å"Girl, she’s a girl! A tough strong girl.† This outburst is quite important in the cartoon as it shows that the mother has had enough with gender stereotyping. This is shown by the strong use of emanata and by simply looking at the drawing of her angry and annoyed facial expressions. The use of the words â€Å"tough, strong girl† indicated that boys are not better than girls and that we are all created equal. This phrase is significant as it shows the mother speaking out for what she believes in, and standing up to women’s rights and gender stereotyping. The final panel is quite ironic due to the fact that as the reader, we would tend to think that after the mother’s outburst there would be no more use of stereotyping. However, it continues again with the women using the word â€Å" precious† to stereotype the little baby girl. The annoyance of the mother is emphasized by her facial expression at the end. This cartoon would be aimed towards a younger or middle-aged generation since it is being represented in a picture cartoon form and would probably be published in newspapers or magazines. The purpose of the cartoon is to influence the issues such as gender inequality in today’s society. The cartoon uses cartoon narrative throughout in order to question societal norms. Throughout each panel captions are used with different font sizes. The font being expressed in all capital letter along with the punctuation in order to emphasize the tone. The writing style consists of short dialogue and the cartoon seems to be used in a more generic perspective in order to create the effect of the cartoon being for entertainment as well as intellectual purposes towards the reader. The second text is an extract from a memoir by Shusha Guppy, â€Å"The Blindfolded Horse, Memories of a Persian Childhood†, written in 1988. The beginning of the memoir starts by the introduction the Shusha Guppy’s birth using the first person perspective. This is evident by the use of certain words such as â€Å"my mothers† and â€Å"my sister.† From the beginning of the extract the reader can instantly notice what the role of women in Persia used to be. This is evident by the use of the phrase â€Å"Sufficient unto women is the art of producing and raising sons as brave lions.† Therefore showing that a women’s main role in society was to produce children and to raise them. This therefore emphasizes what the roles of wome in Persia used to be. The theme of gender discrimination is also used in certain parts of the extract. This is apparent when Guppy is describing herself being born and uses the thought of her father having â€Å"preferred a boy, as men always did in those days† in order to reinforce the theme. The hardships faced in Persia before the changes towards gender equality and women’s rights took place is evident when Guppy expresses the opinion of her father by using the quote, â€Å"Not because boys are better, but because women suffer more.† Therefore indicating that before the changes took place in Persia there was once a distinct difference in terms of rights and equality between men and women. The use of the word â€Å"more† could also indicate the cultural, social or religious positions regarding the women in Persia. The extracts focuses on the new and changing Persia and the fact that women were now created more equally to men. This is evident by the abolishment of the veil, let women becoming emancipated, and their opportunity’s to be able to go to school and university as well as them being able to take up new professions. However, the text also focuses on the fact that many people in Persia had â€Å"found it hard to accept these improvements and to adjust their attitudes.† The use of the word â€Å"attitudes† is perhaps used to show that there is mixed opinions regarding women’s rights. Therefore showing that there is a slow pace of social change despite political change. The memoir mainly focuses on the message and theme of the changes regarding gender inequality in Persia told through the eyes of a young Shusha Guppy who was very much involved in politics. This is evident by the use of the phrase â€Å" I caused my parents endless trouble with my radical adolescent politics† as well as the phrase â€Å"at this time of birth. It was perhaps written on my brow.† Therefore emphasizing Shusha Guppy’s strong willed character and passion for politics and human rights. The memoir seems to be aimed perhaps as well at a younger generation and could be published in books or magazines in order to re-enforce the changes regarding gender equality in Persia. Towards the end of the passage, the use of the phrase â€Å"her life is elsewhere† said by the fortune teller, is very effective as it shows that Shusha Guppy’s life will be different and that perhaps she wont have to face the problems caused by gender inequality in her country. Both texts are similar in terms that both the texts are written by women and share the same message in regards to its female point of view. Both discuss gender labeling, women’s rights and sex stereotyping as well as its implications. And suggests the societal norms for genders and rights from birth. Both the excerpts also share a similarity in regards to female points of view, despite differences in voice, being the omniscient versus first person. The purpose of the authors in the two texts seem to be the same as they both hind that society in changing, however the social norms take longer to change. Both excerpts are also from the same time period. The cartoon strip written in 1986 and the memoir in 1988, therefore indicating that the two texts could share the same opinion since there is not a long difference in time since being written. Both texts seem to share the theme of â€Å"destiny† and the message that just because one is born a certain gender she or he has to follow a certain path, this evident in some words such as â€Å"travel† which suggests the skepticism in the mother’s voice, despite being a women. This shows that she believes in the destiny of women. Both texts also have some differences between them. The cartoon for instance is written in a cartoon narrative whereas the memoir is written in first person narrative, however both seem to question the societal norms. In terms of stylistic and formal features the cartoon is entirely different as it makes use of different font sizes and punctuation in order to emphasize the tone. This is evident when looking at the speech bubbles, and captions as well as the emanate, which is being used in order to indicate certain signs of emotion. The settings of the two texts also seem to be different. The cartoon perhaps set in a more western world, whereas the memoir is given a specific location and is set in the Middle East. This is done perhaps in order to illustrate the similarity across culture. Writing style is also one of the major differences between the two texts. The cartoon consists of short dialogue throughout, versus the memoir which features more of a reflection/retrospect with embedded dialogue throughout. Both texts also have different effects on the reader. While looking at the cartoon it was mostly probably created for entertainment purposes due to the pictures, whereas the memoir is more personal and informative as it gives an insight into the life of an actual person. Perspective is also one of the traits that seems to be different, with the cartoon having a more generic perspective whereas the memoir is more personal. Therefore, in conclusion, both the presented texts share some similarities and differences in terms of the context, audience, purpose as well as the stylistic and formal features. Both effectively share the same opinion regarding women’s rights and positions in society as well as the view of gender labeling and it’s implications. However despite their similarities, there are differences present such as the differences in their stylistic and formal features. However, regardless of their differences both the cartoon and the extract of the memoir effectively convey the theme of how gender inequality is an important issue which is still lacking in our world today