The Crucible Movie Vs. The Play (text) - 763 Words

Over the years many movies have been made based upon famous plays or books. Often times these movies are successful in portraying the play-writer s images and thoughts for the play or book. Arthur Miller s play, The Crucible and the movie version have many differences and similarities, all of which contribute to the individual effectiveness of each in conveying their central message. There are several additions and changes to the plot, characters, and mood of the play, which have been implemented into the movie. To begin, some scenes in the movie were only talked about or made reference to in the play, but in the movie these scenes take place and the viewer actually sees the event happen. For example the scene where the children and†¦show more content†¦Once again, this is simple foreshadowing; showing that further on the girls will unite against Mary. These changes all helped set the mood for the upcoming events in the play. Another significant change from the play that was implemented into the movie is in the character portrayal. In the play, Parris appeared to be overly egocentric and self-conscious. He still retains these qualities in his character in the movie, but they do not stand likeShow MoreRelatedThe Crucible : An Allegory For The Red Scare2011 Words   |  9 Pagesfeared the threat of Black Americans being equal in status to White Americans during the Civil Rights movement. Although the crucible takes place in 1692, Salem, it reflects the concerns of 1950?s American life and is an allegory for the Red Scare, and Homosexuality. [2: Wall, Wendy. Anti-Communism in the 1950s. www.gilderlehrman.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2016. .] The Crucible takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, which was a puritan town.[endnoteRef:3] Reverend Parris is praying over his daughterRead MoreLord of the Flies by William Golding610 Words   |  2 Pagesis harder to overcome, antagonists often have a higher impact on the protagonist and because good is dependent on evil. Many say, good is stronger than evil because being considered â€Å"good† is the more supported direction to go. For example, in the movie, Zero Dark Thirty, -----,------ and ------, wanted to have a counter attack on Osama Bin Laden for the evil he had brought into the world. The characters were considered ‘the good guys’ and were looked at as heroes because they finally found the antagonistRead MoreMasculinity in the Philippines12625 Words   |  51 Pagespropaganda of gender dimorphism and a militarized form of male initiation. Among the many schools that participated in this experiment, t w v t h e University of the Philippines (UP) and, a decade later, the Philippine Military Academy (PMA)-would play a central role as cultural mediators in constructing this new national standard for manhood. To translate a foreign masculine form into a Filipino cultural idiom, the cadet corps at UP and the PMA appropriated local traditions of male initiation, usingRead MoreM anagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 PagesManagement Course: MBA−10 General Management California College for Health Sciences MBA Program McGraw-Hill/Irwin abc McGraw−Hill Primis ISBN: 0−390−58539−4 Text: Effective Behavior in Organizations, Seventh Edition Cohen Harvard Business Review Finance Articles The Power of Management Capital Feigenbaum−Feigenbaum International Management, Sixth Edition Hodgetts−Luthans−Doh Contemporary Management, Fourth Edition Jones−George Driving Shareholder Value Morin−Jarrell LeadershipRead MoreCrossing the Chasm76808 Words   |  308 Pagesby Geoffrey A. Moore. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now knownRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesSlowik Art Director: Kenny Beck Text and Cover Designer: Wanda Espana OB Poll Graphics: Electra Graphics Cover Art: honey comb and a bee working / Shutterstock / LilKar Sr. Media Project Manager, Editorial: Denise Vaughn Media Project Manager, Production: Lisa Rinaldi Full-Service Project Management: Christian Holdener, S4Carlisle Publishing Services Composition: S4Carlisle Publishing Services Printer/Binder: Courier/Kendallville Cover Printer: Courier/Kendalville Text Font: 10.5/12 ITC New Baskerville

Barilla Spa Case Report Free Essays

string(62) " their customers until the product reaches its ultimate user\." Executive Summary As per our conversation last week I would like to revisit the idea originally brought to life by Brando Vitali before he was promoted to head one of our company’s new divisions overseas. In order to address the issue which will be a direct result of introduction of JIT Distribution system, I would like to present the issues and my recommendations to you before our meeting with Marconi’s executives to discuss JITD proposal. As the meeting is scheduled for the of November I would like to hear your thoughts on JITD before the end of this month so I can make appropriate changes to address any issues you might foresee as a direct result of our proposal. We will write a custom essay sample on Barilla Spa Case Report or any similar topic only for you Order Now The decision to adopt the Just-in-Time Distribution will most likely be met with our sales and marketing team’s resistance to change. Our old-fashioned distribution system has been nurtured since the early development of our channels of distribution. Promotions and advertising were key to our success of achieving a certain level of trust within our Supply Chain both internally and externally. I recommend a staged implementation of the JITD to allow our staff to adapt to our new philosophy. Our distribution networks could become more efficient rather than being all about relationships based on pushing the product out of our facilities. It appears that our Supply Chain executives are not looking for ways to reduce waste within our distribution channels as we are not even clear on how we measure our success. Applying Lean principles to our Supply Chain is misleading to our staff as they think their job security is on the line. This is met with internal resistance that needs to be addressed before we can communicate the advantages and benefits of JITD to our external distribution networks. I believe that Vitali’s approach will fit our new Supply Chain management strategy of Just-in-Time Distribution which will allow us to ship products as needed, rather than building enormous stock to deal with volatile demand patterns. We need to break down the silos and secrecy of our distribution processes to our customers to allow for more efficient channels of distribution. A more transparent approach with fewer layers along the way will allow for a much more efficient Supply Chain. Working closely with our distributors will allow us to reduce our own inventory and manufacturing costs along the way. We also need to consider our own forecasting systems to built the trust within our channels of distribution. Scheduled monthly meeting will allow for an open dialogue between various groups that might be affected by this implementation. I believe that open lines of communication both internally and externally will contribute to the ultimate success of JITD implementation. We will have to address issues as they come up to ensure the peace of mind of those who will be affected the most. We need to be more flexible to address problems and bottle necks of our distributors as that would be crucial to success of JITD. The main idea we need to communicate across our Supply Chain is that JITD would allow us to eliminate waste and get rid of extra layers which our in the way of addressing our issue of volatile demand patters which result in stockouts. Giorgio Maggali, MBA, SCMP Director of Materials Management Barilla Fresh Products Group October 16, 2012 Barilla Spa Case Study Issue Identification As the decision maker in this case I believe that the main issue presented in this case study is resistance to change. To be more specific, DO’s (Organized Distributors) resistance to adopt a new Just-in-Time distribution (JITD) system which would replace the old-fashioned distribution system used by Barilla’s Supply Chain traditionally. This traditional distribution system has always been viewed as a successful one, as it worked for everyone within the channels of distribution supplying dry products to supermarket chains and independent supermarkets. There was a certain level of trust achieved between the marketing group, sales reps and buyers who are a part of the Supply Chain built around trade promotions. DO’s expectations of frequent trade promotions were considered the only means to cost reduction during the â€Å"canvass† periods where distributors were able to buy as much product as desired to meet current and future needs. This is a well nurtured traditional system which took a lot of years to develop. Environmental and Root Cause Analysis Approximately 65% of Barilla’s dry products were supplied through outside distributors to supermarket chains and independent supermarkets who would eventually get the product into the hands of the ultimate user. Distributors would receive their product from one of the two Barilla’s central distribution centers (CDCs) where movement of product would be assessed based on its category which would be either â€Å"dry† or â€Å"fresh†. Barilla maintained different distribution systems for its dry and fresh products due to their differences in perishability and retail service requirements. Brando Vitali’s JITD proposal focused solely on dry products sold through Barilla’s distributors who I am going to examine. There is an industry culture around the supply and demand of Barilla products. Internal and external politics are at the root cause of the resistance to change around the distribution channels. There are issues that Barilla needs to address internally before the idea of JITD can come to life externally. Barilla’s sales and marketing personnel have expressed a range of concerns because this new philosophy could potentially cost some staff and executives their jobs from the bottom to the top of the sales organization as it is developed further. Sales executives are clinging to the idea of promotion based strategy which the old-fashioned distribution system is based around. This is not a good sign as efforts to reduce costs should be made from all aspects of the Supply Chain Management. Executives should be concerned with efficiency of their supply chains from different tiers of suppliers all the way thru different tiers of their customers until the product reaches its ultimate user. You read "Barilla Spa Case Report" in category "Essay examples" Barilla executives are not looking for ways to reduce waste within their distribution channels as it’s not even clear how they measure success of their sales force. Barillas distribution network is only based around relationships, not necessarily around efficiency of their supply chain. They should be looking at ways to eliminate waste, even if it means â€Å"leaning out† their sales force and only keeping those who truly perform well. Staff will always resist change as it is uncertainty that scares everyone when new ideas are introduced within an organization, especially if it might put their job security on the line. Once the internal issues are addressed and the new philosophy starts taking precedence they can effectively communicate JITD to their DO channels. Sales reps would be successful at communicating the ideas and benefits of JITD system to the buyers of the Organized Distributors. Those buyers would then facilitate the flow of this information from the bottom to the top of the organization before a meeting can take place with Marconi and other DOs. Alternatives and/or Options Giver the current situation, I believe there are only two options to consider here. First one is to remain status quo and run the risk of stockouts as the effect of fluctuating demand which due to variation in demand leads to cost increases. The other option would be to embrace the new philosophy of JITD internally and communicate it further down the supply chain to the DOs. Brando Vitali had it right all along with the idea he referred to as Just-in-Time Distribution (JITD) which was modelled after the renowned â€Å"Just-in-Time† manufacturing concept. His philosophy was to consider JITD as a selling tool rather that a threat to sales. Vitali’s view was that as a supply chain we should focus on demand from end user as that is the supply we trying to address at the time it’s required. In order to effectively address the issues of fluctuating demand we need to be able to respond to unexpectedly high demand from the end-consumer and the quickest way to do that would be to eliminate as many layers as possible. Additional inventories to dampen fluctuations costs money, costs of maintaining certain service levels should also be taken into consideration. Rather than filling distributors demand, according to their planning department, we should be looking at distributors data directly and only send what is needed rather than supply distributors with inventory they can hold to anticipate demand swings. By doing so, we would be able to improve operations for ourselves and our customers if we were responsible for determining the quantities and delivery schedules. This will allow us to further reduce costs as transportation could be handled by our CDCs based on sales volume variations. Recommendation and Implementation I recommend the JITD system as it will address the stockouts issues we’re currently experiencing as the effect of fluctuating demand. Our distributors already carry too much inventory (see Exhibit 13) which doesn’t resolve the stockouts issues we’re seeing despite the fact that they are holding a couple of weeks inventory. We should be able to improve operations for our distributors if we were allowed to be responsible for determining quantities and delivery schedules based on end users demand. This would allow us to ship product as per demand required rather than trying to manufacture stock large enough to supply both of our facilities. Furthermore we would be able to reduce our own distribution, inventory and manufacturing costs and pass those savings onto our customers if we didn’t have to worry about volatile demand patterns. Ultimately this will work the same way it does with Barilla sales representatives assisting with setting up in-store promotions analyzing competitive information including competitor’s prices, stockouts and new product additions. This would be effective because no one knows our product better than we do. If our sales reps are allowed at distribution facilities, they would be able to assist, gather and exchange a lot of valuable information about our needs and those of our DOs. The more we know about each other’s business the better off our Supply Chain will be. The fewer layers we have, the quicker we can get our product to our ultimate customers; reducing our own inventory and manufacturing costs along the way. We’ll have to improve our own forecasting systems of course as it is imperative to our business that our distributors have that extra confidence in our abilities. Monitor and Control This sort of an idea would require a lot of back and forth communication both internally and externally. Cross functional teams would be required to address issues and concerns which might arise from this sort of implementation. The whole process should be done in stages to allow staff to adapt to the changes gradually. Keeping everyone informed would be key as the only way to reassure staff and address uncertainty would be to educate them on pros on cons of the system being brought to life. Regularly scheduled monthly meetings are an absolute must to address issues as they arise. New KPI’s should be clearly communicated to the sale reps. Our reps should be clear on all of the aspects of JITD implementation as they would play an important role of facilitating the flow of information down the Supply Chain. Once DOs are up to speed on JITD, a simulation should be considered with external distributors to demonstrate the benefits of the new distribution system once it is implemented. Inviting DO representatives to see our manufacturing facilities and addressing their concerns with solutions would go along way on establishing rapport and strengthening relationships. Probing and addressing bottle necks of our distributors with JITD would also be beneficial to everyone as our ability to eliminate wastes and get rid of extra layers would reduce costs across the Supply Chain. How to cite Barilla Spa Case Report, Essay examples

Management and Organizational Behaviour Management Information System

Question: Discuss about the Management and Organizational Behaviour forManagement Information Systems (MIS). Answer: Introduction According to the case study, Barbara, a soon-to-be graduate from University of Waikato is appointed as an assistant cost accountant although she is not totally convinced. However, at the first day of her work she realized that she was assigned to management information systems (MIS) instead of cost accounting. Peter, her boss explained her duties and assisted her for compiling the monthly management report named as Big Brother. She discovered that her tasks were mainly clerical and did not require certain degree as her work involved photocopying, punching, collating, stamping and binding the pages of the report. Soon, an opportunity of performance measurement workshop was knocking her door for which she agreed. Bob was on two weeks leave because of which she left for the workshop and Bob was supposed to talk to Peter. Peter was furious due to such behaviour and her attitude towards Barbara changed to negative. Later, Barbara drafted a letter requesting the upcoming vacant position as a chief accountant (McShane et al. 2010). Problem Identification Matalvi Engineering Ltd faces several organizational issues. Barbara encountered certain problems in the organization as the facts were misrepresented. She was appointed as the cost accountant but she discovered that she was assigned work at management information system (MIS). Instead of applying the concepts of budgeting, performance evaluation, cost management and various others, she was given clerical work in the organization such as stamping and punching paper. It is also observed that Peter showed negative attitude towards her after learning that she left for the workshop in his absence. Peter was rude in his behaviour with all employees in the organization as reported by Adrian (McShane et al. 2010). The root causes of negative attitude are limited beliefs and negative family or friends. If people or environment led a person to such behaviour, the individual becomes powerless causing negative attitude. Negative attitude can also be caused due to lack of rewards, work overload or mismanagement (Jensen, Patel and Messersmith 2013). As a senior, Peter does not have control over his emotions and causes declined behaviour among his employees. Additionally, the employees at the organization have a negative attitude towards him as the episode has happened with other people in the organization. The negative workplace attitude and emotions forced Barbara to think about getting a transfer or resign from the job. Barbara had low morale and it declined further (McShane et al. 2010). Analysis Emotions and attitudes play a significant role in the organization. Both positive and negative emotional states in the organization have significant effects on people. The positive emotions and attitude leads to job enrichment, achievement and motivation. Moreover, negative attitudes and emotions affect the general attitude or mood at work. As seen in the given scenario, Peters negative attitude led to anxiety and depression for Barbara. Her personal life was imbalanced and she fought with her family and boyfriend. She drove home from work with feelings of low spirit, hope and courage. She also wished she should not have joined the company (Hlsheger et al. 2013). It is observed that Peters negative behaviour caused other colleagues to misbehave with Barbara. The colleagues stopped talking with her eventually. The workplace had become a burden for Barbara. A negative workplace environment also increases turnover that would degrade the organizational ability to grow. Negative attitude not only affects the victim, but also the environment as people is growing in similar environment. Peter needs to control his emotions as it affects and influences the workplace (Branch, Ramsay and Barker 2013). The organization also needs to encourage the participation in workshop. Barbara was originally appointed as a cost accountant. She was assigned to MIS for clerical work that is incorrect on companys part. There is no senior executive to look after the same. Also, the organization has poor communication network. The people in the organization are not communicating appropriate messages (Petty and Cacioppo 2012). For instance, Bob was supposed to inform Peter about Barbara leaving for the workshop in details. Bob also needs to communicate the entire message regarding Barbaras transfer and have it approved from the seniors. Soon, the employees at the workplace ducked their heads down looking at Barbara and she had no clue how she ended in such a situation (Pinder 2013). Recommendations A few recommendations are provided for the management team and employees at Matalvi Engineering Ltd. Peter must try to bulk his emotions as positive such as excitement, encouragement, gratitude and joy. It is necessary to treat people with courtesy. The senior management must provide training to Peter and collect feedback from employees about the management. The senior management must regularly check upon the managers of the organization if they are rude or behaving inappropriately with the employees (Judge and Kammeyer-Mueller 2012). Not only Peter, Barbara must think if it is worth respecting others opinion. Stressful situations are too common at the workplace. Barbara must stop herself mentally and look at the situation. If the colleagues are not welcoming her and leading her to worries, she must stop being with such people at the first place. She must lay her focus on how to improve the situation. It is important to be assertive and refuse to be treated that way. Barbara must also speak to a trusted colleague or visit a mentor that would help her in moving forward and making decisions. She also needs to take action to mend ways and not think of quitting or resigning from her job when she is not at fault (Schyns and Schilling 2013). References Branch, S., Ramsay, S. and Barker, M., 2013. Workplace bullying, mobbing and general harassment: A review.International Journal of Management Reviews,15(3), pp.280-299. Hlsheger, U.R., Alberts, H.J., Feinholdt, A. and Lang, J.W., 2013. Benefits of mindfulness at work: the role of mindfulness in emotion regulation, emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction.Journal of Applied Psychology,98(2), p.310. Jensen, J.M., Patel, P.C. and Messersmith, J.G., 2013. High-performance work systems and job control consequences for anxiety, role overload, and turnover intentions.Journal of Management,39(6), pp.1699-1724. Judge, T.A. and Kammeyer-Mueller, J.D., 2012. Job attitudes.Annual review of psychology,63, pp.341-367. McShane, S., Olekalns, M. Travaglione, T. (2010) Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim. Sydney: McGraw Hill. Petty, R. and Cacioppo, J., 2012.Communication and persuasion. New York: Springer-Verlag. Pinder, C., 2013.Work motivation in organizational behavior. New York: Psychology Press. Schyns, B. and Schilling, J., 2013. How bad are the effects of bad leaders? A meta-analysis of destructive leadership and its outcomes.The Leadership Quarterly, 24(1), pp.138-158.

Should Girls Ask Guys Out Essay Example

Should Girls Ask Guys Out Paper Should girls ask guys out BY leie_92 Felecia Cummings ENGL1321 SP13 J. Brantley April 28, 2013 Outline Thesis: Although boys have always asked girls out, why cant girls return the favor; society today has changed and girls are asking boys out. I. Almost everybody is taught that tradition has always been that the boy has to ask the girl out, because this shows that he can be a man and take charge. We will write a custom essay sample on Should Girls Ask Guys Out specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Should Girls Ask Guys Out specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Should Girls Ask Guys Out specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer a. This tradition goes back far as the eighteenth century. b. Most boys who took interest in a girl they liked or were attracted to, nine times out of ten wanted to get to know her and in doing so by asking her out. A girl will never understand how much pressure and sense of masculine it puts on a boy to ask a girl out. II. Nowadays, people live in a civilized society with a continuous development. a. Women are stronger and more confident about themselves and certain situations than women in the past. b. Boys do not know how to handle rejection or failure, so they think that they can avoid rejection or failure by not asking a girl out all together. c. Boys would sometimes prefer for a girl to ask them out. III. For those who agree with the idea or for those who do not, there are however pros and cons to asking a boy out. a. It seems sensible to go after what you want and take initiative. b. If he feels like you are extremely interested he might not be that interested. c. As one becomes more skilled, ones chances of finding, appreciating, and deserving a more satisfying life partner greatly increases. Professor J. Brantley English Comp. II 28 April 2013 Should Girls Ask Boys Out While both genders are timorous of what the other will say, this is the main reason why a lot of people never ask out the other gender until someone intervenes or someone works up the courage to say something. Although boys have always asked irls out, why cant girls return the favor; society today has changed and girls are asking boys out. They are becoming more confident because they feel they should not have to wait for a boy to ask if they really like him. My goal in this paper is to talk about how it is generally traditional for guys to ask girls out, the way society has changed and girls are becoming confident and feel equally able to ask men out. To achieve this goal, I have organized my paper into three main sections. In the first section, I provide an account of information regarding the traditions of dating and asking a girl or boy out. In the second section, I discuss how dating in todays society has changed and how boys have become scared to ask due to the fear of rejection. I end my paper with a third section that discusses and supports my decision of whether or not girls should ask boys out. This section also includes several opinions from others from blog sites and article reviews. I also include an appendix before the Work Cited that contains images of surveys taken by both sex on dating. Traditional Almost everybody is taught that tradition has always been that the boy has to ask the girl out, because this shows that he can be a man and take charge. It is represented that men are the head of the household and are to take care of his family and be the final decision maker; and anything not according would make him less of a man. This tradition goes back far as the eighteenth century, where in order for a boy and girl to even go on a date, he had to ask her parents for their consent. Just as it is in marriage, the man is to ask the womans parents or father for her hand. For a girl to take the initiative in asking a boy out during these times, they were looked upon as being disrespectful, being out of place and a boy would respect them less. Most boys who took interest in a girl they liked or were attracted to, nine times out of ten wanted to get to know her and in doing so by asking her out. This leaving the boy having to take a chance with every decision he makes because oftentimes the girls truly believe the boys has to do everything. Not only were we taught that this was tradition, but we see it portrayed in pre-motion pictures as well. Like stated during an interview by Maddie Burks Historically speaking, men have always played a more dominant role in relationships, Maddie said. l think its kind of stayed that way ecause girls like to feel taken care of. I mean not to the point where they cant do anything on their own, but its nice to feel like someones thinking about you. While there is nothing wrong with a girl wanting to feel protected or having a sense of security, a girl will never understand how much pressure and sense of masculine it puts on a boy to ask a girl out. Todays Society In society today, many beli eve in the equality between men and women, and why a girl should not have to wait to be invited on a date, or out to dinner. Nowadays, women are stronger and more confident about themselves and certain situations han women in the past, due to family situations, the work environment, and the fact that women now contribute effort in amplification of the country. While there are still some people of both genders who might not agree with girls asking boys out first, that does not make it wrong especially in these enlightened times when men and women are supposed to be on equal symmetries. I think that it is suitable and bolstered for girls to ask boys out. If a girl knows that boy really likes her, then she should act on how she feels. Also in todays society boys are not very buoyant. They o not know how to handle rejection or failure, so they think that they can avoid rejection or failure by not asking a girl out all together. As stated in a thread (essay review) on Should Girls Ask Boy Out? Help Me Correct Please Besides that, people mentioned that the guy would prefer not asking and being able to near the girl than to take a chance by asking and being rejected. Definitely, if girls dont grab at the chance, it might be gone. Especially if the girl is very outgoing and the guys are shy. From this statement it is gathered that boys would sometimes prefer for a girl to ask hem out because they are tired of being rejected, and if no one says anything to the other party then they Just missed out on the chance with that person. It also states that you might have a situation where sometimes the boy may be shy and nervous and the girl is totally opposite and is poised. So, one actually never knows until they go out on a limb and ask the person out. The Pros and Cons While many people are quick to Judge a girl when she takes the initiative to ask a guy out many also believe that there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. When it comes o the situation where a girl asks a guy out, there are advantages and disadvantages in the situation. Girls do not want a guy to think that the girls are desperate or that they can do whatever they want because you have made it clear that your interested. Yes, it is a serious problem. However, without a doubt the same thing can happen at any time, even if the guy was the one who made the approach first. The pros and advantages of a girl asking a guy out consists of being confident, not waiting or missing out on the opportunity, actually getting the guy to say yes, and relieving the guy from the pressure of asking the girl. The cons/disadvantages of a girl asking a guy out are: being rejected, the guy might become indifferent or arrogant, and nothing romantic happens because the guy expects the girl to do everything. When a girl lets the guy choose her, she will end up with the guys who like her; oppose to when a girl makes the approach she gets the guy of her choosing. One of the advantages that come from a girl asking a guy out is that she does not have to wait for the guy to ask her and she wont miss out on the opportunity with the guy. When a girl approaches a guy, she already knows what her intensions are with the guy and hows that she is confident and makes a guy want to respect her more. Women who wait for a man to initiate romantic contact can find themselves waiting for weeks, months, or even years. Sometimes they dont get the chance to wait that long because the man leaves or becomes involved with someone else. The best way to make sure you arent sitting waiting for an unknown amount of time is to take action. Aloftyexistence. From this quote it can be gathered that when girls go ahead and put forth the effort to ask a guy out it could actually benefit her in more than one uy is scared to ask the girl in fear of rejection. And if both parties do not have the courage to say anything the guy may end up asking a girl out that he knows will not reject him, leaving the girl that really wanted to talk to the guy without a chance to ask him out. When a girl ask a guy out it can sometimes give her the upper hand in t he relationship and shows that she is truly self-possessed about what exactly it is that she wants. The guy would be more receptive of the girl, because often times he already knows that he is interested in the girl, and it will catch the guy off guard and ive the girl more leverage in the relationship (D. Tolbert) After interviewing a colleague on his perceptive of the pros from a girl asking a guy out, it gave me insight on how guys feel about the girls asking guys out and how they really feel about the situation. Being rejected is definitely something that no one wants to experience. It takes a lot of courage not only for guys to ask girls out, but twice as much for a girl to ask a guy out. Not only has she built up her self-esteem and confidence but she has also set her pride aside and is will to take the role that a guy would normally have. When a girl gets rejected it may also cause the girl to second-guess herself, aside from her being hurt; sometimes it happened and its not as bad as its made out to be. Sometimes you approach a guy and end up with nothing to show for it. You may end up becoming friends, which isnt terrible, but probably not what you were looking for. Other times there are no tangible results; you part ways and contact dwindles or simply put, nothing happens. (Aloftyexistence) Sometimes approaching a guy or making the first move is not always the best. Another disadvantage from asking a guy ut could result in him being to relaxed and feeling like he does not have to put forth as much effort into the relationship as he would if he was the one who actually asked the girl out. The romance may be lacking in the relationship or the guy could appreciate t he fact that you had the courage to approach him, and then in the end just really want to be the girls friend. As girls continuously ask guys out the girl will eventually start to realize what type of guy it is that she wants. She will learn the proper approach, what to say and how to say it. Her confidence will increase and she ill become relaxed and comfortable with asking a guy out. This can often times resort in good future relationships. Conclusion From doing research, reading articles and interviewing colleagues, it has proven to me that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a girl asking a guy out. Most guys love it when girls ask them out. It means that shes in control and knows what she wants. Its very stereotypical that guys have to ask out the girls. We have to stop letting societies standards dictate our lives. We as Americans are the only one who can choose what to do and the decisions we choose to make. While there are some eople both guys and girls who might not agree with girls asking guys out first, does not make it wrong especially in these enlightened times when men and women are supposed to be on equal footings. So to the girls who have no problem asking a guy out, I say bravo. To the girls who have a problem doing it, I say you have to stop asking for equality if you can not do things on an equal footing with the guys and take the good with the bad. (Can a Girl Ask a Guy Out? ) Today, Are Women Asking Men Out on First Dates? No. From The first question we asked was whether they preferred to ask someone out, or ould rather be asked out on a date. Figure 1-1 shows the percentage of males and females who would prefer to be asked out, or asked someone out. As noted in the histogram, a great majority of the women, 93%, preferred to be asked out only 6% preferred to do the asking. The majority of men preferred to do the asking, 83%, while 16% preferred to be asked out on a date. It is interesting that more men preferred to be asked out (16%) than there were women who preferred to do the asking (6%). That difference suggests that 10% of men may be waiting quite a while for a woman to ask them out on a first date. Work Cited Aloftyexistence. Aloftyexistence. N. p. , n. d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. Can a Girl Ask a Guy Out? Yahoo! Answers. Yahoo! , n. d. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. Hamdan, Merahm. Boy Meets Girl. New Cannan High Schools Rampage. N. p. , 2007. Web. 10 March. 2013 Mills, Michael, Ph. D. Why Dont Women Ask Men Out on First Dates? The How and Why of Sex Differences (201 1): n. pag. Web. 30 Apr. 2011.. Thread: Should Girls Ask Boy Out? Help Me Correct Please. UsingEnglishcom ESL Forum RSS. N. p. , 3 Mar. 2010. web. 10 Mar. 2013. Tolbert, Damen. The Pros and Cons of Asking a Guy out. Personal interview. 28 Apr. 2013.

The Great Gatsby Research Paper Example

The Great Gatsby Research Paper Example The Great Gatsby Paper The Great Gatsby Paper In his literary masterpiece The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald paints a picture of American high-society during the Roaring Twenties. In order to appreciate The Great Gatsby, it is essential to understand the setting of the book. Hudson Gevaert describes the 1920s in America on his informative website. He states: They were known as the Roaring Twentys because the economy at the time was through the roof and people were partying all over the place. At the time there was a legal ban on the manufacture and sale of intoxicating drink called prohibition. Organized criminals catered to the needs of the drinking public by illegally supplying them with liquor and made a fortune doing it. Even with all the crime in the Jazz Age though, it will still be remembered for its glittering lights and unbridled romance. Along with the elaborate parties, scandals, and romances prevalent in this book, The Great Gatsby is a notable example of the American Dream and the means to attain that dream. The American Dream is defined by living a life of happiness, prominence, and wealth. This was either attained by being born into money, or by creating your own prosperity. The latter relies on personal struggles and plays a key role in shaping a young man in the book by the name of James Gatz. James Gatz created an alias for himself by the name of Jay Gatsby, which would be the epitome of everything that he wanted- and everything that he was not. The truth behind his real identity was trapped behind a web of lies that he used to protect himself from the people to whom he was the most vulnerable-his friends. In order to obtain his wealth, Jay Gatsby was a bootlegger and a gambler. He contrasts with another character in the book by the name of Tom Buchanan. Tom Buchanan was born into money and controls his life through his wealth. In particular, Tom uses his money and power to seize what he thinks he deserves. Furthermore, his aggressive behavior in the story, backed by the wealth equals power theme, reveals societal brutality, immorality, and indecency among the elite. The similarities between Tom and Gatsby such as: a mutual friend and problems surrounding adultery and materialism do not constitute them as being equal; in fact, through the eyes of Nick, the narrator, it is clear that Tom and Gatsby are entirely different men on the basis of societal position, personality, and his opinion. Tom and Gatsby both have money, but their social statuses are not equal. The inequality of Tom and Gatsby can be seen through the books strongest metaphor: East Egg and West Egg. The East Egg is a secluded area in Long Island which gives homage to the old money of society. These untouchable few breed money and hold great amounts of influence and power. On the other side of the sea is West Egg. This area is extremely wealthy as well, but houses new money such as Gatsby. These people are not treated equally in upper class society because their money was not inherited. East Egg is more elite than West Egg, and impossible for a common person to reach. Unless you were born under a wealthy name, like Tom, you can not be part of their society. Gatsby knows that it is more prestigious to be part of the East Egg society, and for that reason, he stays focused on his dream to obtain the love of Daisy, Toms wife. Another important difference between Gatsby and Tom is that Gatsby is a dreamer, and Tom is practical. An important metaphor in the book is a green light at the end of the Buchanan dock in East Egg, seen from Gatsbys yard in West Egg. It represents Daisy and a materialistic lifestyle. One night after dinner at the Buchanans, Tom saw Gatsby -he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward-and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock (Fitzgerald 28). The light represents Gatsbys pursuit towards his rich ideal life. Gatsby came a long way from nothing to be living where he is, and he makes sure that nothing will interfere in his ultimate goal of opulence. Nick reveals at the end of the book that James Gatz-that was really, or at least legally, his [Gatsbys] name. He had changed it at the age of seventeen and at the specific moment that witnessed the beginning of his career-when he saw Dan Codys yacht drop anchor over the most insidious flat on Lake Superior (Fitzgerald 104). Ever since Gatsby was young, he craved a lifestyle that he never had and went as far as creating an alias to cover up his inferior roots. The problem with coming from a family of lower class was never a problem for Tom. Tom Buchanan is practical in the sense that he knows that he can use money and influence to get what he wants. Tom Buchanan buys his way through life and love. Tom and his wife Daisy started out their life together in a very elaborate way. He came down with a hundred people in four private cars, and hired a whole floor of the Muhlbach Hotel and the day before the wedding he gave her a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars (Fitzgerald 82). Though this seems to be a romantic courting, this actually proves the fact that Tom believes money can buy love and happiness.

Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson in the Napoleonic Wars

Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson in the Napoleonic Wars Horatio Nelson - Birth: Horatio Nelson was born at Burnham Thorpe, England on September 29, 1758, to Reverend Edmund Nelson and Catherine Nelson. He was the sixth of eleven children. Horatio Nelson - Rank Titles: At his death in 1805, Nelson held the rank of Vice Admiral of the White in the Royal Navy, as well as the titles of 1st Viscount Nelson of the Nile (English peerage) and Duke of Bronte (Neapolitan peerage). Horatio Nelson - Personal Life: Nelson married Frances Nisbet in 1787, while stationed in the Caribbean. The two did not produce any children and the relationship cooled. In 1799, Nelson met Emma Hamilton, the wife of the British ambassador to Naples. The two fell in love and, despite the scandal, lived openly together for the remainder of Nelsons life. They had one child, a daughter named Horatia. Horatio Nelson - Career: Entering the Royal Navy in 1771, Nelson swiftly rose through the ranks achieving the rank of captain by the time he was twenty. In 1797, he won great acclaim for his performance at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent where his audacious disobeying of orders led to a stunning British victory over the French.   Following the battle, Nelson was knighted and promoted to rear admiral. Later that year, he participated in an attack on Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands and was wounded in the right arm, forcing its amputation. In 1798, Nelson, now a rear admiral, was given a fleet of fifteen ships and sent to destroy the French fleet supporting Napoleons invasion of Egypt. After weeks of searching, he found the French at anchor in Aboukir Bay near Alexandria. Sailing into uncharted waters at night, Nelsons squadron attacked and annihilated the French fleet, destroying all but two of their ships. This success followed by a promotion to vice admiral in January 1801.   A short time later, in April, Nelson decisively defeated the Danish fleet at the Battle of Copenhagen. This victory broke up the French-leaning League of Armed Neutrality (Denmark, Russia, Prussia, Sweden) and ensured that a continuous supply of naval stores would reach Britain. After this triumph, Nelson sailed for the Mediterranean where he over saw the blockade of the French coast. In 1805, after a brief rest ashore, Nelson returned to sea after hearing that the French and Spanish fleets were concentrating at Cdiz. On October 21, the combined French and Spanish fleet was spotted off Cape Trafalgar. Using revolutionary new tactics that he had devised, the Nelsons fleet engaged the enemy and was in the process of achieving his greatest triumph when he was shot by a French marine. The bullet entered his left shoulder and pierced the lung, before lodging against his spine. Four hours later, the admiral died, just as his fleet was completing the victory. Horatio Nelson - Legacy: Nelson’s victories ensured that the British controlled the seas for the duration of the Napoleonic Wars and prevented the French from ever attempting to invade Britain. His strategic vision and tactical flexibility set him apart from his contemporaries and have been emulated in the centuries since his death. Nelson possessed an innate ability to inspire his men to achieve beyond what they thought possible. This â€Å"Nelson Touch† was a hallmark of his command style and has been sought by subsequent leaders.

Alliances and the Airline Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alliances and the Airline Industry - Essay Example Deregulation of the airline industry in the United States in 1978 led to the formation of the alliance. The deregulation was the most notable event that brought about the radical changes within the industry. M. Potter claims that Alliances are a means to extend or reinforce competitive advantage, and not a sustainable means of creating it. Oum, Taylor, and Zhang (1993) offer a universal definition: a worldwide airline network composed of a group of related airlines that provide services to consumers. They do so through a common computer system, automatic baggage transfer system, fares and ticketing, joint marketing, code sharing of flights and coordinated flight schedules. This paper will discuss the extent to which alliances have become a characteristic of the airline industry. Why did airlines come about? Deregulation of the airline industry lead to the formulation of alliances. The effects of deregulation were quick to filter though it took almost a decade for the European countri es to follow. The airlines could now choose the ways they wanted to take and fix the prices as they found it fit without any regulatory interventions. It thus enabled airlines to work according to demand-supply and other market factors. Airlines gained their freedom, and they had to fend for themselves in taking careful steps in order to walk the paths of positive financial bottom lines. Globalisation has set in new rules and with Increased Competition for and from new markets, the ground markets have altered airlines to adapt slowly to these challenges. Alliances have contributed highly to solving such problems as described by Harrigan (1988, p.67). With the Privatisation and unpredictability of the new market and its inherent vulnerability to global incidences, the industry had to adapt itself to aliening with the privatised industries as a survival mechanism. From basic code-sharing agreements, these alliances have come along the way, and today involve a closer co-operation betwe en partners. They ensured they integrated with even the non-flying partners like hotels and credit card companies. The hotels and credit companies play an extremely significant function in the development of the global airline industry. Airlines had to integrate their flight Routes by flying from shared hub points and common terminals and coordinating their flight schedules. Thus, passengers who want to connect from one alliance partner to another can do so with little inconvenience and effort. Airlines in an alliance offer fares that favour a combination of alliance partners because they have an integrated route network in place. This includes fares around the world that display the alliance global network. It permits travellers to travel round the earth entirely using the members of a single alliance leading to the Low Cost Revolution. Member airlines have linked their mileage programs in order to satisfy the consumer craving for miles. This helps them to reward travellers for fly ing within the alliance network. M. porter says that Alliances are frequently transitional devices. They proliferate in industries undergoing structural change or escalating competition, where managers fear they cannot cope. They are an indication to uncertainty, and comfort provider. Strategy and airline alliances De la Sierra (1995) claims that in order to gain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace an alliance has to be internationally strategic. It must posses the following

Fitness Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fitness Plan - Assignment Example Walking, dancing and swimming are examples. Walking is perhaps the most convenient and has the same benefits as the other more vigorous forms of exercise. The cardiovascular system is dependent upon the exercise one does in a day. In order to improve it one has to walk 3 to 4 times a week for at least 20 to 30 minutes. The walk should make one breath hard but not gasp for breath. In order to lose weight, a minimum 5 days of exercise for 30 minutes, at a brisk pace is required. For reaping general health benefits, 30 minutes a day of exercise (at least 4 days a week), at a comfortable pace is recommended. Warm up exercises are necessary as they cause vasodilation of the blood vessels, ensuring that muscles are well-supplied with oxygen, pliable and flexible. The heart rate also increases, and this prepares the body for a more rigorous exercise. The burning of calories is also more efficient. In order to warm up before walking, walk slowly or march for 5 to 10 minutes until breathing becomes quicker and one starts to feel warm. Cooling down is just as important, as it prevents the heart rate and blood pressure from falling too rapidly, thus preventing light-headedness. Additionally, it removes waste products, lactic acid for instance, and improves flexibility. It is thus beneficial to gradually decrease one’s speed (for 5 to 10 minutes towards the end), rather than halting abruptly. Following this, one should carry out a brief stretching routine (10 minutes). Adults need 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night for optimal mental function and prevent daytime napping. A lack of sleep can undermine one’s ability to deal with stress and lead to health problems. In order to follow a perfect fitness plan the diet of a person is also very important. The diet should be composed of fruits, vegetables, grains and milk that are free of fat. Products that have less cholesterol

Ded na si Lolo Essay Example for Free

Ded na si Lolo Essay We all know that Filipinos are very â€Å"traditional people†. What I mean about this term is that once they already have this certain belief, true-to-life or fictional, they would still have a very strong hold for it. The movie â€Å"Ded na si Lolo† certainly showed that kind of attitude that a Filipino has. The characters of the movie really portrayed well how those myths and beliefs affected our normal way of living. Even though some others will find it strange and impossible to happen, they still continue to do it for an unexplainable reason. There are some beliefs given in the movie that I find feasible and some others are just questionable. For the â€Å"kind of okay† myths, the first one is the â€Å"Don’t wear red during funerals†. For me this is some sort of related to our customs, because as we all know, red is a happy color and of course we should not wear it during the funeral but instead, wear colors representing our sympathy or grief like black or white. Another one is the â€Å"Don’t use the condolence money for ones expenses†. It’s very simple, all people who gave it intended it for the dead one, so don’t abuse. Instead of using it for your luxuries, own budget and the like, use it as a food and snack budget for the visitors, funeral expenses and everything that has relation with the funeral of the person. All of what I’ve stated is not only what I think a belief for us Filipinos but also plain custom and right practice which is humanly. For the questionable myths, there are concepts that I really don’t understand and accept. For me it kinda sounds funny and not humorous at all. First is the â€Å"Do not shower while the wake is going on†. I don’t know what happens if you take a shower during a funeral but if you are the owner of the house and you accommodate every visitor of the wake, just imagine how they will react if you smell and look bad. Same with the no sweeping and cleaning of the house, what would the deceased soul feel if his wake is untidy? It’s just simply a matter of hygiene. These are the least I can remember from the film that I’ve watched. Actually, we also have a lot of myths in our province. This has no relation with the funeral but it is related with the beliefs itself. Like if you are being followed by a dog and you’re afraid of it, just bite your tongue then drag it backwards and suddenly the dog will stop following you. Another one is that when the funeral is already finished, you shall not have leftover food in your house, like the ones being given to the visitors. Instead of keeping it, just give it to strangers or visitors themselves for the last day. They say that it will prevent deaths of other relatives for the same year. I find it some sort of weird and I have no choice but to follow it because I don’t want my mother or grandparents to get mad at me if I don’t believe them. I admit that I’m also afraid of what the outcomes would be so I just obey them rather than have regrets if it happens. All in all, I think that without these kinds of myths, we’ll not have our identity as Filipinos. It’s already part of our culture and way of living. Even though you find them silly at times, instead of being annoyed, just try to smile and follow the flow. It just shows how Filipinos are loyal and faithful to their beliefs. And I know that most of these myths are not for fun or anything, it’s how we express our much respect towards matters.

Essay --

Before 2003 there were six million people living peacefully and all of the sudden there were three million people displaced, 400,000 people dead, and one despot. This sudden change was due to the Darfur government killing the citizens of Darfur. It began in 2003 when two peacekeeping rebel groups challenged the Darfur government, accusing it of neglect. The government responded by killing and raping as many people they could making it a national genocide. A Genocide is the action of deliberately killing a group of people, specifically one certain ethnic group or religion. Darfur's government and the Janjaweed army have been devastating lives of the Darfurian people by destroying their homes and killing many Darfurians since the beginning of 2003. The Genocide has been said to have officially started on February 26, 2003 when a rebel group called DLF publically claimed that they had attacked Golo, Western Darfur. Even before the genocide had began there were several attacks on the Darfur government by rebel groups. For example, on February 25, 2002 the rebels attacked an army garrison on a mountain. This all started in Sudan, which is the largest country in Africa, located south of Egypt. Darfur is one of the eighteen states in Sudan is about the size of Texas. Darfur is broken up into five smaller states, which are West Darfur, Central Darfur, East Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur. Darfur is bordered by Chad, Libya, and Central African Republic. The Darfurians have not only been troubled by the government, but also by the lack of food and water. The rough and desert like terrain makes it hard to grow crops. The region is also very drought prone making it hard to grow crops too. The state of Darfur has about six mi ... ...e in that one shooting 136 men was killed. This incident happened in Garisla, an area south of Zingei, in Wadi Saleh. Darfur's government and the Janjaweed army have been devastating lives of the Darfurian people by destroying their homes and killing many Darfurians since the beginning of 2003. Darfur’s genocide has impacted the world greatly by warning people what could happen with a corrupt government. The current issue has put fear in everyone’s lives by making them think about every decision that the government is making. I believe that the current situation in Darfur is unfair for the people. Instead of living life, they are trying to survive. A newspaper has said that the â€Å"United Nations officials have characterized the situation as ‘the greatest humanitarian catastrophe ever.’† Everyday the Darfurians wake up thinking â€Å"will I see the sun rise tomorrow?†

Essential elements of a valid contract Essay

In this part of my assignment I will be detailing what the different elements of a valid contract are whilst also linking it in with my own contract. The contract I have decided to use is my mobile phone contract from Vodafone. The offer: In contract law the offer is where a person will accept the invitation, for example in my contract the offer would be when I offer to bind into their contract and purchase a mobile phone deal, and this is because they created an invitation for me to purchase a deal as they advertise their deals in various place so when I go in I offer to bind into a contract with them. Invitation to treat: An invitation to treat is usually used to get the parties started with some negotiations to result in a fair agreement for both parties involved. For example in my case with my contract it was negotiated for me to get more minutes instead of the amount of data they were offering as I would use the minutes more instead of the data so Vodafone agreed and created a contract stating what was agreed to ensure that they could not go back on their agreement. An invitation to treat does not bind someone into a contract as they are only inviting people to make an offer so if somebody was looking at something but didn’t not agree or make the owner a offer then therefore there is no agreement and no legal binding. The Acceptance: In contract law once a legal acceptance is formed a contract gets developed in which case both parties cannot back out of the agreement after the contract has been signed. There are three rules that need to be followed when creating an acceptance to ensure it is legally bound. The three rules are: The acceptance must be known and discussed with the offeree. The acceptances’ terms must match the terms of the offer exactly. The agreement needs to be certain. In the case of my phone contract it was legally bound as it follows all three  of the rules of acceptance as when I purchased the contract we discussed all aspects of the contract terms and we both knew exactly what the agreement was after the negotiations. Consideration: The consideration in contract law must be something of value by the eyes of the law this doesn’t not include things like a promise of love. A consideration is also known as the bargain of the contract where each party must receive a benefit to the contract or a disadvantage for it to be a consideration. With my contract the consideration is I get a certain amount of data, texts and minutes in exchange for money that will be paid each month. Intention to create legal relationships: The main aim of indenting to create legal relationships is to try and push out the cases that don’t necessarily need a court to help take action. This is usually the case when two friends agree to meet up somewhere or if a family member agrees to help clean the car as there is no legal agreement it is just made between the two or more parties that are involved which means that therefore there is no legal binding contract in place so the courts are unable to take any action against any of the parties. With my contract it is a legally bound contract so if for example I decided I was no longer happy and I was going to stop paying the payment that we agreed then they are entitled to take me to the courts as the contract is legally bound. Capacity: The capacity in contract law is where a person has to either be over a specific age or they have to be mentally fit and not under the influence of alcohol as if one of the parties are then the contract will become void as they will be classed as a minor or unstable to bind into a contract as they need to have a full understanding of what they are signing for. If a contract becomes void then it means there is no legal binding of that contract and therefore if something went wrong and they backed out of it the courts could not take action. With my Vodafone contract they have a capacity that nobody under the age of 18 is allowed to take out a contract as they are known as a minor but any payments can be taken out of the minors account after three payments have been made, this is to ensure that they have an  adult who is responsible for making sure all payments are going to get paid and if not it is them that will be taken to court as the contract will be in their name.

Domestic Violance

Essay preview UNIVERSITY DEGREE CRIMINOLOGY Research Proposal The purpose of this research proposal is to address the area of domestic violence in heterosexual relationships and why women find it difficult to leave abusive relationships. The proposal will start with a title which basically indicates what the report is about. There will be a literature review which covers the key literature used for the study; research questions for victims of domestic violence will also be formulated to aid the study.The proposal will address the research design to be used as well as the methods of data collection and at the same time emphasis will also be placed on the appropriateness of the method chosen. As expected with every research the proposal will deal with possible problems that could be faced and how they will be addressed including ethical issues. The proposal will also address the timescale for this project outlining the research schedule and that should be concluded with a bibliography. Title: Women's silence to domestic violence: why some do no leave abusive relationships. Hypothesis: People hold the view that women who choose not to leave those abusive relationships are passive. Aims of the investigation * To explore a range of social explanations for the causes of intimate partner violence. * To find out why women find it difficult to leave abusive relationships. * To develop an informative framework to victims of domestic violence and enlighten them on the policies of domestic violence. Context of study This proposed study is focusing on the data generated by social theorist on violence against women such as Bandura 19731who outline the reasons why some women find it difficult to leave abusive husbands. Hamilton ; Coates (1993)2 rightly stated that women who do not leave abusive relationships are often pathologized and blamed for their victimization. This is what generally happens and therefore the focus of attention is shifted from the wrongs perpetrated by t he abuser to people viewing the abused as passive.Several theories have been put forward to try and explain why abused women do not leave their relationships for example that women tend not leave because they are economically dependant on the abuser3. Also Abbott, Johnson, Koziol and Lowenstein (1995)4 suggested that characteristics of the abuser such as charm may stop the woman from leaving the relationship. This research will pay particular attention to the current social assumption of women who do not leave abusive relationships are masochistic and are to blame for their situations5 and test out whether the theories put forward are still applicable in the modern day times.The research will address this issue and help correct this grounded view of victims of abuse and provide useful information on domestic violence policies and laws that could rescue victims. Literature Review Literature review is integral to this research; this will therefore focus on the research question and i ts importance. Attention will also be paid to where there are gaps in this field of research and how they will be addressed. It is also necessary to consider whether it is beneficial to fill these gaps and identify who has made an attempt to fill them. The importance of the research question is that it addresses the issue of intimate partner violence and how the violence is learned in the socialization of family life6 and why women tend not leave those abusive relationships. There has not been much focus on the type research that I am carrying out recently. Most of the theoretical data that I managed to get hold of was on information gathered in the early 1980s to mid 90s. Changes within the society as well as technology means that the above factors might not be as accurate as to why women do not leave their abusive husbands.Therefore my research is important in that fresh data from the twenty first century will be compiled and will give a clearer view of why modern day women still stay in violent relationships. It will also provide a change in the negative social assumptions society holds of women who stay in abusive relationships and provide a shift from these assumptions. Similar research has been carried out by Dunn, 19897 , he found that the main reason why women stay is due to lack of options to responding to violent partners as well as the lack of support from family members.Newman, 19938 also found that women see no point in leaving their relationships due to the lack of support by the very institutions that are supposed to provide assistance. The research aims to test this area and see whether it is still applicable. Carlson 19979 found that a history of violence tags along future emotional aspects which entrap women thus complicating the process of leaving an abusive partner. When combined the above factors have implications on how domestic violence is interpreted and the perceptions held on women in abusive relationships.Lastly the research aims to raise awareness on domestic violence, 2007-2008 statistics by the British Crime Survey found that domestic violence cases had increased compared to statistics from 199510. Methodology and research design Research design is used to refer to the stages and processes which connect research questions to data (Punch, 1998)11 therefore the design aims to connect the research with the data. I am going to use the triangulation method for this research12, and this is whereby more than one method is used to gather data.According to (Brannen, 1992)13 the use of more than one method is regarded as a complementary technique which means that problems associated with strategy may be compensated for by the strengths of the other. The other reason why I am using the triangulation method is that different methods are appropriate in different research settings and for collecting different types of data. Because my research is quite complex I found this to be the best way to get accurate research after which the results will be combines to give one conclusion to the hypothesis.The qualitative component of the research will employ semi-structured interviews and the quantitative component will use a postal self completion questionnaire. The complementary use of these methods is a professional and tried and tested methodology14. To start off the research the quantitative method I am going to use for is a postal self completion questionnaire. This is whereby the respondents answer questions by completing the questionnaire themselves. The questions will be closed questions and require the respondent to circle yes, no and don't know (sample of questions attached).The purpose of this is to obtain a representative sample of women who will be of interest to the research who will then be called in for a semi-structured interview. The main reason for using the self-completion questionnaire is that they are considered as a way of recording values, attitudes and behaviours of the targeted po pulation and the data is generated in a systematic manner by providing the respondents with the same questions and recording their responses in a methodical manner15 .Also they are reliable in that they eliminate the differences in the way the questions are phrased and how they are presented to the respondents. The questionnaire will record the respondent's experiences of intimate partner domestic violence and find out basic background information on why women stay in abusive relationships. At this stage particular attention will be paid to ethical and safety issues that come with intimate domestic partner violence. The questionnaire will contain a statement assuring the respondents of confidentiality alongside a secret code number to ensure anonymity. ? I am aware of the drawbacks that come with this type of quantitative method which may include non response by some respondents. The questionnaire will include a covering letter explaining the aims of the research, its importance and why the recipient has been selected and most importantly it will feature guarantees of confidentiality. The questionnaire will be accompanied by a reply stamped addressed envelope and there will be a follow up on individuals who do not respond approximately three weeks after the first mailing16.This should improve the response rate and from then respondents will be called in for an in depth interview. For the qualitative component I am going to conduct semi structured interviews. The main advantage of using qualitative methods of research is that this type of research is concerned with understanding how people behave the way they do therefore it allows the subjects to give â€Å"detailed, richer† answers. This type of research also acts as a forerunner to other types of research for example quantitative research which may leave out valuable areas of research.I chose this type of method for the research because as highlighted it gives me a chance to exploit very detailed data which cannot be covered by quantitative analysis. It also uses subjective information therefore it is more representative of the women being studied. The interviews will be designed to have the pace be detected by the interviewee; the majority of the questions will be formulated in the interview which means that the interviewee is able to choose to talk about a subject that he/she feels emotionally comfortable with.The interviews will operate in an open framework and there will be two way communication between the interviewer and interviewee which paves way for the use of emotions, the interviewer can relate to what the interviewee has been through to some extent. At the same time since this is a sensitive subject procedures of ethics will be observed to ensure that the interviewees' confidentiality is not breached. Ethical considerations Ethics are a set of moral standards by which people regulate their behaviour17 therefore it is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure th at the research is carried out in an ethical manner.The British Sociological Association 2005 (BSA)18 set out guidelines which were to be followed by researchers when carrying out research. It is essential for my research that it is clearly stated to the interviewees that they are free to withdraw from the research process anytime and at the same time it is my responsibility that the interviewees are informed about what the research process entails and what the findings will be used for.As my research will be about the sensitive topic of domestic violence it is essential that I observe these guidelines, this benefits me as the researcher as well as the interviewees' safety. Ellsberg ; Heise (2002)19 highlighted that the main ethical concern related to researching violence against women is the potential to inadvertently cause distress therefore to avoid causing distress the interviews will be structured in a way that the interviewee controls the subjects to be discussed therefore wil l be able to discuss issues they emotionally capable to. ? It is my ethical responsibility to ensure confidentiality of the participants is preserved, I will ensure that participants will not use their real names but instead they will choose a unique code which identifies them and if there is a need to pass on details to other researchers this will ensure that their identity is protected, this also extends to data that is electronically stored.I am also aware that due to the nature of qualitative research methods interviewees might find themselves divulging information that they might regret later (Lee, 2003)20 so to ensure confidentiality I will break the link between information provided and the interviewees, this way anonymity is retained. There will also be a consent form to come with the research; this will outline the interviewee's rights to withdrawal at any time and assurances of anonymity as per BSA 2005. After the interviews take place, any information on relevant agencies and organisations will be passed on to the interviewees so that they get help when and if needed. 1 Bars to performance As with all research there will be obstructions to the ways in which the research is carried out as well as the way in which the data is accessed. A major problem might be that some women will not be willing to discuss issues of domestic violence for fear of retaliation by the perpetrator; the use of a confidentiality guarantee is aimed at assuring the interviewees. The use of triangulation means that the targets will be harder to achieve due to time constraints, therefore to combat this I will ensure that the research is carried out on a small scale and at the same time not putting accuracy in jeopardy.Time scale of research The research will take 6-9months to complete. Sending out of questionnaires will take place within the first fortnight of funding approval. The interviews are expected to take place after the data from the survey has been processed and thi s should be by the fifth month leaving time for results from the interviews to be processed. In conclusion what this research proposal has achieved is to do is highlight the elements of the research and the difficulties that are likely to be faced in the process. 1 Bandura, A. (1973), Aggression: A social learning analysis. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Hamilton, B. , & Coates, J. (1993): Perceived helpfulness and use of professional services by abused women. Journal of family violence, 8, 313-324 3 Sullivan, C. , Tan, C. , Basta, J. , Rumptz, M. , & Davidson, W. (1992). An advocacy intervention program for women with abusive partners: Initial evaluation. American Journal of Community Psychology, 20 309-332 4 Abbott, J. , Johnson, R. , Koziol-McLain, J. , & Lowenstein, S. R. (1995). Domestic violence against women: Incidence and prevalence in an emergency department population. Journal of the American Medical Association, 273(22), 1763-1767 Walker, L. E. (1984), The battered woman syndrome, New York: Springer 6 Kalmuss, D. (1984). The intergenerational transmission of marital aggression. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 46, 11-19 7 Dunn, L. L. (1989). The lived experience of fear in battered women. Unpublished Doctoral dissertation, University of Alabama at Birmingham 8 Newman, K. (1993). Giving up: Shelter experiences of battered women. Public Health Nursing, 10(2), 108-113 9 Carlson, B. E. (1997). A Stress and coping approach to intervention with abused women. Family Relations, 46, 291-298 10 Home office statistics, http://www. omeoffice. gov. uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0708summ. pdf 11 Punch, K. F. (1998) Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. London: Sage. 12 Jupp, V. (1989) Methods of Criminological Research. London 13 Brannen, J. (1992) Mixing Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative Research. Aldershot: Avebury 14 Sayer, A. (1992) Method in Social Science: A Realist Approach. London: Routledge 15 Crow, I. , & Semmens, N (2008) Chapter 5: Research by Reading In Researching Criminology, ed. Crow, I. , & Semmens, N Maidenhead, Open University Press, pp. 81-99 16 Bryman, A. (2004) Social Research Methods, Second Edition: Oxford University Press, New York 17 Lee-Treweek, G. (2000). Danger in the field: risk and ethics in social research. London: Routledge 18 British Sociological Association, Statement of Ethical Practice: www. britsoc. org. uk/about/ethic. htm 19 Ellsberg, M and Haise,L(2000), Bearing Witness: Ethics in domestic violence research, LanceT,Vol 359:1599-1604 20 Lee, R. M. (1993) Doing research on sensitive topics. SAGE. 21 Arksey, H. , & Knight, P. (1999). Interviewing for social scientists: An introductory resource with examples. London: Sage

RAW - Scott Monk essays

RAW - Scott Monk essays The novel RAW, by Scott Monk, intended for young adults, clearly informs the responder of the effects institutionalisation has on an individual. The text reveals the impacts it encompasses on the behaviours of those who are placed in institutions. A definition of an institution could be an organisational pattern of group behaviour established, and usually accepted as a fundamental part of a culture, therefore; the institutions refer to a psychological condition which has been brought about due to a depersonalised environment. Automatic behaviours often occur as a result of institutionalization, such as, expressionless faces, along with a general apathy. Their personal appearances, as well as personal morals become less important. Institutionalisation is likely to surface, if the residence in which their identities, interests and strengths are not respected. There are several types of institutions such as, Education systems, Legal systems, Economic systems, along with Health and Soc ial Culture systems, to name a few. All institutions aim at recuperating the individual so they can regain the ability to live within a non fabricated world. Furthermore, the Poem Hospital Evening, by Gwen Hardwood deals with institutions, and the end result of what effects institutions can have upon an individual. Sleepers, directed by Barry levinson also deals with institutions in regards to four men from Hell's Kitchen who avenge their boyhood loss of innocence at the hands of reform school guards. This movie also depicts the behaviours which institutionalisation brings. All these mentions texts can be segmented into Compliance, Protest, and enforcement. RAW provides an insight on the effects of Justice Centres. Brett Dalton, the protagonist of the text RAW reveals the highly wrought behaviours in which institutionalisation can create among an individual, when one is challenged or confronted by the structures of an Authority. Brett, an expe...

How to Pick a College as an Undecided Major

For some students, the college search is simplified by a clear and firm vision of a future career or professional path. If you’ve spent your childhood dreaming of becoming a doctor, an artist, or a social worker, your college search will naturally be focused on schools that provide strong programming in your area of interest. For other students, though, the path remains unclear. If this is you, don’t worry about it. There are literally millions of students who arrive to college each year with an undecided major, and even many who graduate with a major yet still don’t quite know what they want to be â€Å"when they grow up†. While your college search might be slightly less focused in terms of academic program offerings, it doesn’t have to be any less focused on the dozens of other priorities that you’ll consider when choosing a college. To learn how to pick a college as a undecided major, don’t miss this post. If you’re not entirely sure what path you want to pursue, try focusing on schools that provide a little of everything. Many schools offer liberal arts programs that touch on classes in every subject area. This breadth of knowledge will serve you well, even when you eventually focus in on a single career path. After all, everyone uses core skills like math and English throughout their daily lives. In addition to liberal arts schools, you might check out schools that offer a number of different professionally focused paths in general subject areas that are of interest to you. If you’re interested in science but haven’t chosen a specific track yet, look at schools that offer a broad variety of programs within the subject area. These could include engineering, physical therapy, pharmacy, or even premed. This way, you don’t close any potential doors in your subject areas of interest. At some point during your college career, you will have to declare a major—the decision can’t be put off indefinitely. At some colleges, however, you don’t need to declare a major until the end of sophomore year. Choosing a school like this allows a little more time for exploration before you need to focus in on a single area of study. Our Early Advising Program helps students in 9th and 10th grade discover their passions and build strong academic and extracurricular profiles to succeed in high school. Putting off your major declaration can actually be a really smart choice. Even students who think that they have a clear idea of their career path as early as high school might find more exciting options as they explore collegiate course offerings. In fact, a study published by the journal Inside Higher Ed that students who declare their majors late or even change majors during college have a higher graduation rate than those who declare early. In light of this study, some colleges are actually changing how students declare their majors. At Georgia State University , students now select a â€Å"meta major† before focusing on an actual major. A meta major is essentially a broad subject area in which students take classes that will eventually count towards a more specific major. For example, a student who wants to become an accountant would enroll in the business meta major and take classes that lead towards a career in business. If that student later decided he or she would rather work in management, the classes accrued in the business meta major would still count towards his or her new track. This change has led to 32 percent decrease in the number of major changes among undergraduates at the University, so it’s clear that delaying a major declaration might indeed be a smart thing to do. Open curriculum schools are schools without a core curriculum, meaning that there are no mandatory courses outside of your major requirements (there may, however, be a single freshman seminar requirement to focus on developing college writing skills). Often at these schools, students are also allowed to wait until the end of their sophomore year to declare a major.   In this way, students have much more control over the classes they choose to take. This is a relatively new trend in higher education and reflects the broadening skills often required in a workplace. Of course, there are still some requirements that will drive your course selections if you choose an open curriculum school. For one, you’ll still need complete your major requirements. If you don’t, some open curriculum schools may grant you a bachelor’s degree in â€Å"Liberal Arts,† but not majoring in any subject is still seen as a last resort; you are expected to major in something. At these schools, you will also to still need meet prerequisites to take upper level classes. That means you’ll have to take introductory classes in certain subject areas in order to advance.   If you’re interested in schools that offer an open curriculum program option, here is a list to get you started. Some schools are not totally open curriculum, but offer more freedom than most. Those technicalities are noted in parentheses: University of Rochester   (must take 3 courses in 2 fields outside of your major) Vassar College   (has a foreign language and quantitative course requirement) Wake Forest University   (has a special open curriculum program, but not for all undergraduates) Finally, keep in mind that your future major or career path is only one small part of how you choose a college. Ultimately, your own experiences and your education beyond college will do more to shape your future career than your college major. As such, there are many other priorities that you will want to consider when choosing a college. These might include things like geographic location, class sizes, extracurricular offerings, student services, and more. To learn more about the other factors you should consider when choosing a college, check out these posts: If you’d like some more help focusing in on potential majors or career paths, or choosing a college without a firm plan for the future, consider the benefits of the Near Peer Mentorship Program , which provides access to practical advice on topics from college admissions to career aspirations, all from successful college students.

Philosophy, the second Topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy, the second Topic - Essay Example Aristotle’s viewpoints also underscore Plato’s assertion in that philosophy has a purpose of practicality attached to it. Gaining knowledge for its own sake does not restrict the projection of the acquired knowledge in any way. Rather, practical philosophy can be attributed to numerous situations that are intrinsically separated from merely conjectural inquiries made for the sake of flaunting one’s pedantic affectations. The rational components of practical philosophy have, however, been questioned by modern scientific innovations that strive to theorize every phenomenon. This is the main point of debate in this paper. What is the purpose of philosophy in real life? Does philosophy have any bearing on human life, individual or collective? The paper shall examine the arguments propounded by five seminal thinkers from the world of philosophy: Jean-Paul Sartre, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Sigmund Freud. The existential quandaries of modern men have been addressed in-depth by the French thinker Jean-Paul Sartre. Commenting on philosophy, he claims that philosophy as an abstraction of human perception is only a vague concept which does not yield any ethical or realistic principles. The basis of his argument involves the interdependency of existentialism and Marxism for the sake of comprehending reality and its evolution from the past. This is an interesting premise because Marxist philosophy is different from existentialist philosophy in terms of explaining idealism (Sartre and Priest 17). Marx’s investigation is more akin to presenting every individual within a social setup which should be in perfect accord with a totalitarian worldview. Hence, the existential essence of subjective idealism is not the point of philosophical contention for Marx. He argues that betterment of living can be achieved not by the

Nutrition in a pill Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nutrition in a pill - Research Paper Example What they do not seem to care or think of is the undeniable fact that these efficient meals, although economical, have an underlying dangerous effect to their health. Years of depending on these have evidently been affecting many and have consequently caused growing concern about health. Consequently, because of demand and need, many have come up with, yet again, new ideas. Among the most sellable is the use of vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements, but their widespread use has had questions arise. Do they really work? Are their effect really worth the money? When people make the decision to take in supplements as the replacement for the nutritious food they are expected to eat, they begin to lose sight of what supplements and vitamins can never replace: a healthy lifestyle that only proper diet and exercise can give. Yes, although supplements do indeed, at a certain extent, become the solution to specific health problems such as cholesterol or high blood pressure, they simply do not give the same effect as nutritious diet and regular exercise do. Therefore, supplements, vitamins and minerals are not for everyone, are not for most. These only greatly benefit the elderly and those who suffer from specific health conditions and illnesses, not for the majority who eat moderately and exercise regularly. On the September issue of Time Magazine, in its special health and nutrition issue, is an article of five pages that is entitled: â€Å"Nutrition in a Pill?† It features the writer’s journey of taking roughly three thousand dietary supplements for about five months to test if vitamins, minerals and supplements indeed are worth the thousand dollars they cost, and the results it has brought about. Summarizing the results of John Cloud’s five-month journey is in an article in Science-Based Magazine. â€Å"Only two measurements changed significantly: his vitamin D level†¦ and his HDL level†¦ He felt better on the supplements, but he attributed that to placebo

Budgets and Budgeting Process Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Budgets and Budgeting Process - Math Problem Example For this it is important that the company take an initiative to put in place proper systems for tracing costs and allocation of budget. By installing these systems, we will be in a stronger position to generate true financial statements. And as you must be aware that strong systems of a company play a vital role in determine the share price of the initial public offering and the future share performance when the company shares are traded in the secondary market, therefore, it is important that we as a company, focused on growth, should concentrate on developing strong systems for our company. Recent researches conduct on the importance of setting up a budget for a company has revealed new and intriguing utility or a budget document. A budget of a company enables it to limit its expenditures, predict future income, profits and potential return on investment. Company budget has become a mean by which a company can exert control over its processes, and decide form of bonuses for its emp loyees. However, in order to have an accurate budget, it is important that the company’s management takes input from every process owner. It is of utmost importance that every process owner understands the corporate goals and objectives, and aligns their activities in accordance with these goals and objectives. By setting up benchmarks in place by means of a budget, we would be in a better position to assess the performance of a process owner and set his reward for his job accordingly. Moreover, by forming a budget, we would be in a better position to set future goals for our company and tailor our current business model in accordance with the dynamics of our business environment. This utility of a budget will help us to ensure that our company is in... From this study it is clear that a budget of a company enables it to limit its expenditures, predict future income, profits and potential return on investment. Company budget has become a mean by which a company can exert control over its processes, and decide form of bonuses for its employees. However, in order to have an accurate budget, it is important that the company’s management takes input from every process owner. It is of utmost importance that every process owner understands the corporate goals and objectives, and aligns their activities in accordance with these goals and objectives. By setting up benchmarks in place by means of a budget, we would be in a better position to assess the performance of a process owner and set his reward for his job accordingly. We need to be sure that every penny that we are investing in our operations is producing a substantial return, therefore, it is important that we take an initiative to generate an internal company budget.As the d iscussion highlights by forming a budget, we would be in a better position to set future goals for our company and tailor our current business model in accordance with the dynamics of our business environment. This utility of a budget will help us to ensure that our company is in a position to face unprecedented business circumstances. And since our current environment is extremely volatile, therefore, it would be a good idea to take precautionary measures that will ensure the survival this enterprise.

Free Trade Agreement Between the GCC and ASEAN

Free Trade Agreement Between the GCC and ASEAN Executive Summary This paper is a consolidated report of surveys on key issues and concerns to trade and investment in an ASEAN-GCC free trade environment. The researchers were able to make a schema of most likely issues and concerns that would be deterrent to negotiations for a free trade agreement on the ASEAN and GCC zones. The consolidated report is based on an intensive literature review. As the ASEAN-GCC talks are still underway, the researchers thought it wiser to first create a schema for an enterprise survey which would assess the effectiveness as well as determine barriers which would inadvertently affect ASEAN-GCC free trade negotiations. A consolidated report on such factors would greatly benefit business enterprises as well as the government itself in that it provides a guidelines of expectations and, thus, this could be addressed early on. The report first discussed an overview of the GCC financial market to establish the market potentials and capacity of the region. The key issues and concerns that were gathered through research were then grouped accordingly to whether they fall under the tariff barriers or formal transaction cost issue, and the non-tariff barrier (NTB) or informal transaction cost issues. From the consolidated report, it was revealed that while tariff barriers or formal transaction costs affects trade and investment, it was the non-tariff barriers which generally costs companies a lot. Non-tariff barriers include red tape from getting business certifications, weak legal system especially in legal disputes and the like, enforcement of environmental policies, restrictions placed on ownership of equities and real estate, existence of laws which prohibits foreign nationals from applying for business permits, especially in areas outside the free trade zone. There also exists some political and/or diplomatic barriers. However, these should not be given to much focus as these contribute only a small amount of influence to the conduct of trade and investment. Area of Study This study on the free trade agreement between the ASEAN and GCC focuses on identifying issues and concerns that should be addressed in order for a free trade agreement between the GCC and the ASEAN to be useful and beneficial for all signatory parties. These issues and concerns are identified through extensive research and inference from previous studies and factual articles. However, issues that are only significant for the government and other stakeholders, but are not of particular important to the business sector (i.e., labor and environmental issues) were not considered. Background of the Problem Last June 30, 2009, a trade pact in the form of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the 10 country-members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (TradeArabia, 2009). The said MOA focuses on building a trade bloc between the GCC and ASEAN, and also explores the possibility of a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and a free trade agreement (FTA). The trade pact was signed after the first successful GCC-ASEAN ministerial meeting held in Manama, Bahrain, wherein the ministers approved a two-year working plan in improving trade relations between GCC and ASEAN countries (TradeArabia, 2009; ArabNews.com, 2010). A trade and investment road map in the form of the GCC-ASEAN 2010-2010 action plan was adopted on the second GCC-ASEAN ministerial meeting held in Singapore in May 2010 (ArabNews.com, 2010; Press Trust of India/bilaterals.org, 2010; The Malaysian News Agency, 2010). In an article by the Press Trust of India (2010) as cited by bilaterals.org (2010), the GCC and ASEAN have agreed to further enhance trading and investment opportunities as well as collaboration in the areas of improving the economy, commercial and business enterprise, education whilst promoting mutual respect through culture and media by way of the ASEAN-GCC Two-Year Action Plan (2010-2012) . However, in the recent press release of the ASEAN Secretariat (www.asean.org, 2010) a free trade agreement between the two blocs was not brought up. Business Dictionary defines free trade agreement as a treaty between countries that essentially reduces tariffs and barriers on goods and services, although capital and/or labor may not move freely (businessdictionary.com). These agreements specify the rules and for trade between or among signatory countries (Sen, 2004, p. 1). Free trade means trade of goods and services (not necessarily capital and labor) between countries that is free from tariffs and other trade barriers imposed by the governments of those countries (Bhagwati, 2002, p.3). It is considered as the building block for economic integration in a region (Sen, 2004, p. 1). Free trade is based on the principle of comparative advantage first proposed by David Ricardo (Case Fair, 1999, pp. 812-818). Ricardos theory of comparative advantage asserts that countries could produce goods more efficiently if they specialized at producing the good(s) which they produce most efficiently and bought all other goods from other nations specializing in producing those goods (Case Fair, 1999, pp. 812-818). According to this theory, specialization will make production of goods more efficient and thus, bring down prices. Therefore, if goods can freely enter a country, advocates of free trade suggest consumers would benefit because of the lower prices of goods (C ase Fair, 1999, p. 818). WTO and other reports have stated that free trade agreements have started to proliferate between countries and even between trading blocs (Crawford and Fiorentino, 2005, p. 2; Razeen, 2006). Of regional trade agreements reported to the WTO as of 2005, 84 per cent are free trade agreements (Crawford and Fiorentino, 2005, p. 3). The WTO reports that the uncertainty of the fate of the Uruguay Round (1986-1994) has prompted countries to pursue their own preferential deals, mostly bilateral, or involving two countries, with other nations (Crawford and Fiorentino, 2005, p. 6). The more aggressive countries or trading blocs are the European Union, Australia, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, and the United states and Canada. The ASEAN and the GCC are both lagging behind in creating deals, but the member countries, particularly of the ASEAN are forging their own FTAs with other countries such as Japan, South Korea, and China (Crawford and Fiorentino, 2005, pp. 6-8). It has been observed that trade among the Arab states has been relatively small compared to other regions (Hassan and Tarik, 2010). This is despite the observation that members of the GCC have common economic and social characteristics (Fasano and Iqbal, 2003). But the GCC is trying to catch up with regard to forming free trade agreements as a bloc with other countries and trading blocs (Hassan and Tarik, 2010). It has signed a free trade agreement (GSFTA) with Singapore in 2009 and has since experienced a growth in investments from and an increase in trade with this country. The GCC consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates and was formed in May 1981 (Fasano and Iqbal, 2003). Its aim is to promote cooperation and peace among member nations. The member countries of the GCC have all undergone diversification from dependence on oil into trade and services-centered economies. The GDP per capita in these countries are among the highest in the world (Fasano and Iqbal, 2003). The members of the ASEAN, however, have followed a different track. Instead of forming free trade agreements as a bloc, each individual member of the ASEAN has began to forge free trade agreements with other countries such as Japan, South, Korea, the United States, and Australia (Razeen, 2006). Singapore is the most aggressive of these countries, having signed a free trade agreement with the GCC in 2009 (iAdvisory, 2009). However, the region has started talks as a bloc for free trade agreements with China, Australia New Zealand, and the GCC (China Embassy, 2004; Xinhua, 2008; Tradearabia, 2009). The ASEAN was formed in 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand through the signing of the ASEAN Declaration by the five founding members, namely: Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. It was later joined by Brunei Darussalam in 1984, Vietnam in 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar in 1997, and finally, Cambodia in 1999. Thus, today ASEAN has ten member countries (ASEAN website). With the signing of the memorandum of agreement between the GCC and ASEAN for in 2009 (Tradearabia, 2009) and the adoption of the ASEAN-GCC Two-Year Action Plan in 2010, trade and finance officials in these two regions are still on the verge of devising such an agreement that would be agreeable to all involved. The Joint Vision in 2009 built the economic partnership between the two regions on the following areas: economic, cultural, scientific and social, and aims to promote people-to-people contacts. On the other hand, the two-year action plan expands its cooperation and collaboration along the areas of trade and investment, economic and developmental cooperation, education and training, culture and information, and mutual consultation in international matters (ASEAN Secretariat, 2010). Research Objectives The researchers believe that this paper would be timely as it attempts to point out possible key issues and concerns that the business enterprise might come up against in operating within the GCC. It is a fact that business organizations and companies are the driving forces behind trade. Thus, the point of view of these organizations will have to be considered for a free trade agreement to prosper. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to identify possible issues and concerns that should be addressed in order for a free trade agreement between the GCC and the ASEAN to be useful and beneficial for all signatory parties. Issues that could be significant for the government and other stakeholders, but are not of particular important to the business community (for example, labor and environmental issues), will not be considered. Expected Outcome Through this research, we hope to uncover key issues that are seen by businesses in both the ASEAN and the GCC as roadblocks to free trade between the two regions. We anticipate that lack of information about each others markets, and the convoluted regulatory policies of each region will be primary concerns. Also, the unification of standards for export products, particularly in the electronic sector may be another crucial issue. These concerns will be discussed in detail. The literature will also be consulted for possible solutions on how to address the issues. Such possible solutions will be incorporated in the conclusion and recommendations portion of the paper. Methods of Examination Literature Review Due to time constraints, the researchers opted to use literature review as a method for identifying key issues and concerns in the GCC-ASEAN free trade agreement, particularly with regard to trade and other aspects that affect it such as cultural, political, and social environments, will be reviewed in order to identify possible issues and challenges that would be stumbling blocks to reaching a beneficial trade agreement. Research and statistical material on the effects of free trade agreements forged by GCC with other countries, regions, or trading blocs will also be examined to determine issues that have emerged, if any, in these free trade agreements. The same shall be made with regard to the agreements forged by the ASEAN and its member countries with other nations or trading blocs. Techniques and Strategies Used Descriptive analysis such as frequency counts, means, percentages and was used in describing the consolidated report about the identified key issues and concerns surround the GCC-ASEAN free trade agreement. These literature were gathered from published journals, news articles, magazine articles, e-zine and the like. The need to consolidate the information gathered from these materials are very important in order to show a general picture of the key issues and concerns plaguing the business enterprise operating within the GCC-ASEAN free trade agreement. And, thus, inference can be drawn. From the consolidated report, a conceptual framework could be sufficiently drawn, providing a springboard for an intensive enterprise survey in order to assess the effectiveness of the GCC-ASEAN free trade. Analysis and Findings This section describes the literature review conducted by the researchers. In this review, variables under consideration are scrutinized and discussed through presentation of relevant articles focusing on a GCC-ASEAN partnership. The presentation begins with an overview of the GCC as potential target market, followed by a brief discussion of both formal and informal transaction costs in the international marketing scene as variables considered for a successful trading agreement. After which is an analysis of the foreign direct investments (FDI) of the regions concerned so as to assess and somehow predict a successful trade agreement should the key issues and concerns be identified and addressed. The GCC Financial Market The Arab world is characterized by five attributes that have allowed it to benefit from the favourable international economic conditions. First, it owns the worlds largest deposits of energy. It has 58 per cent of all known raw oil reserves and 27 per cent of all proven natural gas reserves. (IMF Country Report, 2009). Second, the Arab world benefits greatly from international remittances. Ratha, Mohapatra and Silwal (2009) in the World Bank Migration and Development Brief 10, cited that the Arab world as a whole again benefited more than other world regions when international remittances quadrupled in 2000-2008. Third, Arab countries have benefited from the global boom in tourism during 2002-2008. Fourth, Arab countries accumulate a lions share of total global development assistance (World Bank, 2009). Fifth, Arab countries accumulated substantial foreign assets of more than US$2500 per inhabitant in 2006 (IMF, 2009). In a study conducted by Zarrouk (2001) entitled A Survey of Barriers to Trade and Investment in Arab Countries wherein a total of 230 companies, which represent the manufacturing and service sectors of Egypt, Gaza-West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and the UAE, it was revealed that the trading barriers are most intensive in Gaza-West Bank with a mean of 2.0, followed by Syria (mean = 2.1), Egypt (mean = 2/41), Tunisia (mean = 2.43) and Saudi Arabia (mean = 2.8). Zarrouk (2001) describes the mean score from a scale of 1 (extremely problematic) to 4 (not problematic) (please refer to the table adapted from Zarrouk, 2001). From the result of the study of Zarrouk (2010) it can be inferred that Saudi Arabia figured as a country, wherein an FTA might prove challenging. As to the areas or indicators of what might these trade barriers be. Zarrouk (2010) identified these barriers. First, his study revealed that: Saudi has visa restrictions for business visits There exists local agency laws which allows Saudi nationals only to register for business and to be an agent of a foreign company Saudi customs are biased on Arab-made products but are more lenient to Asian, North American, and European products On the subject of transaction costs, Zarrouk (2010) business enterprises were interviewed as to whether these were not costly (value of 1) to prohibitive (value of 4). It was found out that customs duties and other import charges (mean score of 3.0) ranked first followed by domestic taxes (mean score of 2.6), customs clearance (mean score of 2.5), public sector corruption (mean score of 2.4), inspection/conformity certification (mean score of 2.2), transshipment regulatory measures (mean score of 2.1), and business visa restrictions (mean score of 1.8). Please see table below (adapted from Zarrouk, 2001). When the companies were interviewed about the most restrictive constraints to trade and investment, the study revealed that a primary obstacle is the weak legal system that fail to ensure that the terms of business contracts are honored (Zarrouk, 2001; Abdel-latif, 1992). Second in rank is the restrictive local agency law granting business permits only to nationals. In a similar vein, Newquist (1994) hints in his article for Computer World entitled Breaking a Barrier to Trade that cultural values play a role in trade and investment. For instance, he said that ethnocentricity weakens trade. In a free trade agreement wherein foreign nationals are invited to invest in the region, this factor would have a very negative effect indeed. Third in rank as most restrictive is that foreign nationals are prohibited ownership of real estate. This means that foreign investors have less opportunities of staying longer in Arab countries, thus, the cost of transferring to and fro their home country w ould be quite expensive. In relation to this, Arab countries also puts limits on foreign ownership of equities thus this would mean a slow expansion and growth of businesses. Sadly, corruption, bureaucracy and bad governance also figures in the trade barriers identified by Zarrouk (2001). Meanwhile, less transparent and complex tax systems and para-tariffs were also included in the list of most restrictive barriers. The GCC has been engaging in trade agreements with countries other than the ASEAN. For instance, they also have a free trade agreement with the EU, the NAFTA, the WTO, and GAFTA in as much as it enjoys bilateral trade relations with a host of other countries as Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore and its neighboring Arab countries. Zarrouk (2001) also attempted to interview the business enterprises with regard to the free trade agreements signed by their respective governments. It was revealed in the study (Zarrouk, 2001) that among the trade barriers to a companys growth according to the respondent companies are: There is a lack of clear-cut orientation with regards to free trade agreement benefits given to the business enterprises; Government agencies do not make enough effort to inform the public about the benefits of the agreements; Competition from Asian countries is much stronger, offsetting the benefits of the agreements Implementation problems: Partner countries do not commit to terms and conditions of the agreements Articles of some agreements are left to the interpretation of customs officials Trade agreements do not reduce the numerous administrative procedures, paperwork and red tape Implementation of certain articles of the agreements is not reciprocal Transportation between Arab countries is inadequate. Considering these results of the study of Zarrouk (2001) with specific reference effective free trade barrier which states that Competition from Asian countries is much stronger, offsetting the benefits of the agreements a free trade agreement between the GCC and the ASEAN is highly workable. This is backed up by a shared trading history that have been shared by both regions (Press Trust India, 2010; The Malaysian National News, 2010; Reuters, 2010). Transaction Costs In Economics, a transaction cost is cost associated with exchange of goods or services and incurred in overcoming market imperfections (BusinessDictionary.com). Also known as frictional costs, these are fees and charges incidental to buying, selling, and trading which includes transportation costs, legal fees, communications charges, and even opportunity costs in taking up time and energy in putting up a business venture. As cited by Abdel-Latif (1992), transaction costs cover a wide range of transactions from the conceptualization of putting up an investment until the actual running of the business itself. Generally, transaction costs include: the costs of obtaining information about market conditions in any given foreign market (the quantities and qualities desired and the prices prevailing for each different quality) and the reciprocal costs for agents in foreign countries; the costs of information about government regulations and other policies in both foreign and home markets (including exchange rate policy, exchange restrictions, tariff and non-tariff barriers, and health and environmental regulations); the costs to each potential party of identifying appropriate trading partners in these markets; the costs of negotiating, writing, and enforcing contracts and resolving disputes between the parties; and the costs of financing the transaction, which generally involves a long lag between placing an export order and making final payment for it, and of bearing the risks of default throughout the process. Abdel-Latif (1992) further corroborates that these transactions costs are affected by several factors which includes: differences in language, culture and taste, laws and dispute resolution procedures, income and information sources, the modus operandi of markets, and the extent and character of competition, difficulties of enforcing contracts across countries, and hence the higher risks of payment default. However, these factors are dynamic and changes over time along with the changes in organizational structure, advent of new policies and regulations, use of technology in communications, transportation, and other aspects of the dynamic societal structure whether environmental, socioeconomic, political or cultural. Other factors which may give rise to transaction costs are what is known as asymmetry of information which is elemental to any business relationship. For example, at the level of the rules and regulations, countries may want conditions to look different than they really are or may be unwilling to enforce existing laws. Likewise, the agents responsible for implementing the rules may have little incentive to do so and indeed may have the incentive to leave the interpretation of these rules sufficiently ambiguous so as to generate rents for themselves. Even more relevant and important, each potential trading partner has better information about his own characteristics and propensities (appropriate to defining the terms of the contract) than does the other party, inducing adverse self-selection for any given terms. (Abdel-Latif, 2001) Theoretically, any contract between trading partners details enough fine points for a working partnership to thrive. However, in reality, the details of these contractswhich includes threshing out possible roadblocks as well as scrutinizing everything takes up a lot of time and discussions, and most often ends in stalemate. Thus, the costs of drawing up a very detailed and comprehensive trading pact whose interpretation is transparent and accurate are quite expensive. Moreover, there is a time lag in having these agreements move to and fro the business partners and, thus, there is a likelihood of it being exposed to risks as moral hazards and resorting to shortcut methods in order to get through a deal. Transaction costs in the communications and in dispensing information are exposed to a host of other factors like insufficient insurance systems to keep the transactions private in order to protect the enterprise practices, the non-existence of competitive markets who should have been able to provide services such as that in information and enforcement costs for the reason that there already exists a specified role for an intermediary providing the aforementioned services. Thus, the scenario is that there is a monopoly of the services and upon which the government base its trade intervention and other regulations. Once a business enterprise engages itself in a contract it exposes itself to risks. Hence, after engaging in a contract both parties would naturally protect itself from these purported risks by seeking insurance. Moreover, when the company seeks this insurance it presents itself to an asymmetry of information wherein both parties fall into excessive negotiation costs as well as lags in time which further results to attempt a moral hazard and become opportunistic (Abdel-Latif, 1992). The upside of this is that the degree and magnitude of these problems in transaction costs depends on the salient features of the business in the region, on the regions conducting trade and investment itself, the companies or enterprise involved in the transaction, and even the socio-political and environmental conditions itself. Furthermore, the enterprise itself may just well revive itself and find its own innovative solutions to get over these problems (Abdel-Latif, 1992). Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Foreign direct investment or FDI refers to any form of investment that earns interest in enterprises which functions outside the domestic territory of the investor (Graham Spaulding, 2010). An FDI calls for a business partnership between a parent company and its foreign subsidiary. The presence of multinational companies concretizes a foreign direct investment. There are two categories of FDIs, inward FDIs and outward FDIs, which depends on the kinds of restrictions the government requires business enterprises to follow. Outward FDIs are direct investments abroad, which requires tax incentives and/or disincentives, and which the government tries to guard from probable risks of any form (Graham Spaulding, 2010). Aside from the classification, a foreign direct investment is motivated by a lucrative market, presence of resources, and efficiency in operating a business in the region (Graham Spaulding, 2010). In any case, a successful free trade agreement between regions base most of its terms and conditions in these three motives. These three motivations are already present in a partnership with GCC and ASEAN. As it is, both regions are said to be complementing each other in the sense that ASEAN countries have a need for the oil industry of the GCC and the GCC countries have a need for the resources, particularly the agricultural sector, for itself. With the advent of new technology developments, more and more companies have been establishing foreign direct investments (Spaulding Graham, 2010). This is partly because communications as well as transportation costs have decidedly become cheaper as compared in the past (Graham Spaulding, 2010). UNCTAD reports that there is an increase in the yearly FDI flow from an average of $10 billion dollars to $20 billion within a decade (from 1970s to 1980s). This growth further hit the roof from $26.7 billion in 1990 to $179 billion in 1998. The amount doubled to $208 billion in 1999. At present, FDIs comprise a bulky portion of global businesses. Satsuya (2009) revealed in his article that among the issues that hinder foreign direct investments, particularly in Malaysia and Thailand, runs parallel with foreign ownership of companies. In the telecommunications sector, distribution and commercial banking, foreign ownership is narrowed to 30 percent. Malaysia limits foreign ownership to industries that have to do with financial industries to 49 percent while foreign banks are only permitted to set up one other branch with a limited number of personnel. But these limitations are not only true with the ASEAN countries like Malaysia and Thailand. Some of the GCC members, like the Saudi Arabia, also imposes its limitations of foreign ownership of real estate and equities. In fact, this corroborates with the study of Zarrouk (2001) wherein he says that Saudi Arabia ranks among those with severe restrictions on foreign ownership in the country. On the other hand, in Bahrain, foreign distribution services could well put up several distribution branches in the country but they are not allowed to participate in direct commercial sales like wholesale and retail. Though the UAE is more friendly to foreign investors offering 100 percent ownership in free trade zones, such as Abu Dhabi, it limits foreign ownership to 49 percent outside the free trade zones. Thus, foreign industry expansions are still limited. Meanwhile, the telecommunications sector remain off limits to foreign ownership as well as the granting of licenses to any foreign bank t o operate as a full-fledged financial institution. Key Issues and Concerns Identified by Independent Papers Along the domestic spheres, Sasuya (2009) identified these factors which the government enforces in order to safeguard most of its defunct local commerce, and thereby contributing to the evolution of trade and investment in the region. Some of these measures involve dependence on subsidies, setting up of importation quotas and exacting high taxes on imports. By so doing, while the GCC and ASEAN regions inadvertently protects its industries from trade it also prevents foreign investments from entering the picture (Sasuya, 2009). In the same manner, it is because of these trade defensive measures that there are deadlocks on negotiations such as a free trade agreement which generally banks in reducing tariffs on imports. For instance, when Japan and South Korea started negotiating a free trade agreement with Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, angst rose from the terms regarding its agricultural tariffs and issues arising from full-ownership of an agricultural company of a foreign n ational also emerged, especially from the Thai end. According to the Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who was also its Deputy Prime Minister, their refusal to bring down tariff on rice imports is due to the fact that 70 percent of the Thais are rice farmers (Satsuya, 2009). In Malaysia, this barrier is much more extensive. With the Malaysian government instigating its Bumiputera development policy, which operates in favor of the ethnic Malay majority who incidentally belong to borderline economy, thereby affecting not only trade but the flow of foreign direct investments. Thus, by refusing to reduce tariffs on rice imports the government is actually protecting its constituents but is, in a way, increasing the transaction costs incurred by this particular deadlock. In the manufacturing sector, high tariffs also act as trade barriers. In Malaysia for instance, automobile imports have high taxes to protect its local automobile industry, Proton. Even if the Thais do not manufacture any automobiles, the country is sponsoring the industry as part of its industrialization scheme in which they envision becoming an auto manufacturing center. Meanwhile, the textile industry is also shielded in the sense that it imposes 20-30 percent tax on all imports (Satsuya, 2009). There exists a statistical relationship between trade influx and political climate. According to Bergeijk (1992) a country with good diplomatic relations also increases its chances of getting bilateral business trades as well as drawing in foreign investors. However, the researcher also warns not to put too much emphasis on this variable as it has less contribution than other economic variables. Nevertheless, the fact that it contributes some amount of influence on the way companies conduct their business should not be discarded. Aside from political and diplomatic relations, a separate study finds that environmental constraints in the form of policies of the region also act as a trade barrier (Kohn, 2003). For instance, if and when a foreign investor should want to import a product which proves to be more polluting than the existing domestic product, the company woul