To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

The introduction When discussing one of the most well-known novels written by Virginia Woolf, I would like to disclose some fundamentals of her production. First of all, I would like to point out that the techniques the author uses seem to be defensive, as Woolf is known for her feminist views.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In other words, one is to keep in mind that the expressions of anger the author highlights in her novel are related to three issues. Thus, it should be pointed out that aggression in relation to the patriarchy; the aggression male characters express; and Mrs. Ramsay’s aggression are considered to be the key manifestations of anger. Generally, it is also necessary to clarify what reason of the author’s aggression and anger is. Thus, on the one hand, it seems that Virginia’s description of her parents is negative; however, on the other hand, a deep analysis of the novel gives us an opportunity to suppose that there are no parents who cause the author’s anger, but the oppressive patriarchal system the main characters live within. The body When speaking about the language and writing style the author uses, one is to keep in mind that affective and non-semantic qualities of language are rather complicated. Thus, Woolf mostly uses numerous passive constructions, and the pronoun one in her novel. The extraordinary sentence structure the author uses cannot be neglected too. For instance, when reading the second paragraph of the novel, (a description of Mrs. Ramsay), one can make a conclusion that the writer’s language is also based on numerous parenthetical phrases, clauses as well as modifying constructions. The gruff murmur, irregularly broken by the taking out of pipes and the putting in of pipes which had kept on assuring her, though she could not hear whatAdvertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More was said (as she sat in the window which opened on the terrace), that the men were happily talking; this sound, which had lasted now half an hour and had taken its place soothingly in the scale of sounds pressing on top of her, such as the tap of balls upon bats, the sharp, sudden bark now and then, â€Å"How’s that? How’s that?† of the children playing cricket, had ceased†¦. (Woolf 15) It is not the end of the sentence; generally, this sentence includes 260 words; so, it is obvious that the author’s language is rather difficult to understand. While reading the paragraph, the reader loses the full meaning of the sentence and cannot understand its importance. On the contrary, such complex constructions transform potentially clear meaning of the fragment into uncertain and delayed meaning. When analyzing Woolf’s languag e, particularly the second paragraph, it becomes obvious that the words the gruff murmur at the beginning of the sentence determine the main clause. Other descriptions are considered to be modifying phrases. Had ceased is recognized to be the main verb; however, all, which is placed between the words the gruff murmur and had ceased confuses our mind, as when analyzing emotional associations between the main clause and the main verb, the reader loses the thread of a story. That is why Virginia Woolf’s language is rather complicated. The conclusion In spite of the fact that the author’s language is quite complex, nobody will deny the fact that Woolf depicts not only external details, but also important inner feelings of her characters. Thus, she discloses the thoughts and ideas in people’s mind. The novel To the Lighthouse requires the readers’ attention, as the author depicts the current drama of a human existence. Works Cited Woolf, Virginia. To the Light house, Fort Washington, PA, Harvest Books: 1989. Print. This essay on To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf was written and submitted by user Dayton Bruce to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

the father essays

the father essays This essay sets out to assess the relative achievements of the totalitarian regimes of Hitlers Nazi Germany and Stalins Russia. In assessing the achievements of the regimes we must be careful not to judge them with the values of a western democracy at the end of the twentieth century. How they achieved power, consolidated that power, what changes they brought to their nations and what they in their time achieved for their nation, whether or not it was a lasting benefit, were achievements for the regimes even if we find them contrary to what we believe to be right and just by todays standards. Also in making an assessment of the achievements it would be wrong not to recognise the suffering that the people in each country had to endure for them to be achieved. Both regimes owe their rise to power in part to the outcomes of WW 1 which led to the revolution in each country.. The Bolsheviks came to power because of the discontent with the Tsars and the losses in the war against Germany. The Nazis because of the dissatisfaction in Germany with blame and the cost of reparations imposed upon it for the war. There were major differences between what the two regimes wanted to achieve. Russia in 1917 was basically an agrarian economy and the regime aimed not only to change the political system but all the social structure and institutions and rebuild into a Communist State. It also wanted to develop into an industrial power. However, in Germany the revolution that took place in 1918 changed Germanys political system but the social structure stayed the same. Even though the monarchy no longer existed the old institutions altered very little, and there were no basic changes within the teaching profession or the judiciary, mainly because the professi ons had little sympathy with the struggling republic. This was true also of most of the officer corps of the Reichwehr. The Treaty of Versailles basically left the German Empi...

An Assessment between the Movies, Japans War in Color and Why We Fight

An Assessment between the Movies, Japan's War in Color and Why We Fight The films â€Å"Why We Fight† and â€Å"Japan’s War in Color† are vastly different from one another due to objectivity of the films. The ways that these two films present themselves give hint to the purpose that these films were trying to make. The film, â€Å"Why We Fight† was commissioned by the Department of Morale, and was meant to give reason for America’s involvement in Asia. The film’s purpose is obviously meant maintain and gain support for the war effort on America’s mainland. The film is targeted at American citizens living in places like Atlanta, Georgia, Washington D.C., or in Portland, Oregon. The film, â€Å"Japan’s War in Color† offers an analytical approach to the various causes of the war in Asia. The objective of this film is to provide a more accurate depiction of the causes and effects of the war in Asia. This film being targeted towards scholars of this area of history. The first contrast that needs to be made between these two films is the nature of their narrators. It seems to be that in the film â€Å"Why We Fight†, the entire dialogue is made by what seems to be a masculine American voice. When the narrator is interrupted, it is in place of an American source, such as the ambassador of China speaks about Japan’s occupation in China. Even when the US ambassador is speaking, he seems to be reading allowed cue cards. Now this is purposively done in order to make the US a hero as much as possible. Even the use of a masculine voice is done purposively to bring about sentiments of honor and duty. Now in the other film â€Å"Japan’s War in Color†, different perspectives are given, which themselves are spoken in a Japanese dialect. Both sides are shown, such as small pockets of rebellion against the military emperorship of Japan, and even hardline militarist Japanese testimonies. What makes that special is that little room fo r biases are left, since both sides are shown in equal proportions. Now this is done simply because this how the academia works, evaluation and detective work must be done. Next what needs to pointed out is what type of footage is shown between the two films. I could not but help but get a sense that military demonstrations were the bulk of the film â€Å"Why We Fight†. Then oddly enough, a few scenes seem to be taken from Hollywood films, especially when they were describing the old Chinese culture. One scene describing the Great Wall of China, the footage of men on horse back in what seemed to steppe bandits looked very Hollywood clichà ©. But the over use of military demonstrations, marches, soldiers storming trenches, close ups on Japanese soldiers looking menacing is done with the objective of making the US seem a hero in comparison of the Japanese. Even the depiction of the Chinese make it seem that they are under the US responsibility. The use of debasement is placed on the Chinese, sense one they are not given any representation other than the narrators own view of them, and makes it seem that they can not help themselves from the Japane se forces. The footage in the film â€Å"Japan’s War in Color† is extremely different from â€Å"Why We Fight†. First off, footage of typical Japanese life is shown, such as people working in the fields, footage of Tokyo on a normal day, footage various festivals. The footage attempts to encapsulate the whole human experience in the 1930’s and early 1940’s in Asia. Indeed, there is footage of war, but in this film it is hard at times to distinguish who is harming who. War is depicted as messy and full of collateral damage. Much rather this film isn’t attempting to call for more war, but expose the vices of war. While trying to find some similarities between these two films, they only seem to agree based on the large historical facts, for example Japan’s occupation of Korea and Manchuria, Japan being the single most powerful state in Asia, and Japan’s imperialist campaign in Asia. But how these are expressed and analyzed are in different formats. For example, in â€Å"Why We Fight† these events are expressed in a outsiders point of view, which in this case is described as Japanese aggression. In the film, â€Å"Japan’s War in Color†, opinions are expressed from mainland Japan, people in China, intellectuals, soldiers on both fronts opinions are expressed to see their motives and explanations for taking part in the war. In summary, the contrasts overweigh the similarities between the films. These two films have two complete different objectives. The makers of each film had in mind a certain way of depicting the war in mind. In the â€Å"Why We Fight†, it was a propaganda film meant to maintain support for the war in America. Certain things were done to achieve this such as refusing to use Japanese sources, focusing on the military aspect of Japan, and debasing the Chinese as helpless people needing American assistance. The film â€Å"Japan’s War in Color† was a academic piece meant to expose the different views that were held during this time in Asia. To explore both the militarist, the common folk, the liberals, the radicals, and the unaccounted for. The film was meant to explore the human experience that occurred in this time of human civilization.

My leadership philosophy Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My leadership philosophy - Personal Statement Example This leadership philosophy is assisted by defining my values in life. My personal values are a sense of duty, integrity, courage, loyalty, respect, selfless service and honor. These values are committed to be adhered at all times and despite encountering various challenges. I also have recognized that one of the guiding principles that should support a leader’s actions is compliance with the ethics of reciprocity. Just like what President Harry Truman affirmed in his speech entitled â€Å"A Public Man Must Live in the Present†, he believed that â€Å"the fundamental basis for a happy life with family and friends is to treat others as you would like to be treated, speak truthfully, act honorably and keep commitments to the letter† (Truman par. 2). This principle, likewise applies to subordinates and colleagues, alike. In carrying out one’s responsibilities, one must be aware that leaders must have the ability to understand, not only the scope of one’s duties; but also the impact that one’s role and responsibilities contribute to one’s followers, to various stakeholders, and to the organization, as a whole. Thus, leaders do not only have the obligation to carry out the responsibilities explicitly defined in their professional portfolio; more so, leaders should have the innate skills and genuine commitment to ensure that the responsibilities that must be carried out by his or her followers, must be duly accomplished, with proper motivation, guidance, direction, coaching, and mentoring strategies, which would facilitate and encourage them, wholeheartedly, to achieve. My priorities, therefore, are also my commitment to undertake my responsibilities in the organization which I serve; and also to act and behave according to ethical, moral, and legal standards. I was influenced and strongly affected by the words from John McCain, in

Comparison of the Scientific Philosophies of Kuhn, Duhen and Lauden Essay

Comparison of the Scientific Philosophies of Kuhn, Duhen and Lauden - Essay Example Therefore, his philosophy will be examined first. Duhem posits that â€Å"hypotheses are not straightforwardly refuted by experiment and that there are no crucial experiments in science.† (Wikipedia, 10/19/11) This means that a hypothesis cannot be directly disproved by being part of an experiment. There are several possible reasons which support this theory. First, Duhem works on the presumption that experiments are conducted by humans, who are fallible. Therefore, the results they produce will not be perfect. This means that experiments in science are inherently flawed, which devalues the results of said experiments. Duhem would go on to set the stage for the theories of Kuhn and Lauden, because Duhem presents the idea that hypothesis, experiment, and fact are not inextricably linked. Kuhn and Lauden dig deeper to consider the reasons why. Thomas Kuhn makes the point that â€Å"science has included bodies of belief quite incompatible with the ones we hold today.† (Kuh n, 238) The premise here is that one generation’s science is another generation’s bunk. Certainly, history is full of examples of past beliefs which have fallen out of fashion with the advent of scientific knowledge and the technology which helps to uncover it. For example, scientific beliefs since the time of the Egyptians have changed irrevocably over the centuries, but Kuhn’s point is that at the time those discoveries were made, they were the newest (and therefore most valid) sources of scientific information. Kuhn further posits that what scientists and scientific historians should be concerning themselves with is to â€Å"ask new sorts of questions and to trace different, and often less than cumulative, developmental lines for the sciences. Rather than seeking the permanent contributions of an older science to our present vantage, they [should] attempt to display the historical integrity of that science in its own time.† (Kuhn, 238) By contrast, Lar ry Laudan challenges us to re-consider the entire purpose of science. He believes it is â€Å"to ask†¦whether science through time brings us closer to achieving our cognitive aims or goals.† (Laudan, 145) Does scientific knowledge bring us closer to those? Laudan presents a valuable point, which is that â€Å"principals of testing, comparison, and evaluation of theories seem to vary significantly from level to level.† (Laudan, 144) This seems to say that there are a number of variables present which cannot be reconciled from level to level or from scientist to scientist. These variables can manifest themselves as simply as the fact that all people interpret results slightly differently. Take, for example, a doctor who views a patient’s X-ray on which there is evidence of carcinoma. A general practitioner would have a different interpretation of this than would a pulmonary specialist. They both see cancer, but only the pulmonary physician can properly assess which treatments would be most appropriate in attempting to eradicate the cancer. Now, suppose the patient can only afford to see his general practitioner because that is all his insurance will pay for – he never gets to see the lung specialist, and is relying entirely on the scientific opinion of only one scientist to assess his chances of survival. This is only one example of the flaw in scientific method: suppose the pulmonary physician was more well-read on the latest techniques of eradicating lung carcinoma, and the general

The Role of Cultural Intelligence in Effective Leadership Essay Example for Free

The Role of Cultural Intelligence in Effective Leadership Essay Over the years, business companies and society in general have increasingly housed different people from all over the world, each bringing to the table his or her own culture. As a consequence, the need for effective social skills and cultural sensitivity has been highlighted, especially for managers as part of the complete leadership package. What is Cultural Intelligence? Traditionally, intelligence is defined as simply being able to correctly answer questions in a test. However, experts say that intelligence encompasses more aspects which build an individual’s personality, and this includes cultural intelligence (Earley, 2003, p. 3). Before we define what cultural intelligence is, let us first understand the meaning of culture. Peterson (2004) defines culture as â€Å"the relatively set of minor values and beliefs generally held by groups of people in countries or regions and the noticeable impact those values and beliefs have on the people’s outward behaviors and environment† (p. 17). Given this definition, we can clearly say that managing and capitalizing on different cultures to drive business to profitability entails a very solid leadership team. Management literature offers a number of working definitions of cultural intelligence or CQ. For instance, Earley and Ang (2003) define CQ as: A person’s capability for successful adaptation to new cultural settings, that is, for unfamiliar settings attributable to cultural context and consists of cognitive, motivational and behavioral elements. In managerial contexts, this calls for the ability, among other things, to identify and solve problems sensitively and effectively in cross cultural situations. (p. 9) CQ is also sometimes referred to as the â€Å"key competencies that allow us to effectively interact with people from diverse cultural backgrounds in all kinds of settings† (Bucher, 2007, p. 7). The Need for Cultural Intelligence in Business The trend nowadays is that companies are seeing an increasingly diverse employee base as they expand to new local and international territories. This, then, necessitates more effective leadership skills set and behaviors to be able to manage the company given the new and often changing global landscape. CQ encompasses both traditional intelligence (IQ), which is required to perform and analyze day-to-day business activities, and emotional intelligence (EQ) which deals primarily with social interactions. It entails the capacity to decipher, interpret and integrate both rational and emotional behaviors. Business leaders with high CQ more easily and effectively adapt to new environments and deal with people from different countries. (Earley and Ang, 2003, p. 34 35). CQ plays an important role in a number of business activities especially when a company is trying to develop a business opportunity in a foreign country or is planning to enter into a joint venture with a foreign partner. In these cases, a high CQ manager will overcome common impediments such as language and professional mindset to close a potential deal. CQ is also required of a manager who oversees both local and expatriate colleagues. He or she must make sure that they co-exist and work toward a common goal for the company. Sometimes, it is especially challenging to motivate local employees when they see a lot of expatriates who usually have significantly bigger paychecks. In addition, CQ is needed in resolving disputes between or among employees of diverse cultural background. A good manager knows that some people prefer direct and straightforward confrontation, while others are uncomfortable with this style. Managing relations with foreign stakeholders can likewise be difficult at times, especially with the difference in governance style and structure. However, a manager with high CQ will take into consideration political, corporate or social sensitivities to sustain thriving relationships with the company’s stakeholders. Multi-national companies also face a lot of ethical dilemmas, and dealing with these problems requires high levels of CQ. Moreover, strategic business activities like setting policies and plans, as well as developing training programs for employees call for managers with high CQ. In both cases, the company should strike a balance between the needs and expectations of both local staff and expatriates. More importantly, CQ impacts a company’s bottom-line issues. Bucher (2007) explains: CQ changes the way employees interact with their customers and clients. As employees develop their CQ megaskills, their ability to assess and understand the cultural context of any social interaction increases. This, in turn, allows them to increase customer / client satisfaction by building relationships and adapting to the diverse needs of individuals. Even small changes in the range and magnitude of one’s skills can have a profound influence on productivity, and other bottom-line issues. (p. 12) Cultural Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence (EQ), like IQ and CQ, contributes to the well-roundedness of a highly-effective manager and business leader. Stening (2006) discusses, An individual’s success in life (including at work) is determined not just by abilities in respect of a fairly narrow range of mathematics and linguistic skills, but by such things as: knowing their own emotions (self-awareness); managing their emotions (handling their feelings in an appropriate manner); motivating themselves (harnessing their emotions in the interests of goal accomplishment); recognizing emotions in others (having empathy); and handling relationships (being socially – i. e. , behaviorally – competent). (p. 78) Managers who possess high EQ tend to be more effective motivators and leaders as they recognize the need for open and transparent communications with their staff. Of course, employees more positively respond to a high EQ manager who understands his or her own emotions and let their actions speak louder than mere words than an authoritarian manager. EQ is particularly useful in managing conflicts. A high EQ manager will be in a better position to resolve the conflict calmly since he or she has control over his or her emotions. In addition, having a high EQ will enable a manager to make wise business decisions because he or she is more stable, would be more open to other people’s suggestions, and can clearly think even under pressure. Moreover, companies with many high EQ managers will be able to retain their competent workforce and survive the tight competition in the market. This is because employees who are made to feel they are an asset to the organization will most likely be more motivated to perform better and be loyal to the company. How to Enhance Cultural Intelligence Like any other intelligence models, CQ can be developed and enhanced. Some CQ proponents suggest that CQ is developed in three ways: cognitive, physical and motivational. Cognitive refers to learning about your own culture as well as those of other people, and appreciating what cultural diversity is about. Meanwhile, physical means using your body and senses to blend and immerse in a new environment. Finally, motivational pertains to using your emotions such as in gaining rewards upon achievement of a certain level of success and/or acceptance. (Earley, Ang Tan, 2010, p. 34) Bucher (2007), on the other hand, suggests developing nine â€Å"megaskills† to build CQ, namely (1) understanding my cultural identity; (2) checking cultural lenses; (3) global consciousness; (4) shifting perspectives; (5) intercultural; communication; (6) managing cross-cultural conflict; (7) multi-cultural teaming; (8) dealing with bias; and (9) understanding the dynamics of power. (p. 10 -11) References Bucher, R. D. (2007). Building Cultural Intelligence (CQ): Nine Megaskills. USA: Prentice Hall. Chin, C. Gaynier, L. (2006). Global Leadership Competence; A Cultural Intelligence Perspective. Michigan: Lawrence Technical University. Deng, L. , Gibson, P. (2008). A Qualitative Evaluation on the Role of Cultural Intelligence in Cross-Cultural Leadership Effectiveness. International Journal of Leadership Studies, 3 (2), 181 – 197. Earley, C. P. , Ang, S. (2003). Cultural Intelligence: Individual Interactions Across Cultures. California: Stanford University Press. Earley, C. P. , Ang. S. , Tan, J. (2010). CQ: Developing Cultural Intelligence at Work. California: Stanford Business Books. Gardner, H. (2006). Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons in Theory and Practice. USA: Basic Books. Goleman, D. (2005). Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More than IQ. New York: Bantam Dell. Goleman, D. , McKee, A. , Boyatzis, R. (2002). Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of

Multiprocessing Essay -- essays research papers

Multiprocessing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Multiprocessing refers to a computer system’s ability to support more than one process or program at the same time. Multiprocessing operating systems enable several programs to run concurrently. UNIX is one of the most widely used multiprocessing systems, but there are many others, including OS/2 for high-end personal computers and Windows NT for work groups. Multiprocessing systems are much more complicated than single-process systems because the operating system must allocate resources to competing processes in the most efficient manner. (IBM Dictionary of Computing, Tenth Edition, McGraw-Hill, (1994)). Types of Multiprocessing Symmetric multiprocessing refers to the processing of programs by multiple processors that share a common operating system, memory and data path. A single copy of the operating system controls all processors. Symmetric multiprocessing units of this type are also referred to as â€Å"shared everything† systems. These systems usually do not exceed 16 processors. (Image courtesy of Sequent Manufacturing) The most common uses of these types of systems are commercial servers of web applications such used in on line commerce. The advantages of this particular configuration are that they can be easily upgraded by the addition of more processors. These processors are available to execute any of the given processes as soon as the operating system recognizes and configures the new hardware. However, the limitations of such a configuration are that with shared memory, there is a strong emphasis on data manipulation. As each processor competes for a limited amount of shared memory, this limits the speed and up-gradability of such a system. Manufacturers must rely on the development of faster, higher capacity memory to overcome this disadvantage. Currently symmetric multiprocessing computers can address up to 14 gigabytes of physical memory and approximately 2 terabytes of storage. (Sequent Manufacturing Inc., white papers 1998) Parallel Processing Parallel processing is a form of information processing that emphasizes the concurrent manipulation of data elements belonging to one or more process solving a single problem. It is also referred to as a â€Å"shared nothing† system. These systems are composed of many loosely connected nodes or P/M ... ...to produce a result from a device. C.The number of results a device produces over a unit of time. D.The time it takes a device to retrieve the next instruction. E.None of the above 6.Which of the following operating systems does not support multiprocessing? A.Microsoft Windows NT B.UNIX C.OS/2 D.LINUX E.All of the above support multiprocessing. 7.Which of the following applications would benefit most by multiprocessing? A.A large Word document. B.A large Excel spreadsheet. C.A video game D.A large Multi-user Database. E.None of the above. 8.LINUX is an off shoot of which multiprocessing operating system? A.UNIX B.Windows 98 C.OS/2 D.Windows NT E.MS DOS 9.Which Pittsburgh University is currently developing new multiprocessing operating systems? A.University of Pittsburgh. B.Carnegie-Mellon University C.Robert Morris College D.Point Park College E.None of the above 10.Linus Torvalds is: A.The inventor of UNIX operating system B.The chairman of the board of Microsoft Corp. C.The inventor of LINUX operating system D.The guy that cuts Packy’s grass. 1. (C) 2. (A) 3.(A) 4.(A) 5.(C) 6.(E) 7.(D) 8.(A) 9.(B) 10.(C)

National Fabricators

Key Events/Case Synopsis National Fabricators Inc. is a company that specializes in the manufacturing of lockers, school furniture, toilet partitions, steel shelving, and is now currently owned by Tom Kruger after buying out $75,000 of shares from shareholders in 1992. The industry is very competitive as costs are rising and prices being cut while the economy declines at the same time. As the president of National Fabricators, Tom Kruger needs to bring the company back on its feet in order to generate profits and reduce its losses of $480,315 and outstanding bank loans of $784,000.Tom Kruger also predicts that sales would fall as much as 10% during the 1994 fiscal year due to government cutbacks on medical and educational spending as well as a sluggish level of consumer confidence. Tom Kruger is now faced with trying to get a 60 day extension for his temporary line of credit in order to get the company to start making profits again. Problem Statement and Objectives To save the compan y, Tom Kruger needs to get an extension of 60 days on his temporary line of credit so that he can keep losses to a minimum and start generating more profits.At the same time, the economy is declining, competitors are setting low prices, and the government is cutting back on educational spending. Tom Kruger realizes that his plant is not being utilized at full capacity and most of the operations were being primarily financed on bank credit due to insufficient cash at hand. To address these problems, Tom Kruger is now planning on developing a new plant layout for efficiency as well as requesting a line of credit extension in order to finance debt. Situation Analysis PortersAs we can see from the case, the metal industry is not an attractive industry because of high competition with low bids, unstable economy, high bargaining power of buyers, and high start up costs. Since the buyers have very little suppliers to choose from to do business with, it can be concluded that suppliers have bargaining power in this industry. Buyers on the other hand only have power when they are specialized at what they do and offer a very low price. Substitution is quite limited due to different specifications offered by the major companies.Barriers to entry on the other hand are very high due to the huge amount of capital needed to get a foot in to the industry. All in all competition is very high in this industry and one must bid aggressively in order to gain a contract. However, this is hard when everyone is giving their lowest bid. SWOT Analysis Overall, for National Fabricators the weaknesses outweigh the strengths for due to its failure towards managing both finance and operations for approximately 10 years.The threats also outweigh the opportunities mostly due the intense competition whcih provides a negative trend towards profits for National Fabricators within the industry. Strengths: †¢ The company has kept all of their old employees at the management level and this wil l allow them to keep stability while the company is under new ownership. †¢ With a strong sales team being compenstated on a commission basis, this will isnpire each employ to work harder to make and close sales; which in the long run will increase company profits. National Fabricator has contracts from purchaser who are very unlikely to default on their payables, because majority of them come from the government. †¢ Mr. Kruger, is well experienced for this position mostly due to his education and qualifications Weaknesses: †¢ The company lacks in a sufficient inventory management and cost management system, which impacts profits. †¢ With a deficiency of cash flow it forced the company to purchase materials from more costly warehouses other than Steelmills which is cheaper, which inreturn had increased manufacturing cost. Inproper scheduling and status reporting for work in progress caused a major ineffectiveness on plant capacity use, which had openly increased operating cost and reduced net profits. Opportunities: †¢ Buying from the Steelmills will result in an increase of operating profit while costs are being decreased. †¢ The company has the opportunity to grow in various markets and aquire new customers such as malls, hotels, offices, and motels not only in Canada but as well as the United States. Threats: †¢ Tremendous price and wage competition in a recurring industry will lead to additional losses in profits. The highest risk for National Fabricators is the three companies which are dominating the industry that have the investment ability to control industry standards and requirements, which could lead to a decrease in profits. †¢ Due to the long term contracts from the government it is impacting the company’s cash flow in a negative trend. Historical Financial Analysis †¢ Sales fluctuate due to the frequently cyclic nature of the industry but they aim to remain above 3 million annually. †¢ In 1 993 cost of goods sold being 90% of sales and 9. 6% gross profit of sales.Company’s lack of ability to manage inventory and lack of cash forced them to order from more expensive (12-15%more) warehouse than steel mills. †¢ Net profit margin has been negative and no major patterns over the 9 year period on net profit since the trend of the industry is based mostly on economic factors, and whether or not they secure contracts. Due to high percentage of COGS they are only left with a net profit of $980 or 0. 024% of sales in 1993. As a result, if the company lower the material cost, the profit margin will improve drastically. †¢ In 1984 current ratio went from 2. 07 to 1. 2 in 1993 which still is at an acceptable level, mainly due to the fact that operations were losing money in the past few years and there was a large cash drain on the company which resulted in the lowering of the current ratio. †¢ Operations were being financed by National Fabricators bank credit which resulted in outstanding bank loans of $784,000; this could cause serious problems on their credit rating from the local bank due to the worse intereage coverage ratio. †¢ Their average age of receivables in days is 78. 79 which had been steady around that number except in 1993 with 101 days mainly due to the holdback on large accounts.Since it is taking longer for them to convert accounts receivable into cash, the liquidity ability for the company is getting worse. | |1993 |1992 |1991 |1990 | |Liquidity | | | | | |Current Ratio |1. 12 |1. 34 |1. 32 |1. 58 | |Quick Ratio |0. 70 |0. 4 |0. 81 |0. 81 | |Profitability | | | | | |%Sales Growth |25. 7% |(17. 6%) |14. 4% | | |Gross Margin |9. 6% |10. 7% |7. 0% |7. 0% | |Net Margin |0. 02% |(1. 8%) |(5. 6%) |(6. %) | |Expenses/Sales |10. 0% |13. 3% |12. 8% |14. 1% | |ROE |0. 2% |(11. 4%) |(37. 8%) |(26. 3%) | |ROA |0. 04% |(4. 1%) |(12. 8%) |(11. 9%) | | | | | | | |Debt/Assets |75. % |64. 2% |66. 1% |54. 7% | |Debt/Equity |310. 4 % |179. 4% |195. 0% |121. 2% | Recommendation and Analysis We have chosen to recommend alternative #1, which will focus on improving their profits because they will be reducing the cost of materials from purchasing directly from Steel Mills rather than buying from the warehouses. By doing so this will help them convince Confederation Bank.Purchasing from producers rather than the warehouses will significantly save us an approximate 12-15%. This can help drastically with their profits being made. Another way to improve profit is by increasing profit margins and to do so they need to cut the cost of materials, which will be approximately 68%. By having cut material cost by 13. 5% National Fabricators will have $314,600, which is the amount they saved from the materials and it would increase their gross profits by that amount. Having laid out this plan everything looks very convincing but there are a couple set backs, which need to be worked out.Delivery is three months once purchased from the producers directly rather than one-day delivery from the warehouses, this may cause problems for daily operations. National Fabricators now has to pay off their suppliers in 30 days payments. It used to be 60-90 days but the change requires the need for more cash on hand. Nationals Fabricators will require the financial support of Confederation Bank in order to solve these set backs that will take place if they don't receive the help financial help they require. Being able to execute this plan we believe that National Fabricators would be able to convince the bank to extend the loan.This will benefit the company because not doing so will increase the financial problems. The reason being we didn't choose alternative 2 was because it was just too risky and way too costly especially with the risk at hand. Yes it was to better their sales but factor in that their attempts to migrate in the U. S. market also have the risk of not being successful. Also the number of other compani es already settled their will give a great competitive market and putting all this together would just show that there is much more risk at hand than reward. Exhibits and Analysis: Attached on next page

Personal Life and William Hazlitt

Many people say will say that â€Å"money cannot buy happiness. † Nineteenth-century author, William Hazlitt, wrote â€Å"On The Want of Money† to put forward his belief that a life without money is a life full of misery. Hazlitt uses negative diction, parallelism, and specific syntax to show that a person could not lead a happy life without money. In his writing, Hazlitt uses negative diction to discuss the importance of money in one’s life.. Hazlitt uses words like â€Å"crabbed† â€Å"morose† and â€Å"querulous† to show the discontent one would feel without money.With his gloomy word choice, Hazlitt establishes a negative tone and gives his audience a clear idea of what a miserable life one would have without money. Doing this, he suggests the idea that the poor have no control of their lives because they don’t have the money to change the way their miserable lives. Equally important, Hazlitt uses parallelism to stress the importan ce of money in a happy life and show the dreadful instances a person in poverty can go through.He states that living without money, â€Å"it is to live out of the world, or to be despised if you come into it†¦it is to be scrutinized by strangers, and neglected by friends†¦Ã¢â‚¬  By doing this, Hazlitt explains how a person without money cannot possibly be happy, because he or she will be disliked by everyone around them. The dark mood set by all of the examples Hazlitt gives portrays what Hazlitt thinks a life without money would be: difficult, lonely and overall unhappyFurthermore, Hazlitt uses specific syntax to prove his point that one without money cannot possibly be happy. He uses one long sentence that stretches from lines 2 to 47 to put an emphasis on the fact that people without money lead a life filled with misery. Hazlitt’s use of the lengthy sentence represent all of the never-ending obstacles one without money faces. Hazlitt’s purpose in doing t his is to accent his idea that a person without money does not lead a happy life.By using one long sentence instead of many shorter ones, Hazlitt makes the reader feel hopeless and as if they were drowning in their distress Overall, Hazlitt uses negative diction, parallelism and syntax to show his belief that money is what gives you happiness in life. By stating so many examples and employing his strategies, Hazlitt makes reader feel deprived of their hope of being happy in this world without money, which is exactly what the author’s purpose was. To be without money is to be â€Å"†¦dissatisfied with every one, but most so with yourself.. †

Example of a Ballad Poem Essays

Example of a Ballad Poem Essays Example of a Ballad Poem Paper Example of a Ballad Poem Paper Essay Topic: Poetry Ballads are old poems or songs, which narrate stories. It is a rhythmic tale of a past affair, which may be heroic, romantic or ironic, almost inevitably catastrophic. We do not know where the word Ballad originated from, however it is thought to come from the French Ballade; which means song with a dance. Ballads are simple repeating rhymes, which often have a refrain, and they have been existent as far back as the 14th Century. They were written to be sung, as a majority of people were illiterate. Alternatively Ballads were written to be catchy and memorable; as minstrels went around singing them. Due to them being attractive, people who heard them kept them in mind. Due to this Ballads have been passed down through generations, and some are still around today. Modern day Ballad writers/singers use different techniques and skill. This could maybe be why theyre more popular and successful. Some lucrative modern day balladeers consist of Robbie Williams and Alicia keys; these are very well known names in the music industry. The reason of thrive that they write more complex ballads, and they are longer; also they use more rhyme scheme. Typical Ballads include quatrains, rhyming couplets, repetition, chorus, social and historical context, themes, language of the time and sometimes a moralistic story. The language of the time is important as it shows us how they used to speak, and how it is different from modern time writing. Also the types of themes that Ballads include are hatred, love, murder, death and cruelty. The lines in a Ballad are regular and contain about eight syllabuses each. In this topic I have studied 5 ballads: Ballad, Porphyrias Lover, Bishop Hatto, Twa Corbies and Young Lochinvar. From these I have chosen to study Ballad, Porphyrias lover and Bishop Hatto. The first poem I have chosen to study is Ballad. This poem is of a young woman who falls in love with a man and devotes her life to him. However after he gets her pregnant he leaves her, alone, to bring up a fatherless child in a harsh and cruel society. Due to this we are given the impression that in the end she kills herself and her baby. I get the impression that the woman in this poem may have killed herself due to the pressure of society; as anything like this was unheard of. To have sex before marriage was outrageous and immediately people would obstracised from society and treated very ruthlessly. This show the societies was forbidden from breaking traditional laws, and were prohibited from having children or sexual relations before marriage; so had to remain virgins. The moral of the poem shows us that the poem was written a long time, as today people are not banned from society for being single mothers or losing their virginity before marriage. The poem indicates that it was written in the 17th Century as archaic language is used A faithless shepherd courted me The word courted is quite an unusual word to be used nowadays, so it is quite noticeable that this poem was written quite far back. As this poem is a Ballad, its typical features are included. The rhyming scheme for this poem is rhyming couplets and contains a chorus; the reason for this was that it had to be as memorable as possible so by including a chorus it was easier to remember. This was because people could not read so the easiest form of communication was song. This ballad uses repetition which is a typical feature of a ballad, I wish, I wish- but its in vain- I wish I was a maid again The repetition of those words gives it a choric effect. It also shows she regrets it a lot and she wants her virginity back. Those quotes also tell the reader that she has got strong feelings about the past. We know from line 7 that she had no experience with men, and that she did not have boyfriends When my poor heart was strange to men This line uses economical flow and allows us to know she had never been involved with men before. Poetic Fallacy is used too When summer bought no fear to fright He came to guard me every night When summer arrives everyone is happy, and it is a cheerful time and that is when he came. However when winter arrived he didntt come When winter nights did darkly prove None came to guard me or to love Winter is a depressing time, it a sad, gloomy time. The theme of the seasons is contrasted, however when she became pregnant he did not love her anymore. Also alliteration has been used When will green grass cover me? This line shows us she wants to die. The alliteration builds tension to the part it draws attention. It also manages to create rhythm and manages to show how desperate she is. Another part in the poem where the writer has used contrasting images is in lines 17-18 I wish my babe had neer been born; Ive made its pillow on a thorn The words pillow and thorn are contrasting images. A pillow is soft and comfortable whereas a thorn is sharp and dangerous. It tells the reader that the situation she has put herself in is very unstable for the baby, although the contrast is very simple; it is very effective because they are both such strong opposites. In line 21 He promised beds as fine as silk and sheets for love as white as milk We find out that he promised her lots of lust and passion, however towards the end of the verse Left me to want a bed of clay We find out that she wants nothing but death and she no longer wants sexual desire; a metaphor is used to make it more understandable and exaggerate the feelings a little His heart seemed soft but it was steel This verse tells the reader that he was nice to her but after she became pregnant, he didntt like her. It also creates an image and tells us the man was unable to love and show his true emotions. In addition I think it also suggests that his heart must me made of steel if he would leave her on her own to bring up a child. Finally in the end we get the impression that she has killed herself and her baby; I wish our sorrows away Our souls with god our bodies clay We do not know what happens but these two lines play on the readers emotions a lot as it keeps them in suspense. The main themes of this poem are sadness, betrayal, suffering, love, hatred and death. The second poem I studied was Porphyrias lover. In this poem Porphyrias Lover, the poet describes the speaker of this dramatic monologue as a man who lives in a cottage in the countryside. In a cold and windy night, his lover, Porphyria, comes to his cottage and lights a fire to keep them warm. The girl then talks of how she loves him. However, the man in this poem has a relatively low social state, since he talks about how Porphyrias struggles to set her passion free from pride. The speaker soon realized that Porphyria will eventually give in to the societys pressure, and he wants to keep her love to him forever. As a result of his possession the speaker strangles Porphyria to death, and then he sits with the corpse for the entire night. At the end he mentioned that he thinks God has not yet moved to punish him The social relevance of this poem is that people had affairs so this gives us the impression that this poem was not set long ago; maybe it was set in the 19th century. At the beginning of the poem pathetic Fallacy is used; to set the mood of the writing, The rain set early in to-night, The sullen wind was soon awake, It tore the elm-tops down for spite, This quatrain sets a negative scene and lets the reader know something is not right. This causes a lot of tension and it gives the impression something bad is going to happen. Also in the poem personification is used to create a negative atmosphere. The next line is the point where very cleverly, the poet manages to change the focus of attention of the reader to the lover without losing any of the effect that the imagery created so far: I listened with heart fit to break. This line shows that the lover was waiting desperately and has reached a certain degree of impatience when his beloved enters the sordid cottage. The room where the lover is waiting also signifies a certain level of sorrow that is caused throughout the poem. When Porphyria glides in she changes the mood When glided in Porphyria straight She shut out the cold and the storm From this line we know Porphyria meant a lot to the writer, and that she brings a lot of sense and warmth to him. Also when she enters the mood changes this clearly shows that Porphyria means a lot to someone. It is very strange as the poem shows the woman is called Porphyria; which is a sexually transmitted disease. This gives the impression that the name was used as a metaphor; maybe like a disease she could not be rid of and maybe caused a small level of unease too. The poem uses erotic language and is quite seductive: Which done, she rose, and from her form Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl And laid her soiled gloves by, untied Her hat and let the damp hair fall It shows how keenly and decisively the poet was waiting for her that he noticed every single detail- as how she came in straight to him and how dearly Porphyria wanted to meet him. Moreover they also show that the girl is absolutely at ease with her beloved meaning there by that she felt completely at home. Furthermore the way in which she takes off her gloves, and then her hat all show that she meant to spend some time and was not in a rush, and that she felt comfortable with her lover. However as we read the poem the true side of the lover comes out. That moment she was mine, mine, fair perfectly pure and good: I found The writer uses repetition, and at this point we know that he is crazy. As soon as we read this line, we get a picture of a maniac; due to the repetition that is used. Also he states that killing someone is perfectly pure and good, and after this we indefinitely know that he is mad, as it is a horrific thing to kill someone. A simile is also used As a shut bud that holds a bee, I warily opened her eyes again This simile is used to describe Porphyrias closed eyes; they are being compared to a shut bud that captures a bee. Furthermore alliteration is used Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss When this sentence is pronounced the first three words create a beat, however not a normal beat but maybe the beat of a heart, however in this case the heart is not beating anymore; so maybe of a heartbeat that was there but isnt anymore. While reading Porphyrias Lover the main idea that stood out most in the poem was love. Also, an important part of this theme was the effects love may have on people such as fear, joy, pride, vanity, suffering, murder, death and obsession as demonstrated by the speaker. The theme of love appears to be simple, but is actually complex in this poem. Porphyrias Lover is not a sensitive love poem; it is a poem that shows what love can sometimes do to people. In the poem, the speaker describes feelings of fear and of heartache or heartbreak. The third ballad that we studied is Twa corbies. This ballad is one of the best known Scottish border ballads; it is of two ravens discussing were they will dine. They talk about a murdered knight and are unconcerned about the tragedy. They want to dine of the corpse. We are not too sure on when this was written, however we know that it was at the time of the war as it is based on a soldier who fought for the country. I wot there lies a new- slain knight Also the social relevance tells us that people who went to war were forgotten about, and were not cared about after the war. Twa Corbies does not contain many features of a ballad however it consists of quatrains As I was walking all alane I heard twa corbies making a mane The tane onto the tither did say Whar sall we gang and dine today? The ballad consists of four line stanzas which are short, with AA BB rhyme scheme. This was done so when it was sang people would learn it more easily and sing it over and over. Furthermore more it consists of language of the time; also as the language is Scottish it is a little harder to understand In behint yon auld fail dyke I wot there lies a new-slain knight; And naebody kens that he lies there But his hawk, his hound and his lady fair We discover in the end that the knight is left with nothing. His hawk, hounds and lady quickly forget him and his body is lost. He has left no legacy and in fact his body is subsumed by nature. Additionally it states he is a new slain knight so he hasnt been away for months; this revelation reinforces the feelings of desertion and futility. Instead of the knights family staying to protect and honour him after death the Ladys taen another mate Everyone that has ever meant anything to the knight deserts him and this shows us how selfish people were; they no longer care about respecting the knight when they have nothing to gain from the friendship. This makes the reader wonder how much he was loved in the first place. Repetition is used But his hawk his hound and his lady fair It is used to This ballad comes across as sad and cruel and describes the ravens as malicious; however they are merely following the laws of nature. The last section reminds the reader that no one will remember the knight now that he is gone, and also emphasizes that nature and living will not change with the death of one person. In the end, however, the ravens reveal that relationships that are significant, but the understanding that life is an unending cycle and an important part is death. The themes of this ballad are betrayal, selfishness and hopelessness, sadness, death and life. In conclusion all the poems I chose had similar themes, but one definite one was sadness. The first poem ballad was one I enjoyed very much. This was because there was a meaning behind each stanza and it seemed like there was true emotions behind the words. Also AA BB rhyme scheme was used which I found very and enjoyable to read. Also many poetic devices have been used which makes the poem more interesting and plays on the readers emotions and creates dramatic irony. The second poem Porphyrias Lover I thought was ok as the storyline was very dramatic and kept me interested. However the language was very complex and the storyline was a little confusing. Apart from that I enjoyed learning to use the poetical devices and seeing how they were used. Finally the last poem Twa Corbies I did not enjoy very much. This was because I did not find anything outstanding about it. Also as it is written in Scottish I found many words hard to understand. The one thing I did enjoy about it was when I heard it in audio as I thought it was very memorable. Lastly there are hardly any poetic devices so the ballad is not that effective or appealing.

Reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 13

Reflection - Assignment Example This would affect the economical development with the abandonment of some services. Austerity measures applied by the administration because of the increasing aging population would cause diminution in the living standards. Labor supply would get affected negatively by causing skilled employees numbers to drop causing exceptional hike in the cost of labor. Lower savings would negatively affect the actual Gross Domestic Product. The lower saving would be because of reduced savings attributable to the high numbers of retirees, who would not be saving anymore. The Canadian physical capital stock would also extensively reduce because of the reduced savings that would create a diminishing impact on real capital per head. Increased immigration in Canada helps in balancing the effects of the increasing dependency ratio by supplying skilled economic skills to the Canadian economy. However, it is worth to note that increased immigration of skilled workers does not necessarily imply economic growth and development. The effects of immigrant workers are largely neutral on the economic performance. On the flipside, increasing numbers of immigrants cause pressure on the government for provision of basic services such as housing and other administrative services. These pressures may negatively affect the government and spills to the economic performance. Canadas Aging Population May Create $67-Billion Annual Budget Hole: Study. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2014, from

Charles Schwab & Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Charles Schwab & Company - Case Study Example Moreover, the company offers services with low commission charges which result in huge revenues and consumer trust. The recent sale of the â€Å"US Trust† has decreased profitability. Since the company operates in only a few countries it has a risk of losing business. The aging population in countries it operates like Hong Kong, USA and UK are likely to increase demand for insurance and other retirement and corporate services the firm offers. The positive prospects of the asset management industry are likely to bring benefits to the firm. Despite the opportunities, the firm is likely to be affected by the global recession which has reduced demand. The increasing number of new entrants in the market will increase competition for the firm. Volatility in financial markets can cause Charles and Schwab & Company’s profits to decline. The firm should continue to prioritize consumers and quality product in order to retain profitability. It can start operations in other countries that may have potential demand for the services offered. The company can modify and polish its services by offering new convenient plans for its potential customers in order to combat competition. Market research should be conducted to offer services that are better than competitors in order to retain market share. The firm was the first discount brokerage company. Its strategy is to empower individual investors by offering discounts and convenient plans. It was the first to offer 24 hours a day and 7 days a week services. Moreover, it offered automated telephone services(Rimma Kats,2011). It used the strategy to ease the consumer by offering automated online and cell phone facilities to increase market share and profits. The firm has an organized system for the smooth running of the company. The firm has maintained different department. Each department handles a particular aspect. The firm has specialists to maintain and develop software for its mobile commerce facility. The firm well identifies the marketing segment for each service it offers and modifies its packages for different units.