Jane Austen Essays - British Films, Jane Austen, Mansfield Park

Jane Austen EL2 Essay 2 Angela Bathgate Tutor Julie Marney 6. How does Mansfield Park interrogate the relationship of power and gender? Mansfield Park by Jane Austen is a classic realist text, which is almost exclusively focused on a small strip of society, namely the upper-middle class of rural England; the class to which she herself belonged. Throughout her novel, Austen portrays the disadvantaged position of woman, presenting the issues of gender stereotyping and marriage choice as the main problems they have to confront. Gender came to be seen as a construct of society, designed to facilitate the smooth-running of society to the advantage of men1, proving that men gained power throughout the socially constructed subordination of woman. Taking a post-structuralist approach to Mansfield Park, we can see that there is a pretence that bourgeois culture is naturalto limit meaning in the interests of control, repression and privilege2. Austens writing embodies middle-class values, and portrays an ideology that emphasises patriarchal rule, along with social and economic power, with little reference to the hardships of the working class. This text is therefore a form of oppressive ideology, in which women are kept in their socially and sexually subordinate place. When Sir Thomas Bertram discovers that Fanny will reject Henry Crawfords proposal, the cruelty of male power is evident, enforcing the gender role. He does not understand her refusal of a secure marriage, and attempts to change her answer by redefining what she says. Sir Thomas is an authoritative male, 1 _______________________________ 1 Literary Theory: An Introduction, Terry Eagleton (Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 1996), p114 2 Literature in the Modern World, Dennis Walder (Oxford University Press, 1990), p306 EL2 Essay 2 Angela Bathgate Tutor Julie Marney and represents the male-dominated system that tries to take control of, and organise a womans life for her. Although Fanny represents female resistance by opposing Sir Thomass judgement, Austen conveys the over-powering pressure that she feels as She could say no more; her breath was almost gone1. Fannys weak position is shown through the punctuation and structure of her sentences, as she often begins to protest, but then breaks off at a dash, unable to continue. This contrasts with the clarity of Sir Thomass speech, in which he conveys a tone of certainty and finality, whilst speaking with ease. He is confident, and sure of his thoughts; so sure in fact, that he tries to impose them on Fanny, and will use any kind of pressure or cruelty to force her to comply with his decision that she should marry. Sir Thomas trying to persuade Fanny to marry emphasises the fact that Austens novels operate around the framework of love, marriage and money. Many of the characters believe that there is no future development open to women of their class but marriage and the upbringing of children, making Fanny seem extremely unusual when she turns down Henrys offer. This relates to the Marxist view that dominant visible forms taken by modes of physical and social reproduction through history have been family and kinship structures2, which utilises the gender positions of male power and female subservience. Austen uses words such as career, to reminds us that marriage was a womans livelihood, her career in the sense that it was her lifes work, and that she would grab any marriage that had good financial prospects. 2 _______________________________ 1 Mansfield Park, Jane Austen (Penguin, 1994), p260 2 Criticism and Ideology, Terry Eagleton (Oxford University Press, 1976), p79 EL2 Essay 2 Angela Bathgate Tutor Julie Marney In the society and culture that Austen depicts, the male is regarded as the norm, as the central position from which the female is defined. This reflects structuralisms theory that society and thinking are constructed on models of binary pairs, such as the pairing of man and woman. However, this pairing allows the man to take precedence over the woman, who is seen as inferior to his superiority. Women are defined by men, just as in Mansfield Park when there is pressure on Fanny to meet Sir Thomass expectations of what a woman is, Thus humanity is male and man defines woman not in herself but as relative to him; she is not regarded as an autonomous beingShe is defined and differentiated with reference to men and

5 Career Strategies You Can Take from The Art of War

5 Career Strategies You Can Take from The Art of War If you’ve ever read The Art of War by Sun Tzu, you know that it was meant to be a guide for actual warfare. Taken slightly less literally, all these centuries later, it’s also a handy guide for approaching and surviving any kind of conflict, including those at work- not to mention a fantastic primer for building your leadership skills. Let’s look at some of the key points in the book that you can apply to your own career.1. Strategy is Everythingâ€Å"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.†If you don’t have a plan, it’s easy to get mired in the day-to-day and lose sight of your goals. It’s crucial to have short-term and long-term professional goals so you’re making active progress, instead of just dealing with whatever comes your way and waiting around for the next thing.2. Be Ready to Compromiseâ€Å"The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.à ¢â‚¬ You may know you’re right on a particular point or a way to do things, but ask yourself- if I go all in on this, what is achieved here? Part of being a team member means being ready to compromise and negotiate to make sure work is getting done. If you’re working on your own, then sure- it’s your way or else. If you’re working with others, it’s important to take their points of view into account as well. Knowing your priorities can help you figure out when it’s important to fight for something, and when you’d be better off finding a compromise.3. Keep Calmâ€Å"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.†Work is not the place to lose your cool, even when things are rough, or someone makes you angry. Find alternative ways to settle conflicts without yelling. You can also work on your at-work relaxation techniques to help you cope with stress and resolve issues without flying off the handle.4. Embrace Off ice Politicsâ€Å"He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.†Workplaces have politics. This is just as true if you work in a fast food restaurant as it is if you work for a Fortune 500 company. Any time you put different personalities together to achieve common goals, part of your own job will be working together with others to make sure you’re getting things done.Rather than avoid conflicts, work on them and through them. You’ll be building good skills, and racking up experience points you can point to later for a promotion or a new job.5. Keep Your Confidence Levels Upâ€Å"You have to believe in yourself.†Strategy, planning, and good habits are fantastic ways to boost your career, but they’re not the most important element- you are. If you play to your strengths and know that you can handle whatever comes your way (even if it requires some extra battle planning), that confidence can improve both your work performance and the quality of opportunities that come your way.

Best Places In Spain To Visit This Summer

Best Places In Spain To Visit This Summer Madrid, Barcelona, Costa Brava, Seville, San Sebastian and Andalusia, Valencia, can stay during your stay in Marbella and Pamplona the best places and cities that can be visited in Spain insider guide. Madrid You can start your trip to any major city in Spain and you can customize your way to this starting point, but we will start our adventure in Madrid. Go to the Madrid Barajas airport and rent your car. Explore the city itself and then drive along the Douro River in the north of the city through Ribera del Duero, one of the most famous wine regions of the country. Wineries (vineyards) in this area can reach a little less than the vineyards of Napa or Loire and usually require dates for visits. You will be grateful for a thorough advance planning, since the services of Riberas visit are exceptional. It is small, with pleasant tasting rooms and private visits organized by vegetarians, wine tasting. The castle walls, the medieval castles and the ancient cities with wide ranges of wild flowers in the countryside. Basque Country From Madrid and Barcelona you can get to Bilbao. If you join another adventure, you can take a bus to Barcelona on your trip between Madrid and Bilbao! Runners will appreciate the beauty they will experience in the Basque Country and this can become a journey with legendary prizes. If you have rented a convertible, it is time to show it, as this area is full of beaches, cliffs and fishing ports where you can wonder about the winding roads. Once you have filled the Basque circuit while preparing for a partial day to get to Valencia, drive south to Victoria for a day of sightseeing or relaxation. Valencia Do not forget to wear protective clothing while traveling to Valencia. Eating controversy is king in this region, and if you are in a small town of Buà ±ol on Wednesday in August, when we passed, we tend to fall into the fire of hundreds of tomatoes. In this quiet town of La Tomatina, thousands of visitors came to the center of the city with the sincere expectation of joining the largest food war in the world. Do not miss the Haro Wine Festival if you are in the area. Just a few minutes away from Bonyola, hundreds of people were armed with tombs, buckets, warts full of water and main objectives of the participants. In addition exotic festival Valencia is a vibrant and friendly city with two wonderful art museums, a beautiful old town and one of the most beautiful places of Spanish nightlife. Cruz de Sierra Nevada From Valencia to Granada you can enjoy the perfect view of the natural mountain landscape. The trip to Granada is very extensive and includes the search of the south coast to Alicante, before continuing towards the Sierra Nevada peaks and finally towards Granada. During the investigation, this disc can be visible to the naked eye and without marks, but in reality it is quite calm and allows you to enjoy the best views of Spain, without heavy traffic load. When you arrive in Granada, you will find Alhamra, an old Moroccan village, one of the most famous tourist attractions in Spain. Be sure to reserve your ticket in advance, as the daily allowance is limited in the summer and tickets can be sold in a few weeks. Spend some time visiting most of the things that surround the complex, then stop the car and go to the old town to enjoy an excellent atmosphere in the city.

Open System Approach to Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Open System Approach to Organizations - Essay Example The company will be used as a case study to answer the questions in the subsequent paragraphs. An open approach system to organization implies that an organization interacts with its outside environment, which in turn influences the structure and operations of the organization. The fact that an open system interacts with the outside environment implies that an organization is an open system should always adapt to changes in the environment. For a long time, Icy Foods Ltd. has been operating on informal basis judging, by the way, operations are loosely divided into five departments with no clear-cut framework. Moreover, the company used to accept orders with less or no regard to quality or quantity specifications of the product. This lack of organization explains why the company lacked customers from major supermarket chains. The other apparent misgiving that characterized Icy Foods Ltd. is the lack of clear division of labor and specialization. This fact is inherent in the way the company conducts job rotations (Weiner, 2002). Job rotation is not a good concept because it does not give the employees the chance to gain experience in a given line of duty. The fact that the company did not embrace quality and efficiency in its operations negatively affected its business performance. Before the takeover by Megastores Plc., the company had adopted an organic organization structure in managing the various operations. The management, prior to the takeover, operated an open-door policy. The management was keen on hearing employee’s ideas on new products and operational improvements. There was also a flexible approach to handling employees’ issues such as working hours and leave. After the successful takeover, the management came up with a raft of new changes that were more bureaucratic as opposed to the organic system that the management had used to all along.

Kindly see the attachment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Kindly see the attachment - Essay Example Once Philip Sparke started performing, I found myself nodding along to his music, and my feeling at that instance were that the music was fabulous. His performance brought that dà ©jà   vu effect I always experience while listening to his music, except that, during this instance, the magnitude was heightened. Once, Philip Sparke was through with his performance, I was left longing for more and more. The next artist to perform was John Stevens, and before he started his performance; I was optimistic his performance would be breath taking, and he did not disappoint me when he got in stage. John Stevens is an artist, who performs classical music, and autumn falls under this category. The key music instruments, which he used during his performance, included a piano and tuba, which brought about a harmonious mood to the entire audience. John Stevens’ performance brought make memories of when I was a young kid, and my father would teach me how to play the piano. His performance brought sweet memories, which left me nostalgic. Half way through his performance, I felt uneasy and even wanted to leave the concert, but there was a force urging me to stay, which I eventually did. After, the performance of both John Stevens and Philip Sparke, I had a taste of classical music first hand, and I loved it. At this particular moment, I was enjoying every single moment, and my love for classical music intensified. I noted the talents in both Stevens and Sparke, and appreciated the hard work, as well as practices they put in order to come up with such a performance. My feelings, at that moment, were that practice makes perfect, and if these two artists had perfected their performance and made it in life, I can make it. The next artist on stage was Christian Gouinguene, who performed allegro, andante con moto, and presto. In my opinion, this was the climax of the concert, and as he continued with his performance, I was light hearted because

Hitachi Essay Example for Free

Hitachi Essay 1. Product line The three main products of every company are1-door, 2-door and 3-door+ refrigerators since all of them produce it. This leads to a tense competition of those items. Most of companies have the high competition in segment of 2-door refrigerators. Moreover, Side by side refrigerators are produced by only Hitachi and Samsung because of negative growth in this segment. 2. Pricing Strategy Hitachi is using â€Å"Premium pricing† that suit to their products. Hitachi would like to make the brand image to show the customers about high quality of their products and gain number 1 value market share. In the other way, Mitsubishi is using competitive price because they would like to reach on the target audiences and remain to be number 1 of market. Toshiba also uses Competitive pricing in order to be competitive with other brands. Samsung is using lower pricing to attract most in the lower to middle incomes segment. 3.Distribution Strategy Every companies use Selective for distribution strategy to sells product to customers. There are two types of distribution channels; Mass merchandized and General electric shop (dealers). The mass merchandized are PowerBuy, Power Mall (Paragon), HomePro, BigC and Tesco Lotus to sell their products to customers. Moreover, every brand also sells their products locally through local dealers. The dealers are in every parts of Thailand. 4. Target Audience All companies have roughly the same primary and secondary target audience which are households and organizations respectively. However, the target audience of each brand is targeted differently based on income level, age and lifestyle. The primary target audiences of Hitachi are middle to upper incomes because Hitachi set price as premium pricing and age of target audience is middle age to adulthood (aged between 35 and 50) because the design is conservative. Mitsubishi produces innovative design for focusing on middle incomes and people of middle age to adulthood (aged between 35 and 50). Samsung focus on lower to middle incomes because they use lower pricing strategy and they use celebrities as the presenters in advertisement to attract those who are interested in the celebrities which is usually people of middle to low income and have younger age (between 25 and 35). Toshiba focus on middle income because they are using competitive pricing. The range of age of target audience of Toshiba is wide because they have conservative design and has just come up with more innovative design in order to attract people of younger age, therefore the age range will be between 25 and 50. Moreover, the companies also focus on the organization in secondary target customers because the companies can get the opportunity to sell the products if the organizations would like to order the large volumes of refrigerators. The organizations can be either government or private sector. Both of target audiences are important for the companies. Customers choose the brand base on their perception, which is along of line of quality, value, and cost. 5. Positioning In the positioning mapping Hitachi is currently in quadrant of having High Price and conservative design. Mitsubishi and Samsung have the high innovative design but Mitsubishi is perceived as high price whereas Samsung is perceived as low price. Toshiba is in conservative design with moderating price in order to be competitive with other brands. 6. Objectives -Marketing Hitachi focuses on gaining more profit to be number 1 of value market share in the refrigerator industry. They can gain more opportunity than other competitors and make the relationship to customers in long-term by service quality. Mitsubishi focuses on remaining the number 1 in market by maintain the existing customers. Samsung focuses on being number 1 of 2-door market share because 2-door market is the largest market share in the industry. To be the number 1 of market share of 2-door refrigerators, the company has the varied models of 2-door refrigerators and made the lower prices. Toshiba focuses on retrieving from the Mega-flood effect in 2011 because the flood was attacked to Toshiba factory and warehouse. It makes the products become shortage in the market. They have to recovery to come back on the market. Promotion Hitachi provides offering premiums to consumers and gaining closer relationship with the people in the long-term. Mitsubishi uses Discount prices to consumers. It makes the customers become confidence to the company and achieve the company’s goal to be remaining number 1 in the market. Samsung has Heavy promotions to consumers, price reduction, premiums and more. The company would like to be the first brand to be the customers’ mind. Toshiba would like to continuous price reduction in order to not promote much like other competitors.

Teaching Strategy and Policy :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Teaching Strategy and Policy Using Reading this article was as painful as getting teeth pulled. The article was a professor's review of a class he instructed at the University of Chicago on strategic planning. The class was not conducted in a typical class format, but instead had students actively involved in groups that gathered data, analyzed, critiqued, and prepared strategic plans for area businesses who volunteered their records time and employees for such scrutiny. Much of the article was focused on the first class session, which from the sounds of it was quite hectic. After reading the assigned text the class as a whole determined 8 steps of which their models would be based on. The first was to Interview a sample of managers from all levels to determine degree of participation in the planning process. The second was to work with the relevant managers to determine what data were available in the company files regarding customers, customer satisfaction, product line, market niche, costs ect. The second steps also had parts A and B which were to determine which data was not available yet desired and determine secondary sources to obtain such data, and to establish as database and make it available for all group members. The third step dealt with the data on customer satisfaction and how responses, complaints, suggestions ect are managed. The fourth step was to track information flow in the company. What is collected, who it goes to and why. Step five, was to check database and determine which fields were most important for the company and to determine which areas to concentrate in in order to guarantee best outcome, and spread resources. The sixth step was to analyze the data and specify the strengths and weaknesses of the company. Step seven was to develop recommendations for the next year and the next three years regarding products, services, and markets as well as organization structures, and organizations processes. The final step was actually determined during the second class section, but it was to prepare a complete business overview as a first step for the final report and to provide a guideline for later data analysis and development of alternatives. The remainder of the article summarized the class sessions of the following weeks and problems the groups encountered while conducting their research.

Nature Swaps in Latin America

Latin America is currently in a debt crisis. Poor management, over lending by banks, and a bad turn in the world economy has produced severe debt that is forcing these countries to exploit their natural resources in an attempt to ease their economic problems. However, many individuals and organizations have seen a silver lining to this cloud and are now buying debts (at a discounted rate) and giving them back to the debtor countries in return for environmental protection. Although increasingly difficult to achieve, these debt for nature swaps are beneficial to the debtor country and the world. So why do we go to all this trouble for a few countries that are not even big players in the world market? I discovered that we loose about 40 million acres of forest each year and 27 million of that is tropical rain forrest. (White house fact sheet on the President†s Proposal for a Global Forest Convention). Considering that the world†s forest act as respiration, filtration, and cooling system, we must make a concerted effort to conserve and start repairing the damage we have already done. A large part of the worlds forest rest in the debt ridden counrties of Latin America. In an attempt to repay these huge debts, countries are utilizing their natural resourses and straining them to the point where their situation could have global ecological ramifications. There is an undenyable link between the deforestation in Latin America and its enoumous debt. Debt for-nature swaps take advantage of an otherwise bad situation, turn it around, and use it to promote forest conservation in Latin America. The first debt-for-nature swap was with the government of Bolivia and the non government organization Conservation International. Since then, the international community and the United Nations have picked up the idea and now incorperate it in many of their initatives and policies directed toward forest conservation in Latin America. In a debt for nature swap an organization buys a debtor nations foreign debt at a discount ( since most of the worlds financial organizations are eager to unload them) and then forgive it in exchange for a commitment by the country to invest the face value of the debt in environmental conservation. The debt is converted for US dollars to local currency, which is used to fund the programs. This alleviates the debt, and proves a bargain to the organization that initiated the swap. They also receive higher visibility and these types of transactions get them involved in the local government allowing them to pursue future programs. Commercial banks also see a potential in debt for nature swaps. Instead of holding on to a debt that will more than likely never be paid, they donate it to a non government organization and write it off as a charitable donation. More recently, due to a change in international policy, they can not only sell the debt at a discount (recouping some of their loss) , but write it off at face value and gain prestige for their involvement in environmental protection. The role of the debtor nation is a bit more difficult. The debtor nation must agree to essentially buy back the debt by financing the eviromental conservation programs with the converted money and pay any other cost involved in the transaction. Not a bad deal for the debtor nation considering they would have had to pay the initial cost many times over just in interest payments. The USDA forest service says, † The debtor nation consents to the swap terms; bear the cost of: 1 the buy back of the debt from the charitable organization and 2 additional project financing commiserates with the differential between the discount price on the secondary market and the exchange rate for debt converted into local currency. In addition, the project may entail future recurrent expenditures for the host country†s public sector. † Almost all debt-for-nature swaps have some US involvement. Usually we act as the sugar daddy, financing non government organizations and setting up regulations that the debtor nation must meet. In 1990 the US established these regulations under Title VI of the 1990 fact act. The debtor country must be making progress toward the establishment of certain world bank reform programs and be making reforms in the foreign and domestic investment area. The debt swap between the non government organization and the debtor country is negotiated by the US. In exchange for forgiveness of the debt the debtor country must make interest payments into the project, which is governed by a local government body. The body which negotiates the swap is composed of relative US government organizations and some non government relative organizations. Their job is to provide guidance and help carry out the administrative maneuvers needed for such a swap. This type of debt for nature swap is very complicated and has lead conservation groups to look for ways around the jungle of red tape that surrounds these swaps. One type of swap that seems to bypass a lot of these difficulties is an interest swap. The same basic principle applies, but with a twist. The foreign debt is converted into long term bonds by the non government organization and swaps interest payments in return for environmental funding. The debtor nation gets to retire a debt using its own currency, which is diverted to the conservation program. Conservation organizations get some security from inflation and avoid the threat that the debtor nation will renege on its obligations. If the debtor nation stops funding environmental programs, then interest payments resume. Because of the protection and relative ease of this type of swap, it has grown increasingly popular among international conservation organizations. Sometimes a corporation may donate or discount assets it holds in Latin America because they are unable to profit from them. The corporation writes them off as a charitable donation and the non government organization diverts funds for environmental protection. This is a good deal for both since the cooperation gets to write the whole thing off and the conservation organization gets more bang for their buck. This also effectively cuts out the US, the board of overseers, and for the most part, the local government. Once inaccessible financial resources are being tapped, a debt is being retired, and government supported environmental initiatives are being started. All this seems terribly involved and difficult and that is because it is terribly involved and difficult. These swaps are small compared to the overall national deficit of these countries and that is because they have to be. If they were done on a large scale, in the current state of these countries economies, the influx of domestic currency would haave a bad inflationary effect on the economy, and that is the last thing these countries need. The receiptant countries they will loose economic sovergnity in these debt-for-nature swaps. The donor organization and the US negotiators tack on all kinds of stipulations and conditions to these swaps. Less than appealing conditions for countries that are already under the screws of the IMF and the World Bank. The IMF knows they are the last hope for these countries and do not hesitate to impose mountains of economic conditions with their loans. Granted, they are in the interest of neo-liberal economic reform but, any changes made in their fragile economy can have a rippling effect that can affect the political stability of an administration. In such a political climate it is easy to understand why many Latin American countries are reluctant to participate in these swaps when there is a potiential further loss of their economic sovergnty. The intention and idea behind debt-for-nature swaps are noble but, the question comes up, † Are we really helping Latin American countries by interfering in their affairs? â€Å". Is this just more bad breath diplomacy? These debt for nature swaps are likely to only temporarly aleviate some of Latin Americas economic troubles. With these debts retired, they have access to new funds and the cycle of borrowing will continue along with the deforestation. Besides saving the rain forest, what other plans do US and other international cooperations have in mind for Debt-for-nature swaps? It seems to me that this would be a perfect way to take controll of valuable natural resources and save them for later use. After all, most debt-for-nature swaps are essentially a lease that last until the face value of the debt has been spent on conservation and then the government takes back control of the land. Why not take advantage of Latin Americas bad situation and use it to hold on to valuable land until they are out of crisis and the land is safe? Wait for better economic and ecological conditions. Its cheaper than buying the land and paying taxes on it so just write off a bad loan Latin America is currently in a debt crisis. Poor management, over lending by banks, and a bad turn in the world economy has produced severe debt that is forcing these countries to exploit their natural resources in an attempt to ease their economic problems. However, many individuals and organizations have seen a silver lining to this cloud and are now buying debts (at a discounted rate) and giving them back to the debtor countries in return for environmental protection. Although increasingly difficult to achieve, these debt for nature swaps are beneficial to the debtor country and the world. So why do we go to all this trouble for a few countries that are not even big players in the world market? I discovered that we loose about 40 million acres of forest each year and 27 million of that is tropical rain forrest. (White house fact sheet on the President†s Proposal for a Global Forest Convention). Considering that the world†s forest act as respiration, filtration, and cooling system, we must make a concerted effort to conserve and start repairing the damage we have already done. A large part of the worlds forest rest in the debt ridden counrties of Latin America. In an attempt to repay these huge debts, countries are utilizing their natural resourses and straining them to the point where their situation could have global ecological ramifications. There is an undenyable link between the deforestation in Latin America and its enoumous debt. Debt for-nature swaps take advantage of an otherwise bad situation, turn it around, and use it to promote forest conservation in Latin America. The first debt-for-nature swap was with the government of Bolivia and the non government organization Conservation International. Since then, the international community and the United Nations have picked up the idea and now incorperate it in many of their initatives and policies directed toward forest conservation in Latin America. In a debt for nature swap an organization buys a debtor nations foreign debt at a discount ( since most of the worlds financial organizations are eager to unload them) and then forgive it in exchange for a commitment by the country to invest the face value of the debt in environmental conservation. The debt is converted for US dollars to local currency, which is used to fund the programs. This alleviates the debt, and proves a bargain to the organization that initiated the swap. They also receive higher visibility and these types of transactions get them involved in the local government allowing them to pursue future programs. Commercial banks also see a potential in debt for nature swaps. Instead of holding on to a debt that will more than likely never be paid, they donate it to a non government organization and write it off as a charitable donation. More recently, due to a change in international policy, they can not only sell the debt at a discount (recouping some of their loss) , but write it off at face value and gain prestige for their involvement in environmental protection. The role of the debtor nation is a bit more difficult. The debtor nation must agree to essentially buy back the debt by financing the eviromental conservation programs with the converted money and pay any other cost involved in the transaction. Not a bad deal for the debtor nation considering they would have had to pay the initial cost many times over just in interest payments. The USDA forest service says, † The debtor nation consents to the swap terms; bear the cost of: 1 the buy back of the debt from the charitable organization and 2 additional project financing commiserates with the differential between the discount price on the secondary market and the exchange rate for debt converted into local currency. In addition, the project may entail future recurrent expenditures for the host country†s public sector. † Almost all debt-for-nature swaps have some US involvement. Usually we act as the sugar daddy, financing non government organizations and setting up regulations that the debtor nation must meet. In 1990 the US established these regulations under Title VI of the 1990 fact act. The debtor country must be making progress toward the establishment of certain world bank reform programs and be making reforms in the foreign and domestic investment area. The debt swap between the non government organization and the debtor country is negotiated by the US. In exchange for forgiveness of the debt the debtor country must make interest payments into the project, which is governed by a local government body. The body which negotiates the swap is composed of relative US government organizations and some non government relative organizations. Their job is to provide guidance and help carry out the administrative maneuvers needed for such a swap. This type of debt for nature swap is very complicated and has lead conservation groups to look for ways around the jungle of red tape that surrounds these swaps. One type of swap that seems to bypass a lot of these difficulties is an interest swap. The same basic principle applies, but with a twist. The foreign debt is converted into long term bonds by the non government organization and swaps interest payments in return for environmental funding. The debtor nation gets to retire a debt using its own currency, which is diverted to the conservation program. Conservation organizations get some security from inflation and avoid the threat that the debtor nation will renege on its obligations. If the debtor nation stops funding environmental programs, then interest payments resume. Because of the protection and relative ease of this type of swap, it has grown increasingly popular among international conservation organizations. Sometimes a corporation may donate or discount assets it holds in Latin America because they are unable to profit from them. The corporation writes them off as a charitable donation and the non government organization diverts funds for environmental protection. This is a good deal for both since the cooperation gets to write the whole thing off and the conservation organization gets more bang for their buck. This also effectively cuts out the US, the board of overseers, and for the most part, the local government. Once inaccessible financial resources are being tapped, a debt is being retired, and government supported environmental initiatives are being started. All this seems terribly involved and difficult and that is because it is terribly involved and difficult. These swaps are small compared to the overall national deficit of these countries and that is because they have to be. If they were done on a large scale, in the current state of these countries economies, the influx of domestic currency would haave a bad inflationary effect on the economy, and that is the last thing these countries need. The receiptant countries they will loose economic sovergnity in these debt-for-nature swaps. The donor organization and the US negotiators tack on all kinds of stipulations and conditions to these swaps. Less than appealing conditions for countries that are already under the screws of the IMF and the World Bank. The IMF knows they are the last hope for these countries and do not hesitate to impose mountains of economic conditions with their loans. Granted, they are in the interest of neo-liberal economic reform but, any changes made in their fragile economy can have a rippling effect that can affect the political stability of an administration. In such a political climate it is easy to understand why many Latin American countries are reluctant to participate in these swaps when there is a potiential further loss of their economic sovergnty. The intention and idea behind debt-for-nature swaps are noble but, the question comes up, † Are we really helping Latin American countries by interfering in their affairs? â€Å". Is this just more bad breath diplomacy? These debt for nature swaps are likely to only temporarly aleviate some of Latin Americas economic troubles. With these debts retired, they have access to new funds and the cycle of borrowing will continue along with the deforestation. Besides saving the rain forest, what other plans do US and other international cooperations have in mind for Debt-for-nature swaps? It seems to me that this would be a perfect way to take controll of valuable natural resources and save them for later use. After all, most debt-for-nature swaps are essentially a lease that last until the face value of the debt has been spent on conservation and then the government takes back control of the land. Why not take advantage of Latin Americas bad situation and use it to hold on to valuable land until they are out of crisis and the land is safe? Wait for better economic and ecological conditions. Its cheaper than buying the land and paying taxes on it so just write off a bad loan Latin America is currently in a debt crisis. Poor management, over lending by banks, and a bad turn in the world economy has produced severe debt that is forcing these countries to exploit their natural resources in an attempt to ease their economic problems. However, many individuals and organizations have seen a silver lining to this cloud and are now buying debts (at a discounted rate) and giving them back to the debtor countries in return for environmental protection. Although increasingly difficult to achieve, these debt for nature swaps are beneficial to the debtor country and the world. So why do we go to all this trouble for a few countries that are not even big players in the world market? I discovered that we loose about 40 million acres of forest each year and 27 million of that is tropical rain forrest. (White house fact sheet on the President†s Proposal for a Global Forest Convention). Considering that the world†s forest act as respiration, filtration, and cooling system, we must make a concerted effort to conserve and start repairing the damage we have already done. A large part of the worlds forest rest in the debt ridden counrties of Latin America. In an attempt to repay these huge debts, countries are utilizing their natural resourses and straining them to the point where their situation could have global ecological ramifications. There is an undenyable link between the deforestation in Latin America and its enoumous debt. Debt for-nature swaps take advantage of an otherwise bad situation, turn it around, and use it to promote forest conservation in Latin America. The first debt-for-nature swap was with the government of Bolivia and the non government organization Conservation International. Since then, the international community and the United Nations have picked up the idea and now incorperate it in many of their initatives and policies directed toward forest conservation in Latin America. In a debt for nature swap an organization buys a debtor nations foreign debt at a discount ( since most of the worlds financial organizations are eager to unload them) and then forgive it in exchange for a commitment by the country to invest the face value of the debt in environmental conservation. The debt is converted for US dollars to local currency, which is used to fund the programs. This alleviates the debt, and proves a bargain to the organization that initiated the swap. They also receive higher visibility and these types of transactions get them involved in the local government allowing them to pursue future programs. Commercial banks also see a potential in debt for nature swaps. Instead of holding on to a debt that will more than likely never be paid, they donate it to a non government organization and write it off as a charitable donation. More recently, due to a change in international policy, they can not only sell the debt at a discount (recouping some of their loss) , but write it off at face value and gain prestige for their involvement in environmental protection. The role of the debtor nation is a bit more difficult. The debtor nation must agree to essentially buy back the debt by financing the eviromental conservation programs with the converted money and pay any other cost involved in the transaction. Not a bad deal for the debtor nation considering they would have had to pay the initial cost many times over just in interest payments. The USDA forest service says, † The debtor nation consents to the swap terms; bear the cost of: 1 the buy back of the debt from the charitable organization and 2 additional project financing commiserates with the differential between the discount price on the secondary market and the exchange rate for debt converted into local currency. In addition, the project may entail future recurrent expenditures for the host country†s public sector. † Almost all debt-for-nature swaps have some US involvement. Usually we act as the sugar daddy, financing non government organizations and setting up regulations that the debtor nation must meet. In 1990 the US established these regulations under Title VI of the 1990 fact act. The debtor country must be making progress toward the establishment of certain world bank reform programs and be making reforms in the foreign and domestic investment area. The debt swap between the non government organization and the debtor country is negotiated by the US. In exchange for forgiveness of the debt the debtor country must make interest payments into the project, which is governed by a local government body. The body which negotiates the swap is composed of relative US government organizations and some non government relative organizations. Their job is to provide guidance and help carry out the administrative maneuvers needed for such a swap. This type of debt for nature swap is very complicated and has lead conservation groups to look for ways around the jungle of red tape that surrounds these swaps. One type of swap that seems to bypass a lot of these difficulties is an interest swap. The same basic principle applies, but with a twist. The foreign debt is converted into long term bonds by the non government organization and swaps interest payments in return for environmental funding. The debtor nation gets to retire a debt using its own currency, which is diverted to the conservation program. Conservation organizations get some security from inflation and avoid the threat that the debtor nation will renege on its obligations. If the debtor nation stops funding environmental programs, then interest payments resume. Because of the protection and relative ease of this type of swap, it has grown increasingly popular among international conservation organizations. Sometimes a corporation may donate or discount assets it holds in Latin America because they are unable to profit from them. The corporation writes them off as a charitable donation and the non government organization diverts funds for environmental protection. This is a good deal for both since the cooperation gets to write the whole thing off and the conservation organization gets more bang for their buck. This also effectively cuts out the US, the board of overseers, and for the most part, the local government. Once inaccessible financial resources are being tapped, a debt is being retired, and government supported environmental initiatives are being started. All this seems terribly involved and difficult and that is because it is terribly involved and difficult. These swaps are small compared to the overall national deficit of these countries and that is because they have to be. If they were done on a large scale, in the current state of these countries economies, the influx of domestic currency would haave a bad inflationary effect on the economy, and that is the last thing these countries need. The receiptant countries they will loose economic sovergnity in these debt-for-nature swaps. The donor organization and the US negotiators tack on all kinds of stipulations and conditions to these swaps. Less than appealing conditions for countries that are already under the screws of the IMF and the World Bank. The IMF knows they are the last hope for these countries and do not hesitate to impose mountains of economic conditions with their loans. Granted, they are in the interest of neo-liberal economic reform but, any changes made in their fragile economy can have a rippling effect that can affect the political stability of an administration. In such a political climate it is easy to understand why many Latin American countries are reluctant to participate in these swaps when there is a potiential further loss of their economic sovergnty. The intention and idea behind debt-for-nature swaps are noble but, the question comes up, † Are we really helping Latin American countries by interfering in their affairs? â€Å". Is this just more bad breath diplomacy? These debt for nature swaps are likely to only temporarly aleviate some of Latin Americas economic troubles. With these debts retired, they have access to new funds and the cycle of borrowing will continue along with the deforestation.

Cultural and sporting events Essay

Cultural and sporting events both possess strengths in the area of promoting community within an environment. The atmosphere created by each is a key factor in the ability of these events to foster community spirit within a region. These activities also contribute to the building of communities in other areas, such as financial economic development. Yet, the ways in which these two types of events do this are vastly different. The exploration of these methods, the different atmospheres created, as well as their impact on the community will offer insight into the contribution that sporting and cultural events make to community and society as a whole. One of the major differences to be found between sporting and cultural events is in the dominant motive for the existence of each. Sporting events are generally driven by the profit motive, and as such are often spectator events. People come mainly to view the games and cheer for given teams. If however, such a team is doing badly on the regional or international scene, members of the community might lose interest in attending that particular event. The sense of community that arises as a result of sporting events is therefore vastly different from that which comes about as a result of a cultural event. During a sport event, supporters of two or more teams are usually present. This creates a strong divide between those who support one team and those who are in favour of its rival. The tension present between these teams, though usually kept under control, does have the potential to create hostility and thereby shatter the community spirit. However, where there is healthy rivalry present, community spirit can be promoted and solidified at the end of the event when respect for the victorious team is freely given by its rival and their supporters. Also, in such cases where an underdog team triumphs, newly found appreciation for that team has the potential of strengthening the ties between the different communities involved—locally, regionally and internationally. In contrast, cultural events are usually traditional and annual events with little tension derived from competition. They are not necessarily driven by the profit motive, and supporters are usually quite loyal in their attendance. Some examples of such cultural events are Independence Day functions (in some countries), coronation services, arts and theatre events such as ballets, symphonies, and oratorios. The community of attendants to such events usually exists in a much more relaxed state, and because of the common traditions that are usually the progenitors of such an event, the attendants at a cultural event are usually more inclined to agree, share, and talk about the occurrences at such events. They share and enjoy a common enjoyment as they experience similar emotions in conjunction with the events. The ability of cultural events to promote community can further be seen in such artistic and cultural projects that promote the lifestyle and origins of certain cultures that might have been marginalised in society. Aboriginal culture shows and other minority showcases have the potential of making visible certain aspects of ethnic/minority culture that might have been ignored in former times (Fraser, 2006). Members of the majority have the opportunity of showing interest in these cultural aspects of the lives of marginalised members of society, and this has the advantage of creating and solidifying relationships among different members of a diverse society. Sporting events also have the capacity to do this. Allowing diversity to infiltrate sporting events promotes social inclusion and a stronger sense of community. Because sporting events are primarily viewed events (as opposed to participatory events) the persons who form the teams have the opportunity to set an example of inclusion and tolerance and thereby promote such community-building practices in the wider regions to which spectators belong. In the final analysis, it might appear that the cultural activities and events do a bit more than sporting events to promote community, as they offer very little occasion for rivalry. However, the ability of sporting events to promote community through inclusion and the potential for increased respect should not be overlooked. Reference Fraser, J. (2006). â€Å"Indigenous artistes at the Woodford Folk. † Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Online. Retrieved on January 21, 2007 from http://www. abc. net. au/message/blackarts/culture/s1658207. htm

The Internet vs. The Web

The Internet vs. The Web The Internet vs. The Web The Internet vs. The Web By Maeve Maddox Although the hoi polloi (i.e., the masses) use the words Web and Internet interchangeably, there is a difference worth learning. The Internet existed before the Web. The first meaning of internet as it relates to computing was â€Å"a computer network consisting of or connecting a number of smaller networks, such as two or more local area networks connected by a shared communications protocol.† The U.S. Defense Department had such a network called ARPANET–an acronym derived from Advanced Research Projects Agency Network. From this DoD â€Å"internet† evolved â€Å"the Internet,† a global computer network that provides a variety of communication facilities–only one of which is the Web. ARPANET was developed in the 1960s to enable researchers to use computers from remote locations. In 1982, the Internet Protocol Suite (IPS) was standardized and the Internet was officially defined as a global interconnected network. Although global, the new Internet was still mainly the reserve of people with the specialized skills needed to access it. All that changed in the early 1990s when Tim Berners-Lee, a graduate of Oxford University, created a system of interlinked documents (e.g., web pages) that could be easily accessed by anyone using a browser. He called it the World Wide Web. The Web, therefore, is not the Internet. The Web is one of many services that run on top of the Internet infrastructure. Other such services include email, FTP, and VOIP (e.g., Skype). Here’s a typical misuse of the term Internet: Are you unfamiliar with the Internet? If you want to know how to search the Internet, then you have to find the right search engine, type in your search as accurately as possible, and browse through the results to find the one you want. –WikiHow I’m guessing that the Defense Department may know how to search the Internet, but when ordinary mortals go online to find cute kitten photos, they use search engines to search the Web. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing a Reference Letter (With Examples)Hyper and HypoPredicate Complements

Cross-cultural Management in Multinational Project Groups Essay

Cross-cultural Management in Multinational Project Groups - Essay Example Nonetheless, the business culture of France still reserves some surprises for Americans and other western nations. This report seeks to provide a cross-cultural analysis of France as a potential location for investment. The report seeks to provide a profile for the cultural environment of France, exploring issues that may have significant impact on management, including business protocols, language, housing, clothing, social institutions, education, and others. Introduction According to the 1958 constitution, France is a parliamentary republic. A president, who is the head of state, leads the country. The latter monitors the functioning of democratic institutions as far as the constitution is concerned. The country also has a Prime Minister in charge of day-to-day policy. A bicameral parliament governs the country. It comprises of a Senate with directly elected representatives from the departments and region, and a House of Representatives elected by the universal suffrage every five years. The metropolitan France has twenty-two regions with ninety-six departments. The communities, departments, and regions share the centrally collected tax revenues (Smircich, 2005). France is the largest West European country with a population of approximately 65 million people, about four-fifths of the size of Texas. Due to the large area coverage, the country has different environmental orientation. The country has mountains in the south and east, volcanoes in the middle and beaches in other parts. The beaches are also very different, comprising of cliffs, sand, and stones. Consequently, the country has different climate conditions: dry and hot in the east and south, and rainy in the north and west. The country does not have an official religion, but most of the citizens are Roman Catholic. The country hosts over 4.5 million foreigners, majority of whom are from communist countries and other European countries (UHY, 2011). As far as French citizens are concerned, education is very important. This is evident from the fact that the French educational system is almost free from primary school through to a doctorate degree for French citizens. Population According to a survey carried out in 2010, about three-quarters of the French population live in the cities, with a population density of 97 inhabitants per square metropolitan kilometer. The major currency in use is the Euro. The country majorly speaks French. According to economic statistics, the service sector accounts for over 74% of the overall employment, compared with 5% in agriculture. The industrial sector of the country continues to suffer significant deficits in foreign trade due to the fierce competition from the Far East. In 2009, the country made a Gross Domestic Product of 1950 billion Euros, an increase of 2.5% from 2007. The average growth rate was 0.6%, slightly below the Eurozone average of 0.7% and 0.8% of the US figure. The GDP purchasing power parity in 2010 was $2.097 trillion, with a GDP per Capita purchasing power parity of $32,700. The global economy has been slow in all areas because of the recent financial crisis. The global effect was initially high, but France gained from its little exposure and encouraged a strong public spending policy to maintain a high demand level (Fatehi, 2003). Economy Since 2008, the rate of unemployment has increased to stand at 10% of the overall active population, slightly higher than the average European rate of 9.6%. The country reduced the

The Nurses Role in Prevention of Central Venous Line Infection Essay

The Nurses Role in Prevention of Central Venous Line Infection - Essay Example The problems identified for this research are that CVLI presents a serious health risk to patients, nurses are frequently in a position to contribute to the problem, and that training and prevention strategies should be employed to reduce the frequency and severity of CVLI. Significance of the Problem. The significance of CVLI cannot be overstated. It increases the morbidity and mortality rates of patients who suffer infection as a result of bacterial introduction and growth in what is often an immunosuppressed environment. This issue is important to nursing for two primary reasons; nurses are in a position to contribute to the frequency and severity of the problem, and they are also the first line of defense in prevention, detection, and resolution of CVLI. Research Hypothesis. The expectations for this research are that it will clearly demonstrate; that most cases of CVLI are preventable, the incidence of nurse contribution to the condition is high, a program of training and preventative strategies would reduce the frequency of infection, and that more research is needed to determine the protocols for a program of prevention. Literature Review. There are several studies on the subject of CVLI and the contributory issues involved. While this body of literature is informative, it does not obviate the need for the research proposed herein. From Hadaway, we know t... The expectations for this research are that it will clearly demonstrate; that most cases of CVLI are preventable, the incidence of nurse contribution to the condition is high, a program of training and preventative strategies would reduce the frequency of infection, and that more research is needed to determine the protocols for a program of prevention. CHAPTER TWO Literature Review. There are several studies on the subject of CVLI and the contributory issues involved. While this body of literature is informative, it does not obviate the need for the research proposed herein. From Hadaway, we know that central venous lines are much more likely to increase the frequency, as well as the seriousness, of infections than are short peripheral catheters. She points out that two factors that contribute to this fact are that the patients themselves tend to be more vulnerable, and the exposure to microorganisms is increased due to the more frequent access required in maintaining central venous lines (Hadaway, 2006, p. 58) These infections, particularly those at the site of the intravascular device, are a major source of morbidity, occur frequently, and have the ability to increase both the length of a patient's stay at the hospital as well as the costs associated with that period of convalescence (Musher, el al., 2002, p. 769). The research of Dr. Oudiz and his co-authors has found that early detection of infection in such patients is crucial, though it can be difficult given the fact that the symptoms often present in a generalized way and do not initially appear as an acute infection (Oudiz, et al., 2004, p. 92). When those symptoms do present, however, it is often necessary to remove the central venous line in order to eradicate the infection (Brooks &