Colonialism Conceptualization of Masculinity Essay

Colonialism Conceptualization of Masculinity - Essay Example These necessitated the need for colonization or imperialism as a source of raw materials for industries, labor, and market for finished products. This consequently led to scramble for colonies by the European nations such as Britain and France culminating into endless wars between nations and also with the colonized as they seek their freedom. Success depended on the military strength of the nation in terms of weapons and soldiers. The matter for concern in this paper is how gender, sexuality and race played a role in this imperialism. The colonists needed strong dedicated men to fight for the country thus the construction of the concept ‘masculinity’ as the key to success. The paper will thus focus on how colonialism conceptualized masculinity and how imperial masculinity was constructed. It will also look at the reality of colonial man compared to image and the dangers posed to manhood by colonialism. Lastly, it will compare and contrast the colonial manhood with the n ative manhood. In trying to achieve this, the paper will argue that the relationship between imperialism and masculinity was not only due to the opportunities of adventure and economic progress, but also due to the pattern of gender relations within the European countries especially Britain. For many men, it was a way of escaping the â€Å"feminized and demoralizing home atmosphere† (Tosh 1995, 82). ... Men are born masculine in nature and this involves being strong, aggressive, decision makers and protector. On the other hand, women are viewed as are being naturally soft, being caring, nurturing and such qualities. The society using these qualities conceptualizes masculinity as being superior that feminity; men are supposed to protect women in society. Is this the same criteria used by colonists to conceptualize masculinity? To a certain extent, this criterion defines masculine men but some other attributes are created by Europeans. The defeat of Britain in Anglo-Boer war of 1899-1902 was attributed to physical incapacity leading to conception of colonialism masculinity (Tosh 1995, 72). The men involved in the war were considered degenerates since they did not have the qualities needed for a soldier such as strength and good health. According to Baden-Powell (184), men who contributed to the downfall of the Roman Empire were found to have declining standards of strength in terms of weight and height and health; they were four inches less in 1895 than the men of 1845 who were 5 ft 6 inc in height and 6 pounds under average weight (184-185). What were the attributes of masculinity according to British and France? For the colonists, being strong was not the only measure of masculinity. One had to be brave, determined, exercise continence, be able to regulate bowel movements, self-discipline, and self- sacrifice or be ready to suffer for the sake of the nation and exercise endurance and be loyal to his country (Baden-Powell, 185). For Aldrich (126) the ideals of masculinity and colonialism include warfare, liberty, manliness, patriotism and success. Masculinity in colonialism though may have been attained

Development of personality Essay Example for Free

Development of personality Essay When studying human behavior, specifically focusing on the development of personality and crucial to how a person or individual conducts him/herself, psychology offers a variety of dimensions. The concept of personality is central to the attempt to understand oneself and others and is part of the way in which it accounts for the differences that contribute to people’s individuality. Psychologists have been particularly concerned with shaping of the personality in relation to genetic and environmental influences. People have been fortunate that the study of human personality has been thriving and fruitful. Individuals can choose from as many models they can to help them see themselves better and maintain good relationships. Personality is more than poise, charm, or physical appearance. It includes habits, attitudes, and all the physical, emotional, social, religious and moral aspects that a person possesses. However, to be more precise, the explicit behavioral styles covered in the course, perhaps, best captivate an individual’s personality and how he/she is understood. With the different behavioral styles, an overall pattern of various characteristics is seen. Like a â€Å"psychograph,† a person’s profile is pulled together and at a glance, the individual can be compared with other people in terms of relative strengths and weaknesses (Corey 2005). Personality is defined as integrated general characteristics of the individual’s total behavior and his or her unique adjustment in the environment. Personality theory is a set of assumptions concerning human behavior together with rules for relating these assumptions and definitions to permit their interaction with empirical or observable events. Personality psychology is a scientific study of mental functioning concerning internal drives, inner motive, repressed feelings, thoughts, and conflicts as the nature of personality (Feist and Feist, 2006). Behavior is described and analyzed. On this basis, an attempt to predict behavior is possible, and although this may not thoroughly and completely be accomplished in some endeavors, the basic understanding then is that there are certain expectations concerning how any person would act or decide upon things that are within his conscious awareness. Psychology is of great importance to man since psychological problems are common to group relations, in whatever framework a person or group of individuals come from. The goals of treatment for instance, using the psychodynamic model, include alleviating patient of the symptoms which specifically works to uncover and work through unconscious conflict. The task of psychodynamic therapy is â€Å"to make the unconscious conscious to the patient† (â€Å"Models of abnormality†, National Extension College Trust, Ltd). Employing the psychodynamic viewpoint, the therapist or social scientist believes that emotional conflicts, or neurosis, and/or disturbances in the mind are caused by unresolved conflicts which originated during childhood years. The treatment modality frequently used includes dreams and free association, at times hypnosis (as preferred by either the therapist or by the client). In the integrated or eclectic approach the goal of the therapy is not just relief to the patient or client. Although an immediate relief is very helpful, this may not always be the case in most illnesses. The goal as mentioned is to provide long-term reduction of the symptoms and the occurrence of the disease altogether if possible. The management then is not impossible but neither is this easy. Specifically, the counselee or patient must want to heal or believe that there is going to be curative effects in the process. It presupposes that he/she must learn to trust the therapist in his/her capabilities as well in leading or facilitating the changes or modifications. It is very much essential that (in the perspective of a cognitive-behaviorist) that the client understands ownership to the deeds and choices in thought patterns he/she made are crucial to the recurring or occurring condition that s/he experiences (Rubinstein et al. , 2007; Corey, 2004). Moreover, the identification of specific treatments or interventions according to the diagnosed issue will be accommodated and implemented based on the chosen treatment modalities fit with the therapeutic approach utilized. It may be a single modality based on a single approach (e. g. learning principles and desensitization for a patient with specific phobias) or it maybe a combination of many modalities (CBT, Rogerian, Phenomenological, or Family systems) (Rubinstein et al. , 2007; Corey, 2004). ~Promoting therapy Psychotherapists believe that therapy contributes a lot to the improvement of the psychological condition of the client (Snyder, 1994). Therapy can come in many varied forms and the use of these or any of these has been proven to be of vital significance to clients from various walks of life and with myriads of problems or mental and emotional challenges. Therapy may be long-termed analytical experiences or encounters or brief problem-oriented treatment/intervention. Whatever the case, these consultations and in-depth interactions and activities between a practitioner therapist and the client in most cases, are beneficial (Mutha, 2002). It is therefore wrong to argue that with or without treatment patients recover or improve because subtle issues are overlooked with this statement or findings. Firstly, studies were done with findings that were more correlational rather than experimental (Mutha, 2002). Secondly, the element of catharsis is a powerful ingredient or element of the healing process and many of those without seeking professional help happened to be with a support group whose experiences were years of gaining knowledge and skills from the experts and experienced counselors (Mutha, 2002). It is true that there have been substantial evidences as well that improvement with cases have occurred; these are usually attributed the aforementioned reasons. Specifically, psychotherapy enables a client or patient to help ease his anxiety, managing his fears from the mundane or petty to the horrific. Quality of life, wellness and recovery are primary goals aside from the usual notion that psychotherapy is just a crutch for someone who may not actually have a real psychological problem (Snyder et al, 2000). This last phrase is true for some people who needed more than the advice or the listening ear; precisely, they needed a human ace who is intent on knowing and understanding them. Personality cognitive theories are concerned with constructive alternativism with which the alternative scientific constructs may provide a useful view of the world. George Kelly’s the Psychology or Personal Construct Social cognitive theories explain personality as a reciprocal interaction among behavior involving observation, cognition including self-efficacy, and environment making a chance encounter and fortuitous events (Feist and Feist, 2006). Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive theory Cognitive social learning theories describe behavior as a function of the expectation of reinforcements and strength of needs satisfied by those reinforcements. Behavior is shaped by the interactions of person variables such as competencies, encoding, strategies, expectancies, values and goals, and the self-regulatory system with situation variables (Feist and Feist, 2006). Behavioral Model The Behavioral model utilizes what is termed as the learning theory posited by Skinner and Watson and the rest of the Behaviorism school. It assumes that the principles in learning i. e. , conditioning (Associative and Operant) are effective means to effect change in an individual. Generally, the thrust of this theoretical perspective is focused on the symptoms that a person is experiencing. Just as many of the errors of the patterns of behavior come from learning from the environment, it is also assumed that an individual will be able to unlearn some if not all these by using the techniques as applied based on the learning principles. To a certain extent this still works: reinforcements are effective to some extent and in some or many people this stance can be separate or distinct from the Cognitive-Behavioral approach. In behavior therapy therefore, thoughts, feelings and all those â€Å"malfunctioning† and unwanted manifestations revealed in one’s activities can be unlearned and the work of a behavior therapist. The basic concepts include â€Å"extinguishing† – utilized when maladaptive patterns are then weakened and removed and in their place habits that are healthy are established (developed and strengthened) in a series or progressive approach called â€Å"successive approximations. When these (factors) are reinforced such as through rewards in intrinsic and extrinsic means, the potential of a more secure and steady change in behavior is developed and firmly established (Corey, 2005). Although few psychologists today would regard themselves as strict behaviorists, behaviorism has been very influential in the development of psychology as a scientific discipline. There are different emphases within this discipline though. Some behaviorists contend plainly that the observation of behavior is the best or most expedient method of exploring psychological and cognitive processes. Others consider that it is in reality the only way of examining such processes, while still others argue that behavior itself is the only appropriate subject of psychology, and that familiar psychological terms such as belief only refer to behavior. Albert Bandura’s social cognitive approach grew out of this movement. Banduras method emphasizes cognitive processes over and above observable behavior, concentrating on not only the influence of the person’s upbringing for example, but also observation, imitation, and thought processes (Corey, 2005). Cognitive-Behavioral Model Beck’s Cognitive Therapy The Beck’s Cognitive therapy is one of the most popular and widely studied therapies in the market today and countless times proven the effectiveness of the treatment style or the kind of interventions that had been favored by the doctors. Its stance boils down to appreciating the effects of biology, emotions and environment on the individual and pursues changes in those levels (Padesky and Mooney, 1990). There are various adaptations or revisions of the strategy today and remains to be top of the list in mental institutions all over the world. In the cognitive approach alone, it understands that an individual at varying times in his life has error-filled thinking patterns. These patterns may include wishful thinking, unrealistic expectations, constant reliving and living in the past or even beyond the present and into the future, and overgeneralizing. These habits lead to confusion, frustration and eventual constant disappointment. This therapeutic approach stresses or accentuates the rational or logical and positive worldview: a viewpoint that takes into consideration that we are problem-solvers, have options in life and not that we are always left with no choice as many people think. It also looks into the fact that because we do have options then there are many things that await someone who have had bad choices in the past, and therefore can look positively into the future. Cognitive-Behavioral approach â€Å"facilitates a collaborative relationship between the patient and therapist† (Ellis Beck in Corey, 2004). For the Cognitive Behaviorist viewpoint, issues are dealt directly in a practical way. Here the client is enlightened as to the patterns of his thinking and the errors of these thoughts which bore fruit in his attitudes and behavior. His/her thoughts and beliefs have connections on his/her behavior and must therefore be â€Å"reorganized. † For instance, the ways that a client looks at an issue of his/her life will direct the path of his reactivity to the issue. When corrected at this level, the behavior follows automatically (Rubinstein et al. , 2007; Corey, 2004). The systems theory portion of the therapy indicates that whatever is occurring or happening is not isolated but is a working part of a bigger context. In the family systems approach then, no individual person can be understood when removed from his relationships whether in the present or past, and this is specially focused on the family he belongs to (Rubinstein et al. , 2007; Corey, 2004). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy postulated primarily by Ellis and Beck â€Å"facilitates a collaborative relationship between the patient and therapist. With the idea that the counselor and patient together cooperate to attain a trusting relationship and agree which problems or issues need to come first in the course of the therapy. For the Cognitive Behaviorist Therapist, the immediate and presenting problem that the client is suffering and complaining from takes precedence and must be addressed and focused in the treatment. There is instantaneous relief from the symptoms, and may be encouraged or spurred on to pursue in-depth treatment and reduction of the ailments where possible. The relief from the symptoms from the primary problem or issue will inspire the client to imagine or think that change is not impossible after all. In this model, issues are dealt directly in a practical way. In the cognitive approach alone, the therapist understands that a client or patient comes into the healing relationship and the former’s role is to change or modify the latter’s maladjusted or error-filled thinking patterns. These patterns may include wishful thinking, unrealistic expectations, constant reliving and living in the past or even beyond the present and into the future, and overgeneralizing. These habits lead to confusion, frustration and eventual constant disappointment. This therapeutic approach stresses or accentuates the rational or logical and positive worldview: a viewpoint that takes into consideration that we are problem-solvers, have options in life and not that we are always left with no choice as many people think. It also looks into the fact that because we do have options then there are many things that await someone who have had bad choices in the past, and therefore can look positively into the future. Just as the cognitive-behavioral model also recognizes the concept of insight as well, this is only a matter of emphasis or focus. In behavioral/cognitive-behavioral therapies the focus is on the modification or control of behavior and insight usually becomes a tangential advantage. Techniques include CBT through such strategy as cognitive restructuring and the current frequently used REBT for Rational Emotive-Behavior Therapy where irrational beliefs are eliminated by examining them in a rational manner (Corey, 2004; Davison and Neale, 2001). Whereas in insight therapies the focus or emphasis is on the patient’s ability in understanding his/her issues basing on his inner conflicts, motives and fears. In the cognitive approach alone, the therapist understands that a client or patient comes into the healing relationship and the former’s role is to change or modify the latter’s maladjusted or error-filled thinking patterns. These patterns may include wishful thinking, unrealistic expectations, constant reliving and living in the past or even beyond the present and into the future, and overgeneralizing. These habits lead to confusion, frustration and eventual constant disappointment. This therapeutic approach stresses or accentuates the rational or logical and positive worldview: a viewpoint that takes into consideration that we are problem-solvers, have options in life and not that we are always left with no choice as many people think. It also looks into the fact that because we do have options then there are many things that await someone who have had bad choices in the past, and therefore can look positively into the future (Rubinstein et al. , 2007; Corey, 2004). Coaching the patient on the step by step procedure of CBT is a basic and fundamental ingredient. Here the client is enlightened as to the patterns of his thinking and the errors of these thoughts which bore fruit in his attitudes and behavior. His/her thoughts and beliefs have connections on his/her behavior and must therefore be â€Å"reorganized. † For instance, the ways that a client looks at an issue of his/her life will direct the path of his reactivity to the issue. When corrected at this level, the behavior follows automatically (Rubinstein et al. , 2007; Corey, 2004).

Thomas Edison :: essays research papers

Edison, Thomas Alva, American inventor, whose development of a practical electric light bulb, electric generating system, sound-recording device, and motion picture projector had profound effects on the shaping of modern society. Edison was born in Milan, Ohio, on February 11, 1847. He attended school for only three months, in Port Huron, Michigan. When he was 12 years old he began selling newspapers on the Grand Trunk Railway, devoting his spare time mainly to experimentation with printing presses and with electrical and mechanical apparatus. The train left Port Huron about 7:00 in the morning and returned at 9:00 or 9:30 at night. The trip included a six-hour layover in Detroit, during which time he claims to have read "the entire public library." He was an omnivorous reader and loved to experiment with chemicals and machinery. He constantly wanted to investigate how things worked and liked to see if he could make things better. On the train he was allowed a table in an empty baggage car on which to work. He even brought a broken printing press, repaired it and taught himself to print. He may have produced the first newspaper printed on a moving train. Edison began noticing a loss of hearing around this time, which increased throughout his life. In 1862 he published a weekly, known as the Grand Trunk Herald, printing it in a freight car that also served as his laboratory. For saving the life of a station official's child, he was rewarded by being taught telegraphy. While working as a telegraph operator, he made his first important invention, a telegraphic repeating instrument that enabled messages to be transmitted automatically over a second line without the presence of an operator. Edison next secured employment in Boston and devoted all his spare time there to research. He invented a vote recorder that, although possessing many merits, was not sufficiently practical to warrant its adoption. He also devised and partly completed a stock-quotation printer. Later, while employed by the Gold and Stock Telegraph Company of New York City he greatly improved their apparatus and service. By the sale of telegraphic appliances, Edison earned $40,000, and with this money he established his own laboratory in 1876. Afterward he devised an automatic telegraph system that made possible a greater speed and range of transmission. Edison's crowning achievement in telegraphy was his invention of machines that made possible simultaneous transmission of several messages on one line and thus greatly increased the usefulness of existing telegraph lines.

Riordan Manufacturing Business Analysis

Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. Business Analysis Learning Team B BSA 500 University of Phoenix Instructor: Charlotte Bonner October 6, 2008 * Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. Business Analysis * ****INTRO GOES HERE – DANA WILL WRITE IT AS WE NEAR COMPLETION History of Riordan Riordan Manufacturing Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of plastic injection molding components. Some of the components that it manufactures include: plastic bottles, fans of all sizes, heart valves, medical stents, and other custom plastic parts. Riordan is focused on high standards, long term customer relationships, innovation, and growth. The company was originally founded in 1991 by a professor of chemistry, Dr. Riordan, as an outlet for commercial applications for the high tensile strength plastic substrates that Dr. Riordan had developed. Riordan Manufacturing is now a subsidiary of the Fortune 1000 enterprise, Riordan Industries. The company is headquartered in San Jose California, but also has facilities in Georgia, Michigan, and China. Current large projects include the design stage on an innovative bottle in the shape of a pyramid, and the proof of concept stage on a CardiCare heart valve. Information Technology (IT) infrastructure, serving 550 employees, consists of three Wide Area Network (WAN) lines originating from the corporate headquarters in San Jose (125 employees) to the three manufacturing plants in: Michigan (130 employees), Georgia (45 employees), and China (250 employees). Modules Accounting Modules Riordan Manufacturing’s corporate office has integrated ERP software designed purposely for plastics, processors, and process and assembly manufacturers. During acquisition in Georgia and Michigan, the finance and accounting software’s compatibility issue was not addressed. For this reason, Georgia and Michigan have applications which are not compatible with the current financial system. The following is a list of additional modules that should be connected to the accounting system: Inventory Modules The Inventory module will help Riordan Manufacturing with the physical management of their stock (until used up or sold). It will perform a sound cataloging procedure by assigning item numbers that the accounting system can process. Asset Management Modules Asset Management will help Riordan Manufacturing with physical maintenance, tracking of assets, and financial management. Physical maintenance includes the asset location, condition, and the assignment of asset management to specific individuals. Cash Management Modules Cash Management will help Riordan Manufacturing manage and control the cash cycle. It will ensure liquidity and enhance profitability. Benefits of this module include multi-currency capabilities, cash balancing, bank reconciliation, and cash forecasting. Web Applications Modules Web Applications will help Riordan Manufacturing in many ways. Customers and salespeople alike can enter orders through the web. This â€Å"real-time† web configuration will shorten the order cycle, and enhance customer satisfaction. Employees of Riordan will be able to use this medium for expense reporting, supply requisitions, and communication between employees. Multiple Currencies Modules Since Riordan has a joint venture with China, the Multiple Currency module will be of considerable help. Financial transaction with China will be recorded in the sub-ledgers and converted into the â€Å"functional currency† by using current exchange rate information. The transactions will be recorded and maintained in the accounting data. Riordan’s â€Å"functional currency† will be in US dollars. Payroll Modules The Payroll module will apply human resource data to salaries and benefits and determine the amount of pay and how to get the disbursement to the employee. It will take into consideration national tax codes and worldwide regulations. The system can also track and do calculations for data such as sick time, leave of absence, and vacation. Travel/Expense Reporting Modules Because Riordan has multiple offices within the United States and a joint venture with China, travel budgets and expense reporting of trips can be documented into the travel/expense reporting module. Riordan employees and management can use this module to document information such as cost of plane tickets, vehicles, food, and supplies while employees are traveling. General Ledger Modules The accounting process begins with general ledgers. Therefore, this module will help organize Riordan’s financial reports from the first steps. This will make information readily accessible and more easily processed. Accounts payable/receivable Modules Like the general ledger module, this module will help organize Riordan’s accounts payable and receivable, which will better organize their balance sheet. Systems to be connected to the Accounting System Sales and Marketing All of the sales to past customers have been annotated using written methods. Riordan has requested that all past sales records, made up of diverse databases, paper files and microfiche be inputted into a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. The information recorded in these records is largely made up of information that can easily be entered into a CRM database for easy distribution and reproduction between departments. The CRM package will also benefit Riordan by providing the customers access to a front end server (extranet), to be able to create accounts, check account status, pay bills and place orders. Having a single CRM database will provide sales personnel or customer service representatives with the ability to quickly check customer accounting information without having to search through various paper work, microfiche and out of date or inadequate databases. Internally, employees will be able to keep track of various vendors who have a proven track record of discounts, reliable shipping and product innovation. In the past, individual sales employees have managed customer records, and no standard of data recording has been established. Operating in this manner doesn't allow for a cohesive sales team, which is going to be critical for the new team selling approach being implemented by Riordan. A standardization and consolidation of customer records needs to be implemented for the sales team to be more successful in the future. The CRM will consolidate the sales team into one unit rather than individuals servicing specific accounts. Customer relations will be proficient due to the ability of multiple sales personnel being able to acquire and update account information rather than a single person maintaining individual account records. Not to mention when a sales person is not available due to health, personal issues or vacation, another employee will be able to provide information and support. The CRM will then be connected to the Finance & Accounting System. Human Resources Riordan Manufacturing’s Human Resources system should be connected to its accounting system because the Human Resources department handles the employees’ salaries, benefits, employee recognition programs and training programs. These programs do not bring in revenue, however, they are considered costs for the company. Accurate bookkeeping of these activities and incorporation of the figures into the accounting equation is crucial to painting an accurate financial picture of Riordan. Operations The Operations system should also be connected to the accounting system since it outlines inventory, supply and production. Inventory is part of a company’s assets, which is a core part of the accounting equation. In determining its financial state, Riordan needs to have knowledge of its inventory, how much it costs to obtain, how it is used and the cost of operating, or manufacturing products with that inventory. Just like assets are a core part of the accounting process, Operations is a core part of Riordan’s process. Legal Legal systems need to be connected to the accounting system in order to maintain legal watch over the system. One example of how Legal could benefit from a connection to the accounting system is that it would be able to monitor inventory and approve where Riordan products are being sent. This would make sure export laws and restrictions are being met. Legal can also interact with Human Resources, Finance, Sales, and Operations over the accounting system to make sure that all aspects of the legal requirements for corporate accounting are followed. Reports and policies could be put in place by Legal in the system to ensure integrity and ethics. Information Technology IT has many reasons to be connected to the accounting system. Ordering, policy implementation, monitoring, and support are just a few of the aspects of business that would benefit from the Information Technology system being connected to the accounting system. Monitoring, policies, and support are a huge reason for IT to be connected. Accounting is one of the most important aspects to running a business. IT needs to carefully monitor and support validity and integrity within an accounting system as well as ensure proper policies, established in conjunction with legal, are in place. Income Statement Analysis In reviewing the Income Statement for Riordan Manufacturing, there are some concerns on cost expenses that managers will need to adjust. Even though the sales revenue from 2004 to 2005 has increased 10. % from $46 million to $50 million, a combination of direct cost of goods sold and operating expenses has caused the net profit to decrease during the same period. The direct cost of goods sold increased 12. 2% from $37. 5 million to $42 million. A possible cause for this increase may be that Riordan may have abundance of inventory on hand as a result of ordering above the ordering point. Despite the high increase in cost of goods sold, t he gross margin still increased, but by only 2. 6% from $8. 6 million to $8. 8 million. In addition to the 12. % increase in cost of goods sold, the operating expenses also incurred by Riordan Manufacturing increased 8% from $5. 3 million to $5. 7 million. These two big increases in costs incurred compared to the small increase in the gross margin proved to be too much, resulting in a decrease in profit before interest and tax expenses. The profit before taxes and interest expenses decreased 6. 3% from $3. 2 million to $3 million. In addition to the negative figures, there are some positive figures to bring into the mix. Despite the profit before taxes and interest expense decreasing by 6. %, the net profit only decreased by 1. 7% from $2 million to $1. 95 million. The reason for the smaller decrease in the net profit was a 13. 5% decrease in non-operating expenses including tax and interest expenses from $1. 3 million to $1. 1 million. The main focus to increase profits from 2005 t o 2006 would be looking into decreasing the cost of goods sold and some of the operating expenses while continuing the trend in decreasing the non-operating expenses or at least keeping the cost manageable. What the company is doing wrong Riordan’s Inventory accounts for a large share of its current assets (54%). On the surface this may represent a weakness however the company has an inventory turn of 5. 35 (cost of goods sold annually/inventory) which means the company goes though its inventory 5. 35 times per year or every 68 days. Riordan’s products are not perishable and enjoy a very long shelf life so this turnover rate of relatively good. This relatively high turnover rate allows for it to maintain relatively low cash balances as it can raise cash quickly from sale of inventory. This is reflected in the high balance of the accounts receivable. In addition, the company continues to carry a significant long term debt without a noticeable attempt to lessen that debt. Analysis of shareholder equity shows that the value of the company’s shares is greater than the total shareholders’ equity, a sign of deficit. The debt to equity ratio is fairly high at 56%, this a potential sign of weakness as well. While the company has maintained a gross margin of over 8. 5 million for the past two years, its operating expenses have increased during the same period affecting its profit margin. This is a sign that Riordan is not doing well in keeping its costs low to be more profitable. The opportunities would be to focus on increasing sales at the same decreasing general and administrative costs. To achieve this, the company needs to invest in IT systems. Eliminating incompatible systems and consolidating information at it’s headquarter will help in reducing administrative costs. References Riordan Manufacturing. 2004. University of Phoenix. Accessed September 2008 from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Riordan/Internet/IndexPort. htm

Bachelor degree in Information Technology

WorldCapital Market investment bank, I am confident in my ability to deliver the best efforts in the Job of your company. My experiences in Information Sciences Institute which also locates in Marine Del Ray Bay systematically help me establish a well-understanding in the computer skills while exceeding your xpectations. Moreover, I'm good at dealing with pressure and burden which probably will happen. But I always regard it as a good thing.Also, I am well versed in researching and verifying information in appropriate manner. Above all, I am able to manage time efficiently and an ability to work under tight deadlines for work and revisions. Besides your requirements, I have the following expertise and knowledge which would be an asset: Meeting with possible staff to discuss possible projects, inalizing timelines and discussing facts and information Writing the assigned tasks within fixed timeline Completing all revisions and amendments With my creative and unique work style, I am con fident that I am an excellent match for this position.I look forward to meeting with you to discuss more about this position. Thank you for your time and consideration. The Norva – Norfolk, VA – sat, oct 12, 201 sposted 10/1 5/2013by Claytonman18 This Fan's Reviews Periphery was incredible! Best show I've ever seen to date! Favorite moment: Face Palm Mute! Was this review helpful to you? Yes I No(Report as inappropriate) Share this review: Facebook Twitter 5/5 Frak the Gods tour five stars! tate Theatre – st Petersburg, FL – sun, sep 4, 2011 posted 09/08/2011 by swalls This Fan's Reviews Ticket price was the first influencing decision in attending. At $13. 90 per ticket, plus taxes and fees, making it about $17. 00, you cant beat 6 hours of live music. The venue was adequate, with a pit section and balcony, for those not wanting to be trampled. There were 4 big names on the bill, with 2 or 3 local bands.

When Jargon Fails

When Jargon Fails When Jargon Fails When Jargon Fails By Mark Nichol Jargon has its purposes. In content pertaining to popular culture, when employing slang to engage readers and other consumers of entertaining information, concise and/or colorful slang enlivens the experience. But in writing about business and technology, jargon can encumber rather than enhance comprehension, and writers should take care to use it judiciously. Consider this sentence: â€Å"What ‘black boxes’ for validation and/or testing exist in the organization?† This sentence has a couple of problems. First, why is â€Å"black boxes† enclosed in quotation marks? Evidently, the writer erroneously believes that doing so helps signal to the reader that the phrase â€Å"black boxes† is jargon being used figuratively; unless youre referring to those little plastic cubes that hold paper clips, no object that can be described as an actual black box exists in the organization, and these marks supposedly serve as a disclaimer. But quotation marks are superfluous for this purpose; they are useful for calling out ironic or specious wording, like pacification in the context of war, but not for emphasizing metaphoric usage of words and phrases. Furthermore, however, is the phrase even useful? Think about various examples of figurative jargon employed in business contexts: Talk about planting a seed, or restraining a loose cannon, or starting over with a clean slate, and colleagues will know what you’re talking about- its clear from the context that gardening, artillery, and chalkboards are not under discussion. But what is a black box? The term alludes here to a device- which is no longer black nor shaped like a box- used in aircraft to make an audio recording of the actions taking place in the cockpit during flight; a black box can be retrieved from a plane after a crash to determine the cause of the accident. This is a pertinent metaphor for a mechanism for documenting validation and/or testing of organizational processes or systems, but because â€Å"black box,† though familiar to readers, is not as transparent in meaning as many other examples of figurative jargon, the reader will have to pause and analyze the analogy, which distracts from the reading experience. Would it be helpful to provide a gloss, or a brief definition of the jargon? That would be useful if the entire article were about a documentation mechanism. But in the context from which the sentence about black boxes was extracted, it is simply a passing reference, and defining the phrase would be merely a further distraction. In this case, the best solution is to replace the jargon with a phrase that clearly expresses the intended idea: â€Å"What mechanisms for documenting validation and/or testing exist in the organization?† When writing or editing in any context, evaluate whether jargon or other slang serves communication or itself (or, worse yet, the writer’s ego), and retain or revise accordingly. 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 Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Meaning of "To a T"The Parts of a Word5 Examples of Misplaced Modifiers

Internment essays

Internment essays One of the military ¹s largest undertakings during WWII was the mass evacuation of people of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast of the United States. This stretched from Washington to Oregon and down to southern California. The decision to evacuate the Japanese was one made at the highest level†¹by the President of the United States, who was acting as Commander in Chief.[3 pp.6] What military plans and recommend- ations lay behind this decision? What alternatives was the President presented? To what extent was his decision based on military considerations? Initial plans for evacuation of suspected people from strategic areas along the West Coast concerned enemy aliens of all three Axis nations: Germany, Italy, and Japan rather than people of Japanese ancestry alone. The census in 1940 showed that out of a total of 126,947in the United States, 112,353 Japanese were living in the three Pacific states. California had 93,717 Japanese, or nearly three fourths of the national total. Out of the west coast Japanese, 40,869 were aliens (called Issei) ineligible for citizenship through naturalization proceedings, and 71,484 were American-born (called Nisei) and therefore U.S. citizens. For several decades the Japanese population had been the target of hostility and restrictive action and the bombing of Pearl Harbor just added fuel to the fire. [6 pp.20-25] During the first few days after the Pearl Harbor attack the west coast was alarmed by a number of reports (all false) about enemy ships off shore. It was in the midst of this atmosphere that the first proposal for a mass evacuation of the Japanese developed. On December 1, a treasury agent reported to Army authorities that "an estimated 20,000 Japanese in the San Francisco area were ready for organized action." Without checking the authenticity of the report, the Ninth Corps Area staff worked on a plan for evacuation, which was then approved by the corps area commander....

Practice in Adding Adjectives and Adverbs to Sentences

Practice in Adding Adjectives and Adverbs to Sentences A common way of expanding a simple sentence is with modifierswords that add to the meanings of other words. The simplest modifiers are adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives modify nouns, while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. For instance, in the sentence below, the adjective sad modifies the noun smile (the subject of the sentence). The clowns sad smile touched us deeply. In this same sentence, the adverb deeply modifies the verb touched. Used carefully, adjectives and adverbs can make our writing clearer and more precise. Arranging Adjectives Adjectives most often appear just in front of the nouns that they modify: The old, cranky caretaker refused to answer our questions. Notice that when two (or more) adjectives precede a noun, they are usually separated by commas. But occasionally adjectives follow the nouns they modify: The caretaker, old and cranky, refused to answer our questions. Here the commas appear outside the pair of adjectives, which are joined by the conjunction and. Placing the adjectives after the noun is a way of giving them added emphasis in a sentence. Adjectives sometimes appear in a third position in a sentence: after a linking verb such as am, are, is, was, or were. As their name implies, these verbs link adjectives with the subjects they modify. See if you can identify the adjectives in the sentences below: His voice was rough.Your children are cruel.This seat is wet. In each of these sentences, the adjective (rough, cruel, wet) modifies the subject but follows the linking verb (was, are, is). Arranging Adverbs Adverbs usually follow the verbs they modify: I dance occasionally. However, an adverb may also appear directly in front of the verb or at the very beginning of a sentence: I occasionally dance.Occasionally I dance. Because not all adverbs are this flexible in all sentences, you should try them out in different positions until you find the clearest arrangement. Practice in Adding Adjectives Many adjectives are formed from nouns and verbs. The adjective thirsty, for example, comes from thirst, which may be either a noun or a verb. Complete each sentence below with the adjective form of the italicized noun or verb. When youre done, compare your answers with those on page two. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina brought great destruction to the Gulf coast. It was one of the most _____ hurricanes in recent decades.All of our pets enjoy good health. Our collie is exceptionally _____, despite its advanced age.Your suggestion makes a great deal of sense. You have a very _____ idea.Google made record profits last year. It is one of the most _____ companies in the world.Dr. Krafts job requires patience and skill. He is a _____ negotiator.All through high school, Giles rebelled against his parents and teachers. Now he has three _____ children of his own.Telling jokes that will not offend others can be difficult. Some comedians are deliberately _____. Practice in Adding Adverbs Many adverbs are formed by adding -ly to an adjective. The adverb softly, for instance, comes from the adjective soft. Note, however, that not all adverbs end in -ly. Very, quite, always, almost, and often are some of the common adverbs that are not formed from adjectives. Complete each sentence below with the adverb form of the italicized adjective. When youre done, compare your answers with those on page two. The exam was easy. I passed _____.Leroys careless act set the warehouse on fire. He _____ tossed a cigarette into a tank of gasoline.Paige is a brave little girl. She fought _____ against the poltergeists.Howard is a graceful dancer. He moves _____.Toms apology sounded quite sincere. He said that he was _____ sorry for misusing the tax funds.Paula made a generous contribution to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. She gives _____ every year.The lecture was brief. Dr. Legree spoke _____ about the importance of flossing after every meal. Answers to the Exercise:Â  Practice in Adding Adjectives 1. destructive; 2. healthy; 3. sensible; 4. profitable; 5. patient; 6. rebellious; 7. offensive Answers to the Exercise:Â  Practice in Adding Adverbs 1. easily; 2. carelessly; 3. bravely; 4. gracefully; 5. sincerely; 6. generously; 7. briefly

Steve Jobs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Steve Jobs - Research Paper Example Jobs was smart but lacked vision and direction and hence he experimented with various pursuits before teaming up with Steve Wozniak in 1976 and therefore invented one of the first personal computers (Elliot & Simon, 2011). In addition, Steve Jobs was again a smart businessperson and therefore became a multimillionaire before attaining thirty years of age. Steve Jobs formed NeXT computers in 1984. He later purchased the division of computer graphics of Lucas film Ltd in 1986 and then started Pixar Animation Studios (Quinn & Tayal, 2012). Steve Jobs together with Steve Wozniak, who was the main designer, co-invented the Apple I and Apple II computers and others. The first line of personal computers that was noted as commercially successful is Apple II (Blumenthal, 2012). Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and others, in 1984, co-invented the Apple Macintosh computer, which was again the first successful personal computer that had a graphic user that is mouse-driven (Isaacson, 2011). From the above introduction it is evident that Steve jobs is one of the people who came up with innovations that changed the world in one way or another. Due to his influence music industries and mostly in the technology, he received several honors and public recognitions. He has been therefore referred to with numerous titles, according to Young, 1998, such as "legendary", a "futurist" and a "visionary" person, and has also been described as the "Father of the Digital Revolution", a "master of innovation", "the master evangelist of the digital ag e" and a "design perfectionist"(Blumenthal, 2012). He was born to two University of Wisconsin graduate students, Abdulfattah "John" Jandali and, Joanne Schieble, who was later known as Joanne Simpson on 24th February, 1955, in San Francisco, California (Isaacson, 2011). His parents gave him up for adoption and was therefore adopted and raised by Paul jobs and Clara who named him Steven Paul Jobs. Paul was

Legalizing Marijuana Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Legalizing Marijuana - Research Paper Example Marijuana use has over time been seen as a danger to society as a whole thus pushing for its prohibition and due to this, it has been included in the war against drugs. However, the benefits of medical marijuana, particularly its economic benefits are eye catching and if properly channeled can be beneficial to the society today. Marijuana is the most used illegal drug- a product of the hemp plant, cannabis sativa. Cannabis is an anal flowering herb with palmate compound leafs that are used in making marijuana. Marijuana has walked with history since then, with the first recorded use of cannabis dating back to 7,000B.C. The Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used this drug for its medicinal values since it healed stomach ailments cramps and pain.(Caulking et al 35). This drug originated from Asia and speculations have it that Napoleons troops sneaked Marijuana into Europe after discovering there was more to it than medicinal value. The Mexican immigrants then helped spread this drug across America where it was introduced for medicinal purposes. The curious Americans discovered its recreational ability when alcohol was banned and prohibited. Once the federal government imposed a ban on alcohol, marijuana became an alternative and its usage soared. In the year 1930, the U.S government and the media both collaborated in demonizing marijuana sighting it as a devil with its roots in hell. This led to the prohibition of marijuana with the government and the liquor industry formulating a movie aimed at discouraging people from the use of marijuana (Dudley 105). It is evident that the propaganda emerging about marijuana were not well researched, causing tension among its users and the government. Instead, it created problems that were more serious. Small drug offenders filled prisons to overcrowding. Besides, alleviating the problem of overcrowding jails, if marijuana were legalized and properly regulated, its users would be

Business process management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business process management - Essay Example At this stage it is also essential to establish a good infrastructure to achieve the goals. The charter should carry all information such as roles and responsibilities should be defined, and the expected outcome clarified. Six Sigma lays emphasis on the customer expectations and how their expectations should be met. The emphasis on customer is the most attractive feature of Six Sigma methodology. At the definition stage these five factors are taken care of - Supplier, Input, Process, Output, and Customer (SIPOC). B. Measure – According to George Eckes, three measurement principles must be adhered to – a. Measure only what is important to the customer b. Only measure process outputs that can be improved. c. Refrain from measuring an output for which there is no record of customer dissatisfaction. Thus, in this phase relevant data is collected and the various metrics are prepared based on the data. The important aspects of the current aspects have to be measured. To make the measurement of the process efficient and effective, the Six Sigma team has to ensure that the input is measured after which the process as well as customer satisfaction should be measured. C. Analyze – in this phase the defects are analyzed which helps to establish the â€Å"Cause & Effect† relationship. ... close – through data collected identify the most critical factors that causes deviation D. Improve – The data from the metrics and analysis conducted in the earlier phases is used here. Better techniques are utilized in this phase which helps eliminate the root cause of the defects. The Six Sigma team during this phase is guided by their prioritized list which reveals which improvement can lead to the largest change. E. Control – during this phase continuous control and monitoring of process improvement is done which helps in planning for future products and services with zero defects. In the manufacturing sector the production lines have to be constantly evaluated. With constant vigilance throughout the supply chain, it is possible to achieve 99.73% defect free parts. This is a costly process as it requires statistical tools to monitor and keep control. 2. Obstacles and challenges of the Six Sigma method The Six Sigma method has its own strengths but also enjoys certain challenges. 1. Issues in strategy The critics of Six Sigma contend that it is not a new technique or a principle but simply the old methods have been repackaged and a new term given to it. Many do not consider it an important strategy that should be implemented. This enhances the importance of trying to evaluate the strengths and weakness of the Six Sigma methodology so that organizations can take an informed decision about the utilization of the Six Sigma principles, tools and concepts. 2. Organizational culture Implementation of Six Sigma calls for a change in the organizational culture that supports quality in planning. Thus, organizations must have a clear understanding of the obstacles without which the methodology may fail. 3. Issues in training

How the Russian Economy Can Regain Its International Presence Essay

How the Russian Economy Can Regain Its International Presence - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of a Market Economy. Janos Kornai's book The Socialist System: The Political Economy of Communism is a useful point of departure for defining a market economy. Five distinctive features of a socialist economy versus a market economy follow naturally from his classification. First, the foremost criterion of the communist economy was the supremacy of the Communist Party, with its ideology and politics, over the economy. This is so evident that it is often neglected. Now it has ceased. The economy has become depoliticized. Second, centralized state allocation, with centralized commands to enterprises on physical output targets and deliveries, has ended. State orders lingered on for some time in 1992 and 1993, but now they have been whittled down to nothing. Vertical, administrative allocation has been replaced by free, horizontal bargaining between independent enterprises. The economy has been liberalized both internally and externally. For i mports, all quotas are gone, and the protectionism the researcher discusses amounts to the level of the customs tariffs. For exports, some quotas, licenses, and taxes remain, but export deregulation is proceeding and an important additional step was taken in a presidential edict of May 23, 1994. In spite of periodic setbacks in the internal liberalization, market saturation is increasing steadily. The allocation has become depoliticized.... Consequently, the remaining state enterprises are independent, as in a market economy. Ownership has been depoliticized. Fourth, the economy has been monetized and the ruble has become a real, reasonably convertible, currency, with a unified exchange rate that is market-deter-mined and floating. Admittedly, the volume of U.S. dollars in circulation and in Russian bank accounts exceeds the volume of Russian rubles in Russia, but the dollar is also a currency. The problem here is not lack of monetization but the stabilization of the ruble. Fifth, the last major hurdle to making Russia a market economy was to introduce hard budget constraints in enterprises. This was essentially done on September 25, 1993, when President Boris Yeltsin issued a decree abolishing subsidized credits. The refinance rate was already high and rose to 17.5 percent a month--that is, 593 percent a year--on October 15, 1993, and it has stayed high in real terms since then. The budget deficit has been kept fixed at about 9-10 percent of GDP. Thus, since October 1992, Russia and Russian enterprises have faced a severe monetary squeeze, and Russia has reacted exactly as market economies do: the inflation rate has fallen, from over 20 percent a month last year to about 9 percent a month from February through April 1994. As a result, during those months Russia had a positive real interest rate of 9 percent a month, or 180 percent a year. A Russian enterprise in trouble can no longer count on the state to bail it out. Credit has become relatively, thou gh not completely, depoliticized (Aslund p. 5-6). The current attempt at financial stabilization may fail, and the social costs of the Russian transition might rise higher because of gradualism and

Service Marketing and Product Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Service Marketing and Product Marketing - Essay Example Example, if a car manufacturer sells extended warranty services against a car model the marketing aspects of such services are related with the performance of the product in the market segment and hence if the product is already selling successfully, the associated service packages can be sold without many problems. However, if services are sold independent of products then their marketing strategies need to be different. Coviello and Brodie et al. (2002. pp42) presented an empirical generalization that the companies selling products engage with their customers in more transactional manner whereas the companies selling services engage with their customers in more relational manner. In fact if the work done by these researchers is analyzed closely, it reveals that the fundamental difference lies in the way the methodology of marketing is chosen - whether for products or for services. The researchers presented four methodologies of marketing - Transaction Marketing, Database Marketing, Interaction Marketing and Network Marketing. The choice of markets depends upon the way cash flow is expected from the consumers to the firm - one time or recurring. Any marketing strategy targeting regular cash flow from consumers will prefer relationship marketing. Some marketing strategists prefer to adopt pluralistic approach of accompanying both relationship & transactional marketing depending upon the demands of the market segments. Example, low cost products & services may be promoted more through transactional marketing while premium products & services may be promoted more through relationship marketing. Database & network marketing are relatively complex and hence are of lesser preference among marketing professionals. Is Product or Services marketing fundamentally related Coviello and Brodie et al. (2002. pp42) argued that empirically the services & product marketing areas have been treated differently. The engagement channels are more in services marketing than products marketing. Moreover, usage of IT enabled tools result in more impact on customers in the services marketing than product marketing. This is because the expectations of customers from services are more complex than from products. Krishnan and Ramaswamy et al. (1999. pp 1197-1200) presented a detailed research on customer satisfaction in banking & financial services industry. They presented that unlike manufacturing industries that produce fully tangible products, the financial services industry offers productized services that are delivered through multiple channels to the customers and hence the span of customer expectations widens given that their frequency of interactions with the companies are much more. In case of products, a consumer may call the service lines only if a fault or defect is detected or else some usability features are not clear. These transactions are one time in nature that may occur few times in a year. However, in services industries the customers interact with the companies too often whereby their experience in every interaction counts in building the perceptions. Hence, in case of service

How the Russian Economy Can Regain Its International Presence Essay

How the Russian Economy Can Regain Its International Presence - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of a Market Economy. Janos Kornai's book The Socialist System: The Political Economy of Communism is a useful point of departure for defining a market economy. Five distinctive features of a socialist economy versus a market economy follow naturally from his classification. First, the foremost criterion of the communist economy was the supremacy of the Communist Party, with its ideology and politics, over the economy. This is so evident that it is often neglected. Now it has ceased. The economy has become depoliticized. Second, centralized state allocation, with centralized commands to enterprises on physical output targets and deliveries, has ended. State orders lingered on for some time in 1992 and 1993, but now they have been whittled down to nothing. Vertical, administrative allocation has been replaced by free, horizontal bargaining between independent enterprises. The economy has been liberalized both internally and externally. For i mports, all quotas are gone, and the protectionism the researcher discusses amounts to the level of the customs tariffs. For exports, some quotas, licenses, and taxes remain, but export deregulation is proceeding and an important additional step was taken in a presidential edict of May 23, 1994. In spite of periodic setbacks in the internal liberalization, market saturation is increasing steadily. The allocation has become depoliticized.... Consequently, the remaining state enterprises are independent, as in a market economy. Ownership has been depoliticized. Fourth, the economy has been monetized and the ruble has become a real, reasonably convertible, currency, with a unified exchange rate that is market-deter-mined and floating. Admittedly, the volume of U.S. dollars in circulation and in Russian bank accounts exceeds the volume of Russian rubles in Russia, but the dollar is also a currency. The problem here is not lack of monetization but the stabilization of the ruble. Fifth, the last major hurdle to making Russia a market economy was to introduce hard budget constraints in enterprises. This was essentially done on September 25, 1993, when President Boris Yeltsin issued a decree abolishing subsidized credits. The refinance rate was already high and rose to 17.5 percent a month--that is, 593 percent a year--on October 15, 1993, and it has stayed high in real terms since then. The budget deficit has been kept fixed at about 9-10 percent of GDP. Thus, since October 1992, Russia and Russian enterprises have faced a severe monetary squeeze, and Russia has reacted exactly as market economies do: the inflation rate has fallen, from over 20 percent a month last year to about 9 percent a month from February through April 1994. As a result, during those months Russia had a positive real interest rate of 9 percent a month, or 180 percent a year. A Russian enterprise in trouble can no longer count on the state to bail it out. Credit has become relatively, thou gh not completely, depoliticized (Aslund p. 5-6). The current attempt at financial stabilization may fail, and the social costs of the Russian transition might rise higher because of gradualism and

The theory and application of auction theory in context to British car Essay

The theory and application of auction theory in context to British car auctions (BCA) - Essay Example These were informal forms of auctioning. Though this may sound absurd, they indeed held the basic principles of the aims and objectives of auctions that we have today. Today, auctions are specially organised as a system of trade for a number of aims and objectives including the ones listed below. 1. To ensure that only serious minded investors approach trading products and services 2. To create best value for products and services that are being traded 3. To ensure and enhance openness with the terms of sale of products and services to the public 4. To help bidders have a fair idea of their rates as compared to other bidders 5. To speed up the trading off process of a given product or service. Because auction is a universal or global practice, it is associated with a number of generalised assumptions that have been accepted even in academic cycles. These general assertions on auction have come to be known as auction theories and they come in different forms and types. Four of these are briefly explained below with examples. Ascending Auction: As the name suggests, there is ascension in the price of the product and the ascension is determined and commissioned by the auctioneer. Commonly known as the British auction, the auctioneer ‘separates the boys from the men’ (reduces the number of bidders) by increasing the price of the product. ... These were informal forms of auctioning. Though this may sound absurd, they indeed held the basic principles of the aims and objectives of auctions that we have today. Today, auctions are specially organised as a system of trade for a number of aims and objectives including the ones listed below. 1. To ensure that only serious minded investors approach trading products and services 2. To create best value for products and services that are being traded 3. To ensure and enhance openness with the terms of sale of products and services to the public 4. To help bidders have a fair idea of their rates as compared to other bidders 5. To speed up the trading off process of a given product or service. Establish and explain main assumptions of auction theory Types of Auction Because auction is a universal or global practice, it is associated with a number of generalised assumptions that have been accepted even in academic cycles. These general assertions on auction have come to be known as au ction theories and they come in different forms and types. Four of these are briefly explained below with examples. Ascending Auction: As the name suggests, there is ascension in the price of the product and the ascension is determined and commissioned by the auctioneer. Commonly known as the British auction, the auctioneer ‘separates the boys from the men’ (reduces the number of bidders) by increasing the price of the product. By so doing, bidders will keep falling off the bidding proceed in order that the opportunity will come to rest with only one bidder, who for the sake of the increasing nature of the bid would come to be known as the highest bidder. This is a prominent form of auction as the Auctus Development Incorporated (2009) notes

The fall of the Iron curtain in the 1990s Essay Example for Free

The fall of the Iron curtain in the 1990s Essay The fall of the Iron curtain in the 1990s brought a close to a chapter in history that brought the world to the brink of global nuclear-armed conflict. However, at the dawn of the 21st century President George W. Bushs administration is poised to reopen that chapter by pursuing a unilateral defense posture that will only serve to modernize and expand current nuclear war fighting capabilities and break the taboo of nuclear non-use. This paper will argue that the failure of the United States to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) as well as the pursuit of a National Missile Defense (NMD) will lock the United States back into its Cold War security dilemma in which striving to increase security breeds more insecurity. CTBT Since the 1950s, opposition to nuclear testing has been spurred by concerns over its health and environmental effects and by testing being one of the more visible signs of the nuclear arms race. Most recently, in 1995-1996, massive worldwide criticism of French nuclear tests in the South Pacific, caused France to curtail its test program. Public opposition and the dangers of an arms race fueled by nuclear testing have lead governments to try to limit and stop nuclear testing for over 40 years. However, in 1999 the United States Senate refused to implement the CTBT, which would have put an end to nuclear weapons testing and development. The United States failure to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty guarantees a future end to the ten-year moratorium on testing. The events of September 11th and the subsequent war on terrorism have the Bush administration searching for new options on the battlefield. Recently the administration began studying options for the development and production of a small, low-yield nuclear weapon called a bunker-buster which would burrow into the ground to destroy buried hideaways of rogue leaders like Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden. This pursuit not only guarantees no chance of the CTBT ever coming into law in the US but it also guarantees the breakdown in the firewall between conventional warfare and nuclear warfare. Using nuclear weapons in conventional warfare guarantees the escalation of conflict that would spiral out of control and only serve to hurt future arms reductions negotiations. The development of low yield nuclear weapons is also likely to spur a new arms race between the US and Russia because of an increased reliance on tactical nuclear weapons, in which the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction is no longer employed as deterrence but as procedure. 1 Therefore the United States effort to increase its security by developing weapons to defeat terrorists would only serve to escalate its own insecurity and showcase US military paranoia. The failure of the US to ratify the CTBT also makes it less likely that other states will enter into the treaty. Pakistan and India, known nuclear states that are the most likely to start a nuclear confrontation have long been waiting to see what the US is going to do on CTBT before they take a stance. The effect of the US ratifying the CTBT would be the equivalent of saying Gentlemen, start your engines. 2 Every government in the world that is considering the treaty would race to get the treaty to enter into force. If those countries were to continue on their current course of nuclear development it is likely that the Bush administration would have to uphold its doctrine that it is using against Iraq in order to prevent the spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction to terrorist organizations. Ratification of the CTBT would not only halt US weapons development at its current state but it would also help pave the way for eventual disarmament. The ratification of the CTBT would also help undermine the current security dilemma the United States is locked in to. NMD NMD first appeared under President Reagan in the early 1980s. It was popularly known as Star Wars because it was intended to be a space-based system for the reconnaissance and prompt in-flight destruction of long-range missiles fired at the US3. However, due to its complexity and cost, the Star Wars system was never built. However, anti-missile systems continue to be explored, as for example the Exo-Atmospheric Kill Vehicle developed under President Clinton. 4 NMD represents an attempt to ensure that the US is forever safe from any kind of attack, especially from irrational rogue states armed with long-range missiles. It shows clearly that an interdependent world and globalisation bring with them a sense of insecurity. This sense of insecurity could be said to verge on paranoia, considering the disparity of forces between rogue states and the US. Indeed, as there is brought here, every threat is magnified under the lens of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites and must be hedged against. Echoing President Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair argued that in an interdependent world, extensive multilateralism was the only choice that could lead to true security from multiple, global threats. 5 However, President Bush seems to have chosen the opposite path by seeking to protect the US unilaterally, resulting in the logic of the Cold War arms race. NMD in particular, as it is a space-based defense system, seems particularly vulnerable to the logic of the arms race. Indeed, today only one in eight active orbiting satellites belong to the US military. 6 This proportion is set to decrease, as launching satellites into space continues to become more and more affordable to companies and smaller countries. Therefore, in the unilateralist logic, space-based weapons will also become increasingly available to possible enemies, presenting a new threat to US security that must be overcome by ever more expensive technological fixes. Furthermore, since i la carte multilateralism undermines the ABM Treaty, the arms race perspective becomes even more likely, as it contains the most explicit protections of satellites on the books. 7 The ABM Treaty effectively blocked the development of anti-missile defense systems,8 thus ensuring that any country launching a missile attack would be unable to defend itself from a retaliatory strike. Were this treaty to disappear, aggressive acts towards satellites, most probably by present or future rogue states, would only become more likely a self-fulfilling prophecy. This logic serves only to reiterate the fact that The basis of security is that it never works for just one. You have to have security for everyone or it fails. 9. That entering the arms race logic is the result of paranoia rather than realism is shown by the fact that the widening access to satellites to both businesses and countries could equally be seen as reinforcing the USs dominant position. Indeed, because of the USs undoubted technological advantage, it has developed many of the technologies which have become commonplace. For example, the Australian army relies on the American GPS system,10 and it is further woven into the fabric of daily life by being used by navigators in the worlds airlines and ships and even in ordinary peoples boats and cars. 11 Thus it is possible to say that the GPS system is universal and is no longer being tied to any particular territory. A more liberal approach than that taken by the Bush administration would suggest that overall, this diminishes the likelihood of an attack upon the satellites. Indeed By sharing GPS, no one feels so threatened to compete with it, and because of its widespread use any country that damaged it would provoke a global fury. 12 US insecurity is further demonstrated by frequent inversions of its actual military posture. Hence, the US is often represented as a weak military nation, despite its crushing military superiority. For example, Condoleeza Rice, President Bushs national security advisor, claimed during President Clintons tenure that US soldiers had been turned into social workers, and that the armed forces as a whole were as weak as in 1940. 13 The current Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld spoke of the increasing vulnerability of the US, and evoked images of a space-based Pearl Harbor early on in President Bushs tenure. 14 This constant fear of vulnerability is mirrored in academic circles. Kagan states that the defense budget needs to be increased rapidly, by as much as $50-100 billion per year. 15 As a budgetary recommendation, this figure seems fanciful, considering the combination of a slowing US economy, the $1. 35 trillion tax cut promoted by President Bush and the difficulty of pushing a far more modest budget increase through Congress this past budgetary session. However unrealistic, it does serve to reflect the condition of institutionalised paranoia. Insecurity is clearly shown when the US, by far the worlds leading military power in terms of budget, technology, logistics and training, is portrayed as being highly vulnerable to people such as Osama Bin Laden,16 the alleged terrorist. Rather, the US is creating the conditions of its own insecurity. Indeed, the combination of i la carte multilateralism, dreams of Full Spectrum Dominance and the idiosyncratic branding of certain states as rogues can only serve to antagonize friends and foes alike. Rather than defusing possible threats at the source, President Bushs policies seem more likely to provoke attack. Of course, any attack would be taken as a justification of these policies, feeding into a vicious circle of insecurity resolved through the deification of technology and the abandonment of the human contact represented by treaty negotiation. In Der Derians words, President Bush symbolizes the leader who has given up on peace on earth and now [seeks] peace of mind through the worship of new techno-deities. 17 Rumsfelds drive to reform the military on the basis of NMD and other space-based technologies implies deep and risky reductions in conventional forces, such as cuts in the number of Army divisions, Navy aircraft carriers and Air Force fighter wings. 18 This further reinforces the fact that techno-strategy is supplanting humanity in security considerations. The search for unilateral absolute security, especially through technology and unilateralism, is a form of the necessarily doomed search for a single power or sovereign truth that can dispel or control the insecurities, indeterminacies, and ambiguities that make up international relations. 19 The negative consequences of smart warfare are one instance of the risks of President Bushs logic. It is clear that if the United States continues to pursue its misguided foreign policy the world will soon witness a new wave of arms races and decreased securitization. Only by pursuing confidence building, regime oriented measures can the United States help avert the next Cold War. Ratification of the CTBT and ending the pursuit of a National Missile Defense seem to be the first steps in the process toward paving the way into the 21st century. The United States can either sit back a not take on its role as a champion of the free world or it can take a proactive stance in stomping out the possibility of a renewed arms race and break out of its Cold War security dilemma. 1 Alexander, B. and Millar, A. (www. fourthfreedom. org/php/print. php? hinc=DefenseNewstnw. hinc) July 11, 2001 2 Kuchta, A. Dickinson Journal of International Law A Closer Look: The US Senates Failure to Ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, 19 Dick. J. Intl L. 333. 3 http://www. nuclearfiles. org/chron/80/1980s. html 4 http://www. msnbc. com/news/845497. asp? 0cv=TB10 5 Blair, T. , Doctrine of the International Community, speech delivered in Chicago, 23 April, 1999, http://www. number-10.gov. uk.

Hofstedes Cultural Theory Business Essay

Hofstedes Cultural Theory Business Essay Multinational companies are faced with the challenge of developing their operations in a constantly changing environment. In this way they are placed in the necessity of expanding their businesses in foreign countries which brings several implications. In organizational terms this means that the companies, in order to be successful, will have to go through a deep analysis to determine what their capabilities and weak areas are. But not only this provide the outcome on whether to expand their business or not, this will be just the first stage of a very long journey of understanding the processes that create value and how the company integrates these processes in order to succeed in a foreign market. The main motive of multinational companies to expand in the foreign markets is to avoid the saturation point or to increase the product life cycle. Any company which tends to globalize or internationalize, has to move into a foreign market and make a set up in that country. Today when the world is getting smaller and all the nations are getting close to each other it is very important for every growing organization to eye the foreign markets and increase its exporting and importing capabilities. But problems occur when these multinational firms start operating in different countries and are surrounded by number of issues which create obstacles in their progress. Then let it be the government rules and regulations, the culture of that country or the working environment. Different countries have different approaches towards the business world and companies should study intensively about the infrastructure of a country before entering that market. Especially some nations like India or Pakistan are highly culturally influenced, so there has to be a wise policy before making a move. Different markets have different demand in terms of rules, culture and environment. When companies go global, the governing personals have to be very adaptable in order to cooperate well with the native people or the native market. Mostly multinational companies consider it to be the most crucial step which leads them to study the culture of the country so that they deploy suitable products and well trained personals. Companies set up research and development offices in these markets initially before entering those countries or markets to study the market and the demand and most important the culture of the culture of the people there. Example: Wal-Mart, the giant retailer wants to enter the emerging countries; India is one of the biggest consumer based emerging markets of the world, Wal-Mart has set up research and development offices in Bangalore, India. So they are studying the working environment and the culture of the market in India so as to make a perfect entry strategy. IKEA, a giant furniture retailer has a keen eye on entering the Indian market but has failed as the there is a restriction on the foreign direct investment in India, it only allows a 51% ownership but IKEA wants a 100% ownership, so there are hindrances for IKEA. Different markets and countries have different approaches. When companies intend to expand their operations into a broader scale many difficulties arise, not only because this can be caused by a badly planned entry strategy but also in terms of integration of their internal systems that the company has in order to function adequately and moreover to get well with all together a different culture, people and their taste and demands. The complexities of the issues faced by the companies need to be addressed so that the impact within the organisation is minimised. However the organisations need to be sensitive with their environment in a way that their strategic behaviour finds a harmonizing point between the local and the international environment and the organisation itself. The particular issues between the cross cultural management and personal administration is that is has been building up on its importance since multinational companies are bound to face different issues as they operate in foreign markets. LITERATURE REVIEW: Organizations function diversely in different countries. They prepare policies for every country in which they plan to expand their business. IHRM (international human resource management) should be strong enough in order to help organization in achieving success on alien land. IHRM have to gather and understand cultural information on broader perspective because foreign norm are different from ones own. In terms of cultural analysis, there are two main studies that can be referred as relevant in knowing culture environment of other country. First is Hofstede (2001) tells about the cultural differences through a deep evaluation of social and cultural dimensions. The focus on the social aspects considers valuable information on various topics, such as Collectivism and Individualism considering the data collected from all countries. In the same way this study is also oriented in an international dimension to evaluate the cultural aspects that might have an impact on the organization an d its well-functioning. On the other hand the study of Trompenaars et al (1997) focuses not only on a much descriptive analysis of what are the cultural elements in societies but also links these cultural aspects to the business environments providing awareness on how to deal with inter cultural communication in business relation. HOFSTEDES CULTURAL THEORY: Undoubtedly, the most significant cross-cultural study of work -related values is the one carried out by Hofstedes- Bhagat and Mcquaid (1982). 3 October 1928, Gerard Hendrik Hofstede was born. He was a student of national and organizational cultures. He was an author of many cultural books. Hofstede effort commenced in 1980 ,which was a great success because his research introduced when there was less internationalization among nations due to problem of understanding culture differences. His research had 116,000 questionnaires taken by 60,000 people around 50 nations. From his research he provided four dimensions (Power Distance, Individualism/Collectivism, Uncertainty Avoidance and Masculinity/Femininity) .Fifth dimension (Long/Short term orientation) was added after a strong study by Hofstede and Bond (Hofstede 1991b; Hofstede and Bond 1984; Hofstede and Bond 1988). HOFSTEDES FIVE CULTURAL DIMENSIONS: a) POWER DISTANCE INDEX (PDI): PD can be defined as a difference between nations on the bases of hierarchy and relationships. Nations who are falling high on power distance scale follow hierarchy way in there organization. Staff has to wait for a green signal from their officials. Parity is not found in hierarchical countries. There is a large distance between the poor and the wealthy people. Inequality of power distribution leads to exploitation at times in these nations. Students give respect to teachers even after school hours. While, nations with low power distance believes in equality .Relationships and working in a team is significant for them. Powerful people try to be friendly with others .They dont misuse there power. High Power Distance Low MAL ARA MEX IND FRA ITA JPN SPA ARG US GER UK DEN ISR AUT b) INDIVIDUALISM (IDV): In this dimension individualism is opposite to collectivism. Nations having individualistic traits look after their immediate family. They believe in I have done this. On the collectivist said people maintain relationship with extended family as well. We have done this is their trait. In collectivist people give importance to group achievements and group rights. Unlike collectivist, in individualistic countries people need privacy and time is precious to them. Collectivist love to work in a harmony. Individualism Collectivism AUL US UK CAN FRA GER SPA JPN MEX ITA KOR SIN c) MASCULINITY (MAS): Countries that are more masculine are task oriented and they look for result. While countries with low masculine are more affectionate and male/female is at par level .Discrimination is nil in these countries while in masculine, male dominates all over. MAS countries are more competitive in comparison to countries with low MAS. Unlike femininity (small and slow), masculine countries look for fast and big achievements. Masculine traits are success, individual achievement, competition, material love and power. Masculinity Femininity JPN MEX GER UK US ARA FRA KOR POR CHC DEN SWE d) UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE INDEX (UAI): In this dimensions countries differ on the basis of facing threat or avoidance of facing threats. Countries falling strongly on uncertainty avoidance are threatened to face unexpected situations, so they try to avoid it by applying certain rules and regulations. To them surprising situation is dangerous .They adopt formal rules and simple procedures. Countries falling in this dimension are countries with an old history .New innovative suggestion and principals are difficult to be applied in this group. Low uncertainty avoidance nations welcome different (ambiguous) situations because they love to take risky steps .Unwanted situations is exciting for them. Informal rules are adopted all over. Basically countries in these dimensions are young and ready to face risk and innovations are looked by them. High Uncertainty Avoidance Low GRE JPN FRA KOR ARA GER AUL CAN US UK IND DEN SIN e) LONG / SHORT TERM ORIENTATION (LTO): Nations with long orientation look for their future goal. Success of tomorrow is important to them. You are never a loser until you quit trying, is their trait. They believe in vigorous growth and hard work. A Respect for the status is duly given and they have a sense of shame. While, short term nations have a respect to traditions and national pride. Stabilization is their trait. They aim for quick outcome (result). Future is not kept in mind. Status doesnt carry any value in their group. They keep their reputation good, avoid being disapproved. Long Term Orientation Short Term CHI HK JPN TAI VIE BRA IND US CAN UK E/W AFR TROMPENAARS AND HAMPDEN TURNERS CULTURAL THEORY: History: Fons Trompenaar is an author of cross cultural communication and he is a Dutch. His writing includes many books on culture while Charles Hampden turner is a British philosopher in management field. Along with Trompenaar, Hampden created a dimension which shed light on people of different environments and how they behave and interact in their daily life. TROMPENAARS AND HAMPDEN SEVEN CULTURAL DIMENSIONS: a) UNIVERSALISM vs. PARTICULARISM: This dimension emphasize on rules and relationships. In universalism, rules given significance and they applied on everyone. Every individual follow rules and contracts. Rules are meant to tell the truth. While particularism is give importance to relationships .Deals are made on friendships .They believe in flexibility on agreements. And they closely examine the situation to know the truth. PARTICULARISTIC UNIVERSALISTIC PARTICULARISTIC 1. Singapore 2. Spain 3. Japan 4. France UNIVERSALISTIC 1. US 2. Germany 3. Sweden 4. UK Figure: Shows countries falling in universalistic and particularistic dimension Application: In universal society people follow rules and regulations like in US every personnel follow traffic lights to make them feel people are at par level while in particularistic, people break traffic signal as well due to brotherhood. b) INDIVIDUALISM vs. COLLECTIVISM: Individualistic nations love being recognised single. They believe in word I. Group doesnt matter them .Privacy is what they need .They love to work independently .Self benefit is what they look for. Their relationship with others is negligible. While collectivism, believes in teamwork. They believe in we. They are attached to their colleagues, family members and friends. Interdependence is found in them. Benefit of group they practice. INDIVIDUALISM COLLECTIVISM COLLECTIVISM 1. Japan 2. Italy 3. Mexico 4. INDIVIDUALISM 1. US 2. UK 3. Australia 4. Canada Figure: Shows countries falling in individualism and collectivism dimensions. c) NEUTRAL vs. AFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS: Neutral groups keep their emotions inside and they dont reveal what they thinking. Revelation of their emotions leads to tension on their face. They remain reserved and cool .Sometimes their emotions explode out. Affective people on the other hand are very much emotional. They reveal their emotions by verbal and non-verbal way. They remain transparent. Anger, happiness is clear visible. They react to the situation there only. AFFECTIVE NEUTRAL NEUTRAL 1. Japan 2. UK 3. Germany 4. Sweden AFFECTIVE 1. China 2. Italy 3. Spain 4. France Figure: Shows countries with neutral and affective cultures d) SPECIFIC vs. DIFFUSE RELATIONSHIPS: People falling in specific dimensions keep their personal and work life away .Their private life is private and when socials then they are open. They look for direct communication. In diffuse, people private lives have number of people in it. There is no difference between private and work life. Common person is needed In between stranger and manager for an introduction in order to do a business. SPECIFIC DIFFUSE SPECIFIC 1. France 2. US 3. UK 4. DIFFUSE 1. China 2. Russia 3. Spain 4. Japan Figure: Shows countries of specific and diffuse traits e) ACHIEVEMENT vs. ASCRIPTION: In achievement, accomplishments are made in order to gain status. Seniors head in office are given respect throughout due to the knowledge and experience they have. Status change according to time as person accomplish more and more. In a culture with ascribed status, people given title based on their gender, birth and wealth. They have not given according to their accomplishment. ASCRIPTION ACHIEVEMENT ASCRIPTION 1. China 2. Russia 3. Spain 4. Japan ACHIEVEMENT 1. US 2. Germany 3. Mexico 4. Figure: Shows countries having achievement and ascription culture. f) TIME ORIENTATION (PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE): In past culture nations, people give value to their traditions or history. They talk about their family tree, its origin, and talk about history. People of the nations are asked to recreate golden age .In present culture, people believe in present moment. Enjoyment and activities are planned for the moment. Present relationship is important. Contemporary impact and style is what they practice. Future culture nations look for future goal. People plan for future achievements and aspirations. They have an interest in youth and in future. PAST PRESENT FUTURE PAST FUTURE PRESENT Figure: Shows countries of past, present and future culture g) INNER DIRECTED vs. OUTER DIRECTED: In inner directed nations people believe that nature can be controlled by humans. If rightly worked and made an effort then humans can dominate nature. In contrast to inner directed, people in outer directed culture believes that nature is above everything and humans are one force of nature ,so they should live in harmony and adapt to the external environment. OUTER INNER OUTER INNER Figure: Shows countries falling in inner and outer cultural traits. PROS AND CONS OF THE THEORIES: HOFSTEDE: PROS: Hofstedes model helped people in day to day life. Making them understand about different culture. Hofstedes model helped organisation, to expand their business on an international level without facing any cultural hindrances. Example: examines difference in attitudes and behaviour (Alden, Hoyer, and Lee 1993), used in advertising (McCarty and hattwick 1992; Gregory and Munch 1997; Zandpour et al .1994), international brand strategies (Roth 1995).While for some Hofstedes model is rigorous and relevant because the time it was made there was little approach in culture and businesses on international was very low (Sondergaard 1994, 448,449) .Hofstedes model triggered people to globalise. CONS: In spite of being successful, Hofstede also faced numerous criticisms from all over. Some finger out over relevance of the model. Researchers said this it is not accurate. While most says that Hofstedes model did not paid attention on community .According to Hofstede all domestic nations have homogenous society. But some countries are group of ethnic units (Nasif et al 1991, 82; Redpath 1997, 336).While as per McSweeney, 2000, says, Analysing through nations is not proper because it is not necessary bounded by border .Some says it is out dated while other says four dimensions did not give sufficient information. TROMPENAAR: PROS: Trompenaars and hampden-turners model gave a tool to staff who works on international assignments and projects .Easy to understand culture of the other country is made easy by them which led others to understand cross-cultures. Their research showed that way of doing business is different among all the countries. CONS: Their research failed to recognise the personal characteristics on behaviour and forget to provide recommendations. As per other authors, the border is diminishing and world should be seen as a single unit . HOFSTEDE AND TROMPENAAR-HAMPDEN TURNERS THEORY: CORRELATION Hofstedes and Trompenaars -Hampdens individualism and collectivism are identical in orientation. In Trompenaars model, how and where status is given importance and where people look for team work shows link to Hofstedes power distance dimension but not wholly because Hofstedes power distance cover other issues as well .Trompenaars universalism /particularism can be taken as Hofstedes uncertainty avoidance and collectivist/individualistic dimension because in these dimension they discussed about how nations differ in giving preference to rules than relationships. Even researches done with the help of Hofstedes and Trompenaars-Hampdens model showed similarity in their result .Example: Japan and India is collectivist they lie low in individualism index while UK, US are entirely individualistic countries. CONTRARY Contrast between Hofstedes and Trompenaars can be seen in there result of research. Example: Unlike in Hofstedes model, Mexico and Spain are individualistic according to Trompenaars model. Germany has hierarchical culture according to Trompenaars dimension while Hofstedes says its low in power distance. Hofstedes has four dimensions to explain culture differences, while Trompenaars and Hampden have extra dimensions. Hofstedes results becoming out of date.1960s -1970s results are not the same for today because culture change over time. According to James Cambridge, Hofstedes reach is more on analysis, but restricted as well while Trompenaars and Hampden Turner are broader in their approach. Hofstedes measures on the variables of cultures, while Trompenaars involved in a method for cultural creation. Trompenaars and Hampden Turner (1997),all cultures face the similar problems but they are contrary in there solutions which led to excel the opposites.

The Practice of Sex Selection :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Practice of Sex Selection Sex Selection is usually thought of as a procedure that occurs prior to conception, however, that is not always the case. Sex selection is a method that is used prior to and after conception. Focusing on after conception and birth, sex selection can take place by genetically testing, or by taking ultrasound images of the developing fetus, resulting in abortion due to an undesired gender. The practice of sex selection can also take place after birth of the child, â€Å"[†¦] when one or both parents kill their baby† (Dixon). Partial birth abortion, which was banned by the Senate, was a major practice used by many around the world. In this procedure the abortionist, whom is guided by the use of an ultrasound, grabs the baby’s legs with forceps pulling the baby into the birth canal, ever so carefully delivering the entire body except for the head. Following the partial birth, the abortionist jams a pair of scissors into the bay’s skull, slightly opening then to increase the size of the hole. The scissors are then removed and a suction catheter is inserted into the hole enabling the brain to be drained and skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed from the mother’s birth canal. More highly utilized is deliberates induction of a miscarriage. This procedure is practiced everyday all over the world and only takes approximately fifteen minutes. The cervix of the women is dilated with rods allowing a tube to be inserted into the uterus. The fetus and placenta are then â€Å" vacuumed† out. The uterus is then scraped with an instrument known as a curette to make sure no products remain behind. Practicing sex selection prior to conception is viewed as a more natural and more of a safe way to conceive a child of a desired gender. â€Å"The trouble is that society as a whole is not capable of handling Sex Selection without terrible results† (Dixon). The most practiced pre-selection is the laboratory. Here urine specimens are used to monitor ovarian steroid changes during ovulation. â€Å"Although methods of selecting sex before conception are not entirely reliable [†¦]† (British Medical Journal), it is obviously the practical route to go. A response to either practice of sex selection merely depends on the factor of cost and ease of access.