Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Project Innovation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Project Innovation Management - Essay Example today; and the advertising channels; it has become difficult for the companies to maintain a name and to sustain it; years of services and good image can be ruined in days. That is why it is very important for the companies to have good and developed research and development department that are constantly not only providing them with innovative idea; but at the same time also helping them to carter to different regions separately. This research is also a study of two same products produced by two different, famous companies. It focus on what were the strategies adopted by the two companies to make the product; how have the worked towards making it different and what are the factors that led one of the product to capture a bigger market share than the other. In our study we are going to focus on Blu-Ray technology that was introduced by Sony and HD DVD that was introduced by Toshiba. We shall focus the differentiating factors; what was the market research and how were the products developed. Sony is one of the oldest and finest company that was introduced to the world in 1946, the core ideas behind Sony belongs to two very component individuals Mr. Masaru Ibuka and Mr. Akio Morita; the two fine men started the company with only 20 men to their service. Initially the name of the company was Totsuko (Tokyo Telecommunication Engineering Cooperation) with the core objective of providing the services of repairing and building electrical goods. The name was later changed to Sony in 1955; the name was originally a sign to represent two aspects of the society that you â€Å"sound† and â€Å"youth†, the sound part is derived from the word ‘sonus’ and the youth is derived from a slang ‘sonny boy’. The reason of changing the name from Totsuko to Sony was to reflect the spirit and true colors of the company (Trex, 2009). To make it easier for the customers to read, say and relate. Sony was the perfect match. Over the years the company has developed products such as

Monday, October 28, 2019

I.T. Project - Converting a Card Index System to a Database Essay Example for Free

I.T. Project Converting a Card Index System to a Database Essay The present system is based on the manual card index system so most of the work is done by hand, however due to the ever increasing growth of technology, and the internet, a wide range of resources are now being made easily accessible. British Airways has recently introduced booking online, where customers can book a flight and accommodation all over the Internet. Being such a big company as British Airways, most of their bookings are made through travel agents who book the flights and pass the information on to them. Question 1 Could you describe the current system being used by Question 2 How are these cards stored? Question3 What problems do you encounter at the moment? Software Available MICROSOFT OFFICE 2000 WORD PROCESSOR MICROSOFT WORD 2000 A word processing package is a program or set of programs used to edit, format, store and print documents. Word processors have many important unique features: * Spelling and Grammar Checker Misspelt words, or grammatical errors can be identified and corrected by the words in the computers dictionary. Correct words, identified by the spell check as wrong can be added to the dictionary. * Automatic creation of index and table of contents Any word in the text can be marked for inclusion in an index. Headings and subheadings in a given style can be included automatically in a table of contents, which can be updated at any time. * Import Files Tables, photographs, graphics, video and sound files can be imported from other sources and inserted in a document. * Mail merge A document and a list of names and addresses can be merged to produce personalised letters. * Creation of templates with preset text styles. Margins, formatting, letterheading etc. * WYSIWYG This stands for What You See Is What you Get, and refers to the ability to display on the screen. And enables the user to see their work on the screen exactly as it will be printed. SPREADSHEET MICROSOFT EXCEL 2000 Spreadsheet packages allow a user to create worksheets (spreadsheets) representing data in column and row form. Spreadsheets are used for any application that uses numerical data, such as budgets, cash flow forecasts, profit and loss statements, student marks or results of experiment. Spreadsheet features: * Format cells, rows and columns, specifying for example, the alignment of text, number of decimal points, height and width of cells. * Copy cell contents to other locations, with automatic adjustment of formulae from an area to another location. * Determine the effect of several different hypothetical changes of data; this facility is called what-if calculation. * Insert, move or delete rows and columns. * Use functions such as sum, average, max, min in formulae * Create a simple database and sort or query the data to produce a report of, say for example, all males gaining over a C grade, for a list of students. * Write macros to automate common procedures * Create templates Spreadsheets with formats and formulae already entered, into which new figures may be inserted. * Create multi dimensional spreadsheets using several sheets, and copy data from one sheet to another * Create many different types of chart and graphs DATABASE MICROSOFT ACCESS 2000 A database is a collection of data. It may be something as simple as a list of names and addresses or details of the CDs in your personal collection, or it may contain details of all the customers, products, orders and payments in a large organisation. When made reference to, the word database is assumed to be data held on a computer, but manual databases also exist. Some smaller business (a garage) may hold a card index file with details about a customer and their car. The main difference between a manual and computerised databases is the speed at which data can be accessed. PRESENTATION GRAPHICS MICROSOFT POWERPOINT 2000 Presentation graphics software such as PowerPoint is useful for putting together a presentation which can be delivered using a computer attached to a projection device, using transparencies and an ordinary overhead projector or as a self-running presentation in, say a shopping centre or cinema. The software allows the user to quickly create slides combining text, graphics and pictures and to create animation or sound effects and transition effects between slides. OPERATING SYSTEM MICROSOFT WINDOWS 98 Hardware Available These are the specifications of the PC I am using at Home: OPERATING SYSTEM WINDOWS(r) 98 PLUS! CPU INTEL(r) CELERONTM / 333MHZ RAM 64MB FOR WINDOWS(r) 98 SCREEN DISPLAY 800 BY 600 PIXELS TRUE COLOUR (32 BIT) CD-ROM SPEED 32-SPEED AVAILABLE SPACE ON HARD DRIVE 2.4GB AUDIO 16-BIT SOUND CARD OTHER LOUDSPEAKERS These are the system specifications for the systems at school: OPERATING SYSTEM WINDOWS(r) 98 CPU 433MHZ RAM 32MB FOR WINDOWS(r) 98 SCREEN DISPLAY 640 BY 480 PIXELS 256 COLOURS CD-ROM SPEED 24 SPEED AVAILABLE SPACE ON HARD DRIVE 10MB AUDIO 8-BIT SOUND CARD PRINTER HP LASERJET All systems should have Microsoft Office 97/2000. All systems must have Microsoft Excel 97/2000. End Users IT Literacy The end user of my system will already have basic IT skills and will have already had experience with the Microsoft Office Package. As they are working for a big trans-national company, they would have already undergone training in the secretarial sector, of which IT skills are a key part. To even have the job, they would have to be able to type quickly, answer calls and transmit data efficiently. Therefore, training costs will be kept to a minimum. Final Choice Having looked at the current system and the software and hardware available, I have decided to use Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet program to design my booking system. Spreadsheet packages allow a user to create worksheets (spreadsheets) representing data in column and row form. Spreadsheets are used for any application that uses numerical data, such as budgets, cash flow forecasts, profit and loss statements, student marks or results of experiments. Spreadsheets offer a wide range of facilities making the task easier to perform. SKILLS: Current/To be acquired I have a good understanding of the Microsoft Excel package. I have done quite a few calculations and performed basic macros. Having looked through the coursework of former students, and reading through the coursework guide, I realise that I need to improve my knowledge of Excel. Excel is a powerful package and can carry out many tasks easily if instructed correctly. I have already started to go through sample projects showing me how to go about certain tasks with a book titled Successful I.T. Projects in Excel, written by P.M Heathcote. End User Requirements Provide detailed reports showing customer booking for every working day. Produce summary reports for flight bookings in order of popularity. Allow data entry for new customers. Provide easy access for amendments to customer details and flight details. Automatic backup for all centralised records daily and weekly. Provide an exception report for outstanding customer debts or extreme bank credit limits. The system should record financial details concerning money in/outstanding. Allow queries on the current flight availability. Quantitative Criteria Printed tickets are to be generated within 15 minutes. Accessing and amending customer/Fight/Airport details should be instantaneous. Queries are processed promptly on customer request. Backup should occur automatically every 24 hours. Flight details processed every Friday (1 hour max) Exception reports are produced quickly on demand within a minute. Qualitative Criteria The system should provide a workable Human Computer Interface system according to different users, i.e. simple menu selections or buttons The company logo is consistent on all forms and reports. Amount of available screen data is kept to a minimum (increase usability) Help systems are easily accessible.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Langston Hughes, Prolific Writer Of Black Pride During The Harlem Renai

During a time where racism was at its height in America, Jim Crow laws separated blacks from mainstream white society. Where the notion of â€Å"separate but equal† was widely accepted in America, blacks were faced with adversity that they had to overcome in a race intolerant society. They were forced to face a system that compromised their freedom and rights. Blacks knew that equal was never equal and separate was definitely separate (George 8-9). Blacks had to fight for their rights because it wasn’t handed to them. Racism manifested itself on many levels and had to be fought on many levels. This gave rise to influential black leaders in the fight for civil rights. Langston Hughes was one of those black leaders who arose during the Harlem Renaissance. He gave his people a voice and encouraged pride and hope through his literary work, to overcome racial discrimination. Langston Hughes lived during the time of the Harlem Renaissance, an African American cultural movement of the early 1920s and 1930s that was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. It also came to be known as the New Negro movement, marked the first time that mainstream publishers and critics took African American literature seriously and that African American literature and arts attracted significant attention from the nation at large. Although it was primarily a literary movement, it was closely related to developments in African American music, theater, art, and politics. This was also the time of the â€Å"Great Migration†, where more blacks were migrating from the rural South to the urban North, to seek better jobs and lives for their families (George 62). This new identity blacks to gain a new social consciousness and opportunity that was not available ... ...a fifty seven story famous historic landmark building in New York. â€Å"I’ve been a singer: All the way from Africa to Georgia I carried my sorrow songs.† There have been many famous black singers who have made a name for themselves. Singing songs of the blues, gospel etc. telling their stories through melodies and soul. â€Å"I’ve been a victim: The Belgians cut off my hands in the Congo. They lynch me still in Mississippi.† Here Hughes shows that blacks have been objects of violent hate. But at the end of the poem Hughes repeats â€Å"I am a Negro: Black as the night is black, black like the depths of my Africa.† This shows that although blacks have been treated in ways in which no human should be treated. We still kept moving forward never giving up hope and faith, that a change would come. We have accomplished many things in our past and we can use this to motivate our future.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Women of Umuofia in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay

The Women of Umuofia in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart    The only women respected in Umuofia are those like Chielo, the priestess of the Oracle of the Hills and Caves, who is removed from the pale of normalcy. Clothed in the mystic mantle of the divinity she serves, Chielo transforms from the ordinary; she can reprimand Okonkwo and even scream curses at him: "Beware of exchanging words with Agbala [the name of the Oracle of the Hills and Caves]. Does a man speak when a God speaks? Beware!" (95). Yet if Okonkwo is powerless before a goddess's priestess, he can, at least, control his own women. So, when Nwoye's mother asks if Ikemefuna will be staying long with them, Okonkwo bellows to her: "Do what you are told woman. When did you become one of the ndichie [clan elders]?" (18).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps Umuofia's shabby and degrading treatment of women and wives stems from unconscious fear of, rather than reverence for, the ubiquitous and capricious Earth goddess Ani or Ala, who wreaks such havoc on the townspeople s lives. She is the goddess of fertility. She also gives or withholds children; she spurns twin children who must be thrown away; she prohibits anyone inflicted with shameful diseases from burial in her soil. To the men of Umuofia, she must seem the embodiment of the two-faced Greek furies and Scylla and Charybdis joined together -- vengeful, unavoidable, and incomprehensible. Umuofia s men can compare to the ancient Greeks who were noted for similar female images such as Pandora, Circe, Medea, and Clytemnestra. In helpless, mortal dread of a fearsome divine female principle, they come down heavily indeed on ordinary women whose lives they can control as they like.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A cursory look at the place o... ...e African Novel: Essays in Analysis. London: Saros International, 1992. pages Nwapa, Flora.   Efuru.   London: Heinemann, 1966. ---.   Idu.   London: Heinemann, 1970. Ogunyemi, Chikwenye Okonjo.   "Women and Nigerian Literature." Perspectives on Nigerian Literature. Vol. 1.   Lagos, Nigeria: Guardian Books, 1988.   pages Okonkwo, Juliet.   "The Talented Woman in African Literature." African Quarterly 15.1-2: pages. Rich, Adrienne.   Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution.   New York: Norton, 1976. Thiong o, Ngugi   wa.   Petals of Blood.   London: Heinemann, 1977. ---.   Devil on the Cross.   London: Heinemann, 1982.   Walker, Alice.   "In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens." In Search of Our Mothers   Gardens: Womanist Prose. New York: Harcourt  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brace, 1983.   231-243. Weinstock, Donald, and Cathy Ramadan.  

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Mcdonald’s in India Essay

McDonald’s in India McDonald’s uses a multidomestic strategy in India. This can be seen from its use of local suppliers, its adaptive pricing strategies and the removal of the company’s representative product, the â€Å"Big Mac†, and replacing it with a range of new products specifically catered to the Indian culture and preferences. Unlike in other countries, a large proportion of Indians do not eat pork or beef, and many others are vegetarians. It is therefore practically impossible for McDonald’s to succeed with its international line of products such as the big Mac, which focuses on beef products. Moreover, with each household spending more than 50% of income on food and beverages, and more than 70% of the population earning less than $2,000 annually, the company’s usual target segment of the middle-class households is unable to afford its products. Hence, it can be seen that McDonald’s needs a high level of responsiveness and adaptation to the Indian market. In addition, the company opted to enter the market as joint ventures with local managers, clearly showing no need of global integration, but rather, emphasis on local adaptability. Attractiveness of the Fast Food Industry in India Factor Conditions in India Indian Culture Affecting the Demand of Specific Foods Inefficient Food Chain and Distribution Systems Chance Government Policies Porter’s Diamond Model Attractiveness of the Fast Food Industry in India Factor Conditions in India Indian Culture Affecting the Demand of Specific Foods Inefficient Food Chain and Distribution Systems Chance Government Policies Porter’s Diamond Model McDonald’s strategy is highly effective in India. McDonald’s success thus far in India is attributable to the factors as analysed in Porter’s Diamond Model. An important factor for the success of McDonald’s was its reliable distribution channels for supplies from local suppliers. As the food chain and distribution channels in India were inefficient, and imports were taxed at a staggering 65%, it was important that McDonald’s obtain its raw materials from local suppliers, but at the same time ensure that the supplies were of good quality, and were delivered efficiently. This would be necessary to ensure that the company maintains a high standard of quality, while at the same time ensuring low costs of production. Given the state of the agricultural industry and the high import taxes in the country, setting up a reliable distribution channel for McDonald’s creates a valuable resource that is rare, costly to imitate, and non-substitutable. It hence creates a sustainable competitive advantage for McDonald’s in India. Another important factor of success is the pricing adopted by McDonald’s. Unlike in other parts of the world, the consumers in India are highly price sensitive to food, since more than half of their income is spent on food. Thus, it was important that McDonald’s sets acceptable prices for their products in India. This was not an easy task, as the company had to set a price that was affordable to the Indians, but at the same time, not undercut its profit margin. Hence, the company relied heavily on local management for the operations of the business. Not only did it enhance the company’s responsiveness to the local needs, it also allowed the company to understand the culture of the Indians better. Fitting the company’s values into the culture of the country is especially crucial to the survival and success of McDonald’s in India, since the very nature of food products McDonald’s deals with may conflict with the cultural beliefs of Hindus, who make up the majority of Indian population. Besides seeking out opportunities, McDonald’s has also successfully dealt with the threats, especially those of the environmentalist groups. As there were many vocal environmental and animal activists in India, they posed a substantial threat to the company’s business. Further, these groups also campaigned that fast-food joints were anti-poor and cater only to the rich segment. This was especially threatening to the company, since the majority of Indians were not well-to-do. In response, McDonald’s products were aptly priced to be affordable to the general public. In addition, they introduced healthier products (such as the toasted McCurry Pan), an also actively participates in many community-involvement programmes, which are largely directed towards children. Since India is in the stage of population growth, the proportion of children is especially high. This strategy hence allows McDonald’s to increase its popularity amongst households with children. Moreover, it also fits well with McDonald’s culture of focusing on children. While McDonald’s strategy in India has been effective thus far, there are challenges it continues to face. Currently, McDonald’s is situated only in a few metropolitan cities, where the crowds are more familiar with American products, and are willing to try these products. However, with the development of India, McDonald’s has to expand to other cities to reach out to the rest of the nation. With the highly regional culture of the country, it has to continuously develop its products which are able to cater to the unique preferences of the consumers. This is important to the company’s continued success in the country. Besides, the company also has to ensure that it continues to garner political support. As the country has many activists groups and extremist religious groups, it is important that McDonald’s has the support of the government in order to ensure that the operations are able to continue in times of chaos.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

3 Differences between a University Book Report and Book Review

3 Differences between a University Book Report and Book Review 3 Differences between a University Book Report and Book Review It usually happens that university students are tested in writing a book review but too often they end up writing a book report instead. The problem is that most students don’t know the difference between a university book report and book review. The surprise of failing in an assignment that you were certainly sure to score highly can be overwhelming. It is a good idea to make sense of a task before getting started. According to the Executive Function Handout Series about a task initiation, students are able to complete a task successfully, once they get going, if only they have explicit instructions about an assignment. Asked to write a book review or book report but can’t understand the difference? We are to explain. 1.   The Purpose of a Book Report and a Book Review Despite the conjoint word a book in the phrases a book report and book review, both types of writing are dedicated to a book but they are aimed at different outcomes. So, it is important not to confuse the purposes of writing to get desirable results. What is a book report? It is a summary that gives the information about an author and a book content. In other words, it is a brief summary of the story, character, setting and plot. It is possible to write a book report if you read a book in question and understand everything in it. What is a book review? It is an in-depth analysis and critical evaluation of a book. It brings a rather new insight onto a book content than simply narrates it. So, this assignment requires more special skills to narrate coherently, think deeply and analyse in a critical manner. 2.   The Structure of a Book Report and a Book Review Both a book report and book review can present the same book but the fact is the two differ in the structure. That’s why very low marks can be given if a paper is incorrectly organized. What is the Structure of a Book Report? As it is supposed to give enough info about a book and let readers decide whether it is interesting or not, follow such a structure in a book report: Introduction should contain information about an author, a title of a book, the number of pages and the bibliographic information (the name of a publisher, the year of publication, the book edition etc.) The body should have a minimum of 3 paragraphs where you present main characters, a plot and summary of a book. Conclusion should contain your overall impressions about the book and answer if you would recommend it to others. What is the Structure of a Book Review? Writing a book report instead of a book review is viewed by most examiners as trying to take a shortcut. However, it is more specialized since you judge the book based on how you understand it citing evidence from the book. On Wendy Laura Belcher’s advice, an associate professor in the Princeton University, it is better to stick to the following structure: The first part of a book review is similar to that of a book review. You introduce the bibliographic information (a title, an author, a publisher, etc.) In the second part you have to state two theses. One from the author as illustrated in the book and another being your own thesis based on what you find after reading the book. The third part is devoted to the critical analysis and evaluation. You have to analyze and evaluate the themes and setting of a book based on the author’s perspective as well as how you understand them. In the final part you should sum up everything and state your point of view. The evidence you presented earlier should guide you on how you conclude. No new evidence should be submitted in the conclusion. 3.   The Word Count of a Book Report and Book Review No much emphasis is placed on the length. However, on average a book review is expected to be no less than 750 words whereas with a book report the minimum word count is 500 words. You’re recommended to specify all paper requirements before you settle down to your homework. In fact, there is nothing stopping you from scoring highly in either a book review or a book report you can buy online. Especially, when you’re supported by our quick professional help in writing. Just contact us 24/7 and get out there or sleep well while the high-quality works are being prepared for you.

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia

The Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia Introduction The Empty Quarter is also known in Arabic as the Rub’ al Khali, a large desert covers the southern side of Saudi Arabia and forms part of the southeastern part of the Arab peninsula. The region forms the largest desert in the Arab peninsula.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Empty Quarter region has sand dunes that are averagely 600m high and the region experiences summer daytime temperatures of up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures decrease up to 32 degrees Fahrenheit at night. The barrenness of the region, together with the harsh temperature makes its inhospitable. As a result, the area has mainly remained unexplored. This essay is a description of the region that play a key role in the economy of Saudi Arabia and is very important to the world as a source of energy. Despite its recognition as a major oil producer, ot her interests of equal importance exist in the Empty Quarter. Importance of the Empty Quarter Saudi Arabia has concentrated on oil mining as the main source for its foreign exchange reserves despite the fact that the country is endowed with other rich minerals that are yet to be fully exploited. The region is big covering 650,000 square kilometers and starts from Saudi Arabia and covers Yemen, Oman and the United Arab Emirates on the southern part. The Empty Quarter was more hospitable in the past; fossils of hippos indicate that it initially was a wet area before drying up. The inhospitable nature of the region is believed to have started in 300 CE. Historically the region is known for the early civilizations and cities that were constructed in it as well as the trade routes that passed through. Currently, the region is an archeological attraction and several artifacts have been found. The area is known for its prominent role in movies and novels by famous film and book publishing companies in the world. For example, the Empty Quarter has been chosen to be the setting of a new video game for the popular console by Sony, PlayStation 3, which will be released to the public in November.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The sand dunes covering the region are monotonous. The area is secretive and presents wonders, for example although it contains very little vegetation and receives marginal rainfall annually, the area supports a number of animal species. These include, gazelles, Oryx; that are a special breed of antelopes with straight horns, sand cats, which are beautiful wild cats that get their water supply from their animal preys. In addition, there are spiny tailed lizards. These animals surface at the desert immediately after the winter rains and bring back the life of the region that is otherwise nonexistent. The subsequent dissertation th at has occurred over the years is responsible for the formation of vast oil reserves beneath the sand dunes that now make up mountain like structures in this region. The oil deposits of the Empty Quarter amount to 7 billion barrels, making it the second largest reserve in the world. There is an increasing interest by oil and gas exploration companies in the region that is informed by the discovery of the new fields that are yet to be covered with the current gas-oil separation plants and their vast resources. In the oil production business, the north eastern part of the Empty Quarter is the main exploited oil part in the region. During the early times of the oil exploration and production, there were few companies; however, the discovery of huge oil reserves in the region attracted interest from a worldwide pool of companies in the oil and gas industry. Other Endowments of the Region Other than the oil and gas industry, the Empty Quarter is attractive for the Hotel and Tourism indus try. The popularity of desert tourism, which includes camel rides and festival, is a recent export of the region to the world. The vastness of the desert is attractive for tourists seeking to enjoy the sand and sun at their own discretion. In addition, the land availability attracts investors wishing to set up resorts to accommodate such tourists.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on The Empty Quarter in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Historically deserts have been associated with camels and caravans; a recollection of this experience is now possible in the Empty Quarter with the advent of desert tourism service. Investors are keen to maintain the traditional concept of the desert history while adding modern facilities to accommodate tourists who otherwise would be unable to survive in the harsh desert conditions as the locals do. Another attraction of the desert is sky watching for sky lovers. The vastne ss of land without settlements and obstructions makes it a wonderful for night sky watching. To increase the attractiveness of the region, hotel and tourism investors artificially construct oases to complete the relaxation experience of their guests away from the congestion of cities in a quiet environment occasioned by regular sound waves of winds blowing on sand dunes (Construction Week Para.2-5). The Empty Quarter is also endowed with another energy source other than oil. The second energy source, solar, abundant in the Empty Quarter dessert, is renewable and has attracted a considerable interest from renewable energy interest groups and green crusaders. On the contrary, the oil reserve in the Empty Quarter is a non-renewable resource and therefore each successful drilling and production depletes the remaining reserve of the region. The growth of the world economy and especially in the Far East region has resulted to an increased demand for oil and gas as a source of energy. The expanding middle class in newly industrialized countries such as China and India as well as their rapidly growing manufacturing and construction industries drives the demand for oil and thereby increases its depletion from the Empty Quarter. Emerging Interests New technology has made it possible to prospect for minerals and archeological artifacts and this has catalyzed a renewed interest on the area. Solar energy is now touted as the next frontier because of its renewability and its abundance in the region.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the current development of solar power technology is still a limiting factor. The Saudi government still depends on the oil revenue from the region and as a result has been less concerned about the environmental pollution that the occurs in the area as a result of the oil industry. This negligence is also aided by the fact that the region is vastly bare apart from seasonal small animal appearances and oases. However, this does not absolve the region of air pollution that is associated with oil and gas emissions in the separation plants (Falola and Genova p.175). Conclusion The Empty Quarter is a unique and economically important region that makes up almost half of the southern part of Saudi Arabia. Its endowment with natural resources makes it the backbone of the Saudi economy. New developments in the region aided by advanced technology are seeking to override, albeit slowly, the overall dominance of the oil industry. Construction Week. The Liwa Desert Hotel, Empty Quarter . 8 June 2010. Construction Week. Retrieved from https://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-8592-tilal-liwa-desert-hotel-empty-quarter. Falola, Toyin and Ann Genova. The Politics of the Global Oil Industry: An Introduction. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005. MaxCalderan. Empty Quater. 14 August 2010. MaxCalderan. Retrieved from https://www.maxcalderan.net/. Wise Geek. What is the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia. n.d. Wisegeek.com. Retrieved from https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-empty-quarter-of-saudi-arabia.htm.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Domestic Violence Attachment Theory Essays

Domestic Violence Attachment Theory Essays Domestic Violence Attachment Theory Paper Domestic Violence Attachment Theory Paper Douglas F. G. (2007) Attachment theory in clinical work with children: bridging the gap between research and practice. Guilford Press. John H. , Tonia L. N. (2007) Family interventions in domestic violence: a handbook of gender-inclusive theory and treatment. Springer Publishing Company, Steven N. S. , Gerald P. K. (2006). Forensic mental health assessment of children and adolescents. Oxford University Press US. Peter, Fonagy (2001) Attachment theory and psychoanalysis. Other Press, LLC, Jeffry A. S. , William S. R. (1998) Attachment theory and close relationships. Guilford Press. Jude C. , Phillip R. S. (2002) Handbook of Attachment: Theory, Research, and Clinical Applications. Guilford Press. John, Bowlby (1988) A secure base: clinical applications of attachment theory. Routledge. Frederick P. B. , Michelle M. C. (2006) Women who perpetrate relationship violence: moving beyond political correctness. Haworth Press. Debora B. , Sharon L. F. , Eric J. M. (2005) Handbook of behavioral and emotional problems in girls. Birkhauser.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Company in Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Company in Crisis - Essay Example Research questions: taking failure as a phenomenon in everyday life that ought to be crossed either by winning or not we are left with the questions about the ways to win the debacle. In a business firm that faces distress, the big boss must get himself equipped with the capabilities to retrieve answers to questions on the cause and depth of the crisis and then questions regarding the salvation process are to be evolved. The purpose of the research that I conduct is to elucidate answers for these questions about the cause and depth of the distress simultaneously finding the way in which organisation culture has to be reformed or remodelled to get the favourable results in the turnaround process. Changing the organisation culture or cultural renewal is the vital part of the turnaround process, since culture is the base of the entire realm of a business. The methodology of turnaround comprises mainly of grass root changes. Turnaround decisions are hard to conceive, although everybody i n a crisis torn company is eagerly waiting for a fresh mechanism to thrive. I have collected feedback data from many companies worldwide that underwent crisis management and companies that foresaw the crisis and adopted prudent approaches to circumvent the crisis. The research papers and journals on the subject of crisis management were of highly helpful in my research. Throughout the search I found that a strategic change was a must in the turnaround endeavour. A company shows symptoms of distress in six ways. They are: 1. Dividend reduction 2. Plant closing. 3. Losses. 4. Lay offs. 5. CEO resignations. 6. Plummeting stock prices. Operating losses of a company results in the reduction of its capital leading the firm towards bankruptcy. In Kenya, companies such as Barclays Bank, Standard Chartered and National Oil Corp are laying off their staff. Many a companies are left with options to take turnaround steps in the following ways only. 1. Disposing of real property. 2. Merging with other firms. 3. Reducing capital spending on R & D. 4. Issuing new shares. 5. Negotiating with creditors. 6. Liquidation. 7. Lay offs. Of these a successful negotiation with the creditors to extend the duration of debt servicing, interest and paying period fetches a good result of saving the company from liquidation. (Jonah Aiyabei, 2000). 1.1 CAUSE OF THE CRISIS Corporate misconduct is the root cause of crisis to creep in a company. The direction of movement of corporate behaviour is normally from top to the bottom. Integrity must permeate a company from the level of chief executive who are supposed to blend ethical values to their traits of integrity. The survey results of the Investor Responsibility Research Center, Washington D.C., survey of board practices and pay, 2004 delineates that an internal campaign organised by the CEOs emphasises the company was taking the reforms seriously and provide an opportunity for discussion among the employees. Responses received from many of the respondents revealed an inability and impossibility to legislate morality and ethics and at the same time greed was felt at the core of many of the past problems. A grade point average (GPA) of 2.6 in the field of accounting management encompassed the view of the respondents that CEOs should meet with department heads and create a direct

Friday, October 18, 2019

Statistical Methods Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Statistical Methods - Math Problem Example 4. Given data: , Sxx = 27100, Syy = 280.1 and Sxy = 2665 Cxx = Sxx - n = 27100 - 10(51.82) = 267.6 Cyy = Syy - n= 280.1 - 10(5.12) = 20 Cxy = Sxy - n= 2665 - 10 (51.8) (5.1) = 23.2 The slope a of the fitted regression line Y on X is a = Intercept b = = 5.1 - (0.0867) (51.8) = 0.6091 Estimate S for the standard deviation of the model s = = 5. H0: A = 0 Vs H1: A 0 where A is the slope of the fitted line Y on X. Test statistic: Under H0, tn - 2 distribution where a is the sample slope parameter, A is the population slope parameter, s is the sample estimate for the standard deviation. The results from Q4 are a = 0.0867, s = 1.4495 and Cxx = 267.6 and A = 0. Test statistic: Pr {-2.306 t8 2.306} = 0.95. The value 0.9786 is contained in this interval and hence we have insufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis. The p-value is 0.3 which is higher than 0.05. Hence we can conclude that the population slope parameter A = 0. 6. The Fitted line is y = ax* + b where 'a' is the slope and 'b' is the intercept. From previous questions we have the results a = 0.0867 and 0.6091 At x* = 44, the value of the line is y = 0.0867(44) + 0.6091 = 4.424 At x* = 52, the value of the line is y = 0.0867(52) + 0.6091 = 5.118 At x* = 54, the value of the line is y = 0.0867(54) + 0.6091 = 5.291 The 95% confidence interval for mean of Y is given by the formula where a = 0.0867, b = 0.6091, x* = 44, 52 and 54, = 51.8, n = 10, s = 1.4995, Cxx = 267.6 and t8,0.025 = 2.306 At x* = 44, the confidence interval is 4.4239 1.9784 (2.4455, 6.4023) At x* = 52, the confidence interval is 5.1175 1.09428 (4.023, 6.21178) At x* = 54, the confidence... The value 0.9786 is contained in this interval and hence we have insufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis. The p-value is 0.3 which is higher than 0.05. Hence we can conclude that the population slope parameter A = 0. The tabulated value for t32 distribution at upper 5% significance level is 1.694. Since our test statistic value is higher than this value, we reject H0 at 10% significance level. The tabulated value for t32 distribution at upper 2.5% significance level is 2.037. The test statistic is lower than this. Hence we accept H0 at 5% level of significance. The estimated p-value should be between (0.05, 0.1) excluding the upper and lower limits. The result is statistically significant and we can conclude there is a difference in the mean profit outputs. Since we can only say that the means are not equal and cannot say about which is larger, we recommend carrying out one-sided test and then choosing about which course is best. This is reasonable as the sum of n-1 values of a sample gives the other value of the statistic and there is dependence between the n terms and so the degrees of freedom of sample size n are n - 1. As we infer about 2 samples it is reasonable to use 2(n-1) as degrees of freedom when the sample sizes and variances are equal.

Effect of Television on language development Essay

Effect of Television on language development - Essay Example Modern life is a haven of myriad issues that subject humanity to series of arguments and researches that seek to demystify and define these complex occurrences. Television, though relatively old, is a device that totally revolutionized the social lives of humanity. It brought into focus several issues of concern and continues to elicit heated debates regarding its effects on various aspects of human development and social life. Indeed, it must be emphasized that any technological invention must have its special repercussions on a particular sector of human life. Children today make up much of the population that spends much time in front of the television sets. Perhaps this occurs due to the ample time that children will usually have contrary to their parents and other adults. In that manner, several researches have been conducted with an aim of establishing the influences of television on children and establishing whether these effects are positive or detrimental. One particular iss ue regards the influence of television on children’s language development and the ascertainment of the myriad hypothesis that abound regarding this heated topic. It must be remembered that this concern actually arose out of the noticeable differences that were established after several years of observation that necessitated the commencement of this search of facts. Television programs are very many today with particular programs specifically meant for children through adults. For children, such programs mostly include comedies and other comical scenes that are meant for a child’s enjoyment. In most cases, these programs inhibit language development since the language used is never proper. In several cases, children organizations have raised concerns on the type of language used in some of these situations. The ability of a child to internalize basic concepts like language is normally very high in the early stages of development. As such, a television program that uses improper English may impart a lifelong discrepancy in a child. It is therefore appropriate that the concerned parties be very vigilant in their effort to ensure effective language use in television programs meant for children. In adults, this is never an issue, since most adults watch mostly news and documentaries, which are normally addressed in good languages. In most developed countries, it is established that by the time most children join high school, they shall have spent 15000 hours watching television. Well, that demands serious attention. The effect of such addiction emerges considering that in most of these countries; family planning has reduced most families to have two children. It then implies that a child will spent almost half of their pre-high school waking hours completely alone or with a brother or sister watching television. Indeed, the actual speaking of the language mostly enhances the development of proper language in children. The failure to frequently practic e the language will mean that a child will limit their ability of learning a language and will therefore be impaired in a way. Without doubt, television influences the mental occurrences of children as they simply sit and watch without stimulating their minds and subjecting themselves to reasoning that enhances their aptitude. The several arguments regarding the effects of television on language development majorly revolve around the lack of social interaction in children because of being too much glued to the sets. However, the role of parents in children development is an important aspect that needs much analysis. Several cases abound where parents also become addicted to watching television and thereby spent several hours alongside their children glued to their sets. In such a case,

Thursday, October 17, 2019

1. Who is Cathy Crowe 2. Who is Gabor Mate Essay

1. Who is Cathy Crowe 2. Who is Gabor Mate - Essay Example The book delves into stereotypes the homeless have to go through as they attempt to improve their living conditions. Crowe also creates the contrast existing in Canada, a country that is considered among the rich in the world but also has some of its citizens being homelessness. Crowe has also presented lectures on homelessness in different institutions and halls. Crowe serves as Ryerson University practitioner where she visits the institution to interact with students on matters around social justice covering topics such as affordable housing for al Canadians and homelessness in general. Crowe has adopted a practical approach in her lectures, which involves walking through the streets while discussing and demonstrating issues on health, poverty and homelessness (Shahzad, 2013). Due to her input into the homelessness debate, Crowe has received various recognitions including honorary degrees and awards such as the International Nursing Ethics Award while also featuring as the subject in a documentary â€Å"Street Nurse† produced by renowned filmmakers Emmy and Gemini (Diebel, 2010). MateÃŒ  is a renowned speaker and author focusing on subjects such as stress, various forms of addiction and childhood development. MateÃŒ  perspective in these subjects involves analysis of situations based on case histories, scientific investigations and personal reflections aimed to encourage, enlightens and empowers people to recover from particular mental conditions. Matà ©, a professional doctor derives his experience from years he served in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside where he interacted with many patients suffering from mental diseases HIV/AIDs and addicted to hard-core drugs. Additionally MateÃŒ  has over twenty years of experience in palliative care and family practice. Gabor Matà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s experience in mental illness is based on his past as a Jewish born in

If you could do one of the activities you listed in the Activities Essay

If you could do one of the activities you listed in the Activities Section of your Common Application, which one would you keeping doing Why(100 words) - Essay Example I love car-repair and practices it at all times. Notably, the requirements of mechanical engineering are always precise and applicable in almost all car functions. The description of cars and difference in functionality has always been attractions towards mechanics. I will never stop working with cars. Continuous car repair will give me ideas on the fundamental of expert artisanship and innovative technology. Moreover, I will gain more knowledge about car engine operations, maintenance and necessary precautions while handling automobiles. All-inclusive theoretical and practical knowledge are primary in the comprehension of mechanical engineering course. Working on car repairs will boost my understanding of the dynamics behind auto mechanics. Indeed, I will be able to keep up with continuous technological innovations in the car industry. I will also acquire the necessary analytical skills that can enable me to offer guidance to anybody that intends to purchase a car. Finally, I will perfect my skills through early exposure to mechanics as a preparation for future tasks of a mechanical

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

1. Who is Cathy Crowe 2. Who is Gabor Mate Essay

1. Who is Cathy Crowe 2. Who is Gabor Mate - Essay Example The book delves into stereotypes the homeless have to go through as they attempt to improve their living conditions. Crowe also creates the contrast existing in Canada, a country that is considered among the rich in the world but also has some of its citizens being homelessness. Crowe has also presented lectures on homelessness in different institutions and halls. Crowe serves as Ryerson University practitioner where she visits the institution to interact with students on matters around social justice covering topics such as affordable housing for al Canadians and homelessness in general. Crowe has adopted a practical approach in her lectures, which involves walking through the streets while discussing and demonstrating issues on health, poverty and homelessness (Shahzad, 2013). Due to her input into the homelessness debate, Crowe has received various recognitions including honorary degrees and awards such as the International Nursing Ethics Award while also featuring as the subject in a documentary â€Å"Street Nurse† produced by renowned filmmakers Emmy and Gemini (Diebel, 2010). MateÃŒ  is a renowned speaker and author focusing on subjects such as stress, various forms of addiction and childhood development. MateÃŒ  perspective in these subjects involves analysis of situations based on case histories, scientific investigations and personal reflections aimed to encourage, enlightens and empowers people to recover from particular mental conditions. Matà ©, a professional doctor derives his experience from years he served in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside where he interacted with many patients suffering from mental diseases HIV/AIDs and addicted to hard-core drugs. Additionally MateÃŒ  has over twenty years of experience in palliative care and family practice. Gabor Matà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s experience in mental illness is based on his past as a Jewish born in

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Health and Social Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Health and Social Care - Essay Example g. the development of Type II diabetes. However the most definable kind of aging is the chronological aging which refers to the advancement in years that people undergoes. (Marcia, 1980) As people age they undergone different changes in all aspects of their like. This paper will look into details of aging, the changes that people undergo as they age and the help they can get from social workers. Let us first look at the changes people undergo by looking at the factors that may lead to loss of identity. There are various factors that can lead to loss of identity as people age. These factors can take social and biological dimensions. Many studies have explored these factors and have described the role of biological and social factors that leads some aspects like dementia which cause loss of identity. Biological factors like cellular memory loss and degeneration of brain cells are have been pointed as leading factors in loss of identity. Protein damage of cells which can be attributed to biological process can be held responsible for change in the memory which leads to loss of identity. But biological factors needs the effects of the environment in order to express the genetic make up. So it is the social factors that can mostly be held responsible for this loss. It depends with the angle of your argument on loss of identity. We know ourselves We know ourselves because we identify ourselves. One of the greatest psychologists who looked closely at the theory of identity in aging was Erick Erickson. Erickson formulated several stages of development. Erickson's theory of personality insisted on the Freudian theory but can be described as Neo-Freudian. He was described by many other authors as ego psychologist from his work on stages of development. His study works is marked by a conflict whose resolution results in a favorable outcome. Erickson termed the favorable outcomes of each stage as virtues which come out of the conflict in each stage of growth. In his work on those conflicts, Erickson identifies two conflicts in the old age, Ego versus Despair. According to Erickson, the Ego identity enables each person to have a sense of individuality. Erickson described stressed that "Ego identity, then, in its subjective aspect, is the awareness of the fact that there is a self-sameness and continuity to the ego 's synthesizing method and a continuity of one's meaning for others. In his work, Erickson came up with the term "identity Crisis" which showed the actual conflicts that people undergone in life. He described identity crisis as a time which is marked by intensive analysis and exploration of different ways of in which somebody looks at oneself. He traced the identity crisis from the time of childhood and traces it up to the old age. In all these stages, Erickson identified different types of identity crisis that we undergo through in life. Erickson defined identity as "a subjective sense as well as an observable quality of personal sameness and continuity, paired with some belief in the sameness and continuity of some shared world image. As a quality of unself-conscious living, this can be gloriously obvious in a young person who has found himself as he has found his communality. In him we see emerge a unique unification of what is irreversibly given - that is, body type and temperament, giftedness and vulnerability, infantile models and

Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Research Paper Essay Review of related literature and studies After the computer became popular to the people, the developers of schools website are taking years after. Only Derrick Meador quoted the â€Å"More and more homes across the country have internet access and having a school website that is up-to-date and well-organized is a great way to reach the school community.† He is also the author of â€Å"The Importance of School Website† sourced (www.teaching.about.com). In past years the proposal of school sites are limited to. Because it’s not affordable to have it only few can make. But now, lots of schools want to be part in the market. Related Reading Base on My reading, school site, is now important to this generation because more students are in advance when it came to studies. And more students want to study in online, because they don’t have time to go to school when it comes to the school class schedule. Related Literature Related Studies In conducting a school webpage, it helps the school to be part of school official site. Today  ¾ of universities and colleges has already webpage, they make their school more demand to the market i.e. the Far Eastern University (FEU), University of the Philippines (UP), De Lassalle State University (DLSU), Anteneo de Manila University (AdMU) they have their school website. It is easy for them that they can have more enrolee’s next semester. Today, the webpage of school is very important and it is the demand to the market even in abroad, the foreign nation schools is more focus in making school website. There is an advantage having an official webpage and today the Schools they have their proposal to make school sites. The people will inquire or visit through online and it is easy for them that they can inquire through online.

Monday, October 14, 2019

History Of Persuasion Rhetoric English Language Essay

History Of Persuasion Rhetoric English Language Essay Rhetoric, the study of how human beings use symbols to communicate( Foss, Foss, Trapp, 2002), is one of the oldest concepts of human communication in the Western World which dates back to the fifth century B.C( Baldwin, Perry, Moffitt,2004). This field of study marked the advent of speech communication. A pivotal concept studied in the field of rhetoric is Persuasion. Such is the prominence of this particular phenomenon in this discipline that, in present times, the study of rhetoric is generally considered synchronous to the study of persuasive communication.( Baldwin et al, 2004). Persuasion stems from the three cultures which make up the classical rhetorical theory. It all started with the sophists, a body of Greek teachers, who wrote handbooks which defined methods of producing and delivering persuasive messages. The act of sophists charging money for their services and their strong criticism by Plato perpetuated an antisophistic sentiment which lead to their subsequent demise. By this time ( 428 -348 B.C) Plato had come to the forefront and professed the necessity of finding the absolute truth( Baldwin et al, 2004). Platos student Aristotle constructed a philosophy which drew from the ideologies advocated by the sophists as well as Plato, providing a sort of middle ground between completely relative to absolute unvarying truth.( Baldwin et al, 2004, pg 78). In his masterpiece The Rhetoric, Aristotle speaks of the three essential elements of an effective persuasive speech: ethos, pathos and logos. Ethos is the moral character of the speaker, pathos is taking into consideration the feelings of the audience members and logos is the accuracy of logic and argument in the speech.( OHair , Wiemann,2009). The current literature review primarily focuses on the role of pathos in persuasive messages. But before progressing in that direction, the most fundamental question which needs to be addressed is : What is persuasion? Persuasion and Interpersonal Influence Persuasion, at its very core, is an attempt to influence without direct coercion ( Dillard, Pfau, 2002). Daniel OKeefe in his book Persuasion: Theory and Research smartly pointed out that success is considered to be ingrained in the concept of persuasion. To make a claim that I was persuaded means that the attempt of influence was indeed successful. This influence attempt can either be to bring in a complete change in attitude and beliefs which is inclusive of emotions and behavior of another person or to just preserve this attitudinal change. (Dillard et al 2002). The early research work conducted on persuasion has primarily been with respect to a large audience setup ( Miller 1987). However, with the realization that almost 80 % of the influence attempts occur in close relationships( Dillard,Knobloch, 2002) the focus on research work has steered towards interpersonal influence which, as the name suggests, focuses on the persuasive message production and effects( dillard , knobloch , 2002) in interpersonal relationships. One of the main differences which crops up between the study of rhetoric and the study of persuasion theories is the fact that research on rhetoric is primarily humanistic while persuasion takes a more social scientific bend trying to explicate the variables which enhance or inhibit the probability of success of a persuasive message (Baldwin et al 2002). Affect, Emotion, Mood and Feelings : Same or different? Some researchers use the terms affect emotion and mood interchangeably, but these terms need to be delineated for a better understanding of each of their roles in persuasive communication( Guerrero, Anderson , Trost, 1998). Affect refers to the experience of feeling or emotion. Emotions are considered to be internal and have a primary focus on affect. Moods are longer lasting feelings (which are not as concrete and specific as emotions ( Clore, Shwartz,Conway, 1994 ; Frijda,1986 in Jorgenson,1998). A more detailed description of the terms are accounted for below. Affect Definition: Origin: There have been two contesting views on the source of affect. Studies conducted by Dillard and Wilson(1993) explicated the message irrelevant affect where the affect itself bears no logical relationship to the content of the message , it has nothing to do with the message whatsoever ( Dillard, Pfau,2002). This type of affect takes into account the emotional state existing prior to the reception of a persuasive message which has a significant impact on the message processing by an individual(Anderson, Guerrero,1998). The other view on the source of affect, the message induced affect (Dillard, Wilson, 1993) is one where affect is considered a part and parcel of the message evaluation, when messages are designed in a way to evoke certain emotions and feelings which serve as the basis of acceptance of the advocacy(Dillard, Pfau,2002). Dillard and Wilson(1993) refer to it as direct effect as the emotion occurs in direct response to a given message(Jorgenson,1998, pg.406). Structure of Affect Dillard and Meijenders(2002) accounted for three models of affect on which I am going to focus on as well. The first model is the Bipolar Valence Model. According to this model, affect should be structured as a single continuum with positive affect on one end of the spectrum and negative affect on the other. This model suggests how the pre-existing affective states have a considerable effect on how the receiver processes the message. The mood as information hypothesis in this regard states that positive mood or affective state of a receiver encourages heuristic message processing while negative moods elicit cognitive processing. Mood management hypothesis( Wegener and Petty,1996) was formulated as a challenge to the mood as information hypothesis which states that information processing depends on the affective state of the receiver in a different way. If the receiver feels that elaborative processing of a positive message can enhance his mood, he will indulge in it. The second model is the Two Dimensional Model. Dillard and Meijnders(2002) account for two types of two dimensional models. One model has pleasure as one dimension and arousal as the second one. The conceptual allure of this circumplex is its ability to explain affective experience as blends of pleasure and arousal (Reisenzein, 1994 in Dillard, Meijnders 2002). Empirical evidence shows that increased arousal inhibits systematic processing of messages. The second model in this category has two systems as the two dimensions. One of them, the behavioral approach system, facilitates goal directed behavior. The other one, behavioral inhibition system discourages behavior which may lead to undesired negative results.(Davidson,1993 ;Gray,1990 in Dillard, Meijnders, 2002, pg 316). The third and final model named the Discrete Emotion Model distinguished emotions from one another on the grounds that they are characterized by varied systemic changes( Dillard and Meijenders,2002). The main function of this model is to elicit the fact that each emotion has distinct effects on a variety of persuasive outcomes.( Dillard and Meijenders, 2002). Information Processing Models After the persuasive message has been disseminated, the audience member processes the information in different ways depending on factors such as the message features and audience members emotional and affective state. Different models of information processing are formulated based on these caharacteristics. Message Relevant Models : Elaboration Likelihood Model as well as Heuristic Systematic Processing ( as a dual process model as) postulate two distinct modes of message analysis. The Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion is an approach developed by Richard Petty,John Caciaoppo and their associates(1986a,1986b) which postulates that there can be two different routes to persuasion depending on the extent to which the argument is elaborated, by the central route or by the peripheral route( Anderson, Guerrero,1998). The central route is when the receiver of the message weighs the argumentative quality of the message and processes the message using sound logic and reason whereas peripheral route is when the receiver of the message uses cues such as mood(Anderson, Guerrero,1998) to react to the persuasive message. When the receivers motivation is low and he is unable to judge the cognitive aspects of the message, i.e., he performs low elaboration of the message, the receiver is then generally guided by simpler heuristic principles such as credibility, liking, and consensus (O Keefe, 2002). On the other hand, during extensive elaboration, the content of the mes sage takes predominance over the peripheral cues. Jorgensen(2002) argues that emotional appeals are more effective as persuasive tools during low elaboration and even brings about attitude change in the receiver, however such attitude change is more fleeting than those brought about by the central route processing.(authors, pg409). The Heuristic Systematic Processing model is also used to explain the message processing methods used by receivers of persuasive messages. According to this model, there are two ways by which a receiver will judge a message, either by Systematic processing or by Heuristic Processing. Dillard and Peck ( 2000) in their article on evaluation of Public Service announcements succinctly describe both approaches in this model with reference to how the audience perceives the persuasive health campaign messages. They state that systematic processing is contemplative analytic and responsive to the argumentative quality of the message while heuristic processing involves the usage of shortcut decision making rules called heuristics to make a faster decision. Many researchers have stated that affect serves as the basis of the heuristics in heuristic reasoning. Emotion is, perhaps, the psychological heuristic key to human survival( pg 735, persuasion handbook). WHEN ARE THE TWO USED? Appraisal Theory : The appraisal theory explains the simple causal sequence through which emotions arise in the following steps : the message is produced by the speaker, perceived by the hearer and then appraised by the hearer. The receiver makes a judgment call by appraising the message against the dimension of the resultant personal harm or benefit and depending upon the extent of the judgment, an emotion arises( iv). In a nutshell, this theory suggests that a message may engender emotions as a result of the receivers judgment or not evoke any emotions all together. Appraisal Pattern: Message Irrelevant Models Effect of Mood on Persuasion More than models, three hypotheses govern the explanation of how mood has a substantial effect on message processing. We have already discussed how the elaboration of a message affects the message processing by the receiver. Now, we shift our attention to the reasons behind the differing elaboration of the message by the receiver. As suggested by Blumenthal () , the mood regulation hypothesis states that cognitive information processing of a persuasive message is influenced by the receivers mood. If the receiver is in a positive mood , he is motivated to steer away from a deep analysis of the message for it might take him out of that good mood. Similarly , if someone is in a negative mood, he is more likely to evaluate the incoming stimuli more carefully. Thus positive mood involves heuristic cognitive processing of a communication message and negative mood is synchronous with the in depth systematic processing of the message. The motivational hypothesis also has a similar line of belief. It states that the use of peripheral or systematic processing to evaluate a message depends upon the mood of the receiver; if the person is in a certain mood, he might be predisposed to choose a certain method of message processing over another. For example the research conducted by Isen(1991) suggests that people in a good emotional state are more inclined towards low elaboration of a message as they just want to hold on to their positive mood( handbook). On the other hand, people in bad moods tend to be in a threatened mentality where in they want to judge every message carefully to be sure to not make costly judgments about the state of the world( Jorgensen). The motivational hypothesis also sheds light on the way the argumentative quality of the message is perceived in different emotional states. Recipients of strong arguments should be more persuaded when they are in a bad mood and conversely, recipients of weak argu ments should be more persuaded when they are in a good mood. This shows that the mood plays an instrumental role in deciding the acceptance of the message as well as its argumentative quality. The cognitive capacity hypothesis can be considered as an extension of the motivational hypothesis as together with asserting that affective states do influence the information processing capacity of the receiver it also states that these affective states may also interfere with the information processing. However it fails to state which affective state acts as the hindrance because under different circumstances different affective states can become the hindrance. This claim is elucidated by Dillard and Nabi(2006) when they posited that different emotional states can enhance or inhibit persuasive success and that under different circumstances the same emotional states may inhibit or enhance persuasive processes. Understanding that emotional appeals play an important and legitimate role in the process of persuasion is an important first step for communication researchers. Emotions: Emotion plays a major role in various forms of persuasive communication, from politics to health communication to advertisements. Aristotle stated that persuasion is accomplished by the interplay of three forms of rhetorical proof( real communication ph 461), ethos which reflects the speakers trustworthiness and moral character; logos which stands for a well reasoned and structured argument and finally pathos which denotes the audiences feelings. Even though everyday attempts of persuasion depend heavily on emotional appeals, emotion is the one variable which has had very little inquiry. There can be many reasons for this discrepancy. One of them could be the over emphasis of logic over emotion, researchers have always treated logic as a superior dimension in the construction of persuasive messages(Jergenson,1998). On the other hand Seibold, Cantrill and Meyers(1985 p559) point out that most of the times emotion is taken for granted. Since emotion is so effortlessly incorporated in most of our day to day persuasive messages that researchers just assume its effectiveness in the persuasive process rather than tes ting its operation( vi). Jorgensen(1998) posits the two competing notions of studying emotions: one of them states that emotion is not an integral part of the persuasion process rather it is a offshoot of the communicative process. In this view, emotions are looked upon as inherent states of the receiver, ones which do not have any direct relation with the persuasive message. The other view suggests that emotions are an integral part of the persuasive messages and emotional appeals are explicitly used to bring in attitude change thus accomplishing the primary goal of the persuasive process. Affect, Emotion, Feeling and Mood Affect refers to the experience of feeling or emotion. Emotions are considered to be internal and have a primary focus on affect. Together with this, emotions are also thought to be specific, focused and foregrounded in consciousness.(v) . The concept of emotion becomes clearer when seen in comparison with mood. Unlike emotion, moods are considered to be longer lasting feelings which may not be about anything specific. Instances like I am happy because I feel good , which do not have any sound and concrete reasons backing up the resulting emotion are considered to be moods. Moods are also not characterized by a specific outcome stimuli and even though mood seems to be something which is fleeting and diffusive, it does have serious effects on message information processing. (Geurrero, Andersen, troust,1998). Before we delve into that part of research, we will look a bit more in details on emotion. There are three ways in which emotions can be conceptualized : the discrete emotions approach, the prototype approach and the dimensional approach. The discrete emotion approach pivots around a central claim, emotions guide behavior(handbook of persuasion pg 318). As the name suggests, this approach considers each emotion to be discrete and also postulates that each emotion supplies a unique information manifesting distinct patterns of cognitive change( handbook). This means that if each emotion has a distinct pattern of behavioral change, then these emotions should also elicit distinct effects of persuasion. In the dimensional approach, emotions are categorized according to different dimensions like valence, activity and intensity. The prototype approach offers a middle ground position between discrete emotional approach and dimensional approach by categorizing emotions by a number of characteristics like valence, functions and expressions( pg 19 , guerrero, Anderson and trost). Emotional Appeal and Emotional Arousal: The meaning of appeal is to request for change. Emotional appeal is hence an appeal through emotions. Considering that emotional appeals are profusely implemented in everyday persuasive attempts, the limited attention and research on emotionality is astounding. There can be many reasons for this neglect. One of them could be the over emphasis of logic over emotion, researchers have always treated logic as a superior dimension in the construction of persuasive messages(Jergenson,1998). On the other hand Seibold, Cantrill and Meyers(1985 p559) point out that most of the times emotion is taken for granted. Since emotion is so effortlessly incorporated in most of our day to day persuasive messages that researchers just assume its effectiveness in the persuasive process rather than testing its operation( vi). Dillard and Wilson(1993) claim until the 1960s, research on emotions was negated by many of the social sciences on the grounds of it not being in accordance with the theory of logica l positivism. Although the recognition of the importance of emotion from a communication perspective( Jorgenson,1998) gained prominence in the 1980s.(Dillard and Wilson 1993). Through research it was realized that the effectiveness of persuasive messages in highly enhanced when the message incorporates both flawless logic as well as the effective arousal of the receivers emotions.(Arnold,1985). Emotional persuasion is this the method by which the message receiver is persuaded through the arousal of emotion or through appeal to expected emotion. Sometimes the message producers include emotional appeals in the messages, intending to arouse a certain sort of emotion in the receiver which would increase the effectiveness of the persuasive message. However, the interpretation of the message by the audience member may have three possibilities; after the receiver appraises the message, the intended emotion will be invoked in him; multiple emotions are invoked in the receiver or no emotions are evoked altogether. Thus the study of emotional appeals has been done by a trial and error method ( Jorgenson, 1998) and also challenges the principle of the CFM model(Nabi,1999) to an extent. The cfm model states that the message producers should firstly decide which emotion they want to evoke to achieve their persuasive goals and then construct the message in a way to reflect the core relational theme or the crux of that emotion. This model points out one of the processes of emotional arousal. Another generic way of arousing emotions is by incorporating a novel stimuli in the message. It has been observed that often times prior knowledge may inhibit emotional arousal(iii). There are certain emotional appeals which evoke negative emotions in the audience member for example fear appeals in specific health campaign messages. In such messages, when the emotional arousal is followed up with effective and feasible ways to overcome the fear, this strategy is very effective in increasing the persuasiveness of the message. For example, when a commercial on AIDS elicits fear in the audience member, the next step should be to also inform the audience member about safe sex, the usage of condoms and other preventive measures which reassures the audience member as well. Walton(1992) states that many a times emotional appeals in messages are either irrelevant, i.e. , it is not pertinent to the message being conveyed or they are used as tools to camouflage the weakness of an argument being presented to inappropriately influence the listener(vi). Thus, even though it is the receivers perception of the emotion induced message which guides his attitude and the subsequent action, the receiver should be careful of the way in which he reaches his conclusion about the persuasive message. Thus from the above observations it can be summarized that the efficacy of a persuasive message from the stand point of a receiver can be measured in three parameters : the credibility of the source , the effective emotional arousal by the message and finally the provision of feasible measures to cater to the emotion( vi). Structure of Affect and Future Research :

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Melvilles Men :: Argumentative Argument Philosophy Papers

Melville's Men The body of this argument lies in a meager psychoanalysis of Melville. I have had to take a very broad approach, look at Melville purely as a man. I have attempted to put the reader into Melville's head, where I have attempted to put myself. To better achieve this I discuss much of Melville's background, hoping to give the reader a sense of what he had experienced. I have written with confidence, but hopefully not too much, you must decide for yourselves what of mine you feel is right. It is always very hard to use psychoanalytical approaches, because, as the mind is a mystery, it is all ultimately unproved. All psychoanalytical opinion is based on event, as all psychology is based on the idea that men are shaped by experience. I speculate below, on things I cannot really know, and I do this only to achieve some rough personal connections between Melville and his Moby-Dick. It serves me, and I hope you as well. Herman Melville might have been a homosexual, or at least, a lover of men. Of course the word, "Homosexual" did not exist in Melville's time and so he could not really be a homosexual. Besides this, there is little to no evidence that Melville ever did, or desired to engage in genital, homosexual sex. There is no way of knowing that he was homosexual, but there are many implications that he at least had strong affections toward men. The question is: How was this reflected in what is generally considered to be Melville's greatest work, Moby-Dick? Or one could even ask, how does the homoeroticism, ever present in Moby-Dick, reflect on Melville's own sexuality? Because homoeroticism, or rather, male friendships are such a large theme in Moby-Dick, one might also think to ask what it all means to the greater message of the book. The parallels between Melville's own sexual identity and the sexual identity of his protagonist, Ishmael are quite strong. Thus it follows that Moby-Dick might h ave been Melville's attempt to understand his own sexuality and its' course, or at least his fantasy. Sigmund Freud theorized that while most male children are secretly attracted to their mothers, homosexual male children harbor attraction toward their fathers. While I am not calling him a homosexual, it seems clear to me that Melville's relationship with his father must have effected him. I assume the effect to be negative, because, Allan Melville was not a model father.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Internet Censorship Essays -- Argumentative Web Cyberspace Essays

Internet Censorship The freedom of speech that was possible on the Internet could now be subjected to governmental approvals. For example, China is attempting to restrict political expression, in the name of security and social stability. It requires users of the Internet and electronic mail (e-mail) to register, so that it may monitor their activities. In the United Kingdom, state secrets and personal attacks are off limits on the Internet. Laws are strict and the government is extremely interested in regulating the Intern et with respect to these issues.10 Laws intended for other types of communication will not necessarily apply in this medium. Through all the components of the Internet it becomes easy to transfer material that particular governments might find objectionable. However, all of these means of communicating on the Internet make up a large and vast system. For inspectors to monitor every e-mail, every article in every Newsgroup, every Webpage, every IRC channel, every Gopher site and every FTP site would be near impossible. Besides taking an extraordinary amount of money and time, attempts to censor the Internet violate freedom of speech rights that are included in democratic constitutions and international laws.11 It would be a breach of the First Amendment. The Constitution of the United States of America declares that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redr ess of grievances 12 Therefore it would b e unconstitutional for any sort of censorship to occur on the Internet and affiliated services. Despite the illegality, restrictions on Internet access and content are increasing worldwide under all forms of government. In France, a co untry where the press generally has a large amount of freedom, the Internet has recently been in the spotlight. A banned book on the health history of former French president Francois Mitterrand was republished electronically on the World Wide Web (WWW). Apparently, the electronic reproduction of Le Grand Secret by a third party wasn't banned by a court that ruled that the printed version of the book unlawfully violated Mitterrand's privacy. To enforce censorship of the Internet, free societi... ... distributed, as well it shows the difficulty in preventing material deemed inappropriate from appearing where it shouldn't. The Internet is much too complex a network for censorship to effectively occur. It is a totally new and unique environment in which communications transpire. Existing laws are not applicable to this medium. The lack of tangible boundaries causes confusion as to where violations of law take place. The Internet is made up of nameless interaction and anonymous communication. The intricacy of the Internet makes it near impossible to delete data that has been publicized. No one country should be allowed to, or could, regulate or censor the Internet. Bibliography Bradford, Bryan and Mark Krumholz. Telecommunications and Decency: Big Brother goes Digital. Business Today Spring 1996 : 12-16. Gates, Bill. Searching for middle ground in online censorship. Microsoft Corporation. http://www.microsoft.com/corpinfo/bill-g/column/1996essay/censorship.htm (27 Mar. 1996). Irwin, Heather. Geeks Take to the Streets. Hotwired.com. http://www.hotwired.com/special/indecent/rally.html Jefferson, Thomas. Bill Of Rights. The Constitution of the United States.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Groups marginalised in Society Essay

One of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society are people with an intellectual disability. Developmentally delayed individuals need a wide range of leisure programmes to choose from. The principle of Normalization has led to equal rights for people with special needs. Providing people with inclusive leisure programmes with non-disabled persons assists with their socialisation. However, lack of tolerance in the community at large, financial constraints, difficulties in accessing transport as well as skill deficiencies can inhibit some people from participating (Paterson & Taylor, 2002). People with disabilities often feel isolated, with little support from family and friends. This can inhibit them from being able to attend recreational activities. It is important that changes of attitude occur in mainstream society to assist the person with a disability to achieve a ‘better quality of life’. (Patterson & Taylor, 2001). Marginalised groups often are stigmatised, discriminated against and excluded from society. (Goffman,1997). This is certainly the case for people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Negative community responses, especially fear of HIV, often leave the person in despair and with lowered of self-esteem (Edington et al, 1998). They have to cope with loss of employment and rejection by members of professional and social networks and as a result they feel isolated and impoverished. The Aids Council of New South Wales (ACON) has responded by offering individual programmes as well as a network of social groups for leisure activities. A caseworker from AC (Aids Council) explained that it is extremely difficult for the HIV/AIDS affected person to participate in ‘mainstream’ activities because of negative attitudes and stigmatisation. Poverty is disproportionately high amongst minority and ethnic groups. Issues such as discrimination in finding employment, accessing education and training prevents individuals from achieving success. One study by Vescio et al, 1999, investigated sports participation and attitudes towards girls attending high schools in Sydney. It was found that participation by girls from non-English speaking backgrounds was significantly lower than those of Anglo-Australian culture. Barriers experienced by the girls included language, cultural and religious aspects. Cultural differences, prejudice,  discrimination and ignorance of ethnic groups often lead to isolation (Hibbins, 1998). These factors greatly inhibit ethnic communities from participating in leisure activities. Society needs to become more understanding of cultural diversity and tolerance of religious difference. Goffman, E, 1997, Selections from Stigma. In The disability studies reader, ed., L. Davis, Routledge, London, pp.203-215. Hibbins, R., 1998, Leisure and ethnic diversity in Australia. In Tourism, leisure and sport: Critical perspectives, eds.D. Rowe & G. Lawrence. Hodder Education. Sydney, pp.100-111. Patterson, I., & Taylor, T., 2001, Celebrating inclusion and diversity in leisure. Vescio, J.A., Taylor, T., Toohey, T., 1999, An exploration of sports participation by girls from a non-English speaking backgrounds.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Consider how Shakespeare presents madness Essay

Consider how Shakespeare presents madness in the play and explain whether you think it does illustrate how, â€Å"something is rotten in the state of Denmark. † One of the main themes in Hamlet is that of madness. Shakespeare conveys madness through not only Hamlet but through other characters as well, such as Ophelia, to covey that that the state of Denmark is rotten. At the beginning of the play, the first thing introduced are the night watchmen seeing the ghost. This is at the beginning because it is the first event in the chain that eventually leads to Hamlet seeking revenge for his father’s death. Although he was upset by his father’s death and his mother’s ‘o’erhasty marriage’, it was the revelation that his father was murdered that he thinks that he must take revenge. When Horatio first speaks to the ghost he recognises that it is unnatural for it to be there; â€Å"What art thou that unsurp’st this time of night†, illustrating that he feels that the ghost has ‘wrongfully seized’ the night. The atmosphere is unsettling and the ghost’s unnatural appearance is a sign of the bad things going on in Denmark, especially the court; â€Å"This bodes some strange eruption to our state. † During the times that the play was written, unusual things that happened were seen as a sign that something was not right in the courts; â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark†. This could be referring either to the whole of Denmark, or just the courts. It is after Hamlet sees the ghost that he decides that he will pretend to be mad; â€Å"put an antic disposition on†, but he does not want his friends to tell anyone what they have seen or that he is feigning madness; â€Å"Never make known what you have seen tonight†, as he believes that this way he can find means to exact his revenge on Claudius for killing his father; â€Å"And thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain†, meaning that all he shall have in his thoughts is how the ghost of his father told him to exact revenge on Claudius. This is the first step in the theme of madness for the play. Although Hamlet clearly says that he will be putting on his madness, it is uncertain whether actually he does go mad during the play, as illustrated in his outbursts towards his mother and Ophelia, and the murder of Polonius. There is much deception during the play, such as Claudius trying to gloss over the fact that he knows that his marriage to Gertrude could be seen as incest by the Church and that Hamlet should have been the rightful heir to the throne; â€Å"Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature that we with wisest sorrow think on him together with remembrance of ourselves. † He says that he is mourning and feels that mourning is appropriate for the old king, but he must think of himself, perhaps hinting at the fact that the death was convenient for him and he has had enough of mourning. This is characteristic of him throughout the play as all he has done and will do is for his own self interest, as when Hamlet asks if he can leave the castle, Claudius refuses, saying; â€Å"And we beseech you, bend you to remain here in the cheer and comfort of our eye†. He appears to be asking him to stay for his comfort, but he actually wants to keep an eye on him because he knows that he is still a threat to him and the throne. He at first seemed to want Hamlet to become like a son to him, but that changes as soon as he realises he could be a threat to him. He also continually uses the words ‘we’, ‘our’ and ‘us’ to establish himself as the husband of Gertrude and the King of Denmark. Polonius comments; â€Å"with pious action we do sugar o’er the devil himself†. To which Claudius replies as an aside; â€Å"The harlot’s cheek, beautied with plastering art, is not more ugly to the thing that helps it than is my deed to my most painted word. † Claudius admits that he is covering up the truth, continuing the theme of deception, adding to the audience’s awareness of the rottenness of Denmark. As there becomes more deception and secrecy throughout the play, it seems that the imagery in the language reflects the deception, and images of disease are used; â€Å"For the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion†. This could be language to refer to how that state of Denmark is rotting, but also Hamlet’s language seems to reflect his turmoil as he tried to decide what to do about Claudius, and as he gets more frustrated with himself he becomes more abusive towards his mother and Ophelia; â€Å"You are keen my lord, you are keen. † â€Å"It would cost you a groaning to take off mine edge. † He is taunting Ophelia using double meaning. Hamlet is very good at creating double meanings, like when he says to Claudius; â€Å"I am to much i’th’sun†, which he says as if he is in too much sunshine but also he is saying that he feels too much like Claudius’s son. Later in the play the text says; â€Å"It will but skin and film the ulcerous place, whiles rank corruption, mining all within, infects unseen. † He is saying that corruption, like infection starts within, and the corruption of Denmark will begin with the court. This also links in with madness because madness also starts from within – within the mind, and perhaps it is saying that just one unstable mind could bring down all the state. Another way that Shakespeare presents madness in the play is through Ophelia. She goes mad after Hamlet kills her father, but also because of the way Hamlet treated her – cruelly. He said to her that he loved her, and there were some hints that he had been intimate with her, but he treats her badly and even tells her that he does not love her. She has been a victim of a corrupt society – from Hamlet leaving her and from her father, such as using her as a pawn to spy on Hamlet. After she has become mad, she sings many songs. The first one that she sings is, ‘How should I you true love know’. This song could be her recalling the death of her father; â€Å"He is dead and gone lady, he is dead and gone. † This is the first thing that comes into her mind to sing about, so it must be the thing that is foremost in her mind. It could also be that she is recalling how Hamlet is now lost to her, and she is still looking for her true love, because it seems obvious that she has not found him yet. However, the rest of the songs seem to be about Hamlet, as they are about lost love and some of them imply that Ophelia had been sexually intimate with Hamlet; â€Å"Quoth she, before you tumbled me you promised me to wed†. It seems that both her father and Hamlet are responsible for Ophelia’s madness, and this is reiterated by what Ophelia sings about. Ophelia was controlled all the men in her life, and this was customary for the time, but it seems that they took too much of a hold on her, with none of them considering her feelings, for her father told her to no longer speak to Hamlet as it could affect his career, Laertes also told her to stay away from Hamlet and Hamlet was cruel to her. She also says, after her first song; â€Å"They say the owl was a baker’s daughter. † This could just be nonsense, but it could also be referring to her father, saying that once she was the daughter of a man in the court, but now she is just the daughter of a dead old man. Polonius did help the corruption in Denmark, such as spying and trying to make sure his own career was safe, and because of him Ophelia is mad. Hamlet also said that he loved Ophelia, and whereas before he was tender, due to the corruption around him and his succumbing to it, he was a factor in Ophelia’s madness, which eventually led to her suicide. By the actions of people around her, Ophelia is tainted by the corruptness around, as Hamlet says in the beginning of the play says that she is pure, but later on says she is wanton like all women, and tells her; â€Å"to a nunnery go. † This could be to send her to be protected, or it could be a sarcastic remark telling her to go to a brothel. One of the other reasons that cause Hamlet’s torment is his indecisiveness. He says during one of his soliloquies: â€Å"O what a rogue and peasant slave am I! † He is berating himself for not taking action when his father has been murdered, while the player can make himself cry for a fictitious character. He could also be saying that he is not worth anything in the court now, as his father is dead, yet he is not king when he should be. When Claudius is attempting to pray in the Church, Hamlet says that he did not want to kill him until he was sure that he would be sent straight to hell with no hope of being sent to heaven, for example if he was laying in ‘incestuous sheets’. However, this could have been just another excuse at putting the task off, for he seemed to offer no resistance when Claudius sent him to England. This may not have been his fault, as Claudius shows himself throughout the play as being a very manipulative person. He has taken the throne and Gertrude. He has Polonius spying for him, and he also gets Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who are Hamlet’s friends from school to spy on him and eventually gives a letter to the English King requesting that he murder Hamlet. Perhaps Hamlet is even jealous that Claudius, who he hates, can take such action when he himself cannot. It seems that Claudius is the main source of corruption in the play, and also he is the reason that Hamlet decides to pretend to be mad, for it was Claudius that started off the chain of events, with killing Hamlet’s father. It was he that murdered Hamlet the king, corrupted Gertrude, encouraged Polonius to spy and eventually murdered which in turn caused Ophelia’s madness and Laertes’s downfall. He is described by Hamlet as a; â€Å"Smiling damni d villain†, picturing Claudius as full of deception where he is hiding his evil deeds. This has had an effect on the whole court, and indeed the whole of Denmark, for the text says; â€Å"This heavy-headed revel east and west makes us traduced and taxed of other nations. They clepe us drunkards, and with swinish phrase soil our addition. † The Danish are said to be drunks, and later Claudius himself describes them as ‘false Danish dogs’, for he believes that they are still only loyal to Hamlet. Hamlet acknowledges all of this corruption, even in the beginning of the play when he says; â€Å"’tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely. † Hamlet sees at the very beginning that things are starting to turn bad, and he can feel, like the attendants at the beginning, that something is not right. Hamlet feels surrounded by madness around him, and he feels that the only way he can make sense of all this and to find means for his revenge is to put on an â€Å"antic disposition† and pretend to be mad. This seems to be a reflection of the state around him – that something is not right, however towards the end of the play it is unsure whether he has actually gone mad, being affected by his surroundings, for his actions do change dramatically, and although he does not act in the way Ophelia does when she is mad, he is a changed person. All of the other main characters are corrupted, and Hamlet despises this. One of the reasons that he puts off killing Claudius could be that it goes against what he knows is right. He wished that he would have the strength to avenge his father; â€Å"Now could I drink hot blood and do such bitter business as the day would quake to look on. † He was born a thinker, but he asks that; â€Å"My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! † He wishes that he were able to have passion like the player and act like Fortinbras. Eventually this does happen, as Ophelia comments on; â€Å"O, what a noble mind is here overthrown! The courtier’s, soldier’s, scholar’s eye, tongue, sword, th’expectancy and rose of the fair state, the glass of fashion and the mould of form, th’observed of all observers. † Ophelia sees how has changed, and believes that he truly has gone mad, for he has changed into what he hated most. He kills Polonius, with no real regret, disregards Ophelia’s feelings and his mother’s, sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths without regret and does in the end kill Laertes and Claudius. However, there still is some of the old Hamlet left in him, for after Ophelia has died he says that he always did love her, so perhaps he shunned her so that he would have a clear mind to be able to think about his revenge. Also he apologised to Laertes before they fight, perhaps seeing something of himself in him, for his father was murdered as was Hamlet’s. This shows that Hamlet has not yet completely given way to the corruption of Denmark. Just before Hamlet dies, he claims that the throne should be given to Fortinbras. Hamlet admired Fortinbras for his action, and he was quite like Hamlet, his father being killed and he being usurped from the throne. Fortinbras accepts the throne and orders that Hamlet’s body be treated with respect; â€Å"Let four captains, bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage, for he was likely, had he been put on, to have proved most royal†. Fortinbras believes that Hamlet would have been a good king, and perhaps he might have had he have not been corrupted by the state of Denmark. Fortinbras survived, seemingly because he came from outside Denmark, and as did Horatio, not only because he was a good friend to Hamlet, but as Hamlet said; â€Å"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. † Hamlet believed that Horatio was unable to see the corruption that infected Denmark, and because of this he was untainted by it, this perhaps being a reason why Horatio does not die in the play. Bibliography Cambridge School Shakespeare – Hamlet by William Shakespeare, edited by Richard Andrews and Rex Gibson. Longman 1988, critical essays, Hamlet – The State of Denmark by Alan Gardiner, editors – Linda Cookson and Bryan Loughrey.