Normal and Pathological mourning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8500 words

Normal and Pathological mourning - Essay Example The object thus is to evaluate the understanding of a model of mourning and object loss in the light of academic perspectives and to define a demarcation between normal and pathological mourning. Finally in the light of case studies and examples drawn from academic literature the Paper culminates with an attempt to formulate a diagnostic approach to facilitate better handling of mourning and grief which may turn depressive There are many ways in which we view the world and ourselves. We can go inward or go outward, forward or backward. Precisely defining the psychological processes which takes place in experiences and express it into certain behavior pattern has always been contentious and has occupied the minds of thinkers through out the ages, that is since the time people probably developed the faculty of introspection and analysis1. The obvious importance of knowing self, knowing the most innermost processes which goes on as we tackle everyday life lies in several assumptions about ourselves which without having a frame into which we can view ourselves will lead to a sort of a vicious intellectual cycle and places us in a paradoxical situation due to uncertainties, when unknowns overtake our attempt at articulation. And here lies the importance of the field of study opened by Freud and the array of thinkers and researchers which followed this path of probing for the very nature of our being including the innermost recesses of the mind, the unconscious. It is essential to abandon the overvaluation of the property of being conscious before it becomes possible to form any correct view of the origin of what is mental. In Lipps's words, the unconscious must be assumed to be the general basis of psychical life. The unconscious is the larger sphere, which includes within it the smaller sphere of the conscious. (Freud) To Freud, the influence of the unconscious is such that it shapes personality and behavior and understanding how the unconscious world has enormous significance as knowing the reality of the external world. This suggests that the internal psychical process which may be unarticulated is intimately related to processes which gather and process such sense data from the external world. To Freud every thing conscious "has an unconscious preliminary state," and the unconscious is "incompletely presented by the data of consciousness as is the external world by the communication of our sense organs ("The Interpretation of Dreams," 1900). We come then to a possible key principle in trying to understand the functionality of the unconscious as it may frame object loss and consequent psychological reaction to it which we may call the incompleteness principle. In such an observe phenomenon of mourning for example how was this complex of emotions could be triggered and brought to consciousness and how this "incompleteness" could lead to anxiety deep seated in the recess of the unconscious could enormously aid in facilitating awareness on the part of the mourner especially those which may have strong indication of

Lord of the Flies Essay Example for Free

Lord of the Flies Essay Lord of the flies has been called â€Å"a fable in which the characters are symbols for abstract ideas,† and there are many ways in which the characters can be viewed. One way, for instance, is comparing them to Sigmund Freud’s theory of id, ego, and superego: the boys being like a metaphorical person, where Jack is the id, Ralph the ego, and Piggy the superego. It is an appropriate allegation because of the fact that id, ego, and superego all have specific traits that match those of these three characters. The id wants, with no consideration for the reality of the situation. In the beginning of the novel we are shown Jack marching his choirboys across the beach in the way a militia leader would, making them halt and stand to. Already we are shown the image of a boy who loves, and wants, power. We see it in the way he demands and commands. Jack is the type of person who throws a tantrum when he doesn’t get exactly what he wants. He is always sticking his knife into a tree in a fit of rage, or trying to prove himself in some way. When he see’s he can’t be leader he tries to make up for his own feelings of inadequacy by proving that he can hunt and kill a pig. He does this to try and show the rest of the tribe his talents and qualities. Most all human beings have a basic desire to rise up, prove themselves and win praise and happiness, which is apart of their id. In Jacks case he craves power and attention and he will, by all means necessary, achieve it. Unlike Jack, we see Ralph: the ego. The ego is a persons own morals and standards that hold the id in check. In a way it is one’s personal Jiminy Cricket. Ralph knows right from wrong very well and we can see he has been raised to have virtuous morals by the way he acts towards the others on the island. When he left piggy to go explore with the two other boys, you could tell immediately that he had a moral conflict by the way that he quickly ran back to piggy to apologize. This shows that Ralph has a deep sense of principle, which is one of his best leadership qualities. When Piggy’s glasses were stolen, Ralph was upset that Jack no longer had morals and standards, like he did. He was also upset that Jack’s id had taken over most of the group and that they gave into their most basic, savage instincts. As the id, Ralph keeps Jack in check, and stands between him and Piggy, who happens to be the superego. The superego is considered society’s morals and standards that one must conform to. The superego goes hand-in-hand with the ego to try and keep the id in check. Here Piggy is like Ralph â€Å"right hand man†. Piggy is constantly reminding everyone that they should behave like mature adults act properly even though the grownups aren’t around. The little ones are always running about and messing around leaving the older children to build the shelter and the fire and gather wood and water. Piggy talks about what the grownups would do and how they should do everything like that. Lord of the Flies proves to be a novel of many abstract ideas. Though Golding may not have meant to allude to Freud’s id, ego, and superego theory in his novel, there certainly were many suggestions and many ways to interoperate the characters and their actions.

The Philippines And The United States :: essays research papers

The Philippines and The United States The Philippines and the United States are very two populated place but still very different in many ways. The United States has more job opportunities than the Philippines. So, there more successful people in America today. In the Philippines, the percentage of arable land is 34% mean there is plenty of manufactured goods, clothing, and lumber there. The birth rate is 35.9 per 1,000 population per year. The death rate is 7.8 per 1,000 population per year. In the Philippines, most households have maids to do there chores. The house owners work so many hours a day that they need house sitter that will take care of the house and kids. The population in the Philippines is around 59.9 Million which is fairly large for the land capacity of the Philippines . At the Philippines, there are 15 telephones per 1,000 population and 114 televisions per 1,000 population. The Philippines exports manufactured goods, clothing and lumber while they import petroleum products, machinery, and raw materials. Also in the Philippines, there are a lot of young people compared to the United States. 42% of the population is under 15. At the Philippines, females live to an average of 65.5 years old while the men live to an average of 61.8 years old. The United States is a hole different place in many ways. The population of the united states is around 248.7 Million. The United States Exports Machinery, food(Miscellaneous), and Chemicals. And they import Petroleum, petroleum products, and motor vehicles. People in the United states tend to live longer than the people in the Philippines. Females live around to the age of 78.3 while the males live around to the age of 71.4. There are 769 telephones per 1,000 population and 769 televisions per 1,000 population. There is 21% arable land in the United states. Many people have moved to the United States seeking for a better life. At the United states, there are 3,679,192 square

Psychology Research Essay

What are the main points of both articles? Anxiety Disorder: Panic Attacks. It can happen anytime, anywhere. Unexpectedly, out of the blue, your heart starts to speed up, your face goes red and you go through shortness of breath. One feels dizzy, nauseated and out of control. A number of people even think like they’re dying. Such may be a person experiencing a panic attack — a sudden occurrence of powerful fear that induces grave physical reactions in the body (Campbell, 2002). Several people, believing they’re having a heart attack, go to the emergency room. Others try to disregard the signs and symptoms, not comprehending that they’re experiencing a panic attack. A lot of women than men are disturbed by panic attacks. One-month prevalence estimates for women are 0.7% versus 0.3% for men (i.e., women are more likely to be affected than men by a 2- to 3-fold factor) (Daniels et al, 2006). And some people are experiencing frequent panic attacks, a condition known as panic disorder. Panic Anxiety Disorder starts most often when people are 20-30 years old. It activates less often in teenagers or persons in their forties. It is unusual for the disorder to emerge in the elderly for the initial time. Though panic attacks were once set aside as nerves or stress, they’re now documented as a potentially immobilizing, but treatable health condition. An assortment of approaches, together with medications, therapy and relaxation methods, can help one manage or prevent panic attacks (Wilson, 2005). Article #2: Children with Anxiety Disorder. Life is not easy for children these days. The fact that many adults suffer from mental illness of different kinds is enough to make people realize that children are even more susceptible to the same disease. It’s only good that a lot of breakthroughs are made especially in the area and study of mental illness. This study is even more significant in the light of the film Ordinary People, which has captured audiences worldwide decades ago. Precisely because the characters depict the â€Å"ordinariness† of each person and how representative they are to the masses, made this film a hit during its time. Ordinary People presents how malfunctioning individuals are as they go through each of their lives with the burden of mental illness. The role of the mother in the film shows someone who has personality disorder, specifically dissociative disorder, while the spouse and father as having generalized anxiety disorder; and their son Conrad, as suffering with PTSD or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Mental health experts describe the illness through its signs and symptoms. It is typified by children experiencing severe fear – a powerful worry or the uneasiness that run or last for periods of time ((http://www.nimh.nih.gov). When children sufferers are not treated, symptoms like these will present themselves through poor performance in academics, inability to relate with other children, low self-esteem, the use and abuse of illegal drugs including alcohol, and even anxiety disorder in adulthood (http://www.nimh.nih.gov).   Mental health experts describe the illness through its signs and symptoms. It is typified by children experiencing severe fear – a powerful worry or the uneasiness that run or last for periods of time ((http://www.nimh.nih.gov). When children sufferers are not treated, symptoms like these will present themselves through poor performance in academics, inability to relate with other children, low self-esteem, the use and abuse of illegal drugs including alcohol, and even anxiety disorder in adulthood (http://www.nimh.nih.gov). This mental health problem usually runs in families. Oftentimes, the disorder appears alongside other physical and mental health problems; substance abuse, like alcohol, usually comes along (http://www.nimh.nih.gov) with it. Anxiety disorder manifests in different forms: 1.) Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD, 2.) Phobias, 3.) Separation Anxiety Disorder, 4.) Panic Disorder, 5.)OCD or Obsessive & Compulsive Disorder, and 6.) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Source: US Dept of Health, 1999 in http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/). 2. What are the similarities and/or differences? Similarities come in the form of the disorders’ signs and symptoms which include physical distress with Rapid heart rate , sweating, trembling , shortness of breath and hyperventilation, chills, hot flashes, nausea, abdominal cramping, chest pain, headache, dizziness, faintness, tightness in your throat, trouble swallowing, a sense of impending death . Other health problems — such as an impending heart attack, an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) or drug withdrawal — can cause similar signs and symptoms. Individuals who experience panic attacks often are affected by other mental health conditions, including depression, fear of public places (agoraphobia) and social phobia (http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1725.htm). What experiences have you had that relate to the topic or what have you learned in prior courses? Researchers are not certain what bring about panic attacks. Heredity, stress and certain biochemical factors may play a part. A person’s chance of having panic attacks increases if she/he has a close family member who has had them. Numerous researchers think the body’s natural fight-or-flight reaction to danger is involved. For instance, if a snarling dog came after a child, his/her body would react automatically. The heart rate and breathing would race as the body readies itself for a life-threatening situation. A lot of the same responses take place in a panic attack. No noticeable stressor is nearby, but something trips the body’s alarm system. Persons having Panic attacks are no more likely than the average American to have suffered from emotional problems at the time the disorder begins (Wilson, 2005). How does your view point relate to the topics?) Definitely, I agree from personal observation that these panic attacks and /or anxiety disorder though present only in the mind, â€Å"effectively’ renders a person â€Å"paralyzed† no matter his intelligence, status and persuasion in life. Imagine this picture: after months or years of incessant panic attacks and the constrained lifestyle produced by the distinctive avoidance behavior, the sufferer may develop into a demoralized and psychologically or physically depressed person. In addition, some sufferers resort to alcohol in an effort to self medicate or to reduce the sign and symptoms of the disorder. This significantly causes difficulties to the individual’s life and ability to seek suitable treatment. Unfortunately, one out of every five untreated sufferers attempts to end his or her life, not at all comprehending that there was chance for changes and treatment (Wilson, 2005). As in the film as mentioned, it is interesting to note that despite such a troubled family, Conrad emerged to be someone who has conquered the odds in his life. The loss of a brother and its effects on him, being around with parents who exhibit a variety of symptoms that they themselves are also suffering, these things could have been too much for him or for anybody for that matter. PTSD and other anxiety disorder sub-categories are very interesting types of mental health problems because of their prevalence – and in spite of that, still, many people most of the times, ignore the fact that they might be sufferers. Just as in the case of Conrad, ordinary people – the most common among the populace – are actually beset with extremely upsetting events and are left to themselves to cope as each day comes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To end, this study from researchers Craske et al shows the hope for sufferers: â€Å"With practice and encouragement or persuasion from the therapist the patient learns to reinterpret internal sensations from signals of loss of control and panic to cues that are intrinsically harmless and can be controlled with certain skills. The intentional creation of these signs by the client, coupled with success in coping with them, reduces their unpredictability and changes their meaning for the client† (Craske, Maidenbberg, & Bystritsky, 1995). Reference: For Children with Anxiety Disorder: Campbell, Nancy M. Panic disorder. Mankato, MN: LifeMatters, [2002].  616.85 DYI VT Craske, MG; MAidenberg, E & Bystritsky A (1995). Brief Cogntive-behavioral versus nondirective therapy for panic disorder. Journal of Behavior Therapy & Experimental Psychiatry ; 26, 113-120. Giacobello, John. Everything you need to know about anxiety and panic attacks. New York: Rosen, [2000]. Daniels C., Yerkes S., Bureau of Naval Personnel emedicine.2006. Wilson, Reid D., Don’t Panic: Taking Control of Anxiety Attacks The Revised Edition Of: Harper Perennial ISBN# 0-06-095160-5. For panic Attacks Article: Davison, Gerald C., Neale, John 2001, Abnormal Psychology, Eighth Ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York. National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) accessed in the Internet February 20, 2007 http://www.nimh.nih.gov. Surgeon general accessed in the internet February 20, 2007 http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter3/sec6.html.

Does Language Determine or Limit Thought? Essay

Life is divided between things that can make you feel, emotions, and things that make you think, thoughts.1 Language is the primary way for humans to express these feelings of thought and emotion. Language can be any form of communication that has a specific meaning which is conveyed to other people.2 With this, we are able to share ideas, knowledge, and skills. But can we express these feelings without language? If so, how can we? If not, then does language fully determine thought and is it the only factor which determines it? This essay will evaluate and answer these knowledge issues to resolve the extent to which language determines or limits thought. Verbal and written communications are often considered as the main methods to express language. However, facial expressions, eye contact, sign language and many others are also forms of language, non-verbal language.3 But many different questions arise regarding these other forms of communication. Are there different limits on thought using the other forms of communication? Also, are the same factors that limit thought applied to more than one form of communication? Written language for instance, can include ambiguity, vagueness, sarcasm, metaphors and irony.4 These are all used to create an effect in conveying the message. An ambiguous sentence can have a number of different meanings, therefore different people might comprehend the sentence in a different way from others. Does age play a role in how the sentence is comprehended? Will it be understood the same way by a seven year old as by a thirty year old? These questions often occur when dealing with written language, showing that it can cause limits in thought. On the other hand, these can also apply to verbal language, if the person spoke without emotion. However, verbal language can include a variety of different tones, volume, pitch, and pauses, which all affect the way it is understood. Even silence can be considered as a language, to display anger towards someone.5 Another example showing sarcasm would be if my father told me that I was a thoughtful son. I might think that I am thoughtful or that I am not. However, do these techniques apply to all people equally? If this was said to me, I will probably understand the true meaning to the sentence, but if this was said to my seven year old sister, she would take the literal meaning of this sentence and think she is thoughtful. This proves that to different people and ages, language can limit their thought to a certain extent. It has been proven that language might limit thought to different people at different ages, but will this apply to deaf and mute people? Deaf people find it difficult to speak and mute people cannot speak at all. Without verbal language, they cannot express their thoughts, so does this mean that their thought is limited? Their form of communication, mainly sign language, is also a form of language, partly because it has the word language in its name and partly because a message can be conveyed with this method. 6 It is true that they cannot express most of their feelings without verbal language, but their thought is not fully limited as they can still use sign language. Therefore, although different forms of communication have different factors that limit thought, some of these factors apply to more than one form of communication, like sarcasm applies to verbal and written. But, even though some forms of communication have the same factors that limit thought, one form might be more effective in conveying the message than others, like how verbal can be spoken with a specific tone to convey sarcasm. There are many ways to communicate to a person and these are all a type of language. Animals do not communicate in words but in different ways. Both humans and animals use a form of communication to express their thoughts. Humans can use many forms of communication such as verbal or written but all animals use a different method. For example, dolphins use echolocation clicks to communicate to different dolphins or detect detailed information from the world around them.8 Therefore, we cannot express feelings and convey messages without language as a form of language is required to achieve this. Some think language is the main means of thought, as we think with language and communicate using it. This proves that it determines thought as the use of language requires thought and to express these thoughts we require language. The only case where this might not be true is for a sudden reaction. For example, if my father bought my younger sister a toy, she would instantly hug him. This also applies to instant reactions such as a reflex when touching a hot stove. This is because we do not think to ourselves that we should move our hand away from it but this happens instantly without the use of language. Supporting this view is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis which states that language determines thought. But it also states that the individuals thought is determined by their native language, which changes the way the individual interprets and views the world. If so, can someone learn a new language easier if there are corresponding words in their native language? My mother proved this when teaching my daughter some English words. By telling the words in our native language Urdu first, then the corresponding word in English, my sister was able to learn the words quicker. However, some thoughts in one language cannot be expressed equally in other languages.

International human resource management The WritePass Journal

International human resource management Introduction International human resource management IntroductionAdvantages of ExpatriatesExpertise and SkillsCompany Culture and Practices Passed Down EasilyDisadvantages of expatriatesHigh CostsDiscontent among LocalsAdapting to the New EnvironmentBibliographyRelated Introduction Nowadays, most companies have been expanding internationally, many positions have to be filled which range from entry level positions to those of senior management. As more companies go global, the need for the transfer of skills and knowledge becomes essential if the company is to succeed internationally. To ensure that the subsidiary’s goals, practices and strategies are in line with the parent company, it is necessary to have senior management filled by qualified individuals capable of leading the new, inexperienced team and steering it in the right direction. In addition, to ensure that the subsidiary inherits the culture and practices from the parent company, managers from the parent company might be deployed to fill senior management positions at the subsidiary. However, other positions at the subsidiary might be filled by personnel from local countries rather than the parent or host country. Personnel who do not hail from the host country are defined as expatriates. Whi le recruiting the expertise of the expatriates might be advantageous, they bring a unique set of problems which need to be dealt with to ensure their efficiency. Although there are disadvantages associated with employing expatriates, there are measures that companies can adopt to ensure that the impact of these problems would be decreased. Advantages of Expatriates Expertise and Skills Employing the expertise of expatriates can help a company accelerate the development of its subsidiary or return it to profitability. The skills that they already possess will enable the expatriates to pass on their knowledge and skills to their subordinates and train them in the relevant skills and knowledge. When expatriates are selected for foreign assignments, they have to be chosen based on their skill levels and their ability to adapt. Therefore, when they pass their knowledge and skills to the employees at the subsidiary, the company is able to expand successfully. Despite having a successful 20 year run in Japan, a subsidiary company’s business volumes had decreased, causing its profit levels to dip. HTM Corporation concluded that this situation required the use of expatriates with high levels of technical and communication skills to return the business to its profitable level (HTM Corporation, 2009). As seen in this case, the expertise of expatriates is able to help c ompanies, previously profitable without expatriates, return to those levels as they have sufficient skills. Expatriates are able to bring lot of experience to the subsidiary company because the unique experiences may enable them to help the company succeed through innovation and creativity (Radio New Zealand International, 2009). Expatriates are also able to fill vacancies when the host country nationals do not have the relevant skills or expertise (Pacific Bridge Inc, 2009). This is an alternative to providing on-the job training for the locals. Company Culture and Practices Passed Down Easily The parent company culture and relevant practices and procedures can be passed down quickly if training of the local employees is conducted by expatriates from the parent company. The ideals, vision and mission of the parent company can be demonstrated through the expatriate. If the expatriate embodies these principles of the company, the culture and practices of the parent company can be transferred to the subsidiary quickly and effectively. Disadvantages of expatriates High Costs Although Employing expatriates are beneficial to a company, it is an expensive process. Relocating an expatriate with a family which can be time consuming and costly to the company. For instance, hiring an expatriate to work in China can cost as much as five times of hiring a local. This is due to the package that the expatriate is to receive as compensation. This compensation and benefits package usually consists of a hardship allowance, housing, insurance, tax and home leave, amongst other benefits. The compensation and benefits package is usually attractive to expatriates as a form of financial advancement. This makes the move to the subsidiary company and country attractive. To ensure that it is attractive enough to entice the highly skilled and experienced personnel, the compensation and benefits package has to result in a higher standard of living or the promise of career advancement. The company has to support its high costs, while the expatriate benefits from this package. Other than the compensation and benefits that the expatriate receives, the parent company also has to invest time, money and effort into pre-departure training and incur other costs such as sending the potential expatriate on a trip to assess the location. Hence, there will be a loss of man-hours. As a result of the high costs involved, it is substantial that the expatriate is well prepared for the move. This will reduce the likelihood of expatriate failure which will incur more costs. Discontent among Locals Due to highly trained, educated and skilled expatriates joining the new subsidiary, locals might be discontented when they feel that their opportunities are being taken away. Local mid-level managers might feel that they do not have the opportunity to advance in their careers. This would encourage the talent to leave the company in order to get promote. Consequently, staff turnover might rise because of expatriates holding all the senior positions in the company. This discontent among the locals could be damaging to the subsidiary company. If the company acquires a reputation for poor career advancement opportunities, talented locals are unlikely to pursue a career in that company. Therefore, the company should utilise expatriates while it is in its initial phase but train local managers to succeed the expatriate. Adapting to the New Environment Utilising expatriates to fill key positions is a risky task because of moving an expatriate and the family requires time and effort. An expatriate with children and a working spouse might be concerned about whether the spouse and children will be able to integrate into the local environment easily. To ensure ease of integration, the expatriate must be flexible and open-minded. The company also has to prepare the expatriate for the move to the new country. Expatriates, unfamiliar with the local environment and location, require more time to adapt to their new life. As a result of this unfamiliarity, the expatriate is likely to be less efficient and productive for an initial period. With low productivity, the profits of the company might decrease. Therefore, to reduce the impact of low productivity as a result of adjusting to their new life, expatriates should receive well-structured pre-departure training, preparing them on what they are to expect in the subsidiary company and country. Also, expatriates should be hired on the basis of their ability and willingness to adapt to new environments. Alternatively, they should be allowed a period of time to settle into the new country before starting work. Bibliography HTM Corporation, (2009). Expatriates in Tokyo, Japan Outsourcing by HTM. Retrieved on 11th March 2011 from htm.co.jp/Astrategicallyusingexpacts.htm Pacific Bridge Inc., (2009). Asia – Compensation, Hiring and Retaining Employees in South East Asia. Retrieved on 11th March 2011 from pacificbridge.com/publication.asp?id=58 Pacific Bridge Inc., (2002). Asian HR eNewsletter, Retrieved on 11th March 2011 from pacificbridge.com/newslettervol.asp?vol=2no=7 Radio New Zealand International, (2009). Samoa’s Prime Minister Defends Hiring Expatriates for SamoaTel. Retrieved on 12th March 2011 from rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=readid=46480 Tripod, (n.d.). Use of Expatriates, Retrieved on 12th May 2011 from http://members.tripod.com/cometonada/HRM.htm International Human Resource Management INTRODUCTION International Human Resource Management INTRODUCTIONTHEORY OF GLOBALIZATIONCROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT AND CASTELLS THEORYWHAT IS CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT?CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENTCONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONSLIST OF REFERENCESRelated INTRODUCTION The essay will be focused on discussing the Network Society as a new type of Social Structure or Organization of the Information Age. I will be using Castell’s theory on The Information Age to explain how the Network Society affects culture, individuals, institutions and various societies around the world.I will also touch on the Power of Identity, what it entails and its connection to various individuals in the global business environment After this I will talk about cross cultural management, its challenges and how it is implied in the business environment, analyzing the impact the theory of the Information Age has on this type of management and its challenges. I will also discuss the critiques of other theorists to this Castell’s theory and conclude with the negative impact of globalization and the need for cross cultural management in organizations. First and foremost I will touch on a relevant theory of globalization that relates to the Information Age and Cross Cultural Management. THEORY OF GLOBALIZATION There are various theorists, who have given their opinions and views on the theory of globalisation. I am going to phrase a few of them and focus on only one of these theories for the purpose of this essay.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Anthony Giddens (1990: 64) the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa.  Ã¢â‚¬Å" â€Å"Globalization  refers to the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole (R. Robertson, Globalization, 1992: 8).† Robertson sees the globalisation theory as the coming together of the world as a single entity through a set of global ideas and putting aside the distinctiveness of cultural, societal and ethnic differences to be used in the home environments and during academic discussions â€Å"From the social theory perspective, globalization involves the flows of commodities, capital, technology, ideas, forms of culture and people across national boundaries via a global networked society â€Å"(Castell’s, 1996, 1997, 1998). â€Å"The transmutations of technology and capital, work together to create a new globalized and interconnected world.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"(Castell’s, 1998) Manuel Castell is the theorist that I will be focusing on in this essay. He talks about the theory of the network society, which is an information based society where everyone and everything is connected through digital networks.   The networks are the people who control or rule the network society; they are the elites of the society who have the upper hand, are more knowledgeable and have power over the excluded individuals. â€Å"A network society is a society whose social structure is made of networks powered by microelectronics-based information and communication technologies.† (Castell’s, 1996) â€Å"The Net stands for the new organizational formations based on the pervasive use of networked communication media. Network patterns are characteristic for the most advanced economic sectors, highly competitive corporations as well as for communities and social movements. â€Å"(Castell’s, 1996) The Network Society is an emerging social society or structure whose communications rely on digital networks.   A digital network being global means that a society running on them would be a global society i.e. The Network Society is a Global Society. The Network Society came about as a result of the ever changing society which occurred due to the dramatic changes in technology which are controlled by the networks. Castell explains that although everyone is affected by this society, it doesn’t mean that everyone is included in it. People who aren’t part of it try to defend themselves from it. He cites the reason for everyone being affected by these networks as the fact that all central activities that manipulate and form human life around the world are being organised by global networks. The Network Society works on an Inclusion/Exclusion basis; this is a feature of it and while it searches for important add-ons that will benefit the network, it will also bypass any activity, territory or person that will not contribute to the goals or tasks assigned to the network. Part of Castell’s assumptions is the fact that under the network society, there is no class among individuals in our society and that the powers now lie in the hands of the networks. With the network society, there becomes a need for individuals to affirm their identity; this is known as the power of identity. People tend to search for their identities in order to give their lives a source of social meaning. This is a reaction got mostly from the individuals who have been excluded from the network society. Castell realised two types of reactions from these people. They either make up their own networks or exclude the networks from their lives. This power of identity is also known as the Self. â€Å"The Self symbolizes the activities through which people try to reaffirm their identities under the conditions of structural change and instability that go along with the organization of core social and economic activities into dynamic networks.† (Castell’s, 1996) CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT AND CASTELLS THEORY WHAT IS CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT? CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT â€Å"is a system designed to train people in the global business about the variations of cultures, practices and preferences of consumers around the globe. It poses as a challenge for companies who participate in the global market. As time passes by, the diversity in culture, practices and preferences significantly increases, and so is the need for cross-cultural management, to be able to bridge the communication gaps for every culture.â€Å"Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Cross Cultural Management is the examination or assessment of the human behaviour from an international perspective. With cross cultural management, managers are aware of the different cultures that exist in different industries in different parts of the world.   It realises and tries to manage these different human behaviours, culture and communication issues so as to bring people together without any disputes or problems. This information age has brought about the rise of technology and the use of the internet. This network society has changed the way businesses operate; whereby almost every part of an organisation is controlled by some sort of technology. Most jobs are now done through the internet by some e-commerce organisation, which in turn reduces the number of physical labour needed. With the rise of the global society, cross cultural management is becoming more essential for global companies to be successful with their employees as well as their consumers. It is needed to tackle the challenges that any global business might face in relation to culture and human behaviour. In order to tackle some of challenges brought about by these changes in regard to culture and human behaviour cross cultural management is essential. Some Cross Cultural Challenges that could occur are:- Mixed cultures and languages brought about by globalisation The recent growth and need of the internet as a part of management and easy processing The increasing need for a knowledge worker in knowledge driven organisations The increasing need for flexible workers and jobs There are many more challenges but the network society being a global society has helped to deal with some of these problems. Due to the compression of time and space, companies find it easier to employ the people that will be relevant for the required jobs. Also with the individualisation of labour and the growing flexibility of workers, they are able to adapt and adjust to the growing temporality of jobs. Companies now have the option to choose either part time workers and pay them for the hours worked rather than employing full time workers who are expensive and are not required most of the time. Castell talks about the network society sourcing valuable add-ons that can contribute to the goals and objectives of the network to integrate into its system and excluding those it has no need for who he says make up the ‘irrelevant planet’, this feature of the network society has contribute to some modern business challenges where there is the need for knowledgeable workers. He says that the work process is a globally integrated but labour has become individualised and therefore has no class again as ultimate power goes to those that are in charge of the networks and determine what happens in it. But his theory also says that labour is divided into two; the self programmable and generic labour. The former is skilled and flexible with the ability to learn new things, processes, tasks are able to adapt to change and are knowledgeable while the latter is unskilled and can be easily exchanged or disposed of. There are many critiques towards Castell’s theoretical assumptions.   Many theorists believe that our society is still divided into classes and are against the faceless capitalism which Castell talked about. Theorists like Webster and Garnham believe that the network society is not a new type of social structure or system, and that it has been in existence over time. They argue that this network society is a gradual development of the former industrial society and is not completely a new one. They also argue that the society is still in the hands of the capitalists, as they are still the elites who have access to technology and education, and the members of this capitalist group are heading companies in the top managerial positions. The people in this positions are who Castell says are in charge of the networks so therefore the capitalists still matter in the society. It is also difficult to accept his grouping of labour, as the people in the groups do not share the same values or interests. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS However globalisation can sometimes lead to the exploitation of workers in some third world countries that offer cheap labour. Many of these workers are paid less than the normal UK or US standard of payment, making the big international companies exploit them, and some of them do not offer job security or workers rights. With this network society business do not consider the interests of their workers and are more interested in the opportunities and goals of the networks and look for people that they can integrate that will contribute to their goals. They pay less attention to cross cultural management. This is not advisable to do because in order to be successful as a global company, they need to understand the cultures and practices of the countries they move into. They need to work on integrating the local workers, consumers and culture with their own organisational culture in order to be successful in that country LIST OF REFERENCES Castells, M. (2000).The Rise of the Network Society, Second Edition. U.S.: Blackwell Publishing Castells, M. (1996, second edition, 2000).  The Rise of the  Network Society, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture Vol. I. Cambridge, MA; Oxford, UK: Blackwell. Castells, M. (1997, second edition, 2004).  The Power of Identity, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture Vol. II. Cambridge, MA; Oxford, UK: Blackwell. Castells, M. (1998, second edition, 2000).  End of Millennium, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture Vol. III. Cambridge, MA; Oxford, UK: Blackwell. Webster, F. (2002). Theories of the Information Society. U.S.: Routledge Garnham, N. (2001). Contribution to a Political Economy of Mass-Communication. In M.G. Durnham D.M. Kellner (Eds.), Media and Cultural Studies (pp. 225-252). U.S.: Blackwell Publishing. Manuel Castells , ‘An Introduction to the Information age’ City 2: 7, 6-16 Castells, M. (2000). Materials for an exploratory theory of the network society.   British Journal of Sociology Vol. No. 51 Issue No. 1 (January /March 2000) pp. 5–24 Giddens, A. (1990).   The Consequences of Modernity, Cambridge and Oxford: Polity and Blackwell. Kiely, Ray, 1964–The clash of globalisations: neo-liberalism, the third way, and anti-globalisation/by Ray Kiely. p. cm. -(Historical materialism book series, ISSN 1570–1522; v. 8) R. Robertson,  Globalization  (London: Sage, 1992) The network society: a cross-cultural perspective / edited by Manuel Castells. p. cm. Castells, M. 1983. The City and the Grassroots: A Cross-cultural Theory of Urban Social Movements. Berkeley: University of California Press. http://cross-cultural-management.bestmanagementarticles.com/

African press draws Haiti essays

African press draws Haiti essays African press draws Haiti lessons On Sunday, February 29, 2004 Jean-Bertrand Aristide left the country of Haiti. It is unknown as to where the exiled President went to considering all sort of communications were cut of the previous week in Haiti. The radio stations were shut down; the television stations were shut down and everyone were advised to stay inside. The unclear news of Aristides whereabouts is solely for his safety, so we are told. There was news that Aristide was supposed to go to Puerto Rico, but that planned changed after discovering that ex-president Cedars was waiting for Aristide in Haiti. The ex-president of Haiti worked closely with the rebels of Haiti in the many coup datas that have occurred while in office. Many radio stations in Haiti now are stating that Aristide has gone to Africa. This is still a rumor according to a 1020am Haitian station in Miami, FL. Though there is little cheer for the intervention in Haiti, there is less for President Aristide who "helped seal his own fate", says South Africa's This Day. The commentators in Africa really dont want Aristide to shelter there because they fear the problems, which follows Aristide. I ask myself and others in question why Africa. Aristide didnt leave the country voluntarily. It seems as though he did, but when someone suggest something to you as though you NEED to do it rather than you SHOULD, becomes as you really now having a choice in the matter. I too, believe that by Aristide going to Africa (if that is the case) it somehow place the African country in a tight position. Today Chief Justice, Bonaface Alexandre, a well-known, well-respected Law professor in Haiti, is controlling the Republic of Haiti. ...

Complete Plan When Should I Start Studying for the ACT

Complete Plan When Should I Start Studying for the ACT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re a high school student, you’re probably already feeling the pressure to take the ACT and do well on it – even if you’re just a freshman or sophomore. So when exactly should you start studying for the ACT? If you wait too long to study, you won’t get the highest score you’re capable of. But if you start too early, you might struggle because you don’t know all the content on the ACT yet. Or you might just forget things if you study over too long a period. So what’s the perfect balance? We will introduce you to the content you have to know to do well on the ACT and then give you a study plan based on your college goals. When Should You Take the ACT? In order to figure out when to start studying for the ACT, you first need to decide when to take the exam. You should aim to take the ACT in the fall of your junior year.This gives you time to retake the test in spring if needed. This schedule totally frees up your senior year for college applications, and it also gives you the first two years of high school to learn the content you’ll need to do well on the ACT. Also,taking the ACT for the first time in the fall means you won’t have to split your ACT study time with AP and IB exams, which can happen if you take it for the first time in spring. When Should You Start Studying for the ACT? For most people, we recommend beginning your ACT studying during the end of your sophomore year or the summer between sophomore and junior year. That will give you enough time to get in the prep you need to take the ACT at the beginning of your junior year. However, exactly when you begin studying depends on multiple factors, such as where you want to go to college and how many hours a week you'll be able to devote to studying. It’s up to you if you’re going to have a more intense ACT study schedule (like ten hours a week for two months) or a more gradual one, say one hour a week for six months. Your study schedule will also vary based on the type of schools you're applying to and how large a point improvement you need to make. 3 Steps to Decide When to Start Studying for the ACT Once you've decided on a rough date to take the ACT, you'll need to factor in several considerations, such as the ACT score you're hoping to get and how well you're doing on practice exams, in order to figure out when to start studying. In this section we go over the three main factors that determine the best time for you to start studying for the ACT. Step 1: Take a Practice ACT Your Sophomore Year One of your first steps should be to take a practice ACT in order to get a baseline score and a sense of how well you're currently doing on the exam. Ideally you should take this practice test your sophomore year so you have plenty of time to figure out when to start studying and develop a study plan. We have links to free and official ACT practice tests to help you get started and find your base score. #2: Figure Out Your College Goals and ACT Target Score The length and intensity of your study plan will strongly depend on your college goals and the ACT score you're hoping to get. There is a huge difference between studying for a 26 than a 36, after all. If you’re looking to go a decent in-state school, there is less pressure riding on your score than if you are set on the Ivy League. Because of that, we have come up with recommendations based on your college goals. Use the three plans below to help you come up with an ACT target score for you. Ivy League/Highly Selective School ACT Study Plan If you want to apply to Ivy League schools or other highly selective schools like Stanford and MIT, these recommendations are for you.Your ACT score goal for highly selective schools is a composite of 33 or higher – this puts youin the 99thpercentile nationwide. First of all, definitely plan to take a practice ACT early sophomore year to get your base score. Once you have a starting score,decide whether you want to study during sophomore year at a more gradual pace or use the summer for a more intensive study schedule.Also keep in mind how much you have to improve – if you score a 30 on your practice test, you won’t have to put in as many hours compared to if you a score a 25. Use the hours guide below to estimate the study time you need to put in, then come up with a study plan based on your schedule. Again, you could stretch out your study hours over sophomore year, or pack them into the summer after sophomore year. It all depends on your schedule and study style. Take the ACT for the first time during junior fall. If you fall short of a 33, keep studying and plan to retake it in junior spring. The closer to 36 you can get, the better, but breaking 33 is very important to be competitive at highly selective schools. (Read more aboutACT scores for the Ivy League.) Selective School ACT Study Plan If you know you want to apply to selective schools but you aren’t quite reaching for the Ivy League, these recommendations are for you. First,take a practice ACT as a sophomore to figure out your base score. Next, look up the ACT score ranges for your target colleges(fora guide on finding ACT score ranges, see our post). Set a target score based on the most selective school you are applying to. For example, let's say you’re applying to the University of Virginia as your top reach school.Their average ACT score is a 30.If you can achieve a score that’s competitive for the most selective school on your list, that gives you the best chance of getting accepted.So in this case, if you get a 30 on your ACT, you’ll be competitive at UVA as well as any other colleges you’re applying to. Once you have your base score and target score, you can either study over the course of sophomore year or the summer after. Keep in mind you will have to undertake a more rigorous study plan if you have a large point improvement to make (for example, going from a 22 to a 30). Finally, take the ACT in the fall of your junior year. If you are short of your goal, you can keep studying and retake it in the spring of your junior year. That will give you time to start working on your college applications after junior year and during the beginning of your senior year. Less Selective School Study Plan If you’re not trying to get into a super-competitive school, but you want to pursue the best local or in-state options, this guide is for you. First, either take a practice test as a sophomore, or you can use your Aspire data if your school uses that test, to predict your ACT score. If you seriously struggle with the practice test or Aspire – for example you are predicted to get below a 20, or you got below a 20 on a practice test – begin studying sophomore year. Otherwise, wait until after sophomore year is over and prep during the summer. How much time you put in during the summer depends on your starting score and the score ranges of your target schools. If you're really dedicated, you could bring your ACT prep with you on vacation. For example, say you’re applying to the University of Arizona as your top choice, and you got a 21 on your ACT practice test. TheUniversity of Arizona’s average ACT score is 24. That means you need to make a three-point improvement, which you can easily accomplish if you study over the summer. Take the ACT junior fall. If your score is way lower than your state school’s ranges, you can retake the test in junior spring. #3: Calculate How Long You Should Study for the ACT How many hours of study you need to put in before the ACT depends on how large a point improvement you want to make. You'll determine this by figuring out the difference between the baseline score you got from your practice test and your target score for the schools you want to get accepted to. You can use the following hours per point improvement recommendations as a starting point. 0-1 ACT Composite Point Improvement: 10 hours1-2 ACT Point Improvement: 20 hours2-4 ACTPoint Improvement: 40 hours4-6 ACTPoint Improvement: 80 hours6-9 ACTPoint Improvement: 150 hours+ (Readmore about ACT scoring here.) For example, if you scored a 26 on your practice test and are aiming to get a 29, you'd need a 3 point improvement, which would require about 40 hours of studying. This is just a starting guideline and heavily depends on how much you've prepped before, your starting skill level, and your ability to learn. If you're looking for a small improvement like 1point, you can do this by optimizing your testing strategy and possibly even just byretaking the test. But for serious improvements of three points or more, you need to learn a lot of fundamental content.Little tricks and strategies aren't enough to raise your score - you will need to learn actual material and attack your weaknesses. Think about it this way: the ACT tests academic skills that you've been learning your entire life, like how numbers work and how to read.As a high school junior, you've completed over 20,000 hours of schooling and homework.An improvement of three or more composite ACT points requires a serious retooling of your knowledge and skills. If you can't devote at least 80 hours to prepping, you will find it very difficult to make huge score improvements. Once you know how many hours you'll need to study and when you want to take the ACT, you can then figure out how many hours you want to study a week and use that to find the date you should begin studying. For example, if you estimate that you'll need to study 40 hours and you can get in about four hours of studying a week, you'd need to begin studying for the ACT about 10 weeks or 2.5 months before your exam date. What Do You Need to Know for the ACT? During your ACT studying, it's important that you cover each of the main topics tested on the exam. In this section we go over the major topics you'll be tested on in each of the ACT's four main sections. Use this information to figure out what you already know and what you still need to learn to do well on the ACT. Reading The reading section of the ACT consists of 40 passage-based reading questions. You will read four passages that cover the following topics: social science, natural science, humanities, and literary narrative/prose fiction. You'll have 35 minutes to complete the section. There are two main types of questions on ACT Reading. The first type asks you questions on what is directly stated in the reading. This could take the form of having you find significant details, understand the meaning of words or phrases, or understand the sequence of events and cause-and-effect relationships. The second type asks questions about what is implied. These questions will have you interpret details, make comparisons, determine direct ideas, and analyze the author’s voice or method. Your task is to read a passage quickly and be able to understand and interpret it. The more advanced of a reader you are and the more English courses you’ve taken, the better you will do on this section. Having two years of high school English under your belt by the time you take the test junior year is ideal. High school English courses give you practice in identifying an author’s purpose, as well as identifying techniques like figurative language. English classes also help you understand increasingly complex books and stories, which will help you decode ACT Reading passages. Any extra reading you do outside of class will also help you prepare for this section. You can read our detailed breakdown of the Reading section here. Math The math section of the ACT tests pre-algebra (including data collection and basic statistics), algebra, and some algebra II concepts. It also tests coordinate geometry, plane geometry, and trigonometry. (Read a full breakdown of the section here.) Once you have taken Algebra II, you will have learned all the content you need for the ACT math section. However, since the ACT Math moves very quickly – you have to complete 60 questions in 60 minutes – you need to put in some serious studying to do well on this section. Think of it as a longer, much more intense version of those mad math minute worksheets you did in elementary school. Don’t attempt the ACT or a serious study regimen before you’ve completed Algebra II because you will struggle with the content and it will be hard to study effectively. As long as you complete Algebra II by the end of sophomore year, you will be on track to do well on ACT math. English The English section tests your writing and grammar skills. It is broken down into two main components: usage/mechanics (punctuation, grammar, usage, sentence structure) and rhetorical skills (strategy, organization, style). Read more about the English section here. The more familiar you are with English grammar rules, the easier this section will be for you. Again, two years of high school English should be sufficient preparation to do well on this section, but reading widely outside of class is helpful too. Also check out our post about ACT grammar rules to learn more about the ACT English section. Science Science on the ACT is less about knowing content – like the intricacies of cell biology or physics equations – and more about being able to read and interpret graphs, charts, experimental data, and conflicting points of view. You also need to be able to draw conclusions or predictions from data. ACT Science questions will show you a graph, chart, or experiment, and you'll answer multiple-choice questions about what the data shows or suggests. You can read more about the Science section here. Having a strong science background is helpful, but it's not required to do well on this section. As long as you're taking science classes each year that teach you about the scientific method and other science skills, you should have a solid foundation for ACT Science. Still, it will be important to do practice questions to understand what ACT Science is asking. The Bottom Line: When to Start Studying for the ACT No matter what your college goals are, you should take the following steps to maximize your ACT studying time and score: take a practice ACT sophomore year to get your starting score, begin your studying either during sophomore year or the following summer, and take the ACT junior fall. This will give you another chance to take the ACT junior spring if needed and give you senior year to focus on college apps. The intensity of your studying will vary by how selective the schools you want to get into are, and also your starting point based on your practice test. By using our hours guide above and basing your target score based on the schools you want to apply to, you can achieve an excellent ACT score your junior year. What’s Next? Are you aiming for a perfect or close-to-perfect score on the ACT? Get tips from our full-scorer about how to get there. Learn what a good/bad/excellent ACT score looks like, and get more advice on finding a target score. Get tips on writing the ACT essay. While the essay doesn't affect your overall composite, getting a high essay score is important, especially if you're aiming for selective schools. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Mythical Man Month Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mythical Man Month - Essay Example It is only after IT based business house developing and altering large potential customers that the requirement has raised to develop latest and new software's and hardware. Necessity is the mother of invention. As w all know, we tend to learn only when there is a need to. To compete with the new requirement software engineering has evolved over the years and trying to perform to the core. In fact learning in the software engineering course is phenomenal over the years. The software and the supporting hardware, which we have now, were not available in those days. The software companies in olden days were lagging in planning, coding, scheduling and repartitioning. Now a days planning and scheduling has become organized and well treated aspect of development. Software test has come a long way over the decades. The testing techniques now has grown in numbers and are able to test the developed software using different tools within no time. Testing engines have learnt a lot from the developed versions of testing techniques. It is sure that over the years IT companies have learnt a lot as how to make profit within minimum number of employees for a particular project. In olden days training used to play a vital role before the project is assigned to teams. Every member of the team is initially trained almost for a month. Then comes scheduling the project and assigning the modules to the team members. Number of members per team is the key aspect for a project. Since each employee must have almost three times of communication between the team. As the number of team members' increase then there should be three times more communication per each employee for the successful completion of the project. It is almost like closing a fire with gasoline if we increase the number employees for project. Because there should be perfect communication between the team if the number of employees are increased or it ends in to a disaster like if we keep on closing a fire with gasoline. The skill and interlining of the employees has also shown a phenomenal growth over the decades. Until recently software developed were small and the client requirement was also not so demanding. But at the perfect age requirements are matching global standards. Silver bullet in this context is a weapon, a tool to suppress the horrors created by the software bugs and errors. The intention is to use the silver bullets, which can magically lay the errors and bugs to rest. Software developing does find many difficulties. There are no silver bullets available for software. There are no substantial inventions in this field. Considering the inherent properties and irreducible essence of software system, the following are the problems faced by software engineering: Complexity Conformity Changeability Invisibility Software is too complex than human construct. Since no two parts are alike. Similar parts are generally made as a subroutine. Computers are the complex products. This inherent complexity makes conceiving desirability no difficult in a more simply way to classify the software entity is that they are not repletion of the different elements. The elements interact with each other in a non-linear fashion there by increasing the complexity more than linearly. Software entities in olden days use to suffer a lot due to hardware constraints since software are developed

Interpersonal Communication Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Interpersonal Communication - Assignment Example Practice makes perfect, doesn’t it? The seven challenges are listening carefully and more responsively; explaining conversational intent and tactful invitation of consent; clear and complete expression of oneself; translation of complaints and criticism into specific request and giving explanation to these requests; asking questions open ended and in a creative manner; expression of appreciation; and incorporating continuous learning approach to living (Conrad, 2014). This paper seeks to lay emphasis on the art of listening more carefully and responsively. A common resonance of late suggests that people should listen twice as much as they talk. Well, this demonstrates the realization of incorporating good listening skills in a conversation. Before expressing yourself, it is prudent to listen to other people’s views and opinions and understand their feelings too. Their views may contradict you opinion but acknowledging and approving or agreeing does not necessarily mean you are contented with them (Conrad,

Cost Of The American Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cost Of The American Civil War - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that soldiers who engage in Civil War are doing so because they believe that their actions will ultimately lead to a better society for them, their family and their friends and countrymen. This essay discusses that many of the Confederate states that seceded from the Union did so because they knew that the abolition of slavery would not only destroy their way of life, but it would drastically hinder the families of the south to be able to properly make a living. The present research has identified that the entire economic system was based upon using African American slaves in the south to create crops that were used to engage in international trade with Europe at the time as well as to provide basic products and money to other families and services in the South. Likewise, the Federal soldiers fought to conserve their country that they believed so much in. From the research, it can be comprehended that the Confederacy was a direct threat to their way of life and the nature of the conflict bridging on war threatened the safety of their land and placed an even greater threat on the lives of friends and family. The researcher states that in both cases, each side fought directly to ensure that their way of life remained intact and that nothing would threaten their financial health or their safety. The real cost of the Civil war came in the form of not only financial cost but also in the cost of lives and resources in America.  

Marketing planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Marketing planning - Assignment Example The company is planning to expand its base. For this company will has started analyzing the market and choosing one product which the company will be promoting in the initial phase of the expansion. Task 1 The current business environment is constantly changing. The market is facing volatile changes which are affecting the overall planning of the companies as well. Thus, it is very important for any organization or organizes a proper and strategic marketing planning in order to survive and sustain in this volatile environment. A proper marketing planning is always helpful in properly organization activities and strategies used for future action. Marketing planning can be described as analyzing potential market places and marketing activities with the aim of determining how a business can optimize these potential markets. Planning process has changed over the years. For example, the planning process was much less competitive during the last century. The current market is ever changing and flooded with a large number of new products and services on a daily basis. Today’s consumers have much more options in terms of choosing between similar products and categories, compared to 10-15 years ago. This has also decreased the brand loyalty among consumers. To remain competitive in the current market, the food chain has to constantly update its marketing planning according to changing internal as well as external environment. In order to cope with the volatile environment, it is very important for the organization to have sustainable resources. Below is the resource based view of the organization. Tangible Resources Infrastructure, warehouse property and design of the chain of restaurants constitute the physical resources of the brand. Apart from these, the organization also has products such as brewing machines, facilities such as transportation and logistics. Though the organization does not boast a high financial resource, the company is fast growing and more and more investors are turning their head towards this newly popular organization. The organization can utilize this opportunity by collaborating with other investors as well as companies and grow its base in local as well as international locations. Intangible Resources The organization has created a powerful brand image and come a long way from the time it was established. Because of the increase brand image as well as overall brand equity, the organization has successfully created a niche in the fast food market. As a result, the market base of Eat Limited is continuously increasing. Apart from this, the organization has maintained a cordial relationship with its shareholders and other investors. This is helped in building overall trust among the investors and shareholders. Product diversification, service quality and availability of the brand in the major locations have made Eat Limited a local leader in affordable and quality fast food service provider. Research, development, m arketing capability and creativity in new generating new products has provided a differentiated advantage for the brand. Apart from this, efficient and well trained human resource is strength for the organization. Capabilities Determining the capabilities and key resources of an organization is the fundamental starting point of any business strategy. The utilization of a company’s capabilities and resources with the aim of gaining competitive advantage defines the objective of resource management. According to

Postmodernism Art and Cognitive Mapping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Postmodernism Art and Cognitive Mapping - Essay Example In its particular form, postmodernism was used in identifying pluralistic style in various arts, such as painting, music, philosophy, literature and even films. It directly contradicts and revolting against the "pretensions of high modernism" art (Honderich 1995). Usually, the form is taken as a basis for critical theory of certain work primarily architectural, then later on in literature and designs. It was historically regarded that this was formed by architectural movement to emphasis their dissatisfaction to modernism form (Britannica 2004). Its flexibility proven as it stretched its horizon and encompasses as well cultural description, constitutional interpretation, business and marketing. They are described as a revival of the traditional elements in designing, and techniques (Merriam-Webster 2004). In its easiest description, postmodern art abandons the political advocacy for particular principle that modern art had been known of. Francis Berry, in his work Art of the Eye and Mind (2007), described this form and its occurrence as "the political ideals that fueled modernism had given way to profound disillusionment with abhorrent wars such as Vietnam, ultra-utilitarian architecture, and academic minimalism". Along with this, Barry explained that postmodernism "undermines the manipulative aspect of ideologies by exposing the artificiality of style" (Barry 2007). However, this study deals on the postmodernism significance to assess certain literary works, as well as its certain role and effectiveness in delivering considerable points of the works. Frederic Jameson's Theory. Although Jean-Francois Lyotard, Jean Baudillard, and Jacques Derrida were the primary thinkers of the Postmodernism, it was Frederic Jameson who came up with lucid principle of the movement. In Jameson's work "Postmodernism, or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism", it was then analyzed that his theory is formulated with an integration of Marxist theory, known as the basis of the modernism politics. According to Jonathan Clark, Jameson had "proposed the epoch of post modernity with its own economic, political and cultural ideals, and practices" (2007), thus it made him the "most important cultural critic writing in English today". For further discernment of the subject, it is essential to analyze the understanding in Jameson's theory, of its background and initial drive of his project (Clark 2007). Like many of the prior structured movement, postmodernism is being criticized by its contemporary movements. In Jameson's work, it stated in there that cognitive mapping is the only hope for the postmodern art, as the form now has been debatable of its principles for certain political analysis. Cognitive Mapping. Perhaps Frederic Jameson's remarkable theory regarding postmodernism is the cognitive mapping. Craig Stroupe of University of Minnesota (2008) defined Jameson's cognitive mapping as "a process by which the individual subject situates himself within a vaster, unrepresentable totality, a process that corresponds to the workings of ideology". Stroupe continued his description of cognitive mapping. This time he picked up Jameson's comparative approach of the ideology to the physical geography of a person as the concrete process of cognitive mapping. He stated: "In a classic work, The Image of the City, Kevin Lynch taught us

Marketing planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Marketing planning - Assignment Example The company is planning to expand its base. For this company will has started analyzing the market and choosing one product which the company will be promoting in the initial phase of the expansion. Task 1 The current business environment is constantly changing. The market is facing volatile changes which are affecting the overall planning of the companies as well. Thus, it is very important for any organization or organizes a proper and strategic marketing planning in order to survive and sustain in this volatile environment. A proper marketing planning is always helpful in properly organization activities and strategies used for future action. Marketing planning can be described as analyzing potential market places and marketing activities with the aim of determining how a business can optimize these potential markets. Planning process has changed over the years. For example, the planning process was much less competitive during the last century. The current market is ever changing and flooded with a large number of new products and services on a daily basis. Today’s consumers have much more options in terms of choosing between similar products and categories, compared to 10-15 years ago. This has also decreased the brand loyalty among consumers. To remain competitive in the current market, the food chain has to constantly update its marketing planning according to changing internal as well as external environment. In order to cope with the volatile environment, it is very important for the organization to have sustainable resources. Below is the resource based view of the organization. Tangible Resources Infrastructure, warehouse property and design of the chain of restaurants constitute the physical resources of the brand. Apart from these, the organization also has products such as brewing machines, facilities such as transportation and logistics. Though the organization does not boast a high financial resource, the company is fast growing and more and more investors are turning their head towards this newly popular organization. The organization can utilize this opportunity by collaborating with other investors as well as companies and grow its base in local as well as international locations. Intangible Resources The organization has created a powerful brand image and come a long way from the time it was established. Because of the increase brand image as well as overall brand equity, the organization has successfully created a niche in the fast food market. As a result, the market base of Eat Limited is continuously increasing. Apart from this, the organization has maintained a cordial relationship with its shareholders and other investors. This is helped in building overall trust among the investors and shareholders. Product diversification, service quality and availability of the brand in the major locations have made Eat Limited a local leader in affordable and quality fast food service provider. Research, development, m arketing capability and creativity in new generating new products has provided a differentiated advantage for the brand. Apart from this, efficient and well trained human resource is strength for the organization. Capabilities Determining the capabilities and key resources of an organization is the fundamental starting point of any business strategy. The utilization of a company’s capabilities and resources with the aim of gaining competitive advantage defines the objective of resource management. According to

General Principles of Law in the Eu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

General Principles of Law in the Eu - Essay Example It has been said that there were two main aspects for achieving a common market; the first being "negative integration" which required removal of existing barriers and the second requiring "harmonization" of rules so as to be in compliance with the set community rules which require positive steps so that the products can move freely within the EU this is known as positive integration1. When making an analysis of free movement it is necessary to differentiate between monetary barriers which are illustrated under Art 23-25 or under Article 90, which is discriminatory taxation and other barriers which do not deal with charges which are covered under Article 28-30. There have been at time quantitative restrictions which have restrained either the quantity of exports or imports. A restriction can take the form of a ban, quotas, or the requirement of obtaining licenses. For the purpose of ascertaining what a good is the ECJ stated in Commission v. Italy2 that the provisions of free movement of goods applied to any produce which can be valued in money and can form the basis for a commercial transaction. It can be clearly stated from the fact that Synthostein is a good and so the provisions for free movement of goods do apply to it. By the facts it can be said that there has been a quantitative restriction placed by Loamshire Borough Council on the import of Synthostein and so Art28 will be discussed along with its interpretation to the facts. Article 28 states that 'quantitative restrictions on imports and all measures having equivalent effect shall be prohibited between member states'. In Geddo v Ente Nazionale Risi3 quantitative restrictions was said to be total or partial restriction on imports, exports or goods in transit. This tends to include a complete ban. (Commission v. Italy (Re Ban on Pork and Imports)4. It also includes quotas as stated in Salgoil SpA v. Italian Ministry for Foreign Trade5. Furthermore, even if it is found that the ban on imports is only on a certain or part of the member state, it would still be classified as a quantitative restriction. This was illustrated in the Ditle v. Bluhm6e case where a prohibition on import by Danish on a small island named Laeso of bees or reproductive material was found to be a quantitative restriction even though it was only for the island and for the purpose of protecting the Laeso brown bee. In order for the Article 28 to be applied it has been found necessary that a state measure should have been taken. This is what was found in the case of Commission v. Ireland 'Buy Irish' 7where it was found that the Irish Goods Council had the involvement of the state in the appointment of its Managing Committee and that it was run on state funding. However it has been seen that measures taken by state have been interpreted in the

Apple Case Study Essay Example for Free

Apple Case Study Essay Apple Inc. (previously Apple Computer, Inc. ) is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software and personal computers. Apple currently has 246 retail stores located in 44 states that employs over 27,000 retail employees. Apple also employs over 304,000 U. S. individuals from development to transportations. As of September 11, 2012, Apple is the largest publicly traded company ever. Apple has established a unique reputation in the consumer electronics industry. This includes a customer base that is devoted to the company and its brand, particularly in the United States. Fortune magazine named Apple the most admired company in the United States in 2008 and in the world in 2008, 2009, 2010 and2011. This case study will not only highlight Apple’s strengths, it will also discuss its weaknesses and past failures that have laid the foundation to become one the most powerful companies in the world. As the story famously goes, â€Å"two Steves† started one of the biggest computer companies ever in a garage after quitting their day jobs. Steve Jobs worked at Atari, a computer and gaming company and Steve â€Å"Woz† Wozniak worked at Hewlett-Packard. A friend introduced the two seeing their mutual interest in electronics. Woz had built a computer in his spare time as a hobby. According to Charles Hill and Gareth Jones (2012), authors of Essentials of Strategic Management, â€Å"That is what people did in 1976,† (p. C13). Jobs realized that people might want to buy such a machine and persuaded Woz to set up a company to make and market it. Headquarters: Jobs’ garage in California. Thus Apple Computers was born. A total of 200 units were sold at a price of $666 each; the product rolled out on April Fool’s Day in 1976 at a local electronics store. The company went on to see great successes and some failures, and the two Steves are heralded as revolutionizing the personal computer industry. After improving on the garage computer, named Apple I, with better graphics, more data storage and a simpler looking machine, Apple introduced the Apple II in 1977. This personal computer that was user friendly to non-computer using consumers soon made the two twenty somethings into millionaires. Throughout the years, subsequent models that improved on the speed and design of the Apple II were released. With these improvements came additional products: software, external drives and printers, to name a few. By 1983, the Apple IIe was introduced, which would become Apple’s most popular and best-selling of all models. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Apple computers became computing standard for elementary schools. By the time the Apple II line became defunct, more than 2 million Apple IIs had been sold and home computers were gaining popularity. Apple Computers also changed its name simply to Apple to reflect its diversity of products. During this general timeframe, Woz was piloting a plane that stalled and crashed; he suffered some memory loss. He returned to Apple sporadically throughout the ensuing years but formally ended his full-time association with the company in 1987. Two new engineers were brought on board for two new project ideas: Jeff Raskin for the Macintosh computer model and Bill Atkinson for the more business-oriented Lisa computer. The Macintosh became a success; the Lisa did not. In 1991 Apple continued to build on its founders’ guiding principle—that the individual, not the mainframe, should be at the center of the computing universe (â€Å"Silicon Valley,† 2012). The company introduced a portable Mac, which was the predecessor of the modern laptop. In 1993 it launched the Newton, a personal digital assistant which let consumers compute without sitting at a desk. The end of the 1990s brought yet another breakthrough Apple computer—the iMac, which touted power, ease of use and esthetics. The iPod, a digital music player and the iPhone, a phone with Internet capabilities, are two of Apple’s newest immensely popular products. Steve Jobs died of cancer in October of 2011 after working and leading on and off at Apple throughout the years; Woz is 62 and currently spends his time as a writer, speaker, researcher and philanthropist. Tim Cook is the current CEO of Apple. On August 20, Apple officially became the most valuable company in history in terms of market capitalization (â€Å"Forbes,† 2012). Heading into the final hour of trading on the NASDAQ, the stock had risen more than two percent, giving the company a market cap of over $620 billion with shared trading over $662 apiece. The reason—speculation over its newest product release—the iPhone 5. Identification of the company’s internal strengths and weaknesses Strengths: †¢Product development. Doesnt invent the market, but its products set high standards for the market †¢Design and utility. Sleek, not clunky. For instance, the desktop computer is part of the screen, not a separate box with wires; the iPhone has very few buttons and feels nice in the hand. Products are easy to use, almost intuitive †¢Marketing. Clever and takes advantages of peoples frustrations with other hardware †¢Brand name †¢ Globally recognized †¢Rapid growth and high profits †¢ Pioneer of innovative and high-tech quality products such as iPod, iPhone and iPad †¢Strong Research Development department (9% of sales devoted to RD) †¢ Having the control of both its own hardware and software †¢ Having had a visionary, charismatic and innovative CEO like Steve Jobs †¢ Apple retail store experience allowing customers to use and experience Apple’s products †¢ Having a large segment of loyal customers †¢Sales of add-on products Highlighting of its products as the world’s greenest line-up of notebooks Weaknesses: †¢Very proprietary and controlling. Wont open the operating system to outsiders to develop hardware to work with the products, keeping hardware sales to itself. While this keeps design control inside and up to standards, it has hurt wide adaptation of its hardware, especially computers, where it has a relatively small market share. Apple has veto power over Apps sold †¢ The death of Steve Jobs and the absence of his leadership will be a weakness for Apple as they find ways to match his innovation †¢Not shareholder-friendly. Has abused option granting in the past and refuses to pay a dividend despite a huge (and growing) cash level, no debt, and plentiful free cash flow †¢The battery life of the products are seen as weak †¢ Failure of two products; First Apple TV launch and Mac Mini †¢ Decision to restrict the iPhone to a single network †¢ The lack of QWERTY keyboard in products like iPad and iPhone †¢ Low market share in comparison with HP, Dell, Acer, Lenova and Toshiba †¢ Apple products are highly priced, so it is hard to suit their target market Opportunities: †¢Loyal customer base which has expanded beyond the Mac-heads of the 1990s with the iPod and the iPhone. The iPad has had a very successful launch. This seems to be leading to more sales of computers. †¢Has a well-deserved reputation for high-quality products that work smoothly. New products are generally well-received and have a built in purchasing base. †¢Move into other computer or media product spaces that are not served well. Can continue to design the standard-setter for those spaces. †¢A new version of Apple TV could take advantage of todays more highly developed Web. Threats: †¢Big ideas are easy to copy. Microsoft copied the graphical user interface, and even Linux has a version. The touchscreen interface is being used in other phones (e. g. Android). Apps are being developed for other smart phones and devices. †¢High-priced products. Apple priced itself out of the personal computer market, and that remains a problem. Other smartphones that look and behave similarly to the iPhone are less expensive. †¢Google is moving into Apples smartphone space by giving away the operating system, and it has announced that it will also be moving into the TV space. Both companies are well-funded, so any battle between the two could be long and ugly. Nature of external environment surrounding the company The industry grows and changes at an alarming pace. Every day there are new products that flood the market. New technology changes cell phones, laptops and new products are advertised every week. The major companies in the industry are Apple, Acer, Dell, and ‘Hewlett Packard’. In order for new companies to break into this market, they need to have a high entry barrier as well as a differentiated strategy from the existing companies. There is also a high learning curve with the customers getting accustomed to the new products. The existing brand names make the entry barrier very difficult to break into. Apple seems to be financially stable and healthy with weaknesses and threats that Apple has overcome and conquered in its past. The strengths show Apple’s foundation built upon a long line of unique products and branding, powerful research and development along with commanding marketing gurus that make Apple the powerhouse it has become today. Financially, the financial papers seem to be responsible and accountable with much thought put into Apple’s strategy. According to YCharts (June 30, 2012), Apple’s current ratio is 1. 71, which is slightly above book value. When you have a current ratio of 1, it means that your current assets are exactly the same as your current liabilities. â€Å"The current ratio measures a companys ability to pay short-term debts and other current liabilities by comparing current assets to current liabilities† (YCharts, 2007-2012, para. 1). Apple’s gross profit margin (sales-cost of goods sold/revenue) is 42. 81%, gross profit margin represents the percentage of each dollar of a companys revenue that is available to cover fixed costs after paying for the goods or services that were sold. With Apple seizing new opportunities every day, Apple will continue to dominate its markets for a long time to come and will remain fiscally responsible while continuing to make large profits, making it a wise decision to invest in the Apple organization. SWOT analysis It cannot be debated that Apple has many strengths. They should not, however, become complacent with their success and in order to maintain its competitive advantage, the company must constantly evaluate their internal and external operations and address its weaknesses and threats, as well as assess its strengths and use them appropriately. One of Apple’s current strengths is its brand recognition and strong brand image. Apple has effectively used this strength through product development. As Apple took the market by storm and was gaining momentum, it expanded its product offering. With each new product such as the iPhone and the iPad, consumers expected the same quality and ease of use as Apple’s preceding products as they had already established that position in the consumer mind. Apple also has an enviable position in the market place and in the minds of the financial world. Apple’s robust financial performance is strength as the growth in capital allows for continued growth. While reviewing the strengths, one must also consider the weaknesses. For example, Apple’s weaknesses can be demonstrated with the release of the iPhone 4 and the concerns over the antenna on the product and how it could affect the performance of the device. Product recalls can result in a damaged image and reputation which will affect sales. Recalls also result in warranty and other expenses. It is clear that Apple views the iPhone as a major opportunity. The iPhone leads the company in percentage of sales, and with he new release of the 4s, combined with additional service providers supporting the device, will continue to do so. The expanding tablet market and demand for mobile technology also makes the iPad market a big opportunity for Apple. Expanding in international markets is also a big opportunity for Apple. Despite its strengths and opportunities, Apple faces many threats. One major threat to the company’s iPhone growth is the rising popularity of Google’s Android. Critics and users alike have stated that the Android is comparable, if not superior, to the iPhone technology. This fierce competitor is sure to affect Apple’s market share. In conclusion, an overview of Apple’s SWOT allows us to break down current strengths, as well as weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This allows us to further analyze the company as a whole and is imperative when devising a corporate strategy. The kind of corporate level strategy the company is pursuing Apple’s corporate strategy is to focus on making the industries’ best products. They are a company that focuses on innovation, and also improvements on their existing products. They use the focused differentiation strategy, by making products that are exclusive, and fairly expensive. Not everyone can afford an Apple product. They focus on aligning their business strategy and their marketing strategy with product development. This is something that they do much better than their competitors, and this is a huge advantage for them. Apples target market is people who are willing to pay more for products with better user experience, people who like to have fun with technology, music enthusiasts and people who work with media and design professionals. They have done a good job by finding out which customer needs to satisfy. They have found out that these customers want a nice, beautiful and simple design and user input, and they have focused on programs that help photograph and edit both pictures and videos, as well as good music programs to both listen to and make music. To make these programs, they have to have to focus on innovation, and have programmers and designers that can make programs like thisthat are easy to use, beautiful to look at, and do what you expect them to do. The nature of the company’s business-level strategy Apple’s fundamental business model has not changed since it first began business in the late 1980s. Apple’s organizational strategy â€Å"think different† is to control the development and design of the hardware and software for all of its products. The company is focused on providing innovative products and solutions to consumers. Apple has a simple strategy of providing customers with the best products and experiences possible. Another strategy is offering exclusiveness of their products to certain providers and companies. This not only builds a strong working relationship, but also builds a strong want by consumers for Apple products. I think the most important strategy is their branding strategy. This includes making new products that supports a â€Å"digital hub† strategy. This is a concept where the products that Apple produces will function as a hub for digital devices such digital cameras, cell phones, etc. Apple focuses on the lifestyle of the customer which includes imagination, hopes, dreams, and many more attributes. They are committed to the customer (Apples branding strategy, 2011). Mission Statement Apple mission statement is as follows, â€Å"Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices (Investor relations, 2011). † Steve Jobs stated that Apple’s â€Å"core value that the company believes, is people with passion can change the world for the better. † He stressed that value at its core is something that should never change despite the world changing around it. The company’s structure and control systems and how they match its strategy Apple’s first product, the Apple I, was vastly different from the Apple products of today. This first handmade computer kit was constructed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. It lacked a graphic user interface (GUI), and buyers had to add their own keyboard and display. Co-founder Steve Jobs convinced Wozniak that it could be sold as a commercial product. In 1976 the Apple I was unveiled at the Home Brew Computer Club and put on sale for $666. 66. Jobs and Wozniak continued to create innovative products. Soon their new company, Apple Computer Inc. , had surpassed $1 million in sales. However, the mid-1980s saw some difficult times for Apple. In 1983 the company introduced the Apple Lisa for $10,000. The product flopped. In 1985 Steve Jobs was ousted after internal conflicts with the Apple CEO. Its computer products the Mac I and the Newton were not successful, and the company underwent several CEO changes. With declining stock prices, the future of Apple was in jeopardy. Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 to try and save the struggling company. The return of Jobs introduced a new era for Apple. Jobs immediately began to change the company’s corporate culture. Before Jobs’ return, employees were more open about Apple projects. After he returned, Jobs instituted a â€Å"closed door† policy. Today Apple continues to remain vigilant in protecting its technology and ensuring that information remains proprietary. Jobs also created a more flattened organizational structure; rather than go through layers of management to address employees, he addressed them directly. Perhaps one of the most noticeable changes, however, was Apple’s expansion into new product lines within the electronics industry. In 2001 Apple launched the iPod—a portable music player that forever changed the music industry. The company also introduced iTunes, a type of â€Å"jukebox† software that allowed users to upload songs from CDs onto their Macs and then organize and manage their personalized song libraries. Two years later Apple introduced the iTunes Store, in which users could download millions of their favorite songs for $0. 99 each online. In 2007 Jobs announced that Apple Computer, Inc. would be re-named Apple Inc. This signified that Apple was no longer just a computer manufacturer but also a driver in consumer electronics. Some saw this as a shift away from computers toward consumer electronics such as Apple TV, iPods, iTunes, iPhones, and iPads. However, it may be more accurate to say that Apple is reinventing computers. With the introduction of tablet computers such as the iPad, Apple has begun to take market share away from its top competitors in the computer industry. Sales of desktops, laptops, and netbooks began to decline after tablet computers were introduced. Analysts believe that tablet computers will continue to grow at a rapid rate. Apple’s transition from a computer to a consumer electronics company is unprecedented—and hard to replicate. Although many can only speculate about why Apple succeeded so well, they tend to credit Steve Jobs’ remarkable leadership abilities, Apple’s highly skilled employees, and its strong corporate culture. Conclusion Today, Apple continues to lead the industry with their outstanding and ‘ award winning’ products and services. Apple is also credited with leading the digital media revolution with their iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online media store, creating the first sustainable music-downloading business model in history (Gershon, 2009, p. 367). The company has also entered the mobile phone industry with an altogether different business strategy known as† value innovation† with the iPhone. Value innovation focuses on making the competition irrelevant by opening up new and untapped markets, creating a leap in value for consumers. The iPhone is yet another product that has changed the way the industry defines new product standards and possibilities. With growing demand for high-quality, powerful, user-friendly, and cost effective products, Apple is undoubtedly the leader in terms of bringing these ideas to life. The company realizes that rather than publicly announcing product development plans years in advance, products are better received with an â€Å"awe† response if they are simply released when they’re finished as opposed to providing â€Å"beta† or â€Å"demo† versions to the public. This is an excellent strategy when the goal is to keep consumers eager for the latest products and asking, â€Å"What could they possibly improve next? †