Historical Evolution and Development of the Various Mass Media

Throughout history there have been several factors that contributed to the historical evolution and development of the various mass media in the United States. Print, broadcast, and electronic media have changed drastically since man was first introduced to them. The speed of these changes are occurring more rapidly now, altering the different forms of media along with it. Though these changes have brought forth many benefits, a few negative impacts have been brought along as well. Print media has been used by people to spread information for centuries, dating all the way back to 59 B.C. by Julius Caesar. Caesar created the â€Å"newspaper† to tell the public about important events. During this time news was written on large white boards, which were located in places where people would usually go. Later the Chinese created the first hand-written newspapers. In 1447, Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press. Gutenberg’s creation made the exchange of people’s i deas much easier. Newspapers did not start having publications on a regular basis until the beginning of the 17th century. Print media completely transformed after the creation of the telegraph in 1844.Then finally in the 19th century, newspapers have became the primary source of news. Since the introduction of broadcast media in the 1900’s, print media has had to reevaluate their position as an information provider. Broadcasting media started with wireless telegraphy which was dots and dashes carried by radio transmissions. Audio broadcasting services that traveled through radio waves sent from a transmitter to an antenna became very popular quickly. People all across the world tuned into their radios regularly to hear current events.Television eventually began to take the place of radio in the 1950’s. During the cold war, shortwave broadcasting played an important role in keeping people informed. FM radio changed younger Americans interest in radio in the 1970â€℠¢s. Many stations would play entire record albums instead of just the top songs. In the 2000’s digital radio and satellite broadcasting became extremely popular. Electronic media is a form of media that uses electronics or electromechanical energy in order for its viewer to receive the content.Electronic media sources most commonly used by most people are audio and video recordings, multimedia and slide presentations, disk, and online content. The newest and most common form of electric media is in the form of digital media. The rise in electronic media can be dated back to the 1960’s. In 1968, the U. S. Department of Defense created a network to where different computers could communicate with one another. A student at the University of Minnesota developed the internet years later. The Web included images, audio and video features, and hypertext links.People can gain unlimited sources of information whenever and whenever through the internet. In the early 1990’ s local and national newspapers became based online. By the early 2000’s most magazines were even located online. Now, electronic media has almost completely taken the place of print media. In my opinion, broadcast media tends to have a uniting influence and it also niches audiences based on demographic consumer needs. People begin to feel a connection with the individuals they watch on television or regularly hear on the radio.This connection makes that or those particular individuals opinion have as huge impact on most of their viewers. MSNBC is known for being more democratic in nature, using social networks as an outlet to promote its cultural hegemony. Broadcasting medias such as MSNBC, Fox News, and PBS are visibly more diversity exemplified as opposed to other stations. They focus on politics and are mainly just concerned with showing their belief in a positive light, while putting a negative spin on other beliefs. Americans should be concerned about this, because it i nfluences people on terms that may not be truthful.Strategies media professionals from different industries have historically used to adapt to societal and technical changes include changing from print media to being online based, business developing pages on social networks, and interacting with its viewers. Certain changes have been made by the different forms of media in order to keep up with the latest trends in technology. I believe in the future, print media will be extinct and electronic media will be the main and maybe even only form of media.When attempting to prosper in the American marketplace, media professionals face the challenges of keeping up with the growing requirement for owners of content to arrange multi-format content in order to fully maximize new forms of digital technology. Legal challenges media professionals face include privacy, advertising, agreement terms, security concerns, and ensuring people with disabilities are able to access their content. In conc lusion, several events have had to take place in order for our several medias to be where they are today.This paper displayed some of the influences broadcasting and print media had on people. Print media has been used to spread information to people since the B. C. years. Digital media had virtually taken the place of print media, causing a drastic decrease in actual newspapers making them and magazines mainly online based. Electronic media continues to dominate all other forms of media and appears to grow even more powerful throughout the years.WORKS CITED Barber, Phil. â€Å"A Brief History of Newspapers†, Historic Newspapers and Early Imprints. 2002. . Bethelsen, John. Internet Hacks: Web News Cashes In†. Asia Times Online, April 2003. . B. L. Yates, . â€Å"History of Broadcast media. † . N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Apr 2012. . Mathew, Roy. â€Å"Technology Advances in Journalism. † Cyber Journalist: Technology, Tools, Ethics. N. p. , 25 S. Web. 15 Apr 2012 . Middleberg, Donald & Ross, Steven. (March 1996). â€Å"The Media in Cyberspace. † Paper delivered at Columbia University. â€Å"Newspapers: A brief history. † World Association of Newspapers. N. p. , 2004. Web. 15 Apr 2012. . â€Å"Newspapers: The Continent† Columbia Encyclopedia, 6 Ed. , 2003.

Braveheart -Movie vs. Real Life Essay

This Essay is about the differences in the movie BraveHeart vs. accual events in the life of William Wallace(AKA BraveHeart) a Scottish peasant and freedom fighter fighting for his country’s freedom from the unfair rule of the English King Edward II(Longshanks). It goes over differences such as the battle of Stirling Bridge and when and how Hollywood came into play. This essay was assigned in my history class after watching the movie BraveHeart and reading about the life of William Wallace in our text books. The idea was to learn about his fight for freedom†¦. Braveheart -Movie vs. Real Life The name Braveheart refers to a Scottish peasant named William Wallace whom which fought for Scotland’s freedom against the English King, Longshanks (Edward II). There is little true knowledge known about William Wallace, and what is known is questionable. Recently there was a movie made about the life of William Wallace, which was titled Braveheart. Overall, the movie portrayed a very clear picture of William Wallace’s life, but there were also some things that happened in the movie that were fiction. Such as there wasn’t a bridge at the battle of Stirling Bridge, the relationship between the Princess and William Wallace, and the Hollywood stuff in the movie. In this essay I will talk about these ways in which I feel that some of the movie was fictional. The first thing is the battle of Stirling Bridge. In real life, the battle took place on a bridge. In the movie, however the battle took place on a large grassy battlefield. The Scottish were quite quick to attack the English who were trying to assemble on the other side of the bridge. That was the way the Scottish won in the actual battle. However in the movie, the Scottish just got lucky and won the highly outnumbered battle. This is probably the most noticeable piece of history poorly portrayed in the movie. The second is the relationship that William Wallace had with the Princess of England. This is ridiculous for several reasons. First, a royal princess would most likely never touch a dirty, Scottish peasant; forget having a  serious relationship with him. And second the princess would have only been about 6 or 7 years old when this situation would’ve taken place. So that is another thing that was quite fictional in Braveheart. The last difference that I want to point out is that there were a lot of little things that I think didn’t happen in real life, and were used because it was a Hollywood movie. An example is that when they were in battle all of the Scottish mooned the English. It is possible because of their ancestor’s, the Kilts, fighting style, but it still seems unlikely to me. Also there is the way that William Wallace killed the Scottish Nobles. He just charged on his horse into their bedrooms in the middle of the night and slit their throats. Things like that probably didn’t happen at all. So in conclusion, Braveheart was a quite informative and entertaining movie that showed a good idea of the life of William Wallace. However there were several things such as there wasn’t a bridge at the battle of Stirling Bridge, the relationship between the Princess and William Wallace, and the Hollywood stuff in the movie, that made the movie less factual than possible. No matter what it was still a good movie, and I would recommend it to somebody wanting to learn about Scotland’s past andor the life of William Wallace.

Changing masculinities in Hollywood styled romantic comedies Essay

Changing masculinities in Hollywood styled romantic comedies - Essay Example Where males in older romantic comedies were portrayed as cool emotionally and in control of their environment, males in current and modern romantic comedies are more often highly flawed and emotionally vulnerable. The changing image of the male figure in romantic comedies has developed a less competent male figure that is at the mercy of the storyline, where in older films the male figure was far more commanding and in control of the events. Romantic comedies have been in film for as long as stories for film have been written. Grindon (2011, p. 12) calls the romantic comedy the â€Å"most enduring and flexible† of the film genres, its inclusion in the film releases of each year standard and expected. Grindon (2011, p. 3) describes the romantic comedy as â€Å"striv(ing) to excite sexual desire and mimic its pleasure mediated through the devices of cinematic storytelling and experienced as laughter†. ... The male image has undergone a great deal of change in contrast to the female image, his position in building the relationship very different than one might have seen in the 1950s or 1960s. The following paper will explore the nature of the romantic comedy while developing a profile of both the stereotyped female and male, with a close look at the changes seen in the masculine identity throughout the history of film. The theory on the differentiation of the male and female identity is explored, as well as the ideas of the nature of male integrity in contrast with the duplicitous nature of the female. The relatively stagnant nature of the female lead stereotype in a romantic comedy is put into contrast with the evolution of the male identity in the romantic comedy genre. While there are few absolutes in any film genre as the idea is to try to create something unique, repetition of stereotypes keeps familiarity for the audiences, while commenting on the relationships of the genders. In this relatively unique instance, the nature of the stereotypes for the male figure in a genre has gone through radical changes, leaving the male identity in these films as something very different than it was when the industry of film began. Background The Hierarchy of Knowledge One of the elements of the romantic comedy structure is that of the hierarchy of knowledge. A standard in romantic comedies is that either the male or the female has the privilege of the hierarchy of knowledge, knowing more about what is transpiring than the other. Typically it is the female in the film who has the advantage of knowledge. The male can be seen as the victim of circumstances that he has less control over. McDonald (2007, p. 22) uses the film Sunday in New York

Global Warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 7

Global Warming - Research Paper Example This paper stresses that the IPCC regards the act and measures made to counter increase in temperature as mitigation and these activities include attempts made to reduce emission of greenhouse gasses and enhancement of the ability of carbon sinks in order to increase the absorption of GHGs that are found in the atmosphere. This report makes a conclusion that IPCC created a report according to which policies need to be made in order to decrease the emission of greenhouse gasses. Another method through which the effects of global warming can be offset is through the method of adaption to changes in the climate. Adaption can be conducted in three ways, it can be planned beforehand as a reaction to changes to the climate that have already occurred or climatic changes that are yet to occur. This method is still in the process of research where its costs and outcomes are yet to be figured out but this method have been adopted on small scale basis. Global warming can be countered at the individual level as well as the organizational and the state level. If individuals, organizations and state conduct certain activities they can counter the challenge of global warming. Opponents of global warming even state that activities conducted by human beings are not the major contributors of increase in emission of carb on dioxide and instead it is the natural events that are resulting in increase in carbon dioxide. They even state that it is natural for the earth to warm and cool over different time periods because of the natural process and if currently the earth is warming.

Current Congress Legislation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current Congress Legislation - Essay Example Taxing small businesses fairly is a very important step in promoting them. American is strong due to the important role played by small businesses. Statistics indicate that more than 90 percent of all employers are small businesses. Therefore, if small businesses are not healthy, reducing unemployment in America is easy. Economists estimate that value of output from small businesses is 50% of non-farm GDP. With such a huge amount of output for the country, promoting small businesses is good for the American economy. The same companies are responsible for producing much of the knowledge that gives America competitive advantage over competitors. Small firms produce more patent per employee than large companies do. This suggests that without small firms, knowledge creation would take a beating. Small businesses in America are found everywhere. The numbers of small businesses are estimated at more than 22 million. A law that is beneficial to this huge number of small businesses will be felt in virtually every neighborhood in America. By virtue of their spread, they employ as much as 50% of all employees in private sector. Another important contribution of small businesses is exporting ("Office of Advocacy - Press Releases - Small Businesses Are Important Players in U.S. Business and Job Growth†). Currently, American is facing trade deficit because Americans import too much consumption goods more than export. By exporting, small business help, prevent the present trade imbalance from getting worse. Approximately 97% of American exporters are small businesses who export goods and services values as 27%of total export. Small businesses in America are started at a rate of half a million per year. This explains their capacity for creating jobs for Americans. If they are supported, more of these small businesses would succeed. Lastly, even the big Americans corporations that pay billions in tax every

UK Monetary Policy Regime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

UK Monetary Policy Regime - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Monetary Policy can be broadly defined as â€Å"the deliberate effort by the Central Bank to influence economic activity by variations in the money supply, in the availability of credit or in the interest rates consistent with the specific national objectives.†Ã‚   Money serves as a medium of exchange, as a store of value, a standard for measuring values and a unit of account. The role of money is to serve as a medium of exchange, and it is the medium through which everything can be bought and sold. The monetary policy of any country refers to the regulatory policy, whereby the monetary authority maintains its control over the supply of money for the realization of general economic objectives. This involves manipulating the supply of money, the level, and structure of interest rates and other conditions affecting the availability of credit. However, in the context of developing economies, monetary policy acquires a wider role and it has to be design ed to meet the particular requirements of the economy. This involves not merely the restriction of credit expansion to curb inflation, but also the provision of adequate funds to meet the legitimate requirements of industry and trade and curbing the use of credit for unproductive and speculative purposes. The monetary policy of an economy operates through three important instruments, viz. the regulation of money supply, control over aggregate credit and the interest rate policy. Economic growth is dependent on mobilizing savings and directing them into productive channels. In this process, money supply can only play a limited role. However, the role establishes an important connection between money supply, output and price level (ICFAI Center for Management Research (ICMR)). These relationships cannot be ignored even if the primary concern of the government is the mobilization of real factors that ultimately lead to economic growth. A principal objective of any central bank is to sa feguard the value of the currency in terms of what it will purchase. Rising prices – inflation – reduces the value of money. Monetary policy is directed to achieving this objective and providing a framework for non-inflationary economic growth.

Women's Health. Health Care Disparity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Women's Health. Health Care Disparity - Essay Example Healthcare disparities exist in both public and private sectors. Various kinds of socio-economic factors contribute to the existence of healthcare disparities like inadequate access to care to some group of people, poor quality of care to some individuals, etc. Community features and behaviors at personal level also contribute to these disparities. It is generally found that people who belong to ethnic or racial minority groups, or individuals with mental or physical impairment or disabilities, or women may face health care disparities. Very often healthcare disparities exist between rural and urban areas. (Mead, 2008) Part B) Explain why some women (in general) may face barriers to health care. Of course, over the decades significant progress have been made in women’s health. However, still health status of women on average is not as good as of men. Not only that, but healthcare disparities exists among women as well. Different sub-groups of women get different types of acces s to care and quality of care also varies across different subgroups of women. (Mead, 2008) There are a number of reason for which some women face healthcare disparities compared to men and other groups of women as well.

Security and Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Security and Human Rights - Essay Example Apparently, any governments priority to guarantee security for its people (McAdam, 2013). However, a critical focus on the Australian policies targeting migrants and asylum seekers tempts one to conclude that the policies are not genuinely aimed at protection of the country but are centered on keeping migrants and asylum seekers off the Australian community (McAdam, 2013). The policies are harsh, inhumane and repugnant to the human rights and international law. This paper takes position against the Australian actions against migrants and asylum seekers particularly Muslims. It presents evidence of the inconsistencies of these Acts with human rights and the international law and gives recommendations to the UN concerning these acts In 2001, unfortunate events, particularly the September 11 attack on the United States allowed the government to exploit public fears and create a rhetorical and eventually legislative divide between the rights of the so referred to as genuine refugees, resettled in Australia from camps abroad by the offshore humanitarian program and those arriving in Australia spontaneously, ordinarily by boat, described as â€Å"queue jumpers†, â€Å"illegals† and â€Å"unauthorized arrivals†. The labor government had laid the foundation of these laws. In 1992, the labor government created a policy of compulsory detention. Initially, the policy was aimed at being an exceptional measure for wave of Indochinese boat people majorly from Cambodia but was expanded to all unlawful non-citizens for administrative efficiency. The then Immigration minister categorically sent a message that migration to Australia would not simply be achieved by arriving in the country and expecting to b e permitted into the community. Ever since then, leaders have played up the concept of the good refugee who waits in a camp for resettlement and the bad refugee who jumps the line by arriving by boat (McAdam,

Enhancing health and social care through inter-professional education Essay

Enhancing health and social care through inter-professional education - Essay Example Prior to begin with the group work, my mind was pre-occupied with various feelings and I was quite nervous regarding the accuracy of the outcomes to be obtained through my performance. I was also shy, as I had to perform within a group comprising different people, some of them being experienced than me. My knowledge and skills has changed significantly after the group work. I have gained more knowledge about radiography by analysing the viewpoints of the students engaged in the work process with me. The different styles used by others also helped me in enhancing my own way of working and incorporating various significant aspects relating to radiography. I experienced and gained better knowledge about how to handle the differences in the view points while working in a group and arrive to one particular solution in order to make the work more effective. Through the group work, I learnt that views of every student are important and their significance depends on the way they are communicated to every individual or group (U.S. Department, 2013; Canterbury Christ Church University, 2012). After the group work with the students, it can be argued that my behaviour would be different as I was expecting so with the development in my knowledge base. This can be owing to the influence of diverse students and their behavioural traits that inspired me to do better in radiography. Subsequently, I have become more confident regarding the use of radiography and its operations for visualising the internal body parts of an individual with accuracy. I also gained much understanding about the procedures and the safety measures involved in radiography that eventually helped me in meeting the professional challenges confidently. Through my experience, I was able to identify that different members in the team have different views along with styles while handling situations. This has helped me in broadening my knowledge and making my behaviour more

A FORMAL ANALYSIS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A FORMAL ANALYSIS - Assignment Example paper will offer a formal analysis of this painting, exploring its formal properties, subject matter, historical context and describing any symbolism exhibited in the work. In 1907, Henri Matisse did a painting on canvas using oil that he named â€Å"Blue Nude.† Notably, he relied on his use of bright colors in this painting and a high level of primitivism. Henri Matisse had earned recognition as one of the 20th century artists who produced colorful artworks. This preference is exhibited in this painting. His primitivism has been described through his use of strokes in the painting. Moreover, the strokes were sketchy like as he did his painting (Bohm-Duchen 55). The sketch like strokes is more evident in the shading of the underside of the woman’s breasts as well as the inner side of both her face and thighs. In these areas, Matisse relied on sketchy strokes to place emphasis on the undersides. Moreover, Matisse relied on color and such sketchy lines in his evident efforts to exhibit shadows and other physical details on the woman’s body. Notably, this painting has been considered as an abstract and not real because the artistic el ements used to highlight shadows and other physical details of the woman prove to be unrealistic. Moreover, Matisse missed out in giving clear details of the feet and the toes as well as the fingers. Notably, the painting appears to be hard and rough because of the style used. The faint details that define the painting as well as the roughness implied serve to emphasize the abstract nature of the painting. Moreover, Matisse does not present specific details of the background, although the audience can identify some plants and flowers. Moreover, Matisse’s primitivism of style is also exhibited by the evident exaggerations as he tried to outline the woman’s body (DSouza 70). For example, he makes her look like she has muscle, a body that is uncommon among women. The pores of the woman are also revealed by his sketchy lines and

Counselor Essay Essay Example for Free

Counselor Essay Essay Michael is a Case Manager within Spectrum Health hospitals and has been for four years. Michael is twenty-eight years old and enjoys doing his job although he has stated that it can be difficult at times. Michael stated that sometimes there is over time when other employees call in and case load can be heavy at times. Michael stated that every so often he has to wear a pager so employees within the hospital can get ahold of them when emergent issues arise. On call is every third weekend and four days out of each month where Michael is on call 24/7. As Michael punches in for the day, he meets with patients that are either just admitted or ready for discharge. Michael will help patients gain what they expect within the hospital so they will be pleased with the kind of care they received while in the hospital. Michael will also help patients that are ready to be discharged gain everything needed for their home after they are discharged. Things such as canes, walkers, commodes, home care, Dr. Visit’s, etc. As I asked if Michael has every experience burnout he stated that he has felt burned out before and even a little overwhelmed when he is placed on call for a few days. Michael has never thought about quitting his job but he has felt the need to take a few days off before just to gain a clear mind and get back to work. One stage of burn out Michael has experienced would be stage three in which that is frustration. Frustration comes within Michael when he is unable to complete every task that is expected of him. Michael has felt frustrated before when he is given too much and not enough time to complete every task. Michael strives to do his best within his position and sometimes that is not enough because as he gains too much work, he cannot spend the time needed with the patients to ensure proper  care is being achieved while the patient is in the hospital. Michael often sets up agendas for his work and how to get the work done in a timely manner so he does not get frustrated when things don’t get done or issues arise. Michael relieves frustration this way because he is able to visualize what he needs to do and what things to do first. Michael often takes times off from work in order to not get frustrated within his position. Michael will spend time with his family and while at home he will not speak of work so that he can enjoy family time and not think of work while relaxing. Burnout is defined as an internal psychological experience that involves feelings, attitudes, motives and expectations. Burnout means the energy of an individual has been consumed by helping others. Energy crisis occurs when the psychic demand exceeds the supply. Burnout is often experienced with a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion caused by a long-term involvement within an emotionally demanding situation. Burnout is often accompanied by physical depletion, feelings of helplessness, disillusionment, negative self-concept and negative attitudes toward employment, people and life in itself. Burnout represents a breaking point where it’s hard for an individual to cope with the environment surrounding them. Compassion fatigue is often caused by a work related stress and it is also an increase of loss in compassion over a period of time. Compassion fatigue can share similar symptoms of burnout but just not in an as severe way. There are many ways burnout can occur; Burnout often comes in blocks that include Role ambiguity or the lack of clarity concerning rights, responsibilities, methods, goals, status and accountability toward themselves. Role conflict is the significance of a  demand placed on the individual that are incompatible, inappropriate and inconsistent within the values or ethics. Role overload is the quantity and quality of demands placed on the individual that are too great. Inconsequentiality is the feeling of helplessness, the individual may feel that no matter what they do they are not good enough they gain little  recognition, accomplishment, appreciation or success. Isolation means that individual may lacking in support or has minimal support and the last one is Autonomy, where the ability to make decision on what they will do and how they will deal with their patients may be affected by their place of employment. Signs of burnout may include tardiness, dreading work, turning to drug s or alcohol, withdrawing from friends or family, clockwatching, depression, sudden change in weight, suicide or homicide thoughts or attempts just to name a few. Burnout also comes in stages, there are four main stages of burnout that can occur as an employee tries there absolute best within the position they have accepted within any organization. Stage one is enthusiasm, where the employee enters the job with high hopes and unrealistic expectations. If the employee is not tempered by orientations, training and realistic expectations the Human Service work may lead to the second stage which is stagnation. Stage two is stagnation, where the employee starts to feel that personal, financial, and career needs are not met. This may happen as the employee visualizes other employees moving on faster than themselves, an increase in pressure at home, financial obligations increasing and lack of employee reinforcement from doing the job well. As these are not met or taken care of, burnout can lead to the next stage of frustration. Stage three is frustration, where the employee may doubt their Caretaker Interview 5 effectiveness, values or impact of their efforts within the organization. One employee’s frustration may hold a domino effect toward others because the effect of burnout are contagious within an environment. Frustration can be dealt with by arranging workshops and support groups to increase awareness and generate problem solving as a group effort. If frustration is not taken care of within a positive manner, frustration can turn into Apathy. Stage four is Apathy, where the employee meets the feeling of actually being burned out. The employee may become immobile, in denial and may be in stage of crisis. As an employee meets this stage of burnout, psychotherapy may be needed to reverse the actions of burnout and to get the employee at a positive state of mind.

Importance of Social Work

Importance of Social Work Social work involves working with some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in society. It is working with individuals, groups and communities, putting into practice Social Work Values that aid people to overcome possible oppression they face. The actions of Social Workers are to promote social change, help solve problems and empower and liberate people to help enhance their well being. (British Association of Social Workers, 2002) It needs to be understood that Social Workers must be vigilant against the possibility of exploitation or oppression of Service users through unethical Practices. (Thompson, 2005: Pg 108) All Professional occupations are guided by ethical codes and underpinned by Values (Bishman, 2004) and from the very beginning of Social Work, the profession has been seen as firmly rooted in values (Reamer, 2001) (Cited by Bishman, 2004) Every person has a set of beliefs which influence actions, values relate to what we think others should do and what we ought to do, they are personal to us. (Parrot, 2010:13) Although society may been seen as having shared values we are all brought up with different personal values bases, this is an important point to consider when working with others, because our values can influence the way we behave. It would therefore be seen as foolish to underestimate the significance of values within the Social Work Profession. (Thompson, 2005: 109) Our Personal Values can change over time, and our behaviour can alter as a result of the situation we are in. From a young age one of the most important values instilled in me by my parents was to have respect for others, this should be carried throughout life as we should treat others the way in which we would expect to be treated. The importance of having a value base for Social Work is to guide Social Workers and protect the interest of Services Users. (Parrot, 2010:17) As a practising Social Worker it is important to recognise personal values and to be able to understand, situations will present themselves were personal and professional values can conflict. It was only when we had the speakers in that I began to question my own values. NISCC outlines a code of Practice for Social Workers to adhere to, from listening to the speakers in class one issue that was highlighted was that of partnership. Partnership is now a very evident part of everyday language of people involved in the process of providing care. (Tait and Genders 2002) However it is not always put into practice. Mr Y referred to being kept in the dark about his illness, he was eventually given a diagnosis, but it was never explained to him what the meaning of this diagnosis was or how it would affect his life. Social Workers have to exercise professional discretion, due to the nature of their work; judgements have to be made which involve values and consequences that make the worker accountable for their actions. (Thompson 2009) Partnership working is very important for people with a disability, I was able to recognise a conflict with my personal values when one of the Mr X spoke about a visit to the GP, where the GP was asking the carer how the Service User was feeling rather that asking them, from listening to this I was able to recognise that this is something that I have done in the past and possible infantilises the individual with comments such as referring to them as we dote or wee pet and I never thought that there was anything wrong with using these statements, however from the experience gained I can recognise that my personal values and the professional values are in conflict at this point. It is a way of oppressing this individual, and failure to promote their rights as an person. When viewing this in conjunction with the NISCC Code Of Practice, it was clear that there was a conflicting of values. NISCC states that as a Social Care worker we must protect the rights and promote the interests of service users and carers as the Disabled Movement states Nothing about us, without us. We need to consider the Service User perspective, one of the speakers stated effective partnership working should include the professionals and the Service user. Partnership is a key value in the professional value base underpinning Community Care. Braye and Preston-Shoot 200343) Partnership should be promoted in several ways such as keeping an open dialogue between professionals and Service Users, setting aims, being honest about the differences of opinion and how the power differences can affect them and providing the Service User with information that helps to promote their understanding. (Braye and Preston-Shoot 2003) In the case if the speaker who was not given a diagnosis for a long time and was just put out of the consultants office this key areas did not apply. Another issue that was striking was that of independence, initially my personal view was not of someone with a disability being independent, my personal experience in the past had led me to believe that people with a disability required a lot of help and were dependant on a carer to provide that help, I didnt view them as being in employment. Some of these values were quite dormant until I began working in the Social Care Field. The Speakers that we had in from Willow bank explained that they all have jobs and aim to be as independent as possible. This highlighted the conflict between my personal and professional values which I need to be aware of. The NISCC code of practice states a Social Worker should promote the independence of Service Users, this is one conflict that I can acknowledge with my personal values, I need to look at the bigger picture an view the service users as individual people with unique traits and interests it is important that they are not labelled due to their disability, It is viewed that it is society which disables physically impaired people, disability is something imposed on top of impairments by the way we are unnecessarily isolated and excluded from full participation in society. (Oliver 1996) My Personal view was that I believe that we should aim to do things for people with disabilities, I have often found myself carrying out tasks for them that I know they are able to perform themselves, when the speaker from sixth sense spoke about how she had been spoon fed and pushed around the playground as a child had gave her a sense of learned helplessness, it made me acknowledge my own actions. Again this is another area where my personal values conflict with the professional values. Respect for persons in an extremely important values, although I believe I was brought up to show respect for others by creating dependency in a way is disrespectful to the individual. The promotion of independence is important, it is crucial to see those with a disability as individual people. The NISCC code of practice highlights As a social care worker, you must respect the rights of service users while seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people. Keeping in line with the NISCC Code of Practice I need to actively challenge my own prejudices in order to ensure that I am promoting anti-oppressive practice. Being able to understand the value conflicts in practice can prove to be very beneficial. It can help us acknowledge the differences in the power structure, which can oppress the service user. Social Workers aim to empower the Service User, to help them help themselves. It is important that Professional values are always at the forefront to promote anti-oppressive practice. Social Work Practice is underpinned by laws, policies and procedures. It is important to always be aware of the Service Users perspectives, this will help ensure more effective and efficient practice. Both our personal and professional values need to be acknowledged for effective and efficient practice. It is of little use if Social Workers have a professional value base which doesnt inform or influence their practice, Social Work ethics can be understood as Values put into actions. (Banks, 2006)

Language transfer

Language transfer Introduction The title of this research article has caught my attention because it talks about language transfer which is an area I am always interested in knowing more about it. Also, being an ESL teacher, it is definitely beneficial for me to study this article as it specifically investigates the cross-language and writing system transfer between Chinese and English. This paper consists of two main parts. Part one is a description of the article itself. The background and details of the research will be summarized and presented here. Part two is a critique of the article. Various parts of the research will be analyzed and, hopefully, modifications and suggestions can be made to better the research design and generate ideas for further investigation into this topic. Part One: The article itself Contextualization According to the introduction made by Wang, Perfetti, Liu (2005), various studies conducted in the 1990s have tried to investigate whether there is a relationship between learning to read and the orthography and phonology of a language. As cited in Wang et al. (2005), certain studies (Adams, 1990; Perfetti, 1992; Treiman, 1993) have said that learning to read is actually learning to match the phonological form with the orthographic form of the language. This has also been claimed as language-specific, i.e. subject to the nature and writing system of the language (Chen Tzeng, 1992; Feldman, 1987; Frith, Wimmer, Landerl, 1998; Goswami, Gombert, Barrera, 1998; Leong Tamaoka, 1998; Perfetti, 1999; as cited in Wang et al., 2005). However, recent studies (Cisero Royer, 1995; Durgunoglu, Nagy, Hancin-Bhatt, 1993; Durgunoglu, 2002; as cited in Wang et al., 2005) have found that cross-language transfer of phonological skills does take place when one is learning to read two alphabetic languages, like Spanish and English. These findings have aroused the researchers (Wang et al., 2005) interest in investigating whether there is cross-language and writing system transfer when one is learning to read Chinese and English, i.e. acquiring biliteracy. Background in the Literature To prepare for their in-depth research on the topic, Wang et al. (2005) have conducted a literature review focusing on the following three aspects: (i)The orthography and phonology of Chinese A number of studies (Perfetti, 1999; Perfetti, Zhang, Berent, 1992; Defrancis, 1989; Mattingly, 1992; Perfetti, Liu, Tan, 2005; as cited in Wang et al., 2005) have been reviewed by Wang et al. (2005) in order to produce the following general overview of the Chinese orthography. It has been found that Chinese is a nonalphabetic writing system, in which the basic unit is the character. Each character consists of basic strokes, which can be combined to form one or more component radicals. A character which is composed of two or more component radicals is called a compound character. The structure of the component radicals in these compound characters are usually left-right or top-bottom. Wang et al. (2005) have also reviewed certain studies (Hanely, Tzeng, Huang, 1999; Taylor Taylor, 1995; as cited in Wang et al., 2005) so as to offer a clear introduction of the Chinese phonology. It is now being summarized below. The basic speech unit of Mandarin Chinese is the syllable which is made up of the onset and the rime. Very often, the onset is a single consonant while the rime is composed of vowels. As a result, the number of syllables in Mandarin Chinese is pretty small (i.e. around 400) whereas the number of homophones is quite large. Fortunately, the use of the four tones in Mandarin Chinese (i.e. 1. high level; 2. high-rising; 3. falling-rising; 4. high-falling) have successfully reduced the large number of homophones. Yet, one should note that the tones are not shown in written Chinese, i.e. they are not part of the written characters. Thus, they will not help learners distinguish the characters. (ii)Different cognitive demands involved in learning to read the Chinese and English writing systems According to Wang et al. (2005), there are three main contrasts between the two target language and writing systems. Contrasts Chinese English Grapheme mapping principle syllabic morphemes phonemes Graphic form and special layout nonlinear linear Tonal feature tonal nontonal **This table is a simplified version of Table 1 (Wang et al., 2005, p. 69) As suggested by Wang et al. (2005), these contrastive differences are bound to cause differences in learning to read these two languages. First, studies (Byrne Fielding-Barnsley, 1995; Hulme et al., 2002; Lundburg, Frost, Peterson, 1988; Muter, Hulme, Snowling, Taylor, 1998; Huang Hanley, 1994; as cited in Wang et al., 2005) have discovered that childrens ability to read English can be predicted by their skills in processing the phonemes (i.e. the small phonological units) and phonological awareness. On the contrary, studies about Chinese reading (Perfetti et al., 2005; Taft, Zhu, Peng, 1999; as cited in Wang et al., 2005) have found that the phonological and meaning information can only be activated after the orthographic representation has been recognized. Then, Wang et al. (2005) have concluded that graphemic information and visual skills are essential for learning how to read Chinese. Despite these previous studies, Wang et al. (2005) have mentioned that recent studies (Ho Bryant, 1997; Hu Catts, 1998; McBride-Chang Ho, 2000; Shu, Anderson, Wu, 2000; as cited in Wang et al., 2005) have indicated that phonological information and early phonological skills such as rhyme processing do play a part in Chinese reading acquisition. (iii)Cross-language transfer in bilingual and biliteracy acquisition Wang et al. (2005) have obtained two key findings about cross-language transfer through reviewing numerous studies (Durgunoglu et al., 1993; Cisero Royer, 1995; Ganschow Sparks, 1995; Comeau, Cormier, Grandmaison, Lacroix, 1999; DAngiulli, Siegel, Serra, 2001; Geva Siegel, 2000; as cited in Wang et al., 2005). First, Wang et al. (2005) have found that a clear phonological relationship exists between two alphabetic languages such as Spanish-English, French-English, English-French, English-Italian, etc. This means the phonological skills of one language are highly related to those of the other language. Second, Wang et al. (2005) have discovered that phonological skills of one language can help with the word reading skills of the other language. Yet, Wang et al. (2005) have failed to figure out whether there is such cross-language transfer existing in Chinese and English as there is little research done in this area and the two language systems are contrastive in nature. Besides that, certain studies (Wydell Butterworth, 1999; Liow Poon, 1998; Liow, 1999; as cited in Wang et al., 2005) have tried to argue that there is dissociation or even a negative transfer from the nonalphabetic first language (L1, Chinese) to the alphabetic second language (L2, English). Nevertheless, Wang et al. (2005) have finally justified their research topic by saying that these previous studies have failed to test the cross-language and writing system transfer as they did not investigate the phonological and orthographic processing skills of the learners L1 and L2. Research Hypotheses Wang et al. (2005) have hypothesized that ‘bilingual reading acquisition is a joint function of shared phonological skills and writing system specific skills (p. 72). They have particularly predicted that ‘sensitivity in English and in Chinese to onset and rime, common linguistic units in both languages, will be correlated and ‘Pinyin reading skills will correlate with English word reading, since the two systems share the alphabetic principle (p. 72). However, Wang et al. (2005) have estimated that orthographic skills ‘are writing system and script specific skills (p. 72). Details of the Research (i)Research design The design of this research is mainly quantitative in nature. A number of experimental tasks were completed by the participants in order to obtain data in objective ways. (ii)Setting Participants As reported by Wang et al. (2005), the forty-six participants came from the Washington, DC area and they were Chinese immigrant children consisting of 24 boys and 22 girls with the mean age of 8 years and 2 months (SD = 9.1 months). All of them learned Chinese as their first language and had developed normal English proficiency. They attended English classes in public schools and weekend Chinese schools in which the Pinyin systems and a simplified version of Chinese characters were taught and used. It should be noted that forty-two of them spoke both Mandarin Chinese and English at home while the other four only spoke Mandarin Chinese at home. (iii)Methodology Referring to the description given by Wang et al. (2005), the participants were tested in two 30-minute sessions in which they had to complete a set of Chinese or English experimental tasks in each session in a language laboratory. The list below has summarized the various experimental tasks adopted by Wang et al. (2005). Chinese experimental tasks Focus Reference Phonological tasks onset, rime, and tone matching Participants ability to manipulate and distinguish between the phonological units in spoken Chinese characters. Wang et al., 2005, p. 72-74 Orthographic choice task Participants sensitivity to the legality of the radical position and form. Character naming Participants familiarity with the characters. Pinyin naming Participants ability to match letters with sounds in Pinyin. English experimental tasks Focus Reference Phonological tasks onset and rime matching Participants ability to manipulate and distinguish between the phonological units in spoken English words. Wang et al., 2005, p. 74-76 Phonological task -phoneme deletion Not given Orthographic choice task Participants sensitivity to various orthographic patterns in English. Real word naming Not given Pseudoword naming Not given According to Wang et al. (2005), there was also a nonverbal skill test which was used to test the participants nonverbal ability. (iv)Analytic procedures As mentioned by Wang et al. (2005) in the presentation of the research results, several measures were adopted to analyze the quantitative data collected from those experimental tasks. First, means and standard deviations were used to show the participants performance in the Chinese and English language and reading tasks. Second, the bivariate Pearson correlations were used to measure the correlations Chinese and English tasks. Third, the stepwise regression analyses were adopted to find out the best predictors for Chinese and English reading. Finally, the hierarchical regression analyses were used to explore (a) whether Chinese phonological and orthographic processing would affect English word reading; and (b) whether English phonological and orthographic processing would affect Chinese character reading. (v)Results With the help of the bivariate Pearson correlations, Wang et al. (2005) found that there was a significant correlation between the Chinese onset matching skill and English onset and rime matching skill. Moreover, another significant correlation was found between Chinese orthographic choice and Chinese character naming. Furthermore, Pinyin was found highly correlated with the pseudoword reading in English whereas the English phoneme deletion task was also found highly correlated with English real word and pseudoword naming. Last but not least, Chinese tone was found correlated with character reading as well. Through the stepwise regression analyses, Wang et al. (2005) found Chinese orthographic processing to be the best predictor for Chinese character reading while the phoneme deletion skill was the best predictor for English real word and pseudoword reading. Consequently, by using the hierarchical regression analyses, Wang et al. (2005) found that only Chinese tone processing skill, but not orthographic skill, could affect English pseudoword reading. They could not find any cross-language influence of the English tasks on Chinese character reading. (vi)Discussion Wang et al. (2005) have concluded that the findings of this research do support their hypothesis. Specifically, Wang et al. (2005) have discussed the three significant findings (i.e. the significant correlations between Chinese onset, English onset, and rime matching skills; the significant influence of Chinese tone processing skill on English pseudoword reading; and the significant correlation between Pinyin and English pseudoword reading) and derived the implication that phonological awareness and skills are not language-specific but shared between Chinese and English reading when bilingual reading acquisition is taking place. Besides that, based on Wang et al. (2005), the finding of orthographic skills being unable to affect English reading skills has also supported the hypothesis proposed by Wang et al. (2005). This has been explained by Wang et al. (2005) who has cited a study (Liu Perfetti, 2003; as cited in Wang et al., 2005) to show that the orthographic skills of Chinese and English are language-specific as Chinese reading requires the use of both the left and right occipital brain areas while English reading mainly involves the use of the left occipital brain area. Part Two: The Critique Assessment of the Researchs Internal Validity Based on my analysis, this research done by Wang et al. (2005) is considered to be a good research which has demonstrated a high level of internal validity. The following is a detailed critique of the various parts of the research. (i)High correspondence between the research hypotheses and the findings As reflected from the previous session, the findings generated from this research are highly related to the research hypotheses established beforehand. Actually, they have successfully confirmed the hypotheses, proving that there is a certain degree of cross-language transfer in Chinese-English biliteracy acquisition. (ii)In-depth literature review Wang et al. (2005) have done a detailed and in-depth literature review on Chinese phonology and orthography, and previous studies related to the cross-language transfer in bilingual and biliteracy acquisition. This certainly helps lay down a good foundation for the later data analysis and discussion. However, it may be better if Wang et al. (2005) can provide the audience with a more comprehensive literature review by describing the English phonology and orthography in greater detail. In this way, the audience can have a clearer picture of the phonology and orthography of these two language systems. This can then enhance the audiences understanding of the research findings. (iii)Well-constructed and clear research hypotheses The research hypotheses of this study are well-constructed with clear predictions made about the relationship among the variables mentioned. This can certainly help increase the internal validity as this has given clear directions for the development of research design, measurement tools and analytic procedures. (iv)A well-selected group of participants The participants are well-selected with little variation in their background and learning profile. It is very wise for Wang et al. (2005) to study bilingual children as this can minimize the dominance of L1 over L2, which might affect the findings of the research. Moreover, the sample size is big enough for making generalizations. And, the number of male participants is similar to that of the female participants. This can help reduce the gender influence on the findings. (v)Carefully-designed measurement tools Obviously, the large number of Chinese and English experimental tasks and methods for data analysis are carefully designed and chosen. As shown from the results, the Chinese and English tasks are highly correlated, indicating a high level of internal validity. Nevertheless, it is thought that the tasks are cognitively or mentally too demanding for the young participants. This is because they are required to process a number of tasks and a large amount of information and instructions within a short period of time. (vi)Variable overlooked gender difference According to Skaalvik Rankin (1994), girls have been found to be more motivated to study language than boys. One may then wonder if this gender difference would affect the level of cross-language transfer in bilingual reading acquisition. Since Wang et al. (2005) have recruited a similar amount of boys and girls as participants, they may also take a look at the influence of this variable. Assessment of the Researchs External Validity Although this research enjoys a high level of internal validity, its external validity is relatively low and limited. The reasons are as follows: (i)Findings are limited to learners with a similar background or learning profile As mentioned in the above, the background (e.g. age and family background) and learning profile of the selected participants are more or less the same due to the careful selection done by Wang et al. (2005) to avoid the research findings being affected by the individual differences among the participants. As a consequence, the research findings derived from this specific group of participants can only be applied to learners with a similar background and learning profile. (ii)Findings may not be able to make generalizations in the actual learning context In this research, Wang et al. (2005) have conducted all the Chinese and English experimental tasks in a language laboratory in a bid to minimize the influence of the numerous factors which may affect the participants cross-language transfer in the actual learning context. For instance, in the real learning context, learners cross-language transfer in the process of language acquisition can be affected by their learning environment, teachers teaching methodologies, peer influence, learning materials, etc. Hence, the research findings derived from tasks conducted in the language laboratory which keeps the other factors constant may not be able to contribute to making generalizations in the actual learning context. (iii)Few implications can be derived for language learning and teaching Few implications can be generated from this research for language learning and teaching as the findings can only be applied to a specific type of learners (i.e. bilingual Chinese-English learners with a particular background and learning profile). Besides that, the experimental tasks conducted are all at word level and this definitely does not resemble the actual reading acquisition in language learning, which is usually at sentence level or discourse level. Suggested Modifications for the Research With reference to my analysis shown in the above, certain modifications can be made in the different parts of the research mentioned below. (i)Literature Review It is suggested that Wang et al. (2005) may also give the audience an introduction on the English phonology and orthography instead of simply describing English as an alphabetic, nontonal language with phonemes as the smallest basic speech units in the language. This is because this introduction can help to make this research more complete as the audience are then allowed to make a clearer comparison between the two target language systems and better understand the findings obtained from this research. (ii)Measurement tools As mentioned previously, the Chinese and English experimental tasks can be cognitively or mentally too demanding for the young participants as they need to process a lot of information and instructions within a short time. Therefore, it is suggested that Wang et al. (2005) may either simplify the content and instructions of the tasks or lengthen the period of time given to participants for completing the tasks. In this way, the influence of frustration and fatigue on participants performance in the tasks can be avoided. (iii)Discussion For the discussion part, it is recommended that Wang et al. (2005) can also analyze the data collected and see if there is any influence of gender difference on the cross-language transfer between Chinese and English reading acquisition. By doing so, significant implications may be derived and this will in turn provide useful implications for language learning and teaching in the real learning context. Suggestions for an Extension Study After having studied this research and its findings, it is believed that further research can be done in the following areas in order to derive more implications for language learning. (i)Chinese and English reading at sentence level or discourse level Referring to what mentioned beforehand, this research done by Wang et al. (2005) focuses on Chinese and English reading acquisition at word level only as all the experimental tasks are designed at word level. However, it is a well-known fact that learning to read may proceed to sentence level or discourse level. Thus, it is definitely worth investigating whether cross-language transfer still occurs when Chinese and English reading acquisition is done at sentence level or discourse level. (ii)Bilingual children whose first language is English Since bilingual reading acquisition is the main focus of this research, it is believed that similar research can also be done to study bilingual Chinese-English children whose first language is English and see if similar findings about the cross-language transfer can be generated. In this way, the findings generated may help confirm the findings produced by Wang et al. (2005) and enhance the external validity of the study done by Wang et al. (2005). (iii)Children with dyslexia or other language learning problems Likewise, will there be any changes to the present findings of the research conducted by Wang et al. (2005) if the bilingual participants suffer from dyslexia or other language learning problems? It is thought to be a good idea to further research on this group of participants. Hopefully, useful implications can be derived to help enhance the learning effectiveness for this group of learners. (iv)Reading fluency and comprehension As mentioned in the above, research on bilingual reading acquisition should not be limited to word-level as reading occurs more often at sentence level or discourse level. In addition, reading acquisition should not be limited to phonological and orthographic skills of individual words only. Actually, reading fluency and comprehension are two important aspects in reading acquisition. So, it is worth researching on these two aspects and figure out if there is any cross-language transfer in these areas of Chinese and English language learning. Conclusion Critiquing a research article is indeed a challenging but thought-provoking task to me. Through working on this assignment, I have learned about how a quantitative research can be conducted in the area of language acquisition, and gradually developed a better set of critical analysis skills when writing the critique. I would surely bear in mind the research and analytical skills that I have learned from the study of Wang et al. (2005) and put them into use when I am given a chance to conduct a research on my own.

Operations and Legacy of the Dell Corporation Essay -- Business, Compu

Portfolio Project – Dell, Inc. Dell, Inc.’s origins date back over 25 years ago when it was founded under the company name PC’s Limited (Edwards, 2007). This once small company got its start when founder Michael Dell began building personal computers for students at the University of Texas. Today, Dell has developed its product line to offer more than computers; they also sell entertainment and office equipment. Dell’s leadership, guided by the corporate code of conduct, has shown a clear commitment to environmental matters and frequently publicizes the ways in which the company has developed new techniques to reduce the company’s energy use and product waste (â€Å"Latest update,† 2010). The main reason for Dell’s success is their ability to manage the financial health of their company. This success is reflected in the firm’s financial statements. There are three main financial statements that should be evaluated to understand the financial status of a firm – the balance sheet, the income statement, and the firm’s statement of cash flows (Keown, Martin, & Petty, 2011). The balance sheet provides a snapshot of the firm’s financial position on a particular date and includes information about the firm’s assets, liabilities, and shareholders’ equity. This particular financial statement is an overview of what the firm owns and what the firm owes (â€Å"Beginners’ guide to financial statements,† 2007). An analysis of Dell’s current balance sheet shows that they have approximately $40 million in assets - of which $29 million are current assets. This means that the firm expects to turn this amount of current assets into cash within the next 12 months (Keown, Martin, & Petty, 2011). Further analysis of Dell’s balance sheet reveals that the fir... ...1087&p=irol-reportsAnnual Keown, A. J., Martin, J. D., & Petty, J. W. (2011). Foundations of finance: The logic and practice of financial management (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Latest update on Dell corporate responsibility progress. (2010, October). Retrieved from http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/d/corp-comm/cr-newsletter.aspx Loan rates. (n.d.). Omniglot. Retrieved from http://www.omniglot.com/info- articles/chicago/loans-rates.html Ogg, J. C. (2011, January 27). 2011†²s new dividend candidates from giant companies. 24/7 Wall Street. Retrieved from http://247wallst.com/2011/01/27/2011s-new-dividend- -from-giant-companies-amgn-brk-a-dell-ebay-emc-kss-csco-aapl/2/ Peavler, R. (n.d.). Use profitability ratios in financial ratio analysis. About.com. Retrieved from http://bizfinance.about.com/od/financialratios/a/Profitability_Ratios.htm

A Comparison of Women in Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club and Kitchen Gods

Strong Women in The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife  Ã‚        Ã‚   One of the common themes in both The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife is strong women. All the women in both generations in each book gain strength through different experiences. These experiences range from a war-ravaged China to the modern day stresses of womanhood. Though different experiences have shaped each woman, they are all tied together by the common thread of strength.    The Joy Luck Club portrays strong women. The examples that come across most strikingly to the reader are the women who lived in traditional China. An-Mei Hsu gained her strong will from her mother's weak spirit. In her story, titled "Magpies," An-Mei's mother is forced into the life of a concubine. Her mother is tricked by Wu Tsing, a rich merchant, and is brutally raped. Second Wife's trickery lures An-Mei's mother into a life in which she is forced to bear a son that she cannot claim as her own. As a last resort, An-Mei's mother commits suicide two days before the Chinese New Year, in order to ensure that her daughter can someday rise above the position of a concubine's daughter. An-Mei's mother, as the poison travels through her body, whispers, "I would rather kill my own weak spirit so I can give you a stronger one."    Another example of a strong female character is seen in Suyuan Woo. During her escape from China, she is forced to abandon her twin daughters on the roadside. She leaves her daughters with the hope of someday returning to them. As the women of the Joy Luck Club tell June, "She walked down the road, stumbling and crying, thinking only of this one last hope, that her daughters would be found by a kindhearted person who would care for ... ... At this moment, Winnie's life takes a turn for the better, for she now knows that she can endure anything that life has to offer.    According to critic Susan Dooley, "Amy Tan's brilliant novels flit in and out of many realities but all of them contain mothers and daughters....Each story is a fascinating vignette, and together they weave the reader through a world where the Moon Lady can grant any wish, where a child, promised in marriage at two and delivered at twelve, can, with cunning, free herself; where a rich man's concubine secures her daughter's future by killing herself and where a woman can live on, knowing she has lost her entire life."    Works Cited and Consulted: Tan, Amy. The Kitchen God's Wife. New York, Ballantine Books, 1991. Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. Vintage Contemporaries. New York: A Division of Random House, Inc. 1993. A Comparison of Women in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club and Kitchen God's Strong Women in The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife  Ã‚        Ã‚   One of the common themes in both The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife is strong women. All the women in both generations in each book gain strength through different experiences. These experiences range from a war-ravaged China to the modern day stresses of womanhood. Though different experiences have shaped each woman, they are all tied together by the common thread of strength.    The Joy Luck Club portrays strong women. The examples that come across most strikingly to the reader are the women who lived in traditional China. An-Mei Hsu gained her strong will from her mother's weak spirit. In her story, titled "Magpies," An-Mei's mother is forced into the life of a concubine. Her mother is tricked by Wu Tsing, a rich merchant, and is brutally raped. Second Wife's trickery lures An-Mei's mother into a life in which she is forced to bear a son that she cannot claim as her own. As a last resort, An-Mei's mother commits suicide two days before the Chinese New Year, in order to ensure that her daughter can someday rise above the position of a concubine's daughter. An-Mei's mother, as the poison travels through her body, whispers, "I would rather kill my own weak spirit so I can give you a stronger one."    Another example of a strong female character is seen in Suyuan Woo. During her escape from China, she is forced to abandon her twin daughters on the roadside. She leaves her daughters with the hope of someday returning to them. As the women of the Joy Luck Club tell June, "She walked down the road, stumbling and crying, thinking only of this one last hope, that her daughters would be found by a kindhearted person who would care for ... ... At this moment, Winnie's life takes a turn for the better, for she now knows that she can endure anything that life has to offer.    According to critic Susan Dooley, "Amy Tan's brilliant novels flit in and out of many realities but all of them contain mothers and daughters....Each story is a fascinating vignette, and together they weave the reader through a world where the Moon Lady can grant any wish, where a child, promised in marriage at two and delivered at twelve, can, with cunning, free herself; where a rich man's concubine secures her daughter's future by killing herself and where a woman can live on, knowing she has lost her entire life."    Works Cited and Consulted: Tan, Amy. The Kitchen God's Wife. New York, Ballantine Books, 1991. Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. Vintage Contemporaries. New York: A Division of Random House, Inc. 1993.

How Does The Writer Create Atmosphere In The Novel The Woman In Black E

How Does The Writer Create Atmosphere In The Novel The Woman In Black and the Short Story The Signalman? "The Woman In Black" and "The Signalman" are both of the same genre horror/ghost stories. This genre is ideal to create a distinct atmosphere for the reader to be drawn into. The atmosphere the author creates for the reader is done so by mainly 2 things. Firstly, the characters, descriptions of supernatural presence, disbelief of the character or narrator and their uncertainty or confusion of conflict. Secondly, the setting, the type of setting chosen is very important and the way in which the author describes it also. When we pick up either of these stories we come to expect certain features from this genre. Both ghost stories have a derelict and isolated setting, very common in a ghost story. Also, many points are set in dark and enclosed spaces, where there is an inability to see clearly. Descriptions are used a lot, especially descriptions of darkness, strangeness and coldness. In both stories, there is a "supernatural presence" that is for the most part unexplained, but is something the narrator can both see and hear. There may be a sense of evil, or the manifestation us one of unrest. It is up to the reader to work out the story surrounding the unnatural presence-sometimes at the same time as the narrator if things are withheld from us. An atmosphere of unrest, either from the supernatural presence, or the discomfort from main characters, the narrator and even the reader is created. The setting creates an atmosphere of isolation and coldness. The emphasis on darkness and enclosure creates an atmosphere of unrest and confusion for the reader as well as the narrator. The atmosphere of ghostlin... ...k" and the short story "The Signalman", as well as both being of the same genre, they also have other similarities. They both include a spectre within the story and this is what the stories are based around. "The Signalman" introduces not only ghostliness but also death and mourning, this is similar to "The Woman In Black" when the child dies and Arthur Kipps hears horrifying cries. They both have terrible reactions when a death is involved. The Signalman feels he is in some way drawn into the main event, as does Arthur Kipps in the novel. The Signalman has to experience a death, which is torturous to him, but he cannot stop it, as does Arthur in "The Woman In Black". As for the atmosphere in both these stories, the emphasis on the descriptions of darkness, of the setting and of the characters emotions and this helps the reader to feel what is going on.

Hamlet as a Tragic Hero

As we know, there are different types of tragedies; Aristotle spoke about a certain type which involves what was once called Peripeteia, Hamartia and Anagnorisis. He said a tragedy is characterized by a tragic hero or heroine who experiences a change or reversal in fortune (peripeteia) which is caused by a personal flaw or mistake (hamartia). The downfall of the hero in a tragedy should not be, however, caused by an external force such as a higher power, whether in the form of gods, fate or even society; it should be the result of an action—or lack of action—carried out by the hero. Finally, the hero must achieve a kind of revelation or recognition (anagnorisis) about destiny or the will of the gods, what Aristotle called â€Å"a change from ignorance to awareness of a bond of love or hate. † These are all characteristics that make an ideal Greek tragedy. However, our purpose is to analyze William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, a Renaissance tragedy; therefore, the question at hand is, could Hamlet, prince of Denmark, possibly be called and defined as a tragic hero? Our first instinct is to say no, but once we start questioning ourselves and really exploring the character and all that he goes through throughout the play, our answers may change. In ‘Hamlet’ the three defining moments in Greek tragedy mentioned above, if truly present, are intertwined and closely linked together. We will attempt to translate those key aspects present in Aristotle’s description into a completely different type of tragedy such as ?Hamlet’ and see how they would portray themselves in Shakespeare’s words. Afterwards, we will analyze this English writer’s work in terms of the imagery found in the play at hand. We must begin at the core of the play: the apparition of the ghost. Before the ghost of the former king of Denmark, Hamlet senior, makes his appearance, all we know is that Hamlet’s father has passed away, that his uncle has taken the throne and has married his late brother’s wife. Once we hear the ghost’s statement the plot of the play is set in motion; Hamlet goes from ignorance to knowledge—that is, if we choose to believe that there actually is a ghost and that the ghost speaks the truth. The spirit tells the prince of Denmark that he was murdered and by none other than his own brother; we could take this as the prince’s moment of recognition, when, in a way, his whole destiny changes. He now has a new purpose in life, to avenge his father’s death. The bond of love and affection he felt for his uncle is now completely distorted and turned into pure hatred, anger and a thirst for revenge. The next step in our analysis is our ‘tragic hero’s’ change in fortune. As we know, Hamlet’s plan was to get back at his uncle, and in Act III, Scene III he has the perfect opportunity when he walks in on Claudius praying, My fault is past. But O, what form of prayer Can serve my turn? ‘Forgive me my foul murder? ’ That cannot be, since I am still possess’d Of those effects for which I did the murder— My crown, mine own ambition and my queen. May one be pardon’d and retain the offence? Hamlet, however, hesitates and decides not to kill Claudius while in prayer because he would go to heaven, thus his desire for vengeance would not be satisfied. To take him in the purging of his soul, When he is fit and season’d for passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent. What Hamlet was not aware of was that Claudius was not asking for forgiveness because, as he says, the reasons for which he committed the murder, his ambition and his desire for the crown and the queen, still possess him, therefore he does not regret what he did. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. Words without thoughts never to heaven go. From this point forward everything just goes downhill. Hamlet missed his one shot all because of his lack of action. Here is where we introduce the final piece of our analysis. Hamlet’s tragic flaw could be his indecisiveness on how to proceed and carry out his plans or maybe his procrastination; whatever it is, he made a conscious mistake which made him completely responsible for later events, his death, Laertes’, his mother’s and Ophelia’s. The prince ultimately brought about his own downfall. ‘Hamlet’, as a tragedy, certainly differs from the Greek mold, but it is safe to say that not entirely. I believe Shakespeare’s character could be considered as a sort of tragic hero if we choose to associate events the way we have throughout this paper. Of course, there is no way to determine whether or ot Hamlet truly is a tragic hero such as Aristotle meant to depict them, it is all subjective. In my opinion, the idea is not too overreaching or farfetched; I actually think it is a valid way of analyzing this most interesting character. Our other purpose was to analyze the imagery, and most specifically the nature im agery, found in the play. In ‘Hamlet’, Shakespeare seems to rely on nature (plants, weather, animals, etc. ) a lot to express what the characters are feeling. When it comes to analyzing specifically how he thought of the state and the people of Denmark, one word is key: weeds. The weed is defined as â€Å"A plant considered undesirable, unattractive, or troublesome, especially one growing where it is not wanted, as in a garden. † During the time of late King Hamlet’s rule, Denmark was considered, as prince Hamlet calls it in Act I Scene II, â€Å"an unweeded garden†; however, once Claudius murders his brother the king and takes the crown, his sin, greed and corruption bring decay to the kingdom. â€Å"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark† states Marcellus in Act I, Scene IV. The weed is the symbol of death and poison in Denmark. Claudius poisoned Hamlet’s father and is now poisoning everybody else with his deceit. Later on in Act III, Scene IV, while talking to his mother Hamlet says, Whiles rank corruption, mining all within, Infects unseen. Confess yourself to heaven, Repent what’s past, avoid what is to come, And do not spread the compost on the weeds, To make them ranker. He is telling her to open her eyes and realize how her new king is infecting their country; he then asks her not to keep helping him in doing so—not to spread the compost on the weeds anymore. We can say, without a doubt, that throughout the whole play Shakespeare refers to the state of Denmark and its people as if they were a garden. Understanding the nature imagery in ‘Hamlet’ is essential to understanding the true meaning behind the play. Denmark used to be a beautiful, healthy garden until its gardener was poisoned; when there was suddenly a new gardener the earth and the plants started dying and nobody did anything to fix it. The subtle way in which Shakespeare is able to use metaphor and simile over and over again in his works without it getting tedious or discouraging is probably one of the reasons why he is considered the greatest writer in the English language.

Canvas Art Essay

The subjectivity of perception makes art what it is. Art is all about perception and individuality, since everyone has a different background, experience, taste, and opinion about any artwork. To determine the extent to which perception plays a role in the development, and the existence, of the arts, it is essential to identify the knowledge issues of perception in regards to the area of knowledge. First, is perception consistent and definite? Does previous knowledge (prejudice) influence how one perceives an artwork? Is perception subjective? These questions will be explored using one all-purpose example in the arts: El Greco’s dramatic and expressionistic artworks. Firstly, perception is not universal in terms of time, as very evident with El Greco’s works. Virtually all of El Greco’s paintings were disdained by his contemporary painters and the public during his lifetime, 1541-1614. His works opposed too many aspects of Baroque style, which was popular in the 17th century. El Greco, therefore, had no followers and no audience at that time; his works were considered to be unnatural and overly-complex. However, in the 20th century, his works greatly influenced painters, leading to the birth of expressionism and cubism. For example, Pablo Picasso and Paul Cezanne studied El Greco’s structural compositions, his ability to interweave space and form, and the special effects of highlights, which were all disregarded in the 17th century. Also, Jackson Pollock, an expressionist, also followed El Greco’s expressionistic composition. Therefore, the â€Å"unnatural† and â€Å"overly-complex† features in the 17th century became the dominant characteristics of the new form of Expressionism. In general, perception is indefinite, with the ability to change over time: the time that a piece of art is created and perceived influences the way it is perceived. Also, previous knowledge and experience significantly influences perception. For instance, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, El Greco’s most famous work today was presented at the Louvre in 1838. At that time, the audience knew, ahead of time, of El Greco’s life, career, and works; therefore, there was much enthusiasm and attraction to the painting. Meanwhile, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz was also studied in art schools in the 19th century where students analyzed its composition and form. However, before the students knew the title of the artwork and its artist, they had little interest and fondness for the work. Therefore, this reveals how previous knowledge (in this case, of El Greco’s life, artistic talent and fame) affects how it is perceived. Without that knowledge, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz could have simply been an amateur’s painting. This brings up the same issue once again. Knowing that the artwork is by El Greco, one may have a positive bias to the work, hence perceiving the painting to be better than it actually is. Lastly, perception is very limited in that it is very subjective. For example, we are selective in what we perceive, ignoring certain aspects while emphasizing others. For instance, in El Greco’s El Espolio, or The Disrobing of Christ, the oppression of Christ by his cruel tormentors is believed to be artist’s intensions; such studies emphasize El Greco use of vertical and lateral space of the canvas to present this idea. However, some critics say that the subject, rather, is to satirize the situation, since Christ is looking up to Heaven while his figure is segregated from the other people and the violence. Also, there is a figure in the painting’s background that is pointing at Christ accusingly. Therefore, it is evident that in these various analyses, different aspects of the painting are emphasized. The real meaning of any artwork is, consequently, not known and cannot be proven in any way. No one sees all the details that another sees in an artwork, hence making it very subjective. This knowledge issue links with the question that cultural background influences the subjectivity and limitations of perception. My prior experience may cause myself to view an artwork in a certain way, and not another. For instance, since I am religious, I regard El Greco’s El Espolio to be a genuine presentation of the oppression of Christ by his tormentors; I do not perceive it to be a satire of his death.

Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant Essay

Problem Statement: Jose’s Mexican restaurant is a small yet popular spot. Lately they have been losing customers and profits due to service issues. In order to improve the restaurant, Jose’s Mexican Restaurant must provide service that is top-notch, in other words fast, efficient, great testing, convenient and heartwarming. What must the restaurant do in order to improve service? Areas for consideration: Quality at Jose’s restaurant should be defined by service, value, reliability of the experience and overall customers’ satisfaction. The quality of a product is defined as whether it fulfills its stated specifications. Customer satisfaction should be at the top priority for the restaurant. Customer satisfaction is the measurement of a product or service that meets or exceeds customer’s expectations. Therefore, the restaurant should focus on its customers’ needs and requirements, and strive to exceed their expectations. ` The factors that affect the quality of the service are conformance to specification, value, fitness for use, support and even psychological standard impression. Food should be delivered and served as to be what is promised on the menu. Also, the food should be cooked and prepared properly, to be fresh, clean, and to have exactly the ingredients and flavors that are ordered. Service staff should be neatly dressed and greet customers with a smile; personnel should be experienced and trained to accommodate the customer. Atmosphere is another important area of quality. At Jose’s, keeping with the Mexican themed decor creates the atmosphere for the Mexican prepared dishes. The overall establishment should maintain a level of cleanliness. Waiting areas for customers should be clean and comfortable during the peak times when a waiting to be seated is necessary. The service and meals should be dependable and consistent. Food should be prepared with the best available ingredients, and served quickly and correctly. Wait staff should provide prompt service, serving in the time promised, and make the customers feel unique and special. What are the restaurant’s costs of process failures? – Because of the lack of a waiting area and reservations Jose’s is losing customers that could have been accommodated better. According to the survey conducted an average of 20% of the customers are unsatisfied. Also due to the wait time for the food to be prepared over 30% of the customers are not satisfied. Even a whopping 14% of customers are not happy with how the food tastes, this is maybe due to the ingredients the cook was complaining about. Even the servers have problems a large 12% complained about their servers. When it all comes down to it a whopping 20% of these customers say that the dining experience was not worth the cost. What does this mean? It means that 20% of the customers are not coming back. So as we can see Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant really needs an overhaul. When a process fails to satisfy a customer, the failure is considered a defect. The more servers the easier it becomes to serve the customers. The more space, the less need for waiting to be seated in fact we may place a cozy waiting area for our guests. Renovations also mean you get to have the media evaluate your place again, meaning you’ll get on the paper, which means free advertising. Also a renovation will spark interest in your regular customers and the general public. People will talk about it. They will want to experience the new place. Disadvantages (Weaknesses and Threats) The expansion of space will take a long time, first a space has to be purchased. We are not even sure if the establishments around Jose’s will want to sell space. Then there comes the finances. Is Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant capable of shelling out large enough capital. New employees may be hard to train and not always needed thus accumulating more cost than what is desired. Also what if the renovation and space expansion takes too long and a new Mexican restaurant owned by someone else opens up? Will Jose’s customers remember it, or will they be satisfied with the new-one’s service? All these things must be put into consideration for even an assumed small weaknesses or threat maybe underestimated and can result or turn into a fatal error. Alternative 2 Use a Six Sigma Improvement Model (DMAIC) Six sigma, which relies heavily on the principles of TQM is comprehensive and flexible system for achieving, sustaining, and maximizing business success by minimizing defects and variability in processes. Although Six Sigma Improvement Model is a five step procedure that leads to improvement in process performance, the model can be applied to projects involving incremental improvement to process or to project requiring major changes including redesigning an existence process. The following steps comprise the model: The DMAIC project methodology has five phases: * Define  the problem, the voice of the customer, and the project goals, specifically. * Measure  key aspects of the current process and collect relevant data. * Analyze  the data to investigate and verify cause-and-effect relationships. Determine what the relationships are, and attempt to ensure that all factors have been considered. Seek out root cause of the defect under investigation. * Improve  or optimize the current process based upon data analysis using techniques such as  design of experiments,  poka yoke  or mistake proofing, and standard work to create a new, future state process. Set up pilot runs to establish  process capability. * Control  the future state process to ensure that any deviations from target are corrected before they result in defects. Implement  control systems  such as  statistical process control,  production boards, and  visual workplaces, and continuously monitor the process. Let us use the Six Sigma Approach: 1- Define. Determine the characteristic of the process output that are critical to customer satisfaction and identify and gaps between these characteristics and the process’s capabilities. Get a picture of the current process by documenting it using flowcharts and process charts. At Jose’s, some of the concern are stated at the survey about customer satisfaction from the service they receive at Jose’s. The survey shows that 20% of the customers were not happy, and don’t consider the service they receive worth the money they pay. Look into the problem thoroughly and see if there are cracks in the system, for example we noticed that Jose’s does not take reservations. 2- Measure. Quantify the work the process does that affects the gap. Select what to measure, identify data sources, and prepare a data collection plan. In Jose’s case, the survey covers all the major issues that could have direct effect on the business performance. 3- Analyze. Use he data on measures to perform process analysis, applying tools such as Pareto charts, scatter diagrams, and cause-and-effect diagrams, and statistical process control (SPC) tools to determine where improvements are necessary. Jose’s should analyze the data from the survey in order to address the problem. 4- Improve. Modify or redesign existing methods to meet the new performance objectives. Implement the change. The Jose’s team should observe the positive achievement in the operation, and should stop the process if there were mismatching. 5- Control. Monitor the process to make sure that high performance level are maintain. Once again, data analysis tools such as pareto charts , bar charts scatter diagram, as well as statistical process control tools can be used to control the process. The selected operational procedure should be revised, and needs to be documented and this process must be firmly held by Jose’s operational team. In the operation processes, continuous improvement need to be find out for the more better performance from Jose’s in general and over all catering services. Advantages (Strengths and Opportunities) The Six Sigma Image Model is a thorough study of the problem. Through using this Jose’s will get down to the roots of the problem and maintain the system functioning well. It takes less time and resources to accomplish. It can be started immediately and the results are effective. This approach is not only cost effective but keeps the guessing-game out of the picture. Since this approach is cost-effective the money saved may then be invested in other things such as equipment, advertising or a totally new business depending on the owners judgment. Disadvantages (Weaknesses and Threats) I don’t really see any major flaws here except that it may be too tedious for the less-active folk. A threat can be that another restaurant may be able to use this system better and come out with better results than Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant. Conclusion and recommendation: Alternative 1 – may indeed spark interest and increase sales for an unknown period of time after the restaurant re-opens. However, this method is not cost-effective and will take too much time, effort and capital to set in motion and complete. And it does not take an in-depth look at the problem but only gives a superficial or shallow solution to the problem. With the information collected by Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant it is possible the restaurant is ready to take the Six Sigma Image Model approach. I therefore conclude that Alternative 2 which is to take an in-depth search of the problem through the Six Sigma approach originally developed and made popular by Motorola, USA can be most helpful to solving the problem with service at the said restaurant. This alternative takes a deep meaningful search of the problems, solves it and maintains it. This approach meets the objective of the study, which is to solve the service problem of Jose’s Authentic Restaurant. The importance of investing in a Six Sigma approach are the in-depth research, answers, information and system maintenance that will be available after this approach is completed. After all, it is a proven system that has been used by countless successful businesses. Aside from the research valuability, educating your employees with this approach may increase their self-esteem by providing them with information and a tool for success in life. Happy and confident employees result in a better work-ethic, which will then dramatically improve the service performance of Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant.

Mcdonalds †Operations Mgt Essay

1. What characteristics of McDonald’s production system have been most important in building its record of success and growth in the industry? McDonald’s unique production system has been central to their corporate strategy. Ray Kroc immediately saw value in the McDonald brothers’ production methodology. The McDonald brothers controlled the preparation of each menu item, regulating exactly how much of each topping would go on each burger, in order to maintain consistency and uniformity. Going forward, the company would base their business model on three key tenets: limited menu, low prices, and fast service. Kroc obsessed over perfecting the operating system with these three tenets in mind. He believed that consistency and uniformity, with respect to products, should be the overarching goals of this operation strategy. It began with the â€Å"Speedee Service System† in 1948 and continued to evolve from that point. McDonald’s operating system focused on four key areas: improving the product, improving equipment, developing excellent supplier relations, and developing and monitoring franchisees. McDonald’s had created a unique relationship with its franchisees and suppliers. McDonald’s believed that franchise growth was where they should make their profits, not primarily from the franchise fees, which had been the industry standard. This relationship fostered growth and innovation as franchisees made recommendations and provided feedback on what was working and what wasn’t. McDonald’s broke another industry standard by developed very close relationships with supplier. McDonald’s worked closely with suppliers to ensure consistently high quality food products made to McDonald’s’ exact specifications. By working with the suppliers to control the quality of their products, McDonald’s’ was helping to ensure that a burger served at any one of their locations would look the same, taste the same, and reinforce McDonald’s’ reputation for quality and consistency. The suppliers knew that if they met the very s pecific standards set forth by McDonald’s, they would be rewarded with the loyalty of a very lucrative customer. This relationship was mutually beneficial as the consistent demand from McDonald’s helped suppliers grow alongside the chain, turning small farming operations into major institutional vendors. 2. What are the primary new challenges McDonald’s faces in the 1990s? In the early ‘90s, McDonald’s legendary growth rate began to slow. Consumer preferences were changing and McDonald’s worried that the limited menu that had served them so well over the previous decades might not be enough to carry them into the future. Going into the 1990s McDonald’s faced many challenges, including increased competition in the domestic quick-service market, consumer pressure to provide healthier options, and increased environmental criticism. The major challenges outlined in the case include the following: Casual dining restaurants, such as Chili’s and Olive Garden, were becoming increasingly popular. These restaurants offered a wide selection of menu items, with prices that could compete with McDonald’s. Drive-thru only chains, such as Sonic and Rally’s, were out-performing McDonald’s on speed of service. These chains were now seeing b ig growth, where McDonald’s’ expansion was slowing down. Taco Bell had become another big competitor. Taco Bell focused on providing an extensive offering of inexpensive Mexican food. Taco Bell had 26 menu items under one dollar. They were able to keep their prices low by shifting food preparation to offsite suppliers, requiring less kitchen space on-site. ïÆ'ËœNutrition was a growing concern among many American consumers, and McDonald’s had become synonymous with high-fat, high-calorie â€Å"fast food†. There was extreme pressure for McDonald’s to augment their menu with healthier options, lower in fat and sodium than the traditional burgers and fries. ïÆ'ËœIncluding a wider variety of items on their menu was likely necessary to meet the changing needs and preferences of their consumers, however McDonald’s core competencies were built around an operating system that was designed for speedy delivery of a limited number of menu items. ïÆ'ËœMcDonald’s had become the target of environmental activists who criticized the agricultural practices of McDonald’s’ suppliers and the company’s extensive use of disposable packaging. 3. What are the key types of flexibility which McDonald’s operations strategy needs to support? Which does it support and how? Which does it not support well and why? Product/service flexibility is the ability of the organization to develop new products and services which customers may find attractive. McDonald’s achieved great success with the introduction of its breakfast menu in the 1970’s, proving that product flexibility is an important mechanism for growth in their industry. That said, the long term success of McDonald’s operating model is largely due to their commitment to maintaining a limited menu. While McDonald’s should continue to develop and test new products, they need to be cautious about expanding their menu too much. Volume and delivery flexibility allows the operation to adjust its output levels and its delivery procedures in order to cope with unexpected changes in how many products and services customers want, when they want them , and/or where they want them. McDonald’s equipment and work flows were designed for maximum efficiency. Speedy service was critical to increase volume of sales per unit time. With respect to delivery models, McDonald’s had also developed a number of different building designs, such as drive-thru only facilities and cafà ©s suitable for small towns. They also placed McDonald’s in new venues, such as schools, hospitals and airports. Mix flexibility allows an organization to produce a wide variety of products and services for its customers to choose from. The operating system at McDonald’s had been constructed to ensure uniformity, quality and speed in all of their restaurants. If they introduce a wide variety of foods it would disrupt an operation strategy built around a limited menu. McDonald’s may have wanted to offer a wide variety of products but it would be a real challenge to maintain their standards with respect to quality, speed, and pricing. 4. How would you adapt the system to accommodate these changes in the US? McDonald’s could adapt their system in several ways to accommodate the changing trends in the US market. They could develop more drive-thru only locations. Off-premise consumption had risen from just 23% in 1982 to 62% in 1990 and overhead costs would be lower under this model. In keeping with this theme, McDonald’s should continue to develop smaller outlets in venues like schools, airports, and sporting arenas. They should continue to work on product development, but should focus on potential offerings that could be produced quickly and easily with their existing equipment. Products that will likely require additional time and aren’t aligned with the restaurant’s traditional offerings (e.g. lasagna) should be avoided. They should consider healthier options that still fit with the traditional concept of what McDonald’s offers, such as veggie burgers, or low fat chicken sandwiches. They should take steps to improve their environmental image, by encouraging suppliers to adopt environmentally responsible practices, and by looking for opportunities to reduce unnecessary packaging. This will provide dual benefits by improving their image and reducing costs at the same time. 5. How can McDonald’s lay the basis for future growth? The Ansoff product-market matrix outlines four possible strategic directions a firm can take, in order to grow. Existing Products New Products MARKET PENETRATION †¢Focus on promotion of existing product lineup †¢Focus on increasing number of restaurants in US †¢Focus on increasing sales in existing restaurantsPRODUCT DEVELOPMENT †¢Focus on developing new menu items to add to current lineup †¢Explore ways to modify operating system to allow speedy delivery of new items †¢Build relationships with new suppliers to source inputs for new menu items at low cost MARKET DEVELOPMENT †¢Focus on delivering core menu items in international locations †¢Focus on increasing number of restaurants in countries where the chain has had most success †¢Focus on increasing sales in existing overseas restaurants DIVERSIFICATION †¢Try out new menu items in international locations †¢Focus on developing new menu items that appeal to customers in specific geographies (e.g. curries in India) †¢Build relationships with new suppliers in host countries Existing Markets New Markets McDonald’s should adopt a growth strategy that focuses on Market Development, with limited Product Development. McDonald’s needs to recognize and accept that a firm cannot grow indefinitely in a restricted territory. They cannot expect their historical 25% annual domestic growth to continue forever. Their slowing growth rates in the US suggest they are likely approaching market saturation in the United States. They should stick to the operating model that has been so successful for them, and look outside US borders for growth opportunities. McDonald’s should not try to be all things to all people. McDonald’s needs to recognize who their customers are, and what they expect when they go to McDonald’s. The company should not deviate too far away from their original business model (limited menu, low prices, fast service). McDonald’s should focus on delivering their core products to an ever expanding geographic territory, instead of complicating their operating model, increasing service time, and decreasing margins, by offering an ever-expanding array of menu items. New menu items should be easy to deliver with existing equipment and established workflows (e.g. veggie burgers, lamb burgers, lean patties, chicken burgers). With respect to US sales, the case cited that only 20% of McDonald’s sales came from dinner. This may be a possible frontier for growth, but an entirely new menu should not be required to bring people in for dinner. This seems to be more of a marketing issue. McDonald’s needs to position themselves as â€Å"top of mind† when people are driving home from work, with nothing prepared for supper. Perhaps repackaging their existing products into a family package, similar to those offered by KFC, would help in this regard.