Thursday, October 31, 2019

Management in Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Management in Organisations - Essay Example Culture can be explained as the values, norms, beliefs and behaviours manifested by the employees and the management (Schein 1993). Subculture on the other hand refers to groups within an organisation with similar ideas and ways of doing things. A strong organisational culture has considerable benefits to the organisation although it can be a liability since it hinders flexibility in adapting to changes. Organisation culture and subcultures play an important role in organisations and they work best when they are maintained and at the same time aligned according to the changes in the dynamic business environment. Subcultures allow the organisations to respond appropriately to the situation at hand without destroying internal consistency (Schein 1993). They provide flexibility that a rigid culture may inhibit. It is interesting to note that organisations with an effective overall culture prevent the emergence of subcultures. Recent studies have shown that subcultures detract from sturd y organisational cultures. This leads to the conclusion that subcultures possess specific aspects that can enhance the entire organisation culture. Subcultures differ in the levels at which they interrupt the arching culture in an organisation. They often result in response to varying demands and act as outlets for the staff to express opposition and presence of conflicts arising during unstable periods. They also offer a system of changing the less fundamental values in an organisation. They are important with respect to affecting key values since they illustrate the difficulties encountered in trying to transform organisational culture. There are different perspectives and theories of culture in various disciplines that have been applied in organisational studies (Bradley and Pridmore 2006). These theories are mainly based on sociology and anthropology and they have contributed to the development of theories in the education field as well. Sociology takes a functionalist perspecti ve that interprets culture as something an organisation owns. On the other hand, anthropology takes an intreprevist perspective and describes culture as a symbol for organisations (views organisations as being cultures). In spite of the varying perspectives of organisational culture, common grounds exist on various areas. The most common organisation culture theory is that by Edgar Schein (1988). Edgar H. Schein’s Model of Organisational Culture This is the most commonly used theory in organisational culture. It takes a functionalist perspective in describing culture. According to this approach, culture is explained as a model of basic assumptions formulated and developed by a group of people as it discovers how to cope with its problems. These problems occur in integration and external adaptation that has proven its effectiveness and is taught to any newcomers in the organisation as the best way to act, perceive and feel in relation to their work and other happenings (Jones, Cline and Ryan 2007). According to this perspective, cultural examination is important when handling aspects in organisation that are found to be delicate, embarrassing, intractable or frustrating. The truth is that if the leaders are not well versed with the cultures in which they operate, then culture steps in to manage them as explained by Miller (2008). This theory also states that members in an organisation may fit in subcultures. In Schein’

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Investigation on Rates of a Reaction Essay Example for Free

Investigation on Rates of a Reaction Essay We are changing the concentration of the acid solution to see which has a quicker reaction with the metal. To keep it a fair test I will be keeping the following constant:    The length of the magnesium   The volume of the acid The temperature of the solution and the laboratory in which we carry out the experiment I will not be using a catalyst Prediction Based on my scientific knowledge I predict that as the number moles in a solution (unit at which we measure concentration) increases the speed at which the reaction occurs will also therefore the higher the concentration the faster the reaction takes place. In this view by doubling the concentration theoretically the time taken should half. Apparatus Here is a list of equipment that I will be using during this experiment:    25 x test tubes 5 x test tube racks   500 ml x hydrochloric acid (HCl)   160 ml x distilled water   25 cm x magnesium ribbon (mg) 1 x medium beaker   1 x bung   1 x measuring cylinder   1 x scissors   1 x stop watch   1 x pencil, pen (to label the test tubes) and table for results Method Here is an account of how I will be doing the actual experiment (based on the pilot experiment). Collect the test tubes and place them in the racks, cut magnesium ribbon and collect the acid and distilled water, measure out the following:    20 ml of acid (2 moles of acid)   17. 5 ml of acid and 2. 5 ml of D. water (1. 75 moles )   15 ml of acid and 5 ml of D. water (1. 5 moles )   10 ml of acid and 10 ml of D. water (1. 0 moles ) 5 ml of acid and 15 ml of D. water (0. 5 moles ) Prepare each 5 times and pour into test tubes Use one rack per concentration.   Once each is measured place a bung in the starting test tube and shake vigorously to thoroughly mix the solution. Place one piece of magnesium ribbon into the solution and start the stop clock. Stop the clock once the solution has completely finished reacting (no bubbles are being produced) with the magnesium and record.   Repeat this for all 25 test tubes Calculate the average for each set of results Plot this on a graph NB. D. stands for distilled. In order to ensure that this experiment is safe I will be doing the following: Any bags must be placed securely under the desk.   The experiment must be performed in the centre of the table.   I will only add acid to water. We will be wearing safety goggles at all times. Towels and running water will be nearby in case of any acid spills. Ms Pinion will be supervising all of the experiments. Below shows a diagram whilst the experiment is being performed: Results Concentration (moles) Time for try 1 (secs) Time for try 2 (secs) Time for try 3 (secs) Time for try 4 (secs) Time for try 5 (secs) Average time (secs) 0 Analysis. Looking at the graph I can see that as the concentration increases the time taken for the reaction to occur decreases therefore the rate of reaction increases. As I said in my scientific knowledge this occurs because as the concentration increases obviously the number of particles within the solution also increases. With more particles the chances that the HCl molecules will collide with the magnesium molecules and have enough activation energy increases and so the rate of reaction will increase. You could also read the graph another way, as the time taken for the reaction to occur increases the concentration decreases. The reason behind this is that with fewer molecules of HCl in a weaker acid the fewer the chances that the particles will collide with the magnesium molecules and so the rate of reaction decreases. Between the concentrations 0. 5 moles and 1. 0 mole the line was quite steep; there was a rapid decrease in the time taken for the reaction to complete. A possible reason for this could be that 1. 0 moles is double 0. 5 moles and so because there is double the amount of molecules theoretically the time taken at 1 mole should be half of that taken at 0. 5 moles. My prediction was correct because as the concentration increased the time taken for the reaction to occur decreased therefore resulting in a higher rate of reaction. Evaluation Looking at my results I think that they are quite accurate, the graph is a smooth curve joining 4 out of the 5 points, I received one anomalous result. This was for 1. 5 moles, the result I got was 48 seconds when it should have been 32 seconds. A possible reason for the anomaly could be from the following:-   Too little acid was placed in the solution and so the concentration could have been less than originally expected. Human reaction time is always delayed and so the reaction may have stopped seconds earlier.   The equipment I used may not have been accurate enough, for example I used a measuring cylinder when I could have used a burette to measure the acid and the water.   I judged whether the reaction had finished by looking when it had stopped bubbling; obviously this can be difficult to keep accurate as it is not always easy to tell, in a slow reaction for example bubbles can be produced very slowly, if there is a large gap in time when no bubbles are produced I could assume that the reaction had stopped when it hadnt making the reaction unfair. To over come this, instead I could measure the amount of hydrogen produced in a certain amount of time; to do this I would need a gas syringe. I believe that I repeated my results a suitable amount of times to get a reliable average and I think that my range of results was enough to complete the investigation with suitable proof. Yet based on the information above I could say that the data may not be sufficiently accurate to support a conclusion, despite the fact that my results were as I had expected the question arises that if my results had have been more precise would my results have been different. My result didnt follow a specific pattern but they did decrease as I increased the concentration. If I were to develop this investigation further I would almost certainly repeat the experiment taking into account the information above (possible reasons for the anomalie), by doing this I will be able to establish the whether or not the investigation that I performed this time was inaccurate. If I were to explore other areas of this topic I would look at different metals and how they affect the rat of a reaction, different acids and see what effect they have and I would possibly look into one of the aspects of my scientific knowledge.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Work Of Ruth Benedict

The Work Of Ruth Benedict Ruth Benedicts studies on moral relativism produced intriguing information regarding cultures, how they behave, and how customs are essential in determining an individuals perception of right and wrong. Among her most notable works is the book Patterns of Culture, which provides readers with a thorough explanation of the diversity put across by various cultures and of how it is wrong to judge one relating to principles that are not present in his or her culture. Speaking about Dobu Islanders and Kwakiutls Benedict proves that the people in these two groups should not be condemned because of the way they perceive life. The main point stressed by Benedict is that morals are not the same for every culture and that one cannot consider that all people have the same outlook on notions like right and wrong. Not only were Dobu Islanders considered by white people to be abnormally savage for the territories they inhabited, but they were also harshly criticized by the tribes neighboring them, which were to some extent equally unsophisticated. In point of fact, during the early twentieth century white people recognized Dobu Islanders primarily for their poverty and because they were willing to work for low wages. In contrast to white people, the communities neighboring the Dobuans feared them because of their extreme way of living, which sometimes involved performing acts of cannibalism (Benedict 131). The Dobuans amply deserve the character they are given by their neighbors. They are lawless and treacherous (Benedict 131). Surely, this is most people would think when seeing things from what they perceive as being a general point of view, one that strictly distinguishes between concepts like right and wrong. Benedict however goes on to relate to moral relativism and to how the general public is wrong in believing that they can be impartial in defining principles relating to right and wrong. These two concepts are actually very subjective, since almost every culture perceives them differently. Dobuans are different from the rest of the world because of a series of reason, most of them being rather normal for the general public. Curiously, the Dobu society functions unlike other communities, given that it does not respect an exact hierarchy and does not follow any rules other than those involving treachery and hostility. The general rule applied in the Dobu community is that referring to how every mans hand is against every other man (Bendict 131). Still, as Benedict describes, Dobuans manage to get through the day without producing chaos and anarchy is among the last concepts that should be related to this culture (Benedict 131). In spite of the fact that Dobuans respect little to no rules that are highly praised in the so-called civilized world, they are nonetheless certain that what they do is perfectly right. In addition to living in an apparent state of lawlessness, Dobuans have rules that are based on aggression and that thoroughly relate to what is and what is not permitted when concerning unfriendliness. The Dobu Islanders believe that it is perfectly natural if they perform acts of betrayal and violence as long as they do so in what they perceive as being an organized environment. The very union that unites most communities that of marriage between individual coming from two enemy groups is not considered by Dobuans to bring any change in their lives, as they continue to hate each-other as they did before. Witchcraft is an essential element in Dobuan culture, since it is the reason for which most individuals perform a particular mission. With the intervention of white individuals, more and more Dobuans have expressed their desire to escape their community in exchange of what the general public sees as being hard labor. This desire to work in inhumane conditions for low wages is the result of the work they would otherwise be forced to do in their own villages. The Dobuan community sees nothing wrong with the fact that a man who was caught overnight in the residence of a woman should be forced to work for the womans father and for his own family for a year, until he is considered free to join the community as a member with full rights. Eating together is yet a nother example that assists the couple uniting under the ceremony of marriage. Although most of the Western World would be inclined to believe that there is nothing abnormal about the fact that Dobuans organize marriages in accordance to the general way in which a wedding takes place, matters are actually different. Indeed, Dobuans allow husbands and wives to stay together under the same roof and to provide food for their children. However, because mothers and motherline in general are especially important for Dobuans, couples are required to reside alternately in the grooms tribe and in the brides tribe for one year at a time, resolving the predicament easily but beyond the understanding of most of the civilized world (Bendict 139). Dobuans typically believe that one can only achieve success through cheating others into giving him what is rightfully theirs. The Dobuan culture provides individuals with complex information relating to how they can perform acts of treachery. Dobuans thus consider morality to relate only to their conception of society and to concepts such as right and wrong. The general public already has an understanding of right and wrong and considers Dobuans to act immorally, even with the fact that Dobu Islanders are merely doing what they were taught to do and are respecting the values imposed on them by their community (Bendict 142). Bendicts view on moral relativism relates to cultural relativism, since it involves the theory that an individuals behavior and convictions should be analyzed from the standpoint of the respective individuals culture. Morality is essentially relative and even with the fact that Western philosophers have produced complex theories related to ethical behavior, the information they generated is mostly useful, since it can only be applied to a limited number of cultures and even in these cultures the concepts of right and wrong can be considered to be unbalanced. To some extent, the presently extinct Kwakiutl population that once resided on the northwest coast of the American continent is similar to the Dobu Islanders. They too praised the supernatural and went through great efforts to attain it, even resorting to committing acts of cannibalism. Violence was a foremost element in the lives of Kwakiutls, as they did not hesitate to use aggression every time they had the opportunity to do so. Acts of aggression were actually part of ceremonies related to the communitys economy and the fighting abilities it possessed. It was essential for one to demonstrate his or her superiority in front of their opponents through making use of violence. According to Benedict, the object of all Kwakiutl enterprise was to show oneself superior to ones rivals (Bendict 190). In spite of their anomalous behavior, Kwakiutls simply did what their society taught them. Performing mostly every act that was not in accordance to their instinct provided Kwakiutls with enlightenment and they were determined to use every means possible with the purpose of reaching this state (Benedict 79). The concepts promoted by the Kwakiutl society are extremely unclear and complex, given that Kwakiutls were extremely devoted to serving their purpose and did not hesitate to perform inexplicable acts that they saw as being right. Not only were the Kwakiutls certain that they had to perform abnormal acts in order to become one with the supernatural, but they believed that these nonstandard performances were by and large obligatory to be associated to pain and torment. The most explanatory paragraph in Benedicts book relating to how Kwakiutls were certain that violence was the answer to virtually everything is the one speaking about the fact that these individuals believed that all of their gods were evil, since they could not comprehend a god that performs good deeds. They did not suppose that supernatural beings were beneficent. They knew that hurricanes and avalanches were not, and they attributed to the Gods the characteristics of the natural world (Benedict 221). It would be unlik ely for a Kwakiutl to be influenced in believing that the divine can also put across kindness, given that one cannot explain how gods can be good and produce hurricanes and avalanches for no actual reason at the same time. As demonstrated by Benedict in her description of the Dobuan and Kwakiutl cultures, it is illogical to attempt to determine if a particular act is right or wrong, considering that it can be understood as good from the standpoint of a particular culture whereas another can perceive it as being totally immoral. Just as each individual from a community can express subjective convictions regarding a topic in particular, a community as a whole can put across subjective ideas regarding what qualifies as being acceptable and what can be identified as being intolerable.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and Virginia Woolf Essay -- Biography Biogr

Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and Virginia Woolf      Ã‚  Ã‚   I chose to compare and contrast two women authors from different literary time periods.   Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) as a representative of the Victorian age (1832-1901) and Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) as the spokeswoman for the Modernist (1914-1939) mindset.   Being women in historical time periods that did not embrace the talents and gifts of women; they share many of the same issues and themes throughout their works - however, it is the age in which they wrote that shaped their expressions of these themes.   Although they lived only decades apart their worlds were remarkably different - their voices were muted or amplified according to the beat of society's drum.   Passages from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Aurora Leigh can be contrasted with Virginia Woolf's portrayal of Isabella in The Lady in the Looking Glass: A Reflection.    The Victorian Era is known as the Age of Inquiry when all the foundational truths of the past were open to examination and reconsideration.   Despite this new desire for certainty, Victorians were slow to release the safety of the past - trying rather to meld the old and the new together and struggling with the mismatched pieces.   Modernists, on the other hand, rebelled openly and loudly against their past which resulted in an extreme sense of loss and instability - reflected in the works of the time.   Elizabeth Barrett Browning writes as one who is looking through a rain drenched window at a scene that is vaguely familiar but quite unclear.   She is attempting to remove the distortion to see what the vista holds.   Rather than direct analysis, Victorian authors often tried to offer a form of practical advice f... ...ted forth..." but, "Isabella did not wish to be known".   Not because she knew herself to be a fraud but because she was inexplicably complicated and the embodiment of contradiction - a truly modern woman.    Both of these women were intuitive authors who had deep messages to convey through their works.   Elizabeth was able to probe the perimeter of difficult issues while maintaining one foot on the firm ground of her upbringing and faith.   Virginia abandoned all to forge into the complexities of Modern thought and despite her bravery she was herself a victim of the despair that comes with a loss of moorings.    Longman citations   refer to page numbers of Eng 103 course text, Spring 2001: Damrosch, David, et al., ed.   The Longman Anthology of British Literature:   Ã‚  Ã‚   Vol. B.   Compact ed.   New York: Longman - Addison Wesley Longman, 2000.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Inspiring a Shared Vision

When it comes to inspiring a shared vision, I have an easier time with envisioning the future than I do with enlisting others. I think and imagine with the utmost optimism, assuming all people can and will reach their maximum potential. I envision a utopia of independently motivated people who learn for the sake of learning and achieve for intrinsic satisfaction. This is typical pacesetting leadership. My strength in this area is due to my enthusiasm and excitement for improvement, new beginnings, and becoming the most efficient versions of us. Like Laura Esserman, however, I am not the best at enlisting others to manifest my vision into reality. Overall, my peer reviewers and I think my ability to envision the future is above average. I can see long-term ideas and how different environmental variables will affect the outcome of a project. I enjoy thinking about contingency plans and I usually have a good understanding of what I would like the end result to look like and perform like. For example, I currently work as a web designer at an apparel company in Stafford. I have been working here almost eight months. When I arrived in May to start the job, I had many fantastic ideas already that I wanted to try. However, limitations by the software and the staff forced me to re-assess my vision several times every month. I can still see what I would like the functionality of the website to be in my head, and continue to take every strenuous step forward that I can to achieve this sometimes lofty goal. The problem with my job is that an individual best undertakes creative tasks, yet everyone wants to have input on the website’s design. My weakness in inspiring a shared vision is in persuading others that my way will be the best way in the end. The main reason I pursued an MBA is because I was hoping it would add more credibility to my ideas. I frequently struggle with this as a graphic designer, as well, because everyone has a different idea of what they want the end product to look like. I already know that the client will almost always go with my original idea. I am the hired expert after all, but it takes awhile for others to catch up with what I know. I become frustrated with others’ inputs. I have entertained many of my coworkers’ ideas for the website, almost to the point where it now eclipses my original vision and I have very little task identity. Because of this, I have lost any remaining motivation I had to create an appealing design for the website. I know a week later, a coworker will tell me, â€Å"I really hate the blue. Make it red.† Because I don’t desire constant input on the design of the website, it has made it difficult to enlist others for help in functional areas of the site. I require salespeople’s help in creating showrooms of featured products, as well as marking sale options, for example. When I ask for specific products, I get vague answers from my co-workers. I need them to feel like they have a say in the website’s look, but more importantly, they need to feel accountable for their respective sections of the site. I need to take control of the creative part of the website as an individual, and take the role of a teacher in helping catch everyone up to my vision. I think everyone wants to help out, but they are too busy with their own tasks to get excited about the work I need for them to do for the website. I will do my best to harness my enthusiasm and optimism this week in flushing out the functional areas of the website, maybe working alongside nervous co-workers who don’t have the confidence to make edits to the company’s public website. Once everyone knows their roles and has a uniform strategic idea in their mind, finishing the website should be so much easier than the difficult task it has been for me.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

pendiulm effects essays

pendiulm effects essays In this experiment we will observe the properties of a pendulum moving in a circular motion rather than the traditional back and forth motion. This will simulate the direction that a satellite would follow above the earths atmosphere. The purpose of this experminate will be to show how gravity pulls on the string and the path that the pendulum follows. 1. Pendulum with long string 4. Digital stop watch 2. pendulum clamp 5. two-meter stick 3. circular path draen on paper 6. vernier caliper hang the pendulum for the attached rod and allow the pendulum so its nearly to the floor. Then align the ball with the center of your circled paper and center the pendulum onto the circle. Practice rotating the pendulum so it follow the circle that you have made. After you have practiced this a few times make a mark on the circle, this is your starting point. Start the pendulum into motion so it will follow its path on the paper and after it has made a complete reveloution that is your first turn. Using your stop watch start timing the reveloutions that it has made. You can use as many turns as you like, just remember that you must make 1 complete turn before stateing that it is one turn. Average radius of pendulum arc 30.5cm (Converted to Meters - .0153m) Length of pendulum string( to the top of bob) - 161.8cm Bob diameter 2.5cm Pendulum length to center of bob - 163.05cm Angle of string from vertical 5.38Â ° Time for 4 reveolutions = 10.57 seconds. Average period = 2.643seconds. Average speed 2.376 m/sec. (15.25/1000 = .0153m*.364m/sec = 2.376 m/sec.) % difference = {(am Ap)/Ap} * 100% = -6.28% ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

A Brief Overview of British Literary Periods

A Brief Overview of British Literary Periods Although historians have delineated the eras of British literature in different ways over time, common divisions are outlined below.   Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Period (450–1066) The term Anglo-Saxon comes from two Germanic tribes, the Angles and the Saxons. This period of literature dates back to their invasion (along with the Jutes) of Celtic England circa 450. The era ends in 1066, when Norman France, under William, conquered England. Much of the first half of this period, prior to the seventh century, at least, had oral literature. A lot of the prose during this time was a translation of something else or legal, medical, or religious in nature; however, some works, such as Beowulf,  and those by period poets Caedmon and Cynewulf, are important. Middle English Period (1066–1500) The Middle English period sees a huge transition in the language, culture, and lifestyle of England and results in what we can recognize today as a form of â€Å"modern† (recognizable) English. The era extends to around 1500. As with the Old English period, much of the Middle English writings were religious in nature; however, from about 1350 onward, secular literature began to rise. This period is home to the likes of Chaucer, Thomas Malory, and Robert Henryson. Notable works include Piers Plowman and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.   The Renaissance (1500–1660) Recently, critics and literary historians have begun to call this the â€Å"Early Modern† period, but here we retain the historically familiar term â€Å"Renaissance.† This period is often subdivided into four parts, including the Elizabethan Age (1558–1603), the Jacobean Age (1603–1625), the Caroline Age (1625–1649), and the Commonwealth Period (1649–1660).   The Elizabethan Age was the golden age of English drama. Some of its noteworthy figures include Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon, Edmund Spenser, Sir Walter Raleigh, and, of course, William Shakespeare.  The Jacobean Age is named for the reign of James I. It includes the works of John Donne, Shakespeare, Michael Drayton, John Webster, Elizabeth Cary, Ben Jonson, and Lady Mary Wroth. The King James translation of the Bible also appeared during the Jacobean Age.  The Caroline Age covers the reign of Charles I (â€Å"Carolus†). John Milton, Robert Burton, and George Herbert are some of the notable figures. Finally, the Commonwealth Age was so named for the period between the end of the English Civil War and the restoration of the Stuart monarchy. This is the time when Oliver Cromwell, a Puritan, led Parliament, who ruled the nation. At this time, public theaters were closed (for nearly two decades) to prevent public assembly and to combat moral and religious transgressions. John Milton and Thomas Hobbes’ political writings appeared and, while drama suffered, prose writers such as Thomas Fuller, Abraham Cowley, and Andrew Marvell published prolifically. The Neoclassical Period (1600–1785) The Neoclassical period is also subdivided into ages, including The Restoration (1660–1700), The Augustan Age (1700–1745), and The Age of Sensibility (1745–1785). The Restoration period sees some response to the puritanical age, especially in the theater. Restoration comedies (comedies of manner) developed during this time under the talent of playwrights such as William Congreve and John Dryden. Satire, too, became quite popular, as evidenced by the success of Samuel Butler. Other notable writers of the age include Aphra Behn, John Bunyan, and John Locke. The Augustan Age was the time of Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift, who imitated those first Augustans and even drew parallels between themselves and the first set. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, a poet, was prolific at this time and noted for challenging stereotypically female roles. Daniel Defoe was also popular.   The Age of Sensibility  (sometimes referred to as the Age of Johnson) was the time of Edmund Burke, Edward Gibbon, Hester Lynch Thrale, James Boswell, and, of course, Samuel Johnson. Ideas such as neoclassicism, a critical and literary mode, and the Enlightenment, a particular worldview shared by many intellectuals, were championed during this age. Novelists to explore include Henry Fielding, Samuel Richardson, Tobias Smollett, and Laurence Sterne, as well as the poets William Cowper and Thomas Percy. The Romantic Period (1785–1832) The beginning date for the Romantic period is often debated. Some claim it is 1785, immediately following the Age of Sensibility. Others say it began in 1789 with the start of the French Revolution, and still, others believe that 1798, the publication year for William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s book Lyrical Ballads, is its true beginning. The time period ends with the passage of the Reform Bill (which signaled the Victorian Era) and with the death of Sir Walter Scott. American literature has its own Romantic period, but typically when one speaks of Romanticism, one is referring to this great and diverse age of British literature, perhaps the most popular and well-known of all literary ages. This era includes the works of such juggernauts as Wordsworth, Coleridge, William Blake, Lord Byron, John Keats, Charles Lamb, Mary Wollstonecraft, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Thomas De Quincey, Jane Austen, and Mary Shelley. There is also a minor period, also quite popular (between 1786–1800), called the Gothic era.   Writers of note for this period include Matthew Lewis, Anne Radcliffe, and William Beckford. The Victorian Period (1832–1901) This period is named for the reign of Queen Victoria, who ascended to the throne in 1837,  and it lasts until her death in 1901.  It was a time of great social, religious, intellectual, and economic issues, heralded by the passage of the Reform Bill, which expanded voting rights. The period has often been divided into â€Å"Early† (1832–1848), â€Å"Mid† (1848–1870) and â€Å"Late† (1870–1901) periods or into two phases, that of the Pre-Raphaelites (1848–1860) and that of Aestheticism and Decadence (1880–1901). This period is in strong contention with the Romantic period for being the most popular, influential, and prolific period in all of English (and world) literature. Poets of this time include Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Christina Rossetti, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and Matthew Arnold, among others. Thomas Carlyle, John Ruskin, and Walter Pater were advancing the essay form at this time.  Finally, prose fiction truly found its place under the auspices of Charles Dickens, Charlotte and Emily Bronte, Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), Anthony Trollope, Thomas Hardy, William Makepeace Thackeray, and Samuel Butler.    The Edwardian Period (1901–1914) This period is named for King Edward VII and covers the period between Victoria’s death and the outbreak of World War I. Although a short period (and a short reign for Edward VII), the era includes incredible classic novelists such as Joseph Conrad, Ford Madox Ford, Rudyard Kipling, H.G. Wells, and Henry James (who was born in America but who spent most of his writing career in England), notable poets such as Alfred Noyes and William Butler Yeats, as well as dramatists such as James Barrie, George Bernard Shaw, and John Galsworthy. The Georgian Period (1910–1936) The Georgian period usually refers to the reign of George V (1910–1936) but sometimes also includes the reigns of the four successive Georges from 1714–1830. Here, we refer to the former description as it applies chronologically and covers, for example, the Georgian poets, such as Ralph Hodgson, John Masefield, W.H. Davies, and Rupert Brooke. Georgian poetry today is typically considered to be the works of minor poets anthologized by Edward Marsh. The themes and subject matter tended to be rural or pastoral in nature, treated delicately and traditionally rather than with passion (like was found in the previous periods) or with experimentation (as would be seen in the upcoming modern period).   The Modern Period (1914–?) The modern period traditionally applies to works written after the start of World War I. Common features include bold experimentation with subject matter, style, and form, encompassing narrative, verse, and drama. W.B. Yeats’ words, â€Å"Things fall apart; the center cannot hold† are often referred to when describing the core tenet or â€Å"feeling† of modernist concerns. Some of the most notable writers of this period, among many, include the novelists James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Aldous Huxley, D.H. Lawrence, Joseph Conrad, Dorothy Richardson, Graham Greene, E.M. Forster, and Doris Lessing; the poets W.B. Yeats, T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, Seamus Heaney, Wilfred Owens, Dylan Thomas, and Robert Graves; and the dramatists Tom Stoppard, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, Frank McGuinness, Harold Pinter, and Caryl Churchill. New Criticism also appeared at this time, led by the likes of Woolf, Eliot, William Empson, and others, which reinvigorated literary criticism in general. It is difficult to say whether modernism has ended, though we know that postmodernism has developed after and from it; for now, the genre remains ongoing. The Postmodern Period (1945–?) The postmodern period begins about the time that World War II ended. Many believe it is a direct response to modernism. Some say the period ended about 1990, but it is likely too soon to declare this period closed.  Poststructuralist literary theory and criticism developed during this time. Some notable writers of the period include Samuel Beckett, Joseph Heller, Anthony Burgess, John Fowles, Penelope M. Lively, and Iain Banks. Many postmodern authors wrote during the modern period as well.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Plans for reconstruction. essays

Plans for reconstruction. essays As early as 1863, Lincoln outlined a plan for Reconstruction. Under Lincoln's Ten Percent Plan, as it was called, a southern state could form a new government after 10 percent of its voters swore an oath of loyalty to the United States. Once it was formed, the new government had to abolish slavery. Voters could then elect members of Congress and take part in the national government once again. Many Republicans in Congress thought Lincoln's plan was too generous toward the South. In 1864, they passed a rival plan for Reconstruction. The Wade-Davis Bill required a majority of white men in each southern state to swear loyalty to the Union. It also denied the right to vote or hold office to anyone who had volunteered to fight for the Confederacy. Lincoln refused to sign the Wade-Davis Bill because he felt it was too harsh. Congress and the President did agree on one proposal, however. A month before Lee surrendered; Congress passed a bill creating the Freedmen's Bureau. Lincoln quickly signed it. The Freedmen's Bureau provided food and clothing to former slaves. It also tried to find jobs for freedmen. The bureau helped poor whites as well. It provided medical care for more than a million people. One of the bureau's most important tasks was to set up schools for freed slaves in the South. By 1869, about 300,000 African Americans attended bureau schools. Most of the teachers were volunteers often women from the North. The Freedmen's Bureau laid the foundation for the South's public school system. It set up more than 4,300 grade schools. It also created colleges and universities for African American students. President Lincoln hoped to convince Congress to accept his Reconstruction plan. On April 14, 1865, just five days after Lee's surrender, the President attended a play at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. As Lincoln watched the play, John Wilkes Booth crept into the President's box. Booth, a southerner, blamed Lincoln for t...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Daisy miler Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Daisy miler - Essay Example She is only concerned in making herself the center of attention and the way she does it is by manipulating other men. It is difficult to argue on the question whether Daisy Miller is a ‘nice’ girl. Even though we get to see different sides of Daisy Miller in the story, it is still not possible to come to the definite conclusion about her character. Daisy is quite vulgar and we see examples of her immodesty when she is found late at night at coliseum with Mr. Giovanelli. However, it is not possible to judge Daisy based on such incidents since morality is a culturally conditioned response and the standards of morality are set based on the social convention of that area. Therefore, it is a fifty-fifty chance of Daisy actually being guilty of not innocent. Daisy acts on what she intends without giving any second thoughts to it. She represents the American flirt who does not obey or adhere to the rules of the European community in which she is currently in. This is the reason she frequently becomes a subject of gossip among her peers. Even after knowing about Daisy’s character, life and habits it is not possible to decide whether Daisy was innocent or not. Firstly, it is not possible to conclude whether Daisy knew all along about what people were saying behind him. She appears to be ‘too light and childish†¦ too uncultivated and unreasoning’. Perhaps, it is because of this attitude that she fails to notice what others thought. However, equally plausible may be that ‘she carried about in her elegant and irresponsible little organism a defiant, passionate, perfectly observant consciousness of the impression she produced.’ Therefore, it is simply inconclusive and impossible to decide whether Daisy Mil ler is too innocent to notice what others think about her character or whether she is so care-free and happy-go-lucky sort of person that she does not care one bit about what others

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Legalization Of The Same-Sex Marriages Essay

The Legalization Of The Same-Sex Marriages - Essay Example The issue of same-sex marriage is a topic that will always garner controversies and it is hardly possible to establish any single perspective considering the myriad social, ethical, philosophical, religious and political aspects. According to a national study conducted by the University of Queensland, given the choice, 54 percent of same-sex partners are prepared to get married while 80 percent of Australians who are maintaining the same-sex relationship will advocate such marriages even if they do not wish to marry. There are many legal benefits for married couples and it is even more important for same-sex couples since they experience denial of legal rights because of social prejudices (12 Reasons Why Marriage Equality Matters, n.d.). There are other cultural benefits like each partner will feel more responsible towards the other. Moreover, it has been seen that if legal recognition is not given to same-sex marriages then it can have the adverse impact on the physical and mental h ealth of the partners involved. Social discrimination can lead to severe depression and lower self-esteem among these people. Such cases are more common among the young LGBTs who become prone towards running away from home, substance abuse, and suicidal tendencies (Renzetti & Edleson, 2008, p.337). If I am to consider my own opinion on this topic I will say homosexuals need not be subjected to any kind of discriminations and should be accepted with open arms within the society because being a homosexual is completely natural and harmless. There are a number of arguments against same-sex marriage. Children adopted by these couples are brought up away from one parent like lesbian couples will raise their children apart from fathers and vice versa. Thus the individual role of each parent like social security from fathers and emotional security from mothers will be absent for these children.

Comparative politics wk1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparative politics wk1 - Essay Example However, as the other developing countries emphasize on industrialization to foster economic development, they should consider challenges that come with industrialization, which affect the biodiversity and the environment. As industrialization gets encouraged among nations, employment, trading, and production among other benefits increases, but the side effects are noticed later after having caused much damage within and outside their context far beyond the society, organization or the nations’ control. Industrialization as an economic development strategy has led to many environmental problems, which could challenge any newly industrializing country. Industrialization Ideology and Environmental Problems The economists believe in utilization of any space and scarce resources for production as sources for wealth generation. Industrialization has worked well towards this principle leading to different kinds of factories, companies, and production firms advancing the economy thro ugh increasing GDP, employment opportunities, exports, and household income flows among others. Industrialization is viewed as a concept of industrial revolution in an area based upon technology, factories, and commerce away from entire dependency on agriculture. According to Seshandri (1991), it occurs in two senses; as a procedure which has invariably been the accompaniment or a result of economic development, or rather as set of policies leading towards economic development. In industrialization, developing factories and industries make use of the idle population as the labor force among other capital, raw materials and land inputs, but the end products introduce more harm in the environment. Environmental degradation cannot be separated from industrial processes. The growth and expansion of most processing industries not only in production, but also in transport, lighting, and other supporting industrial sectors bring about pollution as a major effect on the surroundings. Taking an example of manufacturing industries, â€Å"the most common waste products are smoke, fumes and chemicals, which can pollute the air and water supplies† (Mweti and Wyk n.d., 9). Both air and water pollution has serious effects that spread into different regions, affecting climate changes and access to clean water respectively. Other environmental problems are noise pollution and disposal of solid waste material, either on the land or buried near human settlements. Technology has lead to development of new chemicals and reactions used in the different industries to fasten and improve qualities, where used in production. Environmental Problems Caused by Industrialization In the industries, especially in manufacturing factories of agricultural and chemical products, before the end product is delivered, the consumption of power and water are key features. Depending on the mode of heating, smoke becomes an issue that the neighboring society has to deal with. It is accompanied b y emission of harmful gases that affect the respiratory systems of human beings and animals, as far as it can reach through the air. More of this is the global warming impact influencing the climate of an area. Consequently, the rain schedules delay and patterns change adversely affecting the farmers, who rely on the available good climate for their crop production. For machines to operate efficiently, it has been a matter of improving

Effect of the Swine flu pandemic on the tourist industry in the US and Research Paper

Effect of the Swine flu pandemic on the tourist industry in the US and Europe - Research Paper Example Theoretical Framework The theoretical perspective used in this study is the vulnerability of the marketability of the tourism industry to abrupt alterations in market views. Natural or human-made acts can change the marketability, appeal, and popularity of the most well-known tourism destinations drastically (Beirman, 2003). Occurrences, such as pandemics, which harm the potential of a destination, may lead to significant economic disorder. For individuals, this event may lead to poverty and job loss (Page, 2011). Nevertheless, a small number of travelers/tourists will take into account these repercussions in their destination preferences. Their major concern is to visit a tourism destination gratifying their personal aspirations with the least obstacles or risks to their health and security. Research Questions The primary research question of this study is: what is the effect of the swine flu pandemic on the tourism industry of the United States and Europe? In answering this researc h question, the number of visitor arrivals in tourisms destinations in the U.S. and Europe before, during, and after the swine flu pandemic will be considered.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Between Self expression and commercialization - the sixth generation Essay

Between Self expression and commercialization - the sixth generation - Essay Example Many of the Fifth Generation filmmakers also felt this†¦.self-sufficiency and commercialization, and had to reconsider their positions† (13). From an ideology-centered position, the directors were moving toward to a more individual centered stance. Individuals’ well and woe, as the subject, began to occupy the central place more and more in a movie. Referring to this new orientation, Peterson says, â€Å"The so called 5th generation – included Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou, the filmmakers we now associate with China’s cinematic revival† (Peterson 3). Though they felt the impulse to explore their ‘self’ as a nation, they, unlike the Sixth Generation Film directors, carefully avoid any direct collision with the dominant political culture. Struggle between Self-expression and Commercialization Choosing to follow their own ways posed a number of risks for these film makers in the 1990s. First, they had to depend on private finance, since d epending on the governmental budget necessarily would bind them to follow the political guidance that often appeared to be contradictory to their free self-expressive zeal, as Peisa says, â€Å"For the cinema, the beginning of the 1990’s was, on the one hand a time of ever intensifying commercialism and on the other hand a politically sensitive time.† (13) Also depending on private financing was not that easy since it often was not as sufficient as the governmental allowances were. Second, commercializing posed to be a potential challenge for them. Shifting from the government fund to private sponsorship necessarily demanded a significant return from the making cost. There were challenges too for the self-expressionist film makers of the 1990s. The most common challenge was to win a market that had already been overly saturated with the supply of ideological but cheaply popular movies in that decade. Movies enriched with elegant theme and taste needed to be fully self- expressionist and self exploring in order to be popular among the majority of the moviegoers: a strategy that was bound to go against the political interests and culture of the era. Therefore avoiding the political wrath, these directors â€Å"began, for the first time in China, to realize their movies with private capital and without submitting the work for the censorship approval; hence they had to find alternative ways to show those works† (Gagliardi). In the beginning of the 1990s, one of crucial alternatives for the moviemakers was to enter into international market, as Gagliardi says, â€Å"One of these ways was the international film festival circuit where the movies found positive criticism and foreign producers† (Gagliardi). In spite of the government’s ban and censorship, the Sixth Generation movies that were critically appraised by the West made a massive infiltration into the country through mostly piracy. With the modernization of

Possession of a Gun in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Possession of a Gun in the United States - Essay Example (Bureau of Justice Statistics, March 2008) The procedures for licensing differ from state to state. 9 states have "may issue" laws that unlike the "shall issue" laws can deny applications. There are also "never issue" laws such as in Hawaii where the issuance of permits is seized completely by the officials. Two states, Vermont and Alaska actually permit a non-felon aged 16 or 21 respectively access to hand guns without even a permit. Some states conduct training classes for the applicants, prior to issuing permits, to instruct them about the mechanics, terminology and safety measures related to weapon ownership. Through the licenses issued, records of all gun owners are kept. (Kopel, 1999) People in favor of it believe it to provide them with a sense of security from any form of harm and those who are physically weaker or beaten believe in gun ownership as giving them equal power compared to the other citizens. It makes them feel safe and secure and nothing is more important than safety and security of life. Statistical data has proven that people with handgun permits are the most law-abiding citizens. John Lott, a professor in the University of Chicago studied 18 years worth of data regarding this.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Effect of the Swine flu pandemic on the tourist industry in the US and Research Paper

Effect of the Swine flu pandemic on the tourist industry in the US and Europe - Research Paper Example Theoretical Framework The theoretical perspective used in this study is the vulnerability of the marketability of the tourism industry to abrupt alterations in market views. Natural or human-made acts can change the marketability, appeal, and popularity of the most well-known tourism destinations drastically (Beirman, 2003). Occurrences, such as pandemics, which harm the potential of a destination, may lead to significant economic disorder. For individuals, this event may lead to poverty and job loss (Page, 2011). Nevertheless, a small number of travelers/tourists will take into account these repercussions in their destination preferences. Their major concern is to visit a tourism destination gratifying their personal aspirations with the least obstacles or risks to their health and security. Research Questions The primary research question of this study is: what is the effect of the swine flu pandemic on the tourism industry of the United States and Europe? In answering this researc h question, the number of visitor arrivals in tourisms destinations in the U.S. and Europe before, during, and after the swine flu pandemic will be considered.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Possession of a Gun in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Possession of a Gun in the United States - Essay Example (Bureau of Justice Statistics, March 2008) The procedures for licensing differ from state to state. 9 states have "may issue" laws that unlike the "shall issue" laws can deny applications. There are also "never issue" laws such as in Hawaii where the issuance of permits is seized completely by the officials. Two states, Vermont and Alaska actually permit a non-felon aged 16 or 21 respectively access to hand guns without even a permit. Some states conduct training classes for the applicants, prior to issuing permits, to instruct them about the mechanics, terminology and safety measures related to weapon ownership. Through the licenses issued, records of all gun owners are kept. (Kopel, 1999) People in favor of it believe it to provide them with a sense of security from any form of harm and those who are physically weaker or beaten believe in gun ownership as giving them equal power compared to the other citizens. It makes them feel safe and secure and nothing is more important than safety and security of life. Statistical data has proven that people with handgun permits are the most law-abiding citizens. John Lott, a professor in the University of Chicago studied 18 years worth of data regarding this.

Airborne Express case study Essay Example for Free

Airborne Express case study Essay Airborne Express, an air express transportation company has succeeded to compete with a few big competitors such as Federal Express and United Parcel Service (UPS) even it does not have funding as much as its competitors. In 1996, it held third position in the industry with 9 percent of the market. Even Airborne is smaller size company compared to its main competitors, it still can survive with the competitive advantage through its resources and capabilities. With some unique resources and core competences, a company may have competitive advantage over its competitors, and this is the way small capital company able to compete with its competitors. Airborne Express is the first and only air express transportation company that owns an airport. Because of the limited control, Airborne has purchased an airline at Wilmington in 1980. Since then, the airport became the hub of the company, and all the operations of the company were conducted here. It is also the biggest privately owned airport in United States. With the ownership of the airport, Airborne is able to control the operations more easily. Besides that, Airborne does not need to pay for any landing or service fees to the airlines company like its competitors. Comparably, Federal Express and UPS own the planes but still need to lease the airport from other party. It helps Airborne to save a lot of costs. Apart from that, Wilmington airport is one of the strategic airports in United States. It means that the place is having a well weather record. For express air transportation industry, weather is a big factor that can affect the daily business operation. If the weather is bad, the shipments will not be sent to the final destination at the promised time. Time is the promise to the customers and it does affect the confidence of a companys customers. Besides airlines, Airborne also has a complete system of ground transportation. With the establishment of trucking hubs in some places, Airborne able to deliver the shipment that near to the hub using the ground transport. Almost 25 percent of the companys domestic volume is dealt with ground transport. However, the cost of service by ground transport is not transparent to the customers who assume that the packages are flown. Thus, the charge is same with the air-transported goods. Compare to air transport, ground transportation costs five times lower. From here, the profit margin  has been increased. In the other way, the company also can offer lower price for ground transportation packages. Instead of making more profit, the company can utilize the low cost benefit to compete with its competitors. In 1996, Airborne Express owned a fleet of 105 aircraft. To keep the capital expenditure down, Airborne has purchased only used planes. The planes will be modified to suit its specification for air express transportation. The cost of purchase and modification is $30million lower than purchasing a new plane. Compare to other companies, a big amount of money is being saved by Airborne. Further more, Airbornes DC-9 and YS-11 aircraft require only two person cockpit crew compared to normal three person crews required in Federal Express and UPS. Labour cost has been saved again. Airborne also have its own maintenance facility in Wilmington. It is the only all-cargo carrier to do so. It can handle most if the maintenance works except major engine repairs. It was estimate that the labour costs of $16 per hour is $49 lesser than the subcontracted labour cost. It was a major source of annual cost savings. Instead of serving all kinds of customers, Airborne decided to focus on serving the needs of high volume corporate accounts. It is because the severe competition and the cost of serving small customers. The company is able to establish scheduled pickup routes and use it as ground capacity more efficiently. Due to this factor, the unit cost structure has been reduced. According to the Airborne executives, their unit cost is $3 lower than its main competitor, Federal Express. Besides that, because of the different consumer behaviors between different groups, the focusing of the service is one of the ways to win a part of market in severe competition. By matching the needs of the groups, the company will have a better chance to win the customers than its competitors. Another aspects that Airborne get competitive advantage is the creation of the only privately certified Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) in United States at its Wilmington hub. In a FTZ, merchandise is tax-free and no customs duty is paid until it leaves. It is a big attraction to the foreign companies. The companies can keep their inventories in Wilmington hub, and the inventories  will be delivered to the destination by Airborne when needed. The local companies that implement Just-In-Time policy will prefer the service very much. It is because the inventories cost will bear by the suppliers that keep inventories in Airborne hub. For foreign companies, not only can satisfy the needs of local customers, but also can save the cost of tax and duty paid. The FTZ is a good factor that will help Airborne to set foot into the international market. However, because of the capital constraint, Airborne still unable to compete with Federal Express and UPS in the international market. Normally, large sizes A-containers are used in the air cargo business. Around $1million per plane is required to install cargo doors to take A-containers. To solve the problem, Airborne has developed C-containers that are six times smaller, and can fit through the passenger doors of the aircraft. The equipment to load the C-containers also about 80 percent less expensive than the equipment needed for A-containers. The shape of C-containers also designed to allow maximum utilisation of the plane space. To prevent other competitors copy the design, Airborne has taken out the patent on the C-containers. Therefore, C-containers seem to be the speciality of Airborne Express. It helps the company to save a lot of costs. It is a long term cost savings because it involves in daily operation. Therefore, it also a long term competitive advantage over the other competitors. Apart from that, through its subsidiary company, Advanced Logistics Services Corp., Airborne is promoting a range of third-party logistics service. It provides customers with the ability to maintain inventories in a 1 million square foot stock exchange facility located in Wilmington hub. The customers can choose to manage the inventories themselves or subcontract to Airborne. In stock exchange service, third party will involve in the instruction for movement of the inventories. It easier the process of the movement of inventories, and also help the customers to minimise inventory holding costs. Airborne is the first and only air express transportation company that provide this unique service. It actually involves a complex system. Therefore, knowledge or human resource is very important in order to develop the system. Since it is the only company, customers who interested  with the stock exchange service will come to Airborne. The unique competence gives Airborne a competitive advantage. Science and technology is developing rapidly in the world. Information system becomes more and more important in the business world. The more developed system a company has, the more competitive advantage it gets. Airborne uses three information systems to help in its daily operation. LIBRA II system is a metering device and computer software that easier the transaction between Airborne and customers. It also lowers Airbornes operating costs. FOCUS is the main system provided by Airborne and it benefits customers the most. It is a worldwide tracking system that help the customers to track the location their package through Internet link. It increases the companys reliability and service quality. With the trust on the company, customers will be more confident to give the job. The third system is the Customer Linkage electronic data interchange program. It eliminates repetitive data entry and paperwork by the customers. It also a system that created purposely to benefit its customers. The company also benefits from lowering the costs by eliminating manual data entry. From all the resources and capabilities mentioned above, we could realise that most of the competitive advantages Airborne has over its competitors is through costs reduction. According to Porters Generic Strategies Model, Airborne is actually implemented a cost-focus strategy to get the competitive advantage. Because of the lesser capital, Airborne is unable to compete with the giant of the industry, such as Federal Express and UPS. If Airborne can be the cost leader in the industry, it can give a severe competition to the competitors. Besides that, the unique resources such as C-containers and Foreign Trade Zone are also giving core competences to the company. In conclusion, facing the competition from competitors that have powerful funding, Airborne not only can survive, but also get a strong position in the air express transportation industry. A correct and suitable strategy adopted by a company can change the company position. A company, which can fully and smartly utilise its resources and capabilities, it can have  competitive advantage over the other competitors and it really benefits the company a lot.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Historical Development The American Dream History Essay

Historical Development The American Dream History Essay The idea of the American dream was evident long before its coinage. However, the idea of the American dream could be traced chronologically, from the discovery of America, especially the Northern part or the Promised Land4 to the modern age. According to Robert E. Spiller, in Literary History of the United States, the idea of the American dream was associated with America. As a state of mind, America has existed long before its discovery.5 Europeans began to come up with all sorts of hopes, dreams, and aspirations for the new and largely unexplored continent. Many of these dreams focused on owing lands and establishing prosperous business and religious freedom. For them, the American dream was the dream of an Earthly Paradise. The Earthly Paradise was strongly believed to be the land of great opportunities. It was a great dream that dominated Europeans imaginations: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦from the time of the first settlement, America was seen from European eyes as a land of boundless opportunities, a place where man, after centuries of poverty, misery, and corruption could have a second chance to fulfill, in reality, his mythic yearnings for a return to paradise.6 The idea of the American dream was as old as the American continent. Europeans were influenced by the Greeks and Classics writings. During the sixteenth century, an English saint and humanist, Sir Thomas More (1478-1535) identified America with Platos Utopia. In his book Utopia (1516), More represented the idea of the heavenly paradise to an attainable paradise. In the nineteenth century, the idea of Utopia changed into an actual paradise. Because of the influence of the French and Industrial Revolutions, the earthly paradise was attainable.7 With the possibility of such a land, the American dream was an attitude of hope and spiritual faith erected to fulfill human wishes, desires, and dreams in the New World. Thousands of European immigrants had moved to the New World to fulfill the versions of the American dream. The New World was a hope of a new life away from frustration and the sense of inferiority. 8 The American dream dealt with the idea of bettering one selfs economy by which one hoped the New World would provide abundant opportunities for ones prosperity and success. The dream was of rising from poverty to fame and fortune i.e. from rags-to-riches.9 Furthermore, it was the dream of a perfect government that would provide immigrants full and equal opportunities. They would go to the New World to set up new religious and political communities, hopefully, based on their ideas.10 The idea of the American dream had developed. It represented the dream of individual success of that of the American Adam whose labors and posterity that one day would cause great change in the New World.11 According to R. W. B. Lewis, the American Adam was: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a radically new personality, the hero of the new adventure: an individual emancipated from history, happily bereft of ancestry, untouched and undefiled by the usual inheritance of family and race, an individual standing alone, self-reliant and self-propelling, ready to confront whatever awaited him with the aid of his own unique and inherent resource.12 This signified the secular dimension of the American dream, which was associated with social success. With the rise of industrialism and the growth of the economic environment and the rapid advance of science and technology in the nineteenth century, America changed from an agricultural into an industrial and a capitalistic country. The idea of the American dream was to achieve economic independence, especially to have a vocation and own a home in order to be happy. This economic development led to class distinctions and created special privileges for certain classes. It was the pursuit of money rather than of happiness. With the development of new knowledge of Darwinian Theory, American people believed in the struggle for existence and the survival of the fittest. To become wealthy, one needed to fulfill his or her dreams by all means, even if the fulfillment was by illegal ways. This dilemma corrupted the principles of freedom and equality of opportunity, and caused great doubt tow ard the American dream as a whole, and engaged more severely against other human beings. 13 A concept often brought into connection with the American dream was the symbol of Melting Pot. The idea of Melting Pot was used in the eighteenth and ninetieth centuries, the metaphor of a Crucible was used to describe the fusion of different nationalities, ethnicities, and cultures.14 It was used together with the concepts of the United States as an ideal republic and a city upon a Hill. It was a metaphor for the idealized process of immigration and colonization by which different nationalities and races were to blend into a new, virtuous community, and it was connected to Utopian vision of the emergence of an American new man.15 It was first used in American Literature, as a concept of immigrants melting into the receiving culture, was found in the writings of J. Hector John de Crevecoeur. In his Letters from an American Farmer (1782), Crevecoeur referred to the problem of the American Nationality that appeared after the Revolutionary Era and the Declaration of Independence. He wrote: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a man whose grandfather was an Englishman, whose wife was Dutch, whose son married a French woman, and whose present four sons have now four wives of different nationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, [new in part, because of that] strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country. He is an American who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudice and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holdsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The Americans were once scattered all over Europe; here they are incorporated into one of the finest systems of population which has ever appeared.16 In 1908, a play by Israel Zangwill named Melting Pot, was first performed in Washington, D. C., where the immigrant protagonist declared: Understanding that America is Gods Crucible, the great Melting-Pot, where all the races of Europe are melting and re-forming! [into a new identity] Here you stand, good folk, think I, when I see them at Ellis Island, here you stand in your fifty grounds, your fifty languages, and histories, and your fifties blood hatred and rivalries. But you wont be long like that, brothers, for these are the fires of God youve come to-these are fires of God. A fig for your feuds, and Vendettas! German and French manà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ into the crucible with you all! God is making the American.17 However, the play was soon criticized as unrealistic; because melting and reforming into new American Adam appeared to be heresy that implied that all sides had to give up their culture completely to create a new one. The conflict was that many social classes and groups were excluded from the participation in the earthly life.18 Nevertheless, since the whites (Anglo-Saxon Protestants) were the predominant group in the British Colonies, other cultures and identities were perceived as inferior or even unwanted. African-Americans and Native American Indians were enslaved; Catholic Irish and Southern European immigrants were discriminated against for centureies.19 People from different cultural backgrounds often wrongly interpreted the concept of melting pot as the peaceful living together with people from other ethnic groups. But in reality, ethnic groups or minorities in America were not equal to the white people. African- Americans and Native American Indians were denied civil rights.20 Gradually, the meaning of the melting pot had changed. In response to the criticism of the concept of melting pot, Horace Kallen developed the concept of cultural pluralism in 1915. This concept incorporated that different ethnic groups could keep their cultures and that people would mutually enrich their culture. 21 Multiculturalists asserted that cultural differences within society were valuable, and should be preserved. They proposed the alternative metaphor of the mosaic or salad bowl-different cultures mixed, but remained distinct.22 The question was what, then, is the American, this new man? He is neither European nor the descendant of a European.23 The conflict was between the dreams of the white European Americans, who came to the New World to fulfill their dreams as new men, and the dreams of the other minorities, especially, the black African, who came by force. Like many other minorities, Africans were obliged to abandon their rights of sharing or participating in the American life. According to the assumption that Man was part of the universe, man had the power to improve his own nature by improving his environment through science and education.24 Merle Curti in his The Growth of American Thought affirmed mans natural rights of life, liberty, and prosperity, which were accessible to everyone without discrimination. In order to be a normal American citizen, one should naturally practice these rights. These natural rights could not be alienated from the state, and if the state did violate the natural law of the universe by alienating these rights, then man could and should resort to revolution.25 This basic fact encouraged many people in the United States of America, especially African-Americans to take action and revolt against the injustice. By the turn of the twentieth century, the American dream was described as a nightmare. In the Two World Wars, the dream had begun to lose its glitter. Americans, whites and blacks became disillusioned by the idea of making the world safe for democracy [which] had proved to be blasphemy.26 They believed that they were fighting for a better world, for a world of peace and corporation, for a real and immediate Utopia. Americans had suffered psychological and mental pressures, and the image of death made men lose stability and lose faith in the American dream of establishing a perfect world. Instead, they became neurotic, frustrated, and disappointed; Gertrude Stein described the new youth as a lost generation, because their lives became meaningless, pointless, and agonizing ones. 27 The reason behind the confrontation of dreams, was the misery and suffering caused by the crisis that happened in the first half of the twentieth century. One of the most eventual and memorable decades in American history was, the Great Depression of the 1930s that changed American life, and prepared the country for a post-war era, characterized by pessimism and despair.28 Thus, the American dream of the modern age had been shrouded by doubt and pessimism, as economics faltered and opportunities diminished. The dream became a record of unfulfilled promises and dashed hopes.29 Yet, Americans had consistently, flavored their dreams with dashed skepticism. From the very beginning, this was true, Sir Thomas More was as skeptical as any other man about the promises he entitled in Utopia. When he wrote it, he was playing with an idea.30 This showed that the American dream was first an idea. Then, it was said that the American dream had served as a justification for those who had exploited a virgin country, and it had been the chief argument of those who had tried to equalize all men before the law.31 Consequently, people came to anticipate a generous and friendly New World rather than a lavish heaven.32 The American dream was not the product of a solitary thinker, but evolved from the hearts and burdened souls of millions who came to this nation. To make their dreams come true, James Truslow Adams insisted on the principle of working together, no longer merely to build bigger, but to build better. And that referred to all citizens of the United States whether they were black or white.33 After World War II, the American dream was portrayed as a military power.34 The United States of America became the most powerful nation. The 1950s was the period of American preeminence as a military and economic power that revived the dream after the Great Depression of the 1930s. America was marked by a self-conscious sense of its place in the world. The twentieth century was the American Century, the post-war era was certainly the time when citizens of the United States began to believe that it was, in fact, their century, and that theirs was the greatest country in the world. With the Americans belief of their responsibility for winning World War II, it provided them with self-confidence about the world. 35 Frederick R. Karl characterized the period: as a time of growth, development, progress, enlightenment, and achievement of goals; as a renaissance of sort and essential to what helped turn the country into a superpower under a benign, grinning, ex-hero of a persistence. The general argument is that man and woman who experienced the depression returned from World War II to rebuild the country. This generation accordingly, is a treasure, for not only did it , revitalize the country domestically, it helped make the United States the beacon of the World, offering financial aid, food, and military muscle wherever required.36 Americans had always had a faith in the new. Critics saw the American dream as a clever political and economic marketing strategy. They wanted people to get away from selfishness, individualism, and materialism, and to return to community spirit and social responsibility.37 The meaning of the American dream had changed over the course of history. The American dream simply indicated the ability, the practice, and the participation in the society and economy, for everyone to achieve prosperity. According to the American dream, this included the opportunity for ones children to grow up and receive a good education and career without artificial barriers. It was the opportunity to make individual choice without the prior restrictions that limited people, according to their class, caste, religion, race, or ethnicity.38 1:2The African-American Experience In the United States of America, the African-Americans experience was unique. It was marked by slavery, segregation, and injustice. It made the quest for the American dream; that was of freedom, equality, and happiness, an essential pursuit.39 It is important to shed light on the African-American struggle in the United States of America. Unlike most of other minorities, the African- Americans were captured in Africa, taken from their homes and lands by force and sent to a strange new land. They were brought chained and enslaved as a result of colonialism.40 In the early colonial days, Black Africans had many opportunities to secure their freedom by escaping or buying themselves out of slavery, and once free, they had a good chance to make their success in the New World. The life of Anthony Johnson41 illustrated the possibility of the blacks early dreams, in the early period of European colonization in American North. He was known as Antonio, a Negro. Johnson was enslaved in 1621, when he was sold to the English Jamestown; he worked with Bennett family (a white family) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ who commended him for his hard labor and known servicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ He secured his freedom, got married to a freed-slave named Mary and baptized his children. As a freeman, Johnson dreamed of establishing his own farm in Virginia, of 250 acres raising tobacco and cornà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Eventually, his farm was burned, and he was killed, because the colonial legal system had begun to preserve the rights of the whites and deprive blacks of theirs. This period illustrated the fact the era of chattel Slavery had begun. Many Black Africans came to this land having dreams to fulfill. But, many forces spoiled these dreams. The dream of owning a land and successful business for the blacks was limited or weakened by the time and by the force of the law of the Black Codes 42 that was enacted by Virginia, in 1667. Black people had been enslaved with the change of economic conditions. The blacks were denied the opportunity to own land, because they were Negroes and by consequences aliens.43 These Codes made slavery a permanent condition inherited through the mother and defined slaves as property. Such slave Codes robbed the African-American slaves of their freedom and the power of their will. Nevertheless, freedom was always in the mind of the enslaved and how to gain that freedom was the essential question.44 In the New World; African-American slaves were forced to give up their African past and cultivated themselves to being slaves under the white master domination. They were prevented from bringing over their social relations and institutions. These slaves ate what was given to them, not what they wanted, and dressed the clothes that were given to them. In addition, these slaves were treated without any regard or consideration to physical welfare and human dignity.45 In the American South, African-American slaves were described as property. Masters learned to treat their slaves as property. Frederick Douglass, one of the most eloquent speakers against slavery in America, captured the essence of slavery in 1846: Slavery in the United States is the granting of the power by which one man exercises and enforces a right of property in the body and soul of another. The condition of slave is simply that of a brute beast. He is a piece of the master; who claims him[her] to be his property. He is spoken of, thought of, and threaten as property. His own good, his conscience, his intellect, his affection, are all set aside by the master. The will and the wishes of the master are the law of the slave. He is as much a piece of property as a horse. If he is fed, he is fed, because he is property. If he is clothed, it is with a view to the increase of his values as property.46 According to this definition of slavery, an African-American slave was the individual whose movement and activities were under the control of the Whites. Thus, he/she could not leave the controller or the employer without an explicit permission; otherwise, he/she could be punished.47 During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the use of slave labor was cheaper than indentured labor. Slavery was different from one colony to another. On the Eastern Coast and American North, the climate was not supporting extensive farming, slavery, there, tended to be farming slavery, with a few slaves living and working side by side with small farmers or craftsmen. Whereas in the South, the fertile land and warm climates made large-scale cultivation possible, plantation slavery developed. Large numbers of slaves lived and worked on far distances from their owners.48 Another reason for slavery spread was the shortage of indentured servants, which led to resort and to enslave African Americans.49 This meant slavery was essentially an economic institution from which the American nation benefited. More slave labor meant a large measure of prosperity. Many American historians believed that the growth of American economy was not because of slavery. But, Eric Williams, a Caribbean Scholar, charged that black slavery was the engine of that propelled American rise to global economic dominance. In his Capitalism and Slavery, Eric Williams maintained that early Europeans conquest and settlement of the New World depended upon the enslavement of millions of black slaves, who helped amass the capital that financed the industrial revolution. Americas economic progress, he insisted, came at the expense of the black slave, whose labor built the foundation of capitalism.50 In spite of the African-Americans participation in constructing the foundation of this nation, slavery was identified with dark skin.51 By late seventeenth century; slavery and servitude were closely identified with race. White indentured services were limited, voluntary, and had no racial components, whereas, slavery was involuntary, perpetual, and racially defined.52 Hence, indentured servants could be free and had the right to purchase their own freedom or buy completing their period of indenture. At the time of obtaining their freedom, they would pursuit their dreams of property and prosperity. While the African-American slaves did not enjoy these rights and protections.53 Instead, African-American slaves were controlled by the laws of Black Codes. On one hand, race was one of the obstacles that prevented African-Americans from achieving their dreams. On the other hand, the worst condition that African-American slaves had to live under, was the constant threat of sale.54 The African- American slaves family stability and security faced severe challenges. Masters, rather than parents, had legal authority over African-American slaves children and the possibility of forcible separation through sale hung over every family. The Southern plantation owners did not care, whether a slave to be sold off had family members, he/she had to leave behind or not. All mattered was that masters encouraged slavery. As masters questioned the humanity of such slaves, they argued that African- American slaves did not mind being sold since they lacked the ability to form stable family life.55 As for African-American women, they were included in the horrible system of slavery. They were persecuted, subjected to the worse kinds of oppression and exploitation. Not only, because being black women had to endure the horror of slavery and living in a racial and sick society. But as women, they witnessed their physical image being defamed and became the object of the white masters lust. As Black African-American, women had to endure the threat and practice of sexual exploitation, and as mothers, they witnessed their children torn from their breasts and sold into slavery.56 One of the ex-slaves, Jennie Hill explained the outlook of the Black African-Americans humanity according to the whites view point: [White] people think that slaves had no feelings, that they bore their children as animals, bear their young and that there were no heart-breaks when the children were torn from their parents or the mother taken from her brood to toil for a master in another state. But, that isnt so.57 For a white woman, providing home was an essential thing to possess. But, for an African-American woman, it was a dream. Black African-American woman had scantly the opportunity to regain her freedom and her own children.58 During slavery, Black African-American women were exploited in two main sectors of economy: in the fields (with full employment), and in the household. Black African-American women were stretched physically, emotionally, and spiritually to the utmost in the slave plantation, as they were forced to labor like men in the fields. Also they had substantial domestic roles. They raised whites children and created a decent and warm home environment for the white American family, while their dream of family unit was uncertain. 59 The Black African-American slaves had no right to live proper family unit. They had no rights which the master was obliged to respect. The master found it cheaper to overwork a slave and to replace him [or her] when died, rather take care of him [or her] when lived.60 The Black African-American slaves were deprived of living their own lives, denied the right of literacy, education, and could not retract, in inevitably distorted ways, the values, morals, and attitudes of the new civilization of which they gradually became a part.61 White Americans believed that the Black African-American slaves were brutal, barbaric, savage, who would present a real danger to the safety, prosperity, and security of the United States.62 Thus, it was in the system of slavery that the genesis of racism was to be found. According to Eric Williams, slavery was not born of racism, rather, racism was the consequence of slavery.63 White Americans fastened onto differences in physical appearance to develop the myth, that African-American slaves were subhuman and deserved to be enslaved. To enhance the Black African-America slaves inferiority, white Americans deliberately used religion to reinforce slavery as well. To support their institutions, the whites relied heavily on the Biblical story, in which Noahs curse of his son Ham (especially, the fourth son, Canaan), who said in the ninth chapter of Genesis: a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.64 This story justified the color of the Black African-American slaves. By the Nineteenth century, many historians agreed to the belief that the Black African-American slaves were the descendants of Ham was a primary justification for slavery among Southern Christians. In other words, the Bible was used to teach the Black African-American slaves a divine, God-given justification for their condition as slaves.65 Hence, white Americans became convinced of white superiority and black inferiority. It was the beginning of hatred and racial discrimination.66 White Americans taught the Black African-American slaves how to despise their African heritage, identity, and culture. They strove to include their own value system into the African-Americans outlook. They believed in Africans inferiority that paralleled self-hatred.67 In general, there were five steps in molding the character of strict discipline, a sense of his [her] inferiority, belief in the whites superiority power, acceptance of the whites standers, and finally, a deep sense of his [her] own helplessness and dependence.68 These facts emphasized the flourishing of the white American culture and completely ignoring of the Black African-American slaves culture. The Euro-Americans were the first who immigrated to the New World by their own free will in search of individual opportunity; their European culture was superior. However, the ignorance diminished the real fact of the importance of the African heritage, not only for the Black African-American slaves, but to mankind.69 For centuries, the Black African-American slaves were ignorant about their own culture and identity. They lacked knowledge, they were illiterates. They were described as people [, who] were no more capable of learning than were animals.70 This indicated that Black African-American slaves were victims and white Americans were victimizers. They were oppressed by the power of the whites. So, they were unable to find a hope to transform their life from slavery into freedom.71 1:3The Declaration of Independence We hold these truths to be self-evidence, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.72 With the setting of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, the most important document in the American history and self-perception, slavery as a moral, human, and economic system challenged the basic principles of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, and proved to be the first great institution that tested the equality doctrine.73 The Declaration of Independence marked not only the independence of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain, it also laid the foundation of womens rights and of struggles for ending slavery: After the American colonies secured their independence from Great Britain, [the] black[s] hoped that the same leaders who had yearned for their own freedom would end slavery.74 The Declaration of Independence rested not upon particular grievances, but upon a broad base of individual liberty that could command general support throughout America.75 It served a purpose far beyond that of a public notice of separation. Its ideas inspired mass fervor for the American cause, for it instilled among ordinary folk a sense of their importance, inspiring them to struggle for personal freedom, self-government, and a dignified place in society.76 The United States of America started to shape itself as the Empire of Liberty and Prosperity, as a new entity, Black African-American slaves continued to play a significant role. Despite the continuation of violence against Black African-American slaves, who challenged the long standing tradition of racial discrimination and oppression in the South, the ex-slave and free-black people stepped forward into a new identity, a new reality, and a new sense of agency in public life. Many Black African-American slaves fought in the war of Independence, and they took to the heart assertion of the right of individual freedom that was so a part of the American Colonial and Revolutionary eras.77 Hence, the Declaration of Independence, as Jim Cullen, a historical critic thought it was not only an important document that shaped the way of Americans lives, but it à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦was born and lived the character of the American dream.78 This dream was profound, eloquent, and unequivocal expression of the dignity and worth of all human personality. In his A Struggle for Power, Theodore Draper, a historian summarized the revolutionary era as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a struggle for power -between the power the British wanted to exercise over the Americans and the power the American wished to exercise over themselves.79 This fact suggested the most important question of Slavery. The Declaration of Independence made Americans want nothing more than freedom and to assume a separate and equal station among the power of the earth, Great Britin.80 The problem was, however, that the founding fathers (Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and George Washington, etc.,) of the nation defined freedom in terms of its opposite: Slavery. When they used the term Slavery, however, they were not referring to a peculiar institution, whereby many of the founding fathers themselves brought and sold Black African-American slaves as property. They referred to what they felt Great Britain was doing to their lives and livelihood.81 The unself-conscious comparison between freedom and slavery made other people in the United States call for their freedom as well. A British essayist, Samuel Jonson in 1775, asked, but How we [white people] hear the loudest yelp for liberty among drivers of Negroes?82 This paradoxical state made the founding fathers fear that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the attainment of their dream could encourage others to pursuit theirs.83 And this was true, because the success of the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence, gave Americans the opportunity to give legal form to their political ideals as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, and to remedy some of their grievance through state constitution. Americans were accustomed to live under written constitutions that they took them for granted.84 Therefore, the Black African-Americans experience with the American dream in the United States started with the announcement of the Declaration of Independence. Yet, the founding fathers never thought about women, slaves, and Natives as having equal rights like white Americans (Anglo-Saxon American descents), or did not even recognize them as human beings. Thus, the Declaration of Independence was not the subject to change disagreement, because its content never changed.85

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Women in the Workplace :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Women in the Workplace If one takes a closer look at the issues surrounding the differences between the male and female roles in the workforce and in education, one will notice that women tend to be one step below men on the "status" or "importance" ladder. In American society, the woman has always been viewed in the traditional viewpoint of what role she should play in the home; that she is the homemaker or caretaker. Even when women break from the stereotypical role of "housewife" and join the workforce, they still are not given an equal opportunity at acquiring a job that is seen to be as advancing or of higher recognition, as they would like to have. Men usually already take those positions. Men are traditionally seen as being in the "supervisor" position in the home. They are the heads of the household, the breadwinners, and the women are behind the scenes, like the threads that hold everything together. The same can be said about the workplace. Men tend to hold administrative positions, while women usually have the positions that support the administrator. They are the secretaries and assistants that do the work for their male bosses and prepare things for them that later on only the administrator may receive credit for. " ‘Where,' asks the Englishman who is prominent in social welfare, 'are you're men? We see their names on the letter-heads of organizations, but when we go to international conferences, we meet almost entirely women.' 'Our men-oh, they are the chairmen of boards, they determine the financial policy of our agencies, but they leave the practice to women. They are too busy to go to conferences.'" (Mead 304). Also, women have traditionally taken positions in fields that require doing social good or having maternal qualities which is probably linked to the role women play in the home (the role of caretaker), such as being a social worker or teaching in schools. One would also notice that men tend not to have jobs in these fields, as it would go against the stereotype of the man in the position of authority. Never actually having to take care of children, but making sure there is someone there to take care of them.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Bass Pro Shops Business Analysis Essay -- Business Strategy Analysis

Primary Problems/Decisions to be made: Bass Pro shop started as an 8-foot-long display area in the back of a liquor store in 1971 and has expanded into a Fortune 500 company that employs over 8,800 employees and has annual sales estimating somewhere around $1.25 billion today. The question at hand is: should Bass Pro Shops continue to expand, and if so at what rate should they? The primary problems they might face when expanding are as follows. Could expansion hurt their brand image and if so how? The Competition outside of Missouri is going to be much greater. They will not have the publicity and brand recognition as they do in Missouri. Does Bass Pro have the financial resources in order to open new stores, if not then what are some options they can exercise? Will Negative publicity threaten their brand image as they continue to grow? Is the cost of overhead going to be too high initially for Bass Pro to expand at a fast rate, if so then at what rate should they expand yearly? These are all problems Bass Pro is going t o have to face in the future. Through research and extensive problem solving, they will be able to make an accurate decision on rather they should expand. II. SWOT Analysis: Strengths: 1. Brand image: a. Identification with consumer -Store brand name enables product to be accepted and adopted more easily by consumers because of brand recognition 2 Selective Distribution: a. Bass Pro is able to expand the product, name, and experience to a larger customer base without cannibalization of their company by setting a radius limit on how close their stores are built. b. They meet the needs of their target market by building their stores in closer proximity. 3. Unique Store Image: a. ... ... a high brand image; while, maintaining customer satisfaction with existing customers and breaking into new markets. Bass Pro is one of the largest U.S. retailing chains of outdoor sporting goods and has an image to uphold, not only with its name but with its products. Maintaining customer satisfaction with existing customers keeps them loyal. Breaking into new markets helps the company grow and brings in new customers, which leads to higher profit margins. Objectives: 1. Open two stores each year for the next five years. a. Expand at least two of those stores in western states 2. Increase sales by 25% to $1.5 billion in the next 4 years 3. Increase sales to current customers by 5% each year by using innovative technology in order to find more efficient ways to distribute and manufacture our products leading to more competitive pricing.