Linking Aristotle’s virtue with character Essay

Aristotle’s virtue ethics is often considered to be founded on character such that an individual’s character defines his or her virtues. It is important to note that Aristotle gives emphasis to the idea that virtue is acquired through habit. In this regard, it can be presumed that there is a connection between character and virtue in the context of Aristotle’s philosophy. This is especially interesting to look into precisely because human beings think and act at least in terms of one’s consciousness or idea of ethics, specifically through one’s moral precepts. If it is indeed true that individuals think and act in ways related to one’s moral inclinations in their daily lives, then it is a strong reason to contend that virtue and character are all the more important elements in the life of humanity. The point that I would like to raise—and agree with Aristotle—is the idea that our ‘habits’, the way in which we do things on a regular basis, form a large sum—if not all—of our character. And since character builds our very virtues, it can be presumed that the things that we do on a regular basis define our virtues. That is, if we continue to harbor the ‘bad’ or ‘evil’ elements in the society, then it is most likely the case that our character develops into something ‘bad’ or ‘evil’. In the end, there will be little or no room for us to acquire virtues. The task of this assignment is to identify what is the connection between character and virtue in the context of Aristotle by providing Aristotle’s description of how we acquire virtues and why choice is an important component of these virtues. In the Book III of Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, I found out that one basic notion in Aristotelian ethics that occupies a central significance is Aristotle’s belief in the role of man’s activities in order for one to acquire ethical knowledge. That is, for one to become virtuous or to obtain virtues one should not merely confine himself to mere studying of these virtues but rather one should, more importantly, actualize this knowledge of the virtues. Thus, for one to become good, one should do good. I also found out in the same work of Aristotle the â€Å"doctrine of the mean†. The essence of this doctrine dwells on the basic precept that one ought to avoid the extremes and, instead, settle for the â€Å"mean†. The actions of men, more specifically, ought to be framed upon the â€Å"mean† which is the virtue. For example, the virtue of courage rests on the mean between two extremes: cowardice or the â€Å"lack† of courage, and rashness or the â€Å"excess† in courage. All of these things answer the central question being asked, specifically the identification of the connection between virtue and character. For the most part, the thought of the acquisition of virtue requires a form of a ‘good’ act which, when constantly repeated or enacted on a regular basis, forms the character of the individual. The individual should not only be inclined towards a theoretical understanding of these good acts but should also be inclined to enacting them, of living them on purpose and free will. It is not enough that the individual should simply live the theoretical perspectives of doing good acts for it does not suffice to forming the character of the individual. Moreover, these ‘good’ acts are founded on the principle of the â€Å"mean† wherein the individual is supposed to be acting not within the extremes but between these extremes because they are the ‘evils’. Hence, character is connected to virtue through one’s good—or â€Å"middle†Ã¢â‚¬â€actions performed habitually. I figured out that Aristotle implies the idea that man is indeed a social being in the sense that one cannot sufficiently do ‘good’ without the presence of other people. That is, without other people to whom our ‘good’ deeds will be enacted to, our actions may hardly be conceived as ‘good’ in the first place precisely because we may only be helpful if there are people to help, we may only be kind if there are people to whom we will be kind, or we may only be loving if there are other people to love just to name a few. Of course, my thoughts may be unacceptable to other people for they may also have their own thoughts about the ethics of Aristotle. But more to this, I figured out that those people who surround us have a large role in the formation of our character. Social isolation does not give room for the moral development of an individual. On the other hand, I have arrived at a question concerning Aristotle’s virtue ethics, especially with his doctrine of the mean. Exactly how are we to know when we are acting in the middle such that we avert from the extremes or the vices? Granted that we may be able to identify the vices that we should avoid, when can we say that we are truly in the middle path? How can too much ‘knowledge’ be a vice or an evil when Aristotle gives a substantial account and importance to knowledge? While there may still a handful of questions that may have been left untouched, it can hardly be doubted that our actions share a significant role in defining our characters as human beings. Whether or not an individual believes in virtue ethics or in morality in general, it remains a fact that our actions have consequences to us and to other people. Reference Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. Martin Ostwald. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1962.

Problem Cell Phones Essay

A mobile phone (also known as a cellular phone, cell phone, and a hand phone) is a device that can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link while moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile phone operator, allowing access to the public telephone network. By contrast, a cordless telephone is used only within the short range of a single, private base station. In addition to telephony, modern mobile phones also support a wide variety of other services such as text messaging, MMS, email, Internet access, short-range wireless communications (infrared, Bluetooth), business applications, gaming and photography. Mobile phones that offer these and more general computing capabilities are referred to as smartphones. Disadvantages & Advantages of Cell phone According to : http://vidyaprakash. expertscolumn. com/article/disadvantages-cell-phones Cell phone is playing an important role in this modern world. It is very hard to see a person without a mobile phone. Even a little kid have the ability to access the cell phone fluently without any problem. Kids are very much interested in playing games in mobile phone and spending a lot of time with it. As we know too much of cell phone usage is not good for us and it will give some unwanted health issues. Cell phone will create some unwanted radiation which is not good for our brain. A person who is using cell for a long time will surely get health issues due to it. We must control our cell activities. Avoid using it for a long time and use it whenever necessary. Listening music using the ear phone is the new trend of the youngsters and most of the persons are interested in listening music with their hands free while riding their two wheeler. Really it is a dangerous thing which causes a lot of unwanted accidents. Most of the two wheeler accidents are happened due to this activity. Now we are living a fast life and don’t have enough time to meet our friends and family members. Simply we make a call to them and ask about their updates. Previously people will meet their friends and beloved persons directly and ask about their present status, but now it is easy to communicate with anyone using the phone and most of the persons are converted to this trend it reduce the get together and social reunions a lot. Students will get diversion with cell phones, they are spending a lot of time with cell phone chatting and browsing online through their smart phone and reduce their studying activity. Most of the students are turned as cell phone and online addicts which is a great disadvantage. There is nothing wrong in using cell phone, we must use it in a limited manner to avoid unwanted issues due to it. Statement of the problem Cell phones have recently become an asset to society. Because of this, many of the negatives to cell phone ownership have been overlooked. Just a few of these problems are : Increases the likelihood of traffic accidents Increases the risk of brain cancer Scope and Limitations The research that I will conduct is only limited to students, particularly 4th year – Springtime batch 2013-2014 II. Review of related Literatures This section presents a summary of previous research materials. Information found within this section is all found in the web and journals. Cell phones do more harm than good According to: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Mobile_phone A hand-held mobile radiotelephone is an old dream of radio engineering. Arthur C. Clarke in a 1959 essay, where he envisioned a â€Å"personal transceiver, so small and compact that every man carries one. † He wrote: â€Å"the time will come when we will be able to call a person anywhere on Earth merely by dialing a number. † Such a device would also, in Clarke’s vision, include means for global positioning so that â€Å"no one need ever again be lost. † Later, in Profiles of the Future, he predicted the advent of such a device taking place in the mid-1980s The most commonly used data application on mobile phones is SMS text messaging. The first SMS text message was sent from a computer to a mobile phone in 1992 in the UK, while the first person-to-person SMS from phone to phone was sent in Finland in 1993. Mobile phones are used for a variety of purposes, including keeping in touch with family members, conducting business, and having access to a telephone in the event of an emergency. Some people carry more than one cell phone for different purposes, such as for business and personal use. Multiple SIM cards may also be used to take advantage of the benefits of different calling plans—a particular plan might provide cheaper local calls, long-distance calls, international calls, or roaming. The most advantage of having mobile phone is you can communicate with your family, and friends no matter where you are. Cell phones also have applications for listening to music, playing games, and surfing the net. Besides that, there are lots of disadvantages. Using mobile phones can harm our brains, especially for those who are under the age of sixteen. Excessive use of mobile phones has been accused of causing dizziness, and â€Å"radiations emitted from the phone are harmful for the eardrum†, say many scientists. In addition, when we use mobile phones while driving it causes unwanted accidents. Negative effects of cell phones on our brain Radiation from mobile phones may cause brain tissue damage, a two-year study has found. Scientists discovered that emissions from handsets affect the delicate make-up of cells in blood vessels, and could be a health hazard to regular users of the UK’s 50million mobile phones. The radiation might disable a safety barrier in the body which protects the brain from harmful substances in the blood, they believe. It is the first time scientists have used cells from human blood vessels rather than rats, bringing researchers closer to the truth about long-term mobile phone use. Despite the millions spent on research in the last decade, the health implications of sustained use are still unclear. The biggest British study, led by Sir William Stewart, found two years ago that there was no evidence of a risk to health. A study published last year by the American National Cancer Institute also could not find a link between increased risk of brain cancer and mobile use. III. Research Methodology Research Design Name: Age: Sex: 1. How often do you use your cell phone ? 2. Do you know that using cell phone too much causes unwanted damages to the brain ? If yes. Do you believe that children below 10 years of age shouldn’t use cell phones ? 3. Is it really necessary for a person to have a cell phone ? Explain. 4. Is cell phone a disadvantage or advantage to your life ? Explain. Data Gathering Procedure The researcher will randomly ask ten (10 ) representatives out of the 37 students in the 4th year. A questionnaire was prepared by the researcher that will be used as a reference. The survey was conducted through the net. IV. Analysis and Interpretation of Data This chapter presents the findings, analysis and interpretation of data gathered by the researcher whose main objective is to find out the different perspectives of people and to find out what kind of damage our cell phone will do to our brain and also to state some advantages of it. Through my research I’ve found out that many scientist have and will conduct research about the radiation that we can get from cell phones. Mostly scientist from America conducts these kinds of researches. I also found out that the radiation of the cell phone emits is dangerous to all of us. Especially those who are 16 years of age and below. I also found out that there is not enough proof that cell phones can really damage our brain. Someone said that it is early for us to conclude that cell phones are bad for our health. Because even scientists can’t really find the right answer to our questions. A scientist said that we don’t know what will be the impact of the radiation of the cell phone emits will do to us if we still use it for the next 10 or even 20 years. He also said that that is the reason why we need to conduct more studies. According to my survey 9 out of 10 said that they always use their cell phones. 9 out 10 said that they know that using cell phone too much causes unwanted damages to the brain. 10 out of 10 said that having cell phone is necessary because it’s time for us to upgrade and use the cell phone to communicate and because it is easier to do, it also takes less of our time if we use our cell phones as I have said in my introduction cell phones are wireless, we can use them anywhere. 5 out of 10 said that cell phones are advantages to their lives. Because it makes almost everything easy. 1 out of 10 said that it is a disadvantage because is makes us lazy. 4 out of 10 said that they pick advantage and disadvantage.

Juvenile Delinquency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Juvenile Delinquency - Essay Example Cox, Allen, Hanser, and Conrad point out that delinquent and criminal behavior are part of the various human social behaviors. Thus, children learn the behavior just like the other social behaviors. As the theory suggests, teenagers are the most affected. Through conditioning were an undesirable behavior is punished and the wanted behavior awarded, one can learn any social behavior. Therefore, once a person starts to exhibit delinquent behavior, he or she can be stopped by utilizing the conditioning technique. Parents have a significant role to play in behavior modification where they guide their children to adopt socially acceptable behaviors. Strengthening the positive behavior aids in change achievement. For instance, it can be argued that the delinquent behavior of Shawn was learned from his mother. Consumption of illicit drugs in the United States including alcohol is a crime among juveniles. Despite the knowledge of the constitutional provision, Shawn’s mother introduced her son to alcohol intake.In addition to alcohol, Shawn started using other hard drugs like marijuana. Evidently, he got into a company of teenagers indulging in drug and substance abuse. He succumbed to peer pressure. At some point, Shawn and his friends were charged with robbery with violence from one of their schoolmates. This behavior might have developed over time with the increased consumption of marijuana, alcohol, and delinquent company. It is believed that he had issues with his father since he did not approve of his drug and substance abuse at his age.

Adaptation of the body to hot and cold Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Adaptation of the body to hot and cold - Essay Example Since ancient times, human beings have been surviving in hot and humid weather of Sahara and extreme cold weather of Antarctica. Much of the earth’s hot and cold places are inhabited by human beings. The important fact is that the body of the person is permitted to live in any harsh weather conditions. However, the body needs a supply of water, shade and limited physical activity in order for the human being to survive. According to Wenger (2009), â€Å"Problems due to heat stress may occur whenever the rate of heat production or heat gain from the environment is sufficiently large in relation to the body’s ability to dissipate heat.† In a human body, problems such as numbness and snow bite can occur in extreme cold weather. However, sudden adaptation to an extreme weather is not likely for the physiology of a human being. There is an extent to which people can survive in a harsh climatic condition. The adaptation to hot or cold weather for the human body is poss ible only through the conditioned genetic make of the body. Unfortunately, it is a fact that with the continuous exposure to hot or cold weather, the tissues of the human body get injured. The body has different mechanisms by which it can adapt to cold and hot weather conditions. However, if a person is exposed to extreme hot or cold directly, then he can famish in a short period of time. Body’s adaptability to heat The human body is designed to sustain at an average temperature level and the body also maintains an average temperature level of 37 degree centigrade. However, when we attempt to sustain in a temperature above that, then the body brings out its adaptation mechanisms. When our body gets hot, it starts a biological process called sweating in order to cool off the body. But when the heat of the environment gets hotter than that, the tissue of the body is injured. The heat can affect the protein’s biological processing and this can lead to complication in the health of the human being exposed to extreme heat. The change in the protein configuration of the cell is called â€Å"denaturation.† High temperature can alter the nature of protein or kill the cells. If a living cell is exposed to heat above 45 degrees, then burning of the skin occurs. The damage of the skin depends on the duration and intensity of the heat applied to the human body. We, human beings, like any other mammal, are â€Å"homeotherms†; in other words, warm blooded animals. The human body has the ability to maintain its temperature by different biological processing. The human body does not react negatively to any minor changes in temperature, whether it is hot or cold. The main method by which the body defends against the heat in the environment is by perspiration. By perspiration the body injects fluid into the surface of the skin to make it moist and cool. As per Dugdale (2012), â€Å"Sweating is the release of a salty liquid from the body's sweat glan ds. This process is also called perspiration.† The phenomenon of sweating The phenomenon of sweating is the only way in which the body reacts to the extreme hot weather conditions. In this biological process, body injects salty liquid on to the surface of skin with the aid of sweat glands. There are millions of sweat glands in a human body and this process of sweating, in other words, is called â€Å"perspiration.† Sweating is an extremely important activity of the body to stay cool in harsh environmental conditions. Sweat is mainly obvious on the palms of the hand, under the arm or under the feet. The quantity a person sweats depends on the amount of sweat glands a person possesses. The sweat glands of an individual are functional as one attains their puberty period. Although, women possess more sweat glands, men

Essential Elements of a Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Essential Elements of a Crime - Essay Example Under our scenario, it is evident that conduct of Stephen of punching Vincent in the stomach is, the actus reus of battery. Battery in itself is unlawful taking into consideration that it is often meant at hurting the other party intentionally. In other words, Stephens’s unlawful offensive physical contact against Vincent is tantamount to a criminal offence. Commission acts is a significant proof for the actus reus of a crime. The case at hand can also be examined from causation point of view whereby action of the defendant resulted on a particular consequence. For instance, it can be established that Stephen’s act of punching Vincent was the major cause of Vincent’s illness. This clearly proves that in case a definition of the actus reus calls for a proof of an occurrence of a particular consequences then the prosecutor carries the responsibility of proving that the defendant’s conduct directly caused the consequences. For instance, if the prosecutor beli eves that Stephen conduct of battery was the reasonable cause of Vincent death then he/she has to prove this assertion. A conduct in criminal law does not need to be a commission only but also omission. V asserts that Clarkson (2005: 102) Omission refers to failure to take a positive action and consequently results in injury. Under general common law not only in the United Kingdom but also in other countries practicing common law, no individual can be held criminally liable for an act of omission. However, there are exceptions to omission rule such as in cases where there is: statutory duty, contractual obligation, voluntary assumption of responsibility, duty due to defendants previous conduct, and public duty. Failure to act and or respond positively to the above exceptions can result to committing actus reus by omission. In our scenario Stephen was guilty of committing the actus reus of omission. This claim can be justified by the fact that he failed respond to his prior act of ca using bodily harm to Vincent and consequently led to victim’s death. Under the common law defendant is often expected to correct a dangerous situation, which he/she is directly responsible for its occurrence (Emanuel, 2007: 95). Instead of helping Vincent who was, gasping for air on the floor Stephen just chose to run away even after punching him. Meanwhile Jim cannot be held criminally liable for committing actus reus of omission taking into consideration that he was under any statutory or contractual duty to help Vincent and there his inaction cannot attract any penalty under common law. Task 2: principles of novus actus interveniens and the ‘egg shell rule’ Principle of novus actus interveniens is widely used in the context of causation and it is used to explain interference with the chain of causation or to mean 'a new intervening act' (Hodgson, & Lewthwaite, 2007: 61). The chain of causation in criminal law refers to the series of events triggered by the def endant that leads to a particular event and consequent injury. For instance, it can be established through a post-mortem that a serious stab wounds is the major cause of a victim’s death. The relationship between a guilty action and its consequences is an important premise for establishing guilt and final liability not only in

Gender Dynamics of Men and Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gender Dynamics of Men and Women - Essay Example Moreover, new insights about the importance of genders are also discussed in the article. Obviously the writer has knowledge about animal behaviors and Matt Ridley seems to take special interest in animals to explain his point. His first argument questions if men are necessary at all. If the reason for their existence is for evolution purposes, then, they probably are as unimportant as males are in some animal families. â€Å"Whiptail lizards are an all male species. Various fish, crustaceans, insects, and worms can reproduce without the male sex† (Ridley, 225), he notes. This implies that if there are animals which are able to reproduce without males, then it should be possible for humans, too. The author then goes to cite the fact that there can now be virgin births through the help of science and technology. Therefore, the argument that males are necessary for reproduction is not anymore a convincing reason for their existence. Females can maintain human life without males. The second argument Ridley presents is the probability that men exist because women invented it. This may be a ridiculous idea which could get a lot of reactions from readers but the author expounds his considerations through humorous manners that it is rather entertaining than infuriating. He cites the example of the female elephant seal which chooses the strong and evil male to father her babies who might be killed by their own father as he tramples them underfoot. Ridley says, â€Å"-females are responsible for these. It is their fault because they have been allowing victors of battles to win their hearts for thousands of generations† (227). He then ends his argument with a neutral note that if women invented men, likewise, men invented women. That is, how women look at males suggests how men should be- big muscles, good looks, etc. On the other hand, sexy women with swollen breasts, small waist and big hips are what define women as suggested by the males. The ideas in th e article could be sensitive to some readers, seemingly attacking the males, suggesting that they are not needed in the modern world if the only reason for their existence is evolution. However, it is written with humorous insights which balance the issue. To some degree, this could be true. Still, males would counteract that there could be no source of semen when they get extinct. This may lead to a wider scope of the debate. Nevertheless, to stick with the article, let it be said by this author that males may sure be unimportant these days considering Ridley’s argument but child-bearing would not be as wonderful as it is without sex. Sure, there are always ways to get that excitement of love-making but I believe nothing beats that which one gets with the opposite sex. On the making of the woman and man, I strongly agree that somehow, we have created what men and women are: their roles, looks, and uses. For generations, women were known to be child-bearers, caretakers and ho usekeepers. With the rise of feminism, liberalism and fight for equality, more desirable women were created- the modern woman who has an education, culture, high-paying job, with good looks and figure. Men and women were probably created equal- equally beautiful and necessary, but we have drawn the line that separates males and females and in an ironic way, Ridley questioned the necessity of the existence of males. The Failure of Feminism on the other hand has a serious tone, almost angry in expressing the ideas presented. The article is written by Phyllis

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 155

Assignment Example However, if the research on nuclear weapons may help thwart those the actions of those who have ill intensions to make or use this weapons, then the scientists can be allowed to continue developing these weapons because in such a situation it would be for the advantage of the many. Employees are obliged to be productive because that is why they are employed. However, the employer must also understand that the employees are humans and may from time to time face difficult situations that may affect their productivity. In many cases, a closer look at unproductive employee reveals that they may be having issues in their personal lives. In the spirit of doing to other people as you would want them to do to you, it would be necessary to try and understand whether this is the case with employees, because that is what the manager would want to be done to them if they were the employee. The unproductive employee also has a duty to the employer, and maybe even to other stakeholders of the business that employs them. He must consider this and find ways to secure his financial life and then retire because that would be beneficial to other people. John Locke was a believer in social contract which is a philosophical outlook that sees everyone as having a social contract towards these people they deal with. This is like the philosophy of ding the he neighbor as one would want them to do to you. In such a situation as the unproductive employee’s case, he would want both sides analysis their obligations to each other and then do what they are supposed to do. Regina seems to be using the utilitarian philosophy which argues that the end justifies the means. Such donations are supposed to come from a point of personal desire to help, as opposed to the selfish desire to outshine the others. Instead of taking advantage of people’s advantage to show off, Regina’s and the team should have found a way to take advantage of the primal desire to help others, which is

Human Resource Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human Resource Management - Case Study Example Part One, an overview of Tesco, provides a rationale for selecting the organisation, identifies specific features of the context within which it operates and key features of its business strategy, shows how it responds to the wider business environment, and explains the implications of the business strategy adopted for the management of people. Part Three diagnoses and critically evaluates the key elements of Tesco's HR strategy and the nature and scope of HR practice, with particular attention to the degree by which HR practice supports the organisation's business strategy and the extent to which different aspects of HR strategy are horizontally integrated. As a company that depends for its success on the quality of direct employee contact with customers through a unique and special shopping experience, Tesco like other similar companies claim that its people are its most important asset. Guided by a key core value of looking after its people so they can look after their customers, Tesco provides market-leading working conditions for its staff. However, it doesn't stop there. It also encourages suppliers to do the same: offer attractive benefits and wages, flexible work hours and leave, profit-sharing, subsidised meals, childcare vouchers, and an award-winning pension scheme, amongst other benchmarks. Achieving its business objectives would have been difficult without trust and dependence on the skills and commitment of employees who are encouraged at all levels to make their fullest possible contribution to business success. Guided by the slogan "Every little helps", Tesco delivers a unique shopping experience for customers, an objective that demands ongoing training to ensure that employees understand the right customer service objectives and strive to achieve them. Tesco was chosen for this paper because the quality of its people is recognised as a key factor for its profitability and stellar business performance, despite the bad press it gets from time to time due to the fact that despite their best efforts, it could never satisfy every

When using different metals Essay Example for Free

When using different metals Essay An example of this is when an iron nail is put in a copper sulphate solution. A displacement reaction only occurs when a metal reacts with an acid. This is an exothermic reaction. Exothermic means that the energy is going out of the reaction. Chemical reaction where the energy content of the products is less than that of the reactants; heat is given out from the system. In an exothermic reaction, heat energy is given off to the surroundings so the product molecules have lower heat content than the reactants. This is like taking a wet sponge and squeezing it into a funnel the sponge ends up with lower water content than before the exothermic reaction. The amount of water which is squeezed into the funnel and collected is a good concrete way to visualize the heat of reaction. Apparatus: Measuring Cylinder Thermometer Stop clock Balancing Scale Copper sulphate solution Beaker Zinc Lead Aluminium Magnesium Iron Method: == Collect all required equipment in a tray. == Put 50 cubic cm of copper sulphate solution into a beaker make sure it is 50 by using a measuring cylinder. == Measure temperature of solution at the begging by using a thermometer. == Measure 2 grams of metals with copper sulphate solution. == Shut the beaker with a lid made out of cardboard for the thermometer to enter. == Measure temperature of substance every 30 seconds. == Repeat for 8 mins. == Repeat this routine for the other metals. Prediction: I predict that magnesium will displace most of the other metals it will react with. This is because magnesium is the highest metal we are using in the reactivity series and as such will displace more. Results: Iron 1 2 3 Average Graph Analysis From this investigations results I can see that Magnesium was the most reactive metal out of them, and Lead was one of the metals that reacted the least, along with Zinc. Magnesium emitted the most heat out of them all. It took several minutes for magnesium to reach its highest temperature on the table. My prediction was correct as I predicted that Magnesium would be the metal that emitted the most heat, as it was the more reactive than the other metals. Evaluation In this experiment I investigated how much heat displacement reactions give out. We used plastic beakers but used cardboard lids, which may have altered the results of the experiment. If I were to do the same experiment over again I would use plastic lids and see if the results were the same or if they differed. We also hand stirred the solutions, so that could have changed the results. I could improve the experiment if the same person stirred it then they would know roughly at what speed they stirred the solution. Rina Bhudia Science Investigation 10 B3 Mrs Davis Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Patterns of Behaviour section.

Exploratory Research on Pizza Heaven Essay Example for Free

Exploratory Research on Pizza Heaven Essay 1. Exploratory research is a form of research conducted for a problem that has not been clearly defined. It helps determine the best research design, data collection method and selection of subjects. Even from the definition of exploratory research we can see, that it is done in order to define the problem and to help understand in which direction the further research should go. Exploratory research is preliminary, and is not conclusive, the quality of information provided is not perfect, and also the focus group chosen(40people) was not really representing the whole of the students at West coast. Therefore they should not yet implement the findings, because the data provided by 40 students might not be applicable to all student at West coast. 2. The problem Pizza Heaven has faced is that their sales have slipped. That could be due to competition from national chains such as Pizza Hut or Dominos, so questions about competition should be asked. (Because potential clients might like something about the competitors more e. g.pizza itself, delivery, atmosphere in restaurants) also, they noted that the selection was often poor Sales could have slipped, because of the range of products Pizza Heaven offers, so that topic has to be covered as well, including questions about new possible pizzas. (Because it may be that competitors are offering some types of pizza that Pizza Heaven dont have) A decrease in sales can also be due to poor customer service, so that topic should also be covered. People said that pizzas were usually dry and cold why? maybe delivery took too long, that should be explored in more details. 3. Step One: Establishing the Need for Marketing Research The need is already established, as there is a decrease in sales Step Two: Defining the Problem So the problem is a decrease in sales, due to what ? Step Three: Establishing Research Objectives Hard Competition? Poor range of products? Need better customer service? those are the questions to ask. Step Four: Determining Research Design. Descriptive and Causal Research should be done. Step Five: Identifying Information Types and Sources Primary data should be collected, but also secondary data could be of a little use, for example if the sales dropped overall and not only by Pizza Heaven, due to crisis or some other reason Step Six: Determining Methods of Accessing Data We should have people asking the question, and also questionnaires coming with each pizza could help. Step Seven: Designing Data collection Forms Can be questionnaires(must be worded objectively, clearly, and without bias in order to communicate with respondents), surveys, or both can be done through email (although there is only a 5% response rate) Step Eight: Determining Sample Plan and Size Sample Size should surely be more than 40 people from one location. Also a sample should be representative, e. g. not only student of age 18-20, but also every other age groups. Step Nine: Collecting Data Step Ten: Analyzing Data Step Eleven: Preparing and Presenting the Final Report.

Business Analysis Porters Five Forces Model Information Technology Essay

Business Analysis Porters Five Forces Model Information Technology Essay An appropriate system is essential for Aalsmeer to support its e-business. Once the system is installed, Aalsmeer has to ensure the new system is stability, safety and suitable for all their business partners and customers. Additionally, the system security is important too. All the business processing, buyers and sellers information, financial information etc. should be protected. Lastly, must be sure that all these new system has already tested and always keep maintenance to improve and increase the business partner and customers confidence for their business dealings. 1.3 Business Analysis Porters Five Forces Model For many enterprises, they keep contend the problem of gaining profitability. Porters five forces role provides suggested points which we can extend a broad and sophisticate analysis of competitive position. This typically use for creating strategy, plans or making decisions in a business (Maxi-Pedia, 2011). Simultaneously, it is a useful way to conduct five forces analysis of an industrys attractiveness to construct a checklist based on Porters seminal work. (Walker, Jr., O.C. Mullins, J.W., 2008) Porters Five Forces Explanation Supplier Powers A firm that supply the flowers and services to Aalsmeer. A large number of suppliers provide more options to Aalsmeer and the end buyers-customers. The size of supplier effect the ability of substitute. Substitutes The buyers willingness is affected by the affordable price and high quality service. The elastic price affects the demand because the customers having the alternative of choices. Similar product with different price will lead buyers change their buying substitute. Rivalry The competitors in the same industry provide the similar products and services. The new market entrance in the same industry to share the market space. Introduce the new or unique product to attract the customer. Buyer Powers A profitable company is depends in the large amount of customers and buying volume that affected by buyers. Provide delivery service by using product differentiation strategy to attract the customers. The price should be relatively elastic to buyers with the relatively elastic of demand. For example, charge high price during the peak season. Expect the ability of buyer and potential buyer for Aalsmeers product to compete with same industry. New Market Entrance There are high barrier to entry in flower industry with traditional way of transaction. It is better to maintain the high cost to compete with other new competitors. Also, the stability cash flow and profit of a firm can be reduced the risk. New market using e-Business to enter the new market, so Aalsmeer might be knowledgeable for new market entrance. A firm should be competed in order to improve their ability in the same industry. Table 2: Porters five forces Figure 2: Porters Five forces Model (source from: http://www.maxi-pedia.com/Five+Forces+model+by+Michael+Porter) 2.0 Strategies 2.1 Low-cost Leadership Low-cost leadership strategy is useful for Aalsmeer Flower Auction which is achieves the lowest operational costs and the lowest prices. Low-cost leadership able to provide lowest-cost goods but high quality services meanwhile reduces problems towards the consumers. The key element of Aalsmeers low-cost leadership strategy is the interface to supply chain in order to respond to the change of customer requirements. In order to gain competitive advantage, Aalsmeer has to change the traditional business way, it is because of the electronically driven flower market (FTMS college, n.d.). Firstly, its create innovation in Aalsmeer from traditional way. These strategies redefine value chain means that Aalsmeer do not need to go through middle man and will straight forward to customers, wholesalers or retailers. Meanwhile, retailer can straight away order the flower with the auction and do not have to pass through the process that transaction with cash and carry stores and others. Consequences, things would go on easier if retailers can access to their information to serve their needs and suppliers knowing stock availability to respond to their needs. In this case, Aalsmeer able to continuous replenish once receive order for new merchandise of fresh flowers from retailer when stock are limited. This enables the higher speed in production, order, and payment cycles meanwhile reduce operation and procur ement cost and increase productivity. Through the web site, the customers, wholesalers, exporters, importers, cash and carry stores or retailers can place their order through online. Because they are order with large amount of flowers, the auction can give them discount or offer in order to strengthen the link between wholesalers and retailer. So that they will have more resource and more capital to compete with each other with low-cost leadership strategy because once they change from traditional business way to internet, for sure the flower cost will be cheaper than market price. The competitive advantages with satisfy consumer tastes which are provided fresher flower compare with market and deliver it to door step in the shortest time. In this case, the better example is Air Asia. Customers can book air flight ticket through Air Asia website with the requirements of personal details and make payment by credit card. The whole process will be done in 15 minutes. This is convenience, efficiency and effectiveness for the public. By applying this strategy in Aalsmeer Website is able to deliver the highest customer satisfaction by adapt retailer trustworthy. Through Aalsmeer Web site, visitors gain equivalent advantage as the walk in shoppers in the sophisticated services, for example online customer support system that able to track the ordering from customers and disclose the time of delivery to the customers. Customers able to shop through their personal page, refer to the online catalogue, place orders and deposit into the shopping cart. In addition, it will enable the innovation of auction because website selling or e-business is very unfamiliar at the earth. 2.2 Product Differentiation Product differentiation strategy can use to achieve the objective. Product differentiation means that use IS to enable the new services and products or even change the convenience of customers by using existing products and services (Laudon, K.C. Laudon, J.P., 2009). Nowadays, people prefer online order flower rather than walk in (Articlesbase, 2005-2011). Through the internet, customers can ask to send flower to anyone who lives in the other side of world. It is amazing that technology can do nowadays. (Riversdale Flowers, n.d.) Another example will be Dell Inc. They make sell directly to their customers using assemble-to-order manufacturing (SCM Focus, n.d.). Means that, customers can buy computers directly from Dells through the website or using a toll-free telephone number. Once Dells production received order, it will directs an assembly plant from an on-site warehouse to assemble the computer by using components based on the configuration specified, and then send to their customers. Therefore, Aalsmeer has to start to use product differentiation strategy which is create service that is personalized and customized to fit the accurate specifications of individual customers and strengthen the link with wholesalers and retailers. They can get supply and purchase from growers and buyers by using toll-free telephone number or by accessing Aalsmeers web site. Customer will also surely experience great convenience when they order flowers online. By using standard software to order tracking the product available, Aalsmeer would have the advantage to view through the inventory level from local growers or even growers from outside of the country by just one click without billing and traditional phone calls. In this case, the software able to ensure the supply fulfills the market demands especially during peak season like Valentines Day, Christmas Day etc. Apart from this, Aalsmeer can get the advantage to distribute flowers and plants to end customers. In the meantime, Aalsmeer can position itself to compete on the uniqueness of its products and services with characteristics of well-known brand image, a strong reputation. Obviously, product differentiation and low-cost leadership strategies helps Aalsmeer to increase market share because it can non-stop operate, which means 24 hours a days, as long as the internet connection is on. Therefore, it can be the whole world business. Simultaneously, with the strategy, the auction can gain more customers and gain more order, they can manage to have a more accurate ordering system. Hence, it will be a good opportunities for the auction to try out the new strategy. Information System (IS) and Information Technology (IT) IS and IT are used by organisations to develop their business through the electronic. It is to complete new efficiency level, profitability and competitiveness. Although the terms are typically used interchangeable, they are different. IS is interrelated components that manage information to support decision making and control and to help with analysis, visualization and product creation. It also more efficiency to tolerate and flourish, expand their reach to far-off locations, offer new products and services, reorganize jobs and workflow and significantly change the way they operated to reduce the expenditure. Additionally, IT is the hardware and software a business uses to achieve objective. (Scribd, n.d) 2.3 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Nowadays, internet technology had created a highly synchronized industry value chain which called value web. This value web is a group of independent company, so Aalsmeer can use this IT to organize their value chain to online delivery service for their current market collectively. It will result in a less linear fashion that drives and operates by more customers than the Aalsmeers currently traditional value chain. Figure 3 shows that value web synchronizes the Aalsmeer online business workflow of customers, trading partner, and supplier in florist industry. Figure 3: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) (Source from: http://joomlacenterng.com/beta/open-solutions/erp-solutions) ERP is a system for Aalsmeer to easily keep tracking for wholesalers, importers, exporters, retailers and stock aging through internet. Moreover, when the customers place an order, the data will flow automatically to other parts of the auction. Meanwhile, wholesalers and retailers can get the latest Aalsmeers stock balance available and current prices through internet and also able to order on the spot. Customer relationship management (CRM) system helps to establish a single tool for Aalsmeer website and also in everyday business processes with retailers and growers. The internal CRM able to lowering inventory cost which link with the growers. Key values of external CRM are improved understanding with the high bargaining power of customers and speed up on decisions making, which can shorten the project durations on delivering services using e-business. The strategic necessity for front-office CRM and back-office, core-operation ERP comes from the differences in Aalsmeer vendors across the countries. Most of the companies used different systems but each system unconnected, thus CRM and EPR of enterprise application are chosen to close the gaps of suppliers and buyers. The essential of two systems is where it coax the independently front-office and back-office operations to work well together and incorporate as integrated suit to prompt replenishment of stock for the customers. Moreover, Supplier chain management system is for Aalsmeer to insert supplier database. This included term and offer prices by supplier, supplier companies detail and also flowers purchase entry data, reference number and prices (Tech-FAQ, n.d). Furthermore, the accounting department will be notified and send invoice to the customers. The representatives of customer service will record the progress of order through every step to update their orders and then inform the customers. Human resource management system is to manage the workers record. It offers benefits administration to workers by self-service for the contract information. The main objective of this system is to reduce the paper works once the Aalsmeer become wide transaction. (EXTOL, n.d.) Additionally, the manufacturing resources planning system is a highly integrated and complex solution controlling the entire manufacturing management activities. It included supply chain planning, inventory management, sales order administration, claim processing, procurement planning, transportation and distribution. This system increases the plant utilization capacity and production rate. (EXTOL, n.d.) ERP enable the auction the flexibility to respond rapidly to customers requests while producing and stocking inventory with what is needed to fulfill existing orders. Their ability to increase accurate and on-time deliver, reduce costs and increase customers satisfaction adds to firm profitability. Additionally, ERP provide company-wide information to help the manager of the auction to analyse the profitability or cost structures easily. (Laudon, K.C. Laudon, J.P., 2009) 3.0 Applying Methodology on New System In order to build up the ERP system, I would like to recommend Aalsmeer to use the alternative method which is System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) to build up the system. Indeed, SDLC is a sequential series of activities that structured step-by-step for the information system of development. It includes six key phases which from initial feasibility study to maintenance of completed application. Figure 4 below shows the traditional SDLC method which referred to as Waterfall methodology. (Haag, S. Cummings, M., 2008) 3.1 System Development Life Cycle model (SDLC) Figure 4: SDLC traditional method (Source from: http://www.websoftwareqa.com/2011/01/applying-qa-to-waterfall-development-wait-what/) Feasibility Study Before the system approve, feasibility must be assessed which is the first stage of SDLC. Feasibility study is used to determine and produce a project plan and budget planning for the development future if the project will be proceed (Start vb dotnet, 2004-2010). Meanwhile, the auction should provide more detail description that required identifying the technical, economic and operational feasibility analysis. (Ambysoft, 2005-2010) Typically, transactions benefits is gained from new system, technical concerns, related costs and development time, if these analyses are feasible, then the auction can be proceed to next stage. However, if the proposal is unfeasible then that should be abandoned and redo. Requirement Analysis The analysis is the following stage, it is for Aalsmeer to verify how the system is processes, what kind of information and new systems are needed and where there are problems. Indeed, Aalsmeer can pass through the existing documentation and questionnaire or interview with workers to determine the problems and then improve it. Meanwhile, business transaction details and standard of performance need to be specified and examined. After that, analyses the information and prepares a document which should include user requirements, managements and recommended plan to develop the new system. (Zwass, V., 1998) Design The primary goal of design phase is to construct a technical blueprint based on the question of how the proposed system will work (Haag, S. Cummings, M., 2008). This stage is for Aalsmeer to learn how the software should perform when they create a layout and the design will based on Aalsmeer needs like purchases and sales records. Moreover, analysis is constantly made from the layout because this is the first thing to show customers. And the final result and structure are typically based on the initial design. Aalsmeer has to carefully explain each step and make sure everything is done because it is very crucial in the whole development cycle. Any glitch in the design phase could be very expensive in the implementation stage or perhaps the other developers will understand the software and then break it, so it will be threaten the Aalsmeers operation. (GeekInterview, 2005-2011) System Implementation The following phase will be the implementation system. This phase will take all the detail design documents from design phase and transform to an actual system. It is for the Aalsmeer to improve, integrate, and purify for several times until they are ready for testing. Software artifacts was build such as catalogs, ordering format, payment format with an online help system to guide customers in their connections with the systems. Testing In this phase the system is tested as a whole and to ensure that interfaces between modules work (integration testing), the system works integrated into the total system when function well and that the system does what the user requires (acceptance testing) (Haag, S. Cummings, M., 2008). As a case study for Aalsmeer, it will be a test whether every data is converts from old system to new system. After that, Aalsmeer will use the new system directly. For sure, the old database have to keep as backup will be better. Maintenance Maintenance is the final phase of SDLC. It is necessary for the finished of successful project on a development to ensure the new system is supported and monitor for the business goal. But, it is clear that changes arise when the project is passed to the end user. So, the developers must find a way that can be adaptable to those changes when they implement the project. Lastly, Aalsmeer has to ensure that those changes are not influence the key operation of software. This is the overall system methodology run which will help Aalsmeer to cope with the changing environment. 4.0 Impact and Effectiveness Once a new system had developed, there will be some effect and impact to few parties, such as organisation, management and employees. And the impact can be advantages and disadvantages. 4.1 Organisation Systematic play a very important role because when an organisation without system, it will be in disorder, and everything will go confuse. Moreover, new system can increase efficiency of the whole organisation process, which means from the top to bottom of the organisation can communicate well with a systematic transaction process. It is sure that will be decrease on employees workload and increase in long-term profit for the decrease of number of employee caused, because everything will do through the new system automatically. For instance, manager can just through the system by one click to get the total sales immediately. Beside, when starting a system, an unexpected cost will be needed at the first time. Of course, the system is difficult to maintain and changes if the system error was occurred. Moreover, Aalsmeer hard to verify the customers tastes and everything computerise that will estrange the customers. 4.2 Management On the management aspect, a new system will generate the statement, invoice, report or arrange document systematically time by using computer. The whole process will be more effectiveness and save time, because all can be done in shorter. The new system will organize the workload automatically to reduce the burden to the management. Furthermore, there will not have any excuse from employees when they do not perform well, this obviously can avoid argument between manager and employees. Additionally, there will a huge amount of orders from customers by using the new system and all business transaction data will be recorded clearly and quickly. However, there are such of disadvantages for the applying new system too. It will very difficult to repair if the system process error occurs during the working hours and hard to continue the operation, because the system might down or even has to stop the operation for the repairing. Perhaps, they will get a lot of complains from their customers too. 4.3 Employee Manpower will be affected too. Firstly, amount of employees will be decrease, because everything can be done by automatically with the new system. For the long-term, it can be save cost for Aalsmeer. Next, the quality and efficiency of employee increase because they just need to follow the system to do what they should be done without the confusing document processes. Obviously, the working flow will be more efficiency and reliable. Otherwise, before the new system applying, Aalsmeer should train their employee in order to get use for the new system. Then there will be a large amount of training fees. Beside, senior staffs prefer old system because of well practice whether its complicated. Of course, the use of new system will decrease the job opportunity to the public. 5.0 Conclusion In conclusion, although there are such advantages and disadvantages on the new system, the system is useful nowadays because the people habits are always changing with the new technology. Furthermore, the electronically had already driven to the flower market and the standing of electronically cannot be ignored in this world. Therefore, implement the new system into an organisation is very important and it is not only for increase of profit, and also can compete with the competitors with positive competition.

The World Wide Web Essays -- Internet Technology Computers Essays

The World Wide Web Communication--it is a fundamental part of our everyday lives. It characterizes who we are, what we do, and how we relate to others in society. It is a very powerful tool that holds many different uses for our basic needs and survival. At a very simplistic level, it is key in attaining our very basic needs for survival. In that respect, it is key in achieving all needs in Maslows hierarchy. Its uses and possibilities endless. Over time, the discoveries that have been made in relation to communication have been revolutionary in that they have changed the way we live and act dramatically. For example, the writing on walls, pencils, pens, ink, paper, the printing press, telegraph, telephone, television, electronic mail--these only touch the surface. But, what they all have in common is that they have impacted our lives and the way in which members of society relate to one another, understand and percieve one another. As technology advances, the ways in which we communicate will change and advance. In 1992, the inception of the World Wide Web brought about, which at that time many people were unaware, a revolution in the communication industry. In essence, the way in which people communicate with one another would be changed forever. Families with relatives, friends, managers and employees, organizations-public and private, commerce--the consumer and the supplier. These and an endless number of communication relationships would be changed forever. This web site provides a detailed description of the World Wide Web, its history, the traditional and technological implications that have been brought about with it and raises some moral and ethical questions about the WWW. TARGET TECHNOLOGY--The Wo... ... to do with it or how it was going to change our futures. But, as time went on, we learned to better utilize the invention and how to capitalize on the advantages it holds. Today television is key in many peoples' lives. It changed communication, advertising, commerce and a countless number of things forever. I believe that the Web already has and will do the same in these areas in the future, only with an even greater impact. References Pasadena Public Library. "Internet Tutorial." A World Wide Web Tutorial. http://ci.pasadena.ca.us/library/tutorial.html (13 April 1999). Halonen, Olli-Pekka. "Guide for creating World Wide Web." A World Wide Web History. http://www.netppl.fi/~okko/ddd/history.html (13 April 1999). Ray, Tim. "HTML Definition." A Definition of HTML. http://ernie.bgsu.edu/~timray/hypertext/htmldef.html (15 April 1999).

Compare The Ways In Which Writers Tell Stories In The Following: The N :: essays research papers

The title of this essay states that I must include another text, of my choice. ‘The Naval Sisters Tale’ is written in the form of a transcript, whereas ‘The Obituary of Captain David Goodwin’ is in the form of an article. I wanted to choose something different to both of these texts, so along with these passages, I have chosen to incorporate ‘Back to the Army Again’ by Rudyard Kipling. I decided on this text as it has refrains (which I find particularly interesting and fun to say), also because I think it contains a sense of irony and holds an ambiguity within its simplistic structure. I shall start with ‘The Obituary of Captain David Goodwin’. The first things that struck me about this particular text was the fact that it had been printed in The Daily Telegraph, a fairly conservative newspaper that would have wanted to promote nationalism and preserve our countries remaining war heroes via our memories, and show that â€Å"we† are in fact a fearless nation! It is a very factual piece, and contains very short, and ‘to-the-point’ paragraphs. The title itself, a seemingly ‘dull’ and ‘uninspiring’ title, gives us an almost immediate insight into the lack of emotion within the text. The purpose of this text is to chart Captain David Goodwin’s career and life, although we are told little about his life outside of his career. It shows his involvement within the war, and highlights his achievements. This article focus’s in on the â€Å"best† part of his life, his naval career sea command. It can also be considered to be a genuine mark of respect, seeing as it is an obituary. I thought that it might also be a form of war propaganda, as it makes the war seem exciting and fun. It certainly portrays Captain David Goodwin as being a war hero. The quote included in the article, â€Å"one horrid little man firing at us† emphasizes the valour of him. He is referring to the Italian army as if they were a joke. The text starts off by stating his personal records, such as his age. It then gives a brief overview of his involvement in the war and the awards/medals that he gained. The author of this has done this so that we know what type of person we are dealing with, from the very second that we begin reading the text.

Bureaucracy in Public Service

As Weber noticed nearly a century ago, with the rationalization of society, bureaucracy becomes inevitable (Weber, 1968/1921) and in the contemporary society, bureaucracy – whether private or public – is ubiquitous. Without it, few of the routine features of our modern society would be possible; the collection of taxes and the production and distribution of goods and services, for example, would be difficult, if not impossible. (Dandeker, 1990) Bureaucracies control people by replacing human judgement with nonhuman technology, thus creating a formalistic impersonality of the system.Even bureaucracy itself can be seen as a huge nonhuman technology that functions more or less automatically. Rules, regulations, and institutional structures replace the adaptability of human decisions, that is, employees of bureaucratic organizations generally follow the rules and regulations in a predetermined sequence instead of evaluating each case separately. They must get their jobs don e in a certain way by a certain time without mistakes, and the role of informal systems of human action is diminished by the highly formalized structures.Bureaucracy controls not only employees of an organization but her clients as well. An organization provides services and one must apply for the services on a specific form by a specific date. One will receive those services only in a certain way and under strict conditions. (Ritzer, 1998) Client categories used by organizations decide what information a client is supposed to provide, and this information will generate a denial or a grant of a specific requested service. Snellen, 1998) Although bureaucracy is present in both public and private organizations, there are large differences between the two types of organizations and the services they deliver. The first difference is the monopolistic character of public organizations, i. e. , often a citizen does not have a choice between different public organizations (as is the case wi th private organizations) because there is only one public organization that provides a particular service. A second difference is that a citizen is not always a voluntary ‘client’ of public organizations because the nation state is responsible for the collective goods.Public services will thus not only increase personal benefits and rights, but will also consist of activities that address the duties of citizens (e. g. , tax collection). Third, citizens have a voice in the determination of public service delivery through voting, referenda, and public hearings. (Lips, 1998) The citizen (as citoyen, carrier of democratic rights) enters into debates with political-administrative organizations. When consensus has been established, politicians instruct the public organizations who execute these instructions.The citizen (now as client) uses the services provided by public organizations. (Zuurmond, 1996a; Zuurmond, 1996b) Fourth, public services are subject to specific norms a nd values, like legitimacy, legal certainty and equality of rights, as a consequence of the government’s responsibility for the collective good. This results in the fifth difference between public and private services: continuity in the deliverance of services to citizens and accessibility of public services to all citizens ought to be more important goals for public services than gaining profits.The services provided to the citizen (as client of public organizations) thus have a different character than the services provided to the customer (as client of private organizations). The view of the citizen as client is not an old view. A few decades ago, the political process of determining the ‘business of government’ (i. e. , determination of public products, services, and information provided to citizens) was perceived as the most important part of the public service delivery.The dominant focus was on the supplier- side of public service delivery; the government k new what was best for their citizens and the government decided what way and form of service provision was most appropriate to address these citizens. This focus shifted gradually to the production and delivery of public goods, services, and information. Standards like efficiency and effectiveness were introduced in public organizations and the functioning of the public organization became most important.During this period, the view of the citizen as a client of public organizations came into being. (Lips, 1998) Recently, the focus shifted to the feedback of citizens on both wanted and received public products, services, and information. This is at least the case in the Netherlands (Lips, 1998), but it is likely to apply to other national governments as well. Where the government’s attitude initially was ‘we know what is good for you’, it has changed to ‘let us know what is good for you’.This view is a result of increased attention to the spending of administrative organizations, and standards like efficiency and effectiveness have played a role as well. Also, concepts and methods with proven success in the private sector, like management, budgeting, marketing, but also service delivery itself, have been introduced in the public sector. This requires changes in the organization of public service provision. Governments perceive information and communication technologies (ICTs) as an important means to realize these changes.ICT applications in public service delivery potentially bring about not only increased effectiveness, increased efficiency, an improved client-orientation, and a reduction of cost, but also an improved comprehensiveness of information processes of public service delivery between government and the citizen. (Lips, 1998) The efforts of public organizations to administer to each of many citizens their precise ‘due’ in terms of the organizational treatments they ‘deserve’, results in a bu lk of demands for personal information. Rule, McAdam, Stearns, & Uglow, 1980) The large quantity of personal information does not take place solely for the benefit of the clients, but for the benefit of the organizations as well, for organizations are trying to manage risks by gathering personal information in order to establish the kind of person they are dealing with (Lyon, 2001). Today, one of the most obvious indicators of the pervasiveness of bureaucracy is the massive expansion of the personal information which is held by a range of public – and private – organizations. As Dandeker (1990) stated strikingly, â€Å"the age of bureaucracy is also the era of the information society†

Individual Fundamentals of Macroeconomics Paper

Part 1 ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gross domestic product (GDP) – GDP is the total market value of all final services and goods produced in a given year in a given country. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Real GDP – Real GDP is the result of the production activity within a given country at a specific years prices. If one compares two or more periods of time using the same year’s prices for goods and services then the result is a purchasing power comparison as seen over time. This happens because the inflation effects have been mitigated by using constant prices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nominal GDP – Nominal GDP is simply GDP that has not been adjusted for inflation. Nominal GDP does not reflect purchasing power but does show how an economy has expanded and contracted in dollars. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unemployment rate – The most basic definition of an unemployment rate is those people who are unemployed but are actively seeking work and willing to work. It is typically expressed in the form of a percentage. ?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Inflation rate – inflation is usually expressed in an annual percentage and is the price increase for goods and services.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Interest rate – An interest rate is the percentage of the principal funds that is charged and paid for the use of money. It is expressed as an annual percentage rate (APR) for loans and annual percentage yield (APY) for interest earned. Whether one is experiencing a decrease in their taxes, is part of a massive layoff of employees, or is simply purchasing groceries, there is a resource flow from one entity to another and back again. Those entities cover government, businesses, and households.How those resources ebb and flow will differ with each situation and have an impact in a â€Å"trickle-down† effect from the government to businesses and finally to households. Decrease in Taxes When the Government decides to reduce taxes, the tax typically assumed to see the reduction is the income tax. â€Å"According to the  Internal Revenue Service (IRS), approximately 43% of tax revenues are generated through this tax. Personal income taxes are levied against income, interest, dividends and capital gains, with higher earners generally paying higher tax rates. (Investopedia, 2012) When a tax reduction occurs, the government will collect less taxes which reduces the amount of monies available for entitlement programs. Households can be affected in a couple of different ways. If a household is a higher wage earning household then less taxes can result in more discretionary income to spend at businesses who offer services the household members wish to utilize. If the household is lower income the decrease in taxes will increase their income but will adversely affect any entitlement programs in which they may be enrolled.For businesses, the reduction in income tax will affect their businesses per the consumer impact. If there is more discretionary income then more money is available to spend on their goods or services. If there is less discretionary income, then of course, the opposite would be true. Massive Layoff of Employees From a government standpoint and governmental employees, when there is a massive layoff of governmental employees, historically, there has not been more than a ripple in the unemployment rate overall.A 1995 survey and a subsequent 1999 follow up to municipalities in Illinois found that the average amount of people still unemployed after a governmental layoff was only 3. 8%. (Reason Foundation, 2012) From a governmental employee standpoint, there is not a large scale economic impact which means that the majority of affected governmental workers will still have income to spend at businesses and for their household needs. When private sector businesses have a massive layoff occur, they are required by Federal law to notify the affec ted employees 60 days in advance.The employees have an opportunity to look for other jobs in that timeframe, however, resources will begin to be held back by the households in the case of long term unemployment which will in turn cause business who offer the good and services to the affected families to experience a decrease in sales. Purchasing of Groceries Groceries are an inelastic product. People will purchase food regardless of the price because they need to eat.When a household purchases groceries, and pays a higher price for them in one grocery store versus another, the business which earned the opportunity for the sale will benefit. The government does not benefit from a tax standpoint on non-processed foods. Processed foods, however, are taxable; which is a benefit to the government. The Government may also pay a producer not to produce a food so as to stabilize the market. A couple of examples of this situation are in the commodities of rice and wheat.Producers are paid no t to plant as much so the market price of the end product is stabilized. In fact, those producers are paid not to produce so there is no loss of income to those households. Conclusion Whether one is experiencing a decrease in their income taxes, is part of a massive layoff of employees or is simply purchasing groceries, there is a resource flow from government, businesses, and households. Resource flow also has an ebb phase. The entire cycle is driven by an almost an amazing number of determinants.These determinants all have an effect on the final outcome as to where and how the Government, businesses, and households use their finite resources. References Richard Coultier, Do Tax Cuts Stimulate the Economy? (June 23, 2010) Retrieved on January 23, 2012 from http://www. investopedia. com/articles/07/tax_cuts. asp#axzz1kIPnIgcg The Reason Foundation, Privatization and Layoffs (March 1, 2001) Retrieved on January 23, 2012 from http://reason. org/news/show/privatization-and-layoffs

Organizational Theory and Behavorial Problems/Ikea

Organizational Theory and Behavioral Problems/IKEA Ingvar Kamprad, founder of IKEA, has built a monumental business from the ground up. Through innovation and creativity, he gained valuable market share in an untapped market. By providing a great product at a great price, through exceptional customer service, IKEA has distinguished itself among some of the top international organizations. The common thread throughout the case is a patriarchal style of leadership. Although Kamprad’s style of leadership has led to the success of his business, I will assume that problems are beginning to surface and that future issues are being questioned. Through his leadership, Kamprad has taken a hands-on approach to running his organization and is involved at great lengths in the day-to-day operations of his business. Simply defined, a patriarch is â€Å"a man who rules a family, clan, or tribe†. (www. websters. com) In this case, IKEA is treated and run much like a family, clan, or tribe. Everyone is expected to have the same outlook on their position, the organization’s goals first in mind, and perform their job to benefit the organization, not the individual. The most immediate threat to IKEA is the difficulty in finding employees who will accept and adapt to IKEA’s philosophy. Job security is a tremendous issue with modern-day employees. Often, employees are more concerned with doing a mediocre job to secure their position than to take risks and be creative due to a fear of losing their job. Current economics has instilled a fear in employees that hinders creativity and the offering of suggestions and ideas. Another threat perceived by some employees as well as by some consumers is that IKEA is expanding at a rate that is difficult for them to keep up with. Stores are being established at multiple locations internationally at a rapid rate. This leads to the issue of whether or not IKEA is capable of handling this level of expansion and whether or not they have ample qualified employees to fill all vacant positions within the organization. Also, it is a growing concern that IKEA’s well-established reputation of impeccable customer service will deteriorate due to an overwhelming amount of new clients, new demand, etc. There is also the issue that employees find it difficult to follow the frugal spending procedures of IKEA when the company is making such a large profit. Kamprad personally follows the spending guidelines and expects all employees to do so as well. Employees find it difficult to â€Å"bargain shop† for supplies, travel accommodations, etc. , when the organization is making more and more money every given year. If the money is there, why not splurge a little? A final threat perceived by individuals within the IKEA organization is an inclination to believe that the organization will deteriorate when Ingvar Kamprad retires or otherwise leaves the organization. Due to the patriarchal style of leadership that Kamprad has taken, who will carry on this philosophy? Who will take over the position of motivator and promote enthusiasm and innovation once he is gone? Can anyone really take his place? Related Literature In theory, the patriarchal style of leadership that Ingvar Kamprad has taken towards running IKEA and its operations is done so in a very positive light. It is pertinent to the success of the organization to make employees aware of all the positive aspects of his leadership style. For example, Kamprad has a very humane and compassionate relationship with his employees. He views them as individuals, not as numbers, and makes every effort to personally meet each and every one of them. This type of interaction is vital if he is going to defend his leadership position. By gaining the respect, trust, and adoration of his employees, Kamprad can show those within the IKEA organization that he is truly looking out for everyone’s interests, not just his own, or just those of the IKEA organization. Finding employees who will accept and adapt to IKEA’s philosophy is probably one of the most difficult tasks faced by the organization. IKEA’s reputation and future rely on it. Considering his years in business and his standards of what a valuable employee is to Kamprad, he should target his job vacancy marketing to individuals who may fit this profile of an â€Å"ideal† employee. For example, simply placing an advertisement in the â€Å"Want Ads† of a local newspaper may draw dozens of applicants, none of which may be qualified and/or right for the job. Young, motivated, easily-trainable individuals should be targeted directly. This may be college students who are currently taking sales and marketing courses who are looking for part-time work that may eventually be promoted into leadership positions. A target may also be stay-at-home moms who are reentering the workforce, with prior sales experience. First, a target market must be determined and a more focused approach to hiring should be taken. Once employees are hired, continuous training and reinforcement of the organization’s goals and principles need to be instilled. Mandatory training is pertinent and should be in a laid-back, relaxed, and friendly atmosphere, to mimic the IKEA persona. To dispel fears of losing their jobs due to risk-taking and creative thinking, employees need to be constantly reassured and encouraged that such behaviors are not only acceptable but expected. The best way to present this point is to provide employees with examples of other employees who have taken such risks, offered their opinions, and shared their ideas. If individual employees will not consent to being â€Å"used† as an example, names can be left anonymous. However, specific details should be given. It is especially important to point out the individuals who gave their thoughts, ideas, concerns, etc. , that may have proved to be wrong or disadvantageous to the organization. The most advantageous examples would be such employees who have since been promoted, rewarded, etc. By showing current employees that ideas and suggestions that don’t succeed with flying colors are not reciprocated with negative repercussion, employees may feel more confident about speaking up. Stress should be placed on the fact that the employees who have showed the most creativity and offered the most suggestions, creative criticisms, etc. , are the ones who hold the top management positions within IKEA. Expansion is necessary for any organization to succeed. IKEA’s global market is enormous and the rapid growth may not always be easy to keep up with. However, Kamprad had the right idea when appointing the head of Canadian IKEA to oversee US operations. This strategy ensures that a successful, well-trained, experienced individual is responsible for the groundbreaking of new markets. This, of course, should only be temporary until a proper replacement is found and/or thoroughly trained as to not overwhelm the individual with too many responsibilities. This will also allow Kamprad to be confident that a proven leader is paying attention to all the crucial details of starting up the business in a new market. New products and new services is also an important part, as well as a possible detriment, to IKEA’s expansion. Different markets demand different products and services. First and foremost, IKEA needs to decide where they stand, what their core values are, and how much or how little they are willing to change to adapt to various markets. For example, one market may rely heavily on furniture delivery options. IKEA, however, is known for the no-shipping policy. Should they change this policy to meet their consumer’s needs? In my professional opinion, IKEA should stay true to their policies and procedures. I say this based on the idea that if you change the way you operate for one market, it leaves other markets to question, â€Å"you did it for them, why can’t you do it for me? †. It is important, however, to consider the negative consequences of this type of approach. Market studies should be done to determine just how dependent consumers are on this type of service. Comparisons should be made with local furniture companies that may compete with IKEA to see if they are a threat to business. Overall, the market itself should be thoroughly analyzed to weigh the risks versus the benefits. If IKEA’s whole philosophy needs to be jeopardized to adapt to the target market, perhaps it is not in the organization’s best interest to bring their business to that location. It is important to remember that every change made to one market can either positively or negatively impact the organization as a whole. As for spending procedures, IKEA may not being doing a thorough enough job of presenting employees with the benefits of their cost-saving efforts. Again, communicating this type of information to employees is crucial. It needs to be reiterated over and over again that the company is doing so well artially because of IKEA’s frugal spending policies. Although it is important to show these benefits as they relate to the organization, it still may leave many employees asking, â€Å"what’s in it for me? †. Incentives should be given to help motivate employees to continue their money-saving practices. This may include a bonus, time off with pay, a luncheon for the store that saves the most in a given period of time, etc. In concept, the money employees save the organization will far exceed any bonuses or perks that are rewarded. However, employees will feel more appreciated and more motivated to cut back where they can. It is necessary though to ensure employees are not sacrificing quality or service in order to save money. Combating the perception that IKEA will deteriorate when Ingvar Kamprad retires or otherwise leaves the organization is a rather difficult task. In order to find an individual who will carry on this philosophy, succession planning is a must. An individual hand-picked and personally trained and mentored by Kamprad would be the best choice. Also, an individual who has worked their way up through the ranks and has a thorough and genuine understanding of the organization, its goals, and its policies will best suit this position. Because Kamprad is so â€Å"hands-on† and personally meets all his staff, he should be able to make an educated and well-informed decision as to who would best suit the position and best represent the employees of IKEA. Although no one may ever take his place, Kamprad can certainly find an individual who will carry on the IKEA philosophy in their own unique, creative, and prosperous way. Overall, I see IKEA as a very strong, very well-structured organization. They have a clear set of goals and objectives and have built a framework of the path to success. Problems they face are mostly due to the changing economy, the need for expansion, and the doubts of individuals within the organization. Although they face some serious problems, they can be solved through logical and rational decision-making. Research, planning and execution of these plans can address the issues discussed before they become problems. Using the innovative and creative ideas that the organization encourages of its employees, IKEA will continue to prosper.

The Lincoln Electric Company

Headquartered in Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, The Lincoln Electric Company is a world leader in welding and cutting products, as well as a premier manufacturer of electric motors. The company is well known for its dedicated, talented workforce and its superior technology. Lincoln Electric Company gives its customers total solutions along with a commitment to quality. Lincoln Electric Company is also well known for its incentive management system. Many companies strive to duplicate the success that Lincoln has enjoyed over the years. John C. Lincoln founded Lincoln Electric Company in 1895 with a capital investment of $200. At first he only designed electric motors, but in 1909, he began to build welding machines. In 1814, he hired his brother James to be the VP and manager of his company. In 1934, the famous Lincoln bonus plan was instated as employees enjoyed bonuses of 25% of their base pay. By 1940, Lincoln employees enjoyed two times the average pay and productivity of similar Cleveland workers. Lincoln has built a very profitable company. This by way of treating all of its stakeholders with the utmost importance. Lincoln always kept its prices very fair, if not too fair for the customers. In many cases, the price of an item or service provided by Lincoln had gone down over the years. At the same time, employee†s salaries actually went up. This is just one example why Lincoln has flourished. Why are the employees at Lincoln Electric Company so pleased as well as so productive? Why were Lincoln employees willing to work overtime during an August vacation time in 1994? The following benefits are some of the main reasons why Lincoln employees will do almost anything to help its employer: an employee stock purchase plan company-paid life insurance piece rates adjusted for inflation a practice of lifetime employment Since its inception in 1895, Lincoln Electric Company was privately owned. This allowed for the protection of the processes that has kept Lincoln in the lead. However, after two years of losses in 1992 and 1993 due to a harsh foreign market, Lincoln Electric Company had to go public. With multi-million dollar, domestic updates and acquisitions in such countries as Italy, China, and Indonesia, Lincoln Electric Company wasted no time by dwelling on its first losses in Lincoln†s history. Lincoln is back on track as the world leader in arc welding, after faltering for only two years. Lincoln is committed to providing substantial value to all of its stakeholders. Very satisfied, dedicated and talented employees Incentive performance system Customer†s interests were held as more important than the stockholder†s Low prices kept customers pleased Exceptional quality (one Lincoln distributor said he sold hundreds of Lincoln welders without even one return Good relationships with unions Lincoln would guarantee a price quote in writing Having to go public after nearly 100 years The incentive pay scheme needs some updates Try to regain the its long-time standing as a privately owned company Stockholders could threaten with the need for a traditional pay scheme and this could interfere with the excellent relationship that Lincoln Electric has with its employees There is really nothing that Lincoln Electric Company can do that has not already been done. Lincoln Electric Company never had a loss until it†s over sea operations began to suffer in 1992. During the global organization, Lincoln†s employees voluntarily postponed their vacations in order to meet customer demand. Sales records have been set for every quarter since mid 1993. The only area that I see that could be changed is the way that the employees are compensated.

Business Strategies And Objectives Of Next Economics Essay

Business Strategies And Objectives Of Next Economics Essay Next is a UK based retailer with its Headquarters in Leicester, UK and offer wide variety of brilliantly designed, outstanding quality of trend and accessories for men, women and children collectively with a full variety of home ware (Next Plc). In 1864 it was founded by J. Hepworth & Son under the name of Gentlemanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s Tailors (Next Plc 2011) Next is the oldest company which has been trading for nearly 150 years and was initially created in 1982. Most recently Next was established as authorized Clothing and Home ware supplier to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics. Next will also supply outfit for Team GB for the opening and closing ceremonies, and will fabricate uniforms for 4,500 technological officials and suits for reception staff and will deliver bed linens and other home textiles for the athletes’ village (Next Plc 2011) . Next owns more than 500 stores in UK. Next has franchises more than 180 stores and active in continental Europe, Scandinavia, Russia , India, Japan and the Middle East. Next provides a directory, it is a home shopping catalogue and website with nearly 3 million active customers and also has an international website capability in more than 30 countries worldwide (Next Plc). Next Plc is listed on the London stock exchange and is part of the FTSE 100 Index. Total revenue for the year ended January 2011 were  £3.5 billion with pre tax profits of  £551 million (Next Plc). Next’s other business groups include (Next 2010): Ventura: Clients wishing to subcontract their consumer contact management and accomplishment activities Venture provides customer service management to them. Lipsy: Through wholesale, retail and internet channels, Lipsy create and sell its own labelled younger women’s trend product. Next sourcing Ltd (NSL): Design sources and buy Next’s products. Business Strategies and objectives of Next The prime financial objective of Next group is delivery of sustainable long term growth i n earning per share (EPS). Next believes the following strategies will help achieve the objectives at its best (Next Plc , january,2011): Maximising the amount of Next Directory consumers and their standard spend. Maintaining group’s financial power through a well-organized balance sheet and financing composition. Managing gross and net margins by continues cost control, well-organized management of stock levels, working capital and improved product sources Developing and improving next product ranges, achievement in which is reflected in total sales and sales performance. Cancelling and Purchasing Next shares while it’s earning are attractive and in the interest of shareholders generally. New stores review must meet challenging financial criteria prior to the investment is ready and achievement is precise by calculating achieved sales and profit contribution against appraised goals (Next Plc , january,2011). Marketing and Marketing Mix Place: Operates in UK and Europe , Middle East (reportlinker 2009,february ). Also operates in Scandinavia, Russia, India and Japan (Next Plc). Next sources operate in mainland China, Honkong, Srilanka, India and UK (Next Plc , january,2011). This show, Next stores are spread globally. Product (or services): Includes womenswear and accessories, menswear, home interiors, childrenswear, Next flowers, NX sports, electrical, designer branded fashion and baby boutiques (Next Plc). Improvement in customer service by introducing initiatives such as next day delivery for orders placed before 9 pm (Next Plc , january,2011).

Leadership and Management of the Company Case Study

Leadership and Management of the Company - Case Study Example The President of the company, Gaziano, is practically a one-man-army at the top, while the experienced founder and director of the company, Rev. Whipple has not involved himself at the corporate strategy level. The reverend is passionately engrossed in research and development, which is but one of the functions of business only. Great companies are created from great business models. Prelude Corporation must understand that it is not in the lobsters business, but in the foods business. Its business model must be at par with or excel that of other food giants in the world. The company must evaluate its export opportunities, as the product can be packaged and preserved for a long time. As the local competition is intense and profit margins are low, the company needs to find niche markets for its product all over the world, in order to achieve better price realizations. At the same time, the top management must be constantly engaged in the task of assessing and identifying new growth platforms that are consistent with the company's business model. Just by milking the existing cash cow, the company is limiting its future growth potential, and leaving the field open for other competitors to seize the initiative and competitive advantage over it. Prelude Corporation is involved in a capital-intensive business. ... Size and scale of operations is critical to long-term survival in the business that Prelude Corporation is engaged in. Therefore, the company needs to develop a strong business plan and proposal, and seek out substantive equity partners in the market who are willing to invest funds in the company for the long-term, against a shareholding in the company. Once the private equity funds are successfully employed and the company's financial condition improves, the company must gear up to expand its capital base further by approaching the public equity markets, with an aim to raise funds to reduce its debt financing burdens, and to invest for its future growth plans. Raising finances at a cheaper cost, and diluting the company's equity is not a task of a faint-hearted management. It requires tremendous patience, conviction and intense persuasiveness to achieve success with private equity financiers and make them partners in your future growth. In absence of such aggressive pursuit of its financial goals, the death-knell of a company is sure to be sounded sooner or later, owing to the over-burdening of expensive debts. Human Resource Strategy and Peoples Strategy Prelude Corporation needs to differentiate itself from the rest of the unorganized lobster industry and create innovative incentive schemes to motivate its employees. The human resource strategy often differentiates a good company from a great company. Each employee, including the lowest level fisherman, of the company must be made to feel that he is a part of the family, and his needs and grievances must be attended to with sincerity. Cheap employees in the end prove to be more costly in the long run. Therefore, considering the size, scope and ambition of Prelude Corporation, it

Cultural Revolution in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cultural Revolution in China - Essay Example This paper represents a study with old findings confirmed and new findings explored. Mao Tse Tung was born into a peasant family in the Shaoshan Valley in Hunan province in China to a Buddhist mother and a hard working, well educated father. His name was more of a formality than a name to identify a person. Mao was his surname and Tse was given to all the boys of his generation. Tung was his personal name. Altogether his name means: "to shine on the east". Moa's formal name is impressive and was meant to represent the great aspirations of the parents for their son. But, it was his pet name, Shisan Yazi, which he preferred to be called thru adulthood1. It is important to note that Mao had a name. Many peasant children did not receive a name per say but rather a description. At this point it's not so much that his name was important but rather the fact that he was given a name at all. This will be important to keep in mind when we explore his actions during the Cultural Revolution. Mao's mother was simply known as Seventh Sister Wen because she was the seventh girl born in the Wen clan2. Mao lived with his mother's clan until he was eight. He moved back to Shaoshan to begin his schooling. He was a good student and had a good memory. Mao was an avid reader and whilst he was in power it was not unusual for him to share his bed with many books. He often had meetings in his room with him lying down while his politburo members sat in chairs around the bed3. Moa was not a good student in the sense that he argued with his tutors and was asked on numerous occasions to leave and not return. Mao's father did not like Mao's laziness and often would strike (hit) him. Mao's father stopped paying for Mao's education and Mao had to work as a peasant. It was during this time that Mao married (an arranged marriage). She, like many other peasant children was not given a name but was called Woman Luo after her clan. She died after a year of marriage. Why is this background information so important We often hear that children are products of their environments and as adults their behaviour is thus based upon how they were treated as children. Mao is no exception. Much of his adult actions are as a result of his beliefs developed in childhood. Because he was a peasant does not mean that he grew to feel for the plights of the peasants. It is quite possible he took his observations of the treatments of peasants to a greater level and treated the Chinese people as if all were peasants to be treated badly and without an identity. According to Jung Chang, in his book The Unknown Story of Mao, "Mao's peasant background did not imbue him with idealism about improving the lot of Chinese peasants" Becoming a Communist. Mao attended school in Changsa at 17. He never returned to his peasant past and had no sympathy for the plight of the peasants. During his days in Changsa he read the papers religiously and read about overthrowing the Emperor (Manchu). It was during this time that he became a communist. To please his father (so he would continue to send tuition money) Mao entered a teacher's college that was modelled after European schools. It was here that Mao learned about Marxism. It was during his time there that Mao developed the "I" attitude where he shunned any responsibility for