24 Things Essays - Allegory, Footprints, Poems, Literature

24 Things Essays - Allegory, Footprints, Poems, Literature 24 Things 24 Things 1. Your presence is a present to the world. 2. You're unique and one of a kind. 3. Your life can be what you want it to be. 4. Take the days just one at a time. 5. Count your blessings, not your troubles. 6. You'll make it through whatever comes along. 7. Within you are so many answers. 8. Understand, have courage, be strong. 9. Don't put limits on yourself. 10. So many dreams are waiting to be realized. 11. Decisions are too important to leave to chance. 12. Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize. 13. Nothing wastes more energy than worrying. 14. The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets. 15. Don't take things too seriously. 16. Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets. 17. Remember that a little love goes a long way. 18. Remember that a lot goes forever. 19. Remember that friendship is a wise investment. 20. Life's treasures are people together. 21. Realize that nothing is ever too late. 22. Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way. 23. Have health and hope and happiness. 24. Take the time to wish upon a star. ... And don't ever forget for even a day how very special you are. A friend is A Friend is someone we turn to when our spirits need a lift. A friend is someone we treasure. For our friendship is a gift. A friend is someone who fills our lives with beauty, joy, and grace, makes the world that we live in, a better and happier place. Thanks for being my friend. A to Z= Achieve To Achieve Your Dreams, Remember Your A-Z's A-void negative sources, people, things and habits B-elieve in yourself. C-onsider things from every angle. D-on't give up and don't give in. E-njoy live today: yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come. F-amily and Friends are hidden treasures. Seek them and enjoy their riches. G-ive more than you planned to give. H-ang on to your dreams. I-gnore those who try to discourage you. J-ust do it! K-eep on trying, no matter how hard it seems. It will get better. L-ove yourself first and foremost. M-ake it happen. N-ever lie, cheat or steal. Always strike a fair deal. O-pen your eyes and see things as they really are. P-ractice makes perfect. Q-uitters never win and winners never quit. R-ead, study and learn about everything important in life. S-top procrastination. T-ake control of your own destiny. U-nderstand yourself in order to better understand others. V-isualize it W-ant it more than anything. X-ccelerate your efforts. Y-ou are unique of all of Nature's creations. Nothing can replace you. Z-ero in on your target, and go for it! Have yourself a Merry 'lil Christmas Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Let your heart be light. From now on, our troubles will be out of sight. Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Make the Yule-tide gay, From now on, our troubles will be miles away. Here were are as in olden days, happy golden days of yore. Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more. Through the years we all will be together, If the Fates allow. Hang a shining star upon the highest bough. And have yourself a merry little Christmas now. A miracle There's a miracle called Friendship, That dwells in the heart. You don't know how it happens. Or when it gets it's start. But you know the special lift it always brings. You realize that Friendship..... Is God's most precious gift! Desiderata Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all people. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to all even to the dull and ignorant ; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive people, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself to others you will become vain and bitter; there will always be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of

The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin Essays

The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin Essays The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin Paper The Red Apple Country that Changed Gertrude Simmons Bonnin Paper Gertrude Simmons Bonnin or Zitkala-Sa (known in Dakota’s village as Red Bird) is one of the most talented and highly educated Native American woman. She struggled and fought for the Native American culture during the time of severe oppression prevailed among them by the Euro-American civilians. Her contributions especially in literature, music, and politics changed the insights and beliefs upon their title of sinful savages and to which she strongly challenged this white mans boastful claim of having the best culture. The aim of her works was to understand the white dominant culture from Native America, and her Impressions of an Indian Childhood, The School Days of an Indian Girl, and An Indian Teacher Among Indians is an example of some of the insights of the existing differences(Bonnin). Her objective was to criticize impelled doctrines and dedicated her life to scrap cruelty as what described into her essay. Her work is basically based from her own personal encounter and experiences which would be well understand by merely reading the three essays because each are connected and complement to one another. Her essay which is a question among the conservative administrators at Carlisle provokes bewilderment. Zitkala-Sa portrayed the negative effects of boarding schools to children of Native American. Aside from the pains from the â€Å"iron routine† in the school and the difficulty to adopt and learn to the English language, the separation from her mother for four years is a tough task to adjust with(Giese). The change in the environment is the focus of the story to which several questions arises from the new world making her self totally uncomfortable and not at ease to stay and play with. The author is trying to show her disagreement to the boarding school approach upon their teaching in homemaking and agriculture. Religion on Christianity was forced and so far, they are leading them to the Indian culture and language eradication. She visions for a higher learning and privilege for academic subjects where in Indians could be capable on it and not just limited to vocational training(Kroeber). As an added catch of the purpose of the story, she burly disapproves the military discipline and the manual labor program imposed. To my own perspective , the day she started school is also the start of the change of her life to which she took it for granted ( because of the Red Apple Country), for at a younger age her destiny begins even though still unconscious of it. Schooling means to the Euro-American is civilization and survival, so that’s what she grabbed because the sooner or later if no one among them will be intelligent enough to analyze the minds of this Euro-American, they will be just a subordinate to them, making them aliens or worst slaves of their own region(Minnesota). From the words of the author she mentioned that, â€Å"I give outright the varying moods of my own evolution, those growing pains which knew not reason while active, to stir up views and earnest comparisons of theories was one of the ways in which I hoped it would work a benefit to my people, no one can dispute my own impressions and bitterness and perhaps a reason may be assigned to† (Minnesota). So, she then clearly emphasized the bitterness and hatred of the Euro-American cultures in condemning their rights specially those days at school that is vastly different from the world they are supposed to be wandering, also a different views that compel to them for not being treated as equally to the kids of the new community they went for.

Using the internet research the topic effective study strategies Essay

Using the internet research the topic effective study strategies - Essay Example Ineffective study strategies have led to failure among students (Langan, 2007). To make sure that I do not fall victim, I choose to adopt measures to improve my skills in reading, writing and test taking. Of paramount importance would be to make sure that all assignments involving reading are read before and soon after the class. I will not just be highlighting examinable headlines but will also read the contents actively. In as much as I could be in a hurry to finish reading, speed and intensity would be adjusted where the material is difficult to comprehend. I will use the available material from the library to read beyond the case text for clarity. It could be helpful if I also write as I read as suggested by Durukan (2011). Tutors and professors will be sought for their opinion on what I have written as drafts or initial thesis while seeking to express my ideas as opposed to impressing with vocabulary. When taking tests, the proposition of Mach et al. would be helpful as I will r ead the questions, understand what it seeks to answer and leaving none unanswered (2008). I will avoid mistaking it with skimming, which would still remain an important aspect. In my study timetable, I will re-arrange all reading schedules to come after and before their respective classes and include a 30-minute consultation time with my tutor every week. I will also introduce 3-hour weekly test practice on my

See on the files Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

See on the files - Essay Example Therefore consumers have no options but to purchase the goods at the set prices which is against the law of demand.The diagram illustrates the profits that a particular company in an industry can get in a country if it is the dominant player and its goods are the ones most demanded. In the short run, the industries in the country will get profits as indicated by area PBA, however, this is affected by international trade that ensures other competitive firms can introduce their products as well.International trade has led to an increase in the amount of goods in any economy and so the demand for local goods has gone down. This leads to the lower prices of goods locally. The demand of goods is further affected by the prices of other related goods. International trade can result to the presence of substitutes and complements that affect the demand of goods in the economy (Dutta, 2006). Substitutes are a direct replacement to a particular class of goods. This means that if the price of good increases consumers will simply shift to alternative goods. Complements are goods that are used together. If the price of one of these goods increases then the demand is likely to drop, as such the demand for the complements also

Aspects of the Fundamentals of Speech Class in APA Style Essay

Aspects of the Fundamentals of Speech Class in APA Style - Essay Example The exchange of thoughts, messages, or information by speech is very crucial in our daily lives.The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language states that communication is â€Å"The art and technique of using words effectively to impart information or ideas†. Speech is used in our everyday lives, whether or not we realize it. It is not something that we learn in school and will never implement in real life. One who can communicate more effectively will more likely gain better success in all areas-personal, academic, and professional of life. Speech, or public speaking, involves organizing ideas, researching these ideas, and presenting them to others. We all have many, many ideas about what we would like to speak about. The difficult part is narrowing it all down to one idea, or topic. The best way to do this is to choose a topic that you are familiar with and interested in. Use resources such as magazine articles, books, newspapers, television shows, conversations with people, etc. to help gain ideas. Knowing how to choose the best topic, narrowing it down, and researching (learning more about various subjects) are skills that can improve my daily communication such as talking with a friend, discussing a topic with a professor, or trying to land a job with an employer. employer. Fundamentals of Speech 3 Determine what the purpose of your speech. Will you be speaking to inform and to offer information or will you be writing to try and persuade Informing is to give facts and information without adding personal opinion. Persuading is to try and change the attitudes and thoughts of your listeners in order to get them to act upon what you have said in your speech. The skill of delivering information in a manner that is interesting yet informative and the power of persuasions helps my listeners to believe what I say. Speech helps me to be a better storyteller and makes me more social in my personal life. As I can communicate better verbally, I am more secure about myself and others want to listen. Professionally and academically this knowledge of delivering information and to be able to persuade others using speech is an extremely effective tool that will lead to my success whether I am in class, at an entry level position, or an executive position in the workplace. The best speeches contain your own experience and knowledge of the chosen topic. Use information from materials such as books, magazines, reference materials, etc. from various sources. Libraries contain a wealth of information. Interviews, the internet and visiting various locations can provide the necessary information. Be sure to take good notes and to give credit to the author of the information that you will be using. Researching and listing references (or where you got the material) will add credibility to your speech especially if you are doing a persuasive speech. Learning more about various subjects helps me to be able to relate to almost anyone. I can appreciate what they are talking about since I am familiar with their conversation. Researching is a skill that is required in speech, which helps me be more open-minded and knowledgeable. As I am Fundamentals of Speech 4 can relate to others better, they will open up and can relate to me more for they know that I am interested in what they are saying. Academically and professionally, I will also do well since I will know my roles/job better. If I have a problem, I can research it and if I still cannot find the answers, I am able to communicate my issues more effectively. If there is a conflict, I can work my way through it by delivering my point of view better without stuttering, showing anger, confusion, etc. This will build up my self esteem and I will feel more secure and it will

Hyundai Motors: An Evaluation

Hyundai Motors: An Evaluation Around the world, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road in 2007. The numbers were increasing rapidly, especially in China. In 2008, with rapidly rising oil prices, however, industries such as the automotive industry are experiencing a combination of pricing pressure from raw material costs and changes in consumer buying habits. The industry is also facing increasing external competition from the public transport sector, as consumers re-evaluate their private vehicle usage. We have discussed how Hyundai Motor would expand business in global automotive environment which has been changed and exceeded demands. Company overview Hyundai Motor Company, a division of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, is the worlds largest automaker by profit, the worlds fourth largest automaker by units sold and the worlds fastest growing automaker. Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Hyundai operates the worlds largest integrated automobile manufacturing facility in Ulsan, which is capable of producing 1.6 million units annually. Chung Ju-Yung founded the Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company in 1947. Hyundai Motor Company was later established in 1967. The companys first model, the Cortina, was released in cooperation with Ford Motor Company in 1968. In 1975, the Pony, the first Korean car, was released, with styling by Giorgio Giugiaro of ItalDesign and powertrain technology provided by Japans Mitsubishi Motors. Exports began in the following year to Ecuador and soon thereafter to the Benelux countries. In 1991, the company succeeded in developing its first proprietary gasoline engine, the four-cylinder Alpha, and transmission, thus paving the way for technological independence. In 1983, Hyundai exported the Pony to Canada, but not to the United States because the Pony didnt pass emissions standards there. Canadian sales greatly exceeded expectations, and it was at one point the top-selling car on the Canadian market. The Pony afforded a much higher degree of quality and refinement in the lowest pric e auto segment than the Eastern-bloc imports of the period then available. In 1986, Hyundai began to sell cars in the United States, and the Excel was nominated as Best Product #10 by Fortune magazine, largely because of its affordability. The company began to produce models with its own technology in 1988, beginning with the midsize Sonata. In 1996, Hyundai Motors India Limited was established with a production plant in Irrungattukotai near Chennai, India. In 1998, Hyundai began to overhaul its image in an attempt to establish itself as a world-class brand. Chung Ju Yung transferred leadership of Hyundai Motor to his son, Chung Mong Koo, in 1999. Hyundais parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, invested heavily in the quality, design, manufacturing, and long-term research of its vehicles. It added a 10-year or 100,000-mile (160,000 km) warranty to cars sold in the United States and launched an aggressive marketing campaign. In 2004, Hyundai was ranked second in initial quality in a su rvey/study by J.D. Power and Associates. Hyundai is now one of the top 100 most valuable brands worldwide. Since 2002, Hyundai has also been one of the worldwide official sponsors of the FIFA World Cup. In 2006, the South Korean government initiated an investigation of Chung Mong Koos practices as head of Hyundai, suspecting him of corruption. On April 28, 2006, Chung was arrested, and charged for embezzlement of 100 billion South Korean won (US$106 million). As a result, Hyundai Vice Chairman and CEO, Kim Dong-jin, replaced him as head of the company. After a shake-up in the Korean auto industry caused by overambitious expansion and the Asian financial crisis, Hyundai acquired rival Kia Motors In 1998. In 2000, the company established a strategic alliance with DaimlerChrysler and severed its partnership with the Hyundai Group. In 2001, the Daimler-Hyundai Truck Corporation was formed. In 2004, however, DaimlerChrysler divested its interest in the company by selling its 10.5% stake for $900 million. Hyundai Motor has been expanding globally, starting with its plant in Turkey in 1997, India in 1998, China in 2002, and in 2005, it built a plant in the U.S., the worlds biggest auto market. In 2007, a decade after it began building plants overseas, Hyundai Motor began construction for plants in the Czech Republic and Russia, creating a strategic network of production facilities spanning over six countries. With its 12 CKD plants, Hyundai Motor is boosting sales every year and cementing its position as a global automaker. The company pl ans to raise the ratio of overseas production to 50 percent by 2010, to produce 3 million units outside Korea. Hyundai Motor is present in 196 countries and has 6,000 dealerships all over the world. It is maintaining a strong position in developed regions such as the U.S. and Europe. Furthermore, it has been successfully winning orders for taxis and government vehicles in emerging markets such as Central Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, boosting sales and the companys brand image. After reaching the 2 million unit sales mark in 2006, Hyundai Motor sold 2.6 million units worldwide in 2009. Through its strategy of local production and sales, the company is contributing to the local economies.(Exhibit1) [Exhibit1] Annual Unit Sales 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Sales in unit 1,611,991 1,668,745 1,700,297 1,611,062 1,700,843 Domestic 701,469 570,116 624,227 580,288 569,721 Export excluding CDK 910,522 1,098,629 1,076,070 1,030,774 1,131,122 Hyundai Motor Companys brand power continues to rise as it was ranked 72nd in the 2007 Best Global Brands by Interbrand and Business Week survey. brand value estimated at $4.5 billion. Public perception of the Hyundai brand has been transformed as a result of dramatic improvements in the quality of Hyundai vehicles. The Company produces and markets passenger cars under the brand names of Equus, Genesis, Genesis Coupe, Azera, Sonata, Elantra, Accent, Getz, i30, i30cw, i20 and i10; recreational vehicles under the brand names of Veracruz, Santa Fe, Tucson, Matrix and H-1, and commercial vehicles, which include medium and heavy duty trucks, and buses. Analysis of Global Automobile Market Environment Current Automotive industry Market In 2007, a total of 79.9 million new automobiles were sold worldwide: 22.9 million in Europe, 21.4 million in Asia-Pacific, 19.4 million in USA and Canada, 4.4 million in Latin America, 2.4 million in the Middle East and 1.4 million in Africa. The markets in North America and Japan were stagnant, while those in South America and other parts of Asia grew strongly. Of the major markets, China, Russia, Brazil and India saw the most rapid growth, and China became both the largest automobile producer and market in the world after experiencing massive growth in 2009. In the first 4 months of 2010, the total sales of automobile were 6.17 millions in China (3.52 millions in US), and the total sales were expected to be around 17 millions (13.65 millions in 2009) for the year of 2010, nearly twice as much as USA. [Exhibit 2] International Car Sales by Global Auto Report The automotive industry crisis of 2008-2010 was a part of a global financial downturn. The crisis affected European and Asian automobile manufacturers, but it was primarily felt in the American automobile manufacturing industry. The automotive industry was weakened by a substantial increase in the prices of automotive fuels linked to the 2003-2008 energy crisis which discouraged purchases of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks which have low fuel economy. The popularity and relatively high profit margins of these vehicles had encouraged the American Big Three automakers, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler to make them their primary focus. With fewer fuel-efficient models to offer to consumers, sales began to slide. By 2008, the situation had turned critical as the credit crunch placed pressure on the prices of raw materials. Car companies from Asia, Europe, North America, and elsewhere have implemented creative marketing strategies to entice reluctant consumers as most experienced double-digit percentage declines in sales. Major manufacturers, including the Big Three and Toyota offered substantial discounts across their lineups. The Big Three faced criticism for their lineups, which were seen to be irresponsible in light of rising fuel prices. North American consumers turned to higher-quality and more fuel-efficient product of Japanese and European automakers. However, many of the vehicles perceived to be foreign were actually transplants, foreign cars manufactured or assembled in the United States, at lower cost than true imports. [Exhibit 3] Major global automotive company analysis Competitors Globalization Strategy Toyota Toyota Motor Corporation, commonly known simply as Toyota, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Japan. At its peak, Toyota employed approximately 320,000 people worldwide. It is the worlds largest automobile maker by sales. The company was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937 as a spinoff from his fathers company Toyota Industries to create automobiles. Three years earlier, in 1934, while still a department of Toyota Industries, it created its first product, the Type A engine, and, in 1936, its first passenger car, the Toyota AA. Toyota also owns and operates Lexus and Scion brands and has a majority shareholding stake in Daihatsu and Hino Motors, and minority shareholdings in Fuji Heavy Industries, Isuzu Motors, Yamaha Motors, and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation. The company includes 522 subsidiaries. Toyota is headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi and in Tokyo. In addition to manufacturing automobiles, Toyota provides financial services through its Toyota Financial Services division and also builds robots. Toyota Motor Corporation (including Toyota Financial Services) and Toyota Industries form the bulk of the Toyota Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the world. Toyotas marketing efforts have focused on emphasizing the positive experiences of ownership and vehicle quality. The ownership experience has been targeted in slogans such as Oh, what a feeling! (1978-1985, in the U.S.), Who could ask for anything more (1986-1989), I love what you do for me, Toyota! (1990-1997), Everyday (1997-2000), Get the feeling! (2001-2004), and Moving Forward (2004-present). Toyota introduced a new worldwide logo in 1989 in conjunction with and to differentiate it from the newly released luxury Lexus brand. There are three ovals in the new logo that combine to for the letter T, which stands for Toyota. The overlapping of the two perpendicular ovals inside the larger oval represent the mutually beneficial relationship and trust that is placed between the customer and the company while the larger oval that surrounds both of these inner ovals represent the global expansion of Toyotas technology and unlimited potential for the future.[30] Toyota has factories in most parts of the world, manufacturing or assembling vehicles for local markets. Toyota has manufacturing or assembly plants in Japan, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Canada, Indonesia, Poland, South Africa, Turkey, Colombia, the United Kingdom, the United States, UAE, France, Brazil, Portugal, and more recently, Argentina, Czech Republic, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan, Egypt, China, Vietnam, Venezuela, the Philippines, and Russia. Recently, Toyota announced it was recalling up to 1.8 million cars across Europe, including about 220,000 in the UK, following problems with defective accelerator pedals. Many Toyota models were involved, covering the 2007-2010 model years. Toyota subsequently recalled the Prius model for reprogramming of its ABS system. The U.S. Sales Chief, James Lentz, was questioned by the United States Congress committees on Oversight and Investigations on February 23, 2010, as a result of recent recalls. On 26 March Toyota said it would halt production in France and Britain for 12 days because of poor sales following the recalls. On 6 April 2010, The US government sought a record penalty of US$16.375 million from Toyota for its delayed response in notifying the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the defective accelerator pedals, and on 19 April Toyota said that it would pay the fine. The company said the recalls could cost the company up to US$2 billion (GBÂ £1.25 billion ) in lost output and sales. General Motors General Motors Company, also known as GM, is a United States-based automaker with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. GM manufactures cars and a truck in 34 countries, recently employed 244,500 people around the world, and sells and services vehicles in some 140 countries. By sales, GM ranked as the largest US automaker and the worlds second largest for 2008, having the third highest 2008 global revenues among automakers on the Fortune Global 500. On June 1, 2009, General Motors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, which were completed on July 10 of the same year, and it was thereafter reorganized once a new entity acquired the most valuable assets. GM is now temporarily majority owned by the United States Treasury and, to a smaller extent, the Canada Development Investment Corporation a Canadian Crown corporation and the Ontario government, with the US government investing a total of US$57.6 billion under the Troubled Asset Relief Program. On April 21, 2010, GM CEO Ed Whitacre Jr. announced that the company had paid back the entire amount of the US and Canadian government loans, with interest, a total of $8.1 billion. The company expects to repurchase a sizable portion of the remaining equity stake with funds earned via a public stock offering. While no GM shares are currently available to the public, the companys plans as of 2009 were to initiate an initial public stock offering (IPO) in 2010. GM plans to focus its business on its four core North American brands: Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac. In Europe, following a period of negotiation to sell a majority stake in its Opel and Vauxhall brands, the company decided to retain full ownership of these operations. However, on February 23, 2010, GM sold Saab Automobile to Spyker Cars NV and is winding down its Hummer, Pontiac, and Saturn brands, the latter two remaining under the old GM, now known as Motors Liquidation Company In 2009, General Motors employs approximately 244,500 people around the world. The Renaissance Center located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, is the global headquarters of General Motors. In 2008, GM sold 8.35 million cars and trucks globally. GM is the majority shareholder in GM Daewoo Auto Technology Co. of South Korea and has collaborations with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation of China, AvtoVAZ of Russia, and most recently, UzAvtoSanoat of Uzbekistan. GM has had collaborations with various automakers including Fiat and Ford Motor Company.GM retains various stakes in different automakers. General Motors best success internationally has unquestionably been its performance in China, GM sales rose 66.9% in 2009, selling 1,830,000 vehicles and accounting for 13.4% of the market. Volkswagen Group Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturing group; and according to figures published by economic research firm Global Insight in November 2009, is the largest automobile maker in the world by vehicle production.[7] Its parent company Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, develops vehicles and components for all marques of the whole Group, and also manufactures complete vehicles for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles marques. Volkswagen Group is divided into two primary divisions: the Automotive Division, and the Financial Services Division. The Group consists of 342 Group companies, which are involved in either vehicle production or other related automotive services. Although it operates worldwide, Volkswagen Groups core market is primarily Europe. Of its automobile brands, Volkswagen Passenger Cars is its mainstream marque, and the Groups major subsidiaries also include well-known car marques like SEAT, Ã…Â  koda, and the prestige marques of Audi, Lam borghini, Bentley, and Bugatti. The Group also has operations in commercial vehicles, owning Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, along with a controlling stake in Swedish truck and diesel engine maker Scania AB, and a 29.9% stake in MAN SE. Volkswagens second-largest market is China, where its subsidiary, Volkswagen Group China, is the largest joint venture automaker, selling more than one million vehicles in 2008. The Volkswagen Golf is the third bestselling automobile in the world, selling over 26 million units through 2008. In 2009, Volkswagen Group sold 6.31 million vehicles, claiming over 11% of the world passenger car market. Volkswagen AG is heavily involved in sports sponsorship, with investments having included the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2014 Winter Games, as well as the David Beckham Academy. The company also wholly owns the Bundesliga football side VfL Wolfsburg. The company is also the shirt sponsor of Major League Soccer club, D.C. United. In August 2009, Porsche SE and Volkswagen Group reached an agreement that Volkswagen AG and Porsche AG would merge in 2011. Ford Motor Company The Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns Volvo Cars in Sweden, and a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK. Fords former UK subsidiaries Jaguar and Land Rover were sold to Tata Motors of India in March 2008. Ford has agreed to sell Volvo to Geely Automobile in a deal expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2010. Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale management of an industrial workforce using elaborately engineered manufacturing sequences typified by moving assembly lines. Henry Fords methods came to be known around the world as Fordism by 1914. Ford is currently the second largest automaker in the U.S. and the fourth-largest in the world based on number of vehicles sold annually, directly behind Volkswagen. In 2007, Ford fell from second to third in US annual vehicle sales for the first time in 56 years, behind only General Motors and Toyota. However, Ford occasionally outsells Toyota in shorter periods (most recently, during the summer months of 2009). By the end of 2009, Ford was the third largest automaker in Europe (behind Volkswagen and PSA). Ford is the seventh-ranked overall American-based company in the 2008 Fortune 500 list, based on global revenues in 2008 of $146.3 billion. In 2008, Ford produced 5.532 million automobiles and employed about 213,000 employees at around 90 plants and facilities worldwide. Starting in 2007, Ford received more initial quality survey awards from J. D. Power and Associates than any other automaker. Five of Fords vehicles ranked at the top of their categories and fourteen vehicles ranke d in the top three. During the mid to late 1990s, Ford sold large numbers of vehicles, in a booming American economy with soaring stock market and low fuel prices. With the dawn of the new century, legacy healthcare costs, higher fuel prices, and a faltering economy led to falling market shares, declining sales, and sliding profit margins. Most of the corporate profits came from financing consumer automobile loans through Ford Motor Credit Company. In the face of demand for higher fuel efficiency and falling sales of minivans, Ford moved to introduce a range of new vehicles, including Crossover SUVs built on unibody car platforms, rather than more body-on-frame chassis. In developing the hybrid electric power train technologies for the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV, Ford licensed similar Toyota hybrid technologies to avoid patent infringements. Ford announced that it will team up with electricity supply company Southern California Edison to examine the future of plug-in hybrids in terms of how home and vehicle energy systems will work with the electrical grid. Under the multi-million-dollar, multi-year project, Ford will convert a demonstration fleet of Ford Escape Hybrids into plug-in hybrids, and SCE will evaluate how the vehicles might interact with the home and the utilitys electrical grid. Some of the vehicles will be evaluated in typical customer settings, according to Ford. In 2006, the company raised its borrowing capacity to about $25 billion, placing substantially all corporate assets as collateral to secure the line of credit. Chairman Bill Ford has stated that bankruptcy is not an option. In order to control its skyrocketing labor costs (the most expensive in the world), the company and the United Auto Workers, representing approximately 46,000 hourly workers in North America, agreed to a historic contract settlement in November 2007 giving the company a substantial break in terms of its ongoing retiree health care costs and other economic issues. The agreement includes the establishment of a company-funded, independently-run Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (more commonly known as a VEBA) trust to shift the burden of retiree health care from the companys books, thereby improving its balance sheet. This arrangement took effect on January 1, 2010. As a sign of its currently strong cash position, Ford contributed its entire current liabilit y (estimated at approximately USD$5.5 Billion as of December 31, 2009) to the VEBA in cash, and also pre-paid USD$500 Million of its future liabilities to the fund. The agreement also gives hourly workers the job security they were seeking by having the company commits to substantial investments in most of its factories. During November 2008, Ford, together with Chrysler and General Motors, sought financial aid at Congressional hearings in Washington D.C. in the face of worsening conditions caused by the automotive industry crisis. The three companies presented action plans for the sustainability of the industry. The Detroit based automakers were unsuccessful at obtaining assistance through Congressional legislation. GM and Chrysler later received assistance through the Executive Branch from the T.A.R.P. funding provisions. On December 19, the cost of credit default swaps to insure the debt of Ford was 68 percent the sum insured for five years in addition to annual payments of 5 percent. That means it costs $6.8 million paid upfront to insure $10 million in debt, in addition to payments of $500,000 per year. In January 2009, Ford announced a $14.6 billion loss in the preceding year, making 2008 its worst year in history. Still, the company claimed to have sufficient liquidity to fund its business pla ns and thus, did not ask for government aid. Through April 2009, Fords strategy of debt for equity exchanges, erased $9.9 B in liabilities (28% of its total), in order to leverage its cash position. These actions yielded Ford a $2.7 billion profit in fiscal year 2009, the companys first full-year profit in four years. Honda Honda Motor Company, Ltd., Honda Technology Research Institute Company, Limiteds a Japanese multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. Honda is the worlds largest manufacturer of motorcycles as well as the worlds largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines each year. Honda surpassed Nissan in 2001 to become the second-largest Japanese automobile manufacturer. As of August 2008[update], Honda surpassed Chrysler as the fourth largest automobile manufacturer in the United States. Honda is the sixth largest automobile manufacturer in the world. Honda was the first Japanese automobile manufacturer to release a dedicated luxury brand, Acura in 1986. Aside from their core automobile and motorcycle businesses, Honda also manufactures garden equipment, marine engines, personal watercraft and power generators, amongst others. Since 1986, Honda has been involved with artificial intelligence/robotics research and released their ASIMO robot in 2000. They have also ventured into aerospace with the establishment of GE Honda Aero Engines in 2004 and the Honda HA-420 HondaJet, scheduled to be released in 2011. Honda spends about 5% of its revenues into RD. Nissan Motor Nissan Motor Company, Ltd., shortened to Nissan, is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was formerly a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn (CEO). It formerly marketed vehicles under the Datsun brand name and is one of the largest car manufacturers. As of August 2009, the companys global headquarters are located in Nishi-ku, Yokohama. In 1999, Nissan entered a two way alliance with Renault S.A. of France, which owns 44.4% of Nissan while Nissan holds 15% of Renault shares, as of 2008. Nissan is among the top three Asian (also known as the Japanese Big 3 Automakers) rivals of the Big Three in the U.S. Currently it is the third largest Japanese car manufacturer. It also manufactures the Infiniti luxury brand. The Nissan VQ engines, of V6 configuration, have featured among Wards 10 Best Engines for 14 straight years, since the awards inception. III. Analysis of Hyundai Motors Hyundai Motors Globalization Strategy Process of Growth Since the companys foundation in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company became the first automaker producing manufacture facilities itself. The first model Pony, manufactured and started to export, was very favorable not only into Korean market but also into global market, which elevating Hyundai Motor into one of the global automobile companies. In 1976, Hyundai had started the first export business with Africa, North America and middle Asia and expanded into European market. In overseas market, especially in North America, Hyundai achieved the big success and had an opportunity to become into the global automaker in worldwide. Possessing 10 manufacturing plants, 11 research centers, and more than 6,000 sales networks throughout the world, Hyundai Motor also helps to keep sales growth across the world and maintain to the top leading global company. Furthermore, Now, Hyundai as Global corporate citizen makes every effort to fulfill its economic responsibility, most principal in corporate activities throughout the world. (http://www.hyundai.com) The Hyundai Motors Global Business Strategy In the process of globalization, the major global strategy for Hyundai Motor can be focusing on exporting in the global market which was very successful. From the inception of the foundation, the Hyundai management team always recognized the importance of exporting to overseas which the key factor to growth global business and manufactured most exports from single Ulsan plants. In other words, Hyundai has been involved in independent management strategy. In addition, striving to face with country specific regulation and rapid market changes, Hyundai has been implemented transnational strategy like the joint-venture strategy in China, Turkey and Malaysia in order to expand global market share. Hyundai Motor Company further strengthened its presence as a global automaker by promoting sustainable development worldwide, accelerating global management initiatives and creating the second construction of manufacturing plants in China and India, thereby increasing its production capacity all the more. At the same time, it also achieved qualitative growth by successfully generating sales of its strategic model targeting the European market. In 2007, a decade after it began building plants overseas, Hyundai Motor began construction for plants in the Czech Republic and USA, creating a strategic network of production facilities spanning over six countries. (http://www.hyundai.com) [Exhibit 4] Hyundai Motor Companys International Entry Mode (sourced by http://www.hyundai.com) Country Partner Hyundais Share Start Yr To produce Entry Mode India HMI 100 98. 9 Ownership USA HMMA 100 05. 5 Ownership Czech HMMC 100 06. 7 Ownership China BHMC 50 02. 1 Joint Venture WuHan Qi Che 21 96. 7 Joint Venture Turkey HAOS 85 97. 7 Joint Venture Malaysia INOCOM 15 99. 9 Joint Venture The organizational structure of international business for Hyundai Motor Company is International Division Structure which is like many Korean companies fit well with Korean culture and lean toward centralization. That is, it has risk of demotivating local manager in host countries. By that, the Hyundai Motor Company has struggled to recruit local manager who can manage, coordinate and control worldwide regional operations underutilized allowing diversity as strategic task. US subsidiaries show [Exhibit 5] Example of International Division Structure The Hyundai Motors Global Business Efforts International Site Selection The Site Selection implies that the company does spell out all possible locations to decide which site/market to be targeted and determined by content and goal with its limited human resource, technology, and capital. (Sourced by Professor Lee, JR, Shin, MS / International Business) Market Size and infrastructure: consider for purchasing power and production Market attractiveness: competitors and market structure Important to consider potential international market expansion which cover all countries/regions in the world for the further The major variable factor for site selection is market attractiveness, competitors, and the strategic goal for a company. The good example for International Site Selection in Hyundai Motor Company can be expanding the global business to Canada region. With the success of exporting Excel, Hyundai Motor Company had made decision to expand the international business into Canada as below factors as detour entrance strategy to USA. Of course, Hyundai Motor Company cannot overlook the competitors such as Toyota, Honda. etc. Market accessibility: to avoid Trade barrier by NAFTA, Market proximity , Cost Reduction and Price competiveness by Local Manufacture Government Aid: tax, financing support by construction of manufacture plant Regional Advantage : close to locate associated company Political Risk Avoid: to avoid lack of exports by Korean labor strike in 1988 Likewise, the variable factors to expand the Hyundais global business to other countries can be considered as reduction of transportation cost risk, avoid currency exchange risk, cost reduction by hiring local resources, government aid and etc, International Entry Mode Prior to change into the globalization, the process of growt

Essay --

The purpose of this paper is to examine the formation of urban sprawl including its impacts on people and to explore efficient alternatives. Urban sprawl is a common problem that the world is currently facing in the process of urbanization. The North America urban sprawl that began from 1950s has been regarded as an illness of urban developments. With the purpose of drawing lessons and enlightens to a sustainable urban planning, this paper tries to analyze social and economic reasons that have been the motivation of North American urban sprawl. And interpret the causes and effects of urban sprawl, and what can we take to mitigate this phenomenon? Secondly, the paper introduces the most famous new planning movements such as Sustainable Development, Smart Growth, New Urbanism and so on. Finally, based on above observation, the paper proposes that lessons should be drawn from North American’s mistakes and not follows them. Furthermore, the paper probes into several problems in se eking a proper urban space model and policy on the process of urbanization. We must alert urban sprawl and keep on exploring sustainable urban governance policy and pay attention to induct the public opinion on consumption and culture in finding for the mechanism of structural innovation. We should commit to build sustainable transport system to reduce the consumption of automobiles. We should promote multi-intensive model of land use in urban exploration. Keywords: urban sprawl, urban planning, Introduction Started from the 1950s, the movement that many post-war cities expanded outward to form a mass migration from the center of the city surrounded by low-density suburban living patterns generally referred to as "urban sprawl." The problems posed by the... ...rt there will be no urbanization. Economy has its own rules and its own development. We cannot "push" or "speed up" subjectively, Destructive Enthusiasm in urban planning will be a dead end. Therefore, in reality, we must guard against false or excessive urbanization driven by the interests of the regime and to halt the urban sprawl-style expansion, to achieve a gradual urbanization. "New Urbanism", "compact city", "smart growth" provides us with useful ideas. There are few tiny gaps between the focus of these concepts, but their main principle is the same, namely to improve the utilization efficiency of urban space and create policies to control urban sprawl. Change the city zoning concept, promoting diversification of land use; reduce reliability on motorized travel; improve public transport to stimulate the vitality of the city It is our common goal of the future

Ap Global Midterm Review

Global Midterm review * Changes to map of Europe after WWI/WWII- new countries formed After WWI Only two completely new countries in Europe were formed after WW1 – Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Poland, which had been wiped off the map in 1795, was revived. The Baltic republics – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania asserted their independence. Romania doubled in size. After WWII To a great extent, no new countries were formed after World War II. Most of these changes occurred in the East.Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, only just winning independence after WWI were erased as independent states and became part of the Soviet Union. Poland's borders were moved eastward to include only the â€Å"corridor† from before the war but also parts of East Prussia, Pomerania, and Silesia, though they also lost the eastern parts of their country to the Soviet Union. Austria and Czechoslovakia, states created by the end of WWI but annexed to Nazi Germany in the 1930s reappeared, thoug h Czechoslovakia was firmly under Soviet domination and the Austrians were forced to remain neutral during the growing Cold War.In Europe the only country divided was Germany. * Conservatism in western politics Conservatives, such as Austria’s Prince Klemens von Metternich, were bent on maintaining the sanctity of traditional political institutions, particularly the monarchy. It was also their goal to maintain a balance of power in Europe in order to ensure a permanent peace. * Welfare state Welfare State and Consumer Society A. The motives for the welfare state 1. protection against depression and political extremism 2. the argument for social justice B.Features of the welfare state 1. support ‘from cradle to grave’ 2. educational and cultural opportunities C. The growth of consumer society 1. a new standard of living 2. materialism and hedonism 3. the end of public life? * Nuclear umbrella Nuclear umbrella refers to a guarantee by a nuclear weapons state to def end a non-nuclear allied state. * Germany after World War II At the end of the war, Germany was basically divided into 4 sections, each one under the control of one of the Allied powers; The United States, England, France, and Russia.Berlin was divided as well. After a period of rebuilding and reorganization, the sections under the control of the United States, England, and France were returned to the control of the German government. Russia retained control over its section and brought it under the fold of the newly formed USSR. This resulted in the Berlin Wall, and the separate countries of East Germany and West Germany. Following the fall of communism and the breakup of the USSR in the 1980's, Germany reunified. * Marshall plan Proposed to rebuild the continent in the interest of political stability and a healthy world economy * viewed as a vehicle for American economic dominance * Iron Curtain * a term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the boundary that separated the Warsa w Pact countries from the NATO countries from about 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991 * was both a physical and an ideological division that represented the way Europe was viewed after World War II * Soviet control over Eastern Europe Between 1945 and 1949 Stalin created a Russian empire in Eastern Europe.This empire included Poland, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and East Germany. Each had a Communist government. In the West they were called satellites because they clung closely to the Soviet Union like satellites round a planet. Stalin was able to create this empire for a number of reasons. The first was the military might of the Soviet Union in Europe after 1945. Another reason for the spread of Communism after the war was the gratitude of many Eastern Europeans for their liberation from Nazism.This, and the often-appalling conditions at the end of the war, played into the hands of east European communist parties, which were, of course, backed by Stalin and t he Soviet Union. * Decolonization after World War II After WWII Europe tried to reassert its colonial dominance over Africa and the Far East. At the same time national movements grew strong in those colonies. Europe soon realized that they would be unable to physically control the colonies without massive military occupation forces.This was impossible both in economic and political terms. As a result the colonial powers began a staged withdrawal of physical control but maintained economic ties. While these new countries were ‘independent' their formal colonial masters still had much control over the country. * Impact of World War II on international trade The conclusion of World War II spurred efforts to correct the problems stemming from protectionism, which had increased since 1871, and trade restrictions, which had been imposed between World Wars I and II.The resulting multilateral trade agreements and other forms of international economic cooperation led to the General Agr eement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and laid the foundation for the World Trade Organization (WTO). * Impact of World War II on civilian population -One of the most distressing impacts that war has on civilians is the frequent removal of their basic human rights -Huge civilian casualties on front line and bombing attacks -gave people the physiological hope to become as powerful as Hitler did * Consequences of industrialization in the 1800s Mass migration of people from the land to the cities. -Massive building of below standard accommodation, built cheaply, to accommodate them -Massive increase in childhood mortality due to injuries at work, cruelty, the spread of disease, rat population increase, alcohol use and casual neglect of children due to both parents working. -Expansion of the coal industry to include women and children working down the mines. -Exploitation of cheap child labor -Poor diet due to low wages and the collapse of the agricultural economy due to lack of laborers - Slavery in the UK to plug the gaps of missing workers War with France had been ongoing from the late 18th century and was a massive drain on the economy. -The start of the National Debt to pay for the war and the introduction of taxes on booze, tobacco etc. -Explosion in smuggling to counteract the tax increases. * NATO/Warsaw Pact NATO- North Atlantic Trade Organization -led by US; maintain adequate military strength and political unity to deter aggression and other forms of military or political pressure; aimed at a relaxation of tensions between East and West – a policy based to a large extent on general military strength.Warsaw Pact -led by USSR; a military treaty, which bound its signatories to come to the aid of the others, should any one of them be the victim of foreign aggression. * Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna was convened in 1815 by the four European powers, which had defeated Napoleon. The first goal was to establish a new balance of power in Europe, w hich would prevent imperialism within Europe, such as the Napoleonic Empire,  and maintain the peace between the great powers.The second goal was to prevent political revolutions, such as the French Revolution, and maintain the status quo. * Political ideologies: Conservatives Liberals socialist radicals Conservatism * a political and social philosophy that promotes retaining traditional social institutions Liberalism * a political ideology, a branch of liberalism which advocates civil liberties and political freedom with limited government under the rule of law and generally promotes a laissez-faire economic policy Socialism an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and co-operative management of the economy Radicalism * sought republicanism, abolition of titles, redistribution of property and freedom of the press * Demographic transition after industrialization * dramatic changes in population growth and life expectancy driven by changes in the underlying factors that explain them: fertility increased and mortality decreased * Karl Marx – father of socialism and communism Marx's ideas were that of pure equality.He wanted a world where everyone was equal. His theories, while impractical because of the nature of man, were truly â€Å"good†. His ultimate goal was to eradicate poverty. * Opium war – example of resistance to imperialism * Motives For Imperialism 1. ) Economic – motives included the desire to make money, to expand and control foreign trade, to create new markets for products, to acquire raw materials and cheap labor, to compete for investments and resources, and to export industrial technology and transportation methods. . ) Political- motives were based on a nation's desire to gain power, to compete with other European countries, to expand territory, to exercise military force, to gain prestige by winning colonies, and to boost national pride and security. 3. ) Religious- motives included the desire to spread Christianity, to protect European missionaries in other lands, to spread European values and moral beliefs, to educate peoples of other cultures, and to end slave trade in Africa. 4. Exploratory- motives were based on the desire to explore unknown or uncharted territory, to conduct scientific research, to conduct medical searches for the causes and treatment of diseases, to go on an adventure, and to investigate unknown lands and cultures. * Impact of imperialism/colonization * large numbers of people were forced into slavery or the system of indentured laborers, and vast areas of natural habitats were cleared and converted to monocultural plantations. * the export of Western values – resource exploitation, consumerism and materialism to the colonies

My Virtual Child Final Paper Essay

With what I have learned from the My Virtual Child program, I now understand the complexities of raising and guiding a child. Mere decisions made during infancy can affect a child long term, physically, cognitively, and even emotionally. To make important developmental decisions cannot simply be classified as a challenge, it is one of the hardest things parents experience. Making decisions for one’s self, as opposed to making decisions for one’s child is so challenging that most people will not understand until they have children. Even with the realistic impression this program has, I would venture to say that even the majority of my classmates and I do not understand parenting difficulties to the fullest extent. In terms of physical and motor development, Noah was above average at a young age and this continued on through his early childhood. My virtual partner and I never had trouble getting Noah to eat and once a bedtime routine was established only on occasion would he have trouble sleeping through the night. In my opinion, I would classify Noah as an easy baby. He adapted to most situations rather quickly and the majority of the time was very happy, but easy to calm if a tense situation occurred. As for his emotional well-being, it was reported in a parenting questionnaire when Noah was four that I scored in the average range in affection and warmth. Noah had a great family relationship with his father, sister, and myself and demonstrated a secure attachment from an early age. Noah was a very social boy; he had a close group of friends that stayed about the same from the time he was in grade school until he graduated. Noah excelled in school from the very beginning, and continued to surpass his academic challenges until he graduated high school. He was accepted into Honors and AP level classes as a sophomore and scored above average in most all of his classes. Noah was pretty well rounded, and for the most part did average – if not excellent – in most activities he partook in. He was active in sports at a young age but I knew that wasn’t his passion from the beginning. He was a  very musical person and showed his interest and love for it in middle schoo l. At age 12 he was playing the saxophone in the middle school band, joined the high school jazz band, he sang, and taught himself to play the guitar. From the beginning I thought I would take on an authoritative parenting style, but I believe at the end I realized I was hovering somewhere in between authoritative and authoritarian. At first I didn’t want to admit it to myself but looking back I have no regrets because it seemed to work out for both Noah and our family. Growing up I always thought my parents were a little tough on me, perhaps a bit old school but my parenting decisions seemed to mirror theirs. Also, my sister now has two daughters and I have watched my sister and her husband raise them. My sister reads a lot of parenting books and blogs and has shared a lot with me. While raising Noah, I took some of what I had read into account and made some decisions based on the research. On occasion, my boyfriend would participate with me and help me make decisions on how to raise Noah. With all of these resources I believe that the majority of decisions made were for the best, and Noah was raised to the best of my abilities. At age six, Noah told me that he thought I was as â€Å"nice† to him as other parents and that I had â€Å"as many rules† as they did too. I was surprised that at s uch a young age he was aware of what other parents were doing but I believe by the time he got a little older, I got a little stricter. He was expected to do household chores and keep up with homework, but he was able to negotiate times and an allowance for all of this to get done. However, I did not use money as an incentive for good grades – that was expected from both my partner and me. Reflecting on how this may have affected his development I think that this was good for Noah because it challenged him to prioritize his time, for both things that he needed to do and things that he wanted to do (i.e. hang out with friends, participate in extracurricular activities, etc.). At one point, Noah was frustrated with me because he thought I did not allow him to do things his friends’ parents let them do. At the time I was a little confused because Noah was able to negotiate most anything he wanted but there was always a price – chores or family time. Neither of which I thought were unreasonable of my partner or me to ask. Either way, I do not regret my choices because Noah turned out to be very happy , he had a great family values, and when he applied for colleges he was accepted to  several and received a scholarship from a prestigious institution. With guidance from my partner and me, Noah made the right decisions for him that I believe worked out for the best. Looking back, I do not believe that I would have made any major changes to how I decided to raise Noah. I may have tried to encourage him to be a little more active, but only to ensure his health. Whether it was sports or simply working out I would rather he live a healthy, active life, than a sedentary life. However, with all of the activities that Noah participated in I am not sure he would have been able to dedicate enough time to keep it consistent. Outside of that, I may have given Noah a little bit more freedom because at one point he decided to demonstrate his independence by getting a tattoo with his girlfriend. This was very disappointing to me, simply because I don’t think it was a decision he should have made at sixteen with his high school girlfriend. As I previously mentioned, I believe that Noah had a secure attachment with both my partner and me. An examiner noted at Noah’s 19-month developmental testing that it was clear we were a secure base for him and we were encouraged to continue with the same parenting practices (Berk, 2014, pp. 187). As a toddler he often ventured off to explore, but would always check back to make sure we were still there for him. Also, when Noah was an infant and I attempted to go back to work, he would act very distressed when I left. When I returned home Noah seemed more than happy to see me and for the majority of the following evening he demanded almost constant attention (Berk, 2014, pp. 197). It was clear that Noah preferred my partner or me to a stranger and instead of taking him to daycare we had to ask a family member to watch Noah while we were at work. At age four we noticed that Noah was somewhat rigid with gender roles. He had gender schemas established for both men and women and did not stray from his beliefs very often. Once while Noah was in the car with me, I was pulled over by a female police officer and Noah did not believe that she was a real officer because she was a woman. At the time, Noah could have been classified as a gender-schematic child because he identified the behaviors of men and women as either masculine or feminine (Berk, 2014, pp. 277). This was something that my partner and I had trouble with until Noah was about six. We attempted to model non-stereotypical behaviors for men and women to break Noah’s initial ideas about gender roles and to open his mind to the variety  of roles both men and women can take on. For example, he often tried to help his father or mimic what he was doing, so his father began cooking in the kitchen and asking for Noah’s help. From that point on he seemed to better understand the range of tasks both men and women can do. Early on it was evident that Noah was a musically gifted child. At age six he started taking piano lessons and singing aloud to the songs he would play. This continued to be a passion of his throughout his adolescent years. He participated in the middle school band, playing the saxophone, and because of how talented he was the high school jazz band recruited Noah to be a member of their group. Even more impressive to my partner and me at the time, Noah began to play the guitar and that was primarily self-taught. According to Howard Gardner, Noah would have been categorized as a musically intelligent individual (Berk, 2014, pp. 312). I believe that my partner and I instilled Noah with the ability to recognize the difference in actions that were right versus actions that were wrong. He had a strong set of morals and values that were shaped, yet not entirely created by us. While at a competition with his vocal group from school a few of the members stole trinkets from a store and were caught. Noah agreed with their punishment and was aware of how wrong their decisions were. However, he based his recognition of these immoral actions on how the children let down their parents, coach and teammates while taking part in the unlawful activities. This could be classified as conventional level moral understanding (Berk, 2014, pp. 408). To Noah, these were wrong choices because they were wrong in the eyes of society. I urged Noah to hypothetically think about how the situation may have been different than what he thought; I suggested that maybe his teammates stole medicine for a sick teammate. With that I attempted to encourage Noah to use more post-conventional judgment, where he could define morality with abstract ideas as opposed to those ideas set for him by society (Berk, 2014, pp. 408). Although parenting was a challenge, I don’t believe I would ha ve done it any differently than what I did. There were ups and downs; however that is expected in any type of relationship. Once finished with the program I was a little disappointed I didn’t get more feedback on how Noah finished out in life. However, I was very happy with Noah’s development and was glad to know that, the majority of the time, the best decision was made. With the skill set that he had acquired I believe  that Noah was prepared to lead a successful and happy life. A very intelligent and capable young adult, he was prepared for nearly anything his life intended him to encounter. Having said that, I have no regrets with the decisions I made for my virtual son and could not be happier with the person he turned out to be. References Berk, L.A. (2014). Development through the Lifespan. Boston: Pearson.

Hacking a Art essays

Hacking a Art essays In today's fast-paced world, the high-tech computer industry offers a unique opportunity for high-paying jobs. Many people start their careers much younger than I have, so consequently I have to search for a career in a field that will offer me adequate financial rewards in a limited amount of time. I started working with computers four years ago, upgrading systems, and increasing modem speeds to enable me access to the World Wide Web. I find programming to be the most interesting area of Computer Science; there is a subculture within this area that call themselves hackers. There seems to be a negative connotation with the word hacker. This is a misunderstanding because these programmers, who consider themselves to be hackers, are not the evildoers that the media portrays them as. Some misguided souls do attack systems for profit and pleasure, but these are usually the wannabe hackers; they are referred to as crackers or cyberpunks. True hackers do not waste their time with t hese types of antics. It is similar to an artist who, instead of painting a beautiful picture, sprays profanity on a city wall. There are many misconceptions surrounding the artform of hacking. Computers have made our world and lives much easier. In the past, many jobs were done by hand. Computers have replaced calculators. Word processing is now much faster and more conveienent than it was when we had to use typewriters. Not only can we type and correct errors much quicker since it can be done on a computer, but we don't even have to type at all as a result of dictation software, which allows us to speak to our computers. Computers revolutionized our world. We can communicate through e-mail with friends around the world. Research on any form or type of information is readily and easily accessible through the Internet. Computers have opened doors to people all over the world that just twenty years ago were not even dreamed of. Through all this in...

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 27

Strategic Management - Essay Example 87, the company unveiled a five years plan which was aimed at opening more than 125 stores in new areas at a cost of $ 60 million (My Starbucks Idea 2012, par. 7). To attain the required resources to open new outlets, the company introduced an Initial Public Offering in 1992. The success of the offers enabled the Starbuck Company to unveil other very intricate expansion programs. To fit in the contemporary competitive market, the company has continued to come up with strategies that are aimed at expanding its business into other global markets. Currently, the company is one of the most successful coffee industries in global market. Due to economic and technological development, the Europe continent is one of the most competitive coffee markets in the world. This is due to the presence of large coffee industries in the continent. Therefore, for Starbuck Company to prosper in the European continent market, it ought to come up with exceptionally effective market plan (Gulati, 2007, p. 99). The essay below will offer a detailed evaluation and analyses of the Starbucks external markets in Europe. The essay will as well analyse the Starbucks strategic capability as well as the company’s strategic fit analysis. The European economy is in most cases affected by some external factors such as economic recession. The economic recession and other economic factors have over years brought about severe impact in the operation of Starbucks Company. For instance, the 2008 and 2009 global recession increased the operational cost of the company thus lowering its profit margin. On the other hand, the 2008 recession as well played an awfully critical role in reducing the number of the company’s customers. This was due to the facts that, despite of the high cost of the products in the continent, the level of unemployment remained high with very limited wages. Moreover, the Starbucks Company competes at two main levels in the European market, the Italian-style coffee beverage and

The UK Anti-Discrimination Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

The UK Anti-Discrimination Law - Research Paper Example The significance of protection of human rights in terms of equal rights to one and all and the treatment of all humans with dignity and respect has been recognized by the world community which has enacted several laws to prevent cases of discrimination and punish those who resort to such uncivilized behavior. These laws seek to ensure and propagate the idea that all humans irrespective of their race, sex, physical disabilities, and preferences be treated equally and with the same degree of respect and dignity enjoyed by their fellow beings. Such opinions have also been voiced by the United Nations in their Charter which states that â€Å"Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or another opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or another status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty†2. Discrimination is divided into four distinct categories which include discrimination on the basis of age, sex, race, disability etc and is further categorized as direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimization. The definition and scope of each of the term are discussed hereunder: This form of discrimination is one of the most common and widely experienced forms of discrimination.