Purpose and Use of HRMS

Every organization has a set of employees working together to achieve the same goals known as the â€Å"human resource† of the organization. These people in turn are handled by another set of employees known as the â€Å"human resource management†. As the fast growing environment and the technology is becoming an active part of the daily exchanges in the business environment, companies are forced to implement latest tools to compete in the fast paced world. One of the tools utilized by the managers to counter the activities of the human resource management is to utilize the human resource management systems or they may also be called human resource information systems. These systems make a direct link with the human resource management and the information technology, enhancing the competence of the organization. Moreover, their main purpose is to automate the activities handled by the human resource management which in turn boosts the efficiency of the department. FINDINGS: Focusing on the purpose and uses of the human resource information systems, let’s look at the reason why managers want to implement these systems in the first place. There comes a time when your business is generating large profits and there is an immense amount of information that needs to be stored; be it about your employees or about the organization itself, there has to be a database securing this information. To ensure the security of this information along with reduction in paper work, organization of data, reorganization of processes, maintenance of profits and the employees an organization may require a human resource management system. These systems serve various purposes and hence, incorporate a lot of modules. Their main focus is on the employee information. First to mention is the Payroll module which takes a note of the attendance of the employees after which it automatically calculates various taxes that they are supposed to pay and also the deductions if any. This helps to reduce all the paper work and calculations; the only manual work done over here is to enter the attendance of the employees. The Work Time module takes care of the time along with the work efforts that the employees need to put in. This information is eminent in order to keep the costs of the organization low and efficiency high. Thirdly, there is the Benefit Administration module which basically focuses on making the employees involved in the benefit programs. These programs generally include compensation, insurance, retirement benefits and so on and so forth. The next module is known as the Human Resource management module. It helps managers to evaluate and analyze employees through their data provided and also takes care of the training and development of the employees and what skills do they encompass. There have been great advancements in technology and such systems have also been developed which tap relevant applicants and put them in the right database for further evaluation by the managers. Another similar module which focuses only on training is known as the Training module. It keeps a check of the skills, education and what type of learning the employee has and suggests books, CDs and other various platforms which may enhance their learning. A cost check is also kept by them, telling what training may cause what expenditures. The next module, known as the Employee Self-Service module enables the employees to check records of their attendance and also question the records if ever a problem is faced, without having to go directly to the HR personnel. It helps them to perform transactions related to the human resource department and ask questions related to the department. Basically this facilitates the employees to solve their own matter. All of these modules combine together to help the organization as a whole. The human resource unit is benefitted as it improves their decision making capability and aids them in providing their best to their customers/clients. It integrates all information into an Enterprise Resource Planning system which further enhances the capabilities of the organization. It promotes organizational and operational efficiency along with making the managers more intricate about their decisions and strategic planning. These systems can be used to achieve the objectives of the organization as well as establish a competitive advantage. As a lot of time of the HR activities is spent on activities which are transactional in nature, these modules may aid the purpose of those activities and help simplify the work. As mentioned above these modules activate the payroll and benefit activities serving the use of such modules. Also do they take into account the Equal Employment Opportunities by looking at various employees and their qualifications. Thirdly there comes the benefit that the employees gain due to an easy access of all the data. The self service provider module for instance aids the employees to get greater access to the human resource information which in turn reduces HR costs. These systems help to analyze the whole organization, looking at the absenteeism analysis, skills inventories, internal job matching, affirmative action plan, applicant tracking, workforce utilization, training needs assessment and so and so forth all give a clear picture to the HR managers of what the organization needs and what it should do to acquire its targets. HRMS facilitate employees by making data more accessible as no human contact is required which takes up most of the time in understanding the query of the employee. Another important factor is that bulletin boards again enhance the information spread throughout the organization as it is accessible to employees globally. They provide a platform through which data can be transferred electronically between vendors and the employees making the whole process swift and smooth. RECOMMENDATIONS: Looking at various uses and the purpose of the Human Resource Management Systems a few recommendations are as follows: * HRMS systems should also introduce a transparent mechanism through which employees are evaluated against their peers, to get a clear picture as to where they stand in the organization. This may enhance their motivation to do better and increase their ranking to become a more valued asset to the organization as it is visible to everybody. This can be included in the self sufficient module where employees can check each other’s ranking. These systems can also incorporate reports of the competitors; about their pay packages and benefits given so as to compare there’s with them; making the organization never lag behind in satisfying their employees. It should always remain up to date with the current scenarios of their competitors and look at the factors in which they need to improve themselves to motivate employees as compared to their c ompetitors. This information may only be available for the use of the human resource department. Another piece of information which may be generated from these systems is to generate productivity reports of each employee. Notice how much effort and time one employee is putting in and what the results are. The employee with the highest productivity may then be rewarded and based as a bench mark to evaluate other performances. * Certain surveys can be occasionally conducted to check the morale of the employees and seek what is there that is missing from the organizations point to satisfy them. Through online responses these systems can generate reports and infer what common problems employees face. * Also HRMS can hold information as to what other types of jobs would the employees like to do. This can come in handy for situations when managers want to utilize job rotation, job enlargement or job enrichment. This can make them aware that in what other activities a person is good in and how could that be put to use. CONCLUSION: HRMS, along with increasing the efficiency of the organization, also standardize the processes making employees utilize easier and quicker mechanisms. Their use and purpose for an organization is mostly administrative and they fulfill it ideally. It provides an effective framework to utilize and administer the human capital of a company. By the help of IT professionals these systems are generated and transformed from initially being the main frame â€Å"client server† architectures. Overall, as viewed through various insights it can be concluded that much of the work that is done manually is taken over by these systems for better management of processes and a well integrated company is a result of implementing these systems. They allow managers to employ them in such a way that it becomes an â€Å"effortless† job for the managers to keep a track of various activities: focusing on recruitment, employee turnover, problems and so and so forth. A company making use of these systems in the right way has a great chance to prosper.

Labor Relations Essay

In reviewing information pertaining to labor unions, there is a plethora of information about unions in the transportation industry. One of the most widely known unions is the teamster unions, which deals with truckers. Labor unions and issues with automotive industry are often seen in the media. The newest transportation industry in American history is the airline industry. As the newest transportation industry that is still vital to American comfort, convenience, and commercial, the airline industry is ripe for workers to organize and demand a greater piece of the profits from operations. In this essay, an effort will be made to review this company in regards to labor relations. Company’s stance toward Labor Delta Airlines was founded by C. E. Woolman, an agriculture extension agent (Anthony, Kacmar, & Perrewe, 2010). C. E Woolman was not a banker, venture capitalist or war pilot, as many of the competing airlines were. He didn’t have the aggressive military style that many of the other airline founders had. What C. E. Woolman instilled within the employees at all levels of the organization is that people matter and should be treated fairly and equitably. This philosophy led Delta Airlines to be the leader in customer service from the company’s inception through the many mergers over the years. Through the difficult financial times when other airlines were laying off employees and filing for bankruptcy, Delta continued to pay their people well and keep them employed. There was an exception during the Ronald Allen CEO era of 1987 thru 1997. Human relations took a significant down turn during his tenure as CEO, especially during 1993 and 1994, but Delta decided to part ways with Allen and began repairing those fragile relationships with its employees. Delta Airlines still focuses on the human relations factor and has been able to repair the relationship with its employees; they believe it is their key to success. Despite the corporate culture to take care of its employees, a number of Delta employee departments are unionizing. They feel as though that piece is not being distributed justly. Formulate a strategy for negotiating a labor agreement Human behavior dictates that there will be problems. As a company starts making money, there is always a desire by the employees to acquire more of the profit. On the other hand, management has a desire to retain as much of the profit to be provided to investors and to receive bonuses for their â€Å"supposedly† wise business practices. When one group wants more and another wants to retain, there will be conflict. And this is precisely what is happening at Delta Airline, as well as among many industries in the transportation arena. Employees, seeking to gain an upper hand threaten to strike; however, management must be willing to address the matter through negotiation. The Negotiation Process Fisher and Ury recommend conducting negotiations according to the process of â€Å"principled negotiation. † Their method has four main tenets: 1. Separate the people from the problem. The idea should be for both sides to work together to attack a problem, rather than attacking each other. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to overcome emotional responses and set aside egos. 2. Focus on interests rather than positions. The natural tendency in many negotiations—for example, dickering over the price to be paid for an antique—is for both sides to state a position and then move toward middle ground. Fisher and Ury warn against confusing people’s stated positions with their underlying interests, and claim that positions often tend to obscure what people truly hope to gain through negotiation. 3. Generate a variety of options before deciding what to do. The pressure involved in any type of negotiation tends to narrow people’s vision and inhibit their creativity, making it difficult to find optimal solutions to problems. Instead, Fisher and Ury suggest developing a wide range of possible solutions as part of the negotiating process. These possible solutions should attempt to advance shared interests and reconcile differences. 4. Base the result on objective criteria. No one will be happy with the result of a negotiation if they feel that they have been taken advantage of. The solution is to find and apply some fair standard to the problem in order to guarantee a mutually beneficial result. Fisher and Ury’s principles provide a good overall guide for the actual negotiation process. In his book, Nierenberg offered a number of other tips and strategies that may be effective in promoting successful negotiations. For example, it may be helpful to ask questions in order to form a better understanding of the needs and interests of the other side. The questions must be phrased diplomatically and timed correctly in order to avoid an antagonistic response. The idea is to gain information and uncover basic assumptions without immediately taking positions. Nierenberg stressed the importance of listening carefully to the other side’s responses, as well as studying their facial expressions and body language, in order to gain quality information. Nierenberg noted that good negotiators will employ a variety of means to accomplish their objectives. Small business owners should be aware of some of the more common strategies and techniques that they may see others apply or may wish to apply themselves. One common strategy is forbearance, or â€Å"patience pays,† which covers any sort of wait or delay in negotiations. If one side wishes to confer in private, or adjourn briefly, they are employing a strategy of forbearance. Another common strategy is to present a fait accompli, or come to a final offer and leave it up to the other side to decide whether to accept it. In a simple example, a small business owner may scratch out one provision in a contract that he or she finds unacceptable, then sign it and send it back. The other party to the contract then must decide whether to accept the revised agreement. Nierenberg warns that this strategy can be risky, and encourages those who employ it to carefully appraise the consequences first. Another possible negotiating strategy is reversal, which involves taking a position that seems opposed to the original one. Similarly, feinting involves apparently moving in one direction in order to ivert attention from the true goal. For example, a negotiator may give in on a point that is not very important in order to make the real objective more attainable. Another strategy involves setting limits on the negotiation, whether with regards to time, the people involved, or other factors. It is also possible to change the participation in the negotiation if it seems to be at an impasse. For example, a neutral third party may be enlisted to help, or one or two people from each side may be sent off to continue the negotiation separately. It may also be helpful to break down the problem into small pieces and tackle them one by one. Another strategy might be to trade sides for a short time and try to view the situation from each other’s perspective. All of these techniques may be applied either to gain advantage or to push forward a negotiation that has apparently reached an impasse. Analyze the principle economic and administrative issues The airline industry is a fast growing sector demonstrating a very strong growth rate. It is associated with a number of social and economic benefits and is a growing contributor to the global inventory (Whitelegg, 2000). Business cycles have a wide reaching impact on the airline industry; during recession, air travel was considered a luxury and therefore spending is cut which leads to reduced prices. The industry creates its impact not just by providing direct employment, but also through the creation of opportunities throughout the travel and hospitality sector of the economy. Jobs in hotels, resorts, restaurants and car rental agencies are all impacted by the airline industry (Global Airline Industry Program, 2011). The airline industry itself is a major economic force, both in terms of its own operations and its impacts on related industries such as aircraft manufacturing and tourism. There are few industries that create the amount and intensity of attention that airlines receive, not only among its participants but from government policy makers and the media as well. The crucial issues on the table vary depending on whether the person is in management or is a worker. For management, the key to retain as much money as possible, while for the workers the goal is to obtain more of the profit. Thus, in management, the argument would be made to show how much money is used to provide employee insurances and benefits, reinvest in equipment and aircraft, general property and liability. On top of that, investors must be repaid. For the employee or worker, this is a stressful environment where the employee needs to be compensated for his work-related stress. Employee paid benefits continues to decrease, and the employee is forced to pay a disproportionate share. Thus, the employee needs more money just to live at a sustainable level. Recommend policies and procedures to administer a labor contract and resolve disputes. It is of utmost importance to resolve conflict expeditiously and justly for all parties involved. Thus, I would recommend the following policies as a means to resolve disputes: When a team oversteps the mark of healthy difference of opinion, resolving conflict requires respect and patience. The human experience of conflict involves our emotions, perceptions, and actions; we experience it on all three levels, and we need to address all three levels to resolve it. We must replace the negative experiences with positive ones. Acknowledge the conflict – The conflict has to be acknowledged before it can be managed and resolved. The tendency is for people to ignore the first signs of conflict, perhaps as it seems trivial, or is difficult to differentiate from the normal, healthy debate that teams can thrive on. If you are concerned about the conflict in your team, discuss it with other members. Once the team recognizes the issue, it can start the process of resolution. †¢ Discuss the impact – As a team, discuss the impact the conflict is having on team dynamics and performance. Agree to a cooperative process – Everyone involved must agree to cooperate in to resolve the conflict. This means putting the team first, and may involve setting aside your opinion or ideas for the time being. If someone wants to win more than he or she wants to resolve the conflict, you may find yourself at a stalemate. †¢ Agree to communicate – The most important thing throughout the resolution process is for everyone to keep communications open. The people involved need to talk about the issue and discuss their strong feelings. Active listening is essential here because to move on you eed to really understand where the other person is coming from. Determine the most likely interest dispute and determine how you could leverage economic pressure to help resolve that dispute. â€Å"There is no way to overstate the role â€Å"leverage† plays when it comes to achieving favorable settlements. Leverage is defined as: â€Å"positional advantage; the power to act effectively; strategic advantage†. Stated more simply, your leverage is whatever power you have† (Cory, 2011). Leverage is usually more about situational advantage than objective strength or power. For example, a single individual or small business may have few resources relative to a large corporation but still have situational advantage by virtue of being able to compel the larger corporation to appear and answer in a favorable venue. Likewise even when there is a legitimate claim which could result in a significant loss to the defendant, if the plaintiff does not have the resources or the fortitude to stay the course, then the defendant has the situational advantage by virtue of being able to delay and wait the plaintiff out. Leverage can be real or imagined. Your actual leverage at any point in time is based only on the other side’s perception of your leverage (which can obviously differ significantly from the actual facts). There are obviously situations where you have an information advantage, such as when you know about a weakness in your case that is not yet known by the other side. In such a situation you will, perhaps only briefly, appear to have more leverage than you actually do. Likewise, you can be at an information disadvantage such as when you mistakenly think that the other side has a stronger case than they actually do. There are also situations where you mistakenly think that your case is stronger than it actually is which occurs when for one reason or another you don’t have all the facts, or when the facts have not been accurately relayed to you. But regardless of your actual leverage, if there is no fear on the other side, you have little if any effective leverage (Cory, 2011).

Animal Farm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Animal Farm - Essay Example Comparisons between Napoleon and Snowball As part of the leadership, there are two leaders whose ideals differ as one is corrupt while the other is a subtle leader. The two leaders here are Napoleon and Snowball that are a depiction of Stalin Joseph and Trotsky Leon. Ideally, the two leaders were always on contradicting sides in terms of leadership strategies that led Napoleon to dismiss Snowball in order for him to adopt dictatorial leadership. The two leaders of the animal farm had nothing in common except that were both astounding leaders. One of the principal differences between Napoleon and Snowball was the fact that Snowball was a better speaker and had convincing power as compared to Napoleon. He was compassionate and offered support to the animals contrary to the treatment of Napoleon to the animals. This aspect made Snowball a hero as he acted on the belief that all animals in the animal farm had a right to equality (Orwell 8). ... During the existence of Snowball, the animal farm witnessed development, peace, and flourishing in which he sought to make the farm better than during the reign of farmer Jones. However, Napoleon’s rule presented aspects of slavery to the animals in which he incorporated this aspect without the knowledge of the other animal subjects (Rodden 316). Remarkably, Napoleon’s dictatorial rule was successful as compared to the communal leadership by Snowball as the farm became productive the same as the time that Farmer Jones was in control. Napoleon was a cunning leader as he led the animals in the abolition of the human rule then changed after they had achieved their freedom from the humans. He eliminates Snowball as he sees him as an impediment to the success of the farm. In essence, he negated the concept of communism as he viewed it as an aspect of backwardness and underdevelopment. His cunning ways also lead him in to constructing a windmill that Snowball had designed whi le he was alive in order to show to the animals in the farm that he was equally as good as Snowball had been to the animals. Napoleon also spreads propaganda to his own advantage as compared to Snowball who believed in honesty and truthful leadership (Rodden 318). Further, Napoleon orders for the merciless killing of animals after he amends the seven commandments that negated alcohol consumption and murder. The animals experience torture as a way of confessing their offenses within which the trained dogs owned by Napoleon execute the killings (Sapakie10). The collapse of the windmill intended to make the animals work lesser is a chance that Napoleon uses to cast blame on Snowball meaning that he applies all manner of schemes in order

Implementation plan (Our company Starwood hotel&resorts) Assignment

Implementation plan (Our company Starwood hotel&resorts) - Assignment Example Some customers come and go due to the way they are treated. Once a business notes some deficiencies in its service provision to the customers, it can keep the customers. The manager of the department will be tasked with the sole purpose of dealing with customer needs and ensuring that they are well taken care of (Thompson et al., 2014). The analysis of the different age groups will help the company to come up with solutions to increase the popularity of its products in the market. Market research is a valuable tool that determines the popularity of the business and where the business needs to change to increase its success and customer base. The business will, therefore, target customers in the market by positioning itself in the various segments (Laljani, 2009). It will use the customer relationship department to reach out to customers and get more feedback by including the customers in the running of the business. As a result, the customers will be loyal to the

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

Stratigic Management - Essay Example This is designed to achieve the objectives laid down by allocating resources for plan and policy implementation, including the programs and projects an organization undertakes nationally or internationally (Kim and Stimpert 2004, p.39). Strategic management generally offers a way through which a sensible scorecard can be drafted. The scorecard is a means through which an organization will have a clear evaluation of its overall performance and be able to evaluate itself in terms of general business evaluation in view of its progress towards the drawn objectives. Others studies indicate that, there is consistency in terms of strategies only when the actions and behaviors of the organizations get consistent with the set goals and objectives, including the expectations of the management as a team of leadership in the organization. Consistency will be realized when also the actions of the organization are consistent with the market and its context at various stages; because the market sit uations keep fluctuating every now and then (Wheelen and Hunger 2003, p.46).The consistency of the organization is supposed to match up the market changes for its competitive advantage (Deephouse 2006, p.48). Findings show that strategic management involves the board of directors or the management team and key stakeholders who form part of the team that sets objectives and goals of the organization including the allocation of key resources necessary for achieving the goals set. In general, strategic management is essential in helping an organization to formulate and implement policies that assists in aligning it with its environment so that the set goals can be achieved in the end. A global organization needs a good and structured management model depending on its choice of operation, size, and the need to comprehend investor requirements and views. Various strategic management approaches key to the evaluation process of an organization, especially an organization that has global pr esence in foreign markets, exist. Universal (systemic), conventional, ‘evolutionary’, and ‘processaul’ methods. Studies related to these approaches indicate that, descriptive schools give a description on how strategies need to be implemented to achieve the best results for an organization (Pine and Gilmore 2005, p.43) . On the other hand, prescriptive schools of thought are used in designating- the perceived best practices for achieving set goals in line with the objectives. To start with, concerning the strategic management approaches, the strategy formation, which is classical school; emphasizes that the preliminary undertaking in view of strategic management. This involves the formation and dissemination of the vision, and the mission statements of the organization (Kroll 2005, p.60). This gives the organization specifications concerning the scope of activities and the target markets that the organizations intends to serve. This is followed by the perfo rming of situation analysis, contender analysis (internal and external), self-examination, and examination of both micro and macro environments of a business. The organization and its historical background The basis of this discussion will largely explore global strategies revolving around Dell Inc. as an international business. According to studies, Michael Dell in Texas founded Dell as a multinational information business organization in mid 1980s; it had its

Eveline James Joyce Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Eveline James Joyce - Research Paper Example Dust is everywhere in her room in spite of the fact that she has been mopping and dusting for years. She is a part of this dusty atmosphere, just another object in her room. Thesis: a psychological development of this woman is intensely influenced by the external subjection to her self-restraint and her obsession with her father. A Flow of Life or a Stasis of Oblivion When love rushes in her life, she does not have any choice but to follow this external acclaim. She follows her lover, and it is difficult to imagine, but this calm woman has managed to board a ship about to set sail across the ocean. There is a high speed animated development of her life. Nevertheless, she gives up and is occupied by her vivid imagination, when she is dreaming about her lover, who is grasping her head and she is experiencing her inner passion and desire. In her real world, she lets these dreams be only in her mind, but she is resistant to the wind of change for sure. A gentle and a passive female natur e, she turns into a subjective animal, and it looks like she has no choice but only continue her passive life. â€Å"Eveline† in Dubliners reminds us about the importance of small pieces and images in our lives. It is possible to claim that the whole life is a big puzzle and different episodes in our lives are merely puzzle elements. Joyce saturates his manner of narration in this piece from Dubliners with vivid descriptions and luxurious emotions, rich impressions and endless feelings and perceptions. Even readers can experience his bright idealistic world through the small segments and episodes of his stories. It is possible to consider "Eveline" from different perspectives. On the one hand, in "Eveline" domesticity is clearly associated with details, with metonymy and synecdoche. The detail that will become Eveline's signature is the "odour of dusty cretonne" (Mosher 408). In this article the author clearly underlines that housewives and their housekeeping is associated wi th special smells and episodes of their lives. This woman always cleans up, and the curtains of crettone are her Everest. She always tries to put up with difficulties and deal with inevitable dust in those curtains. Her home is a museum of memories for her and nothing more. There are many different objects connected with her life, but it is better for her to get rid of them, like Italians get rid of old furniture on the New Year. Her female nature and her role of a housewife are developed in accordance with commonly accepted social templates, but in the real world she plays a very pitiful role because she has to count her meager funds. We can see that the "purse" is a metonymy of her role as housekeeper for her family. She is imprisoned in her home and her housekeeping obligations bear her down. She counts every nickel in her purse, and visiting market is really depressing and intriguing for her. Frank suggests getting rid of her imprisonment and offers a trip to Buenos Aires with h im. He says that his home is there. "Home" is a metaphor about her another life. It is a direct juxtaposition to her daily life and she hesitates whether to try on a new role or not. Joyce introduces and apt euphemism  for  "sexually  aroused"  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ "pleasantly confused" (Joyce 45). He shows that feelings are common for her and her love is just another background for her possible development. Moreover, it looks like this woman

Transportation policies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Transportation policies - Research Paper Example This article looks at the lessons that the US can learn from the public transport in Germany and the impacts it has contributed. In Germany and other industrialized nations in the world, public transport has increasingly been replaced by personal means of transport. The majority of the people in these countries do not use public transport. In the rural areas of this country, the majority of the rural dwellers suffer greatly from the unavailability or the total lack of public transport systems. This leads them to adapt to using the exclusive private systems of transport. This mainly involves the use of cars and vans for individual or family use. The public survey conducted in Germany in 2008 reported that 44% of the entire Germany population has never used public transport systems. This means that the entire German public transport system is mostly characterized by total to partial absence of people on public transport (Rietveld and Stough 5). According to research, the average Americ ans travel by cars twice as much than their German counterparts. They use transit six times less than the average Americans do. The results of these differences in statistics are due to income or residential density. The average Germans in the upper class make lower number of trips in their cars than Americans in the lower income class. Moreover, Germans who live in low-density areas travel by car about six times less than the Americans living at population densities areas do.

Stress and the Neuroendocrine Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Stress and the Neuroendocrine Response - Essay Example Prolonged stress tends to impair the learning and memory ability of individuals, which is as a result of reduction or loss of the hippocampal volume. Chronic stress also impacts on the level of dopamine released, which blunts an individuals capacity for pleasure, and increases anxiety facilitating poor decision making (Amara & Kuhar, 1993). Â  Short-term stress in this article is described as stimulation. Transient and moderate stress that leave individuals feeling good. The effect of short-term stress on the brain is the increased activity of the cells in the hippocampus, the region responsible for learning and memory. Another effect of the stimulation has increased the release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter central to pleasure, hence the feel-good effect. Â  The hippocampus is a small region of the brain that is associated with learning, memory, and spatial navigation. It is placed in the middle of the temporal lobe just below the cortical surface. It is structured into two halves, lying on the right and left sides of the brain and has a curved shape. The hippocampus is associated with the formation of long-term memories and three-dimensional space navigation. The impairment of the region can cause memory loss. Hippocampal neurogenesis shows that production of new cells in the brain follows a procedure. During which, newborn cells have acquiesced to regulatory factors which influence cell proliferation, maturation, and survival. Situational and dispositional factors have the ability to control neurogenesis and impact on the hippocampal reliant learning and memory (Freund & Buzsaki, 1996).

Discussion Board Forum Forrest Gump Movie Review

Discussion Board Forum Forrest Gump - Movie Review Example By contrast, the All American hero (Gump) kyte-flyes above the drama, blissfuly ignorant of what is really going on, to raise from a crippled moronic child and become a sports star, a Superman during the war, chummy to three Presidents, and a billionaire, of course. So, if you are a conservative, you come out of the theater thinking "They got what they deserved, both of them" and wholeheartedly adhere to the movie's morals and sociological analysis. However, if the metacodes are read with more sensitive antennae, a different picture can be perceived. Existentialist ideas are in the background throughout the movie. Chance and destiny are counter played in the lifes of Jenny and Gump; there is no higher purpose, no good and evil, no God. There is only life. In this context, the countercultures are just one aspect of life. It is just by chance that Jenny is immersed in them and Gump is not, their roles in the movie are starkly black and white, to drive home the message. They could easily have exchanged their roles, their trajectories, their "destinies". Real life is a mixture of both, and any human being can during his/her lifetime partake in hell and heaven. The elements of the counterculture have always been there and will always be, as long as there is a human alive.

Develop an awareness of self in relation to others Coursework

Develop an awareness of self in relation to others - Coursework Example The defense mechanisms help people in maintaining their self-esteem and self-respect in face of embarrassing, threatening or defeating situations. Hence, defense mechanisms are mental tools used by people from feeling unworthy and inferior. Using defense mechanism once or twice is fine. However, when people start using defense mechanism often, then it harms their reputation and also keeps them from seeing the ‘real’ picture. ‘Rationalization’ and ‘projection’ are among the most commonly used defense mechanisms by people. People use rationalization when the truth about a situation is painful to accept. In such situations, people use rationalization as a defense mechanism and give socially acceptable and reasonable explanation for their behaviour. By doing so, people avoid accepting their own fears, anxieties and negative aspects of personality. After using rationalization repeatedly, it becomes a part of their unconscious behaviour pattern and th ey lose the ability to reflect on the truth or to improve their behaviour. Hence, people around them lose trust and faith in them and consider them as people ‘who always give excuses’ and hence, not dependable. In this way rationalization affects the trust and bonding in personal and professional relationships. ‘Projection’ is another defense mechanism where a person blames another person or situation for his own inadequacies, unfavorable characters and failure. When projection becomes a habit, then the person using it loses the sense of reality and examines people and situations in distorted way. People around him start to realize that this person is never going to improve as he never accepts his fault and weaknesses. They consider him as irresponsible and immature. Hence, they start keeping a distance from him and do not allow him to form close relationship with them. In this way, a person who uses projection as a defense mechanism fails to make and maint ain relationships. His attitude of blaming others repels people from him. Factors Inhibiting Congruent Relating Congruence in relationship is possible when the counsellor and the client are open, authentic and honest with each other in the process of counselling. However, for the formation of a congruent relationship with clients, the counsellor needs to have a ‘whole’ and ‘integrated’ personality. Otherwise, the counsellor is unable to help the client to achieve the ‘integration’ in his personality. Hence, if the counsellor lacks growth and ‘integration’ in his own personality, then it inhibits the formation of congruence between the counsellor and the client while counselling. Second factor that inhibits the congruent relating with clients is the lack of ‘self -awareness’ in the counsellor. When a counsellor is not consciously aware of the weak areas in his personality, then he gets uncomfortable and irritated while attending to those weaknesses in his clients. Hence, being aware of the weaknesses in his own personality is very important for the counsellor. Otherwise, it inhibits congruent relating with the client by creating discomfort and friction in interactions while counselling.

Native Americans vs Colonists Essay Example for Free

Native Americans vs Colonists Essay To begin with, colonists were certainly in disagreement with Native Americans. While native, the colonists claimed that they achieve real estate fairly; it was absolutely the Native Americans that were ahead of the game, Native Americans at the beginning were abused in the midst of the process to selling or buying land. In the meantime, colonists made use of the opportunity they were given, to give the Native Americans’ flammable liquid, knowing that the Native Americans’ would be intoxicated. Colonists said that they had mislaid many square miles of property through mediation, colonists said they have done they Native Americans’ no wrong at all. Furthermore, Native Americans’ told them their biz and nevertheless, Native Americans’ and the colonist took a load off together, they had nothing to hide , they laid it all on the table, they played there cards right. However, they just had to say that they had been the first in doing well to the English, and the English were the first in doing wrong. Regardless of the spin and turning of official policy. In the singing of treaties between colonists traditional low down for denying the fact that native Americans had their own conceptualization of private property and were deceit into celling property, and for the fact that whites believed the native indweller had no real claim to land ownership. It was not easy to guesstimate the percentage of the total Native Americans shut off by this hazardous disease. In addition, the Native Americans as it spread through numerous preachers and revivals; confederation was highly regarded than it had ever been effectuated in days gone by in the colonies. Native Americans are indigenous citizens, diseases took an enormous effect on Native Americans which had caused them to have diseases such as, small pox and measles Defenders they fall to their knees. In a like manner, Native Americans had helped the colonists in many ways when they were going through difficult times and through disastrous times as well. Also, Native Americans wanted everyone to stand strong, in unity and to have justice for all. Most importantly they wanted peace, and that was not too much to ask for. Nevertheless, colonists agreed that fighting was the worst thing to do, but they are way better than just doing something like that. They just wanted to ask for what they needed politely, not in a bad or rude manner. Native Americans’ tried to settle everything in a good way so they sign a peace treaty with the colonists, in which the colonists had agreed with them because , they wanted everyone to have equal rights between one another, this included things such as â€Å" if any did unjustly war against him, they would aid him; if any did war against them. He should aid them†. In that case things can better between the two colonies and bad things and arguments can be laid to rest once and for all. In conclusion, it is understandable why the colonist may say that native Americans’ did them wrong, but yet still native Americans’ were the first to stand before them and try to save their life’s in many ways that they possible could, they even sign a peace treaty, they did not try to hide anything at all behind their backs, they said it just the way it should be said and as they say â€Å"the good shall suffer for the bad†. Native Americans’ was not perfect they did there wrong as well. On the other hand, Native Americans force colonist to do certain things they probably didn’t want to agree to for instance, for trying to force the Indians to observe the laws of theirs and regardless of whatever happened between the native Americans’ were the last one standing they were brave , strong , but just remember that when colonists had grew weak, native Americans’ they had compassion on colonist’s and helped them.

MNC Corporation Production Assignment

MNC Corporation Production Assignment MNC Corporation Production Analysis of MNC Behavior Introduction Multinational corporation (or transnational corporation) (MNC/TNC) is a corporation or enterprise that manages production establishments or delivers services in at least two countries. Very large multinationals have budgets that exceed those of many countries. Multinational corporations can have a powerful influence in international relations and local economies. Multinational corporations play an important role in globalization (Bartlett et al). Multinational corporations can be divided into three broad groups according to the configuration of their production facilities: Horizontally integrated multinational corporations manage production establishments located in different countries to produce similar products. (Example: McDonalds) Vertically integrated multinational corporations manage production establishment in certain country/countries to produce products that serve as input to its production establishments in other country/countries. (Example: Adidas) Diversified multinational corporations do not manage production establishments located in different countries that are horizontally, vertically or straight (Example: Microsoft or Siemens A.G.) The paper deals with analysis of MNC behavior of three popular MNC’s viz. Exxon Mobile, Royal Dutch and BP. These are oil and gas companies from India and China. The paper will explain about how the products of these companies differ or are similar to each other and how their marketing strategies corporate strategies differ. All this will be explained through the Dunning O-I-L framework and Global Integration Local Responsiveness framework. This paper represents the compare and contrast studies of different strategies. About the companies MNC behavior differs across various locations and is different regarding marketing, finance, human resource and other aspects related to the products. The three companies selected for analyzing MNC behavior differ in geographical locations, political conditions, cultural considerations and legal frameworks. The general introduction of the all the 3 companies is as follows: Exxon Mobil Corporation or Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM): It is an American oil and gas corporation and a direct descendant of John D. Rockefellers Standard Oil company. Formed on November 30, 1999 by the merger of Exxon and Mobil, Exxon Mobil is the worlds largest company by revenue at $404.5 billion for the fiscal year of 2007. It is also the largest publicly held corporation by market capitalization, i.e. $501.17 billion. While it is the largest of the six oil super majors with daily production of 4.18 million BOE (barrels of oil equivalent). Currently, the company ranks 1st in the world in net income, which was almost $40 billion last year. The Exxon Mobil Corporation global headquarters are located in Irving, Texas. The company markets products around the world under the brands of Exxon, Mobil, and Esso. It also owns hundreds of smaller subsidiaries such as Imperial Oil Limited (69.6% ownership) in Canada, and Sea River Maritime, a petroleum shipping company (Exxon Mobile Corporation 2008). Royal Dutch Shell: It is commonly known as Shell, a multinational oil company of British and Dutch origins. It is the second largest private sector energy corporation in the world, and one of the six super majors. The companys headquarters are in The Hague, Netherlands, with its registered office in London, United Kingdom (Shell Centre). The companys main business is the exploration, production, processing, transportation and marketing of hydrocarbons (oil and gas). Shell also has a significant petrochemicals business (Shell Chemicals), and an embryonic renewable energy sector developing wind, hydrogen and solar power opportunities (Royal Dutch Shell: About Shell 2008). BP (British Petroleum): It was previously known as British Petroleum but now using only the initials, it is the worlds third largest global energy company, a multinational oil company (oil major) with headquarters in London, UK. The company is among the largest private sector energy corporations in the world, and one of the six super majors (vertically integrated private sector oil exploration, natural gas, and petroleum product marketing companies). Though, all these companies are involved in similar business practices, yet there are also certain differences among them. There is a compare and contrast scenario among these companies. To analyze these three MNC’s, the â€Å"Global Integration- Local Responsiveness† framework and â€Å"Dunning’s O-I-L† framework can be used (BP Global: About BP 2008). Similarities and Differences The products of all three companies are similar in the sense that all have natural resource seeking and efficiency seeking products. All three companies produce the same kind of products, so they also require the same kind of raw materials for the products. The products they produce are all location specific. All the companies have their established positions in the international market and are among the six super majors in the oil and gas industry. They possess abundant resource utilization capacity. They have competitive advantage, which helps them to achieve their strategic goals. The products of the companies are globally marketed. The major differences among the products of the companies are the quality and quantity of the products and the capital requirement for the products. The products also differ in the level and type of technology used and the customer demand for the product. The location where the product is manufactured is also important and it makes a big difference for the company. The export and import of the products vary from company to company. The manufacturing and innovation among the products also vary depending on the Government rules, regulations and policies in the countries in which the companies operate. The products also differ on the basis of marketing strategies used to market the product. The reason for these differences can be explained through the â€Å"Global Integration- Local Responsiveness† framework popularly known as I-R model. It is generally related with ideas of value creation. It states that these differences occur because of differences in the competitive advantage of the companies and the strategies used by them. Strategies can be global, international, multinational or transnational (Bartlett et al). The risk handling capability of the companies is also one of the possible reasons for the differences among them. The proportion of the global assets, number of countries in which the company operates in value added activities and the value of the output are responsible for significant differences among the companies of the same industry (Rugman Hodgetts 1995). These differences are not general differences. These differences are responsible for the company’s success and help it in making popular among the general public. The products of the company become known to the customers because of these significant differences and they are responsible for the growth and revenue of the company (Bartlett et al). The marketing strategies also differ between various firms and countries on the basis of the strategies used to market the products. The differences between countries occur because of alterations in the market structures among various countries with respect to the transactional costs. Differences also occur on the ground of capital availability and resource utilization. The difference in the market size is also very important. Marketing strategies differ across firms due to differences in the extent of market diversification and market stability of the firms. They differ according to the number of customers for the product and because of the market allocation for the product. The firms have set up in their respective locations because according to â€Å"Dunning’s O-I-L† framework, the assets which these companies possess are ownership specific and location specific. Though, they are available to all the firms, yet they are unique in nature and help the company to establish a difference for itself. This criterion of Dunning is based on the eclectic paradigm. The assets can be tangible like manpower, capital, etc. or intangible like technology, marketing, etc. Global, International, Multinational Transnational Firms As the companies grow and develop, there category changes and they become international, global, multinational or transnational firms. As time passes, their product category also changes. Global Firms consider the world as a single integrated unit with centralized scale intensive manufacturing. Through world wide diffusion and adaptation, these companies exploit the parent company’s knowledge and capabilities (Dunning 1993). International Firms take the overseas units as offshoots of domestic strategy. Here the core competencies are centralized and others are decentralized. It builds cost advantage through global scale operations (Dunning 1993). Multinational Firms consider the world as a portfolio of national opportunities. They are self sufficient and decentralized. Through strong resourceful national operations it creates a response to national differences. Transnational Firms comprise of all the above three firms. They are dispersed, interdependent and specialized. They have flexibility, global efficiency and great learning capability. Different Corporate Strategies The corporate strategies of the MNC’s differ across different locations as the Government policies and regulations are different in different countries. The goals and the means to achieve them differ according to the customer size and the market adaptability in different countries. The collaborations with the local partners also create a difference in the corporate strategies because they also have their company’s policies and requirements. It also differs according to the company law of the respective countries. The terms and conditions of the local partners differ, which causes significant variations in the corporate strategy (Dunning 1993).. Innovations in MNC’s Innovations are a growing trend in today’s world and MNC’s are successful till they maintain their innovativeness and creativity. Innovation does not necessarily come from the home country but it can also be sourced in the local country. The MNC’s hire the employees of the local country so it can be possible that innovations are from the local country. Government and the MNC’s There are differences among the MNC’s about the Government policies and regulations. Government’s encouragement or inhibition for the oil and gas industry depends on the type of country and the requirement of such an MNC in the country. There are also significant differences across various locations for the involvement of Government in the MNC activities. This depends on the need of the country to grow and develop and also on the economy of the country. This can also be explained with the help of â€Å"Dunning’s O-I-L† framework. The Government involvement depends on the asset availability of the country which is location specific. Social Cultural Factors The MNC’s are also affected by social and cultural factors of the local country. They have to conduct the business according to the conditions in that country. The products should be manufactured according to the needs and requirements of the people. The cultural and social sentiments of the people should be taken care of. For example, when Mc Donald’s started its business in India, it made beef burgers. But this was failed in India, as it was against the cultural, religious and social sentiments of the people of India, because Indians worship cows so they would never prefer a beef burger. But many a times it happens that MNC’s also shape the social, cultural, political and even the legal framework of the local country. The people of the local country many a times adapt to the products of the MNC’s. For example, Pizza Hut, Dominos, etc. have totally changed the eating habits of the people wherever they have spread their business. The dressing style of the people changes, e.g. Indians started wearing western style clothes. They also convince the Government to make its legal policy flexible to suit their business conditions because the country is being benefited by the MNC’s. The role of WTO in MNC activity WTO and regional trade agreements influence the MNC activities in many ways. The fundamental principles of WTO are non discrimination, free trade, encouraging competition and extra provisions for less developed countries. Through non discriminatory trading system, all the MNC’s are provided with their rights and obligations to be used while performing their operations. Each country and MNC receives fair exports and fair treatment in the markets of other countries. It provides responsibilities regarding implementation of agreements, technical cooperation and increased participation in the global trading system. These agreements help in removing trade barriers and duty free access. It also helps in protecting industrial property rights and dispute settlement. The trade agreement system helps in promoting peace, provides more choices of products and qualities (Cherunilam 2005). Export processing zone refers to one or more specific areas of a country where some of the normal trade barriers are ruled out and bureaucratic necessities are let down in the desire of attracting new business and foreign investments. This zone also refers to the manufacturing centers, which are labor intensive involving the import of raw materials and the export of factory products. This zone is of great importance for the operations of MNC’s. Geography of production The linkages in the value chain also differ around different locations. The relationship between the various functional processes is different at different locations. The spread of production differs according to the spatial distribution. This differs according to the elements of the value chain. The working of the functional processes affects the production. It differs from firm to firm because the functional units like finance, marketing, etc. differ across firms and across various locations. So the firm’s production differs according to geography as the resource availability differs from place to place. Also, the human resource management, organizational structure and managerial responsibility differ between the firms and locations. These are not the same at all the places and with all the firms. The manpower availability differs from place to place and from firm to firm. Because of workforce diversity, human resource management differs and is not the same at all places. The organizational structure also differs because of each firm’s policies and regulations. The managerial responsibility is different depending upon the size of the firm and its working. It also depends upon the strength of the organization, type of business it deals with and the amount of work done by the organization (Cherunilam 2005). MNC’s also hire local people for key positions because its not possible for the MNC’s to hire people from the home country as it is a time consuming and costly affair. Instead of doing so, they can spend money on the training of the people in the local country. The Country Subsidiary Manager is responsible for the administration and management of the MNC in the country. He helps the MNC to recruit highly efficient and energetic people. He also helps in the growth and development of the MNC along with marketing its products. Comparison and Contrast between the Indian Market and Chinese Market for Exxon, BP and Shell The strategies in both the countries will be different for all the three companies i.e. BP, Exxon and Shell. The business environment, culture and traditions of both the companies differ from each other. The customer requirements, economic growth, political and social environment and legal obligations for both the countries can be compared and contrasted. Comparison CEOs of global energy giants BP, Exxon Mobil and Shell are thrashing out their plans with Indian companies and state government officials to pump dollars into 5 states Orissa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Gujarat. The oil and gas giants (Exxon, Shell, BP), can enter the Indian market through Joint Ventures with the Indian companies like Reliance or any ONGC. To establish joint ventures with Indian companies for manufacturing, all the 3 companies should track the key trends and survey the competitive environment in the oil and gas industry, which will enable them to maximize their returns in India (BP, Exxon Shell may invest in 5 Indian states 2008). Currently, Indian conversion kit markets are overflowing with duplicate and inferior quality products. Manufacturers must devote adequate resources for research and development to create world-class offerings that stand apart from the competition. Producing less expensive, lighter, and stronger fuel storage tanks could help the companies establish a leadership position in the marketplace. Reinforcing innovative products with strong after-sales service will allow companies to establish a brand image (Indian Automotive Alternative Fuel Conversion Kit Markets 2001). The entry strategy for China will be different. In China, the companies can enter through Merger or strategic alliance with a Chinese oil company. The companies should do a detailed study of the Chinese market to enter into strategic alliance with the Chinese companies, their growth patterns and their position in the market. As the entry strategy in both the companies will differ because of their business environment; similarly, business strategies would also differ on the following grounds. Firstly, the customer ratio and demand differs in both the countries. China has more population than India, so it has a large consumer market than India for these companies. Secondly, as compared to China, the price hike in petrol is more in India, so the companies can earn high revenue in India (Cherunilam 2005). Thirdly, China’s economy is growing at a much faster rate than India’s economy. Fourthly, the income level in both the countries is different. Middle class population is high in India. The per capita income of China is more than India and even the disposable income in China is more. Nowadays, BP is focusing on an eco-friendly campaign, which can be a great success in India where pollution is a major problem. This way, it can easily attract customers and become popular. Fifthly, the culture of both the countries is different, which affects the strategies of the companies. India is a country of diverse cultures and customs, so people with different thinking and values are found in India. But China has cultural unity, so the values and traditions do not differ across the country. This is good for advertisement and publicity to the people. Sixthly, it is also the political and legal environment that plays a crucial role in any business. A company cannot ignore the political situation and legal formalities either in the home country or in the host country if it has to operate successfully abroad. There is a quasi-federal-form of government in India and democracy is the rule of the country. Whereas China is a communist country, so the political setup can make a difference to the strategies. Also, the legal environment differs from country to country. India’s market has easy access and there are no strict regulations for the trade. In India, after the liberalization in 1991, most of the sectors are opened for foreign companies. Foreign Direct Investment is increasing rapidly. FDI policy is liberalized and 100% investment is allowed, whereas in China, there is not so much liberty for foreign companies. Only, a limited number of foreign companies can establish themselves in China. Contrast There are several points of similarities that affect the strategies of the companies in both the countries. Both the countries are in a developing stage and follow collectivism. Collectivistic culture tends to embrace interdependence, family security, social hierarchies, cooperation; and low levels of competition (Cherunilam 2005). As such, the Chinese and Indian society historically focuses on social interests and collective actions, and de-emphasizes personal goals and accomplishments. Also, the people of both the countries are dominated by foreign products and import items. Conclusion Thus, from the above discussion about MNC’s, it is concluded that they differ across different locations in terms of their resources, working, legal framework, etc. They also affect the culture and social life of the people of the local country. References Bartlett et al. Building Layers of Competitive Advantage. Europe: McGraw Hill Companies Inc. BP Global: About BP. 2008. [online]. [Accessed July 19, 2008]. Available from World Wide Web: BP, Exxon Shell may invest in 5 Indian states 2008. [online]. [Accessed July 19, 2008]. Available from World Wide Web: Cherunilam, F. 2005. International Business: Text and Cases. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd. Dunning, J. H. 1993. The determinants of MNE activity. In Dunning, J. H., Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy: 76-85. Addison-Wesley Pub. Co. Exxon Mobile Corporation. 2008. [online]. [Accessed July 19, 2008]. Available from World Wide Web: Indian Automotive Alternative Fuel Conversion Kit Markets 2001. [online]. [Accessed July 19, 2008]. Available from World Wide Web: Ramaswamy, V.S Namakumari, S. (3rd ed.) 2005. Strategic Planning Formulation of Corporate Strategy. New Delhi: Macmillan India Ltd. Royal Dutch Shell: About Shell. 2008. [online]. [Accessed July 19, 2008]. Available from World Wide Web: Rugman, A.M. Hodgetts, R.M. (1st ed.).1995. International Business. New York, McGraw Hill Publishing Company. Appendix Generic Value Chain of OPERATION OUTBOND LOGISTIC MARKETING SALES SERVICE FIRM INFRASTRUCTURE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PROCUREMENT INBOUND LOGISTIC Secondary Activity Or Supporting Activities Primary Activities Source: Ramaswamy Namakumari 2005.

How The Fashion World Affects Teenage Girls

How The Fashion World Affects Teenage Girls Teenage girls represent a meticulous demographic and they are often self-conscious as they develop and mature into young adults. Their preferences in fashion are also changing (Ang 2010) and their choices clearly influence how the fashion world and the media portray fashionable women. This paper intends to prove that the way Fashion World portray women can promote eating disorders, which is a serious mental health issue. These days, news stands have been displaying fashion magazines with images of women who are often thin. Similarly, the television is also portraying more and more thin women. Bones are becoming more apparent and implants are now replacing the real breast. Since most supermodels and actors featured in fashion magazine are skinny, they risk kidney failure, osteoporosis and even infertility (Rowland 2001). However, teenage girls do not realize the risks associated with being skinny. For most teenage girls, the perfect person they want to be is a supermodel or a fashionable actor and the focus mostly is on external appearance. This is the reason why most teenagers today are unsatisfied with their appearance, which affects their diet and self-confidence (Rowland 2001). Based on the survey made by Reuters, almost 9 out of 10 teenage girls stated that they feel pressured to be skinny by the fashion world. Today, most fashion models weigh approximately 23 percent less than the normal woman. Indeed, most models do not represent average women. A research discovered that majority of models are between the ages of 14 and 19 and their average height is approximately 510 to 511 and their average weight is around 120 to 124 pounds. The healthy weight for women around this height must be between 142-150 pounds. It shows a significant difference and to mention that 124 pounds for 510 women are considered as unhealthy (The Effects of Fashion Industry on Eating Disorders 2010). A huge contributing factor to this concern is that most influential people of the fashion industry promote the use of overly thin models in fashion shows and editorials. For instance, Chanel designer Karl Lagerfield stated that those people who said that skinny models are ugly are only jealous and fat. Lagerfield has been quoted stated that These are fat mummies sitting with their bags of crisps in front of the television, saying that thin models are ugly. This opinion is not only repulsive but it can influence the fashion world that most people encourage this idea. Apart from Lagerfield, world-renowned fashion writer Kelly Cutrone defends employing skinny models by stating that Clothes look better on thin people since the fabric hang better (The Effects of Fashion Industry on Eating Disorders 2010). Fashion worlds obsession towards skinny women clearly pressured teenage girls to become skinny. Continuous exposure to images of thin fashion models often reduces self-esteem among teenage girls (Smith 2008). In order to improve their self-esteem, adolescents tried to seek ways in order to acquire a super slim figure. This resulted in increased cases of eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa (The Effects of Fashion Industry on Eating Disorders 2010). Based on the studies of Washington-based American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, figures of eating disorder cases has doubled since 1960s in the United States with an approximately ten million girls and women who are affected by bulimia nervosa, anorexia and other eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa pertains to excessive weight loss and self-starvation. A teenage girl is considered having anorexia if she loses 15 percent of weight or when growing adolescents failed to reach at least eighty-five percent of minimal weight depending on age and height. Other symptoms of anorexia includes loss of menstrual period, excessive focus on shape and body weight, feeling overweight regardless of dramatic weight loss, having an intense fear of gaining fat or weight, sore throat, and refusing to sustain an acceptable body weight (Eating Disorders 2008). A teenage girl having anorexia are often perfectionist and high achiever in school. Girls who suffer from anorexia also suffer from low self-esteem and irrational belief that they are fat even though they are actually thin. They also experience a sense of control and often say no to the normal food demand of their bodies. Because of their willingness to become very slim, as demanded by the fashion world, the teenage girls will starve themselves. Eventually they could even suffer from serious illnesses and this could even result in death (Eating Disorders 2008). Bulimia nervosa is another eating disorder, which is often characterized by purging. This involves eating huge amounts of food in a short period and then getting rid of what they have eaten through vomiting, over-exercising and laxative abuse. It would be difficult to recognize bulimia since most people with this kind of disorder stay at normal body weight. Bulimia signifies a serious risk to the patients physical health such as dehydration, hormonal imbalance and damage to vital organs (Eating Disorders 2008). Based on the Philadelphia-based Renfrew Center Foundation, forty-seven percent of American girls from fifth through 12th grade claim that they want to become slim due to magazine pictures and 60 percent stated that magazines affect their ideas of desirable body type. The worst reality is that most teenage girls do not realize the every image of model in fashion magazines has been altered using the latest technology in order to remove bulges and any undesirables. Images in fashion magazines are often unrealistic, manipulated and airbrushed, yet they still place considerable pressure on teenage girls (Terzieff 2006). The fashion worlds emphasis on underweight models is clearly unacceptable and concerned people and individuals should find a solution in order to solve this dilemma. One good example are the actions made by the Council of Fashion Designers of America that created a CFDA initiatives that imposes specific recommendations to designers and magazines in order to solve this concern (Eating Disorders 2008). CFDAs solutions consists of the following: requiring models who have eating disorders to seek professional care and they will not be allowed to work without professional approval, providing healthy meals during photo shoot and runway shows and sharing information for models and the rest of the industry regarding eating disorders (Eating Disorders 2008). On the other hand, harsher means should be imposed. Sample size among women should increase. On the other hand, a committee that approves magazines and fashions shows before presenting their work should be created. These committees should create specific weigh standards and ensure that each girl in a fashion magazine or those who will walk on a runway. Even though this might require considerable time and money, this is completely necessary (The Effects of Fashion Industry on Eating Disorders 2010). One good example of a similar initiative is the solution by Spains fashion industry, which made international headlines not only for the clothes on display but also for the models size. The Madrid Regional government implemented a ban on skinny models for Madrid Fashion Week catwalks. The decision made also produce shock waves across international fashion industry (Terzieff 2006). Advocates even encourage the industry to expand the ban and create new standards on the weight and sizes of models. The government of Spains main intention is to encourage healthier body image. More than thirty percent of models who appeared in Madrid catwalks last year were disqualified because of the new guidelines. This would also prevent the participation of top models including Spains Esther Canadas, Brazils Fabiana, Estonian model Carmen Kass and Britains Kate Moss (Terzieff 2006). Conclusion Teenage girls represents a meticulous demographic and they are often self-conscious as they develop and mature into young adults. Their preferences in fashion are also changing (Ang 2010) and their choices are clearly influence how the fashion world and the media portray fashionable women. These days, newsstands have been displaying fashion magazines with images of women who are often thin. Similarly, the television is also portraying more and more thin women. Bones are becoming more apparent and implants are now replacing the real breast. Since most supermodels and actors featured in fashion magazine are skinny, they risk kidney failure, osteoporosis and even infertility (Rowland 2001). Fashion worlds obsession towards skinny women clearly pressured teenage girls to become skinny. Continuous exposure to images of thin fashion models often reduces self-esteem among teenage girls (Smith 2008). The worst reality is that most teenage girls do not realize the every image of model in fashion magazines has been altered using the latest technology in order to remove bulges and any undesirables. Images in fashion magazines are often unrealistic, manipulated and airbrushed, yet, they still place considerable pressure on teenage girls (Terzieff 2006). In order to improve their self-esteem, adolescents tried to seek ways in order to acquire a super slim figure. This resulted in increased cases of eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa (The Effects of Fashion Industry on Eating Disorders 2010). The fashion worlds emphasis on underweight models is clearly unacceptable and concerned people and individuals should find a solution in order to solve this dilemma.

Buenos Aries Essays -- essays research papers fc

The capital of the country, Buenos Aires is also Argentina's leading city in population, commerce, and industry. It is located near the Atlantic Ocean coast, on the broad Rà ­o de la Plata, an estuary at the mouth of the Paranà ¡ and Paraguay rivers. The early Spanish colonists named the city for the "good winds" that brought them to the port. Today about 10 million people live in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, one of the largest in the world. The city proper makes up a federal district, and its mayor is appointed by the nation's president. The city is not a part of Buenos Aires province, which surrounds it. The City--Its People and CommerceGreater Buenos Aires is made up of many settlements that grew together. The oldest European center lay in the neighborhood of the present Plaza de Mayo, a large plaza in the downtown area. Streets in the city were laid out according to a grid pattern described in the Cà ³digo de las Indias, a legal document followed by the Spaniards in settling the Western Hemisphere. The original grid is today surrounded by Balcarce, 25 de Mayo, Viamonte, Libertad, Salta, and Estados Unidos streets. Growth of the city first followed the high elevations, along which ox- and horse-drawn two-wheeled carretas carried freight and which the modern main avenues and the rail lines also follow. The most recent developments in the city are the industrial sectors that extend from the old center southward, such as Dock Sud, La Boca, Barracas, Pinero, and Lanà ºs. The Paranà ¡ River plays an important role in the life of Buenos Aires. Oranges, grapefruit, cherries, plums, and vegetables are raised in its delta area. Vacation housing is widespread, and on weekends thousands of people fill the area to engage in recreational activities. The Paranà ¡ not only provides recreation, but also links the hinterlands with Buenos Aires and supplies water to the population. The central business district has high-rise office buildings and retail stores. Automobiles are not allowed on the Calle Florida, and shoppers roam its elegant stores, coffee houses, and hotels. The nearby Calle Reconquista is the financial center. Outside the central business district much of the surrounding city has attractive cobblestone streets bordered by large, elegant houses and small shops. Many parks and local shopping districts blend in with the residential areas. Various... ...ce of hostile Indians. It was not until 1580 that Juan de Garay, a colonist from Asuncià ³n, established what became the first permanent community at Buenos Aires. The city did not really begin to develop, however, until the late 1700s. In response to British and Portuguese expansion in the area and increased smuggling, Buenos Aires was made the seat of a Spanish viceroyalty in 1776. In the early 19th century Buenos Aires was a major center for the movement to free the country from Spain. The city leaders had foreseen great economic advantages from the free trade that independence would bring. After independence the city grew rapidly as the center of Argentine political power. In 1880 it was made the permanent capital of the republic. Through World War I the city benefited from a stable economy and substantial foreign immigration. During and after World War II heavy industrial growth contributed to the city's expansion and reinforced its political and economic dominance of the country. Population (1986 estimate), federal district, 2,924,000. BibliographyComptons Encylcopedia Online - Aol Keyword: ComptonsThe Learning Company - Aol.Keyword: LearnMagellan Maps - Yahoo.com: maps

Popularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream in Death of a S

Popularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream in Death of a Salesman For most, the American Dream is a sure fire shot at true happiness.   It represents hope for a successful, fortune-filled future.   Though most agree on the meaning of the American Dream, few follow the same path to achieving it.   For struggling salesman Willy Loman, achieving this dream would mean a completely fulfilled existence.   Unfortunately, Willy's simplistic ideas on how to accomplish his goal are what ultimately prevent him from reaching it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Out of all of Willy's simplistic ideals, one major pattern we can notice is how Willy truly believes that popularity and physical appearance are what make people wealthy.   We are first introduced to this idea when Willy is speaking to his wife, Linda, about their son Biff.   "Biff Loman is lost," says Willy.   "In the greatest country in the world, a young man with such personal attractiveness gets lost."   In this quote, not only is Willy confused about how Biff's good looks can't help him get a job, but also because his son can't get a job in a country like Ame... ... things that made people successful in life, regardless of whether or not hard work was involved.   Because of these simplistic ideas, Willy went through life with a somewhat naive frame of mind, and was unable to reach his goal of achieving the American Dream. Works Cited Lewis, Allan. American Plays and Playwrights. New York, NY: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1970. 47. Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman." Discovering Literature: Stories, Poems, Plays. Ed. Hans P. Guth and Gabriele L. Rico. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997. 1211-82.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Essay example -- English Literatur

To Kill a Mockingbird Test Question 1 As readers, we saw Scout mature and grow as our narorater and as a person. She learned many things, but also lost many things. As she grew up and changed, she began to see how things really were, and gained the knowledge of the pure hate that one man can show another. Scout lost her innocence when she found this out. She began to see how cruel the world can be to someone who is a little different or strange. She saw this in the prejudice that was shown to Tom Robinson, Walter Cunningham, Miss Maudie and even herself. She gained the wisdom of the world outside her back door and began to see how society works. Although this may not have been a good thing, she could now see how unimportant it was. Who cared if one was not up high on the social ladder? Atticus taught Jem and Scout to be polite, caring kids. He instilled in them a great sense of love for their neighbor and told them things that would help them get on in life. Scout was very lucky to have someone to guide her along the way. Although she was faced with â€Å"the real world†, she had lots of people who would willingly explain to her and guide her. Scout really matured during the course of this book. She went from a six year old child with no knowledge of the real world to an about ten year old who had a lot of life’s most important lessons shown to her at a very young age. She had to learn, very quickly, that life would not always be easy and fun. She learned of the horrible ways men can treat other men and of the ugliness of station, poverty and hate. To say that Scout would of never found out about these is incorrect. She would of found out about them within due course, but to find out at nine or ten must have been a culture shock for her! Scout was a very brave little girl to accept, reflect, and reject this ugly knowledge that she gained. If she had just been able to keep the innocence of childhood that she lost, she would have been much better off. We cannot let children face the ugliness that Scout learned of. It was too much, to fast, even for someone so smart. We must show love to everyone so that our children will show love. To Kill a Mockingbird Test Question 2 The author, Harper Lee, picked an interesting person to narrate the story. This had some advantages and disadvantages as the story progressed. This writing te... ...o the story. Without him, the story might have been about Atticus prosecuting Tom instead of defending him. To Kill a Mockingbird Test Question 8 Harper Lee once called this book ‘a simple love story’. Critics today call it an icon of American literature. Why can we not call it both? The book is a love story between the children and Boo Radley. But critics say it was so mush more than that! It truly was. Harper Lee used so many literary tecniques, characterizations, relationship developments and so many other things even the greatest literary master probably couldn’t tell you what this book means. But why can’t a book be both? A Wrinkle in Time is a great adventure book but it’s also a great Newberry award winner. So can Harper Lee’s simple love story between three children and a man not wanting to be pulled into society’s drowning currents be one of the greatest books ever written? A book that has so many hidden and double meanings be one of the most well respected and loved books in all of America? Can a book that touches on so many issues that are still alive today and that peaks to every one of us in a special way be on of the most sold and read books in the world? Yes.

Effective resource allocation among the various economic systems Essay

Effective resource allocation among the various economic systems Introduction Efficient utilization of economic resources by different economic systems            An economic system is scenario whereby goods and services produced in a country or an entity and the resources within are distributed within the existing subsystems. The subsystems in this context entail the combination of agencies, entities and consumers that make an economic structure of a certain community. Or the various sub structures within an entity. The interlinking capacity within these subsystems is the one which makes information and resources to flow between them. One characteristic of a subsystem is the utilization of resources between the involved structures. Normally the inherent trait in resources is the fact that, they are scarce and as such efficiency is imperative for an economic system to survive with the little resources.            In an economic setting there are four defined factors of production, which are, land, capital, labor and entrepreneurship. All this factors have the quality of scarcity, and unless utilized effectively there is larking quality of disorganization within an economic system. The various economic systems in the world economy have their own way of utilizing these scarce resources. This essay will argue the characteristic of effective sharing of resources within command, free enterprise, mixed and transitional economies. Also the essay will argue on effective resource allocation in private and public sector initiative and also private finance initiatives.            In a capitalistic economy, the most crucial form of economic system is the free enterprise economy. This form of a system is free or rather shielded from government interference. The economy promotes free flow of ideas and implementation. This does not mean that the government is never involved when a situation calls. Hence it is a free enterprise regime where there is a minor possibility of government intervention. The inherent characteristic in this kind of a model is that, those who labor must gain. Ownership and creation of means of production is entirely left to the system. In this type the resource allocation is dictated by the market price. If an individual cannot afford it, then they cannot access the service or the product. Hence it is like a form of a system that favors those who can fit. Though it has the capacity to make economies grow fast and large, it is normally a case of survival for those who are fit (Harrison, 2002).            Contrasting that with a command economy, this type of a system has its factors of production controlled by the government. Therefore, planning is undertaken by the central government making it a planned economy. In this kind of an economy there are directives, rules, and laws to be followed. The bench mark is against a set target by the government. Governments that use this system do come up with a central plan upon which they base in order to allocate resources. Hence there is always a priority factor in resource allocation. To effectively allocate resources, the government simply identifies priority areas on which to allocate more resources than the non-priority areas. In command economies, there is a very efficient capacity to bring resources together. As such certain segments achieve much than others. A lot of one thing is normally produced and less of the other. This economy can utilize itself to come up with mega projects and spur innovation in areas that the government wants (Harrison, 2002).            In the real world though, many economies find it easier to utilize the capabilities of free enterprise and command economy to allocate resources. This creates a scenario of a mixed economy. Hence this mix brings in both the markets and government as the custodians of resource allocation. While markets depend much on living choices of the people, the government tries and force allocations. This happens through the use of taxes and regulations. Both the institutions utilize synergy and hence co exists between each other when it comes to resources allocation. There are instances where in a mixed economy; the markets are more dominant in resource allocation than the government and vice versa in other economies. Hence the mixed economy will tend to try and achieve equity while promoting economic growth at the same time. It is bringing the characteristics of both markets together to achieve positive efficiency in resource allocation (Nee, 1992).            An economy can find itself in need of shifting from a command system to a free market system. In such a scenario the economy finds itself in a unique situation of transition. Hence it gets involved in a transitional economy. Transition is changing from one form to another. Transitional economy, changes from command to free market hence initializing a form of liberalization in an economy. Hence it attempts to allow markets to allocate resources thorough pricing and the government lays back. In this type of an economy resources allocation change drastically, there is an element of government control, but an effort to support free market. Hence it is characterized by dropping of trade barriers and privatizations. It falls close to a mixed economy but outside the maturity of a mixed economy. Hence in this economy the government still dominates in resource allocation and direction. It is a work in progress format of a system (Lavigne, 2002).            Apart from the free markets system and command market existing, these economies can harbor other subsystems such as private finance initiatives or public private partnerships. These are entities whereby the public uses private sector to offer a certain service over a certain period under concessionary terms. Under this system this partnership utilizes resources by making a case for fair cost and transfer of risks to another party. This system effectively utilizes resources by spreading risks and looking for quality service that is offered by the government. Hence the government will take care of funds and the private sector takes care of the rest. In other instances the private solely finances the projects. This partnerships frees some resources to be utilized somewhere else, achieving resource efficiency (Buyya, 2002).            In conclusion all the types of economies have the capacity to effectively allocate resources. But the most efficient economy does not utilize one form of economic system. The best economies are those which utilize all the discussed economic systems above, apart from the transitional economy which is solely for countries that are shifting. References Harrison, M. (2002). Coercion, compliance, and the collapse of the Soviet command economy. The Economic History Review, 55(3), 397-433. Lavigne, M. (1995). The economics of transition: from socialist economy to market economy. London: Macmillan. Nee, V. (1992). Organizational dynamics of market transition: hybrid forms, property rights, and mixed economy in China. Administrative science quarterly, 37(1).Buyya, R., Abramson, D., Giddy, J., &Stockinger, H. (2002). Economic models for resource management and scheduling in grid computing. Concurrency and computation: practice and experience, 14(13†15), 1507-1542. Source document

Fast Foods vs. Home Made Foods

These days, most people prefer fast food rather than home-made food. People are alike in needing food in order to survive, but they differ in choosing the kind of food they're having. Fast food and home-made food have considerable dissimilarities in preparation time, convenience, and quality. Despite the health risks that come with fast food consumption, people continue to eat it because many people have no time to select and prepare food at home. However, fast food need not be as unhealthy as its reputation. One advantage of home-made meals over fast food is its cheaper cost.However, because you also spend on seasoning, condiments and gas and electricity whenever you cook at home, the cost difference is quite possibly not as large as many believe. In addition, home-made meals generally take more time to prepare and require you to have cooking skills. On the other hand, the taste of home-made meals is generally better, because you are able to select fresh ingredients. You are also ab le to ensure the ingredients that go into your food are clean and free of contaminants. Nowadays, fast food attracts people more than home-made food does. It's known as the food that you don't have to prepare.Fast food is more common because people are always busy, and in a hurry, so they head towards fast food restaurants to save their time. For example, if a worker works for a long time and doesn't have enough time to cook a meal, (he/she) will definitely consume a fast food meal. Fast food is also common because it's convenient and people can find fast food restaurants in all places. In conclusion, both fast food and home-made food have significant divergence in preparation time, convenience and quality. Fast food might be better in saving time and being more convenient, while home-made food might be better in quality.

Popular Entertainment, Performing Arts Essay

Popular entertainment is â€Å"ideas, perspectives, altitudes, memes, and other phenomena that are preferred by an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture. † Now like me most people would think, â€Å"I still don’t get it. † Popular entertainment is basically a genre of entertainment based on the popularity it has gained. Many people often confuse popular culture which is basically popular entertainment with pop culture. The most important difference between the two is that popular culture is gained popularity regardless of the style whereas pop culture is based on a specific society and historic period which contains qualities of mass appeal. Popular Entertainment is often stereotyped as trivial and one could almost say dumbed down to be accepted by the masses of society, which allows those who aren’t part of the main stream such as religious groups and countercultural groups to heavily criticize it. These groups deem it superficial, consumerist, sensational and even corrupted. The Distinction between Popular and Higher Culture Popular entertainment can be traced back to the 19th century where it was considered education and general culture of the lower class as opposed to the official or dominant class of society. By the end of World War 2 the following big cultural and social changes brought by most media innovations caused Popular Entertainments meaning to overlap with that of mass culture, media culture, image culture and culture for mass consumption. It is believed that there are as many as six different meanings of Popular Entertainment. The quantitive meaning often sets in the confusion of certain â€Å"higher culture† that is also popular. * It is also described as the left over culture after â€Å"higher culture† has been defined and taken from the equation. * It is also said that it is equivalent to mass culture and ideas. Then it is described as commercial culture which is mass produced for mass consumption by mass media from Western Europe which can be compared to American Culture. * It has been known as the authenticate culture of the people * That it has a political dimension to it Personally I think it can be most relevantly described as the struggle between the resistant of lower groups in society and forces of incorporation of the dominant groups of society with regards to the entertainment world. Popular Entertainment or culture can easily be recognized by the distinction between that which is considered popular and that which is considered as high class. It has emerged from urbanisation of industrial revolution. Confusion comes in when Bart Simpsons for example, which is a television animation which can be considered as higher class has elements of popular entertainment in it. Studies of Shakespeare notice that many characteristic vitality of his drama in its participation in Renaissance Popular Culture while contemporary practitioners such as Dario Fo and John McGarth use popular culture in its Gramscian sense that includes ancient folk tradition like comedia dell‘arte. This makes it difficult for the average person to then differentiate between Popular Entertainment and Higher forms of entertainment. Popular entertainment constantly changes and occurs specifically in place and time. It boils down to that which represents a complex of mutually interdependent perspectives and values that influences society and its influences in various ways. Popular Entertainment is therefore commonly more appealing to the broader spectrum of society. Popular Entertainment can therefore be related to that which people can easily relate to. Popular culture is also associated with self-referentiality. This basically means that Popular Entertainment is mainly based on exploring every realm of corrective experience instead of just relying on reality. Many media outputs devote it to other images whereas self-referentiality is all-embracing. It is said that the side effect of mass consumerism reflects a fundamental paradox which is basically the increase in technological and cultural sophistication combined with the increase in superficial and dehumanization. What makes Popular Entertainment Popular? Anyone who enjoys the streets who enjoys feasting his eyes on shop windows piled high with all kinds of everyday wares and artful trifles; anyone who enjoys the cafes is unlikely to be moved by the polished art of the serious theatre. Unless the theatre shouts as lustily as the streets it won’t attract an audience for love or money. The Parisian derives far more enjoyment from the fetes and traveling theatres than from anything the dramatic theatre has to offer- Vsevolod Meyerhold We must give credit to the basic principles of the circus and the music hall. In olden times there was the influence of French comedians and of Chaplin. The first news of fox trot and jazz, this early love thrived. The music hall element was obviously eeded at the time for the emergence of a montage form of thought- Sergei Einstein, tr. Daniel Gerould Playfulness is a volatile sometimes dangerously explosive essence which cultural institutions seek to bottle or contain in the vials of games, of competition, chance, and strength in modes of simulation such as theatre and in control disorientation from roller coasters to dervish dancing- Victor Turner What is Popular Entertainment? Popular Entertainment is basically any form of entertainment that is considered relevant to those who form part of the lower and middle class. It is the entertainment which as gained popularity not for the specific style that is used, but for its relevance. Popular entertainment therefore cannot simply be associated with its level of popularity since there can be other, much higher levels of entertainment that can also be popular. This does not mean that the element of popularity is completely cut from what popular entertainment is, it just means that it is not solely based on the level of popularity but more so on the level of popularity the style of entertainment has gained regardless of it style. Genres in popular entertainment Folklore Folklore is a form Popular Entertainment but is not mass produced. Folklore persists today by word of mouth instead of through mass media, e. g. jokes and urban legends. Folklores element of popular entertainment engages big time with the commercial element. The public has its own tastes and it may not embrace all sorts of entertainment. Popular entertainment has an interconnected nature. Things such as when you sulk and the clock strikes 12:00 that your face would stay like that can be considered as folklore. Many people embrace this form, but instead of being spread in masses it gets carried over from generation to generation by word of mouth. Burlesque Burlesque is often stereotyped with strippers walking on a run way. This is not a complete myth although, burlesque in its essence was a form of popular entertainment that over stepped the boundaries of what was considered â€Å"right† in the time frame. Burlesque generally consists of music and comedy. The main attraction towards burlesque was its sense of making fun of sex. This is one of the main reasons why the female cast members bodies were exposed in sexy tight fitting and short costumes. Burlesque in the period of its peak was very popular mainly because the form of exposure was considered immoral in that time. The woman of that time covered their bodies’ true form with frills and puffs of material while those on the burlesque stage had their garters sticking out with tights and body suits, leaving very little for the imagination. Its sense of humour was solely based on exposed humans’ sexual nature and they relied on comedy with double meanings. It was a very clever way of getting people to laugh as they would make comments like I’m sorry I was late, but my gadget broke. Allowing the audience to wonder what was she late for and what gadget broke. She could mean she was late or she didn’t â€Å"come† in time because her g-string broke. This form of comedy an exposure of the female body made burlesque a leading genre through the 1840s up until the 1960s. Burlesque then introduced other genres such as vaudeville to fill the show, but at the time many vaudeville performers considered burlesque as demoralising but when they times were tough they would perform in burlesque under aliases. The female cast members were soon playing men roles. Burlesque was never really about a strong script but more about the power of the star playing the role to keep audiences stimulated and coming back for more, â€Å"Underdressed woman playing sexual aggressors, combining good looks with impertinent comedy- in a production written and managed by woman? Unthinkable! † Burlesque was basically dominated by daring woman who with enough will power believed that they could accomplish anything. Burlesque evolved into making fun of relevant topics and popular shows along with a sexual connotation which kept audiences intrigued. Burlesque became a variety act that included song, dance, juggling, comics, etc. Burlesque soon took on the format of a minstrel show. It was when males took over the management of Burlesque that female wit was replaced with trying to reveal as much of the female body as possible. Millie Deleon, Burlesques biggest star in the 20th century, threw her garters in the audiences and at times did not wear tights. This got her arrested but also assisted in giving burlesque a bad reputation. A typical burlesque stage setting was based on common places that the middle and lower class audience could relate to as they were the target audience. Common settings were courtrooms, street corners, class rooms, as well as examining rooms. Burlesque comedy focussed a lot of misunderstandings which kept it interesting. Cabaret Cabaret is unique for its venue. Originally the word means a place where alcohol is served. Cabaret in the world of entertainment refers to a performance in an intimate restaurant or nightclub setting where adults can enjoy entertainment that stretches the boundaries of what was permitted in the time of origin. A cabaret can more so be described as intellectuals that gathered in an intimate environment to share ideas by means of comedy, song, dance and theatre. These ideas were mainly based on politics and themes that had social relevance. The first Cabaret â€Å"Cabaret Artistique† opened in 1881 in Paris, France. It was later renamed to â€Å"Le Chat Noir. Its main attraction was not the half dressed woman as in Burlesque but rather the sharing of ideas in the associated venue. Cabarets can be considered as the outcasts or those who went against the norms of society and performed their opinions through skits that they would often come up with in a span of an evening or during the day. Cabarets content is almost always relevant to society of its time frame. The comedy used in cabaret was not just any old jokes or random making fun of whatever was relevant but rather very clever. The comedy they used was satire which is often described as being tickled with a blade. Cabarets relied on using content that was sensitive in society and they would make fun of that only to later make the audience later realise that they were laughing about something that is actually very serious. For example the news may show how babies get raped on a regular basis then cabaret performers would satirically perform these rapes but with the idea that they want people to be aware of the seriousness of the problem. This may seem complicated as they make are making fun of very sensitive things but most cabarets was a very clever way of influencing an audience member’s frame of thought. Cabaret is also unique for its audience interaction. A typical cabaret often involved the audience completely in the performance. In cabaret it is specifically important to keep the audience intrigued by the performance, but also being able to allow them a chance to embrace the intimate space they are in with whoever they are with. Cabarets gave room for the audience to interact with one another. It is vital to know that a cabaret is specifically targeted at the adult audience and is not appropriate for all ages or families. Cabaret is about being able to explore the boundaries that have been set by society in this intimate environment. Cabaret also has variety acts like jugglers, singers, dances, clowns, etc. but it was mainly based on the message that they are trying to bring across. In a cabaret the audience did not have to abide by the laws of society, so the audience was automatically comfortable. The audience did not have to sit in a specific way or take off their hats when they came to the cabaret instead they were free to be, socialise as they pleased and also enjoy the entertainment of a cabaret. Later cabaret gained a jazz element to it but its main focus has barely changed besides the misconceptions modern society has. Vaudeville This is basically any form of inoffensive entertainment which solely relied on the audience response. Vaudeville could include anything from juggling, freak acts to dumb acts. It focuses on entertaining, fascinating and reaching the unthinkable. Anyone could enjoy a vaudeville act and while it often included song and dance the core of a vaudeville act was doing something extraordinarily. The audience is very interactive in this style of entertainment and an audience response could either make or break an act. For a vaudevillian it is vital to always be at their best as a slip up in one act could ruin their reputation for good. Vaudevilles format was never about the importance of the act but rather based on the order of appearance. Vaudeville affected the normal comedy world as vaudeville was fun, entertaining and often humorous. It was only later that comics were emerged into vaudeville by means of a master of ceremonies which also assisted in making certain bills hit shows instead of just normal. It is vital to realise that vaudeville bills weren’t always entertaining. Some were really boring and others just average, vaudeville relies on the fact that it consists of 8acts and if an audience does not like a particular act they had the next act to rely on, to fulfil the audience taste. Comparisons and contrasts The one thing almost all the genres within popular entertainment have in common is that their target audience are all the lower class or working class of its time. The difference is evident where it’s a given that Burlesque is more specifically targeted at male audience, while cabaret is targeted at adults who don’t always agree with government and vaudeville is targeted at everyone. Burlesque and cabaret can compare in the sense that they both are more appropriate at night but while burlesque relies on its sexual connotation and exposed females, cabaret relies on the relevance of the topics that they use and the ideas they share. Vaudeville is basically any type of entertainment within the parameters of society while burlesque and cabaret is more anti-society than anything else. It is evident that dominant classes of the time of each of these genres basically looked down on all the styles mentioned, but this is what kept the middle and lower classes entertained. In each style, song, dance and comedy is relevant but while vaudeville relied on slapstick and amusing comedy cabaret relies of clever, satirical and black humour and burlesque makes use of confusing or misinterpreting or even witty comedy. Wit and satire can be very closely associated but satires method to tickle with a blade makes it unique to cabaret. While vaudeville could be showed in a theatre or even a park and burlesque can be showed in any theatre or circuit it is vital that the cabaret has the intimate bar or restaurant vibe attached to it. While vaudeville can be identified for its entertainment and fascinations, burlesque can be identified for its guts while cabaret can be identified by the roughness and the â€Å"balls† in its skits. Cabaret and Burlesque is very closely associated while they both may contain vaudeville acts it is strictly prohibited to have any sort of burlesque or cabaret acts or skits in vaudeville as it is not sociably accepted. Many vaudevillians considered Burlesque as demoralising and if any vaudevillian act offends an audience member they could be dismissed. Cabaret almost everything is allowed the cast could cleverly insult an audience member often cabarets are successful for the odd uncomfortable feeling that the audience may feel during skits or a scene. The historical developments of Popular Entertainment Ancient Greek history Popular entertainment in its essence can be traced as far back as the 5th century BC. This is linked by the ancient Greeks who added song and dance in their comedies and tragedies. Athenian playwrights also had songs in their plays which were sometimes self-composed. These plays were staged in open air amphitheatres which included sexual humour, political and social satire, jugglers and everything else that might entertain the majority. The songs were often a way to allow the chorus to comment on the action on stage. It is evident that ancient musicals had no direct on modern musicals or popular culture. It does prove that the concept has been present for approximately 25 hundred years.