The Beginning of Our United States Essay examples

The Beginning of Our United States The British government had enormous problems after the enduring victory over France in the Seven Years War. The Seven Years War had virtually doubled the national public debt, and the attainment of half the territory in North America had vastly compounded the problems of controlling the empire. These circumstances required new revenues for the empire, and the ruling circles in Great Britain believed that the colonists were best able to provide the necessary funds to re-pay the national public debt (American History [Vol. 1] p.123). Accordingly, measures to secure enforcement of the Navigation Acts, which excluded all non-British ships from the colonial carrying trade, were adopted by the†¦show more content†¦1] pg. 132-33). Although Parliament refused to recognize the adoption by the Congress of a petition of rights, privileges, and grievances, the Stamp Act was repealed in 1766 (Encarta: Stamp Act, 1999). After a change in leadership in the British government, the polic y of imposing direct taxes on the American colonies was revised in 1767. Parliament approved a series of measures, that were known as the Townshend Acts, which among other things, levied modest customs duties on tea, paper, lead, paint, and glass (Encarta: Boston Massacre, 1999). Colonial resistance to the Townshend Acts included, boycotts of British goods, intercolonial expressions of disapproval, and in Massachusetts, open defiance of the British government by the town of Boston and the General Court (Encyclopedia.com: Boston Massacre, 1994). In 1768 Great Britain transferred two regiments of troops to Boston in response to the seditious sentiments prevalent in Massachusetts. However, this action merely served to intensify the anti-British feelings there (Encarta: Boston Massacre, 1999). Finally, on March 5, 1770, a group of British soldiers who were protecting the Kings tax collectors from being tarred and feathered, fired on a hostile crowd, producing the first bloodshed of the struggle (Encyclopedia.com: Boston Massacre, 1994). Primarily due to changed political circumstances in Great Britain, Parliament in 1770 repealed all the Townshend Act duties except theShow MoreRelatedEconomics Of The Gold Standard Debate963 Words   |  4 PagesGold Standard Debate Beginning in 1870, each nation converted their national currencies to their relative worth in gold. This was called the Gold Standard and it has brought up many arguments between politicians, businessmen, and organizations with prominent economists on whether or not to return to it. Although there are multiple reasons why America should not return, there are also many resurfaced ideas that would make it very profitable for us to do so. The United States abandoned the gold standardRead MoreThe World s Foreign Policy1593 Words   |  7 Pagesalliances, the arming of nations, and the deep seated hatred still present from past loses were all too present. In late July of 1914 the powder keg that was Europe would erupt and the countries would be pushed into the fires of war. However, the United States of America would stand on the sideline for some time before becoming involved in an affair they had no care to be in. Come 1917 the U.S. would enter the war though, aiding its Western Europe an allies in their fight against Germany and the TripleRead MoreThe Importance of Foreign Relationships to the United States of America1493 Words   |  6 Pagesto the United States of America With the world balancing on the edge of destruction, foreign relationships are extremely important to the United States of America. 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Kennedy968 Words   |  4 Pagesfamous inaugural addresses in our country’s history. In his inaugural address, Kennedy spoke of the United States making some sort change in the world. Kennedy not only called upon Americans, but also others from different nations asking for their support in joining in peace for mankind’s success. Kennedy encouraged citizens to defend their freedom and presented his ideals for presidency for a time of change. In his speech, Kennedy gives the citizens of the United States a se nse of safety which reassuredRead MoreAnalysis Of The Right Road To America By Amy Chua816 Words   |  4 Pageshow the United States could become unglued from its true meaning, and how citizens can fix this imminent problem. The information in this text is significant, especially in today’s society. With all of the issues about immigration coinciding with our current president, this text relates to current subjects American’s are facing. 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Kennedy’s speech was about how if America was to thrive, it needs to reform foreign policy. The speech provides a strong appeal to citizens of the United States of America and many people in other countries. I agree with Kennedy’s attitude and view that if America is to be the place of wonder that foreign countries make it out to be, then foreign policy changes need to take affect The inaugural addressRead MoreThe Articles Of Confederation And The Early Formation Of The United States933 Words   |  4 PagesNo matter what it is the beginning of a new business or anything there are going to be bumps in the road. Starting a new country will have the same problems. This was apparent in the early formation of this great country. Weather it be differences in the way the people thing the country should be run, and the mistakes on how it actually works. The political parties have the conflicts that show we are going to have to grow, and adapt to an ever-changing society. 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Kudler fine foods and the relevant market research Free Essays

Kovacic, et al (2003) wrote a paper about the research they made which details how the group relied on a market research study to see if the product that they would like to sell, kulen in particular, to their target market including European countries like Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Through the market research they were able to find sufficient reason to launch a market test and eventually a full scale export operation, largely because of the use of market research. Like Kovacic, Kudler Fine Food’s company is also engaged in the sale of organic food to a particular target market. We will write a custom essay sample on Kudler fine foods and the relevant market research or any similar topic only for you Order Now And while Kovacic has not started with the business and Kudler Fine Food already has, it does not make market research any less significant for any of the two. Kudler Fine Foods was able to put together a very sound marketing strategy and tactics that it uses to further improve its performance in the business front because of its effective implementation of market research.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Without the market research, Kudler Fine Food’s company is close to groping in the dark since the market research provided Kudler Fine Foods company several important information that it needs to know wherein marketing strategy and tactics greatly depend. Through the inclusion of the inputs of market research Kudler Fine Foods was able to detect not just the significant growth the company is experiencing, but as well as the capability and the viability of the company to finally expand the services. One of the many dilemmas faced by companies is the ability to know for sure when it is the right time to expand as well as to downsize just to ensure that sustainability as well as growth is possible and attainable. Through the input of the market research, the company was able to know that aside from starting on the correct marketing strategy that enabled the creation of a situation fit for starting company expansion, there are more and better marketing strategies that they can use to improve the performance of Kudler Fine Food in the business front. The market research also enabled the company to detect areas of development and improvement in operations. This is just as important because different aspects of the business drastically and quickly change. Sometimes, the reason and nature of such changes are reactionary and it is important for companies like Kudler Fine Foods to be able to detect facets of its operation which still needs a shot in the arm and still has a lot of room for improvement. Market research makes this data available through research and study methodologies that enables Kudler Fine Foods to get inside the minds of its customers, non-customers and even employees and using that opportunity to explore what one thinks is Kudler Fine Food’s weakest link so far that hinders them from operating in a level that is a notch higher. And finally, the market research also helped the company pinpoint exactly the frequency of the   improving consumer purchase which provided the necessary data to Kudler Fine Foods that the company’s current strategies are making it easier for increased loyalty of its consumers, which in turn results to improved profitability. Market research, after all, is geared in knowing, interpreting and digesting the pulse of the market and tactics and strategies in the future can be maximized if it is directed in the direction that market research points to. Additional market research is needed in the following areas that include the better profiling of competitors, internal marketing, knowing what both the patrons and non-patrons of Kudler Fine Foods expect from the company in the long and short term future including the introduction of new products or new services, the study of viable partnership or alliances with other companies the partnership of which can provide better revenue and sales performance for both parties involved, Market research should not always be focused on what a company wants to work on through self assessment; sometimes, it is also important that companies assess themselves by comparing itself as a company to other rival and competitor companies and see the differences as well as the advantages in favor of the rivals and the competitors and why such advantages exist in the first place. To be able to be consistent in the pursuit of staying ahead, a company must always understand the rival company’s next moves and thwart it or be a step ahead of it, and this can only be done by the integration of a more detailed profiling of rivals based on more market research. Know your enemy is the famous dogmas of every efficient fighter so that you have an improved judgment every time you decide and anticipates the rival’s next moves. While it may not always guarantee that the rival will become totally predictable, it will make your moves more calculated and not something which is loosely and randomly done like strategies done on impulse. Through the use of correct market research, the money a company spends for its marketing strategies and tactics (including promotions, advertisement, acquisitions, launching of new products, phasing out of old products, re-branding and brand re-positioning, etc) achieves expected goals. While most market research are generally capable of identifying whether or not a person likes a brand or not, or which particular brand he likes the most and the least; marketing strategy should never forget to cover its own base and make sure that it also knows what the employee wants and the extent of the company employees’ loyalty to the brand or the company’s products or services. Most market research efforts are focused too rigidly on knowing what customers want that what the employee wants are ignored, forgotten or removed from the equation, which should not be the case since employees, when outside the office, transforms not only into clients and customers but as well as first hand agents of product and service promotion that can ultimately translate into a highly probable long term client. Modern companies are already cognizant of the need for an effective internal marketing program and like external marketing; all a company needs is a market research. Knowing what both the patrons and non-patrons of Kudler Fine Foods expect from the company in the long and short term future including the introduction of new products or new services is an important (sub) topic of future market research because it can provide a glimpse of where Kudler Fine Foods should go in order for them to maintain the loyalty of its current patrons and to invite more individuals to become customers of the company as well. The study of viable partnership or alliances with other companies the partnership of which can provide better revenue and sales performance for both parties involved can be assessed better through the use of data from market research. This is a very tricky business and marketing move, but it is doable and can be a potential tool in improving sales, visibility and touching bases with the target market if the alliance is done with a viable partner in a set up that is as much as possible a win-win situation for both parties involved, or if not, with very minimal losses. Take for example the move of Starbucks and the bookstores and libraries. Starbucks’ willingness to explore the possibility of setting foot on new grounds enabled such a new phenomena that â€Å"a growing number of the nation’s 3,700 academic libraries — eager to lure students from wired coffee shops off campus — are following bookstores and public libraries in opening their doors to Starbucks† (Horovitz). The result was an improved brand recall and greater impact on its target market without the use of hard selling and traditional advertising, and its usual costs. It is important to mention that analyzing the significance of competitive intelligence possessed by Kudler Fine Foods in the development of the company’s marketing strategy and tactics was an important step towards the realization of the potency of such information and how it can help in the shaping and re-shaping of marketing policies so that it suits well with what the company wants to achieve regardless of the action and presence of its competitors. References: Horovitz, B. (2008). Something else to check out at library: Starbucks. USA Today. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2007-09-27-starbucks_N.htm Council of American Survey Research Organizations (2001). Importance of Marketing Research. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from http://www.casro.org/media/Importance%20of%20Research.pdf Kovacic, D., Radman, M., Kolega, A., Markovina J, and Karolyi, D. (2003). Export Marketing of Slavonian Kulen: the Results of Market Research. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from www.agr.hr/smotra/pdf_68/acs68_33.pdf ; How to cite Kudler fine foods and the relevant market research, Essays

Phd Proposal free essay sample

A good proposal will show that you have a decent understanding of what you want to explore and how you might do that, that you have engaged with the relevant literatures, and that you can say why you think your study will be significant or interesting. You might also want to take a look at the Academic Profiles of CMOL faculty members and see the range of work they are engaged in, the sorts of methods they use, and try to identify how your study might relate to their interests. 1 PROPOSAL FOR Ph. D. THESIS Area of Study MANAGEMENT IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT Proposed Title: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN MALAYSIA: FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THEADOPTION OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THELOCAL AUTHORITES IN MALAYSIA 2 1. INTRODUCTION Strategic management has been touted as one of the effective management tools in strengthening organization performance through effective decision making and systematic strategic formulation and implementation. We will write a custom essay sample on Phd Proposal or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although strategic management was more prevalent in the private sector since the concept was first developed, the interest of using strategic management in the public sector has increased over the last decade (Smith, 1994). Since 1980? s there have been a series of reforms taking shape in the public sector, resulting from increased awareness on the importance of quality in the public sector. According to Osborne and Gaebler (1992), that strategic management appeared to be part of a package management innovations design to „reinvent? or „modernize? the public sector. Strategic management was found to be an effective management tool in transforming a bureaucratic public sector to a more responsive and innovative administration. Local Authority in Malaysia (LA) is a government at local level in the Malaysian Three-tier, Administrative System. It is responsible in providing urban services as well as implementing economic, social, physical and urban development within its gazetted administrative boundary. The role of LAs as the catalyst of economic development as well as political and social stability is undoubtedly critical given its status, as the government at the third level with certain autonomy power measured to enhance the increasing demands from the communities for a more customer-oriented and higher standard of urban services. It is this context that the study intends to investigate to what extent strategic management is being adopted and practiced by the LAs in Malaysia and to determine factors associated to LAs in adopting a strategic management framework as suggested by the western literature. 2. PROBLEM STATEMENTS 3 While strategic management is widely practiced by firms and other profit oriented organizations in this country, its adoption by public sector particularly in government agencies at operational level is less understood. Strategic planning in Malaysia is still insubstantial and unknown in the ense that there is an absence of documented proof of its practice (Mohamad , 1988). This study is undertaken to fill this knowledge gap. It is imperative to study on how strategic management is being adopted by government agencies as a tool of enhancing performance their performance. LAs are chosen as the setting because of their significant role as the third tier government in Malaysia. Not only LAs ar e important in the provision of urban services to the taxpayers, they are also critical as a catalyst in economic growth and well-being for the country. 3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS ) What is the extent of adoption of strategic management practices among the LAs in terms of: i) ii) iii) iv) v) Completeness of systems; Established direction and mission; Depth of analysis; Implementation task and skills; and Control and feedback mechanism b) What are the contributing and impeding factors in the LAs in successfully adopting the strategic management practices; c) How do factors such as leadership traits, organization culture and organization structure have impact in the degree of adoption strategic management by the LAs. 4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 4 The main objective of the study is to examine the adoption of strategic management practices in the Local Authorities in Malaysia. In so doing, the study will seek: a) to investigate the extent to which strategic management is adopted by the LAs, in line with the strategic management framework that suite its environment; b) to ascertain factors that contribute and impede the smooth adoption of strategic management in the LAs; c) to see how factors such as leadership traits, organization culture and organization structure have impact in adopting strategic management in the LAs; and ) to highlight any other finding that are of interest and contribute towards the subject of strategic management in government agencies. 5. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY Finding of the research will add to the knowledge and understanding of the subject of strategic management and its application by the LAs. This study should be significant in the sense that it will: a) Allow the identification of the concept an d framework of strategic management that takes into account the nature of work and environment of the LAs; ) Support and enrich theory and model of strategic management in public organizations that have similarities in their nature of service with the LAs; c) Generate greater awareness among public organizations on the importance of having a proper and practical strategic management framework as a vehicle to organizational effectiveness; 5 d) Provide useful knowledge on factors that might have impact and contribute to the successful adoption of strategic management in public organizations. 6. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study will take all the organization of LAs in Peninsular Malaysia as the setting. Organization of the LAs will confine only to the office of the LAs, being secretariat or the administrative arms of the LAs. 7. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY The objective of the study is basically two-pronged. Firstly s to examine the extent of adoption of strategic management practices in the LAs and secondly is to see how factors such as leadership traits, organization culture do and organization structure have impact in the adoption of strategic management that suite the environment of the LAs. Gathering of data on the extent of strategic management adoption in the LAs will be based on models of strategic planning by notable strategic management gurus such as Steiner (1979) and Glueck (1982). Amongst the dimension to be investigated are: vi) vii) viii) ix) x) Completeness of systems; Establish direction and mission; Depth of analysis; Implementation task and skills; and Control and feedback mechanism The theoretical framework of the study is depicted by the diagram below: 6 Factors Associated With the Extent of Strategic Management Adoption in the Local Authorities in Malaysia Leadership Traits Organization Culture Size Extent of Adoption of Strategic Management Framework Organization Structure Income INDEPENDENT VARIABLES MODERATING VARIABLES DEPENDENT VARIABLES 8. DEFINITION OF VARIABLES The dimensions of each independent variable are have been identified as follows: a. Leadership Traits Degree of ability It refers to ability to organize, supervise and dealing with issues. This variable is adopted from Jameson and Soule (1991); Degree of Visionary It refers to ability to redefine the purpose of organization and embody new purposes into structure and systems; ability to design long-term plan and ability to forecast incoming issues. This variable is adopted from Bryson J. M (1988); Locus of Control Locus of Control refers the extent to which individuals believe that they can control events affecting them. Individuals who have a high internal locus of control or referred to as „internals? , believe that the event in their lives are primarily the result of their own behaviour and actions. Individuals who have a high external locus of control or referred to as „external? , on the other hand believe that the events in their lives and organizations are 7 primarily determined by chance, fate or other people. This variable is adopted from Julian Rotter (1966) and Burger J. M. (1986). b. Organization Culture Level of Team work. Refers to desirability of the personnel to work in a group accomplishing a given task or assignment. Level of Commitment, Refers to willingness among the personnel to complete the task at their level best and having sense of pride for achieving organizational task. c. Organization Structure Degree of Authority. Refers to clarity of line authority from top management to the lowest level; clarity of duties, responsibilities and authorities of each role in the organization and degree to which authority is delegated. Degree of structural flexibility in terms of adopting changes. Adopted from Fayol? s fundamental management functions. Extent of Coordination. Refers to level of interdependence in work situations. How programs and tasks are coordinated and what are the tools or mechanisms used to coordinate. Adopted from Fayol? s fundamental management functions. Level of Communication Refers to the existence of a strictly upward, downward and multidimensional communication as oppose to a little two-way communication. Also refers to level of participation of personnel in organization communication. Adopted from Likerts? Model of Organization Design. d. Dimensions of Dependent Variable The dimensions the dependent variable i. e. the extent of adoption of strategic management by the Las will comprise of completeness of systems; established 8 direction and mission; depth of analysis; implementation task and skills; and Control and feedback mechanism. The determination of those dimensions were based on Certo and Peter (1990). These dimensions has been adopted with some modification from earlier working of Steiner (1979), Van Gigch (1978) and Glueck (1982). 9. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Population The population of this study is all Local Authorities (Las) in Malaysia. Currently there 143 LAs nationwide with the break down of 97 in Peninsular Malaysia and 46 in Sabah and Sarawak. Nevertheless, this study will only take all Las in Peninsular Malaysia as the setting. This is to ensure uniformity and homogeneity as all Las in Peninsular Malaysia are created and governed by the same law, i. e. Act 171 as opposed to LAs in Sabah and Sarawak which are established and administered by their own state? s ordinance. All the 97 LAs in Peninsular Malaysia come within three principal categories, namely City Councils, Municipal Councils and District Councils. Table II shows the distribution of local authorities according to various states in Peninsular Malaysia. Table II: Peninsular Malaysia: Local Authorities by States, 2004 No. of Local Authorities State Johore Kedah Kelantan Malacca N. Sembilan Pahang City Council 1 1 Municipal Council 4 2 1 District Council 9 8 11 1 5 9 Total 14 11 12 3 8 11 1 1 3 2 9 Perak Perlis Penang Selangor Terengganu Fed. Teritory Total 1 3 1 2 11 15 1 2 1 7 1 4 6 12 7 1 1* 6 27 64 97 * Kuala Lumpur City Hall Source: Ministry of Housing and Local Government. Unit of Analysis Unit of analysis is organization i. e. the Local Authorities in Malaysia. Data Gathering A perception survey will be conducted to measure variables using structured questionnaire. Questionnaire will be sent to all LAs via post. Measurement will use Likert Scale. In addition, interviews will also be conducted at selected LAs to solicit views from selected respondent? s especially top management in the LAs. Other data will be gathered from records at Public Complains Bureau (BPA), departments? files, records and other documents. Secondary data will be obtained from relevant Parliament Acts, relevant research and seminar papers, annual reports, statistical abstract, magazines, newspapers and journals. 0. LITERATURE REVIEW Strategic Management – An overview Strategic management is defined as a systematic process for managing the organization and its future direction in relation to its environment in a way that will assure continuous success as well as secure from surprises (Ansoff 1984, Berry 1995). Strategic management encompasses the process of determ ining organization? s mission and goals; managing strategy formulation; strategy implementation; and strategy control. 10 Strategic management can be viewed as a series of steps covering the tasks of analyzing the opportunities and threats that exist in the external environment; analyzing the organization? s strengths and weaknesses within the internal environment; identifying agency stakeholders; establishing organization? s mission and goals; formulating strategies by matching the organization? s strengths and weaknesses with the environment? s opportunities and threats; implementing the strategies; and finally engaging in strategy control activities to measure the implementation progress and ensure achievement of the stated goals. Ansoff (1984), clarifies that the first step in the evolution of strategic management is known as strategic formulation, it began in 1950? s when firms started to invent a systematic approach in deciding on how and where the firms will do its future business. The progress of which managers jointly formulate the strategy was known as strategic planning. The term strategic management was subsequently introduced to include environmental assessment and strategy implementation. Thus, strategic management is defined as being where strategic planning is coupled with strategy implementation. Steiner (1979) and Barry (1986), argue that strategic planning and management, regardless of why public and not profit organization engage in it, can help an organization achieve the clarify future direction; think strategically and develop effective strategies; establish priorities; deal effectively with rapid changingCircumstances; build teamwork and expertise; and solve major organizational problems; and improve organizational performance. Chart I: Generic Model of Strategic Management 11 ENVIRONMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES ENVIRONMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS AND THREATS Macroenvironment Macroenvironment Industry Industry Environment Environment ORGANIZATIONAL DIRECTION ORGANIZATIONAL DIRECTION Mission and Goals Mission and Goals STRATEGY FORMULATION STRATEGY FORMULATION Corporate Strategy Corporate Strategy Formulation Formulation Business Strategy Business Strategy Formulation Formulation Functional Strategy Functional Strategy Formulation Formulation STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION Organization Structure Organization Structure Leadership Leadership Power Power Organizational Culture Organizational Culture STRATEGY CONTROL STRATEGY CONTROL Performance Performance Local Authority in Malaysia As the study will focus on strengthening the local Authorities, a general overview on the Local Authority in Malaysia is essential to form a context of the study. Beginning with the creation of Committee of Assessors in Penang in 1801, the administration of LA was subsequently governed by Sanitary Board Enactment in 1907, before it was grouped into two major classifications namely Town Board Enactment in 1945. The administration of LAs falls under the jurisdiction of the State Governments. In its capacity as a local government, LAs, perform a wide range of functions. LAs are the provider of various urban services; the authorized parties in the formulation of local and structural plan; catalyst for social and economic development; caretaker of urban environment rotection and cleanliness; and tax and revenue collectors. Apart from Act 171 mentioned above, there are two more prominent laws that form the power of LAs, namely the Town and Planning Act 1976 and the Street Drainage and Building Act 1974. In performing their multifaceted functions, the LAs derive their revenues from various sources, including taxes, rents and license fees, profit from trade, services and undertakings, income 12 from property assessment and revenue from federal and state governments (Ahmad Kamaruddin, 1999) The issue on weaknesses of the LAs have been discussed time and again by many interested and effected parties. The Chief Secretary to the Government, in his opening speech at the Annual Working Meeting or Senior Officials of Local Government Authorities in 1998, reiterated on the importance of LAs to improve their service to the people through a strong communication and feedback system; effective enforcement; high integrity and transparency; prudent financial management system; enhancing people participation in their programs; and continuous efforts in inculcating quality culture in their organizations. Further to that, Dr. Mohd. Zin Mohamed in his paper, called for a re-examination of the LAs in various areas including the organizational structure; the scheme of services; the competency building program; and the new dimension of managing LAs in the current changing environment. This study is undertaken to fulfil those expectations, in line with government? s policy to bring quality to the lower levels of the administration, under the spirit of â€Å"Excellent Work Culture Movement†. Creating strong and excellent LAs will benefit many parties including the taxpayers; stakeholders; and the country as a whole. The roles of LAs in the revitalization of the current economic slow down is highly critical. As the authority in approving various permits and licenses for many types of trades and business, as well as the authorized agency in issuing the Certificate of Fitness (CF) to all residential, commercial and industrial buildings before they can be occupied and operationalized, one could understand how an effective LAs could contribute to the well-being of the country. As a frontline organizations dealing with the public at grass-root level, the performance of LAs cannot but reflect the image and credibility of the entire government. Strategic Management in States and Local Governments 13 The importance of strategic planning and management practice as an effective tool in strengthening the performance in the states and local governments has become a subject of interest in many developed countries since the last fifteen years. In the US, concerted efforts have been undertaken to empower states and local governments aimed at enhancing the capacity of these authorities. Much of such efforts were sparked by the idea of strategic management and organizational transformation inspired by Osborne and Gaebler in their Reinventing Government (1992). Wechsler conducted a survey in 548 state agencies in the United States in 1995 to assess their experience in strategic planning and implementation. The survey discovered that a majority of the agencies (60%) currently use strategic planning and management in their organizations. It was also found that leadership in the individual agency is the main factor (88%) for state agencies to initiate strategic planning in their organization, while almost all respondents chose „desire to set program and policy direction? as the most important objective of strategic planning and management. It was also agreed almost unanimously that „clarification of direction and goals? is the most important outcome that strategic management help achieve in their agency. In the United Kingdom, a survey by Flynn, Talbot and Colin (1996) of over 600 UK public service senior managers in 1994 identified the element of competition as a main driving force for local governments to revisit their existing service delivery system. It was discovered that competition generates the need for a new strategic thinking, strategy formulation and implementation. However, it was also revealed that the undertaking of strategic planning in most local governments is normally by state governments. 14 Strategic Management Implementation Model The Harvard Policy Model and the Stakeholder Management Model are two common approaches to strategic management in the public sector (Bryson 1989). The Harvard Policy model was developed as part of the business policy courses taught at Harvard Business School since the 1920? s. In the Harvard policy, strategists assess organizational strengths and weaknesses, identify opportunities and threats, and seek to coalign the organization with its environment. Orgranization are rejoined to build on strengths, overcome weaknesses, exploit opportunities, and block threats (Nutt Backoff, 1992). Stakeholder approach to strategic planning are concerned with identifying individual and organization actors who have an interest or in the focal organization and it strategic program. This model placed important role on the leadership of an organization to maintain good relationship with the stakeholder who have influence in agency? s direction and its capacity for realizing its strategy. Factors that influence the successful implementation of strategic management from internal organization point of view relate quite closely with the generic organization development model suggested by management experts such as Mc Kinsey, de Bono, Ishikawa – to mention a few. Summary of factors contributing to organization? s excellence under generic organization development model is tabulated in the table below. 15 Variables Explanation Sources Leadership Leadership is the main driver of organization’s change. Leadership will lead the direction, influence and motivate the behavior of personnel to channel their efforts into the desired direction. Identification of the right attitudes and behavior of the people is essential towards achieving strategy and objectives. Ability to perform and operate effectively rely heavily on superior work systems and process Kroll (1992), Howe and Kaufman, (1979), Ansoff, (1965, 1984), Bryson (1989) Kroll, (1992), Hamel Prahalad (1994) Culture/ Behavior Systems/ Process Kroll (1992), Howe and Kaufman, (1979), Ansoff, (1965) Kroll, (1992) Ansoff (1965)Bryson (1989) Organization Structure An organization structure (OS) must be aligned to put the strategy into effect. OS will cover responsibility and authority; job definition and description; and line of command. Human resource is the ultimate resource. Thus a strong organization must be supported by an effective HR Management. Technology is key in coping with dynamic competitive situation Human Resource Architecture Technology Architecture Hamel Prahalad (1994) Bryson (1989) Ansoff (1984), Hamel Prahalad (1994) 16 11. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY The organization of the study is planned as shown below: PART I: Chapter 1: RESEARCH BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY Introduction, Objective and Scope of the Study ? ? ? PART II: Chapter 2: Problem Statements Research Focus Objective, Scope and Significance of the Study LITERATURE REVIEW Local Government in Malaysia ? ? ? ? ? Chapter 3: History of the Local Authority (LA) in Malaysia LA in the Malaysian Three-tier System of Government Laws and Regulations Governing the LAs Roles and Functions of LAs Issues Confronting LAs A General Overview of Strategic Management ? ? ? ? Chapter 4: Concept and Definition of Strategic Management Historical and Evolution of Strategic Management Schools of Thought in Strategic Management Strategic Management Model and Dimensions Research Methodology ? ? ? ? Research Design The Population The Survey and Interview Techniques Data Analysis 17 PART III ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION 12. CONCLUSION This proposal is the first step of an endeavour to embark on a comprehensive study on strategic management adoption in the LAs in Malaysia. It important to see the extent of adoption and organizational factors that influence the application of a practical strategic management practice in the LAs. It is hoped that the output of study will be beneficial to all parties concerned while at the same time contribute to the knowledge enhancement in the academic world. 13. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ansoff, H. Igor (1965), Corporate Strategy, Penguin Books. Ansoff, H. Igor (1984), Implanting Strategic Management, Prentice Hall. Barry B. W. (1986), Strategic Planning: Workbook for Non-Profit Organizations, St. Paul, Minnesota. Berry, FS and Wechsler, B (1995), â€Å"State Agencies? Experience with Strategic Planning: Finding From A National Survey†, Public Administration Review, MarchApril, 1995, Vol. 55, No. 2. Bryson, J. M. (1989), Strategic Planning for Public and Non Profit Organizations, Jossey-Bass Publishers. Certo and Peter (1990), Strategic Management Process, Singapore, Mc Graw-Hill. Flynn, N and Talbot, C (1996) â€Å"Strategy and Strategists in UK Local Government†, Journal of Management Development, _ Vol. 15, Issue 2. Glueck, W. F. , et. Al (1982), â€Å"Four Faces in Strategic Management†, in Journal of Business Strategy, Winter. Joyce, P. and Woods, A. (2001), Strategic Management, Kogan Page Limited, London. 18 Kamaruddin, Ahmad, â€Å"Bringing Quality to the Local Level†, in Muhammad Rais Abdul Karim (ed. ) Reengineering the Public Service: Leadership and Change in an Electronic Age (1999), Pelanduk Publications. Khandwalla, P. N. (1977), The Design of Organizations, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. , New York. Zin, Mohamad, in MAMPU, (1998), â€Å"Laporan Mesyuarat Kerja PihakBerkuasa) Tempatan†, Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Administrative Modernization and Management Planning Unit. MAMPU, (2000), â€Å"Laporan Mesyurat Kerja PihakBerkuasa Tempatan†, Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Administrative Modernization and Management Planning Unit. Mohamad, Zainal Abidin (1988), Strategic Planning: An Exploratory Study of Its Practice by Agro-Based Enterprises in Malaysia. Thesis submitted for the Ph. D. degree in Business Studies, University of Edinburgh. Nutt, Paul C. And Backoff, R. W. , (1992) Strategic Management of Public and Third Sector Organizations, Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco. Osborne, D and Gaebler, T (1992), Reinventing Government, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass. Peter, W. Pringle, CD, Kroll, MJ (1992), Strategic Management,Text and Cases, Allyn Bacon. Smith R. J. (1994), Strategic Management and Planning in the Public Sector, Longman, Harlow. Steiner, G. (1979), â€Å"Contigency Theories of Strategy and Strategic Management†, in Schendel D. E. HOFER, C. W. (eds), Strategic Management: A View of Business Policy and Planning, Boston: Little Brown. Van Gigch (1978), Applied General Systems Theory, New York: Harper and Row. Wilkinson D, and Pedler, M (1996), â€Å"Whole Systems Development in Public Service†, Journal of Management Development, _ Vol. 15, Issue 2. 19 20

Peer Pressure Essays (241 words) - Human Sexuality,

Peer Pressure What is peer pressure? Peer pressure can be described as a positive or negative reaction that occurs when one is influenced by certain people. Peer pressure is constantly surroIntroduction Research Question: How does sex in the media influence children and adolescents in the United States? How do they react to that? Sex is a very big subject for teens and even children. Being brought up in a world with television and radio, teens and children are exposed to a lot more than they should be at their age. I will be discussing the affect that the media has on teens and children in America and how they react to this. Whether they rebel against it, are afraid of it, or are drawn to it. Today it is very hard to find teens and even children who are virgins. Once while it was popular to be a virgin, now it is not. Children and teens that are virgins are sometimes made fun of, excluded, or even lie about their virginity just to fit in. I believe that the media is partly responsible for this. Wh en a child sees people on the television having sex, they want to go out and do the same thing. They don't understand what it is or how it affects you both mentally, sexually, physically, and most important spiritually. Sex is something that should be saved for marriage, although most people experience it before then. Human Sexuality

University of Phoenix Material Essays (319 words) - Career

University of Phoenix Material Essays (319 words) - Career University of Phoenix Material Career Interests and Market Research Worksheet Access the Phoenix Career Guidance System, located by clicking on the Careers tab. Complete the first Career Guidance Milestone "Set Your Goals." Then, complete Step 1.2. At the end of Step 1.2, click Go to the Career Exploration tool to access the career interest profiler. Select two careers you are interested in, based on the results of the Interest Assessment activity. Conduct labor market research on the two careers, and fill in the following table regarding the research you conducted. | |Career 1 |Career 2 | |What is the|Administrative Manager |Business/ management analyst | |career? | | | |What |I like the entire business job|I would enjoy this job because| |interests |setting. I would enjoy that I |of the fact I would deal with | |you about |would managed different |the corporation part of the | |this |aspects of the company. |company. I would deal in the | |career? | |decision making such as | | | |production things. | |Is there a |No there isn't a hiring demand|Yes there is a very high | |hiring |for this particular job. |hiring demand. There are | |demand? | |currently 35 job openings in | | | |my area. | |What are |To have a bachelor's degree |To have a bachelor's degree | |the | | | |educational| | | |requirement| | | |s? | | | |What are |2-5 years of experience |2-5 years of experience | |the | | | |experience | | | |requirement| | | |s? | | | |What are |There are so many, but here |Business intelligence, | |the skill |are a few; business |financial analysis, and | |requirement|administration, office |business solutions. | |s? |management, and business | | | |management. | | Based on your research, which career path would you prefer to pursue? Why? I would choose the Business/ management analyst career path, because both require basically the same education, experience, and skills. The best thing about Business/ management analyst is the demand is so high and the pay is way better the Administrative manager.

Rise and Fall of Nazi Officer Franz Stangl

Rise and Fall of Nazi Officer Franz Stangl Franz Stangl, nicknamed The White Death, was an Austrian Nazi who served as director of the Treblinka and Sobibor death camps in Poland during World War II. Under his co-direction, it is estimated that more than 1 million people were gassed and buried in mass graves. After the war, Stangl fled Europe, first to Syria and then to Brazil. In 1967, he was tracked down by Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal and extradited to Germany, where he was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment. He died from a heart attack in prison in 1971. Stangl as a Youth Franz Stangl was born in Altmuenster, Austria, on March 26, 1908. As a young man, he worked in textile factories, which would help him find employment later while on the run. He joined two organizations: the Nazi party and the Austrian police. When Germany annexed Austria in 1938, the ambitious young policeman joined the Gestapo and soon impressed his superiors with his cold efficiency and willingness to follow orders. Stangl and Aktion T4 In 1940, Stangl was assigned to Aktion T4, a Nazi program designed to improve the Aryan master race gene pool by weeding out the infirm. Stangl was assigned to the Hartheim Euthanasia Center near Linz, Austria. Germans and Austrian citizens who were deemed unworthy were euthanized, including those born with birth defects, the mentally ill, alcoholics, those with Down’s syndrome and other illnesses. The prevailing theory was that those with defects were draining the resources from society and polluting the Aryan race. At Hartheim, Stangl proved that he had the proper combination of attention to detail, organizational skill and absolute indifference to the suffering of those he deemed inferior. Aktion T4 was eventually suspended after indignation from German and Austrian citizens. Stangl at Sobibor Death Camp After Germany had invaded Poland, the Nazis had to figure out what to do with the millions of Polish Jews, who were considered subhuman according to the racial policy of Nazi Germany. The Nazis built three death camps in eastern Poland: Sobibor, Treblinka, and Belzec. Stangl was assigned as chief administrator of the Sobibor death camp, which was inaugurated in May 1942. Stangl served as camp director until his transfer in August. Trains carrying Jews from all over Eastern Europe arrived at the camp. Train passengers arrived, were systematically stripped, shaved and sent to the gas chambers to die. It is estimated in the three months that Stangl was at Sobibor, 100,000 Jews died under Stangl’s watch. Stangl at Treblinka Death Camp Sobibor was running very smoothly and efficiently, but the Treblinka death camp was not. Stangl was reassigned to Treblinka to make it more efficient. As the Nazi hierarchy had hoped, Stangl turned the inefficient camp around. When he arrived, he found corpses strewn about, little discipline among the soldiers and inefficient killing methods. He ordered the place cleaned up and made the train station attractive so that incoming Jewish passengers would not realize what was going to happen to them until it was too late. He ordered the construction of new, larger gas chambers and raised the killing capacity of Treblinka to an estimated 22,000 per day. He was so good at his job that he was awarded the honor â€Å"Best Camp Commandant in Poland† and awarded the Iron Cross, one of the highest Nazi honors. Stangl Assigned to Italy and Return to Austria Stangl was so efficient at administrating the death camps that he put himself out of work. By the middle of 1943, most of the Jews in Poland were either dead or hiding. The death camps were no longer needed. Anticipating the international outrage to the death camps, the Nazis bulldozed the camps and tried to hide the evidence as best they could. Stangl and other camp leaders like him were sent to the Italian front in 1943; it was hypothesized that it may have been a way to try and kill them off. Stangl survived the battles in  Italy and returned to Austria in 1945, where he stayed until the war ended. Flight to Brazil As an SS officer, the genocidal terror squad of the Nazi Party, Stangl attracted the attention of the Allies after the war and spent two years in an American internment camp. The Americans did not seem to realize who he was. When Austria began to show interest in him in 1947, it was due to his involvement in Aktion T4, not for the horrors that took place in Sobibor and Treblinka. He escaped in 1948 and made his way to Rome, where pro-Nazi bishop Alois Hudal helped him and his friend Gustav Wagner escape. Stangl first went to Damascus, Syria, where he easily found work in a textile factory. He prospered and was able to send for his wife and daughters. In 1951, the family moved to Brazil and settled in So Paulo. Turning up the Heat on Stangl Throughout his travels, Stangl did little to hide his identity. He never used an alias and even registered with the Austrian embassy in Brazil. By the early 1960s, although he felt safe in Brazil, it had to have been clear to Stangl that he was a wanted man. Fellow Nazi Adolf Eichmann was snatched off a Buenos Aires street in 1960 before being taken to Israel, tried and executed. In 1963, Gerhard Bohne, another former officer associated with Aktion T4, was indicted in Germany; he would eventually be extradited from Argentina. In 1964, 11 men who had worked for Stangl at Treblinka were tried and convicted. One of them was Kurt Franz, who had succeeded Stangl as commander of the camp.   Nazi Hunter Wiesenthal on the Chase Simon Wiesenthal, the well-known concentration camp survivor, and Nazi hunter had a long list of Nazi war criminals he  wanted to be brought  to justice, and Stangl’s name was near the top of the list. In 1964, Wiesenthal got a tip  that Stangl was living in Brazil and working at a Volkswagen factory in So Paulo. According to Wiesenthal, one of the tips came from a former Gestapo officer, who demanded to be paid one penny for every Jew killed at Treblinka and Sobibor. Wiesenthal estimated that 700,000 Jews had died in those camps, so the total for the tip came to $7,000, payable if and when Stangl was captured. Wiesenthal eventually paid the informant. Another tip to Wiesenthal concerning Stangl’s whereabouts may have come from Stangl’s former son-in-law. Arrest and Extradition Wiesenthal pressured Germany to issue a request to Brazil for the arrest and extradition of Stangl. On February 28, 1967, the ex-Nazi was arrested in Brazil as he returned from a bar with his adult daughter. In June, Brazilian courts ruled that he should be extradited and shortly thereafter he was put on a plane for West Germany. It took German authorities three years to bring him to trial. He was charged with the deaths of 1.2 million people. Trial and Death Stangl’s trial began on May 13, 1970. The prosecution’s case was well-documented and Stangl did not contest most of the accusations. He instead relied on the same line prosecutors had been hearing since the Nuremberg Trials, that he was only â€Å"following orders.† He was convicted on December 22, 1970, of complicity in the deaths of 900,000 people and sentenced to life in prison. He died of a heart attack in prison on June 28, 1971, about six months after his conviction. Before he died, he gave a long interview to Austrian writer Gitta Sereny. The interview sheds some light on how Stangl was able to commit the atrocities he did. He repeatedly said that his conscience was clear because he had come to see the endless train cars of Jews as nothing more than cargo. He said he did not hate Jews personally but was proud of the organizational work he had done in the camps. In the same interview, he mentioned that his former colleague Gustav Wagner was hiding in Brazil. Later, Wiesenthal would track Wagner down and have him arrested, but the Brazilian government never extradited him.   Unlike some of the other Nazis, Stangl did not appear to relish the killing he oversaw. There are no accounts of him ever murdering anyone personally like fellow camp commander Josef Schwammberger or Auschwitz â€Å"Angel of Death† Josef Mengele. He wore a whip while at the camps, which he apparently seldom used it, although there were very few eyewitnesses who survived the Sobibor and Treblinka camps to verify it. There is no doubt, however, that Stangl’s institutionalized slaughter ended the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Wiesenthal claimed to have brought 1,100 former Nazis to justice. Stangl was by far the â€Å"biggest fish† that the famous Nazi hunter ever caught. Sources Simon Wiesenthal Archive. Franz Stangl. Walters, Guy. Hunting Evil: the Nazi War Criminals Who Escaped and the Quest to Bring them to Justice. 2010: Broadway Books.

Sex Education in Schools and Home Research Paper

Sex Education in Schools and Home - Research Paper Example On the other hand, teachers too fail to touch on sex related issues when educating teenagers believing it is the responsibility of their parents and guardians to educate these growing youth about sex education. At the end of the day, teenagers remain in darkness, without knowledge about sex, or even the slightest clue to what pertains to sexual education. Their curiosity to try out new things without a guiding hand ends up in even more dreadful results, such as early pregnancies and school dropouts. As such, this research paper seeks to explore various peer-reviewed journals discussing issues related to sex education, as well as, evaluate how various institutions approach this issue about sex among the youth (Brown, Dunn, Newby & Wallace, 2012). What are Parents really saying then they talk with Their Children about Sexuality? American Journal of Sexuality Education This article explores the communication that exists between parents and their children about sex and sexuality. A resea rch carried out on a number of parents within the United States revealed that parents took an authoritarian tone whenever speaking to their children about sexuality. ... Some of the reasons given by these parents on their indecision to discuss sexuality with their children were religious influences and cultural backgrounds, alongside distinct patterns of communication. Some religions forbid open discussion of sexuality, as they consider it as a sacred matter only for the married couples. On the other hand, a qualitative analysis on these parents revealed that these parents sometimes focused on specific issues when discussing sexuality with their children, such as early pregnancies, STDs/STIs, HIV/AIDS virus, and other adversities related to premature sexuality. As such, the lack of sexual orientation, as well as the lack of parental knowledge and support of sexuality, leads these children to exploring murky waters, hence coming out scotched and bruised from their actions (Cox, Gagnon, McDonalds, Meglio, Mitchelle & Rennick, 2011). Asking to Listen: Towards a Youth Perspective on Sexual Health Education and Needs, Sex Education This article explores t he perspectives of the youth in relation to sexual health education and needs within a Canadian province. This article seeks to impart some sense of responsibility among the youth by giving them power to take control of their sexual health behavior. As such, participating youths to this program learnt measures of how to take control of their sexuality, as well as develop a number of preventive skills towards the sexual risks involved in premature sexuality. This control and prevention skills over sexuality were particularly important in areas suffering from socioeconomic disparities. Statistics show that the rate of active sexuality is very high in areas with low socioeconomic standings as compared to the areas that live in affluence. For example, girl growing up in the

Article analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article analysis - Essay Example The assumption of the author in this case is that the failure to attend morning shows by the candidates is due to their preference for late night shows. This illustrates that the assumptions of the author are not effective because there is no due consideration of other factors which would cause the politicians to attend the late night shows as compared to the morning shows. The author would have made his argument effective by considering the fact that the candidates could be having a tight schedule in the morning hours which would not allow them to afford time for the morning shows. It is notable that the evidence that Scott provides to argue his point is effective as revealed by the examples that he uses of Ricky Perry’s famous memory lapse in Letterman’s late night show. This style of writing illustrates the author’s ability to involve emotional components into the article so that the memory of the audience is triggered and make them notice that the candidates are in favor of late night shows. The description of the issue by the author uses comparative analysis of the current political talk shows with the situation four years ago when the morning talk shows were mandatory for political candidates. The use of metaphors by the author emphasizes his point effectively as shown by the description of the 2007 morning talk shows when each candidate had to face the â€Å"gantlet† (Collins 1). The organization of the article is interesting because the author first gives his argument at the beginning of the article with examples to support his point but the explanation of the late night talk show preference is given later in the article. The language of the author in describing the late night shows as compared to the morning shows is full of emotion. This is illustrated by the description of the late night shows as more welcoming with its questions branded

Outsourcing Plan Essay Example for Free

Outsourcing Plan Essay 1. Outsourcing has become a way to increase an organization’s flexibility to meet rapidly changing market conditions, focus on core competencies and develop competitive advantage. As a result, the need for SM has intensified and positioned Supply Managers as agents of strategic change critical to supply chain success. A. True 2. Outsourcing decreases an organization’s flexibility to meet rapidly changing market conditions, but it can usually reduce total costs in the long-term B. False 3. Early supply management involvement is an approach in supply management to bring the expertise and collaborative synergy of suppliers into the design process. A. True 4. The strategic sourcing plan should be developed in a collaborative environment that includes all relevant functional area representatives and supply chain members. A. True 5. Foreign governments never impose countertrade requirements. B. False 6. Statutory rates are full rates for tariffs. A. True 7. Which of the following is not a strategic issue in making the outsourcing decision? A. The issue of short-term vulnerabilities. 8. Which of the following is a consideration that favors buying a product? B. Multiple source policy 9. Which of the following is not one of the conditions demanding negotiation? C. Market must consist of adequate number of sellers.

Marae Essay examples -- Sociology, Māori culture

From a modern day perspective, the purpose of the marae has been as a place for the more official parts of MÄ ori culture. The marae are unequalled places of importance. "Marae hold the knowledge of the MÄ ori culture. They are the repositories of their history, their stories, and their existence." Ratima, 2010. Importantly, as highlighted in the creation story in Ahorangi Genesis, the ancestor link is through Tane, as the whare is an embodiment of Tane. His precious gift was te whare kura as a physical structure to house knowledge which can be viewed as the parallel to the human â€Å"structure†. Whereas in earlier times, the term marae applied only to the open area, often now called marae-atea, in front of the whare, today the term marae is commonly used to describe the entire compound (Tauroa & Tauroa, 1986). The whare (tipuna or nui), sometimes called meeting house, reads, to the initiated, like a history book. With arms outstretched in welcome, the body of the ancestor, generally endowing his name to the marae, is represented by the whare. His carved form, tekoteko, is atop the roof (maori.org.nz, 2011). The carved pieces under the head and down towards the ground- maihi, represent the arms, with the tahuhu or centre ridge pole being the spine of the ancestor, then the heke, or rafters, running off the tahuhu on both sides representing the ribs. In the fully carved whare, the walls are adorned with poupou or carvings, as well as tukutuku, or woven panels. The uprights, normally two, hold up the tahuhu, representing the connection between Ranginui, the sky father and Papat uanuku, the earth mother, (mÄ ori.org.nz) (Tauroa & Tauroa 1986). â€Å"Carvings of the ancestors serve to preserve history† (Graham, 1997, p. 38). Looking back... ...on by NZQA for its courses in crafts and MÄ ori arts and carving, hospitality and employment skills (Christchurch city council, 2011). Incredibly, in keeping pace with technological advances, we have virtual marae, as shown by the artist Lisa Reihana, who has created her own virtual marae, accessible to MÄ ori living worldwide, using photography and video (visualarts.qld.gov.au). In conclusion, as an institution, the marae stands for much more than the official parts of MÄ ori culture. It has its own system, its own learning and its own function. It is operaring still as Tane’s gift to mankind. Education is dominant on Marae, which now provide pathways to degrees, trade training and other NZQA opportunities. Marae are leading the way, taking their proper place in MÄ ori society. â€Å"Marae are the foundation of MÄ ori autonomy and tinorangatiratanga† ( Ratima, 2010). Marae Essay examples -- Sociology, MÄ ori culture From a modern day perspective, the purpose of the marae has been as a place for the more official parts of MÄ ori culture. The marae are unequalled places of importance. "Marae hold the knowledge of the MÄ ori culture. They are the repositories of their history, their stories, and their existence." Ratima, 2010. Importantly, as highlighted in the creation story in Ahorangi Genesis, the ancestor link is through Tane, as the whare is an embodiment of Tane. His precious gift was te whare kura as a physical structure to house knowledge which can be viewed as the parallel to the human â€Å"structure†. Whereas in earlier times, the term marae applied only to the open area, often now called marae-atea, in front of the whare, today the term marae is commonly used to describe the entire compound (Tauroa & Tauroa, 1986). The whare (tipuna or nui), sometimes called meeting house, reads, to the initiated, like a history book. With arms outstretched in welcome, the body of the ancestor, generally endowing his name to the marae, is represented by the whare. His carved form, tekoteko, is atop the roof (maori.org.nz, 2011). The carved pieces under the head and down towards the ground- maihi, represent the arms, with the tahuhu or centre ridge pole being the spine of the ancestor, then the heke, or rafters, running off the tahuhu on both sides representing the ribs. In the fully carved whare, the walls are adorned with poupou or carvings, as well as tukutuku, or woven panels. The uprights, normally two, hold up the tahuhu, representing the connection between Ranginui, the sky father and Papat uanuku, the earth mother, (mÄ ori.org.nz) (Tauroa & Tauroa 1986). â€Å"Carvings of the ancestors serve to preserve history† (Graham, 1997, p. 38). Looking back... ...on by NZQA for its courses in crafts and MÄ ori arts and carving, hospitality and employment skills (Christchurch city council, 2011). Incredibly, in keeping pace with technological advances, we have virtual marae, as shown by the artist Lisa Reihana, who has created her own virtual marae, accessible to MÄ ori living worldwide, using photography and video (visualarts.qld.gov.au). In conclusion, as an institution, the marae stands for much more than the official parts of MÄ ori culture. It has its own system, its own learning and its own function. It is operaring still as Tane’s gift to mankind. Education is dominant on Marae, which now provide pathways to degrees, trade training and other NZQA opportunities. Marae are leading the way, taking their proper place in MÄ ori society. â€Å"Marae are the foundation of MÄ ori autonomy and tinorangatiratanga† ( Ratima, 2010).

With specific reference to Act 2 Scene 1 examine Marlene’s character

With specific reference to Act 2 Scene 1 examine Marlene's character. Consider how the interview process exposed what she is like and the choices she has made. Marlene is a high powered business woman; she has just gained a promotion to managing director of a successful employment agency called ‘Top Girls. ‘ In Act 2 Scene 1 Marlene is positioned in the work environment, this enables the audience to see her perform as she would on a daily basis. This is the first time the audience sees Marlene in the work place you are able to make the observation that Marlene is well suited in this career as she is very ambitious. Act 1 informed the audience that Marlene just received a promotion this shows she is dedicated and successful within this agency. Marlene's charisma does a lot to hide her working class roots which she has obviously tried very hard to conceal from the people around her. You would never make the assumption that Marlene is from an impoverish background however, this is revealed when her sister is introduced in Act 2 Scene 2 and shown in working class society. Marlene has made several choices in life in order to move herself up civilization, which Churchill discloses throughout the play. Marlene is interviewing a young girl, Jeanine, for a job in Act 2 Scene 1. The audience is able to see her brisk interviewing skills here and how Marlene would generally perform in the work place. Marlene is quick to notice Jeanine's faults; this shows her to be a relatively pessimistic person. She is fairly blunt and seems rushed in this scene. This shows she is a busy woman who is committed to her work. Churchill purposely exposes the differences within the two women here even though Marlene was once from the same background as Jeanine, her abandoning of the ‘working class' background is noticeable in this scene as she clearly views Jeanine as being underneath her. This is shown by Marlene using Jeanine's forename, † Right Jeanine, you are Jeanine aren't you? † which is generally informal and disrespectful in this situation. Marlene is very original in her views of other women, she seems very self indulged, even though she helps people get jobs she is very ambitious and constantly looking ahead. As Marlene has no one else to worry about Churchill shows her to be self reliant and not want to let anyone else into her life. Jeanine has different ambitions to Marlene, though Jeanine is not necessarily the ambitious type she does have one desire, to get married. Marlene's character is thoroughly exposed when the idea of marriage and children in introduced. She reacts very negatively to both these aspects and seems to view Jeanine negatively for having this ambition. It is revealed in the Act 3 of ‘Top Girls' that Marlene in fact gave up her own child in order to pursue her career. Marlene has made sacrifices, marriage and children to be in the position she is in now and Churchill portrays Marlene to view other people differently for taking this path, like she believes others should make the same choices as she has. When Jeanine mentions not receiving an engagement ring Marlene responds with, â€Å"saves taking it off. † This shows she believes marriage affects work and possibly should stay undisclosed. This shows she is very dedicated to work, possibly too much so. Marlene is definitely a woman who knows what she wants from life and plans ahead to the future. Jeanine is very much the opposite of this as she is very reliant on other people's views and ideas instead of her own. When Marlene questions her about ten years time Jeanine replies with â€Å"I might not be alive in ten years. † This shows the audience their obvious differences and Jeanine's lack of expectations for herself. Marlene is definitely the type of woman who has planned out her next direction in life with steady consideration. Marlene thoroughly believes in commitment to work in order to receive the things you want. She went in to do higher education in order to pursue a career and distant her self from the working class life, her sister's life. This has been an inevitable choice for Marlene and she seems very independent. Marlene does not have a close connection with anyone. Here distances are brought across while speaking to Jeanine on the idea of marriage and children but also the idea of cutting Jeanine's speech up meaning she does not care about her personal life. I don't believe Marlene leads a great social life as she is very work orientated. Act one shows us she has never really had any partners showing again her self reliance but also her inability to make time for others. We know she has at least had one partner when it is revealed that Angie is in fact Marlene's daughter who she handed over to her sister. Though it is never revealed properly why, you get the impression Marlene would not give up the time to look after her daughter and did not want a child to interfere with her plans in future. She wanted to pick the career path not the child path. Marlene's new middle class background Marlene is definitely in a better financial state than Joyce but Marlene chooses to leave Joyce to take care on Angie. Marlene is not fond of children so the audience is able to identify that this child was not planned and Marlene left her mistakes behind her by moving away and beginning work. When Jeanine is speaking about her marriage, Marlene is swift to change the subject, possibly showing she is lonely and knows what she has missed out on. Marlene has abandoned the idea of ever getting married, to work for this company, receive her latest promotion etc. The play provides negative connotations toward being married and having children in this work environment as Marlene says â€Å"So you won't tell them you're getting married†¦ It would probably help. † Showing it is more difficult to get a good job when you have other commitments. Relationships are a hindrance for Marlene while Jeanine sees her relationship as her main focus in life. Marlene is very enigmatic as she keeps most problems and situations to herself. She is a serious character, especially in the work place. In Act 1 you see a slightly more open and humorous side to Marlene however, this was most likely because of her severe alcohol intake. In this interview process, Churchill portrays Marlene as being straight to the point and says what she thinks so that she does not have to waste time. Her job is a busy one and the way she acts towards Jeanine in the interview shows she does not have time to waste â€Å"We don't have any foreign clients. You'd have to go elsewhere. † Marlene also speeds up the interview so it finishes quickly this may be due to her amount of other work or her disliking of Jeanine, it is unclear because of Marlene's secretive side. Marlene seems to live up to the middle class stereotype. There is no connection with anyone from working class background made; this shows Marlene to be ashamed. She is proud for leaving that world behind but keeps it to herself as she doesn't want people to judge her for whom she used to be. Marlene is presented in many ways. Seeing her in the working environment is very significant as this is how she exposes herself to other people. Churchill wants to shows the differences between the two characters in Act 2 Scene 1. Marlene is apathetic towards Jeanine. She has dissimilar ambitions to Jeanine and slightly frowns upon her for choosing this path that Marlene has been so successful without. The differences here really highlight Marlene's thoughts and her as a character. The choices she has made in order to live a middle class career following life are very significant. Giving up a child is a huge decision and Marlene believes in part she made the correct choice and she is now a very successful business woman. You do receive the feeling that it has affected her on the whole as she quickly switches the direction of conversation while speaking with Jeanine about marriage and children. Also the idea of being very secretive shows Marlene must be slightly ashamed or possibly does not find others very trust worthy. She has changed her image and does not feel the need to mention the past which is mature of Marlene. Overall she is exposed by Churchill as making many significant choices in life which she makes no attempt to change permanently. Marlene is portrayed as being dedicated and successful in the work place and this is largely helped by her steady ambition. She has transformed herself and sacrifices certain aspects of life in order to be successful and have her dream occupation.

Swot Analysis of Starbucks

Management 303 SWOT Analysis of Starbucks Corporation Section I – Organizational History / Mission Statement In 1971, Starbuck’s opened its first location in the touristy Pikes Place Market in Seattle. The Starbucks name is derived from the coffee-loving first mate in the novel, Moby Dick. The logo, a two-tailed mermaid encircled by the stores name, continues with the theme and background of the name. From the beginning, Starbucks prides themselves on not only providing their customers with high-quality whole bean coffees, but also with providing them with an inviting atmosphere. The mission statement, â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time†, is seen today in the more than 15,000 locations in more than 150 countries. Section II – Strengths and Weaknesses In my opinion, the top two strengths of Starbucks is their strong brand image associated with their high-quality coffee and their committed and strong workforce. Their top two weaknesses in my opinion are their high premium prices and lack of internal focus. Strength 1 – Strong Brand Image According to G Serrano, â€Å"The strongest attribute that consumers associate with the Starbucks brand is its being known for specialty/gourmet coffee. Starbucks is a widely-recognized brand. Its top-of-mind recall is high. It is both a household name and a buzzword. † By becoming a household name people go to Starbucks to get the â€Å"Starbucks Experience†. This means that Starbucks has made their stores so inviting that people actually get up early in the morning, grab the paper or a good book and drive down to the local Starbucks and basically just chill out. They provide an optional light snack, a good cup of coffee, free Wi-Fi and the comfort of your own home. Being highly recognized for all of the above qualities has contributed in the growth and expansion of their many locations throughout the US and abroad. This is a huge strength in that that being on top of the market share pretty much ensures that no matter what they will continue to stay on top because of their branding and their popularity. Strength 2 – Committed and Strong Workforce Not only does the coffee drive customers to Starbucks, but the dedicated employees who care about their jobs and their customers do as well. Starbucks thinks so highly of their employees, they call them â€Å"partners†. The partners are the ones who create the atmosphere that makes the customers feel the way they do about Starbucks. As Hammers stated in her â€Å"Workforce Management† piece, â€Å"The company’s rich benefit blend keeps turnover low and employee satisfaction high. And that's why it's the Optimas Award winner for Quality of Life. As business owners and managers, our job is to make sure that our employees or partners, for that matter, are happy and well-trained. When this happens, as it has with Starbucks, it outwardly shows to the clientele and it makes them want to come back time and time again. Weakness 1 – High Premium Prices Starbucks is a premium brand that commands premium prices. As competitive pressures increase, the company could b e undercut by lower price rivals such as McDonalds or Duncan Donuts. Recession or downturn in the economy, like we are facing now, affects consumer spending. If Starbucks continues to increase prices over the next few years in the face of increasing coffee prices, there could be a downside to their forecast. In this highly competitive market and with less disposable income to spend, consumers turn to lower priced venues and competitors. † Starbucks should look into some sort of cost saving efforts when it comes to the coffee beans that they buy. I know they are known for their premium brands, but with prices on the steady increase something Weakness 2 – Lack of Internal Focus Starbucks has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade or so. They seem to be consumed with growing their market share by increasing the amount of locations they have within the states as well as abroad. Serrano states just this point in saying â€Å"The growth strategy was not really the failing point. In fact, this augured well for the company’s bottom line. What the company’s executives failed to see was the fact that if it wanted to saturate the market, its product and service offerings were not really meeting the characteristics of the market. That is why the market perceived Starbucks as merely concerned with growth in the number of stores and profits. The wide potential market base did not see Starbucks as concerned with their needs. † Starbucks goes through a lot of effort to get the opinions of their partners and their clients. They even have a board of people who read the queries on a monthly basis to see where improvements can be made. Since they are putting in all the effort, they need to follow through and start listening to the very people that give them their profits. Expanding will do no good if you don’t have any customers. The more they neglect what their partners and customers are saying, the more they are going to lose touch. Section III – Opportunities and Strengths In my opinion, the two biggest opportunities for Starbucks are increasing their CRM and database marketing and expanding into new product lines. Strength 1 – Increasing CRM and Database Marketing One of the greatest opportunities for Starbucks is to increase their CRM and Database Marketing. At the moment Starbucks just asks you what you want, you pay for it, they make your drink and you are on your way. In order to better serve their clients and give back to them, they could come up with some type of rewards program. Many large retailers and food chains have already begun these programs. This would help them stay in touch with their clients by sending them emails of upcoming events, new drinks and new offers. They could also attach a rewards program for the customers who have a daily addiction to their drinks. This basically becomes a win-win situation for not only Starbucks but for their customers as well. Strength 2 – Expanding Product Lines and Services We all know that Starbucks has the best selection of coffees around. Unfortunately, that is all they do. I think one of the greatest opportunities for them would be for them to expand their food line to go along with their drinks. Seeing that they are open all day long and into the night, they could benefit greatly by developing a larger lunch line. They currently have small salads and finger sandwiches at some of their locations. By increasing their menu they could also increase their profits. This would help give them a competitive advantage of other cafes along the same lines as them.

Free Essays on Emerson and Transcendentalism

were infallible. One can see this in the following passage: We lie in the lap of immense intelligence, which makes us receivers of its truth and organ of its activity. When we discern justice, when we discern truth, we do nothing by ourselves, but allow a passage to its beams. If we ask whence this comes, if we seek to pry into the soul that causes, all philosophy is at fault. Its presence or its absence is all we can affirm. (Self-Reliance 1163) In the preceding passage reference to the divinity of humanity is made when he states â€Å"When we discern justice, we discern truth†. Another â€Å"truth† he discusses is the divinity of nature and mankind’s oneness with it. Ralph Waldo Emerson believes that there is Divinity in Nature, and everything makes a circle back to a unity with the universe. The universe is the externsation of the soul. Whereve... Free Essays on Emerson and Transcendentalism Free Essays on Emerson and Transcendentalism Emerson and Transcendentalism In The Pulley George Herbert stated â€Å"He would adore my gifts instead of me; And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature†. Quite often people make this mistake of not seeing the forest through the trees. Be that as it may, there are many that only see one aspect of the whole scheme and focus all of their lives and energy into that feature. Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of these, devoting his existence to the concept there is divinity in nature and humanity. Emerson exemplifies these points in his writings â€Å"The Poet† and â€Å"Self-Reliance†. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s beliefs are grouped in a category called transcendentality. This idea started a philosophical and literary movement that flourished in New England from about 1836 to 1860. It began in a small group of intellectuals who were debating against the orthodoxy of Calvinism and the rationalism of the Unitarian Church, developing their own faith centering on the divinity of humanity and the natural world. Because he surrounded himself with intellectuals he started to believe that his words were infallible. One can see this in the following passage: We lie in the lap of immense intelligence, which makes us receivers of its truth and organ of its activity. When we discern justice, when we discern truth, we do nothing by ourselves, but allow a passage to its beams. If we ask whence this comes, if we seek to pry into the soul that causes, all philosophy is at fault. Its presence or its absence is all we can affirm. (Self-Reliance 1163) In the preceding passage reference to the divinity of humanity is made when he states â€Å"When we discern justice, we discern truth†. Another â€Å"truth† he discusses is the divinity of nature and mankind’s oneness with it. Ralph Waldo Emerson believes that there is Divinity in Nature, and everything makes a circle back to a unity with the universe. The universe is the externsation of the soul. Whereve...

Definition of the Disengagement Theory of Aging

Definition of the Disengagement Theory of Aging Disengagement theory outlines a process of disengagement from social life that people experience as they age and become elderly. The theory states that, over time, elderly people withdraw, or disengage from, the social roles and relationships that were central to their life in adulthood. As a functionalist theory, this framework casts the process of disengagement as necessary and beneficial to society, as it allows the social system to remain stable and ordered. Overview of Disengagement in Sociology Disengagement theory was created by social scientists  Elaine Cumming and William Earle Henry, and presented in the book  Growing Old, published in 1961. It is notable for being the first social science theory of aging, and in part, because it was controversially received, sparked further development of social science research, and theories about the elderly, their social relationships, and their roles in society. This theory presents a social systemic discussion of the aging process and the evolution of the social lives of elderly  and was inspired by functionalist theory. In fact, famed sociologist Talcott Parsons, who is regarded as a leading functionalist, wrote the foreword to the Cummings and Henrys book. With the theory, Cummings and Henry situate aging within the social system and offer a set of steps that outline how the process of disengagement occurs as one ages  and why this is important and beneficial to the social system as a whole. They based their theory on  data from the Kansas City Study of Adult Life, a  longitudinal study that tracked several hundred adults from middle to old age,  conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago. Postulates of the Theory of Disengagement Based on this data Cummings and Henry created the following nine postulates that comprise the theory of disengagement. People lose social ties to those around them because they expect death, and their abilities to engage with others deteriorate over time.As a person begins to disengage, they are increasingly freed from social norms which guide interaction. Losing touch with norms reinforces and fuels the process of disengagement.The disengagement process for men and women differs due to their different social roles.The process of disengaging is spurred by an individuals desire to not have their reputation damaged by losing skills and abilities while they are still fully engaged in their social roles. Simultaneously younger adults are trained to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to take over the roles played by those who disengage.Complete disengagement happens when both the individual and society are ready for this to occur. A disjunction between the two will occur when one is ready but not the other.People who have disengaged adopt new social roles so as not to suffer a crisis of identity o r become demoralized. A person is ready to disengage when they are aware of the short time remaining in their life and they no longer wish to fulfill their current social roles; and society allows for disengagement in order to provide jobs for those coming of age, to satisfy the social needs of a nuclear family, and because people die.Once disengaged, remaining relationships shift, rewards of them may change, and hierarchies may also shift.Disengagement occurs across all cultures but is shaped by the culture in which it occurs. Based on these postulates, Cummings and Henry suggested that the elderly are happiest when they accept and willingly go along with the process of disengagement. Critiques of the Theory of Disengagement The theory of disengagement caused controversy as soon as it was published. Some critics pointed out that this was a flawed social science theory because Cummings and Henry assume that the process is natural, innate, and inevitable, as well as universal. Evoking a fundamental conflict within sociology between functionalist and other theoretical perspectives, some pointed out that the theory completely  ignores the role of class in shaping the experience of aging, while others critiqued the assumption that the elderly have seemingly no agency in this process, but rather are compliant tools of the social system. Further, based on subsequent research, others asserted that the  theory of disengagement fails to capture the complex and rich social lives of the elderly, and the many forms of engagement that follow retirement (see The Social Connectedness of Older Adults: A National Profile by Cornwall et al., published in  American Sociological Review  in 2008). Noted contemporary sociologist Arlie Hochschild also published critiques of this theory. From her view, the theory is flawed because it has  an escape clause, wherein those who do not disengage are considered troubled outliers. She also critiqued Cummings and Henry for failing to provide evidence that disengagement is willingly done. While Cummings stuck to her theoretical position, Henry subsequently disavowed it in later publications and aligned himself with alternative theories that followed, including  activity theory and continuity theory. Recommended Reading Growing Old, by Cumming and Henry, 1961.Lives Through the Years: Styles of Life and Successful Aging, by Wiliams and Wirths, 1965.Disengagement Theory: A Critical Evaluation, by George L. Maddox, Jr.,  The Gerontologist,  1964.Disengagement Theory: A Critique and Proposal, by Arlie Hochschild,  American Sociological Review  40, no. 5 (1975): 553–569.Disengagement Theory: A Logical, Empirical, and Phenomenological Critique, by Arlie Hochshchild, in  Time, Roles, and Self in Old Age, 1976.Revisiting the Kansas City study of adult life: roots of the disengagement model in social gerontology, by J. Hendricks,  Getontologist, 1994. ​​Updated  by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Income statement and balance sheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Income statement and balance sheet - Essay Example The business community has more accumulated wealth that the governments of the over 200 countries in the world combined.There are thousands of publicly traded companies been traded on Wall Street and international markets such as the London Stock Exchange every day. Due to the importance of these capital markets there is a need for professionals dedicated to financial reporting. Publicly traded companies have to prepare financial statements every accounting period. The normal accounting period is one year, but most companies also release quarterly financial statements. The four major financial statements are the income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flow, and statement of stockholders equity. These four financial statements are included in the Annual Report of corporations. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and describe the income statement and the balance sheet. The income statement and the balance sheet are two interrelated statements. The outcome of the income s tatement affects the equity account of the balance sheet. The income statement is a financial report that provides information regarding the profitability of the company during an accounting period. The top figure in the income statement is sales. Sales are very important because they provide the economic asset needed to operate a business. The sales of the company are subtracted by the cost of goods sold. The subtraction of those variables is the gross profit. At the bottom of the income statement the operating expenses and taxes are subtracted from gross profit to arrive at net income. The income statement is a very valuable report because it indicates how well a business operation is doing in terms of financial success. The income statement reports the revenues and expenses of an enterprise during a natural or fiscal year. The top and bottom figures of the income statement are the two numbers investors look for which are sales and net income. The higher the figure of net income t he better off a company is financially. Net incomes help companies accumulate capital. The net income figure is transferred from the balance sheet to the stockholder’s equity section. The second major financial statement is the balance sheet. The balance sheet is considered a statement of position. This means that the figures illustrated in the balance are the account balances at a specific point in time. The three major components or categories within the balance sheet are assets, liabilities and stockholder’s equity. The internal structure of the balance sheet follows the logic of the basic accounting equation. The basic accounting equation states that assets are equal to liabilities plus stockholder’s equity. An asset can be defined as an item of economic value owned by an individual or corporation (Answers, 2011). The assets in the balance sheet are listed in order to liquidity. The most liquid asset is cash. Equipment and machinery are two examples of asset s. Machinery is a fixed asset that can be used to generate revenues. Assets can also be converted to cash by selling them. The liabilities of a company are short and long term obligations to financial institutions such as banks. It is preferable for a company to have a low level of debt. Debt instruments can be used to finance expansion projects. The debt section of the balance sheet is divided into short and long term liabilities. The last segment of the balance sheet is the equity section. The balance sheet and the income statement are prepared once the accounting department completes the accounting cycle. These two financial statements are extremely valuable pieces of information for the user of financial information. It is mandatory for public companies to release the financial statements at least once a year. The regulatory agency that foresees the financial actions of public corporations is the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The data in the balance sheet and income statement can be used by financial analyst or anyone with financial knowledge to perform ratio, trend,

Explain why Simmias and Cebes are so afraid of death in the phaedo, Essay

Explain why Simmias and Cebes are so afraid of death in the phaedo, whereas Socrates is not. Does Socrates' explanation convince you, or are you, like simmias a - Essay Example Socrates unequivocally asserts that any true philosopher â€Å"will be willing to die† (6). He is convinced that a better life awaits him. Death, as the harbinger of â€Å"the greatest good† (8), is something the true philosopher desires and pursues. Death may be defined as â€Å"the separation of the soul and body† (8). The philosopher is a seeker of truth and lover of wisdom, who pursues the essence of the knowledge of existence. In this pursuit, the body, with its’ lusts, sensual pleasures and physical needs, is â€Å"only a disturbing element, hindering the soul from the acquisition of knowledge† (10). Therefore, the philosopher desires death, which will release â€Å"the soul from the chains of the body† (11) and free the soul to attain the truth. His desire for the truth will be satisfied only by the separation of the soul from the body – that is, by death – which is the purification of the soul. Death is the philosopherâ €™s means to gain wisdom, while the body is his â€Å"enemy† (11). Socrates fearlessly and eagerly anticipates death and is ready â€Å"to depart with joy† (11) from this world. Cebes and Simmias acknowledge the truth of Socrates’ word, but continue to fear death, as they are afraid that the soul â€Å"may be destroyed and perish† (12) when she leaves the body, â€Å"vanishing into nothingness† after death. Socrates allays their fears by convincing them of the immortality of the soul. The accepted belief that â€Å"the living spring from the dead† (15) presupposes the prior existence of the soul, in another world, before it assumes human form. As recollection is an essential part of knowledge, this recollection is obviously gained by the intelligent souls’ existence in another place. The rebirth of the soul is proof of the souls’ immortality, as â€Å"everything living is born of the dead† (19). Once it is accepted that the soul is invisible,