Historical and Personal Background of the Divine Comedy Essay

This essay is to accompany Between Fortune and Providence: Astrology and the Universe in Dante’s Divine Comedy. What follows is the overview and timeline I wish I had when I first started reading the Divine Comedy. Many commentaries of the Divine Comedy give background historical information, usually consisting of a general introduction and brief explanations when specific characters and events come up within the poem. Here I will proceed sequentially, beginning centuries before Dante’s birth and concluding in the year of his death. When I first mention a historical person whose character appears in the Divine Comedy, the name will be in bold, followed by page references from Between Fortune and Providence. Because this section gives an overview specific to the Divine Comedy, Italy and the city-states of northern Italy, especially Florence, is our focus. This essay is partly organized according to the modern astrological practice that uses cycles of the modern planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. When relevant, we will look at outer planet configurations when they form conjunctions, opening squares, oppositions, and closing squares that correspond to New, First Quarter, and Full, and Third Quarter Moons. Since many readers of Between Fortune and Providence are astrologers or are interested in modern astrology, this will be useful for them. Those who are not astrologers can pass over this material. Here’s a preliminary summary of some the interacting themes of Church, politics, and economics that provide some background for the Divine Comedy. Religion: Understanding the medieval Church takes a special leap of the imagination. The Church had a dominant role in organizing and giving cohesiveness to Europe over a very long time. Yet the Church had its ups and downs, politically and spiritually. Because of its wealth and political power, the Church was also vulnerable to being abducted by strong secular rulers, and this is the case throughout the medieval era. In this essay we first encounter the Church as largely controlled by secular authorities, but reform movements were afoot that would help give it greater independence and spiritual authority over time. As the Church grew stronger, however, it would become more empire than religion and at times was unbelievably worldly. Over the centuries the papacy sometimes inaugurated some attempts to reform the Church. There were also reform movements from the monastic side. Other Church reform2 movements, like the orders of the Franciscans and Dominicans, began with charismatic leaders. There were also some failed attempts that have come down to us as â€Å"heresies.† Two centuries after Dante’s death, one heretical preacher, Martin Luther, would help launch the Protestant Reformation. Politics: In Dante’s lifetime, the Italian peninsula was comprised of many autonomous and economically diverse regions. In the south were the vulnerable but cosmopolitan kingdoms of Sicily and Naples. The central region was governed by the Pope. In the wealthier and more urbanized north, including Florence, there were many independent and prosperous city-states that were frequently at war with each other and with the larger political entities around them. Beginning around the time of Dante’s birth, the â€Å"Holy Roman Empire† was a loose confederation of warring German princes and their territories that were governed by an Emperor – at least in theory. In the centuries before Dante, the Holy Roman Empire was more dominant in Italian affairs. Just before and during the poet’s lifetime, however, the French monarchy had become a major player in European affairs. Dante resented this greatly. He was nostalgic for a renewed Roman Empire, but the reality was the perpetually disappointing contemporary â€Å"Holy Roman Empire.† Dante did not know that Europe’s future would favor not empires but nations like France, England, and Spain. Economics: The monetary and banking systems of Dante’s world would be more familiar to us than its religious and political institutions. Unlike the more rural and feudal Europe to its north and west, northern Italy contained commercial and banking institutions similar to ours. Italy benefited from its proximity to major trade routes and, with the Crusades, more traffic that moved back and forth across the Mediterranean. Toward Dante’s lifetime, Florence was a prosperous banking center and was also known for its textile industry. Dante loathed the commercialization of Florence and northern Italy in general. Yet this commercial activity would help bankroll Italy’s greatest eras in the centuries to come. In short, Dante’s conceptions of the flow of history into the future turned out to be completely wrong. He longed for a renewal of times that would never return.

Mary Shelleyss Frankenstein Essay

   He wishes he was dead, feels that the world is mocking him and that he is the only one, who is not loved and cared for in the entire world. He declares war against the species and especially the man who created him. This shows us, that Frankenstein’s monster’s biggest wish really is to be accepted, and when denied this, he goes completly berserk, not wanting to face the facts that are being presented to him. We can also tell, that he has a lot of selfpity, and a great understanding of the unfairness of his situation. But the next day he goes back, because deep inside he still has hope, and he convinces himself, that last nights incident was just too much too early. When arriving at the cottage he discovers that the family has moved, and his last shred of hope disapprears, and he burns down the cottage, and heads for Genevi , to find his creator, so he can take revenge. He feels treated unfairly by Frankenstein, and calls him his â€Å"cursed, cursed creator†, but his need to find him is understandable. He wants to know where he comes from and he wants answers, which is a natural thing for any child, who is not in touch with its roots. On his way he saves a girl from drowning, but gets shot instead of being thanked, and this makes his feelings towards humans more intense. When in Genevi , he captures a young boy, who turns out to be Frankenstein’s son. He kills him and sets a young girl up for the murder. His reason for doing this is clear: he wants to inflict pain upon Frankenstein. His reason for setting the girl up for the murder is, in his own words, because he is forever robbed of what she could have given him, because of his cursed apperenace. But she gives him an idea. He wants Frankenstein to make him a bride, someone of his own species, as horrible and deformed as himself, so that he will have companionship, which is what he wants more than everything else. The main characteristic of Frankenstein’s creation, is the longing for acceptance and company, this we can tell by his approces to first his creator and later to other people, and the facts that he has feelings and intelligence. He wants nothing more than to live a normal life, and he curses his creator for making it impossible for him to do that. In the beginning he is not evil, he does not want to kill, but the actions of the humans around him, make him the monster that Frankenstein thought him to be. He feels that humans are the most decietful of species, because they build up your hopes, and tear them back down again. His hunger for revenge is born from the constant defeat he experiences from day to day and especially from the one person who is supposed to love him, his creator, who also denies him a mate. He carries a lot of frustration, that he needs to direct somewhere, and the choice falls upon Frankenstein, the first to ever betray him. Despite all of this, Frankenstein’s monster never gives really gives up his hope to find a place to belong. This comes to show in the way that he treats the girl he meets in the woods, Frankenstein’s son, and in the very end of the story, when Frankenstein himself dies. The monster begs for forgiveness and swears to kill himself. His will to live died with Frankenstein, his only connection to the human world, that he longed for so desperatly. Comparative analasys: Frankenstein and his creation are similar to each other in different aspects. Frankenstein has created a thing so dreadful, that no one will ever love it, and has in another sense already killed all the possible loved ones in his creation’s life. His monster, on the other hand, actually kills all the people Frankenstein holds most dear, continuing the evil circle. The monster runs away from people and hides in the mountans, so that he will not experience any more pain, whilst Frankenstein runs away from the monster and his thought and feelings about his creation, but they both end up being drawn to one another, and the thing that bonds them together. They are both, at some point, after revenge. The monster chases Frankenstein down to confront him and Frankenstein chases the monster, after it has killed his family. The hunter becomes the hunted. They both have big dreams, Frankenstein about creating life and his creation about living life, but none of these dreams ever come true for any of them. Sometimes it seems that Frankenstein and his monster are two halves of the same person, each half competing for the chance to be the ruler of the other half, or that the monster is the result of Frankenstein’s ego or conscience, that comes back to haunt him. They are forever bonded with each other, the bond of creator and creation, and Frankenstein’s unwillingness to accept this, leaves both mens’ lives ruined in the end. Themes of the text Invironment vs. heritage The question is very relevant for this story. This novel can be a great starting point, if you wish to discuss, if heritage or the invironment has the greatest inpact upon someone, who is new in this world. In this story, it is defienetly the invironment that has the greatest influence upon Frankenstein’s creature. You could say that everyone is born with the same basic needs. The need for love, companionship and a place to belong. Nobody is born evil, niether is the creature, despite the fact, that he is death brought back to life. He has the same needs as everybody else, but the constant rejections of his well-intended feelings and his failures, changes him into something he did not have to become, changes him into what everybody thinks that he is; a monster. In this case, the invironment has destroyed something potentially beautiful. Love and revenge: The story is based upon the topic of love and revenge, in all its different forms. The monster wants only to be loved and accepted in a society that rejects him because of his looks. This superficial society does not look beyond his scary appereance, and he swears that he will revenge himself, which he does to his fullest, killing everyone that Frankenstein holds dear. He claims to hate the human world at this point, but at the same time, he longs for it with an aching heart. Frankenstein never realises that his creation is more than a monster, and feels very little regret towards the treatment of it, he feels that it is more important to protect mankind against this â€Å"threat† than it is to take responsebility of his actions. He spends the rest of his life following the monster to the North Pole, where he dies on board a ship, never succeeding in revenging his loved ones. When the monster discoveres this, he gives up; his last connection to the world has dissappeared, and he begs for forgiveness, and swears to burn himself and all evidence of his existence. Frankenstein only felt love for his creation when it not yet excisted and was only in his mind. As soon as it came to life, he rejected it and never thought a kind thought about it again. The creation is here his opposite; he starts off only wanting to love, later wanting revenge, but with the hope of recieving love still deeply a part of his nature. The modern Prometheus Mary Shelley subtitles her novel, â€Å"The modern Prometheus†. Prometheus, an ancient Greek, stole fire from the gods, to give to the humans. As punishment for his undoing, he was chaining to a rock, and everyday a bird-of-prey would come and eat his liver, which would then grow back. Mary Shelley did not chose this subtitle for no reason. It most certainly relates to Victor Frankenstein and his creation. Victor â€Å"stole† a power from God, the power to create life, and he is severly punished for this. His horrible creation comes back to haunt both his mind and his psysical being every day for the rest of his life. Victor’s â€Å"gift† to the world causes death, and the same does Prometheus’. Though both men meant well, their interference with forces beyond their power, brings only death and destruction, especially for the two men themselves. Perspective to the period: The novel was written during an early phase of the Industrial Revolution, at a time of dramatic advances in science and technology. The fact that the creation rebels against its creator, can be a warning from Mary Shelley, that science can lead to terrible consequences, if you do not take responsebility for your actions. This was a time, where young scientist felt, that the world was at their feet and that they had endless possibilities, and experiments to try and revive dead bodies did indeed take place when Mary grew up, and has most likely inspired her to write the story. This was also a time, were people were both facinated and scared by the new science of electricity, and Mary chose to include both this science and the science of chemistry, which was of high interest to the generel public and to herself, in her book. Mary Shelley wrote her novel not long after the gothic novels heyday in the 1790’s, and there was definitely a market for these kind of stories. It is hard to make a final conclusion of this book. There are so many topics and themes, questions and feelings to discuss, that it would take forever to get through them all, which makes this book more than just a horror story meant to frighten you. This is a novel of great seriousness, and you instantly get caught in the whirlwind of emotions, that Frankenstein and his creation both have. Mary Shelley tries in her book, to dissect the human nature, while telling a captivating tale of two mens’ journey through life, and the terrible things humans can do to one another. Rikke Juelsgaard Petersen Til d. 25, september ’07 Engelsk aflevering EG, 2e 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Consumer product safety Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consumer product safety - Research Paper Example l injury and defense of negligence Duty of care and breach of duty care This is a legal obligation of a person or organization to avoid omission, which can be, reasonably foreseen consequently causing harm to others. In this context, the duty of care of manufacturers of garlic slicer is fundamental to avoid potential risks to users. In actual sense, manufacturers have a responsibility of care to prevent damage or injury arising from failure or fault of their products (Consumer Product Safety division). It is noteworthy that, the model of the duty of care should be proved before proceeding with an action in negligence. Conversely, an individual who without any element of personal fault sustains an injury caused by a defect in the design or manufacture of a product rendering it unreasonably dangerous to normal use, may recover from the product’s manufacturer without proof of negligence. Standard of care This refers to manufacturer’s obligation of ensuring proper descripti on of product usage. It involves a provision of proper usage guidelines and associated cautions (Consumer Product Safety division). This may include package inserts, which describes all forms of information related to the prescribing data. The package inserts refers to the specific product information, which includes the medication itself. It is worth noting that, the product inserts do not define the standard of care for the use of the prescription medications however, the key concern is how the courts rule on the matter. The fundamental aspects attributed to the insert information include the possibility of establishing the applicable standard of care, which can be used as evidence in the determination of the applicable standard of care. In addition, whether this information can be used to in the... Consumer product safety Consumer protection statute refers to the laws that regulate relationships between individual consumers and manufacturers. This study examines the product liability statute. This statute governs the liability of the manufacturers, wholesalers, distributor and vendors for damages caused by faulty products. The fundamental role of the product liability statute is to enhance consumer protection from dangerous products. This law holds the manufacturers, wholesalers, and vendors responsible for such product faultiness. Manufactures have a fundamental role in ensuring the consumer safety is assured. However, restriction on negligence actions implies that, while damages may be recompensed for individual damages or injuries caused, damages will not be awarded for economic losses. Consumer protection statute refers to the laws that regulate relationships between individual consumers and manufacturers. This study examines the product liability statute. This statute governs the liability of the manufacturers, wholesalers, distributor and vendors for damages caused by faulty products. The fundamental role of the product liability statute is to enhance consumer protection from dangerous products. This law holds the manufacturers, wholesalers and vendors responsible for such product faultiness. In conclusion, manufactures have a fundamental role in ensuring the consumer safety is assured. However, restriction on negligence actions implies that, while damages may be recompensed for individual damages or injuries caused, damages will not be awarded for economic losses.

Strategic Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Strategic Planning - Essay Example Some others consider it to be future-oriented plans for interacting with the competitive environment. Overall, strategic planning is long-term plan to optimize the resources to sustain competitive advantage and achieve the corporate goals. Different words and phrases have been used by different thinkers but basically, it is a long-term planning with definite goals. Hence, a formal strategic plan should consist of written plans; it should cover more than a year of activity. This should be formulated taking into consideration the strategic alternatives and identity the resource requirements. Strategic planning has been defined as ‘the devising and formulation of organisational level plans which set the broad and flexible objectives, strategies and policies of a business, driving the organisation towards its vision of the future’ (cited by Aldehayyat & Anchor, 2008). When speaking of strategy as a plan, Mintzberg and Quinn specified two essential characteristics about strategy – it is made in advance of the actions to which it applies and it is developed consciously and purposefully (Dooris, Kelley & Trainer, 2002). Mintzberg had earlier recognized strategy as a broader concept than ‘planning’. It could also be seen as a ‘Ploy’, ‘Position’, ‘Perspective’ and ‘Pattern’ (Anderson & Atkins, 2001). Even Quinn’s definition of strategy included planning as a part of strategy formulation. Planning, according to Dooris, Kelley and Trainer (2002) is concerned with improving one’s condition and pertains to market share and improving profits. As a structured management discipline and practice, strategic planning is still in its nascent stage. Strategic planning has been considered as ‘the one best way’ to devise and implement strategies that would enhance the competitiveness of each business unit. The concept emerged during turbulent times of the 1970s, when the energy crisis and other unanticipated

Manifest destiny and the forcible removal of american indians Research Paper

Manifest destiny and the forcible removal of american indians - Research Paper Example The term Manifest Destiny integrated the nationalist concepts of Anglo-Saxon superiority with capitalist expansion of territory, â€Å"ideas which had deep roots in American political culture† (Nevins 2002: 17). On the other hand, Caldwell (2006) identifies the roots of manifest destiny in religion, the providentially sanctioned Christian destiny territorial conquest going back as far as the Crusades, and â€Å"a God-given right to any land occupied by non-Christian peoples† (p.84). The extensive American efforts at expansion included in addition to the Louisiana Purchase and the acquisition of the lands of the Mexican cession, internal expansion as American settlers moved westward during the California gold rush (Joy, 2003) Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the concept of Manifest Destiny in 19th century American history, and its role in America’s rise from a colony to a super power. Further, the extent to which manifest destiny was r eflected in domestic policy by the country’s government will be identified. The forcible removal of American Indians, attempts to civilize them, and Americans’ seizing of Mexican land, and waging war on Mexico will be discussed. The underlying roots of European racism and imperialism fuelling manifest destiny will be examined. Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion in America From the 14th century to as late as the 1840s, Europeans fled to the New World of America in search of religious freedom and a new life. There was westward expansion in the 19th century because the population density in the industrial towns in the east was increasing tremendously by growing numbers of Europeans who entered America at the eastern seaboard. Moreover, the gold rush in the western region particularly in California, as well as news of fertile soil and plentiful opportunities were powerful motivators to move westwards. Consequently, the Americans found it necessary to spread westward i n search of new land to cultivate, to build on, and new livelihood to undertake. This westward expansion was termed as manifest destiny by Anglos were the whites arriving in California from the eastern towns in the 19th century. Through close association and marriage allegiance with the California elite the white settlers acquired great wealth and political power (Mountjoy 2009). Notions of national superiority form a significant reason for the concept of Manifest Destiny to take shape and to promote westward expansion towards new opportunities. According to Caldwell (2006) the reasons for America’s notions of superiority include myths of the unique regenerative power of the new land of America that the Europeans made their home; from Americans’ self developed visions of being the people chosen by God to utilize the abundance of natural resources; of being given the mission to spread civilization in underdeveloped areas, and of being granted the high destiny of spreadi ng westward for achieving profit and prosperity. Americans’ sense of supremacy is also rooted in their ability to succeed as immigrants through self-sufficiency, confidence, self-reliance; their realization of the abundance of natural wealth in the land; and their view of the universality of American ideology. Expansionist Theory, Racism and Imperialism in Manifest Destiny American Indians who were the original natives of the land were marginalized and every

Medical research abroad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medical research abroad - Essay Example The last bit of the presentation will conclude about the research conducted. Marriages in most African countries become recognized upon payment of the bride price which has many names in various African settings. In South Africa, it is referred to as labola; in East Africa it is referred to as mahari; in Zimbabwe it is referred to as roora; generally, in African settings, it is referred to as head-money. This payment is normally in the form of cash or other forms, and it is directed towards the family of the lady being married. African women are vulnerable when being used as research specimens as typified by many African constitutions. I will use Nigeria as a case example, maturity is deemed to start when one clocks 18 years. Another way that women can be considered of a mature age is when they have been married. However, as a result of the payment of the bride price, African women are considered as objects that are purchased in marriage. As a result of this, constitutional rights of these women of being regarded mature are taken away from them upon marriage. Therefore, African will be forced to seek approval from their husbands or even family members of their husbands when they want to enroll in clinical research. This is the challenge that is faced in clinical research using African women. The same normally applies for older women who are unmarried. Ion this scenario, the Nigerian constitution and indeed, most African constitutions have placed women under the care of their father or guardian until they are married. However, these rules are not applicable in Europe or in America. Another remarkable finding is that bride price is not paid to black women in the West Indies and the US. Therefore, it is only African black women who become disadvantaged when it comes to this. Solutions to this problem faced by African women have no borne

The study of the hip-hop culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The study of the hip-hop culture - Essay Example The study of the hip-hop culture Some of the professional fields concerned with the study of the hip-hop culture include musicology, literature, African-American studies, linguistics, and so forth (Leach, 9; Alridge and Stewart, 190). In academic and professional conferences, hip-hop culture topics are receiving a wider attention as people strive to understand this culture. Equally, hip-hop materials are currently being sought after by research institutions (including Harvard and Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture) to provide researchers with adequate materials in the analysis of the hip-hop culture (Leach, 9). This essay compares Eminem’s video for â€Å"The Real Slim Shady† with N.W.A.’s video for â€Å"Straight Outta Compton†. In the analysis of these different rap videos, the essay constructs an argument about how hip-hop has changed since its formation in the 1970s. Defining and Understanding Hip-hop and Rap Numerous people (including knowledgeable hip-hop writers and lis teners) do not understand the meanings of rap and hip-hop; particularly, many of these individuals think that the two are interchangeable. Nonetheless, hip-hop is a cultural movement originating from South Bronx, New York. It has four main/primary elements that include rap, graffiti, DJing (also known as turntablism), and break dancing. Other elements that are also part of the hip-hop culture include language, beat boxing, and fashion. Among these elements, rap is the most popular and the most celebrated element of the hip-hop culture. ... Rapping is also known as emceeing. In this hip-hop element, the rapper or the performer speaks rhythmically to a musical beat; his/her words rhyme from one sentence to the other. In the modern hip-hop perspective, an MC is different from a rapper. An MC is an individual with superior lyrical ability; on the other hand, a rapper focuses less on lyrical prowess. Particularly, this characteristic is evident in many of the mainstream rappers today (Aces and Eighths). Although it originated in New York, hip-hop has its roots in African-American and West African music. Griots are a group of West African singers and poets whose musical style is similar to that of the hip-hop culture. They have an oral tradition similar to the one in rap music; however, theirs dates back to hundreds of years. In the City of New York, griot-like musical performances from artists such as Mansur Nuriddin and The Last Poets influenced the post-civil rights era culture in the 1960s. In the 1970s, block parties be came common creating the humble beginnings of the hip-hop culture (Aces and Eighths). â€Å"The Real Slim Shady† by Eminem â€Å"The Real Slim Shady† is a hip-hop song done by Marshall Bruce Mathers III who is popular by the name Eminem. In the process of writing this song, Eminem sought assistance from Andre Romelle Young (popular by the name Dr. Dre) and Thomas Joseph Coster Junior (popular by the name Tommy Coster Jr). Eminem was writing this song for his third studio album â€Å"The Marshall Mathers LP† released on 23 May 2000. This song was the lead single in this album. The song was highly successful as it reached number one in UK (United Kingdom) and number four on the â€Å"Billboard Hot

Religions in India Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Religions in India - Essay Example The extent of this religious diversity that is seen in India is a consequence of both the presence of a plethora of native religions and the assimilation and social integration of religions brought to the land by travelers, immigrants, traders and even invaders/ conquerors such as the Mughals over time (Kalman, 2010). The most dominant religion in India today is Hinduism. As per a 2001 survey, 82% of the Indian population was practicing Hinduism, 12% Islam, 2.5% Christianity, 2% Sikhism, 0.7% Buddhism, 0.5% Jainism, 0.01% Zoroastrianism and another 0.0005% engaged in Judaism. Though affected by major religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, in addition, there exist many other tribal traditions. The three ancient religions; Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism are traditionally considered the shapers of Indian philosophy (Kalman, 2010). Hinduism is a religion with a pantheon of gods and goddesses such as Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Parvati, Ganesh, Hanuman, Surya, Ganga Ma, Samandra, Indra and so on. However, those who practice Hinduism do not always worship all these gods. They pick the ones to worship. Hinduism believes in reincarnation where a person’s fate is determined according to his deeds (karma). Good souls are liberated from reincarnation and attain redemption while bad souls are punished for their sins and born again and again in a frustrating cycle. Islam, another religion in India, has a strong influence in the Indian society mainly due to the presence of many Muslim rulers in different parts of India. These Muslims are divided into two rival sects, the Sunni and the Shia. The Muslim population in India is the third largest globally as is the case with the Shia population. The shrines of some of the most popular Sufism saints like Moinuddin Chishti and Nizamuddin Auliya are in Ind ia and they attract visitors. Some of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture such as the Taj Mahal and the Qutb Minar

Transparency and leadership in organisations Dissertation

Transparency and leadership in organisations - Dissertation Example ndful of the fact that the world’s national economies are inextricably linked and therefore the weakness of one is the weakness of all, global financial and economic alliances and unions called for greater transparency and regulatory compliance from all regional unions. The Middle East and North African (MENA) region is among the regions most cited for lack of transparency, with Somalia and Iraq identified as two of the worst-ranked countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index. While the UAE is far removed from either of these two, it nevertheless is bound by many commonalities including regional economic, political, and trade agreements. Furthermore, the UAE has been one of the nations which had attracted public attention precisely on this issue. Dubai, more than the other emirates, has been under tighter scrutiny because of the Dubai World debt restructuring and the significant slow-down in development projects, even before the US subprime mar ket crisis hit (Afridi & Angell, 2010). The stigma of corruption and lack of transparency is a mark a country could not afford to obtain if it wishes to attract trade and investment from outside its borders. 1.3 Statement of aim and objectives The principal aim of this dissertation is to assess the degree to which transparency and good governance have been advanced by organizational leadership in the United Arab Emirates, as they impact upon the management of projects within the federation. In particular, the study seeks to fulfil the following objectives: (1) To trace the historical context of the UAE’s imperative for transparency and governance; (2) To understand the measures that have been instituted and are currently in place to enhance transparency and good governance in the UAE; (3) To... The intention of this study is transparency as capable of being seen through; without guile or concealment; open, frank, candid. It is also unavoidable to likewise discuss the concept of concealment. This is because the very concept of transparency is drawn from the absence of concealment. According to Kerfoot, concealment is at the heart of any dysfunctional relationship between the staff, its customers principally, and its other stakeholders. Concealment breeds distrust, and the lack of trust compromises the success of any attempt at a productive relationship. This can be a particularly disadvantageous relationship, particularly in industries where the organization works in close contact with the customer, such as health care services and hospital concerns. For the organization to discharge its function well, it cannot afford a situation wherein customers can find reason not to repose their full trust and reliance upon the firm. The avoidance of concealment, even the very appearanc e of it, is therefore to be avoided by a show of full disclosure and the conduct of an open enterprise. The various and divergent views on transparency is expected to be reflected in the specific application of transparency programmes within the different companies; likewise, the understanding of transparency within the cultural context of the UAE is also expected to differ from that of other countries. This material difference should be taken into consideration during the analysis of qualitative data to be undertaken in this dissertation, so that false conclusions may be avoided by careful qualification.

Doctrine of Promissory Estoppel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Doctrine of Promissory Estoppel - Essay Example This research tells that Amelia offered her nephew, Dan, two thousand pounds if he worked hard and got a second class degree, and her sister, Betti, five hundred pounds for errands. She also offered a two hundred fifty pound reduction of a loan she had given to Betti's husband, Giles. Giles pays the seven hundred and fifty pounds. Dan does very little work but does get a first-class degree. Amelia now wishes to know her obligations to Betti underneath this contract. The legal questions are 1. Does Dan's meeting of the second-class degree standard mean that that part of the contract is fulfilled? 2. Did the term â€Å"second-class degree† mean â€Å"at least a second-class degree† or â€Å"a second-class degree exclusively?† 3. Are the contract elements severable; that is, is Dan's possible fulfillment of the contract separate from Giles' clear fulfillment of his duties? 4. Does it make any difference that Giles, rather than Betti, paid the seven hundred and fifty pounds? 5. Can â€Å"work hard† be meaningfully quantified? Contract Interpretation The issues of the contract should be considered separately. They are 1. The offering of money to Dan for working hard and achieving a second-class degree. 2. The offering of money to Amelia for errands in the past. (However, it seems that the errands are moot: Whether Betti actually had done errands for Amelia or not, they are accepted by the contract as a matter of fact). 3. The offering of a two-hundred-fifty pound discount on a prior one thousand loan by Amelia to Giles. There are many elements to contracts even before considering the issues of estoppel and promissory consideration: Acceptance, offer, consideration, the contract being oral or written, the severability of various elements, etc. Consideration is a part of this contract, however: Both parties are offering something of value1. The family unit as a whole (Giles, Dan, and Betti) are clearly part of this contract, with Amelia bei ng the other party. For this reason, it is moot if Giles or Betti pays the seven hundred fifty pounds unless the contract specifically states otherwise. (This will, in turn, be dependent on whether the contract is verbal or written). Acceptance of the contract is an issue. Giles owed a thousand pounds. The only concrete sign on the part of Betti's family unit is the seven hundred fifty pounds Giles paid. Amelia can make a reasonable argument that she was accepting partial payment and that this was not a sign of acceptance. Similarly, Amelia paying Betti five hundred pounds could be considered as payment for a prior act, not a fulfillment of the contract. The only sign of acceptance of the contract that would not be prompted by other prior considerations between the two families would be Dan working hard and getting a second-class degree, only half of which was ever wholly completed. While Amelia did extend an offer, it is arguable that there was ever an acceptance. The acceptance is sue and the consideration issue are inextricable. Consideration â€Å"Consideration entails the parties' doing something that they were not previously bound to do outside of the agreement. In other words, promises must pay the price (consideration) that they agreed to pay the promisor in order to gain the right to enforce the promisor's obligation†. Giles was obliged to pay one thousand pounds; paying the seven hundred fifty pounds is not a consideration. Even if Betti had paid for it, she is obligated to pay the debts of her husband, as a unified family unit. But Giles did in fact pay, meaning that there had been no consideration prior.

How to write an essay Essay Example for Free

How to write an essay Essay 1. An introduction-introducing the topic generally, and then identifying your main or controlling idea (the point of your essay, your view of the assigned topic statement). 2. Middle paragraphs that develop and support the controlling idea. Each paragraph gives a different point or argument supporting the thesis. One point per paragraph, and one paragraph per main point. Don’t forget to give good concrete examples with descriptive details, facts and arguments to support each of your arguments. Develop the paragraph fully and logically with these details, facts and arguments. 3. Conclusion-re-states the controlling idea, summarizes the supporting arguments and provides a closing statement. Title Your title should relate to your main topic to establish the focus of the essay. It should be concise and informative. Examples: â€Å"Reasons for the Fall of Rome† or â€Å"The Emancipation of the Tibetan Nation† The Introduction The introductory paragraph tries to interest the reader, name the subject of the paper, indicate what idea will be expressed about it, and perhaps show how it will be handled. There are many ways to begin an expository essay: Begin with a quotation. It may be directly or indirectly related to the subject. Begin with an interesting fact or statistic. Begin with a short anecdote or narrative. A short narrative is particularly effective for adding a touch of variety to an expository paper. Begin with a paradox. Begin with relevant background material. Background material should, however, be concise and clearly related to your thesis. Begin by stating a long-term effect or effects without immediately stating the cause. Begin with an analogy. Begin with a definition of a term that is important to your topic. This should not be a simple dictionary definition but an explanation of the term as it applies to your topic. The thesis statement A thesis statement alerts your reader to the main argument of the essay and prepares him or her, in a general way, for the content that is to follow. The statement should be brief; there is no point in supplying an outline of everything that a short paper is going to say. But the thesis statement should not merely announce the author’s general interests or plans. Examples: Preliminary thesis statement: I intend to discuss the reasons for the fall of Rome. Revised thesis statement: The major reason for the fall of Rome was bad economic policy. Preliminary thesis statement: I think that Tibet should be its own free nation. Revised thesis statement: Tibet should be its own free nation. Development Your development should have at least three points or arguments supporting your thesis. Each point should take up a whole paragraph. Paragraphs are composed of three elements: Topic sentence: This sentence presents in general terms the subject of the paragraph. The topic sentence may occur anywhere in the paragraph, but is generally the first sentence of the paragraph. Supporting sentences: These sentences form the body of the paragraph. The content of the supporting sentences comprises specific facts or specific arguments which demonstrate the validity of the generalizations presented in the topic sentence. Concluding sentence: This sentence concludes discussion of the point which is the topic of the paragraph and often makes possible the transition to the topic of the next paragraph.

The History Of Psychology and Philosophy

The History Of Psychology and Philosophy Throughout the course of history, psychology has taken shape and formed into a field of science that is essential in modern times. Psychologys origins are deeply rooted in the field of philosophy, dating back to the ancient Greeks with such recognizable names as Aristotle and Plato, who began contemplating the causes of human behavior before even physiology and anatomy would connect the brain to behavior. Many philosophers have attempted to explain the basis for our behavior, but few have been influential and ingenious enough to have not only changed the face of psychology, but lead it into a new direction and devise theories still considered germane today. With the growing popularity of psychology in the field of philosophy, it was only a matter of time before psychology captured the interest of academics with a more scientific approach to determining and explaining the causes for human behavior. Following on the footsteps of Wilhelm Wundt and William James, the founding fathers of modern psychology, many scientists clamored to disprove current theories. As centuries have passed, and our knowledge and technology continues to advance, few philosophers and scientists have been so close to the mark with their theories to have influenced the field so greatly and still remain a vital part of our research, experiments, and theories today. John Locke, a 17th century English philosopher, and Charles Darwin, a 19th century naturalist and scientist are two men who fall into that category. John Lockes theories on how we gain knowledge were a turning point in child psychology in a time where children were meant to be seen and not heard. His beliefs still have validity today where the argument of nature vs. nurture comes into play. Charles Darwin catapulted functionalism to the head of the line in the field of psychology and opened up psychology to every field of research and data collection where human behavior is concerned. Darwins theory of evolution is still a major focus in many fields of psychology and was one of the most important developm ents, to this date, in the field of psychology. PHILOSOPHY John Locke was one of many philosophers of his time who believed that knowledge was gained through experience, and is often identified as the first of the great English empiricists. This title is often bestowed upon him due to his book, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, in which one of his most substantial goals was to determine the limits of human understanding. While Lockes most important lifes work was in the political arena, he put the same ideas to work in the field of psychology. Lockes disdain for authority lead him to extend his beliefs beyond politics; he wanted people to use reason to search for truth rather than simply accepting the opinion of authorities, or hinge their beliefs on superstition. This is how he approached his study of cognitive functioning. Locke did not agree with Descartes theory that knowledge can be innate, knowledge that we have gained without having experience and developed out of our consciousness. This is where his political ideas and his philosophical ideas crossed paths. It was Lockes belief that we are obligated to acquire knowledge and not just accept what we are told; knowledge is not innate, our mind gains simple information and builds complex ideas. Locke subscribed to the same basic idea that as Aristotle had, hundreds of years earlier, that the mind is a blank slate, or tabula rasa, when we are born. He applied this concept to children, which was quite radical for that time. Locke argued that children are not innately bad, they are born with this blank slate, and their experiences are substantial in deciding their characteristics as adults. He believed that children developed bad thinking habits and in order to dissuade this, children needed to be taught to base their beliefs on strong, fact based notio ns rather than simply believing what is meant to be understood as fact. This idea of a blank slate, is still argued by psychologists today. This is the same as the nature vs. nurture theory. Locke simply believed that everything is nurture, and who we become is based upon our environment and what we experience. He urged parents to spend time with their children, and guide them to help them develop into honorable members of society. While we now know, based upon years of research and study, that heredity and genetics are part of what decides our fate as we develop into adulthood, experience is highly implemental to our emotional and social development. Lockes argument was based upon two different types of experience, sensation and reflection. Sensation is based upon external experiences such as color, sound, and motion and reflection is based upon internal experiences, which cause the mind to reflect upon these sensations we have experienced and form thoughts and ideas, building our knowledge. This is where we collect our simple ideas, which then build and grow into complex ideas. Sensation helps us to form simple, very basic ideas. Reflection of those sensations causes us to add those stored simple ideas together to form a complex idea, thereby adding to our knowledge base. The notion of combining or compounding ideas and the reverse notion of analyzing them marks the beginning of the mental -chemistry approach to the problem of association. (Schultz Schultz, 2008 2007 Pg. 41) Association is, simply put, learning. SCIENCE Charles Darwin is probably one of the most renowned scientists who developed one of the most debated theories in history, the Theory of Evolution. Darwins ideas started formulating while he acted as the naturalist on a five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle. While aboard the Beagle, Darwin kept meticulous notes of his observations, and collected countless biologic and geologic specimens that were sent back to England. From these notes and specimens, Darwin penned three books on South American geology, published numerous scientific papers on zoology, and began his notebook on the transmutation of species. After his return, Darwin began communicating with breeders, zookeepers, naturalists, and gardeners to collect facts and gather evidence to support his theory of evolution. Two years later, Darwin became entranced by a two-year-old orangutan named Jenny, on display at the London Zoo. He was so taken by Jenny that he returned several times to observe and interact with her, until she died from an illness after only two years in captivity. Darwins reaction was that of profound astonishment evident in his notebook: Let man visit Orangoutang in domestication, see its intelligenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and then let him boast of his proud pre-eminenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Man in his arrogance thinks himself a great work, worthy the interposition of a diety. More humble, and I believe true, to consider him created from animals (as cited in Schultz, Schultz 2008 2007, Pg. 125). Darwin was not the first scientist to broach the subject of evolution. Ancient Greek philosophers argued the evolution of all life forms from air and water. A century before Darwin was born, German philosopher Immanuel Kant had a theory that closely resembled Darwins. He surmised that all life forms came from one single ancestor, and lower life forms may have adapted and evolved as needed for survival. Erasmus Darwin, Charless grandfather, also wrote of the relationship of all forms of life. While evolution was not necessarily a new or original concept, but the evidence and data Darwin collected, accompanied by his Origin of Species, was enough to start the chain of events that changed the direction of psychology. From Darwins theory of evolution came a deepening interest in studying the similarities of mental processes between humans and animals, prompting the field of comparative psychology, the study of animal behavior. Comparative psychology elicited the works of behaviorists Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner, both of whom were highly influential in launching the behaviorist movement. Darwins theory of natural selection lead psychologists to delve deeper into researching individual differences amongst people in an attempt to find out why some thrived while others barely rise above average. Alfred Binets intelligence tests were developed while the focus on individual differences was burgeoning, as intelligence is a major focus for studying differences between individuals. Evolutionary psychology was obviously, spawned by Darwins theory. Evolutionary psychology is a field of cognitive psychology that is dedicated to explaining the causes of human behavior based upon adaptation and natural selecti on. Darwins theory of evolution took the spotlight off structuralism, and shined it directly at functionalism. The structuralism theories and works of Wundt and Titchener were not answering the questions that the psychologists of the time wanted answered. This switch to functionalism, catapulted by Darwin, sparked a desire to apply psychology to everyday life and the issues people face and of how adapt and function in different environments. CONCLUSION Rene Descartes, a 17th century French philosopher and mathematician brought about a spreading desire to explain the mind-body problem. This was the beginning of modern psychology. What followed was a stream of philosophers formulating theories and scientists who helped to make psychology and specific field of science. Many of the theories of the founding fathers of psychology, whether philosopher, scientist, physiologist, purveyor of structuralism or functionalism, are outdated and have been proven to be highly inaccurate, or completely without validity. Few theories have been able to stand the test of time, regardless of their influence and contributions to the field. John Lockes theories were the basis for a completely different view of child psychology and still hold validity today. While Locke was not completely correct with his idea of tabula rasa, starting life with a blank slate, the notion that our experiences shape who we become and are highly influential to our development is still a valid argument. Nature vs. nurture is one of the most valid theories in psychology today, and Lockes theory is derived from the nurture side. Charles Darwin did not start the concept of evolution, the theory had been circulating for centuries before he even cracked open his first notebook. However, his theories of evolution and natural selection set the tone for studies and research that continues to thrive. His theory of natural selection is valid in that we are constantly adapting and changing as our environment and circumstances change. Darwins theory came from every area of study from geology to zoology, and biology to animal husbandry. Those avenues of information and the combining of knowledge from different fields and areas of science are still open to us and have been extremely beneficial in continuing to broaden our efforts to explain the behavior of our fellow human beings. Darwins theory highlighted the importance of studying individuals, and continues with behavior analysts and experimental psychologists worldwide. With the thoroughness and painstakingly detailed documentation and supporting evidence Darwin col lected it would be difficult to pinpoint much that is not valid today from a psychological standpoint. The only true debates where Darwins theories are concerned seem to stem from religion circles and creationists, which has little bearing on the attempt to explain human behavior. Reference Page Schultz, Duane P. Schultz, Sydney E., (2008, 2007), History of Psychology PS210, Cengage Learning: Mason, OH. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/darwinism/

Back Ground of the Company Xerox

Back Ground of the Company Xerox Haloed Corporation was renamed in 1961 as XEROX. Photocopier was their main product which was introduced in 1959.Xerox was the only company in the market providing photocopier. The company monopolized the market as the only seller of photocopier and this monopoly was well protected by patents. The logical result of this monopoly was the over confidence of the company. They made their own standards and trusted heavily on them. Joint ventures were the method adopted by XEROX to hit the international market. In 1959 RANK XEROX was registered and was assigned a target to hit the market European and African market. In 1962 FUJI XEROX worked in the domain of FAR EAST and ASIAN PACIFIC. Average and high level market was the target of XEROX and had nothing to do with low level market. Competition Monopoly complaint against XEROX was filed by the Federal Trade Commission in 1973. In 1975 XEROX took away its patents. Many other companies jumped in and between1971 and 1980 about 147 companies got hold of the market. The result was obvious and XEROX lost about50%of the market share. Middle and high level market was captured by IBM and Eastman Kodak . New technology was introduced by these companies and took a   good share of the market from XEROX. The low level market was captured by Japanese firms. The products for the low level market were not in the domain of XEROX and that is why it could not compete the Japanese companies. The Japanese then came into the middle and high level industry. Their product was favored because it was easy to use and preserve. Diversification In 1969, Xerox assumed technological information system also called scientific data system. With the help of scientific data system, Xerox developed mainframe computers. They afterward traded it off in 1975 at loss of 1.4 billion. In 1970 the company bought disables system; it developed daisy wheel printer and computer memories. Xerox merged memory writer, a company which was producing typewriters. This   was   a successful deal, as the company was able to capture 20% of the typewriter market. The Xerox developed its own research center which designed a new electronic printing technology. This also a lot the company to hold majority of the market purchasing foster in 1983, and then acquiring van Kampen market, company got good position in the market. Xerox in the 1950 Peter McCullough wanted to implement quality circle activity in the company which he observed during his stay in Japan. A team was sent to Japan to study the activity in 1978, the team also Study General Motors and the other US manufactures. The result of the study was the involvement of the employees in the company would be fruitful in future. To implement the decision of involvement of employees in company. Dr. Harold J. Tragash was hired in 1979. The 30% of the work force was given training in 1980.the employees were divided into 100 groups. These groups participated into the fairs of company and the result were as listed: Cost reduction. Employee satisfaction. Improvement in product quality. In 1982, David Keans become the CEO of the company, he placed off employees and quitted 2100 employees by 1983, Business effectiveness in 1980, Dwight F. Ryan was made the dead of business effectiveness department. He was given the following tasks: Improve productivity Reduce cost Improve customer satisfaction. The policy of the involvement of the employees in the affairs of the company became the first step towards the business effectiveness. Company structure was changed in Ju8ly 1981 abd the business was made into strategic Business unitys. Business system department was handed over to Dwight F.Ryan. fifty Top managers along with David Kean held a meeting in September 1981.which was ended to strong suggestion s to implement business effectiveness with force on employee involvement and competitive benchmarking. Keans, Rechired and Teagash worked very hard on three goals i.e. increase in productivity cost, effectiveness and customer orientation. Fuji Xerox Fuji Xerox was facing new competition in the world market in 1970. Japan being the leader in business activity, posed though competition for Fuji Xerox which h had base in Japan. The solution came in 1976 in the shape of â€Å" the New Xerox Movement â€Å". Demining award for quality was awarded to Fuji Xerox in 198. This was the result of this new movement. David Kearns visited Japan to find out the causes of winning the   award . He studied deeply the Fuji Xerox model. In 1982 Targash Richard d and their staff worked o a business strategy effectiveness for Xerox. Theyir study was based upon the Fuji Xerox model.   They had a number of meeting with David Kearns and finely on July 1980, a new strategy called â€Å"Pursuit og Execellence†was put   forward by the team.the team consisted of Senior managers which worked hard to form   new stretgy adnn method of its implementation .In 1982 David Nadler and Delta consulting groups was hired to follow the Fuji Xerox model. Blue Book (a management-Change) In1983, Kearns held a meeting with cooperate management committee and operating units heads about Blue Book. Twenty five executives gave their opinion about Blue Book. The wuality experts Phil Crosly and W. Edwards were also invited to speak at   the meeting. The main objective of the blue book were: Quality improvement, by doing things right and doing them well. To improve long term business success. Quality determined by customers. Provide training by all levels. To make the senior managers as role models. A system of employee quality reward system to be set up. Leadership throughQuality: Quality strategy became the responsibility of 25 executives to whom David Kearns held a meeting in February in 1983.he explain the meaning of Quality as doing things right the first time.The blue book was not presented as finished product ,instead it was used for briefing product and discussion. The exective of Xerox were divided into two parts. One worked for communication and the other worked for reward and recognition. The outcome of these groups were as follow: The concept of â€Å"Leadership through quality† was introduced. The idea of Xerox quality was given. Quality ws defined as meeting customer existing and their requirements in future. Improving quality means understanding and working to satisfy the customers requirements. Kearns emphasized on Quality as well as on keeping eye on the challenges going around in other industries. He was the opinion that is was the time to change the culture and timae to introduced the quality culture at Xerox . In august 1983, the system for Xerox was changed to insure quality. Cooperate Quality Office On March 29, 1983, cooperate quality office started functioning. Fred. B. Henderson became vice president for quality. He was also elected as cooperate office by the board of directors. Henderson emphasized on employee involvement, competitive benchmarking and leadership through quality. According to John Kelsch quality award business strategy are closely related. A change in quality would be a change in strategy. Quality strategy is more useful than product strategy. Quality implantation team was selected which was working in cooperate quality office. Each business group was given representation in the office. Nine erecutive were from the field and six executives were from the cooperate office including Tragash and Richard.Each member was named as vice president for quality and had to report its departmental head. In April 1983 a six a six month strategy was implanted by QIT. The member had their concern over its implantation. Firstly would it work and secondly will the company stick to the changes. There was another very important concern and that was about timeframe. There were of the view that it would change the culture and than larger period of time will be required for adjustment. And other sections of member were of the opinion that too much work is required for this applications and the original task will be showed. After the formation of quality implementation team (QIT),the quality training task force was made. The range of work set for QIT was to implement the change and quality training task force (QITF) would provide training to the employees. The member of QIT will share ideas, get input from the parent department.adn establish the home office stake in process. In 1983 the team produce second blue book for implementation at the end of the meeting, they had a strategic plan in their hand and was named as green book. The green book gave stress in quality strategy, and short term programs which produce long term leadership. The goals of green book were as follow: Setting goals which are yet to achieve. There must be a strategy for quality and implement. The working method. The green book was consisted on 92 pages its range of study was consisted of 92 pages. Its range of study was the cost of quality, outline for quality implement process problem solving process and tool for served strategically problems. It gave the idea that competitive bench marking is the key tool for several statistical problems. it gave the idea that competitive bench marking is   the key tool for evaluating Xerox. This green book was implanted from 1983 to 1987. The most important and positive aspect of this whole exercise was the training. Each training was given a problem they would have to solve them. The training was given from top to bottom. Managers were trained first and then they participated in the training of their subordinates this training was named as cascade. Changes and Opportunities Occurred In 40 Years Strength in the Past: In the beginning, Xerox enjoyed pure monopoly; there was no competitor in the market. The product of company was well protected by patents. This pure monopoly gave the following benefits to the Xerox. There was no price pressure from the competitors. It could fix and alter the price according to its own will. The company could increase their price by decreasing its production. There was no risk of over production. Other company completely controlled the market. During first fifteen years the main products were Xerox 914, the first plane paper Xerox 813, the first desktop plain paper and first photocopier. By 1965, company revenues crossed $500 million. In 1975, Xerox was forced by the federal trade communication to license its copies to other manufactures. Xerox monopolized the upper level market for a long time and during this period; the company extended its product line. Strength Today: The strength of the company lays the following facts: It had a good brand name image. The company was the pioneer in its filed. Good quality products, best technologies and good services gave a stronger out look to the company. Even Japanese companies did not enjoy such a strong image. The slogan of total satisfaction guarantee according to which instead of monetary refund the products are replaced, became a reason for its bigger image. The company had excellent quality management team. Employees participation in operational decisions made a very strong image of the company in local and international market. The people working in the organization are proactive in nature then re active. The employee participation in the affair of company to find out the demands of customers. Weakness in the past The company got over confident because of the monopoly enjoyed by it for a long time. The company started taking things causally. For Example â€Å"the receipt provided to purchaser had only product code on it rather than the product name. The purchaser would not know if he caught what he asked for. Internal competition was another weakness in the past. There was a competition among the employees which badly affected the organization effectiveness. And knowledge management practices. The other result of this internal competition were the isolation of the information, lose of employees, breaks in the organizational flow charts and corporate disloyalty. Another weakness of the company was that it was not targeting the low level market. Xerox only targeted higher market. Xerox could have increased its profits if they would have targeted low markets. With the arrival of new competition, Xerox tried to improve its quality. It failed to do so because of its scattered efforts. There was a lack of collective efforts. Weakness Today The following are the weaknesses of Xerox Corporation: Total quality management implementation resulted in high over head costs. Financial position of Xerox is not very good. 100% quality concept created a negative competitive position for Xerox. As customers are not ready to pay for exceptional quality and services. Fixed asset turn over as increase in recent years. But the total asset turnover ratio has decreased. It is because of the reason that the company has increased its inventory requirements by its product replacement concepts. Leverage ratios are increased where as profitability ratios are decreased.   Opportunities in The Past Since Xerox enjoyed monopoly in its products therefore the whole world was its market. The company availed its opportunities and targeted the different regions of the world. This goal was achieved by joint ventures with other companies, the details of which furnished below: Xerox got into joint venture with a British company named as Rank Organization in 1959. The joint venture came in the market with the name Rank Xerox. The target of this company was to manufacture and market Xerox equipment in Europe, Africa and Asia. Modi Xerox (Xerox India) was a joint venture between Rank Xerox and Modi group in India and its rang was Indian subcontinent. Fuji Xerox was established in 1962. Which was a joint venture of Rank Xerox and the Japanese photography firm Fuji Photo Film Co. They aimed Far East and Asia Pacific region for the xerographic and document related products and services in these regions. Opportunities Today Following may be the opportunities of Xerox Corporation: Diversification into more product lines. Expansion into more production foreign market. By diversifying into more product lines and by finding new potation markets such as Europe and South East Asia, the company can increase its business and establish its credibility in the international market. Threats in the Past There was no self benchmark in the company and it heavily relied own internal benchmark. There are positive points in internal benchmarking as it is cost effective. It is easy to gain access to all the information required. The negative aspect of the internal benchmarking is that we cannot get information about the competitors and the other outside parties. Internal benchmark may not be adequate to face the external pressure. Keeping in mind the drawbacks it is better to use external benchmarking. External benchmarking is a useful way of studying of performance measured taken by successful organizations with in the same industries or the different industry and learning for them. It is also useful for studying the various systems and processes. The idea that benchmarking is done against in the company in the same industry is a miss concept.   Monopoly case was registered to Federal Trade Commission in 1973 and as a result of this Xerox had to take away its patents in 1975. Monopoly was changed into monopolistic competition in the market which was a great threat to the company. Between 1971 and 1978, 77 different plain paper copiers came into the market and between 1978 to 1980, 70 more companies listed their mark in the market. This shattered the shares of the company which dropped from 100 % to 50 %. After the removal of monopoly of Xerox, many Japanese companies entered in photocopy business. And targeted the low level markets. Xerox could not compete as it had no product to offer the low level market. Japanese after getting the good position in the lower market, started to move toward the mid and upper level markets. Their products were better, easy to use, easy t maintain and more efficient. It was a big blow to Xerox.

Conquest :: essays research papers

Conquest The day they landed was the most horrible day I have ever been forced to live through. * * * The Soviet Union had begun to regroup. It was not immediately joined by the smaller and weaker nations that made up the northwestern region of the union. The independent nations of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithua would not follow under communist rule again; they were willing to die for their freedom. The U.S.S.R was unable to persuade the remaining components to rejoin them in their conquest and they were hasty to declare war on their counterparts. With war waging in Eastern Europe the United Nations took action. The leader of Russia's communist party and president rejected the UN's cease-fire treaty. Russia was expelled from the United Nations early the next day. The CIA agent, Newton, inched his way through the air conditioning make an effort to remain as quiet as possible. Once he reached the ventilator above the leader's bedroom he unveiled his device, a new prototype developed by his agency. This devise would unscrew and disable any form of fastener. Using a laser divertor to abstract the laser alarm system path the agent lowered himself into the room. Waiting for the man, a smaller man yet more powerful. The door creaked open slowly and an exhausted fat man entered. As soon as the door had been closed the fat man's throat had been gashed and he lay in a pool of his own warm blood. The United States had volunteered to be a "cut-off" regiment. We would put pressure on Russia to remove their troops from Eastern Europe and detain their troops in Russia. If they failed to comply with this mandate we would have no choice but to supply aid to Eastern Europe. My regiment was originally from the Southern California area; we were to be transported to San Francisco where we would rendezvous with a rather large concentration of military. From San Francisco we would be transported by carriers to the island of Hokkaido, specifically the town of Wakkanai. Our army would form a percent of the United Nations army along with Japan and England and launch an attack on a Russian city named Korsakov. This was the plan as it stood, but when you are attacked on your own soil there are priorities to attend to. Later that week the leader of Russia was assassinated in chambers. The assailant had entered through the overhead ventilator and slit the dictator's throat. He had then fled through the window setting off a number of alarms and finally escaping by slaying three of the soldiers on guard.

Making Planned Giving Work For You :: essays research papers

Making Planned Giving Work For You Planned giving strategy tips for every organization Lawrence Henze,J.D.,Managing Director,Blackbaud Analytics â€Å"Golden Age of Philanthropy † Americans will transfer at least $41 trillion between 1998-2052,according to a study 1 by the Social Welfare Research Institute at Boston College.At least $6 trillion of that funding will be bequests to charity,according to authors Paul Schervish and John Havens,who wrote that â€Å"a golden age of philanthropy is dawning.† With so many philanthropic dollars up for grabs,nonpro fits need to position themselves to capture a share of the wealth.Research from the National Committee on Planned Giving 2 shows that although 42 percent of Americans have wills,only about nine percent have included charities. But once charities are included,they stay:97 percent said they had not revoked a charitable provision.An additional 14 percent of those surveyed said they had considered including a charitable bequest in their wills — even though no nonpro fit has asked them to do so.This leaves a largely untapped market. About Planned Giving Planned giving,once called deferred giving,refers to any charitable gift that requires more thought and planning to execute than the average donation.Planned giving has traditionally been de fined as the gift that an individual makes near the end of his or her lifetime.There are many kinds of planned gifts,from simple bequests in a will or an estate plan,to annuities,charitable remainder trusts,charitable lead trusts,pooled income,life insurance and life estates. Nonpro fits often have trouble securing planned gifts.Why?The answer generally boils down to four basic factors:targeting the wrong prospects,sending the wrong appeal,asking too late and soliciting planned gift prospects for major gifts instead so the organization can get the money more quickly. Many charities assume that their major gift donors will be their best prospects for planned gifts. When these solicitations fail,organizations are left with the impression that planned giving is just not right for them.Other organizations send broad-based planned giving mailings to older White Paper Executive Summary Developing a successful planned giving program can be a complex undertaking.But it is one that is well worth the trouble. Extensive research has shown that planned giving is about lifestyles and loyalty,not wealth.Many organizations still think they have to find the millionaires in their database to secure planned gifts.The truth:everyone in your annual fund program has the potential to be a planned giver.This means you have more control over the process than you think.Equipped with solid information and the right marketing strategy,your organization can build a successful planned giving program.

Religious Renewal and Sexual Masochism in Batter my heart, three person

Religious Renewal and Sexual Masochism in "Batter my heart, three person'd God" In Donne's Holy Sonnet, "Batter my heart, three person'd God," themes of religious renewal and sexual masochism are abundant. While religious renewal is clearly the front-most, and most clearly defined meaning of the poem, the poet's choice of words and subtle analogies leave the poem wide open for speculation in sexual meaning. That John Donne was a preacher, the fire and brimstone, evangelical ringings of religious renewal in this poem are well founded. A man's soul, invaded by Satan's sin, must be purged by whatever means necessary by God's force. Donne associates his corrupted soul with that of an "usurp'd towne," invaded by an enemy (Satan), but "to'another due," (the Trinity). He asks God to break the impurity by force and to beat his soul clean and into repentance. While this all makes sense on the first level, there are many dualities, and sexual undertones present in the poem. Several words in the poem contain multiple meanings, further promoting the mingling of the sacred and profane throughout the poem. Particularly towards the end of the poem, these words help to justify what the reader might have guessed at earlier in the poem. 'Enthrall,' for example, used in the sense of something God does to the poet, can mean 'to hold or capture, enslave', (having a negative connotation) or 'to hold spellbound by pleasing qualities' (having a positive connotation). This makes unclear, or at least arguable, Donne's attitudes toward the emotions involved in being taken by God, as well as the possibility of pleasure found in a sexual act being described. Another, 'betroth'd,' usua... ... beating of the poet by God. "O'erthrow mee,'and bend / Your force to breake, blowe, burn and make me new," while again implying that the poet is a woman (God having to bend his force-phallic reference-to break the woman, an expression used in the taking of a woman's virginity), indicates an act of sexual violence. "Untie, or breake that knot againe" paints a picture of bondage, as does "imprison mee" and "enthrall mee." The last line, "Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee" implies the rape of the virgin, having chastity no more after being ravished, or raped. Either way you look at this poem, in the religious or sexual sense, it is powerful and controlling. Donne intertwines sexual connotations with religious renewal and the ridding of sins from the body. He has made sure not to support either reading too fully, leaving both open to speculation.

Labeling Theory

Running Head:| Labeling Theory | Labeling Theory Stacie O'Reilly Miller-Motte Lisa Bruno October 20, 2012 Abstract According to the works of Frank Tannenbaum, Howard Becker, Edwin Lemert and the Labeling Theory, career criminals are often created by our juvenile justice system and by our society and their labeling of juveniles who have been convicted of committing a deviant act. These youngsters are often labeled as ‘juvenile delinquents'. The Labeling, not the juvenile's characteristics, can create a habitual offender. Labeling TheoryFrank Tannenbaum, also known as the â€Å"Grandfather of the Labeling Theory†, in 1938, wrote against popular beliefs that juvenile delinquents were different in many ways than non-delinquents and that they were people who fit into where they were placed by society and the juvenile justice system. This concept is the beginning of the Labeling Theory in criminology and sociology, known as â€Å"Dramatizing Evil†. Tannenbaum’s a rgument was that: 0 When they first break the law, the juvenile is a little or no different in characteristics than his peers. Youths who are labeled â€Å"bad† will be treated differently than their peers who are not labeled as â€Å"bad†. 2 They may believe their label and behave as they believe they should. As the youths are labeled, they may no longer be accepted by their peers but will gladly be accepted by other outcasts. This is the beginnings of the labeling theory. Edwin Lemert, sociologist, contributed to the Labeling Theory by arguing that all people conduct deviant behavior occasionally and if caught any person could, by reaction of society and the criminal justice system, be abeled as a delinquent. Lemert studied and recorded the series of events that can result from the one incident. To better explain the labeling process he uses Primary and Secondary deviation. Primary Deviation is the first delinquent act the person gets caught performing. Secondary Dev iance is described by Lemert as any deviant act committed as a result of the labeling of the person due to the Primary Deviance. Howard Becker in the 1960’s championed the Labeling Theory, explaining: â€Å"†¦ ocial groups create deviance by making rules whose infraction creates deviance, and by applying those roles to particular people and labeling them as outsiders. From this point of view, deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by other of rules and sanctions to an ‘offender. ‘ The deviant is one to whom that label has been successfully applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label. â€Å"[Becker] In today's society, labeling can be as harmful as ever and can happen to a juvenile who has not even been convicted of any wrong doing.Before a defendant has a chance to face his accuser, society is developing a label for him/her. In our criminal justice system, a person can be arrested if it is thought, by the authorities, that the accused had committed a crime. The accused is taken into custody, finger printed and a photo taken as part of the arrest process. Today's media and technology help the labeling process along, often pre-maturely. There are safeguards to protect juveniles from the exposure, but these protections stop at the tender age of 18, just as these young people are trying to find their way.Once someone is arrested, his/her mug shot, along with the crime they are charged with becomes public, often in the local newspaper and on the internet. This information also becomes part of the accused's background check. I have surveyed average citizens and businesses to understand what effects this exposure can have on young people applying for work and in general, in other words, the effects of labeling on decisions of people interacting with the persons who are labeled, which will affect the way the labeled person will begin to view himself/herself.In the mu g shot survey, the labeled are not labeled officially and not even convicted of a crime, however they are viewed by strangers by the photos of themselves posted in the crime sections of newspapers and websites. The answers to the survey questions are harsher than expected: 0 Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? The answers were in multiple choice formats and are as follows- no, probably not, probably, or yes. Of the persons surveyed, 26. 7% responded ‘no', 53. 3% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably' and no one responded ‘yes'. Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in your local mug shots? With the same four choices for answers, 60% answered ‘no'. 26. 7% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably', and no one answered ‘yes'. 0 Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently seen in the local mug shots? Having the same answering options as the above questions, 6. 7% answered ‘no', 13. 3% answered ‘probably not', 66. 7% responded with ‘probably' and 13. 3% answered ‘yes'. The above numbers show how negatively people are thought of after an encounter with the law, regardless of guilt or innocence.This must be apparent to the person being labeled silently by those in his/her community, the treatment received may have a major impact on his/her self-image and they may accept this view as true and will be accepted by others in the same situation. Felons, by definition, are those people who have been convicted of a â€Å"serious crime†. These convictions can be of many things from conspiracy to rape, yet are grouped together with a stigma that can turn the labeled person into the monster he/she is often viewed as by others. Once labeled a â€Å"felon†, a person may lose hope of overcoming a delinquent past; one event can lead to this negative label. A person who is labeled a felon is treated diffe rently by society, they are labeled by an event and any achievements and good behavior up to that point is disregarded, many rights are taken away from felons and restrictions applied. With the exception of Vermont and Maine, Felons and ex-Felons are restricted from voting in the United States. 0 Federal Law prohibits those labeled ‘Felons' to ‘bear arms'.These two basic rights that felon's do not enjoy are clear signs of the way that society views them as dangerous and not worthy. This is reinforced with every job application that they fill out, repeatedly, they must acknowledge that they are a felon, and felons can be anyone convicted of drug possession to murder, all grouped together. Young people who are labeled as Felon's are ostracized and have a hard time finding employment, which can lead to them thinking they are not worthy, accepting the label, and turning to a life of crime for survival.I created a survey to get a quick view from people who would potentially i nteract with felons to see how they would respond to a felon in different circumstances. The way the felon is responded to by society can help the felon view himself as he is viewed others. The answers to the survey questions are as expected: 0 Would you hire a convicted felon? The answers were in multiple choice formats and are as follows- no, probably not, probably, or yes. Of the persons surveyed, 20% responded ‘no', 60% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably' and no one responded ‘yes'. 0 Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon?With the same four choices for answers, 100% answered ‘no'. 0 Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? Having the same answering options as the above questions, 0% answered ‘no', and 80% answered ‘probably not', 20% responded with ‘probably' and no one answered ‘yes'. The results show the difficulty a felon will have being rehabilitated while being f eared and unwanted by fellow citizens. The label is devastating to a convicted felon with little chance of employment which is a major part of gaining self-esteem and confidence to overcome such a harsh stigma.Without even knowing what the felon was convicted of and any circumstances involved, the community's children are off limits to those unfortunate enough to have earned this label. Society still labels young people sometimes by one incident which shows only the possibility that the person broke the law and this is not official, it is indirect, through the media. When an official label like ‘felon' is used, it is even more detrimental to the person inflicted, because the laws directed to them go hand in hand with how strangers and acquaintances seem to be viewing Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots?Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? them. Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon? Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon? Would you hire a convicted felon?Would you hire a convicted felon? Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? References OReilly, S. (n. d. ). Felons Survey. SurveyMonkey: Free online survey software & questionnaire tool. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://www. surveymonkey. com/s/K3MZSKJ OReilly, S. (n. d. ). Mug shots Survey. SurveyMonkey: Free online survey software & questionnaire tool. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://www. surveymonkey. com/s/5T8MQYL Parmelee, M. (1918).Criminology, by Mauric e Parmelee †¦. New York: The Macmillan Company. Regoli, R. M. , Hewitt, J. D. , & DeLisi, M. (2008). Sociological Theory: Labeling and Conflict Explanations. Delinquency in society: youth crime in the 21st century (7th ed. , pp. 222-248). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Siegel, L. J. (2010). Criminology: theories, patterns, and typologies (10th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. Vito, G. F. , & Holmes, R. M. (1994). Criminology: theory, research, and policy. Belmont, Calif. : Wadsworth Pub. Co.. Labeling Theory Running Head:| Labeling Theory | Labeling Theory Stacie O'Reilly Miller-Motte Lisa Bruno October 20, 2012 Abstract According to the works of Frank Tannenbaum, Howard Becker, Edwin Lemert and the Labeling Theory, career criminals are often created by our juvenile justice system and by our society and their labeling of juveniles who have been convicted of committing a deviant act. These youngsters are often labeled as ‘juvenile delinquents'. The Labeling, not the juvenile's characteristics, can create a habitual offender. Labeling TheoryFrank Tannenbaum, also known as the â€Å"Grandfather of the Labeling Theory†, in 1938, wrote against popular beliefs that juvenile delinquents were different in many ways than non-delinquents and that they were people who fit into where they were placed by society and the juvenile justice system. This concept is the beginning of the Labeling Theory in criminology and sociology, known as â€Å"Dramatizing Evil†. Tannenbaum’s a rgument was that: 0 When they first break the law, the juvenile is a little or no different in characteristics than his peers. Youths who are labeled â€Å"bad† will be treated differently than their peers who are not labeled as â€Å"bad†. 2 They may believe their label and behave as they believe they should. As the youths are labeled, they may no longer be accepted by their peers but will gladly be accepted by other outcasts. This is the beginnings of the labeling theory. Edwin Lemert, sociologist, contributed to the Labeling Theory by arguing that all people conduct deviant behavior occasionally and if caught any person could, by reaction of society and the criminal justice system, be abeled as a delinquent. Lemert studied and recorded the series of events that can result from the one incident. To better explain the labeling process he uses Primary and Secondary deviation. Primary Deviation is the first delinquent act the person gets caught performing. Secondary Dev iance is described by Lemert as any deviant act committed as a result of the labeling of the person due to the Primary Deviance. Howard Becker in the 1960’s championed the Labeling Theory, explaining: â€Å"†¦ ocial groups create deviance by making rules whose infraction creates deviance, and by applying those roles to particular people and labeling them as outsiders. From this point of view, deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by other of rules and sanctions to an ‘offender. ‘ The deviant is one to whom that label has been successfully applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label. â€Å"[Becker] In today's society, labeling can be as harmful as ever and can happen to a juvenile who has not even been convicted of any wrong doing.Before a defendant has a chance to face his accuser, society is developing a label for him/her. In our criminal justice system, a person can be arrested if it is thought, by the authorities, that the accused had committed a crime. The accused is taken into custody, finger printed and a photo taken as part of the arrest process. Today's media and technology help the labeling process along, often pre-maturely. There are safeguards to protect juveniles from the exposure, but these protections stop at the tender age of 18, just as these young people are trying to find their way.Once someone is arrested, his/her mug shot, along with the crime they are charged with becomes public, often in the local newspaper and on the internet. This information also becomes part of the accused's background check. I have surveyed average citizens and businesses to understand what effects this exposure can have on young people applying for work and in general, in other words, the effects of labeling on decisions of people interacting with the persons who are labeled, which will affect the way the labeled person will begin to view himself/herself.In the mu g shot survey, the labeled are not labeled officially and not even convicted of a crime, however they are viewed by strangers by the photos of themselves posted in the crime sections of newspapers and websites. The answers to the survey questions are harsher than expected: 0 Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? The answers were in multiple choice formats and are as follows- no, probably not, probably, or yes. Of the persons surveyed, 26. 7% responded ‘no', 53. 3% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably' and no one responded ‘yes'. Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in your local mug shots? With the same four choices for answers, 60% answered ‘no'. 26. 7% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably', and no one answered ‘yes'. 0 Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently seen in the local mug shots? Having the same answering options as the above questions, 6. 7% answered ‘no', 13. 3% answered ‘probably not', 66. 7% responded with ‘probably' and 13. 3% answered ‘yes'. The above numbers show how negatively people are thought of after an encounter with the law, regardless of guilt or innocence.This must be apparent to the person being labeled silently by those in his/her community, the treatment received may have a major impact on his/her self-image and they may accept this view as true and will be accepted by others in the same situation. Felons, by definition, are those people who have been convicted of a â€Å"serious crime†. These convictions can be of many things from conspiracy to rape, yet are grouped together with a stigma that can turn the labeled person into the monster he/she is often viewed as by others. Once labeled a â€Å"felon†, a person may lose hope of overcoming a delinquent past; one event can lead to this negative label. A person who is labeled a felon is treated diffe rently by society, they are labeled by an event and any achievements and good behavior up to that point is disregarded, many rights are taken away from felons and restrictions applied. With the exception of Vermont and Maine, Felons and ex-Felons are restricted from voting in the United States. 0 Federal Law prohibits those labeled ‘Felons' to ‘bear arms'.These two basic rights that felon's do not enjoy are clear signs of the way that society views them as dangerous and not worthy. This is reinforced with every job application that they fill out, repeatedly, they must acknowledge that they are a felon, and felons can be anyone convicted of drug possession to murder, all grouped together. Young people who are labeled as Felon's are ostracized and have a hard time finding employment, which can lead to them thinking they are not worthy, accepting the label, and turning to a life of crime for survival.I created a survey to get a quick view from people who would potentially i nteract with felons to see how they would respond to a felon in different circumstances. The way the felon is responded to by society can help the felon view himself as he is viewed others. The answers to the survey questions are as expected: 0 Would you hire a convicted felon? The answers were in multiple choice formats and are as follows- no, probably not, probably, or yes. Of the persons surveyed, 20% responded ‘no', 60% responded ‘probably not', 20% responded ‘probably' and no one responded ‘yes'. 0 Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon?With the same four choices for answers, 100% answered ‘no'. 0 Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? Having the same answering options as the above questions, 0% answered ‘no', and 80% answered ‘probably not', 20% responded with ‘probably' and no one answered ‘yes'. The results show the difficulty a felon will have being rehabilitated while being f eared and unwanted by fellow citizens. The label is devastating to a convicted felon with little chance of employment which is a major part of gaining self-esteem and confidence to overcome such a harsh stigma.Without even knowing what the felon was convicted of and any circumstances involved, the community's children are off limits to those unfortunate enough to have earned this label. Society still labels young people sometimes by one incident which shows only the possibility that the person broke the law and this is not official, it is indirect, through the media. When an official label like ‘felon' is used, it is even more detrimental to the person inflicted, because the laws directed to them go hand in hand with how strangers and acquaintances seem to be viewing Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots?Would you hire someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? them. Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you allow your teenager to date someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you feel comfortable walking next to someone you recently saw in the local mug shots? Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon? Would you allow your teenager to date a convicted felon? Would you hire a convicted felon?Would you hire a convicted felon? Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? Would you feel comfortable working closely with a convicted felon? References OReilly, S. (n. d. ). Felons Survey. SurveyMonkey: Free online survey software & questionnaire tool. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://www. surveymonkey. com/s/K3MZSKJ OReilly, S. (n. d. ). Mug shots Survey. SurveyMonkey: Free online survey software & questionnaire tool. Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://www. surveymonkey. com/s/5T8MQYL Parmelee, M. (1918).Criminology, by Mauric e Parmelee †¦. New York: The Macmillan Company. Regoli, R. M. , Hewitt, J. D. , & DeLisi, M. (2008). Sociological Theory: Labeling and Conflict Explanations. Delinquency in society: youth crime in the 21st century (7th ed. , pp. 222-248). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Siegel, L. J. (2010). Criminology: theories, patterns, and typologies (10th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. Vito, G. F. , & Holmes, R. M. (1994). Criminology: theory, research, and policy. Belmont, Calif. : Wadsworth Pub. Co..

Running with Scissors

Jenessa OrpillaSummer Assignment AP PsychologyMovies and Mental Disorders Running with Scissors is a film adaption of a memoir written by Augusten Burroughs. It takes place in the 1970s where young Augusten lives with a dysfunctional family; an alcoholic father and a delusional poet. After his parents’ divorce, his mother, Deidre Burroughs goes to see a psychiatrist named Dr. Finch. Incapable of raising Augusten, Deidre gives custody of her son to Dr. Finch, where he deals with an even more dysfunctional family. Deidre Burroughs is a poet who believes that she is meant to become a famous writer/poet.She enters many of her poems to several magazines and newsletters, only to be rejected each time. Each rejection letter she receives, she still believes that she is a talented writer. Nearing the end of her marriage with Norman Burroughs, she believed that he was going to kill her and her son. Dr. Finch was the one who recommended them to divorce and gave Deidre her first medicatio ns. This was the beginning of her drug abuse. Later on in the movie, she would mix pills together. He also advised her to give him custody of Augusten so that she could focus on her writing career.She got into several relationships with other women including a local minister’s wife and a patient from Dr. Finch. According to the DSM-IV-TR, Deidre is diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. A person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder is described as a person who â€Å"demands and expects to be admired and praised by others and is limited in their capacity to appreciate others' perspectives. † (DSM-TR-IV, 1995-2012) One of the signs of NPR is one that â€Å"has a grandiose sense of self-importance. † (Zimbardo ; Gerrig, 1999, pg. 662) Two years after her divorce with her husband, she sees him at a restaurant with his new fiancee.She was very proud of the fact that her poem was published in little-known magazine and that her ‘hobby’ was qui te lucrative, even though that was her second published writing. Another sign is that one â€Å"is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love. † Deirdre often dreams and has delusions about her on a big stage, receiving awards for her works throughout the film. She also holds many poetry workshops where she helps people form their ‘creative conscious. ’ This workshop is an excuse for the admiration of other people, which is another sign of NPR.After her relationship with the local minister’s wife, Dr. Finch introduces her to one of his patients and says that she needs someone who worships her and is willing to feed her talent. The moment that relationship ended, she was quick to accept Augusten back into her arms, but she has a manic episode where the police had to stabilize her. Probably one of the reasons of her divorce was due to the fact that her husband did not really care about her writing hobby. One mor e example of a person with NPR is that he/she â€Å"lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others. (DSM-TR-IV, 1995-2012) From the beginning of the film, she has shown that characteristic. For example, when she gave away Augusten to Dr. Finch, she didn’t even tell him about the adoption papers until much later. She never considered his feelings and only thought about herself. The only time she truly cared for him was when she needed him. It is unknown what could have contributed to Deirdre’s development of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. However, it is known that â€Å"Narcissistic personality disorder might develop as the result of neglect or abuse and trauma inflicted by parents or other authority figures during childhood.The disorder usually is evident by early adulthood. † (Cleveland Clinic, 2011) It was briefly mentioned in the film that Deirdre was ‘oppressed’ by her family and her husband. Othe r than that, the amount of rejection letters and Dr. Finch led her into a worse state. Dr. Finch basically was the cause of her to be estranged from everyone, including her own son. By prescribing her mysterious medications, she always seemed to be delirious and depressed. When she started to mix pills, that’s where she would go into manic states. It’s no wonder why Dr.Finch got his medical practice license stripped off of him. References BehaveNet Inc. (1995). Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Retrieved 2012, from     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://behavenet. com/narcissistic-personality-disorder   Cleveland Clinic. (1995). Diseases and Conditions. Retrieved 2011, from     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://my. clevelandclinic. org/disorders/personality_disorders/     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  hic_narcissistic_personality_disorder. aspx Zimbardo, P. G. , ; Gerrig, R. J. (1999). Psychological Disorders. In P. G. Zimbardo ; R. J. Gerrig (Authors),  Psychology and Life  (15th ed. , pp. 664-665). Longman.