History of Mathematics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History of Mathematics - Essay Example With time there was the development of mathematical ideas that are in use today. The Greeks, the Chinese and Western people contributed greatly to the development of mathematical ideas that are in use today. Ideas such as connections, argumentation, number sense and computation, algebra, probability were all great ideas that are used today. These developments are as important as even the ten numerals that are used termed as the counting numbers, or the idea of considering â€Å"zero† an actual number. However, these concepts that were considered difficult in the previous days are not simple and this has been due to the fact that in recent days the way in which mathematics is taught makes the concepts easier2. These concepts and ideas were discovered through using the knowledge of the previous mathematicians that were often inherited from the earlier mathematicians who lived before them. In addition, the concepts were discovered through the use of the mathematical and numerical systems, and through the activities that their culture encouraged them to get involved in. While the present day students learn mathematics through books and teachers, theirs was the tedious way often trial and error played a part. The base ten systems in use today that had place values was the representation of the numerals that ranged from 0 to 9 that in most cases were used in combination to express real numbers. The early cultures that saw the rise of these mathematical ideas never used this system while in other countries there were different ways of writing the numbers. Some cultures allowed the use of â€Å"tallying† system when counting the numbers. The tallying included writing four vertical digits that were crossed by a diagonal line to show a group of five scores3. Other cultures had their own systems. For example the Roman numbers used today were used by the Romans. They used consecutive numbers that implied

Global Industries essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global Industries - Essay Example According to his analysis the funds represent a small fraction of the U.S.-managed fund industry, but despite this their net assets grew by 262% from 1998 to 2005, compared to a 10.8% increase in U.S. high-yield bond funds. There was significant public attention but academic research did not give much attention to the emerging market bond funds. So did the Pension Fund Manager who also did not pay proper attention to this fund. I would have gone deeper in my research as Pension Fund Manager and would take correct and patient decision before shifting from the fund. I would also for a diversified fund investment rather than concentrating on single fund and suffering. Similarly if we study carefully the Lazard's Emerging Market Equity Market Returns annually from 1993 to 2008 we can note of certain emerging markets doing very well. In 1997 Turkey, Hungry and Mexico returned more that 50% from the equity market. In 1998 Korea and Greece returned more than 50%; in 1999 Russia and Turkey returned more than 200% % and Indonesia, India and Korea returned more than 75% from this market. 2000 was a poor market but from 2001 the equity market again started looking up. By 2002 the return was very lucrative: Pakistan returning 150% and Check Republic and Indonesia returning about 40% and above. Minimum five important emerging markets continued yielding sound returns till 2007 The main problem concerns about reading the market trends correctly and selecting the target market with the help of proven experts in the market. Perhaps the Pension Manager could not foresee the correct trends in the market and his decision about investment yielded losses. In 2003 the loss incurred was due to wrong reshuffling of his portfolio to US Treasury Bills for two years and Treasury notes yielding only 1% to 3% return. This is period when many of emerging markets Equity funds in Thailand, China, India, Colombia, Egypt, Argentina, Brazil equities funds achieved fabulous results with more than 70% to 140% returns. Wonderfully his decision to go back to equities again was taken in 2007, which was the marginal year for the financial markets. From 2008 the world financial market collapsed and caused losses to each and every one including the emerging markets. Emerging Market Equity Returns 2008 The new Pension fund manager obviously has a great responsibility to earn minimum 7-8% on the investment and satisfy the employee representative on the board who is risk averse and very much concerned that the pension will have enough funds available for retirees. 1. What is your position on future growth of the US over the next 5 years, 10 years and 20 yearsAmerica's Wall Street has been the financial center of the world for decades. "When Wall Street sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold." In such a financial scenario there is need to examine the American financial market and its future. The current market is already depressed and the depression has been rated by most of experts equal to or more than the depression of the 1930s. 30s depression lasted for about a decade with intermittent recovery for brief period. The recession of 2008 also is likely to extend for a decade at least. US Recession The dollar slumped to a 15 year low against 6 of

Greek Art in Ancient Greece and Faraway Lands Essay Example for Free

Greek Art in Ancient Greece and Faraway Lands Essay The classical period of Greece (490 – 323 B. C. ) saw the artists perfecting their style. Following Alexander’s conquests, ancient Greece entered the Hellenistic period (323 – 31 B. C. ) (â€Å"Timeline of Ancient Greece†). Of course, Alexander the Great was not the only god of the ancient Greek civilization. Ancient Greeks worshipped plenty of gods that were believed to have appeared to them in human form with extraordinary strength and beauty (â€Å"Culture†). Professor Harris describes Euhemerus as the philosopher responsible for presenting Greek myths as simple stories to his readers. Euhemerus’ interpretation of Greek mythology was considered radical in his times. It was he who wrote that Greek gods and goddesses were human beings to begin with. Because of their extraordinary feats or the cultural and/or social value that they added to life in ancient Greece, their ordinary humanity was turned into godhood in the minds of ancient Greeks (Harris). Thus, ancient Greek gods and goddesses were portrayed in painted scenes on stone, vases, and also with bronze and terracotta sculptures for the sake of remembrance. Although many of the ancient Greek temples honored multiple gods and goddesses, certain places showed greater reverence to a sole deity or a pair of gods, e. g. Olympia’s Zeus, and Eleusis’ Demeter and Persephone (â€Å"Culture†). For reasons described above, the ancient Greeks downplayed the divine aspects of their gods by giving them a typically human form, as the example of the Torso of Apollo reveals (See Appendix I). Made in 2nd century AD, the Torso of Apollo of marble shows young Apollo, â€Å"the Greek god of light, music, archery, healing, atonement, prophecy, and flocks and herds† (â€Å"Torso of Apollo†). The figure was popular with both Greeks and ancient Romans. It is an unclothed manifestation of perfection, splendor and courage with Apollo wearing a belt over one of his shoulders to which a case for holding arrows was fastened at his back (â€Å"Torso of Apollo†). By showing the god as distinctly human, the artist inspires into viewers the spirit to take Apollo for a courageous model and turn into heroes themselves. After all, Apollo was not only a gentle lover of the arts but also domineering to the extent that he was cruel to those who challenged his supremacy among ordinary mortals (Ingfei, 2002, p. 9; â€Å"Apollo†). What is more, he was intelligent and handsome enough to be taken as a model by the ancient Greeks. With the sun as his special symbol, Apollo did not only show physical courage but was also a supporter of intellectual pursuits (Leadbetter, 2004; Regula, 2009). He was known as the god of poetry, medicine, and intellectually enquiry to boot (Leadbetter). In other words, he was next to perfect. Athena Parthenos, too, was considered immaculate in ancient Greece. The Parthenon is a classical temple dedicated to the woman, considered the goddess of wisdom (See Appendix II). The temple was built between 447 – 432 B. C. on the Acropolis, which is in the capital city of ancient Greece, Athens. It has survived despite severe damage over the centuries (â€Å"Art,† 2008). Perikles, the famous politician of Athens, had championed the construction of the Parthenon (â€Å"The Parthenon†). Some of the architectural features of the temple have been described thus: †¦[R]ectangular floor plan with a series of low steps on every side, and a colonnade (8 x 17) of Doric columns extending around the periphery of the entire structure. Each entrance has an additional six columns in front of it. The larger of the two interior rooms, the naos, housed the cult statue. The smaller room (the opisthodomos) was used as a treasury. (â€Å"The Parthenon†) The temple was constructed with marble, and mainly represented the Doric order with features of the Ionic order incorporated in its sculptural program (Kerr, 1995). The Doric order gave Parthenon its series of ninety two metopes (with panels of sculptured reliefs depicting law and order and struggle); and triglyphs on its entablature. Additionally, the Doric order made the temple a peripteral, simple-looking structure with short and thick columns (â€Å"The Parthenon†). The â€Å"continuous sculpted frieze† of the Parthenon represents the Ionic order, however (â€Å"The Parthenon†). There are four tall and slim columns of the temple, too, that represent this architectural order which happens to support the opisthodomos’ roof at the Parthenon. The capitals or the columns’ tops that are built using the Ionic order have volutes, which are the names of the curlicues special to this order (â€Å"The Parthenon†). Above the metopes and triglyphs of the temple lie the pedimental sculptures, one of which shows the birth of Zeus – yet another god for the ancient Greeks (â€Å"The Parthenon†). The frieze of the temple, running â€Å"around the upper edge of the temple wall† and inside from the metopes and the triglyphs shows day to day life in ancient Greece, the rituals of the Greeks, processions, musicians, gods and goddesses, and much more (â€Å"The Parthenon†). Indeed, the place of the frieze in the sculptural program of the temple is unique, seeing as it does not only portray real life and beliefs of the ancient Greeks, but also gives the Parthenon a central place in the life of Athens. The temple was, after all, a place where religious festivals as well as sacrifices were held. Moreover, this temple gave Athena Parthenos a special place to stay for the protection and welfare of the Athenians (â€Å"The Parthenon: Religion, Art, and Politics†). Whether or not the ancient Greeks would consider it Athena Parthenos’ blessing that took ancient Greek art styles to faraway lands, the fact is that even the ancient art of the Nabataeans and the Arabs experienced the influence of Greek artists. Vries Osinga (2005) state that â€Å"[t]he Nabataeans at their height spread as far north as Damascus, to the coast of the Mediterranean at Gaza in the east and to Madain Salih in the south. † But, the Nabataean kingdom came under Roman rule in the year 106 A. D. It became an Arabian province at the time (Vries Osinga). The Nabataeans were caravan drivers on a large scale. Roman traders visited Petra even before the Nabataean kingdom was taken over by the Romans. These traders came to conclude transportation agreements with the Nabataeans. The latter traveled around the world with merchandise – â€Å"between the Red Sea and the Nile, and sometimes as far away as the Delta† (Sartre, Porter, Rawlings, 2005, p. 268). Unsurprisingly, therefore, their temples expose a variety of influences on the hearts and minds of the Nabataeans (Vries Osinga). Vries Osinga write: The many structures are so diverse that it is difficult to categorize them, at least without oversimplifying or overlooking what may be important details. Philip Hammond, who excavated the Temple of the Winged Lions, concludes that it might be more faithful to the diversity of the temples to see them not as derivatives of Iranian temples, Roman temples or other, but to recognize the borrowing of constructional and decorative technique and to concentrate on why each was unique. (Vries Oringa) Sartre, Porter Rawlings write that Nabataeans were so influenced by Greek art – following the Roman invasion – that they spread that influence in many parts of Arabia. Nude heroes of the Greeks have been found in Arabia and believed to have been conveyed there by the Nabataeans (Sartre, Porter Rawlings, p. 269). However, Vries Oringa have uncovered Egyptian influence in the temples of Nabataeans to boot. Describing one of the most significant temples left by the Nabataeans, the authors state: [T]he Wadi Rum temple took its layout from Egyptian models, specifically the Egyptian Temple Dayr Chelouit. The only reference to the Roman world would be columns of the Wadi Rum Temple. Dharih might also be kin to the Egyptian Temple of Coptos, while the Qasr al-Bint and the Temple of the Winged Lions find construction parallels there also (Vries Oringa). Then again, Greek and/or Roman influence seems to be most profound. Although temple plans of the Nabataeans do not appear typically Roman, decoration outside of the temples may be recognized as distinctly Roman and/or Hellenistic. As an example, the external decoration of Khasneh makes it appear as though it was built in Alexandria (Vries Oringa). Even so, Vries Oringa believe that the Nabataeans did not simply copy the designs that were handed down to them by Romans. Instead, they took influence in their stride, sometimes appropriating â€Å"the general structure,† but modifying and adapting it as time went on (Vries Oringa). In other words, they were open to influence, but also believed in maintaining their local traditions. Taylor (2001) agrees with this view. In her book, Petra and the Lost Kingdom of the Nabataeans, she explains that the Nabataeans did not make copies as slaves would. Rather, Greek ideas were amazingly transformed by the Nabataeans into works of art keeping â€Å"a distinctively Nabataean flavor† (Taylor, p. 92). No wonder, Petra remains as an incomparable feast for the eyes for all lovers of art. Vries Oringa write that the art of Nabataeans, in particular the sculptures they made, also changed from era to era; that is, even before the Romans came to rule the Nabataean kingdom, the Nabataeans went on altering their artistic style (Vries Oringa). Perhaps their visits to foreign lands brought such changes to the art of the kingdom. But, once the Romans had arrived on the scene, the Nabataeans did not only borrow the artistic styles of the Greeks but also others’. The sculptures of deities in Tannur, for example, appear both Hellenistic and Oriental. The Nabataeans also seem to have been influenced by the Syrian artistic style, as revealed through sculptures at both Dharih and Tannur (Vries Oringa). Although Hellenistic artistic style â€Å"of classical proportions† is most often cited as an influence on Nabataean art, there were plenty of sculptures made by the Nabataeans that did not appear Greek at all even though they were made while the Nabataeans were living under Roman rule (Vries Oringa). Vries Oringa cite â€Å"the simple standing block† as an example of such artwork. The fact that the Nabataeans maintained their local flavor in their artistic style shows that these people did not wholly lose their cultural identity at the time. Even the Romans may have delighted in the diversity revealed through Nabataean art, simply because the Nabataeans mingled with many peoples at the time. What is more, the adaptation of Greek art to new cultures must have been viewed as a triumph of ancient Greek artistic styles. After all, ancient Greek art continues to be celebrated around the world to this day. References Apollo. Retrieved Feb 27, 2009, from http://felc. gdufs. edu. cn/jth/myth/Greek%20Online/5Apollo. htm. Art. (2008). Ancient Greece. Retrieved Feb 27, 2009, from http://www. ancientgreece. com/s/Art/. Culture. Retrieved Feb 27, 2009, from http://www. crystalinks. com/greekculture. html. Harris, W. Euhemerus. Retrieved Feb 27, 2009, from http://community. middlebury. edu/~harris/SubIndex/greekmyth. html. Ingfei, C. (2002, Aug 2). The Sun also Heals; Some believe. International Herald Tribune. Kerr, M. (1995, Oct 23). The Sole Witness: The Periclean Parthenon. Retrieved Feb 27, 2009, from http://people. reed. edu/~mkerr/papers/Parth95. html. Leadbetter, R. (2004, Jan 31). Apollo. Encyclopedia Mythica. Retrieved Feb 27, 2009, from http://www. pantheon. org/articles/a/apollo. html. Sartre, M. , Porter, C. , Rawlings, E. (2005). The Middle East under Rome. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Taylor, J. (2001). Petra and the Lost Kingdom of the Nabataeans. London: I. B. Tauris. Timeline of Ancient Greece. Retrieved Feb 27, 2009, from http://www. aspasiaproject. com/timeline. htm. The Parthenon. Retrieved Feb 27, 2009, from http://academic. reed. edu/humanities/110Tech/Parthenon. html. The Parthenon: Religion, Art, and Politics. Retrieved Feb 27, 2009, from http://employees. oneonta. edu/farberas/arth/ARTH200/politics/parthenon. html. Torso of Apollo. (2000). The Detroit Institute of Arts. Retrieved Feb 27, 2009, from http://www. cartage. org. lb/en/themes/arts/scultpureplastic/SculptureHistory/GloriousScul

Strategic Management and Information Systems

Strategic Management and Information Systems Now this is the time of modern technology which is the based on Information System it should be use in strategically. Strategic management is a level of managerial activity under setting goals and over Tactics. Strategic management provides overall direction to the enterprise and is closely related to the field of Organization Studies. In the field of business administration it is useful to talk about strategic align men between the organization and its environment or strategic consistency. According to Arieu (2007), there is strategic consistency when the actions of an organization are consistent with the expectations of management, and these in turn are with the market and the context. Strategic management is an ongoing process that evaluates and controls the business and the industries in which the company is involved; assesses its competitors and sets goals and strategies to meet all existing and potential competitors; and then reassesses each strategy annually or quarterly [i.e. regularly] to determine how it has been implemented and whether it has succeeded or needs replacement by a new strategy to meet changed circumstances, new technology, new competitors, a new economic environment., or a new social, financial, or political environment. Marketing action plan Placement and execution of required resources are financial, manpower, operational support, time, technology support Operating with a change in methods or with alteration in structure Distributing the specific tasks with responsibility or moulding specific jobs to individuals or teams. The process should be managed by a responsible team. This is to keep direct watch on result, comparison for betterment and best practices, cultivating the effectiveness of processes, calibrating and reducing the variations and setting the process as required. Introducing certain programs involves acquiring the requisition of resources: a necessity for developing the process, training documentation, process testing, and immolation with (and/or conversion from) difficult processes. As and when the strategy implementation processes, there have been so many problems arising such as human relations, the employee-communication. Such a time, marketing strategy is the biggest implementation problem usually involves, with emphasis on the appropriate timing of new products. An organization, with an effective management, should try to implement its plans without signalling this fact to its competitors.[3] In general terms, there are two main approaches, which are opposite but complement each other in some ways, to strategic management: The Industrial Organizational Approach based on economic theory deals with issues like competitive rivalry, resource allocation, economies of scale assumptions rationality, self discipline behaviour, profit maximization The Sociological Approach deals primarily with human interactions Information- and technology-driven strategy Peter Drucker had theorized the rise of the knowledge worker back in the 1950s. He described how fewer workers would be doing physical labour, and more would be applying their minds. In 1984, John Nesbitt theorized that the future would be driven largely by information: companies that managed information well could obtain an advantage, however the profitability of what he calls the information float (information that the company had and others desired) would all but disappear as inexpensive computers made information more accessible. Daniel Bell (1985) examined the sociological consequences of information technology, while Gloria Schuck and Shoshana Zuboff looked at psychological factors. Zuboff, in her five year study of eight pioneering corporations made the important distinction between automating technologies and info mating technologies. She studied the effect that both had on individual workers, managers, and organizational structures. She largely confirmed Peter Druckers predictions three decades earlier, about the importance of flexible decentralized structure, work teams, knowledge sharing, and the central role of the knowledge worker. Zuboff also detected a new basis for managerial authority, based not on position or hierarchy, but on knowledge (also predicted by Drucker) which she called participative management. In 1990, Peter Senge, who had collaborated with Arie de Geus at Dutch Shell, borrowed de Geus notion of the learning organization, expanded it, and popularized it. The underlying theory is that a companys ability to gather, analyze, and use information is a necessary requirement for business success in the information age. (See organizational learning.) In order to do this, Senge claimed that an organization would need to be structured such that:[75] People can continuously expand their capacity to learn and be productive, New patterns of thinking are nurtured, Collective aspirations are encouraged, and People are encouraged to see the whole picture together. Senge identified five disciplines of a learning organization. They are: Personal responsibility, self reliance, and mastery We accept that we are the masters of our own destiny. We make decisions and live with the consequences of them. When a problem needs to be fixed, or an opportunity exploited, we take the initiative to learn the required skills to get it done. Mental models We need to explore our personal mental models to understand the subtle effect they have on our behaviour. Shared vision The vision of where we want to be in the future is discussed and communicated to all. It provides guidance and energy for the journey ahead. Team learning We learn together in teams. This involves a shift from a spirit of advocacy to a spirit of enquiry. Systems thinking We look at the whole rather than the parts. This is what Senge calls the Fifth discipline. It is the glue that integrates the other four into a coherent strategy. For an alternative approach to the learning organization, see Garratt, B. (1987). Thomas A. Stewart, for example, uses the term intellectual capital to describe the investment an organization makes in knowledge. It is composed of human capital (the knowledge inside the heads of employees), customer capital (the knowledge inside the heads of customers that decide to buy from you), and structural capital (the knowledge that resides in the company itself). Manuel Castells, describes a network society characterized by: globalization, organizations structured as a network, instability of employment, and a social divide between those with access to information technology and those without. Geoffrey Moore (1991) and R. Frank and P. Cook[85] also detected a shift in the nature of competition. In industries with high technology content, technical standards become established and this gives the dominant firm a near monopoly. The same is true of networked industries in which interoperability requires compatibility between users. An example is word processor documents. Once a product has gained market dominance, other products, even far superior products, cannot compete. Moore showed how firms could attain this enviable position by using E.M. Rogers five stage adoption process and focusing on one group of customers at a time, using each group as a base for marketing to the next group. The most difficult step is making the transition between visionaries and pragmatists (See Crossing the Chasm). If successful a firm can create a bandwagon effect in which the momentum builds and your product becomes a de facto standard. Evans and Wurster describe how industries with a high information component are being transformed.[86] They cite Encartas demolition of the Encyclopedia Britannica (whose sales have plummeted 80% since their peak of $650 million in 1990). Encartas reign was speculated to be short-lived, eclipsed by collaborative encyclopedias like Wikipedia that can operate at very low marginal costs. Encartas service was subsequently turned into an on-line service and dropped at the end of 2009. Evans also mentions the music industry which is desperately looking for a new business model. The upstart information savvy firms, unburdened by cumbersome physical assets, are changing the competitive landscape, redefining market segments, and disintermediating some channels. One manifestation of this is personalized marketing. Information technology allows marketers to treat each individual as its own market, a market of one. Traditional ideas of market segments will no longer be relevant if personalized marketing is successful. The technology sector has provided some strategies directly. For example, from the software development industry agile software development provides a model for shared development processes. Access to information systems have allowed senior managers to take a much more comprehensive view of strategic management than ever before. The most notable of the comprehensive systems is the balanced scorecard approach developed in the early 1990s by Drs. Robert S. Kaplan (Harvard Business School) and David Norton (Kaplan, R. and Norton, D. 1992). It measures several factors financial, marketing, production, organizational development, and new product development in order to achieve a balanced perspective. Knowledge-driven strategy Most current approaches to business strategy focus on the mechanics of management e.g., Druckers operational strategies and as such are not true business strategy. In a post-industrial world these operationally focused business strategies hinge on conventional sources of advantage have essentially been eliminated: Scale used to be very important. But now, with access to capital and a global marketplace, scale is achievable by multiple organizations simultaneously. In many cases, it can literally be rented. Process improvement or best practices were once a favored source of advantage, but they were at best temporary, as they could be copied and adapted by competitors. Owning the customer had always been thought of as an important form of competitive advantage. Now, however, customer loyalty is far less important and difficult to maintain as new brands and products emerge all the time. In such a world, differentiation, as elicudated by Michael Porter, Botten and McManus is the only way to maintain economic or market superiority (i.e., comparative advantage) over competitors. A company must OWN the thing that differentiates it from competitors. Without IP ownership and protection, any product, process or scale advantage can be compromised or entirely lost. Competitors can copy them without fear of economic or legal consequences, thereby eliminating the advantage. (For an explanation and elucidation of the post-industrial worldview, see George Ritzer and Daniel Bell.) The psychology of strategic management Several psychologists have conducted studies to determine the psychological patterns involved in strategic management. Typically senior managers have been asked how they go about making strategic decisions. A 1938 treatise by Chester Barnard, that was based on his own experience as a business executive, sees the process as informal, intuitive, non-routinized, and involving primarily oral, 2-way communications. Bernard says The process is the sensing of the organization as a whole and the total situation relevant to it. It transcends the capacity of merely intellectual methods, and the techniques of discriminating the factors of the situation. The terms pertinent to it are feeling, judgement, sense, proportion, balance, appropriateness. It is a matter of art rather than science. In 1973, Henry Mintzberg found that senior managers typically deal with unpredictable situations so they strategize in ad hoc, flexible, dynamic, and implicit ways. . He says, The job breeds adaptive information-manipulators who prefer the live concrete situation. The manager works in an environment of stimulous-response, and he develops in his work a clear preference for live action.[88] In 1982, John Kotter studied the daily activities of 15 executives and concluded that they spent most of their time developing and working a network of relationships from which they gained general insights and specific details to be used in making strategic decisions. They tended to use mental road maps rather than systematic planning techniques.[89] Daniel Isenbergs 1984 study of senior managers found that their decisions were highly intuitive. Executives often sensed what they were going to do before they could explain why.[90] He claimed in 1986 that one of the reasons for this is the complexity of strategic decisions and the resultant information uncertainty.[91] Shoshana Zuboff (1988) claims that information technology is widening the divide between senior managers (who typically make strategic decisions) and operational level managers (who typically make routine decisions). She claims that prior to the widespread use of computer systems, managers, even at the most senior level, engaged in both strategic decisions and routine administration, but as computers facilitated (She called it deskilled) routine processes, these activities were moved further down the hierarchy, leaving senior management free for strategic decions making. In 1977, Abraham Zaleznik identified a difference between leaders and managers. He describes leadershipleaders as visionaries who inspire. They care about substance. Whereas managers are claimed to care about process, plans, and form.[92] He also claimed in 1989 that the rise of the manager was the main factor that caused the decline of American business in the 1970s and 80s.The main difference between leader and manager is that, leader has followers and manager has subordinates. In capitalistic society leaders make decisions and manager usually follow or execute.[93] Lack of leadership is most damaging at the level of strategic management where it can paralyze an entire organization.[94] According to Corner, Kinichi, and Keats,[95] strategic decision making in organizations occurs at two levels: individual and aggregate. They have developed a model of parallel strategic decision making. The model identifies two parallel processes both of which involve getting attention, encoding information, storage and retrieval of information, strategic choice, strategic outcome, and feedback. The individual and organizational processes are not independent however. They interact at each stage of the process. References David, F Strategic Management, Columbus:Merrill Publishing Company, 1989 Lamb, Robert, Boyden Competitive strategic management, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984 Sweet, Franklyn H. Strategic Planning A Conceptual Study, Bureau of Business Research, The University of Texas, 1964 Chandler, Alfred Strategy and Structure: Chapters in the history of industrial enterprise, Doubleday, New York, 1962.

Eve Essay -- essays research papers

Reinventing Literary History- Cregan  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Joselyn Wohl Paradise Lost by John Milton  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2/16/99   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is obvious to the reader that John Milton blames Eve entirely for initiating the original sin and thus losing Paradise. It is she who convinces her husband to allow them to work separately, and it is she who is coerced to eat the fruit that was expressly forbidden by God. John Milton’s view is patriarchal, but involves a contradictory description of Eve as logical, for men at that time did not view women as intelligent. Milton’s demonstration of Eve’s ability to analyze God’s commands with reason and her own judgment emphasizes his opinion that in order to succeed one needs only to have faith in God, which supersedes all intellect, for God is the most knowledgeable being. Adam has the undying faith necessary to remain in Paradise, but Eve obviously does not and is therefore responsible for her sins, and for their banishment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In deciding how Adam and Eve will carry out their daily labors, Eve wants to work apart from Adam and to â€Å"divide [their] labours† because   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While so near eachother thus all day   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  [Their] task [they] choose, what wonder if so near   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Looks intervene and smiles, or object new   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Casual discourse draw on, which intermits   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  [Their] day’s work brought to little, though begun   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early, and th’hour of Supper comes unearn’d (ix, 220-224). Eve’s rationalization for working separately from Adam is that she thinks that they will be able to get more work done considering the fact that they will not be distracted by each other. Adam feels protective over Eve and is fearful that the â€Å"malicious Foe/ Envying [their] happiness, and of his own/ Despairing, seeks to work [them] woe and shame/ By sly assault† (ix, 253-256). Adam is taking into careful considerat... ...ton emphasizes a woman’s inability to think without her husband, because when Eve goes off on her own and tries to use â€Å"logic† she sins. The Serpent’s â€Å"words replete with guile/ Into her heart too easy entrance won... and in her ears the sound/ Yet rung of his persuasive words, impregn’d/ With Reason, to her seeming, and with Truth† (ix, 733-738|). Milton is insinuating here that the serpent’s malicious lies seemed like the truth to ignorant and naive Eve. Eating the fruit explicitly forbidden by her creator, she is guilty of the fall of Paradise, despite her obvious intelligence and reasoning. The irony of Milton’s argument is that Eve does have a well functioning brain, but he final judgment is wrong. Women may be intelligent but they are not wise because Eve has sinned against God, and there is no worse act that a Protestant can commit. In order to be successful in life, one must possess wisdom, and it seems that Milton does not place it within Eve’s character, but in Adam’s character, the man. In conclusion, even though a woman can think analytically, she cannot make wise judgements on her own and is susceptible to mistakes and sins, usually brought about by foul temptation. Eve Essay -- essays research papers Reinventing Literary History- Cregan  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Joselyn Wohl Paradise Lost by John Milton  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2/16/99   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is obvious to the reader that John Milton blames Eve entirely for initiating the original sin and thus losing Paradise. It is she who convinces her husband to allow them to work separately, and it is she who is coerced to eat the fruit that was expressly forbidden by God. John Milton’s view is patriarchal, but involves a contradictory description of Eve as logical, for men at that time did not view women as intelligent. Milton’s demonstration of Eve’s ability to analyze God’s commands with reason and her own judgment emphasizes his opinion that in order to succeed one needs only to have faith in God, which supersedes all intellect, for God is the most knowledgeable being. Adam has the undying faith necessary to remain in Paradise, but Eve obviously does not and is therefore responsible for her sins, and for their banishment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In deciding how Adam and Eve will carry out their daily labors, Eve wants to work apart from Adam and to â€Å"divide [their] labours† because   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While so near eachother thus all day   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  [Their] task [they] choose, what wonder if so near   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Looks intervene and smiles, or object new   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Casual discourse draw on, which intermits   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  [Their] day’s work brought to little, though begun   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early, and th’hour of Supper comes unearn’d (ix, 220-224). Eve’s rationalization for working separately from Adam is that she thinks that they will be able to get more work done considering the fact that they will not be distracted by each other. Adam feels protective over Eve and is fearful that the â€Å"malicious Foe/ Envying [their] happiness, and of his own/ Despairing, seeks to work [them] woe and shame/ By sly assault† (ix, 253-256). Adam is taking into careful considerat... ...ton emphasizes a woman’s inability to think without her husband, because when Eve goes off on her own and tries to use â€Å"logic† she sins. The Serpent’s â€Å"words replete with guile/ Into her heart too easy entrance won... and in her ears the sound/ Yet rung of his persuasive words, impregn’d/ With Reason, to her seeming, and with Truth† (ix, 733-738|). Milton is insinuating here that the serpent’s malicious lies seemed like the truth to ignorant and naive Eve. Eating the fruit explicitly forbidden by her creator, she is guilty of the fall of Paradise, despite her obvious intelligence and reasoning. The irony of Milton’s argument is that Eve does have a well functioning brain, but he final judgment is wrong. Women may be intelligent but they are not wise because Eve has sinned against God, and there is no worse act that a Protestant can commit. In order to be successful in life, one must possess wisdom, and it seems that Milton does not place it within Eve’s character, but in Adam’s character, the man. In conclusion, even though a woman can think analytically, she cannot make wise judgements on her own and is susceptible to mistakes and sins, usually brought about by foul temptation.

Poverty and Low Birth Weights :: Essays on Poverty

Abstract   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There exist some evidence that poverty can result in low birth weight in newborn infants. On Prince Edward Island, low birth weights are currently the lowest as compared to the national average according to Statistics Canada. However, the link that exist between poverty and low birth weights leaves unanswered questions as to what can be done to reduce these low birth weights in newborn infants. The effect of Poverty on Low Birth Weight in Newborns   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Receiving good prenatal care is extremely important for an expecting mother. The prenatal period has a great impact on the newborn’s health. Low birth weight is a problem among a certain population of newborns. It is crucial to understand the conditions in poverty and its affects on birth weights in infants. â€Å"Several communities characteristics associated with poverty are negatively associated with low birth weight† (Roberts, 1997)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 2000, the PEI Reproductive Care Program, reported that Prince Edward Island had the lowest percentage of low birth weight infant at 4.3% compared to the National average of 5.6%, however there is much taught about the link of low birth weight and poverty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the 2000 study, mothers living in West Prince were the youngest with the highest percentage of birth rates (11.3%), these being women under 20 years of age. This can also be a contributor since young women may not have finished school or post secondary educational therefore resulting in jobs with less income. This weighs on their health care and ability to have the best prenatal care available.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Diet factors can also play a major factor in low birth weights. In a study done comparing Latina women both in the United States and Mexico, showed that Latino women born in Mexico consumed diets richer in calcium, folate, protein, vitamin A and ascorbic acid than Latino women born in the United States who instead ate diets consisting more of high fat foods, sugars and cereals, associated with low birth weights (Pearl, 2001). Poverty decreases the chances of expecting mothers to be able to buy all the proper foods available in order to eat a properly balanced diet high in all the nutrients needed for her and her baby. This paper describes the incidence of low birth weight in newborns in relation to the level of poverty among women on Prince Edward Island. Method Apparatus and/or Materials   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The source of the data was found using Statistics Canada database CANSIM. Incidence of low birth weight from 1991 to 2001 on Prince Edward Island, v5939746 Table 102-4005.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker Summary, Main Idea, Conflict, Point of View, Setting and Tone

â€Å"The Color Purple† by Alice Walker is a series a letters by and to the main character, Celie. The book begins with fourteen year old Celie writing to God about her father raping her and taking away her children. After Celie's mother dies, Celie focuses on protecting her sister, Nettie, from her father's sexual advances and encourages her to run away. A widower called â€Å"Mr. __† wants to marry Nettie, but their father rejects him. Eventually Celie marries Mr. __, who later is called Albert, and her living conditions do not improve at all.Celie becomes infatuated with Shug Avery, a blues singer who is her husband's mistress. Years later, Celie helps nurse Shug back to health. Eventually, they fall in love with each other. Meanwhile, Nettie has become a missionary in Africa and has written many letters to Celie, all of which Albert has hidden from her. Celie acquires the letters and discovers that her own two children are alive and living with a missionary couple w ith whom Nettie works. She also discovers that her father is actually her stepfather and not a blood relative. Nettie's letters help Celie grow stronger and more self-assured.That confidence soon turns to fury and discontent with God over the abuse she has endured throughout her life. Celie begins writing to Nettie instead of God, when she starts becoming â€Å"blasphemous† (192). Eventually, Celie leaves Albert and moves to Memphis with Shug. There, Celie starts a business making pants. After inheriting the house from her mother and real father, Celie returns home. She visits Albert, who is a very changed man, and they develop a relationship of respect. Nettie, still in Africa, marries the now-widowed Reverend who had adopted her sister's children.At the novel's end, the two sisters are reunited. The main idea of the novel suggests that the struggle of finding one’s voice, self-discovery and relationship with God is a complicated journey that can take a lifetime. Thro ughout the Novel, the main character, Celie goes through a complete transformation. At the beginning Celie is timid, submissive and passive. Celie does or says nothing to fight back against her stepfather’s abuse. Later in life, when her husband abuses her, she reacts in a similarly passive manner. She works all day and night while he does nothing.Celie can also be described as voiceless. So much so, that she can’t bring herself to pray out loud, so she writes to God instead. Celie’s letters to God are her only outlet and means of self-expression. As a young girl, Celie is constantly subjected to abuse and told she is ugly. The only way to ensure her survival is by making herself silent and invisible. As the novel progresses, Celie morphs into a strong, independent, outspoken woman. She leaves her abusive husband, confronts her abusive father and comes to terms with her relationship with God and herself.She begins to wear and make pants, and eventually starts he r own business. The main conflict of the novel is and internal conflict between Celie’s thoughts and beliefs and the â€Å"God-fearing† teachings of life and gender-based roles she lived by. This conflict is resolved towards the end of the story, when she returns home, alone, but happy and content with her life. Celie gained the ability to synthesize her thoughts and feeling into a voice that is fully her own. She forged her own life as an independent business woman despite a male-dominated and racially prejudiced society.She fought her way through life, and questioned everything she had been taught. Celie and Shug's deep conversations and reading her sister’s stories about African religion and belief help Celie evolve her views on God. For example, she was taught God to be an old, white, bearded male, everything she is not. She learns to believe God is one who encompasses everything on Earth, creates thing for us to enjoy and lives within her. â€Å"The Color Purple† is written in the first person narrative. The reader enters Celie’s mind and hears Celie's voice in a diary or letter format.Even when reading Nettie’s letters, it is through Celie’s eyes. First person narrator is when we enter the mind of one speaker or narrator who tells about things that he or she has seen, done, spoke, heard, thought and also learned about in other ways. The first example of this narrative, â€Å"You better not never tell nobody but God. It’d kill you mammy† (1). This statement was obviously only spoken between the narrator and her abuser. â€Å"I am fourteen years old. I have always been a good girl† (1), is a second example of the novel’s point of view.This type of narrative brings the reader close to the quality and rhythm of life that Celie experiences. It allows the reader to intimately get to know Celie. Through Celie’s dialect and poor grammar, the reader becomes personally engaged in C elie’s experiences and struggles. Almost like reading the unedited thoughts that go through a person’s mind. Though The Color Purple is a historical novel, it never refers to any factual events. Because of this, we presumably follow Celie through thirty or forty years of her life, from the age of fourteen up until her hair is gray.The setting of the novel is primarily rural Georgia in the early twentieth century. As a poor black woman in the rural south, Celie’s bad treatment is largely ignored which was the norm in this time period. Celie leaves Georgia to live in Memphis with Shug. There, Celie lives a life of luxury and empowerment. Living a poor, downtrodden life in the South, Celie had never stopped to consider her African heritage until Nettie sends letters describing the West African village she’s living in. Nettie describes her first experiences in Africa as â€Å"magical. Celie returns to Georgia, taking with her what she has learned from Memphi s and Africa. Celie now has her own house. A big beautiful house specially built by an architect from Atlanta, with tiles transported from New York, in which she can live life as she chooses. Celie lives most of her life very isolated and ignorant, until she starts to learn more about herself and the world from people who enter into her life from very different settings than her own. There are many language devices exhibited in Walker’s novel.The color purple for example, is symbolized to represent all the good things in the world that God creates for men and women to enjoy. Celie associates the color with royalty and longs for a purple dress. Shug says that she believes that it â€Å"pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. † (196). As Celie does learn to love life, she decorates her bedroom in her own home as all purple and red. Secondly, the use of a deep Southern dialect is highly essential in understanding the novel. The author’s use of non-standard dialect allows the reader a feel for the story’s cultural and geographical location. â€Å"Now that my eyes opening, I feels like a fool. Next to any scrub of a brush in my yard, Mr. __’s evil sort of shrink†¦Shug say, you have to get man off your eyeball, before you can see anything a’tall† (197). This gives each letter confessional feel to it. Irony is exhibited when Sofia is imprisoned for â€Å"sassing the mayor’s wife† (84) after she asked Sofia to be her maid. Eventually she is released from prison only to become the one thing she absolutely refused to become, the mayor’s maid.The overall tone of Alice Walker’s novel is serious and honest. The author conveys an honest portrayal of the utter hardship and tragedy. The author allows the reader to take a serious look at life through letters to God. The conflict between Celie and her religious and political views aids in establishin g the novel’s tone. It is an internal conflict and because it deals with being honest with oneself, the tone is honest as well. The tone also coincides with the central idea in which the struggle of finding one’s voice, self-discovery and relationship with God is a complicated and serious journey.