Repressed Memories - 5487 Words

â€Å"Repressed memories are a figment of the imagination†. Critically discuss this statement. The concept of repression – which is the bone of contention between those who believe in the mission of recovery therapy and those who denounce it – presumes a peculiar power of the mind (Loftus and Ketchum, 1994). The current dispute regarding the existence of repression has mainly focused on whether people remember or forget trauma. Repression, however, is a multidimensional construct, which, in addition to the memory aspect, consists of pathogenic effects on adjustment and the unconscious (Rofe ´, 2008). The challenges of memory recovery have not escaped judicial attention. Courts have increasingly found repressed memory testimony to be†¦show more content†¦Psychoanalytic theory maintains that repressed memories are preserved for an indefinite period of time, and can be recovered in their original form through hypnosis and psychoanalytic therapy (McNally, 2003). This concept has been challenged, particularly around the manner in which retrieval happens. Ferracuti, Cannoni, De-Carolis, Gonella, and Lazzari (2002) argue that retrieval through hypnosis can yield confabulations (such as memories from previous lives). Gardner (2004) argues that psychodynamic therapists can place patients at risk for developing false memories. The notion of false memory has gained some clinical validation (Kaplan and Manicavasagar, 2001), increasing skepticism regarding the authenticity of recovered repressed memories. Ganaway (1989) proposed that if memories are not authentic, they could be due t o fantasy, illusion, or hallucination-mediated screen memories, internally derived as a defense mechanism. Furthermore, memories combine a mixture of borrowed ideas, characters, myths, and accounts from exogenous sources with idiosyncratic internal beliefs. These inauthentic memories could be externally derived as a result of unintentional implantation of suggestion by a therapist. Advocates of repression used clinical cases indicating that child abuse victims may become amnesic of their trauma and that therapeutic interventions may generate a genuine recollection of their repressed trauma (Brenneis, 2000; Cheit, 1998; Kluft,Show MoreRelatedElizabeth Loftus and Repressed Memories2121 Words   |  9 PagesElizabeth F. Loftus: The Reality of Repressed Memories Alyssa Ellis Killebrew 11/9/2010 Elizabeth Loftus Brief Biography Childhood amp; Personal Recollections Elizabeth (fondly known as Beth) Fishman Loftus parents met and married while stationed at Fort Ord, during World War II. Sidney Fishman, Elizabeth’s father, was an Army doctor and her mother, Rebecca was an army base librarian. Beth was the oldest of three children. In 1944, Elizabeth Fishman was born and then her twoRead MoreRepressed Memories Essay3891 Words   |  16 PagesRepressed Memories Abstract In recent years there has been a hot debate between repressed vs. false memories. Neurobiological studies show that both suppression and recall and the creation of false memories are possible. This paper evaluates the evidence but forth by both sides of the controversy and concludes that both are feasible and separate phenomenon, which occur at significant rates in our society. Further biological research on the effect of psychological trauma on the neurochemistryRead MoreRepressed Memories : Truth Or Fiction1129 Words   |  5 Pages Repressed Memories: Truth or Fiction Talia E. Shuman The University of Tampa â€Æ' Repressed Memories: Truth or Fiction When people think of memory repression, people think of child sexual abuse scandals, parental abuse, traumatic injuries, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Memory repression is thought by some to be a defense mechanism of the brain in the event of extreme distress. The memory of the event is pushed back into the corners of the unconscious, and is only recovered after a longRead MoreRepressed Memories And Other Memories Essay1374 Words   |  6 PagesFrom what I remember that night it had been like any other. Repressed memories and such. I had been mom’s helper in the kitchen and dad’s little grease monkey in the garage. It was nice being the happy family, everyone would imagine us to be. Mom and dad were paid well and known around town for being the kind hearted Argo’s with the perfect life. No one would have had a second thought about anyone wanting us dead for any sort of reason. I was 5 when all hell had broken loose in my house and my lifeRead MoreThe Dem on Lover By Elizabeth Bowen894 Words   |  4 Pagesone woman s introspective psychological journey to face suppressed memories of her past. Externally, Mrs. Drover is described as a â€Å"prosaic† woman whose normal expression was that of â€Å"controlled worry, but of assent† . She seems like a typical ordinary middle-aged woman who is the mother of multiple children, married and is currently living in the country. Internally, Mrs. Drover was a woman suffering and scarred by a repressed emotional trauma. Mrs. Drover’s journey into her old house representsRead MoreThe First Golden Age Of Television1278 Words   |  6 Pagesemotional advances from anyone. Later during the show, Bezzerides goes undercover at a sex party to find evidence towards who killed the corrupt city official. During the process of being groomed to enter, she is forced to ingest MDMA. A repressed childhood memory surfaces during advances by an older male. It is a bearded face of a man, wh o stayed at her father’s spiritual retreat when she was a child. This man called her pretty and lured in into his VW van to proceed to sexually abused her for twoRead MoreEssay on Character Analysis: Stew1979 Words   |  8 Pagesdislike. â€Å"Tiny, Smiling Daddy† is told in the third person limited point of view through the father, Stew. This point of view is vital to our understanding of events, in that the progression of the story evolves only through Stew’s recollection of memories giving a very limited perspective. Using this style of writing puts a lens, so to speak, on how the reader is going to read the story, there are no outside details from other characters that Gaitskill gives us to help us understand, it is only throughRead MoreThe Accuracy And Validity Of Autobiographical Memory Among Individuals Who Have Experienced Childhood Sexual Abuse ( Csa )1478 Words   |  6 PagesThe accuracy and validity of autobiographical memory among individuals who have experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has been questioned since these experiences are highly emotional and traumatic. Some individuals may believe that recovered memories through the use of therapy or spontaneously may be recalled in an e ffort to gain money in a court case or seek revenge against an individual. In order to examine whether this statement of a disbelief in the accounts of individual’s experience withRead MoreCognitive Psychology False Memory Essay2269 Words   |  10 PagesRunning head: False Memory Theoretical and Applied/Practical Perspective of False Memory The human memory is subject to a multitude of errors, including source misattributions, distortion and creation of false memories. In order to do justice to this paper one must first determine what is â€Å"False memory†? False memory is memory for an event that did not occur or distorted memory of actual events (Gleaves, Smith, Butler, Spiegel, 2004). This type of memory has been an area ofRead MoreEssay on Decay Theory in STM and Theory of Duration in STM820 Words   |  4 Pagesstate as when they first learnt the information. Godwin (1969) investigated the effect of alcohol on recall and found individuals were better able to recall information learnt when drunk if they were drunk. Other drugs seem to affect memory similarly. Bower (1981) however found that the same principle applied to mood did not have such a convincing effect but only a tendency to produce State-Dependent Retrieval.SPANSTYLE=COLOR:RED 3. Thirdly, recall may be by the

Angelina Jolie Biographical Free Essays

Angelina Jolie, an example of the powerful and modern woman. Recently, Angelina Jolie released a statement: â€Å"l wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made,† talking about her decision to undergo a preventive double mastectomy after being diagnosed with a cancer gene. We will write a custom essay sample on Angelina Jolie Biographical or any similar topic only for you Order Now Angelina Jolie, a movie star, Award winning actress and named highest paid actress by Forbes magazine, three words could describe her: talented, beautiful, rich. It would be very easy to go on and on about her on-camera success, instead this essay will illustrate her real life success and how despite all of the disadvantages mentioned above, Angelina Jolie, manages to be a philanthropist, independent, family woman, therefore a powerful example of the modern woman. Childhood Philanthropist Jolie raised by a hard working single mother did not have an easy childhood, her mother was often absent and as a result she had an early start on depression, aving lived this, Jolie is particularly sensitive when it comes to childhood matters, and in her adulthood she has worked on eradicating extreme rural poverty and lack of education, helping not only kids but also adults all over the world, supporting over 25 causes and creating foundations on her own, not only donating large amounts of money but also her own time. Teenage years resilience At the start of her acting career in her teenage years, Jolie had a hard time with drugs and casual sexual encounters, Adulthood Family woman Coming from a broken family, beautiful movie star Conclusion No matter what your stage is, if you are a teacher and you are working in a small school, a nurse in a hospital, a scientist is a dark lab room. Movie star or not own your stage Angelina Jolie Biographical Essay By Yaridis-Cervantes How to cite Angelina Jolie Biographical, Papers

Are Humans Good or Evil free essay sample

Are Humans Born Good or Evil? Are humans born good or evil? Most would say that humans are born evil due to our selfishness and even sometimes, ruthlessness towards each other, but in my opinion, humans are good by nature. I believe that humans are good because it is our nature to help and support each other in times of needs. Another reason why I support the fact that we are good is that when we are left alone, we are peaceful by ourselves , but as we are introduced to a society, certain things affects us and causes us to change. Even if people do evil things such as committing crimes and such, if you compare that number with the rest of the population who does not engage in vile actions, you’ll see that more than half or almost everyone in the world prefers a more peaceful world, therefore humans are good. We will write a custom essay sample on Are Humans Good or Evil or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page People tend to help each other out even when a person doesn’t request for one. When we were young, most of us wanted to become doctors, policemen, and firefighters, and the reason for this is because we wanted to help others, this shows that we were born pure and good by nature. A diverse group of researchers from Harvard and Yale University conducted a new set of studies that gave out evidence whether humans are good or evil by nature. Their study was focused on our first instincts, to either act selfishly or cooperatively, which was also based on intuition and reflection. Throughout the study, whether it was intuition or reflection, both studies resulted in humans cooperating with each other, which show that it is our nature to aid each other in any type of situation. Even when were young, our first initial thought about others was to help them, as we grow older, it may change a little, but our actions stills show that we like to help each other out, therefore I believe that we are good by nature Jean Jacques Rousseau stated that man was naturally peaceful, but as they begin to live with each other in groups, selfishness, culture war, affection, vice, and love start to exist. â€Å"At some point, men united in a society in order to improve themselves – only with in society do men become human, developing their mental and moral abilities, their freedom and individuality. Justice substituted for instinct. Instead of stupid and unimaginative animals, men become intelligent, moral beings. † said Jaen Jacques Rousseau. Even though we are influenced by society to do immoral things, society still helps us improve and by improving, we are also able to help improve our society’s moralities. Statistics shows that the world is becoming less violent despite global conflict. â€Å"Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker and one of his new books, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined, reveal dramatic reductions in war deaths, family violence, racism, rape, murder and all sorts of mayhem. Pinker makes the case that a smarter, more educated world is becoming more peaceful in several statistically significant ways. His findings are based on peer-reviewed studies published by other academics using examinations of graveyards, surveys and historical records. † This proves that as we continue to improve ourselves in a society, we are able to become more and more moral, and less violent. Through basic everyday life examples and personal experience, as well as statistics, you can see that humans are good. The simple act of helping others and the empathy that we feel for each other can also show our good nature. For this reasons, I think that a democratic government is needed for this kind of people who lives in a society. With a democratic government, we would be able to make better progress for everyone as well as have less conflict between the people and the government. Therefore, with all that being said, I believe that humans are not only good, but also good by nature.

Statistics Essays - Public Opinion, Survey Methodology, Opinion Poll

Statistics 1) From the reading that I've been doing on polling it seems that everything has some effect on the results. It seems like most of the polling biases come from the question and the questioner. If the question leads you to think about something else, whether it be positive or negative, it can change the results of the answer. If the person conducting the poll has an opinion of the question they can shape the outcome. Also the gender of the person conducting the poll can change the answer. Also, sometimes if people aren't completely sure they might just say what's on the top of their mind without giving it any serious consideration. Even something as minute as the time of day can effect a poll. If you call between 5:30 and 9:00 you leave out everyone that has to work during that time. Many people don't really want to take the time to answer polls so the results only come from those who are willing to participate. 2) In order to remove the bias pollsters have adopted many new polling techniques. They try to conduct most of their polls over the telephone so they don't have physical contact with the person they are polling. This is good because then any preconceptions about race, or lifestyle are not brought into play. It is a disadvantage sometimes because you rely on the person on the other end of the line to provide accurate information about themselves, or they might answer differently depending on whether or not it's a man or woman asking the questions. Also with telephone polls they use a random number generator to get phone numbers. This is good because it provides the most random group of phone number, but at the same time it can provide numbers of people who may be very indifferent of the subject or do not speak English well enough to answer the question. Pollsters try and arrange the questions so that one does not effect the other. This is good because it helps cut down on spur of the mom ent responses. The disadvantage is that unless you only have one question it can be nearly impossible to arrange questions in an order that is totally unbiased. Mathematics

Land a Full-Time Trucking Job After Graduation

Land a Full-Time Trucking Job After Graduation You’re about to finish truck driving school- or you’re trying to figure out if school is a smart investment- and you want to know if a solid job with benefits is in your future. Great question! Here’s the good news: While there are no guarantees in life, most people who finish an accredited CDL training program find jobs- some even line up jobs before they graduate.Some industry insiders feel that there are plenty of full-time jobs with benefits available for qualified truckers right now- from OTR drivers and local/regional drivers to management and support positions and more- so the timing might be perfect if you’re just about to graduate or are considering starting a CDL program.What can you expect when you land your first job?Plenty! Along with great travel opportunities and an average salary of around $40,000, you can expect some solid benefits depending on where you work- including comprehensive insurance, paid vacation, a 401(k), and more.So†¦ho w can you make this reality happen for you?Obviously, choosing a great training program with a proven track record is essential, so do your homework when choosing one. Some are affiliated with major carriers and offer placement help. Others are company sponsored, which means you may be able to lock down guaranteed employment in exchange for tuition assistance!Already in a program?Start thinking about your life after you graduate- have a killer resume that plays up your experience and strengths, network with other drivers and industry insiders whenever possible, and make informed, well-researched decisions at every turn!It’s never a bad time to think about your future- if being a trucker might seem like the right career path for you, don’t ask your magic 8-ball to figure out what lies ahead for you. Devise a well-researched plan, work hard, and get rolling!Graduating Truck Driving School: Will I Really Get A Full-Time Job With Benefits?Read More at www.roadmaster.com

Aida Model Essay Example for Free

Aida Model Essay Choose cite format: APA MLA Harvard Chicago ASA IEEE AMA Haven't found the essay you want? Get your custom sample essay for only $13.90/page ? Every day we’re bombarded with headlines like these that are designed to grab our attention. In a world full of advertising and information – delivered in all sorts of media from print to websites, billboards to radio, and TV to text messages – every message has to work extremely hard to get noticed. And it’s not just advertising messages that have to work hard; every report you write, presentation you deliver, or email you send is competing for your audience’s attention. As the world of advertising becomes more and more competitive, advertising becomes more and more sophisticated. Yet the basic principles behind advertising copy remain – that it must attract attention and persuade someone to take action. And this idea remains true simply because human nature doesn’t really change. Sure, we become increasingly discerning, but to persuade people to do something, you still need to grab their attention, interest them in how your product or service can help them, and then persuade them to take the action you want them to take, such as buying your product or visiting your website. The acronym AIDA is a handy tool for ensuring that your copy, or other writing, grabs attention. The acronym stands for: Attention (or Attract) Interest Desire Action. These are the four steps you need to take your audience through if you want them to buy your product or visit your website, or indeed to take on board the messages in your report. A slightly more sophisticated version of this is AIDCA/AIDEA, which includes an additional step of Conviction/Evidence between Desire and Action. People are so cynical about advertising messages that coherent evidence may be needed if anyone is going to act! How to Use the Tool: Use the AIDA approach when you write a piece of text that has the ultimate objective of getting others to take action. The elements of the acronym are as follows: 1. Attention/Attract In our media-filled world, you need to be quick and direct to grab people’s attention. Use powerful words, or a picture that will catch the reader’s eye and make them stop and read what you have to say next. With most office workers suffering from e-mail overload, action-seeking e-mails need subject lines that will encourage recipients to open them and read the contents. For example, to encourage people to attend a company training session on giving feedback, the email headline, â€Å"How effective is YOUR feedback?† is more likely to grab attention than the purely factual one of, â€Å"This week’s seminar on feedback†. 2. Interest This is one of the most challenging stages: You’ve got the attention of a chunk of your target audience, but can you engage with them enough so that they’ll want to spend their precious time understanding your message in more detail? Gaining the reader’s interest is a deeper process than grabbing their attention. They will give you a little more time to do it, but you must stay focused on their needs. This means helping them to pick out the messages that are relevant to them quickly. So use bullets and subheadings, and break up the text to make your points stand out. For more information on understanding your target audience’s interests and expectations, and the context of your message, read our article on the Rhetorical Triangle. 3. Desire The Interest and Desire parts of AIDA go hand-in-hand: As you’re building the reader’s interest, you also need to help them understand how what you’re offering can help them in a real way. The main way of doing this is by appealing to their personal needs and wants. So, rather than simply saying â€Å"Our lunchtime seminar will teach you feedback skills†, explain to the audience what’s in it for them: â€Å"Get what you need from other people, and save time and frustration, by learning how to give them good feedback.† Feature and Benefits (FAB) A good way of building the reader’s desire for your offering is to link features and benefits. Hopefully, the significant features of your offering have been designed to give a specific benefit to members of your target market. When it comes to the marketing copy, it’s important that you don’t forget those benefits at this stage. When you describe your offering, don’t just give the facts and features, and expect the audience to work out the benefits for themselves: Tell them the benefits clearly to create that interest and desire. Example: â€Å"This laptop case is made of aluminum,† describes a feature, and leaves the audience thinking â€Å"So what?† Persuade the audience by adding the benefits†.giving a stylish look, that’s kinder to your back and shoulders†. You may want to take this further by appealing to people’s deeper drives†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ giving effortless portability and a sleek appearance and that will be the envy of your friends and co-workers.† 4. Conviction As hardened consumers, we tend to be skeptical about marketing claims. It’s no longer enough simply to say that a book is a bestseller, for example, but readers will take notice if you state (accurately, of course!), that the book has been in the New York Times Bestseller List for 10 weeks, for example. So try to use hard data where it’s available. When you haven’t got the hard data, yet the product offering is sufficiently important, consider generating some data, for example, by commissioning a survey. 5. Action Finally, be very clear about what action you want your readers to take; for example, â€Å"Visit www.mindtools.com now for more information† rather than just leaving people to work out what to do for themselves. – See more at: file:///C:/Users/GOPAL%20RATHORE/Downloads/AIDA%20%20Attention-Interest-Desire-Action%20-%20Communication%20Skills%20Training%20From%20MindTools.com.htm#sthash.nCxC0EZx.dpuf Aida Model. (2016, Apr 07).

Stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Stress - Essay Example In general, stress comes in numerous forms. Working individuals may experience work-related stress whereas other people may have to go through physical stress related to illness or hormonal changes and emotional stress such as grievance due to the death or loss of a special someone. Stressors are commonly classified as external or internal. (Ward et al., 2003) External stressors may come from extreme physical condition like chronic pain and hot or cold temperatures as well as stressful psychological environments caused by poor working environment or being in an abusive relationship. On the other hand, internal stressors can be related to physical abnormalities related to inflammation or infection. It can also be caused by psychological factors such as excessive worrying. Even though the role of emotional regulation between stress and hypertension remains unclear (Gerin et al., 2002), several studies show that negative emotions such as anger, anxiety and frustrations could increase the physiological stress which normally causes a person to experience hypertension. (Lawler et al., 1998; Miller et al., 1998) These internal or external stressors, regardless of whether the stress occurs over a short- or long-term period, could negatively affect people physically, mentally, and emotionally. Regardless of age, several studies show that a stressful condition could cause a person to experience a significant decrease in the performance of their declarative memory (Lupien et al., 1997; Kirschbaum et al., 1996; Newcomer et al., 1995) aside from the fact that it could increase a person’s risk of developing type II diabetes (Harris and White, 2007). Stress has also a huge impact on a person’s heart and circulation system especially among postmenopausal women. (Kivimà ¤ki et al., 2002; Bairey Merz et al., 1998) In some cases, stress causes a person to experience

Critical paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Critical paper - Essay Example To become effective in asserting women’s rights movement, however, a collective effort must be done with the participation of various players in society at an international level. This necessitates a transnational women’s rights movement to make such effort effective where the issue of women’s rights is elevated at an international level discussed in the article of Friedman using education as one of its main vehicle. The Friedman article tackled the problem posed against the women’s rights movements and various efforts that were exerted in transnational arena that had substantial outcomes that positively impacted women’s rights movement. This is an important discussion considering the challenge faced by women’s right movement by a conservative countermovements such as opposing women’s greater participation in society. This article discussed the efforts of the NGO’s that helped advocate women’s equality, their approach in influencing policy direction and ultimately, to encourage engagement with women’s rights. The article is clearly organized into different sections that address different aspects. The first category analyzes the transnational social movement, it discusses the definition of a transnational women’s movement in contrast with a social movement. The inherent difference is then clearly conveyed and the reader is fully able to distinguish the meaning of transnational women’s movement. Transnational social movement is â€Å"sustained contentious interactions with opponents- national or non-national –by connected networks of challengers organized across national boundaries†. The difference therefore between a transnational movement and a social movement is the categorical basis. Friedman analyzes the progress of transnational women’s movement through four elements: political opportunity, structure, mobilizing structure, frames and action repertories. The conferences that

Realism and the Future of World Politics Essay Example for Free

Realism and the Future of World Politics Essay First and foremost it is important to remember that state interest or state preference operates in an anarchic environment. The international system is inherently unstable and is aptly characterized by widespread anarchy. Due to the absence of a suprastate or overarching Leviathan authority, states are placed in inevitable and perpetual competition, described as the security dilemma. This has been evidenced by the state of European affairs since 1789. Because of the anarchic nature of international affairs, states are perpetually concerned with their survival. For realists, the international system is a â€Å"dog-eat-dog world† and ensuring survival is paramount for any and all states. According to Hans Morgenthau, pioneering German political scientist and an early proponent of realist thought, due to the inherent instability of the international system, the fundamental national interest of all states is to â€Å"protect [its] physical, political, and cultural identity against encroachments by other nations† (Morgenthau, 1952). Specifically, threats to states are determined by their relative power vis-a-vis one others in the international system. The structure of the system – the distribution of power and capabilities state wide is important because threats or challenges facing a state which affront the national interest should be â€Å"calculated according to the situation in which the state finds itself† (Waltz, 1979). Thus, power and security requirements are paramount in attempting to define state interest and what motivates states to act. Furthermore, Power and wealth supply the means for states to survive, to meet their security requirements, and thus to continue to compete in a system in which other states are necessarily either actual or potential threats. State officials ad policy analysts are therefore advised realistically to asses the distribution of power; they should overcome their ‘aversion to seeing problems of international politics as they are’ in order to objectively asses the national interest in light of the distribution of power. Every state, that is, must pursue its national interest â€Å"defined in terms of power† (Morgenthau 1952) because this is the surest road to security and survival (Weldes, 1999). If we apply the realist conception of states power and apply it to the future of the international world, conflict over resources and war will be a defining feature of the international system. Europe has been plagued by conflict since the late 18th century and despite global interdependence and the existence of multilateral organizations in the form of the UN and the European Union, there is little evidence to suggest that armed conflict is not the future of international affairs. Nationalism, a concept created in Europe, has been responsible for much armed conflict over the past three centuries. Nationalism in International Affairs Nationalism is an important force in international relations and has been so for centuries. As a basic principle of the international order, concepts of state sovereignty are intrinsic to our understanding of the world system. Accordingly, the international system is predicated upon the existence of nation-states and nationalism is a belief or sense of identity within the nation. The Treaty of Westphalia established the principle of state sovereignty, another fundamental principle of the international order which established the nation-state as an autonomous political entity. Similar to tribalism or a sense of social kinship, nationalism as a potent political force began in Europe in the late eightieth century and was connected with a decline in overall religiosity, the development of industrialization, Enlightenment thoughts and a concerted effort by political elites to â€Å"build states†. By inculcating a sense of nationalist fervor in the citizens of their respective countries, elites have been able to manipulate nationalism for political purposes. Mass mobilization towards a variety of specific causes through an appeal to nationalist sentiment has been used as a political tool for centuries. Although not exclusively a negative force, nationalism remains an important ordering principle of the international system and a force to be reckoned with (Waltz 2000). Concluding Remarks Keeping in mind our realist conception of state interest, conflict will be an inevitable feature of the international system in the next 50 years. Europe has descended into bloodshed and armed conflict and has been the feature of the European continent for centuries. When global war broke out in 1914 dreams of world peace and prosperity were shattered. Accordingly, the First World War was arguably one of the most traumatic episodes in the history of international affairs. Geopolitically speaking, the First World War (also described as WWI in this essay) was unprecedented in both scale and sheer loss of human life. Never before had the world witnessed such carnage and violence perpetuated through the use of modern technology. The First World War touched much of the world the implications of this conflict reverberated across the globe. In addition to WWI, Europeans states fought dozens of wars and were home to countless revolutions aimed at changing the political order. From the French Revolution to the Spanish Civil War and the â€Å"War to End All Wars†, World War II, the history of Europe since 1789 has been wrought with conflict with nationalism playing an important role in the outbreak of violence.

Billy Budd Essay -- essays research papers

Billy Budd By: Herman Mellville   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Herman Melville’s Billy Budd is a classic tale of innocence and evil. The main force of innocence is constantly attacked by the force of evil until the innocence falters. Through the use of many literary devices, Melville shows how sometimes the obvious results do not always occur when they are being expected. However, he also shows that the force of all that is good and righteous will triumph over evil at the end, even over death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The protagonist, Billy Budd, is the major force of innocence in the book. Billy is a young man who seems to have everything going for him. He is big, strong, handsome, and he has a personality that draws everyone to him. Everywhere he went he charmed people, gaining the respect of those around him. A great deal of imagery is used describing how aesthetically perfect Billy is. Besides Billy’s stutter, he seems absolutely perfect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Billy is a sailor. His original ship was the Rights-Of-Man but he later was impressed by the Bellipotent. Here he becomes a foretopman. As usual he charms everyone. They even call him “The Handsome Sailor';. On the ship, Billy is respected by everyone except the protagonist, John Claggart. Claggart is extremely jealous and holds considerable amounts of contempt for him. At first he tries to be nice to Billy but soon his true jealousies surface. He begins to scold Billy for insignificant lapses and tries to degrade him. In one instance when Billy spills a bowl of soup, Claggart sardonically says to Billy, “Handsome is as handsome did it.'; Deep inside Claggart also thinks that Billy is secretly plotting against him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When his madness really begins to take over, Claggart starts thinking of ways to prove Billy to be a traitor. Finally his chance came when a guardsman approached Billy in the middle of the night. He asked Billy if he wanted to join a mutiny effort with all the others that were impressed. He was also offered a bribe. Billy became so angry that he almost threw the guardsman overboard. However, when Claggart heard of this, he immediately ran straight to Captain Vere. Captain Vere was a well-educated, level-headed man. He was stern but he was just. He offered Billy a chance to see his accuser and Billy acce... ...ling him that Billy doesn’t deserve to die and that he should be released because everyone knows what kind of guy Billy really is. In the end, though, Captain Vere’s duty wins as it probably should, which is the climax of the book. Because of the point-of-view, limited omniscient, it is hard to fully understand Vere’s thought process during the whole trial.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The irony in the book is kind of subtle but able, nevertheless, to be found. When one is analyzing each character it is shown that the fate of each character is the exact opposite of what is led to be expected by looking at his nature. One would originally think that Claggart would end up being the one that might kill Billy because of the obsession he had with him. It is strange to think of Claggart as the victim but that was the case.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the book, these instances of literary devices help shape the book into the classic that it is. With all that had happened to Billy, he was a hero even in his death. That helps define the theme of the book. No matter how much the forces of evil tried to bring him down, goodness triumphed over all.

Junk Science Essay

What led me to this decision based on Baloney Detection Method, the person writing this article did not list who they are, whether or not they have a degree in the matter that they are speaking of, nor do they list who or what company is sponsoring them. No reliable sources are listed in case the reader wants to verify any of the information is to be true. The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus – Baloney junk. Although this article list who are the writers of this article, it does not give any information if either student has received a degree in the information that they are discussing. It does not include what company or organization that is supporting the author. The sources that they listed are not credible. The article does not state whether this information has been reviewed nor verified by any expert, but only claims from a book, articles, and you tube videos. Environmental Effects of Genetically Modified Food Crops – Reliable Unlike the other two articles, this article reveals the name and the profession degree this person has for the matter that is been discussed. The article list who the author is with and who stands to benefit from the work. The article has a variety of reliable sources included if the reader has any questions or simply wants to verify the matter being discussed. This article list the research, written work, claims and field work that has been conducted by other experts. This article provides majority all of the information needed for the questions that are being asked to determine whether or not it is junk science.

Case Analysis of Wal-Mart Mexico

1. Introduction 1. 1 History: Wal-Mart first stuck its toe into Mexico in 1991 through a joint venture with Cifra, Mexico’s leading retail company, initially limited to developing Sam’s Club warehouse stores in Mexico. The tremendous success of the first Sam’s Club stores and the impending passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) encouraged further collaboration, and Wal-Mart and Cifra expanded their joint venture through the 1990s. Wal-Mart purchased a majority stake in Cifra in 1997. Prior to the joint venture, Cifra’s lineup included Aurrera autoservicios (superstores selling food, clothing, and a variety of other items), Superama supermarkets, Suburbia department stores, and Vips restaurants. To this roster, Wal-Mart added Wal-Mart superstores (shifting Aurrera to a budget niche and relabeling its stores Bodega) and Sam’s Club warehouse stores, as well as introducing two new restaurant formats. Wal-Mart-Cifra had fewer grocery stores (though more stores of all formats) than either of competitors Gigante and Comercial Mexicana as of 1993, but had overtaken them by 2000 and today has 326 Wal-Mart, Aurrera, Sam’s, and Superama stores. Wal-Mart rolled out its â€Å"every day low prices† (EDLP) policy in Mexico in 1999-2000. It controlled 49 percent of Mexican supermarket sales in 2001. Wal-Mart also began to post price comparisons with other chains, a practice that in 2002 got it expelled from ANTAD, Mexico’s National Association of Supermarket and Department Stores. Today, 62 percent of Wal-Mart Mexico’s shares are owned by the U. S. based parent, Wal-Mart Stores. 2. Vision The vision of the Company summarizes their commitment to Mexico: â€Å"Contribute toward improving the quality of life for Mexican families. † Their basic belief is Respect for the Individual, Service to Our Customer, and Strive for Excellence, with Integrity being the underlying principle. 1. 3 The Mission Statement The mission upholding the Company’s permanence and success is value creating. All their efforts, strategies and actions are aimed at this objective. . Organizational Chart: Exhibit: 1 Exhibit: 1 2. Divisions of Wal-Mart Mexico: Wal-Mart Mexico’s size and geographic coverage dwarf those of its competition. It operates 694 stores in 73 Mexican cities. The Retail formats of Wal-Mart Mexico are: †¢ Bodega Aurerra †¢ Wal-Nlart Supercenter †¢ Sam’s Club †¢ Superarna †¢ Suburbia and †¢ Vips Although 360 of these stores are self-service (the others are restaurants [Vips] and department stores [Suburbia]), Wal-Mart Mexico has 55 percent of the Mexican retail market. The three major formats (Aurerra, 30 percent; Wal-Mart Supercenter, 27 percent; and Sam’s Club, 29 percent) together provide more than 86 percent of its revenues. 44 percent of the entire countries population is concentrated in 25cities metro areas. A bit more than 18 percent live in the capital city’s metro area. Mexico’s rural population accounts for about 34 million or about 33 percent of the country’s total population. The retail industry does not have a ingle outlet in the rural concentrations, which leaves the market to neighborhood Stores, public markets, or street vendors, which, as individual businesses, do not have a significant presence in the market as a whole. |FORMAT |NAME |#OF STORES |# IN 25 MOST IMPORTANT |% IN 25 MOST IMPORTANT | | | | |URBAN AREAS |URBAN AREAS | Warehouse |Bodega Aurerra |161 |117 |73% | |Suparmarket |Superama |50 |50 |100% | |Hypermarket |Supercenter |86 |74 |86% | |Savings Club |Sam’s Club |61 |42 |68% | |Restur ant |Vips |209 |190 |91% | | |El Porton |46 |42 |91% | |Apparel |Suburbia |53 |53 |100% | |Total | |666 |568 |85% | 3. Target Segments: One of the secret of Wal-Mart Mexico’s success is that it has a clearly defined target market. The Aurerra format (162 stores) is targeted at lower- to lower-middle income classes; these Bodega stores offer 48,000 SKUs. Sam’s Club (61 stores) offers a much more limited variety of products (4,000 SKUs) and targets consumers and businesses buying in volume. The Wal-Mart Supercenter stores (89 units) offer the widest variety of goods (80,000 SKUs). Superama (48 stores) contributes only 3 percent of the company’s sales; these stores offer a variety of goods (35,000 SKUs) but are located in residential areas for convenience. Wal-Mart Mexico’s Suburbia 50 department stores target the middle class, offering fashionable apparel at reasonable prices; these stores contribute 6 percent of the company’s sales. The Vip’s chain of restaurants (284 locations) represents 3 percent of the company’s sales. The vast majority of Wal-Mart Mexico’s stores are located in the 25 most important metro areas in the country. 4. Geographic Coverage [pic] [pic] 5. Responsibilities To the Stakeholders The Customer — The word ‘always' can be seen in virtually all of Wal-Mart Mexico’s literature. Their belief is that the customer is always right, and the stores are still driven by this philosophy. Their commitment to the customers is to Offer the right merchandise assortment, in the right amount, and at the right time at Everyday Low Prices, Always. they ensure and improve the quality of their service to provide the best possible shopping experience. Shareholders – Look after and grow the equity they have been entrusted with, observing the highest standards of integrity and the Corporate Governance best practices is their commitment towards their shareholders. The actions include †¢ foster transparency, timely presentation of information to the shareholders and ethical company management, which in turn contributes towards increasing the value of the Company, all within a control environment and with Corporate Governance best practices. †¢ Through the Statement of Ethics and Compliance program, they ensure that Integrity is an ever-present and global principle. †¢ They develop and every day instill a culture of compliance with beliefs, laws, standards and policies. The Employees – Wal-Mart Mexico believed in listening to employees and challenging them to come up with ideas and suggestions to make the company better. Its first contribution as a corporate citizen is its employment of more than 109,000 people throughout the country and the extensive training programs (4. 2 million hours in 2004) it provides for those employees. The firm highlights its diversity since 48 percent of its employees are female. At each of the Wal-Mart stores, signs are displayed which read, ‘Our People Make the Difference. ‘ One of Wal-Mart's goals was to provide its employees with the appropriate tools to do their jobs efficiently. They provide a sound organizational culture (Integrity, Respect for the Individual, Service to Our Customers, and Strive for Excellence). Personal and professional development for their people is a priority, as well as providing job security for them and economic stability for their families through continuous growth as a company and the diversity of our operations. They have also created programs to improve the quality of life for our Associates, promote gender equality, and benefit the Associates as well as their families. The Community– Wal-Mart is involved in many community outreach programs and has launched several national efforts through industrial development grants. They create and foster programs that promote development and improve the quality of life for all families throughout Mexico. Their initiatives to do so are †¢ Through their programs and on-going support of organizations, they contribute towards generating sustainable changes and creating solutions for malnutrition and food safety issues throughout the country. †¢ They convert community actions into local commitment, allowing each business unit of the Company to become an agent of change. †¢ Wal-Mex also provides direct financial assistance to support high impact projects regarding nutrition for communities in need. The Suppliers — The commitment towards their supplier is to support their development, growth and Consolidation. The purchasing agents of Wal-Mart are very much focused people. ‘Their highest priority is making sure everybody at all times in all cases knows who's in charge, and it's Wal-Mart'. ‘Even though Wal-Mart was tough in negotiating for absolute rock-bottom prices, the company worked closely with suppliers to develop mutual respect and to forge long-term partnerships that benefited both parties'. Actions include the following †¢ They provide development opportunities to suppliers through constant growth. †¢ Through Regional Trade Fairs Wal-Mart Mexico develop local suppliers as a means of providing additional support for small and medium enterprises. They have created areas of development for the textile and garment-making industry, the production chain for perishables, and new regional products. †¢ Our information systems help suppliers to plan production and buy of raw materials, thereby creating greater operations efficiencies and market competitiveness. 6. Financial Analysis: [pic] Financial Highlights 7. Strategic Analysis 7. 1 SWOT Analysis: A scan of the internal and external environment is an important part of the strategic planning process. The SWOT analysis provides information that is helpful in matching the firm's resources and capabilities to the competitive environment in which it operates. Thus, it is instrumental in strategy formulation and selection and simultaneously to develop a competitive advantage. Strengths: ? Good Corporate Citizen: Wal-Mart Mexico has a positive reputation in Mexico as a good corporate citizen, having received prestigious awards for its actions. It publishes an annual social responsibility report, highlighting its activities as a corporate citizen in Mexico. Wal-Mart Mexico has been certified as a â€Å"Socially Responsible Enterprise† since 2001, one of only a handful of companies in Mexico to receive such an honor. ? Market Leader: It is by far the leader in the Mexican retail industry after less than a decade and a half of operations there providing low-price goods to everyone. ? Largest Private Employer: Wal-Mart is Mexico s largest private employer, with 109,057 employees in valuable jobs in many local communities with 55 percent of the Mexican retail market. Wal-Mart argues that its first contribution as a corporate citizen is its employment of more than 109,000 people throughout the country and the extensive training programs (4. 2 million hours in 2004) it provides for those employees. The firm highlights its diversity since 48 percent of its employees are female. ? Large Market Share: Today, 62 percent of Wal-Mart Mexico’s shares are owned by the U. S. based Parent, Wal-Mart Stores. ? Largest Foreign Subsidiary Wal-Mart Mexico is the largest foreign subsidiary of Wal-Mart Stores and provides approximately 25 percent of the parent’s foreign sales. Environmental Performance Wal-Mart Mexico’s environmental performance includes investing over $8 million in 2003 and 2004 to open 73 water treatment plants and a variety of recycling, energy conservation, and pollut ion-reduction activities. It also emphasizes that more than 90 percent of the products sold in its stores are supplied in Mexico. ? Local Suppliers Wal-Mart Mexico sources from local suppliers. It has leveraged its volume buying power with its suppliers. It negotiates the best prices from its vendors and expects commitments of quality merchandise. So it can minimize the cost of the goods and can offer the customers a lower selling price as well. Good promotion and sponsorship Wal-Mart Mexico also is involved in a number of philanthropic activities, including programs focused on education, nutrition, homelessness, and health. In 2004, it sponsored a National Wal-Mart Mexico Volunteer Day, and 2,476 of its associates participated. ? Good Location Good location is one of the very important criteria for being successful in the industry. The vast majority of Wal-Mart Mexico’s stores are located in the 25 most important metro areas in the country. The retail industry does not have a single outlet in the rural concentrations, as these areas do not have a significant presence in the market as a whole. Increased sales Volume Wal-Mart Mexico’s large volume of sales also indicate its strength. The firm’s net income has increased dramatically from 2002 to 2004, from $485 million to $702 million. the total square meters of space have increased between 2001 and 2004, as have sales per square meter and net income per square meter. ? Proper Segmentation Wal-Mart Mexico has a clearly defined target market. The Aurerra format is targeted at lower- to lower-middle income classes; these Bodega stores offer 48,000 SKUs. Sam’s Club targets consumers and businesses buying in volume. The Wal-Mart Supercenter stores, Superama are located in residential areas for convenience. Wal-Mart Mexico’s Suburbia department stores target the middle class, offering fashionable apparel at reasonable prices. Weaknesses: ? Location: Though majority of the stores of Wal-Mart Mexico’s location are very good, one of the stores has been located near a world historic site, the pyramids of Teotihuacan, has elicited global disapproval from activist groups and is a public relations disaster drawing large local protests. For many, it is just another example of Wal-Mart’s lack of sensitivity to community and humanity. ? Lack of clear Strategic plan Though Wal-Mart Mexico has a clear Vision, Mission and strategy they do not have an integrated version of these. Thus, they need a clear strategic plan for the future. ? Easily copied strategy Competitors are learning to respond to Wal-Mart’s size, efficiency, and success. Wal-Mart stores operate according to their ‘Everyday Low Price' philosophy. All of the main competitors are now competing with Wal-Mart now offers some version of its â€Å"every day low prices† (EDLP) formula. Wal-Mart’s competitors insist that there is now no significant price difference, and many Mexican consumers seem to have drawn the same conclusion. Opportunities: ? Scope of Diversification The convenience stores like corner stores, public markets, and street vendors business is relatively new in Mexico, there is a scope of diversification in future for Wal-Mart Mexico. Joint ventures Through a 50—50 joint venture with Office Depot and a 51—49 joint venture with Radio Shack, Grupo Gigante runs 98 Radio Shack stores throughout Mexico. Seems that Wal-Mart Mexico has an opportunity to follow such approaches to be more successful in future. ? Improved services Like Soriana, another competitor of Wal-Mart Mexico it can provides: discount specials, loyalty card programs, big-ticket item raffles and contests (e. g. , a BMW X5 automobile), outgoing employees, and mariachi band entertainment in order to appeal to female middle-class consumers. ? Foreign Penetration Grupo Gigante is successfully penetrating foreign markets. Wal-Mart Mexico can also follow the same like its competitor in order to enter in a new era. ? Strategic Plan Though Wal-Mart Mexico does not have a clear strategic plan, there is a scope to make a good one to do better in future. Threats: ? Aggressive Competitive moves of Competitors The competitors of Wal-Mart Mexico proved themselves as quick respondents. They took various desperate initiatives to response with Wal-Mart Mexico’s approaches. As result shows that The Comercial Mexicana (CM) has slipped to third in terms of market share in the Mexican retail sector. Grupo Gigante currently has 13 percent market share in the Mexican retail industry. Soriana’s sales have grown at an annual rate of 17 percent since 1994, and it has no debt. Some of their initiatives are: i. Appealing logos of competitors Chedraui’s corporate logo indicates â€Å"Chedraui: It Costs Less. † Its mission is simply â€Å"to provide the products that customers want at the best price. † ii. Foreign Penetration Grupo Gigante is successfully penetrating foreign markets. iii. Joint Ventures Through a 50—50 joint venture with Office Depot and a 51—49 joint venture with Radio Shack, Grupo Gigante runs 98 Radio Shack stores throughout Mexico. iv. Superior Services Soriana provides: discount specials, loyalty card programs, big-ticket item raffles and contests (e. g. a BMW X5 automobile), outgoing employees, and mariachi band entertainment in order to appeal to female middle-class consumers. v. Prices differences Comercial Mexicana and Soriana now aggressively publicize price differences with Wal-Mart and Aurrera. Wal-M art’s competitors insist that there is now no significant price difference and now many Mexican consumers seem to have drawn the same conclusion. ? ANTAD The Asociacion Nacional de Tiendas de Autoservicio y Departamentales (ANTAD) is the trade association that represents the retail industry in Mexico. Wal-Mart left ANTAD in October 2002 because the association’s new ethics code explicitly stated that members should not publish any type of promotions stating another member’s prices. Since Wal-Mart is not a member of ANTAD, all ANTAD members now publish their lower prices compared to Wal-Mart’s, when they have them. ? Sinergia Because of Wal-Mart’s huge purchasing power, three other retailers—Comercial Mexicana, Gigante, and Soriana—have formed a purchasing cooperative. This cooperative, Sinergia, first introduced in 2002 to compete against Wal-Mart. The cooperative was first thought of as a competitive-directed measure for purchasing imported goods, mainly electronics, where Wal-Mart has been enormously successful, but it now has been extended to such other types of merchandise as groceries and packaged food. ? Specialized Retailers The Mexican retail sector is fragmented; there are a wide variety of retail formats, many of which are informal. Because many shoppers in Mexico do not have access to automobiles, and may not have large refrigeration space to store perishables, very small independent grocery stores have thrived for decades throughout Mexico. This business is controlled by the two Mexican beer makers. Cerveceria Modelo, with the Extra stores and 7-Eleven; and Cerveceria, Cuauhtemoc Moctezuma, with Oxxo (about 3,OOO stores). The concept is beginning to include gas stations, and many small entrepreneurs have a limited regional presence. Major national chains exist in the department, pharmacy, and electronics store formats. ? Mexican Economy The Mexican economy is very volatile; the retail sector is subject to this volatility. Throughout the latter half of the 1990s, inflation and interest rates still annually averaged well over 10 percent. The peso continues in decline in value relative to the dollar. The economic volatility has a negative impact on consumers and business alike. Mexican consumers are very price sensitive because of the economic challenges that the country faces. ? Various Criticisms Despite extensive social responsibility activities and its record as the largest private employer in the country, the potential for criticism of its purchasing practices and supplier and employee relations, as well as its impact on local small businesses and communities, loom as a significant threat 7. PEST Analysis: PEST Analysis The purpose of PEST analysis is to analyze the external environment and identify the strategic opportunities and threats in the organizations operating environment that will affect to it pursues its mission. This analysis requires assessment of the environment in which the company op erates. It also analyzes the country or national environment of the country and takes into account the wider socio economic and macro–environment that may affect the company and the industry. Political Factors Government: Mexico is a federal republic—hence its official name Estados Unidos Mexicanos—operating under a centralized government. Governmental powers at the federal level are divided between executive, legislative, and judicial branches, but in political practice the executive, that is, the presidency, has had strong control over the legislative branch. Only in recent years has the legislative branch seen its power increase because of the strengthening of the multiparty system. The president is elected by popular vote for a six-year period and is both the chief of state and head of government. The president appoints cabinet members. The legislative branch is a bicameral National Congress consisting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The Chamber of Deputies has five hundred members, elected for three-year terms; the Senate has 128 members, elected for six-year terms. In the judicial branch the Supreme Court of Justice is the highest tribunal. The federation is made up of thirty-one states and the Federal District (the capital). Each state has a governor, who serves a six-year term, and a unicameral legislature. Both are elected by popular vote. Before 1997, the chief of the Federal District was appointed by the president, but has since been elected directly by popular vote. The Federal District also has an Assembly of Representatives. The local administrative level is the municipality, which is governed by a popularly elected mayor and a municipal council for three-year terms. Suffrage is universal and mandatory (but not enforced) for those over the age of eighteen. Leadership and Political Officials: The modern presidency stands in a long tradition of pre-Columbian rulers (tlatoani), Spanish colonial viceroys, and nineteenth century and revolutionary caudillos. The president holds great discretionary powers. Power and leadership are attained through the management of personal relations, which are ruled by principles of loyalty, trust, and reciprocity. These informal networks are interconnected in a pyramidal way and form the real centers of decision making. Vertical patron-client relations can be found in all segments of society. Interactions between politicians, union leaders, top bureaucrats, and ordinary people also take place through these networks. In recent years, academic credentials and technocratic knowledge have become more important than political and electoral experience. Besides being chief of state and head of government, the president has traditionally been the leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which held power from 1929 to 2000. During much of the twentieth century, Mexico was a one-party democracy. The PRI emerged from the revolution and incorporated mass organizations of workers, peasants, and urban middle classes. Because of its particular origins, its longevity in power, and the influence of diverse interest groups, the PRI is difficult to classify ideologically. There are two other significant parties in Mexico. The conservative National Action Party (PAN) began enjoying electoral success at the state level in 1985. The social-democratic Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) emerged as a breakaway movement from the PRI in 1987 and began governing Mexico City in 1997. Both the PAN and the PRD aim at democratization, but the PRD also proposes a more equal distribution of wealth. The dominance of the PRI in federal elections was finally broken on 2 July 2000, when the candidate of the PAN won a stunning victory with 43 percent of the vote. Social Problems and Control: Both petty and organized crime increased in the 1990s. Muggings and burglaries, increasingly violent, became widespread. Drug-related violence constituted another serious cause of concern. Public security has thus become a key issue for ordinary citizens and the authorities. At the same time, the police and the judiciary system are widely believed to be ineffective and lack public credibility, partially due to unresolved high-profile political assassinations and corruption. This has led to incidents of people taking the law into their own hands. Paid neighborhood watches are common wherever people can afford them. Private security guards no longer patrol only at banks and government buildings but also at medium-sized offices and shops. In response, the government founded an additional police force in 1999, the National Preventive Police. Military Activity: Mexico has had civilian presidents since 1946 and has not been involved in international disputes in recent decades. The primary role of the military is the maintenance of internal order. The Ministry of National Defense (the army and air force) and the marines together comprised an armed force consisting of almost 240,000 members in 1998. Military expenditures have increased substantially in recent years and amounted to $2. 5 billion (U. S. ) in 1996, accounting for almost 1 percent of the GDP. In recent years the military has been involved in two serious problems: the armed uprising in the state of Chiapas and the struggle against drugs. Mexico is a major supplier of marijuana and heroin to the U. S. market and is the primary transshipment country for cocaine from South America. In 1998 the government spent $147 million (U. S. ) to combat drug trafficking, an amount that has increased spectacularly in recent years. Economic Factors Mexico City is a place to love and loathe, with everything one expects to find in the world's third-largest metropolis (only Tokyo and NYC are bigger). Mexico's best and worst ingredients are magi-mixed in this polluted and bustling megalopolis of music and noise, brown air and green parks, colonial palaces and skyscrapers, world-renowned museums and ever-spreading slums. Mexico has been progressing economically since the Mexican Civil War in 1939 when its economy was devastated. Today, tourism, industry and agriculture play a major role in the country’s economy. Mexico has seen the fastest economic development in Western Europe since the 1960’s. Tourism has played a major role since the 1960’s and in the last 40 years, tourism has been the fastest growing economic sector of the country’s GDP, helping to accelerate growth overall. Millions of visitors flock to Mexico and contribute almost $50 billion USD to Mexico’s economy each year. Agriculture contributes less than 5% of the nation’s GDP, which is high compared to other countries in Western Europe. Fishing is another important economic sector for Mexico. Industry contributes about 35% of Mexico’s GDP, but industry is still somewhat dependent on foreign investment. The most common products from this sector are motor vehicles, steel, textiles, chemicals and ships. Mexico is among the world's most open economies, but it is dependent on trade with the U. S. , which bought about 82% of its exports in 2007. Top U. S. xports to Mexico include electronic equipment, motor vehicle parts, and chemicals. Top Mexican exports to the U. S. include petro leum, cars, and electronic equipment. There is considerable intra-company trade. Trade disputes between the United States and Mexico are generally settled through direct negotiations between the two countries or via WTO or North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) panels. The most significant areas of friction involve agricultural products such as livestock and sweeteners. To address the issues that affect these industries in a manner consistent with the principles of free trade, the United States and Mexico have established technical working groups. During the last three decades Mexico has grown with an annual average rate of 4%, even with the changes from an inward-looking developing economic strategy towards a more open economy with a far-reaching trade liberalization program. But the story at the sub-national level is different; these changes have modified the regional development strategies and consequently the growth paths of the 32 Mexican states. There is evidence of an uneven growth, greater disparities and important differences in welfare standards among regions. Socio-Cultural Factors Orientation: Mexicans make several cultural subdivisions within the nation. The most common one identifies northern, central, and south or south-eastern Mexico. The extensive and desertlike north was only sparsely populated until the middle of the twentieth century, except for some important cities such as Monterrey. It has traditionally housed only small indigenous populations and is generally regarded as a frontier culture. Densely populated central and western Mexico is the cradle of the nation. Highly developed Indian cultures populated this region in pre-Columbian times and it was also the heart of the colony of New Spain. Many prominent colonial cities are major urban and industrial centers today. Southern Mexico has a tropical or subtropical climate and some rain forest. It is characterized by a strong indigenous heritage and is also the poorest part of the country. Demography: The preliminary results of the 2000 population census calculated the total number of Mexicans as 97,361,711. In 1950, the total population amounted to approximately 25 million, with the figure reaching nearly 50 million in 1970. These numbers demonstrate the rapid rate of demographic growth that was so characteristic of Mexico during the second half of the twentieth century. The growth rate has slowed, but the population is still very young. The average life expectancy in 1999 was estimated at sixty-nine years for men and a little over seventy-five years for women; the infant mortality rate was almost twenty-five per one thousand. In the late twentieth century, emigration to the United States (mainly of the illegal variety) became a significant phenomenon. Linguistic Affiliation: Spoken by more than 95 percent of the population, Spanish is the official language of Mexico and was introduced through conquest and colonization. Mexican Spanish has its roots in the Spanish of Spain. In terms of grammar, syntax, and spelling there are no important differences between the two, but the pronunciation and sound are different. Certain words from the principal Indian language (Nahuatl) are incorporated into Mexican Spanish, especially in the domains of food and household. Some of these words have also been incorporated into other languages such as the English ‘chocolate' from the Nahuatl ‘chocolatl'. The national culture of Mexico boasts sixty-two indigenous languages. In 1995 at least 5. 5 million people spoke an indigenous language. The level of bilinguism, however, was high at 85 percent. Symbolism: The most important icon of Mexican national culture is the Virgin of Guadalupe, which illustrates the pervasive influence of Roman Catholicism in the national culture. She is viewed as the â€Å"mother† of all Mexicans. The dark-skinned Virgin is the Mexican version of the Virgin Mary and as such represents national identity as the product of the mixing of European and Meso-American religions and peoples. Her image was used in the struggle for independence against the Spanish. Mexicans have developed a particular sense of uniqueness, which is expressed in the popular saying como Mexico no hay dos (Mexico is second to none). This sense is also expressed in numerous elements of popular culture such as food and music. Ethnic Relations: Social policies aimed at the emancipation of Indian groups and the elimination of profound socioeconomic inequalities have been employed since the 1930s. Nevertheless, indigenous populations are among the poorest and most marginalized groups in Mexico. Prejudice among broad sectors of the population toward Indians persists. Elites in provincial towns in predominantly indigenous regions are often openly racist. This situation has strained ethnic relations and there has been a rise of indigenous movements in recent years that demand a new space in the national culture. Most significant has been the outbreak of armed indigenous rebellion in the state of Chiapas, where the Zapatista Army for National Liberation declared war on the government in January 1994. Food: Mexico possesses an extensive and sophisticated culinary culture, with a great variety of regional dishes. Three products constitute the heart of most Mexican dishes: corn, hot peppers (chiles), and beans, products that stem from pre-Columbian times. Corn is consumed in all possible forms: as a cooked or roasted corncob (elote), cooked grain of corn, porridge (atole), as wrapped and steamed dough with filling (tamal), but most importantly as a tortilla, a thin, round â€Å"pancake. Tortillas are made from corn dough and come in many sizes, although the traditional tortilla that accompanies most meals has a diameter of approximately six inches (15 centimeters). When tortillas are filled with meat or other ingredients they are called tacos or quesadillas, which are especially popular in cent ral Mexico. Much of the sophistication of Mexican cuisine comes from the use of more than one hundred different types of chiles, which range from the large and â€Å"sweet† chile ancho to the small and extremely hot chile habanero. Mexican Family Values: The family is at the centre of the social structure. Outside of the major cosmopolitan cities, families are still generally large. The extended family is as important as the nuclear family since it provides a sense of stability. Mexicans consider it their duty and responsibility to help family members. For example, the will help find employment or finance a house or other large purchase. Most Mexican families are extremely traditional, with the father as the head, the authority figure and the decision-maker. Mothers are greatly revered, but their role may be seen as secondary to that of their husband. Machismo: Machismo literally means ‘masculinity'. There are different outward behaviors to display machismo. For example, making remarks to women is a stereotypical sign of machismo and should not be seen as harassment. Mexican males generally believe that nothing must be allowed to tarnish their image as a man. Hierarchical Society: Mexican society and business are highly stratified and vertically structured. Mexicans emphasize hierarchical relationships. People respect authority and look to those above them for guidance and decision-making. Rank is important, and those above you in rank must always be treated with respect. This makes it important to know which person is in charge, and leads to an authoritarian approach to decision-making and problem- solving. Mexicans are very aware of how each individual fits into each hierarchy–be it family, friends or business. It would be disrespectful to break the chain of hierarchy. Technological Factors Most scientific research in Mexico is conducted in the public universities, mainly in the National Autonomous University and the Autonomous Metropolitan University, both in Mexico City. The National Polytechnic Institute, also in Mexico City, is the foremost research institute in engineering and technology. In recent years there has been government support for developing research centers outside the capital. There is also an extensive network of specialized autonomous research institutes that are dependent on state finances such as the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics, and Electronics and the College of Mexico. Just over half of the almost $2 billion (U. S. ) of federal expenditures in science and technology in 1998 was channeled through the Ministry of Public Education and another 34 percent was channeled through the Ministry of Energy. The majority of the latter funds are spent on research into the exploitation of oil. Public policy concentrates on three areas: promotion of quality and quantity of scientific research, establishment of linkages between science and industry, and the promotion of technological innovation. The National Council of Science and Technology is the most important funding agency for the physical and social sciences. In 1998 it had a budget of $287 million (U. S. , with 47 percent allocated to individual postgraduate grants, 25 percent to scientific research and technological development, and 22 percent to the National System of Researchers (SNI), a program of financial incentives to productive academics. In 1998, more than sixty-five hundred researchers were in the SNI. Information on corporate funding of research and development is unavailable but is estimated to be very modest compared to Mexico's main trading partners. Mexico's future development will have to be progressively more based on the effective generation and utilization of knowledge, in order to meet economic, social and environmental challenges. The role of the scientific & technological communities in knowledge supply and in its effective integration in innovation systems cannot be overemphasized. If it wants to invest coherently in its own S&T assets, and assert its own intellectual and scientific capacities in the global knowledge society, Mexico must strive to go beyond the level of being an â€Å"economic province† of the much larger and US-dominated NAFTA. Overall investment levels in S&T remains low, although substantial investment in local human resources and infrastructure is required to ensure the absorption, adaptation and application of world-class technology. For instances, Mexico's investment on RTD is the lowest of the OECD 2 (0. 31% of GDP), compares unfavorably with 0. 38% for Turkey and represents only one-seventh of the OECD average. This figure can also be compared with those of China (0. 7%), India (0. 8%) or Brazil (at least 0. 8%). Human resource formation, a critical output of research projects, also remains disappointingly low. Mexico trains fewer Ph. D. per year than comparable countries, with 3 Ph. D. s per million inhabitants, compared to 5 in India, 6 in Brazil and 19 in South Korea. Moreover, there is a significant regional disparity in the allocation of scientific resources, with 75% of all doctoral degrees being awarded by institutions in the Mexico City area. 8. Problem Symptoms: From the above strategic analyses it could be interpreted that, Wal-Mart's current strong competitive position and its past rapid growth performance can't guarantee that the company will remain as the industry leader or maintain its strong business position in the future, since there are huge threats for the Walmart in the Mexico city. Competitors are now taking aggressive competitive moves and successfully imitating their strategies and diminishing the Wal-Mex advantage. 9. Current Strategies: Low Cost Provider Wal-Mart stores operate according to their ‘Everyday Low Price' philosophy. According their vision to contribute to improve the quality of life for Mexican families, they invest to be near and offer them the best products at Every Day Low Prices. Wal-Mart has emerged as the industry leader because it has been better at containing its costs which has allowed it to pass on the savings to its customers. It continues to improve upon its key business processes, managing them centrally and investing in them heavily for the long term payback. 10. Strategy Implementation The key features of Wal-Mart Mexico's approach to implementing the strategy is the approach to implementing the strategy by building solid working relationships with both suppliers and employees, being aware and taking notice of the most intricate details in store layouts and merchandising techniques, capitalizing on every cost saving opportunity, and creating a high performance spirit. This strategic formula is used to provide customers access to quality goods, to make these goods available when and where customers want them, to develop a cost structure that enables competitive pricing, and to build and maintain a reputation for absolute trustworthiness. Wal-Mart Mexico has been regarded as an industry leader in ‘testing, adapting, and applying a wide range of cutting-edge merchandising approaches Wal-Mart’s secret of having phenomenal track record in Mexico is that it has brought a set of superior management techniques and technologies. Press accounts have emphasized Wal-Mart’s low-price strategy, high-technology distribution network, and intense pressure on suppliers for discounts—â€Å"the same formula† as in the United States, Wal-Mart de Mexico also has connected with and replicated the U. S. Company’s huge, Automated distribution network. With NAFTA eliminating most trade barriers, Wal-Mex has direct links to U. S. -based distribution centers, but also has built twelve distribution centers within Mexico31. In addition to heightened efficiency, this multiplies Wal-Mex’s power as a purchaser, since Wal-Mart consolidates orders for all goods from outside the United States. Another contributor to Wal-Mex’s success is its use of a wide range of formats to appeal to varied classes of consumers, and particularly lower income consumers. Wal-Mart succeed to achieve economies of scale which reduces its costs of sales. With this system, goods are continuously delivered to stores within 48 hours and often without having to inventory them. Lower prices also eliminate the expense of frequent sales promotions and sales are more predictable. Cross docking gives the individual managers more control at the store level. Wal-Mart has been led from the top but run from the bottom, a strategy developed by Sam Walton and carried on by a small group of senior executives. . Although recent growth has led Wal-Mart to add more management layers, senior executives strive to maintain its unique culture. 11. Limits to the success story Mexican retailers have proven to be quick studies. All three of the main national autoservicio chains competing with Wal-Mart now offer some version of its â€Å"every day low prices† (EDLP) formula. Comercial Mexicana and Soriana now aggressively publicize price differences with Wal-Mart and Aurrera. In addition, some of the larger suppliers (especially soft drink and snack food manufacturers) have begun to print suggested prices on their packages, deterring retailers from charging more. Wal-Mart’s competitors insist that there is now no significant price difference, and many Mexican consumers seem to have drawn the same conclusion. Similarly, squeezing suppliers has become commonplace for large Mexican retailers. Executives from competing chains report that they have also begun to shift toward centralized, highly automated distribution and tracking systems, and to create detailed procedure manuals. The net result of Mexican chains’ emulation of Wal-Mart is that Wal-Mex’s share of sales among the top five Mexican retailers has remained steady for the last two years. Closer to home, Wal-Mart has struggled in northern Mexico, particularly the Monterrey area. Executives of another chain offered several analyses of Wal-Mart’s difficulties in the region. Soriana and the Texas-based HEB were already entrenched by the time Wal-Mart arrived. Wal-Mart made some early merchandising mistakes, opening no-frills Bodegas that had done well in central Mexico but left more sophisticated northern customers cold. Finally, as polarization between rich and poor increases in Mexico, Wal-Mart’s approach of selling to a broad middle faces structural limits. 12. Suggested Strategies ‘One little bad thing can wipe out lots of good things'. So every move in its business operation ought to be well thought-out and executed. Wal-Mart needs to address few areas in order to maintain or to capture an even stronger long term business position: Single-business strategy — Wal-Mart's success is mainly based on its concentration of a single-business strategy. This strategy has achieved enviable success over the last three decades without relying upon diversification to sustain its growth and competitive advantages. Given its current position in the industry, Wal-Mart may want to continue its single-business strategy and to push hard to maintain and increase market share. However, there is risk in this strategy, because concentration on a single-business strategy is similar to ‘putting all of a firm's eggs in one industry basket'. In other words, if the retail industry stagnates due to an economic downturn, Wal-Mart might have difficulty achieving past profit performance. Other than this some other suggested strategies could be: 1. Expanding into states where it had no stores; 2. Continuing to saturate its current markets with new stores; 3. Perfecting the Super center format to expand Wal-Mart's retailing reach into the grocery and supermarket arena 4. And last but not the least following the current low cost strategy through minimizing the operating cost and as well as the selling cost. 13. Conclusion The ever-changing market presents continuing challenges to retailers. First and foremost, retailers must recognize the strong implications of a ‘buyers' market' . Customers are being offered a wide choice of shopping experiences, but no one operation can capture them all. A closer look at Wal-Mart’s performance in Mexico indicates that it is neither invincible nor exceptionally exploitative. Imitation by competitors, income polarization, and economic hardship that steers consumers toward the informal sector will limit Wal-Mart de Mexico’s reach in the future. Hence, technology, demographics, consumer attitudes, and the advent of a global economy are all conspiring to rewrite the rules for success. Success in the next decade will depend upon the level of understanding retailers have about the new values, expectations, and needs of the customer. If Wal-Mart continues its customer-driven culture, it should remain a retail industrleader well into the next century. ———————– Ernesto Vega Chairman of the Board Eduardo Solorzano President and CEO Xavier del Rio Executive Vice Present, Real Estate Rafael Mature Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jose Angel Gallegos Executive Vice Present, Human Resources

Free Essays on The Book Of Jonah

Jonah, book of the Old Testament, one of 12 brief prophetic books known, chiefly because of their brevity, as the Minor Prophets. The book relates a number of incidents in the life of an 8th-century BC Hebrew prophet named Jonah. In the first incident, Jonah is commanded by God to â€Å"go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me† (1:2). Jonah, however, seeks to flee by ship from â€Å"the presence of the Lord† (1:3, 10). A tempest arises; the frightened, reluctant mariners cast Jonah overboard (on Jonah's request), and he is swallowed by â€Å"a great fish† (1:17). In consequent incidents, Jonah prays from the belly of the fish (2:1-9), is subsequently â€Å"vomited out ... upon the dry land† (2:10), and again is commanded to â€Å"go to Nineveh ... and proclaim to it the message that I tell you† (3:2). Jonah preaches (3:3, 4), the people repent (3:5-9), and God, seeing their works, spares them (3: 10). In the final incident, God reproves Jonah for being â€Å"displeased ... exceedingly† (4:1) after he spares â€Å"more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left† (4:11). Many modern biblical commentators and scholars regard the book as an allegory or a parable, because little has been found to support it as a historical narrative. No word, for example, of any mass repentance like that described in Jonah is preserved among the known historical records of ancient Assyria. Moreover, on the basis of internal evidence, some scholars now maintain that the Book of Jonah is the work of an unknown, postexilic (that is, after 538 BC) author (not, as tradition holds it to be, the work of the historical prophet Jonah). This evidence includes the late form of Hebrew used by the writer and his apparent familiarity with certain biblical books dating from the immediate preexilic and the postexilic periods. Other scholars still believe that it may date from so... Free Essays on The Book Of Jonah Free Essays on The Book Of Jonah Jonah, book of the Old Testament, one of 12 brief prophetic books known, chiefly because of their brevity, as the Minor Prophets. The book relates a number of incidents in the life of an 8th-century BC Hebrew prophet named Jonah. In the first incident, Jonah is commanded by God to â€Å"go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me† (1:2). Jonah, however, seeks to flee by ship from â€Å"the presence of the Lord† (1:3, 10). A tempest arises; the frightened, reluctant mariners cast Jonah overboard (on Jonah's request), and he is swallowed by â€Å"a great fish† (1:17). In consequent incidents, Jonah prays from the belly of the fish (2:1-9), is subsequently â€Å"vomited out ... upon the dry land† (2:10), and again is commanded to â€Å"go to Nineveh ... and proclaim to it the message that I tell you† (3:2). Jonah preaches (3:3, 4), the people repent (3:5-9), and God, seeing their works, spares them (3: 10). In the final incident, God reproves Jonah for being â€Å"displeased ... exceedingly† (4:1) after he spares â€Å"more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left† (4:11). Many modern biblical commentators and scholars regard the book as an allegory or a parable, because little has been found to support it as a historical narrative. No word, for example, of any mass repentance like that described in Jonah is preserved among the known historical records of ancient Assyria. Moreover, on the basis of internal evidence, some scholars now maintain that the Book of Jonah is the work of an unknown, postexilic (that is, after 538 BC) author (not, as tradition holds it to be, the work of the historical prophet Jonah). This evidence includes the late form of Hebrew used by the writer and his apparent familiarity with certain biblical books dating from the immediate preexilic and the postexilic periods. Other scholars still believe that it may date from so...

Reading and Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading and Questions - Assignment Example In his publication, Feldman (2002) pointed out the precise definition of existential reflection. He derived the definition from the goal definitions of the research activity as being the part of authentically moving in a forward direction. It is characterized by making a strong structure of understanding of a teacher in a classroom set up and the illumination of assumptions with regard to an individual as a teacher. Also by clearly expounding light assumptions, hypothesis, theories and even some common myths found in the surrounding systems effecting teaching. In short, existentialism asserts our existence to have come before essence. This is to mean we first are then later we seek to find a definition of whom we are. Therefore, this existentialism tries to help individuals to realize the freedom they have to choose. Judging how existential action research is oriented, there exists a close relation to a critical approach to a research that considers critical issues especially when engaging an action. This research action is supported with proper pillars, which makes it a sensible approach. Some of the critical approach in this research action include; the constant search for ourselves that starts when we realize that we were thrown to existence’ and not particularly sure of when we came, hence; we wake up making discovery of ourselves. After this, the long journey of trying to find a sense the follows. Also, since action research acts in the confines of the system that the improvement and understanding of such practice situations is to be carried, it involves the researching of one’s own practices and hence makes a critical enquiry to be made public (Feldman, 2002). This explains how hard it is for an existentialist approach to action separate from the way a person acts and who that person is. This is explained in the way a teacher first has to question

Nurse Staffing Issues and Patient Care Quality Essay

Nurse Staffing Issues and Patient Care Quality - Essay Example From the paper it is clear that there are various factors which have contributed to reduced staffing levels in nursing. The nationwide gap between the number of available positions and the registered nurses qualified and willing to fill them is increasing. The needs of today’s higher acuity patients for more care contributes to the staffing crisis. As the research stresses poor remuneration of registered nurses have prompted most of them to practice in the private sector and neglect the public sector which serves majority of people in the population. Patients’ higher acuity calls for skilled nurses who can give them specialized care they need. The number of qualified nurses to give such care is small contributing to the gap. In policy making, there is a misconceived perception that hiring fewer nurses can reduce the costs and increase profitability in the health care sector. However, increasing the nursing staff in a hospital leads to higher quality patient care and hence increased profits. Adequate staffing and balanced workloads are central to achieving good outcomes in nursing. The problems associated with inadequate staffing of nurses include heavy workload leading to burn out and hence poor health care delivery. Adverse events such as nosocomial infections, shock and failure to rescue patients needing intensive care are some of the problems associated with inadequate nurse staffing in hospitals.