Multinationals Corporations free essay sample

Multinational corporations (MNC’s) also known as International Corporation, transnational corporation, global corporation and many more. Due to the political changes that have occurred during the years, the opportunities for multinationals corporations have increased considerably. As a fact multinationals corporations are growing with rapidity. For example in Mauritius we have KFC, Mac Donald’s, Pizza hut which are all multinationals and have branches throughout the island. According to the United Nations a multinational corporation is an enterprise which owns or controls production or service facilities outside the country in which it is based. In the words of W H Moreland, Multinational Corporations or Companies are those enterprises whose management, ownership and controls are spread in more than one foreign country. Thus a multinational company carries on business operations in two or more countries. Its headquarters are located in one country (home country) but its activities are spread over in other countries (host countries). We will write a custom essay sample on Multinationals Corporations or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The transnational corporation as it is known today, however, did not really appear until the 19th century, with the advent of industrial capitalism and its consequences: the development of the factory system; larger, more capital intensive manufacturing processes; better storage techniques; and faster means of transportation. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the search for resources including minerals, petroleum, and foodstuffs as well as pressure to protect or increase markets drove transnational expansion by companies almost exclusively from the United States and a handful of Western European nations. Sixty per cent of these corporations investments went to Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Fuelled by numerous mergers and acquisitions, monopolistic and oligopolistic concentration of large transnationals’ in major sectors such as petrochemicals and food also had its roots in these years. The US agribusiness giant United Fruit Company, for example, controlled 90 per cent of US banana imports by 1899, while at the start of the First World War, Royal Dutch/Shell accounted for 20 per cent of Russias total oil production. Demand for natural resources continued to provide an impetus for European and US corporate ventures between the First and Second World Wars. Although corporate investments from Europe declined somewhat, the activities of US TNCs expanded vigorously. In Japan, this period witnessed the growth of the zaibatsu (or financial clique) including Mitsui and Mitsubishi. These giant corporations, which worked in alliance with the Japanese state, had oligopolistic control of the countrys industrial, financial, and trade sectors. The characteristics and features of Multinational Corporations (MNCs). The distinctive features of multinational companies are as follows. 1. Large Size: A multinational company is generally big in size. Some of the multinational companies own and control assets worth billions of dollars. Their annual sales turnover is more than the gross national product of many small countries. 2. Worldwide operations: A multinational corporation carries on business in more than one country. The MNCs operate in many countries with multiple products on large scale. A MNC may operate both manufacturing and marketing activities in a number of countries. Some MNCs operate in several countries, whereas, others may operate in a few countries. Mostly MNCs from developed countries dominate in the world markets. Multinational corporations such as Coco cola have branches in as many as seventy countries around the world. 3. International management: The management of multinational companies are international in character. It operates on the basis of best possible alternative available anywhere in the world. Its local subsidiaries are managed generally by the nationals of the host country. For example the management of Hindustan Lever lies with Indians. The parent company Unilever is in The United States of America. The Parent company works like a holding company. The subsidiary companies are to operate under control and guidance of parent company. The subsidiaries functions as per the policies and directions of parent organization. 4. Mobility of resources The operation of multinational company involves the mobility of capital, technology, entrepreneurship and other factors of production across the territories. 5. Integrated activities A multinational company is usually a complete organisation comprising manufacturing, marketing, research and development and other facilities. MNCs undertake both Manufacturing and Marketing Activities and they are predominantly engaged in hi-tech and consumer goods industries. Majority of the MNCs are engaged in pharmaceutical, petrochemicals, engineering, consumer goods, etc. 6. Several forms A multinational company may operate in host countries in several ways i. e. , branches, subsidiaries, franchise, joint ventures. Turn key projects. 7. Origins. The development of MNCs dates back to several centuries, but their real growth started after the Second World War Majority of the MNCs are from developed countries like U. S. A, Japan, UK, Germany and European countries. In recent years MNCs from countries like Korea, Taiwan, India, China, etc. are operating in the world markets. 8. Profit Motive. MNCs are profit oriented rather than social oriented. Such corporations do not take much interest in the social welfare activities of the host country. 9. Quality Consciousness MNCs are quality and cost conscious and managed by professionals and experts. They have their own organization culture and systems. MNCs believe in the concept of total quality management. Aims of multinational corporations Multinational companies make investments in different countries with the following aims. (a) To take tax benefits in host countries; (b) To exploit the natural resources of the host country; (c) To take advantage of Government concessions in host country; (d) To mitigate the impact of regulations in the home country; (e) To reduce cost of production by making use of cheap labour and low transportation expenses in the host country. (f) To gain dominance in foreign markets; (g) To expand activities vertically. Advantages of multinationals corporations. The merits of a multinational corporation may be enumerated as follows: 1) Costs Controls. Operating overseas can take advantage of lower labor costs in the same way as outsourcing, while allowing greater supervision and control to ensure quality. A multinational corporation can also benefit from reduced transportation costs. For example, a jewelry company could save money by setting up a branch in a country with gold mines, making rings locally, then shipping them to the home country for retail, rather than shipping the gold to the home country for local manufacture. Multinational corporations carry on operations on a large-scale, which ensure economics in material, labour and overhead costs. 2) Taxations. Having operations in multiple countries may allow the company to take advantage of tax variations. The company could place its business officially in the country with the lowest tax rates, even if management is elsewhere. Running a multinational corporation can help the business benefit from the tax systems of countries that require the company to have a physical presence to benefit from low rates, rather than simply operate a shell or paper company. 3) Consumer benefits. A multinational corporation that benefits from both low production costs and low taxes should be able to make increased profits while reducing prices, which benefits consumers. The company may also have access to knowledge and skills in multiple countries that could help it produce better products. 4) Research and development activities. Developing countries lack in research and development areas. Expenditure on research and development is essential for the promotion of technology. Multinational corporations have greater capability for research and development activities in comparison to national companies. Multinationals survive in the international market through their advanced research and development activities. 5) Far-reaching effects on the economic, social and political conditions of the host country. Multinational corporations provide a number of benefits to the host country in the form of (a) Economic growth; (b) increased profits; (c) Developing of new products; (d) Reduced operational costs; (e) Reduced labour costs; (f) Changing social and political structure, etc. Thus, it helps in the exploitation of resources of host countries for their own economic advancement. ) Product innovation Multinational corporations have research and development departments engaged in the task of developing new products, diversification in the product line, etc. Their production opportunities are far greater as compared to national companies. 7) Marketing superiority Multinational corporations enjoy market reputations and face less difficulties in selling their products by adopting effective adv ertising and sales-promotion techniques. 8) Financial superiority Multinational corporations generate funds in one country and use such funds in another country. They have huge financial resources at their disposal as compared to national companies. Moreover, multinational corporations have easier access to external capital markets 9) Technological superiority Multinational corporations can participate in the industrial development programmes of underdeveloped countries because of their technological superiority. They can produce goods having international standards and quality specifications by adopting the latest technology. Generally, multinationals transfers technology through joint venture projects. 0) Potential source of capital and advanced technology Economically backward countries invite multinational corporations as a potential source of capital and advanced technology to generate economic growth and to create employment opportunities. 11) Expansion of market territory Multinational corporations enjoy extension of activities beyond the geographical boundaries of their countries. Multinational corporations can enhance their internati onal image by expanding their operations activities. 12) Creating employment opportunities Increase in the scale of operations results in more job opportunities. The entry of multinational corporations helps in creating employment opportunities in production and marketing activities. Disadvantages of multinational corporations. The possible disadvantages of a multinational investing in a country may include: 1) High Profit Low Risk Investment The multinational company prefers to invest in areas of low risk and high profitability. Issue like social welfare, national priority etc. have less priority on their agenda. Mostly they invest in consumer goods industry. 2) Interference in Political Matters. The multinational company from developed countries interferes in the political affairs of developing nations. There are many cases where multinational company has bribed political leadership for their own economic gains. Multinational investment can be very important to a country and this will often give them a disproportionate influence over government and other organizations in the host country. Given their economic importance, governments will often agree to changes that may not be beneficial for the long-term welfare of their people. 3) Create Artificial Demand. These companies create artificial and unwarranted demand by making extensive use of advertising and ales and promotion techniques. 4) Exploitation. These companies are financially very strong and adopt aggressive marketing strategies to sale their products, adopt all means to eliminate competition and create monopoly. 5) Technological Problem Technology they use is capital intensive so sometimes that technology does not fully fit in the needs of developing countries. Also, multinational company is criticized for transferring outdated technology to developing countries. 6) Foreign Exchange go outside the Country The working of multinational company is a burden on the limited resources of developing countries. They charge high price in the form of commission and royalty paid by local business subsidiary to its parent company. This leads to outflow of foreign exchange. 7) National Threat. Sometimes outdated technology is used by domestic industries which hamper the quality and price of their products so they cannot compete with those multinational company. Hence, there is a threat of nationwide opposition to multinational company. Arrival of these companies creates an atmosphere of uncertainly to the domestic industries. 8) Cultural and social impact Multinational company imposes their culture on developing countries. Along with the products they also indirectly impose the culture of developed nations. These companies have imposed the culture of fast food and soft drinks onto the developing nations. For examples: burger and coke. Large numbers of foreign businesses can dilute local customs and traditional cultures. For example, the sociologist George Ritzer coined the term McDonaldization to describe the process by which more and more sectors of American society as well as of the rest of the world take on the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant, such as increasing tandardization and the movement away from traditional business approaches. 9) Environmental impact Multinationals will want to produce in ways that are as efficient and as cheap as possible and this may not always be the best environmental practice. They will often lobby governments hard to try to ensure that they can benefit from regulations being as lax as possi ble and given their economic importance to the host country, this lobbying will often be quite effective. 10) Transfer pricing. Multinationals will always aim to reduce their tax liability to a minimum. One way of doing this is through transfer pricing. The aim of this is to reduce their tax liability in countries with high tax rates and increase them in the countries with low tax rates. They can do this by transferring components and part-finished goods between their operations in different countries at differing prices. Where the tax liability is high, they transfer the goods at a relatively high price to make the costs appear higher. This is then recouped in the lower tax country by transferring the goods at a relatively lower price. This will reduce their overall tax bill. 11) Access to natural resources. Multinationals will sometimes invest in countries just to get access to a plentiful supply of raw materials and host nations are often more concerned about the short-term economic benefits than the long-term costs to their country in terms of the depletion of natural resources. 12) Export of Profits Large multinational are likely to repatriate profits back to their home country, leaving little financial benefits for the host country. Conclusion. A multinational corporation/company is an organisation doing business in more than one country. In other words it is an organisation or enterprise carrying on business in not only the country where it is registered but also in several other countries. It may also be termed as International Corporation, global giant and transnational corporation. Like every concept multinational corporations (MNCs) also have certain advantages as well as some disadvantages both to the host country and the home country.

Interview Questions to Ask the Interviewer

Interview Questions to Ask the Interviewer Most interviews end with the age-old, â€Å"So, do you have any questions for me?† If you’re tempted to say, â€Å"Nope, I think you’ve covered everything, thanks for your time, stop right there. Don’t do it. This is asking not to get hired! It’s tantamount to saying, â€Å"Well, nothing you said in this interview really interested me in the slightest, so I think I’ll just move onto the next firm, see ya.† Bottom line: you should always, always have questions to ask. But, what kinds of questions should you ask? When interviewing a candidate to work at a law firm, whether through OCI or after graduation, it’s important that the potential new hire comes across as professional, but also that they are excited about the prospect of that particular job. So, how do you show this kind of enthusiasm and interest? How do you indicate to your interviewer that are amped up about this job and that if they have the choice between two candidates, they should give it to you? Well, you ask well-thought-out, well-researched questions, you listen carefully to their answers, and you ask follow-up questions if needed. Make your questions personalized, positive, and ask for advice. If for nothing else, the interviewer’s candid responses to your questions can be a tie-breaker later when you’re deciding which offer to accept. For this reason, it’s important to ask questions in a way that will get you the maximum â€Å"real† information. What I mean by that is, if you ask, â€Å"Are you happy working at this firm?† The interviewer really doesn’t have much of a choice but to say â€Å"yes† (they don’t want it getting back to their boss that they are unhappy!) and then they will usually tell you a little bit about why the work is interesting, the people are nice, and the opportunities are worthwhile. In other words, you will probably get a pretty standardized, general answer. However, if you ask instead, â€Å"What was your most gratifying accomplishment during your first year at the firm?† The answer you get will be more personalized, and it will give you a concrete example of what this person values, what the firm values in them, and what these so-called â€Å"opportunities† really look like in real life. Special bonus - a personalized answer will also give you a foothold for your thank you note you will be sending later. 10 Interview Questions You Can Ask the Interviewer Below are some of the most typical questions that candidates usually ask after interviews, followed by how you can spice them up to get yourself more useful responses: 1. Original Thought:  What do you think are the most important traits in an associate? Ask Instead:  What trait did you possess as a new associate that you think really worked well for you at this firm? Why? What qualities make a superstar at this firm? 2. Original Thought:  How is job performance evaluated? Ask Instead:  How often do associates have the chance to review their work with their supervisors. Is there anything you would recommend for a new hire to make sure they’re getting regular feedback from their assigning attorney? 3. Original Thought:  What do you like best about working with this firm? Why did you choose it? Ask Instead:  Can you think of one moment toward the start of your career with the firm that made you think, â€Å"Okay, I’ve really done a good job.† What was the project you were working on? Why did you like it? What was it that you did well? 4. Original Thought:  Are you in close contact with clients? How long did you work at the firm before you were? Ask Instead:  Have you ever met with clients in person, or do you mostly talk to them on the phone or via email? Are new associates encouraged to interact with clients, or if not, how long does it take before they can start getting client contact? 5. Original Thought: Did you always practice in your current specialty? If not, why did you change? Ask Instead:  What do you like about your current practice area? Is there anything about working in this area that you wish was different? 6. Original Thought:  What has surprised you about this job? Ask Instead:  When you first started with the firm, what is something you remember that caused you to re-evaluate your ideas or work style or mentality. Was there anything you used to do or think that you don’t anymore? What changed? 7. Original Thought:  If you could change anything about your job, what would it be? Ask Instead:  Every job has pros and cons. Is there anything in your daily work routine that you wish didn’t happen? Anything you would change if you could? 8. Original Thought:  What do you wish you would have asked when you interviewed? Ask Instead:  What do you think was the best question you asked when you interviewed with the firm? Or, alternatively, was there anything you didn’t ask that you wish you had? 9. Original Thought:  Where do you see the firm in five years? Ask Instead:  What are your work goals for the next year? What is something you haven’t had the opportunity to do yet that you really want to try before this year is up? 10. Original Thought: Will I be notified of a decision either way? Ask Instead:  When can I expect to hear about a decision?

Ancient Indian Mathematics

There are opposing views prevalent regarding the prominence of mathematics in ancient India. One, there are those who make excessive claims for the antiquity of Indian mathematics with the motive of emphasizing the uniqueness of Indian mathematical achievements. Whereas, the other conflicting views denies the existence of any ‘real’ Indian mathematics before A. D. 500. This view is the result of deeply entrenched Euro centrism that does not negotiate with the idea of independent developments in early Indian mathematics. Whereas mathematics grew out of philosophy in ancient Greece, it was an outcome of linguistic developments in India. In fact the algebraic character of ancient Indian mathematics is but a byproduct of the well-established linguistic tradition of representing numbers by words. ? Around 800 B. C. Vedic mathematics declined and Jains School of mathematics gradually which was to do notable work in the field. ? From about 200 B. C. was period of instability and fragmentation due to foreign invasions but also of useful cross cultural contacts. Probably the only piece of existing mathematical evidence from this period is the Bakhshali manuscript. ? This period ranges from 3rd to 12th centuries and is referred to as the classical period of Indian civilization. Mathematical activities reached a climax with the appearance of the famous quartet: Brahmagupta, Mahvika and Bhaskracharya. Indian work on astronomy and mathematics spread westward, reaching the Islamic world where it was absorbed, refined and augmented before being transmitted to Europe. This last period described as the medieval period of Indian history, saw the migration of astronomy and mathematics from the north to south. Particularly in present day state of Kerala, this was a period marked by remarkable studies of infinite series and mathematical analysis that predated similar works in Europe by about three hundred years. Harappan society was a highly organized society. There is every possibility that the town dwellers were skilled in mensuration and practical ar ithmetic of a bid similar to what was practiced in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Archaeological findings from that period provide the following indications of the numerate culture of that society: ? It shows uniformity of weights over such a wide area and time which is quite unusual in the history of metrology. Taking 27. 584 grams as a standard, representing 1, the other weights form a series of 0. 05, 0. 1, 0. 2, 0. 5, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Such standardization and durability is a strong indication of a numerate culture with wellestablished, centralized system of weights and measures. Scales and instruments for measuring length have also been discovered with remarkably high accuracy. A notable feature of Harappan culture was its extensive use of kiln-fired bricks and the advanced level of its brick-making technology. These bricks are exceptionally well baked and of excellent quality and may still be used over and over again provided some care is taken in removing them in the first place. Fifteen different sizes of Harappan bricks have been identif ied with standard ratio of the three dimensions as 4:2:1. It was thought until recently that from them evolved first the Bakhshali Number system and then the Gwalior system which is recognizably close to our present day number system. In both Bakshati and Gwalior number systems, ten symbols were used to represent 1 to 9 and zero. With them it became possible to express any number, irrespective of its largeness, by a decimal place value system. Long lists of number- names for powers of 10 are found in various early sources. In the Ramayana, it is reported that Rama had an army of 1010 +1014 +1020 +1024 +1030 +1034 +1040 +1044 +1052 +1057 +1062 +5 men. The very existence of names for powers of ten up to sixty two indicates that the Vedic Indians were quite at home with very large numbers. This is to be compared with ancient Greeks, who had no words for numbers above the myriad (104). The Jains who came after the Vedic Indians were particularly fascinated by even larger numbers which were intimately tied up with their philosophy of time and space. For units of measuring time, the Jains suggested following relationship: 1 purvis = 756 * 1011 days 1 shirsa prahelika = (8,400,000)28 purvis The last number contains 194 digits! The word numeral system was the logical outcome of proceeding by the multiples of 10. Such a system presupposes a scientifically based vocabulary of number names in which the principles of addition, subtraction and multiplication are used. Â  Due to oral mode of preserving and disseminating knowledge, the wordnumeral system persisted in India. As a replacement to this, a new concrete system was devised to help versification and memory, known as bhutasamkhya, wherein numbers were indicated by well-known objects or ideas.

Organisational Analysis (case study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organisational Analysis (case study) - Essay Example With the intense competition, the customers’ alternative sources of supply increase along with the threshold level of acceptable quality in terms of product and service. Therefore, product quality, innovation, delivery reliability and shorter lead times have become prerequisites in business world rather than competitive advantages. Thus, the importance of streamlining internal processes and aligning the organisational structure to act as a combined force becomes a key necessity. Agility in organisational process in responding to market demands can only be achieved through organisational structures, which are well-integrated, less bureaucratic and collectively aligned towards achieving the organisational objectives (Thomson & Strickland 2003). The case study analyses the current issues being faced by Rondell Data Corporation, a well established manufacturer of Data Transmission units and electronic Testing Equipments, with regards to its internal business operations, especially pertaining to the interdepartmental conflicts leading to reduced productivity and profitability resulting from mismatch in its organisational design and structure with the required business process. The analysis will take in to account the current status of the operations with the use of contingency models and identify the problem areas being encountered by Rondell. The insight gained from the analysis will aid in explaining the past background and how the company has developed to its current stage as well as what the future may hold if the organisation proceed without interventions. Lastly the analysis will also provide suggestions and recommendations for intervention and creating change at Rondell Rondell Data Corporation which has been incorporated in 1930 has grows steadily over the decades with a dedicated team of employees who are mainly from engineering background. The company

Asphalt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Asphalt - Essay Example The power racer accomplice can also further be synchronized with the contemporary era Play station 4 and X-box 720 for maximum gaming practice and online arcade gaming using the iPhone. This has made gaming places such as supermarkets, Casinos, and arcades to become famous (Saponas et. al, 2008). The racer accessory is further associated with other gaming favourite apps that include Fifa 15 and Taken as a result of its ease of game control. As a means of customizing buyer needs and wants, the power racing has been produced in different colours and shapes that meet customer demands. The organization aims to be a multi-national company and attain market leadership in the gaming industry on a global scale. The mission of the business is to become the leader in the gaming industry (Saponas et al, 2008). Saponas, T., Lester, J., Froehlich, J., Fogarty, J., and Landay, J. (2008).Ilearn on the iphone: Real-time human activity classification on commodity mobile phones.  University of Washington CSE Tech Report

The Superior Personality of Addams According to Psychologists Essay Example for Free

The Superior Personality of Addams According to Psychologists Essay The superiority in Addams’ personality marks her leadership and fame. Famous psychologists such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Rogers, Gordon Allport, John Watson, and Otho Rank have explored theories to explain reasons for these superior characteristics. According to Freud, a person is motivated to do something based on two aspects of the superego. The first is the ego which is the person’s conception of what his/her parents will approve, and the other is the conscience which embodies one’s conception of what should be condemned. In our review of Addams life, we may point out how her father served as a great influence in her actions. Her father, who served as a senator, basically provided the orientation to help other people, or to be of service to others. For Freud, the Electra complex could be at work here. Thus, Freudians would reasonably point out that Addams’ social behavior and achievements could have been dedicated in half towards pleasing father. Also, Addams had difficulty finding the same energy she had about medical school when her father passed away. Thus bereavement also provoked her to find the real meaning of life and her mission in the world. The other half could be dictated by her conscience to do as what the society told her. Raised in values by her father who admired Lincoln, Addams formed a conviction against racism and labor injustice, making her act against them, though it meant condemnation from other people in her society. The ego and the conscience worked together to bring out the leadership qualities that Addams possessed. Another famous psychological point of view to explain why a person excels highly above the rest is that of Carl Rogers’. According to Rogers, people are basically good and healthy. He argued that people’s motives are governed by the force of life or the â€Å"actualizing tendency†. Applying this to the personality of Addams, we may say that even at a young age, Addams always had an inclination to excel and achieve her best. Like a plant which grows up, buds flowers, and bears fruit, Addams was subject to her own natural â€Å"actualizing tendency†. In her biography, we can note that although her father disapproved of her studying and eventually becoming a doctor, Addams still pursued her life goal of being of service to others. Moreover, Rogers would also affirm that it was Addams’ nature to do what she felt best for the society and the world, which motivated her to do what she did. Furthermore, Rogers’ concept of positive self-regard tells us that Addams was provoked to act on the injustices in her society because she believed she could make a difference. Coming from a wealthy family, she knew what she had, which she could share with others. Going back to the time when she saw the outskirts of London, she was able to determine her purpose in life, and she was naturally led to her self-actualization. Likewise, Gordon Allport introduced a theory on psychological maturity. He called this state as a â€Å"well-developed proprium†. According to Allport, a person has achieved this when s/he has â€Å"specific, enduring extensions of self-involvement. † In the community works rendered by Addams, we see how she endured the sacrifices of helping and educating others. Specifically, one of the women who worked at Hull House commented, She is very tired . . . of course she did not let [that] deter her from tearing about. She preached for the Methodists last Sunday, entertained the Colored Women of the National Council (Mrs. Booker T. Washington et al) yesterday and later went to Winnetka . . . she runs over to Mrs. Jones-around to Mrs. Fiellras . . . up to Mrs. Kenyon-off with Mrs. Halderman, down to inquiring strangers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Davis, 1973, p. 82). Another characteristic of a person with well-developed proprium is having â€Å"dependable techniques for warm-relating to others†. This includes a person’s tolerance and sympathy of others. The third characteristic is having â€Å"emotional security† which is very evident in Addams. Fourth is having â€Å"habits of realistic perception†. When Jane saw the Toynbee Hall in London, she deciphered that the root cause of her own society’s dilemma was, â€Å"overaccumulation at one end of society, and destitution at the other† (Bush, 1993, p. 49). Fifth, Allport also identified â€Å"problem-centeredness† as another characteristic. Evidently, Addams possessed this as she responded to the labor problems of the factory workers in her hometown. Sixth is â€Å"self-objectification† which is the ability to reflect on one’s behavior. Although Addams was criticized and identified by the FBI as the most dangerous woman in America during her time, she still fought for peace against all odds. The last characteristic was to have a â€Å"unifying philosophy of life†. By putting up the Hull House, Addams reached out not only to the poor but also to the rich by making them contribute to the House’s projects. Another psychologist who can offer explanation to Addams’ leadership qualities is John Watson, the father of behaviorism. Exploring his theory, we may note that Addams’ personal qualities of being a leader were only her response to the stimuli given to her. Coming from a well-to-do family, Addams was affected by the sufferings she witnessed in her town, and this motivated her to act on the situation. Seeing the problems of the workers and the migrants, she responded to help alleviate their sufferings. Likewise, when America joined the World War I, she mainly reacted on the events happening, and voiced out her opposition with her idealistic regard for peace. While all these theories explain the superior leader in Addams, we may also expound on the theory of Otto Rank to explain another aspect of her personality. Breaking out from Freud, who was his mentor, Otto Rank extended the psychoanalytic theory by delving on myths, legend, and art. In particular, his belief that people can be categorized as â€Å"hero† and â€Å"artist† can be applied to the personality of Addams. In his theory, Rank stated that some people can be categorized as artists. As an artist, this person sees reality as his own image, thus reconstructs it as he would himself. In addition, Rank argued that a true artist needs immortality which he can achieve by identifying with the collective will of his environment. Furthermore, he also emphasized that among artists, there is the productive type—who is also the genius and creative—to which Addams can be categorized. Remember that Addams used the arts to relieve the sufferings of the workers in their town. Being able to teach arts and using it as a medium to attract people of their projects, we can say that the artist prototype was fully evident in Addams. Unlike other artists who worked for division or fame, Addams chose to work for the best of her people. As such, her qualities exemplified the productive type that Rank theorized. The inspiration that Addams offers each of us, especially women, should always be remembered. Her life constituted by breaking free from stereotyping, making both ends meet for the Hull House, opposing views of the majority regarding war, and serving people through her projects and writings, is what all of us should follow if we want to effect changes in our society. Although the explanations offered by theorists regarding her personality may vary, one thing remains constant: life would not be the same without the contributions of Jane Addams.It is through her aspirations and idealism that America learned to recognize more the rights and sufferings of its people. References Addams, Jane. (1960). A Centennial Reader, ed. by E. C. Johnson. New York: Macmillan Addams, Jane. (1910). Twenty Years at Hull-House. New York: Macmillan Boeree, George. (2006). Personality Theories. Retrieved December 21 2007, from http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/perscontents. html Bush, Malcolm. (1993). Jane Addams: No Easy Heroine. Free Inquiry, 13 (4), Fall 48-49. Davis, Allen F. (1973). American Heroine: The Life and Legend of Jane Addams. Oxford Press: New York. DeMar Gary. (1988). Behaviorism. In Surviving College Successfully: A Complete Manual for the Rigors of Academic Combat. Wolgemuth Hyatt Publishers, Inc. Retrieved December 22, 2007, from http://forerunner. com/forerunner/X0497_DeMar_-_Behaviorism. html Haberman, Frederick. (1972). In Nobel Lectures, Peace 1926-1950. Amsterdam: Elsevier Publishing Company. Retrieved December 22, 2007, from http://nobelprize. org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1931/addams-bio. html Lundblad, Karen Shafer. (1995). Jane Addams and Social Reform: A Role Model for the 1990s. Social Work, 40 (5), September, 661-669

Grace Kelly :: essays research papers

Even before Grace Kelly married a prince, she had the aura of a princess. Frank Sinatra once commented, "Grace was a princess from the moment she was born." She had remarkable elegance and sophistication that made her different from other Hollywood actresses. Some say she had an undertone of fire beneath her charm. Alfred Hitchcock, who directed her in three films, called her "a snow covered volcano". Grace was born into a family of fame and success. Her father was a wealthy bricklayer, her brother was a champion sculler, and her uncle, George Kelly was a famous playwright. They set a hard example to follow and Grace sometimes felt pressured by her family’s reputation for prosperity. She lived up to and even surpassed the fame of her family members. Grace served many roles in her life as an actress, princess and mother. 	When Grace Kelly first walked on stage as Virgin Mary at age six, people knew she was magic. She had a passion for the stage that her father could not understand. He had a poor opinion of the acting profession, but then his daughter had always been a mystery to him. Being so energetic and outgoing himself, he found it hard to understand a daughter who enjoyed sitting still, reading or writing. Grace begged him to enroll her in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and he reluctantly agreed. Her mother also disapproved of sending her to New York. She worried about the dangers lurking in wait for an innocent girl in New York City, but Sending Grace to the Academy proved to be a valuable decision. Grace loved the Academy and worked hard there, modeling in her spare time. She faced many rejections before she landed her first film role, Fourteen Hours in 1951. She also starred in many other films such as High Noon, High Society and Rear Window. Perhaps her best role of all was in The Country Girl, where she played the shabby wife of an alcoholic. Before, she had mostly played roles that were similar to her own personality. In The Country Girl, she broke free from this restraint to play a depressed, bedraggled woman. Many people, including her costar Bing Crosby, opposed to her playing this role. They saw her as being too genteel. Her extraordinary performance stunned the world, and she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1954.

Definition of Courage

Courage Patiently awaiting the doctor’s return, Allison aimlessly flips through magazines while pondering what her results will read. She repeatedly tells herself â€Å"This time, I will be free. I will remain strong. I won’t give up. † This is her 17th visit to the oncologist in 6 months, and it’s her 17th time sitting in the waiting room to see if her body has finally rid of the cancer once and for all.Over the past 3 years, Allison has never lost hope, she constantly strives for recovery and right now she is ready to face her results that will have an immense effect on her life. Allison is courageous. Courage is defined as the ability to do something that frightens one. One of the main factors in striving towards success is that of courage. The amount of courage you possess will determine how successful you are in the end. Courage is determination. Courage is bravery. Courage is being dauntless.By pursuing something that you are exceedingly fearful of, you demonstrate a vast amount of courage that most will never come to uphold. Courage is standing up and fighting for our country instead of ridiculing the government and saying war is unbeneficial. Courage does not have to be a grand act such as sprinting into a burning building in order to save numerous lives. An eleven year old kid confronting a vicious bully at school also requires a massive amount of bravery which in turn qualifies standing up for oneself an act of courage as well.Courage is shown in any situation where someone is confronting and overcoming anything they are uncomfortable with varying from waiting for life altering results to simply asking a crush out on a date for the first time. Courage is not power. Ruling over someone and making hasty decisions that will affect people other than oneself is not courage, such is confidence in authority. Courage is not fearlessness. Someone who is fearless has no doubts to overcome; therefore there would be no situation where courage could be expressed.Courage is definitely not anger, or rash action. Courage is generally always accompanied by fear, a plummeting gut, and quivering knees. Overall, courage is the seeming weak rising up against a supposed strong. Weather the weak will overpower the strong depends on how much courage the weak is willing to put forth. Weather Allison will recover from her disease depends on how much she is willing to fight against the horrible illness. Courage is an active characteristic that everyone is capable of displaying, but is actually shown by few.

Minimal Impact of Organic Chemistry Prerequisite Essay

The authors investigated whether the assumption that the successful completion of prerequisite courses has positive impact on student performance on courses that require the prerequisite. Specifically, Wright, Cotner and Winkel investigated the impact of completing Organic Chemistry course which is a prerequisite course in some curriculum for Introductory Chemistry course to student performance on the latter course. The investigators obtained their data from the University of Minnesota Data Warehouse for performance and characteristics of students enrolled in Biochemistry 3021 (Bioc 3021) from fall of 2003 to summer of 2006. Repeating students were excluded in their investigation while student grades in Bioc 3021, General Chemistry 1 and 2, and Organic Chemistry 1 (Chem 2301) were included in the analysis. The investigators analyzed students entering as freshmen separately from transfer students. The authors explained that â€Å"Bioc 3021 is an introductory biochemistry course for non-biochemistry majors† with prerequisites of one semester of introductory biology, two semesters of introductory chemistry with laboratory and one semester of organic chemistry lecture (Wright et. al. , 2009, 46). Note that majority of the students taking up Bioc 3021 are not from the University’s College of Biological Science, who are required to take the course except for biochemistry majors who have a different course to take. 69 percent of student analyzed were from other colleges, with 19 percent coming from the College of Continuing Education and were â€Å"likely to be taking the course in preparation for application to health-related professional schools† (Wright et. al. , 2009, 46). It is also important to note that during the inclusive dates of analysis, the prerequisite were not strictly enforced, allowing students to register into any course whether or not they have successfully completed its prerequisites. The authors also reported that the grades in Bioc 3021 of students who completed Chem 2301 was only 0. 07 points higher than those who did not. The analysis included all students who took Bioc 3021 for the first time and including those who took Chem 2301 regardless of the grade obtained. This implies that the average grades that the students earned in Bioc 3021 are similar regardless of whether they have completed the prerequisite course Chem 2301. Concerning the GPA of students who took the Bioc 3021, those who have completed the organic chemistry prerequisite had an average GPA of 2. 92 while those who did not had an average of 3. 18—significantly lower than those who had completed the prerequisite. Furthermore, the authors explained that none of the students who had successfully completed the organic chemistry prerequisite before taking Bioc 3021 had an a cumulative GPA of zero while there were 47 out of 815 students who had not taken the prerequisite course had cumulative GPA of zero. However, the data revealed that the student who had acquired a cumulative GPA of zero had no earned credits at the University of Minnesota prior to taking Bioc 3021 implying that they were new students who probably â€Å"globally failed, withdrew, or stopped attending all of their classes† in some other university. Wright et al. (2009) explained that if these students were excluded in their analysis, the average cumulative GPA of students who had not completed the Chem 2301 prerequisite prior to taking Bioc 2301 would be 2. 817—surprisingly higher than those who had completed the prerequisite. In summary, the study concluded that â€Å"no improvement in performance in Bioc 3021 could be attributed to completion of the organic chemistry prerequisite† (Wright et. al. , 2009, 48) On the other hand, the data that the investigators have gathered revealed that students who had not completed the organic chemistry were more likely to withdraw from the Introductory Biochemistry course than those who had completed the prerequisite—with 10. 7 and 4. 8 percent mortality rate respectively. Their data also revealed that the completion of the prerequisite may have more value for transfer students than from students admitted from high school of the University of Minnesota. Section 4 This article is related directly to the course of Introductory Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry—a course included in some curriculum as a prerequisite to the former. Section 5 The investigators have only evaluated the impact of the Organic Chemistry prerequisite to student performance in Introductory Biochemistry in the University of Minnesota. While their data revealed minimal impact, the results were insufficient to generally claim that student performances in Introductory Biochemistry do not directly correlate to completing prerequisite courses or not. Similar investigations could be performed in other universities that could reinforce or refute the conclusions made by the investigators. Article may be downloaded from http://www. lifescied. org/cgi/reprint/8/1/44? maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=biochemistry&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT Reference Wright, R. , Cotner, S. , and Winkel, A. (2009). Minimal Impact of Organic Chemistry Prerequisite on Student Performance in Introductory Biochemistry. CBE Life Science Education, 8, 44-54.

Biography of Amedeo Modigliani, Modernist Artist

Biography of Amedeo Modigliani, Modernist Artist The Italian artist Amadeo Modigliani  (July 12, 1884–January 24, 1920) is best known for his portraits and nudes, which featured elongated faces, necks, and bodies. The distinctly modernist works were not celebrated during Modiglianis lifetime, but after his death, he achieved great acclaim. Today, Modigliani is considered a crucial figure in the development of modern painting and sculpture. Fast Facts: Amadeo Modigliani Occupation:  ArtistBorn:  July 12, 1884 in Livorno, ItalyDied:  Ã‚  January 24, 1920 in Paris, FranceEducation:  Accademia di Belle Arti, Florence, ItalySelected Works:  The Jewess  (1907),  Jacques and Berthe Lipchitz  (1916),  Ã‚  Portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne  (1918)Famous Quote:  When I know your soul, I will paint your eyes. Early Life and Training Born into a Sephardic Jewish family in Italy, Modigliani grew up in Livorno, a port city known as a safe haven for those fleeing religious persecution. His family suffered financial ruin at the time of his birth, but they eventually recovered. A sickly childhood prevented the young Modigliani from receiving a traditional formal education. He battled pleurisy and typhoid fever. However, he began drawing and painting at an early age, and his mother supported his interests. At age 14, Modigliani enrolled in formal training with local Livorno master Guglielmo Micheli. Modigliani often rejected the ideas of classical painting, but instead of disciplining his pupil, Micheli encouraged Amedeos experimentation with different styles. After two years of success as a student, Modigliani contracted tuberculosis, which disrupted his artistic education and perhaps his entire lifes trajectory: a mere 19 years later, the disease would claim his life. Parisian Artist In 1906, Modigliani moved to Paris, the center of artistic experimentation. He settled in an apartment in Le Bateau-Lavoir, a commune for poor, struggling artists. Modiglianis lifestyle was raucous and arguably self-destructive: he became addicted to drugs and alcohol and engaged in numerous affairs. Biographers have speculated that Modiglianis ongoing struggle with tuberculosis spurred his self-destructive lifestyle. In the early 1900s, tuberculosis was a leading cause of death, and the disease was contagious. Perhaps by burying his struggles under the influence of substances and hard-partying, Modigliani shielded himself from potential social rejection as well as the suffering caused by his illness. Painting Modigliani produced new work at a furious pace, creating as many as 100 drawings a day. Most of these drawings no longer exist, however, as Modigliani typically destroyed or discarded them during his frequent moves. In 1907, Modigliani met Paul Alexandre, a young physician and patron of the arts, who became one of his first steady customers.  The Jewess, painted in 1907, was the first Modigliani painting purchased by Alexandre, and is considered one of the prime examples of Modiglianis work during the period. A few years later, Modiglianis most productive period began. In 1917, with the patronage of Polish art dealer and friend Leopold Zborowski, Modigliani started work on a series of 30 nudes that became some of the most celebrated work of his career. The nudes were featured in Modiglianis first and only solo show, and it became a sensation. Police tried to close the exhibition down on the first day due to charges of public obscenity. With the removal of some of the nudes from a storefront window, the show continued a few  days later.   A photograph depicting Portrait of Jeanne Hebuteme on display in a gallery. Ben A. Pruchnie / Getty Images Modigliani created a series of portraits of fellow artists including  Pablo Picasso  while World War I raged in Europe. Among the most famous of these works is a portrait of the artist Jacques Lipchitz and his wife, Berthe. After beginning a relationship with Jeanne Hebuterne in the spring of 1917, Modigliani entered the final stage of his work. Hebuterne was a frequent subject for his portraits, and they are marked by the use of more subtle colors and elegant lines. Modiglianis portraits of Jeanne Hebuterne are considered some of his most relaxed, peaceful paintings.  Ã‚   Sculpture In 1909, Amedeo Modigliani met the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi.  The meeting inspired Modigliani to pursue his lifelong interest in sculpture.  For the next five years, he focused on sculpting. A 1912 Paris exhibition at the Salon dAutomne featured eight stone heads by Modigliani. They demonstrate his ability to translate ideas from his paintings to a three-dimensional form. They also reveal strong influences from African sculpture.   Laura Lezza / Getty Images At some point in 1914, at least partially influenced by the rarity of sculpting materials with the outbreak of World War I, Modigliani abandoned sculpture for good. Later Life and Death Modigliani suffered from the progression of tuberculosis throughout most of his adult life. After a series of affairs and relationships, including one with Russian poet Anna Akhmatova in 1910, he appeared to live a life of relative contentment with 19-year-old Jeanne Hebuterne beginning in 1917. She gave birth to a daughter, Jeanne, in 1918. In 1920, a neighbor checked on the young couple after not hearing from them for several days. They found Modigliani in the final stages of tubercular meningitis. He succumbed to the disease in a local hospital on January 24, 1920. At the time of Modiglianis death, Hebuterne was eight months pregnant with the couples second child; she did by suicide the following day. Legacy and Influence During his lifetime, Modigliani was stubbornly idiosyncratic, refusing to associate himself with the art movements of his era, such as  Cubism,  Surrealism, and Futurism. Today, however, his work is considered pivotal to the development of modern art. Sources Meyers, Jeffrey. Modigliani: A Life. Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, 2014.Secrest, Meryle. Modigliani. Random House, 2011.

American Politics and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Politics and Society - Essay Example There are many policies that the President cannot make possible all by himself. The different executive departments and agencies are managed and directed by persons who may not necessarily share the same objectives as the President. Furthermore, if he needs to make any changes it will first have to pass through Congress. The President has limited control over legislative acts as well. There are several steps that needed to be done before a policy can be implemented that are under the jurisdiction of persons beyond the control of the President. The President even has limited control over such important agencies such as the Federal Reserve. The British Prime Minister, on the other hand, holds the most important position in parliament as he makes many of the political decision in his country. He is responsible for appointing his cabinet. He also has the power to make the final decision on major issues. On becoming President the previous role of senator, governor or political representative held before assuming presidential role has to be relinquished. The President, therefore, while being head of the executive does not have the responsibility of representing any individual state or region. This is different with the Prime Minister. He is also a member of parliament and he, therefore, has the responsibility and duties of caring for a constituency like any other ordinary member of parliament. The party system within the United States of America is not as strong nor does it have the traditional pomp and power like what is associated with political parties in the United Kingdom. While the President automatically becomes the party leader he does not necessarily have members of his party in his cabinet. It is different with the Prime Minister who is responsible for appointing party members to his cabinet. Normally, the cabinet only comprises party members and affiliates.

Planning for Unknowns Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Planning for Unknowns - Essay Example In this case where a major hurricane hit the work site, then it is a good case of unknown â€Å"unknowns† which nobody may have foreseen (or complete uncertainty) and the best way to be able to deal with this type of risk is setting up a contingency budget (Futrell, Shafer, & Shafer, 2002, p. 591). So if this contingency fund is available, then the strategy would be different. A contingency reserve budget will allow for greater flexibility. The plan will be to hire additional workers to beef up the manpower and allow continuously working even at nights so as to make up for the lost time of ten days. This allows for project completion on the original due date but there will be cost overruns because of added manpower but the target date will be met. The reserve budget can pay for the additional workers to accomplish more work output and also pay for extended working time by effectively doubling it by working even at night