Sydney Sheldon’s Master of the Game: Reaction

Master of the game is a kind of story that will make you see life from the other side. Sheldon is really is the best story teller. Showing the reader a sequence of event from the very root of the story. It really amaze me how he arrange the story. How you see or realize the transition of the story. We Just then look back and realize that wow, many things already happened but then you're not yet even at the center part of the book or you're not half way there.But theirs a lot to take in already. Sheldon will do that to you, or at least that's what I felt. The story then moves one hundred years back to Jamie McGregor. He leaves his home in Scotland for Klipdrift, South Africa in 1883 under the assumption that many get wealthy there by mining diamonds. He nearly dies making it there due to the only safe means there being fully booked, and Jamie nearly dies by taking the mail carrier which does not stop moving for two days.Making it there, he is encouraged by the town's bartender Smit to see the wealthy Dutch storekeeper, Salomon Van Der Merwe, for assistance in mining. Besides meeting Van Der Merwe, he meets Banda, Van Der Merwe's black servant, and Margaret, Van Der Merwe's daughter, who encourages him to get assistance. However, after nearly risking his life to find diamonds, he finds out that he has been defrauded and that the Afrikaans-written contract states that Jamie is merely a laborer for Van Der Merwe looking for a diamond mine and Van Der Merwe now owns the mine on his own.When Jamie attempts to fght back, it is revealed that Smit and Van Der Merwe are working together and they make Banda leave Jamie in the desert to die. Banda later revives and saves Jamie from being eaten by vultures, saying he believes Jamie will help Banda find vengeance for Banda's sister who died at the age of eleven after being aped and then eventually giving birth to Van Der Merwe's child. They plan an extremely risky diamond heist in the Namib Desert and make it out alive. Band a only takes enough for him to buy a farm and a wife while Jamie keeps the rest.Jamie, now rugged and unrecognizable, returns to Klipdrift after a year of being taken into the desert, where no one faintly remembers him and he goes under the assumed name of Ian Travis. By depositing his diamonds into a bank, the whole town recognizes Ian Travis as a wealthy businessman. Van Der Merwe takes an interest to Jamie/lan's plan o invest in a diamond mine, hoping to capitalize on it. With help from a reformed Smit, Jamie eventually makes Margaret fall for him and makes love to her. When they learn that Margaret is pregnant, Jamie tells Van Der Merwe the truth, and refuses to marry his daughter.

Place-Names: Its Cultural Significance Among the Western Apache Essay

Between 1979 and 1984, Professor Keith Basso of he University of New Mexico conducted a study of Apache places and place-names. Specifically, this stud focused on the ways in which the Apache refer to their land, the legends behind these places, and the ways in which these place-names are used in everyday conversation. Basso’s ethnography can be considered as an attempt to correlate social landscape with culture. Basso attempted to examine the effects of landscape to the everyday social interaction of Apache men and women. The Western Apache construction of history is a ‘worn trail’ created by the tribe’s first ancestors. It was also the same path that several generations of Apache undertook. It was in these places that ‘special events’ took place. The ancestors gave names to landscapes based on the events that happened there. These place-names were passed down from one generation to another to serve as a bridge between the Apache and their ancestors. It was in every sense, a memorial of the past, a dedication to the ancestors. Even if the landscape changed, its name remained alive in Apache culture. Basso then examined the specifics of the language used by the Apache to refer to place-names. Basso found that the Apache usually manipulated language (with regard to place-names) in order to elicit acceptable behavior and moralistic values from the members of the tribe. It can be said that the creation of place-names tales was generally moralistic in nature. It was intended to influence patterns of social collectivity. Its purpose was multi-faceted: 1) to provide enlightenment, 2) to criticize, and 3) to warn. The general implied purpose of place-names was to promote the general interest and unity of the Apache tribe. This is the reason why place-names remained a central force in Apache cultural life. As in every tribe, a historical tale is intended to create a critical and remedial response to specific situations, mostly on the individual level. An individual ho committed crime would have to be judged based on its implied offense to the historical value of place-names. The Apache examined whether such offense created a gap between the individual and the place-names. The landscape, therefore, served as the moral guide of the Apache. It generally outlined the dos and don’ts of an ethical and moral living. It was in every sense, the Apache view of moral life (a reference to ancestral events that occurred in specific places). The place-names when spoken evoked moral truths. Those who spoke it must know its essence. By judging it to be morally relevant, an Apache was expected to proclaim it from the heart. The process of knowing the truth must be silent and critical. One need not study it. Only an invocation from the heart would provide images of the truth and serve as an infallible guide to moral life. This â€Å"evoking of images† provided a direct form of criticism or advice without so much linguistic references. Thus, it can be said that the value of place-names to Apache life is both direct and indirect. It is direct because it served as a guide to the ideal life. It is indirect because the individual understood it from the heart. It was, in every sense, a bridge not only between the individual and the past, but also between the individual and the society. For example, the place-names of ‘great dog mountain’, ‘pillar of fire’, and ‘hill of discontent’ provided the means by which the individual may connect to the past. The anchorage of his actions could not be independent of the ‘will’ of these places, since these places are the only ones which give meaning to life. For an Apache, the ‘pillar of fire’ signified the foundation of life and the solitude of existence. The Apache mind rested on the edifice of these place-names both as a testimony to the greatness of their ancestors as well as the worth of its society. Reference Basso, Keith. 1996. Wisdom Sits in Places: Landscape and Language Among the Western Apache. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company.

Ap Gov. Chapter Four Study Guide

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Study Guide A. Chapter 4: a. Terms: i. Civil Liberties: The legal constitutional protections against government. Although our civil liberties are formally set down in the Bill of Rights, the courts, police, and legislatures define their meaning. ii. Bill of Rights: The first 10 amendments to the US Constitution, which define such basic liberties as freedom of religion, speech, and press and guarantee defendants' rights. iii. First Amendment: The constitutional amendment that establishes the four great liberties: freedom of the press, of speech, of religion, and of assembly. v. Fourteenth Amendment: The constitutional amendment adopted after the Civil War that states, No State shall make or enforce and law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States, nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection o f the laws. v. Due Process Clause: Part of the Fourteenth Amendment guaranteeing that persons cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property by the United States or state governments without due process of law. i. Incorporation Doctrine: The legal concept under which the Supreme Court has nationalized the Bill of Rights by making most of its provisions applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment. vii. Establishment Clause: Part of the First Amendment stating that, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. † viii. Free Exercise Clause: A First Amendment provision that prohibits government from interfering with the practice of religion. ix. Prior Restraint: A government preventing material from being published.This is a common method of limiting the press in some nations, but is usually unconstitutional in the United States, according to the First Amendment and as confirmed in the 1931 Supreme Court case of Near v. Minnesota. x. L ibel: The publication of false or malicious statements that damage someone's reputation. xi. Symbolic Speech: Nonverbal communication, such as burning a flag or wearing an armband. The Supreme Court has accorded some symbolic speech protection under the First Amendment. xii.Commercial Speech: Communication in the form of advertising. It can be restricted more than any other types of speech but has been receiving increased protection from the Supreme Court. xiii. Probable Clause: The situation occurring when the police have reason to believe that a person should be arrested. In making the arrest, police are allowed legally to search for and seize incriminating evidence. xiv. Unreasonable Searches and Seizures: Obtaining evidence in haphazard or random manner, a practice prohibited by the Fourth Amendment.Probably cause and/or a search warrant are required for a legal and proper search for an seizure of incriminating evidence. xv. Search Warrant: A written authorization from a court s pecifying the area to be searched and what the police are searching for. xvi. Exclusionary Rule: The rule that evidence, no matter how incriminating, cannot be introduced into a trial if it was not constitutionally obtained. The rule prohibits use of evidence obtained through unreasonable search and seizure. xvii.Fifth Amendment: A constitutional amendment designed to protect the rights of persons accused of crimes, including protection against double jeopardy, self-incrimination, and punishment without due process of law. xviii. Self-Incrimination: The situation occurring when an individual accused of a crime is compelled to be a witness against himself or herself in court. The Fifth Amendment forbids self-incrimination. xix. Sixth Amendment: A constitutional amendment designed to protect individuals accused of crimes. It includes the right to counsel, the right to confront witnesses, and the right to a speedy and public trial. x. Plea Bargaining: A bargain struck between the defen dant's lawyer and the prosecutor to the effect that the defendant will plead guilty to a lesser crime (or fewer crimes) in exchange for the state's promise not to prosecute the defendant for a more serious (or additional) crime. xxi. Eight Amendment: The constitutional amendment that forbids cruel and unusual punishment, although it does not define this phrase. Though the Fourteenth Amendment, this Bill of Rights provision applies to the states. xxii. Cruel and Unusual Punishment: Court sentences prohibited by the Eighth Amendment.Although the Supreme Court has rules that mandatory death sentences for certain offenses are unconstitutional, it has not held that the death penalty itself constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. xxiii. Right to Privacy: The right to a private personal life free from the intrusion of government. xxiv. Marketplace of Ideas: the public forum in which beliefs and ideas are exchanged and compete xxv. Inevitable Discovery: exception to the exclusionary rule that allows the use of illegally obtained evidence at trial if the court determines that the evidence would eventually have been found by legal means xxvi.The Smith Act: required fingerprinting and registering of all aliens in the u. s. and made it a crime to teach or advocate the violent overthrow of the u. s. government xxvii. Hate Crimes: crimes that involve hate against people because of color, race, or ethnic origin xxviii. Obscenity: an offensive or indecent word or phrase xxix. Miranda Warnings: warnings that must be read to suspects prior to questioning. Suspects must be advised that they have the rights of silence and counsel b. Cases: i. Schenck v.US: Speech is not constitutionally protected when the words used under the circumstances present a clear and present danger of bringing about the evil Congress has a right to prevent ii. Gitlow v. New York: State statutes are unconstitutional if they are arbitrary and unreasonable attempts to exercise authority vested in the stat e to protect public interests. iii. Dennis v. US: The First Amendment does not protect the right to free speech when the nature or circumstances are such that the speech creates a clear and present danger of substantial harm to important national interests. v. Yates v. US: v. New York Times v. US vi. US v. O’Brien vii. Tinker v. Des Moines: viii. Mapp v. Ohio ix. US v. Eichman: x. Near v. Minnesota: xi. New York Times v. Sulllivan: xii. Miranda v. Arizona: xiii. Engle v. Vitale: xiv. Reynolds v. US: xv. Brandedneg v. Ohio: xvi. BSA v. Dale: xvii. Lemon v. Kurtzman: xviii. West Virginia v. Barnette: xix. Gideon v. Wainwright: xx. Smith v. Collins: xxi. Wallace v. Jaffree: xxii. Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier: xxiii. Santa Fe School Dist. V. Doe: xxiv. Boy Scouts of America v. Dale: c. Questions: i.Protections of the First Amendment were not originally extended to the states because every state had it’s own bill of rights. But if a state passes a law violating one of the rights protected by the Bill of rights and the states constitution doesn’t prohibit this then nothing happens. This is determined from the Barron v. Baltimore case that said it only restrains governments, not states and cities. Later though, it was changed by the ruling of Gitlow v. New York that said that states had to respect to some First Amendment rights. ii.Freedom of speech is the right to express opinions without censorship or restraint. There are many types of speech: 1. Libel: The publication of false or malicious statements that damage someone's reputation. 2. Symbolic Speech: Nonverbal communication, such as burning a flag or wearing an armband. The Supreme Court has accorded some symbolic speech protection under the First Amendment. 3. Commercial Speech: Communication in the form of advertising. It can be restricted more than any other types of speech but has been receiving increased protection from the Supreme Court. iii.Basic restrictions on speech include: prior restr aint, government preventing material from being published; obscenity, inappropriate speech; libel, false statements being published; slander. The government can limit symbolic speech if the act was to intimidate. iv. Brief Explanations: 1. Search and Seizure: must have probable cause to search personal affects; can only take what they went into search for 2. Privilege Against Self-Incrimination: this fifth amendment right protects a defendant from being forced to testify against him or herself; it protects against compelled testimonial evidence 3.Right to Due Process: if people believe their rights are being violated, they have the right to a fair and impartial hearing 4. Right to Counsel: individual right found in the sixth amendment of the constitution that requires criminal defendants to have access to legal representation v. The three basics tests the courts use to determine the constitutionality of a law is the Lemon Test. It states that: 1. the statute must have a secular legi slative purpose 2. its principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion 3. the statute must not foster â€Å"an excessive government entanglement with religion. â€Å"

Methods of Instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Methods of Instruction - Essay Example Reasons why it is mostly used by instructors are as follows; the instructors don’t have enough time to plan, lecture method is flexible hence can be used in any content delivery and deemed simple. Demonstrations Method This is when the teacher or instructor is showing the students a process or a procedure e.g. scientific process, computing procedure or way of doing things like cooking. The students involved in this process hence they are less passive. Questioning Method This is where the instructor lectures but in the process questioning the students most of the time. Exercise 2 In this exercise, interactive method as an instruction method is used. This method facilitates interaction between the instructor and the learner .Gaining knowledge based on unity and teamwork. The communicative approach involves sharing of experiences, knowledge and personal values. The class is divided based on the stated above features. The course I am teaching is aesthetics. I would divide my class into discussion groups. In this case, the students’ interest is different. This will be depending on their number, the subject discussed and the students’ level of knowledge and abilities, and finally their interests among others. Each group is given a list of items to be discussed. Since it is an aesthetic class, the main topic is the influence of aesthetics studies to the teaching of other subjects namely mathematics, history, art, music, and influence on teaching literature. Each group of students is discussing, related to a specific subject of their interest. The only common cause, the students have is that they share certain common aesthetic course units from where clear relations identified. Each of these groups is by a chosen leader who is spearheading the discussion. With aesthetic education, subjects like art, theatre and music are more subjective in ms of their evaluations , they offer a separate view to the learning experience that rest of the courses do no t. This type of education is not being taught with aim of teaching learners to become theoretical aesthetics. It is part of tolerant arts learning made to widen perspectives. In teaching music the discussion should touch on the fact that aesthetic educators are familiar with deep musical values hence is very supportive in this subject teaching. Teaching history is the education on culture. Many historical activities traced to cultural mores and beliefs. Aesthetics is part of this culture. Understanding the cultural context of the society, to trace its development (Jeanne 27). Exercise (3) Using of Wikipedia Group Project The group project in Wikipedia very effective academic discussion topics which the students can access. Blogs are just online journals used to share ideas by different people on a given subject topic. The ideas and reflections open to public or private. Students are able to form an online discussion group where they reflectively write and share information on classr oom topics. The basic step is to select how the group is going to communicate .Decide on one particular time that all students are able to access the internet services. Then the article discussing about this will be my subject area of teaching importance of taking aesthetic studies. My introductory statement would read: Aesthetics is one of the courses taken in

Discuss what is meant by job design and discuss what might contribute Essay

Discuss what is meant by job design and discuss what might contribute to its success in an organisation - Essay Example or rearrangement, the aim of which is to reduce or to resolve job dissatisfaction and to overcome employee alienation arising from repetitive and mechanistic tasks† (BusinessDictionary.com, n.d., n.p.). In other words, it is a process of improving working conditions or job environment for the sake of employee’s motivation and productivity. Job design helps an organization to determine the tasks that should be done, how these tasks should be done, by whom and in what order and afterwards to organize the content of tasks with the maximum benefits to the organization and employees (Allsubjects4you.com, n.d). Based on the definition of job design it is possible to conclude that there can be many different designs due to the variety of jobs. However, despite the variety of job designs, there can be identified seven key performance objectives of job design (Slack, Chambers, & Johnston 2004). These objectives include the following: quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, cost, health and safety, quality of working life (Slack, Chambers, & Johnston 2004). Quality is one of the critical objectives in any work performed. Job design can affect the employee’s ability to create or produce high-quality products and to offer high-quality services to the clients (Slack, Chambers, & Johnston 2004). Speed of work or response is also an important objective of job design as some jobs require prompt and quick reaction to certain situations. A great illustration of this factor in job design can be the jobs of emergency service personnel, where the sequence of activities in procedures, the range of tasks they are trained, etc all play critical role in terms of timing (Slack, Chambers, & Johnston 2004). Dependability is the objective of job design as it can be influenced by dependable supply of services and goods (Slack, Chambers, & Johnston 2004). Job design can also impact on the ability of employees to adjust to changes in the working arrangements, including the following

How does changing the ways in which we connect to others offer us new, Essay

How does changing the ways in which we connect to others offer us new, positive possibilities How does it affect us negatively - Essay Example There are plenty of ways to connect nowadays, though the old traditional one is coming face to face for a conversation – it enables the fullest effect and the most genuine emotions. However, it is often impossible because of the distance, lack of time or other factors. Nowadays, technologies offer the mankind a thousand options and opportunities – for work, shopping, entertainment and communication. One doesn’t need travel to another part of the country or even the world to see and talk to his/her relatives as it is now possible to call them on the phone, e-mail them or write on Facebook. Keeping in touch with friends is also much easier via social networking technologies, and prompt professional communications are guaranteed as cellphones, faxes and computers are always at your fingertips. In general, technology has been playing a significant role in our lives recently, and its importance continues to increase. Growing popularity of the World Wide Web make us mo re and more addicted to the new ways of communication and connecting to people. In fact, our entire social life beginning with childhood is now dominated by technological means of communication, which produces a complex and dubious effect on us. Technologies as new ways of connecting to people may either offer opportunities or impose difficulties on people, and this issue is considered in works of Sherry Turkle and Adam Gopnik. Adam Gopniks essay, â€Å"Bumping into Mr. Ravioli†, offers a look at the issue of overwhelming technologies, perpetual busyness caused by them and the state of suspension in communication between people. Turkle elaborates on related ideas in her book, â€Å"Alone Together† (the fragment of which was offered for reading), promoting the idea that technologies crowd our lives overwhelming us and making us tired of life they make possible. Thus, technological means of communication and connection to the outer world produce an ambiguous mixed effect on

Designing a Grounded Embodied Mental Model Learning Environment Assignment

Designing a Grounded Embodied Mental Model Learning Environment - Assignment Example The paper contains answers to a number of questions in which the Grounded Embodied Mental model learning environment has been investigated. The topic chosen for the design of the learning environment is the mathematical branch called arithmetic. It was found that the GEMM learning environment can be very appropriate in helping the student to master the simple arithmetic procedures. Arithmetic involves counting and adding up of things as it happens to be applicable in many spheres of life. It is the oldest branch in mathematics. The grounded embodied learning environment is one that provides the student with the right objects to apply the lessons they learn. It should allow them to have physical manipulation of these objects as well as the use of gestures in learning. The content of learning gets meaning from the use of these physical objects. It is no longer based on concept visualization without seeing or handling anything. Gestures have a role they play in changing the knowledge of the child. This happens directly on the cognitive state of the child or indirectly by affecting the child’s communicative environment. Agents are also important in learning because they make the lesson more realistic. Examples include robots and video games which make learning more interesting and easy to master. Students are motivated by the GEMM since it is a more interesting way of learning that reduces boredom. Using gestures and manipulating physical objects in the learning environment is very entertaining and can increase motivation. ... ognitive learning environment is critical; to enable the student to use the other body senses such as touch in order to learn (Lakoff and   Rafael 200).   Description of the grounded environment and how it would make the content more meaningful The GEMM learning environment has physical objects that should be used by the students. It involves gestures which are expected to make understanding better than if they were not there. This is the main difference with the ordinary learning setting. The physical objects such as computers are expected to help the student to learn. The student manipulates these objects to create a better understanding of the abstract concepts being taught (Greeno, & Moore, 210). The arithmetic learning environment consists of a number of equipment and parts such as natural user interfaces. These are of two types thus; free interfaces and the touch use interfaces. In the touch use interface the user has to directly touch the device and a single touch could be appropriate such as the SMART Board or multi touch such as SMART iPhone, table, surface or iPad. Free form interfaces with gestures don’t need the user to handle the device like the kinect Microsoft project. The gestural controller and touch screen mechanics have 3 parts which are an actuator, comparator and sensor. Bodily rooted knowledge has perception processes that have an effect on conceptual thinking. Researchers in the area of embodiment and cognition discovered that there exists a compatibility effect between the physical state of a person and his mental state. Physical touch and movement enhance the learning of a student. When children involve their hands in learning they develop knowledge and brain connections through the movement. When children make use of compatible actions for

Lily's Perpective on racisim Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Lily's Perpective on racisim - Research Paper Example hin the protagonists life, this brief analysis will focus upon these compliments as a means of seeking to determine an underlying truth to the way in which the storyline an individual experience of Lilly came to be differentiated. Even though the Lilly did not suffer from abject levels of rule and spiteful racism, within the instances indicated from the film, she was impacted by it at each and every level and this tacit degree of racism ultimately restricted the perspective, hopes, dreams, and realities that she was able to engage for her own life. Firstly, Lilly’s perspective is fist indicated to be formed with regards to the fact that she is forced into a state of exile and must leave her home, leave her friends, and leave all that she knows due to the fact that pervasive levels of racism during this time to find the way in which life could be experienced and the certainty of living in one location guaranteed (Riley 10). However, more specifically, the pervasive elements of racism within society are indicated throughout the film and not only restricted to the interpersonal relationships that Lilly and/or any other individual have. For instance, the impact that racism has can be felt with regards to the fact that both the Lilly and her caretaker feel like they have somehow found the promised land when they spot a jar of honey that instead of having a white person’s face upon the emblem that decorates it, instead has a black Madonna. This tacit level of acceptance with regards to the fact that society is unfair a nd unavailable to African-Americans fundamentally shift the way in which the viewer comes to integrate with the plot. Rather than merely seeing this as a tale of an individual who moves from one place to another and begins a new life that is no longer constrained by racial politics and racism, the film itself points to the fact that the fundamental corresponding theme between all of the locations within this particular movie is the fact that pervasive

Challenges in Education of Gifted Children in Australia Essay

Challenges in Education of Gifted Children in Australia - Essay Example But such rigid systems have been found to be counterproductive as far as gifted children are concerned, placing them on a different level as compared to the average child, which results in isolation and/or social problems that affect their grades and produce underachievers. On the other hand, the creation of specialized education for a select few poses the threat of elitism and the eschewing of the social function of schools in favor of competitive education.[1]. While some educators contend that special education is â€Å"a healthy psychological experience† that nurtures talent, others feel that children run the risk of â€Å"narrowing their focus† too soon[1]. In fact, the very concepts of what exactly constitutes â€Å"talent†, â€Å"creativity† and â€Å"giftedness† itself are at issue among educators, adding fuel to the hothouse debate about educational policies and the role of teachers in the classroom, in ensuring that children’s educa tional needs are met in the best possible way. Bragett(1997) proposes that giftedness is the innate ability that remains unchanging over time; but the maturation and development of the innate gifted nature are influenced by the development concept model, which moots that giftedness will be conditioned by the environment. The factors affecting the development process are child-rearing techniques, nature of peers and other influences, the kind of school and teachers, profession and job training and inherent motivation and self-esteem. Tassel (2001) characterizes giftedness as above-average intellect in terms of inherent aptitude, while talent is the demonstration of that giftedness in the form of above average achievement in performance. While giftedness is inherent and requires catalysts such as (a) inner strengths of the individual, i.e, motivation and (b) environmental factors such as parental  involvement in order to develop the ability, talent is developed through the process of learning, training, and practice.

Shipping Industry in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Shipping Industry in the UK - Essay Example Ninety-five per cent of Britain's external trade by weight, (77% by value) moves by water. "The World Bank estimates that seaborne trade in Britain will increase by 4% a year over the next decade, yet UK ship ownership and registration have fallen substantially over the past 30 years and there seems to be a maritime staff crisis, with a decline in the number of qualified seafarers". http://www.kmcinternational.com/about_us/sector_profile.cfmid=14 The numbers of the UK seafarers are declining at a rate which is not only hazardous to the shipping industry itself, but this in turn will also affect the many other industries which employ the trained seafarers when they come ashore. There are about 17,000 such jobs available, these jobs range from surveying to shipbuilding and from marine equipment services to insurance - for many of these jobs the experience which seafarers have is essential. The moribund sea industry would leave the maritime related economy faltering. Recently, the British government has issued new taxation laws and these laws will not only indefinitely affect the shipping businesses in the UK but also the shipping mercantile which do business with Britain. Trade and shipping have been interconnected through the ages. Initially there was a 25% capital allowance and ... It is obvious that those tax- breaks were not cost-effective. In the July of 2000, the tonnage tax was introduced into the British shipping industry. Instead of charging ships to be taxed by the profits they made, ships started to be charged by their tonnage. It was of the collective opinion that this taxation was gravely needed by this particular industry to reverse the downward trend it was facing for the past 25 years. There were many suggestions to overturn this development but none actually came through. Then the head of Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions is a former seafarer by the name of John Prescott, who founded the Shipping Working Group. This group was supposed to help design a taxation policy in accordance with employers and unions - the Chamber with officers and ratings and the Government. They started working together on the campaign to reverse the decline and when everyone joined forces they managed to achieve speedy progress. In the March of 1998 the group reported to the Secretary of State and in December of 1998 John Prescott introduced what is known as "British Shipping: - charting a new course". http://www.british-shipping.org/british/delivering.htm The problem with the White Paper however was that there was no mention and no didn't have any solutions to the financial and economical problems of the British shipping industry - the industry couldn't compete with other nations, such as Norway, Germany, Greece and the Netherlands, who already had such policies in place. It merely suggested that the tonnage based tax system be reviewed. It was up to the Treasury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to step up and solve the dilemma. In the March of 1999, in

Company Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Company Law - Essay Example Act 1985 codified this criteria by dictating that directors owe a duty of care to act in the best interests of both the members and the employees of the company.3 In the context of the problem company, Backup was persuaded to advance a loan to EL by Connie and Darshani, two of EL’s directors who also happen to be on the board of directors of the parent company ISL. There is clearly a question of a conflict of interest in that Connie and Darshani have the interests of the parent company and two subsidiaries, which may be competing interests. Moreover, in assessing the duty of care owed by Connie and Darshani and the remaining directors of Backup, the standard of care is relevant. That standard is the measured by reference to the reasonable skill and care that is generally expected of a business man possessing the relevant skills and training.4 The directors of Backup appeared to have reservations about the utility of the loan after hearing of EL’s impending financial problems from Connie and Darshani. Even so, they went against their own business instincts and acted for what appeared to be the best interest of the parent company and each of its subsidiaries. Although Connie and Darshani may have been confronting a conflict of interest, their position as directors of the parent company, a shareholder in EL, a subsidiary provides a means by which they may escape liability. In Re Southard &Co Ltd T where Templeton LJ said that: â€Å"A parent company may spawn a number of subsidiary companies, all controlled directly or indirectly by shareholders of the parent company. If one of the subsidiary companies, to change the metaphor, turns out to be the runt of the litter and declines into insolvency to the dismay of its creditors, the parent company and other subsidiary companies prosper to the joy of the shareholders without any liability for the debts of the insolvent subsidiary.†5 Drawing on the reasoning by Templeton, LJ in Re Southard &Co Ltd T Connie and

Japanese animation - Hayao Miyazaki Essay Example for Free

Japanese animation Hayao Miyazaki Essay Japanese animations have been my favorite of all times. It has always been pleasing to my eyes. The word people call for Japanese animation is Anime. I never thought we watched an Anime in Animation 101 class. So on 8th October, we watched Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece film called Spirited Away in behind the scenes. The synopsis of the film is that a young girl, Chichiro, stumbles into the land of the spirits (the place with Japanese’s folklores), where her parents are transformed into pigs, and to save them, she herself must get a job in the bathhouse owned by the witch Yubaba. By watching the whole process, Miyazaki combines the film with characters from Japanese’s legends or myth; it led to fabulous and affecting fictional narratives from the characters. It seems that Miyazaki has made a world that has all the potency of any actual myth and the same capacity for evoking a real sense of curiosity with entirely on its own. I think it’s because his drawing on motifs and various details present in Japanese’s legend and folklore. Miyazaki has created fascinating characters. Chihiro seems very realistically portrayed girl and is one the great characters of narrative art. The process of creating her takes a lot of hard work. He has to get an insight into the minds of children and the ways children act and react. Also, He has to find the best suitable voice for the character. The inhabitants and guests of the bathhouse are nicely done as well. For example, the spider-like man to frog-like man are displayed a unique personality that adds, even if it’s small, to the film’s attraction. All these elements are so able to mesmerize the audiences that Spirited Away is often affecting. The film brings a sense of awe and deep world that is hidden beyond the human world. From the exaggerated expressions of other characters to Chihiro’ maturing face, the film shows more emotion in a single frame. Miyazaki has balanced all the various details and elements so that each complements the others and contributes to the film’s effect. Looking at Spirited Away at basic level, I see it as an adventure about a girl. Then if I look at it in depth, it’s about growing up. Chihiro’s growth from a scared girl crying for her parents that turned into pigs to a mature girl. This film has a similarity with Alice in Worderland where a little girl stumbles into a world that she never knew before. But the difference is that Spirited Away moved from children’s genre to adult’s genre. The film is more dark and deep. Miyazaki has created a real work of art for every generation to come and interested in animation. This film is a good example of the best animation in history. It is attractive, awesome, and awe inspiring film to anyone. It is an Anime film that uses vital elements to deliver its message and made the film success with excellent and fluid animation. Spirited Away is one the best animated films I’ve seen.

Business Plan to launch VALTEC AUTOMATION in India

Business Plan to launch VALTEC AUTOMATION in India Introduction The main objective of this report is to propose a Business Plan to distribute and offer Automation Solutions for various kinds of Valves in Indian Market. The main motive behind pitching into this market is to tap the unending need for valves in various process industries, steel, chemical Oil and Gas industries. The report below has been sculpted out by considering the market conditions, intrinsic and extrinsic factors, environmental conditions and also the various business parameters. Based on the above and along with that basing my B.E. in Electronics Instrumentation Engineering and three years of experience in a similar industry, a clear cut strategy has been jotted down to plan, organize, launch, monitor and control the business of Valtec-Automation in Indian market. Insight into Valves Valves form a very integral component in piping systems. The primary method of regulating and controlling pressure, direction and flow of fluids is accomplished with respective control valves.ÂÂ  Depending on the scenario, a valve may be operated continuously e.g. control valves, or very rarely e.g. Safety Valves, or intermittently e.g. isolation valves. A valve can be very simple, low cost item or it may be very much complicated, costly item.ÂÂ  In piping design the valves probably require more engineering effort than any other piping component The forecasts convey that the demand for industrial valves globally would increase annually by 4.4 percent through 2011, driven by an encouraging indicator of growth in developing nations and a drift towards much more expensive automated valves and actuators in developed countries. India is one among the nations which would experience the fastest market gains. Market Analysis Target Market The Indian market offers tremendous opportunities to foreign investors with one billion populations in hand. The investors could view massive growth and expansion here. Indian economy is growing at a faster rate compared to other nations. the major sectors like energy, environment, infrastructure, transportation with their increasing demand forces foreign investors to enter Indian market. India GDP has registered 6.7% growth in the period 2008-09 but it has the capacity to sustain the growth rate of 8 to 10% in the nearing years. The current growth rate is apt for the investors. Valve Market in India The valve industry is improving day by day. Manufacturers are using new technologies such as latest testing and manufacturing equipment. So demand for valves is seen in almost all areas, especially in core sectors of metal and mining, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, drugs, food and beverages etc for de-bottlenecking , expansion of capacities and maintenance purposes. By using these technologies there is awesome improvement in the finishing of the valves and they are of good accuracy. the valves distributed by Valtec has smart positioners as control system. Moreover, it is made of low noise and low emission exotic materials. The valve market is large enough to offer a wide variety of opportunities to all manufacturers irrespective of the kind of operations. The market, by and large, is shared by different manufacturers based on brand name, technology, manufacturing capacities and price competitiveness. Today India is a large producer of valves and it also plays a role in producing top class products of the world. The quality of valves produced in India is used by domestic users based on the service and application. However the large organisations present in key sectors opt for only best brands after a scrutiny of offers based on the application. The country also has small manufacturers who have their own niche markets. The growth in the valve industry is expected to continue at 7-8 per cent per annum. Due to India becoming competitive the growth in exports is expected to be 10-12 per cent per annum. Grabbing all these advantages of this market, Valtec would be pitching in to the valve market of India alo ng with Valve Automation solutions. This is observed to be the right time to sweep away a large portion of this market segment. VALVE EXPORTS OF INDIA Source : Exim Bank MARKET SHARE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF VALVES (Globally) Source: Exim Bank Benefits of establishing in Indian market For companies established in special economic zone several tax exemptions are made available IT companies have tax incentives Many countries are in double taxation treaties with India; A private company in India can be made with a minimum capital of INR 100,000; Skilled employees are available at nominal rate. Obstacles in Indian Market Rigid and complex social framework Indian Bureaucracy Infrastructure issues India is a nation with varied cultures and hence major changes in social structure are tedious to implement. However, the outlook is slowly changing and government is trying their level best to make effective changes. More Efforts are made to cut down on the red-tape. Poor road conditions and shortage of power supply are some of the infrastructural problems in India that needs to be resolved as quickly as possible. However, useful measures are adopted by the government in these areas as well to attract foreign investors to the country. Eight highways projects has been finalised that will need an investment of Rs 10k crore. Hence, with the steps taken up to improve the situations, entry into the Indian market will no longer be a tedious process. Business Analysis Type of Business entities in India Private Limited Company Public Limited Company Unlimited Company Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Partnership Sole Proprietorship Liaison Office/Representative Office Project Office Branch Office Joint Venture Company Private Limited Company Limitations of a private company The shareholders have only limited rights to transfer shares The maximum possible number of share holders is fifty The public is refrained from buying the shares. Public Limited Company Public company cannot be called a private company. The public company has its own limitations: The minimum number of share holders should be at least seven. A public company is not permitted to start business once the certificate of incorporation is approved. In order to start business as a corporation, trading certificate is a must. The company must file a statement in lieu of a prospectus before it can start transacting business. It should have minimum of at least three directors. Statutory meetings should be held and the management should be appointed based on approval from government. Liaison Office/Representative Office A Liaison Office needs approval from the government of India. It plays an important role in collection of information, promotion of imports and exports and facilitate financial and technical collaborations.ÂÂ   Project Office Foreign companies can establish a temporary site or project offices to execute specific projects and activities related to it in India. Branch Office Foreign companies who have involved themselves in activities related to manufacturing and trading goods abroad are allowed to open a branch office in India for many purposes such as import and export of goods, rendering consultancy services, to perform research work etc Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) LLP is another corporate business element which provides the advantages of limited liability of a company but allows its members to organise their internal management as is the case of a partnership firm on the basis of a mutually-arrived agreement. Valtec As Sole Proprietorship The sole proprietorship is the oldest, simplest, and very common form of business entity. It implies that the business is fully owned by a single person. The owner and the business is considered as a single entity for all liabilities, taxation and legal liability. Taxation happens at individual level for business earnings and there is no means of escaping. Thus, legal claimants are eligible for personal property of the proprietor and not simply the assets used in the business. Advantages of a Sole Proprietorship: Simple and low cost No filing or legal charter with the Government is required. Owner enjoys fullest control on decision making. Income goes directly into the pocket of the owner. Business profits are not taxed. Owner enjoys the privilege of dissolving the business at his/her discretion. Disadvantages of the Sole Proprietorship: The total capital available is limited which in turn limits the size of the business. Product liability lawsuit by a customer is not applicable against business Change in legal form of business is necessary in case of sharing of benefits of ownership other than profit Benefits of employees is not deducted or partly deducted from taxable income. the assets of the business go to his or her estate upon loss of life Regulations: Registration is not required for sole proprietorship. Just an account in bank should be opened with the name and style that the owner wishes to work. VAT or Service tax registration needs to be applied as Chennai has its state VAT and service tax registration regulations. The PAN of the owner will be the firms PAN and the income tax returns will be filed in the personal name. Typical Procedure to Establish Business in India Establishing a business in India requires certain period of time. This is because besides incorporation there are certain other formalities in establishing a business in India. (Source: Types of Business Entities in India, http://madaan.com/incorporate.htm ) Business regulators Business Entry Factors There are many foreign companies who keep a watch on various opportunities in India. To enter the Indian market and to achieve something big they need to be careful regarding certain points. These include: Finding good partners who knows the in and out of local market as well with the procedural issues Smart planning Identifying the target market Promotion of products and services Contacting the appropriate agents and distributors In addition to these, the foreign investors need to explore different market options available in India and frame a joint venture with an India-based company. It also includes establishment of a branch office. Actual Plan Vision Mission Statement: To evolve as a successful market leader in providing the cutting edge fluid flow control and automation solutions and maximize the growth and revenue in all possible ways. Agenda: The new born Valtec Automation India Private Limited will hit the market by procuring different type of valves from a specific list of valve manufacturers like RFLExports, Peco Valves, Tyco, etc .., special actuators from Bettis and several automation equipments from local market on needs basis. Depending upon the customer and process requirements, a clear cut valve automation solution will be engineered by implementing the above mentioned components. Apart from these activities, Installation commissioning of valves and accessories and maintenance service jobs would also be rendered. The target market would initially be Southern region of India and venturing into various process industries like steel, paper pulp, sugar, cement, chemical, waste water treatment plants, petroleum refineries and others. Valtec would be strategically Head Quartered in Chennai Tamil Nadu, which would be a very apt place for carrying out business as it is very well equipped with a fantastic port, air freight, road ways and railways network. Slowly our footprints would be made in other parts of India as well. Long Term Plans The material cost has a direct relation with respect to the cost of the valves. If the cost of any input increases then the cost of the valve also automatically increases. Almost 60% of total cost of the valve depends on the material price. India has adequate foundries and the closure of foundries in west resulted in export demand. So Indian foundries are adding more capacity. This paves a clear path for Valtec to venture into foreign markets. Valtec An Organization: Principal Management Carry a solid expertise, skills and training in Designing and Automation of Valve based solutions. Possess a broad spectrum of know-how about the global valvse automation market. Leadership Possess substantial experience in key role such as managerial and Decision Making, Strategic Planning, Financial Planning, Controlling and other managerial roles. Manpower To start with, we would be operating with 10 staffs on board and later to triple the strength by the commencement of the next financial year. Facilities Infrastructure All necessary tools and equipments that are required of carrying out this business would be brought in. Inventory Just in time principle would be adopted. SWOT Analysis Competitor Analysis With the development of petrochemical and chemical industries, the Valve Market in India is also experiencing a tremendous growth. Restructuring of power plants are under process in order to improve the efficiency in saving energy. Future investments in nuclear power generation are likely to generate substantial revenues for the total industrial valves and actuators market, creating numerous growth opportunities for market participants. With around thousands of players, the competition in Industrial valve automation sector is very high. Lot of small domestic firms serves the niche market by manufacturing labour-intensive valves with fewer technicalities. These companies gain edge over others with its lower pricing. On the contrary, special valves and sophisticated actuators are being produced by many MNCs that generate majority of the revenue in market as they cater the high-end market. To have a good presence, participants in the industry are likely to go for acquisitions and mergers. Steps to gain competitive advantage: As Indian Market is full of many players in Valves and Valve Automation sector, a Understanding the increasing demand for robust valves that offer a great scope for automation and stable performance and catering these needs in a timely and technologically sound manner. Also, the solution provided should be the best value for the money. Investing time and money in research and development of new techniques in automation. Pitching well into application of intelligent valves which can perform data processing, networking with computer-based control systems that can aid in optimization of the valve system management, perform self diagnosis, combined with embedded system, fieldbus, and computer-based controls. Proper understanding of the customer base in the market and also a clear cut analysis of the demand in different kind of process industries is very much vital to provide the best solution and also to stand out in the race. By providing labour intensive valves with fewer technicalities, the niche market can be captured. Also, after market service plays a very crucial role in gaining a competitive advantage. Keeping abreast with the growing technology and constant innovation of the process. Resources, Infrastructure Manpower Manpower The workforce right from the bottom to the top in the hierarchical order will be absorbed from the Chennai market itself. Apart from the permanent payroll employees, separate team would be formed now and then on needs basis in order to carry out the on site activities like installation and commissioning activities. A first level technical team will comprise of 2 automation and design engineers with relevant work experience and skills. Under them a team of technicians, fitters and other skilled labour force to a maximum of 5 members would be recruited. Apart from these, a middle level management staff and a sales and marketing executive will also be recruited. Support staff like administration, accounts and human resource to be recruited on limited requirement. Sales and Finance department would initially come under the control of top management and in later expansion phases would be restructured. Raw Materials The raw materials will be procured depending on the project specification and design. And just in time procedure would be adopted for all the raw materials that are being procured. The basic myth behind this policy is that the requirement will be varying from client to client and project to project. Infrastructure A warehouse cum shop floor for carrying out the automation activities and to stock inventory will be rented. All instruments, tools and basic amenities for carrying out all technical and assembling activities will be procured and listed as fixed assets. Office premises are all rented out in Dubai. The business sponsors are generally involved in the infrastructure to utilize the local knowledge and influence. Financial Plan Financial Planning is a very crucial aspect that needs to be carried out well in advance. Its a process of meeting the goals via a proper management and control of the finance. The process of financial planning comprises few important steps which help taking a Big Picture look at the present position. These steps would help us figure out the current financial position, the cash flow or financial support required for a projected period of time and the position that needs to be achieved in a stipulated time period. Also, attention needs to be paid towards the Working Capital that is required for the day to day operations. List down your Goals List down Your Cash Flows and Cash Inflow Understand and figure out your Risk-appetite List down the financial goals. Make sure your Goals are realistic Make the Plan Review and Take advice Take Action and keep Reviewing The Launch Valtec Automation, the newly born company will is duly licensed and adhered to all sort of legal and business regulations of India. A deep, strong and rigid foundation gas been laid down in all possible spheres. All the basic business activities have been jotted down, an initial setup team has been made and the company is all set for kicking off.

The Politics Of The Reproducibility Cultural Studies Essay

The Politics Of The Reproducibility Cultural Studies Essay Reproducibility is the ability of something to be accurately reproduced or replicated by another individual working independently. It relates to the agreement of the results with different operators using different tools at a different location. The results are always reported as a standard deviation from the original plan. In Benjamin works of art, reproducibility is a process that occurs slowly and may take a long time. Benjamin discusses the reproducibility in the works of art and the entire world of photography and film. It is all about the modern age and its effects on the work of arts. How art has been changed by the perception of the humans through time. Reproducibility changes the original piece of art through the change of the originality or aura of the artistic image, the real message put across and the cult value of the original art. The reproduction of pieces of art causes a total change in the perception of the art and can send a total different meaning to the observer. Reproducibility is an inevitable process that takes place over time and it serves to bring a lot of change in the meaning of art. It overshadows the concepts of originality and creativity of art. It can therefore be said that reproducibility is one big enemy to the world of art and the divine talent requirement to be artistic. A look at the photography of today, there is so much reproducibility of photographs of various places and features that the real image or the original item cannot be defined. It is not easy to tell anymore if the items in photographs are really as represented. Photography can be said to leave out a lot of details of the original thing. For example details such as the distance, vegetation and the color are completely distorted. With the advances in technology photographs can be used to represent an image of a certain thing just like in a painting. This also leaves out a lot the originality of the image displayed. For example the photographs of the mountain like the Alps remove the concept of space and time. According to (Blunden ii), even the most perfect pieces of art that are reproduced are lacking in the element of space and time. The technology of the modern times in photography renders the work of art impure. While some pictures will want to portray the mountains to have peaks that are slightly steep and have very green vegetation others show complete different imagery of steep peeks and no vegetation. This technology of photography renders the works of art impure and changes the original forms of the art. Photography can be said to make the work of art loose the aura or the authenticity through the mechanical production. While the photograph of the mountain will be representing an image of another image, a painting will be the original mountain. Paintings would capture the concentration and contemplation of the viewer unlike photography. The paintings would be fascinating and inviting to the observer. The cult value that would have been in a painting is replaced by the exhibition value in photography. The cult value does not disappear suddenly but in a shadowy manner. The cult value is still represented in photography but in a far distant manner because just like the portraits, photography is also meant as storage of memories. Photography as a replacement of painting brings out a distant political significance through the creation of memories. The images of photography also bring out a very different side of the original. The photographs are meant to capture what the original person and the photographer want to portray to the viewer; therefore the original thing is not what the viewer sees but the viewer is subjected to a totally different concept. Photography has led to the shift between the original, authentic value of what the viewer is subjected to, to a more modern way of view. The paintings displayed the original view of the items with the same color, creativity and authenticity were also very much a part of the paintings, but with photography most of these aspects are lost in the modernity part. Photography values the exhibition value more than the cult value. The photographs do not evoke the free contemplation that a painting will. They both portray the past events but paintings have the free flowing contemplation and concentration in the viewer compared to a photograph that will carry less of such value. Photography is a reproduction of the paintings and therefore fails to achieve the original basis of paintings. The photographs shape the original political meaning of paintings through randomness storage. Unlike the historical times when the paintings were done according to specific occasions or factors, photography is done at any particular time with little consideration to reasons. Photography also presents a distraction with mixed ideas and presents the perception of avoidance of difficult tasks. The works of art will generally capture the most difficult of tasks and will aim at the presentation of the most important factors of an item. Art is able to bring the masses together; it acts to mobilize the people through getting their attention to a particular thing. Photography on the other hand falls below these perceptions and always takes the easiest way of artistic representation. The photographs tend to present a distraction instead of a pull and these shows that the master of the art is just but a habit than really the creativity and talent in it. The public is therefore made as an observer but only absent mindedly without the proper concentration that the works of art expects. The idea is to capture and satisfy the human interest which could simply be the removal of the special function from the field of view. The images of photography therefore leave out a lot of the important details of art meaning the concept of reproducibility leads to the distortion of the original concept. The mechanical change noted in the photography means that the reproduction of the works of art leads to the change in the method of exhibition. Photographs simply change the reaction of the public to works of art and change the perception of the works of art. It gives the masses an option of critics. The historical work of arts like the paintings and the portraits were easily accepted by the masses but the photography technology of the modern day has been faced with a lot of critics. For example in Blunden essay, he says that the 19th century disputes to whether photography is a work of art, (part 7). This shows that there is doubt in people at the authentic value of photography in comparison with art. Photography fails to create the subtle effect in the viewers that a simple portrait would. On the other hand, this mechanical production of the works of art is bound to change the public reaction to the particular piece of art, (part 12). It can therefore be concluded that the effects of reproduction are adverse to the work of arts. It is quite unfortunate that reproducibility is inevitable especially with the new technologies that come daily with the modern world. The technology is bound to change the works of art and bring a different representation of art. The political significance shifts with every new introduction to the original piece of art. The works of art space and time concept are totally changed in the same manner. s

The Role of Advertising in Business Essay -- Role of Market Communicat

1. INTRODUCTION 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 4. SOURCES OF DATA 5. RESEARCH DESIGN 6. CONCLUSIONS 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. INTRODUCTION Advertising in business is a type of marketing communication used to encourage, persuade, or manipulate a customer to take or continue to take some action. The desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering. The primary role of advertising is to inform potential customers of the products and services in the market and convince them to make a purchase. Through advertisements customers are informed of new products, their role, their benefit and the prices at which they are being made available to the customer. It is a technique used to influence people's minds and encourage more sales. The main purpose of advertising is to deliver the proper message to customers and prospective customers. The purpose of advertising is to convince customers that a company's services or products are the best, to enhance the image of the company, point out and create a need for their products or services, demonstrate new uses for the established ones, announce new products and programs, reinforce the individual messages of the sales people, draw customers to the business, and to hold existing customers. Advertising lies in the Promotion part of Marketing Mix, but it applies to all the other P's as well. Promoting one’s business is the key ingredient to making one’s business successful. Promotion, along with a great product, key placement, and a reasonable price, will help a marketer work his way to the top. Promoting does not mean leaving his advertising up to the word of mouth of his current customer. â€Æ' 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 1. Brand Equity & ... ...n their advertising strategies as on their products and services †¢ Consumers’ attitude towards advertisements varies greatly †¢ Advertising is considered necessary for growth and success of big companies these days †¢ A product that is not advertised is lost on the customer. †¢ Advertising is the backbone of today’s sales industry. â€Æ' 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY †¢ DA Aaker, AL Biel- 1993- books.google.com †¢ T Meenaghan - Journal of Product & Brand Management, 1995 - emeraldinsight.com †¢ FM Scherer, D Ross - University of Illinois †¢ WF Mueller, RT Rogers - The Review of Economics and Statistics, 1980 – JSTOR †¢ M Sutherland, J Galloway - Journal of Advertising Research, 1981 - sutherlandsurvey.com †¢ VA Zeithaml, MJ Bitner - 1996 - lavoisier.fr †¢ business-finance.blurtit.com †¢ smallbusiness.chron.com †º Advertising & Marketing †º Advertising †¢ www.advertising.nsw.gov.au

Concession in Amy Tans Joy Luck Club Essay -- Joy Luck Club Essays

Concession in Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club "Sometimes you have to lose pieces to get ahead," explains the narrator of "The Rules of the Game," a lost piece from Amy Tan's novel The Joy Luck Club that has arguably achieved greater readership through its appearance in numerous anthologies (505). "The Rules of the Game" pivots around the concept that one may triumph in a win-lose situation through a concession. Narrator Waverly Jong recounts applications of this idea as she grows into adolescence in her Chinese-American community. From her adventures in the local marketplace to her romps on the chess battlefield, Waverly's prizes while asserting her concede-to-win strategy include physical objects and abstractions, the intangibility of the latter implying that one's examination of this story must consider terms like conflict, win, and loss in the broadest sense possible. With this in mind, Tan's "The Rules of the Game" explores the determinants behind wins and losses, ultimately suggesting that the most effective way to achieve victory is through an act of concession. Tan introduces this idea as a vague proverb rattled by Waverly's mother that Waverly bevels into sharp clarity by her involvement in situations of conflict that eventually demonstrate the veracity of her mother's words. The first conflict of "The Rules of the Game" materializes when Waverly accompanies her mother to the marketplace as a young child and experiences a loss. "Bite back your tongue," scolded my mother when I cried loudly, yanking her hand toward the store that... ... in the struggle to win. In short, Tan presents several conflicts that investigate the factors in win-lose situations, each conflict reiterating the notion that one must forego a triviality to outmaneuver his opponent to victory. This abstraction appears immediately in the story in an abstruse manner but is eventually clarified by evaluating the consistencies of the sundry conflicts. The repetition of these conflicts with similar outcomes involving (or not involving) concessions elucidates the idea that an act of concession is assuredly the most foolproof approach to triumph in a struggle. Work Cited Tan, Amy. "The Rules of the Game." The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories. Ed. Tobias Wolff. New York: Random House, Inc., 1994. 497-508.

Industry Analysis of the Coffee Industry Essay

Ex: A child’s toy available at a dollar store may be cheaper, but the quality may not be as great compared to a similar toy at a higher priced toy store. The company must market the value of the toy to the consumer rather than the price. Industry AnalysisThe Coffee Industry has been booming for years, but recently many new players have come onto the scene such as Caribou Coffee, Starbucks Coffee Co., and even Dunkin’ Donuts. Each company offers numerous different blends, flavors, and roasts, but each claims their own to have different qualities that appeal to different markets. The veteran of the bunch is actually Dunkin’ Donuts, which has been serving coffee, and various baked goods since 1950. The company was founded by Bill Rosenberg and has grown from five locations in 1954 to over 6,000 locations in 30 different countries. It is considered the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world and is tagged by the slogan: † The Dunkin’ Difference†. Dunkin’ Donuts had seemingly monopolized the industry until Starbucks Coffee Company came along in 1971. Their mission:†To inspire and nurture the human spirit-one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. â€Å"Howard Schultz joined on with Starbucks in 1982 as director of retail operations and began direct marketing to fine restaurants and espresso bars. By 1995 Starbucks had developed into a full-blown coffee company with its own line of glassware, coffee mugs, and even in store music sales. Today there are over 5,000 Starbucks locations in numerous different countries and a booming following of customers. Their target audience consists of a broad spectrum of Music, Art, and Coffee lovers which all can convene in a warm, musical atmosphere. Last but not least, the new comer to the scene, Caribou Coffee, which was established in 1992, based on the idea:†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦that if true passion, hard work and excellence go into an endeavor, the outcome will be a quality experience, and therefore rewarding.†Although a much smaller company, only comprised of around 500 locations, Caribou Coffee strives to create a unique experience for coffee drinkers that has that â€Å"aha momentâ₠¬  as they describe it. So if these three companies are obviously all selling coffee, why do they have very passionate followers, who would seemingly rather stop drinking coffee  than go to one of their competitors to get their morning jolt?Dunkin’ Donuts, like many other current companies are showing an enormous interest in the economic situations of their consumers. One of their current promotions is a â€Å"Free Turbo Shot† in any iced coffee purchased. Not only is the word FREE enticing it also offers some sort of financial relief and suddenly becomes a bargain in the eyes of their consumers. They are also very well known for their advertisements throughout the years, whether it is through the media in their numerous television commercials, or even in their print advertising in multiple magazines and coupons in newspapers. This is one of their key selling points over Starbucks because Starbucks as a company believes in word of mouth advertising rather than actual advertisements. Another campaign currently being run by Dunkin’ Donuts is for one lucky customer to create the company’s next donut. Not only are they getting their customers involved in creating the donut, they are allowing anyone with access to their stores and website to vote on the numerous entries in the contest. Although this may somewhat alienate a small portion of their clientele by creating a donut that not everyone likes they are able to take the mass market and narrow it down to what a large portion of their consumers are interested in seeing as a product. Although this is a great concept they are not the only company willing to include their consumers in their product production. Starbucks has a strong hold in many aspects of the coffee industry due to their intense strategic orientation as well as their product management. The company is not only very interested in what their customers have to say about their products, but also are interested in what their own employees have to say. They do frequent coffee and tea sample-tasting to develop not only buzz about the launch of their new products, but to get feed back on what should stay the same and what needs to be changed. Through this communal version of brainstorming Starbucks can better understand their consumers and their employees needs. Another huge selling point of the Starbucks brand is in fact the actual logo that represents the company. The green circle boldly stating STARBUCKS COFFEE around the picture of a singing Siren is known throughout the world. It has become one of the most recognized symbols in the world and is a great advertisement in and of  itself. Each Starbucks store also utilizes point of purchase marketing very efficiently. Throughout every store there are numerous signs and posters advertising upcoming sales on merchandise, new product lines, and even current products coupled with enticing pictures of not only their beverages but their delectable treats as well. Through something Starbucks likes to call the â€Å"Third Place† they are able to create a peaceful environment away from work and home that people can come to relax, enjoy great music, and even better coffee. Caribou Coffee is somewhat of a different breed. Dunkin’ Donuts focuses on the fast paced grab-n-go lifestyle, Starbucks is centered on tranquility and relaxation, but Caribou Coffee is all about adventure and exploration. Their founders actually created the company thanks to a trip through the Alaskan Wilderness, after a strenuous climb to the summit of a mountain. Their belief is that excellence is a product of hard work, and that life is too short for anything else. Caribou Coffee is not necessarily the cheapest coffee company around, but they definitely offer financially affordable drinks for people to enjoy. One of their current promotions is â€Å"Set Your Wild Free†, which is centered on their most recent launch of a line of â€Å"8 Delicious Wild Coolers†. It sticks to their adventurous theme as well as giving a little extra enticement to their new product line. So if these companies are doing so many things right through community involvement, Public Service Announcements, marketing their products, and creating a unique, and individualistic feeling in each store, what modifications can be made to their marketing tactics? First off Dunkin’ Donuts has proven to have longevity in their product due to their willingness to adapt and grow with their surroundings. They could however obtain an account planner in order to help them better understand other demographics that who they are currently marketing to. Maybe the inclusion of music selections in their stores, or even adding a few health conscious choices to their menu would boost their sales and increase their return on investment. Starbucks on the other hand who does feature in store CD selections as well as health conscious drink options needs to focus more on the financial side of their business. They need to begin taking into account  that the economy is in a slump, and even though they have a very marketable product, it will get them nowhere if the common man can’t afford to buy they products let alone consume them. I’m sure if they took a deeper look into their pricing and the actual cost of their product a happy medium could be obtained that would still benefit the company and the consumer as well. They also need to develop stronger marketing concepts that allow them to have more outside advertisements such as billboards, commercials, and maybe even coupons, which seem to be unheard of to the Starbucks brand. Finally, Caribou Coffee is actually in a great position to market their products because they have a great argument for opportunity cost to their consumers. They have a highly comparable product to the more pricey Starbucks line and are able to target a more accessible audience than the Starbucks brand. Marketing to the â€Å"every day Joe† will give them the opportunity to pull in people that may have never tried their coffee before but are willing to do so because of the price difference. Once discovering that their product is ironically similar to Starbucks in quality, but is more financially acceptable they are more likely to return as well as spread the word to others. In turn helping to increase revenue and benefiting the companies’ sales and popularity. In closing all three companies do a wonderful job of representing the coffee industry and have made millions marketing themselves as household names throughout the world. Slight adjustments for each company would allow them to grow and develop into even more productive companies that will prove to have great sustainability as well being dependable sources of that little extra boost that so people have come to rely on in their daily routines. Through in depth SWOT Analysis, Integrated Marketing Communication, and intense advertising these three companies has become a beacon of success. They will continue to illuminate the path to the future of coffee as well as our morning, afternoon, and sometimes late night buzz that we as warm blooded Americans crave. Works Cited 2003. â€Å"The Bean Stock.† www.thebeanstock.com2007. DD IP Holder LLC. www.dunkinfranchising.com2008. Caribou Coffee Company. www.cariboucoffee.com. 2009. DD IP Holder LLC. www.dunkindonuts.com2009. Starbucks Corporation. www.strabucks.com2009. Recall – Firm Press Release. â€Å"Caribous Coffee Participates in Nationwide Peanut Product Recall.† www.fda.gov†Coffee.† National Geographic Online. 1996-2009. www.nationalgeographic.com/coffee. Coffee Geek. 2000-2009. WebMotif Net Services, Inc. www.coffeegeek.comKenneth Davids. Coffee Review. 2009. www.coffeereview.comMonica Guzman. â€Å"Starbucks Ad Campaign is Gutsy†. May 1, 2009. http://blog.seattlepi.com

Directed Writing: Report on Water Pollution Essay

Water is one of human beings most important basic needs. Human can survive without food for couples of days but somehow going without water, human will not survive. Using safe, clean, water is a basic human right. Mother Nature gifts us free water but selfish human beings keeps polluting the water with actions such as chemical leaks, littering into water, disposing industrial waste and also ship waste into the water. Water pollution may affects a lots of things in our daily life. Here in this little village outside the town is one of the victim that suffered a lots of water pollutions. Recently, we received a complaint letter from the villagers that claimed that their daily life is difficult to go on with heavily polluted water supply. We checked out at the village water supply locations and found some shocking discoveries. The rivers are heavily polluted with litters such as plastic bags, bottles, paper cups, straws, unused furniture, and many more rubbishes. The river water is so heavily polluted that the water had turn into brown and discolored. The rubbish that was threw into the river became the major factor that pollute the water. The water supply in the village is not suitable to use, neither drink nor carry out daily tasks. The villagers doesn’t have enough supply of clean water after using the clean water to cook and drink, they needed clean water to carry out daily tasks such as bath, clothes washing, and housework. The dirty water in the village might be the major causes of illness such as diarrhea. The water is not clean and safe enough to drink that maybe the water still carries bacteria or even viruses. Other than that, the clogged drains and water stagnant in the village will provide mosquitoes a perfect environment for its breeding. Some dangerous mosquito species may carry virus that capability to kill a person by just a sting. Mosquitoes such as Aedes carries Dengue virus that maybe causes Dengue Fever. People that have a strong and healthy body maybe survive the sting but those people with weak immunity system may die under the Dengue Fever. Dengue Fever kills at least 20 villagers last year. The selfishness and laziness of the villagers shows their irresponsibility attitude to the village. The villagers will throw the rubbish everywhere especially dump area that closes with water supply. This causes a lots of bacteria breed from the rubbish dump site that formed an unhealthy living environment. These pollutions will also endanger the aquatic living things that live under the water. If these living things were being sold in the market or ate into human body, what harm or diseases will bring to these innocent victims? As a first step to solve the water pollution, the most important thing is the local authorities must take action. The authorities such as government may consider to enforcing laws on water pollution. Local authorities of the village should form a team or committee that control and supervise the water pollution, they can caught and send those who polluter the water to police officers or higher authorities. Once they form a committee, the villagers will not to litter into the river. Whoever litters into the river should be punish heavily either by prisoning, whipping, or fine. After these actions of authorities taken, they people will be aware, not to do it again. Other than that, the government should educate the villagers on the importance of water and ways to dispose unused rubbish or chemical waste correctly. The committee that responsible to the village cleanliness should also provide more rubbish bins and also recycle stations. The government can also launch camp or seminar that related to the important of water and ways to prevent water pollution. Local authorities can try to improve the water supply by launching clean-up activities. The villagers must be responsible to their own village. Hence, the committee should require the villagers to get involve to the clean-up activities for compulsory. Action will be taken to the family that doesn’t involve in the activities. To clean up a heavily polluted river need a long time and a couple lots of procedure for example picking up the floating rubbish, cleaning up the rubbish that sink into the river bed. All this procedure needs really long time to purified a polluted river. â€Å"Teamwork divides the tasks and multiple the success.† If the villagers of the village could be  cooperative and do their job together, it will really speed up the recovery of the river. Besides than the government, the villagers also should give fully co-operations that needed by the village. Every individuals also responsible to their village. Do not throw litter or harmful substances into the river or lakes. Do your part by picking up the litters and throw them in to the rubbish bin. Villagers also should promote the ways to prevent water pollution to relatives and friends so that they can also advocate this concept. In addition, if you saw any villager that litter or polluting the river, should report or contact the appropriate authorities so that they can take actions. Villagers also should avoid of water wastage. Ensure that there are no drips or leakages in the house plumbing. Saving water will ultimately lead to the reduction of water that flows into the sewage treatment. As for daily tasks, use laundry detergents that have low levels of phosphate only as phosphate is a major water pollutant that will heavily affect the water supply when the used water flowed back to the river. As a conclusion, water is essential for us. Thus, we must appreciate it because Mother Nature gifted us with water for free. We show our thankful to Mother Nature by not polluting it and keep it clean at all time. These water will be used by our next generations in near future. Hence, for their health, we should start to maintain these good habits and passing this habits to our next generation.

Case Study of Prostitution Essay

Has overall responsibility and accountability for providing direction in the area of treasury services, accounting services, or procurement services. This position has discretion in establishing overall operating policies and procedures for assigned QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor’s Degree in accounting, finance, business administration or related field. Relevant experience may substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Eight years of progressively responsible, professional experience related to area of assignment at a management level. Depending on area of assignment, Certified Public Accountant Certification or Certified Purchasing Manager Certification may be strongly preferred or required. KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS Knowledge of: †¢ Managerial principles; †¢ Financial principles and practices in assigned areas of responsibility; †¢ Budgeting principles and practices; †¢ Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances; †¢ Non-profit/college fund accounting systems and principles; †¢ Advanced internal control practices; †¢ Advanced financial analysis principles and methods; †¢ Strategic planning principles and practices;. Demonstrated Skill in: †¢ Coordinating activities with other internal departments and/or external agencies; † †¢ Developing and monitoring budgets; †¢ Managing large, complex governmental financial systems; †¢ Preparing and reviewing reports; †¢ Interpreting and applying applicable Federal, State, and/or Local laws, rules, and regulations; DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Plans, organizes, maintains, and manages the processes and operations of multiple functional areas within Finance. Manages the activities of assigned areas to include: planning, implementing, administering and evaluating projects and services impacting College operations from a Finance perspective. 2. Develops, recommends, and administers policies, procedures, and processes in support of Finance operations in assigned areas of responsibility; implements and monitors compliance with approved policies, procedures, and processes, ensuring alignment with College mission, values, goals and objectives and local, state, and federal laws and regulations. 3. Develops, recommends, and administers policies, procedures, and processes in support of Financial Services operations; implements and monitors compliance with approved policies, procedures, and processes. 4. Supervises administrative services professionals, paraprofessionals, and technical/support staff and performs both direct and indirect supervision through subordinates. Hires, evaluates, trains, disciplines and recommends dismissal of staff as necessary. 5. Prepares financial management reports for various College programs, reviewing financial data to ensure compliance with applicable local, state, and federal requirements and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Researches, analyzes, and interprets applicable laws and regulations relative to assigned areas of responsibility; makes recommendations based on findings. The Customer business Relationship division is responsible for the planning, successful execution and follow up for a diverse range of customer retention campaigns, along with producing their annual budget, monthly forecast, and other business reporting as required. The CRM will carry out innovative and sometimes complex projects to their completion, and thoroughly analyze maturing data in order to make sound recommendations for next steps that aim to improve our financial results. Responsibilities †¢ P&L: Responsibility for reaching or exceeding budgeted financial goals in one or more of our key customer retention categories – saves and reinstatement, customer longevity, load ups, and cross sell – using a variety of communication media including invoice text, inserts, email and telemarketing. †¢ Campaign Planning & Execution: Responsible for conceptualizing and managing a diverse range of customer retention campaigns and initiatives. This includes idea generation and exploration, preparing and presenting proposals, overseeing the creative and production processes and championing successful execution. †¢ Campaign Analysis: Analyze campaign outcomes in detail, using a variety of proprietary software applications. Draw insights and present results clearly to facilitate sound decision making on next steps. †¢ Budget/Forecast: Build a detailed, bottom-up annual budget for areas of responsibility. Supply key inputs to the quarterly reforecast, using the most accurate, up-to-date information available. Be prepared to discuss assumptions used for developing budgets and forecasts. †¢ Special Projects: Participate in a variety of special projects as requested, including explorations of system or process improvements, new retention categories, and joint projects with Customer Service. †¢ Customer Focus: Working with Customer Service, Marketing Services and Operation to develop and maintain a customer-focused attitude toward activities, concentrating on those that most strongly contribute toward improving customer lifetime value. Qualifications †¢ BS degree with major in Marketing required †¢ 4-6 years experience in a direct marketing environment, preferably with experience in both acquisition and retention marketing †¢ Continuity or club experience, including retention and cross selling strongly preferred. †¢ Keen project management skills with an ability to interact with and motivate others to succeed on several fronts simultaneously †¢ Effective verbal and written communication on all levels and both internally and externally †¢ Strong analytical, technical and mathematical abilities †¢ Self-motivated, analytical, quick learner, organized, detail-oriented, multi-tasker †¢ Prioritizes workload and meets deadlines for a variety of marketing â€Å"deliverables† †¢ Demonstrates initiative with a results orientation, while exhibiting strong drive and leadership skill Marketing and communication division —–is someone who works to promote a company’s services or products. Marketing communications managers work in conjunction with advertising and sales managers, helping to generate income for their company. They are employed in a wide array of industries and perform a multitude of tasks. Marketing communication managers also hire, train and organize their staffs. Responsibilities: – Manage the marketing communications function – including communications calendar, brand, PR plan, and content development Develop presentations, collateral, positioning documents and sales tools to support both internal channel Management teams as well as Mobile Access’s VARs, strategic carriers and OEMs o Work with product management to integrate the product roadmap into a communications calendar and translate the new product value in terms of the overall company’s position within the market o Create a Mobile Access style guide and manage company’s brand image and consistency o Translate complex technical solutions in to easy to comprehend marketing messages – Administer the company’s Web-site including overall positioning, content and messaging. – Responsible for managing the Mobile Access Partner Portal – coordinating with the channel program team on content and tool needs – Create and manage direct/indirect marketing campaigns to enable Mobile Access VARs to drive acquisition and embedded base sales – Work with industry analysts and pr firm to build Mobile Access brand presence and recognition – Responsible for event management . QUALIFICATIONS – 7-10 years of experience in marketing and other broad range of marketing and business related roles in technology companies. Broad exposure and holistic understanding of different wireless technologies and/or in building wireless experience is desirable. – Bachelors Degree required – a focus in English or communications is preferred – Must have a writing background and previous experience with creating press releases, marketing collateral and white papers – Experience with managing a Web-site and/or portal, utilizing a CMS like Expression Engine as well as managing the site performance against standard Web metrics – Experience with e-marketing campaigns (Webinars, e-mail, banner ads, search (organic and paid), Web 2.0 tools) – Experience with branding, co-branding and managing a brand delivered via indirect distribution. – High-energy and team-oriented candidate desired- Familiarity with Adobe CS3/4 suite The Retail Division You will be responsible forThe aim of any retail manager is to maximize profit while minimizing costs. Retail managers ensure promotions are accurate and merchandised to the company’s standards, staff is fully versed on the target for the day and excellent customer care standards are met. †¢ Depending on the size of the store, and company structure, retail managers may also be required to deal with human resources, marketing, logistics, information technology, customer service and finance. managing and motivating a team to increase sales and ensure efficiency; †¢ managing stock levels and making key decisions about stock control; †¢ analyzing sales figures and forecasting future sales volumes to maximize profits; †¢ analyzing and interpreting trends to facilitate planning; †¢ using information technology to record sales figures, for data analysis and forward planning; †¢ dealing with staffing issues such as interviewing potential staff, conducting appraisals and performance reviews, as well as providing or organising training and development; †¢ ensuring standards for quality, customer service and health and safety are met; †¢ resolving health and safety, legal and security issues; †¢ responding to customer complaints and c omments; †¢ promoting the organization locally by liaising with local schools, newspapers and the community in general; †¢ organizing special promotions, displays and events; †¢ attending and chairing meetings; Qualification has deep understanding, knowledge and skill in the Retail industry, and extensive experience in managing Retail operations across a network ideally in the beauty and gift sectors. You must possess excellent analytical skills and commercial flair evidenced by previous ability to drive commercial growth, be an inspirational leader with excellent people management skills, strong business acumen with ability to perform with insight and intelligence and first class decision making and negotiation skills.

Cognitive Development May Progress Gradually or Through a Series of Stages Essay

Cognitive development can be defined as the growth of our knowledge in understanding the world around us. This growth can be developed gradually, in other words, it is seen as a continuous process by collecting more information. Another way of developing cognitively is through a series of stages which involves some sort of revolution from one period to another in one’s lifetime. Jean Piaget, a cognitive developmentalist believed that humans go through a series of stages in life in order to reach their full cognitive ability. In this essay, we would briefly talk about Piaget’s Stage Theory and its criticisms. Piaget divided his theory into four different stages of development. The first one is known as the sensorimotor stage which is applied to infants for approximately the first two years of their lives. At this stage, infants discover the world mainly by their senses and actions. One of the main concepts Piaget penned is object permanence. This is the knowledge of the existence of objects even when we cannot directly sense it. Piaget suggested that babies lack this concept through his study; A not B task. In this study, the experimenter hides a toy under Box A then the baby would search for it under Box A. This procedure was repeated and eventually in front of the baby, the experimenter hid the toy under Box B. The baby searched for it under Box A instead of B even though they saw the experimenter hid it under Box B. Therefore, this study shows that the baby lacked the concept of object permanence. They are known to be in a state of solipsism, also known as the failure to differentiate between themselves and the surroundings. Based on observation conducted on his own children (1952), Piaget divided this stage into six different sub stages. However, Piaget’s claims on object permanence have been criticized. Baillargeon et al. (1985) found in their research that infants as young as three-and-a-half months have developed the ability of object permanence. This was backed up by Bower & Wishart (1972) whereby they discovered that even after the lights were switched off, the babies continued to search for the object shown. Hence, they do possess the ability of object permanence. The second stage is the preoperational stage which occurs when the child is aged 2 to 7. On this stage, the child solves problems by using symbols and develops the skill for languages. According to Piaget, the child is egocentric which means he sees the world from his standpoint but not others. The solution to this is to apply operational intelligence. The process of solving problems by using logic. Another concept which Piaget is concerned with is conservation. It is the understanding that any quantity remains the same even if physical changes is made to the objects holding the medium. In addition to these concepts, centration, also defined as the focus on a single aspect of a problem at a time. Piaget states that at this stage, the child fails to decenter. Conversely, Borke and Hughes (1975) found contradicting evidence against Piaget’s on his study of the three mountains task. They used the same elements of the task and discovered that children had no problem with identifying the perspectives of the others when the task is shown in a meaningful context. Hence, from the result obtained, Hughes found that the children did not display any characteristics of being egocentric. Furthermore, Gelman (1979) found in his study that four year olds altered their explanations of things to get their message across clearer to a blindfolded listener. If Piaget’s concept of egocentrism was correct then, this shouldn’t have happened. In addition, Flavell suggested an alternative to this issue by coining the Level 1 and Level 2 perspective-taking abilities. In Level 1, one thinks about viewing objects but not the different perspectives that can be seen of the objects while in Level 2, one is able to imagine the views of the objects from different angles. Flavell concluded that it is not compulsory that children think others share the same perspective as themselves but they do struggle to imagine what others can see. Therefore, this shows that Piaget’s claim on egocentrism could be correct or wrong. Moreover, in Donaldson’s Children’s Minds (1978), she argued that children misunderstood the questions which Piaget asked while conducting the studies. This was the reason why Piaget obtained the results in his studies involving the concept of conservation especially. Donaldson stated that Piaget’s tasks had no meaningful context for the children to understand, hence they answered what they thought the experimenter expected of them. This claim was supported by Rose & Blank (1974) where they found children often succeeded in the conservation task. Further research was done by Samuel & Bryant (1978) who used conservation of number, liquid quantity and substance and obtained similar conclusion with Rose & Blank’s. Donaldson also stated that children were unintentionally forced to produce the wrong answer against their own logical judgment. One of the explanations is that the same question was asked repeatedly before and after transformations presented to them and this in turn caused the children to believe that their original answer was wrong. Thus, the idea of children assuming the fact that reality changes according to appearance could be incorrect. In addition, Piaget may have underestimated a child’s cognitive ability because based on Mitchell & Robinson’s (1992) study; they demonstrated that children from the age of 4 could locate the correct answer to a solution by canceling out the alternatives. This process is also known as inference by elimination. The children were presented with a set of cartoon characters, three of which were well-known. They were asked to identify a superhero which was unknown. The researchers discovered that majority of the children selected the unknown character without doubt. Another example of a child’s ability is their capability with syllogisms which consists of logical problems accompanied by a general rule that enables people to create a statement. Dias and Harris (1990) stated a general rule that all fish live in trees and Tiddles is a fish, then it is logical to assume that Tiddles live in trees. After presenting this to the children, they insisted that Tiddles lives in the water instead. However, after the experimenters presented them with another rule, they were ready to use the rule to make inferences. Therefore, these evidences show that Piaget may have underestimated the abilities of younger children. Subsequently is the stage of concrete operation which happens to children around the age of 7 to 12. Now the child is able to solve their problems in a logical manner but the problem has to be either real or concrete. The final stage; formal operations which takes place when the child turns 12 and continue into their adulthood. In this stage, one would be able to solve problems systematically and logically even if the problem is a hypothetical situation. Wason and Johnson-Laird showed that most intelligent adults do not fulfill Piaget’s ideal cognitively developed person through selection task. This claim is proved in Cheng and Holyoak’s (1985) study where the results strongly show that majority of the participants does not display the reasoning of an adult in the stage of formal operations. In other words, this experiment is a clear indication that the formal operations stage does not exist. One of the critics of Piaget’s Stage Theory in general is John Flavell (1982) who claimed that Piaget did not define the cognitive processes clearly. Furthermore, Braine and Rumain (1983) who conducted an analysis on the contents and the structure of the theory found that Piaget’s theory could be flawed. These are only the few critics of Piaget’s Stage Theory. Thus, the theory is constantly being questioned due to its impact in the field of cognitive psychology. After stating the basic facts of the theory as well as giving some examples of the critics of Piaget’s concepts and ideas, we are now able to get an overview of the debate. Overall, there are evidences which propose some of the concepts to be reviewed again and maybe even rejected. However, from the researches conducted on Piaget’s theory as well as the impact of it, alternative theories were penned down. For example, Vygotsky’s theory which takes on a more social based view of describing the cognitive development. In conclusion, Piaget’s theory have been applied in various institutions especially education but it is also being criticized by many in the field, therefore, it is only fair to conclude that Piaget’s theory may need to be modified in order to create a more accurate theory to explain the way we understand the world.