Workforce Diversity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Workforce Diversity - Research Paper Example For many organizations, workforce diversity becomes serious issue which gives birth to bigger problems afterwards. Just like all other organizations, a hefty amount of diversity possesses at LOCOG as well. For an event like Olympics 2012, if the concern of diversity is not taken seriously then it might lead to multiple problems like conflict of interest, loss of time, efficiency and money, loss of productivity, legal actions and complaints, issues related to health etc. Acknowledging the importance of workforce diversity, many researchers have conducted researches in order to investigate the consequences, issues, importance and benefits of workforce diversity. In subsequent paragraphs, importance of workforce diversity has been mentioned in the light of relevant studies. Importance of Workforce Diversity Importance of diversity in workforce can be determined by acknowledging its severe consequences. If the proper management of workforce diversity is ignored, then there are chances fo r organization to encounter bigger mishaps. In this regard, Mannix and Neale (2005) conducted a study and explained the two aspects of workforce diversity that affect the organizational performance. These two aspects include: i. Functional Level Diversity ii. Surface Level Diversity It is necessary to recognize the widespread bases which cause diversity. These bases are categorized under two broader terminologies. Differences which arise on the basis of educational background, qualification, personality traits and experience are termed as Functional Level Diversity whereas differences appearing on the basis of ethnicity, gender, age and disability are categorized as Surface Level Diversity. Mannix and Neale (2005) investigated that surface level diversity leaves negative impacts on the performance of workers whereas functional level diversity yields positive results on the performance of workers. McCuiston, Wooldrige & Pierce (2004) also conducted research on the same subject. Howev er, they highlighted the importance of leadership in managing a diversified workforce. Being present at the top management of the organization and having the sole authority of making decisions, according to McCuiston, Wooldrige & Pierce (2004), it is the responsibility of organization’s leaders to manage the diversity of workforce in an effective manner. The primary reason behind such intense diversity in workforce is globalization. After the financial crisis of 2007, people are migrating for getting better jobs which is increasing the intensity of workforce diversity more than ever before. In this regard, it is the responsibility of organization’s top management to deal effectively with workforce diversity because if the reputation of an organization regarding dealing with diversity gets ruptured in the eyes of labor market, then potential talented candidates will feel reluctant in applying for that certain organization (Bartz, Hillman, Lehrer, and Mayhugh, 1990). Man aging Workforce Diversity at LOCOG 2012 For most of the organizations, it becomes difficult to deal with the issues related to workforce diversity. Many organizations take assistance from mentors, experts and practitioners in order to develop an applicable and efficient structure of strategies. Shen, Chanda, D’Netto & Monga (2009) have defined a clear structure of developing strategies for workforce diversity. They stated that for dealing with diversity, organization needs to formulate strategies at all three organizational levels. They include strategic level, tactical level and operational level. At strategic level, strategies must be crafted for long term purpose i.e. establishing strategies so that they will be applicable for more than 10 years. Such

Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning Assignment

Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning - Assignment Example Effective segments are identifiable, measurable, accessible, sizable and actionable. The next step entails selecting customers whose needs can be served by the marketer in the best possible manner. The segment so chosen is the target market. The worth of each segment in terms of sales potential and profit potential is gauged while selecting the target market. It is a good idea to select a segment that is underserved by the existing brands. In the ultimate analysis, the target market should make the best fit with the company’s capabilities and market offerings. A product cannot be ‘everything to everyone’. The marketer, therefore, creates a distinct position of his brand in the minds of the consumer in relation to other competing brands through the process of positioning. The task of positioning begins with deciding the locus in customer’s mind, analyzing competitor’s positioning, identifying gaps and ends with creating a position in the minds of the consumers. Positioning may be done on the plank of quality, service or price. Marketers may also position their products on consumer’s expectations and desires. The entire process of segmentation, targeting and positioning is a long drawn one. The marketers however conscientiously adopt STP as the concept goes hand-in-hand with the marketing mix. All major decisions including the basis of product differentiation are taken keeping in mind the STP. Advertising is a paid form of mass communication done by an identified sponsor. On the other hand, publicity is free and comes from a neutral and impartial source. The marketer has full control over advertising whereas publicity is essentially noncontrollable.

Impact Of Foreign Direct Investment

Impact Of Foreign Direct Investment The word investment can be defined in many ways according to different theories and principles. It is a term that can be used in a number of contexts. However, the different meanings of investment are more alike than dissimilar. Generally, investment is the application of money for earning more money. Investment also means savings or savings made through delayed consumption. According to economics, investment is the utilization of resources in order to increase income or production output in the future. An amount deposited into a bank or machinery that is purchased in anticipation of earning income in the long run is both examples investments. According to economists, investment refers to any physical or tangible asset, for example, a building or machinery and equipment. On the other hand, finance professionals define an investment as money utilized for buying financial assets, for example stocks, bonds, gold, real properties, and precious items. In general term, Investment means the purchase of goods which are invest and not used today, which will give benefit in future. The money you earn is partly spent and rest saved for future expenses. Instead of keeping savings ideal this money is invested to earn additional income this is called investment. When an asset is bought or a given amount of money is invested in the bank, there is anticipation that some return will be received from the investment in the future. (Meaning Of Investment, 2009 ). Investment by domestic residents (individuals, companies, financial institutions and governments) in the acquisition of overseas financial securities and physical assets. Overseas investment in financial assets, in particular by institutional investors, is undertaken primarily to diversify risk and to obtain higher returns than would be achievable on comparable domestic investment. Physical foreign direct investment(FDI) in new manufacturing plants and sales subsidiaries, or the acquisition of established businesses, prov ide the multinational company with a more flexible approach to supplying foreign markets. Interest, profits and dividends gained on these foreign investments count as invisible earnings in the balance of payments, though some of this income may be reinvested overseas rather than repatriated. (Christopher Pass, 1995). The income tax treatment of foreign investment income is frequently governed by Tax Treaties between the country of the investment owner and the state where the investment is situated. (Friedman, 2007 ).Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) An investment abroad, usually where the company is being invested in is controlled by the foreign corporation. A company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country. The direct investment in buildings, machinery and equipment is in contrast with making a portfolio investment, which is considered an indirect investment. (Spaulding, 2004).Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a major driver of globalization. As investment patterns of multinational enterprises become more and more complex, reliable and internationally comparable, FDI statistics are necessary for sound policy decision making. The OECD Benchmark Definition of Foreign Direct Investment sets the world standard for FDI statistics. It provides a single point of reference for statisticians and users on all aspect of FDI statistics, while remaining compatible with other internationally accepted statistical standards. (OECD, 2008) . In the past decade, FDI has come to play a major role in the internationalization of business. Reacting to changes in technology, growing liberalization of the national regulatory framework governing investment in enterprises, and changes in capital markets profound changes have occurred in the size, scope and methods of FDI. New information technology systems, decline in global communication costs have made management of foreign investments far easier than in the past. (Spaulding, Foreign Direct Investment, 2005).In recent years, given rapid growth and change in global investment patterns, the definition has been broadened to include the acquisition of a lasting management interest in a company or enterprise outside the investing firms home country. As such, it may take many forms, such as a direct acquisition of a foreign firm, construction of a facility, or investment in a joint venture or strategic alliance with a local firm with attendant input of technology, licensing of intellectual property. (Graham, 2005). According to the benchmark definition of the OECD and World Investment Report 2009, a direct investment enterprise is an incorporated or unincorporated enterprise in which a single foreign investor either owns 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares or voting power of an enterprise (unless it can be proved that the 10 percent ownership does not allow the investor an effective voice in the management) or owns less than 10 percent the ordinary shares or voting power of an enterprise, yet still maintains an effective voice in management. An effectiv e voice in management only implies that direct investors are able to influence the management of an enterprise and does not imply that they have absolute control. The most important characteristics of FDI, which distinguishes it from portfolio investment, is that it is undertaken with the intention of exercising control over an enterprise. (GlobStat, 2009).Probably the most important role of FDI in a developing economy is the supply of capital, as capital deficiency is the fundamental problem in case of a developing economy. Capital formation depends on investment, which, however, implies sacrifice of consumption. (Zaidi, 2009). Developing countries  [1]  , emerging economies and countries in transition have come increasingly to see FDI as a source of economic development and modernization, income growth and employment. Countries have liberalized their FDI regimes and pursued other policies to attract investment. They have addressed the issue of how best to pursue domestic polic ies to maximize the benefits of foreign presence in the domestic economy. The study Foreign Direct Investment for Development attempts primarily to shed light on the second issue, by focusing on the overall effect of FDI on macroeconomic growth and other welfare-enhancing processes, and on the channels through which these benefits take effect. (Andru Pascal, 2002). The most profound effect has been seen in developing countries, where yearly foreign direct investment flows have increased from an average of less than $10 billion in the 1970s to a yearly average of less than $20 billion in the 1980s, to explode in the 1990s from $26.7billion in 1990 to $179 billion in 1998 and $208 billion in 1999 and now comprise a large portion of global FDI.. Driven by mergers and acquisitions and internationalization of production in a range of industries, FDI into developed countries last year rose to $636 billion, from $481 billion in 1998 but in south Asian developing countries in which India $1 23 billion of FDI inward and Pakistan $31 billion of FDI inward in 2008. (UNCTAD, 2009) History: Early Investment There have been international organizations engaged in trading activities as far back in time as 2500BC, with banks and churches also having formed international organizations throughout history (Allen, 1984). The appearance of the modern MNE, incorporating control over foreign production units, did not occur until the Nineteenth Century (Wilkins, 1977), but early resemblances to the modern MNE appeared in the 1600s and 1700s, when large trading companies from the UK and the Netherlands entered parts of Asia, the Indies and America  [2]  . The two largest enterprises were the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company (Nicholas, 1988). These dominated the well-paid markets of spices, cottons and silks, and are credited as being the true pioneers of international commercial activities. Investment also later took place in the UK and French colonial territories of Latin America, Asia, Africa and Australia, with most investments being supply oriented, in the form of resource exploitation (Medard Gabel, 2003)  [3]  . International companies also emerged with the aim of colonizing foreign lands. One of the first was the London-based, British Virginia Company, Whose strategy was to profit from the development and colonization of Virginia in the US. Similar projects across North America were undertaken by the Dutch, the French and the Swedes. (Wren, 2006). It is generally accepted that the true birth of the modern multinational arose in Europe in the Nineteenth Century (Wilkins, History of FDI , 2004)  [4]  . Examples are the Cocker ill steelworks of England that set up in Prussia; Bayers of Germany that set up chemical plants in the US; and Nobels of Sweden that set up dynamite production in Germany (Tugendhat, 1981). However, it was not until the latter part of the Nineteenth Century that larger-scale foreign direct investment started to emerge. A major motivation for the spread of these firms was the increase in the protectionist behavior of countries, which in turn was a by-product of increased nationalism. As customers mostly-preferred goods produced locally, as opposed to imported goods, firms had to set-up abroad (John Micklethwait, 2003 ). Other important reasons for the upsurge in FDI and the growth of MNEs was the search for larger markets, as enterprises began to grow in size, and improvements occurred in transportation and communication, most notably the railways and telegraphs (Wilkins, FDI , 1998). These advances not only made it easier for parent companies to control their subsidiaries but to control them over longer distances. Up until the end of the Nineteenth Century, European firms dominated the MNE scene, but US multinationals were beginning to increase, both in number and size. Examples of US multinationals at this time include singers, which set up sewing-machine plants in Scotland, and the electrical-manufacturers Thomson-Houston, which set up in England (Attack, 1994). The increase in FDI at the turn of the Twentieth Century was halted in the inter-war period both by the destruction caused by the First World War and the threat of another war leading to discrimination against foreigners by the occupants of many countries. The First World War also resulted in European multinationals being forced to sell their pre-war investments, with political upheaval and border changes also impacting on cross-border activities (Dunning, 1983). Other factors leading to a worldwide fall in investment included the Great Depression of late 1920s and early 1930s and the substantial rise in inflation in Europe (Jones, 1995 ). By the time of the Second World War, the main stock of FDI was still held by the UK 40 per cent, while the US held 28 per cent (Jones Eric Lionel, 2000). However, after the Second World War a new wave of FDI began to emerge, arising mainly from the US. The factors behind this improvement in technology and Communication systems, greater economic and political stability, the formation of trading blocks and a more liberalized attitude from host governments (Hood, 1999). In the years after the Second World War global FDI was dominated by the United States, as much of the world recovered from the destruction brought by the conflict. The US accounted for around three-quarters of new FDI (including reinvested profits) between 1945 and 1960. Since that time FDI has sprea d to become a truly global phenomenon, no longer the exclusive preserve of Organization for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD) countries. FDI has grown in importance in the global economy with FDI stocks now constituting over 20 percent of global GDP. Pakistan History Soon after independence in 1947, Pakistan moved from a parliamentary system to a presidential one and then finally reverted to the original parliamentary system. Pakistan has a checkered history of trade liberalization and FDI promotion. Following some trade liberalization attempts in the 1960s, Pakistan qualified for Article VIII status at the IMF in 1970. Even by the mid-1980s there was still a long way to go in lifting quantitative restrictions QRs and reducing tariffs. From the mid-1980s, controls on foreign investment in manufacturing have diminished sharply, those for the service sector less so (Athukoralge, 2007) In spite of various bureaucratic controls, the government attitude throughout the 1950s and 1960s was favorable to private investment, the FDI regime was more liberal, although there was greater emphasis on joint ventures with minority foreign ownership and technology licensing than on FDI in fully foreign owned ventures. However, supremacy of the state and socialist ideology under a socialist government dominated policy in the 1970s. As a result, a large-scale program of nationalization of key industrial units and wide-spread control of domestic and foreign trade were instituted. The dismal economic outcome of the interventionist policies eventually paved the way for market-oriented reform. Reforms started slowly in the early 1980s as part of a widespread reform package in conformity with the World Bank conditionality. Removal of restrictions on foreign investment was a major element of the reform program. Full foreign ownership of firms, with full freedom for remittance of profit a nd investment proceeds, is now allowed in almost all sectors of the economy (Athukoralge, FDI History of Pakistan, 2007). Independence in 1971, the Bangladesh government adopted a state-led import-substitution development strategy, which was far more interventionist than that of the united Pakistan. The new government nationalized a larger number of industrial enterprises owned by Pakistani entrepreneurs as well as all industrial enterprises with fixed assets exceeding a certain threshold level. The scope of the private sector was limited to small and cottage industry, and foreign investment was allowed only in collaboration with the public sector with minority equity participation. However, existing foreign investments (excluding those belonging to Pakistan) were spared from the sweeping nationalization drive. The socialist-oriented industrial policy of 1973 assigned a very minor role for the private sector, with some investment ceiling on new investment (Athukoralge, History of Pakistan , 2007). Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been a small but growing part of total investment in Pakistan. Data indicates that FDI in Pakistan has grown from $8 million US dollars in 1976 to $346 million dollars in 1993. During the same period, total gross fixed capital formation grew from $2.4 to $9.2 Billion dollars (international Monetary Fund). Nevertheless, excluding the non-capital part, FDI is even a smaller part of total capital formation in Pakistan than these figures reflect (Kaynak, 1999). General Musharraf vowed to make all out efforts to improve the deteriorating economic conditions in order to eradicate poverty and hunger in the country. The bank defined essential problem areas where urgent action is needed as: (1) Build investor confidence; (2) Structural change in fiscal policy; (3) Reduction in budget deficit to more sustainable level; (4) Address the national debt servicing issue; (5) Improve exports; (6) Population control; and (7) Improve human capital. Meanwhile, there is a very low flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country. The FDI peaked in 1996 to $992 Million and declined to $370 Million in 1999. Another report says that FDI amounted to around $600 Million in 1999; the figure is based on the difference between the amount of FDI stocks in 1998($9.2Billion) and 1999 ($9.8 Billion). However, this constituted 0.21 percent of FDI global flows ($4.7 Trillion). FDI stocks in Pakistan in 1999 represented 4.4 percent of its GDP (Mahmood, FDI History of Pakistan , 2001). Increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased to $3.5 Billion in the last financial year, according to GOP sources. The United Nations World Investment Report 2006 stated that Pakistan saw a 95% growth in FDI inflows in 2005 to reach $2.183 Billion (Mahmood, 2007). Impact of Foreign Direct Investment Attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) has become a key part of national development strategies for many countries. They see such investments as bolstering domestic capital, productivity, and employment, all of which are crucial to jump-starting economic growth. While many highlight FDIs positive effects, others blame FDI for crowding out domestic investment and lowering certain regulatory standards. The effects of FDI can sometimes barely be perceived, while other times they can be absolutely transformative. While FDIs impact depends on many conditions, well-developed and implemented policies can help maximize its gains. The resources in this list focus on the impact of FDI on: Economic growth: Foreign capital stocks combined with the widespread belief that FDI is beneficial for growth triggered a large body of literature on the determinants of FDI in the Central and Eastern European transition countries. The primary goal was to locate all relevant economic and political factors which could be beneficial for FDI inflows and, by extension, for economic growth(Neuhaus, 2005). Trade: The direct impact falls into two parts, namely an immediate effect emanating from the actual investment and the effects on the import pattern of the targeted enterprises. The former channel is generally limited to the imports of initial inputs of imported machinery and equipment (especially in Greenfield investment), or, where FDI is large compared with the size of the host economy, it may include the knock-on effect on aggregate imports from rising total domestic demand. The second channel, which essentially depends on the investors choice between imported and local inputs, has been studied extensively(OECD, Direct Impact of FDI on Imports, 2002). Employment and skill levels: In response to the AFL-CIOs (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations) earlier claim that job losses result from the impact of runaway firms setting up labor- intensive operations in offshore locations, the US tariff commission analyzed then- new data on the foreign operations of US firms. It found that employment gains generated from associated exports of equipment and parts, etc. and expansion of supporting non-production jobs would be large enough to offset possible job losses arising from production displacement effects(Neil Hood, 1979). In response to the latest concerns of the US labor unions, 23 studies have investigated the impact of FDI on employment. All except one have concluded that it has a positive effect resulting in the net increase of jobs(Lee, 2002). Technology diffusion and knowledge transfer: Are of great importance for economic development, as the adoption of new techniques, machines, and production processes is a key determinant of productivity growth. Given that most research and development (RD) and innovation is undertaken in high income countries, most developing economies must rely largely on imported technologies as sources of new productive knowledge. This is not to say that no RD is undertaken in developing countries; a considerable amount of follow-on innovation and adaptation does occur there, contributing to the global stock of knowledge(Smarzynska Javorcik, 2006). Linkages and spillover to domestic firms: FDI spillovers: An increase in the productivity of domestic firms as a consequence of the presence of foreign firms in the domestic economy. FDI spillovers via horizontal linkages: An increase in the productivity of domestic firms resulting from the presence of foreign firms in the same industry. FDI spillovers via forward linkages: An increase in productivity resulting from the foreign presence among the supplies of the industry in which the domestic firm operates. FDI spillovers via backward linkages: An increase in productivity resulting from the foreign presence among the customers of the industry in which the domestic firm operates. These spillovers may take place among domestic firms but are more likely to occur with foreign affiliated firms given their linkages with large foreign parent companies. In the case of horizontal spillovers, there are not such incentives and firms would rather protect their intellectual assets rather than risk technology leakage to competitors (OECD, FDI spillover, 2008). Types of Foreign Direct Investment By Direction Inward FDI: Inward foreign direct investment is when foreign capital is invested in local resources. Inward FDI is encouraged by: Tax breaks, subsidies, low interest loans, grants, lifting of certain restrictions The thought is that the long term gain is worth short term loss of income Inward FDI is restricted by: Ownership restraints or limits Different performance requirements Outward FDI: Outward foreign direct investment, sometimes called direct investment abroad is when local capital is invested in foreign resources. Outward FDI is encouraged by Government-backed insurance to cover risk Outward FDI is restricted by Tax incentives or disincentives on firms that invest outside of the home country or on repatriated profits Subsidies for local businesses Leftist government policies that support the nationalization of industries (or at least a modicum of government control) Self-interested lobby groups and societal sectors who are supported by inward FDI or state investment, for example labor markets and agriculture. Security industries are often kept safe from outwards FDI to ensure the localized state control of the military industrial complex. By Target Greenfield Investment: Direct investment in new facilities or the expansion of existing facilities. Greenfield investments are the primary target of a host nations promotional efforts because they create new production capacity and jobs, transfer technology and know-how, and can lead to linkages to the global marketplace. The Organization for International Investment cites the benefits of Greenfield investment (or in sourcing) for regional and national economies to include increased employment (often at higher wages than domestic firms); investments in research and development; and additional capital investments. Criticism of the efficiencies obtained from Greenfield investments includes the loss of market share for competing domestic firms. Another criticism of Greenfield investment is that profits are perceived to bypass local economies, and instead flow back entirely to the multinationals home economy. Critics contrast this to local industries whose profits are seen to flow back e ntirely into the domestic economy (Easson, 2004). Mergers and Acquisitions: Transfers of existing assets from local firms to foreign firms takes place; the primary type of FDI. Cross-border mergers occur when the assets and operation of firms from different countries are combined to establish a new legal entity. Cross-border acquisitions occur when the control of assets and operations is transferred from a local to a foreign company, with the local company becoming an affiliate of the foreign company. Unlike Greenfield investment, acquisitions provide no long term benefits to the local economy even in most deals the owners of the local firm are paid in stock from the acquiring firm, meaning that the money from the sale could never reach the local economy. Nevertheless, mergers and acquisitions are a significant form acquiring firm, meaning that the money from the sale could never reach the local economy. Nevertheless, mergers and acquisitions are a significant form of FDI and until around 1997, accounted for nearly 90% of the FDI fl ow into the United States. Mergers are the most common way for multinationals to do FDI (Jonathan Jones, 2006). Horizontal FDI: It refers to FDI in the same industry in which the organization in the home nation. Vertical FDI: It refers to the FDI by an organization in order to sell the outputs of domestic firms to the investment which provides inputs to the domestic organization (Misra, 2009). Backward Vertical FDI: Where an industry abroad provides inputs for a firms domestic production process. Forward Vertical FDI: Where an industry abroad sells the outputs of a firms domestic production. By Motive: FDI can also be categorized based on the motive behind the investment from the perspective of the following firm: Resource-Seeking FDI Investments which seek to acquire factors of production those are more efficient than those obtainable in the home economy of the firm. In some cases, these resources may not be available in the home economy at all (e.g. cheap labor and natural resources). This typifies FDI into developing countries, for example seeking natural resources in the Middle East and Africa, or cheap labor in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe (Cohen, 2007). 1.3.3.2 Market-Seeking FDI Investments which aim at either penetrating new markets or maintaining existing ones. FDI of this kind may also be employed as defensive strategy; it is argued that businesses are more likely to be pushed towards this type of investment out of fear of losing a market rather than discovering a new one .This type of FDI can be characterized by the foreign Mergers and Acquisitions in the 1980s by Accounting, Advertising and Law firms (Cohen, Market-Seeking FDI , 2007). 1.3.3.3 Efficient-Seeking FDI Investments which firms hope will increase their efficiency by exploiting the benefits of economies of scale and scope and also those of common ownership. It is suggested that this type of FDI comes after either resource or market seeking investments have been realized, with the expectation that it further increases the profitability of the firm. Typically, this type of FDI is mostly widely practiced between developed economies; especially those within closely integrated markets (Cohen, Efficiency-Seeking FDI, 2007). 1.3.3.4 Strategic-Asset-Seeking FDI A tactical investment to prevent the loss of resource to a competitor. Easily compared to that of the oil producers, whom may not need the oil at present, but look to prevent their competitors from having it (OECD, Strategic-Asset-Seeking FDI , 2002). 1.3.3.5 Political Oppositions to FDI In the late 1960s and early 1970s foreign direct investment became increasingly politicized. Organized labor, convinced that foreign investment exported jobs, undertook a major campaign to reform the tax provisions which affected foreign direct investment. The Foreign Trade and Investment Act of 1973 (or the Burke-Hartke Bill) would have eliminated both the tax credit and tax deferral. The Nixon Administration, influential members of Congress of both parties, and well-financed lobbying organizations came to the defense of the multinational. The massive counterattack of the multinational corporations and their allies defeated this first major challenge to their interests (Finance, 2006). 1.3.3.6 Private Foreign Investment Few areas in the economics of development arouse so much controversy and are subject to such varying interpretations as the issue of the benefits and costs of private foreign investment. If, however, we look closely at this controversy, we will find that the disagreement is not so much about the influence of MNCs on traditional economics aggregate such as GDP, investment, savings, and manufacturing growth rates (though these disagreements do indeed exist) as about the fundamental economic and social meaning of development as it relates to the diverse activities of MNCs. In other words, the controversy over the role and impact of foreign private investment often has as its basis a fundamental disagreement about the nature, style, and character of a desirable development process (Todaro, 1989). Components of FDI The components of FDI are equity capital, reinvested earnings and intra-company loans: Equity Capital Equity in unincorporated entities, non-cash acquisition against technology transfer, plant and machinery, goodwill, business development and similar considerations control premium and non-competition fee (Components of FDI, 2004).The foreign direct investors net purchase of the share and loans of an enterprise in a country other than its own. Reinvested Earnings The part of an affiliates earnings accruing to the foreign investors that is reinvested in that enterprise. Intra-company Loans (Other Capital) Short or long-term loans, trade credit, suppliers credit, financial-leasing, financial derivatives, debt securities from parent firms to affiliate enterprises or vice versa. In the case of banks, deposits, bills and short-term loans are not included. 1.5 Benefits of FDI: The economic benefits of FDI are real, but they do not accrue automatically. To develop the maximum benefits from foreign corporate presence a healthy enabling environment for business is paramount, which encourages domestic as well as foreign investment, provides incentives for innovation and improvements of skills and contributes to a competitive corporate climate. The net benefits from FDI do not accrue automatically, and their magnitude differs according to host country and context. The magnitude of the benefits from FDI depends on the efforts of host countries to put in place the appropriate frameworks but even less-well performing countries may benefit, inter alia by using FDI as a supplement to scarce financial resources. The factors that hold back the full benefits of FDI in some developing countries include the level of general education and health, the technological level of host country enterprises, insufficient openness to trade, weak competition and inadequate regulatory frameworks. Conversely, a level of technological, educational and infrastructure achievement in a developing country does, other things being equal, equip it better to benefit from a foreign presence in its markets (OECD, Benefits of FDI, 2002) The Perceived Benefits of FDI A Zero-Sum Game: As with international trade, it is argued that the free movement of investment capital increases the aggregate sum of global wealth. FDI is not a zero-sum game. If capital is allowed to flow where its owners consider it can be employed most efficiently, then the highest return on capital will be achieved. Restrictions upon FDI necessarily result in the inefficient utilization of capital. This does not, of course, mean that everyone necessarily benefits from FDI- simply that the total benefit should outweigh the total detriment. Nor, of course, does if assume that capital will always be used efficiently- though it is assumed that restrictions upon FDI flows will result in less efficient utilization than if those restrictions did not exist. If one accepts that FDI produces a net benefit in global terms, then everyone should be happy so long as that benefit is shared fairly among the host country, the home country, the firm that undertakes it, and those persons most clo sely affected by the activities of the firm- its shareholders, customers, suppliers and workers (Easson, Benefits of FDI, 2004). FDI from the perspective of home countries: FDI is gen

Destructive Jealousy in Iago and Othello Essay -- essays research pape

â€Å"Jealousy has the power to destroy† Discuss the ways in which Shakespeare uses both characters Othello and Iago to convey this message. Following the recent study of Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Othello†, we found a lot of information about the play and the theme jealousy. Shakespeare wrote tragedies, comedies and histories, all were in five acts of poetry. My definition of jealousy is where someone has something or is able to do something that another person can do. They are jealous because the other people are able to and have the things they want but can’t get. The play ‘Othello’ is in Shakespeare’s group of tragedies, because of the deaths and misfortunes. The main characters in â€Å"Othello† are Othello himself, iago, Cassio, Desdamona and maybe Emilia the play has jealousy and gullibility in it. â€Å"Othello’’ is a black man in a white society. Iago is jealous of cassio because he became Othello’s lieutenant. Iago is jealous because he felt that he was the one to get that position, because he believed that he deserved it, but did not receive what he wanted. Cassio has turned into a bit of a playboy and slept with women, possibly iagos wife. Here are a few quotes about Othello, iago says, â€Å"I do suspect a trusty moor hath leaped into my seat†. I do think this is saying, that iago is thinking that Othello has slept with his wife emilia. The next quote shows that, iago wants to do to Othello what he did to him. Revenge. â€Å"Till i've evened with him, wife for wife†. Iago shows his potential of jealousy to become so destructive. Iagos wife emilia says to Desdemona (Othello’s wife), â€Å"who would not make her husband old to make him a monarch?† Iago also starts to say things about cassio like, â€Å" for I fear cassio with my night cap too.† Iago... ...ed in the extreme†. Here iago is admitting to being manipulative. At the end othello again feels isolated and feels completely vunerable throughout. The audience could see him as a mix between confident and in charge as well as being very insecure. Othello stabs iago wanting to wound him, iago’s reply is, â€Å"I bleed sir, but not killed† – which was what othello wanted.. iago ends up being taken away to be tortured and othello wants this as living is more of sa punishment. Iago is clever and manipulative and has a good understanding of people. He is evil throughout shakespeares play and he knows it. He also blames others for active manipulation of them. â€Å"demand me nothing, what you know, you know.† Iago plants the idea of desdamona in othellos mind. Initially othello does not believe him, but iago continues to manipulate othello and othello lets him do it.

Nixon’s Checker’s Speech

â€Å"The Checkers Speech† It was the midst of the 1952 presidential campaign when the New York Post’s newspaper story came out accusing Senator Richard Nixon of having a secret political fund. This accusation caused Nixon to face the reality of virtually being dropped as the presidential candidate of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s running mate. On September 23, 1952, Nixon sat down to address one of the largest television audiences in political history until Nixon’s 1960 debate with John F. Kennedy.While millions of American’s tuned into prime-time television, they sat and watched Senator Richard Nixon defend himself by delivering his influential and famous speech, which is known as his â€Å"Checkers Speech. † From the beginning of time, as seen in all political campaigns, the fight to win over the American public is mainly shown through these persuasive political speeches. In this particular speech, Nixon uses the art of rhetoric to persuade, mani pulate, and gain the trust of his audience. By using the empowerment of the new medium of television, he uses this political tool to manipulate.He bares his heart out through his words, and gives himself credibility by portraying himself as an honest, family man with good character. These key elements of a rhetor such as gaining the audiences’ approval by their persona, tone, and structure in which they deliver their thesis. All of these are important for a political speaker, so it enables them to overpower the numerous accusations that come along with the campaigning. Richard Nixon was a former Navy marine, which then led him to win a seat in the House of Representatives.Two years later he became a member of the House Committee, and investigated an espionage case, which turned him into a national figure as well as a controversial one. After two terms he was elected into the U. S. Senate. The young Richard Nixon had only six years of a political background when Dwight D. Eise nhower nominated him as his running mate in the 1952 election. With the rise of Nixon’s political career, it came to a halt when the New York Post’s headline stated, â€Å"Secret Rich Men’s Trust Fund Keeps Nixon in Style Far Beyond His Salary. Having relatively no political experience, he showed his virtuous qualities through this speech, knowing that had his future on the line.Richard Nixon was accused of accepting secret funds for his election campaign, but he cleared himself of these accusations and changed his audiences’ point of view through this speech. He used a brilliant political maneuver to directly address the public via the new medium of television. He began with stating, â€Å"†¦I feel that the people have got to have confidence in the integrity of the men who run for that office and who might obtain it. After this, he structures his speech through persuasion to give explicit reasons examples as to how he is the one that the people sh ould be confident in. Charged with accepting $18,000 from a group of his supporters, he confidently stated that he did not take one cent of it. He went into detail about the lack of funds he used, his earnings throughout the years, and how his wife was a main contributor to his campaign. He brings in the opposition of his opponent, how he puts his wife on the pay roll with his power, which is a gain in income for him and his campaigning.By doing this, Nixon clears the competition by having the He recited the audit that was taken on him through Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher, one of the biggest law firms in Los Angeles. It concludes that Nixon did not obtain any financial gain from the collection and disbursement of the fund by Dana Smith. He gains his credibility by his hard and honest efforts throughout his life to get him where he is today. By the end of the message he informs the people that he did in fact accept a gift during the election—Checkers, their cocker spaniel dog.He e xplains how a Texas man heard his wife on the radio mention how their two children wanted a dog, and the next day he sent them a little cocker spaniel. Nixon explained how it is the one and only gift that he would keep for the sake of his children. Through this, it touched the hearts of Americans, giving him the image of a family man. After all of his truthful evidence, he submits the decision to the Republican National Committee whether his position on the ticket will help or hurt.With this influential speech, he changed the points of views of millions, and saved his name on the ballot, which potentially helped Eisenhower to win. The Checkers Speech is a widely known for its positively argumentative structure against the accusations of the press. He takes into account that being a politician it comes along with the rumors and scandals. He wanted to clearly state that these charges are an honest misunderstanding and he pleads to tell entire truth of his funds.Embedded in an extensiv e and complex listing of his personal finances, he closes by announcing that he did receive a gift and intended on keeping it—the dog. This is the point that caught the attention of millions and saved his political career, as well as possibly saving Dwight D. Eisenhower’s. Having read this speech, I would like to go into further research on why this speech was so persuasive. I would like to research the kind of language Nixon used, and if this speech wasn’t publicly televised, if it would have had a greater impact. Which of the theoretical lenses did he use?

Assignment 2: Case 3-3, Easycar.Com

Assignment 2: Case 3-3, easyCar. com 1. In Western Europe, the rental car industry is made up of many companies competing against each other, but only a handful of companies are actually dominant. According to the text, in most countries, the companies that were dominant were national or regional companies rather than companies that had a strong international presence. Many smaller companies also operated in each different country but generally only operated in a few locations. The rental car industry in Europe can be split into two segments: a business segment and a leisure segment. The text says that the business segment wasn’t very price conscious, whereas the leisure segment was very price conscious. These characteristics can influence how service is delivered in this industry because it’s difficult for a company to enter a new market if they aren’t a national or regional company and aren’t aware of what each segment wants in that market. 2. To keep prices low, easyCar only stocked one type of vehicle at each of its locations, so they didn’t have to buy multiple types of vehicle for each location. When it came to choosing where to put locations, they stayed away from the price airport spaces to avoid higher leasing costs. They also kept their physical locations to a minimum. They usually rented out space in an already existing parking garage and employees worked out of a small cubicle within the garage. Each location generally had about 150 cars, however, since their vehicles were rented 90 percent of the time, they only needed 15-20 spaces to keep the cars that weren’t rented out at the time. This kept the cost down significantly because they didn’t need to keep space for all 150 of their cars. These are just a few examples of how easyCar kept their costs down. 3. I would say that the level of quality that easyCar provided its customers was decent, but people can’t necessarily expect the best from a company that has such low prices. The thing that really got me was the fact that they gave people their vehicles with a relatively low fuel tank. Also, the fact that customers had to take a shuttle to get to the rental car area wouldn’t necessarily be a popular choice. The car was also to be cleaned thoroughly before returned and although it’s always good practice to do a quick cleanup of a rental car, not many companies require a customer to get the car detailed inside and out. These policies don’t really make me eager to use them when I’m looking for a rental car, despite the lower price. 4. EasyCar could be a viable competitor to taxis, buses and trains because of their cheap prices. In some cities, taxis are pretty expensive so if easyCar’s prices are lower, then they would likely be an option that people would choose instead. Buses and trains in Europe aren’t that expensive and trains especially can get a customer to a place they need to be pretty fast, so I’m not sure easyCar would be as much competition for them. 5. By offering cheaper prices for people who make reservations on easyCar. com, the company seemed to be looking at competing with the dominant companies. Their advertising line of â€Å"the best reason to use easyCar. com can be found at hertz. nl† would indicate that their website is better and easier to use than Hertz. To compete with companies like Hertz, they need to have lower prices but they need to have better service.

McCarthyism and The Crucible What to Know

McCarthyism and The Crucible What to Know SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In studying The Crucible, you will inevitably be faced with questions about the play's connections to the "Red Scare" of the 1950s and the phenomenon known as McCarthyism. These connections are important because they demonstrate that The Crucible is not merely a (highly adapted) retelling of historical events but also an allegorical reference to the timelessness of certain central human flaws. In this article, I'll provide historical background on McCarthyism, tell you about Arthur Miller's personal involvement with the investigations of alleged communists in the 1950s, and explain how and why interpretations of The Crucible are so closely tied to the political attitudes and events of that decade. Background on McCarthyism Let’s start off with some background on who Joseph McCarthy was and what role he played in American politics. McCarthy was a Republican from Wisconsin who rose through the political ranks in the 1940s and was elected to the Senate in 1946. When it looked like he might not be reelected in 1950 after a few unremarkable years of service, he decided to try a new political strategy: targeting communist subversives. To see why this was even an option, you have to understand the political climate at the time. The 1950s marked the beginning of the Cold War, an era of great tension between the US and the communist USSR. Conservatives in the US feared that anyone who had any affiliation with the Communist Party was a potential threat to national security because they couldn’t be trusted to remain loyal to the US. McCarthy was able to use this fear to his advantage. On February 9, 1950, he claimed to possess a list of the names of 205 people in the US State Department who were members of the American Communist Party. The public, in the throes of a communist hysteria, demanded an investigation of these supposed agitators within the government. Though many of the people on McCarthy’s list were not, in fact, communists, he still managed to become the chairman of an organization called the Government Committee on Operations of the Senate, which proceeded to investigate "dissenters." These investigations went on for two years, during which the questioning spread to numerous government departments, and there was a continued proliferation of communist panic. This persecution of alleged subversives became known colloquially as "McCarthyism." McCarthy finally lost power in 1954 soon after proposing an investigation of the military to root out communists. President Eisenhower, who never liked McCarthy and had great respect for the military as a former commander, decided things had finally gone too far. He worked behind the scenes to discredit McCarthy. The Army sent inside information about McCarthy’s abuses of power to his critics, and a storm of bad PR finally led to the loss of his position as chairman of the investigatory committee. He died soon after in 1957, four years after the opening of The Crucible. Though the modern-day witch hunt philosophy carries his namesake, Joseph McCarthy was far from the only driving force behind the investigation of suspected communists during the Cold War. Another congressional group called the House UnAmerican Activities Committee played a similar and, some would argue, even more dramatic role at the same time. HUAC was a congressional committee originally established in 1938 with the primary goal of investigating communist and fascist organizations that had become active during the Great Depression. After World War II, as Cold War tensions mounted, HUAC became even more intent on investigating communist activities. HUAC gained significant power in tandem with McCarthy; in fact, HUAC provided inspiration for many of McCarthy’s tactics. Members of the committee were convinced that disloyal communists had managed to infiltrate the US government, educational system, and entertainment industry. Anyone deemed suspicious was issued a subpoena by the committee and subsequently questioned about their political activities and the activities of other potential subversives. People who refused to answer these questions or name any names were arrested for contempt of Congress and even sent to jail. Many were subsequently denied employment opportunities in their industries because they were universally "blacklisted" or shut out by employers who feared that hiring them would be a public relations nightmare. How did McCarthy come up with his catalog of commies? He asked everyone in Congress if he could borrow a pen. The ones who said yes were on the list. YOU WON'T TRICK ME WITH YOUR SHARING WAYS! I BUY MY OWN PENS BECAUSE I'M AN AMERICAN! Arthur Miller’s Connections to McCarthyism Arthur Miller had great distaste for McCarthy’s investigations in the early 1950s, and he claims to have written The Crucible in 1953 largely as a reaction to this tense political climate. He had become fascinated with the environment of paranoia and how it affected society as a whole. When he stumbled upon the story of the Salem witch trials, he finally came up with a way to express those themes on stage.The Crucible was also a reaction his personal disappointment at the decision of his friend, director Elia Kazan, to name some former colleagues as communists in 1952 in front of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. Many believe The Crucible's high profile as a criticism of McCarthyism partially led to Miller’s own investigation by HUAC. In 1956, Miller was subpoenaed by HUAC after attempting to renew his passport before traveling to Belgium for the opening of The Crucible. He was suspected (not incorrectly) of possessing close ties to the American Communist Party. Miller did in fact write communist theater criticism and was a greater private supporter of communism than he portrayed himself to be at the time, but he never actually joined the party. When he appeared before HUAC, Miller refused to name anyone else who was involved in "subversive" political activities. To be fair, Miller had less at stake than many others who were called before HUAC to testify. Because he worked mainly in theater, he didn't have to worry as much about the effects Hollywood's unforgiving blacklist policy would have on his career. Miller was found in contempt of Congress for refusing to betray his peers, but the ruling was overturned two years later as HUAC lost power and relevance. Many professionals in the entertainment industry found themselves jobless in Hollywood after falling out of HUAC's good graces. The government's influence on movies at this time was much greater than it is today. The Crucible as an Allegory for McCarthyism It’s not difficult to see the parallels between McCarthyism and The Crucible's plot. The abandonment of reason in the face of hysteria is a clear common theme. Arthur Miller wrote an essay in 1996 entitled "Why I Wrote The Crucible: An Author’s Answer to Politics" that provides insight into his view of the play’s connections to the communist panic. Early in the essay, he relates the US State Department’s fear of China after the communist takeover to the fear of black magic in The Crucible. Miller writes, "There was magic all around; the politics of alien conspiracy soon dominated political discourse and bid fair to wipe out any other issue." Miller saw these sorts of irrational thought processes (weeding out officials associated with China in the US government with the goal of diminishing China’s power overall) as corollaries to the supernatural beliefs of his characters. As communist hysteria built, Miller was even more convinced that he wanted to write a play based on this form of collective insanity. He was especially fascinated by people who disagreed with the communist "witch hunt" but chose to keep their heads down and go along with it to avoid their own persecution. He writes, "But by 1950, when I began to think of writing about the hunt for Reds in America, I was motivated in some great part by the paralysis that had set in among many liberals who, despite their discomfort with the inquisitors' violations of civil rights, were fearful, and with good reason, of being identified as covert Communists if they should protest too strongly." This sort of behavior is one of the biggest contributors to the panic that grows throughout The Crucible. For example, John Proctor hesitates to expose Abigail as a fraud because he fears repercussions from the court, and Parris is eager to turn on others to preserve his reputation. In another relevant quote, Miller writes, "The Soviet plot was the hub of a great wheel of causation; the plot justified the crushing of all nuance, all the shadings that a realistic judgment of reality requires." In The Crucible, Miller translates this concept into the Satanic plot that the officials believe is at work in Salem. Danforth claims that there is "a moving plot to topple Christ in the country!" (pg. 91). Danforth also insists that "a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between" (pg. 87). Nuance cannot be tolerated because the people in charge feel that the stakes are too high. Communist infiltration of the US government and the Devil’s infiltration of Salem are both disastrous scenarios that must be prevented at all costs, even if it means throwing innocent people under the bus. Some people (including his former friend Elia Kazan) predictably complained that Miller’s analogy between the Salem witch trials and McCarthyism was bogus. After all, communists are real, and witches aren’t. Miller, however, says he viewed the analogy as perfectly sound. He argues that, in the 17th century, "the existence of witches was never questioned by the loftiest minds in Europe and America" because the Bible spoke of their existence. Witches were just as real to people in the 1690s as communists were to people in the 1950s. He adds, "The more I read into the Salem panic, the more it touched off corresponding ages of common experiences in the fifties: the old friend of a blacklisted person crossing the street to avoid being seen talking to him; the overnight conversions of former leftists into born-again patriots; and so on. Apparently, certain processes are universal." Miller was fascinated by what happened in Salem because of the parallels he could draw to the events of his life amidst the Red Scare. The Crucible has resonated across time because it expresses central truths about human nature. People will go to great lengths to avoid being ostracized by society, including, in many cases, betraying their true beliefs and selling out their friends. If patriotism is taken too far, it can transform itself into a hatred of "outsiders" rather than a love of political freedoms. This type of harmful attitude remains an issue in the US to this day. Why Does the Relationship Between McCarthyism and The Crucible Matter? Miller closes his essay by saying, "I am not sure what The Crucible is telling people now, but I know that its paranoid center is still pumping out the same darkly attractive warning that it did in the fifties." Though we like to think of ourselves more enlightened than the people who conducted the Salem witch trials, virtually the same course of events has occurred many times in more recent history. The fear of witches only seems archaic because most of society no longer holds serious beliefs in the supernatural. Today, scenarios like this can be even more insidious because "witch hunts" are conducted for types of people that really do exist. There were, of course, communists in the US in the 1950s, but the vast majority of them had no designs on overthrowing the US government or becoming Soviet spies. The danger lies in assuming that purely because someone holds a political or religious belief, he or she must pose a threat. People who are viewed as "other" continue to be persecuted out of fear and ignorance. The Crucible and McCarthyism can be compared to other modern forms of rumor, persecution, suspicion, and hysteria such as: The AIDS scare in the 80’s and 90’s Fear of terrorism in the past 15 or 20 years and how that’s affected US views and policies The Obama "birther" movement The many rumors perpetuated by gullible people on social media Afterword: Discussion Questions Now that you've read the article, you can try your hand at answering some of these discussion questions. I've included a few different types of questions on this topic that you might encounter in your English class: Discuss how Miller’s point of view influences the reading of the play. How did his own experiences shape his writing? Where does "fear" come from? Why, as a nation, do we fear others? Why, as individuals, do we fear others? Describe the political climate of the 1950s. Why did Senator McCarthy become a powerful figure? How did he influence politics in the fifties? As a socially conscious writer, Miller intended this play as a comment on McCarthyism. What are the parallels between the incidents Miller dramatizes and the acts of Senator McCarthy in the 1950s? Compare the events of the play to other historical or current events where innocent people are used as scapegoats. Is this a timeless cautionary tale? What's Next? Check out our full book summary of The Crucible so you can see for yourself how the play fits into its historical context. Need some quotes to fill out your essay for English class? Read this article for a list of all the most important quotes in the play, categorized by theme. To fully understand the messages of The Crucible, you need to get to know the main characters. We've written detailed character analyses for Abigail Williams, Rebecca Nurse, Mary Warren, John Proctor, and Giles Corey. Interested in what witchcraft and magic in America looked like in the years leading up to the publication of The Crucible? Learn who Aleister Crowley was and what influence he had on counter-culture with this article. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Essay Sample on Beowulf, Shylock and Sir Gawai

Essay Sample on Beowulf, Shylock and Sir Gawai What makes a story, poem or play interesting and appealing to the reader are the characters involved. Characters form the basis of a successful writing in the sense that they help in discovery of major themes and motifs. It is worth noting that what make heroic or villain characters are traits they depict. In this regard, this brief overview will highlight three main characters from The Merchant of Venice, Beowulf and Sir Gawain and Green Knight and their relationship to the theme of self-interest verses love. The heroic character of Beowulf and that of Sir Gawain will be assessed as well as the villain character of Shylock who although is not the protagonist of the play, is more active than Antonio. Their own interests, personal goals and love for objects and people prompt the heroic actions of the three characters. Moreover, their beliefs and humanistic values compel their actions. Beowulf, an epic poem by Chaucer depicts Beowulf as the central character against three contenders, Grendel mother, Grendel and the dragon (Mitchell, Robison, 14). His brave personality and merciless character helps him in killing all his enemies. However, Beowulf heroic actions are driven by his personal goals and his love for his people. He is determined to prove his ability and courage to his people through eliminating their enemies. Grendel, his mother and the dragon have constantly attacked the Hrooger Kingdom terrorizing people. This prompts Beowulf to act in defense of his Kingdom. The three opponents met their death in brutal way because of their constant assail to the Hrooger kingdom. Beowulf is a physically powerful and an audacious individual who has a compelling character that is determined to achieving personal goals and showing love to those who entrust him. On the other hand, in Sir Gawain and Green Knight, Lady Bertilak habitually makes advances to Gawain. Sir Gawain does not give in to her advances so easily thereby depicting his strong personality and respectable character. He is loyal to his host. He is courteous and careful not to break his loyalty to his host. Bertilak hosts Gawain and it is logical that he want to maintain a good relationship, which will support his stay. On the other hand, Shylock is the most prominent character in the story â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† by Shakespeare. Just like Beowulf and Sir Gawain, Shylock a tragic character whose decency and intelligence is fractured through the persecution that he experiences, is the bad character in the play. He menacingly jeopardizes the pleasure of the Venice businesspeople. He does this out of self-interest. Shylock values business relationships than human relationships. This is because he is only concerned about monetary gains from his business. In fact, other merchants with an example of Antonio lend money free of charge. Moreover, Antonio put his life in jeopardy for his loved ones while Shylock shows so much pain after losing his money. He does not care about others but his only interest is in money. In fact, he does not care about his own daughter. Notably, Shylock is more hurt after realizing that his daughter had sold his dead wife’s ring. Actually, Shylock is concerned about the monetary value of the ring and not his love towards his wife. This gives the notion that his greed exceeds his love. Just like Beowulf, Shylock is unforgiving and he plans to revenge by killing his persecutor (Shakespeare, Hutchinson, 80). He feels threatened by Antonio and other merchants and he out of anger schemed to harm Antonio. He does not value human life but money. He is a cruel character who does not depict any Christian values like forgiveness, either. He is resentful and greedy although his anger is much powerful than his greed. This aspect is highlighted through his insistence of pound of flesh. However, Shylock’s heroic personality helps the reader in ascertaining the rationale behind the story. The story highlights the rules and laws of Venice. His character shows how these rules are manipulated for selfish and personal g oals (Shakespeare, Hutchinson, 60). Beowulf who is ruthless and unforgiving shares these traits though out of love, he revenges attack of his Kingdom by Grendel and the Dragon through killing them ruthlessly (Mitchell, Robison, 46). Just like Shylock, he lacks Christian principles of forgiveness and judgment and maintains acts in order to realize his personal goals. However, while Shylock wants to revenge out of self-interests, Beowulf carries out his revenge out of love of his people and the kingdom. Beowulf depicts qualities of military dexterity, honor, courage and loyalty and through these traits, he proves his love for his kingdom Sir Gawain also exhibit loyalty. He loves and respects his host and he does not want to put his relationship with those he loves at risk. He embraces Christian and humanistic values. He respects and maintains good human relationships. He is not self-centered since he did not revenge the deceit and betray of his host. Gawain has a sense of self-control, a strength that he uses to maintain and respect his relationship with his host (Weston, 22). In this regard, the traits of Beowulf, Shylock and Gawain highlight virtues of prowess, courage and honor, which are achieved through feelings of love and self-interest. While Beowulf is fighting out of love of his people and kingdom, he does not consider reconciliation and forgiveness. This is because his goal is demonstrate his prowess and ability to his people. While the three characters are heroes, their lives ends tragically because of personal goals. For instance, Beowulf demonstrates a pagan spirit in a Christian establishment because of love of his people. On the other hand, the understanding, honest and forgiving character of Sir Gawain depicts a Christian character, though not reuniting but rather understanding and unforgiving (Weston, 41). Sir Gawain is more concerned about maintaining good human relationships. Both Beowulf and Shylock fails the logic of absolute supremacy of subjective providence. Their self-interest, love for people, fame and money makes them heroes in their different capacities. However, it is imperative to note that Beowulf’s cruel and merciless character leads to the salvation of his people and Kingdom, while Shylock is selfish has no sense of love to people, even his blood relations. This makes him a villain whose intention is not to benefit those around him but himself. This is contrary to Beowulf traits, which makes him a hero because of his courage, strength and ability to fight for his people out of love (Mitchell, Robison, 41). Stylistically, thematically and metrically Beowulf, Shylock heroic actions are intriguing. Their ethical values show loyalty and love to people and vengeance to their enemies. Beowulf sacrifices his life in order to save his people. His though tragic depicts the end of a brilliant hero. This aspect is also demonstrated by Sir Gawain after leaving his host place and confesses his misdeed. He truly shows the culmination of a good hero. His personality and that of Sir Gawain highlights the theme of love and loyalty. Parti cularly, after killing the enemies of Hrooger kingdom, Beowulf’s people are happy and recognize him as their hero. They do not question lack of humility and inhumane character but rather appreciates his courage and military prowess in fighting the enemies. In fact, Beowulf is given an honorable burial due to his courage and ability to win over the enemies because of love and loyalty to his kingdom (Mitchell, Robison, 42). He remains a celebrated epic hero unlike Shylock whose selfishness and greed offers him no honor. Sir Gawain unlike Beowulf has a humble character. He lacks physical vigor but has a sense of love and understanding. He fights from within his heart and not through physical power. He is hero, a champion just like Beowulf but a conqueror who depicts positive humanistic and Christian values without prejudice. The three characters are determined in their own ways. Beowulf is determined to save his kingdom from its enemies and show his ability to his people. Sir Gawain is determined not to break his loyalty to his host and to maintain a good relationship with other people. Shylock ambition is to destroy his enemies. He wants to compensate his daughter’s death through a pound of flesh from Antonio (Shakespeare, Hutchinson, 83). It is worth noting that the pound of flesh is used symbolically to represent the rigidity of the world of Shylock. Conclusion Beowulf tragically dies from injuries after winning over the dragon. This makes him a tragic hero. On the other hand, Sir Gawain heroic deeds are traced through his brevity and honesty to accept and confess his misdeeds. Shylock loses all his wealth and a daughter, Jessica. Though a villain, he is a hero who has fought over his enemies. Beowulf uses his courage, prowess and brevity to defend others. He is also interested in his loyalty to his kingdom. However, his brevity, confidence and courage lead to his death. Sir Gawain is brave, honest, humble and his courage has makes him confess his misdeed upon his return home. From this perspective, it is therefore evident the interests, personal goals and love for objects and people prompt the heroic actions of the three characters. Moreover, their beliefs and humanistic values compel their actions. Our custom essay writing service will write a custom essay paper on any topic for you. We hire professional writers to help students with academic writing for college and university.

Write a Great First Sentence and Introductory Paragraph

Write a Great First Sentence and Introductory Paragraph The introductory paragraph of any paper, long or short, should start with a sentence that piques the interest of your readers.   In a well-constructed first paragraph, that first sentence leads into  three or four sentences that provide details about the  subject you address in the body of your essay. These sentences should also set the stage for  your thesis statement. Writing a good thesis statement is the subject of much instruction and training, as its the driver of your research and the subject of your paper. The entirety of your paper hangs on that sentence, which is generally the last sentence of your introductory paragraph and is refined throughout your research and drafting phases. Writing an Intro Paragraph Its often easier to write the introductory paragraph after youve written the first draft of the main part of the paper (or at least sketched out a detailed outline, section by section or paragraph by paragraph). After the drafting stage, your research and main points are fresh in your mind, and your thesis statement has been polished to gleaming. Its typically honed during the drafting stage, as research may have necessitated its adjustment. At the start of a large writing project, it can also be intimidating to put those first words down, so its often easier to begin composing in the middle of the paper and work on the introduction and conclusion after the meat of the report has been organized, compiled, and drafted. Construct your introductory paragraph with the following: An attention-grabbing first sentenceInformative sentences that build to your thesisThe thesis statement, which makes a claim or states a view that you will support or build upon Your First Sentence As you researched your topic, you probably discovered some  interesting anecdotes, quotes, or trivial facts. This is exactly the sort of thing you should use for an engaging introduction. Consider these ideas for creating a strong beginning. Surprising fact: The Pentagon has twice as many bathrooms as are necessary. The famous government building was constructed in the 1940s when segregation laws required that separate bathrooms be installed for people of African descent. This building isn’t the only American icon that harkens back to this embarrassing and hurtful time in our history. Across the United States, there are many examples of leftover laws and customs that reflect the racism that once permeated American society. Humor: When my older brother substituted fresh eggs for our hard-boiled Easter eggs, he didn’t realize our father would take the first crack at hiding them. My brother’s holiday ended early that particular day in 1991, but the rest of the family enjoyed the warm April weather, outside on the lawn, until late into the evening. Perhaps it was the warmth of the day and the joy of eating Easter roast while Tommy contemplated his actions that make my memories of Easter so sweet. Whatever the true reason, the fact remains that my favorite holiday of the year is Easter Sunday. Quotation: Hillary Rodham Clinton once said, â€Å"There cannot be true democracy unless womens voices are heard.† In 2006, when Nancy Pelosi became the nation’s first female Speaker of the House, one woman’s voice rang out clearly. With this development, democracy grew to its truest level ever in terms of women’s equality. The historical event also paved the way for Senator Clinton as she warmed her own vocal cords in preparation for a presidential race. Finding the Hook In each example, the first sentence draws the reader in to find out how the interesting fact leads to a point. You can use many methods to capture your reader’s interest. Curiosity: A duck’s quack doesn’t echo. Some people might find a deep and mysterious meaning in this fact†¦ Definition: A homograph is a word with two or more pronunciations. Produce is one example†¦ Anecdote: Yesterday morning I watched as my older sister left for school with a bright white glob of toothpaste gleaming on her chin. I felt no regret at all until she stepped onto the bus†¦ Supporting Sentences The body of your introductory paragraph should fulfill two functions: It should explain your first sentence and it should build up to your thesis statement. Youll find that this is much easier than it sounds. Just follow the pattern you see in the above examples. During the revision stage for the paper as a whole, you can make further refinements to the introduction as needed.

I don't care, anything along the lines of engineering. I am doing Annotated Bibliography

I don't care, anything along the lines of engineering. I am doing Industrial engineering if you can find any articles around that - Annotated Bibliography Example I am amazed to see the application of supply chain management in medical and emergency missions, rescue and relief efforts in times of disasters and other societal settings improving the living standards. Thus, I see a great prospect for the supply chain management in the near future. Supply chain management is an important aspect for efficient production because supply chain controls and manages the flow of product. In other terms, supply chain controls the flow of capital in an industrial setting. The title supply chain management encompasses all the activities from planning and control of materials and/or information within different parts of one organization or between different companies. Supply chain management links different portions of industrial activities like manufacturing, purchasing, distribution of commodity and its transportation. Thus, every field of engineering gets integrated with the operation of production efficiency (Reddi and Moon). It is interesting to note that in an industry, important activities like transportation, warehousing, and inventory control, sourcing, procurement and supply management all comes under the single head of supply management. While, outside of the organization, supply chain management includes interactions with suppliers, distributors, carriers, and with customers. Thus, results in increased market share and better competitive advantage. In order to successfully compete in the market company needs two things; first to control the expenditure on the production (i.e., product should be cost effective) and secondly, the product must satisfy the needs or desires of the costumes. In such a way, the company maintains its competitiveness while expanding market share. Pricing, thus, plays an important role in this regard (Zhang, Wang and Li). It’s amazing that the whole world works like a giant supply chain system. Highly developed supply chain necessitates best infrastructures, i.e., roads, railway network,

Concideration of fraud in an audit Research Paper

Concideration of fraud in an audit - Research Paper Example FRAUD Fraud is a word used in broader concepts and approaches. It basically refers to any illegal action characterized by deceit and concealment which isn’t conducted under any violence, force or threat. The aim of every fraudulent activity is an undue advantage which could be institutional or personal. (Flostoiu.2012) Characteristics of Fraud: Fraud results in victim that loses a benefit because of the criminal’s fraud. It is represented by a series of illegal actions and irregularities which are all planned with the intention to deceive. Fraud is also referred to activities which involve concealment of information that was to be revealed by an obligation and intended omission of certain information or documents including misstatements and misrepresentation of information. Fraud also includes falsification of financial situations, corruption and theft. It is always important to distinguish between a fraud and error. The results of both error and fraud could be the same , but fraud is committed intentionally while error happens unintentionally. (Flostoiu.2012) Fraud Triangle Theory: A fraud triangle is a model which discloses the factors found in fraudsters at all levels of organization. This theory researched about the factors that force honest people to commit fraud. These factors could be summed as Pressure/Incentive, Opportunity and Rationalization that put an individual in a position to conduct fraud. (Dorminey, Scott, Kranacher & Riley. 2010) In a Fraud Triangle pressure refers to situations that put mental pressure/incentive on an individual which forces him to commit fraud. These situations could include excessive credit card debts, gambling debts, extended unemployment, family or peer pressures, unbearable expenditures and financial difficulties etc. For an auditor, pressure is difficult to identify in a fraudster as there is no personal interaction with him. (Dorminey, Scott, Kranacher & Riley. 2010) Opportunity as the word suggests, is a n instance where the fraudster finds a loophole in the controls which prevent fraud. An employee usually finds a chance where he can commit fraud without being detected. This opportunity for an employee can arise from weak internal controls and inability of frauds being detected, lack of training, weak ethical culture where honesty in doing business isn’t considered a priority and lack of supervision etc. Most opportunities arising situations for fraud include lack of internal controls like segregation of duties not being implemented properly. (Dorminey, Scott, Kranacher & Riley. 2010) Rationalization refers to that state of mind where the fraudster convinces himself that whatever fraud he has committed was either not wrong or even it was wrong it an be corrected later on by returning the money or compensating for it. Another state of rationalization is found when a fraudster convinces himself that he deserves the stolen money. The reason for this rationalization could be the unfair treatment in the organization like a recent promotion or increment not being offered which forces him to believe that has been victimized. (Kassem, Rasha, & Higson, Andrew. 2012) Recent researchers have extended the Fraud Triangle and added a fourth factor to the triangle making it as a diamond. This factor is the capability of the fraudster to conduct fraud. Capabilities include the traits of the fraudster i.e. in presence of the three factors of fraud

Can other parts of a crime lab be as scientific as the DNA lab Essay

Can other parts of a crime lab be as scientific as the DNA lab - Essay Example Many police and anti-crime organizations the world over still rely on fingerprint evidence to track down a criminal but this technique has recently been put into doubt. Part of the reason is that new DNA technique is more accurate and reliable but most organizations lack the expensive equipment and expertise to do DNA testing. However, experts claim fingerprinting is not 100% fool-proof or reliable. Overview of fingerprinting – the first-ever precedent-setting criminal case in which the only evidence of fingerprints left at the crime scene was used to convict a suspect was the Rojas murders; this was a case in Necochea, Argentina back in 1892 in which the mother killed her two young children but originally accused her neighbor of the twin murders. However, when she was confronted with the incriminating evidence of bloody fingerprints on her door post, she admitted to the crime. Prior to fingerprinting, there was also the Bertillion system that had utilized a set of body measurements to identify and classify people; it was named after Alphonse Bertillion who was a French anthropologist. However, the famous case of Will West – William West in which two people had the same measurements, had almost the same names also and almost identical facial features (based from their photographs) called his systems reliability into question and caused doubts among criminologists. Fingerprinting was found to be reliable than the Bertillion system, in the same way that DNA testing is today more reliable than fingerprinting. Basic scientific principles – the method of fingerprinting was first developed by a great British anthropologist named Sir Francis Galton who first suggested the use of fingerprints based on the uniqueness of very minute details. It was another Englishman named Sir Edward Henry, assigned to Bengal, India as inspector general of the police during the

Entrepreneur Interview and Personal Analysis Essay - 1

Entrepreneur Interview and Personal Analysis - Essay Example Establishing a new business venture is often seen as a challenge by many aspiring entrepreneurs hence there is need for outstanding ideas in order to appeal to the interests of the potential customers. Mr Jones said that he carefully scanned the market for any opportunity and he gathered as much information and ideas as possible to come up with an ideal business venture. Therefore, the rationale of the interview questions to the interviewee is to solicit for responses about his preparedness and willingness to accept the risk and uncertainties for the success of the new venture. As noted, entrepreneurship is about building something of recognised value around perceived opportunities which implies that innovation is something the entrepreneur is continually doing (Burke, 2006). Innovation is concerned with finding a unique way of offering a particular service or product to the market while utilising resources in such a way that there are likely risks to be encountered since the targete d customers may not readily accept the offering. ... In deciding the scope of his business, Mr Jones pointed that there were some pull factors that compelled him to try the untested market segment he had realised. Thus, the concept of push factor in business is refers to those influences which can push the individuals towards venturing in a business opportunity that exists in the market which is not fully covered by the other players (Burke, 2007). Therefore, the purpose of the interview was to get a clear understanding of how Mr Jones identified this gap in the market and how he came up with the idea of establishing this business venture. This entrepreneur is proud of his success in the carpet cleaning business which he started a couple of years ago. Evaluation of the entrepreneur A critical evaluation of the attitude of Mr Jones shows that he possesses various entrepreneurial skills which can be attributed to his success. First and foremost, it can be noted that this entrepreneur created his carpet cleaning business enterprise after realising the need in the market for this particular service given that the targeted customers could not employ people to do the job for them on a permanent basis but had to rely on services provided by others ate a substantial cost. As aptly pointed out by Bessant & Tidd (2007), an entrepreneur is always on the lookout for new opportunities, either in existing enterprise or in the creation of a new enterprise. Very often, the consumer does not even realise that he needs the service and this is the strategy that was utilised by Mr Jones where he developed this service and brought it to the attention of the consumers through utilization of different marketing techniques. The approach

International students could not work in the US Essay - 1

International students could not work in the US - Essay Example In-campus and off-campus job offerings for international students are limited and not that profitable so that a person can meet his/her personal and educational needs easily. Most employees prefer to offer jobs to the citizens of the United States because that appears for them to be beneficial not only for their companies but also for the economy of the country. For companies, recruitment of local people is beneficial because they are able to adjust in their organizational cultures more quickly as compared to foreign students. They understand the norms and values of the US companies because of which the employee training costs of the companies go down. For the economy of the United States, offering jobs to local citizens is beneficial because it reduces the unemployment rate, thus improves the overall economy. The problem statement for this paper is that, ‘in-campus job offerings for international students are not much profitable because of which they have to search for jobs outside the campuses. There exist many challenges for international students both within and outside the campus for international students that need to be

Determining Causes and Effects Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Determining Causes and Effects - Research Paper Example In July 2009, unemployment figures stood at sixteen percent of white youth, twenty-one percent of Hispanic youths, and thirty-one percent of black youths (Janoski, Luke, & Oliver, 2014). Other estimates that include people who are no longer seeking employment due to discouragement, and those who are underemployed measure at twenty-one percent of the aggregate national unemployment rate. Same as unemployment, underemployment has unequally distributed cases among the youth, women and black employees. Unemployment refers to a situation where people are ready and able to work, but there is no employment for them. There are different forms of unemployment. It can be Structural, Frictional, or Cyclical. The extent to which unemployment affects the nation is shown by the amount of attention given to the monthly Employment Report put out by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The subject that tops the list is unemployment. Statistics on unemployment do not only show the level of employment but also show how satisfied or dissatisfied the citizens are with the government and their leaders. Widespread and lingering unemployment has dire consequences not just for the nation’s economy but also for the unemployed. During the recession, the unemployment rate hit the ten percent mark. Layoffs were also on the rise. However, layoffs are not the primary causes of unemployment. The factor which drove the unemployment rates so high during the recession was the lack of creation of new jobs. In the 2001 recession, employers shed two and a half million jobs in six quarters more than in the 2009 recession (Janoski, Luke, & Oliver, 2014). The reason for this is the significant drop in the rate of jobs creation. The downfall of the housing bubble, the credit crunch, and unfavorable economic policies made the country less attractive to entrepreneurs. The poor business climate also discouraged business owners from expanding. As the level of job creation falls, while the

International students could not work in the US Essay - 1

International students could not work in the US - Essay Example In-campus and off-campus job offerings for international students are limited and not that profitable so that a person can meet his/her personal and educational needs easily. Most employees prefer to offer jobs to the citizens of the United States because that appears for them to be beneficial not only for their companies but also for the economy of the country. For companies, recruitment of local people is beneficial because they are able to adjust in their organizational cultures more quickly as compared to foreign students. They understand the norms and values of the US companies because of which the employee training costs of the companies go down. For the economy of the United States, offering jobs to local citizens is beneficial because it reduces the unemployment rate, thus improves the overall economy. The problem statement for this paper is that, ‘in-campus job offerings for international students are not much profitable because of which they have to search for jobs outside the campuses. There exist many challenges for international students both within and outside the campus for international students that need to be

USSR History Essay Example for Free

USSR History Essay The peasant women collectivization took place in the era between 1928 and 1932 (Lynne, 1992). This collectiveness can be seen as a modern day social movement geared towards fighting for human rights. The peasant women proved their political maturity through making efforts to fight for their rights in a country where opposition was unheard of. To modern historians the peasant women can be seen as agents as social change who used mental prowess to bring about social change. This collectiveness however was faced with many obstacles, for instance Soviet Union used propaganda to stop peasant women from getting together and uniting in their fight against state policy (Lynne, 1996). Soviet Union knew that such a unity would be detrimental to its fascist regime (Lynne, 1992). The success of peasant women collectivism would also be detrimental to the objectives and goals of Soviet Union. The Soviet Union can be argued to have been obsessed with its fascist kind of leadership and any slight threat had to be dealt with. For instance, peasant women were considered to be backward and incapable of spearheading any social action from its oppressive government (Lynne, 1996). With this in mind, the only possible explanation for the women collectiveness was incitement from anti soviet groups. Consequently it can be argued that the Soviet Union had a very low opinion of the peasant women. This is shown in their mode of leadership whereby they use brainwashing tactics to make the peasant women do what they wanted them to do. For instance the Soviet Union made the women take their side through propaganda and those who opposed them were treated with much violence (Lynne, 1996). On the other hand, it can be argued that the first step by the women in realizing their plight and using unity (collectiveness) to fight for their rights was a big milestone in the development of democracy not only in Soviet Union but in the world.

Relationship Between Clothing and Identity

Relationship Between Clothing and Identity Material culture refers to the corporal, physical object constructed by humans. Ferguson (1977) describes material culture as all of the things people leave behind . All of the things people make from the physical world farm tools, ceramics, houses, furniture, toys, buttons, roads and cities (Ferguson, 1977). Material culture refers to objects that are used, lived in, displayed and experienced. Human beings interact with material culture as a normal part of their daily lives. Because of this interaction, material culture and human living is strongly influenced by each other, and through studying material culture gives us important clues about the way humans live and have lived in the past. Schlereth (1982) outlines the importance of the study of material culture, arguing that through material culture we can learn about the belief systems the values, ideas, attitudes, and assumptions of a particular community of Society, usually across time (Schlereth, 1982). Schlereth continues to state that a study is based upon the obvious idea that the existence of a man-made object is concrete evidence of the presence of a human mind operating at the time of production. The common statement underlying material culture research is that objects made or modified by humans, consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, reflect the belief patters of individuals who made, commissioned, purchased, or used them, and, by extension, the belief patterns of the larger society of which they are a part (Schlereth, 1982). By studying culture as something created and lived through objects, we learn to understand the social structures, human action, emotion and meaning, and through this process we bond together the crucial link between social and economic factors with the individual actor. This is where we can introduce Marxism mode of production, if we consider material culture in terms of consumer societies we will be able to reproduce and challenge social structures. However, according to Marx and Engels (1965, p32) in The German Ideology: This mode of production must not be considered simply as being the reproduction of physical existence of individuals. Rather it is a definite form of activity of these individuals, a definite form of expressing their life, a definite mode of life on their part (Sahlins, 1976). Marx mode of production worked in the following way; people produce commodities and sell them so that they can buy other commodities to satisfy their own needs and wants. For Marx, production is something more than practical logic of material effectiveness, it is a cultural intention. Take for example, if you look around your home, objects are everywhere cups/mugs, computers, clothing. You know what most of these are because they are part of you familiar environment, if you have grown up with these objects they have been a part of your life. Now if a person lived in a different part of the world and from a different century, they would have a difficult time trying to understand our material culture. Each object has a story to tell, a story which has been shaped by human used. If material objects are been analyzed, basic facts will be recorded, a verbal description which might include measurements, material, any distinguishing features, take note of everything which will determine a clearer picture about the object. This key information will provide material about the technology used, the economy, or social relations within the given society and how they have changed or progressed over time. Clothing and in particular designer outfits can mask a persons real persona. The clothing can be worn to impress and make the wearer feel more confident, however this can also be taken to the extreme in that if a persons self worth and morale is low clothes are used to state falsely about the importance of the person. wearing certain clothing may make a person feel empowered by altering their self perception, they can assist in forming or negating interpersonal and group attachments, mediating the formation of self-identity and esteem and integrating and differentiating social groups classes or tribes (Woodward, 2007, p4 ). Alison Lurie states that in her Language of Clothes that clothes introduce individuals subconsciously before they even say a word (Lurie A. , 1992). Clothes are expressions of identity, one of the permanent ways we signal to the social world who and what we are (Twigg, 2007). It is also an expression and fulfilment of human needs: needs of the body and mind. These expressions function within a cultural context with the purpose of passing on distinctive meanings to social forms. Clothes have been used to identify our links, such as what school we attend, what job we have or what group we are a part of. Schools use uniforms to identify their students, although uniforms can be a really useful if the students are out on day trips, the uniform will be easily recognisable to pick out students, these students then represent the school. Occupations have informed the public of their identity and job titles throught the use of clothing, for example: gardai, nurses, surgeon, security guards, fi re fighters the list is endless when you really think about it. In most cultures gender differentiation of clothing is considered appropriate for both men and women. There are many features that differentiate the gender of clothing. The masculine fabric is relatively caorse and stiff, usually heavier whereas feminine fabric is soft and fine. Masculine colours usually tend to be darker, and feminine coloured clothing is usually light or pastel. The cut in mens clothing is square with corners and angles, and womens dress lines emphasize the flow, the curve and the actual style of the dress. These elements convey social meaning (Sahlins, 1976). The sturctural lines in the cut or patterns of clothing make up analogous class of meaningful contrasts (Sahlins, 1976). The importance seems to be related with three characteristics of a line: direction, form and rhythm. Direction refers to direction in relation to the ground. Form refers to its properties as curved or straight. And rhythm refers to the periodicity of the curve or angle (Sahlins, 1976). In western societies, womens clothing usually consists of skirts, dresses and high heels, while a tie is usually seen as mens clothing. Trousers/jeans were seen as mens clothing but nowadays they are worn by both male and female. Female clothing usually tends to be more attractive in comparison to male clothing. Clothing also identifies religious groups. In some cultures, laws regulate what men and women are required to wear. A man wearing a headgear called yarmulke/kippah is most likely to be Jewish, and a woman wearing a hijab is most likely to be Muslim. The yarmulke is for a Jew to announce publicly that he respects God and that God is above human kind. According to the Talmud (Jewish Religious Commentary), wearing the kippah reminds Jews that there is a higher authority, and it reminds us that God is always watching (Silvestri, 2010). A Muslim woman who wears a hijab not only publicly announces her religious identity, but when her face is covered, men cannot judge her by her appearance, they are able to evaluate her by her personality, character, and morals (Hussein). If we look at the catholic culture in Ireland, a man wearing in a black robe or outfit and a roman collar is identified as a priest and is given the title father in the Roman Catholic churches. In Islamic culture, men prid e themselves in wearing turbans because of its significant spiritual symbolism of their cultural faith. Turbans are still worn today by Islamic men as a way of distinguishing themselves, strengthening social ties and giving a sense of group identity. They are considered important in prayer, where the rewards are said to be twenty-five times greater when the headdress is worn. However in saying all of this the turban also has a practical function, it protects the mens head from the heat and dust in Arab countries (Bennett, 2010). Again, we see clothing as the subconscious communicator that announces ones religious identity publicly. According to Sahlins (1976), American clothing amounts to a very complex scheme of cultural categories and the relations between them. The scheme operates a set of rules for declining and combining classes of the clothing which formulate the cultural categories. Each aspect consists of a range of meaningful variation, some will be present and others will be absent (Sahlins, 1976. p179). The outfit as a whole makes a statement, developed out of the particular arrangement of garment parts and by contrasting to other outfits (Sahlins, 1976. P 179). Strictly speaking, clothes is not a part of your body, however, since your body is largely covered in it, your clothing will affect the way you come across. Seeing as your clothing is such a large factor, on the message your giving off, your appearence is important and will effect the view others have on you. The clothes you are wearing make a statement about your identity and your social status, the colour and style of clothes worn tell oth ers about how you are feeling in the world. Clothes have the ability to inform publicly of ones identity, mood, generation, religion, and culture. It is a language that is constantly in communication with people introduced or not introduced. Although the language of clothes speaks, it may not be completely accurate, but it gives one an idea of an individuals identity and personality. The language of clothes is used daily and can be seen every day in the home, at church, out shopping and within the political world. It is a language that everyone uses as an ice-breaker to open up conversation or to have common ground and value. Clothing as a communicator can be seen worldwide and is used universally. Taking all of the above into consideration one can say that material culture can be compared to a language.