Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart - 2424 Words

Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe (Published 1958) 1. Setting a. The novel takes place in the villages of Umuofia and Mbanta of the Igbo tribe in Nigeria at the turn of the 19th Century. It is a place where power and respect is important to the people of the tribe, as well as to the white men that invade their lives. b. This relates to the time period in which it was written because it is right when the Europeans began to expand and initiated their imperial quest through many places including Africa. c. The culture of the villages and the tribe of Igbo is especially significant to the setting because it shows that there was a life before the Europeans converted the Africans to Christianity and â€Å"civilized† them. 2. Plot a. Okonkwo is a respected leader of the Igbo tribe. He works hard and does not like to show emotion other than anger because his father, Unoka, was very lazy and not reputable. There is a dispute with another village where a woman is accidently killed, and Umuofia demands a virgin and a young man in place of a war. Okonkwo brings back Ikemefuna and takes him into his home under instructions from the village. The boy becomes like a son to him, but when it is time, Okonkwo kills him for fear of being seen as weak. Later, Okonkwo accidentally kills a young boy at a funeral, but he is exiled for seven years. While he is away in Mbanta, the Europeans arrive at Umuofia and begin to convert the Igbo people to Christianity. Just as Okonkwo returns to his village,Show MoreRelatedChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1719 Words   |  7 PagesThings fall apart is a classic novel written around the turn of the century, the novel focuses on the protagonist who we can also call a hero, Okonkwo. Okon kwo is a wealthy and respected leader within the Igbo tribe of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. Strong individual with a passionate belief in all the values and traditions of his people. Chinua Achebe presents Okonkwo as a particular kind of tragic protagonist, a great man who carries the fate of his people. Okonkwo is a man who is inflexible andRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1033 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Chinua Achebe is a famous Nigerian novelist in worldwide. Things fall apart is Chinua Achebe’s first novel published in 1958, the year after Ghana became the first African nation to gain independence. And this novel is one of the first African novels to gain worldwide recognition. (Phil Mongredien, 2010) This novel presents people a story of an African Igbo tribal hero, Okonkwo, from his growth to death. The fate of Okonkwo also indicates the fate of Africa caused by the colonizationRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart883 Words   |  4 Pagesdehumanize the native population and convince themselves that they are helping. Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart attempts to correct these misguided views of African societies by portraying a more complex culture that values peace, and the art of conversation. Achebe also tries to portray the idea that not all European people they come in contact with are aggressive, and misconstrued in their view of the African societ ies. Achebe tries to show us the value of his society through repeated views into conversationsRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1410 Words   |  6 PagesTeddy Manfre Ms. Blass ENG 209-001 April 24, 2017 Things Fall Apart In 1958, Chinua Achebe a famous Nigerian author publishes one of his most famous novels Things Fall Apart. The novel takes place in a Nigerian village called Umuofia. During the time that this novel is published Nigeria is being criticized by the Europeans for being uncivilized. In response, Achebe uses his brilliance in this novel to express the valued history of his people to his audience. His focus in the novel is on the pre-colonizedRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1015 Words   |  5 PagesIn his novel Things Fall Apart, author Chinua Achebe utilizes his distinctive writing style in order to accurately capture the culture and customs of the Igbo people despite writing his story in a foreign language. Five aspects of Achebe’s style that make his writing unique is the straightforward diction present in dialogue, the inclusion of native parables convey Igbo life authentically, the inclusion of native Igbo words and phrases, detailed descriptions of nature and the usage of figurative languageRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1702 Words   |  7 PagesTitle: Things Fall Apart Biographical information about the author: Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria in 1930. He had an early career as a radio host, and later became the Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nigeria. After moving to America, he became an English professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Achebe has won numerous awards for his poetry and fiction, including the Man Booker prize and Commonwealth Poetry Price. He currently teaches at Bard College. Author: Chinua AchebeRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesCulture is an Important Element of Society Chinua Achebe is the author of when Things Fall Apart while Joseph Conrad authored Heart of Darkness. Conrad and Achebe set their individual titles in Africa; Achebe is an African writer whereas Conrad is Polish-British. The authors draw strength from their backgrounds to validity the authenticity of their fictional novels. Conrad writes from his experiences in the British and French navies while Achebe uses his African heritage. The theme of culture isRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1248 Words   |  5 PagesChris Lowndes Ms. Cook A.P.L.C. 21 October 2015 We Are Family: Hardships in One s Family in Things Fall Apart Specific attributes correlate with each other to help create or not create the ideal strong family. However, through those attributes arise conflicts and major disputes. This issue of trying to achieve and create a strong family is of immense importance in one’s life, especially in Chinua Achebe’s, Things Fall Apart, a milestone in African literature. For instance, the father leaves his legacyRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1682 Words   |  7 Pagescertain degree of the priest class, libation, holidays, creation stories, divine systems of punishments and rewards. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, is a story of tragic fall of a protagonist and the Igbo culture. Achebe demonstrates different examples and situations of where an African culture, in the instances of tribal religions, did certain things because of their tradition is and the way they developed into. African cultures pondered life mysteries and articulated theirRead Mo reChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1314 Words   |  6 PagesChinua Achebe masterpiece â€Å"Things Fall Apart† (1959) is the classic story of Okonkwo, a young man who strives to be revered by his village and family but because of his own internal character flaws meets his own demise. In the Igbo culture, family traditions are an important narrative throughout the novel. Okonkwo, the protagonist character of this story, begins with many attributes of what would be concluded as a hero with his cultural society. He is hard working, a material provider, feared and

Are Antibiotics And Vaccines Necessary Essay - 1875 Words

While antibiotics and vaccines have numerous well-known benefits associated with prevention and recovery, what unfamiliar beneficial effects do they contribute to society? When it comes to the topic of antibiotic and vaccine use, most people will readily agree that medical treatment will greatly reduce the chance of getting ill and will improve recovery time. This agreement usually ends, however, on the question: Are antibiotics and vaccines necessary to maintain a healthy society? Whereas some are convinced that the use of antibiotics and vaccines pose a threat to society by inducing antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria and encouraging virus mutation, others maintain that resistance and mutation will occur naturally, and without advances in treatment these natural changes of pathogens are the cause of devastating epidemics. Furthermore, in discussion of antibiotic and vaccine treatment, one controversial issue has been the safety of these methods. On the one hand, Elizabeth Miller, a founding member of the World Health Organization, during a recent interview with BMC Medicine, argues that refusal of treatment poses risks to certain individuals who are vulnerable from weakened immune systems or are merely too young to have been treated for a disease, and it can have deadly effects (2). On the other hand, individuals skeptical about treatment contend that fighting illness naturally is safer than being at risk for â€Å"vaccine-induced disorders† and causing resistance to theShow MoreRelatedThe Rise of Antibiotic Resistant Diseases1109 Words   |  4 PagesThe use of antibiotics dates from the 1920s and, for the first time in history, the human race has a chance to win in the war against bacterial disease. Unfortunately, it is unknown if humans will ever win the battle against disease because of an tibiotic resistant strains. Antibiotics are overprescribed and with the overuse, bacteria are becoming resistant at a rapid rate. Without antibiotics bacteria would still mutate but the mutations would not help the bacteria. With antibiotics the bacteriaRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of Influenza Unit Project938 Words   |  4 PagesCONGESTION VOMITING VOMITING FEVER CHILLS FEVER NAUSEA BODY ACHES CHILLS VOMITING HEADACHE CHILLS BODYACHES BODYACHES 4. The vaccine provides immunity because it makes antibodies develop throughout the whole body in about two weeks after you receive the vaccine. The antibodies are what protect the body against the infection. Depending on which vaccine Karen and Mary get (the shot or nasal spray) there are different side effects. For the shot, there is soreness where the shot was givenRead MoreThe Use Of Broad Spectrum Antibiotics For Combat Resistance Essay1292 Words   |  6 PagesWith antibiotic resistance escalating, it is clear that there needs to be more of an emphasis on the development and testing of new treatments to combat resistance. However, the argument over whether or not antibiotic development should be promoted or squashed remains in the healthcare community. Demarijan et al. (2015) stated that â€Å"although emerging resistance mechanisms are being identified and resistant infections are on the rise, new antibiotic development has slowed considerably† (page 871)Read MoreAn Investigation Into The Effect Of Immunisation On Evolution Essay1134 Words   |  5 Pagesaforesaid idea is not an unusual one, although it hasn’t been around for very long it has had some thorough research done surrounding it. They say that vaccines and immunisation have been helping us so much that they have started to impede upon the evolution of humans as a species. This is believed to be a valid point as, with vaccines it is not necessary for us to evolve an improved immune system to battle newly evolved viruses, and similar. We are relying on our own productions to do it for us. HavingRead MoreEssay about The Necessities of Animal Experimentation1273 Words   |  6 Pagesbanned, it is incredibly necessary and useful for mankind. Experimenting on humans is inhumane and completely immoral, while animals that do not function in the same way humans do should be used in medical research and to test the safety of various products. If animal testing were illegal, how would worldly corporations determine the safety of products? Surely the valuable lives of human beings are not essential to risk, hence the reason that animal experimenting is necessary. In addition, medical researchRead MoreHow Can The Government Use Biotechnology Improve Public Health?1387 Words   |  6 Pagesthan anyone else. Global health is something society works on improving every day. To improve how society battles health disparities one must look at the science involved in curing diseases and sickness. Rapid and effective diagnostic tools, new vaccines and drugs, and efficient delivery methods form the groundwork for a successful public health system that will in itself lead to a global health improvement. In addition to improving global health, poverty wi ll also come closer to eradication whichRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of A Common Infectious Disease755 Words   |  4 Pagesthey are fighting an infection and where it has spread in the body. A fasting blood glucose isn’t necessary for diagnosis, but may be indicated in the diabetic patients because infection can increase values (Grossman Porth, 2013). For the elderly population, a kidney function test may be indicated prior to initiating antibiotic therapy (Theim et al., 2011). The patient will be ordered the antibiotic, doxycycline, and adjustments will be made if needed once sputum cultures and the gram stain testRead MorePrevention And Prevention Of Infectious Diseases881 Words   |  4 Pagesare transmitted from one another by contact, bodily fluids, or contaminated air, food, or water supply. The diseases make up one-fourth to one-third of worldwide deaths annually and are a major threat to human health. It was believed that vaccines, antibiotics, and public hea lth had effectively eliminated the threat of infectious disease. Because of the belief that infectious diseases were a thing of the past, public health programs aimed at preventing and treating these diseases were neglected worldwideRead MoreThe Vaccination Of A Vaccine1586 Words   |  7 Pages someone is saved because of a vaccination. A vaccine is a preventive drug that uses a small ratio of a dead or weakened virus and is designed to improve a person’s immunity and chances of survival. A vaccine is administered in one of three ways: (1) via syringe and needle injected into a muscle, (2) a nasal spray though the sinus canals, or (3) a liquid that is ingested via mouth. If a person is getting a polio vaccine, for example, then the vaccine would be made up of the the weakened or dead virusRead MoreVibrio cholerae1286 Words   |  6 Pagescholera depends on the antibiotics or patient’s own immune system and regeneration of the epithelial cell s of the intestine. (Fin kelstein, 1996) Hygiene and sanitary control Cholera is closely connected with the poor hygiene and sanitation. The simplest way to control this is to protect drinking water and food from being contaminated with the human feces. For example, education and compulsion may help to eradicate careless defecation by the people. Also, it is necessary to provide such areas with

Metamorphosis story Essay Example For Students

Metamorphosis story Essay The two openings of Metamorphosis and the Outsider are different in there beginnings but when they start to get to the end of the opening they begin to become very similar. They both wake up to different things, Gregor has been transformed into a giant bug and Meursault awakes to his mother death. The biggest difference between the characters is their physical form. Gregor has changed physically into a giant insect and Meursault remains a human being through the story. The characters also have different relationships with their mothers. It seems as though Gregor would like to have a great relationship with his mother, but under the circumstances cannot, having been turned into a giant insect and all. Meursault didnt seem to care that much that his mom passed away by his attitude which leads me to believe that him and his mom did not have the greatest relationship. Kafka creates a very lonely, cut off world for Gregor. In Metamorphosis Gregor feels more like an outsider when he awakes to find himself turned into a giant bug without any specific reason and no longer has control over his own life. He breaks off all connections to the world and to the people in his life; he does not talk or have any other kind of interaction with anyone inside or outside the family. He did not want to end all connections, but he had to because of his new physical form. Basically the human in him is stripped away leaving behind something that is no where near human in comparison. In The Outsider Meursault chooses to isolate himself from the world, not because he had to but because he wanted to. He distances himself from his own mother and doesnt show any kind of emotion when she dies which to most people is very odd. Through this story you can see how cold and indifferent Meursault is towards the situation at hand. He doesnt seem that concerned with his mother, near the end he really did seem to concentrate more on the coffin than his mother. It is similar to Metamorphosis because even though Meursault is still human, his emotions and personality are very dehumanizing. I know he is not a giant bug, but he might as well have been by the way he detached himself from the world. Both authors put their characters into very difficult and different situations than most people are in. Their themes and ideas are very similar in comparison to one another; a major theme is the relationships between the mothers and sons. Another theme in both of the short excerpts is solitary existence. Both authors also use language in a way that creates a good mental picture in the readers mind. In Metamorphosis, the author says, He was lying on his hard, as if it were armour-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his dome-like brown belly divided into stiff, arched segments on top of which the bed-quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. There is more, but this really shows great descriptive language. These two openings really have a lot in common with each other, but there are also several differences, they both are truly about the dehumanization of people no matter whom or what they are.

Promoting Exports Encouraging National Culture

Question: Describe about the Promoting Exports Of Wool And Woollen Commodities While Encouraging National Culture. Answer: Project Description Australia is one of the largest producers of premium quality of fine wool by value and the volume across the globe. In the opinion of Kim (2012), the country produced almost 25% of greasy wool for selling in the global market. It has been speculated that wool is the second most exported agricultural products of the country that makes up 11% of the total exports of the farm products (www.wool.com, 2016). Although having an outstanding trading figure the textile industry of the chosen country is still underdeveloped (Julian, 2013). The lack of development of this segment has been addressed to improve the demand for woollen products. The discussion regarding the context leads to a point for assessing the significance of exporting the wool and the woollen commodities to encourage the national culture of the country. Therefore, identifying the factors would encourage the export activities of Australia to establish a distinctive international market of woollen products. Significance In the contemporary of the exporting goods, enhancement of national culture has become a vital aspect for all the exporting organisations. The international export criteria help to identify the different product lines of the specific country and the diversified culture of this specific community. Presently the issue is that the lack of efficiency and security is seen while providing a sustainable range of products. This kind of negligence in infrastructure makes the easy supply of the raw materials while manufacturing the finished textile for exporting. This also creates a huge negative impact on the profit margin of the firm. The issue has become even more critical with the growing competition in the export industry. Hence, the study attempts to increase the exporting activity of wool and the woollen commodities which can also be contributed to enhancing the national culture of the country. The research findings could help to address the current situation to improve the exporting op erations. The research also evaluates that the country has enjoyed a lot as a major producer of wool and this is the prime reason to improve the export relationship. Research question(s) The study aims to promote the export of wool and the woollen products to encourage the national culture of Australia. In this context, the research would attempt to investigate the current export scenario of Australian woollen commodities and would provide a suitable strategy in order to advance the future exporting activities. Research objectives: The research objectives are presented below: To analyse the current position of the Australian woollen industry and the woollen commodities export scenario To determine the contribution of exporting wool and woollen commodities to encourage the national culture of Australia To identify the factors that encourage the export activities of the Australian woollen commodities To recommend suitable strategies to advance the wool exporting activities in Australia Research Question: The research questions are stated below: What are the current position of the Australian woollen industry and the woollen commodities export scenario? How the contribution of exporting wool and woollen commodities can be helpful to encourage the national culture of Australia? Which factors can encourage the export activities of the Australian woollen commodities? What can be the suitable strategies to advance the wool exporting activities in Australia? Literature review Australian wool industry and its export scenario: More than 95% of the wool produced in Australia is exported. The analysts indicate that the domestic consumption of wool in Australia is extremely lesser (Swan et al. 2008). In the words of Waschik Fraser (2007), the Australian economy is strongly dependent on the export scenario of Wool, as the Australian exports are mainly consumed by the global regions. The market power of the Australian wool industry has been found comparatively higher than the other countries. However, Preston et al. (2016) stated that the estimate of wool production forecasted that in the FY 2016-2017, a minimum of 1.5% fall would be experienced by the Australian economy regarding its export scenario. It has also been observed that the wool exports were worth 2 billion to Aistraluiaand Approximatrly an amount of $600 million to Victoria in the FY 2008 2009. In the later stage the export value was increased and significantly impacted on its overall national economy. Altogether, 28 of the 39 countries used to import Australian wool in terms of scourd and carbonized wood. Inference can be drawn from the previous assertions that the Australian Export activities are flourished with the passing phase of time, thus, the region is targeting to tap on the developing regions like India and China. Although the projection shows a reduction in the export scenario, the Australian Eastern market Indicator has been increased by 3.4% in the March 2015 (www.abs.gov.au, 2016). In the words of Preston et al. (2016), the wool export fall by -9% in the FY 2015-2016, this has affected the overall economy of Australia. However, the export intensity remained higher till now in contrast with other locations. The Australian wool export value has become 19 microns, and the production of finer wool has been increased over the time. More than 80% of the export goes to China, which was only 12% in the FY 1991-1992 (www.abs.gov.au, 2016). The factors influencing the wool exports of Australia: Assistance and incentives offered by the government: The Australian government is encouraging the establishment of the wool processing plants in different cities. The government believes that the on-going invectives and assistances could be directed towards the firms process and manufactures the wool product. It has been identified that the government intervention is related to manage the cost that is increasing the production of the woollen materials. The exceptional contributions have been offered by the Federal government to protect the creations from the climate changes. Waschik Fraser (2007) also stated that the government is well placed to assist the manufacturing industries through water supply and other approaches to the energy conservation as well. The development of technologies has also influenced the production of wool in the Australia. National culture: Farming in Australia has been developed from the history. It was initiated in the year 1788, at Farm Cove, the site of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. The changing nature of the farmers has also significantly contributed to the growth of the wool industry. Considering the statistical data of 2010, more than 77,000 students were enrolled in the agricultural and environmental related studies, aiming to establish the textile or woollen business (www.abs.gov.au, 2016). Thus, the national culture has significantly promoted the wool production and export scenario of Australia. Encouraging the national culture through the exports of wool and woollen commodities: The government keeps on supporting the local communities to produce woollen products to increase the export scenario. However, Julian (2013) argued that the demise of the Wool reserve price scheme in 1991, affected the overall production of wool in Australia. Eventually, the national economy gets affected as well. Also, the export of greasy wool and the overall import of the finished products are still a growing concern for the Australian culture. According to Waschik Fraser (2007), the Australian trade and culture are interlinked regarding emotions and other societal values. The approach of the wool trade is innovative and culture-centric. It has been identified that the Australian culture exemplifies the process that is to be conducted in the international businesses. Along with the national culture, the government regulation and other regulatory aspects are mixed to improve the export scenario. However, Salim Islam (2010) stated that the greater taxation and reduced government i nterventions are affecting the growth of the wool production in Australia. The forecasted report in the FY 2015 also shows that the wool production will decline by 4.3% to 332 kg. It reflected a sharp fall of 3.7% in the shorn sheep numbers and continued a high turn-off on the revenue growth as well (www.wool.com, 2016). Recommendations to improve the current export scenario: The statistical data shows that Australian wool trading is majorly focused on the India and China. On the other hand, the Chinese and other Asian marketers are capturing the European and US wool market gradually, while Australia is failing to achieve the US marketers to a significant degree (Wiedemann et al. 2016). Therefore, the government needs to prioritise to the operational program generic improvement of sheep. The Sheep and Wool advisory committee also need to employ an audit process to balance the allocation of resources within that operational program. The dominance of China in the greasy wool export can be mitigated and captured by Australia, through the restructuring of some of the wool combing plans. The government also needs to improve the financial support of the manufacturer. Eventually, the production and the export ratio of wools can be enhanced. Methodology on secondary data India's wool imports from Australia growing at 17%, published by Business Standards, June 26, 2007: Australian has been identified as one of the emerging wool exporting regions in the global context. The journalist in the present article has explained that the Australian Forex (Foreign Exchange) agencies believe India to be the most potential regions for exporting the woollen commodities. The article signifies that India has a potential margin of manufacture, but the country needs to emphasise more efforts to compete with the manufacturing and export actions of Chinas knitwear. The statement of Simon Johnson, the Regional Director in the Westerns Australia Trade Office in India claims that India is apprehended by the majority of the Australian woollen commodities. The export margin of the Australian commodities has increased by 17%, and the growth is expected to sustain for a considerable period. The last years statistics forecast that Australian wool trading activity has contributed the regions with the total amount of S 180 million. However, the statistics also reflect that China managed to import 60% of the total exported commodities of Australia. The second is Italy with the margin of 20 25% and third India with 15 20%. The wool exported to China and India is majorly used in the manufacturing Knitwear, which has a potential market in the US and European countries. China has managed to tap the majority of the European market, yet, Indian and Australian market is still at a growing pace. The article also reflects the fact that Australia considers India to be the potential regions for the woollen segments; yet, it has to enhance its output of export sand Knitwear. As per the opinion of Michael Moingnard, the Senior Trade Commissioner-South Asia and Australian Trade Commission, the focus is exclusively on the agri-exports and Indian energy industry. The Australian Forex department is showing a high interest in exporting coal to India. The existing article also specifies that the Indian power sector is also expected to grow 200,000 Mc. Thus, the region requires a total amount of 70 mn tonnes of coal. A prized yarn from Australia, published by The Economist, September 3, 2015 The current article reflects that the Australian economy grew by 0.2% between the month of April and June. Thus, the specific industry has experienced an annual growth of 2 %, which is relatively lower than the previous year. The wool industry has helped Australia to increase its open spaces. The present report specifies that China is in the progression of capturing the entire textile market of the European market. Australia continued to flock the agricultural jamborees to observe the efforts of the shearers competing for the fastest shearing times. The region has managed to clip an average fleece of 5kg of wools from the sheep shorn at least once a year. The Majority of the wool commodities is used in the export purposes. In the particular period, the Australian wool export activities have increased by 20%, which worth value terms of $ 3.0 billion. The present article discusses that Australia produces the worlds best quality woollen fibre, Australian merino. The report reflects that the farmers of the particular region are selecting the superior animals for the breeding purposes. The farmers are getting the additional advantage of the Australian climate that is accurate for the wool farming activities. As per the data of the Preliminary ABS show, in 2001 Australia had approximately figure of 111 million sheep and lambs, which accounted for nearly 9% of global sheep numbers. However, the particular modest contribution to the global textile sector signifies that Australian managed to dominate the majority of the global woollen market. Furthermore, it has been assessed that Australia produces around 50% of the global merino wool. The total wool production capacity in the Australian market is increased by an approximate range of 645,000 tonnes of greasy wool in 2001. Thus, the export action of the woollen commodities is increased b y 27% in the greasy wool division. The existing article specifies that Australia has exported over 90% of its wool clip in the specific year. Additionally, the article signifies that the export action between Australia and China has also increased considerably. China has managed to purchase a significant share of Australian exports of semi-processed and raw wool, thus, imported a proportionate amount of $1,360m of Australian wool in 2001.Moreover, the European Union also accounted for the one-third of Australian wool exported values and imported an approximate amount of 30% with Italy. Management of data and ethical responsibilities While conducting the research, the secondary data would be considered to create a potential result of the study. Taking this into consideration, several journals, books, magazines and the websites of Australian wool export industry would be measured by the research associate to accumulate the secondary data. In the opinion of Daramola (2013), to investigate a research, journals, articles and books are the most authentic source for collecting the secondary information. As a consequence, the research associate would evaluate the various e-journals, articles and books foe collecting secondary data for the current research context. The researcher would also access the various online archives of Australian woollen industry to collect the secondary data. In the addition, Ferrari (2010) stated that a special focus has to be placed by the researcher on the relevant sources to avoid the data duplicity issue. Furthermore, a relevant code of conduct is required to be preserved by the research associate during investigating any research. Considering the fact, the research associate would need to maintain the confidentiality of the source of the data collection. As per the opinion of Rauch (2012), it is essential to inspect that no data would be applied for hampering the image of the Australian exporting industry. The research associate would require keeping a focus on the network failure and accessibility issues while gathering the data for the current study (Steeleworthy, 2014). Additionally, the required data for the research would need to be maintained separately to ensure the data integrity. Moreover, no research data could have been commercially used. References: (Economist, T. (2015) A prized yarn from Australia. Available at: https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21663247-lost-merino-recalls-fatter-years-when-australias-wealth-was-wool-prized-yarn-australia (Accessed: 24 August 2016)). (Trivedi, S. (2007) Indias wool imports from Australia growing at 17%. Available at: https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/india-s-wool-imports-from-australia-growing-at-17-107062601075_1.html (Accessed: 24 August 2016)). Australia, C. of, Statistics, A. B. of. (2012, May 24). Main features - farming in Australia. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/1301.0~2012~Main%20Features~Farming%20in%20Australia~207 Daramola, I. (2013). Ethical and legal issues consideration in public affairs reporting: A study of parliamentary reporting in Nigeria. Oman Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 2(10), 6270. Ferrari, E. (2010). Access control in data management systems. Synthesis Lectures on Data Management, 2(1), 1117. Julian, C. C. (2013). A resource-based approach to the study of export marketing from Australia. International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, 6(2), 141. Julian, C. C. (2013). A resource-based approach to the study of export marketing from Australia. International Journal of Trade and Global Markets, 6(2), 141 Kim, J. (2012). Case study on partner-centric perceived linking corporate social responsibility -focused on Doosan heavy Indusry construction-. Jounal of Korea Service Management Society, 13(4), 195208. Preston, J. W. V., Hatcher, S., McGregor, B. A. (2016). Fabric and greasy wool handle, their importance to the Australian wool industry: A review. Animal Production Science, 56(1), 1. Rauch, J. (2012). EverMiner: Consideration on knowledge driven permanent data mining process. International Journal of Data Mining, Modelling and Management, 4(3), 224. Salim, R. A., Islam, N. (2010). Exploring the impact of RD and climate change on agricultural productivity growth: The case of western Australia*. Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 54(4), 561582. Steeleworthy, M. (2014). Research data management and the Canadian academic library: An organizational consideration of data management and data stewardship. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 9(1), 122124. Swan, A. A., Purvis, I. W., Piper, L. R. (2008). Genetic parameters for yearling wool production, wool quality and bodyweight traits in fine wool Merino sheep.Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 48(9), 1168 Waschik, R., Fraser, I. (2007). A computable general equilibrium analysis of export taxes in the Australian wool industry. Economic Modelling, 24(4), 712736. Wiedemann, S. G., Yan, M. ., Henry, B. K., Murphy, C. M. (2016). Resource use and greenhouse gas emissions from three wool production regions in Australia. Journal of Cleaner Production, 122, 121132. Wool production forecasts - wool.com - Australian wool innovation. (2016, April 15). Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.wool.com/market-intelligence/wool-production-forecasts/

Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited Made Efforts to Adapt to the Paradigm Shift of Information Technology and Its Function Within the Ever-Growing Cruise Line Industry free essay sample

Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited made efforts to adapt to the paradigm shift of Information Technology and its function within the ever-growing cruise line industry Jesse Brothers Abstract Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited (RCCL) was founded in 1969. They currently operate under the brands of Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Pullmantor. Predominantly known as the second largest cruise ship company behind Carnival Cruises, RCCL still has a firm hold on cruise ship market share. According to their website, RoyalCaribbean. com, RCCL brought in net revenues of over $607 million in 2011, which is up from $515 and $152 million in 2010 and 2009, respectively. They used their fleet consisting of 39 ships to make approximately 92,000 berths last year†¦ but things were not always looking so optimistic for Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited. Problem Statement Things were looking up for RCCL and their hiring of high level IT personnel have led to advancements in the company’s IT infrastructure and future technology endeavors. We will write a custom essay sample on Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited Made Efforts to Adapt to the Paradigm Shift of Information Technology and Its Function Within the Ever-Growing Cruise Line Industry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But ultimately, the company had three strategic goals of (1) Enhancing Guest Experience (2) Reduce Costs and (3) Increase Revenues to try to set themselves apart within the cruise industry as they tried to make the leap into the â€Å"digital† age. But given the events of 9/11 and its impact on the industry, how would RCCL optimize its IT spending especially if it is still working on an â€Å"analog† budget? Background Dating back to the 90’s, RCCL has always been the proverbial second fiddle to Carnival Cruises. RCCL’s Chairman and CEO, Richard Fain, noticed that the primary reason for Carnival’s success was their ability to drive down marginal costs per ship by â€Å"standardizing its fleets down to details as small as bedspreads and barstools† (McFarland, 2003). However, it was important to Fain for each RCCL ship to have its own identity. So, the problem in front of the long time CEO and Chairman was high would RCCL take steps toward a bigger market share without compromising its differentiation between Carnival and other cruise ship organizations. For Fain, the answer would be to move RCCL into the digital age. So in April of 1999, Fain brought in a new CIO named Thomas Murphy to lead the paradigm shift. Murphy, with a IT background in the hospitality industry, immediately made an impact as people titles were changed and some positions were even eliminated in an attempt to change the overall outlook of RCCL’s staff, both high and low level, had toward its own IT department. Murphy was once quoted saying, â€Å"there was a huge disconnect in their thinking, a gap that had kept IT and the business apart† (Hughes, 2001). Murphy’s first projects were implemented and received well both by customers and by RCCL’s employees. The first major change was to hire IMB Business Services as a consultant to link together RCCL’s shore-side and on-board technology systems. The second major change was the improvements made were to the previously mentioned shore excursion program and the switch from diesel to gas engines. At this point, the buy-in from the board and staff for the new and improved IT department was completely formulated. The next big project for Murphy and his department was called â€Å"Leapfrog†. This was supposed to be what helps RCCL move into the number one spot for cruise line industry market share. Leapfrog consisted of 3 main IT projects: 1) Supply Chain – automate and simplify the shore-side purchasing and procuring processes 2) Human Resource – automate employee tracking software to help with training and knowledge management 3) Customer Service Upgrade – create a new and improved reservation tool for customers to synchronize all reservation systems for the company and to help sales and marketing utilize the data being collected Leapfrog was set to be a $200 million project that also helped make it affordable to launch 4 new ships and hire 20k more employees. The entire IT infrastructure was going to be revamped, including more servers, new networks and other IT service components. Sink or Swim: the fallout from 9/11 attacks The old adage goes, â€Å"you have to spend money to make money†. Well, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, RCCL executives knew that making money was going to be a lot more difficult. They lost 50% of their 4th quarter bookings within a week of those attacks and Q1 of 2002 was starting to look bleak as well. Fain quickly gathered his executive team and made a decision that ultimately would affect the company’s future financials for several years. He concluded that there were three avenues that RCCL could possibly go toward now. â€Å"The first option was to slow down and cut 25% off some projects: the second one consisted of shelving some of them[projects] completely, reducing overall costs by 50%; while the third was to shelve the whole thing except for a small part of the supply chain†¦ Fain decided to go for the third option† (McFarlan, 2003) Over the next few weeks, hundreds of employees were laid off and Murphy saw his annual budget cut in half. He knew that the only way to stay afloat was to start thinking smaller. He called the next methodology RCCL would adapt, â€Å"micro-strategy† which he defined as â€Å"the stepping stone strategies needed to be nimble and adaptable within the context of preserving long-term goals† (Hughes, 2002). So for the next year and a half, Murphy spent any monies his department had on shoring the core infrastructure of RCCL, most notably: Network services, Email services and other utilities that people always expect to work when needed. Utilizing these core small strategies, Murphy was able to keep RCCL IT department afloat through 2004, his final year at the company. IT Makeup and Infrastructure Vision Statement Corporate Strategy: The Solution RCCL has three main goals that incorporate its main strategy as it prepares to enter the digital age of the 21st century. The first and foremost being to enhance the guest experience which of course fits in perfectly with the company’s vision statement. An example of this focus is the â€Å"Silverwhere† program, which is not just a clever name but is a software program that links together people of common interests at dinner in hopes of making their dinner and ultimately, vacation, more enjoyable. The ships have also incorporated Internet Cafes that are being put to good use by the customers who want to stay connected while at sea. One final way to enhance the guest experience while on a cruise is the automated disembarkation process or also known as the debark card. The card saves the customer the headache of trying to leave the ship and having to having to fill the necessary paperwork on the same day. According to the case, â€Å"the debark card captured the information required by the INS and was printed the night before debarkation and delivered to each guests’ room (McFarlan, 2003). The second corporate strategy is to of course, reduce costs. One of the most critical functions for a successful cruise company is to have a successful supply chain management structure in place. â€Å"A cruise ship as a floating city posed exceptionally complex supply-chain issues as a result of several factors: most notably, Variety, Logistics and Connectivity† (McFarlan, 2003). Variety is a critical factor because the ship has two key yet differing functions, which are hotel supply and technical supply. Logistics from simply having the aforementioned â€Å"floating city† aspect which made errors almost impossible to correct once the ships left port. Connectivity was also an issue back in the early 2000’s as the satellite positions could dictate whether guests and crew were able to access the Internet. Most cruises have multiple excursions planned throughout its duration. The online excursion booking allows the customer to book the excursions online at their convenience. This not only helps save the customer time but it also allows them to spend more time in the ship. This usually helps bring in more revenue as well. Speaking of revenue, that is the third and final main goal of the RCCL executive staff. As previously mentioned, RCCL provided Internet Cafes that charged $. 50 per minute for guests and $. 10 per minute for crew. Lastly, RCCL decided to make the change from diesel engines to gas engines. Although the fuel costs were higher now, they were more than offset by the extra combine space created. Plus, customers found the cruises to be more enjoyable with the reduced engine noise. These advancements would not have been possible without first bringing the right personnel to have vision and knowledge to implement such technical programs as the online shore excursions and updates to the website. These personnel have to have the intuitiveness to not only be creative with new ideas but also make sure said ideas are in line with the corporate goals of RCCL. Though the technology had not yet been developed, the ultimate goal was to have â€Å"each ship is a fully redundant system, where an authorized user could access data anytime, anywhere† (McFarlan, 2003). Moving forward to present day, once the available technology was literally feasible, Murphy’s dream would come true even if he was not there to see it come to fruition. RCCL’s ships would be streamlined and be more efficient. They would be self-troubleshooting and centralized. Fleets would have full communication with the shore-side infrastructure and give the ability to drive down costs while remaining efficient. The graph below shows the increases in total fleet. Then, there is a graph showing the capital expenditures for RCCL going back to before Thomas Murphy was hired as CIO in 1999.

A Streetcar Named Desire Essay Example

A Streetcar Named Desire Essay Example A Streetcar Named Desire Paper A Streetcar Named Desire Paper Essay Topic: A Streetcar Named Desire The Glass Menagerie Many definitions of tragedy claim that at the end of the play positives have emerged. Is it possible to see anything positive in the ending of A Streetcar Named Desire? Many definitions of a tragedy claim that by the end of the play positives have emerged, Im going to investigate whether this can be said for A Streetcar named Desire. I want to look at the outcome of the play for each of the main characters and see who, if anyone came out on top. A Streetcar Named Desire is considered by many to be a modern tragedy, this genre differs from a Greek or Shakespearian tragedy in that its protagonists are not usually great people from noble backgrounds who suffer an epic downfall that has drastic consequences but ordinary people, in domestic settings whos downfall although tragic for them has no real impact on anyone other than themselves and those close to them. Streetcar centres around three main characters Blanche, an aging southern belle, her sister Stella who has shook off her gentile, southern upbringing and settled into a simple life in run down New Orleans and Stanley Kowalski, Stellas husband, a man of Polish decent that seems to represent the new America. Blanche disrupts the lives of the Kaplowskis by turning up to stay with them claiming shes been given leave from her teaching job in Laurel, where the sisters grew up. We later learn however this is not true, she has been fired from her job for sexual liaisons with a student and has been made a pariah in her home town for her promiscuity. Stanley finds out the truth about Stella and does his best to get rid of her and keep his friend Mitch, who Blanch set her sights on marrying, away from her. The ending of the play, although tragic and moving seems to me somewhat ambivalent, the audience are left to wonder, to some extent what will become of all the characters, this is the area that I am going to analyse. I have always depended on the kindness of strangers (scene 11, 11) possibly the most famous lines of the play, and the last words we hear Blanche utter. She is being lead away by a doctor to a mental institution after suffering a complete mental breakdown culminating from the traumas of her past, her alcoholism and her treatment at the hands of Stanley Kowalski. Blanches final words summarise her own tragic flaw; dependence, on strangers, on men, on alcohol, on anything but herself. The flaw, it could be argued landed her in such a tragic position. From our first introduction to Blanch we can tell she is not someone used to looking after herself, when she arrives at Elysian Fields despite the haughty air she puts on when speaking to Stellas neighbours she has no qualms about letting Eunice and the black neighbour take control of the situation, taking her into the Kowalskis apartment and offering to go and fetch Stella for her, then rudely asking Eunice to leave her alone. We are also immediately introduced to her dependency on alcohol; she takes a quick drink getting rid of the evidence before her sister arrives. Straight away the audience are aware that Blanche is not a woman in control of her situation A Streetcar differs from what many would class as a tragedy in that nobody actually dies in the end, however it could be argued that Blanches future in a mental asylum is as bad as, of even worse than death. If one was to try and put any sort of positive spin on Blanches fate we could say that she is finally free of the real world which she was obviously finding increasingly difficult to cope with. She says to Mitch I dont want realism. Ill tell you what I want. Magic! (9,6-8), maybe now she will be free to live the life she feels she should, if only in her mind. However, before jumping to this rose tinted conclusion we must acknowledge Williams own experience of the mental institutions of his day. His sister Rose, to whom he was very close, was institutionalised after a failed lobotomy, and Williams was said to be totally guilt ridden by this state of affairs. In an obituary to Rose Williams in the Independent Newspaper the author writes: The troubled life of Rose Williams haunts the work of her brother Tennessee. Like a fading Southern Belle, eternally deserted (Hoare, P. (1996). Obituary: Rose Williams. Available: independent. co. uk/news/people/obituary-rose-williams-1362925. html. Last accessed 27th Feb 2011. ) So it is probably fair to assume that Institutions did not hold positive connotations for Williams so it may be unlikely that this is the impression he intended his audience to get. What of the other characters, Stanley and Stella. It appears now with Blanche out of the way, life can go back to normal for them both. However as we know, Williams deals very much in realism and it would be naive to assume that the events of the last few months will not have impact on their relationship. From the beginning Stella appears to have accepted her lot when it comes to Stanley, she knows he isnt perfect but their passion makes it worthwhile in her view; there are things that happen between a man and a woman in the dark-that sort of make everything else seem-unimportant. (4, 29-2) and she has embraced her new life, even claiming to be thrilled (4,21) by some of Stanleys violent outbursts. It is clear though that Stella isnt stupid, Williams has given Stella an air of maturity and quiet composure that is in great contrast to Blanches manner. I find it hard to believe that she could completely dismiss Blanches claim that Stanley raped her as just her desperate last attempt to get Stanley out of the picture. I feel that on some level she believes her sister, in scene 11 she says to Eunice; I dont know if I did the right thing (11,12) And; I couldnt believe her story and go on living with Stanley (11,15) Eunice replies; Dont ever believe it. Life has to go on. No matter what happens, youve got to keep on going (11,17-18) It is pointedly never said that she is doing the right thing, only that she is doing what she has to do. Stella sobs with inhuman abandon as blanch is being led away, betraying her real feelings even more than the text, she is devastated to see her sister in this situation and no doubt feels hugely guilty for allowing it. In my opinion Stella made the decision to side with Stanley out of what she thought was necessity, she couldnt bare the thought of losing the security that Stanley offers, especially now they have a child to think about so she has turned her back to the horrible truth, just as she turned her back on her old life in the plantation when things started to go wrong, she wasnt there for her sister then and she wont stand by her now. For me though it begs the question how long will Stella be able to continue the fai ade. The animal passion she enjoys so much with Stanley is unlikely to sustain her forever and is no substitute for a trusting healthy relationship. I feel eventually the cracks will begin to show, Stellas guilt over Blanch will grow and she will increasing resent Stanley. He may be able to pacify her for now with a sexual advance; He kneels beside her and his fingers find the opening of her blouse (11,4-5) but I think in the long run she is trapped it what is ultimately a doomed relationship. This brings us to Stanley, it appears that he is the only one who got something positive from blanch being institutionalised. He can once again go back to his old life, with his doting wife and now a newborn child to further cement his position as head of the household. However by raping Blanch he has betrayed his true character, before although it is unlikely anyone could feel any sympathy for him it did seem that Stanley really did love his wife, even showing odd moments of tenderness. Now however we see how cruel he can be and how insatiable his lust really is. He even implies that the rape was not a heat of the moment decision saying weve had this date with each other from the beginning (10,25-26). He shows no remorse for his actions and if he has no qualms having sex with his sister in law while his wife is in hospital having their child, it does not say much for his general fidelity. Before the rape Stanley could be considered if not a likeably character at least a complex one. The audience could appreciate that he didnt have the genteel upbringing of Stella and Blanche but he was a hard worked trying to provide for his family. We could even sympathise that his already cramped home had been more of less taken over by his sister in law, allowing him and his wife virtually no privacy, Id even go so far as to say there would be very few men who would not be frustrated by that situation. But the rape shows him to be a true, unquestionable villain. So, although things seem to be going pretty well for him at the moment, Id say his future looks pretty bleak, a wife that may be harbouring deep resentments, uncontrollable sexual urges, that although havent got him into trouble yet are likely to in the future and a violent streak that will surely loose its thrill for Stella. I find this view on Stella and Stanleys future particularly interesting; We may be permitted to wonder whether the semi-comic characters of Eunice and Steve were introduced to foreshadow the Kowalskis in years to come- Stella slovenly, fat and blowzy after too many pregnancies, and Stanley no longer the gaudy seed barer but a corpulent, wheezing patron of the local prostitutes. (Sambrook,H (2010). York notes Advanced,A Streetcar Named Desire. 9th ed. London: York Press. 58. ) Obviously all the above ideas are merely that, ideas, these are characters in a play, which have no future once the curtains come down. But what a testament to Williams writing, and the realism of his characters, that we have became so emotionally attached to the characters that we crave an answer to what will become of them. This brings me to my final question, what prompted Williams to end his play in such a melancholy, unhopeful way? In an interview with Tennessee Williams by Robert Berkvist in 1974 Williams said of his plays; They reflect somehow the particular psychological turmoil I was going through when I wrote them (Berkvist, R. (1975). An Interview With Tennessee Williams. Available: nytimes. com/books/00/12/31/specials/williams-interview75. html. Last accessed 27th Feb 2011. ) We know Williams had his fair share of troubles, he suffered with depression, was tormented over his homosexuality, lived with the guilt of his sister being institutionalised. His plays have been thought to mirror aspects of his life. Sparknotes on A Streetcar Named Desire agree that many of his female characters contain elements of his mother and sister and his male characters were based on his brutish father and childhood bullies (SparkNotes Editors. SparkNote on A Streetcar Named Desire. SparkNotes LLC. 2003. sparknotes. com/lit/streetcar/ (accessed February 24, 2011). ) It seems to me that Streetcar in particular does support this theory, as does The Glass Menagerie. Maybe Streetcars ending was simply Williams alluding to the fact that in real life, there is not always a happy ending, we dont always come away having learned something of even with a brighter outlook for the future, so why should the characters in his play. To conclude, I cant say that any positives have emerged from the ending of Streetcar, but I do not believe that this detracts in any way from the play being one of the great modern tragedies. Williams talent for creating believable characters his audience form attachments too is illustrated in the compulsion we feel to cultivate our own conclusions, and fill in the blanks that he didnt. This only added to my enjoyment of reading the play and I can only assume, from the plethora of different interpretations of the text I read on the internet when researching for this piece, that I am not the only person to feel this way.

Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Management - Assignment Example He defines leadership as follows: â€Å"Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills† (Clark, 2008, para.3). Leithwood & Riehl (2003) posit that a good leader has a clear vision of where he is going and sets directions to others towards that vision. He collaborates with other people on ways and means to reach their goals and not focus the authority on himself. In doing so, he empowers them to be confident in their abilities and motivates them to welcome challenges and opportunities. Because of his positive influence, he gains the respect of everyone to follow his lead while pursuing a common mission for the growth and development of the organization. For me, such a leader is leading a noble course in his life, one who makes a difference in other people’s lives and one who leaves a valuable legacy behind. The course on leadership included a large chunk on motivation. A leader needs to be able to motivate his team members. Handy (1999) reports that the initial goals of motivation research was to encourage individuals to provide better service to their employers by exerting more effort and maximizing their talents at work. Having a well-motivated workforce may be equivalent to better work productivity and success in the achievement of goals for the organization. Additional advantages are lower level of absenteeism and staff turnovers because the employees are satisfied with their work. This also means that training and recruitment costs are lowered because work positions are always reliably staffed (Dawson, 2009). To me that makes a lot of sense because what is the point of maintaining teams and training them to be effective if they are