Book review of Economic Sophisms, by Frdric Bastiat Essay

Book review of Economic Sophisms, by Frdric Bastiat - Essay Example In this book Economic Sophisms Bastiat tries to combat the problems of protectionism through many arguments. His famous satirical work known as the ‘Candle makers’ petition’, which is reproduced in many economic textbooks all over the world, is also included in this book. (Hart, 4-7; Hazlitt, 5) The collection consists of three parts. The first part contains the popular essays; the second is his sophisms, consisting of 35 articles on protectionism. The third part was written in a short period of time before his death and consists of the thought that society and the economy are in harmony and government intervention was unnecessary - ‘The world is not sufficiently aware of the influence that sophistry exerts over it.’(Bastiat, 93) The author’s thesis is that one should have the freedom to buy anything from anyplace as that is in one’s best economic interest. The most important argument present in the whole book is how a few men have been able to loot others by making them believe that they are getting looted for their own benefit. Many still lack the basic understanding of such economics and that kind of looting is prevalent even now. Since, the not so intelligent common man, might not be able to decipher the intricacies of an economic policy, the ones forming the rules are in a position to loot the poor off their wealth. Bastiat not only uses wit and satire but also uses the words of the policy makers to point out the fallacies to the general public (Spencer). The book consists of a number of styles of writing. Keeping in mind the general public as the reader Bastiat includes a number of different yet simple styles which they can understand. His book consisted of essays in conversational prose, written informally, and this is the dominant type. They have a very conversational tone and quotes from individuals having the opposite view have often been incorporated in these. This style reflects the fact that they might have been used in speeches before and contains reactions or exclamations from the writer (Hart, 8). The second type of essay format he uses is essays written in dialog form where Bastiat created characters to build up a conversation where ultimately the free market supporter would win the debate. The characters would often be in professions such as petitioning, economist, woodcutters, ironmasters and artisans (Hart, 9). Thirdly, he would write essays consisting of economic tales, which shows his love for literature. These economic tales point out important economic aspects to the layman in an easy manner, and included funny remarks. Important stories include ‘Reciprocity’, ‘Stupidville’ and ‘Childishtown’. These tales make the work of economics less boring and ignites the enthusiasm of the reader (Hart, 10). The fourth type of essays was fictional letter to government officials. These were similar to the economic tales and were considered funn y and satirical. These fake letters were written to many fake government officials such as Council of Ministers, various Cabinet Ministers and to the Chamber of Deputies, sometimes even the King, and contained requests for easy solutions of economic complexities. The writer uses a ‘reductio ad absurdum’ method to push his point usually taking up a topic used by his opponents. Sometimes ridiculous demands made by the opponents were used to show

Week 1 DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 1 DB - Essay Example In the research process, all parts of the cycle are co-dependant, and if one step is omitted the research will loose its scientific value. One of the most important tasks for any researcher, therefore, is to think through the value of his intended research before too much preliminary work is done. The research process can be identified as ‘helix’ because every stage of investigation brings new information and questions about the problem. Such information is often necessary to pave the way for designing other research or to make decisions of some sort. It is possible to say that there are many variables â€Å"out there† in the real world that can be investigated. Obviously, one research cannot investigate them all. For this reason, researchers choose certain variables to investigate because they have a suspicion that they are somehow related, and that if they can discover the nature of this relationship, they will be able to make more sense out of the world in whic h they live. This process is endless and spiral. 2.Two concepts that are used in judging the value of an instrument are reliability and validity. Reliability can be defined as the consistency of the information obtained. If researchers used a yardstick to measure a desk three times and obtained different readings each time, they would conclude that the information was unreliable. In contrast to reliability, validity refers to the extent to which an instrument gives researchers the information they want. In this case, inadequate measures and tools would give misleading information and data. Validity is the most important idea to consider when preparing or selecting an instrument for use. More than anything else, a researcher wants the information obtained with an instrument to serve his or her purposes. Validity has been defined to include the appropriateness, meaningfulness, and usefulness of the specific inferences a researcher makes on the basis of the data he or she collects.

Traditional Banking Versus Online Banking Information Technology Essay

Traditional Banking Versus Online Banking Information Technology Essay Internet banking is a fact of life for many individuals today with a busy lifestyle. Some individuals will have a brick and mortar bank that offers Internet banking in addition to going to the brick and mortar location. Other banks exist only on the Internet that do not have a physical location. Benefits Internet bankings major benefit to account holders is convenience. It allows an account holder to monitor usage of his account and perform basic transactions online for his banking account. Considerations If an individual opens an account at an online-only bank such as ING Direct, access is limited to their account. If the bank account owner can not find a location with Internet access, she will be unable to perform transactions on her banking account. Disadvantages When using an Internet banking account, the account owner may have no face to face interaction with a bank employee if the bank does not have a brick and mortar location. This can make resolving disputes more difficult as the account holder will have to make a phone call and possibly wait on hold, or be forced to send an email. Bonuses There are some Internet banking companies such as ING Direct that will allow a customer to receive a monetary bonus for opening an account with them. The bonus varies based on the promotion the Internet banking company is running at the time. Warning  · Conducting your banking over the Internet can be you at a significant risk of scams and fraud. Make sure when using your internet banking account you are accessing it through a secured network, and never provide your account password to anyone. Online banking versus brick and  mortar Posted on April 9, 2008. Filed under: Banking,Investing and Saving | Online banking is something that no one could have predicted. Now you are able to access your accounts at any time, make payments and see your statements from home without going to the local banking branch. Online-only banks have also sprung up with no actual branches, just a virtual account that promises higher savings rates and a slew of conveniences. For the average person, it would be perfectly acceptable to have both an online banking account and a brick and mortar bank. Online banks generally have the best rates as they strive to cut costs by hiring a limited amount of workers (no tellers needed) and avoiding the costs of buildings, atms etc. The downside is a limited access to money and the inability to go to the bank and talk to a person if you need to. Most online banks will allow you to pay bills online, however, they do not offer easy withdrawals like the thousands of offline brick and mortar banks. Brick and mortar banks are best for people who demand customer service. From the availability of many banking options, fee-free ATMs open 24/7 and the candy at the corner of the banking desk; brick and mortars have it all. They also have many costs that cut into savings rates, and make their lines of credit and loans more expensive. Brick and mortars offer a high level of comfort to customers, ensuring them that their money is right around the corner when they need it, rather than just a digital number on a computer screen. For long term savings, an online bank is the winner hands down. Savings rates at online banks are much higher and the fees are much lower. An online bank is perfect for an emergency fund, or other savings that you do not need on a day to day basis. A brick and mortar savings account will never become obsolete, it is far too convenient, even though the rates are traditionally much lower. Keep just enough in a brick and mortar account to utilize it conveniently, and keep the substantial savings at an online bank to earn more in interest. For most people, two accounts is now the necessity. Traditional Banking Vs Online  Banking Internet banking works in a similar manner to traditional banking, the major difference being the way one is making payments, accessing his account and personal details, and reconciling statements. Rather than visiting the local branch of his bank, the customer uses his computer to complete transactions. Internet and traditional banking have their pros and cons to consider. The choice of online vs. brick-and-mortar banking is often based on ones lifestyle and priorities. As a major advantage of internet banking, the customer can accomplish multiple tasks in the comfort of his home. Efficiency is what makes online banking attractive to customers: they can pay bills, move money between different accounts, check multiple accounts, and much more. Banking is fast and saves customers valuable time. Transactions are completed in seconds and one can print out the receipts for his personal records. The customer may access his account at any given part of the day, even during weekends and holidays. Moreover, the online account may be accessed from any place around the world, provided that internet connection is available. Online bank accounts make banking expedient, convenient, and inexpensive. Many banks charge fewer fees for the online banking services they offer. Furthermore, banks have higher interest rates on savings accounts and certificates of deposit, and offer more financial services and products. Customers dont need to buy envelopes and stamps, run to the post office at the last minute, and risk being late on their payments. Monthly bank statements and bills can be accessed electronically. Finally, online banking employs sophisticated tools that help manage ones money and accounts with ease. Despite increased security measures and the availability of anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, identity theft is still a concern. Other threats associated with online banking include phishing and hacking of online accounts. Time is among the precious commodities, especially for multi-taskers. On the other hand, some people prefer to visit their local bank and interact with the teller in person. Customers can turn to the banks special account representative or even to the bank manager. Clients are physically present when cash is handed over to them and when they place valuable items in their safety deposit boxes. When customers hold their money in banks, they expect to have them available when required. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation offers coverage of up to $100.000 if banks cannot cover their clients accounts. Most banks have increased the level of security by installing more surveillance cameras and hiring a larger number of security guards. With traditional banking, customers are better protected against identity theft. However, security is still a concern with traditional banking. While criminals cannot hold a gun to ones personal computer, they can rob a bank the traditional way. Inconvenient locations, fixed schedules, and more limited financial services are some of the disadvantages associated with traditional banking. In contrast to internet banking, customers opting for traditional banking services need to draw money before using it. The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) pays up to $100,000 of coverage, in case that a bank cannot cover its accounts (both online and traditional). However, protection from identity theft is an aspect of banking that traditional banks take better care of. Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional and/or financial advice. The information found in this article is provided AS IS, and all warranties, express or implied, are disclaimed by the author. Top 5 Reasons to Use Online  Banking In recent years online banking has become increasingly popular, and many consumers have benefited from being able to conduct all of their banking transactions online without having to resort to queuing in the local bank or spending time trying to get through automated switchboard in order to speak to someone on the phone. Online banking allows you to run your day to day finances, and manage your bank account, with ease and convenience, and with this method of banking you are always in control. With online banking you get to enjoy convenience, ease, speed, and increased control, which is why so many people now decide to conduct their banking transactions online rather than at a branch. The main reasons many people opt to use online banking are: 1. The ultimate in convenience: When you use online banking you can conduct your transactions from the comfort and privacy of your own home, so you wont have to worry about going out to your local branch, spending time queuing up, and trying to fit your banking commitments into your busy day, which can be particularly difficult for those that work full time. 2. No time constraints: With regular banking you are restricted in terms of when you can contact or call in to the bank in order to conduct transactions, and this can prove difficult for those with busy lifestyles and full time jobs. However, when you opt for online banking you can conduct transactions at any time of the day or night, which means that you can effectively manage your account around the clock. 3. Do everything you need to online: You will find that you are able to conduct pretty much any banking transaction that you can perform by phone or visit to your branch by going online, other than withdrawing and depositing cash. This means that you can effectively control your finances from the privacy of your own home. 4. Increased security: Banks now use very secure software to ensure the safety and security of customers, making it safer than ever to bank online. Just remember never to link to your bank account from an email link, as this could be a false link, and do not save your banking passwords and security details on a shared computer that could give others access. 5. 24 hour access to your account: With online banking you can access your account 24 hours a day, conducting transactions such as making bill payments, checking your balance and statements, setting up or cancelling direct debits and standing orders, and more. Gone are the days when you could only gain access to you bank between the hours of 9.30am and 3.30pm. How brick Mortar Banking Model will become a thing of past- Robin Trehan The reason is that maintaining bank locations is extremely expensive and hurts the bottom line. Each physical branch generates a laundry list of expenses, including rent, insurance, real estate taxes, utilities and employees. ; Attachment FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRLog (Press Release) Sep 01, 2009 How brick    Mortar Banking Model will become a thing of past- Robin Trehan A penny saved is a penny earned. That is why the banking industry needs to continue to shift to an online model for business banking. There is no longer any need for a bank to have several brick and mortar locations in every city. The reason is that maintaining bank locations is extremely expensive and hurts the bottom line. Each physical branch generates a laundry list of expenses, including rent, insurance, real estate taxes, utilities and employees. If the branch is located in a major metropolitan area such as New York, Chicago or Paris, operating it is even more costly. It makes much more sense for the bank to provide only ATMs in metropolitan area and locate its main center of operations in a suburb. Customers can easily and quickly handle their banking business online, at an ATM or even over a mobile phone at any time of the day or night. The technology keeps getting more sophisticated even checks can now be deposited using a picture taken by a cell phone. Even if they are out of the country, customers who bank online can access their accounts at any time with ease. The savings realized by eliminating unnecessary branch locations can be passed on to the banks customers in the form of a higher interest rate. However, there can be some challenges when it comes to moving business banking out of the building and into cyberspace. Like many new ideas and ways of doing business, it will take some time for people to get used to. Banks need to make sure that all their business customers understand how online banking works and why it is a safe option. It can be helpful to point out that online banking is actually in many ways more secure than the traditional model. For example, customers can be quickly notified via email or text if there is unusual account activity or if an account is close to being overdrawn. They can then take appropriate action (a balance transfer, for instance) immediately rather than having to wait to visit a branch. Online banking is truly an idea whose time has come. The internet has come a long way since Tim Berners Lee discovered it under two decades ago. There have been remarkable progress to create value added services from the internet, among them online banking. The capacity to use internet to deliver online banking services is yet to attract due attention from scholars on the impact of online banking on the efficient delivery of services by the bank (Harnando, Nietoa, 2006). The most obvious contribution online banking has brought to the banking industry is the reduction of overheads that would have otherwise been incurred particularly in relation to the staff and advertising and others services like information technology as no special software is needed (wikipedia 2007[online]). The reductions in costs in those areas have undoubtedly added positively to a bank bottom-line. The emerging consensus on the future role of online banking is that it can be used to add value to overall banking services as appertaining service delivery, but onlin e banking has failed to marshal potent force to dislodge physical banks branches. The reason why online banking is yet to dislodge the brick and mortar traditional branches is because risk management on online banking applications have not walked with tandem with other advances in information technology. The imperfections of technology sometimes mean that online banking may not be a perfect substitution for a bank branch, and some functions (such as depositing cash) might still require the need to have physical branches for some foreseeable future.   There are three major ways in which financial institutions exploit the internet (Ramakhrishnan, 2001), or basically online banking means these three things. They can do it for information purposes whereby the bank can disseminate information about its products over the internet. Secondly, online banking can be about communication with a certain identifiable set of people (in this case a customer) about matters of interest to them such as account information. Thirdly and at the highest level, online banking can be transactional, whereby a customer may give the bank a certain mandate to operate the account in a certain way, like to make payments to a third party. This would happen without the customer stepping into the banks hall. Numerous risks abound in online banking, and it is impossible to discuss here them all (Comptroller, 1999). But the main ones are, Credit risk Interest rate risks Foreign exchange risks, Transaction risks, Compliance risks, Reputation risks. Risks arise from events, foreseen and unforeseen, that may have an unfavourable effect on the banks earnings or capital. The risks are not particularly peculiar to online banking, but they become more potentially threatening in online banking. Bank management for online banking system may be ill advised to leave these risks to the IT department to handle. Many of them require the management careful considered exercise of discretion. This may involve the establishment of effective management controls over the online banking risks, for instance accountability and appropriate policy directives for containment of these risks. New online banking projects that have a risk factor should be reviewed by the management and they should ensure that adequate technical expertise is available at all times. For securities risk management strategy, the banks should have in place adequate identification (authentication) of online banking customers before a transaction is carried out. Measures should also be in place to ensure that such customer cannot deny he transacted over the internet. Measures should also be in place before embarking on an online banking project to protect customers privacy and Know Your Customer rules for online banking customers should be stricter than usual (Basel, 2001).

Gender Dichotomy Reinforcement in Mary McCarthys Memories of a Catholic Girlhood :: Essays Papers

Gender Dichotomy Reinforcement in Mary McCarthy's Memories of a Catholic Girlhood McCarthy reinforces the mind/body and culture/nature gender dichotomies proposed by Sherry Ortner through character presentation. She aligns mind and culture aspects with male characters, and bodily concerns and natural occurrences with the female. She exhibits traditionally feminine qualities of writing by using a more circular rather than linear style, giving attention to details of food, clothing, and body appearances. In her book Making Gender, Ortner argues that women's different bodily functions may cause them to be closer to nature, place them in different social roles, and give them a different psychic structure than men (27). Along with the woman-is-to-man-as-nature-is-to-culture analogy come other dichotomies associated with masculinity and femininity. Women's writings are traditionally more circular than linear and women are more concerned with their bodies than men. The opposite can then be said about men; they write in a linear style more often and value their bodies less. McCarthy aligns most female characters, including her grandmother Preston and her great-aunt Margaret, with bodily concerns. She describes her grandmother physically, giving details about her high-bridged nose, and hair that "was naturally black, black as a raven's wing and with a fine silky gloss, like loose skeins of embroidery thread" (202). McCarthy furthers the importance of her grandmother's body by stating that "this body of hers was the cult object around which our household revolved" (225). Her body is on display, not any aspect of her mind or personality. Mrs. Preston is most concerned with the presentation of the body, her own as well as McCarthy's. Due to its importance, she keeps properly clothed so much so that it becomes a garish sight whenever exposed. She often reminds McCarthy to pull her skirt down, even in the private home. This concern with coverage adds to the dramatic scene when her grandmother learns of her sister's death, goes into hysterics and her night gown exposes her thighs. McCarthy remembers wanting to pull down the gown as a first impulse rather than comfort her. This thought reveals that body presentation is the concern that overrides the mental state of the woman. It also reinforces the idea that women are more concerned with bodies than minds. McCarthy presents her grandfather Preston more abstractly with illustrations about his character rather than details about his physical appearance. Gender Dichotomy Reinforcement in Mary McCarthy's Memories of a Catholic Girlhood :: Essays Papers Gender Dichotomy Reinforcement in Mary McCarthy's Memories of a Catholic Girlhood McCarthy reinforces the mind/body and culture/nature gender dichotomies proposed by Sherry Ortner through character presentation. She aligns mind and culture aspects with male characters, and bodily concerns and natural occurrences with the female. She exhibits traditionally feminine qualities of writing by using a more circular rather than linear style, giving attention to details of food, clothing, and body appearances. In her book Making Gender, Ortner argues that women's different bodily functions may cause them to be closer to nature, place them in different social roles, and give them a different psychic structure than men (27). Along with the woman-is-to-man-as-nature-is-to-culture analogy come other dichotomies associated with masculinity and femininity. Women's writings are traditionally more circular than linear and women are more concerned with their bodies than men. The opposite can then be said about men; they write in a linear style more often and value their bodies less. McCarthy aligns most female characters, including her grandmother Preston and her great-aunt Margaret, with bodily concerns. She describes her grandmother physically, giving details about her high-bridged nose, and hair that "was naturally black, black as a raven's wing and with a fine silky gloss, like loose skeins of embroidery thread" (202). McCarthy furthers the importance of her grandmother's body by stating that "this body of hers was the cult object around which our household revolved" (225). Her body is on display, not any aspect of her mind or personality. Mrs. Preston is most concerned with the presentation of the body, her own as well as McCarthy's. Due to its importance, she keeps properly clothed so much so that it becomes a garish sight whenever exposed. She often reminds McCarthy to pull her skirt down, even in the private home. This concern with coverage adds to the dramatic scene when her grandmother learns of her sister's death, goes into hysterics and her night gown exposes her thighs. McCarthy remembers wanting to pull down the gown as a first impulse rather than comfort her. This thought reveals that body presentation is the concern that overrides the mental state of the woman. It also reinforces the idea that women are more concerned with bodies than minds. McCarthy presents her grandfather Preston more abstractly with illustrations about his character rather than details about his physical appearance. Gender Dichotomy Reinforcement in Mary McCarthy's Memories of a Catholic Girlhood :: Essays Papers Gender Dichotomy Reinforcement in Mary McCarthy's Memories of a Catholic Girlhood McCarthy reinforces the mind/body and culture/nature gender dichotomies proposed by Sherry Ortner through character presentation. She aligns mind and culture aspects with male characters, and bodily concerns and natural occurrences with the female. She exhibits traditionally feminine qualities of writing by using a more circular rather than linear style, giving attention to details of food, clothing, and body appearances. In her book Making Gender, Ortner argues that women's different bodily functions may cause them to be closer to nature, place them in different social roles, and give them a different psychic structure than men (27). Along with the woman-is-to-man-as-nature-is-to-culture analogy come other dichotomies associated with masculinity and femininity. Women's writings are traditionally more circular than linear and women are more concerned with their bodies than men. The opposite can then be said about men; they write in a linear style more often and value their bodies less. McCarthy aligns most female characters, including her grandmother Preston and her great-aunt Margaret, with bodily concerns. She describes her grandmother physically, giving details about her high-bridged nose, and hair that "was naturally black, black as a raven's wing and with a fine silky gloss, like loose skeins of embroidery thread" (202). McCarthy furthers the importance of her grandmother's body by stating that "this body of hers was the cult object around which our household revolved" (225). Her body is on display, not any aspect of her mind or personality. Mrs. Preston is most concerned with the presentation of the body, her own as well as McCarthy's. Due to its importance, she keeps properly clothed so much so that it becomes a garish sight whenever exposed. She often reminds McCarthy to pull her skirt down, even in the private home. This concern with coverage adds to the dramatic scene when her grandmother learns of her sister's death, goes into hysterics and her night gown exposes her thighs. McCarthy remembers wanting to pull down the gown as a first impulse rather than comfort her. This thought reveals that body presentation is the concern that overrides the mental state of the woman. It also reinforces the idea that women are more concerned with bodies than minds. McCarthy presents her grandfather Preston more abstractly with illustrations about his character rather than details about his physical appearance.

A strong women

The person I look up to hit rock bottom at one point and was able to become a better person that they didn't know even existed. Seeing them go through all the obstacles showed me how strong of a person they truly are and made me admire them. This person is my mom. My mom was a high school dropout due to having me at a young age (16). She was trying to raise a child and fight an addiction at the same time. Trying to deal with all these different obstacles can be hard on someone; especially when you feel stuck and like you have nowhere else to go, but my mom ound a better path to be on.My mother's name is Jessica, she is 5 feet 10 inches. In her youth she had dirty blonde hair that was so beautiful and long. She was really thick due to how much alcohol she was consuming and alcohol also makes you consume a lot of food. Jessica also had an accent because she's originally from Georgia. My mom started drinking at the age of 13. It was a constant struggle for my mother, she turned to drink ing because she was in a really depressed state of mind because she felt stuck and didn't really know where she belonged. My mom also grew up in kind of a dysfunctional household with an alcoholic father.Her parents got a divorce and that's when my mom really started drinking a lot. My mom would leave home a lot, even sometimes not come home for days at a time. She would leave me there for her younger brother to take care of. This is a rough patch my mom went through in her life before she became the person she is today. Jessica started going to AA which stands for Alcoholics Anonymous at the age of twenty two. I remember my mom taking me to a few meeting and me being scared ecause I really didn't know what was going on because I was such a young age.My mom relapsed after being clean for about half a year on pain medication. She fell and hurt her neck at work and even when her neck got better she continued taking the pain pills because she thought in her mind that she was really sti ll in pain, but that was Just because she was addicted. The second and final time she relapsed was shortly after she stopped taking the pain pills; she started drinking again like crazy. She eventually stopped drinking at the age of twenty four. At this time I had more of n understanding of what was going on and I was really scared for my mom's life.During this time my father took me away from my mom and immediately after she realized I was gone she tried her hardest to clean up. My mom always says â€Å"It was you that really made me clean up; I couldn't deal with myself if I lost my daughter from choosing alcohol over you. † My mom thankfully made it through this obstacle. My mom received her GED at the age twenty five and started to attend school at Diablo Valley College. She attended Diablo Valley for three years then transferred to University of Berkeley and majored in sociology.My mom is currently attending Grad school at Denver State and is going for Social Work. The s ituation I have seen my mom overcome has given me hope. It takes a really strong person to take themselves off the wrong course and put themselves on the right one. My mom is now creating a bright future for herself and she proved to me that no one can stop you but yourself. I will always continue going to meetings with my mom and being a big support system because I am truly proud of her. Going through obstacles like these can really break a person down.My mom is a person who changed her negative into a positive. She used everything that happened to her as motivation to become a better person because she didn't want to continue to be on the same bad course in her life. My mom being an alcoholic of course brought some negative events into my life at a young age, but I was able to get through it because I saw what she was able to overcome. My mom influenced me to basically be a strong individual and to never give up on yourself because if you work hard enough your dreams will come tr ue.

Fedex Essay

If you were the HR Head of a major competitor of FedEx: a) List down the 3 HR practices which you would emulate of FedEx. Explain reasons for the same. Ans) * Leadership Evaluation And Awareness Process (LEAP) – This policy gave FedEx’s Non-Managerial Employees an opportunity to seek Managerial Positions. LEAP created the chance for Non Management Employees to try out their Managerial Skills. LEAP helped Employees of FedEx check whether they were capable of managing Organizations or not. It also gave a chance to FedEx to check out the leadership and managerial skills of its internal Employees. * â€Å"Guaranteed Fair Employee Procedure† (GFTP ) Via â€Å"People –Service-Profit â€Å" (PSP) Philosophy – One of the major HR practices which made FedEx a success story was the Guaranteed Fair Employee Procedure where all type of Employee Grievances were taken care of. The philosophy of â€Å" People-Service-Profit† where Employees were kept before the company’s profit making motives lead to more motivated employees ,leading to more profits in the long run . It was believed that people before profits were would lead to more efficient work on behalf of the employees to the customers , thus strengthening the brand image of FedEx. * Succession Planning Executive Education (SPEED) – The SPEED program introduced at FedEx were done mainly to give feedback to the high level employees reporting directly to the CEO or to the top management of FedEx. Feedback was given periodically n order to rate the skills and promotability of the people who were likely to replace them in the near future. Such Employees were suggested which areas they needed to work on to improve their skills for their new positions some years down the line. b) If you had to attract top Talent from Fedex, what would be your strategy for this, assuming compensation and role were not the key factors for attracting talent from Fedex? Develop your response based on the case study (identifying areas where Fedex may not be as good) and state your assumptions, if any. Ans) To lure top Talent from FedEx, we can go in for the following strategies: * Fringe Benefits – * Perks – * Job Enlargement And Enrichment More Exciting Job Opportunities Q2. Based on the industry FedEx is in and on the nature of its business, list down 1 or 2 competencies which you think are core to the organization (across functions and levels) and which are essential for employees to possess in order for the organization to succeed. Justify your answer suitably Ans) * Recruitment Focusing on Entrepreneurship – The rec ruitment style followed by FedEx is to hire people who have a mind for new Entrepreneurial ventures. They have to be creative in nature and have the ability to think out of the box. This Recruitment strategy has worked well for FedEx. * Employee Centricity and Retention – FedEx Core Competency lies in the fact that all the Employees are treated equally and every grievance are taken care of. No stone is left unturned to see to it that all problems faced by employees are always addressed to before the company objectives. Q3. What do you think would be the top 5 measures the CEO of FedEx would want his HR Head to measure and report on an ongoing basis.

Free Essays on Race

or offensive jokes. The fancy racism is openly declared and hostile.† (Schuman 155) I think that Cahill makes a legit argument. People experience racism everyday, whether it is noticed, unnoticed, intentional, unintentional, personal, or impersonal. Stereotypes are given to each race, and you cannot help but believe them at times. I think plain racism occurs more on a daily basis than fancy racism does. People do not even realize that when they shy away or avoid talking to someone of a different race, that they are committing plain racism. You would think it is because of who that person actually is, but you really do not even know them and are judging them by their outer image. I experience plain racism quite often, whether it is acted towards me or I act it upon others. People will meet me for the first time, and they assume I am a mathematician or computer engineer. The person is automatically using plain racism, but they would never use the word racism with their assumption. I will admit that I will avoid talking to a certain race, because I think that they may harm me in some way. I know that it is awful to think that, but that is how I was brought up. There were people you would look out for and others would be okay to talk to. People are raised with different beliefs, and may share or differ in their thoughts of other races. Plain racism occurs even when you are growing up, and your parents are steering you towards a certain group of people to be friends with. â€Å"Plain racism is still racism, but it is not openly proclaimed and openly confrontational.† (Schuman 162) I hear more about fancy racism occurring than actually witnessing it. I do not know whether it is because I live in this sheltered little world, or because New England just does not have as many fanc... Free Essays on Race Free Essays on Race Race – a sense of identity What is the definition of race? We divide people into groups by their skin color - black, yellow and whites. Maybe it is time to change this. The Swedish population and other populations as well, are nowadays a mixed group of people. White people are black people's neighbors, doctors and friends. With a growing unity between the all races, why does racism continue? The answer is because of prejudices. Racism and stereotyping are issues that date back to many years ago. Some prejudices come from experience, such as unpleasant or baffling encounter with someone from another ethnic group. Many prejudices are passed along from parents to children, sometimes without either generation having ever met the object of their dislike. Some come from the images that the media convey. In fact we are not different, instead we are judgmental and we discriminate and segregate. Racism is a word that means a lot of things to many people. To some, that word is the descr iption of a way of life, to others it is a repulsive term that represents closed-mindedness. What is race? The biologically answer is easy, the other answers are not. You can be black in your heart or mind even though your skin color is white or yellow, or the other way around. You do not necessarily have to act white because that is the color of your skin. You can choose how you want to be viewed and who you are in a sense of identity. On the other hand people can not choose their background or culture, what you have inherited is there to stay. This is important to remember. We are all unique individuals among races and we are also equal.... Free Essays on Race Race Today Whether one believes it or not, they are bound by the ties of race. Biological and social interactions are the two undermining factors of our place in society. We must â€Å"define race according to its social history† and these social factors in turn, form the boundaries that we have been calling race. Race being continuous and dynamic in nature, helps determine different cultures and classifications in America. Race is not a thing but rather a cultural context within groups, that reflect ones being or perhaps who they are in society. The way we make decisions in our life reflect our upbringing as well as the environment we reside. Racial classifications are communally and politically determined, but race by way of racism is a determinant of social class, economic status and health outcomes. Race had to be formed by someone who created different classifications. â€Å"How do you make the point that it is real but doesn't exist (Harold P. Freeman )?† Indeed, we a re socially constructed but I feel that there are biological attractions - an involuntarily force that brings people together which determines their race. For example, does the involuntary love expressed between two people stem from historical interactions or our social groups or perhaps from a feeling that unconsciously brings the two together? I would like to explain assimilation and how two examples show assimilation resulting in positive and negative outcomes. No matter how â€Å"race† is present, there’s no choice but to assimilate or to resist assimilation relative to a social environment or group. Assimilating to particular environments can be defined by the borrowing of an idea, style or perhaps the borrowing of that idea and eventually becoming part of that particular idea - because one is continuously exposed they have more tendency to change. Assimilation is the process by which minorities gradually adopt patterns of the dominant culture. Dif... Free Essays on Race In The Importance of Being Earnest, Pride and Prejudice, and â€Å"The Rape of the Lock†, they are all told from different prospectives and social classes, but in contrast all share the same viewsmarriage to a man of great wealth and well established standing would raise a woman’s social ranking in society. This overview of marriage shows in the attitudes of women during this time period. Batting eyelashes and making oneself wanted without seeming trampy or coquettish was the acceptable flirting technique of the early 1900’s. This instillment of thought was put into the women’s minds as young children, which grew and developed as the young lady matured and approached to the direction of marriage. In The Importance of Being Earnest, initially, Lady Bracknell is in control over Jack/Earnest and Gwendolen’s relationship. In Gwendolen’s opinion, her mother watches over her and treats her like a young child, trying to protect her from everything negative. Lady Bracknell says, â€Å"Pardon me, you are not engaged to anyone. When you become engage to someone, I, or your father, should his health permit, will inform you of the fact...† (p.720-Act1) Here, she justifies that not only is she in control of her daughter’s life, but eventually the outcome of Jack’s love life. Then, after Lady Bracknell established who was in charge of the situation, it is up to Jack/Earnest to convince her to let him marry Gwendolen. Gwendolen says, â€Å"Earnest, we may never be married. From the expression on Mama’s face I fear we never shall...† (p.742-Act1) Thus, Gwendolen makes it clear to Jack that although they want to take their relationship to the next level, her mother is the main obstacle between them that prevents this from happening. Last, Jack fights to save his relationship with the love of his life by following all of the rules of Lady Bracknell, in hopes that she would change her mind about him. Jack says, â€Å"May I ask ... Free Essays on Race I believe that â€Å"Race" is an arbitrary and meaningless concept because race among humans does not exist. As we come together and break apart according to the movement of human populations, we create a variety of differences among the human species. Racism, racial stereo types, race and cultural prejudices, and anti-Semitism, cultural and racial bigotry result in people being attacked, abused, oppressed, or enslaved. I feel that affinity groups should be allowed in school systems and else where. It is simply human nature to feel a natural connection towards others that look like them, come from similar environments or share a common past. I have noticed that people are becoming less understanding and less empathetic towards people that are â€Å"not like them†. While there seem to be genuine relationships between blacks and whites, some whites, including myself, hesitate to talk about race for fear of being taken the wrong way. I sometimes find myself being overly ca utious with some things I say because I am afraid it may be taken out of context and called racist. I believe that affinity groups are not "reverse racism† or "segregation." I think everyone should be allowed the right to form these groups. It is a place to come together and share experiences and express opinions, prejudice, or not, for mutual support or simply to just meet new people. People need some time and space apart from the central group just to let go and be themselves. If people coming together for group support makes someone feel excluded then possibly there is something missing from their life life or cultural associations.... Free Essays on Race Race Robert Cahill claims that there are two parts to racism: plain and fancy. â€Å"The plain racism consists of small everyday incidents, such as insulting words or offensive jokes. The fancy racism is openly declared and hostile.† (Schuman 155) I think that Cahill makes a legit argument. People experience racism everyday, whether it is noticed, unnoticed, intentional, unintentional, personal, or impersonal. Stereotypes are given to each race, and you cannot help but believe them at times. I think plain racism occurs more on a daily basis than fancy racism does. People do not even realize that when they shy away or avoid talking to someone of a different race, that they are committing plain racism. You would think it is because of who that person actually is, but you really do not even know them and are judging them by their outer image. I experience plain racism quite often, whether it is acted towards me or I act it upon others. People will meet me for the first time, and they assume I am a mathematician or computer engineer. The person is automatically using plain racism, but they would never use the word racism with their assumption. I will admit that I will avoid talking to a certain race, because I think that they may harm me in some way. I know that it is awful to think that, but that is how I was brought up. There were people you would look out for and others would be okay to talk to. People are raised with different beliefs, and may share or differ in their thoughts of other races. Plain racism occurs even when you are growing up, and your parents are steering you towards a certain group of people to be friends with. â€Å"Plain racism is still racism, but it is not openly proclaimed and openly confrontational.† (Schuman 162) I hear more about fancy racism occurring than actually witnessing it. I do not know whether it is because I live in this sheltered little world, or because New England just does not have as many fanc...

Ragnar Lodbrok

Ragnar Lodbrok Many people have heard of Ragnar Lodbrok, or Lothbrok, thanks to the History Channel drama series Vikings. However, the character of Ragnar isnt new- hes existed in Norse mythology for a long time. Lets take a look at who the real Ragnar Lodbrok was- or wasnt. Ragnar Lodbrok Fast Facts Historians arent sure if Ragnar Lodbrok really existed; it is most likely that he is a composite of multiple historical figures.The sons of Ragnar Lodbrok feature prominently in Norse mythology and history.According to legend, Lodbrok was a great warrior king who invaded England and West Frankia. Ragnar Loà °brà ³k, whose surname means Hairy Breeches, was a legendary Viking warrior who is described in the Norse sagas, as well as numerous medieval Latin sources written by Christian chroniclers, but scholars arent sure if he existed at all. Norse vs. Frankish Accounts In the Norse legends, Sigurà °r hringr, or Sigurd Ring, was the king of Sweden, and battled against the Danish leader Harald Wartooth; Sigurd defeated Harald and became king of both Denmark and Sweden. After his death, his son Ragnar Lodbrok succeeded him and took the throne. According to the sagas, Lodbrok and his sons killed Haralds son Eysteinn, and then led an invasion into England. According to the Icelandic saga Ragnarssona à ¾ttr, The Tale of Ragnars Sons, during this invasion, Lodbrok was captured and executed by the Nortumbrian king Ælla, and so his sons sought vengeance and attacked Ællas stronghold. The legend holds that the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok then executed the Northumbrian king in retaliation, although English sources claim he died in battle at York. Despite the accounts in the Norse sagas, its possible that Ragnar Lodbrok was someone else entirely. In 845 c.e., Paris was under siege by an invading force of Northmen- led by a man who is identified in Frankish sources as a Viking chieftain named Ragnar. Historians dispute whether or not this is the same Ragnar named in the sagas; the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle indicates that the Ragnar who invaded and conquered Paris is unlikely to be the one referred to in the Norse legends. What is more likely, according to academics, is that the character we know today as Ragnar Lodbrok is an amalgamation of the Norse chieftain who took over Paris and the legendary warrior king who was killed when King Ælla threw him into a pit of serpents. In other words, Lodbrok is a literary composite of at least two different figures, as well as several Norse chieftains. However, several of his sons are documented as historical figures; Ivar the Boneless, Bjà ¶rn Ironside, and Sigurd Snake-in-the-eye are all considered part of Viking history. The Sons of Ragnar Lodbrok According to the Norse legends, Lodbrok had several sons by different women. In the Gesta Danorum, a book of Danish history written in the twelfth century by a Christian chronicler, he was first married to the shield maiden Lagertha, with whom he had at least one son and a daughter; Lagertha is largely believed to be representative of Thorgerd, a warrior goddess, and may be a mythical figure. Lorado / Getty Images Lodbrok divorced Lagertha and then married Thora, the daughter of an earl of Gotaland, with whom he had Eirà ­kr and Agnar; they were eventually killed in battle. Once Thora died, Lodbrok then married Aslaug, whose father was the legendary Sigurd the Dragon Slayer; Sigurds tale is told in the poetic edda, the  Nibelungenlied, and the saga of the Và ¶lsunga. Aslaugs mother was the Valkyrie shield maiden Brynhildr. Together, Lodbrok and Aslaug had at least four sons. Ivar the Boneless, also called Ivar Ragnarsson, earned his nickname because according to Norse legend, his legs were deformed, although some sources say that boneless referred to impotence and an inability to have children. Ivar was instrumental in the conquest of Northumbria and the death of King Ælla. Bjà ¶rn Ironside formed a large naval fleet and sailed around West Frankia and into the Mediterranean. He later split up Scandinavia with his brothers, and took over rule of Sweden and Uppsala. Sigurd Snake-in-the-eye got his name from a mysterious serpent-shaped mark in one of his eyes. Sigurd married King Ællas daughter Blaeja, and when he and his brothers divided Scandinavia, became king of Zealand, Halland, and the Danish islands. Lodbroks son Hvitserk may have been conflated with Halfdan Ragnarsson in the sagas; there are no sources that mention them separately. Hvitserk means white shirt, and could have been a nickname used to distinguish Halfdan from other men of the same name, which was a fairly common one at the time. A fifth son, Ubba, appears in medieval manuscripts as one of the warriors of the Great Heathen Army that conquered England in the ninth century, but is not referenced in any of the earlier Norse source material. Sources Magnà ºsson Eirà ­kr, and William Morris. The Volsunga Saga. NorrÅ“na Society, 1907.Mark, Joshua J. â€Å"Twelve Great Viking Leaders.†Ã‚  Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 9 July 2019, www.ancient.eu/article/1296/twelve-great-viking-leaders/.â€Å"The Sons of Ragnar Lodbrok (Translation).†Ã‚  Fornaldarsà ¶gur Norà °urlanda, www.germanicmythology.com/FORNALDARSAGAS/ThattrRagnarsSonar.html.â€Å"Vikings: Women in Norse Society.†Ã‚  Daily Kos, www.dailykos.com/stories/2013/10/27/1250982/-Vikings-Women-in-Norse-Society.

A Study of the Association between Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln

A Study of the Association between Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln shared an unusual friendship based on the hardships Fredrick had in life and the influence Abraham had on the country and slavery as a whole. Both Douglass and Lincoln wanted to slavery to end. Both had strong influences and ties to slavery. Fredrick Douglass had a very hard life growing up as a slave. Witnessed beating of other slaves but was never beating as a child. As a child he realized that they was no getting out of the situation he was end. He had a lot of time to himself which made him a witness to a lot of things like deaths of fellow adult slaves. â€Å"To be accused was to be convicted and to be convicted was to be punished.† (Douglass 18) Mr. Gore (one of Col Lloyd’s overseer) used to beat slaves no matter how guilty or innocent they were. Mr. â€Å"Gore was a grave man, and, though a young man, he never told jokes, said no funny words, seldom smiled.† (Douglass 19) This made Douglass understand that people were really cruel and had no care for anybody that was a slave. After leaving Col Lloyds plantation Fredrick Douglass was sent to live with Master Hugh’s family. â€Å"Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell.† (Douglass 33) While living on the plantation Hugh’s wife taught Douglass his A B Cs. As soon as Master Hugh’s found out what his wife was doing he and forbid her from teaching him anything else. From then on he slowly start teaching himself to read. It got so bad every time the Hugh’s family felt like the Douglass was alone they felt like he was away trying to learn. Growing up around a lot of white friends made him kind of jealous and mad that he had to be a slave for the rest of his life. â€Å"You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life† (Douglass 34) He also used a lot of his white friends as teachers where he learned more and more. â€Å"I often found myself regretting my own existence, a nd wishing myself dead; and but for the hope of being free, I have no doubt but that I should have killed myself, or done something for which I should have been killed.† (Douglass 36) The thought of being a slave forever was killing him he was very depressed. â€Å"Frederick Douglass never lost faith in the possibility of humankind’s improvement. He confronted, he argued, he pleaded, he bluffed, he threatened and conned — using whatever tactics might work in a particular situation. No aspect of human oppression escaped his concern or compassion.†(Abraham Lincoln and Frederick) Through it all Douglass stood strong and fought for his freedom. He eventually got free and wrote many different writing about his times as a slave that influenced a lot of white and blacks to realize how evil slavery really was. Abraham Lincoln was very influential to the end of slavery. â€Å"As a young man, Abraham Lincoln had witnessed the slave system when he twice traveled down the Mississippi River on a raft to New Orleans.† (Abraham Lincoln and slavery) Lincoln always hated the injustice of slavery ever since he was a child. As a young man he had a lot of African American friends even his barber was African American. Lincoln knew how involuntary servitude felt. It just was unfair for someone to work for someone and it was wrong to not give someone there fair earnings. Especially when you’re gaining from their hard work and labor. In his Alton debate with Senator Stephen A. Douglass in 1858, Mr. Lincoln said: â€Å"That is the real issue. That is the issue that will continue in this country when these poor tongues of Judge Douglass and myself shall be silent. It is the eternal struggle between these two principles – right and wrong –throughout the world. They are the two principles that have stood face to face from the beginning of time; and will ever continue to struggle. The one is the common right of humanity and the other the divine right of kings. It is the same principle in whatever shape it develops itself. It is the same spirit that says, ‘You work and toil and earn bread, and I’ll eat it.’ [Loud applause.] No matter in what shape it comes, whether from the mouth of a king who seeks to bestride the people of his own nation and live by the fruit of their labor, or from one race of men as an apology for enslaving another race, it is the same tyrannical principle.† (Abraham Lincolns Values) He knew how it felt to have to work in the field in a lesser way. While he was young he worked at a farm for his father. In the 1830 Lincoln was a young and poor lawyer but he, alongside with Lyman Trumbull and Gustave Koerner, together destroyed the legal basis of the Negro indenture system which amounted to de facto slavery in Illinois. (Burlingame) He worked hard to help against slavery even as a poor lawyer. He felt very strongly about slavery and worked on many cases including Cromwell vs Baily a case where he won a case for an African American slave girl named Nancy. It was a decision made by the Illinois Supreme Court which was a very historic decision and the first of its kind. (Abraham Lincoln and slavery) The decision was that an African American was free and not for sale. It took a lot of morals and strength for a young lawyer to fight for slave freedom. Lincoln served a single term in Congress. During that term he voted for the Wilmot Proviso multiple times. (Abraham Lincoln and slavery) Wilmot Proviso was law that would prohibit slavery in new U.S. Territory. During The Civil War the main point of war Abraham stuck with was to preserve the Union. . Throughout the whole 1862 he offered many southern states a Compensated emancipation to make things easier for the south which would slowly transition the slave states to Free states. â€Å"President Lincoln took a measured approach to emancipation and set a period of 100 days until he would issue the final Emancipation Proclamation – giving the South a grace period until January 1, 1863 in which to return to the Union.† (Abraham Lincoln and slavery) Lincolns plan during the war was to fight mainly to preserve the Union but to slowly push the publics influence on abolishment. Lincoln said it himself â€Å"When I issued that proclamation, I was in great doubt about it myself. I did not think that the people had been quite educated up to it, and I feared its effects upon Border States.†(Burlingame) The south never took advantage of their grace period and a lot of people thoug ht that Lincoln wouldn’t even issue you the final emancipation. Many slaves never knew they were free until years later after the war was over. Both Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were very crucial people in ending slavery. They both influenced many people to fight. Fredrick Douglass writing was very intense and it made people really understand the hardships of the life he lived as a slave. By the end of the war in over 617,000 Americans died by the time the Confederate army surrendered. The landscape was destroyed.

Facial Fillers and Injectables Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Facial Fillers and Injectables - Thesis Example s, aging signs like crow’s feet, marionette lines, thinning lips and furrows between the brows can be removed in as less time as your lunch hour as well. Facial fillers require incredibly less time with no trauma of going through invasive surgery. Amusingly, doctors and plastic surgeons have started wondering that they may not be doing face-lifts at all in 20 years from now. Now, with the assistance of dermal fillers, you can restore youthful fullness to your face, enjoy lusciously plump lips and bade farewell to those fine wrinkles and facial creases. However, these dermal fillers cannot help a lot with extra sagging skin, but they can bring miraculous results in a short time with lesser pressure on your pocket than a face-lift surgery. Nevertheless, these injectables are not permanent and need to be maintained and repeated as recommended by the doctors. Your plastic surgeon will assess your need better and will recommend you one or a combination of treatments for your face to get hold of the desired results. Temporary treatments require your own body fat which is later injected to your face in order to avoid any risk of allergic reactions or rejection by the body. Using this technique, temporary treatments involve dermal filler like: The canvas of the dermal filler injectables have been made considerably extensive. After many researches and observations, many types of facial filler have come in the lead. These types of dermal fillers include: This is a filler surgeons use to fill and smooth moderate to severe wrinkles and folds. It is also useful to add volume to lift and contour the facial skin. Juvederm is basically made of hyaluronic acid which is a natural substance found in our body. Hyaluronic acid helps maintain body moisture and makes up much of the support structure of your skin. This substance again contains hyaluronic acid but is generally used for moderate facial lines and wrinkles. Combined with Botox, Restylane is also used to prolong the

Topic 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Topic 3 - Essay Example Consumer behavior is what the whole marketing theory and concepts are based on. By studying consumer behavior, marketers hope to find the reason why the consumer wants to buy a certain product. It aims to help and identify how people make their buying decisions and also the factors that influence those decisions. There are usually two kinds of buyers, organizational buyers and consumers. We are only concerned with the consumers who are the ones who buy services and products for use by themselves. They buy things that serve their need for living and the basic requirements of life. They also buy products to make the world know about their personalities and reveal their attitudes and their roles in the society. In other words they not only cater to the physiological needs but also the psychological aspect as well. Individuality is a characteristic that a man develops due to the nature and the surrounding environment he spends that life in. the behavior of a person towards buying a certain product will therefore be different for everybody. They might have different tastes, likes and dislikes, attitudes and values and their decision making process will differ according to that. The three major things that influence the consumer's social environment are individual circumstances, personal psychology and the social environment. All these above mentioned factors have a lasting impact on the individuals buying behavior. Factors Social environment in which an individual lives his or her life helps greatly in shaping the life of people and their preferences. The culture that they are prevailing in, the reference groups to which they belong and cater too and the social class they exist in or the one in which they want to exist in. There can be an informational influence over them for example when they are told about the authenticity of a certain product's working. A customer can also be influenced by the type of reference groups that he or she relates too. A marketer needs to identify the needs and influences of the reference groups of his target market in order to understand their consumer behavior and plan out their offer in such a way that coincides with the needs and wants of the customer and caters to his or her influence. A customer can be influenced by the 'family of orientation' which is the basic family or the parental family that a customer has; a daughter might end up using the same washing detergen t her mother uses. Another kind of reference group is the family of procreation that is more of the extended family; a customer's buying decision might be influenced with the house of his or her in-laws and he or she might to carry out different tasks and buy certain kinds of products in the presence of their extended family. Secondary groups are the less formal groups which the customer doesn't end up meeting everyday and therefore they don't pose a lot of influence over the buying decision behavior of the customer. Individual characteristics tend to stem from demographics characteristics. The gender of the person, the age group with which he or she is belonging to, the stage of the lifecycle the customer is catering to and the customer's

Company Analysis and Valuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Company Analysis and Valuation - Essay Example This will be done by comparing the financial ratios to other companies within the same industry so as to get a feel for the true or normal performance of the company. Finally, the report will use the valuation models in trying to compute the intrinsic value of the company and then compares it with the current value of the company to decide if this stock is overvalued or undervalued. Ratio analysis refers to the systematic use of ratios to interpret a company’s financial statements in order to determine its weaknesses and strengths, financial health as well as its current performance and historical performance. The profitability ratios of Masraf Al-Rayan have been fluctuating, however, they shows an upward trend from 2012 implying that the profitability of the company has been increasing over the period. The net profit margin and ROA are relatively equal to the industry average value indicating that the company has the same profitability as other firms in the industry. However, other firms gives their shareholders more returns that Masraf Al-Rayan because their average ROE is higher than that of the firm. Management efficiency ratios indicates how well a firm is managing its liabilities and how effectively it is utilizing its assets. Efficiency ratios indicates the efficiency with which the assets of the company are working to generate sales revenue or income (Kapil, 2011). The company’s management efficiency ratios have been fluctuating throughout the period implying that Masraf-Al-Rayan’s efficiency has been changing over the period. In comparison to the industry average, the Company’s efficiency ratios are lower; this indicates that the company is relatively less efficient than other firms in the industry. The company’s leverage ratios have been fluctuating throughout the period implying that Masraf-Al-Rayan’s solvency has been changing over the period. From the ratios, the company is highly leveraged

Expectations regarding the role of women by their families in India Essay

Expectations regarding the role of women by their families in India - Essay Example Women in India are expected to depend upon men in almost every matter of life. Although roaming about of women on their own is considered a sign of modernity and perceived as self-confidence on the part of the women, yet it is translated negatively when it comes to considering such independent women for marriage. One of the families searching for a bride for their son expressed their perception about such independent women in these words, â€Å"A girl who ‘roams about’ the city by herself is not the girl for our family† (Nanda 429). In order for the married couple to live a prosperous life, it is considered imperative that the bride is below the groom in a variety of matters that include but are not limited to height, education, and professional status. Although the people of India are generally very optimistic about getting their daughters educated especially in the contemporary age, yet when it comes to marriage, too much education is a demerit rather than a mer it because the boys on average themselves are not very highly educated. The Indian society has established family as the first and the foremost priority for women and everything else including profession falls secondary to it. Girls are expected to have their marriage arranged by their parents rather than searching for their husbands themselves.

Continuity Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Continuity Planning - Essay Example The actions to be taken to recover items likely to be partially disturbed or fully disturbed are determined. The anticipated repercussions are also discussed. In the interest of the company, if the disaster recovery is to be effective, the plan of action has to be periodically studied and modified as and when necessary. In other words, Continuity Planning emphasizes the requirement to safeguard the company's structure, asset, wealth, reputation and image. Apart from natural disasters like illness, fire, earth quake etc, attacks by terrorists and attacks on the information technology systems by viruses are also looked into. The chief objective of Continuity Planning is not only to prevent the disaster but to ensure normal functions of the company in the event of a disaster with bare minimum loss of time, material and money. That is important. Obviously Disaster Recovery Planning is a part of Continuity Planning. In fact they go together. According to statistics, man-made and natural disasters have increased considerably. The company authorities have realized the importance of taking necessary steps. An adversity can strike an establishment at any time. Prevention is always better. But it may not be possible always. What to do if a disaster crops up Or what should have been done in anticipation of it The directors of the company turn their eyes to Continuity Planning, which is a sort of risk management, for building security. "Continuity planning" has replaced "disaster recovery planning". If it is adopted sensibly, not only the enterprise can survive the onslaught but it can also bounce back majestically. Continuity Planning Audits have the ability to participate in the Continuity Planning actively for the good of the company. They are also capable of identifying a company's financial loopholes. Destruction caused by disaster is only a part of the story. There are other more critical problems - Losing data, losing business, losing customers, losing reputation, losing money, relocation, repairs are only some of them. All these give everlasting nightmare to the company. That apart, the company is answerable to shareholders, employees, clients and so on. It should have been the company's responsibility to take precautionary measures. The company may be taken to task legally by the shareholders. All these factors add to the concern of the company management. According to Pat McAnally, director of marketing at SunGard Planning Solutions in Wayne, Pennsylvania (Rodetis, 1999), "Professional service companies are starting to appreciate and protect the intellectual capital of a business". Any company without Continuity Planning will fail to meet its statutory obligations; and the company may be penalized for neglecting continuity planning. So most of the companies are seriously adhering to it. Pat McAnally (Rodetis, 1999) says, "Contingency plans are also a regular part of requirements by the office of the comptroller of the currency". Continuity Planning is for preserving and protecting all the records and valuables of an enterprise such that the company can go ahead with its operations without any sort of hindrance. Taking steps to minimize risk is far reasonable than recovering from a mishap. Each minute of idle time of man, machinery and other equipment in an organization amounts to waste of money. If such a situation is not put under control the company runs the risk of closing down. The biggest headache of a manager is undoubtedly

Marketing- CRM (customer relationship management) Case Study

Marketing- CRM (customer relationship management) - Case Study Example A feasible generalized definition of CRM is that it is information enabled relationship marketing. This definition, however, doesn't de-link CRM with technology because information management in the modern business world is completely technology enabled. The expected output of CRM is development of positive relationship with key customers or customer segments that improves shareholder value of an organization. In the modern context, CRM is an effective methodology of IT enabled execution of relationship marketing strategies to develop long term & profitable relationships with customers. As per Kaplan and Norton (2000), no strategy is complete without a strategy map. Looking into CRM, the strategic framework of CRM need to be very clearly defined before the implementation begins. The strategic framework of CRM is not established as a standalone framework rather finds its roots deep into the organizational strategic framework starting from the board room. ... The strategic framework of CRM is not established as a standalone framework rather finds its roots deep into the organizational strategic framework starting from the board room. The business strategies of an organization form the foundation of customer strategies, whereby the former is formed at the CEO & board level comprising of business objectives comprising of strategies & directions pertaining to organization wide competencies and the latter is formed at the marketing department level that use the business strategies to target market segments & customers. The root of strategies can be established using the Balanced Scorecard mechanism developed by Kaplan & Norton as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Balanced Scorecard strategic framework (Kaplan and Norton. 1996) First of all, the organization needs to have clearly defined Vision & Mission statements pertaining to CRM. The next step is to define the strategic business goals of the organization that is in line with these statements. These goals should be focussed towards achieving unique positioning of the company in the markets & in the perspective of the customers. For example, some companies may like to establish an image that they offer low cost products & services whereas others may like to achieve an image of offering premium & high profile products & services at premium costs. Similarly, some companies may like to establish large market segments comprising of multi-domain areas whereas some may focus on thin market segments comprising of niche areas. Whatever be the positioning defined for the organization, the leadership team may like to establish corresponding CRM goals and then expand them into key CRM

Continuity Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Continuity Planning - Essay Example The actions to be taken to recover items likely to be partially disturbed or fully disturbed are determined. The anticipated repercussions are also discussed. In the interest of the company, if the disaster recovery is to be effective, the plan of action has to be periodically studied and modified as and when necessary. In other words, Continuity Planning emphasizes the requirement to safeguard the company's structure, asset, wealth, reputation and image. Apart from natural disasters like illness, fire, earth quake etc, attacks by terrorists and attacks on the information technology systems by viruses are also looked into. The chief objective of Continuity Planning is not only to prevent the disaster but to ensure normal functions of the company in the event of a disaster with bare minimum loss of time, material and money. That is important. Obviously Disaster Recovery Planning is a part of Continuity Planning. In fact they go together. According to statistics, man-made and natural disasters have increased considerably. The company authorities have realized the importance of taking necessary steps. An adversity can strike an establishment at any time. Prevention is always better. But it may not be possible always. What to do if a disaster crops up Or what should have been done in anticipation of it The directors of the company turn their eyes to Continuity Planning, which is a sort of risk management, for building security. "Continuity planning" has replaced "disaster recovery planning". If it is adopted sensibly, not only the enterprise can survive the onslaught but it can also bounce back majestically. Continuity Planning Audits have the ability to participate in the Continuity Planning actively for the good of the company. They are also capable of identifying a company's financial loopholes. Destruction caused by disaster is only a part of the story. There are other more critical problems - Losing data, losing business, losing customers, losing reputation, losing money, relocation, repairs are only some of them. All these give everlasting nightmare to the company. That apart, the company is answerable to shareholders, employees, clients and so on. It should have been the company's responsibility to take precautionary measures. The company may be taken to task legally by the shareholders. All these factors add to the concern of the company management. According to Pat McAnally, director of marketing at SunGard Planning Solutions in Wayne, Pennsylvania (Rodetis, 1999), "Professional service companies are starting to appreciate and protect the intellectual capital of a business". Any company without Continuity Planning will fail to meet its statutory obligations; and the company may be penalized for neglecting continuity planning. So most of the companies are seriously adhering to it. Pat McAnally (Rodetis, 1999) says, "Contingency plans are also a regular part of requirements by the office of the comptroller of the currency". Continuity Planning is for preserving and protecting all the records and valuables of an enterprise such that the company can go ahead with its operations without any sort of hindrance. Taking steps to minimize risk is far reasonable than recovering from a mishap. Each minute of idle time of man, machinery and other equipment in an organization amounts to waste of money. If such a situation is not put under control the company runs the risk of closing down. The biggest headache of a manager is undoubtedly

Effects of Reality Tv on Society Essay Example for Free

Effects of Reality Tv on Society Essay There are many discussions about the effects of reality TV on society. Positive and negative effects of reality TV are two parts of a coin. Unfortunately the coin mostly falls on the negative side. Many reality TV shows are created purely for profit without thinking about its consequences on the mindsets of viewers, especially young viewers . Media companies accept that they make these shows for profit and they do not care about the effects on people. They say that they just show us what we want. Is it right not to care about the viewers mental health just to make more money? Most of these shows do not portray reality and this weakens the ability of critical thinking, causes to depict a false image of life, develops wrong notions, erodes some ethical and moral practices. Reality TV shows give a false image of reality, since the people watching them are under the impression that everything happening in the show is real. According to a Time magazine article, some reality TV shows are edited to be dramatic and some quotes may actually be manufactured. Clashes and ugly feuds between the reality stars may be constructed and some parts of the shows may also be completely edited and cut out so they dont make the final show that people see on TV. Some critics actually charge that reality TV is not so real and that these shows may be far more manipulative than we think. When all is said and done, some people on the reality shows say that they were unfairly represented and the reality taken out of the show therefore making the show pure entertainment. In some ways, this gives the audience that the characters in these shows are real and acting normal. Some viewers empathize with the show’s stars. Viewers tend to behave, feel, think like the stars and during this process they lose their critical thinking skills. A great example can be seen in John Cheveer’s article ‘’The Enormous Radio’’. In the article a woman has a radio that is capable of playing the neighbor’s conversations. The woman has created an apished public self, and when she hears the neighbor’s private conversations she is witnessed to the nakedness of their misery. She asks her husband ‘’We’re happy, aren’t we, darling? We are happy, aren’t we? ’’ (Cheever, pg. 83) . So she lost her ability to judge her own happiness by being witnessing other people’s life’s, just like some reality TV shows . Certain shows are filled with glamour, filtrations, indecent acts, promiscuity, greed, jealousy, conflict and other sensitive issues. These create a controversy in the society where this society begins to support unethical and immoral practices. Humans take the negative parts of these shows causing increased rates in murder, corruption in society and antisocial behaviors. As Salman Rushdie claims, ‘’ The television set once so idealistically thought of as our window on the world , has become a dime-store mirror instead. ’ (2001, pg. 63) . Values such as being successful, smart, educated, acting polite has less value nowadays. A glaring example on mental effects ‘’ When the sister of a woman who appeared on ABC’s Extreme Makeover committed suicide in 2004, the contestant sued the network for wrongful death and other charges . The contestant, who was competing to win free plastic surgery but lost, claimed that her sister had felt so guilty about mocking her appearance on the program that she killed herself. ABC settled the case for an undisclosed amount last year. ‘’ (W. Peters, 2010, pg. 74) . This example also shows producers of reality shows do not care about the consequences on society as long as they are making money. As Jeremy W. Peters claims ‘’In recent years producers and networks have increasingly pushed the boundaries of television voyeurism in search of another ratings hit’’ (2007, pg. 73) . Since there is not a law against producers to harming people, they do not be careful on what they show on programmes. Therefore there are social organizations which want to make a law against reality TV or completely ban reality shows. Many programmes insult and degrade moral values. ‘‘It ? s hard to defend the deception of Joe Millionaire which set up twenty women to court construction worker Evan Marriott by telling them he was a multimillionaire’’(Poniewozik, 2003, pg. 69) . This example shows us how the show degrades women . Also on some shows great portion of the African American contestants are shown as bad. For example the show ‘’Love Cruise’’ is where singles pair up on cruise ships and get married. The women were told to hook up with whomever they want, but every woman chose a white man. The one guy left standing was the black man. Of course we cannot claim that reality shows effect every human in a negative way . In fact there are people who claim reality TV has positive effects on the society . Such as James Poniewozik ‘’It has given the networks water-cooler buzz again; it has reminded viewers jaded by sitcoms and dramas why TV can be exciting; and at its best, its teaching TV a new way to tell involving human stories. ’’ ( 2003, pg. 67) . Also these shows are a place where people could show their talents and get rewarded for it. On the show American Idol, a woman had two children but she did not have enough money to raise them. She had a great voice, so she won the money prize and now the family has a great life. Unfortunately these kinds of positive effects are only a small part of the pie . By considering all of the points made above the effects of reality shows on people may not be crucial, but it is definitely taken in great importance. The ignorance of producers and effects on mental health and social talents are unjust and corruptive. Maybe strict laws could put a stop to all of it but until that time comes the community will still get effected by reality TV.

Theories of Terrorism Motivations

Theories of Terrorism Motivations Introduction Terrorism has been depicted contrastingly as both a methodology and procedure; a wrongdoing and a favored responsibility; a pushed response to misuse and an indefensible an utter loathing. Evidently, a ton relies on upon whose perspective is being tended to. Terrorism has reliably been a convincing technique for the weaker side in a clash. As a topsy-turvy appearance of clash, it directs coercive vitality with different the slant of military essentialness at a little measure of the expense. In light of the mysterious nature and negligible size of terrorist affiliations, they reliably offer matches no suitable relationship to make arrangements for or to piece. Causes of Terrorism and their Motives Discrimination/Alienation A few creators on terrorism have indicated a feeling of distance felt by Diasporas, especially the once who now live in Europe as terrorism drivers. Ordinarily these gatherings face separation in the nations they live, prompting further emotions of segregation. They generally move from poorer nations, especially Muslim states on account of Europe, to those who are rich ones to go to class or discover work. As Marc Sageman from the book he wrote â€Å"Understanding Terror Networks†, at a particular time in this nations they start to feel estranged. The new have country is considerably not the same as their own way of life, and is generally a great deal less group arranged. This reasons estranged people to search out groups with societies like their nations of origin or others like themselves. These gatherings may get to be bored towards society around them as they dont fit in and feel rejected. Becoming notions of segregation can lead gatherings to look to more moderate, and in the end, radical belief systems. (Sageman, 2004). The Hamburg Cell, comprising the two out of the four pilots in the 9/11 terrorist assaults, is an immaculate sample of this. The cell incorporated various exile Muslims mulling over in Germany who searched out other preservationist Muslims to gather as one when they felt achy to go home in a Western culture that was outsider to them. This is when they started the radicalization trail as they got to be more tainted with their general surroundings. Robert Leiken additionally examines this sensation in his paper Europes Angry Muslims. Leiken focuses to both untouchables, Muslims who moved so as to study or look for shelter, and insiders, second or third era Muslims in Europe. These gatherings are subjected to biased social approaches, for example, the law in France about the headscarves, which later caused them to wind up radicalized. The issue here, especially on account of Europe, is that a large number of these exiles who get to be radicalized because of estrangement from being in an outside society likewise hold European identifications and accordingly can go inside Europe without any difficulty, and enter the U.S. much simpler than non-Europeans. Thusly they posture not just a risk to Europe, additionally to the United States. (Leiken, 2005). Religion Maybe the most typical way of thinking today is that terrorism is brought on by religion. Despite the fact that it is not the fundamental driver for terrorism, religion does assume a huge part in driving a few manifestations of it. As Hoffman brings up in Inside Terrorism, from the Thugs of antiquated India that killed to threaten for the sake of their god known as Kali of the Jewish Zealots who at ancient times cut-off the throats of the Romans out in the open to battle their control over the Israelites, religion (together with ethno-patriot/political drivers) has long been a component of terrorism. Today religion as a piece of terrorism has been predominantly ascribed to Islamic fundamentalism (however different cases, for example, the Aum Shinrikyo clique that completed the 1995 sarin gas assaults in Tokyo, likewise exist). (Hoffman, 2003). As Sageman portrays: The worldwide Salafi jihad is an overall religious Pentecostal development with the objective of restoring past Muslim superbness in an incredible Islamist state extending from Morocco to the Philippines, killing present national limits. As a driver of terrorism, the genuine threat that religious regulation stances is its consolation of assaults that are more vicious in nature than different sorts of terrorism. By being guaranteed remunerates in existence in the wake of death, terrorists are more prone to complete suicide bombings and other such all in strategies that are harder to protect against. (Sageman, 2004). Socio-Economical Status Terrorists might likewise be determined by a feeling of relative depravation and absence of upward portability inside society. Globalization and the present day media have given the less wealth’s an intense attention to their circumstance contrasted with those who are well off. As Omer Taspinar when he mentioned Fighting Radicalism, Not Terrorism, Globalization makes an intense mindfulness about circumstances accessible somewhere else. This prompts dissatisfaction, exploitation, and embarrassment among becoming accomplices of undereducated, unemployed and urbanized Muslim teenagers having the capacity make correlations crosswise over nations. Seeing the financial contrasts in the middle of themselves and the Western world can incense some in immature nations, expanding strain and dangers. This permits terrorist associations to pick up consideration and section to social orders that have felt wronged by these apparent social treacheries. Lamentably the main genuine approach to moderate this is through monetary improvement of the group, nation, and area, however that requires significant investment. For a long time to come there will dependably be those that are disappointed by the examination of living principles of the rich around the globe versus their own, opening the ways to dissatisfaction and resentment. Along these lines, this driver is amazingly difficult to battle as globalization considers more instruments of correlation between differing worldwide financial levels. (TaÃ…Å ¸pÄ ±nar, 2009). Political Grievances An absence of political comprehensiveness in grievances or states that are against a particular political request may cause people to join or make terrorist bunches. Left and conservative terrorists regularly look to a political framework. Too, numerous in countries with dictator administrations need streets for dispute. Baffled representations of political will can turn to roughness as an option to restrictive political frameworks. While to some degree like ethno-patriot/separatist causes, these political grievances are not conceived from the longing to make another state however to change the request inside the current one. In his piece, Taspinar depicts this as a relative depravation to the political measurement. In this context, Taspinar sees the politics of Islam as a response to such abusive governments and its Western supporters. With the learning that other individuals as far and wide as possible live in illustrative governments, the outrage just develops among the individuals who live without such political representation, driving baffled people into the arms of terrorism. The suggestion here is that Western governments, in their backing of abusive dictator administrations for their own particular national investment, have basically made themselves focuses of terrorism of an irritated masses inside these administrations, carrying on roughly as the main option to political declaration. Ethno-patriotism The craving of a populace to split far from an administration or decision control and make a condition they could call their own can result in the development of terrorist gatherings. In the twentieth century this was seen regularly with areas or states endeavoring to pick up freedom from their frontier time aces. Then again, as Bruce Hoffman calls attention to in Inside Terrorism, this type of terrorism, ethno-patriot, had been around for years before even the commencement of the First World War. Maybe the most eminent of these gatherings, structured previously, then after the fact WWII and motivated by the debilitating of royal forces, was the Jewish Irgun Avai Leumi who battled British run in Palestine to achieve the production of a Jewish state. (Hoffman, 2003). Today Hamas is a standout amongst the most dynamic ethno-patriot driven gatherings doing suicide bombings and assaults against the condition of Israel with the objective of making a Palestinian state. Chechen terrorist as sociations are additionally ethno-patriots for their assaults against the administration and individuals of Russia in the endeavor to structure their own state. Inside numerous nations around the globe minority gatherings exist wishing to accumulate some type of autonomy, if not their own state by and large. Hence ethno-patriotism will keep on being a critical wellspring of terrorism. It is imperative to perceive this and counter it with all the more politically comprehensive courses of action that can alleviate the grievances of minority gatherings, however some will inescapably keep on utilizing terrorism until they accomplish their wanted free country. The Accidental Guerrilla At long last, there is the hypothesis set forth about the inadvertent guerrilla by David Kilcullen. Kilcullen portrays it accordingly: A terrorist association moves into a zone with poor government or that is clash ridden (he utilizes Al Qaeda particularly), then uses this place of refuge to spread their philosophies to different ranges and as a base to complete vicious acts. At the point when outside powers then mediate to manage the danger postured to them by this gathering, this causes the nearby populace to reject the remote intruders and associate with the terrorist bunch, accordingly making more terrorists and prominent backing for terrorist developments. The instances of U.S. mediation at Iraq and Afghanistan to counter the militia group, Al Qaeda are the undeniable illustrations here. This hypothesis offers solid conversation starters about the suitability of direct intercession in quest for terrorist bunches by Western nations, and whether it causes more damage than great. ( Kilcullen, 2009). References Hoffman, B. (2003). The logic of suicide terrorism. Kilcullen, D. (2009).  The accidental guerrilla: Fighting small wars in the midst of a big one. Oxford University Press. Sageman, M. (2004).  Understanding terror networks. University of Pennsylvania Press. Eizenstat, S. E., Porter, J. E., Weinstein, J. M. (2005). Rebuilding weak states.Foreign Aff.,84, 134. Sinai, J. (2007). New trends in terrorism studies: strengths and weaknesses. Mapping terrorism research: State of the art, gaps and future direction, 31-50. Mousseau, M. (2006). Market civilization and its clash with terror. TaÃ…Å ¸pÄ ±nar, Ãâ€". (2009). Fighting Radicalism, Not Terrorism: Root Causes of an International Actor Redefined.SAIS Review of International Affairs,29(2), 75-86. Leiken, R. S. (2005). Europes angry Muslims.Foreign Affairs, 120-135.

The Victim :: Essays Papers

The Victim As a victim Lester Ballard, the main character in Child of God by Cormac McCarthy, never thought that victimizing and murdering others was unjust. If justification is law according to the theory of an eye for an eye, then in many ways Ballard had justification for his actions. Ballard lived by the golden rule, which is to treat others as you wish to be treated. In the following paragraphs I will explain how Lester is a victim and why he is justified to victimize others. GRAPH Lester Ballard did not have the happy, normal childhood we all expect or imagine everyone to have. He never had any brothers or sisters to play with when he was little. When he was a boy his mother ran off with another man and never returned to Lester again. Just shortly after his mother ran off, when he was nine or ten years old, Lester’s father hung himself in their barn. He was left dangling dead for Lester to find later that day. From that day forth Lester was alone in this world. He had no family to share love and happiness with. Lester was not an ignorant child when his father killed himself; he was old enough to understand what had happened and what death was. These situations can have severe mental impact on a child. One member of the community makes a comment about Lester, â€Å"They say he was never right again after his daddy killed himself.† Here Lester is displayed as a victim of his parents. The two people he loved the most and was cl osest to abandoned him. He became a victim of isolation, loneliness, and a broken heart. He could never show love toward people the same way again. Another major impact the loss of Lester’s parents had on him was the loss of role models.

Panopticism Essay -- Essay on Panopticism

In his essay â€Å"Panopticism,† Michel Foucault introduces the Panopticon structure as proof of modern society tending toward efficient disciplinary mechanisms. Starting with his example of the strict, intensely organized measures that are taken in a typical 17th-century plague-stricken town, Foucault describes how the town employed constant surveillance techniques, centralized a hierarchy of authorities to survey households, partitioned individual structures to impose certain behavior, and record current information about each individual. As society has progressed, Foucault explains, these practices have expanded into other institutions such as hospitals, schools, prisons and asylums. Bentham’s Panopticon embodies such disciplinary techniques. Inside a tall, central tower amidst the many cells, a surveyor can see all the inhabitants â€Å"without ever being seen† (Foucault 376). The individuals are aware they that may be observed at the moment, but cannot ever be sure. This implementation of power is thus greatly effective because it reduces the amount of people needed to operate the system, while maximizing the number of people it can watch over. Power becomes more economic to maintain. Intervention, and even better, prevention, can be exercised. Panopticism is not the link between power and function, says Foucault, but rather â€Å"it is a way of making power relations function in a function† (381); that is, power and function do not operate discretely, but within each other... Panopticism Essay -- Essay on Panopticism In his essay â€Å"Panopticism,† Michel Foucault introduces the Panopticon structure as proof of modern society tending toward efficient disciplinary mechanisms. Starting with his example of the strict, intensely organized measures that are taken in a typical 17th-century plague-stricken town, Foucault describes how the town employed constant surveillance techniques, centralized a hierarchy of authorities to survey households, partitioned individual structures to impose certain behavior, and record current information about each individual. As society has progressed, Foucault explains, these practices have expanded into other institutions such as hospitals, schools, prisons and asylums. Bentham’s Panopticon embodies such disciplinary techniques. Inside a tall, central tower amidst the many cells, a surveyor can see all the inhabitants â€Å"without ever being seen† (Foucault 376). The individuals are aware they that may be observed at the moment, but cannot ever be sure. This implementation of power is thus greatly effective because it reduces the amount of people needed to operate the system, while maximizing the number of people it can watch over. Power becomes more economic to maintain. Intervention, and even better, prevention, can be exercised. Panopticism is not the link between power and function, says Foucault, but rather â€Å"it is a way of making power relations function in a function† (381); that is, power and function do not operate discretely, but within each other...