The Decision Is Made For You - 1924 Words

When a couple is getting married they say their vows to promise that they will love each other for eternity, no matter what. One cannot guarantee that they will be married forever, or even if they will always love their significant other, although it is hoped for. And what happens when they fall out of love? The situation is terrible but a decision must be made, unless the decision is made for you. In her husband’s death, Elizabeth Bates discovers the truth about her marriage that she had never realized until it was too late, that the marriage had been over long before her husband’s death. She was unhappy in a loveless marriage and it only freed with the death of her husband. The protagonist of â€Å"Odour of Chrysanthemums,† Elizabeth, is†¦show more content†¦She loves her children but she also calls out their flaws that annoy her because she sees her husband in his children. In her son she sees the selfishness that she hates in her husband. At first she appears as the dutiful wife to her husband but she does not love him, although she does not come to this realization until his death. She must not have always been so bitter, as it shows in the beginning of the story with her son, John, when he is picking the chrysanthemums and she tells him to stop because it looks ugly to her but when he does she picks her own flowers to keep, although hesitantly, as if unsure. Her hesitance to pick up the flowers shows that maybe she is unsure or uncomfortable with the feelings that she has, or may have had, with her husband. The gesture suggests that at one point Elizabeth had loved her husband instead of the feelings of anger that she feels today. Wh en she is talking to her daughter, Annie, about the significance of the chrysanthemums, Elizabeth seems as if she has no love at all for the flowers, only disgust, as she feels now with her husband. In the beginning of the marriage, the chrysanthemums represented the happiness and love that they felt for each other when they were married and had their first child but as time passed and their distance grew the chrysanthemums only showed the pain of a loveless marriage that has left Elizabeth bitter. This meaning of the flowers only works

Civil War Myths vs Facts Free Essays

There has always been a number of circulating myths about the American Civil War. We need to dig deep and find out if these myths are true. Did the South HATE black people? Did Robert E. We will write a custom essay sample on Civil War: Myths vs Facts or any similar topic only for you Order Now Lee hate America? Was the civil war all about slavery? Did the South start the civil war? All of these myths are to be revealed. Supposedly the Southern people were the only Americans that enslaved black people. They tortured, beat, and starved them. According to research, a slave in today’s modern world, would cost anywhere from $100,000-$200,000. Why would a slave owner waste that much money and something they would treat as a rag doll? In many cases slaves were treated as part of the family. The North also had slaves, not just the South. In the North, everything was supposedly free and had choices. The North technically did not own slaves, but they were people in the North that owed them things. These people were called indentured servants. These indentured servants were not all of African race either. They were to be released over a stated time. This myth came to be because basically whichever side won the war; they would blame the opposing side. Was Robert E. Lee a horrible man? Did he hate American with a passion? The answer to this is false. Robert E. Lee did not ever even own a single slave. He was very strong in his passion with the Confederate States of America. He lived in the state of Virginia and said he would never leave them in any hard times. In saying this, he joined the South in the American Civil War. He loved America, but did not like the injustice the South was being shown. His home of Arlington was turned into a war cemetery. Present day, it is known as Arlington National Cemetery. This was initially a cemetery for Union Soldiers. How could the entire war be about slavery? The war lasted 5 years, 1861-1865. The Emancipation Proclamation was put into effect in 1863. What could the war have been about for the last two years? The Civil War was fought because of Northern oppression. The South began to go bankrupt because the North was taxing the South very heavily, and the South was not as industrialized as the North. Slavery was an issue, but because the South was not industrialized. The South was just using what they had for resources. The slaves were their resources. There has been a myth that says that the South started the war. This is actually somewhat true, but not totally true. The South decided that it did not want be part of the United States of American anymore. It simply seceded. The North still had some forts located in the South though. Fort Sumter most notably was attacked by Southern soldiers because the South felt threatened by what could have been dangerous people from the North. The South was forced into battle because the North had sent a transport ship of supplies. The South defended itself because it had to protect itself from the transport ships and the Northern soldiers at Fort Sumter. The truth about all of these myths is revealed not by proof of Northern history, or Southern history, but of American History. Just because the North won, does not mean everything that they write and publish is true. There are many newspapers, letters, and diaries depicting significant events that reveal the truths of many other myths as well. The truth of these myths comes from the history that actually happened. How to cite Civil War: Myths vs Facts, Essay examples

Research on Global Business Opportunities

Question: Discuss about the Research on Global Business Opportunities. Answer: Introduction In the globalization of the businesses, it is essential for an Australian Pharmaceutical firm to enhance its market share, business performance, and product positioning in the global pharmaceutical industry through setting of new business ventures or operations in new destination or country including China and South Africa. This assessment will discuss the business opportunities and risks (commercial risks, country risks, currency or financial risks, and cross-cultural risks) for the company while setting up new business ventures in another destination (Bryan and Christiansen, 2014). For this report, China is preferred to South Africa as a new destination for starting the foreign business operations by the Australian pharmaceutical firm. Along with this, Strategic Alliance through merger or acquisition is selected as an entry strategy, which is a potential entry strategy that will provide the firm new business opportunities for setting of the businesses in a new destination. For this report, the Australian Pharmaceutical firm, Lawley Pharmaceuticals is selected which is planning to enter into new markets for the growth of the businesses. Background Information of Lawley Pharmaceuticals Lawley Pharmaceuticals is an Australian pharmaceutical firm founded by Michael John Buckley in 1995. It is a private limited pharmaceutical company having its headquarters in Perth, West Leederville in Western Australia. The firm is concentrated on the transdermal administration of the natural occurring hormones including progesterone, testosterone, and oestradiol. It is the global leader in the research and development of the typical hormones. Lawley works in collaboration with manufacturing partners Perrigo Australia which has world class manufacturing facility in Balcatta, Western Australia. The firm provides the solutions related to the hormones-related disorders as it is fundamentally focused on the use of natural-occurring hormones (Lawley Pharmaceuticals, 2015). Lawley specializes in the manufacturing of the hormone replacement therapy through the development of the progesterone and testosterone creams. It provides the hormone replacement therapy for the treatment of the hormo nal disorders or endocrine deficiencies (eg. Klinefelters Syndrom, Castration, Low Libido, and hypogonadism in men and Menopause, Fibroids, PCOS, Endrometriosis, Infertility, Hysterectomy, Menorrhagia, and Female Endrogen Efficiency in women). Evaluation of Commercial risks, Currency (financial risks), Country risks, and Cross-cultural risks There are different types of risks involved while operating the businesses in the new destination by the foreign company (Australian Pharmaceutical Company). These risks involve country risks, cross-cultural risks, commercial risks, and financial (currency risks) that can affect the business operations and activities of the firm while starting new business ventures by an overseas firm. The evaluation of these risks is following discussed:- Country risks- This type of risk is involved of the political instability, government legal systems and laws related to foreign investments, government intervention, protectionism and barriers to trade and investment, bureaucracy in country systems, corruption and unethical activities in the country, mismanagement or failure of the national economy, markets, and economic unrest. The political instability, economic unrest, and country legal system affect the business operations and activities of the firm while starting the new pharmaceutical ventures in a new destination. This type of risk affects the business growth, revenue, and profitability of the foreign firm caused due to the development of the countrys legal and political environment systems. The political system is a set of formal institutions constituted by the government that includes democracy, socialism, and totalitarianism systems. It includes political parties, trade unions, legislative bodies, and lobbing groups (Yuann, 2008). The legal system includes civil laws, common laws, religious laws, and mixed systems. It is a system for establishing and enforcing laws, rules, and regulations. It affects the business activities of the foreign firm, such as taxing economic outputs, protection of the intellectual rights, and resolving disputes in the commercial activities. Commercial risks- The commercial risks refer to the potential loss arising from the misunderstanding of the trading partners or the market conditions in the country. This type of risk is comprised of the partners insolvency or unwillingness to pay, differences in the trade agreements between two partners, and not acting in the accordance of the partner to comply with the country trade legislations or trade agreements. This risk also involves poor execution of strategy, competitive intensity, operational problems, poor financial strength of the partner, and timing of entry into the foreign markets. This risk affects the partner selection, market entry timing, pricing and distribution strategy, product features, and promotional themes of the company in another country (IBP, Inc. 2015). This type of risk may affect the business expansion, profitability, production capacity, and the sales growth of the company while initiating the new commercial ventures in the foreign country. This type of risk results into the potential loss or failure of the firm to execute the business strategies, procedures, and tactics. Currency risks (financial risk) - This type of risk includes currency exposure, asset valuation, changes in fiscal and monetary policies, foreign taxation, inflationary and transfer pricing. This risk creates potential loss caused from the fluctuating foreign exchange rates while the foreign investor has exposure to foreign currency investments for the exchange of goods and services. This type of risks caused from the unexpected fluctuations in the exchange rates or currency values. This type of risks is caused due to denomination of the financial transactions in the foreign currency than the base currency of the company in the Australian country. This type of risk includes the transactional exposure, translation exposure, economic exposure, and contingent exposure of the financial statements (Arora and McIntyre, 2014). The currency risk comprises of all form of international traded monies including foreign currencies, bank deposits, cheques, and electronic transfers. The changes in interest rates, exchange rates, inflation rates and currency value affect the international business operations and activities of the company. The financial or currency exchange risk affects the demand and supply of the goods and services, financial transaction, and liquidation of the financial investments. Cross-cultural risks- The cross-cultural risk is comprised of the differences in the cultures, traditions, and customer shopping patterns, cultural blunders, interpretation of culture, negotiating pattern, language and communicational differences, ethical practices, decision-making styles, differences in the customers age groups and background, and cultural pattern. It arises when the cultural communication issues affect the human values at stake. It exists due to differences in the cultural environments characterized by unfamiliar languages and changes in the human values systems, beliefs, and behaviors of the customers in another country. The cross-culture risk determines the success of the foreign outsourcing company in another country where it is planned to start the business ventures. This type of risk will affect the business profitability, customer base, sales performance, and product positioning of the company in another country (Scarlett, Koslow, Ph.D., and J. D. 2009). It w ill also affect the risk tolerance, operational processes, entrepreneurship, control system, decision-making and employees development and reward structures of the company. It will also affect the managerial roles, leadership qualities, technical competences, and interpersonal skills of the employees in another country. Opportunities and risks in China and South Africa for the Pharmaceutical business and Justification for the Chosen Country China is selected as a new destination for starting new business ventures by this Australian pharmaceutical firm because china is one of the fastest growing economies in the world that provides the foreign investors a lots of business opportunities for generating large revenues and achieving the high sales growth. Along with this, the Chinese government supports the foreign investment operations of an overseas firm by providing the sophisticated business infrastructure, technology, and labors at low costs. Additionally, there is lesser cross-cultural risk, currency risk, country risk, and financial or currency exchange risks in China than South Africa. China is one of the largest countries in the world having the most number of people in the world (Yong-Hwang, 2015). The healthcare and life science activities are rapidly growing robustly in China that has been creating lots of opportunities for the new firms. China is one of the largest pharmaceutical markets in the world that is gro wing rapidly and yet not mature. The combined forces of the economic development, government stimulus, enhanced health awareness in general public, improved research and development capabilities, market consolidation are some causes that will prove the justification for the selection of China than South Africa. China pharmaceutical market also has long chain of the suppliers, manufacturers, drug distribution companies, healthcare service providers, and medical service providers. While, on the other hand, in South Africa there is lesser population in comparison to China as there are not so much growth of the pharmaceutical business as China. The risk level is also lesser in China than South Africa as Chinese Government supports healthcare and pharmaceuticals business in China. China is the third largest economies in the world which has currently low unemployment rates, low inflation rates, and low interest rates in comparison to South Africa. Because of the high population rates in China, there is large number of customers for the healthcare or pharmaceutical products. Along with this, China has high potential markets because of the large consumer and business to business markets for the pharmaceuticals business in China. The GDP, currency value, and growth rates are higher in China than South Africa. There is no restriction on the foreign trade of the pharmaceutical products because the Chinese Government supports the foreign investments by the overseas firms. The political and legal system, technological advancement, and the economic structure of the Chinese Government support the entry of the overseas pharmaceutical firms in the host country. In addition to this, there are lesser trade restrictions on the foreign exchange of goods and services, and lowe r amount of taxes on the pharmaceutical products than the South African Country. The Chinese Pharmaceutical industry is a knowledge-based, innovative, and technological-intensive industry that supports the business ventures of an overseas firm in the host country by making the trade partnership with the local Chinese pharmaceutical firm. There is high customer base and high level of competition among the pharmaceutical firms in China that will encourage the overseas firm to enter into Chinese markets for the growth of the pharmaceutical businesses as well as enhancing the market share, business performance, and positioning of the company in the pharmaceutical world (Slideshare, 2015). The Chinese pharmaceutical industry is comprised of the pharmaceutical companies, bio-medical research centers, biotechnology firms, generic medicine companies, and healthcare centers. Along with this, there is a range of top pharmaceutical firms in China, Lawley Pharmaceuticals can expand its businesses by making strategic partnership with any of these firms in the host country. Recommendations on Entry Strategy and Justification There are several market entry strategies including Exporting, Licensing, Strategic Alliance or Partnership, Ownership, Joint Ventures, and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The selection of the entry strategy will depend on several factors including firms resources and capabilities, nature of competition and risks, agreed goals and objectives of the firm, the market focus, financial strengths and resource capabilities of the partnership firm, and the competition level and environmental conditions in another country. After considering all these factors, the strategic alliance or partnership is selected as an appropriate market entry strategy that will be suitable to grow the businesses of Lawley pharmaceutical company by starting new business ventures through building strategic partnerships with the Chinese pharmaceutical firms. This is an appropriate market entry strategy because of the suitability of products for the Chinese market, nature of indigenous competition in the Chinese ph armaceutical industry, and identifying customers needs (Ncube, Ndou, and Gumata, 2016). This is an appropriate strategy for the overseas firms to start the business ventures in new destinations in order to enhance the market share and product positioning of the company in the global pharmaceutical industry. This strategy will assist the firm to share the ownership rights and control over the property rights and operations. The strategic alliance is a type of business strategy that enables the business firm to achieve the agreed business objectives and long-term goals in new marketplace (Isoraite, 2009). It will also be effective to develop outsourcing relationships between the parties when the businesses are desired to achieve the long-term benefits and innovation based on mutually desired outcomes. The strategic partnership with the Chinese Pharmaceutical firm will assist to provide the expertise, technology, product infrastructure, and market access that the firm would not be able to afford on its investment. The strategic partnership will also assist to share the products and services of others as well as reducing the operating costs through joint marketing efforts or sharing of distribution channels. This strategy will assist to cover the large customer segments of these Chinese markets by making alliances or partnership with the local Chinese pharmaceutical firm (Hanna, 2009). Lawley Pharmaceuticals can choose mergers or acquisition as a strategic partnership for acquiring the business operations of the Chinese pharmaceutical firm. This entry strategy will assist to identify the customers needs and nature and intensity of competition in the Chinese market. This strategy will also assist to capture the most business opportunities by reducing the market risks (commercial risk, financial risks, currency risks, and cross-cultural risks). This entry strategy will assist the company to obtain additional sales and affiliate generates greater revenues from the Chinese markets. Advantages and Disadvantage of Strategic Alliance entry Strategy Advantages- It assumes greater control over decision-making and future directions of the firm It facilitate transfer of technology, knowledge and resource between two firms It assists to attain the common goals driving joint ventures It is effective to quickly respond to the changing technology and market conditions It facilitates simple management structure that can be adjusted easily It assists to enhance the production capacity by extending a supply chain or providing a sophisticated distribution system It assists to provide a competitive advantage through pooling of skills, knowledge, and resources It is effective in the development of new production technologies (Gekonge and Christogfer, 2013). It will be effective to increase the production capacity and sales volume It provides opportunities to access to new markets through acquiring new customers It enhances the brand awareness and access to supplementary services Disadvantages- The strategic partnership with other firm can lose some degree of control over the way in which the business is perceived The partners may have different perspectives and views on the partnership business It may create conflicts between the contracting parties over resource and profit sharing It can bring certain inherent difficulties because of lack of trust and credibility issue (Wagner and Disparte, 2016). Justification of Selection of Entry Strategy The rationale behind the selection of this entry strategy is that it will be appropriate for Lawley Pharmaceuticals in expanding the businesses by starting the business ventures in new destination through making strategic partnership with another firm. Along with this, this strategy will be appropriate for finding the nature or extent of competition and customer base in the Chinese market. This entry strategy will suit to the foreign investment operations of this Australian pharmaceutical firm. By using this strategy, the firm will be able to enhance the production capacity and sales volumes, generating higher revenues, and profitability (Richardson, Steffen, and Liverman, 2011). This strategy will be appropriate to assume greater control on sharing of resources, profit sharing, and decision-making. This strategy will be effective to develop new pharmaceutical products or services by sharing technology, knowledge, and resources of each other. This strategy will be effective to create new opportunities by reducing risks and costs. Conclusion From the above studies, it can be concluded that Lawley Pharmaceutical firm can expand its business in the international markets by starting new business ventures in the Chinese Pharmaceutical industry. China is one of the fastest growing economies that provide a lot of business opportunities for the overseas firm to grow its business by starting business operations through making huge investments. Along with this, there are lesser risks including commercial risks, country risks, currency risks, and cross-cultural risks in China than South Africa. The Chinese Government also supports the new business operations by an overseas business firm for creating more foreign investment opportunities, new jobs opportunities as well as ensuring the high economies of the firm. For this assessment, the strategic alliance or partnership is selected as a new entry strategy for initiating the business operations because this strategy will be effective to grow the businesses by making mergers or acqui sition with the local Chinese pharmaceutical firms. References BMI Research (2015). South Africa Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report. [Online]. Available at: https://store.bmiresearch.com/south-africa-pharmaceuticals-healthcare-report.html. (Accessed: 23 September 2016). Bryan and Christiansen (2014). Handbook of Research on Global Business Opportunities. London: IGI Global. Deloitte (2014). Opportunities in China's pharmaceuticals market. [Online]. Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ch/Documents/life-sciences-health-care/ch_Studie_Pharmaceutical_China_05052014.pdf. (Accessed: 23 September 2016). Deloitte (2015). Pursuing Risk Intelligence In a Rapidly Changing industry. [Online]. Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/za/en/pages/governance-risk-and-compliance/articles/operational-risks-faced-pharmaceutical-companies.html. (Accessed: 23 September 2016). Financial Times (2015). Chinas Pharmaceutical Markets: Risks and Opportunities. [Online]. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/7c1e0385-6d70-377d-96d9-8a502e7a2539. (Accessed: 22 September 2016). Gekonge and Christogfer, A. (2013). Emerging Business Opportunities in Africa: Market Entry, Competitive Strategy, and the Promotion of Foreign Direct Investment. London: IGI Global. IBP, Inc. (2015). China Investment and Business Guide Volume 1 Strategic and Practical Information. Australia: Lulu.Com. Isoraite, M. (2009). IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC ALLIANCES IN COMPANYS ACTIVITY, Journal of Strategic Business Management, Vol. 1 (5), pp. 39-46. Lawley Pharmaceuticals (2015). Introduction and Background Information of Lawley. [Online]. Available at: https://www.lawleypharm.com.au/about.php. (Accessed: 22 September 2016). Ncube, M., Ndou, E., and Gumata, N. (2016). Global Growth and Financial Spillovers and the South African Macro-economy. London: Springer. Peng, W. M. (2010). Global Business. USA: Cengage Learning. Richardson, K, Steffen, W., and Liverman, D (2011). Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges and Decisions. USA: Cambridge University Press. Scarlett, H. R., Koslow, E. L., Ph.D., and J.D. (2009). Global Business. UK: Routledge. Slideshare (2015). The four risks of International Businesses. [Online]. Available at: https://www.slideshare.net/ibc-business-strategy/dealing-with-risks-in-internationa-business. (Accessed: 20 September 2016). Wagner, D. and Disparte, D. (2016). Global Risk Agility and Decision Making: Organizational Resilience in the Era of Man-Made Risk. London: Springer. Yong-Hwang, S. (2015). Introduction: What is International Business. [Online]. Available at: https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=trct=jq=esrc=ssource=webcd=1cad=rjauact=8ved=0ahUKEwi9jcr58p_PAhUUHmMKHTLPBSkQFggiMAAurl=http%3A%2F%2Fgraduatebusiness.sejong.ac.kr%2FBBSNormal%2FFileDown%2F6%2F86%2F154usg=AFQjCNH9ohk5f4PlfYHg-noivc8--alOIQsig2=7uZ_kjvDywmfaXvsJQB8Mw. (Accessed: 20 September 2016). Yuann, K. J. (2008). Supertrends of Future China: Billion Dollar Business Opportunities for China's Olympic Decade. Australia: World Scientific.

Representation of gender in Wong Kar Wais movies Essay Example

Representation of gender in Wong Kar Wais movies Paper Men, who are masculine, physically strong, aggressive, intellectual, active, in dependent, production and rational; Women, who are feminine, weak, submissive, passive, dependent, consumption and emotional. Such gender stereotypes of male and female had deeply rooted in our society and had became a hegemonic definitions between men and women. The hegemonic definitions of Men and Women are more explicit in movies. There are traditional gender roles in movies, especially in main-stream commercial movies, male characters are usually strong, powerful, tough, dominate (female) and heroic; while female characters are usually being- rotected, weak, femme fatale and desire for love and romantic. These traditional gender representations on screen have been generally accepted / accustomed by audiences. Hence, producers and directors tend to follow the gender stereotypes of male and female, no matter they are producing / directing a rom-com, martial film, tragedy or cop-robber film. In this article, Im going to look into Wong Kar Wais movies, which categorized as alternative, and find out hows the differences and similarities in gender representation between his film and other commercial, main- stream movies. Firstly, I want to state some similarities in gender representation between Wongs movies and main-stream movies. Something very interesting is women are always femme-fatale in Wongs movies. Maybe they have no intention to make troubles, but hey are really mentally / physically destructive to men in his movies. We will write a custom essay sample on Representation of gender in Wong Kar Wais movies specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Representation of gender in Wong Kar Wais movies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Representation of gender in Wong Kar Wais movies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer For example, in the movie Fallen Angels, the female agent (Michelle Reis) employed by the hired killer Wong Chi Ming (Leon Lai) is obviously a femme-fatale to himself. In the movie, the killer tried avoid to meet or even have connection with his agent because e thinks they could no longer to keep on their partnership if theres any relationship or friendship between them. The agent played by Michelle Reis is totally invisible in the killers life. Before killer Wong Chi Ming meet his agent, he completes every mission assigned by her excellently. However, once the killer meet his beautiful female agent, death comes and knock his door. Hes attracted by his agent and want to terminate his business relationship with the agent. She asks him to kill someone as a parting favor, but Wong Chi Ming turns the hit into a suicide mission and died. Perhaps the pretty agent doesnt mean to make her partner die, but she is obviously a femme fatale in Wong Chi Mings destiny. Other than Fallen Angels, women also acted as femme fatale or trouble-maker in his movies. For example, in the 2 stories of ChungKing Express, 2 cops are lost themselves and deeply hurt after dumped by their girlfriends. In this film, both of the cops 223 (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and 633 (Tony Leung) fell into lovesick after broke up. Cop 223 became a man without his soul and started to addict to canned-pineapples after his girlfriend left. He was hurt by his ex-girlfriend and even cannot thinking logically. He drunk himself, call his old classmates with no reason, run in the rain, meet stranger in bar all of this action mean he has got troubles in his mind and these troubles was caused by his girlfriend. In the second part of the film, Cop 633 also hurt by his girl, he started to talk with Dolls, towel, soap etc. n his house, he lost his sense and just like Cop 223, many crazy thinking blow up in his mind. In this film, women play the role of trouble- maker again that make 2 men become the victim in love and suffer from lovesick caused by women. In Happy Together, a love story about 2 men, we can also see the emme fatale, troublemaker image of women. There is heres no female character in this film, howe ver, Ho Po Wing (Leslie Cheung) is playing the female role in the romance between Lai Yiu Fai and him. In this film, we can see Ho Po Wing is totally rely on his boyfriend Lai Yiu Fai and caused a lot of troubles to him. Ho spent all of Lais money that Lai cannot return to Hong Kong. Ho betrays Lai in love again and again. In the early part of the film, Ho and Lai failed to go Iguazu Fall and lost their way due to Ho Po Wings mistakes. However, in the late part, after Ho left Lai, Lai Yiu Fai travel to Iguazu Fall alone and he could arrive the Fall at last. If you compare this 2 scene, you would find that female played the role of troublemaker again. Except the image of femme fatale, something in Wong Kar Wais films is quite similar to those main-stream movies. That is women are always act as homemakers or helpers for men. In Fallen Angel, killer Wong Chi Mings female agent find business for him and make decision for him. She decides who will be killed, how, where and when. She also go to his apartment and do housework for him when hes not there. In Chungking Express, Faye (Faye Wong) get the key of Cop 633s partment and break into 633s flat while hes away. She cleans 633s flat and redecorated with new bedspreads, new clothes, new toiletries, new food. Faye even drugs 633s bottled water to make sure he gets to sleep. Both killers agent and Faye are playing the tradition role of women as homemaker and helper for men. However, they are doing these works for non-traditional purposes. Traditionally, women are stereotyped as housewives. They do housework and other things for men just because of responsible. But both the killers agent and Faye are not clean and decorate their mens flats because they have to act like housewives. They do housework for men in the purposes of fulfil their suspicions and satisfying themselves rather than acquiescing to the role of the stereotypical homemaker and be a home maid for men. Other than the those similarities mentioned above, we can find some differences in gender representation between Wong Kar Wais films and other main-stream movies. One of those differences is the representation of men. In Wong Kar Wais films, men are no hero or even weak behind their muscular body. In Fallen Angels, killer Wong Chi Ming claims to have become a contract killer because he is lazy and likes to ave others make decisions for him, so he is not presented as a hero. We never know why any of Chi-Mings victims are marked for death, he takes others life because its his job. He kills people just because he completes his duty, like post officer deliver letters, but no relation to any sense of heroism. Moreover, Wong Chi Ming fails to complete his mission and being shot down at last. The scene of Wong killed in action is totally violate to the tradition of heroism that hero are never defeated. So, Wong Chi Ming is not hero but a normal person like you and me. In Chungking Express, weakness of men is more clearly shown. Both 223 and 633 are Cop and they are traditionally supposed to physically and also mentally strong. However, we cant see Cop 223 and 633 act like hero to stop crimes and maintain law and order in the movie. Instead, we can see hows their weak image after deeply hurt by their girls. 223 forces himself to eat a can of pineapple everyday and talk to his dog to release his anxiety, while 633 hugs and chat with his dolls, dreams of his ex-girlfriend will come back soon. All these action shown men can be weak or even weaker than women sometimes. Such weak image of men is far different from the tradition which men hould be tough in physically also mentally. On the contrary, women in Wong Kar Wais films were tough, independent, free-spirited, calm, cool and usually less emotional than men. The most typical example in Wongs film is the drug smuggler (Brigitte Lin) in Chungking Express. Shes in cool style that blonde-wigged, wears long coat, and sun-glasses, always with a gun in her purse. She keeps calm when she is chasing by people want to kill her and shoots down her master and also those drug couriers who double-crossed her. She is actually playing the role of hero and presenting heroism which traditionally played by men. Women in Wong Kar Wais film act active and can say to be aggressive in many aspects, especially in love. Women usually be the active side in romance. They dare to get close to guys they liked and no fear to take action to attract mens attention. Maybe people may think that Wong Kar Wai presents women in this way just because following the traditional patriarchal ideology and fulfilling what men wanted (women play the active role in love) and have no different to the main-steam films. But in my point of view, women be active in love means they are liberated, freed in love. In Wongs movies, women no longer wait for mens love, they are not products on shelf and wait for someone to pick them up. They have rights and freedom to choose, to approach those guys they loved. For example, in Chungking Express, Faye loved Cop 633 from her first sight on him. She doesnt wait for 633 put attention on her, instead, she decides to break into his flat to discover him. She cleans and wander in his flat everyday in order to fulfil her romantic feeling on him. One more example, Baby (Karen Mok) in the Fallen Angels seduces Wong Chi Ming into a sexual relationship. I dont think its presenting the idea of patriarchal, but presenting an idea that women can be active in love or even sex. In opposition, Men are more passive than women. No matter Lai Yiu Fai in Happy Together and Chow Mo Wan in In the Mood for Love, they choose to keep their feeling of love inside instead of tell the person they like. Lai Yiu Fai has special feeling to his co- worker Chang (Chang Zhen), but he chooses not to tell him and let him leave. Similarly, Chow Mo Wan fall in love to his neighborhood Su Li Zhen (Maggie Cheung). But he chooses not to tell how deep he loves her and keep it as secret. To avoid get involve between Su and her husband, Chow leaves Hong Kong and mine his secret (his love to Su) in the tree hole. Obviously, men and womens roles of love in Wongs movies are quite different from other films. In conclusion, gender representation of men and women in Wong Kar Wais films have no bias any side. Neither men nor women are superior to each other. However, binary opposition between two sex is always played in Wongs films. Rivalry between men and women is always the main theme of his stories. We can see mind games between two sex in his films, each of them compete for control, regulate and dominate its other.

Cell Phone hazards Essays

Cell Phone hazards Essays Cell Phone hazards Essay Cell Phone hazards Essay How cell phone is affecting us socially. Kazi Mehdi Rahman ID-1210910030 English-105, Section 7 Abdus Selim December 10, 2013 Perhaps you have had one of those moments when you look around in a crowded public place and it seems that everyone is either talking or tapping a message on a cell phone. Older individuals might wonder how things ever became this way, but for younger mobile phone users, this is the norm and all theyVe ever Known. ell pnones, texting ana smart pnone appllcatlon are nere to stay ana nave changed society in important ways, for better and worse. When a cell phone goes off in a classroom or at a concert, we are irritated, but at least our lives are not endangered. When we are on the road, however, irresponsible cell phone users are more than irritating: They are putting our lives at risk. Many of us have witnessed drivers so distracted by dialing and chatting that they resemble drunk drivers, weaving between lanes, for example, or nearly running down pedestrians i n crosswalks. Cell phones have increased the likelihood of traffic accidents and proven to damage young people communication skills. So we need to educate the public about the dangers of driving while phoning and also change the habit of the youngsters of using abbreviated text words. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to know that texting and driving is dangerous. But plenty of people continue to do it. Most troubling: even with all the stories of tragic car accidents happening as a direct result of distracted driving, teens and adults are still texting at the wheel. According to Kristin Marino (2012) text messaging increases the likelihood of accident by 23 imes, the minimal amount of time a person is distracted from road is 5 seconds, in 2011, at least 23% of the car collisions involved cell phones, 13% of drivers at the age of 18-20 involved in car accidents admitted that texting or talking on mobile phone was the reason for their car crash. No One can deny that cell phones have caused traffic deaths and injuries. Cell phones were implicated in three fatal accidents in November 1999 alone. Early in November, two-year-old Morgan Pena was killed by a driver distracted by his cell phone. Morgans mother, Patti Pena, reports that the driver ran a stop sign at 45 mph, broadsided my vehicle and killed Morgan as she sat in her car seat. A week later, corrections officer Shannon Smith, who was guarding prisoners by the side of the road, was killed by a woman distracted by a phone call Besthoff (2001). On Thanksgiving weekend that same month, John and Carole Hall were killed when a Naval Academy midshipman crashed into their parked car. The driver said in court that when he looked up from the cell phone he was ialing; he was three feet from the car and had no time to stop Stockwell (2000). The scientific literature on the dangers of driving while sending a text message from a mobile phone, or texting while driving, is limited. A simulation study at the Monash University Accident Research Centre has provided strong evidence that both retrieving and, in particular, sending text messages has a detrimental effect on a number of critical driving tasks. Specifically, negative effects were seen in detecting and responding correctly to road signs, detecting hazards, time spent with eyes off he road, and (only for sending text messages) lateral position. Surprisingly, mean speed, speed variability, lateral position when receiving text messages and following distance showed no difference(Hosking, Simon; Kristie Young, Michael Regan. A separate, yet unreleased simulation study at the University of Utah found a six fold increase in distraction-related accidents when texting. The low number of scientific studies may be indicative of a general assumption that if talking on a mobile phone ncreases risk, then texting also increases risk, and probably more so. Market research by Pinger, a company selling a voice-based alternative to texting reported that 89% of U. S. adults think that text messaging while driving is distracting, dangerous and should be outlawed. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has released polling a a ta tnat snow tnat B % 0T people cons10er texting ana e-malllng while driving a very serious safety threat, almost equivalent to the 90% of those polled who consider drunk driving a threat. Despite the acknowledgement of the dangers of texting behind the wheel, about half of drivers 16 to 24 say they have texted while driving, compared with 22 percent of drivers 35 to 44. Texting while driving received greater attention in the late 2000s, corresponding to a rise in the number of text messages being sent. Over a year approximately 2,000 teens die from texting while driving. Texting while driving attracted interest in the media after several highly publicized car crashes were caused by texting drivers, including a May 009 incident involving a Boston trolley car driver who crashed while texting his girlfriend. Texting was blamed in the 2008 Chatsworth train collision which killed 25 passengers. Investigations revealed that the engineer of that train had sent 45 text messages while operating. On July 27, 2009, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute released preliminary findings of their study of driver distraction in commercial vehicles. Two studies, comprising about 200 haul trucks driving 3 million combined miles, used video cameras to observe the drivers and road; researchers observed 4,452 safety-critical events, which includes crashes, near crashes, crash-relevant conflicts, and unintended lane deviations. 81% of the safety critical events had some type of driver distraction. Text messaging had the greatest relative risk, with drivers being 23 times more likely to experience a safety-critical event when texting. The study also found that drivers typically take their eyes off the forward roadway for an average of four out of six seconds when texting, and an average of 4. 6 out of the six seconds surrounding safety-critical events. Reference:

Definition and Observations of Phonetics

Definition and Observations of Phonetics Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that deals with the sounds of speech and their production, combination, description, and representation by written symbols. Adjective: phonetic.  Pronounced [fah-NET-iks].  From the Greek, sound, voice A linguist who specializes in phonetics is known as a phonetician. As discussed below, the boundaries between the disciplines of phonetics and phonology arent always sharply defined. Examples and Observations of Phonetics Linguistics contributes to phonetics its phonological understanding of the distinctive patterns that make up the coded, conventional aspects of speech which differentiate individual words and other units of spoken language. Phonetics contributes to linguistics its phonetic understanding of the production and perception of the detailed artefacts of speech that embody those significant phonological patterns. Each contribution is complemented by the other. The Study of Phonemes In any language we can identify a small number of regularly used sounds (vowels and consonants) that we call phonemes; for example, the vowels in the words pin and pen are different phonemes, and so are the consonants at the beginning of the words pet and bet. Because of the notoriously confusing nature of English spelling, it is particularly important to learn to think of English pronunciation in terms of phonemes rather than letters of the alphabet; one must be aware, for example, that the word enough begins with the same vowel phoneme as that at the beginning of inept and ends with the same consonant as stuff. Phonetics and the Brain Until recently, we knew little about what is going on in the brain when people are speaking, and this is why the science of phonetics has concentrated on the three central components of the speech chain, where observation of what is going on is fairly straightforward. However, our understanding of how the brain works in speech communications has grown enormously in recent years. One of the most significant advances in recent research has been the development of safe and accurate brain-scanning techniques that can show us the activities of different parts of the brain when someone is speaking or listening to speech... Experimental Phonetics Phonetics is the study of speech. Traditionally, phoneticians have relied on their ears and eyes, and their awareness of their own vocal organs, to study pronunciation. Increasingly, however, they have been using instruments of various types to supplement the information they derive from their own sensations. Experimental phonetics, as the term is commonly used, includes any investigation of speech by means of instruments. It is understood here that the instruments are used to visualize some aspect of the speech event, and possibly also to provide a basis for measurements. For example, a tape recording for the purpose of repeated listening does not fall within the scope of experimental phonetics, but if the tape recording is fed into a computer and used to produce an acoustic analysis, the activity would be described as an experimental investigation. The Phonetics-Phonology Interface Phonetics interfaces with phonology in three ways. First, phonetics defines distinctive features. Second, phonetics explains many phonological patterns. These two interfaces constitute what has come to be called the substantive grounding of phonology. Sources John Laver, Linguistic Phonetics.  The Handbook of Linguistics, ed.  by Mark Aronoff and Janie Rees-Miller. Blackwell, 2001Peter Roach,  English Phonetics and Phonology: A Practical Course, 4th ed. Cambridge University Press, 2009(Peter Roach,  Phonetics. Oxford University Press, 2001)Katrina Hayward,  Experimental Phonetics: An Introduction. Routledge, 2014

Information Technology Malware Management in the Enterprise Essay

Information Technology Malware Management in the Enterprise - Essay Example Every business or an enterprise ought to follow this classic approach with the â€Å"just-on-time† feature that entails malware information assessment and handling (IATAC, 2009). Background Malware problems are ever growing and continue to be a nuisance for computer users. Manufactures of malware programs have continued to increase over the years and by 2010, there were 14 million different malware programs recorded. An astonishing 60,000 sections of malicious code was being discovered every single day. A rather recent work known as the Koobface surfaced, its purpose was to target people on social networks and it’s created profited by making 2 million dollars in one year. A worm known as the Mariposa has been known to create the largest network of zombie machines on the entire planet. Experts, despite making their best efforts, could not calculate its exact size however they were able to pinpoint the number of computers that became infected by Mariposa which was over 12 million. What the worm did was drop spyware that stole susceptible information from the individuals who suffered, which includes bank account numbers and credit card credentials. This idea was completely planned by a solitary hacker in Spain who happened to make a blunder by chance that uncovered him and he was arrested (Milosevic, 2010). Forms of Malware Web attacks are counted amongst the foremost subtle and dangerous ways cyber criminals use. For instance, if you are searching any sites which may seem good and harmless but at the backend they are uploaded with various harmful malware which secretly get downloaded in the browser’s PC. It can happen as such that cyber criminals square measure all their probabilities and then they frame a hijack process. Mostly the advertising banners on these sites are used for such reasons hence it is extremely important that enterprises must place security barriers between the company’s system and internet arrangement (Baloch, 2011 ). Other forms within which malware can be formed include: Botnets Instant electronic messaging Phishing tries Skype malware Gaming malware Redirects If an administrator fails to execute an immediate action once he/she has recognized the entry of malware, then it can be ascertained that a door has been opened for criminals to siphon personal information from the computer. In the fight against the malicious software system, it isn't enough to treat individual infected machines. Enterprise Strategy for fighting Malware Too often, organizations create the error of treating malware infections as a series of irregular occurrences. Anytime a bug is discovered, IT merely cleans up or rebuilds the affected host and the whole system moves on with routine operational tasks. Nonetheless this approach does not permit the enterprise to stay up with progressively aggressive and innovative attack techniques used by malware authors. It is this time when management needs to take corrective action to bypass malware defenses, evade detection, and resist efforts to get rid of it (Zeltser, 2011). In fact, combating malware whether it is a big or a small enterprise atmosphere requires locating suspicious programs on servers and workstations and then executing the strategy for removing them. However it can also be done in the manner to conjointly investigate the areas infected and detecting the departments which interfere with the utilization of malware on the

Aerobic capacity test Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Aerobic capacity test - Essay Example Maximal oxygen uptake is also known as maximal oxygen consumption, maximal aerobic power, aerobic capacity, or VO2 max. The maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) is a measure of a person's capacity to take in and utilise oxygen during exercise. A subject with a greater VO2 max value will be more likely to sustain high intensity exercise for a longer period. Theoretically, subjects with greater VO2 max values possess greater concentrations of hemoglobin in the blood, thus enabling them to utilise more oxygen during intense exercise (McArdle, Katch, & Katch, 2001; Mierke, 2003). However, there are several factors that may have an affect on maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max). These factors include mode of exercise (i.e., treadmill exercise, cycle ergometry, arm crank, swimming, or bench stepping), heredity, gender, age, body size and composition, and state of training (McArdle, Katch, & Katch, 2001; Mierke, 2003).Aerobic capacity is measured in the laboratory using a graded exercise test du ring which the rate of oxygen uptake is measured continually using sophisticated equipment. A graded exercise test is a test typically administered on a treadmill or cycle ergometer in which the intensity of exercise is increasingly increased. The rate of aerobic metabolism and oxygen uptake increases as intensity of exercise increases up to the point at which the aerobic capacity is reached. At this point, even though the exercise intensity can be increased, the oxygen uptake no longer increases proportionally, and there is a plateau in the relation of the rate of oxygen uptake to work rate (exercise intensity).The rate of oxygen uptake at the plateau is aerobic capacity (Cureton and Plowman, n.d.). The main disadvantage of this type of test is that is technically demanding, requiring costly equipment and highly-trained technicians.Furthermore, it is time consuming; a test requires about 30 minutes and only one subject can be tested at any given time. Thus, the direct measurement of aerobic capacity is not possible or practical for most field settings, such as schools where large numbers of people must be tested (Cureton and Plowman, n.d.). The Bruce Treadmill Test is one of the most popular laboratory treadmill test protocols used in obtaining VO2 max measurements. The test consists of seven 3-minute stages, in which most subjects are able to walk the first three stages. During each stage, a set percent treadmill grade and speed is obtained. During the test, the subjects' breathing and heart rates are monitored through the use of respiratory and metabolic/gas equipment along with heart rate monitors. Subjects' heart rates are recorded every minute while the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is recorded every three minutes. Validity correlation coefficients of .90 and .91 have been reported between VO2 max and the 12 min run. A lower correlation has been reported between VO2 max and the 1.5 Mile Run (-.74). The test-retest reliability of maximal oxygen consumption tests is high (i.e., .95 - .99) (Mierke, 2003).The main advantage of this test is that it is a direct measurement of maximal oxygen consumption. However, ther e are quite a few disadvantages with this test including degree of difficulty, cost and sensitivity of equipment, and the need for highly-trained te

Chinese Culture Essay Example for Free

Chinese Culture Essay Chinese Culture changed during the Qin Dynasty. There was an increase in trade, agriculture, and military protection. The central government now had direct control of the population, allowing the ability to have a much bigger workforce. Many projects such as the Great Wall of China were done because of this. The Qin Dynasty had several reforms in China’s society; such as money, advanced writing system, and the weights and measurements became the same units. Book burning and burying of scholars occurred due to the desire to purge all traces of the old dynasties. The Qin’s military was revolutionary due to the fact of more developed weaponry, transportation, and military tactics. All this was done even though China’s government was strict and bureaucratic. Future Chinese regimes were influenced because of this Dynasty. Qin Shihuang was the emperor that was buried in the tomb. He was the first emperor of China. After 200 years of war between 6 states, he unified China. His rule only lasted for 15 years, but left a lasting impact on the country’s history. A few of Qin’s remnants were the legalist principles, a Chinese philosophy that followed hard discipline agreeing to the rule of law. This belief helped Qin to rule the masses in a more centered power order and show a very influential way to rule, but this did now allow for disagreement to occur. Qin introduced a uniform written language which helped the government to communicate and carry out policies. Scholars could share information to a bigger population which helped lead to the transfer of culture. Having one language helped the later dynasties to communicate with the nomads and pass along information on how to compromise or fight with them. The invention of constructing roads allowed better connection between major cities and provinces. The dynasty standardized the length of axles in carts so they could all ride on new roads. The construction of the Great Wall of China made a mark in history for the country’s boundaries, causing a greater unity. The nomadic tribes in the north were not able to attack because of the Great Wall protecting its Country. They dynasty standardizes all weights and measures, leading to a more effortless exchange of goods, and developing a taxation system. The Chinese money is also made equal all over, allowing even more efficiency of exchange in goods. Qin Shihuang had a lasting impact in the power of leadership in China. After his death in 206 BCE, his son, and later his grandson, took power but bother were short lived. The Qin Dynasty ended in 206 BCE. After his death, the same states that were in war before he became the emperor, began to fight again and many leaders sprang up over China until the Han Dynasty. Even though this happened, the lasting effects of practices that were put in place in the Qin Dynasty, lasted throughout the centuries. Qin’s power came from his top-down rule, and people conformed to his rule because of his powerful personality. They followed him because he showed them a vast difference in comparison to their small kingdoms, giving a way to a beginning of a future nation-state. The fact that China is names after Qin just goes to show how big of an influence he really was. For more than 2 thousand years Taoism has been the religious tradition that has influenced the people of East Asia. The work, Tao means the â€Å"path† or â€Å"way†, but with numerous subtle differences in folk religion and Chinese philosophy. There are three Jewels of Tao that are underlined: compassion, moderation, and humility. Taoism teaches mostly on nature, the relationship between humanity and the cosmos. The reason for all of Taoist’s rules and practices is to have Harmony with the Universe. Another thing that is popular in Taoism is godly fear for ancestor spirits and immortals. There is folk religion Taoism, and then there is organized Taoism, the difference is their rituals. Chinese alchemy, astrology, cuisine, Zen Buddhism, many Chinese martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, and feng shun, and many style of qigong have been weaved with Taoism throughout history. Another philosophy developed in China is Confucianism. It came from the teachings of Confucius; Master Kong, 551-478 B.C. It is a complex system of moral, political, philosophical, social, and part religious thought that influences the culture and history of East Asia. Some East Asian countries consider it to be a state religion because of the adopted philosophies of Confucius. China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam all are influenced by Confucianism as well as Singapore. The very first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang was the patron. Not long after he became emperor, he ordered to have his mausoleum be built. It was ordered to be build at the foot of Li Mountain in Xian. Part of his grave goods was the Terra Cotta warriors. It is believed that it took 700,00 men and 40 years to build the mausoleum. Qin wanted not only to be the greatest king alive, but in his death and for eternity. This is why he would not allow a chance for there to be a rebellion between the 6 states that were in war with each other. The terra cotta army was built there to suppress them, and execute his dream of everlasting. This is why he built the army in his tomb.

Medieval Myths Essay -- essays research papers

Medieval Myths By: Norma Lorre Goodrich Published by: The Penguin Group, 1961   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.) The Types of stories found in this book are Medieval Stories. They contain Kings, Queens, and Knights, wars and battles, dragons, and beautiful maidens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.) One of the myths that I enjoyed was the one about Beowulf, from Scandinavian Mythology, entitled: Beowulf And The Fiend Grendel. This story is about a Danish Kingdom that was ruled by a King, named Hrothgar. Hrothgar was a great King, admired by people everywhere. One day Hrothgar decided to build a hall to which no other was greater, and named this hall Heorot. Heorot was made of gold and fine jewels, and people from many kingdoms traveled to see it. Hrothgar and his Queen Wealhtheow would sit inside Heorot and give away gifts to the people that came to visit. The Noble Earls (Danish Warriors) would also sleep in the great hall at night. All was well until an Ogre named Grendel, a fiend from hell, and a Satan who ruled over the swamps, went inside Heorot and killed the earls while they slept. No one found them until morning and this happened many times afterward. Soon Heorot was seldom occupied, and no one came to visit, for everyone feared the ogre Grendel would devour them as he did the others. The news of Grendlel traveled to many kingdoms, and soon it reached the Geats from across the sea. King Hygelac, the king of the Geats, heard this news, and soon Beowulf heard it. Beowulf was the strongest, and boldest man in the Geat Kingdom. He was also the son of Ecgtheow, a great war hero. When he heard this news he was ready to help the Danes. At first Hygelac, and the wise eldermen didn’t want Beowulf to go, because they feared he wouldn’t return, but then yielded. Beowulf then chose 15 warriors, with the help of Hygelac and the wise eldermen, to go with him on his journey to defeat Grendel. Upon their arrival, the Geats were greeted by an earl of Hrothgar. The earl asked them who they were, why they were dressed for war, and if they knew the password, and then noticed Beowulf. He was in shock for he had never seen a warrior like this one, and was sure that he was a hero. When Beowulf explained who they were, and why they were there, the earl quickly asked them to follow him to Heorot Hall. When faced with the... ...ch about the world around him. He is in a way, very gullible, innocent, and will listen to whatever anyone tells him. For the main characters, I would cast Peredur, Kay, Owein, and King Arthur. The setting that I would use would be France instead of Wales, and I would have most of it take place e in the forest as it is in the original. It will start out in the spring and end in the fall, early winter. It would be more of a drama, because with it being in medieval times, there are a lot of people falling in love, and people dying. Another reason for it being a drama is because, Peredur is more on a quest to become a knight on Arthur’s court, and he has to fight certain battles, making it more of a serious matter, rather than comedy. The thing that would be most difficult about making this a production is the women in his life. In each story Peredur falls in love with another, or promises her his love. It would be hard to stick to the facts if you had to cut out all these women in his life just because he has made the same promise to each one. It would be very easy to do as a TV series though, because they have their characters fall in love with different people all the time.

Film Review: Sleepless In Seattle Essay

When Hollywood makes a movie about a spouse who has lost a significant other, the story usually evolves around the wife. How she deals with the loss, the grief, her support group and how she manages to get her life back on track for the sake of her children and herself. But Sleepless In Seattle is a totally different kind of widower movie. The movie released in 1993 was helmed by Nora Ephron from a story by Jeff Arch, the movie casts a pre Oscar winner Tom Hanks as the widower Sam Baldwin who is learning to cope with the loss of his wife, raising his son Jonah ( as portrayed by Ross Malinger) alone and helping the child to adjust to life without his mother, as well as trying to get his own personal life back on track. The movie is based upon the old plot of a grieving widow who needs to get on with life. Its plotline centers on the little known truth that men also grieve when their spouse is taken away from him by illness and death. Tom Hanks is highly effective as the spouse who is so deeply affected by his wife’s death that he practically places his life on hold except for the basic things that he needs to do such as raise his son and earn a living. Although his friends and family rallied to his side upon the death of his wife either by attending the funeral, being more active and present in his and his child’s life, even going as far as to refer him to support groups and psychiatrists in order to help him deal with his loss, Sam still feels alone and keeps his grief to himself. For him, the best solution seemed to be to move to another place and try to start life anew. He chooses to be alone with his memories of his wife and deal with his grief privately and alone, but his son has other ideas. Little Jonah has decided that his dad has grieved enough (it has been a year since his mother died) and his dad needs serious help. So one night, the boy sneaks a phone call to a radio psychologist and relates the personal turmoil of his father. The doctor then asks to speak to his father in order to help him and advise him about how to let go of the memory of his wife and move on with life. The doctor gives him the handle Sleepless in Seattle while advising him to move on with his life because his son now believes that he needs a wife to care for them. The movie dealt with the reality that the death of a spouse is not easy for the widowed husband or wife. The remaining spouse has to accept the reality that the life he once had with his wife, that which made him feel happy and complete has come to an abrupt end. In her personal blog, a woman who simply goes by the name Sara indicated that men deal with the loss of the wife in a different manner because widows â€Å"tend to lose their social networks since their wives the family ‘kinkeepers. ’ According to the article Good Grief: Bouncing Back From a Spouse’s Death in Late Life, Deborah Carr indicates that certain personal and social factors should be considered when helping the widower move on with his life. 1 Sara makes references to this article in her blog wherein she argues that (as cited in Carr, 2007 ) â€Å"the age of the husband and wife, how the spouse died, and what the couple’s life was like prior to the death are the most important factors that influence spousal bereavement. † In the movie, Sam embodies this personal turmoil by refusing to go on with his life and continuing to mourn her death one year later. Instead of accepting the death of his wife and moving on, he wallows on the what if’s of their married life. Socially husbands tend to grieve for a longer period of time because of the way his wife becomes the crutch of his life. He does not know how to move on without his wife because of his emotional need to hold on to the past memories of his wife. Sam Baldwin solidly illustrates how a man is lost without his wife. Without her, he lost his desire to dream and achieve more in life because his muse has passed on. He chooses to just live day to day with the hope that eventually, he will stop hurting emotionally. In reality, a man who loses his wife has a tendency to lose his place in the social circles because it was the duty of the wife to set the family social calendar. Sam Baldwin also showed us the difficulty of having to raise a child in a single parent environment where the grieving and closure process has not been completed. Widowed men also have to deal with the reality that he is now in charge of the household and has to portray the role of mother, wife, father, and financial provider all at the same time. Although considered to be a lightweight romantic comedy, Sleepless in Seattle gives us a realistic look into the life of a grieving husband. The situations portrayed in the movie do happen to male widows in real life. Due to the loss of the wife, the husband can experience a rollercoaster of emotions. . 2 According to the website planet-therapy. com, in its section regarding Grief: Living with the death of a partner, a grieving widow experiences a gamut of emotions ranging from â€Å"feelings of sadness, despair, emptiness, anger and guilt, restlessness and sleep problems, and a sense of inadequacy and concerns about health and well-being. † In the movie, as Sam Baldwin speaks to the psychologist over the radio, he shares the same list of his grieving experiences with the listeners. Today’s modern society tends to be more helpful of a spouse who has lost his or her partner through death rather than divorce. Mainly because it is harder for a spouse to get over the death of a spouse rather than what is usually a nasty divorce proceeding. The grieving widow needs more reassurance in life because, if a spouse is lost due to illness, such as the case with Sam Baldwin, his life will effectively be placed on hold until the death of the spouse which will then leave the husband or wife as a socially disconnected entity who will need to rebuild the personality he once had. Society accepts that it is easier for a divorcee to move on with life. Therefore there is no real need to be an emotional crutch to this person because he or she will want to celebrate the newly gained freedom. In the case of a widower, the death of the spouse usually becomes a traumatic experience wherein the living spouse become uncertain about how to socialize with people and get on with his life. Sometimes, the widow even goes so far as to consider himself or herself a jinx and vows never to remarry. Between the two, the widows need more reassurance and push towards reclaiming the life he once had or could have once the grief is conquered. This is why in the movie, Sam’s friends rally to his side and help him deal with his reentrance into the social circle. From dating advise, to sexual advice, this is the support group that helped Sam realize that he can let go of his wife’s memory without dishonoring the same. In reality, a widow tends to continue to speak with the deceased spouse long after death and fiercely holds on to the memory of the deceased even to the point of continuing with their old traditions even if he or she must do it alone. But in the case of Sam, he voluntarily reactivates his social life in an effort to get over his grief and possibly find a mother for his son who needs female guidance as well. In the movie, Sam chooses to eventually go on with his life after the radio consultation causes an influx of postal mail from various single women across the land pour into his home. This is where the story reaches its complicated plot line. Sam does not show any interest in the mail he receives because he is the kind of man who believes in the old fashioned dating game. He has a few bad dates before finally settling on one woman whom he considers a potential candidate for the role of wife and mother in his family. The problem is that Jonah believes more in fate and makes his choice on the basis of a letter from Annie Reed. A hopeless romantic whose favorite movie is A Love Affair. Incidentally, A Love Affair plays a pivotal part in the movie as it is used as the reference for the final, climactic scene at the Empire State Building. Although the movie is well crafted and has a good script, I am deeply disturbed with the way the characters of Jonah Baldwin and his friend Jessica were portrayed. With a maturity beyond their ages, and an unbelievably good grasp of adult issues, it is quite disconcerting to watch these two kids work their way around adults to the point of using emotional blackmail to get the parent to do as the child wants. I am willing to accept that Sam and Annie were meant to be together. But the way they got together is one that would drive a parent to the brink of worry and insanity while totally rejecting any positive outcomes such a scenario may present to all the parties concerned. Had this movie really been based on reality, I sincerely doubt that Sam would have dropped everything and hopped on a plane for New York to find the errant child. In reality, the parent would be on the telephone with the police trying to coordinate a cross country search since nobody is really sure as to where the child would end up in a city as huge as New York and how. The fact that the child was not punished but instead cuddled in the end by the worried father delivers a bad message as far as I am concerned. To me, it says â€Å"Hey, dad does not want to do what I want. I will run away from home. â€Å" We all know how that scenario would have really ended n reality and therefore should have not have been included in the movie. The movie can be considered a chick flick because it caters to the romantic notions held dearly by women while the men are considered clueless most of the time. When not being regarded as the unbelievably gullible opposite sex. The movie asks us to suspend disbelief for over an hour as we wait to discover if these two people will finally meet and how will that meeting end? The references to the primitive internet of the time was a wonderful throwback to an era when America was still discovering what things could be done online. Basically a well executed movie, Sleepless in Seattle is a movie made for those who believe that fate and karma will bring love your way even if you have lost hope. I do find it hard to believe though, that two people who do not meet until the very end of the movie and shared no more than a minute glance at each other in the middle of the movie will have an ever after ending. Footnotes 1 See Sara’s blog section number 13entitled Relating to Family Transitions (2007) for the full content of the article Good Grief: Bouncing Back From A Spouse’s Death in Late Life by Deborah Carr 2 See planet-therapy. com (2007) specially the sections relating to grief and loss, death of a partner, solutions for people who lose a partner, and possibilities for change after the death of a partner. Work Cited Foster Gary (Producer). Ephron, Nora (Director). (1993). Sleepless in Seattle [Motion Picture]. United States: TriStar Pictures. Planet Therapy. (n. d. ). Grief and Loss. Retrieved 21 August 2007 from http://planet-therapy. com/pub/gen_problems/grief/grief-2. html. Sara. (2007, April 26). Family Transitions [Blog 13]. Message posted to http://quicksa. blogspot. com/

Veronica Decides to Die

verinika decides to die The story take s place in slovenia the history is base in veronika, a twenty four years old girl, who has everything in life. She is pretty, has a good job, nice family. Veronika though that it wasnt enough, so she planed on commit suicide, she thinks life is boring and that is not point for her to be a live if everyday it would be the same. it was the moth of november when veronoka decides to die, she has been saving bottles of sleeping pills that her friend gave her. One cold morning Veronica wake up and started to take all the pills five minutes after all the four bottles were gone, now it was just amount of time. It had no last long soon afterward, she had lost consciousness. When veronica wake up she though she was on heaven but the ugly trhuth is that she was a life and she was in villete, the famous and feared lunatic asylum. Villete was the place from wich no one hd ever escaped. Villete was the perfect place not only for people who have mental problems also it was to get rid of Veronica Decides To Die Veronika Decides to Die ? Veronica a Twenty-four-year-old lies in Slovenia,one of the republics created by the dissolution of Yugoslavia. She works as a librarian by day,and by night carries on like many single women dating men,occasionally sleeping with them,and returning to a single room she rents at a convent. It is a life,but not a very compelling one. So one day,Veronika decides to end it by taking sleepping pills. Her failed attempt,and her inexplicable reasons for wanting to die,land her in Vilette the famous and much fared lunatic asylum. Veronika ‘s disappointment at having survied her attept of suiced. She imagines the rest of her life filled with disillusionment and monotony,and swear not to leave Vilette alive. Veronica didnt failed that much, sice her attept of sucide didnt succed but with that brought Much to her surprise,however,she learns that a fate she desires awaits her anyway: She is destined to die within a week ‘s time,of a heart damage caused by her suicide attempt. Gradually,this knowledge changes Veronika ‘s perception of death and life. In the meantime,Vilette ‘s head psychiatrist attempts a fascinating but provocative experiment. Can you â€Å"shock†someone into wanting to live by convincing her that death is imminent? Like a doctor applying defibrillator paddles to a heart attack victim,Dr. Igor ‘s â€Å"prognosis†jump-starts Veronika ‘s new appreciation of the world around her. From within Vilette ‘s controlled environment,she finally allows herself to express the emotions she has never allowed herself to feel:hate and love,anger and joy,disgust and pleasure. Veronika also finds herself being drawn into the li es of other patients who lead constrained but oddly satisfying li es. Eduard,Zedka,and Mari have been sent to Vilette because there doesn ‘t seem to be any other place for them. Their families don ‘t understand them,and they can ‘t adjust to the social structure that doesn ‘t tolerate†¦

About the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

About the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Created under the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) functions as a regulatory agency under the U.S. Department of Transportation with a primary mission of ensuring the safety of civil aviation. Civil aviation includes all non-military, private and commercial aviation activities, including aerospace activities. The FAA also works closely with the U.S. military to ensure the safe operation of military aircraft in public airspace across the nation. Primary Responsibilities of the FAA Include: Regulating civil aviation to promote safety within the U.S. and abroad. The FAA exchanges information with foreign aviation authorities; certifies foreign aviation repair shops, air crews, and mechanics; provides technical aid and training; negotiates bilateral airworthiness agreements with other countries; and takes part in international conferences.Encouraging and developing civil aeronautics, including new aviation technology.Developing and operating a system of air traffic control and navigation for both civil and military aircraft.Researching and developing the National Airspace System and civil aeronautics.Developing and carrying out programs to control aircraft noise and other environmental effects of civil aviation,Regulating U.S. commercial space transportation. The FAA licenses commercial space launch facilities and private launches of space payloads on expendable launch vehicles. Investigation of aviation incidents, accidents and disasters is conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent government agency. Organization of the FAAAn administrator manages FAA, assisted by a Deputy Administrator. Five Associate Administrators report to the Administrator and direct the line-of-business organizations that carry out the agencys principle functions. The Chief Counsel and nine Assistant Administrators also report to the Administrator. The Assistant Administrators oversee other key programs such as Human Resources, Budget, and System Safety. We also have nine geographical regions and two major centers, the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center and the William J. Hughes Technical Center. FAA History What would become the FAA was born in 1926 with passage of the Air Commerce Act. The law established the framework of the modern FAA by directing the Cabinet-level Department of Commerce with promoting commercial aviation, issuing and enforcing air traffic rules, licensing pilots, certifying aircraft, establishing airways, and operating and maintaining systems to help pilots navigate the skies. The Commerce Department’s new Aeronautics Branch took off, overseeing U.S. aviation for the next eight years. In 1934, the former Aeronautics Branch was renamed the Bureau of Air Commerce. In one of its first acts the Bureau worked with a group of airlines to set up the nation’s first air traffic control centers in Newark, New Jersey, Cleveland, Ohio, and Chicago, Illinois. In 1936, the Bureau assumed control of the three centers, thus establishing the concept of federal control over air traffic control operations at major airports. Focus Shifts to Safety In 1938, after a series of high-profile fatal accidents, the federal emphasis shifted to aviation safety with passage of the Civil Aeronautics Act. The law created the politically-independent Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA), with a three-member Air Safety Board. As a forerunner of today’s National Transportation Safety Board, the Air Safety Board began investigating accidents and recommending how they could be prevented. As a pre-World War II defense measure, the CAA assumed control over air traffic control systems at all airports, including towers at small airports. In the post-war years, the federal government assumed responsibility for air traffic control systems at most airports. On June 30, 1956, a Trans World Airlines Super Constellation and a United Air Lines DC-7 collided over the Grand Canyon killing all 128 people on the two planes. The crash happened on a sunny day with no other air traffic in the area. The disaster, along with the growing use of jet airliners capable of speeds nearing 500 miles per hour, drove a demand for a more unified federal effort to ensure the safety of the flying public. Birth of the FAA On August 23, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aviation Act, which transferred the old Civil Aeronautics Authoritys functions to a new independent, regulatory Federal Aviation Agency responsible for ensuring the safety of all aspects of non-military aviation. On December 31, 1958, the Federal Aviation Agency began operations with retired Air Force General Elwood Pete Quesada serving as its first administrator. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson, believing a single coordinated system for federal regulation of all modes of land, sea and air transportation was needed, directed Congress to create the cabinet-level Department of Transportation (DOT). On April 1, 1967, the DOT began full operation and immediately changed the name of the old Federal Aviation Agency to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). On the same day, the accident investigation function of the old Air Safety Board was transferred to the new National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood-Free-Samples for Students

Emerging adulthood has been reckoned as a phase in an individual’s life spanning from age 18 to 25 years that falls within the period encompassing late adolescence and early adulthood.   It has been designated as the age of identity exploration characterized by vital attributes such as instability, self-focus, sense of plethora of possibilities for the future alongside feeling in between adolescence and adulthood. This proposed distinctive stage has been found to vary significantly between developed and developing nations (Arnett, 2014). The normative social in addition to the psychological conditions are depicted by virtue of this stage that may be further equated and corroborated with the Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development which aims to emphasize on personality build up from childhood to adulthood through consideration of the external factors, society and parents (Syed, 2015). As per Erikson’s theory, a person’s life cycle is divisible into e ight interrelated stages that a person must pass through during his or her lifetime. The age group for emerging adulthood may be related to the young adulthood phase as described by Erikson. In this age group of young adulthood, people tend to seek companionship and love whereby psychological strengths rest on these virtues primarily. A crisis for intimacy over isolation often engulfs this vulnerable group. They are on the lookout for satisfying relationships and deep intimacy at this phase and in case of non-conformance to such ambitions, isolation might occur. Associations and bonding tend to be stronger with the marital partner and friends through nurturing (Dunkel & Harbke, 2017). Thus, it may be said that emerging adulthood and Erikson’s stage of young adult is essentially interrelated. Arnett, J. J. (2014).  Adolescence and emerging adulthood. Boston, MA: Pearson. Dunkel, C. S., & Harbke, C. (2017). A review of measures of Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development: Evidence for a general factor.  Journal of Adult Development,  24(1), 58-76. Syed, M. (2015). Emerging adulthood: Developmental stage, theory, or nonsense.  The Oxford handbook of emerging adulthood, 11-25.

Womens Rights in the 1930s. A decade of setbacks Research Paper

Womens Rights in the 1930s. A decade of setbacks - Research Paper Example It provides that â€Å"The rights of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex†. Thus began the 1920s on an optimistic note. Women’s suffrage was seen as a new start for equal rights for women and the increase of mainstreaming of women’s voices in policy decisions and strategies. The Great Depression and its impact However, the crash of the stock market in 1929 brought the economy into a tailspin and short-circuited women’s rights’ progress. During The Great Depression of the 1930s employment rates declined and women came to be perceived as the ones to forsake their claim on employment to give way to men. According to the 1930 census almost eleven million women, or 24.3 percent of all women in the country, were gainfully employed. Three out of every ten of these working women were in domestic or personal service Three-quarters of the professional women were school teachers or nurses. Women in the 1930s in fact entered the workforce at a rate twice that of men—primarily because employers were willing to hire them at reduced wages. For the most part women worked long hours for low wages in the 1930s. More than half of all employed women worked for more than fifty hours a week, and more than one-fifth worked for more than fifty-five hours (Cabell Phillips, 1969). So while large numbers of women worked during the Depression, their status actually decreased (Moran, M.1989). The American Federation of Labor was established for organized, skilled, craft workers, and most women still held unskilled factory jobs thus they were excluded from unionization. The American Federation of Labor did not see the need to include women and neither did the majority of the population. Instead of employment and benefits to male and female alike, women were shuttled back into the home, to be protected and sentimentalized over once again. Altered perception In the depression years of the 1930s women were portrayed in the home. Peggy Preston writes in her paper Advertising's Portrayal of Women in the Workplace from the 1930s to the 1950s ,†To reinforce the concern of society to get women out of the workplace, advertisements portrayed women at home, in the kitchen or with the children. Advertisements portraying men, on the other hand, placed men in the workplace. "He is working to improve your model," declares a 1935 Time magazine advertisement which pictures a man working upon an engine for General Motors which has not yet been perfected. In April of 1930† Some women did come to prominence in the 1930s. Frances Perkins was named the first woman cabinet member in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt tenure but she herself asserted that married women ought not to shirk their responsibilities to their families by seeking outside employment. Josephine McGowan (1931) commented â€Å"In ten years, we have seen the political potential ities of women voters recognized by farseeing politicians who have rather grudgingly in many instances taken them into the councils of their parties, making them vice-chair of this or that local or state national committee; for the time has not yet arrived when men will voluntarily entrust to women the actual dispensation of party authority or patronage†. Decrease in Status So while large numbers of women worked, eleven million in all (Cabell Phillips, 1969), during the Depression, their status actually decreased. During the 1930s, the percentage of master's degrees and doctorates earned by women dropped significantly. While female university education increased substantially, those who attended college found the formerly high quality comprehensive education

Bancassurance and assurancebank strategie Essay

Bancassurance and assurancebank strategie - Essay Example Hence, an opening up of the markets eventually led the production houses to operate in an environment saturated with stringent competition. The companies worldwide have responded to this change by adapting themselves into newer strategies while designing their financial plans. Many firms have introduced added features in their operations so that they are able to meet more of the people’s demands and thus are able to capture a higher fraction of the market. Since it becomes easier for people to shop or transact under the same roof, this introduced feature is enough to lure them (Staikouras, 2009). One such move that was simultaneously embraced by the insurance as well as the banking sector was that of indulging themselves in each other’s activities. Hence, two new strategies of ‘bancassurance’ and ‘assurancebank’ were introduced in some of the units in the banking and the insurance sectors respectively (Nurullah & Staikouras, 2008). For instance, in Europe, there is the HSBC Bank which has adopted the strategy of ‘bankassurance’ while there is the ING Group which has embraced the other strategy. The strategy of bancassurance implies an embedding of the insurance sector in the activities of the banking sector (Ennew & Waite, 2007). The advantage to the customers in case such a strategy is introduced are, firstly, they are able to transact under a single roof which is time as well as cost-saving, and secondly, the moment that a customer takes some loan, he automatically is entitled to the insurance benefit that accompanies it. Thus, if the loan is meant for some investment and it fails to reap the returns it is expected to yield after a specified time period, then an insurance coverage will help him to forgo the loan and thus the person’s tremor is reduced by a great extent. The HSBC Group adopted the

DMV-Week Three Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DMV-Week Three - Essay Example The five whys will help identify a core problem at the DMV. The first question one might ask is â€Å"Why are the lines so long† - lines being the symptom. The answer to this would probably be â€Å"too many people and not enough staff.† The second logical question would be â€Å"why are there not enough staff to quickly and efficiently address all the patrons?†, to which a DMV apologist might answer â€Å"because there are not enough resources allocated to staffing the DMV.† Finally, a fourth â€Å"why† question will get at a cause of the issue. â€Å"Why are not enough resources allocated to the DMV to allow it to operate properly?† to which the answer may be â€Å"because there is no incentive to improve customer service.† Finally, the question to get at the root cause would probably be â€Å"why is there no incentive to improve customer service?† with the answer being, â€Å"because the DMV has a monopoly on its services.â €  One solution might then be to contract it to outside companies, using wait times as an evaluation tool, or else giving bonuses to DMVs that handle the most patrons the fastest to incentivise short wait times and create artificial

Study of existing Reverse Logistics framework Retail industry

Study of existing Reverse Logistics framework Retail industry Abstract: Reverse Logistics is a very complex and specialized area of any supply chain and it involves handling individual incoming parcels, opening and inspecting products, communicating with internal departments, customers and vendors and then directing products into disposition channels which will provide the highest value. Efficient Reverse Logistics system can transform an increasingly costly and complex returns management process into a competitive advantage. Integration of reverse logistics in specific retail sectors is critical for sustainability. The aim of this project work is to identify and examine the reverse logistics management in the retail industry in order to understand the existing application of reverse logistics and then propose relevant recommendations to improve efficiency in reverse logistics management. After critical analysis of the existing reverse logistics management in the selected retail sectors, potential ways to improve the efficiency of reverse logistics activ ities would be recommended in the selected retail sectors. Chapter 1: Introduction Twenty-years ago, supply chains were busy fine-tuning the logistics of products from raw material to the end customer. Products are obviously still streaming in the direction of the end customer but an increasing flow of products is coming back. This is happening for a whole range of industries, covering electronic goods, pharmaceuticals, beverages and so on. For instance distant sellers like e-tailers have to handle high return rates and many times at no cost for the customer. It is not surprising that the Reverse Logistics Executive Council has announced that US firms have been losing billions of dollars on account of being ill-prepared to deal with reverse flows (Rogers and Tibben-Lembke, 1999). While some actors in the chain have been forced to take products back, others have pro-actively done so, attracted by the value in used products. One way or the other, Reverse Logistics has become a key competence in modern supply chains. Many companies that, previously, did not devote muc h time or energy to the management and understanding of reverse logistics have begun to pay attention. Definition of reverse logistics In 1998 Stock defined reverse logistics as the role of logistics in product returns, source reduction, recycling, materials substitution, reuse of materials, waste disposal and refurbishing, repair, and remanufacturing (1998, p. 20). In a 1998 paper in the Journal of Business Logistics Carter and Ellram adopted a similar definition, calling it the process whereby companies can become more environmentally efficient through recycling, reusing, and reducing the amount of materials used (p. 85). If the focus of logistics is the movement of material from the point of origin toward the point of consumption (Council of Logistics Management 1999), then the focus of reverse logistics should be the movement of material from the point of consumption toward the point of origin. Rogers and Tibben-Lembke in their 1999 article emphasized a clear definition of reverse logistics drawn in essence from the Council of Logistics Managements definition given as follows, The process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost effective flow of raw materials, in-process inventory, finished goods, and related information from the point of consumption to the point of origin for the purpose of recapturing or creating value or proper disposal (Rogers and Tibben-Lembke 1999, p. 2) This dissertation focuses on the reverse logistics activities in the retail industry with an analysis framework concerning the cost-benefit, visibility-information flow and efficiency. A reverse logistics flow is more reactive with much less visibility. The figure 1 depicts a typical reverse logistics information flow for the retail channel. For instance, when a consumer returns an item to a retail store, the store collects he items to be sent to a centralized sorting facility. At the time, information about the item and its condition may be entered into retailers information system and forwarded to the processing centre. Figure Reverse logistics in Retail: an epitome of information flow Delineation of reverse logistics definition Since Reverse Logistics is a relatively new research and empirical area, there are other literature terms, like reversed logistics, return logistics and retro logistics or reverse distribution, sometimes referring roughly to the same. In fact, the diversity of definitions with respect to recovery practices is a well-recognized source of misunderstandings both in research as in practice (Melissen and De Ron, 1999) In this dissertation I would like to remark that Reverse Logistics is different from waste management as the latter mainly refers to collecting and processing waste (products for which there is no new use) efficiently and effectively. The crux in this matter is the definition of waste. This is a major issue, as the term has severe legal consequences, for instance, it is often forbidden to import waste. Reverse Logistics concentrates on those streams where there is some value to be recovered and the outcome enters a (new) supply chain. Reverse Logistics also differs from green logistics as that considers environmental aspects to all logistics activities and it has been focused specifically on forward logistic, i.e. from producer to customer (Rodrigue et al., 2001). The prominent environmental issues in logistics are consumption of non-renewable natural resources, air emissions, congestion and road usage, noise pollution, and both hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal (see Camm, 2 001). Finally, reverse logistics can be seen as part of sustainable development. The latter has been defined by Brundland (1998) in a report to the European Union as to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In fact one could regard reverse logistics as the implementation at the company level by making sure that society uses and re-uses both efficiently and effectively all the value which has been put into the products. The border between forward logistics (from raw materials to end user) and reverse logistics (from end user to recovery or to a new user) is not strictly defined as one can wonder about what raw materials are, or who the end user is, in modern supply chains. For instance, used/recovered glass is a substantial input for new production of glass. A holistic view on supply chains combining both forward and reverse logistics is embraced by the closed-loop supply chain concept (Guide and van Wassenhove, 2003). Recovery practices are framed within the supply chain, and the encircling aspect of the process as a whole is therefore stressed: having either 1) a physical (closed-loop): to the original user (see Fleischmann et al., 1997); or 2) a functional (closed-loop): to the original functionality. Thinking in term of closed-loop supply chains emphasizes the importance of coordinating the forward with the reverse streams. Actually, whenever both forward and reverse flows are involved, co-ordin ation has to be minded (see Debo et al., 2003). This happens, either in closed- or open-loops (the latter refers to when neither the original user nor original functionality are in the reverse logistics process). Aim and objectives of the project Reverse Logistics is a very complex and specialized area of any supply chain and it involves handling individual incoming parcels, opening and inspecting products, communicating with internal departments, customers and vendors and then directing products into disposition channels which will provide the highest value. Efficient Reverse Logistics system can transform an increasingly costly and complex returns management process into a competitive advantage. Integration of reverse logistics in specific retail sectors is critical for sustainability. The aim of this project work is to identify and examine the reverse logistics management in the retail industry in order to understand the existing application of reverse logistics and then propose relevant recommendations to improve efficiency in reverse logistics management. In order to achieve this objective the project work would involve Identifying the key retail sectors in which reverse logistics has and will have potential importance Examine the various reverse logistics activities in the selected retail sectors Analyze the effectiveness of reverse logistics management from the perspective of efficiency, profitability and environmental aspects Propose recommendations to improve the efficiency of reverse logistics management Report organization The dissertation consists of five main chapters which is organized as follows Chapter 1 introduces the research topics as well as the main objective of this study. Moreover, this chapter provides some of the background information about reverse logistics. It also provides a brief detail of the research methodology and the organization of the dissertation. Chapter 2 provides the basic knowledge of reverse logistics process together with key success factors and barriers of effective reverse logistics management are introduced. The previous papers are discussed in the literature review section. Chapter 3 discusses the information about research design and data collection method. The section elucidates the research approach and the relevant frameworks to be included in the research conduct. This section discusses about the methodology of how the reverse logistics management is analyzed to address the research questions. Chapter 4 discusses the analysis related to the reverse logistics trends and the effectiveness of reverse logistics management from the holistic perspective of cost, efficiency and environmental aspects. The key drivers and persistent barriers for reverse logistics management for the selected retail companies are discussed. Lastly, chapter 5 concludes the result of the finding and the analysis. The recommendation and the discussion about the future research are discussed. Chapter 2: Literature review Background Retailers constantly focus on strategies to gain competitive advantage and to improve financial performance. In doing so, emphasis is more frequently being placed on logistics, including tactical initiatives such as automatic replenishment programs, real-time information sharing, and advanced demand management techniques designed to improve internal efficiencies (Li 2002; Daugherty, Myers, Autry 1998; Seideman 2002).However, retailers also compete on the basis of effectiveness, striving for increased customer satisfaction. One competitive tactic used to enhance customer satisfaction includes the implementation of liberalized product returns policies. By taking a more consumer friendly approach in their return policies, retailers communicate a higher level of service to patrons, and thereby increase customer satisfaction with ultimate goals of higher sales and profitability (Coopersmith 1990; Krapfel 1988). As a result of return policy liberalization, acceptance of product returns is now commonplace; returns are reported to be as high as 10-15 percent of sales in some retail industries (Rogers Tibben-Lembke 1999), and are thought to be even higher in catalog and internet retailing, with typical return rates of up to 40 percent (Rogers, Lambert, Croxton, Garcia-Dastague 2002). However, the acceptance of returns places stress on the retailers logistics function. Whereas typical logistics activities are engineered to optimize flows from producer to consumer, reverse logistics activities move product, information, and currency in the opposite direction. While significant efforts have been expended in streamlining and optimizing retail logistics activities, the accomplishments associated with these activities do not always directly apply to the reverse logistics process. The forward movement of goods through the supply chain generally results in large receipts of goods at clearly defined in tervals (such as when inventory levels reach critical safety levels, or at pre-specified and scheduled times), with the ultimate sale executed in smaller quantities to end-users. On the other hand, reversed supply chain flows are less predictable, occurring at various times and for various reasons, and thus, the costs of returns handling can be high (Rogers et al. 2002; Stock 1998). One area of concern related to reverse logistics that has been largely ignored by academic research and practicing retailers is the financial implications of reverse logistics activities, especially as related to firm liquidity. When products reverse directions in a supply chain, it can happen quickly and without notice. While effective reverse logistics activities generally result in value reclamation and increased cash inflows, there can be periods where significant unexpected cash outflows occur. This is often due to the time lag between the moment the firm recovers the value from the returned product and the assumption of costs incurred in the reverse logistics process. Therefore, financial management of the reverse logistics process becomes salient, and needs to be a retailer focus on an ongoing basis. Reverse logistics process: A typical reverse chain process is shown in Figure 2. But a distinction should be made between different categories of returns: Commercial Returns Returns for which there is an immediate demand at another market location or segment. Possible causes: customer dissatisfaction, catalogue sales, overstocks etc. Commercial returns occur in the sales phase or shortly after. Repairable Returns Defects and suspect components (modules/parts) from field (exchange) repair activities or products under warranty. Customer is entitled to a replacement product. End-of-use Returns Returned products/components which are not of longer use to the original owner, but for which new customers can be found. Reasons: end-of-season, end-of-lease, trade-in, product replacements etc. End-of-life Returns Items of no remaining use, which are processed due to contractual or legislative obligations. These returns are often collected and processed according to legislative obligations. Recalls Products recalled by the manufacturer due to a condition or defect that could affect its safe operation. Work on a recall is completed at no cost to the product owner. Other types of returns, such as refillable units and reusable carriers, are not included in this study. Figure Reverse logistics process Returned goods often go through the following activities depending on the return type: Product Acquisition Retrieval of the product back from the market. The timing, quantity, quality and composition of returned product need to be managed in close cooperation with other supply chain parties. Collection Logistical activities (such as transportation, consolidation, transhipment and storage) to obtain the products back from the market and transport them to facilities involved in the other stages. Sorting, Testing Disposition The classification (according to quality and composition) of returns and determination stage of the route the product will take in the reverse chain. Market and strategic conditions are taken into account in the disposition decision. Recovery The process of recovering value from the returned product by re-use, repair, refurbishment, recycling or other types of recovery. Redistribution Sales Basically, no value recovery has materialised until the recovered products, component or materials are brought back into a forward supply chain. Review of Past research works: Financial aspects of RL: Raimer (1997) indicated that returns are, and always have been, a fundamental part of retailing. His estimate was that reverse logistics account for between 5 and 6% of total logistics costs in the retail and manufacturing sectors. Daugherty et al. (2001), in a survey of US catalogue companies, reported reverse logistics costs on average to be 9.49% of total logistics costs. Rogers and Tibben-Lembke (1998) identified returns for different industries, with figures being recorded of 50% (magazine publishing), 20-30% (book publishers), 18-35% (catalogue retailers) and 10-12% (electronic distributors). Returns of merchandise bought over the Internet are expected to escalate as online sales grow. Consequently, companies in many sectors are facing a change of customer interface possibilities and subsequent supply chain dynamics (Rowley 2000). Returns are high because customers purchase online items on trial until they can handle them physically. Moreover, in mail order, especially ladies f ashion, return rates of 60% are common (Wheatley 2002). Given this level of returns, it is important to recognise that reverse logistics can have a significant bottom line impact on a company, and the ability to address opportunities may depend ultimately on management perceptions of reverse logistics (Stock 1998, Mason 2002). Autry (2005) argued that managers need to realise that effective handling of reverse logistics transactions can result in economic and strategic benefits. In practice, some companies seem to ignore the significance of reverse logistics to their supply chain, some companies have gradually recognized its importance, whilst others review reverse logistics as a strategic variable. It has been suggested that innovator firms that develop an expertise in reverse logistics activities and recognize them as a set of business processes that add value can potentially generate revenue, improve customer satisfaction, achieve significant cost savings and deliver a competitive edge in their various markets (Stock 1998, Carter and E llram 1998). Given such potential benefits from developing reverse logistics processes, it is important to recognize the existence of barriers that may hinder the implementation of reverse logistics processes. Ravi and Shankar (2005), in a study of the automobile industry, identified 11 barriers to the application of reverse logistics. These include resistance to change, lack of appropriate performance measures, lack of training related to reverse logistics, lack of commitment by top management and lack of strategic planning. Dowlatshahi, S. (2008) in his cost-benefit analysis for reverse logistics management considered and analysed the relevant literature in RL and identified the present state of theory in RL regarding cost-benefit. The research methodology used is exploratory case study approach. The cost-benefit is analysed and evaluated in terms of specific sub-factors associated with it by use of two in-depth case studies. Two companies from different industries engaged in RL operations are considered. The analysis of these case studies resulted in propositions and insights regarding RL operations. Based on these insights, the cost-benefit sub-factors, propositions, and a framework for effective design and implementation of RL operations are provided. This framework determines the appropriate sub-factors and how the return process of products/parts with respect to cost-benefit works. In conclusion, the managerial implications and future research directions were provided. There are several parties involved in the management of the reverse logistics process and the way in which such interfaces are managed is crucial in both environmental and economic terms. As returns management becomes increasingly recognised as an area of supply chain importance, retailers are either developing in-house capabilities or outsourcing the operation to third-party logistics (3PL) providers (Krumwiede and Sheu 2002, Meade and Sarkis 2002, Hughes 2003). These supply chain interfaces occur in a number of different ways. For example, interfaces occur between retailers and manufacturers, between retailers and 3PLs and between end customers and retailers. There are many tensions occurring between these different players in the process. Currently, some companies prefer to build a separate infrastructure in order to facilitate the operation of the reverse logistics process. Other companies want to optimize the utility of their physical network by combining the reverse operation w ith the forward operation. In addition, centralized returns are a related possibility when companies are considering the construction of their physical network. Environmental aspects of RL: Environmentally friendly practices and the need to maintain sustainable development are important aspects in the debate surrounding reverse logistics. By not embracing sustainability, organizations face consequences in terms of increased economic and social liability (Savits 2002). Sustainable development embraces the triple bottom line philosophy of not compromising the future needs of society, the economy and the environment. In many reports on corporate social responsibility, sustainable transport is a significant feature with attempts to cut harmful emissions whilst maintaining economic operations. A driving force behind the search for improvements in sustainable distribution was the document published by the Department of Transport (1998) entitled A new deal for transport: better for everyone. Efficient integration of forward and reverse logistics has a significant part to play in this process. In this drive for sustainable distribution, it is important to recognize that account ing has a role to play. Mention has already been made of Corporate Social Responsibility Reports. There is a danger that traditional models of accounting and finance are actively supporting and encouraging unsustainable organizations and institutions (Gray 2002). Accountants need to be engaged in debates about environmental strategy, the institutional framework (government incentives) needs to support environmentally sound behaviour, and the change agents (such as environmental accounting) need to be embedded within the organization (Larrinaga-Gonzalez and Bebbington 2001). Reverse logistics management: Many tools exist to support the management of the reverse logistics process. The literature identifies mathematical models to support supply and transportation decisions (Du and Hall 1997). Also, the management of inventory can be supported through a range of mathematical models and enterprise resource planning (ERP) information systems (Boykin 2001, Teunter 2002). Hu et al. (2002) put forward a cost-minimisation model for minimising the total operating costs of a multi-time-step, multi-type hazardous waste reverse logistics system. Keeping with the theme of green supply chain management, Sheu et al. (2005) presented an integrated logistics operational model to co-ordinate the cross-functional product logistic flows and used-product reverse logistics flows in a green supply chain. Information communication technology (ICT) plays a significantly growing role in supporting reverse logistics operations and Daugherty et al. (2005) called for resources to be focused on developing informat ion technology. In recent years there have been a number of developments and improvements in dedicated reverse logistics software (De Brito et al. 2002). Developments in satellite tracking systems have also enabled vehicles to navigate better their way through congestion and to monitor and improve fuel consumption. The continuing development of ICT offers opportunities for significant economic and environmental benefits in the reverse logistics process. Drivers of reverse logistics: There are a number of drivers of reverse logistics and many of these actually occur as a result of product and service decisions taken at the design and planning stage of product and service provision. Interestingly, Sciarrotta (2003) illustrates how Philips Consumer Electronics place great emphasis on trying to prevent returns rather than dealing with them later. In the retail sector, however, strategic decisions concerning on-shelf availability together with a liberal returns policy amongst retailers are significant factors in the level of returns. Legislative factors (e.g. WEEE Directive to be implemented June 2006) are also becoming increasingly important, with new legislation focusing on the need to dispose of and recycle products in an environmentally friendly manner. In summary, the literature review has provided an overview of the issues that need to be considered when reflecting upon the management of reverse logistics processes. The significance of reverse logistics processes, in terms of both bottom line performance and environmental impact, has been highlighted in the literature. Also, the need to recognise the drivers of reverse logistics is highlighted together with the requirement to manage the interfaces between different members of the supply chain. Finally, the literature has identified numerous tools that can be used to support the reverse logistics process, and opened up the possibilities for using accounting information in this context to facilitate improved economic performance, supply chain efficiency and sustainability. Determinants of reverse logistics (Ravi et.al, 2005) Economic factors both directly and indirectly (de Brito Dekker, 2003), legislation (de Brito Dekker, 2003), corporate citizenship (de Brito Dekker, 2003; Rogers Tibben-Lembke, 1998) and environmental and green issues (Rogers Tibben-Lembke, 1998) are the four determinants of reverse logistics taken into account in this research. These are briefly described below. Economic factors Economics is seen as the driving force to reverse logistics relating to all the recovery options, where the company receives both direct as well as indirect economic benefits. It is seen that companies continually strive for achieving cost savings in their production processes. If a firm does reverse logistics well, it will make money (Stock, 1998). The recovery of the products for remanufacturing, repair, reconfiguration, and recycling can lead to profitable business opportunities (Andel, 1997). Reverse logistics is now perceived by the organizations as an investment recovery as opposed to simply minimizing the cost of waste management (Saccomano, 1997). A reverse logistics program can bring cost benefits to the companies by emphasizing on resource reduction, adding value from the recovery of products or from reducing the disposal costs. Guide and Wassenhove (2003) give an example of the US firm named ReCellular, which by refurbishing the cell phones, had gained economic advantage. Thus, the economic drivers of reverse logistics lead to direct gains in input materials, cost reduction, value added recovery and also in indirect gains by impeding legislation, market protection by companies, green image for companies and for improvement in customer/supplier relations. Legislation Another important driver for the reverse logistics is legislation. Legislation refers to any jurisdiction that makes it mandatory for the companies to recover its products or accept these back after the end of life of the product. These may include collection and reuse of products at the end of the product life cycle, shift waste management costs to producers, reduce volume of waste generated, and the use of increased recycled materials. For example, the Waste Electrical Electronics Equipment directive encourages a set of criteria for collection, treatment and recovery of waste electrical and electronic equipment and makes producers responsible for financing these activities (WEEE, 2003). There has also been a restriction on the use of hazardous substances in the production processes, which facilitates the dismantling, and recycling of waste electronics. A reverse logistics decision for the EOL computers should ensure that the end-of-life products are retired in a way that is compli ant with existing legislation. Corporate citizenship Another driver for the reverse logistics is the corporate citizenship that concerns a set of values or principles that impels a company or an organization to become responsibly engaged with reverse logistics activities. Reverse logistics activities can lead to increase of corporate image (Carter Ellram, 1998). A good example in this context would be of Paul Farrow, the founder of Walden Paddlers, Inc., whose concern of the velocity at which consumer products travel through the market to the landfill, pushed him to an innovative project of a 100-percent-recyclable kayak (Farrow, Johnson, Larson, 2000). In 1996, Hanna Andersson, a million direct retailer of infants and toddlers clothes developed a program called Hannadowns in which they distributed the childrens gently worn returned clothes to schools, homeless shelters, and other charities (Spence, 1998). Nike, the shoe manufacturer encourages consumers to bring their used shoes to the store where they had purchased them after their usage. They ship these back to Nike plant where these are shredded and made into basketball courts and running tracks. Nike also donates the material to the basketball courts and donates fund for building and maintaining these courts, thus enhancing the value of brand (Rogers Tibben-Lembke, 1998). It is seen from the last two examples that few firms are acting as good corporate citizens by contributing to the good of the community and assisting the people who are probably less fortunate than their typical customers. Environment and green issues Concern for the environment and green issues is also one of the drivers of reverse logistics. The reverse logistics lead to benefits of environment (Byrne Deeb, 1993; Carter Ellram, 1998; Wu Dunn, 1995). Hart (1997) proposes that the principle of the ecological footprint indicates the relevance of greening initiatives for countries. Reverse logistics has led to competitive advantage to companies which proactively incorporate environmental goals into their business practices and strategic plans (Newman Hanna, 1996). Managers are giving increasing importance to the environmental issues (McIntyre, Smith, Henham, Pretlove, 1998). The environmental management has gained increasing interest in the field of supply chain management. Handfield and Nichols (1999) mention greening as a critical future avenue in this area. Murphy, Poist, and Braunschweig (1995) have found that 60% in a group of 133 managers surveyed considered the issue of the environment to be a very important factor and 8 2% of them expected that the importance would increase in the years to come. A green image of producing environmentally friendly products has become an important marketing element, which has stimulated a number of companies to explore options for take-back and recovery of their products (Thierry, 1997). A reverse logistics operations for EOL computers should ensure that the environmental and green issues are taken into account. Summary of literature review: This brief overview of the literature provides a framework for addressing the research questions identified in the study. The literature covers the definition of reverse logistics, the scale of the problem, the bottom line impact and potential barriers, the drivers of reverse logistics, supply chain interfaces, methods suggested in improving the reverse logistics process management and importance of sustainability issues. Chapter 3 Methodology: Research objective: The aim of this project work is to identify and examine the reverse logistics management in the retail industry in order to understand the existing application of reverse logistics and then propose relevant recommendations to improve efficiency