The Great War And The Crisis Of American Nationality

Valerie M. White Dr. Raul S. Chavez History 8: US History 1865 to Present February 13, 2017 Lost Battalions: The Great War and the Crisis of American Nationality The book is written by, Slotkin, Richard. Lost Battalions: The Great War and the Crisis of American Nationality. New York, N.Y: Henry Holt and Company, 2005. Print. During the Great War, American Nationality and a nation struggling with inequalities came to the forefront. Slotkin concentrates his writings on the heroic African American troops of the 369th Infantry and the legendary 77th â€Å"lost battalion† composed of New York City immigrants. These brave men fought in a foreign war they didn’t even believe in; what they were really fighting for was the right to be treated equal†¦show more content†¦Wilson would bargain with theses soldiers that if they would commit to fighting this war it would show that they were true Americans and would earn the respect and freedom of such. Theodore Roosevelt had success with his Rough Riders, who were a diverse group of volunteer cavalry soldiers of different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Roosevelt would help pave the way for the legendary 77th â€Å"lost battalion† division, also known as the â€Å"Melting Pot† division, due to the diversity of immigrants from Italian, Irish, Jewish, and Chinese decent. The 77th was led by Major Charles White Whittlesey. The 369th Infantry was made up of African American men also known as the â€Å"Harlem Hell Fighters†. Both groups had to try and overcome the prejudices of America; the 77th was the object of suspicion due to their ancestry. The 369th Infantry had to deal with a personal disrespect and humiliation so deep they had to deal with segregation and degradation of the Jim Crow laws. All these men yearned for and needed to prove that they were worthy of being called an American Citizen. They deserved to be treated equally and accepted amongst men. While America had their suspicions of these soldiers, the belief that they would equal failure due to their ethnicity was great. Nevertheless, the 77th division and the 36 9th Infantry wereShow MoreRelatedRefugee Crisis Is The Country Of Hopes And Dreams1232 Words   |  5 Pagesprinciples that make our country great. For example, we have freedom, rights, equality, and having the nickname â€Å"Melting Pot.† Over many centuries, America has accepted immigrants and refugees of multiple nationalities and backgrounds to live up to their famous nickname. However; why should we stop accepting refugees now? Even though many Americans assume accepting refugees will ruin our country, we should accept Syrian refugees into the United States because the Refugee Crisis is a serious problem, acceptingRead MoreThe Immigration Of The United States And Germany840 Words   |  4 PagesStates and Germany have both gone through migrant crisis. i. 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The Host Chapter 36 Believed Free Essays

The congregation relaxed, and a more enthusiastic murmur ran around the half circle. I looked at Jamie. He pursed his lips and shrugged. We will write a custom essay sample on The Host Chapter 36: Believed or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Jeb’s just trying to get things back to normal. It’s been a bad couple of days. Burying Walter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I winced. I saw that Jeb was grinning at Jared. After a moment of resistance, Jared sighed and rolled his eyes at the strange old man. He turned and strode quickly from the cave. â€Å"Jared got a new ball?† someone asked. â€Å"Cool,† Wes said beside me. â€Å"Playing games,† Trudy muttered, and shook her head. â€Å"If it eases the tension,† Lily responded quietly, shrugging. Their voices were low, close beside me, but I could also hear other, louder voices. â€Å"Easy on the ball this time,† Aaron said to Kyle. He stood over him, offering his hand. Kyle took the offered hand and got slowly to his feet. When he was standing, his head almost hit the hanging lanterns. â€Å"The last ball was weak,† Kyle said, grinning at the older man. â€Å"Structurally deficient.† â€Å"I nominate Andy for captain,† someone shouted. â€Å"I nominate Lily,† Wes called out, getting to his feet and stretching. â€Å"Andy and Lily.† â€Å"Yeah, Andy and Lily.† â€Å"I want Kyle,† Andy said quickly. â€Å"Then I get Ian,† Lily countered. â€Å"Jared.† â€Å"Brandt.† Jamie got to his feet and stood on his toes, trying to look tall. â€Å"Paige.† â€Å"Heidi.† â€Å"Aaron.† â€Å"Wes.† The roll call continued. Jamie glowed when Lily chose him before half the adults were taken. Even Maggie and Jeb were picked for teams. The numbers were even until Lucina came back with Jared, her two small boys bouncing in excitement. Jared had a shiny new soccer ball in his hand; he held it out, and Isaiah, the older child, jumped up and down trying to knock it from his hand. â€Å"Wanda?† Lily asked. I shook my head and pointed to my leg. â€Å"Right. Sorry.† I’m good at soccer, Mel grumbled. Well, I used to be. I can hardly walk, I reminded her. â€Å"I think I’ll sit this one out,† Ian said. â€Å"No,† Wes complained. â€Å"They’ve got Kyle and Jared. We’re dead without you.† â€Å"Play,† I told him. â€Å"I’ll†¦ I’ll keep score.† He looked at me, his lips pressed into a thin, rigid line. â€Å"I’m not really in the mood for playing a game.† â€Å"They need you.† He snorted. â€Å"C’mon, Ian,† Jamie urged. â€Å"I want to watch,† I said. â€Å"But it will be†¦ boring if one team has too much advantage.† â€Å"Wanda.† Ian sighed. â€Å"You really are the worst liar I’ve ever met.† But he got up and started stretching with Wes. Paige set up goalposts, four lanterns. I tried to get to my feet-I was right in the middle of the field. Nobody noticed me in the dim light. All around, the atmosphere was upbeat now, charged with anticipation. Jeb had been right. This was something they needed, odd as it seemed to me. I was able to get onto all fours, and then I pulled my good leg forward so I was kneeling on the bad. It hurt. I tried to hop up onto my good leg from there. My balance was all off, thanks to the awkward weight of my sore leg. Strong hands caught me before I could fall on my face. I looked up, a little rueful, to thank Ian. The words caught in my throat when I saw that it was Jared whose arms held me up. â€Å"You could have just asked for help,† he said conversationally. â€Å"I -† I cleared my throat. â€Å"I should have. I didn’t want to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Call attention to yourself?† He said the words as if he were truly curious. There was no accusation in them. He helped me hobble toward the cave entrance. I shook my head once. â€Å"I didn’t want to†¦ make anyone do anything, out of courtesy, that they didn’t want to do.† That didn’t explain it exactly right, but he seemed to understand my meaning. â€Å"I don’t think Jamie or Ian would begrudge you a helping hand.† I glanced back at them over my shoulder. In the low light, neither had noticed I was gone yet. They were bouncing the ball off their heads, and laughing when Wes caught it in the face. â€Å"But they’re having fun. I wouldn’t want to interrupt that.† Jared examined my face. I realized I was smiling in affection. â€Å"You care about the kid quite a bit,† he said. â€Å"Yes.† He nodded. â€Å"And the man?† â€Å"Ian is†¦ Ian believes me. He watches over me. He can be so very kind†¦ for a human.† Almost like a soul, I’d wanted to say. But that wouldn’t have sounded like the compliment it was to this audience. Jared snorted. â€Å"For a human. A more important distinction than I’d realized.† He lowered me to the lip of the entrance. It made a shallow bench that was more comfortable than the flat floor. â€Å"Thank you,† I told him. â€Å"Jeb did the right thing, you know.† â€Å"I don’t agree with that.† Jared’s tone was milder than his words. â€Å"Thank you also-for before. You didn’t have to defend me.† â€Å"Every word was the truth.† I looked at the floor. â€Å"It’s true that I would never do anything to hurt anyone here. Not on purpose. I’m sorry that I hurt you when I came here. And Jamie. So sorry.† He sat down right beside me, his face thoughtful. â€Å"Honestly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated. â€Å"The kid is better since you came. I’d sort of forgotten what his laugh sounded like.† We both listened to it now, echoing above the lower pitch of adult laughter. â€Å"Thank you for telling me that. It’s been my†¦ biggest worry. I hoped I hadn’t damaged anything permanently.† â€Å"Why?† I looked up at him, confused. â€Å"Why do you love him?† he asked, his voice still curious but not intense. I bit my lip. â€Å"You can tell me. I’m†¦ I’ve†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He couldn’t find the words to explain. â€Å"You can tell me,† he repeated. I looked at my feet as I answered. â€Å"In part because Melanie does.† I didn’t peek to see if the name made him flinch. â€Å"Remembering him the way she does†¦ that’s a powerful thing. And then, when I met him in person†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shrugged. â€Å"I can’t not love him. It’s part of my†¦ the very makeup of these cells to love him. I hadn’t realized before how much influence a host had on me. Maybe it’s just human bodies. Maybe it’s just Melanie.† â€Å"She talks to you?† He kept his voice even, but I could hear the strain now. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"How often?† â€Å"When she wants to. When she’s interested.† â€Å"How about today?† â€Å"Not much. She’s†¦ kind of mad at me.† He barked out a surprised laugh. â€Å"She’s mad? Why?† â€Å"Because of†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Was there such a thing as double jeopardy here? â€Å"Nothing.† He heard the lie again and made the connection. â€Å"Oh. Kyle. She wanted him to fry.† He laughed again. â€Å"She would.† â€Å"She can be†¦ violent,† I agreed. I smiled, to soften the insult. It was no insult to him. â€Å"Really? How?† â€Å"She wants me to fight back. But I†¦ I can’t do that. I’m not a fighter.† â€Å"I can see that.† He touched my battered face with one fingertip. â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"No. Anyone would do the same. I know what you must have felt.† â€Å"You wouldn’t -† â€Å"If I were human, I would. Besides, I wasn’t thinking of that†¦ I was remembering the Seeker.† He stiffened. I smiled again, and he relaxed a little. â€Å"Mel wanted me to throttle her. She really hates that Seeker. And I can’t†¦ find it in myself to blame her.† â€Å"She’s still searching for you. Looks like she had to return the helicopter, at least.† I closed my eyes, clenched my fists, and concentrated on breathing for several seconds. â€Å"I didn’t used to be afraid of her,† I whispered. â€Å"I don’t know why she scares me so much now. Where is she?† â€Å"Don’t worry. She was just up and down the highway yesterday. She won’t find you.† I nodded, willing myself to believe. â€Å"Can you†¦ can you hear Mel now?† he murmured. I kept my eyes closed. â€Å"I’m†¦ aware of her. She’s listening very hard.† â€Å"What’s she thinking?† His voice was just a whisper. Here’s your chance, I told her. What do you want to tell him? She was cautious, for once. The invitation unsettled her. Why? Why does he believe you now? I opened my eyes and found him staring at my face, holding his breath. â€Å"She wants to know what happened to make you†¦ different now. Why do you believe us?† He thought for a moment. â€Å"An†¦ accumulation of things. You were so†¦ kind to Walter. I’ve never seen anyone but Doc be that compassionate. And you saved Kyle’s life, where most of us would have let him fall just to protect ourselves, intended murder aside. And then you’re such an appalling liar.† He laughed once. â€Å"I kept trying to see these things as evidence of some grand plot. Maybe I’ll wake up tomorrow and feel that way again.† Mel and I flinched. â€Å"But when they started attacking you today†¦ well, I snapped. I could see in them everything that shouldn’t have been in me. I realized I already did believe, and that I was just being obstinate. Cruel. I think I’ve believed since†¦ well, a little bit since that first night when you put yourself in front of me to save me from Kyle.† He laughed as if he didn’t think Kyle was dangerous. â€Å"But I’m better at lying than you are. I can even lie to myself.† â€Å"She hopes you won’t change your mind. She’s afraid you will.† He closed his eyes. â€Å"Mel.† My heart thudded faster in my chest. It was her joy that sped it, not mine. He must have guessed how I loved him. After his questions about Jamie, he must have seen that. â€Å"Tell her†¦ that won’t happen.† â€Å"She hears you.† â€Å"How†¦ straightforward is the connection?† â€Å"She hears what I hear, sees what I see.† â€Å"Feels what you feel?† â€Å"Yes.† His nose wrinkled. He touched my face again, softly, a caress. â€Å"You don’t know how sorry I am.† My skin felt hotter where he had touched it; it was a good heat, but his words burned hotter than his touch. Of course he was sorrier for hurting her. Of course. That shouldn’t bother me. â€Å"C’mon, Jared! Let’s go!† We looked up. Kyle was calling to Jared. He seemed utterly at ease, as if he had not been on trial for his life today. Maybe he’d known it would go his way. Maybe he was quick to get over anything. He didn’t seem to notice me there beside Jared. I realized, for the first time, that others had. Jamie was watching us with a satisfied smile. This probably looked like a good thing to him. Was it? What do you mean? What does he see when he looks at us? His family, put back together? Isn’t it? Sort of? With the one unwelcome addition. But better than it was yesterday. I guess†¦ I know, she admitted. I’m glad Jared knows I’m here†¦ but I still don’t like him touching you. And I like it too much. My face tingled where Jared’s fingers had brushed it. Sorry about that. I don’t blame you. Or, at least, I know I shouldn’t. Thanks. Jamie wasn’t the only one watching. Jeb was curious, that little smile gathering up the corners of his beard. Sharon and Maggie watched with fire in their eyes. Their expressions were so much the same that the youthful skin and bright hair did nothing to make Sharon look younger than her grizzled mother. Ian was worried. His eyes were tight, and he seemed on the verge of coming to protect me again. To make sure Jared wasn’t upsetting me. I smiled, to reassure him. He didn’t smile back, but he took a deep breath. I don’t think that’s why he’s worried, Mel said. â€Å"Are you listening to her now?† Jared was on his feet but still watching my face. His question distracted me before I could ask her what she meant. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"What’s she saying?† â€Å"We’re noticing what the others think of your†¦ change of heart.† I nodded toward Melanie’s aunt and cousin. They turned their backs on me in synchronization. â€Å"Tough nuts,† he acknowledged. â€Å"Fine, then,† Kyle boomed, turning his body toward the ball that sat under the brightest spot of light. â€Å"We’ll win it without you.† â€Å"I’m coming!† Jared threw one wistful glance at me-at us-and ran to get in on the game. I wasn’t the best scorekeeper. It was too dark to see the ball from where I sat. It was too dark even to see the players well when they weren’t right under the lights. I began counting from Jamie’s reactions. His shout of victory when his team scored, his groan when the other team did. The groans outnumbered the shouts. Everyone played. Maggie was the goalie for Andy’s team, and Jeb was the goalie for Lily’s. They were both surprisingly good. I could see their silhouettes in the light from the goalpost lamps, moving as lithely as if they were decades younger. Jeb was not afraid to hit the floor to stop a goal, but Maggie was more effective without resorting to such extremes. She was like a magnet for the invisible ball. Every time Ian or Wes got off a shot†¦ thunk! It landed in her hands. Trudy and Paige quit after a half hour or so and passed me on their way out, chattering with excitement. It seemed impossible that we’d started the morning with a trial, but I was relieved that things had changed so drastically. The women weren’t gone long. They came back with arms full of boxes. Granola bars-the kind with fruit filling. The game came to a halt. Jeb called halftime, and everyone hurried over to eat breakfast. The goods were divvied up at the center line. It was a mob scene at first. â€Å"Here you go, Wanda,† Jamie said, ducking out of the group. He had his hands full of the bars, and water bottles tucked under his arms. â€Å"Thanks. Having fun?† â€Å"Yeah! Wish you could play.† â€Å"Next time,† I said. â€Å"Here you go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ian was there, his hands full of granola bars. â€Å"Beat ya,† Jamie told him. â€Å"Oh,† Jared said, appearing on Jamie’s other side. He also had too many bars for one. Ian and Jared exchanged a long glance. â€Å"Where’s all the food?† Kyle demanded. He stood over an empty box, his head swiveling around the room, looking for the culprit. â€Å"Catch,† Jared said, tossing granola bars one by one, hard, like knives. Kyle plucked them out of the air with ease, then jogged over to see if Jared was holding out on him. â€Å"Here,† Ian said, shoving half of his haul toward his brother without looking at him. â€Å"Now go.† Kyle ignored him. For the first time today, he looked at me, staring down at me where I sat. His irises were black with the light behind him. I couldn’t read his expression. I recoiled, and caught my breath when my ribs protested. Jared and Ian closed ranks in front of me like stage curtains. â€Å"You heard him,† Jared said. â€Å"Can I say something first?† Kyle asked. He peered down through the space between them. They didn’t respond. â€Å"I’m not sorry,† Kyle told me. â€Å"I still think it was the right thing to do.† Ian shoved his brother. Kyle reeled back but then stepped forward again. â€Å"Hold on, I’m not done.† â€Å"Yeah, you are,† Jared said. His hands were clenched, the skin over his knuckles white. Everyone had noticed now. The room was hushed, all the fun of the game lost. â€Å"No, I’m not.† Kyle held his hands up, a gesture of surrender, and spoke to me again. â€Å"I don’t think I was wrong, but you did save my life. I don’t know why, but you did. So I figure, a life for a life. I won’t kill you. I’ll pay the debt that way.† â€Å"You stupid jackass,† Ian said. â€Å"Who’s got the crush on a worm, bro? You gonna call me stupid?† Ian lifted his fists, leaning forward. â€Å"I’ll tell you why,† I said, making my voice louder than I wanted to. But it had the effect I was after. Ian and Jared and Kyle turned to stare at me, fight forgotten for the moment. It made me nervous. I cleared my throat. â€Å"I didn’t let you fall because†¦ because I’m not like you. I’m not saying that I’m not†¦ like humans. Because there are others here who would do the same. There are kind and good people here. People like your brother, and Jeb, and Doc†¦ I’m saying that I’m not like you personally.† Kyle stared at me for a minute and then chuckled. â€Å"Ouch,† he said, still laughing. He turned away from us then, his message given, and walked back to get some water. â€Å"Life for a life,† he called over his shoulder. I wasn’t sure I believed him. Not sure at all. Humans were good liars. How to cite The Host Chapter 36: Believed, Essay examples

My Health Record System in Australia Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the My Health Record System in Australia. Answer: Introduction Every country in the world toils every day to improve its medical services for its citizens. Due to the many upcoming changes in the current fast changing world, many countries have started adopting and implementing new health systems that will see them improve the kind of services they offer their citizens. Australia is one of the countries those that are looking forward to better the services in the medical industry have commercialized the use of a new system referred to as "My health record." My health record system is a system that helps Australian medical centers to keep data and information in the center's computers (Johnson, et al., 2017). The data about patients is stored under each patient's name who visits the hospital. The data is then accessed from the system when the patient returns at any other time. The system has replaced the keeping of patients records inform of paper to a computerized way. Australia having a My Health Record means that citizens critical wellbeing data such as sensitivities, medications and current conditions, pathology reports, pharmaceutical subtle elements or analytical reports can be safely and carefully be put in only one place. The data can be accessed by the medical service suppliers such as specialists, clinic staff and pros can see the subtle elements online from anywhere when a need arises (Muhammed Wickramasinghe, 2017, January). Features of My Health Record My Health Record system is an upgraded system of the countrywide wellbeing framework. Using this system means that Australians citizens data can be stored in the same place safely. Health providers such as specialists and service providing center staff can access peoples information in My Health Record online from anyplace in the case of an emergency (Muhammed Wickramasinghe, 2017, January). A large number of the citizens from the country use the My Health Record system, Australia's national health will be well connected as the system links information of people from all over the country to one common storage (BROOKER, 2017). This will assist in attaining better, efficient and faster care for people and their families care. My Health Record system is managed, ensured and controlled by the law, as well as web-based account management. This will help keep information that people term as private and confidential from reaching undesired hands. More than 2.7 million Australians are using the My Health Record framework (Coiera, 2015). The Australia's national health care framework will turn out to be better associated. Many people enrolling in My Health Record system in the country will result to better, faster and more effective watch over the citizens. Efficiency, equity, and effectiveness of my health record Efficiency is the ability to avoid the wastage of resources, time and money to achieve desired results. My health record system has proved to be efficient to Australia since the Australian government implemented the digital health agency (Ben-Assuli, 2015). The system has enabled distribution of patients' information across a wide area together with their allied health practices with a lot of ease and accuracy. This system has provided a platform that all people in Australia can register online from anywhere in the country and access the summary of their personal health information (Wickramasinghe Haddad, 2016). This system has made management of peoples' health records efficient as it makes access easier thus improving the treatment decisions that health specialist has to make. Using my health system, patients can access their medical history, specialist letters, and details of any allergies, immunizations and adverse drug effects according to Harris (2016). This information helps faster service facilitation for new patients. Equity refers to the certain set of solutions associated with procedures. My Health Record system ensures equity over all the people of Australia as it presents an equal chance to all people sign up with it. The system offers equal treatment to all citizens without isolation. The wellbeing of data is being improved all over the nation across people from all backgrounds (Barclay, et al., 2017). This, therefore, ensures fairness in the treatment of the Australian people. Effectiveness refers to the degree that the My Health System will attain the objectives of ensuring quality wellbeing in Australia. The system is effective as it ensures fast retrieval of people's health records in the country (Ben-Assuli, 2015). The system also helps keep people's personal health information secure from being accessed by wrong hands if it was stored in paper form. This will improve the wellbeing of data and facilitate faster and better understanding of people's health issues (BROOKER, 2017). Through this system, the services provided to the country's citizens will improve and become faster as the time that could have been spent looking for files will be shifted to attending other patients. Benefits of having My Health Record Better access to information Enhanced information safety The system is more flexible Security is strengthened as the system shows the people having access to the data The system is effective in ensuring privacy References Ben-Assuli, O. (2015). Electronic health records, adoption, quality of care, legal and privacy issues and their implementation in emergency departments.Health Policy,119(3), 287-297. BROOKER, C. (2017). Inclusion of pharmacy in health reform package essential. Coiera, E. (2015).Guide to health informatics. CRC press. Harris, M. (2016). The interface between primary health care and population health: challenges and opportunities for prevention.Public health research practice,26(1). Accessed At: https://myhealthrecord.gov.au/internet/mhr/publishing.nsf/Content/consumer-my-health-record Johnson, C., Rollins, A., Hawthorne, M. (2017). Health on the hill: Political news from the nation's capital.Australian Medicine,29(1), 15. Josif, C. M., Kruske, S., Kildea, S. V., Barclay, L. M. (2017). The quality of health services provided to remote dwelling aboriginal infants in the top end of northern Australia following health system changes: a qualitative analysis.BMC pediatrics,17(1), 93. Muhammed, I., Wickramasinghe, N. (2017, January). User Perceptions and Expectations of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR): A Case Study of Australias e-health Solution. InProceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. Wickramasinghe, N., Haddad, P. (2016). Assessing the business value of Australias national e-health solution.

Virgin Blue Strategic Competitiveness

Table of Contents Introduction Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness External Environment Internal Environment Business Level Strategies Conclusion Reference List Introduction Strategy is about achieving competitive advantage. A company can achieve this by being different, delivering a unique value addition to the customer and by having a clear and enact-able view of how to position itself uniquely in the industry. This essay uses Virgin Blue as a case study to find out if it has successfully achieved strategic competitiveness in the Australian airline industry. The I/O and the Returns-based models of above average returns are central in classification of external and internal environment elements.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Virgin Blue Strategic Competitiveness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness Strategic management is the systematic analysi s of the external and internal environment to form a basis of re-evaluating the current management practices with the aim of achieving better alignment of corporate policies and strategic priorities. Strategic competitiveness is achievable when a company formulates strategies that give it an edge over its competitors. The strategy formulated should be rare, that current and potential competitors are unable to duplicate because it is costly, and in that way the firm achieves sustainable competitive advantage. The 21st century competitive landscape is rapidly changing because of technology and uncertainty. This means that managers have to adopt new ways of thinking. Managers have to value flexibility, innovation and speed in responding to existing competitors and new entrants to remain in business. These characteristics may have affected the entry and survival of Virgin Blue into the Australian airline industry. In order to enter the market, Virgin Blue had to introduce low cost and t ake measures to keep the costs low and using imaginative tactics of thinking outside the box to remain innovative. External Environment External environment consists of factors outside the control of the firm that affect the ability to meet customer demands and that face the whole industry. These factors based on resource-based model include political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, and legal. They determine the laws to apply in running business, the economic conditions that the firm will have to operate in, the characteristics of the market, and the technology determines the way the product should be (Millmore, 2007). In the case of Virgin Blue, the economic aspect of external environment can be considered to have crucial importance. The rising fuel costs, increasing operating costs, and increasing terminal costs are some of the economic challenges the Virgin Blue faced as it pursued its low cost services strategy. Additionally due to the economic slowdown in 2008, Virgin Blue recorded a loss of $160 for the financial year 2008-2009. This loss must have had a great influence on how the firm was to be run to survive this period until the economic recovery period in 2010 when Virgin reported a profit of $21.3 million.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Internal Environment Internal environment encompasses elements that are specific to a firm and affect its ability to meet customer. Financial resources, organizational resources, physical resources and technological resources are the tangible elements considered to affect the internal environment of a firm in Resource-based model of above average returns. On the other hand, the intangible elements are human resources, innovation resources, and reputational resources (Michael and Hitt, 2010). Virgin Blue being in the service industry depends more on its intangible resources. The friendly crew has b een known to greet passengers as boys and girls, entertain them with rock music on takeoff and landing, make jokes and read horoscopes in-flight. This good customer relation enhances customer loyalty therefore enabling the firm to attract new customers while retaining the current ones. Financially the firm has been able to cut down costs by the improved scheduling system, self check-in kiosk’s, outsourcing of catering, managing catering wastage, maintenance agreements and a fuel efficiency program (Carnal, 2007). Business Level Strategies Business level strategy is the strategy a firm chooses in order to gain competitive advantage in the market or industry it operates. This is critical when a firm operates in an industry with intense competition like the one Virgin Blue operates in. Managers therefore have to formulate a strategy geared towards creating and implementing a strategy that gives it the competitive advantage over the other players in the industry (Christensen, 200 6). There are five business level strategies; cost leadership, focused cost leadership, differentiation and focused differentiation. Firms make a choice whether to be a cost leader which means it will focus on competing for customers based on the pricing while still being able to report more than average returns. Alternatively, a focused cost leader meaning that it will not only compete in terms of price but also will segment it and market its products to a particular market. On the hand, firms have a can differentiate products. Firms choosing just to differentiate by providing unique characteristics and features do so through high quality advanced technological features and customer service. A firm that differentiates and chooses a market segment to provide goods and services uses focused differentiation (Hanson et al. 2011). Virgin Blue evidently from the national point of view has chosen the cost leadership strategy by delivering services that are of acceptable standards to custo mers at a cost considered lowest among the competitors in the Australian market.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Virgin Blue Strategic Competitiveness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The firm has cut down costs and trimmed unnecessary ones to achieve its strategy. It has done so by paying its staff less than Qantas, all in-flight meals and entertainment are provided at a cost, outsourcing catering, managing catering wastage and using one type of aircraft. A cost leadership strategy helps a firm survive since it is able to remain profitable even in the face of rivalry, new entrants, suppliers’ power, substitute products, and buyers’ power (Bowles, 2011). Conclusion Virgin Blue has successfully achieved strategic competitive in the 8years it has been in the market. It has been able to survive the economic downturn in 2008-2009 and bounce back to reporting profits a year later in 2010 while still ma intaining its cost leadership strategy. Additionally Virgin has introduced competitive moves that include the introduction of a frequent flier program, a member lounge, and strengthening marketing and code sharing alliances with international airlines and by so doing remaining in the market when other airlines like Ansett went under (Beer, 1999). Reference List Beer, M. (1999). Readings in Human Resource Management. New York: Free Press. Bowles, M. (2011) External Environment. The Institute For Working Futures. Web. Available from:  http://www.marcbowles.com/publications.html   . Carnal, C. (2007) Managing Change in Organizations. Essex: Pearson Education. Christensen, R. (2006) Roadmap to Successful Strategic HR Management. New York: American Management Association.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hanson, D. et al. (2011) Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalisation. Southbank, Victoria: Cengage. Michael A. Hitt, R. D. (2010) Strategic Management: Competitive and Globalization , Concepts. London: Wiley. Millmore, M. (2007) Strategic Human Resource Management: Contemporary Issues. Essex: Pearson Education. This report on Virgin Blue Strategic Competitiveness was written and submitted by user Jayla Rich to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

brain structure differences essays

brain structure differences essays Maggie Tulliver: Divided Needs Represented in Diverse Relations It is said that George Eliots style of writing deals with much realism. Eliot, herself meant by a realist to be an artist who values the truth of observation above the imaginative fancies of writers of romance or fashionable melodramatic fiction. (Ashton 19) This technique is artfully utilized in her writings in a way which human character and relationships are dissected and analyzed. In the novel The Mill on the Floss, Eliot uses the relationships of the protagonist of the story, Miss Maggie Tulliver, as a medium in which to convey various aspects of human social associations. It seems that as a result of Maggies nature and of circumstances presented around her, that she is never able to have a connection with one person that satisfies her multifaceted needs and desires. Maggie is able, to some extent, to explore the various and occasionally conflicting aspects of her person with her relationships between other characters presented in the novel. From an early age, Maggie need s approval from men...Maggie is not shown in any deep relationship with a female friend. (Ashton 83) A reader can explore into Maggie Tullivers person and her short development as a woman in four primary male associations: her father-Mr. Tulliver, her brother-Tom Tulliver, her friend and mentor-Philip Wakem and her dangerous passion with Steven Guest. Maggie unconditionally loves her father although he has been the unconscious root of many of her misfortunes. Toms and Maggies young lives are blighted by the gloom, poverty, disgrace and death of their father...Maggie is obliged by her fathers failure to leave school...It is the misfortune of a clever girl denied any activity other than domestic. (Ashton 50) In the time period of the setting of the novel, women were regarded as male property, to...

Whats a Good PSAT Score for 2017 Expert Analysis

What's a Good PSAT Score for 2017 Expert Analysis SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you plan on taking the PSAT in October 2017, then you won’t have to wait too long for the results. You’ll get your scores back mid-December, just before winter break. Your PSAT score report gives you a few different score types, including your total scores, section scores, and Selection Index. With all this data, how can you sort through the numbers to figure out what's a good PSAT score? This guide goes over the full scoring system of the PSAT so you'll know exactly what makes a good score. We'll start with a quick glossary explaining the various types of PSAT scores you’ll find on your score report inDecember. Types of PSAT Scores: A Glossary At first glance, your PSAT score reportcan be pretty intimidating. You'll be faced with your total score and section scores and subscores. All this information is meant to help you, but if you don’t understand what each type of score means, it'll be hard to figure out how well you performed on the PSAT. Your PSAT score report will contain six main kinds of data: scaled total scores, section scores, raw scores, subscores, Selection Index, and percentiles. Here’s a quick rundown of what all of these terms mean: Scaled total score: Your total score on the PSAT, ranging between 320 and 1520. Half of your total score comes from Math and the other half comes from Evidence-based Reading and Writing (which is a combination of the Reading and Writing and Language sections). Scaled section scores: Two scores, one for Math and one for Evidence-based Reading and Writing. Both of these scores fall between 160 and 760. Section (test) scores: Three scores: one for Math, one for Reading, and one for Writing and Language. All section scores fall between 8 and 38. Subscores: Seven scores, each on a scale of 1 to 15. Subscores tell you how you did on certain types of questions, some of which appear across two or more sections of the PSAT. You’ll get a subscore for questions that fallinto these seven categories: Command of Evidence, Words in Context, Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions, Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. Raw scores: Three scores, one for each PSAT section, representing the number of questions you got right. The ranges for raw scores vary by section. You can get a maximum raw score of 48 for Math, 47 for Reading, and 44 for Writing and Language. Selection Index: One score that ranges from 48 to 228. Your selection index is the sum of your three section scores between 8 and 38 multiplied by 2 ((section score + section score + section score) x2). The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) uses Selection Index to award test takers Commended Student and Semifinalist status. Percentiles: Ranking of your performance compared to that of other test-takers. Percentiles tell you what percentage of other students you scored the same as or better than. If you score in the 80th percentile, then you scored the same as or better than 80% of other test-takers. There it is- all of the categories of data on your PSAT score report, explained. The next step is understanding which of these types of data matter most for you. Out of all six kinds of data, which are the most important? Which PSAT Scores Are Most Important? All of the PSAT score data is useful in different ways, but the most important numbers on your score report are your scaled total and section scores. As you saw above, you can score a maximum of 1520 on the PSAT overall, or a 760 each on Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. While the Reading and Writing and Language sections are separate sections on the PSAT, your scores on these sections are combined into one scaled section score. As a result, your total PSAT score is half-Math and half Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. Another important piece of data for students competing for National Merit distinction is their Selection Index. The NMSC sets a different cutoff for students in each state that determines who becomes a Commended Student and Semifinalist. The top 1% of scorers in each state are named Semifinalists, which means they may be able to move on to become Finalists and win scholarship money. Finally, you can use your non-scaled section scores, raw scores, and subscores to get detailed insight into how you did on each section and question type on the PSAT. Understanding what kinds of questions you got wrong is especially helpfulwhen you go on to study for the SAT, as they show your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker and where you need to improve the most. For instance, your scaled section scores might tell you that you're fine with most of the Math and struggle more with Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. However, if you look deeper by checking your raw scores and subscores, you might discover that what you really need to work on is the Writing and Language section, or, more specifically, â€Å"Command of Evidence† questions. Now that you have the tools to sort through your PSAT score report, let’s go back to our original, million-dollar question: what makes a good score on the PSAT? Read on to find out. What Makes a Good Score on the PSAT 2017? Before we can answer thequestion â€Å"What’s a good score on the PSAT?†, we need to define what we mean by a â€Å"good score.† Because everyone will have their own specific goals for the PSAT, what's good for one person may be just okay for another. To help us find some answers, let’s try defining good in a few different ways. First, we could define â€Å"good† as meaning that you scored better than 50% or more of other test-takers. Based on this definition, we can use percentiles to figure out what makes an above-average PSAT score. Second, we can define â€Å"good† PSAT scores as scores thatqualifyfor National Merit. Actually, qualifying for National Merit means that you got excellent, amazing, near-perfect PSAT scores. We’ll discuss what you need to get in greater detail below. Finally, we’ll consider what kinds of SAT scores colleges are looking for. The PSAT is very similar to the SAT, so your score can help you figure out if you’re on track to get the scores you need for the colleges you want to apply to. Let’s start by considering PSAT percentiles. How do PSAT scores correspond to percentiles? How Do PSAT Scores Correspond to Percentiles? Full Chart PSAT percentiles give you a way to compare your scores to those of other test-takers. If your score is in the 75th percentile, then you scored the same as or better than 75% of other students. The remaining 25% scored better than you. The highest possible percentile on the PSAT is the 99th percentile. You don’t have to get a perfect PSAT score to land in the 99th percentile. We don’t yet have percentile data for the October 2017 administration of the PSAT, but we can get an idea of what to expect by looking at percentiles from the 2016 PSAT. Here’s the full chart that shows how PSAT scaled section scores compare, usingpercentiles: PSAT Section Score Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Percentile Math Percentile 760 99+ 99+ 750 99+ 99+ 740 99+ 99+ 730 99+ 99 720 99+ 99 710 99+ 98 700 99+ 98 690 99 97 680 99 97 670 98 96 660 97 95 650 96 95 640 95 94 630 93 93 620 91 92 610 90 91 600 88 90 590 86 88 580 85 86 570 82 83 560 80 81 550 77 77 540 74 73 530 71 69 520 67 65 510 63 62 500 60 58 490 55 54 480 50 49 470 46 43 460 42 40 450 39 37 440 35 31 430 31 26 420 28 23 410 26 20 400 23 18 390 20 14 380 16 11 370 12 9 360 10 6 350 7 3 340 6 2 330 4 1 320 2 1 310 1 1- 300 1- 1- 290 1- 1- 280 1- 1- 270 1- 1- 260 1- 1- 250 1- 1- 240 1- 1- 230 1- 1- 220 1- 1- 210 1- 1- 200 1- 1- 190 1- 1- 180 1- 1- 170 1- 1- 160 1- 1- Via CollegeBoard.org As you can see, percentiles work slightly differently for Math and Evidence-based Reading and Writing, with Math being a little more competitive at most score levels. For instance, an Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 680 ranks in the 99th percentile, whereas you’d need a 720 to get into the 99th percentile for Math. This variation happens because more students get top scores in Math than they do in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. Using this chart, let’s pick out what you have to score in each section to get a â€Å"good† PSAT score in a higher-than-average percentile. What Is a Good 2017 PSAT Score Based on Percentiles? If we define a good PSAT score as one that's higher than what most students achieve, we can use percentiles to figure out what exact score you'd need to rank higher than the majority of other test-takers. To rank in the 50th percentile, you’d need at least a 480 in Reading and Writing and a 490 in Math. What if you want to rank in the 70th, 80th, 90th, or even 99th percentile? Here are the section scores you’d need to score higher than the majority of other students. Percentile Reading and Writing Score Math Score Composite Score 70% 530 540 1070 80% 560 560 1120 90% 610 600 1210 99% 680 720 1400 Oddly enough, you’d have to score slightly higher in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing than in Math to make it into the 90th percentile. To make it into the 99th percentile, though, you’d have to score 40 points higher in Math than in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. If you’re a strong test-taker aiming for National Merit, then a good PSAT score for you will be one that qualifies you for Commended Student or Semifinalist. Read on to learn what is a good PSAT score for National Merit distinction. What’s a Good 2017 PSAT Score for National Merit? The National Merit Scholarship Corporation distinguishes students who get top scores on the PSAT. Students who score in the top three to four percent are named Commended Students, and students who get top one-percent PSAT scores are named Semifinalists. However, instead of relying on PSAT percentiles, NMSC uses itsSelection Index to determine which students qualify for which honor. Each state has its own Selection Index cutoff that students need to make to qualify for National Merit. Before we look at all of these cutoffs, let's review how your Selection Index score is calculated so you understand where it comes from. Qualifying for National Merit Commended Student or Semifinalist is a feat worthy of celebration (and being put on your college applications) How Is the Selection Index Calculated? You can easily calculate your Selection Index score once you know your 8-38 scale section, or test, scores. Simply add your section scores for Reading, Writing and Language, and Math together, and then multiply the entire sum by 2 to get your Selection Index Score. Let’s say you got a 25 in Reading, a 37 in Writing and Language, and a 38 in Math. Here’s how you would figure out your Selection Index. Section Score Sum x 2 Selection Index Score Reading 29 (29 + 37 + 38) x 2 = 208 Writing and Language 37 Math 38 Once you add together and double your section scores, you get a Selection Index of 208. Does this score qualify for National Merit Semifinalist? That all depends on where you live. Keep reading for the full chart that shows the qualifying cutoff scores for National Merit in each state. Qualifying PSAT Scores for National Merit, State by State We've created a chart that shows the Selection Index score you need to qualify for Semifinalist in everystate. While the National Merit Scholarship Corporation doesn't release a full list of cutoffs, it will tell interested individuals what scores they need for their own state. Because of this, the data in the chart below was crowdsourced from individuals across the country If you think any cutoffs are in error, let us know in the comments! You can also verify your own state's Selection Index cutoff by calling NMSC at (847) 866-5100. Here’s the full list of state cutoffs to qualify for National Merit Semifinalist. State PSAT Cutoff for National Merit Semifinalist Alabama 215 Alaska 213 Arizona 219 Arkansas 213 California 221 Colorado 218 Connecticut 220 Delaware 218 DC 222 Florida 217 Georgia 219 Hawaii 217 Idaho 214 Illinois 219 Indiana 217 Iowa 215 Kansas 217 Kentucky 215 Louisiana 214 Maine 214 Maryland 221 Massachusetts 222 Michigan 216 Minnesota 219 Mississippi 212 Missouri 216 Montana 210 Nebraska 215 Nevada 214 New Hampshire 216 New Jersey 222 New Mexico 213 New York 219 North Carolina 218 North Dakota 209 Ohio 217 Oklahoma 213 Oregon 219 Pennsylvania 218 Rhode Island 217 South Carolina 215 South Dakota 209 Tennessee 218 Texas 220 Utah 215 Vermont 215 Virginia 221 Washington 220 West Virginia 209 Wisconsin 215 Wyoming 209 Average score 216 On average, students need a Selection Index score of 216. If you live in Washington, DC, Massachusetts, or New Jersey, then you need to meet the highest cutoff of 222. If you haven't taken the PSAT yet and are aiming for National Merit, I'd recommend aiming for a PSAT score that's at least two to five points higher than your state's cutoff on this list. The cutoffs can fluctuate a bit from year to year, depending on how students around the country do on the PSAT/NMSQT. Once you’ve found your state’s cutoff, how can you figure out what scores you need to qualify for National Merit? Your National Merit Selection Index score cutoff depends on what state you live in. How to Calculate Your Target Scores for National Merit This section is for students that haven't taken the PSAT yet and are aiming for National Merit. You read above how to convert your PSAT section scores into the Selection Index. If you know what Selection Index you’re aiming for, all you need to do is work backwardto figure out your target section scores. Remember how you needed to add your section scores together and then double that sum to get your Selection Index? Working backward just means dividing your Selection Index by two and then further splitting that quotient into three. Let’s say you live in New Mexico. To qualify for National Merit, students who took the PSAT in 2015 needed a Selection Index of 213. To be on the safe side, you'll want to aim for around a 216 as your target score (just in case the cutoff fluctuates). Our first step, then, is to divide 216 by 2. 216 / 2 = 108. Now you know that your section scores in Reading, Writing and Language, and Math need to add up to 108. You can also figure out what section score you need for each section (Math, Reading, and Writing and Language) by dividing 108 by three. 108 / 3 = 36 However, not everyone is equally strong at math and reading and writing. You might be able to aim a little higher in Math and a little lower in Reading and Writing and Language, or vice versa. As long as your section scores still add up to 108, you’ll still get a Selection Index of 216 and potentially qualify for National Merit. Once you understand what total section scores you need, you can adjust your target scores among the three PSAT sections however you want. Set realistic goals for yourself based on your own math, reading, and writing skills. Of course, only a small group of students are aiming to become National Merit Semifinalist. Only 16,000 of the 1.6 million who take the PSAT will receive this distinction. Disappointed with your PSAT performance? Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: A good PSAT score is also one that shows you’re on track to achieving your SAT goals and getting into college. Let’s consider our third and final piece of criteria, which defines a â€Å"good† PSAT score as one that helps you meet your college goals. What Is a Good PSAT Score for College? The PSAT is extremely similar to the SAT, and your performance on the PSAT can help predict your SAT score. Almost everyone improves when they take these tests more than once, sothe PSAT is a useful trial run. You'll likely score higher on the SAT than you would if you'd never taken the PSAT. You can use your PSAT score report to see your current scoring level and findout what skills you need to improve to hit your target SAT scores. To figure out your target SAT scores, you should do some college research. Find schools that you’re interested in, and look for the average SAT scores of accepted students. You can then use this information to set your own SAT score goals. Once you know what scores you need to get into your colleges of interest, you can use your PSAT score report to design a study plan. Use the data provided by section scores and subscores to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses, then type yourself up a personalized SAT study plan that targets your weak areas. Depending on how many points you’re seeking to improve, you can roughly predict how much time you'll need to set aside to prep. Here’s an estimate of how many hours you need to study to achieve variousscore improvements. 0-50 SAT composite point improvement: 10 hours 50-100 point improvement: 20 hours 100-200 point improvement: 40 hours 200-300 point improvement: 80 hours 300-500 point improvement: 150 hours+ If you’re already scoring close to your target SAT scores, then you can feel satisfied with your PSAT scores. If you fell short by a hundred points, then you need to kick your test prep into gear and devote several hours a week to getting ready for the SAT. If you have months to prepare, then you can definitely see a big improvement in your scores and skills as a test-taker. Your PSAT score report offers a useful starting point for your SAT prep. Whether or not you think you got a good score on the PSAT, you can still achieve a good score on the SAT with enough commitment. In closing, we'll go over the key points you need to remember about what makes a good score on the 2017 PSAT. edX Social Media/Flickr. What SAT score do you need to be a good candidate for your dream school? Your PSAT scores can help you achieve your dream. 2017 PSAT Scores: Key Takeaways If you take the PSAT in 2017, then you'll get your scores back mid-December. Your PSAT score report might look confusing at first glance, but now you understand what all of its scaled scores, section scores, and subscores mean. Any students aiming for National Merit will also want to check their Selection Index score to see if it's above past years' qualifying scores for their state. If you haven't taken the PSAT yet, you can use the cutoffs to set goals for your scores. Everyone has their own definition for what is aâ€Å"good† PSAT score. For example, you might think a good score is one that is higher than that of most other students. You can use percentiles to figure out what makes a good score on the PSAT. If you’re a high-achieving student who has spent time prepping for the PSAT, then a good score for you might mean receiving National Merit distinction. National Merit is extremely competitive and only goes to the top scorers across the country. Finally, scoring well on the PSAT can help shape your plans for taking the SAT and getting into college. You might have a certain PSAT score goal based on your eventual college applications. Even if you fall short of it, you'll then know you need to boost your SAT performance through studying. Taking the PSAT is a valuable experience that will help you get ready for the SAT.In the end, you should decide what makes a good score for you based on your personal goals and plans. What’s Next? If you get named a National Merit Semifinalist, what steps do you need to take to move on to become a Finalist and earn scholarship money? Find out with our complete guide on how to become a National Merit Finalist. What are the differences in content between the PSAT and SAT? Should you prep for both simultaneously? Learn more about the four key differences between the PSAT and SAT here. How many hours should you plan on prepping for the SAT? Figure out how far in advanceand for how long you should study for the SAT. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Has NAFTA proven beneficial to the American economy Explain Essay

Has NAFTA proven beneficial to the American economy Explain - Essay Example United States also made certain alteration in their international trade strategies. As because of NAFTA, Mexico’s export increased to a significant amount and Canada became huge market for America. It has been claimed that NAFTA has been a success for all the member countries, but reality is little different. It is true that there are certain significant economic improvements that have taken place due to NAFTA, but that is one side of the coin as also there are certain major disadvantages of NAFTA which include job losses, problems regarding environment, declining standards of safety and health etc. NAFTA’s major objective was to remove the trade barriers and increase free trade between its member countries. NAFTA, although, has improved the export growth of its member countries, but at the same time it has resulted into many critical economic as well as environmental problems for its member countries. Among various disadvantages of NAFTA, most important one is the loss of jobs in United States. Manufacturers in United States, because of NAFTA, got the freedom of outsourcing or moving jobs to Mexico. Mexican labors are available at a cost which is much lower than that of American labor. As a result of this manufacturers shifted their production unit to Mexico, and rules in NAFTA allowed them to do so legally. This resulted huge job losses in manufacturing industry in US. Manufacturers, who continued their operation in US, reduced the salary of US workers. Almost 879,280 jobs were lost in US during the time period of 1994 to 2002. There was actually significant increase in job creation from 1994 to 2000. But from 2001 unemployment started to increase and by October, 2003 almost 2.4 millions people lost their job. Apart from manufacturing industry, other industries which moved to Mexico include textiles, electrical appliances, computer etc. States which were badly affected include T exas, California, Michigan and New York. Apart form these job

Entrepreneurship and Venture Creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 1

Entrepreneurship and Venture Creation - Essay Example They seek to provide high quality goods at low costs through innovation. This factor together with wealth creation led to economic growth. Entrepreneurs seek to invest money in small and medium market enterprises. This leads the niche market to flourish and strengthen the economy. This is why a society only receives consideration of prosperity as to the degree to which it encourages and rewards entrepreneurship (Stel 2005 pg 18). In many liberal economies, entrepreneurship pursuit receives high priority as opposed to its consequences. However, careful evaluation reveals that this behavior creates a credit crunch that leads to financial turmoil. The economic and social impacts of entrepreneurial activity with no regulation lead to short-term benefits (Acz, 2010 PG 78). Yet, in the end national markets, economies, individual and firms suffer severely resulting into huge value destruction. This essay seeks to analyze the theory of entrepreneurship and its relation to the UK economy coming from recession. It will discuss different types of entrepreneurial activities. It indicates how each activity affects economic performance. Entrepreneurship before the recession was unregulated. This led to issues arising in the capitalist economies leading due to short-term profits and speculation bubbles. The entrepreneurs experienced adverse effects of economic factors beyond their control. These include limitation of amount of credit available, decrease in demand and reductions in confidence levels. This resulted in business closures, loss of employment and economic stagnation. The capitalist economy present at the time though highly adaptive and robust held a crisis between its relationships to the society (Stel, 2005 pg 124). The freedom it gave to an enterprise to engage in wealth creation and maximization was in contrast to the society expectation of responsibility. The old entrepreneurial theory receives its basis from the capitalist theory of growth.

Customers Switching Behavior Essay Example for Free

Customers Switching Behavior Essay Relationships and individuals bank switching behavior Abstract We examine the role of relationships between individuals and their banks in determining bank switching behavior. Using data from a survey questionnaire from a random sample of bank customers in the United States, we find that the variables measuring the various dimensions of a relationship significantly lower an individuals propensity to switch banks. These include the duration of an individuals relationship with her bank, whether or not she has had problems with her bank in the past, and aspects of the quality of the service relationship. An innovation of the current paper lies in incorporating finance/economic aspects of relationship with the various dimensions of service quality relationship collectively as determinants of an individuals propensity to switch banks. The attributes capturing whether or not an individual feels that her bank is responsive, is empathetic and is reliable to her needs, are all significantly negatively correlated with her propensity to switch banks. Our results demonstrate just how relationships may help in limiting bank switching behavior and deliver a strong message to banks about the importance of relationships in retaining loyal customers. Our findings also underscore the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate disciplines to better understand the behavior and decision making of individuals and their banks. Author Keywords: Bank switching; Relationships

Persuasion Paper :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Matt B  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2/14/05   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  PY129  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Persuasion Paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hello, woman who sits in the front of the class. I may not have your name, but I do have some unfortunate news for you. You should never go out with me. We all know it would have happened. Everybody knows what’s on a woman’s mind, and how could I not notice things like the way you stare at me in class, it’s just so distracting. I’m just trying to stop this very attractive problem before it’s too late. This paper will save you from years of therapy and gallons of Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough. Don’t feel bad, it’s not you, well actually it is; but you can still choose from the other 10 guys in our class who mysteriously all sit in a circle around you! I just don’t think things would work out between us. I believe that I have a pretty good idea of what kind of a person you are from being in your logic class and never talking to you once. Our close and personal relationship gives me insight to who you are, and why we aren’t right for each other. First, your too predictable and boring for me, second, your not willing to change, and third, I don’t think you could satisfy me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Variety is the spice of life! Mix things up a bit. You sit in the same seat every day, who does this? Don’t you ever wonder what it feels like to sit someplace else? I wouldn’t be able to stand that kind of compliancy. Another testament to your predictability, is the fact that you never have a story to tell about how your weekend was. This means either one of two things.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1) You do nothing on weekends. Your idea of fun is watching the Lifetime channel. You go to Six Flags and enjoy such rides as ‘Teacups,’ ‘Ferris wheel,’ and ‘Dirty bench by the hotdog stand.’   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2) Just the opposite. Maybe you frequent S&M clubs or rob orphans on the weekends. Whatever it is, it probably makes the baby Jesus cry. You disgust me. So start enjoying the finer, more fun things in life. Until then, though, I just don’t think your ready for my kind of excitement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You most likely do a variety of things, or have some qualities that are unattractive to me, and you are also unwilling to change them. I know this because of our many interactions together, where you have revealed to me your deepest secrets and habits.

If God is good why is there evil in the world? Essay

Introduction The problem of evil is as ancient as humanity itself. Since the dawn of man, thinkers, philosophers, religionists and practically every human being who have suffered at the hands of evil have pondered this enigma, either as a logical-intellectual-philosophical or emotional-religious-existential problem. The preponderance of evil as a reality in human existence, and man’s fascination with it is everywhere evident. Open a newspaper, switched on the television, look around the office, school, family and practically every social environment and context, and the imprint of evil is as it were, omnipresent. Evil, whether physical as in natural disasters and calamities, or moral, as in lying, cheating, unrighteousness, harming others, killing, murders and lawlessness in general have been woven into the very fabric of human nature and existence. The reality of evil is brought home to human existence in that it causes human suffering. So much so that evil and its effect has become a great preoccupation and fascination among men. One does not have to go far to see the truth of this statement. Imagine if you will a story, a movie, a novel or great literatures of the world without any mention of evil and its accompanying consequence—human suffering. Such a work if it existed at all would not do well commercially. It would universally be judged monotonous, uninteresting and boring. In fact it is no exaggeration to say that the extent and cleverness toward which evil and its many faces is painted (and sometimes overcome) in works of literature set its attractiveness index in the eyes of readers through the ages until the present day. The enigma of evil has lost none of its â€Å"luster† to the present generation. If anything its sinuous tentacles have penetrated an ever younger population. Conduct a cursory survey of titles for young adults in any bookstore near you. The panorama of subjects on crimes, killings, murders, vampires, demons, fallen angels, evil spirits, ghouls, witchcraft, and sorcery tells of a whole new generation that is being exposed to the notion of evil as something of a novelty on a massive and unprecedented scale. The disguise of evil upon our young as forms of entertainment may engender a familiarity that breeds contempt. And so by and large if we are not watchful, the corruption that is evil may no longer be so evil, at least in perception and appearance to a new generation. Evil is a Mystery While Christians rightly sorrow and sympathize with the suffering that evil brings, it should also come as no surprise that the work of evil has and will escalate in the last days. Aside from natural disasters and calamities, man’s inhumanity to man is writ large on the face of history. The last century alone has seen untold sufferings and unaccountable lives lost to two great wars. This century itself, opens with a manmade disaster that staggers the imagination—the destruction of the twin Towers through acts of terrorism. The vivid imagery of the implosion of both Towers, and the senseless death of thousands of innocents following the run-in of the two hijacked passenger planes are forever edged in the minds of the world as 9/11, a reminder of the maliciousness of evil in a most graphic form. Indeed in scripture there is a mystery that is evil—the mystery of lawlessness. As portrayed in Thessalonians, this mystery is already operating in nation and human society to bring about a divinely directed situation for the ultimate exposure of evil in the last days prior to, and heralding the Lord’s second coming (2 Thess. 2:2-4, 6-7, 8a). These passages clearly depict the present state of the world with its various manifestations of lawlessness, evil and sufferings as the result of the operation of a mystery, the mystery of evil and lawlessness that is even now operating everywhere, culminating in the unveiling of evil incarnate—a man of lawlessness, the son of perdition. The teleology of evil is ultimately embodied in a person, the person of the enemy of God. Let it not be forgotten then at the outset of our discussion on God and evil, that the rampant lawlessness and many faces of evil that we see around us is not just the mere issue of man’s doings. It is according to Saint Paul, none other than Satan’s operation (v. 9a) in all power and signs and wonders of a lie, and in all deceit of unrighteousness (vv. 9b, 10). The modern mind with its scientific enlightenment, and anti-supernatural outlook, easily askew the personification of evil. But the clear testimony of scripture is that evil is not just a â€Å"thing†, a mere act of wrongdoing or transgression. It is all that to be sure, but even more so, the true nature of evil is that it is personified in scripture—the evil one (Matt. 13:19, 38; Mk. 9:39; Jn. 17:15; Eph. 6:16; Col. 3:9) as scripture calls it—with a mind and will of its own, that is totally and irrevocably opposed to God. Even as good is a person, God Himself, for no one is good except God alone (Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19); even so we need to realize in the depths of our being that evil is no less a person, Satan himself. To believe otherwise is to downplay the reality, nature and insidiousness of evil. According to divine revelation (2 Thess. 2:1-3), the exposure of the mystery of lawlessness (and therefore the ultimate unveiling of the mystery of evil) will precede the revelation of the mystery of God (Rev. 10:7). This is not to say that evil has priority over God in any way, but that evil is a shroud, a veil of darkness upon man, that is even now being lifted, that man may see the full glory of God. In other words, amidst a world that has been corrupted by evil, God Himself is working through salvation history to expose, overturn, undo, nullify and depose the mystery of evil and all its outworking, following which the mystery of God will be unveiled in all its glory. Thus evil should be recognized for what it is. We should not forget even for a fleeting moment that evil is more than just an intellectual or emotional problem. It is an anomaly of cosmic proportion amenable only to a solution that comes from an all-powerful, all-good, and all-wise God. To embark on a discussion of theodicy with respect the goodness of God and evil is to plumb the depths of mystery: the mystery of God, and the mystery of evil—around two persons, God and Satan. It is no surprise then that Frame opines in his Doctrine of God1 that the problem of evil is the most difficult problem in all of theology. In what follows we will attempt a prolegomenon on a discussion of this very difficult question, â€Å"If God is good why is there evil in the world† from the following perspectives: 1. The formulation of the problem of evil 2. The various solutions to the problem of evil as conceived by man 3. God’s creation unveiling His eternal intention—whence evil? 4. The unveiling of the mystery of God and the mystery of Christ—the divine answer to evil The Formulation of the Problem of Evil â€Å"Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil? 2 Epicurus’s unanswered question The presence of evil in the face of a good God has been called the problem of evil. As eloquently stated by Epicurus and David Hume, it is a triad (quoted above) of propositions that imply—since there is evil, there is no God. This formulation of the classical problem of evil assumes that God and evil cannot both co-exist. In this understanding, and from a logical and existential perspective, God and evil are incompatible and therefore mutually exclusive. But it has been pointed out by several philosophers, particularly Alvin Platinga3 that all that is needed to resolve the purported logical contradiction as stated by Epicurus and Hume, is to posit that an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent God may have morally sufficient reason for allowing evil. Building on this, Groothius suggests that the classical form of the problem can be reformulated as follows4: 1. God is omnipotent and omnipresent 2. God is omnibenevolent 3. There is objective evil 4. For any evil that God allows, God has a morally sufficient reason for allowing this evil, even if we do not know this morally sufficient reason is in some cases. Thus from a deductive-logical perspective, the actual existence of evil in a world created by God is not incompatible with an omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent God. As Platinga puts it, â€Å"A good God will eliminate evil as far as he can without either loosing a greater good or bringing about a greater evil. †5 Consequentially, there is no contradiction between a good God and the existence of evil in the world. Perhaps this is the reason Frame begins his discussion on the problem of evil with the assumption that God exist,6 as opposed to the more traditional classical formulation that says God’s existence in the face of evil cannot be taken a-priori, but rather must remain as a proposition with truth value as yet to be demonstrated. In Frame’s reformulation the argument assumes the following form: 1. If God is omnipotent, he is able to prevent evil 2. If God is good, he wants to prevent evil 3. But evil exists Conclusion: either God is not omnipotent or he is not good The issue for Frame then is not God’s existence in the face of evil, but what kind of a God is He that is affirmed by Christian theists, and whether such a God is incompatible with the existence of evil in the world. Coming from an evangelical Reformed tradition, Frame emphatically affirmed the biblical testimony that God is all-powerful, all-good, and all-wise. The implication here is that any solution to the problem of evil that runs counter to these biblically attested attributes of God are inadequate to account for the problem of evil in a world created by an all-benevolent, powerful and wise God. The various Solutions to the Problem of Evil as conceived by Man In his Doctrine of God, Frame surveys three categories of solutions to the problem of evil as conceived by man, albeit some more biblically sound than others. The first focuses on the nature of evil, the second on the ways in which evil contributes to the overall good of the universe, and the third on God’s agency with regard evil. In this section we will present a synopsis7 of Frame’s critique of these approaches from a biblically sanctioned perspective, and draw a conclusion as to his stand with regards the problem of evil. The nature of evil: In this category Frame presents the views of those who regard evil as illusion, such as in Hinduism. This proposal fails as a solution because of the reality of the suffering that evil afflicts. If evil is an â€Å"illusion†, why is â€Å"suffering† so real? A more widespread notion held by Christendom that finds adherents in Augustine, Catholics and post-Reformist scholastics, and many modern apologists and theologians is evil as privation. Evil in this view is not an illusion. Rather it is an absence of good where good should be. As such it is a privation, a deprivation of good. In Gilson’s version and exposition, since God created all things good, everything is good in so far as it has being. Therefore in his consideration evil is non-being, and God does not create nonbeing. But even if granted that evil is a lack or privation of being, Frame’s contention is that it would not absolve God of blame for evil. 8 Another objection is that scripture does not speculate whether evil is â€Å"being† or non â€Å"being†, and doing so takes the evil out of evil and reduces the righteousness-sin relation to metaphysics, and therefore depersonalizes and detracts from the weightiness of sin. So, from a biblical perspective, the privation argument also is inadequate as a solution to evil for it does not recognize evil for what it is—an objective reality in the world. Some good things about evil as it contributes to overall good: This is the argument that evil in the world is good when seen from a broader perspective. The goodness of God is such that He does bring about greater good from evil. Scripture testifies that God does utilize evil to test His servant as in Job, to discipline His children (Heb. 12:7-11), to produce patience and perseverance in believers (James 1:3-4). This so called greater good defense is contingent particularly upon God’s lordship attribute of control, that God is sovereign over evil, and can therefore use it for good. Christian stand against evil is firmly rooted in faith in an all-benevolent God who has provided for its defense. In this regards, the apostle Peter, while acknowledging the corruption that is in the world by lust (2 Peter 1:4), reminds believers that God has granted to them all things pertaining to life and godliness, and precious and exceedingly great promises that they should persevere with all diligence, virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly love, and love that Christians would be fruitful amidst a contrary world (vv. 3-8). In this vein, Saint Paul also writes that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). While cautioning readers on such items as the proper definition and God’s standard for good, that it is for God’s greater glory; the need to evaluate God’s action over the full extent of human history; and the necessity of faith given the future orientation of this ultimate theodicy, Frame acknowledges that the greater-good defense is basically sound. But interestingly, he says, seemingly by way of postscript, â€Å"†¦ it leaves us with a sense of mystery. For it is hard to imagine how God’s good purpose9 justifies the evil in the world. †10 Evil and God’s agency: Here Frame goes through a whole gamut of verbs in an erudite attempt to give an appropriate delineation for God’s relationship to evil: authors, brings about, causes, controls, creates, decrees, foreordains, incites, includes within His plan, makes happen, ordains, permits, plans, predestines, predetermines, produces, stands behind, and wills. Among these Frame cautions against the use of authors, incite, stand behind, wills and create. â€Å"Authors† seems to suggest that God (like the author of a book) not only brings evil about but approves of it. Contrary to scripture â€Å"incites† and â€Å"stand behind† can mean that God encourages people to do evil things. â€Å"Wills† is ambiguous, since it can mean God approves of evil, or simply that He brings it about. Frame’s view is that â€Å"creates† can be awkward because evil is a quality, not a thing, and God creates things, not qualities. Even so, it should be noted that Isaiah 45:6-7 says, â€Å"I am the LORD, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating evil11; I am the LORD who does all these. † According to Frame, all the other terms listed are less controversial. They differ only in connotation and can be appropriate descriptors at one time or another depending on context. Amidst his remarkable virtuosity on words, the crux of the matter is whether God merely permits evil, or whether He actually brings evil about in some sense. Scripture teaches that God controls human decisions (Gen. 45:5-8; Prov. 16:9; Acts 2:23-24), even when these decisions are sinful. As a testament to God’s absolute Lordship and control over the whole realm of creation, Christian scripture attest unequivocally that God controls all events; He makes everything happens as it does (Lam. 3:37-38; Rom. 8:28; 11:36; Eph 1:11). Astonishingly as it sounds, we cannot even become believers of Christ unless God draws us (John 6:44, 65; Acts 16:14-15). For these biblically founded reasons, Frame affirms that God does bring about sinful decisions of human beings. Frame is a compatibilist who does not subscribe to a libertarian view of agency. A popular premise of libertarian argument is that it is better to create free beings who may fail than to create beings who are â€Å"robots† or â€Å"automata† or â€Å"puppets† as such. Certainly there is truth in this, but contra scripture, libertarians ascribe to man’s freewill12 an autonomy that is quite absolute but alien to biblical thinking. Libertarianism holds that nothing in an agent’s environment or in God Himself or even in the agent’s character compels him from doing or not doing something. In this view, freedom of the will and determination of the will from factors outside of the will are therefore incompatible. For the libertarian or incompatibilists, the power of contrary choice is a necessary choice for moral agency. Notable adherents of libertarianism include the early Augustine to C. S. Lewis, Alvin Platinga, Richard Swinburne and Norman Geisler among others. These have championed libertarian agency as the basis of defense for the problem of evil. As Geisler puts it, â€Å"†¦ if it is good to be free, then evil is possible. Freedom means the power to choose otherwise. So in this present world if one is free to do good, he is also free to do evil †¦ Any alleged. â€Å"freedom† not to choose evil rather than good is not really freedom for a moral creature. †13 Frame on the other hand concludes his argument on the problem of evil by saying, â€Å"†¦ [the] answer to the problem of evil turns entirely on God’s sovereignty. It is as far as could be imagined from a freewill defense. It brings to our attention the fact that his prerogatives are far greater than ours †¦Ã¢â‚¬ 14. No doubt Frame’s stand on the absolute sovereignty of God is a very hard teaching because at one level it makes the problem of evil more intractable. But Frame has suggested that it is also reassuring because if evil comes from some other source other than God, it would be very disturbing, as it implies evil may ultimately be beyond God’s purview and control. Such a state of affair would be undesirable indeed, if not at all unthinkable. As conclusion to Frame’s survey, there are a few points worth reiterating. The main take home lessons from among the three categories of proposals on the problem of evil is that any biblically sanctioned solution must hold in tension the following scriptural truths: 1. Evil is an objective, and undeniable reality in the world. It is neither an illusion nor a privation of sorts. But there is a veil of inscrutability to the mystery of evil, and therefore we should not expect to completely penetrate the enigma that is evil. We must acknowledge in all humility that we are not meant to have complete understanding of the problem of evil this side of eternity. 2. The existence of evil in the world is not incompatible with an all-powerful, all-good and all-wise God. On the contrary scripture attests that God’s goodness and sovereignty in His attribute of lordship and control is such that He utilizes evil for our overall good, and to His greater glory. As this is future oriented, it requires the exercise of our faith. 3. Given God’s absolute sovereignty, human freedom and agency must be understood in a â€Å"compatabilistic† manner, that is, it is compatible with God’s agency in foreordaining all our decisions. In this regards any libertarian solution to the problem of evil that curtails, or put a limit on. God’s attribute of total lordship and control is contrary to biblical testimony. God’s creation unveiling His eternal intention—whence evil? In this section we examine pertinent biblical evidence on the subject of evil more closely. It is worthwhile noting here that out of 1,189 chapters in the sixty-six books of the Bible, only the first and last two (Genesis 1-2; Revelation 21-22) are without evil. That leaves 1,185 chapters in which the problem of evil is dealt with in the light of God’s eternal plan for His creation. On the one hand we should recognize evil for what it is. But we should also be careful not to overplay that card. For it is well to remind ourselves that evil like all things else, is under God’s complete control. In the huge canvas of biblical narratives, and in light of God’s goodness, wisdom and sovereignty, evil is just the negative background against which God unveils two glorious mysteries: the mystery of God (Col. 2:2), and the mystery of Christ (Eph. 3:4; Col. 4:3) for the fulfillment of His divine economy in creation. God’s creation unveiling His eternal intention. Evil needs to be seen in relation to God’s eternal intention for man before the fall. If we would understand God’s intention, we have to pay careful attention to the first two chapters of Genesis before evil and sin entered the world of man. In these two chapters, God created the heavens and the earth in good order (Gen. 1:10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31), and committed the man whom He created in His image and likeness with His authority to rule over all created things (Genesis 1:26-28). Man is in the image of God in order to express God, and he has received God’s authority to represent God. In order to have the full image of God to express God, and realize the full authority of God to represent Him, man must have God’s life in him15. Therefore, in the first two chapters of Genesis, there is not only image and authority (Genesis 1), but also life, signified by the tree of life (Genesis 2:8-9). Although man, created in the image of God and committed with God’s authority in Genesis 1 is very good, he is not yet perfect with respect God’s original intention for him. Frame is right in distinguishing between that which is merely â€Å"good† in Genesis 1:31 and that which is â€Å"perfect†16. In Genesis 1, although man was created good, he has the potential to sin. It seems that for Frame, to be â€Å"perfect†, man must also possess the God-like quality of not being able to sin. So after Genesis 1, we have Genesis 2, where man was placed in Eden with the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil (also in the midst of the garden). God’s intention was that man should take in the tree of life, representing God as life, and reject the tree of knowledge of good and evil, that the created man may be â€Å"perfect† according to God’s original design. It is by eating (partaking and receiving into him) the fruits of the tree of life, that he may have God’s eternal life (cf: John 5:51 and Gen. 3:22. Also see explanatory note 15 on page 14) and hence the ability to be conformed to this life in all its innate goodness, including the ability to not sin. In other words, man was created as a special vessel (Rom. 9:20-21) with God’s image and likeness, but if he stops in Genesis 1, that is all he has—the outward form of God’s image and likeness. As such, he will not be â€Å"perfect†, because though â€Å"good†, he has the potential to sin. This is like a glove which was created in the image of a hand. The glove is â€Å"good† because it has the exact outward image of the hand, but this is not â€Å"perfect† because the five fingers of the glove is just an image. They are not able to function â€Å"perfectly† the way a hand can. According to its original design, the glove can only fulfill its full potential and be â€Å"perfect† if it receives the hand into it as content. Likewise in man’s original created state, the image and likeness that he possessed is â€Å"good† but not â€Å"perfect†. To be â€Å"perfect† according to God’s eternal intention, man must have God’s life in him. Whence evil? Unfortunately, before God could come into man as life17 and carry out His purposes, the embodiment of Satan—the subtle serpent, caused man to fall (Genesis 3:1-7). Due to the fall, the race of Adam failed God. Romans 6 tells of the tragic consequences of the entrance of sin and evil upon the world’s stage when Adam disobeyed God’s command to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Paul says that through one man’s disobedience, evil entered the world’s stage, and through sin, death passed to all man because all have sinned (5:12). Furthermore, the apostle adds that through the disobedience of one man the many were constituted18 sinners (v. 19). Even more than just an act of wrong doing, sin in Pauline understanding is an inward constitution, the nature19 of sin within man (7:20b, 23). Through his fall Adam received an element that was not created by God. This was the satanic nature of sin. Thus evil entered the world as sin, which became the constituting essence and main element of fallen man. It is this constituting essence and element that constituted all men sinners. So we are sinners not primarily because we sin; rather, we sin because we are sinners. Whether a man does good or evil, in Adam he has been constituted a sinner. This is due primarily to an inward element in fallen man, which is prior to his outward action of wrongdoing. This constituting element is the element of sin, and through sin death passed to all men because all have sinned. Hebrews 2:14 exposes the devil as the one who wields the power of death. Death is like a tool in the hand of the evil one. It is the power of incapacity that is now operating in fallen man. Through the power of death, the devil renders mankind incapable of obedience to God. For in every sinner, death lords it over him (Rom. 6:9b), reigns in his mortal body (v. 12), and makes him a slave to sin (v. 16). And so the devil, sin and death can be likened to an evil trinity that is now operating as a mystery in fallen man—the mystery of lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:7a). Out of this come all the moral, natural, and physical manifestations of evil in the world. This then is the subtlety of the entrance of evil as sin and death into the world created by God in good order. The unveiling of the Mystery of God, and the Mystery of Christ—the divine answer to evil Our thinking concerning the problem of evil tends to be man centered, probably because of the existential reality of suffering that evil brings. From such a standpoint, it is psychologically difficult to appreciate what greater good can issue from the afflictions caused by the existence of evil in the world20. The apostle Paul however councils that human sufferings are but momentary lightness of affliction (when seen in the light of God’s eternal intention for man), for suffering works out for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison (2 Cor.4:17). But these things are God-centered, things of faith which eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, and have not come up in man’s hearts, things that God has prepared for those who love him (1 Cor. 2:9). There is a glorious and greater mystery than evil that God desires to reveal and work out through the Spirit that searches all things, even the depths of God (v. 10). To indicate that God’s eternal intention is higher than that which man could conceive, the New Testament uses the word mystery to qualify it. â€Å"Mystery† occurs 27 times in the New Testament21, of which 24 are positive and 3 negative. The three negative cases refer firstly to the mystery of lawlessness (2 Thess. 2:7), and lastly, the mystery of Babylon the Great (Rev 17:5, 7). As we have seen, the mystery of lawlessness is the mystery of evil, the mystery of Satan’s operation. This will consummate in the mystery of Babylon the Great as the finality of Satan’s work in the world. But over and against the mystery of Satan’s operation, there are 24 positive references to the mystery of God’s operation in the New Testament. The first group concerns the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and the kingdom of God in the Synoptic Gospels (Matt. 13:11; Mk. 4:11; Luke 8:10). This is followed by 23 usages of the word mystery (20 of which are Pauline) to describe God’s eternal purpose, God’s will, Christ, the gospel, the believer’s salvation, the believer’s stewardship, the believer’s hope, the transfiguration of the body, faith, the church and the Body of Christ. The last reference is Revelation 10:17, in which the apostle John proclaims that the mystery of God is finished. Clearly God Himself is working out a mystery through the ages to effect the recovery of a fallen world back to His eternal intention, which according to Saint Paul’s writings can be summed up as two great mysteries: the mystery of God, who is Christ Himself (Col 2:2), and the mystery of Christ, which is the church as the Body of Christ (Eph. 3-4, 9; 5:32). The Mystery of God—Christ. God is a mystery, and Christ as the embodiment of God to express Him, to make Him known, is the mystery of God (Col. 2:2-3, 9). With the entrance of sin and death into the world, the man created by God was spoiled by His adversary. But the unchanging and everlasting God would never change by annulling His eternal purpose which He made in eternity past for eternity future (Eph. 3:9-11). Thus He had to rescue the man whom He had created for His unchanging purpose, even at the cost of His only begotten Son (John. 3:16). God’s solution to the evil, sin and death that has come into the world is Christ Himself as the mystery of God—in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col:2:2-3). It is for this reason that even in eternity past Christ as the second of the divine Trinity was preparing to come into time (Micah 5:2) to die for fallen man according to the divine determination made in the council of the divine Trinity in eternity past (Acts 2:23; 1 Pet. 1:18-20). God’s incarnation in Christ, His death and resurrection, is negatively to solve the problem of sin and death, and positively to re-open the way back to the tree of life that man lost in Genesis 3, that man may receive God as life. In fact, the whole process of Christ’s incarnation, human living, death, resurrection and ascension is a mystery, the great mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16) by which God resolves the problem of evil, sin and death. The problem of sin is resolved through Jesus’s death on the cross. Through the cross He accomplished what may be termed judicial redemption22 (Romans 5:10a), in which is forgiveness of the believers’ sins (4:7), justification of the believers (3:24), and reconciliation of the believers to God (5:11). Without the accomplishment of redemption with forgiveness, justification and reconciliation, there would be no basis for a righteous God to forgive a sinful people, and no way for sinful man to approach Him. The problem of death is resolved through God’s organic23 salvation in life (Rom. 5:10b), an aspect much neglected, if not in doctrine at least in emphasis. This aspect of God’s salvation is carried out by Christ’s life in the Spirit. In order to accomplish this, in resurrection He became a life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45b). We receive this Spirit through regeneration (John 3:6). Whereas before we were dead in our trespasses, transgression and sin, now we are made alive in Christ (Eph. 2:1, 5). Today, Christ indwells believers through the Spirit. This is Christ in us, our hope of glory (Col. 1:27). Christ is our life waiting to be manifested (Colossians 3:4). He is our life! Scripture attests that the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, even Christ Himself, is in us today (8:9-11)24. This heavenly ministry of Jesus—post resurrection and in ascension—is within the believers as the Spirit, and it spans the whole spectrum of God’s organic salvation in life from regeneration (Titus 3:5), through sanctification (6:19, 22; 15:16), renewing and transformation (12:2b) to conformation (8:29) and glorification (8:30). It is indeed a salvation â€Å"so great† (Heb. 2:3a), for its eschatological goal is for Christ to make His home in our hearts through faith and that we may be filled unto all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19). And so, through the process of God’s salvation in life our spirit is enlivened (Rom. 8:10), our mind becomes life (Rom. 8:6b), and even our mortal bodies also will receive life through the Spirit who indwells us (Rom. 8:11b). Over against the reigning of sin in death in fallen man, much more we who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (5:17b). Thus in God’s salvation our whole being comes alive in order that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (5:21). In this way Christ destroys the hold of him who has the might of death, that is, the devil (Heb. 2:14)! The Mystery of Christ. Christ is also a mystery, and the church as the Body of Christ to express Him, to make Him known, is the mystery of Christ (Eph. 3:4, 9; 5:32). This mystery is God’s economy, or God’s administration to head up all things in Christ. The Bible affirms that God created the heavens and the earth for a purpose. Ephesians 1:9 reveals to us that God has a good pleasure.