Saturday, August 31, 2019

How Social Media Influences Your Shopping Essay

At the present time social media is the one of the most powerful ways to shop and advertise online via the use of web-based and mobile technologies; it transforms online communication into an interactive dialogue. Quester, Pettigrew and Hawkins (2011) defined social media as â€Å"media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable communication techniques.† According to Vithoulkas, social media is more than just the hardware or software which enables it, instead he argues that it is more of a philosophy of communication where honest and transparency is required and information is shared and has the potential to â€Å"spread virally very quickly†. For the consumer, social media can be a continual bombardment of advertising and promotion every time we use communication modes, such as the internet or mobile, which may be infuriating for the consumer but increases the market exposure for the seller. This report intends to analyse the effectiveness of social media in influencing the general population to purchase more than presently before. When large companies, such as Pepsi, invest 50% of their annual advertising budget into Social Media it is obviously a worthy idea for the discussion of marketing professionals worldwide. The buyer behaviour system has been challenged in ranges of high involvement and low involvement alike. Consumer control is now the focus of consumption, when before it was heavily regulated institutionally. Although social media is an inescapable part of every day life it cannot be assumed that it will replace other forms of communication. A great number of people of all ages use social networking sites before purchasing a product, especially in high involvement purchases. Seidma (2010, p11) has demonstrated that the large majority of people are engaged in some form of social media, showing its considerable societal acceptance; Marketing magazine online tells us that â€Å"Facebook has more than 400 million active users. Every minute, 24 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube. An estimated 5–10 thousand Twitter accounts are opened per day,† showing that when information is directly found by a population 20 times that of Australia there is serious product awareness to gain . Quester et al. (2011) stated that there are fives stages of decisions making processes prior to making the choice in buying a product or service. These include problem recognition, information search, evaluation and selection, store choice and purchase and post purchase processes. When consumers’ recognise a need or identify a problem which may exist, they then undertake an information search on the product or service with their behaviour influenced by internal and external factors, Consumers evaluate the various alternatives after they have gathered all information, and afterwards they make a selection of retail outlets for the actual purchase of the good or service. Lastly, the consumer compares the product performance against their expectations and decide whether they satisfied or dissatisfied with it. In last few decades, traditional media such as television, radio, newspaper has been the only way to promote and communicate with the target market, but now it appears that the trend has changed. As seen in diagram one (below) consumer control is now the driver in the marketing segment. As seen in chart one (below), it can be seen that on average people spend more time when choosing and product and general spend more money, suggesting that when purchasing online the products will be a high involvement purchase. Marketing Magazine online tell us â€Å"For 35% of shoppers, the process starts with online search; 30% of consumers read user reviews on retailer websites as a part of the shopping process.† In the U.S.A. alone there are 95 million people who admit to frequently using social-media in their purchase decisions. Hub Magazine found that more than 40% of American adults currently use social media as part of their shopping experiences, with further data showing most consumers increased in use of social media for shopping within an annual period. Hub magazine also found that 39% have strongly agreed with the statement that ‘they can learn a lot more about a brand by seeing what everyday people are saying about it online’ in comparison with only 22% percent of non-social media shoppers agreeing with the statement. This clealy shows us that Social Media can obviously affect buying habits. However, social media may not be the first choice for every business or organisation for their marketing strategy. In December 2009, COM Score released a report of their customer survey that showed peoples views on social media in comparison to traditional forms of media. Overall, they found that 28% of respondents were likely to notice advertising on social media and less than that 23% are likely to trust the advertisements they notice. Those numbers put social media websites at #5 on the list behind television, print, news and corporate websites. In the same findings it also showed that only 28% of those who had began their holiday shopping this season indicated that social media has influenced their purchases specifically consumers said their influences were: †¢ Reading a consumer-generated product review (13% of respondents) †¢ Reading an expert product review (11 %)  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Following a fan page on Face book to take advantage of special offers and deals (7%) †¢ Influence by a friend’s Face book status update referring to a particular product (6%) †¢ Following a company on Twitter to take advantage of special offers and deals (5%) †¢ A friend’s â€Å"tweet† about a product influenced their purchase behaviour (3%) Given the exposure to the internet that we in the western world undergo every day versus time spend watching television, it is odd that only 13% saw the high consumer involvement in reading reviews of products. What is even stranger is that these consumers have shifted from trusting expert reviews to peer reviews. In traditional media reputable sources were usually quoted to give weight to a certain product. It seems in the days of social media, peer influence has replaced the trustworthiness of reputable sources. Thus changing the buyer behaviour process. Social Media may influence and change the buyer behaviour process but it is not necessarily a replacement for tradition media. Although it is a change to the normal standards of media, it will never replace traditional media given the system of interaction in our society. The interesting thing, as discussed in this essay, is the change in the high involvement purchase process and the consumer control over purchases. It is effective to some degree, given the right target audience and consumer group, but in our society with the lack of general literacy (21.1% of the world are internet literate) and dramatic choices for consumers it is not the answer to the change of the consumer buyer process.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Early Childhood Educator Essay

The inspiration for the Reggio Emilia approach came from Reggio Emilia, Italy. In Italy, all the preschools are centered on this approach. It is a city run program for children from birth to the age of six (Cyert Center, 2004). The philosophy is that, â€Å"children’s interactions and relationships with other children and adults are a vital component of their learning† (Schiller, 1995). Reggio Emilia schools in the United States, Italy, and other countries around the world differ greatly from standard preschools here in the United States. Some of the key differences and components of the Reggio Emilia program is its role in the community, attention to the environment, and its emergent curriculum which functions as a part of the teachers and the children. Role of the Community The community is a big part of the Reggio Emilia schools. There are regularly scheduled meetings for parents to take part in. These meetings are scheduled in the evening so that working parents are able to attend. The parents and teachers discuss issues regarding school policies, child development concerns, and curriculum planning and evaluations (Wikipedia, 2007). The parents are involved in the whole process of the education of their children. Teachers send home journals of children’s thoughts and ideas expressed in class. This kind of cooperation among teachers and parents make learning on the children’s part much easier and complete. Attention to the Environment According to Lilian G. Katz, â€Å"The physical environment of a preschool center is considered a ‘teacher’ in and of itself! † (Katz, 1990). This holds true in a Reggio Emilia school. The environment is considered the â€Å"third† teacher to the students attending this kind of program. The building itself and classrooms are filled with indoor plants, vines, and lots of natural light. Natural light enters the classrooms through wall-sized windows letting the children connect with the outside world. All of the classrooms have a door to the outside and open to a center piazza. Each classroom flows well with each other and the surrounding community. The lunch rooms, courtyards and bathrooms are designed in a way to encourage community among all the students (Wikipedia, 2007). Incorporated into each school is a common space available to all children in the school that includes dramatic play and work tables (Cyert Center, 2004). Each classroom is connected with a phone, passageway or a window. The classrooms are equipped with art centers called atelier (Gandini, 1993). In the atelier are easels, watercolors, crayons, markers, paper, and any art materials children need to be creative. Another part of the classroom has books about artists and a place where children can read comfortably (Schiller, 1995). Displayed around the classroom, among all the photographs of the children and carefully placed mirrors in the school, are works completed by the children with transcriptions of their discussions about the work. The physical environment of a preschool center is considered a ‘teacher’ in and of itself! † (Katz, 1990). Emergent Curriculum There is no time schedule where at some part of the day the students are learning about science, then language arts, and then math. The kind of schedule the students follow is that there is a group meeting when the students arrive in the morning. Then there is a work period, play period, lunch time, play time, nap time, and then another work period or play period (Hertzog, 2001). For their work period, there is no set curriculum that the teachers must follow. The curriculum is an emergent curriculum which is child centered. Emergent means that is builds upon the interests of the child. The teachers have broad goals but can follow the lead and interests of the children (Schiller, 1995). During the work periods, a teacher will work with one small group on their project while the other students are engaged in self selected activities. The projects are teacher directed and child initiated and begins with the teacher observing the children and asking the children questions on a topic that interests the child. The students then do in depth studies of the content that interests the children of that group (Wikipedia, 2007). The project moves in unanticipated directions. To avoid confusion the teachers help children make decisions about direction of study, how to research the topic, and how to represent the topic (Cyert Center, 2004). The projects can range in length from one week to the whole school year. When the students are content to be complete with their project they depict their knowledge through drawing, sculpting, dramatic play, or writing. At every school, there is a visual art specialist, an atelierista, who works closely with the other teachers and children (Gandini, 1993). The atelierista guides the children into appropriate media choices to complete their ideas and projects. Because art is such an integral part of all activities, the students’ old works, finished and unfinished, are available to them to finish or add on. While they work on their art projects, the teachers talk to the children and write down any thoughts or ideas the students have. They display the students’ discussions with their art work around the classroom and school (Schiller, 1995). In order for this curriculum to work, the teachers must also learn with the students. The teachers take turns with the following roles: observing, note taking, and recording observations between children. After all observations are recorded, they are shared with other teachers and parents in the planning of the students’ projects. It is crucial that teachers become skillful observers of the children. Their observations guide the curriculum planning and implementation (Wikipedia, 2007). Conclusion The Reggio Emilia approach to learning is a constructivist approach where the students learn at their own pace and guide the curriculum. It is all about the children. The children’s interests lead them into a project that is researched in depth at a level that they can understand. The children’s thoughts and ideas are implemented into the curriculum and planning and are shared with the community. Reggio Emilia works because the children are learning what they want to learn with the help of their parents, teachers, and the community.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Bric: Culture, Values, and Business Ethics Essay

INTRODUCTION BRIC, represents the countries Brazil, Russia, India, and China. These countries are known to be at similar stages of economic growth. The BRIC countries have had a huge success in the past decade with their industrialization and economic success. With the BRIC countries emerging as economic powerhouses and the increasing number of foreign counties increasing to do business with them, ethical rules must integrate into their business practices. An increasing number of companies are moving production to the BRICs in order to take advantage of generous tax incentives, high productivity rates, and cheap labor. Each country has cultures and values which makes them unique. They also have a very specific business ethic that one should know about if they want to be successful in these countries. BRAZIL Brazil, known as the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America and in the Latin American region. It is the fifth largest country geographically and by population with a population of 190,732,694 according to the 2010 Census. It is known as one of the world’s fastest growing economies and is part of the United Nations, the G20, BRIC, and groups. Brazil is known for their economy having a growth rate during the world recession in 2008 (Vernengo, 2010). Brazil’s land use is 87% forest/woodland and meadows/pastures and has a climate which is known to be mostly tropical since they have the Amazon. Iron, gold, petroleum, and nickel are some of the many natural resources they are known for. BRAZIL’S CUTURE AND VALUES The Brazilians have a unique culture that they share with one another. First off, the official language is Portuguese which makes up almost 100 percent of the population. Brazilians have a strong national ideology that their land is a â€Å"racial democracy†. As far as the Brazilian class system goes, people with darker skin tend to be economically and socially disadvantaged. Class is determined by economic status and skin color. Women make up forty percent of the workforce but are found with lower paying jobs than males such as teaching, nursing, and jobs with clerical duties (Brazil – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.). Common Brazilian foods consist of rice and beans which are put together with meats and fish. The most important meal of the day is a multicourse meal eaten after midday. Middle-class would eat the beans or rice with fish or meat and the lower class would only eat beans or meat during this meal. Now that Brazil is industrializing. The famil y-centered meal at midday is being replaced with smaller meals that are consumed at restaurants with buffets or fast-food such as McDonalds. The lower-calls who cannot afford this will generally eat at home, buy snacks on the street, or carry food with them at work. Brazil has a nation dish known as â€Å"feijoada† which means â€Å"big bean† stew. It consists of a variety of meats cooked with black beans and condiments with rice, fresh fruit, and a side of onion sauce. Different social classes and economic inequality in Brazil has been a problem for a long time. There is a large rate of crime in urban areas such as kidnapping, murdering and assaults. Killing of police officers are common in less wealthy areas as well. â€Å"The murder rate in greater Sà £o Paulo, for example, is some five times that of the New York metropolitan area† (Culture of Brazil, n.d.). The Brazilian government has The Federal Constitution of Brazil that provides the executive, legislative, and executive independent branches. Voting in Brazil today is universal and required for all literate Brazilian citizens aged from seventeen to seventy and is optional for the citizens who do not have the ability to read and write. In the country of Brazil there are many unique values the citizens hold. To begin with, the main religion of the country is Catholic. Brazil has the largest catholic community in the world. During the colonial times, there was no freedom of religion which meant that all of the Portuguese settlers and Brazilians were forced to the Roman Catholic faith which in turn made most of the population today Catholic. Another popular Brazilian religion is Umbanda, which is a blend of African and Catholicism religions. Some branches of the Umbanda religion wear white clothes in ceremonies while others do not. During ceremonies, all of the people sing, drink and smoke, being under the influence of the spirits. â€Å"Music and dance are essential in rituals because they facilitate the communion with the spirits and help people in their daily lives† (The Umbanda religion – Brazilian spirituality, n.d.). In Brazil there are very specific way women and men meet. When two males meet, they shake hands with each other while maintaining steady eye contact with each other. When women meet with each other they kiss each other starting with the left check then alternating to the right similar to some Americans. When a woman wants to shake hands with a man, she should be to one extending her arm out first. Hugging and backslapping are also common among friends. BRAZIL’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE When doing business in Brazil there are many things to take note of. To begin with, Brazilians need to know who they are doing business with. As a result make appointments at least two weeks in advance. Face-to-face meetings are preferred instead of written communication so they know exactly who they are doing with. During meetings, business men socialize over coffee which at times can make meeting informal. When exchanging business cards, they are to be done during introductions with everyone at the meeting. One side should be translated in Portuguese and should be presented with that side facing the recipient. Brazilian companies have a vertical hierarchy where the managers at the top make the majority of the decisions. Most of the management is men but recently women are starting to gain these roles as well. When dressing, men should wear dark colored suits. Usually if someone is an executive they will wear a three-piece suit while a two-piece suit is worn by office workers. Women should wear dresses, suits, or something conservative and make sure their nails are always manicured. When doing business in Brazil there are some do’s and do not’s to be aware of. Always make eye contact because this will show that the business person listening is paying attention, interested, and honest. It should always be expected that a meal will take longer since it is more like a celebration rather than a meal. Food and drinks should always be accepted when offered during a special or business occasion. As far as things not to do, never give gifts that are purple or black since these are considered mourning colors. Never rush business dealings and always avoid pressuring final decisions since Brazilians take a long time to do this. Never show feeling of frustration since this will look bad for the person wanting to do business with them. Corruption and deforestation should never be brought up since these are current sensitive topics. Lastly, never publically criticize Brazilian counterparts if they need to be told something, it should be done in private so it does not make them look bad (Malinak, 2007). Knowing Brazil’s business etiquette is critical if a person wants to have success making business. RUSSIA Russia, officially known as the Russian Federation, is the largest country in the world with a population estimate of 143,300,000. It is the world’s largest reserves for minerals and energy resources and is the largest oil and natural gas producer. It is also has the largest forest reserves. Due to Russia’s size, there are many climates. The main climates are humid continental and subarctic. Russia only has two main seasons which are winter and summer. The coldest month is January and the warmest month is July. Between these seasons for a brief time are their spring and autumn. Russia is known for their oil, natural gas, and timber which accounts for more than 80% of their exports abroad. They are the third largest electricity company in the world and the fifth renewable energy producer (Russia, 2012). RUSSIA’S CULTURE AND VALUES The Russian citizens have much pride in their country. They have many patriotic songs and poems about their homeland and take pride in their cultural heritage. Eighty one percent of Russia speaks the Russian language. Families are very dependent on each other and are very small, usually with only one or two children per family since women are always working outside of the house. Most of the families live in small apartments sharing with two or three generations (Russia – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.). The most common food of the Russian culture is bread while potatoes cabbage beets and carrots are the main vegetable of their diet. Russians love meat. Lower class has sausage, port, beef, mutton, chicken, and dried or salted fish while the higher class has duck, veal, and salmon. In the daily life of a Russian, breakfast is usually coffee or tea with bread or sausage. Lunch people eat potatoes, soup, macaroni, or rice and can be eaten only in a cafeteria in a w orkplace or at home. Dinner consists of boiled potatoes, cabbage, bread, or sausage and bread. There is not that much talk about different social classes in Russia any longer. The â€Å"new Russians† are seen to be driving late-model cars such as Mercedes and Jeeps while dressing in designer clothing and wear heavy gold jewelry. Showing off these items demonstrate wealth. Juvenile misbehavior has been increasing significantly along with prostitution, AIDS, and homelessness among children and teens. As far as government goes, they have a parliament that is divided into and upper and a lower house. The lower house is known as Dumab which has 450 elected members while the upper house consists of local governors and legislators from the eighty nine administrative regions (Culture of Russia, n.d.). On top of Russia’s culture, Russian’s values are also very important. The main religion the Russians follow is Orthodox Christianity which is run by bishops and metropolitans. For most of the Orthodox followers, religious practice concentrates on the affecting experience of liturgy, which is chanted daily, on Sundays, and in long, elaborate services on holy days. Churches and cathedrals are the most important sites to worship at. When two people meet for the first time, there should be a firm, hard hand-shake while making eye contact. If a male is shaking hands with a woman, this handshake will be less firm. When women meet each other they kiss on the cheek three times starting at the left cheek and then alternating. As for close male friends, they first give each other a pat on the back followed by a hug. RUSSIA’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE When doing business in Russia it is expected for a person to be on time to all business meeting. Russians are known for testing patience. In turn, a Russian may be late to a meeting or not start the meeting for one or two hours afterwards to see the reaction the person will give. The best way to communicate in Russia is the fax and email since the mail can be unreliable. Before making a trip to Russia, one must inform the company of the intended business proposal and objectives. When giving a presentation, Russians expect it to be long and detailed and to include to history of the subject. Hierarchy is important to Russians. They respect age, rank and position. The decision makers higher up have authority over subordinates. When exchanging business cards it is usually done after the initial introductions with formal ritual. The business hard should include university degrees and be translated into Russian using Cyrillic text on one side while having the other side be in English. When dressing, businessmen wear suite that are dark and well tailored with a nice dress shoe. Typically a Russian businessman will never take his jacket off. What a businessman wears demonstrates their image as a professional. Women should dress conservatively in skirts rather than pants. When doing business with Russia there are some do’s and do not’s to be aware of. When first meeting, do shake hands firmly since Russians do this to each other naturally. Always get involved in small talk before starting a business conversation. Most of the small talk will deal with family. When doing business, never be afraid to show emotion and never reward anyone in public because Russians will see this as suspicious are can cause jealousy (Gorrill, 2007). INDIA India. Known as the Republic of India, is the seventh largest country in the world with a population of 1,210,193,422 according to the 2011 Census. It is the most populous democracy and second-most populous country in the world. India is considered a newly industrialized country and is one of the fastest-growing major economies. It has the third-largest standing army in the world. The climate in India is largely influenced by the Himalayan Mountains and the Thar Desert. These both cause winter and summer monsoons. There are four major climates in India which are tropical wet, tropical dry, subtropical humid, and montane (India, 2012). I NDIA’S CULTURE AND VALUES The Indian’s have a unique culture. Different states have different languages with the main one being Hindi. Two other main languages are Urdu, and Bengali. India’s culture is based on an hierarchy with the tradition of the caste system. All relationships involve hierarchies such as schools. A teacher is known as a guru and is known as the person with all of the knowledge. At home the father in considered the leader of the family. In the business world the boss is seen as the person responsible for the business. As far as family, people are defined by groups rather than individuals. These groups can range from being part of a region, state, family, career path, etc. This extended family creates a numerous amount of rules, structures, and interrelationships. In the Indian culture, people do not like to say â€Å"no†. Instead if something was not available they would tell a person what they would want to hear. If a person asks for something, the Indians must do wha t is asked and if not, they would be considered rude (India – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.). As far as food goes, rice is the main food in India. Like the United States where there are people who eat meat and who are vegetarian, it is very similar in India but based on the cast system. Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, and Christians all eat meat except pork, besides the Christians. When in the lower-caste, Hindus eat meat except for beef. Members in the higher castes are vegetarians. Every caste, tribe, town, village, and religion has a variety of traditional ceremonies, mostly religious based that are observed with enthusiasm and wide participation. India’s government is a liberal democratic federal government and is the largest democracy in the world. The country is divided into twenty eight based states for administrative purposes. The central government also administers seven small â€Å"Union Territories† (Culture of India, n.d.). There are many different values that India holds. The main religions in India are Hindu, which makes up of 81.3% and Muslim which is 12% of the country. This is one of the largest Islamic nations in the world. There are thousands of rituals and millions of shrines, temples, and other holy places. Hindus have a large pilgrimage temples where Muslims visit tombs of saints. Most Hindus believe in reincarnation when one dies so when a person rebirths they can go into a new caste system. Hindus are usually cremated instead of buried. When Indians get married most of the marriages are arranged. Marriages that are not arranged are looked down upon. When people are to meet in India, the eldest person should be greeted first since they have an hierarchical structure. When leaving, each person individually must be given a farewell. More educated people who deal with westerners shake hands. Men shake hands with other men and women shake hands with other women. A handshake between and man and a women tend to be uncommon due to their religious beliefs. INDIA’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE When doing business in India is it smart to make an appointment at least a month or two ahead of time by letter. Business appointments should be made in the late morning or early afternoon between eleven and four. When meeting for the first time it is possible for business not to be discussed at all since meetings start with getting to know people. When a decision is made, it is made by the person with the most authority. When talking to a person who does not have a professional title they should have to title of â€Å"Madam† or â€Å"Sir†. When exchanging business cards, it should be done after the initial handshake. The university or degree earned should be stated on the business card and should be given and received with the right hand only. When giving a business card it should also be in the position where it is readable as its handed to the recipient. The business dress code is conservative. Men should wear business suits that are dark colors and women should wear suits or dresses. If business is done in a hotter part of the country the dress code is less formal. One should always remain polite and honest at all times to prove sincerity and politeness. Never be aggressive during business negotiations because this can show disrespect. When offered a drink or food during a business meeting it should always be accepted. If not, it is considered offensive (Gorrill, 2007). CHINA China is the second largest economy in the world and is the fastest growing market economy. It is also the world’s most populous country. As of 2001, China has a population of about 1,347,350,000 with an annual growth in GDP of 9.5%. China’s success has been primarily due to manufacturing as a low-cost producer. This is attributed to a combination of cheap labor, good infrastructure, relatively high productivity, favorable government policy, and a possibly undervalued exchange rate. China’s climate is made up of dry seasons and wet monsoons. In winter the temperature is cold and dry whereas the summer it is warm and moist. Since China has such a complex topography, the climate ranges region to region. Recently there have been problems in Chine with pollution and environment deterioration due to the high population (China, 2012). CHINA’S CULTURE AND VALUES Chinese is the official language in China. The social structure is formal and hierarchical. There is a hierarchical class system supported by the Confucian philosophy. At the top of the system there are scholars followed by farmers, artisans, and at the bottom merchants and soldiers. Rice is the main food of China. Grain is grown where the climate is too hot to grow rice. Breakfast consists of noodles or wheat bread or rice with porridge served with shrimp, vegetables, and pickles. Lunch is closely related to breakfast. Dinner is the largest meal of the day which always includes soup being the last course. If there is a special occasion or family gathering, there will be elaborate meals. For the mid autumn festival, known as the Moon Festival, , â€Å"moon cakes† are served which are baked pastries filled with ground sesame and lotus seeds. Business occasions are usually at restaurants that consist of ten or more courses. China is a communist state. The president is elected by the National People’s Congress for a five year term. The NPC had duties to write laws, delegate authority, and supervise other parts of the government. The Chinese Communist Party is the only political party and controls either other small parties (Culture of China, n.d.). Since China is a communist state, majority of the country is atheist. Twenty percent of the population practice Confucianism and Taoism. Taoist temples consist of a courtyard, a main hall with an alter, and small shrines. Worships take the form of mediation or physical exercise. China has the one child only rule due to the high population it holds. In rural areas, families are allowed to have more than one, perhaps two or three. When meeting with the Chinese, many lower their eyes as a sign of respect. When at a large function it is okay to introduce yourself to guests but at small functions it is polite to wait for the host or hostess to introduce you. A Chinese person should always be addressed by the honorific title and surname unless advised otherwise (Hong Kong – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d). CHINA’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE In China, Face-to-face meetings in the workplace are an essential step towards making a sale in most business markets. Only when a face-to-face appointment is secured can it be assumed that the enquiry is a serious one. As in the West, Chinese buyers are busy people and prefer for suppliers to visit them at their offices, unless negotiations are at an advanced stage and the client wants to visit the supplier’s production facilities to look at the scale of the operation. Hierarchical structures of Chinese society and business organizations are based on a strict observation of rank where the individual is subordinate to the organization. People will enter the meeting room in hierarchical order, as the Chinese are very status conscious. Senior members generally lead the negotiations and will direct the discussion. A long-term relationships are considered more valuable then hurried transactions. When exchanging business cards one side should be printed in English and one in Chinese. The card should be presented with both hands and with the Chinese side facing up. When accepting a colleague’s card study it carefully before placing it on the table, never in the back pocket because this is known to be extremely disrespectful. When doing business in China, punctuality is important. As far as business attire, men should wear Conservative with subtle colors. Women should avoid high heels and short sleeved blouses. The Chinese frown on women who display too much. Subtle, neutral colors should be worn by both men and women. There are many do’s and do not’s when doing business in China. One must always maintain eye contact. If this is not done one will be considered untrustworthy. The Chinese counterpart should always initiate the formal greeting. One should always address the counterpart by their title and last name. If they do not have a title use â€Å"Mr.† or â€Å"Madam†. One should never point when speaking as this is considered rude. When being offered food or a beverage, always wait until the host starts. Business should never be discussed when eating or drinking. It is also advised to not use large hand gesture since they are considered distracting to the listener. CONCLUSION To conclude, the BRIC countries have grown rapidly in the past decade with their success in industrialization and trading. Since there is such an rapid growth in business moving into these countries, if a business wants to be successful they need to know the specific practices and beliefs. Going into a country to do business without knowledge of the country’s culture and values will end up turning a business back to where they came from and end up being unsuccessful. Therefore, a business needs to obtain background information and knowledge of the different business ethics for success. REFERENCE Brazil (2012, November 14). In Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html Brazil – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/brazil-country-profile.html China (2012, November 21). In Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved December 4, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html China Business Etiquette, Culture, & Manners (n.d.). In Cyborlink. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/china.htm Culture of China (n.d.). In Every Culture. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/China.html Culture of Brazil (n.d.). In Every Culture. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Brazil.html Culture of India (n.d.). In Every Culture. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/India.html Culture of Russia (n.d.). In Every Culture. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Russia.html Gorrill J. (2007). Doing Business in China: Chinese Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20China.pdf Gorrill J. (2007). Doing Business in India: Indian Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20India.pdf Gorrill J. (2007). Doing Business in Russia: Russian Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing %20Business%20in%20Russia.pdf Hong Kong – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/hongkong-country-profile.html India (2012, November 26). In Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved December 4, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html India – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/india-country-profile.html Malinak, C. (2007). Doing Business in Brazil: Brazilian Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Brazil.pdf Russia (2012, December 4). In Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved December 4, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html Russia – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. 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Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Law Relating to Children Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law Relating to Children - Case Study Example The only family care which children have received from their tender age is in the care and nurturance of Hannah, who lives with her live-in man Ian, who supports her decision to keep the children under her care. Hannah's home is the only safe home which the children have had in their growing years. And, Hannah provides good care not only for the two girls Ella and Grace, whom Barry (the step father) had left under her care but has also taken to care for a newborn Joanne, whom Allison brings in her care in distress. Hannah, has a natural generosity and love for children and good support from her live-in mate Ian, which gives the children a safe and loving home environment for growth and development. Children have grown to have a strong relationship with Hannah and are growing ell under her care. Hannah and I an could seek Parental Responsibility order based on the Children's Act 1989(The Law Relating to Children, 2007), from the court to make sure they maintain nor only social responsibility of the children, but legal rights to ensure safety and welfare of the children, after Barry's death. If Barry were still alive, they could obtain Residence Order as the primary care giver. But with Barry's death it would naturally be determined that they are the only consistent family influence on the children. ... It really would not affect much if Hannah and Ian were married or not. Hannah and Ian have been together as live-in mates before children were brought in their care. And, both Hannah and Ian have been willing to take children in. If there was disagreement on the part of Ian, it would be different story, but with Ian's support and consent it really does not affect much legally. Allison, is just the biological mother of the three girls, she has been an irresponsible mother involved in a profession which would harm her children more if they were in her care. She could not provide stable and safe home for the children. She is not committed to her children. She has not even kept in touch with the children except for occasional birthday cards and Christmas presents. Her character is unstable and indulgent. She is involved in a very unsuitable profession which can be devastating exposure for her children. And her addiction with drugs make her unpredictable and unworthy as a caregiver for her own children. She is a classic example of a young and irresponsible mother, involved in a very messy situation where she cannot get out of the trap of indulgence and addiction. Even though Allison is irresponsible and uncaring, being the biological mother she does have right to step into the life of her children, if she shows exemplary change in her ways and responsibilities towards her children under the supervision of the court in case of emergency, under Emergency Protection Order and Care Order(The Law Relating to Children, 2007). This can be done only if she assumes dramatic change in her life which reflects her more caring and responsible attitude towards her children and there is a situation

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Management Accounting - Essay Example Generally, control systems guide the methods of coordination, resource allocation, motivation, performance measurement, and communication. The major purposes of a management control systems are: The informal management control system is the one where managers encounter a non-routine decision making problem or a problem that has not been encountered before and requires new information. In such a situation managers, may informally call subordinate and extract information in a relaxed manner. In the absence of a proper management control systems, employees will not be aware of the roles that they are supposed to do. There will be no information on the resources and time that is available for each activity. The employees will not be aware of the plans of the activities that are supposed to be done. A well-designed management system influences the behaviour of the employees in such as way that it is congruent with the goals and objectives of the organization. Often employees have individual goals that might be not synchronous with the organizational goals. A good management control system makes it sure that the actions taken by people to achieve their own goals also help in the achievement of organizational goals. This aspect which is called ‘goal congruence’ in accounting terms implies that the goals of the subordinates and the managers are coherent. A poor management control system will lead to confusion in the minds of employees as regards to the strategy a nd the goals of the organizations. Often messages from different sources may contradict each other. A good management control system will set out rules and minimise the possibility of such events. Management control systems and performance management are very closely linked with each other. Often the performance management systems are a part of the management control system for the organization. A poor performance management system has a lot of effects on the organization that are not

Monday, August 26, 2019

Big Data is a relative topic for most industries Research Paper

Big Data is a relative topic for most industries - Research Paper Example Such is the importance of getting valuable and timely insight nowadays that the exploitation of big data is considered a crucial component in the chances of success of a firm (Lynch, 2008). Investment in big data however does come with significant risks which participants must account for. A recent report published by Transparency Market Research indicates that the global big data market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 40.5% from the years 2012 to 2018 (PR Newswire, 2014a; 2014b). Seemingly great news on the outset, it does have some important connotations. Given the affordable rates of internet subscriptions, service providers do not necessarily have the cash to invest in their network bandwidth. This creates the possibility of speed deficiencies, network overload and collapse as the upsurge in the availability of big data will not be matched by requisite bandwidth to support it. Without the necessary ancillary services present, revenues of the big data industry could be affected. Moreover, the big data industry is warm towards new entrants. Hadoop, the open source software utilized by major market players such as IBM and Oracle, is available for free for use by other parties as well (Sonderegger, 2014). This proposes a great competitive risk to current players in the market, especially with corporations such as Yahoo, Facebook, LinkedIn and eBay all applying this technology nowadays as well (Sonderegger, 2014). This could also give impetus to the industry giants to acquire patents to secure their place in the market by squeezing out competition. Halting technological innovations and breakthroughs will be an important repercussion of this type of action. The emergence of cyber crime poses a great threat to the progress of the big data industry. Customers should have complete faith in the ability of companies dealing in big

Activity 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Activity 4 - Essay Example as individually interviewed (45 minutes); materialism was measured by placing pictures depicting answers on a collage and then measured again by taking them off; self-esteem was measured with a sorting task adapted from Rosenberg’s 1965 self-esteem scale. The second study was identical to the first except the groups contained 35 subjects and an experimental group was used and given a self-esteem prime at the onset and later the results of the self-esteem measurement were checked against the self esteem prime. Findings revealed that materialism is decreased with an increase of self-esteem and that when self-esteem is heightened in adolescence materialism is negated to the degree that differences in age and materialism vanish. This article is particularly relevant to my study as it provides a methodology that could be used and findings with which to compare. This article sets out to prove that the relationship between materialism and self-esteem cannot be encapsulated within ‘explicit’ self-esteem, and that ‘implicit’ self-esteem has a vital influence on materialism, and uses three studies to validate their proposal. In the first study implicit and explicit self-esteem was measured in relation to materialism – Rosenberg’s 1965 Self Esteem Scale (for self-esteem) and Greenwals and Farnham’s 2000 Implicit Association Test (IAT) for explicit self-esteem). The second study induced implicit self-esteem by means of subconscious manipulation while measuring explicit self-esteem, and the third study again measured both types of self-esteem but this time using Richins and Dawson’s 1992 materialism scale to measure materialism. Findings show that both explicit and implicit self-esteem jointly impact on materialism and that people with high levels of explicit self-esteem differ in the way they adopt materialism in accordance with their implicit self-esteem. This article is valuable to my research because it adds to the theory of materialism and self-esteem by

Sunday, August 25, 2019

How to get rid of your babysitter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How to get rid of your babysitter - Essay Example Most parents are usually at the dilemma on how to handle situations in which they need to send away their babysitter as they may not know how to go about it without hurting their feelings. Getting rid of the babysitter should be conducted in a manner that the babysitter will not feel offended or they are being sent away without any proper reason. This is because babysitters play very vital roles in the homes and parents with small children cannot do without them hence the need to take proper care of them. The decision to get rid of you babysitter may be motivated by a number of reasons. Such include those failing to perform their duties as already instructed, mismanagement of resources in the house, being extremely demanding by asking for more pay, mistreating the children, lack of professionalism in their conduct, being rude and lacking courtesy among other reasons. In order to get rid of your babysitter, you need to come up with proper and convincing reason for wanting to send them away. Take time to observe their conduct in the house so as to establish if the mistakes being committed by the babysitters are deliberate or they are beyond their control. Upon establishing that the mistakes are repetitive in nature and are due to negligence, record the number of times in which they have been done. The next step is to boldly communicate the reasons to them so that they will also see their mistakes. If the babysitter is from an official agency service, you need to communicate the same information to the agency so that they can be in agreement with the termination of the contract. The final step is to agree with the babysitter on the time of their departure as well as the things that they may need before they depart. These include provision of all the things owed to them as well as some of the things that they may request to go with before they go. Then the babysitter is escorted to the place where she was found so that

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Poverty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

Poverty - Essay Example In accordance to her point of view that social classes in society plays an important role in understanding the meaning of â€Å"poverty† from her experiences. She wants her readers to feel what exactly it feels like to live in poverty with no financial support and assistance from the world outside. At various places in her essay, she questions her readers that how it feels to be clean and to live a life of luxuries while she stands among those deprived souls who are suffering hard to meet their basic needs. Parker feels that the social class particularly, the fortunate ones have failed in responding appropriately towards poverty stricken people in general. However, small proportion among the similar class does act responsibly but it is very difficult for the unfortunate ones to find them in timely manner. Parker considers herself as the victim of abject poverty who was introduced to become the part of this ‘poverty-stricken cycle† by her peers at school and her mot her. She feared that due to inequality and discrimination between the social classes would continue to flourish like that eventually, leading her children to follow the similar destiny. She indirectly blames the privileged ones for being responsible of her condition. A clear tone of anger and anguish can be felt in the writing. This essay explores the hardships and struggle of Parker. She was just another person in any society with no education, no job experience and no grounds to stand firm. She left her school because children made fun of her â€Å"dirty stinky clothes†. As a result, she declared herself as a victim of social class from a very young age. She considers asking help from the privileged ones and the authorities as a process which takes her to the journey of humiliation and a point where she feels herself losing her pride and dignity. This explains the derogatory behavior of the privileged class towards a non-privileged

Friday, August 23, 2019

Analysis of the mondus operandi of a manager Essay

Analysis of the mondus operandi of a manager - Essay Example It includeÃ'• all Ã'•yÃ'•temÃ'• where groupÃ'• of people are involved to achieve a Ã'•pecific Ã'•et of goalÃ'•â€  (Weihrich-&-Kootz,-1994). To bring about theÃ'•e aimÃ'•, aÃ'• defined and created by each individual buÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'• to reach itÃ'• goalÃ'•, there are three main management roleÃ'• aÃ'• defined by Mintzberg, which include the InterperÃ'•onal, information roleÃ'• and the deciÃ'•ional roleÃ'•. TheÃ'•e in-turn encompaÃ'•Ã'• more Ã'•pecific dutieÃ'• which will be diÃ'•cuÃ'•Ã'•ed later. Manager CaÃ'•e-Ð…tudy:BuÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'• Name – Playtec Pty LtdName – Matthew Ð…tewartAge – 29Phone No – *******PoÃ'•ition Held – General ManagerBuÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'• Ð…ize – Ð…mall (approximately 20-employeeÃ'•)BuÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'• DeÃ'•cription – Playtec Pty Ltd iÃ'• a manufacturer of indoor Ã'•oftplay equiptment, diÃ'•tributed nationwide and occaÃ'•ionally overÃ'•eaÃ'•. AÃ'• a General Manager of a Ã'•mall buÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'•, MatthewÃ'•â€™Ã'• management roleÃ'• conÃ'•iÃ'•t of interdependent-factorÃ'• coordinated into an organiÃ'•ed ‘Ã'•yÃ'•tem’ to allow efficient allocation of reÃ'•ourceÃ'• through well-planned adminiÃ'•tration, complimenting D.A HoltÃ'• definition of "defining organizational objectiveÃ'• and then articulating Ã'•trategieÃ'•, tacticÃ'• and objectiveÃ'• that are neceÃ'•Ã'•ary to achieve theÃ'•e objectiveÃ'•." (Holt,-1987,-p.793). TheÃ'•e are divided into the three main Ã'•egmentÃ'• of reÃ'•ponÃ'•ibility, collectively known aÃ'• the Mintzberg’Ã'• Management roleÃ'•. Under InterperÃ'•onal management roleÃ'•, Matthew iÃ'• Ã'•een aÃ'• a ‘figurehead’ in playtec, Ã'•ometimeÃ'• being referred to aÃ'• the â€Å"heart’n’Ã'•oul† of the company. Although not the buÃ'•ineÃ'•Ã'• owner, the role of a leader iÃ'• one he haÃ'• aÃ'•Ã'•umed, taking-on the reÃ'•ponÃ'•ibility of planning and providing future growth under one’Ã'• ‘umbrella’ of reÃ'•ponÃ'•ibility for operationÃ'• and employeeÃ'•. Taking a large amount of reÃ'•ponÃ'•ibility for

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Future of Hybrid Electric Vehicles Essay Example for Free

The Future of Hybrid Electric Vehicles Essay The hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) are the special types of vehicles that make use of two things together, i. e. conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric propulsion system, which together help in achieving fuel efficiency as compared to any other vehicle. The degree of efficiency and improvement provided by the HEVs depend on the degree and the type of propulsion systems they make use of. The engineers have succeeded in adding several additional features such as special breaking etc. for making sure that these vehicles provide high fuel efficiency and effectiveness. The HEVs are being widely used all over the world and its usage will keep increasing every day. There are various ways in which these vehicles can be classified and these classifications are all discussed below. One common way of classifying the hybrid electric vehicles is on the basis of the power that is supplied to the drive-train of the vehicle. The first vehicle is known as the parallel hybrid, wherein the wheel gets special power from the ICE, as well as the electric motor that are both connected to the mechanical transmission. These parallel hybrid cars are shown to be much more efficient than the ones that are non-hybrid and are suitable for highway and urban style usage and running. There is another series of vehicles known as the series hybrids, wherein only the electric motor is used for supplying power to the drive-train. The batteries are shown to be rechargeable. These cars are less efficient than the parallel hybrid cars but still give extremely high performance when used in cities. The combination of the parallel and series cars can also be used for increasing the overall efficiency. These cars are called the power-split hybrids. Though they are slightly more costly than the other cars, they also demonstrate higher efficiency. While the earlier discussed classification was based on the source of power supply, there is another classification that is based on the degree of hybridization that is included in the design. One type of devices can be full hybrid in nature. These vehicles are also known as strong hybrid and are usually operated based only on the engine. The drive-train is shown to demonstrate extremely high flexibility and high power output. The vehicles can also be classified as mild hybrid, wherein the electric motor is the only source of functioning for the cars. Not only do they provide fuel savings but are also more compact in nature. Thus, we see that there are different types of HEVs that are used by the people. The nature and the type of HEV that is used, depend on the requirements of the person and the cost savings and fuel efficiency that is desired. Reference: http://classof1. com/homework-help/electrical-engineering-homework-help/.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Majoring in Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Majoring in Philosophy Essay An event was organized in a school for students who were going to attend college soon. Their main aim was to emphasize Major in philosophy. Many experts explained importance of philosophy. There are numerous reasons for choosing this course. In philosophy major, students are taught about how to interpret, imagine, converse, and write well. Philosophy answers many human quires which grouped into three traditional categories. These are axiology: the theory of value, Epistemology: the theory of knowledge, Metaphysics: basic kinds of things exist. Students can successfully complete philosophy if they posses good level of reading comprehension, transparency of thought, and good communication skill. Principles of philosophy apply to everyday life therefore courses are designed to use thoughts and theories from the history of philosophy to concentrate on real world issues in area of education, business, law, public policy, and society. The purposes of course in philosophy Major in applied ethics are particularly pertinent for students who are interested in the role played by ethical values in a diversity of professional settings. Philosophy courses are important because philosophical concepts, ideology, and process of inquiry are related in several fields. Whatever students learn in philosophy can be applied in practically all aspects of life. This course allows candidates to know when to use a liberal sprinkling of words and when to use imagination power. Philosophy is good area of study that provides a high degree of personal accomplishment. Students will also have opportunities to critically test the potential and the influence of contemporary theoretical and philosophical schools of thought in normal life. In studying profoundly about great philosophers, students can gain knowledge to think thoroughly about every aspect of human life. Philosophy major allows students to observe relations between very different fields of thought such as science, religion, and ethics. This course widens skills in writing, in argumentation, and in the communication of complex ideas. Philosophy course equip students to develop inherent personal value. They can experience expansion of consciousness, self-discovery, self-renewal, and a more clear direction in life. In short, philosophy is learning for full life span. For doing philosophy major, candidate must be well versed in a broad education and have good credits which must be upper division. Philosophy majors have the maximum average score of any major on the verbal reasoning, analytic writing section and on the quantitative reasoning section. The most clear career path for students majoring in philosophy is to complete graduation in philosophy and involve in teaching in reputed college or university. Many philosophy graduates choose non-academic profession. Philosophy major courses prepare students for vocations requiring a liberal arts education, including law, government, communication, management, the ministry, teaching, or even business administration. To summarize, event attended in school encourages students to join Philosophy Major to enhance career and get steep success. It was communicated that philosophy is one of the most flexible majors in the humanities. It intersects with economics, politics, mathematics, psychology and history. Students studying philosophy will have a good understanding of about themselves and the world. In the event, professionals drew attention of students by stating important facts of philosophy. The reason of studying this course is that philosophy makes the mind healthy and develops numerous skills to sharpen human mind. If a person wants to develop a variety of skills that prepare him for a wide variety of intellectual challenges, he must be serious in joining a philosophy major.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Times When Two Cultures Come Together

Times When Two Cultures Come Together Culture is defined as the historically transmitted and interrelated web of values, assumptions, norms, belief systems and behavioral patterns that differentiate one human group from another. Culture is manifested in music, painting, literature, theater, sculpture and films, shortly in all aspects of life. It influences the way we perceive the world, the way we attribute meaning to our environment. Therefore diversities and conflicts are commonly seen when people from different cultural backgrounds encounter each other. In this paper I would like to examine this cultural contact based on a movie called My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The 2002 romantic comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a great example for depicting cultural differences between the US and the Greek culture. It shows how differences in cultures may affect the lives of people through the main character of a 30 year old Greek girl Toula. Being brought up in the US by a traditional Greek family, Toula has to have a single purpose in life: to marry a Greek man and have as many Greek children as she can. Compared to her sister who has been married for a while and has 3 children, she is perceived to be seen unfortunate due to her reaching 30 and still being single. Her father continuously reminds her to marry soon because she started to look old. Toula is stuck with all of the Greek values in her life. She is working in the family-owned restaurant and has no free space for herself. From the time she was a child, decisions regarding which school she would attend or where she would work are all determined by her family. However; being raised in an American culture that is totally different from Greek culture resulted her to be unsatisfied with her life. The emphasis on individuality, being able to be autonomous affected her views as well. The realization of this uncontentment climaxed after meeting Ian while working at the restaurant. When Ian enters her life, she began to realize that she wanted to live her own life and she starts to make her own choices. With her mothers help, she gets the permission for taking computer classes at college which she may later use for business. The approval of the father comes late because he thinks that city is a dangerous place to go. Even when her mother insists on this permission, he responds: if a girl is enough intelligent, why bother going to school. This dilemma of acculturation process which Toula experienced is examined scientifically in Cigdem Kagitcibasis book of Family, Self, and Human Development across Cultures as well. In her book, Kagitcibasi explains that the aspirations of adolescents have are influenced by the dominant society when there is a cultural contact between the culture of relatedness of ethnic minorities originating from collectivistic societies and the culture of separateness of the individualistic dominant society. In the culture of separateness, autonomy is highly valued because it is functional and adaptive in everyday situations. When these minority adolescents engage in a social comparison process, they see that their peers who belong to the culture of separateness enjoy more authority than they do. On the other hand, being related with their parents satisfies their need for warmth and security and it does not create a conflict. However; in some cases where parents lack enough education, parents see a utonomy as a sign of disrespect or separation. Therefore they may not give autonomy to the child. Here we can talk about a culture lag in which the traditional point of view in the family of interdependence still continues despite the fact that it is not functional in the urban, technological society. This culture lag creates a conflict where the autonomous-related self and the family model of psychological/emotional interdependence that adolescents favor collides with the heteronomous-related self and the family model of interdependence that parents value. Because the first one is more adaptive in an immigration context, it is likely that it will be the case (Kagitcibasi, p.324). However this transition would be tough just as it is observed in Toulas struggle. As it is examined above, autonomus related self is more adaptive in an urban lifesetting as it is the case with Toula in the movie. Autonomous related self is a concept that is established by Kagitcibasi that satisfies two basic needs which are autonomy and relatedness. Although the mainstream psychology has always thought autonomy as being separate, Kagitcibasi notes that these two are distinct concepts which are independent from each other. Autonomy refers to willful agency, being governed from outside; whereas being separate or close is about the relationship with others. This type of self is more compatible with an immigration context where there is urban lifestyle involving education and work. Because urban lifestyle requires individual decision making, in other words autonomy is needed for taking initiatives. However close self other and kinship relations continue to exist, too. Therefore it is more adaptive to have autonomous related self. But the process for migrant families with traditional lifestyle to accept the shift towards this type of self takes time. After getting the approval of her parents, Toulas differentiation process towards the autonomous related self begins. She gets herself a new hairdo, abandons her glasses and starts to wear make-up. Moreover she manages to find new contacts and becomes more outgoing and social. She quits working in the family owned restaurant. Instead, she starts to work at the tourism agency bureau of her aunt. In her new job, she feels much better, especially after getting the attraction from the guy, Ian, whom she met at the restaurant. After a while, Ian and Toula starts to date secretly but as Toula finds out that the guy she was dreaming of is non-Greek, things began to be challenging for both of them. As Toula is struggling with how to make her family accept Ian who is a foreigner, Ian finds himself confronted with the family of his love where things are totally different from his own. As opposed to Ian who has only two cousins, Toula has twenty seven. When Ian asks her what she does in her fre e times, she responds that there is no free time for her own because the extended family is together all the time. In addition to that, Toulas family is very proud of their Greek heritage. Her father constantly states that all of the words have roots from the Greek language and he overemphasizes that there are two types of people, firstly the ones who are Greek and secondly the ones who want to be Greek. Moreover, her family tries to preserve their Greek identity in all aspects. Their house is designed in Greek style and there were Greek statues and miniatures all over the place. They engage in every traditional practice that a Greek family might have. They celebrate festive days in Greek way; they dance and eat with Greek relatives. They send their kids to Greek schools so that they acquire the Greek culture. The family also has a patriarchal structure where the father is the head of the family and where the mother helps with the care and support of the household. Toulas family fits into the model of interdependence as it is described in Kagitcibasis book. The model is associated with close family relations and is often characterized by patrilineal family structures (Kagitcibasi, p. 136). Toulas family also has strong familial relations, they celebrate everything together with the extended family, cousins altogether work at a family owned restaurant in order to contribute household jointly. As it is expected from Toula, this type of family structure demands fertility as well. Moreover, the childs dependence is ensured by obedience-oriented socialization and authoritarian parenting as it is the case with Toula. Even reaching her 30s is not enough to make decisions regarding herself alone. Still she needs the approval of her father, is strictly controlled when she comes home late. This type of socialization promotes loyalty and interdependence as it is seen in the movie. As opposed to Toulas family which values interdependence, Ians family is characterized in the model of independence which is the typical model of the western individualistic, nuclear family that is found in the industrialized societies (Kagitcibasi, p. 139). This family model values interpersonal independence. The family exists in nuclear structure and low level of fertility is common. Socialization practices enhance the independent self where there is less control in childrearing. Thats why Ians family does allow the marriage at first sight and does not interfere with the process. Moreover, Ian lives alone and has no sibling or twenty seven cousins like Toula which is seen in family of interdependence. The differences regarding the values and beliefs are mostly seen through reaching the end of the film where the two families start to meet and interact. When Ians family comes for a dinner which was supposed to be a quiet dinner for meeting each side, they are shocked when they see the crowd which is waiting for them. Every single member of the extended family was invited for the dinner and the dinner turned out to be a party where everyone eat, dance and sing Greek songs which is common in Greek culture. As opposed to Toulas crowded family, Ians family comes to dinner with only the nuclear members of the family composed of mother, father and Ian. As the wedding preparations accelerate, Toulas relatives continue to intervene in every single detail. For example; Toulas mother has already prepared the wedding invitations by herself and didnt ask Toulas opinion about whom to invite. Her wedding dress is already planned by her cousin and the place of the wedding is arranged by Toulas family, despite of the fact that Ians family thought a club would be okay. As it can be predicted, marriage from the perspective of Toulas Greek family is just not about uniting two people, but it is the joining of two clans. As opposed to this, marriage can just be a consumer decision with utilitarian value shared with associates at a club (Denny Wayman Hal Conklin, 2002). On the day of the wedding, Toulas family intervened in all the details as well. When Toula has noticed that she has a pimple on her face, all her female relatives help her to cover it with a foundation. Lastly I would like to emphasize some of the similarities between Greek culture and Turkish culture that I have observed throughout the film. In the film Toulas family reminds me of the traditional Turkish family with extended family ties in rural context. The development of the related self is assured with obedience socialization and control. Though not being in a rural context, Toulas family is committed to their values and traditions so strictly that they do not let their daughter be free like the people in the American culture. Toula finds herself in a complete dilemma where she wants to change things in life but out of respect she can not exercise it easily. Another similarity that I have observed is the Greek traditions which are also common in Turkey. For instance; hospitality is highly valued in Turkish culture, too. When a guest comes to visit a Turkish family house, the host family offers delicious meals to enjoy their time. When Ian first visits Toulas family, although he responds that he is not hungry, Toulas mother says: Ok I make you something to eat. The concept of the wedding is also similar in the way that all the relatives even the ones who live far are invited to the wedding ceremony. After the ceremony, they celebrate the day with dancing, eating and wishing a happy life just as in the Turkish culture. They dance sirtaki which is a popular dance of Greek origin just like the Turks who dance halay. They also have the traditional desert baklava like the Turks and use the same word portakal for orange. Lastly, Turks also give presents to the newly wed couples just as it is seen in the movie where Toulas father has bought a house near to them. Buying a house near the parents also shows that loyalty and being close are highly valued in Greek culture where there is a culture of relatedness. In conclusion I would like to stress that My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a great movie which conveys the message that no matter how different two cultures may be, there is a universal aspect of humanity in all over the world. Though history is filled with great atrocities, wars and pain resulting from differences among cultures, the hope for our future may rest in us being able to love and accept one another because of these differences. The scene right before the film ends also summarizes this view perfectly. Before the visitors all are dancing and singing, Toulas father states in his speech: You know, the root of the word Miller (the surname of Ian) is a Greek word. Miller comes from the Greek word milo, which means apple, so there you go. As many of you know, our name, Portokalos, is come from the Greek word portokali, which means orange. So, okay? Here tonight, we have, ah, apple and orange. We are all different, but in the end, we are all fruit.

Home Schooling :: Free Essay Writer

Home Schooling Is home schooling a better option for our children? I believe that the author’s main point is that there are two dissimilar types of group’s that home school, and additionally that parents can customize there children’s schooling is a â€Å"Consumer mentality†. The two categories of home schooling have â€Å"Emerged†, both of which is complicated about customization.† The superior of the grouping is the â€Å"Christian right†, although home schooling has grow to be a much more diverse endeavors in the past 10 years†. The â€Å"Strength as a social movement and the majority of is practitioners are conservative Christians.† Both kinds of home schooled as in the, â€Å"Family unit who instructs the child exclusively at home and the family unit who inquires about some interface with the community school organization is practicing customizing in education.† In addition, home schooling is supplementary than an, â€Å"Education alternative.† It is also a societal interest group, in 1986; approximately 50,000 offspring were being sophisticate at there dwelling. â€Å"In 2002, at slightest 1 million offspring’s is being home school; with some approximation attach the quantity at 2 million, and amplify of 20†. I believe that the instigator purpose of the commentary is that, â€Å"Parents view their child’s education on a matter of properly under their control, and no one else’s†. In addition, that some of the parents feel that they are, â€Å"Entitled to purchase the education of their child from the market place of learning material†. I consider that all parents should have the chose to customize their child’s education, to their own characteristics. If parents want to protect their children from diverse things in the world, in that case they should be capable to. In addition, I concur with that how home schooling parents are so dedicated to their children having an excellent education. I agree with the author stated that home schooling seems to be â€Å"Wonderful if people think about education as a consumption tool†. My position of the commentary is that I concur with what the author declared in the entire article. I believe parents that home school their children are significantly worried about how their children obtain their education, and that they would do anything for there child to have an excellent education. Residency is the societal adhesive that unites the diverse people together; to be a national is to contribute to something in common with one’s fellow citizens. As the legal scholar Sunstein (2001) has argue, a â€Å"Heterogeneous society† with out some share experiences and some common values.

Monday, August 19, 2019

nixon :: essays research papers

The Nixon Memo is a case study of Richard Nixon's quest for political rehabilitation by Marvin Kalb. At issue is the key role of this former president of the United States who is best known for his involvement in the famous Watergate scandal. Nixon was trying to clean up his name in the post-cold war debate about aiding Russia in its uncertain revolution. Kalb, begins his book on March 10, 1992. Nixon had just written a private memo critical of President George Bush's policy toward Russia to his closest friends in hopes of a leak. The memo leaked and exploded on the front page of The New York Times. Nixon attacked President George Bush, by using the press to convey his ideas of what should be done with the falling Giant, Russia. Kalb goes on to show how the conventional wisdom on United States foreign policy is shaped by the insider's game of press/politics to manipulation. This story of Nixon's efforts to pressure the White House, by way of the press, into helping Boris Yeltsin and Russia â€Å"Marvin Kalb read the documents behind the Nixon memo and interviewed scores of journalists, scholars, and officials in and from Washington and Moscow.† Drawing on his years of experience as a diplomatic correspondent, for NBC he identifies the press and politics in the fashioning of public policy. With the memo criticizing the president of the United States in 1992 this helped dictate the outcome of the presidential election. It put Bush as an outsider to a then up and coming Bill Clinton. With all the information out on the memo, such as the media coverage the information had to be exact knowing the significance of the topic. Marvin Kalb, portrayed Nixon perfectly as in what kind of a man he was, a leader, and a fallen president. Kalb stated that â€Å"no other president would have been able to take the embarrassment, and hounding he took from the media, others faded away while he continued to express his views† (p.9). This memo served Nixon as his last way to soften his name in history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kalb made it clear early on in his writings that he was on the hate list of Nixon throughout his candidacy, such as his house being wire-tapped, along with his work office for NBC. But he gave credit to how Nixon played the media for what they were worth.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Marriage in A Doll House and A Streetcar Named Desire Essay -- compare

A couple’s marriage along with their struggles and problems can tell us a lot about their individual morals and what type of people they are. How someone handles themselves when they are in a battle or argument with their spouse can show the reader the person they are, their strengths, weaknesses and even their outlook on life. In these plays we are shown Torvald Helmer and Stanley Kowalksi’s ways of controlling their wives, their strengths, weaknesses and outlooks on life, or morals just by their actions. In A Doll House written in 1879 by Henrik Ibsen and in A Streetcar Named Desire written in 1947 by Tennessee Williams we are shown two different husbands, Torvald Helmer and Stanley Kowalksi that have an issue with having to be in control of their wives and their lives. In A Doll House we see a marriage between Torvald and Nora Helmer. Torvald is a major character in the play because he is the person that helps make the conflict of his wife Nora not wanting to tell him about the loan she took out and that she forged her father’s name in order to do it. Ibsen brings the issue of power in this marriage by always having Torvald in charge or the marriage. Torvald is a man that looks at his wife as an object and something that benefits him. He doesn’t really have a deep love for her, but instead is married to her because she is young and beautiful and society accepts and likes married men better than single men. He is very protective of his image and he always wants to look perfect and be perceived as perfect from other people, and Nora helps him achieve this. Torvald takes the role of the ruler, the spouse in charge by treating Nora like a child or a play toy, calling her names like â€Å"pet†, â€Å"squirrel†, or â€Å"Ca pri girl†. He also t... ...y made himself look out of hand himself and he also showed his lack of respect for Stella. In A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen and in A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams we are shown two different husbands, Torvald Helmer and Stanley Kowalksi that have an issue with having to be in control of their wives and their lives. Torvald has to be in charge of everything in his life including his wife and in his job so that society will look at him as a â€Å"well off† man and he will always be looked at as stable and in control of every situation. Stanley is somewhat the same, needing to be in charge of his wife and how she acts so that his friends will look at him as â€Å"the tough guy that keeps his wife in line†. In both of these plays we are shown the husband’s strengths and the wives weaknesses and how their conflicts and the husband’s actions affect their marriages.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Organizational Structure Defined By Managers Commerce Essay

Organizational Structure may be defined as how directors and supervisors divide, group, and organize work between different employees and sections. Other important definition may be defined as: â€Å" An Organizational Structure is based on activities such as undertaking allotment, coordination, and supervising, which are directed towards the accomplishment and fulfilment of organisational ends and aims † An organisation can be structured in many different ways, depending on their aims, purposes and longterm ends. The construction of an organisation will find the manners in which it operates and performs. Many Organizations have a Hierarchy, but non all. Organizational Structure has 6 chief elements:1. WORK Specialization:Work Specialization is the grade to which organisational undertakings are sub-divided into single occupations. It is besides known as â€Å" Division of labour † . It is the specialisation of labour in specific, limited undertakings and like functions. It is a critical component of Job Structure and attributes a major function in success, if it is truly utilised. Wor Specialization is more efficient and effectual for directors, in order to carry through organisational positions. Directors find it much easier to happen gifted forces and develop them to execute specific and certain undertakings. As Repetition improves the ability of an single to execute a certain undertaking with lesser clip consumed. Basically, the occupations are assigned to specialise personal or persons. Therefore, the persons perform those undertakings or carry through those aims in which they are specialized or are trained to roll up. The kernel of Work Specialization is that an full occupation being done by an person, it is broken down into figure of stairss, with each measure being completed by a separate person. Therefore, single perform their expertness in specialised undertaking instead than the full occupation. It can be elaborated with the undermentioned illustration. FOR EXAMPLE ; In Formula 1 Motorsports Racing, Rushing squads Managers hire mechanics that are specialized in certain undertakings ( during Pit Stops ) . Some are adept in replacing Front tyres, others are adept in replacing Rear tyres. Similarly, some are adept in Raising Car from the back side and others are specialized to execute the duty of a â€Å" Lolly-Pop Man † . Therefore, these squads hire mechanics and delegate them occupations that, they are specialized to execute.2. DEPARTMENTALIZATION:Departmentalization is the 2nd component of Organizational Structure and follows Work Specialization. Departmentalization is the manner, work and duties are distributed in amongst different sections. Departmentalization refers to the procedure of grouping activities into sections. â€Å" Division of labour † creates specializers who need coordination. This coordination is facilitated by grouping specializers together in sections. Departmentalization has the following chief types:DEPARTMENTALIZATION BY FUNCTIONS:In Function Departmentalization, Departments are formed to group activities by â€Å" map † . Such as in a concern house, the construction might hold a Gross saless Department, a Marketing Department, a Purchase Department and a Human Resource Department etc. All these Departments are different from eachother on the footing of maps, they perform and the duties. Due to similar accomplishments and cognition, â€Å" Economies of Scale † can be achieved. The chief advantage of this type of Departmentalization is that, it can be used in all organisations, with mention to their ends and aims, and it is more efficient and effectual, as the people who posses the same expertness and accomplishments, are governed in a remarkable section.DEPARTMENTALIZATION BY PRODUCTS:Activities that are grouped by similar â€Å" Product Lines or Product Categories † . Undertakings are grouped harmonizing to merchandises and services, therefore go forthing all activities related to the merchandise or the service under a individual director or a remarkable caput. Each major merchandise country in the corporation is under the authorization of a senior director who is specializer in, and is responsible for, everything related to the merchandise line. This departmentalization helps an organisation to recognize its strong merchandise lines and weak links, additions Accountability. For E.g ; Unilever has different merchandise lines such as Dove, Axe and Fair & A ; Lovely etc.DEPARTMENTALIZATION BY GEOGRAPHY:Departments are formed on the footing of â€Å" Geography and Territory † ; such as North, South, East and West etc. If an organisation ‘s clients are geographically dispersed, it can group occupations based on geographics. For illustration, Coca Cola has developed a Organizational Structure administering districts, the North American sector and the International sector, whic h includes the Pacific Rim, the European Community, Northeast Europe, Africa and Latin America groups. COCA COLA GEOGRAPHICAL STRUCTUREDEPARTMENTALIZATION BY Procedure:Grouping activities on the footing of â€Å" Product or service or client flow † . Each procedure require different accomplishments and techniques at different phases of its production or readying. Therefore, this Departmentalization helps the organisation to use the expertness of persons at different phases of production. Therefore, sections are followed due to the difference in defined construction. For E.g ; A whole procedure is to be followed for obtaining a Passport, Verification, Documents Submission etc, all from different sections.DEPARTMENTALIZATION BY CUSTOMER:Grouping activities on the footing of â€Å" common clients or types of clients † Jobs may be grouped harmonizing to the type of client served by the organisation. The premise is that clients in each section have a common set of jobs and demands that can outdo be met by specializers. For e.g ; Law Firms provide services to General Public, high profile persons and Large Corporations.3. CHAIN OF COMMAND:Chain of Command is an unbroken line of Authority that extends from the top degree executive, direction to the lowest station, echeleon and clarifies who reports to whom. It is a Hierarchy which shows the Chain of Command and authorization, making a nexus between the Managers and Sub-ordinates. It has 2 chief elements: Authority ( It may be defined as the right of the directors and top degree executives to give orders to sub-ordinates. To ease Co-ordination, each director has a certain function to play in hierarchy and has a certain authorization over his colleagues and sub-ordinates to carry through his responsibilty ) Integrity of Command ( It preserves the unbroken line in the hierarchy. It states that, for the interest of better co-ordination, an person or a group must merely hold a individual higher-up, to whom coverage is done. It helps to take struggles and work confusion ) For E.g ; Ohio Fire Department is under the control of Ohio Government. Chain of Command goes right from the top degree Mayor, to the lower degree of directions such as Supervision Divison Chief and Staff Division Chief.4. SPAN OF CONTROL:Span of Control is besides an of import component of Organizational Structure. It fundamentally manipulates the capableness of a director to command a certain figure of employees. This figure is determined after analysing the size of the organisation. There are two type of spans, 1. Wider Spans 2. Narrow Spans. If a director decides to keep a narrow span, he can keep close control. However, there are few drawbacks every bit good. First, they are expensive due to extra degree of direction. Second, Communication procedure between the top and lower direction becomes more complex. Finally, Due to contract but tight supervising, Managers tend to do strong and tight policies, ordinances, which consequences in detering Employee Autonomy and Satisfaction. In recent old ages, the accent has been laid on keeping a wider span of control. It is easier to keep control, easier to pass on with sub ordinates and more significantly, policies are in the favour of Employees liberty, due to all right supervising. NARROW SPAN OF CONTROL5. Centralization AND Decentralization:Centralization is defined as â€Å" the grade to which determination devising is concentrated at a individual point in the organisation † . An Organization, in which there is less input taken from the lower degree directors and employees, and the top degree direction rely and take cardinal determinations by themselves, non affecting the lower direction ‘s input. Hence, it is â€Å" Centralization † . For e.g ; a Centralized Government is a signifier of Centralization, as it takes lesser input from lower governments and has the liberty to do determinations. Decentralization possibly defined as â€Å" the procedure of scattering decision-making administration closer to the people and citizens † . In Decentralization, the lower degree forces provide more input and take part in the determination devising. Decentralization and centralisation have played major functions in the history of many societies. An first-class illustration is the gradual political and organisational alterations that have occurred in European history. During the rise and autumn of the Roman Empire, Europe went through major centralisation and decentalisation. Although the leaders of the Roman Empire created a European substructure, the autumn of the Empire left Europe without a strong political system or military protection. Viking and other barbaric onslaughts further led rich Romans to construct up their big estates, in a manner that would protect their households and make a self-sufficing life topographic point. This system was greatly â€Å" decentralized † , as the Godheads of the manor had power to support and command the little agricultural environment that was their manor.6. Formalization:â€Å" The grade to which occupations within the organisation are standardized † Standardization is the certainty of the occupation. If a occupation is standardized, the employees know what to make and there is no kind of confusion. If a occupation is extremely standardized, there is minimal sum of discretion over what is to be done, when it is to be done and how it is to be done. It consequences in consistent and improved public presentation. The grade of formalisation depends on the organisation, its policies and its construction. For case, there a few occupations that are non formalized i.e Departmental Stores Clerk, Gas Station workers etc. On the other manus, companies like P & A ; G and Unilever normally have a standardised manner of making occupation. It is easy for employees to settle in, as they are able to understand their occupation decently.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Analyse the causes of the 1848 revolution in France Essay

Analyse the causes of the 1848 revolution in France. With the ascension of Louis-Phillipe to the throne in July 1830, after the abdication of Charles X he appeared to have many factors in his favour that would seem to warrant a successful monarch and long standing regime. However, after 14 years the monarch, Louis-Phillipe, felt forced into a position where he had to abdicate, why then did the regime collapse so suddenly and unexpectedly? Especially after it had overcome so many early difficulties to establish itself in the minds of the French as an acceptable form of government. I believe the answer lies in a number of factor/causes. Long Term Causes Notably, one of the greatest weaknesses of the monarchy was the fact that Louis-Phillipe could claim no right to the throne of France. The French Tradition concerning the crown was that of heredity right, and had occurred so for centuries, being based, it was claimed, on the will of God. Therefore, although disliked no one could dispute the right of the Bourbons to occupy the throne of France. Louis-Phillipe had no such divine right as there was no belief that the legitimate monarch should be replaced by one of his relatives if he became unpopular. On what basis, then, was he king? There only appear to be three basis’s for a regime; hereditary right, the will of the people or the force of arms. Louis-Phillipe fulfilled none of these criteria. Indeed, the Orleaninst Monarchy was merely a useful compromise clutched at by desperate land owners who feared for their welfare in context of the future. The only way such forms of government can survive is if they manage to continue con vincing their nation that they have the moral right to be in power and in so doing inspire confidence in their supporters. Other long-term causes of Louis-Phillipe eventual downfall can be traced to his policies, both foreign and domestic. What must be remembered is that for the previous five hundred years France had been the most powerful nation in Europe, a heroic and glorious past in which the French placed great importance in. This had ended with napoleons defeat at the hands of the fourth coalition of European powers who had felt that their safety had been placed in question. This, napoleons final defeat, had occurred fifteen years previous and sufficient time had lapsed for the French people to yearn a return to their glorious past and a reinstatement of their empire. However, Louis-Phillipe thought differently, ignoring his past (as a young man he was a refugee abroad which led him to view active/aggressive foreign policy with suspicion) and his natural caution and desire for peace, one has to take into account the fact that the other major European Powers were determined not to let France endanger the security of the other European states again. The king realized that it was likely that any provocation the Powers would attempt to impose their will upon France as they had done in 1815. He recognised the precarious position he was in therefore his highest priority was to avoid a general European war where he was sure to be opposed by Austria, Russia, Prussia and Britain. Evidence of this opinion came in the form of the Belgium question. Belgium previously of the French empire had been annexed to the Netherlands in an attempt to create a buffer to future French expansion. The Belgium’s were not happy with this situation and so rebelled. They were successful. There was general fear throughout Europe that France would then again annex Belgium, but this did not happen. France did not intervene even though Louis-Phillipe’s son was offered the crown. Instead, France worked closely with Britain to ensure the independence of Belgium. Later in Spain there was a power struggle, an area considered to be Frances sphere of influence, but again Louis-Phillipe tried to gain no unfair advantage in the area. This behaviour of the French king was abnormal in the eyes of the French and wholly disappointing as again and again he refused to gain international advantage. In the late 1830’s a foreign crisis emerged that would make the French people feel more than disappointment. The Ottoman Empire was an empire that was struggling. The only way it managed to maintain its control was by establishing local rulers who had relative freedom as long as they respected the suzerainty of the Sultan in Constantinople. However, one leader emerged, Mehemet Ali of Egypt that had almost as much power as the Sultan himself. This pleased the French as Ali was a client of theirs using a lot of their technology and intelligence. The European powers were displease with this and wanted to limit Ali’s powers. Thiers, the leading minister, began an obstructionist policy hoping that Ali would resolve matters in his own way, Thiers even implied it would be an issue that France would go to was over. Unfortunately Britain called Frances bluff as Britain and Russia forced Ali to accept their terms. Louis-Phillipe was humiliated as he wasn’t prepared to risk a war with Britain and Russia; he dismissed Thiers and had to accept national humiliation. This specific incident led to enormous displeasure and discontent among the French people. They felt that in backing down Louis-Phillipe had acted dishonourably and had humiliated the country. Furthermore, the subsequent friendship that evolved with Britain (a situation which Louis-Phillipe felt would be favourable to his position in Europe) added more salt to the wounds. France was playing a junior partner to Britain, the traditional enemy. Louis-Phillipe was in a position where he could do no right. He wasn’t in the position to adopt an aggressive foreign policy (that is aside from the fact that he didn’t want to) which disappointed his subjects and in the scenario where he did become active he adopted positions tha t led to even more humiliation than inactivity would have bestowed. Another aspect of Louis-Phillipe’s reign that could of led to his downfall can be rooted in his domestic policy. Again here inactivity was favoured by the king. Once the regime was established and certain basic rules changed to the kings liking the king’s view was that everything was working well so there was no use in tampering with it. Almost, that the system was beyond improvement. Unfortunately for the king, this was not a widely shared view. The main bone of discontent was concerning the current voting system. Many hankered for a reform especially as there was emerging a new class, a group of men who considered themselves to be part of the social elite and yet who didn’t have the right to vote. Their cause was championed by the Legislative assembly (with Thiers an ardent supporter) a situation which made life more difficult for the king and his government. Another reason for the eventual collapse of the July monarchy can be traced back to the actual person of the king. By 1843 the king had reached his 70th birthday and although fit and alert he was, decidedly old and traits that he had exhibited earlier on in life became more pronounced. His talkativeness became something to be endured, he avoided making decisions altogether being satisfied with the current situation, His public appearances became less which meant he couldn’t create and maintain personal loyalties, significantly he stopped reviewing the National Guard in 1840, what Louis-Phillipe couldn’t see was that he was leaving a vacuum that could easily be filled be someone else on the occasion of a crisis. However these weren’t his only problems for the king one of his other problems was that he failed to play the part of the grand and great king that was traditional in France. He dull and boring, to be honest, he lived like a bourgeoisie merchant doing much for himself, wandering through Paris unattended; he was not the inaccessible monarch of previously. He looked and dressed in an undistinguished manner. This led to the claim that the king was insufficiently different from the ordinary man to be worth having as king. Short Term Causes One of the major problems that surrounded the Revolution of 1848 was the current economic depression. Due to Industrial Revolution Paris had grown considerably which, even when the economy was healthy, created problems of poverty and poor living conditions. By 1846 there was widespread unemployment; tens of thousands of people were living in poverty or near starving. Also, around the same time a social conscience had begun to develop among the upper classes and the opinion was that something must be done. The king responded with his usual stoicism and stubbornness in that he felt that nothing could be done. This isolated some of his natural supporters and disillusioned those who thought that the July monarchy would be a flexible and responsive regime. There were many opponents of Guizot in Parliament, many of whom wanted to see him ousted form power. (NB. They wanted to achieve power for themselves not overthrow the king) One way which the felt effective was the organization of banquets to champion the cause of electoral reform. They arranged a series of local meeting to whip up popular support. Instead the reformers lost control as they were taken over by extreme republicans who desired the overthrowing of the regime. Consequently the meeting were banned and made illegal. There was one due to take place in Paris on 22 February 1848 but subsequently it was illegal. A march took its place. When Louis-Phillipe then called on the National Guard he recognized their reluctance and realized he judged the general mood wrongly. He lost his nerve. He dismissed Guizot in order to mollify the opposition but this instead gave hope to the agitators. The next day troops then fired on a good natured crowd killing 80. The Republicans used this to whip up anger and mobilize a mob in Paris. On 24 February 1848 Louis-Phillipe abdicated. In a situation as complex as that of the Revolution of 1848 with so many interdependent causes it is foolish to attempt to satisfy such a wide ranging issue with one simple answer. There was a fundamental weakness in the July Monarchy in that it seemed to have no right to the throne what was unfortunate for Louis-Phillipe was that there were already alternative forms of government available if the current one became unpopular. Furthermore, his changing personality was leaving a vacuum that could easily be filled be someone else on the occasion of a crisis. These both led to the king’s support being considerable diminished at a time when it was most need. Moreover The king’s lifestyle contributed to the widespread feeling that the July monarchy had outlived its usefulness: it was not that Louis-Phillipe’s lifestyle and personality turned friends into enemies; rather, they contributed to the slump n moral which left the way open to those who passionately wanted change. As well as this his both unsuccessful domestic and foreign led to a more hostile general feeling towards the king as well as contributing to the internal upheaval that eventually led to the kings unseating. In the immediate events leading to the king’s abdication Louis-Phillipe’s â€Å"senile imbecility† (A. de Tocqueville) had a large part to play. His loss of nerve lost many of his last supporters, he failed to stand firm and weather a modest storm. His handling of the situation and especially his failure to call the army which might well have saved him eventually led to his downfall. He allowed a small molehill to become a mountain for no strong reason. It is difficult to assess which of these factors played the greatest role, for, all of the long term factors appear of equal importance, on a par also with the backdrop of economic depression and social consciousness that was concurrent at the time however the questions still remains whether these on their own would have been enough to make a successful revolution and if whether the king had acted correctly and strongly, he would not have fallen It seems it was the kings inactivity that pervaded every part of his professional and personal life (foreign and domestic policy, personality and lifestyle and ultimately in the last days leading up to his abdication) that eventually l ed to his downfall. (Felt that this wasn’t a satisfactory conclusion, found it hard to articulate here, how could I improve it, there seemed to be so many possibilities) Use ready made alternative forms of govment in conclusion to show why fist point was important. Domestic policy – if their had been an electorate reform the regime would have won the cative support of the ‘new group’ Personality- he was lifestyle- they Hort term- Louis-Phillipes lack of stubbornessdismayed his supporters who say this as an indication that the end was near and nobody wants to support a lost acuse . Louis-Phillipe was still in the position to use the army and stand strong but the lack of support shown by the National Guard seemed to have b