TapNet Business Plan Essay - 7528 Words

TapNet Business Plan TapNet Executive Summary TapNet.com (Trade Association Portal) represents a tremendous opportunity for its directors, partners and potential stockholders. 1.1 The Opportunity The Internet and specifically business-to business applications are expanding at a tremendous rate. Many companies and associations are entering this portal area to provide valuable products services to the industry and generate economic profit at the same time. TapNets Board of Directors saw this opportunity about year ago and has been fine tuning their concept and approach. Since this time, TapNet has moved forward and further developed the concept, gathered content and interacted with hundreds of potential customers around the†¦show more content†¦1.3 The Need for Additional Capital Currently TapNet has been funded by the resources from it Board of Directors. In order to truly develop a leading application site for the trade association, TapNet will require a tremendous infusion of additional operating capital. This capital will allow the development of new software technology, and provide the extensive promotional campaign that will be needed to accompany the site. Although the site could continue to be funded by the directors, there is tremendous opportunity for risk and profit sharing. Both the financial markets, as well as the American economy recognize the value of being able to build and service an â€Å"eCommunity† based on industry focus. Therefore, TapNet proposes to reform itself into a publicly held corporation, and reach out to these financial markets for capital required to become the leading online Resource for the Trade Association. 2. The Industry and TapNet’s Product(s) and Service(s) 2.1 The Trade Association Industry Trade associations are organizations of businesspeople engaged in furthering or protecting their mutual interests. Associations include professional, business, technical, and civic societies. Trade associations are believed to have existed in ancient Egypt and China. In Europe they came to prominence during the Renaissance when Venetian and other traders formed organizations for solving mutual political and financial problems. Present-day associations are derived

Techniques, methods and tools used in the project life cycle Free Essays

Introduction A Project is the combination of organizational resources pulled together to create something that did not previously exist and that will provide a performance capability in the design and execution of organizational strategies (Cleland and Ireland, 2006). Projects have a distinct life cycle, starting with an idea and progressing through design, engineering and manufacturing or construction through use by a project owner. For a project to be successful there are main things which are to be considered always, like the cost of the whole project, time that it’s going to take for it to be complete, the technical performance capability that it’s going to provide and be able to match the results with the design and execution of organizational strategies. We will write a custom essay sample on Techniques, methods and tools used in the project life cycle or any similar topic only for you Order Now This whole process in the other name it’s called Project Management. Project management is an important management tool to implement strategy and achieve an organization’s strategic goals. Organizations are using projects to adapt to changes in the competitive environment including increasing cost pressures, scarce available resources, global competition, new technologies and a race to get products to customers first (Hyvari, 2006). Projects deliver the most benefit when they are directly linked to corporate strategy (Crawford, 2006, Srivannaboon, 2006). Also, Project Management is a continuing process of controlling the development of a project from initial planning, to monitoring progress and finally to seeing the successful completion of the project. Every program, project, or product has certain phases of development known as life cycle phases. A clear understanding of these phases permits managers and executives to better control resources to achieve organizational goals (Kerzner, 2003). As a result, the project manager must learn to deal with a wide range of problems and opportunities, each in a different stage of evolution and each having different relationships with the evolving project (Cleland and Ireland, 2002). In this assignment, I’m going to discuss all the activities that are required and analyse some of the techniques, methods and tools used on the project life cycle. Also, I will discuss the skills and competences that project managers’ needs to possess. At the end, I will talk about the roles played by the stakeholders and the contribution of the computer packages towards the successful running of a major project. a) The Project Life Cycle refers to a logical sequence of activities to accomplish the project’s goals or objectives. Regardless of scope or complexity, any project goes through a series of stages during its life. There is first an Initiation or Birth phase, in which the outputs and critical success factors are defined, followed by a Planning phase, characterized by breaking down the project into smaller parts/tasks, an Execution phase, in which the project plan is executed, and lastly a Closure or Exit phase, that marks the completion of the project. Project activities must be grouped into phases because by doing so, the project manager and the core team can efficiently plan and organize resources for each activity, and also objectively measure achievement of goals and justify their decisions to move ahead, correct, or terminate. It is of great importance to organize project phases into industry-specific project cycles. WhyNot only because each industry sector involves specific requirements, tasks, and procedures when it comes to projects, but also because different industry sectors have different needs for life cycle management methodology. And paying close attention to such details is the difference between doing things well and excelling as project managers. Diverse project management tools and methodologies prevail in the different project cycle phases. Let’s take a closer look at what’s important in each one of these stages: 1) Initiation In this first stage, the scope of the project is defined along with the approach to be taken to deliver the desired outputs. The project manager is appointed and in turn, he selects the team members based on their skills and experience. The most common tools or methodologies used in the initiation stage are Project Charter, Business Plan, Project Framework (or Overview), Business Case Justification, and Milestones Reviews. 2) Planning The second phase should include a detailed identification and assignment of each task until the end of the project. It should also include a risk analysis and a definition of a criteria for the successful completion of each deliverable. The governance process is defined, stake holders identified and reporting frequency and channels agreed. The most common tools or methodologies used in the planning stage are Business Plan and Milestones Reviews. 3) Execution and controlling The most important issue in this phase is to ensure project activities are properly executed and controlled. During the execution phase, the planned solution is implemented to solve the problem specified in the project’s requirements. In product and system development, a design resulting in a specific set of product requirements is created. This convergence is measured by prototypes, testing, and reviews. As the execution phase progresses, groups across the organization become more deeply involved in planning for the final testing, production, and support. The most common tools or methodologies used in the execution phase are an update of Risk Analysis and Score Cards, in addition to Business Plan and Milestones Reviews. 4) Closure In this last stage, the project manager must ensure that the project is brought to its proper completion. The closure phase is characterized by a written formal project review report containing the following components: a formal acceptance of the final product by the client, Weighted Critical Measurements (matching the initial requirements specified by the client with the final delivered product), rewarding the team, a list of lessons learned, releasing project resources, and a formal project closure notification to higher management. No special tool or methodology is needed during the closure phase. Reference List Kerzner, H. (2003). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling (8th ed.). New Jersey: John wiley Sons Inc. Cleland, D.I, Ireland, L.R. (2006). Project Management: Strategic Design and Implementation (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, pp. 26 Cleland, D.I, Ireland, L.R. (2002). Project Management: Strategic Design and Implementation (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, pp. 32 Crawford, L., Hobbs, B. Turner, J.R. (2006), Aligning capability with strategy: Categorizing projects to do the right projects and to do them right, Project Management Journal; Jun. 37, 2; ABI/INFORM Global, pp.38-50 Hyvari, I. (2006), Project management effectiveness in project oriented business organisations, International Journal of Project Management, 24 pp. 216-225 Srivannaboon, S. (2006), Linking project management with business strategy, Project Management Journal, Dec; 37, 5; ABI/Inform Global, pp.88-96 How to cite Techniques, methods and tools used in the project life cycle, Essay examples

Telework An Analysis of the Benefits and Implications free essay sample

A detailed look at the advantages and disadvantages of telework. This paper depicts the notion of telework and its various aspects. It details why the world has turned to telework and what the advantages and disadvantages are in such a change. The author feels that in order to to shape these changes rather than just react to them, it is necessary to understand what telework offers to workers, employers and society. Technological advances have made telecommuting an attractive choice for employees because it gives them the flexibility to work almost at anytime anywhere. It could promote diversity and increase worker productivity, which also may mean an increased net income. In addition, telecommuting provides greater job opportunities for disabled members of the work force. This option allows employees the flexibility to manage family responsibilities or health problems without giving up their careers. Telework can bring equality and satisfaction to workers, as they may find their talents and realize their dreams with better time management and independence. We will write a custom essay sample on Telework: An Analysis of the Benefits and Implications or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Also the prestige of some occupations will not play that significant role any more with status becoming less visible due to infrequency of actual face-to-face communication. Getting accustomed with new technologies means adding value to one marketability in the future. Some teleworkers may eagerly trade off all possible drawbacks against an opportunity to learn more skills in terms of dealing with technologies and ability to be flexible and competent, as these former bottom-line workers will have to perform functions (and therefore possess expertise) of middle-line employees.

Inequality Causes and Consequences

Introduction The 21st century has been characterized by an emphasis on democracy and an upholding of the principle of equality which holds that selection is on a basis of merit.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Inequality: Causes and Consequences specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Equality of opportunity has been pursued with the view of ensuring equal opportunity to all the members of the society. Despite this emphasis on equality, today’s world continues to be plagued by many social inequalities among people. Wilkinson (2005, p.51) suggests that social inequality is positively related to social vices such as homicide and racism and inevitably fosters social instability. With this recognition, many governments have sought ways to reduce social inequality in their respective countries. Many political systems have been formulated in a bid to overcome social inequalities with the aim being to eliminate social inequalities by distributing resources in an equitable manner among the members of the society. Considering the significance that the issue of social inequality holds for the well being of the society, it makes sense to explore the subject of social inequality and highlight its causes. This paper shall set out to report on Social Inequality: causes and consequences. This shall be in a bid to provide a better appreciation of the issue thereby leading to an enhanced understanding of social inequality and how it affects the society. Causes of Social Inequality While the 21st century has witnessed an increase in the access to education for most people, education still remains to be a cause for inequality. This is because the quality of the education offered depends on the context of the school or class. The reason for this is that different schools will therefore offer different qualities of education for varied reasons. Duru-Bellat (2004, p.47) reveals that school have unequal effectiv eness especially in countries where there is no minimum level of quality guaranteed. Another effect of education is that it influences a person’s social capital. Social capital is defined as â€Å"a person’s potential to activate and effectively mobilize a network of social connection on mutual recognition of proximity† (OECD, 2001, p.2). Social capital can be uses as private goods by an individual to achieve certain goals. An individual can use his/her accumulated social capital to from this social capital. This inequality is linked by social proximities where people cluster themselves into groups based on some common property.Advertising Looking for report on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Careers and jobs have also become a source of status distinction among people. Studies also indicate that the returns to skill (measure of the difference in earnings between more-skilled and less-skil led workers) have changed radically over the past 3 decades. From the 1980s, there was a heightened increase in the wage differential in the labor market (Ryscavage 1999, p.115). The main differentiating factors were by education or experience. Emphasis on education resulted in higher institutes of learning graduates earning more than similar workers who had only high school diplomas. Due to this shift, higher wages are paid to workers who are more skilled or occupy management and administrative positions than to workers involved in the manual section of the organization. It follows logically that income gaps attributed to education levels are significant since only a small proportion of the population get to pursue the highest levels of education. This observation implies that children of poorer parents are less likely to become rich in future than children of richer parents. Globalization has resulted in increased social inequality in developed nations. Globalization is a process characterized by major integration of economies and cultures. This trend is becoming rife and with it a shift in the way business and societies operate. Fligstein (2002, p.206) suggests that globalization is more of a gradual process whose impacts on economies are less revolutionary in nature. One of the outcomes of globalization is mass immigration as people move in search of job opportunities and better income. The immigrants and their children are disadvantaged as a result of â€Å"unequal distance† which exists between their native language and the language of their host country. Duru-Bellat (2004, p.33) asserts that the institutes in the home country are permeated by the culture of dominant groups and therefore, only those who inherit this culture can perform well. Another cause of social inequality is social stratification which is characterized by grouping people into different social classes. Some people in society are given more power and freedom as a result of their social class. Class stratification results in the society dividing itself into different classes of people mostly on the basis of economic wellbeing. The members of different classes have varying access to resources and power therefore creating a rift between the various classes. Dragos and Leskosek (2003) rightfully state that individuals with various characteristics do not start their lives in neutral or unstructured environments but rather, they are flung by education or even birth into various social spaces. These social spaces in some instances determine the opportunities that are available to them and therefore their achievements later in life.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Inequality: Causes and Consequences specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Social inequality also occurs as a result of the gender of a person. The cause of this kind of inequality is mostly as a result of the dual roles of paid and unpai d workers that most women play in a capitalistic world. Male dominance results in women playing second roles since gendered job segregation results in males maintaining superiority over the women (Goldthorpe, 2009). In some countries, women are considered second class citizens and their economic options are significantly decreased therefore making them dependent on the men. Consequences Research suggests that social inequality may be a significant determinant of health. This is mainly because inequality results to a great difference in access to resources across the community which results in greater differences in health across communities. Health care acquisition thereby becomes almost an unattainable affair for the low earners since the cost of health care and a healthy lifestyle becomes more expensive in the community. Berkman and Kawachi (2000) articulate that social inequality leads to lack of solidarity and social cohesion thereby dramatically decreasing life expectancy also, the socioeconomic position of an individual has a direct relationship to their risk of heart disease and other lifestyle related illnesses. These assertions borrow from the psychosocial environment interpretations which theorize that inequality produces a social environment that ultimately affects the individual’s health. The linkage between inequality and crime is especially troubling. Yoonseok and Donggyun (2008) hypothesized that, as the income distribution becomes more bipolarized, the interaction between the two groups from the different sides of the income divide is further minimized. This in turn lowers both the expected future income of the poorer and their incentive to supply labor in the legal labor market is thus weakened. Findings indicate that the crime incentive for the richer is far lower due to high income while it remains heightened for the poorer (Yoonseok and Donggyun 2008). This is because individuals feel more frustrated when they belong to the low incom e group than high income group. This leads to antagonism by the low earners to the high earners which lead to the propagation of crime. Wilkinson (2005) also asserts that the relationship between inequality and violence is a robust one and poverty is independently associated with higher levels of violence. In recent years, studies to indicate the effects of income inequality have been sanctioned. It contended that inequality may hinder the economic growth of a nation (Boix, 2009). In the earlier days, income inequality was indeed a sign of economic growth since it marked the population shift from rural to urban with the urban population earning higher. As such, it was seen as a necessary condition of economic takeoff.Advertising Looking for report on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, Boix (2009) proposes that inequality leads to redistributive demands in the form of heavier tax burdens and lack of incentives for investors which lead to the slowing down of growth. In addition to this, inequality leads to instability to the political system which becomes characterized by riots, assassinations and even outbreak of civil wars. This state discourages investments thereby further plunging a nation into reduced earning. However, not all the consequences of social inequality are negative in nature and this inequality may result in progress in the society. Bernasek, an economic reporter for the New York Times contends that the effects of income inequality are not inherently adverse (Bernasek, 2006). She asserts that without inequality, there would be no motivation for anyone to earn more than the rest of the people. However, given the many adverse effects that sprout from social inequality, the virtue of inequality as a motivating factor seems to pale in comparis on. Dragos and Leskosek (2003) go as far as to state that social inequality should not be tolerated by any society since they go against the notion of benefiting everyone and results in disharmony. There is therefore a pressing need to come up with means that alleviate the gap in income thereby leading to a more harmonic society. Conclusion Inequality has been universally acknowledged as a major roadblock in the way for economic and social prosperity. This paper set out to outline the causes of social inequality and the consequences that arise from it. To this end, the paper has articulated the issue of social inequality that faces both developing and developed nations alike. The evidence presented herein suggests that globalization, education and a social stratification are some of the major causes of social inequality. From this paper, it is clear that social inequality has many negative impacts on the society. With recognition that social inequality results in gross injustices, s olutions should be looked for to address the problem. Whereas social equality may never be completely attained, increasing equality is an achievable goal that can be attained should the governments and other relevant institutes diligently measures to deal with the causes of inequality that have been outlined in this paper. A more equitable community will not only be harmonious but will also lead to more industrial growth hence a higher standard of living for most members of the society. References Boix, C 2009, The Conditional Relationship Between Inequality and Development, PS, Political Science Politics: Research Library Core, ProQuest. Dragos, S Leskosek, V 2003, Social Inequality and social capital. Institute for contemporary Social and Political Studies. Duru-Bellat, M 2004, Social inequality at school and educational policies, UNESCO: International Institute for Educational Planning. Fligstein, N 2002, The Architecture of Markets: An Economic Sociology of Twenty-first-Centur y Capitalist Societies, Princeton University Press. Goldthorpe, J 2009, â€Å"Analysing Social Inequality: A Critique of Two Recent Contributions from Economics and Epidemiology†, European Sociological Review, DOI:10.1093/esr/jcp046 OECD, 2001, The Well-being of Nations: The Role of Human and Social Capital. OECD Publishing. Ryscavage, Paul. â€Å"Income inequality in America: an analysis of trends† USA: M.W. Sharpe, 1999. Print. Wilkinson, G 2005, The Impact of Inequality: How to Make Sick Societies Healthier, Routledge. Yoonseok, L, Donggyun S, What Aspect of the Income Distribution Matters in the Crime Model?. Web. This report on Inequality: Causes and Consequences was written and submitted by user Kelly E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

COLLEGE PAPER

COLLEGE PAPER Essay writing is a type of academic skill that is being acquired during your period of studies. The most important aspect of academic essay writing is college paper writing and trying to avoid underestimating of this particular skill. Why is that? While essay writing looks like a general capability, it makes your whole brain work. First of all, you are developing your left parencephalon, the left brain hemisphere that is responsible for building all types of logical chains. Second, you will develop your knowledge of English orthography. Third, you will be able to express your imagination and thoughts into clear linguistic patterns and so on. As you see the meaning of college paper writing is definitely cannot be underestimated as you will for sure benefit from it. While some people may disagree, but right college paper writing skill will definitely help you to obtain the job you want. When you find yourself being in short deadline and additional academic essay writing assistance is required, you may use college paper writing service to help you to get through. Professional writers who have years of experience will write a paper for you and you will have good example of what college paper guidelines and rules are as well.

SAT 5-Minute Mess-Up, an Update

SAT 5-Minute Mess-Up, an Update SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips On June 6th, 2015, the College Board made a huge mistake. This mistake resulted in some sections of the test being canceled and forced the College Board to use an abnormal scoring method. To make amends for the mistake, the College Board offered a free retest for June 6th test-takers in October 2015. What’s the situation today? How did the retest go? What should you do if you took the June 6th test? I’ll address all of this and more in this news update. What Wasthe 5-Minute Mess Up? If you know the full story, feel free to skip this section and jump to the update.If you don’t know what happened on June 6th, I encourage you to read our full report on the situation, but here is a brief summary: On section 8 or 9 of the test (depending on your version), there was a typo in the test booklet which said you had 25 minutes to complete the section when in fact you were only allowed 20 minutes (which is what it says in the proctor instructions).As a result of this discrepancy, some proctors gave students 25 minutes for the section while other were given only 20 minutes. Due to the discrepancy, the College Board decided to cancel two sections of the test.They had to change their normal grading curve, which affected the reliability of the scoring.To pacify angry students (some of whom were threatening to sue), the College Board offered a free retest on October 3rd for all students who took the SAT June 6th. However, the College Board still released scores for all June 6th SAT test-takers, and the scores from that test date will still count as an official SAT score. Colleges should judgeSAT scores from June 6th the same as scores from other SAT test dates. In spite of the free re-test, many students and parents are still angry. Samuel Jester, who sat for the June 6th SAT, and his family are trying to file a class action lawsuit against the College Board for students who sat for the June 6th SAT and paid to have their scores verified. They're arguing that the test was not "scored in a consistent and reliable manner." The lawsuit is still pending. Update on the October Retest For those who took the retest on October 3rd, how did they feel? Here are some reactions from students on Twitter: The Good OMG YES IM HAPPY WITH MY SAT SCORE 💠¥Ã°Å¸â€™ ¥Ã°Å¸â€™ ¥Ã°Å¸â€™ ¥ - navigator (@shahrazadxx) November 12, 2015 Just saw my recent SAT score and i am very satisfied with it. 😊 - Cole Manfred (@Da_Man_Fred) October 30, 2015 Hard work pays off! Raised my SAT score 200pts. im not dumb. #ThankYouJesus - Greggy Wap (@lilsportster) November 2, 2015 The Bad SO GLAD I GOT A LOWER SCORE ON THE SAT YASSS - Gus (@augustagloverr) October 29, 2015 Crying because my SAT score is horrible. - Nina (@nphomphakdy) October 25, 2015 The In-Between LOL WHEN U GET THE SAME SAT SCORE THAT U GOT IN JUNE UGHHHHHH - Clark (@thisisclark) October 29, 2015 my SAT score went up a lot but it still isn't good enough - ï ¸  (@pescadomalo) November 25, 2015 Some Hadn’t Received Their Scores My SAT score reports are still "pending" ok ok - Harry (@harryhudome) November 1, 2015 When will I find out my SAT score The world may never know - Jesse Tompkins (@jessetompkins97) November 1, 2015 This delay was due to an issue with the College Board’s new electronic system.The issue has since been resolved, and all October 3rd scores were received by test-takers.However, the delay worried many students who’d applied Early Decision or Early action since many colleges require scores to arrive before November 1st. The College Board worked with college admissions offices on the issue, and many colleges still allowed students to be considered for Early Action or Early Decision in spite of the slightly delayed scores. SAT scores lead to a lot of emotions. What To Do If you took the June 6th SAT, what should you do? Whether you were happy, sad or ambivalent towards your score, I have advice for you! Option #1: Happy with Score from June If you’re happy with your score for the June 6th test, send that score!Colleges should view it the same as any other SAT score.Even if you took the free re-test in October, you could still opt to send the June 6th score.Your June 6th score still counts as an official score. Option #2: Very Unhappy with June Score If you were very unhappy with your June 6th score, you were not alone.I personally sat for that test date and received 760 in Math for one incorrect answer without skipping any questions (which would normally be a 780-800 on another test date). The grading curve was brutal, so many students were unhappy. If you fell into that unhappy group, hopefully, you did the free retest October 3rd, but if not, you should pay for a retest. I highly recommend doing SAT prep to try to improve your score. You could try self-study,tutoring, a class, oronline program; whatever prep path you choose make sure it is personalized to your needs. You need todetermine your areas of weakness andtry to improve in those areas. If you retest and improve your score significantly, you might be accused of cheating. Even if you’re not accused of cheating, your drastic score increase may seem suspicious to colleges (for schools that require all scores sent). I recommend that you use the additional information section of your common appto explain that you were very thrown off on June 6th by the timing confusion and that caused an abnormally low score. Option #3: Okay with June Score If you don’t love or hate your score, if it’s close to your target scorebut not exactly what you wanted, I’d consider re-testing if you have the time. Hopefully, you took the free October retest and did better, but if not, I suggest you make an effort to prep for your next SAT test either through self-study, tutoring, a class, oronline program. Check out our awesome guides to SAT prep. If you decide for some reason to use your June score, that’s great!Colleges should view it the same as any other SAT score. What’s Next? Need help with your college application? Learn about how to write a personal statement, how to write about your extracurriculars, and how to get great letters of recommendation. Interested in attending a top college? Learn about how to get into Harvardand Stanford. Still prepping for the SAT? Here are some useful SAT strategy guides. If you’re taking the SAT soon, I’d recommend you check out our guide to cramming for the SAT. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Korean War (Truce Talks and POWs) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Korean War (Truce Talks and POWs) - Essay Example Both sides waged a protracted conflict for over 4 years during which the frontlines kept shifting to and fro. The advance of the US to the Chinese border alarmed the latter to such an extent that it forced Chinese forces to intervene directly into the conflict. Sensing an opportunity, the Soviet Union agreed to the request of Zhou Enlai and provided support in the form of military hardware and logistics. Despite numerous difficulties and overstretched supply lines, the Chinese fought a prolonged campaign. For its part, the US was successful in inflicting numerous casualties on the Chinese and North Korean side, but was unable to force them to the negotiating table. Both sides gradually realized that it was impossible to dislodge the other and began contemplating negotiations. Initial negotiations began in 1951 and continued up to the day of the armistice agreement in 1953. Both sides engaged in combat alongside as a way to force the other to agree to their terms or soften their stand . Despite being technologically advanced, the allied could not consolidate their initial gains and were pushed back time and again past the infamous 38th parallel line. There were also major issues with repatriation of PoWs (Prisoners of War). While the Communist North wanted total repatriation of their soldiers, the allies insisted on leaving the ultimate decision to the PoWs themselves. Forceful tactics including bombing of Pyongyang could not force the North Koreans to scale down on this issue. For its part, the North Koreans also engaged in frequent smear campaigns against the US and accused it of trespassing the De-militarized zone (DMZ) by complaining to the United Nations. North Korea held over 15,000 PoWs while the Allies held over 15,000 PoWs consisting of North Korean and Chinese soldiers. While there is clear evidence that the allies treated their PoWs in a fair manner, the North Koreans on the other hand perpetrated massive war crimes on their prisoners. Apart from confi ning them in overcrowded camps under inhospitable conditions, the Communists also tortured and executed many of their prisoners. Allied PoWs were also starved besides being brain washed with Communist ideologies. While almost all of North Korean PoWs were repatriated after the armistice agreement, less then 10,000 allied prisoners ever made out of North Korea. The agreement has only resulted in a ceasefire, which has remained in existence ever since. Both nations continue to exist in a state of war with the border (DMZ) evolving into one of the most heavily militarized zones in the world. While South Korea has developed rapidly into a capitalist economy, North Korea has relegated into a secluded nation that depends extensively on material aid from China to feed its population. Both continue to engage in smaller skirmishes with frequent exchange of fire on a daily basis, thus keeping the situation

Vampire Influences on Modern Popular Culture Research Paper

Vampire Influences on Modern Popular Culture - Research Paper Example â€Å"In essence, the domain of eroticism is the domain of violence, of violation,† Bataille wrote in the text ‘Death and Sensuality’ (1957). â€Å"The most violent thing of all for us is death which jerks us out of a tenacious obsession with the lastingness of our discontinuous being.† (Bataille, 1957) The area of experience which Bataille writes about is typically kept under the veils of secrecy and taboo, not to be spoken of publicly. Nevertheless, his theories open up an understanding of why the vampire mythologies have become so popular and prevalent in modern culture, because he shows how the sensuality of the experience is heightened when the religious, sexual, violent, and erotic images are mixed with narrative in a dramatic fashion. Bataille critically worshipped the orgasm as â€Å"la petite mort† or â€Å"the little death† in French, and through this association the power of the vampire stories can be seen in evoking a transcendence that takes the initiate from the realm of common life to the existence of immortals. (Fuchs, 2011, p.3) This theme is seen repeatedly whether it is in the â€Å"Interview with the Vampire,† Twilight,† â€Å"Lost Boys,† or â€Å"Dracula† imagery. The fusion of mystical, religious, and erotic imagery has the effect of taking the narrative beyond social taboos and therefore heightening excitement through the combined semantic value of the symbols in the minds of the audience. Death and Eroticism Bataille was an early member of the Surrealist movement in France, but focused primarily on literature and exploring the psychological relationship between death and eroticism in experience. His early work focuses on the violation of religious and social taboos, just as the vampire mythologies do in contemporary culture, albeit in a far more extreme manner than the television and films typically depict today. The reason for Bataille’s excesses can be seen in t he phenomenon of transgressive sexuality combining elements of religious mysticism, artistic creation, style, symbolic drama, and violence in the practice of eroticism. The vampire mythologies follow this same pattern, for example in the â€Å"Twilight† series, Bella wants to marry and experience eternal life with Edward Cullen as a type of higher love, while the settings of the vampire myth include religious elements fused with eroticism. As Bataille wrote, â€Å"The whole business of eroticism is to strike to the inmost core of the living being, so that the heart stands still. The transition from the normal state to that of erotic desire presupposes a partial dissolution of the person as he exists in the realm of discontinuity. Dissolution — this expression corresponds with dissolute life, the familiar phrase linked with erotic activity. In the process of dissolution, the male partner has generally an active role, while the female partner is passive. The passive, fe male side is essentially the one that is dissolved as a separate entity. But for the male partner the dissolution of the passive partner means one thing only: it is paving the way for a fusion where both are mingled, attaining at length the same degree of dissolution. The whole business

Operations management Essay Example for Free

Operations management Essay This assignment requires student complete an analysis of the LensCrafters case from Chapter 6 of the text. Write a six page paper in which you: 1. Evaluate LensCrafters’ operations strategy and explain how the organization seeks to gain a competitive advantage in terms of sustainability. 2. Analyze how operation management activities affect the customer experience. Select two (2) operation management challenges and provide the solutions for confronting them. 3. Examine LensCrafters’ value chain and evaluate its effectiveness to operations in terms of quality, value creation, and customer satisfaction. 4. Determine the different types of performance measurements that can be used to measure LensCrafters’ service-delivery system design. Select at least two (2) types that can be applied and provide justifications for the selection. 5. Examine the different types of technologies applied to LensCrafters’ service operations and evaluate how the technologies strengthen the value chain. 6. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: †¢ Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. †¢ Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: †¢ Apply the concept of operations management. †¢ Compare and contrast the difference between a supply chain and a value chain. †¢ Analyze the types of measures used for decision making. †¢ Analyze the five key competitive priorities and their relationship to operations strategy. †¢ Analyze different types of technology and their role in manufacturing and service operations. †¢ Use technology and information resources to research issues in operations management. †¢ Write clearly and concisely about operations management using proper writing mechanics. †¢ Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

Comparing the Character of Life in As You Like It and King Lear :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Character of Life in As You Like It and King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through comedy and tragedy Shakespeare reveals the vast expanses and profound depths of the character of life. For him they are not separate worlds of drama and romance, but poles of a continuum. The distinction between tragedy and comedy is called in question when we turn to Shakespeare. Though the characters differ in stature and power, and the events vary in weight and significance, the movements of life in all Shakespeare's plays are governed by the same universal principles which move events in our own lives. Through myriad images Shakespeare portrays not only the character of man and society but the character of life itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The difference between comedy and tragedy, success and failure, good fortune and catastrophe often seems to turn on a seemingly chance event. In All's Well that Ends Well, Helene's pilgrimage to win back Bertram succeeds on the basis of her chance meeting with the mother of a virgin whom Bertram is courting. Time is another crucial determinant. Often a split second or brief interval is the difference between life and death. In this small but all important gap of time, the character of life is revealed most clearly. In As You Like It, Orlando came in time to save Oliver from the serpent that was winding around his neck. Out of context, these events would appear as a very thin and frail fabric upon which to build great comedy and tragedy were it not for the fact that they are true to a deeper level of causality in life. Suzanne Langer has called comedy 'an image of life triumphing over chance.' It may be otherwise stated that in comedy the s eemingly chance events of life move in favor of a positive resolution, whereas in tragedy they seem to conspire toward disaster. Helene Gardner observes that 'comedy is full of purposes mistook, not "falling on the inventor's head" but luckily misfiring altogether. In comedy, as often happens in life, people are mercifully saved from being as wicked as they meant to be.' 5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Time as well as chance events are expressive of another set of determinants, another level of causality in the wider plane of life. The critical gap between human action and its results depends on the response of the environing life and expresses the character of life in the given circumstances.

Midsummer Night’s Dream Theme Essay

One of the play’s main themes is the difference between perception and reality. The idea that things are not necessarily what they seem to be is at the heart of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and in the very title itself. â€Å"Reality is merely an illusion, although a very persistent one.† These words were spoken by Albert Einstein who, among the many other things he thought about, considered the very thin line between what we see and feel and what is real. Many great thinkers have pondered the relationship between the senses and reality. How much of the world truly exists and how much of it is only what is in one’s mind? Among these thinkers was one particular writer named William Shakespeare. A man who enjoyed pointing out the gullibility of mankind, sometimes tragically and sometimes playfully, wrote a masterpiece of theater exploring that very concept. A Midsummer Night’s Dream directly confronts the separation between reality and what one perceive s to be real. This is examined in Titania’s interactions with Nick Bottom, in the adventures of the Athenian lovers, and, most famously, in Puck’s closing monologue. It is in this way that Shakespeare forces us to think: â€Å"What is reality?† If anything shows how perception and reality can sometimes fail to coincide it is the situation between Titania and Nick Bottom. The reality of the situation is that Nick wasn’t a highly attractive man to begin with, and has now been given an ass’ head. Titania has been drugged to believe that she is madly in love with this man, under Oberon’s orders. Here is the tricky question hidden in this situation: â€Å"What is love?† Love is a feeling. Feelings are another type of perception, a type that are impossible to ground in physical reality. One cannot say that Titania’s love is fake, though it may be. The very flower used to fill the fairy queen with this love was supposed to have been hit with one of Cupid’s arrow, the arrows which cause true love. It cannot be argued that the love is not true, but it is not of her free will. Does this make the love unreal? Surely Titania perceives it to be real but what makes love or any emotion truly real? This situation also does a good deal to show how one’s perception of reality can be altered by a powerful feeling like love. Titania is suddenly completely in love with him, with his  body, his voice, and everything. Surely she would not normally be attracted to these features but it can be almost universally agreed upon that love can alter one’s perception of things. Nick Bottom himself said that†reason and love keep little company.† Given the knowledge that something like emotion can alter one’s perception, who can say that reality is truly real? The Athenian’s love situations show that they had little grasp of reality to begin with, making them all the more susceptible toward the meddling of the fairies, which is a true test of reality versus per ception. They claim to be each equal to each other in looks, personality and strength. Even their names, Helena and Hermia are quite similar. They are nearly indistinguishable in character and mannerisms and for good reason. It is to show how powerfully love can alter the perception of a person. For Hermia, there can be no comparison between Lysander and Demetrius. This is all mixed up when the fairies become involved. Hermia, previously loved by both men, suddenly finds herself scorned and ignored. Likewise, Helena, previously ignored by both men suddenly becomes the supreme object of their desire. What is worse is that she perceives this to be nothing but a cruel joke. All of this is caused by the same flower-struck by cupid’s arrow-that had equally altered Titania’s thoughts on Nick Bottom. This begs to question, are feelings caused by substances real? There are feelings of happiness, euphoria, relaxation, and any number of things that can be caused by mind altering drugs but can these feelings be described as being real? Some would argue not, but is the argument truly that simple? What are feelings when boiled down to a science? They are no more than chemical reactions in the mind. Also, what about mood stabilizing drugs given to those depressed or suffering from bipolar disorder? Are the new feelings of well being and peace also not real? The effect of the flower is similar. Who can say how much of what is felt and what is real and how much is brought out by the flower? What of the sentiments that were brought to light by the fairy’s influence? The feelings of jealousy and distrust that were brought up in Helena were quite obviously always somewhat present so are these feelings unreal or merely highlighted by the actions of the fairies? These are all a matter of perception versus reality-something that Shakespeare clearly wanted us to think about. The final and most blunt question on reality is of course, the ending speech by Puck. â€Å"If we shadows  have offended, think but this, and all is mended, that you have but slumbered here while these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding than a dream.† To start there is calling the actors all shadows, something that questions how real they truly are. Not only are they playing roles and pretending to be other people, but on top of that, how real are they or anyone really? â€Å"Think but this and all is mended† simply brings to light how easy it is to alter one’s perception of things. It’s as simple as changing how you want to see things. Then there is the big question, what is the difference between reality and a dream? If one’s perceptions are so easily changed, what is the difference between dreaming and reality? Shakespeare was a master of writing. It is the goal of any artist to change how a person feels and views things. Shakespeare takes his readers and watchers a step further by questioning feelings and perception altogether. In showing how love can so powerfully alter perceptions in Titania and Nick’s events, by showing how frequently changing the sentiments of the Athenians were, and by openly questioning how real reality is in Puck’s speech, Shakespeare challenges us to question how much of what people see and feel is real. How much of what people see and feel can simply be written off as a â€Å"Midsummer Night’s Dream.†

Triangular Slave Trade

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade began around the mid-fifteenth century when Portuguese interests in Africa moved away from the fabled deposits of gold to a much more readily available commodity — slaves. By the seventeenth century the trade was in full swing, reaching a peak towards the end of the eighteenth century. It was a trade which was especially fruitful, since every stage of the journey could be profitable for merchants — the infamous triangular trade. Why did the Trade Begin?Expanding European empires in the New World lacked one major resource — a work force. In most cases the indigenous peoples had proved unreliable (most of them were dying from diseases brought over from Europe), and Europeans were unsuited to the climate and suffered under tropical diseases. Africans, on the other hand, were excellent workers: they often had experience of agriculture and keeping cattle, they were used to a tropical climate, resistant to tropical diseases, and they coul d be â€Å"worked very hard† on plantations or in mines. Was Slavery New to Africa?Africans had been traded as slaves for centuries — reaching Europe via the Islamic-run, trans-Saharan, trade routes. Slaves obtained from the Muslim dominated North African coast however proved to be too well educated to be trusted and had a tendency to rebellion. See The Role of Islam in African Slavery for more about Slavery in Africa before the Trans-Atlantic Trade began. Slavery was also a traditional part of African society — various states and kingdoms in Africa operated one or more of the following: chattel slavery, debt bondage, forced labor, and serfdom.See Types of Slavery in Africa for more on this topic. What was the Triangular Trade? [pic]Image:  © Alistair Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About. com, Inc. All three stages of the Triangular Trade (named for the rough shape it makes on a map) proved lucrative for merchants. The first stage of the Triangular Trade involved ta king manufactured goods from Europe to Africa: cloth, spirit, tobacco, beads, cowrie shells, metal goods, and guns. The guns were used to help expand empires and obtain more slaves (until they were finally used against European colonizers).These goods were exchanged for African slaves. The second stage of the Triangular Trade (the middle passage) involved shipping the slaves to the Americas. The third, and final, stage of the Triangular Trade involved the return to Europe with the produce from the slave-labor plantations: cotton, sugar, tobacco, molasses and rum. Origin of African Slaves Sold in the Triangular Trade [pic]Image:  © Alistair Boddy-Evans. Licensed to About. com, Inc. Slaves for the Trans-Atlantic slave trade were initially sourced in Senegambia and the Windward Coast.Around 1650 the trade moved to west-central Africa (the Kingdom of the Kongo and neighboring Angola). The transport of slaves from Africa to the Americas forms the middle passage of the triangular trade. Several distinct regions can be identified along the west African coast, these are distinguished by the particular European countries who visited the slave ports, the peoples who were enslaved, and the dominant African society(s) who provided the slaves. For more on the regions where slaves were sourced see this map.Who Started the Triangular Trade? For two hundred years, 1440-1640, Portugal had a monopoly on the export of slaves from Africa. It is notable that they were also the last European country to abolish the institution – although, like France, it still continued to work former slaves as contract laborers, which they called libertos or engages a temps. It is estimated that during the 4 1/2 centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Portugal was responsible for transporting ver 4. 5 million Africans (roughly 40% of the total). How Did the Europeans Obtain the Slaves? Between 1450 and the end of the nineteenth century, slaves were obtained from along the west coast o f Africa with the full and active co-operation of African kings and merchants. (There were occasional military campaigns organized by Europeans to capture slaves, especially by the Portuguese in what is now Angola, but this accounts for only a small percentage of the total. )

Comparing Hemingways War Poems

Comparing Hemingways War Poems Free Online Research Papers In Ernest Hemingway’s, â€Å"A Soldier’s Home†, it tells the story of a soldier that comes home from war and finds that no one believes true war stories that the only ones that people would believe were the ones that you lied about, the ones that have yet to be told. In Tim O’Brien’s, â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story,† it tells of a man who loses his best friend in a war and pours out his heart and soul in a letter to his friends sister and she doesn’t even have the decency to write back. The point that I am trying to get across is that in both of these gentleman’s stories they are to trying to get across the point of how it is to go to war and to come back with these actual events that happened. The events that are so spectacular that the almost seem surreal. Hemingway tells of a man that is lost. War was all that he knew, he did not have a trade all that he had was the art of war. He goes to bars to try and tell of his stories because that is all that is on his mind. The only problem with him doing this is that either the guys that are actually listening do not want to listen because they know he is lying or the guys that have come back home have already told the stories that were worth telling. Towards the end he starts to try and gain a cheap audience by lying just so he has someone to talk to. The problem with this is that he has a conscience, so the lying only makes him feel bad about himself. The man finds a solution to this, in order for him to keep his audiences and still be able to talk about his one true love, he just starts telling his stories with a complete different tactic. He will just tell the true stories and just throw some spice into it and no one will no the difference and he will feel better about himself. The second story, â€Å"How to tell a True War Story, has a complete different setting from, â€Å"A Soldier’s Home,’ Instead of it being found back at the home front, the soldiers are still on base trying to fit in amongst his comrades. They are all swapping stories and telling jokes and mostly everyone had an understanding. The understanding was the fishier the story probably meant the truer it was, but the dumber more believable stories were the lies that were told preceding the far fetched and only true story there was. This was the way it was there were the true stories and the lies, The only thing was that you had to decide which ones to believe or not. The both of these stories are quite similar but at the same time have a very large difference. The differences are very easy to point out. The main one is the setting of the story, they may be the difference of having to live with not knowing whether you are going to die tomorrow or not. The similarities are a very interesting likeness, Hemingway tells of a war veteran that to lie is the only way to get the attention of a bunch of drunks, but at the same time O’Brien is saying that you have to lie to get the attention of you’re fellow soldiers who are facing the same difficulties that you have to each and every day. O’Brien goes into detail how the protagonists thinks of all woman as an animate object, that they are as he would put it a â€Å"Cooze†. He feels that they are simple minded all because of one woman not returning his letter that he sent to her. Hemingway’s protagonist seems to have the same mindset. The only thing he sees woman as is something to look at, and that you can go anytime you feel like and pick one up. If you take the analysis from these stories alone you could come to the conclusion that all soldiers minds are exactly a like, at home and overseas. Research Papers on Comparing Hemingway's War PoemsMind TravelHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsHip-Hop is ArtThe Hockey GameThe Fifth HorsemanThree Concepts of PsychodynamicHonest Iagos Truth through Deception19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraWhere Wild and West Meet

Spanish Nouns of Ambiguous Gender

Spanish Nouns of Ambiguous Gender Nearly all nouns in Spanish can be placed in one of two categories - masculine and feminine. However, there are some words of ambiguous gender that dont fit quite so neatly. Of course, some words, such as names of many occupations, are masculine when they refer to men and feminine when they refer to women, as in el dentista for the male dentist and la dentista for the female dentist. And there are some nouns whose meanings vary with gender., such as el cometa (comet) and la cometa (kite). However, there are also words that, for whatever reason, havent been firmly established as being of one gender or the other. List of Common Gender-Ambiguous Nouns Following are the most common of these words. Where just el or la appears before the word, it is the gender that is viewed most widely as correct, and the gender that should be learned by foreigners. Where both appear, either gender is widely accepted, although the most commonly used gender is listed first. Where no gender is listed, the usage depends on region. la acnà © - acne el anatema - anathema el arte - art - The masculine is used when arte is singular, but the feminine is often used in the plural, as in artes bellas (fine arts). el autoclave - sterilizer el azà ºcar - sugar - Although azà ºcar is a masculine word when standing alone, it is often used with feminine adjectives, as in azà ºcar blanca (white sugar). la babel - bedlam el calor - heat - The feminine form is archaic. la/el chinche - small insect el cochambre - dirt el color - color - The feminine form is archaic. el cutis - complexion la dote - talent la/el dracma - drachma (former unit of Greek currency) la duermevela - brief, light, or interrupted sleep - Compound nouns formed by joining a third-person verb and a noun are nearly always masculine. However, the ending apparently has influenced usage of this word toward the feminine. el enema - enema los herpes - herpes la/el Internet - Internet - The general rule is that nouns imported from other languages are masculine unless theres a reason for making them feminine. In this case, the feminine is often used because the word for a computer network (red) is feminine. el interrogante - question la Januc - Hanukkah - Unlike the names of most holidays, Januc is usually used without a definite article. el/la lente, los/las lentes - lens, glasses la libido - libido - Some authorities say that libido and mano (hand) are the only Spanish nouns ending in -o, other than shortened forms of longer words (such as foto for fotografà ­a and disco for discoteca, or occupational words, such as la piloto for a female pilot), that are feminine. However, libido  is often treated as masculine. la/el linde - boundary el mar - sea - Mar is usually masculine, but it becomes feminine in some weather and nautical usages (such as en alta mar, on the high seas). el/la maratà ³n - marathon - Dictionaries list maratà ³n as masculine, but feminine usage is almost as common, perhaps because maratà ³n is associated so closely with carrera (competitive race), which is feminine. el/la mimbre - willow la/el pelambre - thick hair el/la prez - esteem, honor la/el pringue - grease radio - radio - When it means radius or radium, radio is invariably masculine. When it means radio, it is feminine in some areas (such as Spain), masculine in others (such as Mexico). el reuma - rheumatism sartà ©n - frying pan - The word is masculine in Spain, feminine in much of Latin America. la testuz - forehead of an animal la tilde - tilde, accent mark el tizne - soot, stain el tortà ­colis - stiff neck la treponema - type of bacteria - Like some other words of limited medical usage, this word is feminine according to dictionaries but usually masculine in actual use. el trà ­pode - tripod la/el vodka - vodka la/el web - web page, web site, World Wide Web - This word may have entered the language as a shorter form of la pgina web (web page), or it may be feminine because red (another word for the Web, or a computer network in general) is feminine. el yoga - yoga - Dictionaries list the word as masculine, but the ending has led to some feminine usage. Key Takeaways A few dozen Spanish nouns are of ambiguous gender, meaning they can be either masculine or feminine without any difference in meaning.The nouns of ambiguous gender are distinguished from nouns of variable gender, whose genders vary with meaning or whether the noun refers to a male or female.A disproportionate number of the gender-ambiguous nouns are words with primarily scientific, technical, or medical usage.

Deforestation and the Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Deforestation and the Environment - Essay Example The first case is about deforestation in Sumatra, an Island in Indonesia (Kuhn). Deforestation on the island is mainly because of papermaking. APP, Indonesia’s largest papermaker runs numerous acacia tree plantations on the Island. These plantations have been set up by clearing a vast majority of forestland. Local dwellers have accused the officials of the company of bringing about dilapidation to the local environment. The second case is based in the United Sates, where Cargill Corporation burns large tracts of forestland in order to pave way for soya plantations (Greenpeace International) in Brazil. This, in the region, is coupled with the fact that cattle ranchers, who in other areas typically move into areas that have already been exploited by loggers, are in this case clearing forestland themselves in a bid to expand their operations. The situation appears bleak; with Greenpeace International projecting that deforestation rates will be rising in coming years.Perhaps the m ost immediately felt effect of deforestation in the Sumatra region is the fact that the activity deprives locals of one of their most important sources of food. They recall a time when they could hunt for deer and birds in the forest, an activity they now cannot undertake since animals of this nature do not create habitats in the acacia forests. Acacia trees do not provide enough shade for animals. Another effect of deforestation in Sumatra is the fact that it is destroying the natural habitat of the Sumatran Tiger.

Evaluation of Employee Training Demand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Evaluation of Employee Training Demand - Essay Example This process is the research problem source between employee and corporation performance. After this process judgment is made whether training can actually assist in solving the problem or not. What kind of training is required is also determined. In order to evaluate and make the judgment if the employee training will assist in solving the problem or not, a number of training and non-training elements need to be considered. The training factors that should be considered include: In this aspect it is important to determine if there is a real need for training or not. This need may arise from the decreasing organizational profits, decreased productivity, increase in the costs and ineffective operations of the organizations due to the lack of proper skills and non-performance of efficient practices by the employees. In this facet of evaluating employee training demand, you need to determine that if the training is needed, why it is needed. The possible reasons can be the changing global trends according to which the skills of the employees need to be polished, it can be a legal requirement, a customer need etc. Here you determine what kind of skills training is required. ... Therefore it is important to determine what core competency needs to be improved. Which employees need training It is also important to know that which employees need what training. This is because employees in different departments need different kind of skill sets and their knowledge and learning requirements are entirely different. For example, it may be necessary for the purchase department people to have the negotiating skills training while it may not be important for the quality control department employees. How and where will the training take place During the evaluation of employee training demand it is also important to know that how will the training take place, i.e. determining will the training sessions be conducted in the office timings or not, will the trainers be hired from within the company or not, will the training sessions be conducted in the office premises or not, etc. The evaluation of training demand should also include some non-training elements, such as organization structure, work environment, salary system and etc. as they have a strong influence on the corporation's conditions. These elements are discussed below: Organizational Structure: Organizations with hierarchical structures are more prone to redundancy of work assignments. Therefore there is usually there is less need for the training of all the employees in such organizations. However in flatter structured organizations, a single employee should have a broad skill set and therefore most of the employees in such organizations have a high demand for training. Organizational Work Environment: The work environment and the working conditions of the organization also are an

Nonprofit Sports Marketing Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Nonprofit Sports Marketing Plan - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that UBA will be operating mainly for the population of Saipan. However, it plans to continue on its success, of organizing inter-Island tournaments. The main target market will be students of public schools who do not get enough opportunities to play high-quality Basketball. UBA plans to build a reputation and differentiate itself from its customer on the basis of its officials and referees. The capital expenditure is nonexistent for UBA thus risk associated with UBA will be very low. With dedication and expertise, UBA will grow into a nonprofit brand which is the symbol of Basketball in Saipan. With the advent of consumerism, a phenomenon not new to the human race has surfaced once again. As a result of capitalism, we live in a society which doesn’t give equal opportunities to everyone; some of our brightest talents are wasted because of a lack of opportunities. Thus the need arises for organizations which would compensate for this i nequality by providing free services to the young minds of tomorrow. Ventures such as these are not only an act of philanthropy, bringing our society together in an act of charity but also entrepreneurial in nature. They create jobs thus reduce unemployment and add to the GDP. Team sports are the basic tool in the upbringing of any child. They instill the basic sense of loyalty that is necessary to a tribal being such as humans. They provide the basic training in how to live in a society, how to belong to something else outside your own personality and a home. This is a feeling which later develops into nationalism and humanity. A very famous team sport is Basketball. With millions of diehard fans in America now the game is expanding fast to other nations of the world. Recently it became part of the Olympics as well. Basketball requires the players to display accuracy, strength, agility, and guile for success.

The History Of Domestic Violence Social Work Essay

The History Of Domestic Violence Social Work Essay Domestic Violence is a widespread problem both internationally and nationally (Tjaden and Tjaden, 2000; WHO, 2000; 2002). In the United Kingdom alone it has been reported that one in four women have experienced domestic abuse, at some point in their lives (BMA 1998; Bacchus et al. 2002 and BCS 2006). These statistics found do not represent the true context of the problem encountered by many professionals who may be in contact with these individuals and families. It has been widely reported that with this being a sensitive topic and the nature of the subject, it has been under reported and therefore not truly representative of how serious the problem is (REF). To define what domestic violence is it may be helpful to understand what kind of behaviours it may entail. The Home Offices definition of domestic violence is; Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality. The issue of domestic violence has no boundaries in regards to gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity, disability or socio economic status. Having said this, it has to be acknowledged that indeed some research does suggest equal prevalence of both male and female perpetrated violence (Straus et al. 1980; Mirrless-Black, 1999 and Morse, 1995). Research has suggested this has failed to account for other kinds of abuse and focused largely on physical assaults. A large error in such studies is in their use of self-completion questionnaires. The use of this tool has been criticised for the heavy emphasis on physical acts that have been taken out of context (Yllo, 1988; Dobash and Dobash, 1992). Thus between acts of self-defence or attack, there is no discrimination nor in the level of impact of the abuse or violence encountered. Mirrlees-Black (1999) however has recognised that the initial findings of her study that showed similar rates for men and women as victims of a violent relationship ma y not mean that men are equally victimised in the same manner as women. After close examination she found that men interpreted and managed their experiences in a different way to women. In fact men were considerably less frightened, much less injured, and least likely to seek professional help. There are cases of domestic abuse present in same sex relationships, or women as the aggressor towards men but historically, numerically and geographically the most occurring pattern is one of men and their violence towards women (Dobash and Dobash, 1992; and Mullender, 1996). Research has also found that for women the impact of domestic abuse is greater emotionally, psychologically as well as physically (Walby and Allen, 2004; Watson and Parsons, 2005; Womens Aid and the Women Abuse Studies Unit, London 2001). In addition it has also found steadily that as many as one in three women will experience domestic violence at some point in their lives (McGibbon et al. 1988; Mooney, 1994; Dominy and Radford, 1996). The presence of children in a household has also shown an association with twice the risk of domestic violence for women (Walby and Allen, 2004). In this sense children cannot help but be affected by their experiences of abuse. Hence, while the focus of study and understanding has mostly been achieved in eliciting women and their views, of shelter workers and of other professionals, it has also pursued a line of investigation directly into childrens experience of contact to domestic violence (Buckley, Whelan and Holt, 2006; Hague and Mullender, 2006; Mullender et al., 2002 and McGee, 2000). A substantial amount of literature in this area exists which concentrates on the effects on children (Hague and Mullender, 2006; Hazen et al. 2006). Edleson (1999) has in fact found more than eighty studies in this area. Childhood is regarded as an important and significant period in anyones lifetime. It is a time that should be guarded. Development and learning during this period should be nurtured and supported in the given environment. If the environment is tainted by fear and violence, the act itself of growing up becomes an arduous task. Osofsky (1995) found that exposure to violence can lead to reverting back to childhood, also known as regressive symptoms such as bedwetting, delayed language development and anxiousness over separation from parents. Other researchers have also found links between domestic violence within a household and children having learning and behavioural problems which can affect their health, emotional and behavioural well-being (Wolfe et al. 1988 and Margolin, 1998). It is important to iterate that no researchers in this area have stated that domestic violence causes these maladaptive behaviours. Often where domestic violence occurs, other social problems have been known to also exist. Devaney (2008) found that domestic violence was present when parental substance and alcohol misuse also existed. As you can see this starts to formulate a slightly less straight-forward area of research where many complexities are involved; though serves to highlight other risk factors which may be helpful to look at. Research in the area has also indicated that there are links between domestic violence and child abuse. Bancroft and Miller (2002) have found that there is a greater chance of a child experiencing physical or sexual abuse whilst living in a household where domestic violence occurs. Indication of how grave the issue is can be seen in a study by Walby (2004) who found that in 40% of child abuse cases there was also co-occurrence of domestic violence. This is further supported by Hester et al. (1998) who suggested that domestic violence is contributory factor in half of all serious case reviews and 75% for those cases placed on the child protection register. This raises domestic violence as a child protection concern in the field of social work and thus has serious implications for practice. The high prevalence of domestic violence in child protection cases is not reflected in the same way in terms of health care professionals who have discovered a much lower proportion of domestic violence (Naumann et al. 1999; Mooney, 1993). The low rate of detection by professionals can perhaps be attributable to many factors. So far enquiry in this area has suggested that the level of knowledge a practitioner may hold with regards to domestic violence and abuse may be a crucial factor. Peckover (2003) goes further to highlight that professionals improper attitudes alongside a general absence of understanding and training regarding domestic violence may also explain the low statistics in uncovering abuse. This highlights a significant gap in an area where research and early intervention should be at its most robust. This could be explained that perhaps there is no infallible distinction or separation in both policy and practice of child abuse from woman abuse (Humphreys and Mullender, YEAR). A reason why the issue exists in such a context i.e. Childrens services, it may be that there is less emphasis on the use of monitoring domestic violence and is not seen as a child protection concern. The services that are available to children living with domestic violence are based on the presumption that is the womens responsibility to protect the child from experiencing harm, which characteristically involves forcing the partner to leave or leaving the household with her children herself. This also signifies the narrow understanding of domestic violence in a multi-professional manner but also its response to it. Lack of early intervention and strategies in place to identify children who may be at a risk of harm may also lead to increased social exclusion and increased financial strain on the state (REF). By addressing such themes in the literature review I will aim to demonstrate how the relationship between domestic violence and abuse is such that, where one is existing enquiries should consistently be made about the other. This will help to form safer, more sensitive assessments and well placed interventions. In light of research shown it may raises questions as to how far the impact of domestic violence is on children who are exposed to it, what possible interventions exist for such a large social problem. Methodology I will use to address the problem Whilst it has been acknowledged that a fully systematic review cannot be undertaken due to the time constraints of my MSc course I intend to use a systematic approach when reviewing literature. I will use a literature review to highlight key themes and issues brought to light by using a systematic approach when conducting and forming my search. I have also recognised that a non-systematic approach can lead to misleading conclusions in research which is not accurately verified. In addition a non-systematic review does not undertake critique of the literature which is needed to form a balanced judgement. Whereas a systematic approach will facilitate my research question/ rationale with a well-focused searching strategy to enhance appraisal and fusion of the literature I will be researching. However, I have realised that whilst a literature review is less time consuming and the least expensive research method. There are advantages and disadvantages to this. The benefit to employing this method is that it will allow me to be rigorous when synthesising relevant data found, and examine the evidence found. Though the weakness is that it will be not me conducting primary research which would be more beneficial to make the social science discipline more evidence based. In conducting a search so far I have already recognised the implications in using the terms domestic abuse, domestic violence and intimate partner violence. I have so far found that some of these terms only take into account certain aspects such as physical assaults. Therefore I will continue to use these terms when searching for relevant literature as it is used quite inter-changeably. To help find literature that addresses the research question I will intend to use established search engines and databases such as Google Scholar; DISCOVER; PsychInfo; and CINAHL. These databases will mostly be used to search for primary sources of research conducted. In addition Dawson Era the online university library will also be utilised for secondary sources such as books and other texts. Through this I will aim to discuss possible themes that have impacted childrens development in relation to domestic abuse and the risk factors associated. I will also aim to look at intervention strategies in place that recognise domestic violence as a co-occurring factor to potential child protection and safeguarding aspects of social work practice. To exactly utilise a systematic approach when conducting a literature review it may be important to have an inclusion and exclusion criteria to help in analysing relevant data. For inclusion I will keep a time frame in mind that is in line with current policy and research. As it is only as recent as the last three decades that children and young people have been directly investigated and researched when concerned with the impact of violence to them. Therefore, I have decided to limit data found in the past two decades to address the question. Therefore in light of research found in this area, it has raised key research questions. The question I have decided to focus my review on which is; what are the impacts of domestic violence on children and what are the implications of this for social work practice. Expected contribution to knowledge I will aim to further analyse my findings by utilising theories useful to underpin data found. Theories which I will use will be the Crisis intervention theory, Maslow and his hierarchy of needs, and person-centred theory. These will help to identify further recommendations that could help child care services to better meet the needs of children affected by domestic violence. To keep from going off topic, I will aim to meet with my dissertation supervisor on a regular basis to uncover and discuss issues in more detail with work presented.

Comparing Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt Essay -- Compare Contr

Comparing Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt During the 20th century many different presidents went in and out of the doors of the White House serving the country the best they could. However, two of these men hold a place in American history as perhaps the greatest leaders that had ever served our country. Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson are two extraordinary men that symbolize the hope and aspirations of the American people during such a tumultuous time in United States history. Both of these men held leadership qualities like no other, had strong views for America, and held exceptional ideas on foreign policy. Theodore Roosevelt stepped into head of office on September 19, 1901 when President William McKinley was assassinated. He was the youngest man to become president. His motto was â€Å"speak softly but carry a big stick.† President Roosevelt would come into power offering America the square deal. He would take the power away from the industrialists as he controlled big business from the White House. He would soon become known as a TrustBuster. Roosevelt used American power for American interests and was quoted as saying, â€Å"I am an American first and last. â€Å" Although some historians argue that Roosevelt acted like a six-year-old throughout his presidency and that he didn’t think things through, ie â€Å"he thought with his hips†, one can admire the tremendous leadership qualities that Teddy Roosevelt had. First, he was a very bold man who graduated magna cum laude from Harvard. The average citizen was aware of what a â€Å"positive, warm and tou gh, authoritative and funny† president that they had leading them. His leadership qualities stemmed from his time as a New York state Assembly man, a deputy sheriff, a ... ...ir racial characteristics. He also knew the value of the ethnic vote. Wilson on the other hand was a racist who brought his Virginia attitude with him to the White House. Perhaps the most ironic thing about these two men is the fact that Theodore Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1904 for helping resolve the Russian-Japanese fighting, and TR never was in office during the Great Wars while Wilson was. However, we did end up getting the United Nations from Woodrow Wilson’s presidency. In conclusion, Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were very different people who held different beliefs on America, but nonetheless, these two men gave their all in making America a better place. Without these two leaders, America could have been a very different place today. Who knows, I might have been writing this paper in German had it not been for them.

Nietzsche: Virtues/Life/Morality Essay

Nietzsche was a unique philosopher that had some very interesting ideas about people’s human values and personality types. In the following passage from Nietzsche, â€Å"?. this is the image of all life, and from this learn the meaning of your life! And conversely: Read only your own life, and from this understand the hieroglyphs of universal life! † According to Nietzsche, I think he defines that all morality is a manifestation of the will to power. People stress independence, personal dignity, self-approval and the will to succeed. For such people â€Å"good† refers to whatever leads to self-fulfillment with values such as strength, courage, power and pride. This appeals to those who are uncertain of themselves. They define â€Å"good† as what makes life easier/safer, with such qualities as patience, humility, modesty and compassion. I agree and disagree with Nietzsche. He helps me understand my own life, in that I agree with the will to power. I am living proof. I want to be in charge of my future. I have goals in every aspect of my life that I want to fulfill, and without these goals there would be no motivation for life. Artists wouldn’t want to be artists, scientists wouldn’t care about science, and people wouldn’t care about themselves. I also think we need certain virtues in order to succeed in fulfilling the goals set forth by the will to power. Patience, modesty, charity and compassion are some of the virtues that Nietzsche believes to be â€Å"sour grapes†. The moral that I think is sour is people who are not independent, look at others to follow, and that lack self respect. I believe that virtues such as personal power, strength, courage, pride, independence, and compassion, makes a person complete. However, this is reality and in reality you can have these virtues and at the same time stray from what you believe in. I think the key to life is to find who you are and to be happy. In today’s society, it seems there are too many people who do not know who they are. People tend to follow the group, dress how everyone else dresses and listen to the same music everyone else listens too. This to me is â€Å"weak†. The real root to power is within yourself. Life isn’t as cut and dry as Nietzsche suggests. Life is too complex and the mind is a mysterious thing. Although the qualities and virtues talked about are ideal, I wish it was that simple to apply to a person. I think the persons surroundings, and any influences the person has had in their life plays a role. Unfortunately the environment plays a large part in the development in a person. However, I think it’s never too late for a person to change or find him or herself. In conclusion, Nietzsche’s philosophy really allows me to understand the meaning of life. Nietzsche did not believe in equality. It seems he rejected equality because he believed in the importance of individualism. Nietzsche gives me a good reason for life/existence.

Gym Culture

IntroAttention Getter: By a show of hands who likes to go to work out? Background & Audience Relevance: Gym culture has been around for a long time but it has recently been growing and more and more people have begun to go and get healthy. Speaker Credibility: I have been going to the gym for a couple years now and I have done my own research on gym culture. Thesis: In my speech, we will be discussing what gym culture means to me and what it could possibly mean to you. Preview of Main Points: First I will be discussing how my object is part of my culture, second the important values it has, and third how I identify with it. II. Body Main Point 1: To begin, I am going to talk about how this object is used in a way for me to relieve stress and anger. Sub-point A: Being a full time student and working part time can be very stressful to me as I'm sure it is the same for a lot of college students, but finding at least an hour to an hour and a half to go to the gym or even working out from home can be such a helpful stress reliever. This is because it helps get me out of their my little stress filled bubble and pretty much let loose. Sub-point B: not only is it a good way to relieve stress but also anger. I know that working in a fast food or retail job can cause a lot of tension and anger especially with the customers, coworkers, and even managers. Of course we are forced to keep it all in because we need this job to put ourselves through school and buy our own personal treats. Well going to the gym is a very good way to take out that anger by pushing yourself hard in that workout. Transition between Main Points: Now that I have talked about how this object is a way to relieve stress and anger next I will be talking about how it represents my values. Main Point 2: going to the gym is not only about relieving stress and anger but also and about being healthy and motivated. Sub-point A: In my opinion going to the gym or being a fit person does not mean that you have to have a six pack or extremely muscular arms or legs. More so it just means that you are feeling good about yourself and being healthy. Since I have started going to the gym I am feeling much healthier and I am not doing crazy diets, but am cutting back on some foods and learning to eat better. Sub-point B: It also helps with being motivated because slowly but surely you begin to see results which gives me confidence and keeps motivating me to keep going and bettering myself.Transition between Main Points: having discussed how I value going to the gym, I will now tell you how I identify with this culture. Main Point 3: Influencing myself and other people to come to the gym or work out in general is one way I identify myself with this culture. Another could be the way I can dress to go to the gym a.k.a the fashion. Sub-point A: going to the gym helps me feel like a good influence to myself and others like my work out partners because I believe I am encouraging them to keep going and feeling healthy and fit because sometimes they do not want to go workout but I convince them to come with me and sometimes it is the other way around, but in the end we help each other to push ourselves in working out and bettering themselves. Sub-point B: When one starts going to the gym we see that there are many types of way people dress and we start looking for which fashion better suits us and makes us feel comfortable. There is no right or wrong way to dress for the gym it's just how you feel when wearing a certain outfit. I know that i enjoy my leggings and big baggy shirts because I feel extremely comfortable, but someone else could feel different about that outfit. III. Conclusion Signal and Review of Main Points: Having discussed how this object is part of this culture, how it represents my values, and how I identify with it you now know what this culture means to me. Recap Thesis: I have now explained what gym culture is to me. Memorable Closer: Remember being healthy and fit doesn't mean you have to be super skinny or muscular it is just about feeling better and more confident in your own body.

Veterans Adminitration Benefits Backlog

Veterans Adminitration Benefits Backlog Backlog for VA Benefits Higher than Once Thought According to a recent report from the Office of the Inspector General, the case backlog to receive benefits through the Veterans Administration (VA) is worse than originally thought. A detailed article on the results of this new investigation is available here.The VA inspector general has identified tens of thousands of cases for benefits that have been either ignored or omitted by department officials. According to their calculations, they â€Å"significantly understated the number of claims awaiting decisions for over 125 days.†Investigators say the backlog as originally reported covers only 79% of relevant cases. They state others have been mistakenly excluded, misclassified, or only marked overdue after processing. VA officials state they are: â€Å"reviewing how best to supplement or adjust reporting on the rating-related backlog.† They plan to have new training and standards in place by the end of the year.The number of cases taking over 125 days to complete rose to 611,000 in March 2013 before settling to 70,000 in September 2015. The number has held between 70,000 and 100,000 each week for the last three years.At the same time, the total number of applications continued to rise. The inspector general cites another 63,600 overdue cases were omitted for unknown reasons- while 10,000 more were recorded incorrectly.Therefore, this backlog is predicted to grow as the number of applicants increases.  It is unfortunate that veterans who have dutifully served our country and sacrificed so much are forced to wait long periods of time to receive the benefits they need. We Can HelpIf you are disabled and unable to work, call Disability Attorneys of Michigan for a free confidential consultation. We’ll let you know if we can help you get a monthly check and help you determine if any money or assets you receive could impact your eligibility for disability benefits.Disability Attorneys of Michigan works hard every day helping the disabled of Mic higan seek the Social Security Disability and Veterans Disability benefits they need. If you are unable to work due to a physical, mental, or cognitive impairment; call Disability Attorneys of Michigan now for a free consultation at 800-949- 2900.Let Michigan’s experienced disability law firm help you get the benefits you deserve.Disability Attorneys of Michigan, Compassionate Excellence. Michigan Veterans Disability Attorneys, Veteran Administration, Veterans Benefits

How to Write a Sociology Term Paper Detailed Guide

How to Write a Sociology Term Paper Detailed Guide Need advice on how to cope with a sociology term paper? Sociology term papers are assigned to students who take sociology classes with a purpose to evaluate their performance and develop their understanding of a topic. You should approach these assignments seriously because when you practice writing, you also practice thinking in a more rigorous and profound way. You will learn not only to summarize a text but perform such complicated tasks as analyzing the text as well as evaluating and applying it. Are you thinking that sociology term paper writing is too challenging for you? Writing is just a skill and, like any other skills, it can be learned through hard work and practice. In this easy writing guide on how to write a sociology term paper, you will find effective tricks and tips that will help you organize the writing process. We will also provide details on planning, outlining, editing, rewriting etc. Be patient, use our guide to practice a lot, and you are sure to notice improvements in your work. What Is a Sociology Term Paper? A sociology term paper is actually an extended essay based on the argument for your thesis. There are 4 types of sociology term papers that are typically assigned to college students: The general research paper where you have to collect data through library research. Its goal is to improve the thesis statement and gather information to support it; The quantitative research paper where you need to collect data according to specific techniques of collecting and analyzing data. Its goal is to provide an answer to a sociological question; The ethnographic field paper where you need to generate data from observing and social interactions with people in their typical social environments; The textual analysis paper where you need to analyze some texts or books. The sociology term paper is typically written in a form of a research report that consists of the following sections: Abstract Introduction Literature Review Methodology Results/Findings Discussion/Conclusion References Sociology term papers are typically formatted using APA or ASA citation styles. You can use a variety of resources from: from discipline-specific databases, for example, the International Bibliography of the Social Sciences; subject-specific databases where you can get access to the most common scientific journals; general interests databases that offer a wide range of materials. Since sociology is actually an empirical discipline, you have to base conclusions of your term paper on the relevant evidence that is documented and gathered from collected experiences and cases. To make your claims convincing, you need systematic evidence. When doing research and reading, you can use different types of evidence from primary and secondary sources to support your thesis, for example, newspapers, scholarly journals, books, observations, interviews, surveys, questionnaires etc. All evidence can be subdivided into 2 groups: Quantitative data is used for studying social processes at a large scale, for example, changes in social attitudes, population changes, income inequality etc. it comes from censuses, surveys, and statistics. Qualitative data comes from data and texts, in-depth interviews, participant observation, and the researcher’s own reactions and impressions. Such data can give insight into how different people find certain meaning in their world. How to Choose Good Sociology Essay Topics: Advice from Our Writers The first step in writing a sociology term paper is to choose a topic. You are likely to have some broad interests in sociology but your task is to develop a specific research question. Here are some tips for choosing a successful sociology research paper topic. Select a topic that you are genuinely interested in. You will enjoy doing research and writing and your readers will appreciate your passion when reading your paper; Use your volunteer or civic engagement experience as an inspiration. You can combine your academic and personal interests to stay engaged on the topic; Pay attention to hot topics that are debated on social media or news outlets. Find questions that need answering now; Use this chance to do something new to you. Find a topic that is unfamiliar to you and challenge yourself; Look for current or past research topics in the top journals in the discipline. After you have chosen a topic for your research, you have to turn it into a narrower research question. It is a specific problem that can be addressed with empirical data. You should use brainstorming techniques to find some narrow slices in your broad topic. After you’ve found some narrower topics, you should start developing to your research question which should be very specific. Here is an example of how you can do that. If your topic is â€Å"Media and Beauty†, you can brainstorm such sub-topics as Asian, white, and black portrayals of ideal body types; Why are media using super-skinny models? Your research question can be formulated like this: Can ethnic differences in women’s conceptions of â€Å"ideal body types† be influenced by the ways they are marketed in the media targeted to certain racial/ethnic groups? If you are new to sociology studies, you may be at a loss how to choose a good research paper topic. Have a look at a short list of interesting sociology research paper topics ideas. Human Rights Movement Gender Stereotypes at a Workplace How is Homosexuality Portrayed in the Media? What Messages Are Promoted in Hip-hop Music? Cyberbullying in Social Media What Causes Childhood Obesity? Celebrities on Social Media What Features Make a Patriot? How Does Race Affect Educational Levels? Gender and Sexuality in the Contemporary Society Compare Typical Users of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram How Is Food Advertised in the Media? Wages and Taxes in Modern Society Parenting Styles Of Different Classes Can Money Buy People Happiness? Viking Legends Single Parenting Are Wealthy People Less Ethical? What Is More Important for Success: Intelligence or Beauty? Escapism Through Virtual Reality How to Choose Methodology to Answer Your Research Question When you have chosen your research question, you need to decide how you will answer it. The choice of the right sociology research methods will depend on what you want to say. All sociology methods are divided into qualitative (ethnography, interview, participant observation) and quantitative (statistical analysis of some numeric data). Besides, sociologists use historical or archival methods and content analysis and, in some cases, experimental approaches. Quantitative methods are used to identify relationships and patterns among certain characteristics and outcomes of large groups of people. Qualitative methods are applied to determine mechanisms in the relationships and to monitor different social processes in detail. When choosing your methods, you should keep in mind that certain sociological phenomena can’t be easily measured with just numbers. In some cases, it is necessary to use multiple methodologies to get an answer to a research question. Start Writing with a Literature Review The first thing you should do is to perform a research of the relevant literature on your topic and work on your literature review. You need to give an analytical summary of the previous works on your topic. Remember that it’s not just writing some paragraphs that summarize the content of every article you read. Your task is to link together the main points that you have read to make a story of what has been done by previous researchers and what has to be done. You should determine several key empirical or theoretical categories and link them together. And you need to determine the key debates on your topic. In the literature review, you need to provide the background information that will help your reader understand your research question. Use brainstorming techniques to identify several key empirical and theoretical issues for an investigation and start locating your sources. You should start with influential scholarly books and recent articles in the journals, and then use other library resources and Google Scholar. You should make a working list of relevant sources in a form of Word document and copy there their titles, sources, and abstracts. Then, you should read your sources, paying attention to all the keywords on your research question, and make notes of the key points. After you finish reading about 70% of the sources on your list, you may start to draft your literature review. Develop an Outline An outline is an organizational plan for your sociology term paper. It helps you present what you plan to say and develop supporting paragraphs to move to your conclusions. Making a good outline can save you tons of time during the revision process because you will not need to rearrange your ideas after you have written them. Need advice on how you can create a good outline? Here are some tips: First, you should carefully read all your notes and think about ways to organize them. You have to classify all your findings, taking into account how they relate to your thesis statement or research question. That’s why you need to look for some common trends. For example, you can classify all your findings under 2 big headings. That is quite enough for a 5,000-word term paper. You can find clues how to do it if you look through an original assignment that your professor has given you. There is a variety of techniques that you can use for classifying your findings, for example, you can do it on paper with different-colored highlighters or symbols or paper-clip index cards with your notes. If you find that some sections for supporting your argument are not strong enough, you should do some more research or combine 2 weak section under one heading. You can use any outline format that works best for you. There is no need to stick to the formal roman-numeral structure. Writing a Draft Now that you have an outline, you have to start writing your sociology term paper sections. You should stick to the point and focus on your thesis statement or research question. Your task is to provide a convincing argument and relevant evidence to support your argument and persuade your readers that your ideas are correct. Make sure that your thesis statement is strong and do your best to write clearly and concisely. Avoid padding and digressions. Be ready that you’ll need to make more than one draft. Typically, all first drafts are vague, confusing, they feature bad writing and are full of omissions and other errors. Second drafts are better but they are not perfect. So you’ll need to revise your drafts and make improvements in the content and in their logic. Remember that the best term papers are commonly rewritten several times. Revising and Editing Tips In the process of revising, your task is to push your analysis further, to improve and expand your original argument, and make connections between your key points. There are different kinds of revising: large-scale and small-scale revising, editing, and proofreading. When making a large-scale revision, you need to look at the entire paper and find places where your logic is not clear. You may need to provide additional evidence, to define certain terms or even offer an entirely new aspect to your initial reasoning. If you discover a new interesting idea, you might even decide to rewrite the entire paper or at least certain sections. You can change the structure of your sociology term paper to make it more effective. If you notice that a certain part of your paper is not good enough, you may need to perform a small-scale revision. You should revise this section and after that, you will need to review the whole paper to make sure that the part you have revised works well in the context of the entire sociology term paper. When editing, your task is to find some minor problems with the text and improve readability – cut and paste paragraphs, delete some sentences or words. At this stage, you need to make your project clear and interesting to your readers. When proofreading, you will need to find and fix some small punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors. You should go through all these levels of revision to ensure that your sociology term paper is powerful and flawless.