Little Miss Sunshine Essay Essay Example

Little Miss Sunshine Essay Essay Outline Little Miss Sunshine Symbolic Interaction Theory Title: Family Experience in Little Miss Sunshine We will write a custom essay sample on Little Miss Sunshine Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Little Miss Sunshine Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Little Miss Sunshine Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Introduction The Hoovers I. The family structure II. The characteristics of the family members III. Reality of the challenges experienced in the Hoover Family The symbolic Interaction Theory I. Description of the theory II. Relating the theory to family interactions III. Relating the movie to the theory Influence of the Movie I. How the movie influences people’s thoughts and ideas about marriage II. Is the family in the movie an ideal family? Name: Lecturer: Course: Date: Family Experience in Little Miss Sunshine Movies are quite helpful in understanding sociology. This is because, films are often a reflection of the society and they observe the societal and family trends at a particular time. For instance, family movies made in the fifties and sixties are different from those made today. By analyzing such movies, one is able to tell how the family structures were at the given time. Many early movies depicted families normally as comprising of a mother, father and their children, with all the members of the family having their roles clearly defined. The theme of single parent families was not common. Although conflict was common, it did not often lead to violence (Reynolds and Kinney 518). Presently, movies address all types of families including households with same-sex parents. Additionally, most movies and television programs evidence conflict and violence. Television programs and movies are a way of gauging societal trends and observing changes and experiences in the family. The movie Little Miss Sunshine presents the story of a seemingly dysfunctional American family bent on fulfilling their daughter’s dream of participating in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty contest for young girls. The family uses a Volkswagen Van for a road trip to save on expenses. The family is an extended one, comprising of the girl’s parents, brother, uncle and grandfather. The uncle is a homosexual who has just rejoined the family after trying to commit suicide. The grandfather gets along with his granddaughter and he even helps her prepare for the contest. He is old and he ends up dying as they are travelling to the contest due to a drug overdose. The brother is an introvert and remains sad most of the time in the journey. The father is a motivational speaker, although his career has experienced various downfalls. Apart from the grandfather, the men in the family are reserved about the road trip. They are hesitant about going to the contest but they eventually off er their support for Olive, the young contestant. The mother seems to be the strong one in the family and the ones who holds it together. She is willing to make her daughter’s dream materialize despite the mounting challenges. The family encounters various challenges during the trip such as dealing with a broken down van. Many families experience most of these challenges. They are faced with financial constraints and they have to sacrifice luxuries and comfort just like in the movie. Due to varying needs and preferences, conflicts and emotional instabilities are quite common. Families also experience tragedies necessitating effectual handling practices as noted in the film. Support within family members may mean executing extreme measures in a bid to fulfill the dreams of loved ones. Substance abuse is another issue that families, especially those with young members have to handle (Aldiabat and Navenec 1063). Movies often depict happy-endings where the protagonist becomes the hero. Little Miss Sunshine is different as it shows that a person can win through failure. The Hoover family learnt the importance of each member in terms of synergy depicted in the scene where they join Olive on stage. The rest of th e family members knew that Olive would not win and they were probably humiliating themselves, but they found happiness through the challenges they had overcome as well as being supportive to each other. Therefore, families face challenges as those depicted in the film by the Hoover family in the movie and collective support and decision-making act as helpful factors. Rogers describes the symbolic interaction theory as â€Å"ways through which people and systems interact and communicate with one another as well as the essence and characteristics of that interaction and communication† (93). In other words, people interpret relayed information received in terms of culture and experience. Individuals perceive the world based on the meanings they attach to their experiences that are acquired through social associations. The theory posits that people interact through symbols and knowing the symbols used will lead to a higher understanding between the involved parties. The theory recognizes that in a family, all members have different personalities. Additionally, given time, families change and grow. Due to this, families are important since they influence and develop a child’s perspective towards culture, beliefs and values. They determine the manner in which a child develops his or her interactions (Reynolds and Kinney 522). The theory r ecognizes the roles that people play. Through the process of interacting, people create and improve their roles. The symbolic interaction theory recognizes that individuals are active members of the society and that they actively shape their experiences. However, these actions are not usually translated as experiences but they are a way for people to experience and exercise freedom. A person will be influenced by other people to adopt a certain attitude or behave in a particular manner (Aldiabat and Navenec 1070). The dramaturgical approach asserts that people create settings with rules and rituals, through which they ensure that their interactions have meaning and importance to them. These practices help to classify the required environments and maintain social order. The looking glass approach in symbolic interaction holds that people can identify their self-identity through their interactions with others (Rogers 95). In the movie, various elements of symbolic interactions are evidenced. All members of the Hoover family have different personalities as well as perceptions about the world. Olive and her brother are different in many ways. Olive has a happy, outgoing and cheery attitude towards life even when things do not seem to go her way. On the other hand, her brother seems to hate everybody and is always indifferent towards the rest of the members. The theory recognizes the change and growth in families. This is evident in the movie, with almost every member outgrowing a given form of behavior. Richard, Olive’s father, is first presented as a man propelled by his need to succeed as a motivational speaker and thereby according priority to this over his family. In fact, Richard has developed a self-help program and the first step to the program is that people should avoid being losers. As the trip ends and he spends more time with his family, Richard changes his perspective and develops a new attitude towards the priorities. Olive’s brother, who had vowed not to speak, has some visible changes as well. This occurs after he learns that he cannot attain his dream of being a pilot since he is colorblind. Olive’s uncle changes from a man who was once suicidal and becomes a responsible man. More so, he is able to overcome his depression and even discusses the problem to the initiator. Influence is an evident aspect in family relations (Rogers 98). The men initially have reservations about going to the contest but through the trip associations, they end up joining Olivia on stage. The adults in the movie realize that Olive does not have the talents that the other girls offer by noting her limitations after observing the preparation process. Unlike the other girls, Olive is plump and plain. She arrives at the contest late and therefore has to skip the necessary preparation processes; the rest of the competitors have applied make-up creating high competition in the pageant. They had obviously spent a lot of time and money for the given function. The adults are intimidated by these occurrences and let the perceptions of others determine their attitude. The themes of marriage and family are prevalent in the film and thereby influence people in different ways. The prevailing idea is that families are not perfect and regardless of what one does, he or she cannot entirely control what other members prefer. The Hoover family faces many diverse challenges, and in a way, some of their roles seem to be reversed. For instance, most individuals do not expect the elderly (grandfather) to abuse drugs (heroin) or use offensive words but teenagers fit the profile perfectly. The film encourages acceptance between the members. Although the family knows that Olive has no chance of winning the contest, they offer their support to the end. The family members do not discourage Olive in any way thus boosting her self-esteem to face the crowd and perform her dance at the contest. The movie is a clear illustration that marriages do not have to be perfect. Spouses should support each other and be there for each other despite the circumstances. Oliveâ€⠄¢s mother does not share her husband’s idea of being a motivational speaker. However, she does not discourage him from the aspiration. On the contrary, she supports him, as a wife should. There is no ideal family in terms of family members and experiences since each unit faces different challenges. Families have different ways of handling and managing their problems. For some, like the Hoover family, the main challenge is created by lack of monetary assets, while for others it may mean dealing with diverse issues and challenges such as rebellious children and unfaithful spouses. There is no distinct way of handling such problems; a given family may choose to ignore problems and put on a happy face for publicity purposes (Rogers 98). This does not solve the problem and it only accentuates it. For the Hoover family, the road trip was important since it enabled them to face their problems and offer collective resolutions towards the same. While other families may not take road trips, they can adopt other practical approaches, as deemed desirable. Little Miss Sunshine provides a chance to learn about symbolic interactions. The family interacted with each other along the w ay, perhaps more than they did when they were at home. They were able to work out the challenges they were facing as a family. These challenges were important for their growth and development as individuals and as family members. Works Cited: Aldiabat, Khaldoum, and Navenec Carole. â€Å"Philosophical Roots of Classical Grounded Theory: Its Foundations in Symbolic Interactionism.† The Qualitative Report July 2011: 1063-1081. Print. Reynolds, Larry, and Kinney Nancy. Handbook of Symbolic Interactionism. Walnut Creek: Rowman Altamira, 2003. Print. Rogers, Anissa. Human Behavior in the Social Environment. New York: Taylor Francis, 2010. Print.

Mothers Day Quotes From Daughters

Mothers Day Quotes From Daughters They may not know it, but young daughters often emulate their mothers. Deep in her heart, every girl is like her mother. A mother understands this well. So she tries to protect her daughter from the setbacks that she faced in her youth. Some mothers are known to be very tough on their daughters. I have seen this myself. When I asked a few moms, why they tighten the reins for daughters, the common reply is, I have to prepare her for the world to face the hard knocks of life. I have often wondered if this approach is correct. But I cannot deny that beneath the strict facade, there is a mother who loves her daughter. This is why a mother is a daughters best friend. Here are Mothers Day quotes from daughters who have achieved great success. Kate Beckinsale My daughter comes with me everywhere. I don’t leave her behind. But it is hard. I mean, I think any working mother will tell you that what kind of falls by the wayside, you know, are the hours of sleep that you wish you had, and all that. I feel incredibly lucky and blessed, but I do sometimes feel like that exorcist lady! Ann Taylor Who ran to help me when I fell, / Or kissed the place to make it well? My mother. Sarah Josepha Hale No influence is so powerful as that of the mother. Katherine Butler Hathaway Mother is the one we count on for the things that matter most of all. Lisa Alther Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-traffic controllers with ease. Beverly Jones Now, as always, the most automated appliance in a household is the mother. Carrie Latet My mom is literally a part of me. You cant say that about many people except relatives, and organ donors. Dorothy Canfield A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary. Helen Rowland It takes a woman twenty years to make a man of her son, and another woman twenty minutes to make a fool of him. Maya Angelou To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Barbara Kingsolver The strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.

UC budget crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

UC budget crisis - Essay Example This essay will discuss the ways in which the media, and in turn the general public, have reacted to this higher education budget crisis and how it will effect the nations social structure as a whole. These media outlets will reveal just how detrimental the budget crisis is to the future of our democratic society and how it is effecting the overall free will and intelligence of those wishing to make a better life for themselves. As Edward Said describes, " Higher education may be one of the few institutions left that still fosters critical inquiry, public freedom, and common deliberation, simultaneously keeping alive the promise of democratic ethos and politics" (Giroux 670). This growing fear seems to be shared by citizens throughout California as the budget crisis continues to take away more of the programs, teachers, and financial aid that universities rely on to educate their students. In his article, "Saving Public High Ed," written for the Inside Higher Ed website Joseph Aoun writes, "Our nations system of public higher education is in crisis. Unprecedented funding cuts are affecting about 70 percent of American college students and their ability to attend public colleges and universities." With this radical amount of college students being affected, more and more are left with no other choice than to drop out, or postpone their education. Aoun goes on to say how the UC system is different from colleg es in the rest of the world, describing the American system as decentralized. He says that it allows for a diversity of approaches and a significant amount of innovation making it bountiful in educational richness not found anywhere else. The article goes on to stress that with budget cuts comes the loss of these differences that set our schools apart from the rest of the world and eventually what sets us apart as an overall country. One of the worst and most substantial of the UC budget cuts is the IOUs that were issued to the California students who rely on the funding they receive from the Cal Grant. The views expressed in Aoun' s article can also be seen in another Inside Higher Ed piece written in July 2009 at the height of the IOU fiasco. "IOU Student Aid" laments on the trials and unfair disadvantage this budget cut places on California students. The article states, "California's controller estimates that $159 million in Cal Grant payments normally made in July will be made with warrants instead." These warrants put both students and universities in an awkward position of limbo. Many first time college students come from families who are already nervous about being able to pay for college and knowing that they will not have the money upfront may be enough to deter many from attending college. The universities themselves, who are already trying to work with a tight cash flow, fear that a delay in receiving funds could be extremely difficult to handle. These articles are two of many that the Inside Higher Education website has produced. These pieces are written with an underlying panic and fear for the future and what these budget cuts could do to our government, economy and society. They are written hoping to inform the nation of the dangers of the UC budget cuts in the hope that awareness can help restore the UC system to what it once was. Unlike Inside Higher Education the internet blog archive UTO the Rescue houses links to dozens of internet blogs in the hopes of

ISO Standards and Excellence - reflection ( CLO 3 ) Essay

ISO Standards and Excellence - reflection ( CLO 3 ) - Essay Example This certification is so objective (making it more credible and reliable) that ISO itself does not do the certification but a third party certification body that cannot be certified by ISO. This removes conflict of interest and undue influence. This certification process involves an audit in evaluating the company’s standards vis-Ã  -vis audit criterial established. This is a continuous process to ensure that quality and improvement is maintained. The benefits of having ISO certified are many. Having quality as a standard obviously meets if not exceed customer’s requirements and this means increased customer satisfaction leading to more business and more profit for the company and able to articulate its processes. Getting an ISO certification is not easy when I did a review on the audit process. But considering the benefits of the certification to the company and its long-term viability as a business organization, ISO is no longer just a quality certificate that a company may opt but an imperative in today’s very competitive environment because it wears the badge of credibility and

Improve nursing leadership project Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Improve nursing leadership project - Article Example The work that they do will have to benefit the user and from that, they will gain respect. To achieve this vision, a sole responsibility of leadership that follows policies, philosophy, priorities, and power relationship of the health centers has to be practiced effectively. All leadership at the varying levels will be utilized in the process. Being a leader in the nursing field means your primary drive is the process of change to your staff. The nurses will experience new changes, and the changes need to be absorbed by the skilled staff as they are implemented within a time frame of 5 weeks. From this move, a challenge will arise because some members are not programmed to change and will take place 2 hours daily and three days of the working week. Because of this rigidness, the new employees will have a mentality that the skills got from school will be directed to the workplace, and their performance will reduce. Those who begin and adopt the change will be rewarded to encourage the

E-Business Versus Traditional Retailing

E-Business Versus Traditional Retailing Abstract As the Internet access becomes widespread, both businesses and consumers worldwide used web as a main tool for marketing and shopping. As a result, the impact on retailers and consumers are relatively significant with the rise of the E-business. This project looks into the advantages and disadvantages of E-business and traditional retail stores, and then by comparing the two different business modes concludes an integrated business, which is more adapted by public. Further, an analysis of Amazon.com and Wal-Mart also support the notion that multi-channel retail seems to be more satisfy the need and want of retailer and consumers. Introduction The origin of e-business was 20 years ago. In the 1990s, the definition of e-business was used by one of the first supplier, IBM, in its advertising campaign. It was defined as the transformation of key business processes through the use of Internet technologies. (Li ,2007:9) Today, the meaning of e-business is much broader. According to Cunningham (2002) E-business refers to the transactions, processes, and systems that support the act of doing business through electronic networks. Businesses in industries such as banks, automobiles, travel, and many others are undergoing a significant transformation. In the past, traditional retail stores were constrained by geography, location, and size; on the other hands, in the age of information, these are not important anymore. Although the Internet has a great influence on the growth of E-retail, there is one thing of concern, it also presents with threat and opportunity. The aim of this project is to compare and contrast E-Business and traditional business in retailing across a variety of criteria from customers and retailers perspectives, and then to analyze the two biggest retailers in the world in terms of E-retailer and physical retailer and then conclude which business is better adapted to e-commerce. Firstly, the project will consider advantages and disadvantages of E-business from retailers and consumers view, then analyses Amazon.com and Wal-Mart by the means of SWOT analysis (which can be defined as Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats) and finally will forecast future retail developments. E-Business Versus Traditional Retailing There are numerous opportunities for businesses to reach new markets on the Internet across nations, lower costs, and relationship-build with customers. For most businesses, opening a virtual retail seems like to be filled with opportunities as well as challenges. The rest of this project will address these opportunities and challenges. The opportunities in E-Business Market There are a number of advantages for e-business. First, with regard to the location, it is clear that online business have the opportunity to access farther than physical stores. According to Dennis and Harris (2002), the three most important elements in retail are location, location and location. Without constraint on geography, the Internet has provided the e-retailer with a store in every home all over the world. Almost every product and service on the Internet has an opening to be sold globally. In other words, e-business sells equally well to anywhere in the country and even overseas, compared to traditional stores. Since building a business online does not need to lease a building on a specific place, which saves a great deal of money on rent. Compared to the existing stores, running a business need to situate on one street, town and country, which is the most expensive part due to paying high-priced rent monthly as well as tax. In addition to location, another factor needs to concern is size. In the past, size of stores was principal when competing with other stores. A large store has the capacity to stock as many products as it can; however, there is a limitation of quantity for those small stores. Thanks to the invention of the Internet, even a small e-business has the chance to vie with large traditional stores. Secondly, as far as the number of consumers and opening time are concerned, online business can reach a larger number of consumers than the traditional stores. Without boundary on the Internet, everyone in the world have equal chances purchasing online. Especially for overseas shoppers, could easily reach web sites in which they are interested. Additionally, with fewer barriers in both time and limitation of consumers, online businesses have a better opportunity to market their product on the Internet. In other words, the problems of time difference between nations and nations have been solved. In contrary, it is difficult for traditional stores to sell further, when considering the limitation of time and geography. In the past few existing stores are opened 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. However, since online business is on the web all the time, consumers with different shopping habits do not have to worry about the opening and closing hours of physical stores. There are many other advantages regarding to online business. Usually, building a traditional store need to concern the expenditure of ongoing costs, including renting, tax, electricity. In addition, for those traditional stores reaching consumers either face to face or by telephone, have to pay for a significant additional cost. On the other hand, for those businesses that open e-shops could save a great deal of money on the wages costs of face-to-face salespeople and the costs of premises. Furthermore, a virtual store may save budget on all the other needless expenses, such as additional training requirements. Many studies have shown that many online stores in the existing marketing making a big profit on account of reduced costs and increased sales. Furthermore, The Challenges in E-Business Market Generally speaking, although there are many advantages for e-business, considering about disadvantages is also needed. First of all, online business is less powerful than face-to-face selling in many ways. In the traditional stores, salesperson with high skill of convincing shopping can be a part of reasons influencing consumers to shop. For example, when going shopping we are always easy to be persuaded by people around us who support for purchasing. On the other hands, due to fewer impulse of salesperson online, it is easier to say no to a computer. Consumers are totally decide buy or not to buy. Moreover, e-Selling is also less powerful than face-to -face selling. For example, for certain products, it is difficulties with products not sold by touch, feel, and smell. E-businesses are lack of theses advantageous positions. A further disadvantage is that consumers have a perception of lower prices online. They expect online prices to be lower than prices in traditional stores. This puts pressure on margins for online business, and can lead to shoppers expecting consistent how prices in store. Looking for low prices online is one of major factors affecting consumers to shop on the Internet. However, such a perception across all product categories may be unwarranted. Only in some areas such as airline tickets and books can find much lower prices on the Internet. Also, there is a limitation for selling products online. Not everything could be selling on the Internet, such as daily products and fragile items, which limit consumers product selection. In addition, cost in Internet customer contact and maintaining technology could be expensive. Although a beneficial thing for e-business is save the costs of wages of salesperson and rent, the system requires regular maintenance to ensure customer satisfaction. Compared with traditional stores, they do not have to pay the extra maintenance fee on system due to most of they are lack a sophisticated computer system. Finally, after-care can be difficult, especially if the shopper is overseas. It is always not easy to collect those unwanted products which have been return by online shoppers. When ever any of products have technique problems, it is a trouble to return it back to e-shop, especially for those overseas customers.Because not only consumers require to pay the delivery fee but also the online shop, which is a burden for both consumers and e-retailer. Drivers of Consumers Adoption There are considerable potential benefits for consumers to shop online. The main reason for consumers to buy online is to save money. In some given products categories, online prices are significantly cheaper than existing stores. On the Internet, shoppers could always get good value of bargains. Furthermore, consumers could also save the cost of traveling to the existing stores, the cost of finding a parking space, parking, walking through the mall to the stores, finding the item in the store, waiting in line at the checkout, Internet shopping provides in-home access 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which enhances convenience by minimizing many of these costs. The other advantage for online shopping is the convenience of shopping at any time of day. On the Internet, the stores are opened 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Consumers could never worry about missing the open hours of the exiting stores. The other good thing about e-shopping is that the webs offer older consumers, those with disabilities, and those live in remote areas to access to information and services. The other motivation for people to accept shopping online is that consumers could make a purchase at home instead of leaving from house. In addition to convenience, consumers could not only save more time on the travel time, but also save the time on walking through all the stores to find what they want, especially when at the height of the holiday. Whether on booking a ticket for an event, purchasing a book, or registering and paying for a fee, the Internet saves time. With regard to breadth and depth of products, consumers could find a great variety of products on the Internet than in any one single store or mall. Rare items can be purchase easily by simply click a mouse; the web sites can take shoppers from one online store to another. The benefit of online shopping is even greater when purchasing foreign-made products. Many traditional businesses will shift a significant part of their operations and selling to the Internet. Growth in the consumer segment is likely to be slower. Security concerns regarding online transactions and the difficulty of modifying consumer behavior can explain the slower pace of growth in the business-to-consumer marketplace. Barriers to Consumers Adoption Although shopping online can by easy, there are a variety of reasons related to security deters online shoppers from making a purchase. Dennis indicated that Security fears as the number one barrier to more consumers shopping online (Dennis et al. 2002). Safety of credit card and other private information are key issues that discourage many consumers e-shopping. A study sponsored by the Better business Bureaus Online found that over 80 percent of users had some concern about security online. (Better Business bureaus, 2005) Most web sites today require users to create personal accounts and provide a lot of personal information. Some consumers are afraid that personal information may be broken in by website hackers or be access by unauthorized organization; moreover, personal accounts provided to online vendors may have a risk to be rejected due to service attacks and human error. Therefore, security of credit card information is quite negative for online consumer. The inability to talk to a live salesperson is another concern for consumers. Even though the Internet brings the world into our homes, customer may still wish to speak to someone to seek advice on the product when shopping online. Also, for older consumers, and those who are relatively new to Internet shopping, exceptionally need a live salesperson to get information they are interested in. However, many of online business have not provided customer service for online shoppers reached by phone, live chat. A report by Data Monitor (www.datamonitor.com) found that only 8 percent of the over 60000 call centers in the US were Web-enabled, and only 1 percent of Web sites currently offer live customer assistance (Venkat, 2001:307). Additionally, the difficulty in returning products is major reason for a large number of consumers not shopping online. BizRate.com, a company that measures post-purchase satisfaction found that in a survey of 9800 consumers, 89 percent said that return policies influence their decision to purchase online. (ibid: 2001:304) Above all, the reason why returns sometimes are difficult may say is because of the lack of face to face negotiations. In addition to returning, the cost of shipping is another concern for consumers. A survey by Greenfield Online revealed that 32percent of consumers surveyed mentioned high shipping costs at the reason for not shopping online (Greenfield, 2002) Most consumers perceive online prices to be lower than prices in conventional stores. It is true; however, sometimes shipping costs can negate other price advantages. Although various products sell at a discount online, when adding into the shipping rate, the consumer may end up paying more than traditional store. Many consumers are still uneasy with online shopping because they prefer to see and touch the goods. Plus, some products are difficult to buy on the Internet. Take clothing for example, it is impossible for online shoppers to feel the fabric. When buying clothes, most people still like to try them on. Online shopping provides a lower sensory stimulation (through smell, touch, music, in-store decorations, etc.) than does offline shopping. (Fernie, J. 2005:106). People incline to use five senses in developing beliefs and bias towards various products. However, on the Internet, only three of these senses can be used. Case Study of Amazon.com and Wal-Mart There are a range of criteria of SWOT Analysis about Amazon.com and Wal-Mart, and this paper will only focus on the areas related to the above sections based on current developments and future developments in how e-retail and traditional retail adapt to e-commerce. SWOT Analysis of Amazon.com With regards to strengths, according to Harris and Dennis (2002:258), Amazon as a US-based multinational e-business company, is the biggest online retailer all over the world. Over the years since it opened its online bookstore in 1995, has established a customer around 30 million people. Besides books, now has launched various products including electronics, computer software, toys, video games and home improvements, apparel, furniture, and food. In addition, Amazon has created different website pages in the USA, the UK, Europe and Far East. It also provides international shipping to certain countries for some of its products. The major weakness for the company is that it heavily depends on external delivery companies, which may tackle a major problem. Due to the rising fuel and vehicle taxation, a potential increase costs should be concerned. As a consequence, the increasing shipping fee may lead consumers rather to visit a local retailer than purchasing online. It is realistic that the rise of Amazon.com has had a profound influence on virtually every sector of business in the world. There are many opportunities for Amazon.com to expand further. One of the priorities is to open exiting stores to solve the disadvantages of E-business. As far as threats are concerned, it is easy to attract competition on the Internet. Since Amazon.com markets similar products as physical retail, it pose a negative impact on Amazon.com within the price competition between e-business and traditional stores. SWOT Analysis of Wal-Mart Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world. It is famous for its convenience and a wide range of products all in one store. The retailing giant has annual revenues of over $ 100 billion. According to Grant (2002) the Fortune 500 ranking list, published in 2002, showed that Wal-Mart was the worlds largest public corporation by revenue. These years, Wal-mart has experienced global expansion to 3,600 stores and more than 750,000employees worldwide. Although Wal-Mart stores, Inc. has expanded to the global market, they have a presence in a relatively small number of countries Worldwide. They only focus on the market in the UK, but their competitors are grown in the other countries. Besides, Wal-Mart has a risk in the location of their stores. Since Wal-Mart is the leading physical retailer in the USA, it has a magnificent opportunity to become the largest retailer in the world. Therefore, international expansion will be a huge opportunity for Wal-Mart. Although the stores are currently only trade in relatively few overseas there are many opportunities for future business in expanding consumer markets online. A major threat to Wal-Mart is the intense price competition with online business. Being a leading retailer also represents being the target of competition locally and globally. How to compete with e-retail in the international market will be a major question for Wal-Mart. Evaluation From the SWOT Analysis, it is clear that both mazon.com and Wal-mart have its specific strengths and weaknesses. This evaluation concluded that, based on the criteria mentioned above, the e-retail has competitive advantages over e-retail stores while physical retail stores have advantages over e-retail. With regard to disadvantages, online retail faces many difficulties compared to existing stores. For online retailers, the major challenges are face-to-face interaction and immediate delivery, and this is an area where traditional stores have an advantage. On the other hand, online retail also affects opportunities of traditional retail to certain extents. Take location and opening hour, for example, E-retail outweighs traditional retail stores. Many consumers are willing to select products on the Internet, but would not want to wait for delivery. Due to the need of consumers, it stimulated the boom of multi-channel retail (physical stores plus e-retail) becoming dominant, which has both e-retail and physical retail stores components, provides consumers with a higher degree of satisfaction. Thus, more and more e-shoppers find online shopping and in-store pickup more attractive than pure E-railing and traditional retail stores. According to Harris and Dennis (2002:258), the proportion of e-shoppers preferring to shop from e-sites run by physical retail stores rather than Internet-only is soaring 9 up from 22 percent in October 2000 to 33 percent in April 2001. As a result, many E- businesses are attempted to establish physical stores, and just as traditional stores are also creating online business. That competition is not about E-business versus traditional business. Gandy (2000:122) claim Its about integrating both-pulling together the best of what is available through the physical distribution with the best of the Web world. As traditional companies begin to provide multi-channel services to combine online business and it would make sense for pure online businesses to offer services of physical stores. The example of Amazon.com and Wal-mart also support it. According to The Sunday Times, Amazon.com had planed to open existing stores to support its growing website. (Mashable, 2009) Similarly, Wal-Mart stores Inc. has continually increased the integration of its physical stores with its Internet business, in order to respond with the growing web-based stores. (Reuven, 2000) Conclusion Both e-business and traditional stores has its advantages and disadvantages in many criteria. Physical stores has the edge on criteria such as after-sell service and face-to-face selling, while e-business is beneficial on the wide-range of products, time saving and convenience. The project presented a comparative business channel to evaluate the two types of retails and concluded that whether e-retail or traditional retail stores is not in perfection, multi-channel retail stores which combine the best of e-retail and traditional retail may be more adaptable to the business environment in the future. The analysis of Amazon.com and Wal-Mart has also been highlighted, particularly with regard to integrating e-retail with existing physical stores. These can be summarized as multi-channel retail is becoming a dominant. In 1999, Andy Grove, Chairman and CEO of Intel, once have noted that all companies will be Internet companies or they will be dead. (Venkat, 2001) However, even though e-business is able to provide consumer greater service and choice in a variety of the product, the consumers adoption toward the Internet need to be concerned. It should be noted that a detailed examination of multi-channel retail lies outside the areas of this project and further work could be done in this area, which would be of particular interest to those business involved in this area.

The Scarrlet Letter :: essays research papers

The Scarrlet Letter As citizens of the United States and members of the most open society in the world it is difficult for us to picture a world where the phrases woman's rights, equal opportunity, and religious freedom have little meaning. When the surface of American history is scratched, not necessarily deeply a past of limited rights for women is soon revealed. The challenge to any author comes in painting a picture of this colonial past to both current readers and readers to come. Nathaniel Hawthorne In his book ' The Scarlet Letter'; successfully meets this task through the character of Hester Prynn. Hawthorne describes a woman with independence ahead of her time and a social order unprepared to accept her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hester's independence was promptly demonstrated at the novel's beginning. The court has ruled as punishment for her adultery she must wear an 'A'; upon her chest, that to the colonist served as a reminder of the punishment they would suffer if their sins were to be discovered, and to Hester a reminder of sin. Hester stands alone outside the court house as the close minded colonial eyes stare at her and the baby in her arms. Many women during this era of American history would look for a way to run. Hester shows little sign of uneasiness, with exception to her firm hold on the infant. At the conclusion of this scene the reader knows that this is a strong woman trying to maintain dignity in a land were a woman's independence ranked right above blasphemy on the hierarchy of values.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the novel Hester demonstrates her independence of living. Her husband never comes forward, and her lover does the same. With everyone denying relations Hester is forced to live alone. She raises the child by herself and is successful in her enterprise of sewing and hemming. Hawthorne informs us that this lifestyle of isolationism is unique to her, and convinces us that an average colonial woman could not survive under these conditions. At this point in the book Hester has shown her independence in dealing with life's crisis, and in her style of living.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The best way to understand a parents personality is to examine how they raise their children. This idea holds true when one examines closely the techniques Hester uses to raise Pearl. In this era of religious totality, independence of thought, and the teachings of those ideals commanded little

Vitamin K

Vitamin & Mineral Project Sundria Carroll February 22nd, 2011 Diet 1310 650 Brenda Speight, Instructor Vitamin K Vitamins are a group of organic substances essential in small quantities to normal metabolism, found in minute amounts in natural foods or sometimes produced synthetically. Vitamins help our bodies metabolize nutrients and grow cells. They come in two forms: those tat dissolve in water (vitamins B & C) and those that are absorbed and stored in fat (vitamins A, D, E, and K). Vitamin K named for the German word for clotting â€Å"koagulation† is responsible for enabling your blood to clot, ensuring you don't bleed out from a paper cut or small scratch. Vitamin K also teams up with calcium to strengthen your bones. Because vitamin K is fat soluble, be sure to consume this nutrient at the same time as a (healthy) fat because it will aid with its absorption. Some studies indicate that it helps in maintaining strong bones in the elderly. Vitamin K participates in the synthesis of bone proteins. Without vitamin K the bones produce an abnormal protein that cannot bind to the minerals that normally form bones. This results in bone density. Researchers continue to discover proteins needing vitamin K’s assistance. Vitamin K deficiency bleeding is a rare disease that occurs in approximately 1 in 10,000 newborns. The disease can cause significant damage to the brain of the newborn, and in some cases can also lead to death. It has been said that there is some good news about vitamin K deficiency bleeding is completely preventable. You can safeguard your baby from vitamin K deficiency bleeding by giving extra vitamin K to your child after birth. Newborns present a unique case of vitamin K nutrition because they are born with a sterile intestinal tract, and the vitamin K producing bacteria take weeks to establish themselves. To prevent any hemorrhagic disease in newborns usually a single dose of vitamin k is given. If for any reason the mother took medication for blood clotting, tuberculosis, or epilepsy during pregnancy, it is recommended that the baby be given Vitamin K through injection. The reason is that such babies may not be able to properly absorb Vitamin K orally. Vitamin is not toxic when consumed orally, even in large amounts. However, menadione (a synthetic, water-soluble vitamin K precursor) can cause toxicity and should not be used to treat vitamin K deficiency. People taking this drug should eat vitamin K enriched foods to keep their intakes consistent from day to day. Significant food sources: Bacterial synthesis in the digestive tract, liver, leafy green vegetables, cabbage, and milk. Specific recommendations depend on age, gender, and other factors (such as pregnancy). The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from the food guide pyramid. The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following dietary intake for vitamin K: Infants * 0 – 6 months: 2. 0 micrograms per day (mcg/day) * 7 – 12 months: 2. 5 mcg/day Children * 1 – 3 years: 30 mcg/day * 4 – 8 years: 55 mcg/day * 9 – 13 years: 60 mcg/day Adolescents and Adults * Males and females age 14 – 18: 75 mcg/day * Males and females age 19 and older: 90 mcg/day If you take Warfarin (a blood thinner), one should know that vitamin K or foods containing vitamin K can affect how the drug works. To get more information one should ask their health care provider how much vitamin K or vitamin K-containing foods they should consume. Bibliography Hamrick I, Counts SH. Vitamin and mineral supplements. Wellness and Prevention. December 2008; 729-747. Rolfes, Sharon and Ellie Whitney Understanding Nutrition 11th Ed Belmont CA 2008 http://www. kosmix. com/topic/vitamin_k/overview/adam20#ixzz1KfWhlT00 http://www. osteoporosis-vitamins. com/vitamin-K-toxicity. html

Lake qaraoun essays

Lake qaraoun essays Garbage threat to Lake Qaraoun and Litani Dumping garbage in Lake Qaraoun in the Bekaa is an environmental threat which should be remedied before it turns into a disaster, said Nasser Nasrallah, head of the Litani River After touring the lakes banks, where the garbage is being dumped, Nasrallah appealed to officials to combat such illegal waste disposal. We have a serious environmental problem, Nasrallah said. If the situation doesnt change, we risk losing the water coming from one of our main sources, the Litani River. He urged officials at the Health and Environment Ministries and at the Council for Development and Reconstruction to address the environmental troubles of the Bekaa. Efforts should be made to implement a grand strategic plan in the Bekaa to get rid of the sewage and trash produced by factories and gas stations, he said. Starting in October, Nasrallah announced, his department will implement in collaboration with the Environment Ministry a plan which will stop environmental violations at the lake. We cannot tell people now to stop throwing their trash in the lake, he said. We have to secure other dumps before taking such measures. ...

How Bias Influences Critical Thinking Essay Example

How Bias Influences Critical Thinking Essay Example How Bias Influences Critical Thinking Essay How Bias Influences Critical Thinking Essay Essay Topic: Critical Thinking As our American society continues to evolve into a society with a better understanding and acceptance of its peoples differences, however, there are some ideologies and rules put into place that I feel there is no reason to change. For example, I feel that women should not serve on the front lines of combat and continue to operate within the combat supportive roles. As a female Army Veteran of both Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, allowing women to have their Military Occupation Specialty be apart of the Infantry, Special Forces, Ranger, and Navy Seals, would cause not only a disruption in our relationship with our foreign allies, but also have a negative impact on unit cohesion among our multiple military services. Even though I feel women are able to do the same Job as their male counterparts, however, I have yet to see them do the best above all of them. All military branches have different standards for females and males for valid reasons which include the anatomical makeup of each gender is vastly different. Our military fighting forces would not be equipped to handle the uniqueness of eliminating those guidelines and have everyone on an even playing field. I still remain hopeful that this would not be an issue in the future, but for now, America Just is not ready. Among the many cognitive biases out there that can influence our critical thinking, there are three I identify with and admit played a significant role in my argument regarding this sensitive topic: belief bias, status quo bias, and naive realism. In referring to Chapter 1 of Critical Thinking from our course reading materials this first week, belief bias is defined as the tendency to evaluate seasoning by how believable its conclusion seems and can affect us consciously or unconsciously. Next, is the status quo bias which is defined as the tendency to like things to stay relatively the same (Baron 2000) and is also known as a comfort zone bias. Last, is naive realism and is categorized under to the group known as attribution biases. It is defined as the belief that we see reality as it really is objectively and without bias; that the facts are plain for all to see; that rational people will agree with us; and that those who dont are either uninformed, lazy, irrational, or biased (Wisped 2014). Unconsciously, I allow my own morals, opinions and beliefs in this case, influence my argument on why women should not serve on the front lines. References Baron, J. (2000).

XBox versus Playstation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

XBox versus Playstation - Essay Example The availability of these games in the market have provided people with the opportunity to make a choice between the two depending on an individual’s tastes and preferences. Naturally, people shall have different opinions as to which one of the two is better that the other and why (Plunkett, 2009). This paper shall compare XBox and Playstation and attempt to make out which of the two is preferable. Determining which one of the two is better than the other is a rather difficult or an impossible task. This is because it all depends on the individual using it the console since each game console provides a broad range of varied features. Some people will love one console, while others could hate it. Generally, it has been agreed that the Play station and the Xbox are roughly comparable (Cheat, 2011). However, people will always hold different opinions as far as this matter is concerned. The Xbox was set to the market in North America on 15th November 2001. It offered a stiff compe tition with Sony’s PlayStation. During the early years of its development, the marketing department in Microsoft argued against the name Xbox with the argument that it would be very unpopular in the market. This, therefore, called for alternative names being suggested. However, testing from consumers revealed that the name was more preferable than all the other suggested names (Plunkett, 2009). This led to Xbox becoming the official name for the game. Xbox has been documented as the first video game console built using a hard disk drive, which was primarily used to store games. This development did away with the need to have separate memory cards that had been in the market for long. Over the years, these two games have developed to superiority, while at the same time maintaining significant differences among themselves than ever before. Each of the industries Sony and Microsoft is keen to avoid lagging behind the other. As soon as Sony began enjoying the success of the PlayS tation 3 slim, Microsoft came in with the thinned edition of Xbox 360. Sources from industries have claimed that both Sony and Microsoft are intending to extend the consoles generation with the aim of maximizing their investment (Navarro, 2009). Currently, both games have competitive prices and provide very related functions. These progresses are making it more complicated to make a decision on which of the two is better. The comparison between Microsoft Xbox 360 S and Sony PlayStation 3 slim is one mission that has left many people exhausted. Even the game fans have had difficulties telling which of the two is better. PlayStation 3 slim is an overhauled version of the seventh generation form Sony’s video game console launched in 2009. This PlayStation has developments such as a new sleek design, a potent mix of old and new features such as online gaming, Blu-ray Disc technology, high optical disc format, and a removable hard drive (Beyazitoglu, 2010). All these developments have made gaming more interesting and easier. In addition to this, the PlayStation Move facilitating motion games has made it more popular. A year after the introduction of PlayStation 3 slim by Sony, Microsoft introduced its seventh generation the Xbox 360 S. this was 17 percent slimmer than the previous version. Some of the most common games with Xbox 360 S currently include Gears of War, Fable, Call of Duty, and Halo among others. Additionally, Xbox 360 S is easily well-matched to the motion gaming system introduced by Microsoft (Navarro, 2009). In determining which of the two games is better, there is a need to take into consideration a variety of features such as price, size, weight, and speed among

Anatomy and Physiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Anatomy and Physiology - Essay Example The sense of touch helps us detect pain and provides a reflex withdrawal that is naturally and unconsciously prepared before conscious awareness of pain is passed on to the brain (Kippers 2-3). Further, the sense of touch allows us to learn about our surroundings by touching and feeling everything around us (Kippers 2-3). The second function of the nervous system is coordination. Coordination is the body’s ability to receive a number of stimuli through the various senses, which are appropriately coordinated and processed thereby allowing us to give a proper reaction to any given circumstances. The feedback or response given by an individual may vary and depend on character, experience, culture, etc. (Kippers 2-3). Last but not the least function of the nervous system is the ability of a person to have conceptual though or intelligence. Every individual is capable of calculation, imagination, abstract reasoning and creativity that make him or her superior than any other mammal (Kippers 2-3). The peripheral nervous system (PNS is made up of all the other parts of the nervous system excluding the brain and the spinal cord which are parts and segments of the central nervous system (CNS) (Noveguide.com 1-3). The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is divided into two main categories which are: 1) the sensory somatic nervous system and 2) the autonomic nervous system (Novelguide.com 1-3). The sensory somatic nervous system serves as the sensory entrance between the environment or surroundings outside the human body and the CNS. The responses made by the body in this part of the PNS are inclined to be conscious (Noveguide.com 1-3). The sensory somatic nervous system is composed of 31 pairs of spinal nerves and 12 pairs of cranial nerves. Other pairs are only for sensory neurons which are mainly engaged in the senses for smell,