Mergers, Acquisition, and International Strategies in McDonald and Carls Jr. Corporations

Introduction A merger is a business expansion strategy in which two or more companies combine to form one new company. On the other hand, an acquisition is a business venture in which one company purchases another one without formation of a new company. In general, a merger and an acquisition entail consolidation of two or more corporations to form a competitive joint synergy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mergers, Acquisition, and International Strategies in McDonald and Carl’s Jr. Corporations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this paper, McDonald and Carl’s Jr. Corporations have been chosen to illustrate the effectiveness of mergers and acquisitions as business expansion strategies. McDonald’s Corporation is one of the leading fast food restaurants that have gained global competitive advantage through acquisitions. Unlike McDonald’s, the competitive advantage of Carl’s Jr . is product differentiation and effective customer service. Carl’s Jr. operates mainly in the United States of America. McDonald’s Corporation McDonald’s is the largest chain restaurant in fast food industry. The company started in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant in California. Its main products are hamburgers, breakfast items, cheeseburgers, and soft drinks. Today, McDonald’s Corporation serves over 65 million customers on a daily basis in 120 countries around the world. Its main expansion strategies are competitive customer service, high quality products at affordable prices, product differentiation, effective marketing and acquisitions (Mujtaba Patel, 2007). During its initial business expansion phase, McDonald’s Corporation employed high quality customer service and product differentiation as strategic marketing tools to gain a strong market presence in the United States of America. By mid 1980s, McDonald’s was among the biggest fast foo d restaurants in the United States of America. This strong market presence prompted the need to explore overseas markets. A stronger domestic market presence was essential in propelling the fast food leader to the international scene. Acquisitions were among the effective strategies that would ensure quick expansion of McDonald’s Corporation. Acquisitions were also thought to be strategic management tools that would help McDonald’s overcome the challenges of new markets. McDonald’s Corporation hoped to use the already established market presence and successful business models of existing companies in new market environments (Mujtaba Patel, 2007). In response to these needs, it acquired Donatos Pizza, Chipotle Mexican grill, and Boston Market between 1998 and 2000 (Derdak Pederson, 2004). The above acquisitions made McDonald’s the biggest chain of fast food restaurants in North and South America. The acquisitions were strategic because they increased the product line and domestic market presence of McDonald’s Corporation. Donatos pizza is based in Columbus, Ohio with over 200 outlets in the United States of America. Its acquisition made McDonald’s Corporation the dominant fast food restaurant in Ohio with an entry in the pizza industry.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Chipotle Mexican grill had over 1200 restaurants in 43 states and countries in the world. Among its market strongholds are Canada, England France, and Russia. It specializes in tacos and burritos as the main products. Its acquisition by McDonald’s in 1998 made the latter the biggest fast food restaurant in Canada and England (MarketLine, 2012). It also extended McDonald’s product line by inclusion of tacos and burritos. By the year 2000, McDonald’s Corporation was the leading fast food restaurant in Washington, DC, Ontario, T oronto, Quebec, and Paris thanks to the acquisition of Chipotle Mexican grill. McDonald’s Corporation acquired Boston Market (Formerly known as Boston Chicken) in 2000. Boston Market had 550 restaurants in 28 states in the United States of America, Australia, Sydney, and Canada prior to its acquisition by McDonald’s Corporation. Thus, the acquisition of Boston Market by McDonald’s Corporation expanded the market presence of the latter in Australia and Canada. McDonald’s was able to use human resources and the success story of Boston Market to enter into new market environments without incurring establishment and administrative costs. In general, the decision to acquire the above three fast food restaurants by McDonald’s Corporation was strategic. This is because it enhanced quick expansion into international markets without incurring establishment and administrative costs. According to MarketLine report (2012), many organizations fail to establish themselves in new markets because of the inability to adapt to new consumer cultures. Thus, acquisitions are effective tools of overcoming cultural shocks in new market environments. Carl’s Jr. Corporation Carl Karcher and Margaret Karcher started Carl’s Jr. as a hamburger restaurant in California in 1941. It was initially called Carl’s Drive-In barbecue until 1956. The stiff market competition of the 1990s made it difficult for Carl’s Jr. Corporation to establish itself in Texas and Arizona. Its expansion has been slow due to its management strategies that discourage mergers and acquisitions. The major challenge to its expansion is the competition from McDonald’s Corporation, which has the largest market presence in the United States of America. Currently, Carl’s Jr. is planning to expand its operation into international markets. The first proposed destinations are Singapore, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, and Brazil among others. The most effective and profitable company for a merger or acquisition for Carl’s Jr. is Starbucks Corporation. This is because of its wide international market presence that makes it the third biggest chain restaurant in the world. Starbucks Corporation is the leading coffeehouse restaurant in the world with over 20300 stores in 61 countries. Its strongest international market presence is Japan, Canada, China, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Taiwan, Philippines, and India among others.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Mergers, Acquisition, and International Strategies in McDonald and Carl’s Jr. Corporations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Besides hot and cold coffee, Starbucks Corporation also deals in snacks, sweet pastries, salads, and cold sandwiches. The joint venture of Carl’s Jr. and Starbucks Corporations will be profitable for the former because of expanded product line. Carl’s J r. will also benefit from the international market locations of Starbucks without incurring extra administrative and establishment costs. The business and corporate strategies of McDonald’s Corporation The mission of McDonald’s Corporation is to be the customers’ favorite place to eat in the world. The business strategy for McDonald’s is market led, and customer focused innovations. To achieve this, McDonald’s undertakes extensive market research to establish its customers and their needs. It then designs its products to meet the needs of all age groups. The prices are also varied to meet the needs of people from all social classes. The wide market presence ensures that McDonald’s is the restaurant of choice for majority customers in the world (Mujtaba Patel, 2007). McDonald’s corporate strategy is business diversification and international expansion. McDonald’s employs related diversification by proving various meals that mee t all customer needs. Recommendations for improvement The most effective recommendation for McDonald’s Corporation is vertical integration. This is a cost cutting strategy, which is achieved by using an organization’s own inputs and distribution channels. McDonald’s Corporation should produce its own inputs and develop its own transportation and distribution systems. This will reduce overall costs and increase the company’s profitability. Proposed business and corporate strategies for Carl’s Jr. The most effective business level strategy for Carl’s Jr. is high quality product branding. Effective branding of Carl’s Jr. Corporation and its products will attract the attention of new customers in new market environments (Gussoni Mangani, 2012). This will offer it a competitive advantage against other market players. For corporate level strategy, the most effective recommendation for Carl’s Jr. is international expansion. This will provide the company with a global market for its products (Stoy Kytzia, 2004). References Derdak, T. Pederson, J.P. (2004). â€Å"McDonald’s†. In Derdak, T Pederson, J.(Eds.), International directory of company histories. 3rd Ed (pp. 108-109). New York: St.James Press. Gussoni, M. Mangani, A. (2012). Corporate branding strategies in mergers and acquisitions. Journal of Brand Management, 19, 772-787.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More MarketLine (formerly Datamonitor), Financial Deals. (2012). McDonald’s Corporation – Mergers Acquisitions (MA), Partnerships Alliances and Investment Report Nov 27, 2012. New York, NY: Alacra Store. Mujtaba, G.B. Patel, B. (2007). McDonald’s Success Strategy And Global Expansion Through Customer And Brand Loyalty. Journal of Business Case Studies, 3(3), 55-66. Stoy, C. Kytzia, S. (2004). Strategies of corporate real estate management: Strategic dimensions and participants. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 6(4), 353-370. This essay on Mergers, Acquisition, and International Strategies in McDonald and Carl’s Jr. Corporations was written and submitted by user Wesley S. 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.

James McPherson - Civil War James McPherson - Army of the Tennessee

James McPherson - Civil War James McPherson - Army of the Tennessee James McPherson - Early Life Career: James Birdseye McPherson was born November 14, 1828, near Clyde, Ohio. The son of William and Cynthia Russell McPherson, he worked on the familys farm and aided with his fathers blacksmith business. When he was thirteen, McPhersons father, who had a history of mental illness, became unable to work. To aid the family, McPherson took a job at a store run by Robert Smith. An avid reader, he worked in this position until he was nineteen when Smith aided him in obtaining an appointment to West Point. Rather than immediately enroll, he deferred his acceptance and took two years of preparatory study at Norwalk Academy. Arriving at West Point in 1849, he was in the same class as Philip Sheridan, John M. Schofield, and John Bell Hood. A gifted student, he graduated first (of 52) in the Class of 1853. Though posted to the Army Corps of Engineers, McPherson was retained at West Point for a year to serve as an Assistant Professor of Practical Engineering. Completing his teaching assignment, he next was ordered to aid in improving New York Harbor. In 1857, McPherson was transferred to San Francisco to work on improving fortifications in the area. James McPherson - The Civil War Begins: With the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and the beginning of the secession crisis, McPherson declared that he wished to fight for the Union. As the Civil War began in April 1861, he realized that his career would be best served if he returned east. Asking for a transfer, he received orders to report to Boston for service in the Corps of Engineers as a captain. Though an improvement, McPherson desired to serve with one of the Union armies then forming. In November 1861, he wrote to Major General Henry W. Halleck and requested a position on his staff. James McPherson - Joining with Grant: This was accepted and McPherson traveled to St. Louis. Arriving, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and assigned as chief engineer on the staff of Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant. In February 1862, McPherson was with Grants army when it captured Fort Henry and played a key role in deploying Union forces for the Battle of Fort Donelson a few days later. McPherson again saw action in April during the Union victory at the Battle of Shiloh. Impressed with the young officer, Grant had him promoted to brigadier general in May. James McPherson - Rising through the Ranks: That fall saw McPherson in command of an infantry brigade during the campaigns around Corinth and Iuka, MS. Again performing well, he received a promotion to major general on October 8, 1862. In December, Grants Army of the Tennessee was reorganized and McPherson received command of XVII Corps. In this role, McPherson played a key part in Grants campaign against Vicksburg, MS in late 1862 and 1863. In the course of the campaign, he took part in victories at Raymond (May 12), Jackson (May 14), Champion Hill (May 16), and the Siege of Vicksburg (May 18-July 4). James McPherson - Leading the Army of the Tennessee: In the months following the victory at Vicksburg, McPherson remained in Mississippi conducting minor operations against the Confederates in the area. As a result, he did not travel with Grant and part of the Army of the Tennessee to relieve the siege of Chattanooga. In March 1864, Grant was ordered east to take overall command of Union forces. In reorganizing the armies in the West, he directed that McPherson be made commander of the Army of the Tennessee on March 12, replacing Major General William T. Sherman, who was promoted to command all Union forces in region. Commencing his campaign against Atlanta in early May, Sherman moved through northern Georgia with three armies. While McPherson advanced on the right, Major General George H. Thomas Army of the Cumberland formed the center while Major General John Schofields Army of the Ohio marched on the Union left. Confronted by General Joseph E. Johnstons strong position at Rocky Face Ridge and Dalton, Sherman dispatched McPherson south to Snake Creek Gap. From this undefended gap, he was to strike at Resaca and sever the railroad which was supplying the Confederates to the north. Emerging from the gap on May 9, McPherson became concerned that Johnston would move south and cut him off. As a result, he withdrew to the gap and failed to take Resaca despite the fact the city was lightly defended. Moving south with the bulk of Union forces, Sherman engaged Johnston at the Battle of Resaca on May 13-15. Largely inconclusive, Sherman later blamed McPhersons cautiousness on May 9 for preventing a great Union victory. As Sherman maneuvered Johnston south, McPhersons army took part in the defeat at Kennesaw Mountain on June 27. James McPherson - Final Actions: Despite the defeat, Sherman continued to press south and crossed the Chattahoochee River. Nearing Atlanta, he intended to attack the city from three directions with Thomas pushing in from the north, Schofield from the northeast, and McPherson from the east. Confederate forces, now led by McPhersons classmate Hood, attacked Thomas at Peachtree Creek on July 20 and were turned back. Two days later, Hood planned to attack McPherson as the Army of the Tennessee approached from the east. Learning that McPhersons left flank was exposed, he directed Lieutenant General William Hardees corps and cavalry to attack. Meeting with Sherman, McPherson heard the sound of fighting as Major General Grenville Dodges XVI Corps worked to halt this Confederate assault in what became known as the Battle of Atlanta. Riding to the sound of the guns, with only his orderly as an escort, he entered a gap between Dodges XVI Corps and Major General Francis P. Blairs XVII Corps. As he advanced, a line of Confederate skirmishers appeared and ordered him to halt. Refusing, McPherson turned his horse and tried to flee. Opening fire, the Confederates killed him as he tried to escape. Beloved by his men, McPhersons death was mourned by leaders on both sides. Sherman, who considered McPherson a friend, wept upon learning of his death and later wrote his wife, McPhersons death was a great loss to me. I depended much on him. Upon learning of the death of his protà ©gà ©, Grant was also moved to tears. Across the lines, McPhersons classmate Hood penned, I will record the death of my classmate and boyhood friend, General James B. McPherson, the announcement of which caused me sincere sorrow...the attachment formed in early youth was strengthened by my admiration and gratitude for his conduct toward our people in the vicinity of Vicksburg. The second highest ranking Union officer killed in combat (behind Major General John Sedgwick), McPhersons body was recovered and returned to Ohio for burial. Selected Sources Sherman Loses his Right Bower by Wayne BengstonCivil War Trust: James McPherson Major General James B. McPherson

I dont know chose the one that fits the story Essay

I dont know chose the one that fits the story - Essay Example Many examples are given in this paper of how Gates has used monologue as an exposition device to convey his audience his intended message. The paper concludes with a concise summary of the main points in the paper. To begin with, Henry Gates begins this memoir by drawing a vivid picture of how their kitchen looked like when he was young, Gates says, â€Å" we always has a gas stove in the kitchen, in our house in Piedmont, West Virginia where I grew up. Never electric, though electric became fashionable in Piedmont in the sixties, like using Crest toothpaste rather than Colgate, or watching Huntley or Brinkley†. In this quotation, Gates gives a perfect exposition of his family’s kitchen and lifestyle when he was young and growing u. This exposition is meant to connect his audience with his childhood lifestyle. The use of monologue as an expository device helps Gates to connect his audience with his childhood lifestyle in a very clear way. In explaining his humble background, Gates says the following, â€Å"Mama would wash her hair over the sink, towel wrapped over her shoulders, wearing just her slip and her white bra. (We had no shower- just a galvanised tub that we stored in the kitchen†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This quotation expresses the humble background of Gates, the fact that Gates’ family did not have shower, but just a galvanised tub that they stored in the kitchen means that Gates’ family was poor. Gates uses monologue to make this exposition about her poor and humble background. Through the use of monologue as a literary device in this exposition, Gates connects his audience with his humble background. This exposition will help his audience to better understand the main message that he wants to express in this memoir. It is good to note that Gates’ intended audience in this memoir is the Black Americans who were constantly trying to emulate the white people’s standard of beauty. Through the exposition of his humble background, Gates intended audience will be

Critically examine the relationship between war and underdevelopment Coursework

Critically examine the relationship between war and underdevelopment - Coursework Example War has been characterised as an activity involving methodical physical violence and slaughter carried out for political purposes -- to achieve or prolong political power. Within this wide-ranging intention, specific groups also chase economic objectives which can become justifications for prolonging conflict beyond that point when political objectives appear viable (Stewart and Fitzgerald, 2000: 4). Likewise, war must be perceived as an authentic, deliberate and pervasive armed conflict between political communities. Plain awareness for war to erupt or existence of a collective contempt between political communities does not make conclusive indicators of war. Conflict of arms must be real and not merely suppressed; likewise, it must be both deliberate and extensive -- unrepeated collisions between military scoundrels cannot be considered acts of war. Essentially, the inception of war necessitates a premeditated commitment from parties involved considerable recruitment of men. Finally, there is no actual war until the â€Å"fighters intend to go to war† and until they execute such with a heavy quantum of force (Walzer, 1996: 95-112). Is war always regressive? Since war always has a high economic cost attached to it, is there a prudent and impartial manner to instigate such activity or is it all desperate, barbaric massacres? Does war have a role in the development of a nation? More importantly, is there a direct relationship between armed conflict and a nation’s economic underdevelopment? In recent decades, the world has witnessed the surfacing and intensification of an extensive array of fierce conflicts. Regardless of the motivations, brutal clashes are, more often than not, socially and culturally catastrophic, economically shattering and politically disastrous. In many cases, conflict is triggered by lack of development, whether economic, political, social or a

Reading Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Analysis - Essay Example The author has listed the central role that parliments attain in the establishment and acknowledged familiarity; parliament receives as being the highest decision-making body of the nation. The author explains that initially it was the government sector who worked on the economic’s transformation but the changing government and political parties have enabled bureaucracy to manage a major portion of economics. Politicans of the state favor the development of the private companies that will, in turn, support their political activities. Author has created a very convincing statement for the dominance of bureaucracy by implying the facts like control and regulation; Amakudari and administrative guidance in the favor of bureaucracy dominace. The author further argues that national bureaucracy control and regulates the functioing and production of business community and strictly holds its authority over private-sector companies in Japan. The dominance of bureaucrats over private business sector is well-acknowledged. To support this argument regarding bureaucracy hold on private sector business world, the author has provided some details of the rights that bereaucracy have, like selection of intelligent graduates from university for their management abilities and incorporating them in government sector. By controlling the official’s appointment in government sector, bureaucracy is often believed as real power holder of the nation by many people. Government sector is capable to hold its control over the developme nt of private business sector by managing the activities of production, sales and distribution; but the insight regarding the dominance of bureaucracy over private sectors appears quite appealing. The author adds further weight to the perception of bureaucracy control by exposing the dependency of muncipal governments on the subsidies from natural government as they have restricted rights for

Effects of Health Insurance on Small Businesses in the US

Effects of Health Insurance on Small Businesses in the US 1. Problem statement With over half of the American workforce employed by small businesses, these organizations are the backbone of the American economy. Small businesses are the innovators and the main employers in the American work force; they play a vital role in the nations economic recovery. But with the increasing government regulations over health insurance affecting their revenues, small business owners are facing peril in their near future which will affect not only the owners but the work force as a whole. 2. Description: How Small Businesses are being affected by Health Insurance? 2.1. Increased Health Insurance Charges Increased government regulations in terms of health insurance may cause increased financial strain on owners while decreasing their revenues dramatically. Many employers have a difficult time purchasing coverage for their workers because they have fewer employees, so the cost of health insurance per worker is higher than that for a corporation who has a larger employee pool. Insurance costs for small businesses have increased 129 percent since 2000. Small businesses with less than five hundred employees create more than two-thirds of the jobs in the American economy, but an excessive amount of their revenue is going toward inflated health insurance premiums, and not where it should be directed growth and expansion, which would lead to the employment of more individuals(Landrieu, 2009). 2.2. Payments of Small Businesses Employees Small business employees pay an average of 18% more in premiums than those in large firms for the same benefits. Small businesses and their employees are frequently charged more for the same health insurance coverage than large employers and their workers. Due to this the employers of the small businesses have to face greater difficulty in providing the facilities to their employees. 2.3. Health Insurance State Laws In many states, if business owners purchase insurance for themselves they must cover their employees as well. This leaves many sole-proprietors unable to afford the luxury of health insurance. They desire to cover their workers, but unlike bigger corporations and firms, they are unable to deduct the expense on their tax return. 2.4. Higher Administrative Costs The prices that small and large firms paid for health insurance and the value of the products purchased are similar. However, insurers of small health plans have higher administrative expenses than those who insure larger companies. Also, operating expenses are all higher for small health plans too. Small firms received slightly less generous health insurance benefits, according to calculations of actual value. For these reasons, small businesses offer health care coverage to a lower percentage of their work force and are a different type of customer than large firms. 3. Solution Improving access to credit by small businesses is a crucial step in supporting economic recovery and job creation. Since the financial crisis began, small businesses have faced a perfect storm: the pulling back of lending by banks, deterioration in the value of real estate that they often rely on for collateral and weakened sales. The following proposals can help solve our problem to an extent. 3.1. The Proposed Solutions Small business owners can benefit from a new proposal that would allow their workers to be pooled with the employees of other smaller businesses (Anonymous, 2009). The proposed solutions are Allow Insurance To Be Sold to Associations. There are some 16,000 associations in the United States, and six million people are already insured through such organizations as the National Association for the Self-Employed. Association health plans allow small business owners to pool resources, negotiate with insurers and purchase insurance plans for members. However, the existence of 50 sets of state regulations is a barrier to low-cost health insurance. If small firms could buy health insurance with uniform federal regulations, they could enjoy the same lower administrative costs and greater bargaining power as large firms. Let Businesses Purchase Health Insurance from Insurers in Other States. Protection from interstate competition allows politicians to impose expensive mandates and costly regulations. Allowing businesses to purchase coverage across state lines would create more competitive insurance markets. Interstate compe ­tition would give more people access to affordable insurance. Let Businesses Contribute to the Cost of Employee-Owned Insurance. Health insurance in the United States is largely tied to employment because employer contributions for health insurance are tax deductible business expenses and do not count as taxable income for employees. Premiums for employer-paid health benefits avoid all income taxes and the (FICA) payroll tax. By contrast, employees of small businesses without employer-provided health benefits get no tax relief. Small business employers should be able to contribute to the cost of health policies purchased by their employees. Their workers would get portability, but at premiums closer to the cost of group insurance. As a result, insurance coverage would follow people from job to job and workers would not face a disruption in benefits when their employment changes. 3.2. Benefits of the proposed solutions The proposed solutions can help the Small businesses in the following ways The insurance company would then be able to offer them lower rates; more employees would be pooled together, thus lessening the cost per person. Loosening government regulations and offering health insurance relief to sole-proprietors would bring about other benefits. The gained revenue could then be used to train employees properly, incorporate the tools necessary for their work to be completed in a timely and effective manner, and hire qualified, motivated employees with a strong work ethic. Their businesses would then be able to grow, thus decreasing the unemployment rate. This in turn would stimulate the economy and increase the betterment of life not only for the employees in question but for Americans as a whole. As the businesses will grow, this will develop greater struggle amongst the businesses and as a result will help in increasing the Competition. Competitive market always results in betterment. Small business owners and their workers will be focused Small business owners will be passionate about their businesses. Innovative small businesses are prize targets of larger corporations that often find it more cost-effective to acquire than to innovate on their own. By decreasing the pressure on these businesses, they will able to make more innovations. Small businesses know that their livelihood is based on their customers. Small is great for customers. Therefore, by reducing stress of these businesses, they will be able to provide better customer care. This topic has been researched using a number of different sources. For instance, ProQuest provides an abundance of information regarding the nature of the health insurance regulations that are being imposed on sole-proprietors. Two of the cited articles addressed the issue specifically from the sole-proprietors point of view which helps to shed some light on the issue on hand as to how these owners are directly affected by stringent health insurance regulations, what impact it has on both them and their employees and what would be the best course of action to take to make this work for everyone involved (Landrieu, 2009). The other article chosen was written in an objective point of view, stating the struggling nature of sole-proprietors, how they long to provide adequate health insurance for their workers but cannot manage to do so since it is not tax deductible. Some pertinent facts and statistics are also utilized in all of the cited publications in order to explore the effects of this issue and evaluate their implications. These articles do provide some quantitative statistical grounding, based on which some conclusions can be drawn. At the same time, most of the research on hand will be qualitative. In order to curb the limitations inherent to using the qualitative method exclusively, we must utilize the quantitative part as much as these resources allow. While the resources available wont solve the problem once and for all, the closeness of all the writers to both the insurance sector and to the small businesses promises to provide some valuable insight on the issue, from a both qualitative and quantitative approach. 4. Conclusion   People should be able to purchase, with pretax dollars, health plans that are portable from one job to the next, just as group plans do. Employers should be able to help pay the premiums on those individual plans. To avoid costly state mandates, small businesses should be allowed to purchase plans similar to those purchased by large companies that self-insure. If a solution for this problem of health insurance effecting small firms is solved, small businesses could create a national marketplace where insurance companies and care providers compete for individuals on price and quality. References Mary Landrieu. (2009,October9). Health Costs Are Crushing Small Businesses.Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition), p.A.17. Retrieved October 21, 2009, from ProQuest National Newspapers Expanded. (Document ID:1875612881). Michael Weiser. (2009,October9). Insurance woes of a small business.Chicago Tribune, p.23. Retrieved October 21, 2009, from ProQuest National Newspapers Expanded. (Document ID:1875818001). NCHC | Facts About Healthcare Health Insurance Costs. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml Small businesses now have a difficult time.(2009,September8). The Washington Post, p.A.9. Retrieved October 21, 2009, from ProQuest National Newspapers Expanded. (Document ID:1854901361), Small Employers Struggle to Offer Health Insurance BusinessWeek. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/oct2009/sb2009106_487565.htm Small Business HealthInsurance Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba642 Network services and consulting corporation Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://www.enetsc.com/doctorebiz.htm

education in society :: essays research papers fc

With so many problems surrounding public schooling, it is difficult to understand where public school is headed. In the article â€Å"Taking Sides,† William J. Bennett and Forrest J. Troy tackle the problem from two opposing views. Both sides present a compelling case, while at the same time helping readers to understand the difficulty of creating a program that functions the fullest potential. The article examines one major topic; â€Å"Have Public Schools Failed Society?† I hope to answer this question while taking a look at both sides of the coin. As the former secretary of education, William J. Bennet has a good understanding of what could possibly be right and wrong with public schooling. After placing â€Å"goals† schools the United States realized, years later, that they have fallen into a lull. In other words, Bennet believes that the United States has reached a point where the schooling system cannot improve based on the goals they put in place fifteen years ago. This makes perfect sense. Why would a nation as powerful as the United States place â€Å"limitations,† on what schools can and cannot do? Learning is constantly growing. With this being said, I believe that the direction that the United States public schools are heading is failure. Teachers and students understand this more than anyone. Each student is completely different, in their own right. To make a blanket statement for the every school and setting the same goals is ridiculous. There are many critics to this status quo idea. They believe that â€Å"young Americans are not learning enough for their own or their nation’s good, that international comparisons rank the U.S. academic performance from the middle to the bottom year after year, and that many employers say that they cannot find people who have the necessary skills, knowledge, attitudes, and habits to do the work.† (Noll 173) If education is supposed to aid in the development of an entire nation, then why do so many people disagree with the system the United States have in place at the moment? If the country continues on this path there will never be room for improvement. I think what Bennet is trying to say is that the world is ever changing, so in the same regard so should education. Chester E. Finn takes the criticism of education in another direction. Instead of focusing on the downfalls of the education system he believe that the problems stem from society. education in society :: essays research papers fc With so many problems surrounding public schooling, it is difficult to understand where public school is headed. In the article â€Å"Taking Sides,† William J. Bennett and Forrest J. Troy tackle the problem from two opposing views. Both sides present a compelling case, while at the same time helping readers to understand the difficulty of creating a program that functions the fullest potential. The article examines one major topic; â€Å"Have Public Schools Failed Society?† I hope to answer this question while taking a look at both sides of the coin. As the former secretary of education, William J. Bennet has a good understanding of what could possibly be right and wrong with public schooling. After placing â€Å"goals† schools the United States realized, years later, that they have fallen into a lull. In other words, Bennet believes that the United States has reached a point where the schooling system cannot improve based on the goals they put in place fifteen years ago. This makes perfect sense. Why would a nation as powerful as the United States place â€Å"limitations,† on what schools can and cannot do? Learning is constantly growing. With this being said, I believe that the direction that the United States public schools are heading is failure. Teachers and students understand this more than anyone. Each student is completely different, in their own right. To make a blanket statement for the every school and setting the same goals is ridiculous. There are many critics to this status quo idea. They believe that â€Å"young Americans are not learning enough for their own or their nation’s good, that international comparisons rank the U.S. academic performance from the middle to the bottom year after year, and that many employers say that they cannot find people who have the necessary skills, knowledge, attitudes, and habits to do the work.† (Noll 173) If education is supposed to aid in the development of an entire nation, then why do so many people disagree with the system the United States have in place at the moment? If the country continues on this path there will never be room for improvement. I think what Bennet is trying to say is that the world is ever changing, so in the same regard so should education. Chester E. Finn takes the criticism of education in another direction. Instead of focusing on the downfalls of the education system he believe that the problems stem from society.

Homoeroticism in Bram Stoker’s Dracula

The evolution of time and the changes in socio-cultural faculties directly reflect on the type and the mainstream of culture within the literary and visual arts genre. Following the parade and proliferation of ‘feminism’ and ‘women empowerment’ in literature and popular media, a new type of theme evolved or branched out—homoeroticism—which had invaded the literary categories. Homoeroticism generally pertains to ‘homo’ or same-sex depiction of love and desire (Murray and Roscoe, 1997). Perhaps one of the most famous and horrifying stories of the twentieth and the contemporary century is the Bram Stoker’s Dracula.While the narrative is typically horrendous and strangely lulling to the reader, there is probably a deeper implication on the psychological responses, which hinges on ‘deviant behavior’ of the story’s main character Count Dracula. Strangely, the character Dracula is an atypical archetype of the â €Å"third† genre. In the subsequent paper, an analysis on the psychological behavior [and his erstwhile characteristics] of Bram Stoker’s Dracula will be conducted and correlate it to the possibility of ‘homoerotic’ inundations that normally defines ‘gay’ literature.Additionally, the paper aims to define the ‘psychological state/conditioning/behavior of the author Bram Stoker by investigating given and known literatures/readings on his biography. Such undertaking can also possibly suggest the presence/absence of homoerotic front of the author.II. The Third Gender and Queer Theory Modernity in the late 1960’s to the contemporary period explores the fundamentals and the notion and ideologies of heterosexuality which extends to thematic concepts in literature.The tenets of gender is questioned and hereto put forth as social equity, an underlying idea of democratization, contests the precepts of gender and sexuality. What is biologica lly ‘straight’ is devolved with identity reconstruction and partiality towards sexual orientation. Accordingly, the new gender—the third gender—a referral to gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and closets play ‘minority’ in the modern society. Homosexuals, in its simplest sense, are the non-heterosexuals. They have distinct preference for the same biological sexual orientation.They are the basket term for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and closets. Faculties of psychosocial behavior explore the deviance and the non-normative sexual practice of homosexuals. It is acknowledged that gays are ‘psychosocial’ deviance, not a sickness but a social reality. The queer society, bearing some forms of behavior and principles, and language materializes in several literatures as some queer theorist claim. Thus there is manifestation and imposition of ‘third gender’ structures and labels from an external mainstream culture of the ‘homosex ual’ minors into literature.Here we explore the unconscious inclusion of pronounced homosexuality of the author Bram Stoker through the vampire Dracula. Bram Stoker’s vampiric Dracula is thus scrutinized using queer theory—process of discovering and exposing underlying meanings, distinctions, and relations of power in larger culture that others oversimplify. The capitalization of overt heterosexuality of the vampiric Dracula is examined overlaying the bounds of the character as simply being a ‘blood-sucking’ un-dead organism.A major proponent of the queer theorist Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and the Psychosocial Principle of Sigmund Freud will be utilized as a tool for understanding [the literature and] Dracula and explicate the vampire’s [methods] of homoeroticism.III. A Background on Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Eroticism Dracula is an epistolary novel—-consisting of a series of diary entries, telegrams, and letters from the characters , as well as fictional clippings from the Whitby and London newspapers and phonograph cylinders—originally published in 1897 and authored by Bram Stoker.Its’ literary classification [/ genre] is extensive covering that of ‘vampire literature’, ‘horror fiction’, ‘gothic’ and ‘invasion literature’. The novel enjoyed the peak of its literary success in the twentieth century with the proliferation of television and media; several adaptations of the novel’s ‘vampire’ found in theater and film interpretations [Dracula (1931); The Horror of Dracula (1958); Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992); Nosferatu (1922)].Modern accounts always of Dracula always universally agree that it exudes and distorts strong sexual energy: What has become clearer and clearer, particularly in the fin de siecle years of the twentieth century, is that the novel's power has its source in the sexual implications of the blood exchange betwe en the vampire and his victims†¦ Dracula has embedded in it a very disturbing psychosexual allegory whose meaning I am not sure Stoker entirely understood: that there is a demonic force at work in the world whose intent is to eroticize women.In Dracula we see how that force transforms Lucy Westenra, a beautiful nineteen-year-old virgin, into a shameless slut (Wolf 1992). Strong ‘dammed’ sexual energy either repressed or expressed, agitation, fear, anxiety, and excitement are inundated in the Dracula. The ‘demonic’ and ‘psychosexual’ allegories of the Dracula suggest inversion, a repression behind the monstrosity, a Freudian analogy of desires and hetero/homosexuality.III. Homoerotism and Dracula Homoerotism refers to the illustration of homosexual love and desire manifested through visual arts and literature.Although, it is more of a modern concept, Sedgwick acknowledged the pre-existence of such ‘process’ in the Victorian Era that hinges on pathological explanation of the ‘homosexuals’ veering on the predisposition towards both depravity and paederasty (Kaylor 2006). Dracula contains several obvious and not-so-obvious hints on the homoerotism that probably characterizes the restrained movement of the homosexuals of the Late Victorian Era. A. Parodies of Sexual Excesses of Dracula The narrative of the story contains heavy sexual undertones and indulgences that encompass even that of the human characters of the story.Jonathan Harker exhibits sybaritic tendencies towards the dark and desirous evil passions during his encounter with the Brides of Dracula: All three had brilliant white teeth, that shone like pearls against the ruby of their voluptuous lips. There was something about them that made me uneasy, some longing and at the same time deadly fear. I felt in my heart a wicked and burning desire that they would kiss me with those red lips. Stokes brings insight to the darker passions that a re discretely enjoyed in the Late Victorian Era. Sex is not a sacred act but an indulgence of the senses and brain.The conscious aim is to explore sexuality in its most banal and radical sense. Through the Brides of Dracula, Stokes suggests the exploration of multiple sex partners. There is no limit to sexual freedom; it exceeds gender and number, even. Such decadence or feast is patterned from the Greek paedaristic tradition and is patterned throughout the cascade of the story. The excitement of the underlying sexual tones is unmistakable and obviously intentional given the pariah treatment for the ‘unconventional’ during the Victorian Period. The homoerotic desires will continually persist throughout the entirety of the gothic novel.The eroticism for the narrative is strangely luring and animalistic. Dracula bades Harker into the world of secrecy, indulgence and delight, saying â€Å"Welcome to my house! Enter freely. Go safely, and leave something of the happiness y ou bring! †¦ I am Dracula; and I bid you welcome. † Control is mocked; Desire, satisfaction and all that suggests [sexual] indulgence are offered by Dracula. Beneath the civilized veneer of the aristocrat Dracula lay a perverted nature which implies the status of the homosexuals and the repressed sexuality of the stuffy Victorian Period.Sexual harem, incestuous relationships, and men-to-men relations are discretely portrayed in the Bram Stoke’s Dracula albeit in a hyperbolic manner. The Brides of Dracula are not ‘legal’ brides but in actuality, family relations of Dracula who bear a striking and similar morphological features with him which suggests, on the long run, a degree of incestuous relationship enjoyed by them. Aside from sexual harem and a hint of incest, men-to-men relation has played an important element in the development of the sexual undertones of the Gothic novel.Ambiguity in sexual preference and the flexibility of Dracula for sexual pr edisposition is implicit when he admonishes his Brides who want to ravish Harker, â€Å"This man belongs to me! † Such possession and temperamental display of possessive attitude differs from his statement on—â€Å"Yes, I too can love. You yourselves can tell it from the past. Is it not so? Well, now I promise you that when I am done with him you shall kiss him at your will. † Dracula psychosexual conditioning is not clear.However, it is asserted that the ambiguity and the his sexual inversions may have been an indicator for the confusion and the psychological meanderings of a homosexuals presented in a strict and stuffy society. B. Effeminate Dracula Perhaps the most striking quality of Dracula is his striking and handsome appearance which deviates from the ‘ugly’ vampires of Eastern European folklore: [Dracula's] face was a strong – a very strong – aquiline, with high bridge of the thin nose and peculiarly arched nostrils; with lofty domed forehead, and hair growing scantily round the temples, but profusely elsewhere.His eyebrows were very massive, almost meeting over the nose, and with bushy hair that seemed to curl in its own profusion. The mouth, so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was fixed and rather cruel looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth; these protruded over the lips, whose remarkable ruddiness showed astonishing vitality in a man of his years. For the rest, his ears were pale and at the tops extremely pointed; the chin was broad and strong, and the cheeks firm though thin. The general effect was one of extraordinary pallor. The general effect of Dracula is a Byronic ideology of ‘handsome’ man.Beauty is not just a female concept but for the male Dracula as well with the perfection of his features which are highly popular during the Victorian times. The allusion of having ‘red’ lips and ‘long’ pointed nails are physical attributes or endowme nts of female genre. Additionally, Dracula’s innate effeminate characteristics extends to his housekeeping capacities—maintaining Jonathan Harker’s bed and readying of his meals. Dracula is representation of the ‘beautiful ‘morphological male, not necessarily masculine but neither does it approach the feminine standards.C. Unmasking the Monstrosity of Dracula through Queer Theory As Sedwick puts it, to gain a better understanding of the third gender, it is necessary that a thorough study must be conducted that transcends the barriers the standard binary oppositions that limit understanding on sexuality. A careful examination of the psychological constructs of Dracula reveals the ‘heteroerotic’ chasm behinds his monstrosity and vampiric qualities. One of the major proponents behind a true understanding of individuality and motivation is Sigmund Freud.Freud posits that unconscious portion of the mind, the submerged ‘thoughts’ as one puts it, is the major motivating force behind an individual’s actions and thoughts. What is essential is not the actual conscious thoughts but the unconscious thoughts. Could it be that behind the monstrosity of Dracula lay a barrage of confused emotions on gender position and preference, which, is poured into his ‘vampiric tendencies? Dracula is portrayed as an infernal monster by Dr. Van Helsing: The Nosferatu do not die like the bee when he sting once. He is only stronger, and being stronger, have yet more power to work evil.This vampire which is amongst us is of himself so strong in person as twenty men, he is of cunning more than mortal, for his cunning be the growth of ages, he have still the aids of necromancy, which is, as his etymology imply, the divination by the dead, and all the dead that he can come nigh to are for him at command, he is brute, and more than brute, he is devil in callous, and the heart of him is not, he can, within his range, direct t he elements, the storm, the fog, the thunder, he can command all the meaner things, the rat, and the owl, and the bat, the moth, and the fox, and the wolf, he can grow and become small, and he can at times vanish and come unknown. The hyperbolic portrayal of the monstrous proportions of Dracula’s supernatural capacities denotes a deeper meaning behind the literaty texts.An important venue to consider is the role of speech acts which is use as labels for the gay ‘lingo. ’ Beyond morphology and monstrous appearance and punctuated by speech acts and behavior, covers an ambiguity, a sexual inversion that characterizes the hidden and anonymous desires of the third gender minority in the Victorian Period. The dissolution of the boundaries of the self and the thorough subversion of the conventional Victorian gender codes, constrains the mobility of sexual desire of Dracula. Dracula exhibits erratic behavior and sexual excesses that denotes the male activity or supremacy of the old times. Dracula secretely covets Jonathan Harker during his address to his brides—He is mine!Such statement defies the normative concept of heterosexual relations; Dracula, in this single statement of truth exposes once his secrets and his homosexual side. The repeating element of the story—Dracula is a highly sexed creature which spews the wickedness and vagaries on sexual enjoyment. The annotation of the Vampiric mouth is corollary to an orifice that denotes the hidden soul of the count: â€Å"There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive†¦I could see in the moonlight the moisture shining on the red tongue as it lapped the white sharp teeth†. The eroticism of the vampiric mouth presents the dis-ambiguity between males and females. Dracula constantly victimizes local individual with no ‘gender preferences’ sinking his sharp teeth into an erogenous spot on the neck.On the whole scale, such vampiric qual ities reveal lurid representations on the binary subversion of gender. Woman is not just ‘receptors’ or ‘vessels’ [sunk with Dracula fangs] and neither are men simply the ‘penetrator’. The role of Draconian mouth extends beyond hyperbole into an equivocation of gender roles. Such is the power of the mouth! The Brides of Dracula have the equal capacity to ‘sink’ their sharp teeth, an allusion to females’ position in ‘sexual’ proclivities. The transfusion of blood and any bloodily fluids across humans is not just about sucking the life force but on the whole this pertains to the unity and social equity beyond gender categorization.Dracula being a homosexual extremist ‘transfers’ blood when sucking; an equivocation of gender roles and a unwitting question of the association of the gay minority into the bilaterally determined society. Blood ties and acceptance. Blood. This is what ties humans together a nd the rejection of Dracula’s blood coupled with the fear and anxiety that characterizes the society during vampire hunts presents a parallelization of the misunderstood and an unaccepted presence of gay roles. The Dracula is a ‘monster’, and ‘a new order’ of humanity that is not understood by the old Victorian society. The monster presents un-comfort, distention, and somewhat weird and curiously entrancing but otherwise shunned away because it is not normal.Heterosexual association of Dracula with ‘women’, his imminent victimization of them presents Dracula as not simply just the ‘un-choosey’ attacker; within the psychological premise, the deliberate choice of Dracula for women is a ‘displacement method’ for his unfulfilled sexual ambition with Jonathan Harker. Dracula’s desire with a male Harker and his victimization is always postponed by a series of events. In the end, to alleviate his sexual frustrat ion for the male species, Dracula poured his frustrations in extreme proportions in the female genre. Dracula’s homoerotic desires is gratified by his three Brides; Dracula’s daughters offer masculine version for penetration with Harker as the recipient:Lower and lower went her head as the lips went below the range of my mouth and the chin and seemed to fasten on my throat†¦I could feel the soft, shivering touch of the lips on the supersensitive skin of my throat, and the hard dents of the two sharp teeth, just touching and pausing there. I closed my eyes in a languorous ecstasy and waited—waited with a beating heart. This is the final and most pronounced text wherein there is a direct representation of male ‘penetration’ vis-a-vis the female anatomy (from the mouth down anyway) and the referral to languor state ‘ecstasy’ prior to penetration. Harker anticipated the penetrated ‘waited—waited with a beating heart but th e act was not bound to happen since Dracula barges in and shouts, â€Å"How dare you touch him, any of you?How dare you cast eyes on him when I had forbidden it? Back I tell you! This man belongs to me. † The interruption suggests, more so the line, ‘This man belongs to me’, denotes homoeroticism on the part of Dracula, but such libidinous desires will never be realized its focal recipient Harker but instead will be displaced with other women. There are actually no male-to-male aggressions on the narrative but rather suggestive implications covered under sexual undertones and motivation inset under the Draco’s language. IV. Homoeroticism and Bram Stoker The publication of Dracula and the homoerotic themes scandalized under the narrative, created a question on the motivation of the author Bram Stoker.It has been noted above that the horror story is a social commentary on the misunderstanding and the treatment of homosexuals as well as exploration on the â⠂¬Ëœhomoerotism’ of Dracula. Perhaps Dracula is merely an extension of the true author. We contend that the vividness of the character Dracula is either a representation of the closet Bram Stoker or if not his close friend and correspondent, the multi-sex oriented (bisexual, paederastic and homosexual [even metrosexual with current standards] Oscar Wilde. It must be realized that Stokes began writing the story one month after Oscar Wilde was legally cross-examined for sodomy. The ignorance of connection between the two was due to the absence of literature that would connote Wilde’s name.Yet what is not apparently there may exist there by using using deliberate names to fulfill the gaps in communication. It is very possible that Dracula is Wilde; a horror allegory for a gay closet ‘trapped’ and ‘afraid’ during the trial. The Oscar Wilde trial is one of the most scandalous and expository nature of the Victorian underground in the nineteenth cent ury. The trial commences the legal prosecution of the gays under the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885 which states the condemnation of homosexual acts not amounting to buggery. The crisis of the closet is untenable; whereas Stokes wanted to embraced the ideology of homosexuality, common fear for persecution of gays forced him to be discrete and displaced his ideas on Dracula.Stoker has been many times associated with Withman and his open correspondent with him. His admires Whitman for ‘function[ing] as badges in homosexual recognition in England fin-de-siecle. ’ Stoker writes an insidious letter to Whitman: I would like to call you Comrade and to talk to you as men who are not poets do not often talk. I think that at first a man would be ashamed, for a man cannot in a moment break the habit of comparative reticence that has become a second nature to him, but I know I would not be long ashamed to be natural before you†¦. You have shaken off the shackles and your w ings are free. I have the shackles on my soldiers and still—but I have no wings.If you are going to read this letter any further I should tell you that I am not prepared to give up all else so far as words go. The ‘love letter’ address to Whitman suggests the fight for gay freedom of movement vis-a-vis his literary writings. The metaphysical connection between the two men is demonstrated in the letters. Gays are not simply gays because of their sexual quirks or fancies but more on their emotional predisposition. As Stokes further asserted, â€Å"How sweet a thing it is for a strong healthy man with a woman’s eye and a child’s wishes to feel that he can speak so to a man who can be if he wishes a father, and brother and wife to his soul. †Stokes believed that he is different from the normative ‘kind’ of human species. It is not known if Stoker’s presumed gayness resulted from the classical Oedipus imbalance or is a genetica lly determined trait. However it is clear that he identifies himself to be a different kind, those who practiced sodomy and has distinct preference for young males. While it is true that he is a proud member of the third class, tradition and fear of experiencing societal pariah urges him towards complacency and discretion. Stoker cannot openly write his intellectual positions on the assertion of third gender roles in the Victorian society and their so-called coming out.Stokes later became a member of the organization of gays with Whitman as a ‘special’ comrade. Oscar Wilde’s trial prove to be the turning point of decisions for his literary career. The infusion of homoeroticism within Dracula is so discretely hidden that, for a common reader, Dracula is nothing but bat-like demon. Within the realms of persecution, Dracula is perhaps the safest route for gay literary ideology and at the same time, avoiding inspection from the anti-homosexual Victorian law enforcers . Wilde’s trial forces the author Bram Stoker to secrecy. Irving also enjoys a strong emotional discourse with Irving, a gay poet: In those moments of our mutual emotion he too had found a friend. Soul had looked into soul!From that hour began the friendship as profound, as close, as lasting can be between two men†¦And the sight of his picture before me, with those loving words, the record of a time of deep emotion and full understanding of us both, each for a time of deep emotion and full understanding of us both, each for the other, unmans me once again as I write. The souls of the two distinguished individuals commune; it borders beyond physical adoration. They understand each other’s needs and ambitions depicting mutuality among men—a mirror of homosexuality that is very misleading and the parameters rather abstract. Stoker’s love for Irving is open, honest and metaphysical; there were no records to the consummation of their love but Stoker, many times, admitted to the alluding most profound male relationship of all time. Note that in Dracula, there is no consummation between the vampire Dracula and the human Jonathan Harker.Perhaps Stoker wants to project the essential element of third gender relations which hinges on emotional and intellectual connections. That is perhaps, why, Stoker condemns the vulgar representation of the third gender of Oscar Wilde. Oscar Wilde, during his trial, exposing the darker sides of the third sex legion. He commented, â€Å"Vices so flaggitous, so opposed to nature, even in its lowest and crudest forms that the poignancy of moral disgust is lost in the horror. † Stoker argues that some gay literature are censorious and exploits and denigrates the essentials of gayhood. Stoker always asserts discretion even in his letters and literary works.Such discretion fed under rigidity of censorship allowed him to explore the subtextual tools in implicating homoeroticism within his Dracula story. Wilde was Stoker’s primary rival but whether he sympathizes with his enemy’s crimes is another story. One thing is certain: the Oscar Wilde trial forced Bram Stoker to methodically used discretion in several of his correspondence. V. Conclusion The paper discussed the homoeroticism in Dracula and the psycho social ideologies that lay basic foundation to the horrorific nature of the epistolary literature. Beyond horror, the Freudian theory of subconscious explained the motives of the antagonist Dracula. Sedwick’s principle on exceeding structured binary opposition to categorized the atypical Dracula.In understanding Dracula and its’ author Bram Stoker, subtextual language and discrete elements embedded within the horror story and the correspondence of Stoker to some of his friends reveal insights in the subversive gay literature. Homoeroticism of Dracula reveals the culture of third gender during the late Victorian period. Dracula, a homosexual closet bey ond the hyperbolic monster demonstrates effeminate morphology and behavior. More so his strange attraction to Jonathan Harker. Displacement behavior explained his opinion on sexual gratification. Dracula, is perhaps, Wilde, a representation of the archenemy of Bram Stokes during his collegiate years.It is the literary by-product of the censorious laws of old England which was heightened during Wilde’s trial.Works CitedDalby, R. and Hughes, W.. Bram Stoker: A Bibliography. Westcliff-on-Sea: Desert Island Books, 2005.Freedman, Alfred M. and Harold I. Kaplan. Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry . Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Company, 1967.Hughes, William. Beyond Dracula: Bram Stoker's Fiction and its Cultural Contexts Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000.McKenna, N. The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde. Random House, 2004. Sedgwick, E. K. Epistemology of the Closet. California: UP, 1990.Wolf, L. . Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Signet Classic Edition. USA: Penguin, 1990.

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Non In communication, a reasonable percentage of understanding is derived from non-verbal communication. This kind of communication works always. However, it is not always the case that one speaks before people can derive the thoughts of that person. A lot of these thoughts can simply be derived from gestures, signals, or expressions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Non-verbal communication specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This kind of communication can be very effective if one sends the appropriate signals aimed at the right target (Abramovitch 1977, p. 82). This form of communication can easily be misunderstood if the wrong signals are sent to the recipients. Hands are significant in conveying non-verbal communication as they are used for gesturing. The facial expression and body language also play a big role in this form of communication. It is possible to know someone’s private feelings simply by looking at th at person’s facial expression. For instance if a colleague is not in a good mood, one will simply need to look for the nonverbal communication that that person portrays. For communication to be effective, attention has to be given to that which is communicated non-verbally, good examples being the use of space, gestures and body language. Non verbal communication may differ according to different cultures and this may be the main cause of misinterpretation. There are cultures that take the nodding of the head vertically as an agreement while others take it as a refusal. There are those who would perceive a minors direct look into the eye as honest while others while perceive it as disrespect. For one to mask feelings or spontaneous reaction to information, the attention must be paid to the nonverbal behavior. It might be easy for one to control his/her voice or words yet still that person’s body language, facial expression as well as movement can expose his/her real th oughts and feelings. No matter the position that one holds at the place of work, the ability to interpret non-verbal communication adds to the ability of that individual to share meaning with others. This is because the shared meaning is what constitutes communication (Abramovitch 1977, p. 87). Significance of Nonverbal Communication To understand nonverbal communication, one needs to recognize that different people communicate on different levels. Every gesture usually communicates something and all that is needed is to pay close attention to it. If the verbal and non-verbal communication is not in harmony, it is more likely that the communicator will be lying or is of a different idea from that being communicated. It might therefore be reasonable for the listener not to pay attention to that person’s non-verbal communication.Advertising Looking for essay on communication strategies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Non verbal communication might play a significant role during a job interview as the interviewer will be able to deduce the kind of person the candidate is, as well as his/her strengths and weaknesses. During a criminal investigation, the non-verbal signals that are relayed by the person under investigation may be even of greater importance that the verbal statements that that person gives. It might be easier for the investigators to determine if the person being investigated is lying, is hiding some information or if the person is speaking the truth. This will only be possible if the investigator understands and rightly interprets the non-verbal signals. When one is issuing a speech the nonverbal communication relayed by the audience might of great importance in helping the speaker know if the audience is paying attention, if the people are bored, exhausted, irritated or when it is time for another speaker to take charge. Listening to them is very important if the speaker ne eds to be effective. If the nonverbal communication is effectively used while delivering a message for instance through speech, that message will be effective and memorable (Abramovitch 1977, p. 90). Features of Nonverbal Communication Non-verbal communication is complicated and it may be challenging to understand its signals. This type of communication involves the whole body, the space occupied, the time taken, what is left out and how it is left out. Non-verbal communication flows from one to another and this makes it difficult single out one element and interpret it correctly from the series of other elements. This type of communication is constantly in motion just as human beings are and it does not replicate itself in the same place. This kind of communication unlike the spoken or written communication is irreversible. For the written communication, the communicator might be in a position to clarify, correct or retract the message that is conveyed. For the oral communication, one is able to give an explanation or restate with the intention of clarifying the point. It is therefore possible to correct oral communication, as much as the original message remains with its impact as well. It is not possible to separate a single non-verbal action from its context correct it and take it back. In speech, this kind of communication is always occurring and it becomes difficult to tell when a single non verbal message starts or stops and to exactly determine when the next one starts. The communication is only relevant in its context and if it is singled out then it might easily be misinterpreted and misunderstood hence leading to a wrong conclusion being drawn. One usually expresses himself or herself first through the nonverbal communication always without even consciously thinking about it. This communication portrays ones feelings and thoughts way before the person becomes aware of it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Non-verbal communica tion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This kind of communication usually brings out the intentional as well as unintentional messages. It is common for people to concentrate on how someone says something than what that message is really. It is surprising that human beings use more non-verbal communication than the verbal one and in some cases this type of communication may add up or even replace the verbal one (Bull 1987). Forms of Nonverbal Communication Illustrators which are nonverbal gestures are used to communicate the message in an effective way as well as reinforcing the points. This could for instance be a node which confirms acceptance. The response to this may be in the form of an emblem, which may be by using the O.K. sign to signal. Regulators which are nonverbal messages may also be used for controlling, maintaining or discouraging interaction. One the speaker is irritating the listener could for instance hold up his/her hand an d the speaker will interpret it as a request to stop (Benjamin Craidler 1975, p. 27).Regulators may also be used by the audience listening to a speech. They may for instance look away, make drawings at the book margins or tap their feet, and all these regulators will be representing boredom or disinterest (Kelly 1982). Adaptors can also be used in the non-verbal communication and they help one to adapt to the environment hence ensuring that the communicator is secure and comfortable. A good example would be the hairstyle or a behavior that is self adaptive. One may also use object-adaptors to convey a message of disinterest for instance. They may use an object for a different purpose to show disinterest. A good example may be when the audience starts chewing the backside of their pens to signify disinterest. All in all, non-verbal communications are universal. They be used differently by different people in different places or they may take a different form but they will remain to be non-verbal communications. Nonverbal communication forms a basis for communicating emotional massages as people rarely express their emotions through the spoken word. Most of the time people express their emotions none verbally. This is contributed to by the fact that some emotions might not be expressed well or fully in the verbal form. It is very easier to deduce deception for a speaker by keenly observing the person’s non-verbal communication. Such a person may for instance avoid eye contact, awkwardly pause during the conversation, and delay while responding to questions, changing body movement and posture frequently. They person might also smile less and reduce the rate of his/her speech. When such behaviors are noticed in the speaker, the listener(s) may be required to be a bit keener. People’s speech patterns speak a lot concerning the truthfulness in the messages being conveyed.Advertising Looking for essay on communication strategies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This type of communication is very significant in the relationship that exists between the speaker and the audience. When people meet for the first time, the first conclusions that are made about the different parties are usually derived from the non-verbal messages that are displayed (Scheflen 1964). This is usually based on the dressing code, the physical characteristics and the posture. Nonverbal communication therefore affects the first impression made, for better or for worse. Assumed expectation is usually derived from the speaker’s maintenance of personal space, the dressing code as well as the physical characteristics right from the time the speaker meets the audience. As much as these expectations may neither be fair nor accurate, they always exist. Controlling the verbal and nonverbal communication is important in forming a good rapport with the audience (Ekman Friesen 1969). Maintaining eye contact with them, using space appropriately and being formal enhances thi s kind of relationship. Nonverbal communication is usually perceived to be part of the message and it has the capability to contribute to or lead to detraction from the overall goal. Samples of Nonverbal Communication It is believed that whatever is not said is just as significant as what is said. Words just form a section of communication. From a facial expression, it is possible to determine whether someone is happy, surprised, fearful, angered, disgusted, interested or sad. Interpreting nonverbal communication needs no special communication. It may however require extensive training for one to be self aware of portraying nonverbal communication to others. Agreement between the two forms of communication enhances the establishment of a common understanding. A genuine and positive smile could indicate an agreement with an idea or a person. The attire that is worn also plays a significant role in bringing out a nonverbal message. What someone puts on is what people call a ‘fas hion statement. A formal dressing code could be adapted while speaking in an official meeting. On the contrary, a casual code could be adapted if the message is targeted to people within an informal setting. Eyes have always been perceived to be windows to the soul. Maintaining an eye contact could be a show of interest or attraction, while disgust is indicated by an upward nose wrinkle and raising of the upper lip. The element of time keeping also falls under nonverbal communication. When a speaker arrives at a meeting on time, and sticks to the stipulated time, it speaks a lot about that person. It implies seriousness and commitment on the speaker’s side. It also says a lot about the gravity of the topic under discussion (Scheflen 1964). Culture plays a very significant role in any communication. In the case of nonverbal communication, culture determines what is and what is not allowed. Some cultures give room for lateness while others do not (Argyle Kendon 1967). Nonverba l communication concept Nonverbal communication just like the verbal one is a section of a society’s backbone. This kind of communication is necessary for helping people to coexist and build their own culture. For any communication study to be effective, one needs to grasp the basic concepts of not only the verbal but the nonverbal communication as well. Most of the time, these two forms of communication occur together. The non verbal communication is usually composed of three major components which include; the one creating the communication, the communication itself and the recipient (Darwin 1872). There has always been a misconception that sign language falls under the nonverbal communication. This is however not the case as sign language is categorized under the visual language-based communication. There needs to be a complementary relationship between the verbal and the verbal forms of communication. If not, then the result is confusion, disappointment and mistrust. What ever is said must be complemented by the actions (Benjamin Creider 1975). Nonverbal communication is significant in the clarification and making the verbal communication to be well understood. Facial and hand gestures are used to illustrate whatever is communicated. It offers the cues that assist in ensuring that the message is understood. This type of communication is important as it portrays one’s perceptions, beliefs and the person’s world view. They expose whatever is in a person. If one pulls back when a hug is offered it may signify that the person has an aversion to the physical touch which could be attributed to his/her past experiences (Argyle Kendon 1967). The non verbal communication plays a big role in affirming a message. For instance, verbal communication demonstrating how to use online purchasing tools could be affirmed by the speaker taking a computer and demonstrating the same to the audience. It helps in reinforcing the message. Nonverbal communicat ion at the Workplace At the workplace, violating ones personal space is a nonverbal communication that might be offensive. Slumping in a chair could be a sign of fatigue or an indication that the person is sad. Boredom at a meeting could be expressed through yawning while anger could be expressed by folding the hands. Such clues can be used while encouraging someone positively respond when asked to do something. While at the workplace, it is possible to know the feelings of workers just by observing their body languages or facial expressions. This is significant I determining whether the workers are displeased or please either by the working conditions or the rules and regulations that are in place at the workplace. Reference List Abramovitch, R., 1977. Children’s recognition of situational aspects of facial expression’, Child Development, Vol. 48. No. 4, pp. 77-98. Argyle, M., Kendon, A., 1967, The experimental analysis of social performance. in L.Berkowitz (ed.). Ad vances in Experimental Social Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Benjamin, G.R., Creider, C. A., 1975. Social distinctions in non-verbal behavior. Semiotica, Vol.14, No. 3, pp. 22-46 Bull, P.E., 1987, Posture and Gesture. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Darwin, C., 1872, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. London: Macmillan Publishers. Ekman P., Friesen, W., 1969. The repertoire of nonverbal behavior. Semiotica, Vol. 1, No. 5, pp. 66-80. Kelly, J. A., 1982, Social Skills Training: A Practical Guide for Interventions. London: Macmillan Publisher London. Scheflen, A. E., 1964. The significance of posture in communication systems. Psychiatry Vol.27, No. 2, pp. 200-205

Birling and Company Essays

Birling and Company Essays Birling and Company Essay Birling and Company Essay I think Priestly used Mr Birling as muse to translate to people that his attitude of acting superior and his false certainty that he knew all were not how people should behave, and that was how they were behaving. I think Many people did not take responsibility for each other and lived selfishly, but the destruction of the war brought on a strong sense of community spirit, as people realised they need not be selfish and began to look after each other, as one does not know how unexpectedly things can change. I think Priestly conveyed this message by ridiculing Mr Birling and make his laughable to the audience. The Character of Mr Birling does seem be driven by money and success, and in doing so, gives the audience the impression that there was not a lot he wouldnt do, to boost financial prospects for his business Birling and Company.  Evidence for this is the arranged marriage between Gerald and Sheila.  Mr Birling saw their marriage as an opportunity for his company to unite with Geralds family company to work together for lower costs and higher prices.  This indicates that Sheilas marriage to Gerald was not about the promise of love forever, but was seen by Mr Birling as a tactical business opportunity. This action for Mr Birling to burden his daughter with an arranged Marriage, seems corrupt and immoral to the modern audience. Another instance worth acknowledging, which is reflective of Mr Birlings attitude towards wealth and money, is when Mr Birling learns of Shelias possible involvement in the suicide of Eva Smith. He attempts to bribe the Inspector.  Now, inspector, perhaps you and I had better go and talk this over quietly in a corner.  This shows corruption of the class and the importance of Money, as well as Mr Birlings belief that money could buy him out of trouble. In addition to that, It establishes they saying that money makes the world go round. On the whole Mr Birling seems to be a fairly money driven person.  Another method that the playwright J.B Priestley uses in order to convey the persona of Mr Birling is through the stage directions.  Priestley describes him as a heavy looking. This immediately suggests largeness in size. It definitely suggests that his size has significance and this gives his character presence. It may also suggest greed.  Most notably, he is described as being Provincial in his speech. This tells the audience that Mr Birling may not have been born into the upper-class, having had acquired new money. This tied in with Mr Birlings business mindedness, expose his character as one that demands presence. Priestley use of tension to create and elevate atmosphere is significant in the play. In Act 1, the scene ends at a climax when Gerald reveals to Sheila that he knew Eva Smith as Daisy Renton. This creates suspense for the 1945 audience and also the modern audience. The use of Priestleys stage direction complements this by using adverbs such as coldly or defiantly, in order to create the atmospheric mood intended. I think the message behind Priestleys use of stage direction is that through the actions of the actors and actresses on stage, the most blatant messages are sent and emotion is made obvious, whilst dialogue confuses all this, making the interpretation of the characters different and personal to different people. Through this ideology, I think Priestleys is trying to convey the message that although Mr Birling may act smug and superior, he is still a person, like everyone else, no matter how much he tries to put himself on a pedestal. The message that the modern audience could grasp from that is that; no matter how many different roles there are in society, with varying degrees of importance, we are all the same, none being better than the other but equal. A point worth mention to further explore the character of Mr Birling is when he gives Eric and Gerald advice about life, saying a man has to look after himself-and his family too  This is interesting as he hesitates to say -and his family too indicating that his family were an after thought. This shows his extreme self-interest and also re-establishes his uncaring attitude.  Another point that bears mentioning is when Mrs Birling reveals her role in the suicide of Eva Smith. The first thing Mr Birling says is:  I must say Sybil, that when this comes out at the inquest, it isnt going to do us much good, The press might take it up. This shows that Mr Birling has no regret for his part responsibility in Evas suicide apart from her death; which would leave his status in ruins, thus destroying his chance of a Knighthood. This presents Mr Birling as quite cold hearted, as whilst most people would show remorse, his part in the girls death seems to leave no scratch upon his conscience.  To recapitulate, The Character of Mr Birling is, in a nutshell presented as business minded, conceited, cold-hearted and arrogant. His character is certainly one that demands presence, which you could refer to as being larger than life. He has mainly negative attributes which make him a dislikeable character. Through J.B Priestleys use of dramatic irony, suspense and stage direction, he uses the character of Mr Birling to convey message of equality and positions in Society. Priestley does this by conveying attitudes that are morally wrong, in Mr Birling, and ridiculing them.  It is fair to say, then, the Character of Mr Birling is the true essence of the play.

Developing states Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Developing states - Essay Example As pointed out, some states within world nations are generally termed as ‘developing’ because those states show development in certain areas, but certain problems hinder those states from attaining development. For instance, less industrialization is a serious problem faced by the developing states in Asia and Latin America. Comparing with poor states/nations, the standard of living in the developing states is comparatively high. But this does not prove that the standard of living in the developing states is similar to that of the developed nations in Europe and America. On the other side, most of the developing states lack economic independence. â€Å"These nations have often been handicapped by poor infrastructure, inadequate education, rampant corruption, and high trade barriers.†1 So, one can see that income disparity is a common problem faced by developing states. Still, developing states share certain societal, financial and political characteristics. For instance, most of the developing states were under colonial rule. This resulted in the amalgamation of certain colonial elements with social structure of these states. For instance, one can easily identify the influence of European cultural characteristics in the developing states in Asia and Africa. Besides, almost all the developing states face the problem of unequal distribution of wealth. To be specific, the inefficient political systems within these states allow the elite class to enjoy all the economic benefits. So, one can see that developing states share certain common characteristics, apart from poor and developed states. Summing, the developing states show progress, but the same is insufficient to term these states as developed. In addition, lack of effective political system is an important problem faced by developing states. One can see that the efficiency of political system can lead a nation towards rapid economic development. Still, the political systems within

Microsoft Analysis Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Microsoft Analysis - Term Paper Example The purpose of this paper is to analyze the operations of Microsoft using a variety of business analytic tools Mission, Vision, Stakeholders The mission statement of Microsoft Corporation is â€Å"Our mission and values are to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential† (Microsoft, 2011). As a public company the firm’s actions must comply with the best interest of a variety of stakeholder groups. Some of the stakeholders that Microsoft must respond too are the shareholders, employees, board of directors, executive management team, suppliers, lenders, community, and the government. The company has tremendous aspirations and visions for the future. â€Å"At Microsoft, we believe the most engaging digital experiences will grow out of the combination of four things: smart devices, cloud-based services, natural forms of interaction between people and technology, and finally, people’s imaginations† (Microsoft, 2011). Five forces of Competition The threat of new entrants in the software industry is high. There are thousands of software companies in the marketplace. It is possible that one of these companies might be able to develop a new operating system to compete directly with Microsoft. In the gaming segment it seems as if the industry operates as an oligopoly with Sony and Nintendo being the only competitors. It takes billions of dollars and years of research to develop a new gaming console. The bargaining power of suppliers is low. Microsoft can take advantage of economies of scale to get better prices from suppliers. The bargaining power of buyers is medium low. Buyers are willing to pay the market price for software despite its relative high prices. The buyer power increases during certain seasons such as Christmas. The threat of substitute is medium. In terms of operating system I would classify the buyer power as low due to the lack of real substitute despite the existence of Linux and Mac computer s. In the gaming industry substitute are medium since there are only two competitors. The rivalry among firms competing in the industry is high. Due to the intense competition companies have to spend a lot of money on marketing. SWOT One of the strengths of Microsoft is its strong economic position and history of outstanding financial performance. The company’s equity is considered a blue chip stock. The company generated in 2011 sales of $69.94 billion. During the past five years the sales of the company have increased by 36.81%. The net income of the firm in 2011 was $23,150 billion. In comparison of the previous year the net income of the company increased by an outstanding margin of 23.40%. The market capitalization of Microsoft is $216.19 billion. The net margin of the firm in 2011 was 33%. The average net margin in the software industry is a mere 1.9% (Dun & Bradstreet, 2011). The net margin of Microsoft was 17.36 times higher than the industry average in 2010. The divi dend yield of the company was 3.10%. A second strength of Microsoft is the brand value of the company. Microsoft has the leader software industry largely due to the superior design of its operating systems programs. The current version of the Operating system Microsoft is selling is Windows 7. The customers of computers visualize Microsoft as the top brand in the industry. Due to the preference of customers for Windows product the majority of new computers come equipped with Microsoft operating systems. Another strength