Inventory management at WAL-MART Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inventory management at WAL-MART - Case Study Example It also succeeded due to its global strategies. It became the first private-sector company in the world to have employed over one million personnel. It provides large spacious, wide, neat, brightly-lit aisles and shelves stocked with area for people to look around and provide a variety of goods. The average size of a Wal-Mart store is 107,000 square feet (www.walmart.com). Each store employs about 225 people. The employees are called associates as they hold value for the company (Frat Files). The stores feature a variety of quality, value-priced general merchandise, including (www.walmart.com): Wal-Mart operates each store, from the products it stocks, to the front-end equipment that helps speed checkout, with the same philosophy: provide everyday low prices and superior customer service. Lower prices also eliminate the expense of frequent sales promotions and sales are more predictable. Wal-Mart has invested heavily in its unique cross-docking inventory system. Cross docking has enabled Wal-Mart to achieve economies of scale which reduce its costs of sales. With this system, goods are continuously delivered to stores within 48 hours and often without having to stock them. This allows Wal-Mart to replenish the shelves 4 times faster than its competition. Wal-Mart's ability to replenish theirs shelves four times faster than its competition is just another advantage they have over competition. Wal-Mart leverages its buying power through purchasing in bulks and distributing the goods on its own. Wal-Mart guarantees everyday low prices and considers them the one stop shop. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT at WAL-MART Just-in-time inventory (JIT) is the concept of only carrying as much inventory as needed to supply to customers or consumers. Many companies are using JIT to reduce inventory costs and increase gross profits (Damiano, 2005). It makes more sense for companies to use their dollars elsewhere, rather than tying them up in inventory that is just sitting in a warehouse. Wal-Mart's inventory philosophy focuses on getting the good out of the shelves and into the customers hand in the quickest and most cost efficient way as possible and Wal-Mart is a paragon of such efficiency. JIT (Just in Time) is an inventory management technique invented by the Japanese. The first users of this technique are said to be the Toyota people and to this day, this technique is being effectively used by them. The concept behind JIT is that it optimizes the production process byreducing waste and keeping negligible inventory (Epps, 1995). Inventory has a holding cost in terms of keeping the excess inventory in warehouses whose rent has to be paid thus increasing the cost of the inventory. As a retailer, Wal-Mart has been able to achieve respectable leadership by using this technique to reduce the holding costs and decreasing wastages. The most important factor in having a Just-In-Time inventory system is to have the best logistics system in place. This includes having clear transport routes,

On a personal experience of cultural adaptation Essay Example for Free

On a personal experience of cultural adaptation Essay Adaptation, originally as a biological concept, is an alteration or adjustment in structure or habits, by which a species or individual improves its condition in relationship to its environment. Every creature on the earth, including human beings, has the essential and innate capacity of adapting to the outer environment. That is on the level of biological adaptation. The evolution of human beings makes them outmatch all the other creatures to develop their own language and culture, which is unique only among themselves. At this time, the adaptation of human beings could not only be confined in the scope of biological one. Cultural adaptation, at this point, is necessary and indispensable for the further development of human beings. The significance and importance can be represented especially when the cultural contexts or environments have changed no matter it is a change of international, intercultural, interethnic, inter-religion, or inter-region, etc. The term â€Å"microculture†, the counterpart of â€Å"macroculture†, can refer to a social group that shares distinctive traits, values, and behaviors that set it apart from the parent macroculture of which it is a part (Gollnick Chinn, 1998). The identity of microculture can be based on traits and values of different ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, socioeconomic status, geographic region, place of residence conditions, and so on, among which, geographic region and place of residence will be what I give my focus on in this paper. The change of geographic region and place of residence will evoke the change in psychology and behavior to adjust and adapt oneself to the new environments. 2. Cultural Adaptation 2. 1 Cultural Adaptation versus Biological Adaptation Human beings, like other living creatures in the world, also have biological and psychological needs. Other animals fill their needs primarily through biological adaptation, for example, a lion uses speed and sharp teeth and claws to capture and eat its prey. However, our human beings develop forms of knowledge and technologies that enable them to get the necessary energy from the environment and make life more secure. This knowledge and technology forms a core of culture that can be passed from generation to generation and group and group, so human beings adapt to their world culturally (Nanda Warms, 2002). Cultural adaptation has some distinct advantages over biological adaptation. Because human adapt through learned behavior, they can change their approach to solving problems more quickly and easily. However, creatures whose adaptations are primarily biological change slowly (Nanda Warms, 2002). Adaptation, coming being into one of the basic characteristics of culture, makes people develop to accommodate environmental conditions and available natural and technological resources (Gollnick Chinn, 1998). Culture, in fact, is the way human beings adapt to the world (Nanda Warms, 2002). 2. 2 The Definition of Cultural Adaptation From the aspect of sociology and anthropology, cultural adaptation is the long-term process of adjusting and finally feeling comfortable in a new environment (Kim Gudykunst, 1988). Immigrants who enter a culture more or less voluntarily and who at some point decide to adapt to the new cultural context experience cultural adaptation in a positive way. Cultural adaptation, especially intercultural adaptation is broadly used in the literature of intercultural communication studies, and according to Kim, it refers to the process of increasing the level of fitness of people to meet the demands of a new cultural environment. It deals with how sojourners or new immigrants experience the distress caused by mismatches or incompatibility between the host culture and the culture of birth (Fan, 2004). 2. 3 Models of Cultural Adaptation 2. 3. 1 The Anxiety and Uncertainty Management Model This model was put forward by communication theorist William Gudykunst. He stresses that the goal of effective intercultural communication can be reached by reducing anxiety and seeking information, the so-called uncertainty reduction (Gudykunst, 1995). The uncertainty can be classified into different types. Predictive uncertainty is the inability to predict what someone will say or do. Explanatory uncertainty is the inability to explain why people behave as they do (Martin Nakayama, 2000). In fact, some level of anxiety is optimal during an interaction. Too little anxiety may convey that we don’t care about the person. Too much anxiety causes us to focus only on the anxiety and not on the interaction. This model assumes that to communicate effectively we will gather information to help us reduce uncertainty and anxiety. The theory predicts that the most effective communicators are people who have a solid self-concept and self-esteem, have flexible attitudes (a tolerance for ambiguity, empathy) and behaviors and are complex and flexible in their categorization of others (Martin Nakayama, 2000). 2. 3. 2 The U-Curve Model This model, applied to many different migrant groups, is based on research conducted by a Norwegian sociologist, Sverre Lysgaard, who interviewed Norwegian students studying in the United States. The main idea is that migrants go through fairly predictable phases in adapting to a new cultural situation. The first phase is the anticipation or excitement phase. The second phase, culture shock, happens to almost everyone in intercultural transitions. During this phase, migrants experience disorientation and often a crisis of identity. Because identities are shaped and maintained by one’s own cultural context, experiences in new cultural contexts often raise questions about identities. The third phase is adaptation. In this phase, how much of the migrants should be changed and to what degree should he or she to adapt is what should be pay attention to (Martin Nakayama, 2000). 2. 3. 3 The Transition Model Culture shock and adaptation have been viewed as a normal part of human experience, as a subcategory of transition shock. Janet Bennett (1998), a communication scholar, says that culture shock and adaptation are just like any other transition, such as going away to college, getting married, or moving from one part of the country to another. Psychologists have found that in this model most individuals prefer either a â€Å"flight† or â€Å"fight† approach to unfamiliar situations. The first preference, the â€Å"flight† approach, is to hang back, get the lay of the land, and see how things work before taking the plunge and joining in. The second preference, the â€Å"fight† approach, is to get in there and participate. Migrants who take this approach use the trial-and-error method. Individual preference is a result of family, social, and cultural influences. An alternative to fight or flight is the flex approach, in which the migrant uses a combination of productive fight or flight behaviors (Martin Nakayama, 2000). 3. Microculture or Subculture Microculture, as a counterpart of macroculture, refers to these groups which exist within the context of a larger society and share political and social institutions as well as some of the traits and values of the microculture. It can also be called subsocieties or subcultures. These cultural groups are called microcultures to indicate that they have distinctive cultural patterns while sharing some cultural patterns with all members of the macroculture and their unique patterns will identity themselves as members of their particular group. Cultural identity is based on several traits and values learned as a part of the national or ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, socioeconomic status, geographic region, place of residence conditions and so on (Gollnick Chinn, 1998).

Popularity or Education :: Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Popularity or Education As a college student you run into a few conflicts. One of the most common of these is between education, and being socially accepted. These two statuses conflict almost every hour of the day. Should I go out and drink tonight even though I have an eight o’clock class? All my friends are going to Kansas City this afternoon, and I have a class. Which should I do? These are just a few of the dilemmas a normal college student runs into. I for one was out until two o’clock in the morning the night I decided to write this paper, so I know what I’m talking about. Being a college student takes a lot of your time. Classes and studying correctly leaves little time for anything else. The average student takes about fourteen hours a week, and should probably study that same amount of time to be completely prepared. If this were done all in one day it would be acceptable. Unfortunately, classes are spread throughout the week, and studying fills the hours in between. This however is not feasible for someone having the time of their life with their peers. I have not researched the average college student on their social lives, but I can relate my own experiences. Most of the time college students have to work in order to go to school, or just live on their own. Work hours vary with each person, from eight hours a week to forty hours a week, but they also take a substantial amount of free time from a college student. This, along with classes, study time, sleeping, and eating time, leaves little or no time to make friends, or even keep them. But young adults thrive on social interaction, so therefore a struggle is bound to happen. To become socially accepted requires many things. First you must have time to mingle. This is done in many social settings, such as bars, parties, dorm rooms, and sport events. Once at these events, you must keep up interesting conversations, partake in activities, and meet new people. Once these connections have been made, they do require some upkeep. You cannot expect a good friendship to come from occasional conversations. A good friend is made by time spent together. During this time connections are made. Along with general social interaction, most students partake in extra-curricular activities. These can be Greek organizations, Residence council, Intramural sports, and various clubs.

Professional Essay -- Teachers Teaching Education Essays

Professional I remember when my sister and I would play school with our friends. It was one of the best experiences that I had. It was this experience that helped me make up my mind about being a teacher. Now as I move through the different stages in the educational program, I have determined that I have developed certain beliefs. By teaching and working with children, people can see my beliefs. My philosophy towards education is progressivism. Progressivism can be found in my views about public schools, my teaching methods, and my curriculum. First, my view towards public schools comes from my own experiences, as a student and from my observations. The main purpose of education is to teach students knowledge that will help them out in the world. Education is important because times change, and as people, we need to have the knowledge that will help us survive. I want to teach knowledge of the past and present for they can prepare for the future. An example is that the students, from my first observation, were very curious about the war that is happening. They kept asking the teacher questions. Because of this she discussed with them other wars which America and other countries have fought and compared them to the war that is happening now. Now they can come to their own conclusions. Students can look at school as a challenge for them to master, not as a burden. As they move through the grades, they will build upon the knowledge they learned from me. Another objective of public schools is for students to realize that they are important not just as a class, but as an individual. As a teacher, I want my students to know that they have a voice in what we do as a class. Chi... ...on plans I notice that some part of my views have changed. I have gained a newfound respect for teachers. At my first placement all I had to do was just observe the classroom. I helped with lessons, and I graded papers. But during the second placement I had to play the role of the teacher. For this observation I had to teach 2 lessons. I went through the whole process. I did the research, paper work, and teaching the lesson itself. I now know how teachers feel about the process. It is hard work for a 15-minute lesson. The teachers do this for 7 subjects per day. Some people think teaching is an easy job, but they don’t know the whole process of teaching. Now I have a taste of all the views of education: student’s view, an outsider’s view, and finally a teacher’s view. The placements have been very educational for me. I can’t wait for my next placement.

Best Buy Failure in China (International Business) Essay

In the world today, there are many companies getting involved in international business, and developing to become a multinational company. Why do these firms want to take the multinational route? One of the dominant frameworks to explain the existence of these multinational companies is the Ownership-Location-Internalisation (OLI) paradigm (Dunning & Lundan 2008). Running an international business is different from running a domestic business. International business requires you to recognise and understand the cultural differences between countries. Failing to recognise and understand this difference could possibly lead to many difficulties, or worse still, failure. In this essay, I will be discussing the difficulties that Best Buy Co. Inc. faced, and its eventual failure due to the lack of understanding of the cultural differences in its host country, China. The rise of China has matured into hope for the entire consumer electronics industry. The country’s 1.3 billion consumers and their fast increasing buying power have transformed China into the world’s largest consumer electronics market, a market opportunity that multinational giants cannot afford to neglect (Chen & He 2005). As such, Best Buy was just one of the many multinational companies that tried to enter the Chinese market. Best Buy Co. Inc. Best Buy is a multinational retailer of consumer electronics from the United States and operates in the United Kingdom, Canada, Turkey, Mexico, China as well as its home country. Started as the Sound of Music in 1966 as an audio specialty store by Richard M. Schulze, it was later changed to Best Buy Co., Inc. by the board of directors in 1983 and is now the leading consumer electronics retailer in the United States (Pederson 2004). Best Buy sells consumer electronics as well as a wide selection of related merchandise such as music, mobile phones, computers, computer software, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, video games, digital cameras, video cameras as well as home appliances. The multinational used a two-track approach to enter the Chinese market. The consumer electronics giant first opened a sourcing office in Shanghai in 2005 and began its efforts to expand into the Chinese market in May 2006 by foreign acquisition. The multinational invested $108 million to obtain a majority stake in China’s fourth largest consumer electronics retailer, Jiangsu Five Star Appliance (Bloomberg 2006). Soon after in December 2006, the company used the greenfield mode of entry and opened its first â€Å"Best Buy† store that followed their own US business model, in Shanghai’s busy Xujiahui shopping district. By imposing a US business model, Best Buy intended to convince fastidious Chinese customers with helpful and dependable service in clean, pleasant outlets. The chairman and general manager of Best Buy China, Lu Weiming declared that they were confident with the store model they had, which will differentiate them from competitors and consequently help them win the consumers’ heart (Kurtenbach 2006). The company later opened another eight stores, which increased the total number of â€Å"Best Buy† stores in China to nine. Problem Identification According to the China Daily on March 21, 2011, Jiangsu Five Star Appliance continued to expand. However, Best Buy’s expansion was slow and was not running as smoothly as anticipated. â€Å"The multinational brought in a Western business model and it failed to sufficiently attract the Chinese clients and customers,† said Chen Can, a senior analyst from Analysys International (China Daily 2011). Best Buy’s business model in the US, where the brand markets itself as delivering a better service than competitors, did not go well in China. After being in the Chinese market for five years, the company only managed to open nine stores, capturing less than one per cent of the Chinese market as according to analysts. Failing to catch on in the Asian country, the company decided in February, 2011, to close its headquarters along with all its nine stores (Birchall, Strauss & Waldmeir 2011). Causes of the problem Even though the company opened a sourcing office in 2005, the multinational still had a lot to learn about the Chinese and the way they did business. â€Å"The lesson we learned is that we got too far ahead of the Chinese consumer in how business is done in China,† said Brian Dunn, Best Buy’s Chief Executive (Groth 2011). He said the company’s mistake had been to open big box stores with fixed prices that were staffed entirely by Best Buy’s blue-shirted employees (Jopson & Waldmeir 2011). Clearly, Best Buy entered the Chinese market in 2006 with a lack of knowledge of the local consumer’s culture. International strategy is a strategy where the firm uses the core competency, which it developed at home, as its main competitive weapon in the foreign market (Sumantra & Nitin 1993). This is the strategy which Best Buy used. The company did not enter China with the intention to hire local talent who knew how to be successful in China. Rather, it entered the country intending to create talent that knew how to be successful in the United States (Adam 2011). When the multinational first entered the Chinese market, many people hoped that it would successfully replace the prevailing, yet widely criticised Chinese business model that focused on price-centred competition (Ni 2011). Imposing their core competency in the US model, the company offered â€Å"a concept ahead of the consumer,† said retail analyst Paul French of Access Asia which was based in Shanghai (Macleod 2011). Best Buy provides a premium shopping experience for its consumers, to which the Chinese consumers were ultimately not willing to pay for (Jopson 2011). Consumers in China are generally different from consumers in the United States. Wei and Salil (2010) stated that the Chinese consumers have a higher cognitive age perception, lower levels of physical health status and lower life satisfaction levels as compared to their American counterparts. Eastman et. al. (1997) conducted a study and found that there were statistically significant differences between the two, such that Chinese consumers were more materialistic than those in the United States. Eastman’s research was later backed up by Schmitt’s (1999) studies. In addition, Schmitt found that the Chinese consumers were more brand conscious and would go shopping with brands as a key influencing factor. The cross-cultural study above is just one of the reasons as to why Best Buy failed to attract consumers in China. For instance, the company’s store in China generally divides up electronics and other large-ticket items by category (Birchall, Strauss & Waldmeir 2011). However, the Chinese are inclined to put more faith in brand names than consumers in the US do. Due to this reliance on brands as a deciding factor, the Chinese consumer would generally prefer items in the store to be categorised according to their make rather than function. Another cause of the company’s failure in attracting Chinese customers lies in the fact that all sales staff in the store were the company’s direct employees who donned the ubiquitous blue Best Buy uniform. This was a stark difference to the scene in typical Chinese outlets, where consumers were accustomed to subsections of electronics stores being manned by the manufacturer’s own employees, who were also able to offer specialist knowledge (Jopson 2011). At the same time, Best Buy’s market research showed that Chinese consumers liked to try out new products. While this was true, what eventually happened was that the Chinese shoppers would first go to Best Buy to try out products, before promptly marching across the street to one of the other Chinese retailers and buying the said product for less (Adam 2011). This was partly due to the pricing in Best Buy stores, which was based on a fixed-price policy (Jopson 2011) and only served to push the Chinese consumer even further away. As stated by Montlake (2006), bargaining is a way of life in China. Chinese consumers like bargaining and they are used to negotiating with the salesperson to get a discount, which was not an option in Best Buy. Not only is bargaining not an option, the prices at Best Buy were also set at a premium as it followed the company’s US model of offering high-quality service and a better shopping experience to consumers, such as the opportunity to try products before making a purchase. However, that did not seem to suit the immature Chinese market very well (Ni 2011). Purchasing decisions made by Chinese consumers are determined by price and not service (Birchall, Strauss & Waldmeir 2011). At the same time, Chinese consumers had the perception that Gome and Suning, two of Best Buy’s biggest competitors, were able to under cut Best Buy’s prices significantly (Adam 2011). Chinese consumers care more about price than service (D’Altorio 2011). The Chinese do not penny-pinch and save because they like to, but because they have to. They voluntarily tax themselves so as to protect against the absence of a welfare safety net. If a Chinese consumer gets old, he will need that money to survive, since state pensions remain inadequate. As his parents age, he will need to support his elders, especially since he is likely to be their only child, a result of the country’s one child policy. This reality is what perpetuates and engenders the low-cost, bargain basement Chinese retail environment (French 2007). To top it off, Best Buy’s choice of a Chinese name left many consumers pondering over its decision. A country steeped in traditions and superstitions, many Chinese consumers commented that the company’s Chinese name, â€Å"Bai Si Mai†, was a bad one as it literally meant â€Å"to buy after thinking 100 times† (Ni 2011). Overall, the company’s business model, like its Chinese name, showed a lack of understanding for the Chinese culture. It tried too hard to educate Chinese consumers about high-end service value when lower prices were typically the only value that motivated them to make quick decisions. The consumer electronics giant’s overconfidence in transforming the Chinese consumer philosophy finally hurt its performance in the Chinese market. Maintaining only a small market presence in China, Best Buy not only failed to please its consumers, but its suppliers too, who did not receive many orders from the company (Ni 2011). Proposed Solutions There are huge cross-cultural differences between the US and China. Therefore, one change I will make if I was Best Buy is to take up a multi-domestic strategy instead of the international strategy adopted by the company. Multi-domestic strategies involve a high degree of customisation to the local market place (Hout, Porter & Rudden 1982). This is important, noting the huge cultural gap between the China and the US. Hill, Hwang and Chan (1990) also stated that a multi-domestic strategy is based on the belief that national markets differ widely with regard to consumer preferences and taste, competitive conditions, operating conditions and social structures. According to organisational capabilities theory, in order to leverage its competitive advantages in the foreign market, an enterprise must understand its business environments and adapt its operation modes to the host country (Xu, Hu & Fan 2011). This is also in line with the multi-domestic strategy, to which Anne-Wil (2002) has highlighted the need of multi-domestic companies to deal with markets where products tailored to local circumstances are required; and to be able to do so, companies need to be well aware of the local market and be well-integrated into it. This can be easier achieved by acquiring an existing company that possesses a knowledgeable work force and good connections in the local market. As such, the mode of entry decided upon by a multinational is a critical and strategic decision. To support the multi-domestic strategy and aligning with conditions in China, I will still first enter the Chinese market using foreign acquisition. Foreign acquisition involves having to invest in a local firm and in this case, I will be investing in Jiangsu Five Star Appliance. Acquiring Jiangsu Five Star Appliance will create access to local resources as well as knowledge of the Chinese retail environment within a much shorter span of time (Cristina & Garcia-Canal 2004). Acquisition is also a more effective way of exploiting foreign resources and markets as compared to joint ventures or licensing, as supported by the transaction cost theory (Hennart 2010). Tapping on the knowledge and expertise of Jiangsu Five Star Appliance, I will then use the greenfield method, which is the setting up of a new company legally independent from parents, to set up a Best Buy store in China (Cristina & Garcia-Canal 2004). By using a multi-domestic strategy, the management seen in the greenfield approach will be more similar to that of acquisitions (Anne-Wil 2002). The consequent Best Buy outlets will then be managed and accustomed to the Chinese market. For instance, as most Chinese consumers shop by brands, the store will therefore be segregated by brands rather than product category. Sections of the store will also be rented out to brand manufacturers and their designated areas will be staffed with their own sales team, so that consumers can receive specialised knowledge as well as bargain for a lower price. The store will not be carpeted or provide services like allowing consumers to test out the product before purchase. This is to prevent the Chinese consumers from having the perception that the store is pricier as compared to competitors, especially since China is a highly price-conscious market. As French (2007) aptly stated, â€Å"win on price and you win, period†. It is therefore of utmost importance to have a lower price as compared to competitors. In order to provide lower prices, I will acquire the real estate, instead of renting or leasing the property like my two biggest competitors Gome and Suning do. This will provide me with a great advantage as I can lower rental prices for the manufacturers, who can then pass the accumulated savings down to the Chinese consumers. Noting the Chinese aversion to inauspicious names, I will also conduct sufficient research and preparation into choosing a Chinese name for the store before its opening. Instead of using a direct sound conversion of the brand name like â€Å"Bai Si Mai†, I will translate the brand name by meaning instead, such as â€Å"Zui Hao Mai†. This literally means â€Å"best buy†, and doubles up as a call that encourages consumers not to miss out on a deal. Conclusion In conclusion, China is a huge and growing market with tonnes of opportunities that multinationals cannot afford to neglect. However, there is a huge cultural divide between China and countries from the west like the United States. Entering the Chinese market will require multinationals to recognise and understand the cultural difference between their homeland and the Chinese market. Best Buy failed in China due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of cross-cultural differences. Although the company chose the correct mode of entry by first using foreign acquisition followed by the greenfield approach, it failed because it adopted an international strategy thinking that Chinese consumers will welcome the same offerings that reflect its core competency in the US — value-added service. Thinking it could import its success in the US to China by focusing on the same areas, Best Buy’s targeted service approach failed to take off in a climate governed by financial sensitivity. While focusing on providing consumers with a great shopping experience, the company failed to consider a fundamental portion of the retail environment — price, which affects Chinese consumers much more than service. To improve on this situation, I would first enter the Chinese market through foreign acquisition, so that I may gain access to knowledge about the culture in China before starting on the greenfield route. However, instead of using an international strategy, I will opt for the multi-domestic strategy by adapting my operations towards the needs of Chinese consumers. This would circumvent the issues that led to the company’s downfall in China. Due to the country’s rich traditions, its people are habitual and tend to shy away from the unfamiliar. Should Best Buy have chosen to use a multi-domestic strategy, it would have realised the need to customise its offerings in accordance to local tastes and might have gone on to capture a larger share of China’s consumer electronics market. Reference List Adam, M. 2011, ‘Bye-Bye, Best Buy (China): You had it coming’, Adam Minter of Shanghai Scrap, 22 February, Viewed 22 August 2012, Anne-Wil, H. 2002, â€Å"Acquisitions versus Greenfield investments: International strategy and management of entry modes†, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 211-227. Birchall, J., Strauss, D. & Waldmeir, P. 2011, Best Buy brand shuts up shop in China and Turkey, London (UK), United Kingdom, London (UK). Bloomberg 2006, Best Buy chain on road to China, Tulsa, Okla., Tulsa, Okla. Chen, X. & He, Z. 2005, ‘Understanding the Structure of China’s Consumer Electronics Market: An Empirical Investigation of Its Consumer Segments’, Multinational Business Review, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 43-61, viewed 15 August 2012, Proquest database. China Daily 2011, ‘Best Buy seeks the best way to survive’, China Daily, 21 March, (Business section), Viewed 20 August 2012, Cristina, L.D. & Garcia-Canal, E. 2004, â€Å"The Choice Between Joint Ventures and Acquisitions in Foreign Direct Investments: The Role of Partial Acquisitions and Accrued Experience†, Thunderbird International Business Review, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 39-58. D’Altorio, T. 2011, ‘How the Chinese Consumer Defeated Best Buy’, Investment U Research, 10 March, Viewed 22 August 2012, Reference List Dunning, J.H. & Lundan, S.M. 2008, â€Å"Institutions and the OLI paradigm of the multinational enterprise†, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 573-593. Eastman, J.K., Fredenberger, B., Campbell, D. & Calvert, S., ‘The Relationship Between Status Consumption and Materialism: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Of Chinese, Mexican, And American Students.’, Journal of Marketing Theory & Practice, Winter97, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 52. French, P. 2007, ‘When the Best Buy Is No Buy’, The Wall Street Journal Asia, 07 August, United States, Hong Kong. Groth, A. 2011, ‘Why Best Buy’s Overseas Strategy is Failing’, Business Insider, 04 November, Viewed 22 August 2012. . Hennart, J. 2010, â€Å"Transaction Cost Theory and International Business†, Journal of Retailing, vol. 86, no. 3, pp. 257-269. Hill, C.W., Hwang, P. & Chan, K.W. 1990, â€Å"An Eclectic Theory of the Choice of International Entry Mode†, Strategic Management Journal (1986-1998), vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 117-117. Hout, T., Porter, M. E., Rudden, E. 1982, ‘How Global Companies Win Out’, Harvard Business Review, viewed 25 August 2012, . Jopson, B. 2011, ‘Best Buy seeks ways to return brand to China’, FT.com Jopson, B. & Waldmeir, P., 2011, Best Buy seeks ways to return brand to China, London (UK), United Kingdom, London (UK) Reference List Kurtenbach, E. 2006, Best Buy opens store in China — Top U.S. electronics retailer to offer wide array, better service, Memphis, Tenn., United States, Memphis, Tenn. MacLeod, C. 2011, Best Buy, Home Depot find China market a tough sell, McLean, Va., United States, McLean, Va. Montlake S. 2006, ‘China’s newest shopping craze: ‘team buying’ ; More and more consumers meet online before banding together at stores to bargain down prices’, The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, Mass., United States. Ni, V. 2011, Best Buy’s Withdrawal: American Morals Fail to Transcend Chinese Consumer Market, Asia Briefing Ltd., viewed 20 August 201. < http://www.china-briefing.com/news/2011/03/02/best-buys-withdrawal-american-morals-fail-to-transcend-chinese-consumer-market.html>. Pederson, J.P. 2004, International directory of company histories, St. James Press. Schmitt, B. H. 1999, ‘Consumer Segmentation in China’, In Marketing Issues in Transitional Economies, Rajeev Batra eds. Norwood, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Sumantra, G. & Nitin, N., ‘Horses for courses: Organizational forms for multicultural corporations’, Sloan Management Review, pp. 27, 31. Wei, Y. & Salil, T., 2010, ‘Materialism of Mature Consumers in China and USA: A Cross-Cultural Study’, Journal of International Business and Cultural Studies, vol. 2, pp. 1-14, viewed 15 August 2012, ProQuest Central. Xu, Y., Hu, S. & Fan, X. 2011, â€Å"Entry mode choice of Chinese enterprises: The impacts of country risk, cultural distance and their interactions†, Frontiers of Business Research in China, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 63-78.

Southwest Airlines Essay Example

Southwest Airlines Essay Example Southwest Airlines Essay Southwest Airlines Essay Organizational culture is the collective behavior of people, who comprise an organization, and this behavior affects the way people and groups within the organization interact with others, internally and externally. Founder of Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher is credited with creating an organizational culture that unique in America today and which has propelled Southwest to the number one spot in the airline industry.Kelleher’s own values and beliefs of humor, altruism, concern for others and honesty is clearly defined within the people-oriented culture of this airline as is often displayed within its working environment. In â€Å"A Conversation with Herb Kelleher† (Organizational Dynamics, 1994, pg. 64-74) Kelleher states that â€Å"alot can be said for the importance of communication, but it cannot be rigid or formal. † Internal communication at Southwest consists of the corporate newsletter â€Å"Luv Lines†, which has several sections.The â€Å"Learn ing Edge†, which features learning through stories and metaphors; â€Å"How Do We Rateâ€Å", which reports statistics important to the success of an airline; â€Å"Industry News† keeps employees up-to-date on how other airlines are doing and â€Å"Milestones† reports employee accomplishments. The airline also has a quarterly video entitled â€Å"As the Plane Turns. † Employees are also encouraged to talk to each other rather than e-mail because it is the airline’s belief that decisions can be made faster this way.True to Kelleher’s belief that communication should be simple, Southwest Airlines keeps internal miscommunication minimal by keeping the number of management layers to a minimum, thus keeping communication channels free from congestion. Southwest’s fun-loving company spirit is exhibited in such external communication as its blog â€Å"Nuts About Southwest† featuring the latest happenings at Southwest, podcasts, video s, and cool contests. If one wants to reach out to Southwest about his or her latest travel experience with the airline, â€Å"Luv† mail can be sent right from their blog site. Southwest. om is the airline’s official site where one can find information regarding rate information, information on navigating through the airport, boarding one’s flight and what to expect during the flight. Southwest Airline’s makes good use of social media networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, to stay connected with its consumer base and is the first airline in the United States to reach 3MM Facebook fans. In 2011 and 2012 Southwest was the only airline listed in the Customer Service Hall of Fame. Therefore, one can only agree that the espoused values of Southwest Airlines strongly align with their enacted values in terms of customer service.Current employee reviews posted on Glassdoor. com give the airline a 4. 1 out of 5 ranking in terms of culture and values, senior manag ement, compensation, and benefits, career opportunities, and work/life balance. Once again, it is determinable that the espoused values of Southwest Airlines strongly align with their enacted values in terms of commitment to employee satisfaction. References Lee, W. G. (1994), A Conversation With Herb Kelleher, Organizational Dynamics, 23(2), 64-74. Quick, J. (1992), Crafting an Organizational Culture: Herb’s Hand at Southwest Airlines, Organizational Dynamics, 21(2), 45-56.Schein, E. (1983), The Role of the Founder in Creating Organizational Culture, Organizational Dynamics Smith, K. G. (2004). The Southwest Airlines Way: Using the Power of Relationships to Achieve High Performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 49(1), 160-162 www. southwest. com/assets/pdfs/customer_service/sw. com_media_kit. pdf http://money. msn/investing/the-2011-customer-service-hall-of-fame www. blogsouthwest. com www. glassdoor. com/GD/Revies/Southwest-Airlines-Reviews www. penguinate. com/southwe st-airlines-internal-communication. html www. southwest. com

Behavioral Therapy

Behavioral Therapy Free Online Research Papers Behaviorism is a school of thought that emphasizes the role of experience in governing behavior (Klein 2008). Behaviorists regard behavior as overtly displayed, measurable, learned physiological reactions to environmental stimuli, rather than of mental state. Psychological disorders are seen as causes of maladaptive learning. Behavioral therapy is one in which the basic tenets of learning theory the elementary principles of how learning occurs are used to change behavior (Kroger 1977). Behaviorist’ research of the processes of learning and unlearning has provided psychology with behaviorist learning theories and models used to explain and modify behavior. Even though the mental state is an essential focus in Clinical Hypnosis, behavior therapy principles play a crucial role in clinical hypnosis. The objective of this essay is to briefly evaluate this role. The application of behavioral therapy techniques in Clinical Hypnosis is referred to as the hypnobehavioral approach. This essay focusses on the works of the main behaviorist theorists Watson, Pavlov, Thorndike, Skinner and Wolpe, and the principles of their work relevant to hypnobehavioral techniques found within Clinical Hypnosis, in the context of the treatment of phobias, anxiety and unwanted habits. With regards to therapy, the essay will then evaluate the benefits of using either the hypno-behavioral or the behavioral approach. Discussion Behaviorism explains behavior and behavioral modification through a number of learning theories, of which the principle of conditioning forms the basis. Conditioning is the process by which a reflexive response to a stimulus is acquired (Gross 2005). Pavlov ‘s work with dogs involved pairing certain signals (unconditioned stimuli) with the arrival of food (unconditioned stimulus). After a while, the dogs would salivate when the signal (now termed a conditioned stimulus) was given, without the presence of food; they had learned to associate the two events. Salivation became a learned involuntary response to a stimulus. Pavlov termed this learned behavior a Conditioned Reflex or Conditioned Response (CR). He termed the process Classical ‘Conditioning’. If the signal were repeated several times with the food being withheld, the dogs would eventually learn not to salivate. This process of unlearning the CR Pavlov termed ‘extinction’ (Waxman 1989). Th e process of counterconditioning is a more active unlearning of the CR; the intensity of the CR (f.i. anxiety) is reduced by establishing an incompatible response (relaxation) to the conditioned stimulus (a spide, f.e.), until this new S-R connection has been established. Watson applied conditioning to the study of human behavior. He paired a loud noise when presenting a small animal to an infant, resulting in the infant learning to fear the animal. This showed evidence of classical conditioning in humans (Gross 2005). Through one of his students, Watson observed that humans can also unlearn fear towards a particular stimulus if that stimulus is paired with -in this experiment- food. Thorndike and Skinner developed the theory of Operant Conditioning, whereby voluntary behavior is modified by the use of consequences. Thorndike theorised that behaviors that are followed by pleasant consequences are likely to be repeated in the future. Skinner researched shaping behavior through positive or negative reinforcement (the response will increase) and punishment (the response will decrease). Extinction’ occurs when a CR will occur with less frequency or ceases altogether as a result of producing neither favorable nor unfavorable consequences. The work of Pavlov, Thorndike and Skinner is significant for behavioral and hypnobehavioral therapy as it shows how people could potentially learn anxieties, phobias and habits, and how existing behaviors could be unlearned. Wolpe is another behaviorist whose theories find their application in Clinical Hypnosis. Wolpe (1973) stated that Behavior Therapy is relevant in syndromes that owe their existence to learning. Therefore, as one is not born with f.i. the desire to smoke, in theory, these behaviors can be unlearned. And, if phobias are, as Wolpe (1990) describes, a maladaptive learned habit, then, in theory, conditioning can establish a more appropriate behavior. He developed a therapy called ‘Systematic Desensitisation’, based on his theory of ‘Reciprocal Inhibition’: the inhibition of the action of one neural pathway by the activity of another (Gross 2005). This occurs when a stronger, incompatible response is introduced towards a particular stimulus, competing with and overriding the previous response. Wolpe argued that certain mental states are antagonistic to anxiety. These antagonistic mental states are relaxation, hunger, thirst and sexual arousal. A person cannot feel anxiety when experiencing any one of these antagonistic mental states. Desensitisa tion means becoming insensitive to a stimulus. In hypnobehavioral therapy, these principles are applied when treating maladaptive anxiety-reponses with Wolpe’s technique of ‘Systematic Desensitisation’. In imagination and in trance, the patient is gradually exposed to a hierarchy of anxiety-provoking stimuli, whilst responding with a previously learned relaxation-response, overriding the anxiety. The patient learns to associate the two; a new CR to the anxiety-provoking stimuli has been established. Before testing the responses in vivo, the patient completes the process in trance, communicating with IMR (ideomotor response) to indicate their coping limits whereupon relaxation can be deepened. This behavioral therapy lends itself well to being practiced in trance as a hypnobehavioral therapy and is known as ‘Hypno-desensitisation’ (Joseph 1994). This therapy is very effective in the treatment of phobias and anxiety, as well as for maladaptive habits resulting from anxiety. Hurley (1976) reported a case of severe bridge and height-phobia treated by modified Systematic Desensitisation in hypnosis. In functional anxiety-responses, appropriate traces of anxiety must be left to enhance performance or protect from danger. Learning Theory states that learning occurs through association and repetition. With this in mind, behavior modification can be achieved in hypnosis using a.o the following behavioral techniques, based on the behavioral principles discussed: Aversion Therapy, Flooding, Assertiveness Training, and Massed Practice (and Systematic Desensitisation, as already discussed), hereby applied in the Hypnobehavioral treatment of phobias, anxiety, and unwanted habits. Extinction of a phobia can be caused in hypnosis by the technique of ‘Flooding’: continual imagined exposure to the feared stimulus without the benefit of associated relaxation.The patient experiences the anxiety until the stimulus loses its effect both through physical exhaustion of the patient and the patient learning there are no aversive consequences (Operant Conditioning), becoming desensitised. This is a last resort-technique a.o. due to risk of further traumatising the patient. Aversion Therapy consists of administering an aversive stimulus to inhibit an unwanted response, thereby diminishing the habit strength (Wolpe 1973). Based on Classical Conditioning, the patient will associate the prodromal stimulus with the aversion, resulting in suppression of the undesired behavior. This technique should be a requested, last resort-treatment, after informed consent of the patient has been gained. Massed practice eliminates a habit by continued repetition of the stimulus that triggers the bad habit, or by repeating the habit behavior until it exhausts itself (Wolpe 1973). The patient becomes desensitised to the stimulus or habit. Since imagining a habit could lead to its in vivo expression, this technique is contraindicated where there is risk of damaging the patient. Assertiveness Training is used to treat anxiety-responses (phobias, habits such as stammering) triggered by social stimuli. The patient is desensitised to the feared stimulus, and, on top, depending on behavioral type, diaphragmatic breathing influencing voice-projection and changing of physical posture is taught, which is likely to influence other people’s responses in turn, due to their conditioning. Direct Suggestions can break or reinforce S-R connections. Cues such as as soon as use the principles of Classical Conditioning as a strong association is formed between S-R, reducing risk of extinction. Suggestions for relaxation continually delivered on the exhalation may start to function as an anchor. For all three maladaptive behaviors, hypnobehavioural therapies use Homework, generally incorporating Self-hypnosis and Pseudo-Orientation in Time, to reinforce desired behavior, as well as in vivo-exposure-tasking, breaking the cycle of avoidance of the feared stimulus. Deiker and Pollock (1975) showed how pseudo-orientation in time can be effective in allowing the patient to picture themselves in the future having beaten the phobia. Regular reinforcement through pseudo-orientation in time allows the patient to visualise the goal-orientated, motivating, positive consequences of the desired behavior, based on the principles of Classical and Operant Conditioning, setting a template for success. The most powerful reinforcement comes from experiencing the ultimate in vivo positive consequences of the modified behavior. The patient that has undergone hypnobehavioral therapy, will be thoroughly prepared. Conclusion It can be strongly argued that the hypno-behavioralist approach could be more effective than the behaviorist approach. Kroger (1977) stated that hypnosis facilitates learning. This allows more rapid behavioral modification. As therapy is done in the unconscious mind, bypassing critical conscious interference resulting in increased suggestibility, a suggestion can be accepted in one session, while behavioral therapy relies on repetition to enable conditioning. Hypnosis achieves enhanced feelings and greater depths of relaxation, increasing effectiveness and speed of many techniques. Hypnosis is valuable at treating anxiety as the process of induction and deepening generally relieves anxiety (Hammond, 1990). The hypnobehavioral approach allows the conditioning process to be carefully controlled, offering greater safety for the patient. IMR allows the therapist to check on progress, allowing greater control and respecting the patients coping level, thus reducing risk of retraumatising and breaking rapport. Other advantages of the hypnobehavioral approach include the ability to give post-hypnotic suggestions to encourage behavioral responses to situations that were imagined (Deyoub and Epstein 1977), as well as enhanced scene-visualisation (Deiker and Pollock 1975), increasing effectiveness of Pseudo-orientation in time. Ego-strengthening is a vital ingredient of the hypnobehavioral approach, as it increases the patients coping-ability, and thus success of therapy. Ego-strengthening can help prevent relapses of undesired habits (Rist Watzl 1983). Self-hypnosis empowers the patient by gaining control over their responses, as well as reinforcing conditioning in between sessions; all adding to preparation for in vivo exposure. However, much depends on the patients personality, situation and presenting symptom. Not everyone is a good hypnotic subject, and there are situations where hypnosis is contraindicated. In therapy, we can make best use of either approach when we allow them to cross over and compliment each other. References Carlson N and Buskist W (1997) Psychology: The science of behavior 5th edition Allyn Bacon Deiker TE and Pollock (1975) Integration of Hypnotic and systematic desensitization techniques in the treatment of phobias: a case report American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis 17:117 Deyoub P L Epstein S (1977) Short term hypnotherapy for the treatment of flight phobia; A case report American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis 19, 251-254 Gross R (2005) Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour Hodder Arnold Hammond D C (1990) Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestion and Metaphors Norton Hurley A D (1976) Unsystematic desensitization using pleasurable images to inhibit anxiety Journal of Behavioral Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 7 Joseph M (1994) Hypno-desensitisation European Journal of Clinical Hypnosis 1 (2): 14-20 Klein S B (2008) Learning: Principles and Applications 5th edition Sage Publications Kroger W S (1977) Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis 2nd edition Lippincott Rist F Watlz H (1983) Self-assessment of relapse risk and assertiveness in relation to treatment outcome of female alcoholics Addictive Behaviours 8, 121-127 Waxman, D (Ed) (1989) Hartlands Medical and Dental Hypnosis 3rd Edition Bailliere Tindall Wolpe J (1958) Psychotherapy by Reciprocal Inhibition Stanford University Press Wolpe J (1973) The Practice of Behavior Therapy 4th edition Pergamon Bibliography Alcock J (2001) Animal Behavior 7th edition Sunderland Domjan M P (2007) The Principles of Learning and Behavior 5th edition Academic Internet Publishers Marks I M (1987) Fears, phobias, and rituals: Panic, anxiety, and their disorders New York Oxford University Press Watson J B (1913) Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it Psychological Review, 20, 158-177Yadav N (2003) A Handbook of Educational Psychology Anmol Publications Research Papers on Behavioral TherapyThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThree Concepts of PsychodynamicStandardized TestingEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalGenetic EngineeringInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andOpen Architechture a white paper

Summary of The Merchant of Venice Act 1, Scene 3

Summary of 'The Merchant of Venice' Act 1, Scene 3 Shakespeares  The Merchant of Venice Act 1, Scene 3 opens with Bassanio and Shylock. Shylock confirms that Bassanio wants three thousand ducats for three months. Bassanio tells him that Antonio will guarantee this. Bassanio asks Shylock if he will give him the loan. Shylock asks if Antonio is an honest man. Bassanio takes umbrage at this and asks if he has heard otherwise. Shylock immediately says that he has not but understands that Antonio has a lot of his wealth and goods at sea and therefore he knows he has sufficient means but that they are vulnerable; Yet his means are in supposition. He hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies. I understand moreover upon the Rialto he hath a third at Mexico, a forth for England, and other ventures he hath squandered abroad. But ships are but boards, sailors but men. There be land rats and water rats, water thieves and land thieves- I mean pirates- and then there is the peril of the waters, winds and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient.(Act 1 Scene 3) Shylock resolves to take Antonio’s bond but wants to speak to him. Bassanio invites Shylock to dine with them. Shylock says that he will walk with them, talk with them do business with them but will not eat or pray with them. Antonio enters and Bassanio introduces him to Shylock. In an aside, Shylock shows a great disdain for Antonio, especially for lending out his money for free: How like a fawning publican he looks. I hate him for he is a Christian; But more, for in that low simplicity he lends out money gratis, and brings down the rate of usance here with us in Venice.(Act 1 Scene 3, Line 39-43) Shylock tells Bassanio that he doesn’t think he has three thousand ducats to give him straight away. Antonio tells Shylock that he never lends money out in order to gain exorbitant interest and condemns him for doing so; he has publicly derided Shylock for doing so in the past but says he is willing to make an exception in dealing with Shylock in this case. Signor Antonio, many a time and oft in the Rialto you have rated me about my moneys and my usances. Still I have borne it with a patent shrug, For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe. You call me misbeliever, cut throat, dog and spit upon my Jewish gabardine†¦ Well then it now appears you need my help.(Shylock, Act 1 Scene 3, Line 105-113) Shylock defends his business of money lending but Antonio tells him that he will continue to disapprove of his methods. Antonio tells Shylock to lend the money to him as if he is an enemy and as such he can punish him heavily if the money is not paid back. Shylock pretends to forgive Antonio and tells him that he will treat him as a friend and charge no interest on the loan but that if he does forfeit he says, seemingly in jest, that he will demand a pound of his flesh from whatever part of his body pleases him. Antonio is confident that he can easily repay the loan and agrees. Bassanio urges Antonio to rethink and says that he does not want to agree to those conditions. Antonio reassures him. Shylock also reassures Bassanio by saying that he will gain nothing from a pound of human flesh. Bassanio remains suspicious, Antonio believes that Shylock has become kinder and therefore could be becoming more Christian; Hie thee gentle Jew. The Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind.(Act 1 Scene 3, Line 176)

Tariffs and Free Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tariffs and Free Trade - Essay Example Tariffs we can say have generally fallen in the post World War 11 period as the industrialized world has moved to desirably free trade between organizations. Tariffs do not cost too much to the economy. World Bank estimates that if all these tariffs were removed, the global economy would increase by 830 billion dollars by 2015. The economic effects of tariffs are on those countries, which are either imposing tariffs, or tariffs are being imposed on them. Foreign tariffs on a country increase the cost of domestic producers, which causes them to sell less in those foreign countries. According to Robert Longley. (2002). He states in his article US Nails Tariff on Canadian Lumber the American tariffs have cost the Canadian Lumber producers around 1.5 billion Canadian dollars. This has resulted in the reduction in production and cut down of jobs as the demand of product goes down. This all impacts other industries and overall impact the economy of the nation. The country who is imposing tariffs is also affected as the cost of it outweighs the benefits. Tariffs are bad for domestic producers as it causes reduction in competition, allows prices to rise due to reduction in competition, the sales may rise too as the competition is low. The demand may increase due to which more workers need to be recruited. Consumer spending may increase too. Hence the tariffs also increase government revenues that can be used to the benefit of the economy. There are also costs to tariffs. When the country, which is imposed with tariffs, brings the foreign products in, the overall cost of that product rises. With high prices people are less willing to buy that product. Now here the foreign country sees a decline in the demand of its products. the domestic producers of the foreign country decrease their production which overall affects the economy of that foreign country. When a foreign country imposes tariffs it forget that the same country would also impose tariffs on their export of products. Therefore we can say that tariffs overall harms both the concerned countries. In the year 2000 President Bush raised tariffs on imported steel goods between 8 and 30 percent. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy cites a study which indicates that the tariff will reduce U.S. national income by between 0.5 to 1.4 billion dollars. The study estimates that less than 10,000 jobs in the steel industry will be saved by the measure at a cost of over $400,000 per job saved. For every job saved by this measure, 8 will be lost. All the studies up till now very well prove that tariffs harm the economies more than benefiting them so the question that arises is why do countries impose tariffs Well the logic is that if one thing is harmful to A then it is somehow beneficial to B. Even though A would be affected largely than B's benefits, but this is how the economics go. When the tariffs imposed are calculated in terms of individuals within a country, the amounts are very low. Nobody would want to fight over such a meager amount. But those individuals who are at a loss and even if they would fight over their loss, they would be

Marketing in Social Media (Facebook) Research Paper

Marketing in Social Media (Facebook) - Research Paper Example Social media is one of the latest marketing aid tools in the commercial sector. Facebook is a popular social network that enables people from all corners of the globe to create respective accounts and communicate to each other regardless the distance. The commercial sector has taken advantage of the popular network to advertise or create awareness of their products among other relevant information. This work focuses on Facebook, one of the most popular social networks, as an advertising tool in the commercial arena. There are over a million commercial pages in Facebook, hence, it is important to incorporate some attractive features to attract more people to the social networking community. The success of communication through Facebook could be measured by the number of likes or comments. Attractive photos or images attached to accounts play a significant role. From a psychological view, a normal human being would always be attracted by unique or colorful images, and this would make o ne read the content of the pages and finally like such pages. Bright colors like yellow, pink and white could be incorporated into the images to attract some attention and this would improve the chances of one to make positive comments or like a page. Business pages could also include the images of popular individuals like famous sportsmen, actors, models and comedians among others. However, it is important to consider all the legal and ethical implications before using anyone’s image; for instance, a company should enter into a contract with a preferred celebrity to have his/her photos used on such pages. People tend to associate themselves with celebrities, hence, more likes and positive comments, which is a good sign of an advert message. The use of simple appealing language could also attract more people to like or comment on such pages. For instance, adverts in Europe could be done in English or French as these are the two most spoken languages in the area (Arvind 19). I t is also important to incorporate current events like sports in such pages. For instance, such pages may contain images of the ongoing confederation cup and rugby sevens world cup among others. The advert information should be short and precise, meaning the core information should be easy to access. Recent business studies of hotel and tourism business in Taiwan recommend the industries to engage in more Facebook adverts to increase more clients or customers. Compared to their counterparts in Europe and other parts of the developed world, Taiwan hotels are not that well known due to poor advert or marketing strategies. The language barrier is another factor limiting effective communications through Facebook. Taiwan hotel market expect more customers from Europe, Africa, North America and South America among others whose main languages are French, English and Portuguese, which are not spoken in Taiwan. However, Taiwan hotel industry could create business pages in their native langua ge but have it translated into other languages to limit the issue of biases ((Hsu 972). The industry could also post images or photos of some of well established hotels among other tourism facilities to attract more clients from all corners of the globe. The pages should be interactive, meaning the clients or customers’ questions or concerns should be answered considering all important details in the most respective ways. The pages should have appropriate passwords to limit hackers from posting non-relevant information that could compromise the image and reputations of such hotels. Facebook has enabled e-commerce in several ways and this could be attributed by the fact that the majority of the youths' access the Facebook pages at

Assessment on the Effectiveness of Environmental Management in the UAE Assignment

Assessment on the Effectiveness of Environmental Management in the UAE - Assignment Example Being another fundamental element of the â€Å"Right of Environment†, in UAE, the people/citizens, whether directly impacted or not from any environmental nuisances/problems, have the possibility to ask the relevant public authorities to stop the problem and also to open a case at the courts demanding the prevention/stopping the environmental nuisances. This possibility plays an effective role for the protection and enhancement of the environmental quality in UAE. Just like any other problems and disturbances, people have the right to report and question why an environmental issue is not being corrected. If they do not get help, the citizens can use the legal channels or courts to have the problems sorted out. If the concept of â€Å"aim† is to be defined as the â€Å"idealistic end-points† to be achieved/reached and the concept of â€Å"objective/target† is the quantifiable/measurable/concrete end-point† to be achieved/reached in numerical terms, then it can be stated that the aims and the objectives/targets of environment management of emirates and municipalities are determined in UAE. â€Å"The command and control strategy† including the functions of â€Å"enforcement of environmental rules and norms† and also â€Å"compliance management† by the federal government has been effectively regulated and put into implementation in UAE. â€Å"The command and control strategy† including the functions of â€Å"enforcement of environmental rules and norms† and also â€Å"compliance management† by the emirates has been effectively regulated and put into implementation in UAE. The other important environmental management strategy, â€Å"voluntary compliance strategy† (such as â€Å"the British Standard 7750†, â€Å"Eco-Management and Auditing Regulation† of the EU) has been regulated and put into implementation in UAE. â€Å"The Economic and Financial Tools of Environmental

Critical Thinking Assignment Polio Crusade Reflection

Critical Thinking Polio Crusade Reflection - Assignment Example The couple should understand that vaccines are safe and only cause minor reactions such as a sore arm once administered to the baby. The couple should also understand that there is more harm likely to occur to a child due to vaccine-preventable disease than by the vaccine itself. For example, failure to give the child polio vaccine will make the baby prone to polio with severe consequences such as paralysis. Therefore, the benefits of vaccines are far more. Moreover, I would like to remind the couple that although polio is almost eradicated in our country, there are still risks. The World health Organization notes that causative agents of some of the eliminated conditions continue to occur in some parts of the world. This means people especially children are vulnerable to causative agents at any time. Hence, the couple should not view disease as something of the past. Lastly, I would like the couple to understand that there has been no established fact that the vaccine causes autism. Studies conducted in the past linking vaccine to autisms have been dismissed. I chose chickenpox as the disease to reflect on various issues raised. It is one of the contagious diseases. The causative agent is varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The condition is easily spread from one person to the other. It is spread to a person that have never had an infection or the person that have not received chickenpox vaccine. It is commonly spread in the air through coughing or sneezing. The virus can also be spread by coming into contact with the chickenpox blisters. There are various signs and symptoms of the disease. The main symptom is a rash that gets itchy. There are also blisters with fluid that later transforms into scabs. The rash first appears on the face, chest, and back. However, the rash later spreads to other parts of the body such as mouth and genital area. The other symptoms include fever, lack of appetite, and headache. There are drugs

Stem Cell Research Legislation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stem Cell Research Legislation - Essay Example This particular bill was vetoed by this Republican president. By 2001, President George W. Bush establishes that no stem cell research should be conducted on cells produced after August 9, 2001. This particular legislation issued by the Executive branch does not, however, indicate limitations on stem cell research conducted on cells older than August 9, 2001 or limit state-level funding for this research (Science Progress, 2009). Because of this lack of clarity in the legislation, the state of California becomes one of the first states to provide funding and establish legal allowances for this practice to continue. By 2004, the state of New Jersey becomes one of the first states to establish funding for an embryonic stem cell research center under NJ Permanent Statue, Title 26: 2Z-2. (Science Progress, 2009). In 2007, a bill is passed by Congress with a vote of 63 to 34 that expands Congressional funding of embryonic stem cell research, just short of the two-thirds majority required to protect the bill from presidential veto, however this does not occur (National Institutes of Health, 2012). This funding is approved which lays the foundation for the current policy regarding allowance of stem cell research and certain levels of federal funding toward this objective. The legislation banning or approving stem cell research maintains very different perspectives as compared to the United States that is more liberal about its imperatives and social benefits. Australia, as one example, allows this research to be undertaken, but it is highly regulated by the government. For an individual or organization to participate in this research, they must receive a license from the National Health and Medical Research Council and a secondary license must be granted for Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (Australian Stem Cell Centre, 2011). The development of the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration regulates all activities associated

Critical Thinking Assignment Polio Crusade Reflection

Critical Thinking Polio Crusade Reflection - Assignment Example The couple should understand that vaccines are safe and only cause minor reactions such as a sore arm once administered to the baby. The couple should also understand that there is more harm likely to occur to a child due to vaccine-preventable disease than by the vaccine itself. For example, failure to give the child polio vaccine will make the baby prone to polio with severe consequences such as paralysis. Therefore, the benefits of vaccines are far more. Moreover, I would like to remind the couple that although polio is almost eradicated in our country, there are still risks. The World health Organization notes that causative agents of some of the eliminated conditions continue to occur in some parts of the world. This means people especially children are vulnerable to causative agents at any time. Hence, the couple should not view disease as something of the past. Lastly, I would like the couple to understand that there has been no established fact that the vaccine causes autism. Studies conducted in the past linking vaccine to autisms have been dismissed. I chose chickenpox as the disease to reflect on various issues raised. It is one of the contagious diseases. The causative agent is varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The condition is easily spread from one person to the other. It is spread to a person that have never had an infection or the person that have not received chickenpox vaccine. It is commonly spread in the air through coughing or sneezing. The virus can also be spread by coming into contact with the chickenpox blisters. There are various signs and symptoms of the disease. The main symptom is a rash that gets itchy. There are also blisters with fluid that later transforms into scabs. The rash first appears on the face, chest, and back. However, the rash later spreads to other parts of the body such as mouth and genital area. The other symptoms include fever, lack of appetite, and headache. There are drugs

Multinational Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Multinational - Essay Example This is why the biggest MNCs are all publicly owned corporations (Gerard, 2013). Some of the top 20 MNCs are rated in terms of revenues they generate. As figures indicate, majority of the biggest corporations are in the oil industry-no wonder, the constant increase in the prices of oil. However, out of top 10 corporations, some are in the automotive industry and consequently big oil consumers. The only retailer in the MNCs is Wal-Mart and this shows just how the oil industry is big business. Most of the fortune 500 companies are MNCs and majority of them are located or domiciled in the US, followed by China then Japan. Other countries such as France, Britain come trailing. MNCs must come up with systems and strategies so as to achieve all or some of their multinational business operations (John & Praveen, 2014). The globalizing economy is a constantly changing (however, not always stable) environment for doing business. Trade barriers have been falling and in the 1st 10 years of the 21st century, world trade amongst nations in goods and services developed quickly than domestic production. This means there is free flow of money across the borders of most countries, permitting corporations to look for the best financing rates-and at the same time letting investors seek for the best possible returns-anywhere worldwide. All of these procedures constitute what is referred to as globalization-a trend that has seen world economies become greatly interlinked and borderless. Corporations are no longer limited by their domestic borders and may operate any type of business activity any place in the world. Thus to corporations, globalization means that they are most likely to source for their raw materials everywhere, do research and development everywhere and compete anywhere while producing their pro ducts at any given place in the world. Globalization, however has come with its own challenges and is not a standardized evolutionary process, meaning that not all

Psychology Project Racism Essay Example for Free

Psychology Project Racism Essay Racism People see it every day across the world. A group of whites burn down a black , someone gets hurt or murdered from a racial insult, or fights break out at school or in public. These are the extremes of racism. Racism is definitely not a good thing; it’s a power that has taken over through the present daytime. What will the future bring for Racism? What are the main problems of racism? Can we get a hold on racism throughout the world or will we self-destruct in our own hate? Racism is everywhere, as much as today tries to hide it or say that we resolved it years ago. Racism is still all over the place. Definition of Racism: Racism is the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics. Racial separatism is the belief, most of the time based on racism, that different races should remain apart from one another. Racism has existed throughout human history: It may be defined as the hatred of one person by another or the belief that another person is less than human because of skin color, language, customs, and place of birth or any factor that supposedly reveals the basic nature of that person. Prejudice: If someone is a racist they are of course, prejudiced. Prejudice is when someone doesn’t like someone else for the way they look.. It flies right over their heads schools, the workplace, our community, our friend’s  house, even our homes. Racist or prejudice jokes are not harmless and it is a reality today. Racist jokes are just the start of it. Many people think the jokes are funny. Maybe they are, but they still hurt the people the jokes are about. Superiority: Superiority is a big part of racism. Every race thinks that they are superior to other ,that they are the best . The power issue may make the difference, that’s one of the main reasons. Each race thinks they are a better race.. Therefore, they fight and create violence to justify who is the greater race. But the reality is, that it doesn’t matter who you are or what color you are. Forms of Racism: †¢Individual Racism takes the form of individual attitudes, beliefs, values and be haviors. Some examples of racist attitudes are racial prejudice, belittling, jealousy and bigotry. †¢Institutional or Systemic Racism takes the form of the practices, customs, rules and standards of organizations that unnecessarily disadvantage people because of their race, color or ethnicity. †¢Cultural Racism is the cultural values and standards that disadvantage people because of their race, color or ethnicity. . Bio-psycho-social-spiritual phenomenon of racism: Racism is the outward manifestation of an inward system. This system justifies power of position by placing a negative meaning and value on perceived or actual biological/cultural differences. This system gives biological differences, such as skin color, texture of the hair, physical features; or cultural differences, such as language, religion, ethnicity, or accent, a negative value and meaning. In real they are merely biological or cultural necessities. Thus, there is nothing wrong with the color black, brown or yellow. It is not skin color that forms the basis for discrimination, but the negative meaning and value given to the color of skin. Color is neutral; it is the mind that gives it meaning. Neither are women discriminated against because of their gender. If gender were the problem then the solution would also be to have a sex-change operation. But the problem is not gender but value systems.. Women are discriminated against because of the negative meaning and value given to their gender. How one defines a situation depends on how one perceives it. That’s the psycho pattern. The meaning that  people therefore give to their reality, whether or not true, causes people to behave in a manner that makes the original meaning actually come true. The interpretive meaning called perception.. The same goes with the spiritual dimension, the fourth factor. In order to justify such evil use of power, people will appeal to those moral systems which give them a sense of meaning, rightness, and ultimate value in life, their ideological belief systems, which serve as the highest authority in their lives, the moral basis of their existence. Like this the bio-psycho-social-spiritual framework works -and how it shapes our world. Common factors of Racism: †¢Color: Prejudice or discrimination in which human beings are treated differently based on the social meanings attached to skin color †¢Religion: Religious discrimination involves treating a person (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of his or her religious beliefs. Religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism, but also others who have sincerely held religious, ethical or moral beliefs. †¢Gender: Granting or denying rights or privileges to a person based on their gender. No Boundaries: Victims and perpetrators of racial prejudice are not confined to any period in history, place, skin color, income group or other boundary. No one is immune! But the images we associate with the term racism depend largely on the part of the world in which we live. For instance, in different countries most commonly think of tension between whites and blacks, or increasingly, Hispanics and blacks or whites. Further back, though, other forms existed. Racism –different countries: Racism world-wide is manifested in every continent. In Europe, extreme racist groups have gained more and more acceptability in countries like France, Germany, and Austria. In Australia, the Aborigines have lost much of their land and have been the victim of extreme prejudice. Not only has Apartheid legalized separation been practiced in Australia, it has been a well-publicized condition in South Africa. Many African countries have endured long-term civil wars, some beginning shortly after that nation’s freedom from former colonial  countries. In Asia, Cambodians harbor extreme prejudices against the Vietnamese, and Chinese students have been forbidden access to higher education in Malaysia. In the Middle East, antagonism between the Israelis and the Palestinians continues to exist. Racism in Pakistan: In Pakistan people do face problem regarding racism and its done on the following bases. †¢Socio economic status †¢Gender †¢Color †¢Religion †¢Cast †¢Provincial Causes of racism: Major causes of racism common in all societies are: †¢Lack of self love †¢feeling of unworthiness †¢desire to feel superior †¢Fear of loss and displacement †¢lack of understanding †¢false perceptions †¢Ignorance, †¢Xenophobia †¢Brainwashing †¢ upbringing, †¢negative experiences with individuals of a given race, †¢negative images portrayed in media and societal stereotypes, †¢hate †¢ lack of education, †¢distorted thinking †¢ fear †¢Selfishness †¢Environmental Factors Effects of racism: It is said that â€Å" Racism always breaks a country and spoils a society.† The effects that are commonly observed are: †¢Self hate †¢ Suicide †¢Self harm issues †¢Eating disorders †¢Fear of going to school/public places (agoraphobia) †¢Bullying †¢Knife and gun crime †¢Panic attacks †¢Violence †¢hate crimes †¢inequality †¢inhumanity †¢intolerance †¢trade imbalance †¢depression †¢self loathing Racism and future: Today we are living in a load of social issues that we have to deal with and racism is one of them. People blame their faults and disappointments against society and the whole race in which they live in. but anyone can do good or excel if they put their mind to it. The future, when you hear the word – Racism you start to think about advancing our technology and furthering science. You think of exploring new boundaries and seeing new places. A better world, but a worse world is what we see. The technology may improve as we go deeper into the next century, but what about the children of today that are responsible for the future? Right now, we are only hurting ourselves with racism and hate. We have taken many steps in controlling this disease, but like most diseases, they spread. Does God do favoritism? God is the  Creator of all the races—yellow, black and white (with brown and red). Each has strengths and gifts as well as weaknesses. For our better future it is important to finish this discrimination. If He has created everyone equally then who are we to judge? Who are we to complain? Who are we to discriminate? We being a Muslim, how can we do such a thing? Our religion has a clear concept about equality. It’s clearly written in the Holy book that no one is superior to another. Our God has created everyone equally. Its His choice how and what He do†¦ What Can We Do? â€Å"Racism isnt born, its taugh† Where there is a problem, there is a solution. The only solution that seems to be found is to stop the hate. Dr. Martin Luther King said: â€Å"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.† He had a dream.Its up to us that how and what we make a world without racism†¦. Changes: self-awareness†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Reengineering our attitudes about race means that we must examine ourselves. †¢Closely examine your values and beliefs; why do you think, believe, and behave toward others as you do. †¢Remember, one of the bases of prejudice is ignorance. Try not to ignore but to know other. †¢Measure your words carefully before you speak to others. †¢Try to be a human first . Society is formed by us †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.society changes can be . †¢Do not tolerate prejudiced people, prejudiced talk, or racist action. †¢Give good literature, recommend films, lectures, meetings to your friends and family. †¢Write letters to newspapers, magazines, and TV sponsors giving your opinion on statements and actions that demean people. †¢Organize a cleanup or rebuilding campaign †¢Make an effort to support minority cultural events †¢ Make an effort to teach the value of equality and tolerance For Institutions-Effecting Change: †¢For institutions to change, their culture, vision, values, and ideology must change. All policies must be based around a single ideology. †¢Examine an institutions deep belief and value systems †¢Hold training seminars in intercultural competence: †¢self-acceptance. †¢Put people to work and interact in interracial learning teams so as to develop positive attitudes and cross-ethnic friendships. †¢Make a commitment and act on it! Things You Can Do in the Schools: This can be done in a school or university setting. †¢sponsor panel discussions †¢awareness activities †¢cultural †¢projects that will promote cultural understanding and inclusiveness. †¢anti-racism education in your schools curriculum †¢events relating to a variety of cultures.. †¢Example: The Book of Dreams To sum it up: Figuring out what to do about the ugly reality of racism in our communities presents a difficult challenge. There is no single or easy set of instructions that will eliminate racism once and for all. Instead, it is something we must continually work against choosing the strategies and actions that will be most effective in our own individual communities. In this resource, weve suggested such strategies and actions, and shown examples of how many of them have been put into practice in real communities. When you start deciding how to reduce racism in your own community, feel free to use any of these ideas, but also feel free to be creative and come up with your own solutions as well. Remember: â€Å"Rainbows arent just one color. Theyre every single color. Be a rainbow. Enjoy all of the colors in the world.†

Study Of Feminism In Middlemarch English Literature Essay

Study Of Feminism In Middlemarch English Literature Essay George Eliot was a significant female writer in the 19th century; her life was close related to her works; her life experience attributed themes to her lterary works, and the relation between her works and her life experience had been studied by many researchers for a long time. George Eliots masterpiece Middlemarch, since its publication, earned many readers and critics in English society. Dorothea, in Middlemarch, was a feminist; this heroine had been studied through the views: the combination of George Eliots idealism and Vitorian realism, George Eliots view of marriage, feminist linguistic-psychoanalysis. The success or failure of Dorotheas feminism is paid close attention all the time. In this paper, the writer uses case study analysis to study Dorothea in a multidimentional view, and makes a further development of her feminist revolution. This paper will analyze the background of Victorian period, Dorotheas character, view of marriage, then based on the analysis, the author puts forward that George Eliot had a new recognition about feminism. Dorothea, the heroine in Middlemarch, to some extent, penetrated George Eliots thought, and also got new meaning of female in marriage, in life and even in society. Key words feminism; Victorian Period; George Eliot; realism; idealism; character 1. Introduction George Eliot, penname of Mary Ann Evans, was one of the greatest writers in the 19th century. She was regarded as the one of those who wrote the best novels for adults. In her writing career, controversy and outrage accompanied her. George Eliots critical reputation came from the very start when she began to issue works by using the pseudonym of George Eliot to cover her identity of the unmarried wife of George Henry Lewes. When she worked in Westerminster Review, she knew George Henry Lewes, who she thought understood her and could lead her to a wise life, then in 1854, she began to live with George Henry Lewes, an extrodinary man of letters who wrote philosophy, science, fiction, and drama. Their marriage was not accepted in English society and considered to be immoral. Under the encouragement of George Henry Lewes, in 1857, Mary Ann Evans wrote her first fiction The Sad Fortunes of Reverend Amos Barton and published in Blackwoods Magazine. It could be said without exaggeration tha t, it was George Henry Lewes who created an eximious female fictional writer George Eliot of the 19th century. In her 60s, George Eliot married John Walter Cross for a legal marriage. Because of her immoral relationship with George Henry Lewes, she faced virtual ostracism. Though many critics followed her, her intellect was never hidden; her later works earned her recognition as well as the love of the reading public. She was recognized as the greatest writer in Victorian age(the authors translation,à ©Ã‚ ¡Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ ¦Ã‹Å"Ã… ¸Ãƒ ¨Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬, 1987:6). Virginia Woolf commented that, she was a woman of pride and model(the authors translation, Virginia, qtd. in à ¦Ã‚ Ã…“à ©Ã… ¡Ã‚ ½, 2006:1); her novels stood in the list of a handful of English novels written for adults (the authors translation, Virginia, qtd. in à ¦Ã‚ Ã…“à ©Ã… ¡Ã‚ ½, 2006:1). The whole life of George Eliot was rebellious, and was regarded as unsensible. She struggled between realism and idealism; she wanted to make full use of herself though she was a female, however gender was discriminated before the 20th century. As a feminist and idealist, George Eliot had a profound significance in feminism among the Victorian novelists. Her works were combined with her real life experience. Middlemarch, since its publication, had been recognized as George Eliots finest achievement, written when she was at the height of her power. Middlemarch had been recognized as George Eliots work of her combination of idealism and realism, as well as the portray of her real life. In her life, George Eliot married John Walter Cross for a husbands surname; she finally bowed to conservative society and got the forgiveness of her family. In Middlemarch, George Eliot, created a heroine, Dorothea, for feminine emancipation. Not to mention the success or the failure of Dorothea s emancipation revolution, she was the product of George Eliot under the general effect of her real life experience, her idealism and realism to the English society in the 19th century. In Middlemarch, George Eliot aimed to creat a great young lady, who had profound knowledge and a virtuous heart for human beings. For a long time, she lived in her idealistic society that a knowledgeable young lady could help to make a better life for society. While at the end of the fiction, George Eliot made her heroine back to reality; the heroine was recognized as the soul of George Eliot herself; she was also considered to be the representative of George Eliots feminine revolution. As a model of feminist, Dorothea was not like traditional women, not paying much attention to her dress; she pursued to help the prevailing society, not only living for self-admiration. With the shock of reality and personal idealism, in this novel, she had two marriages in the way of pursuing her high range of spirit and positional satisfaction. In this novel, she had objection on her ideal way. She made great efforts to marry Mr. Casaubon, who was much older than her, which was a sacrifice. Mr. Casa ubon was not that kind of great soul as she thought to be. Finally, Dorothea had a usual end. After the death of Mr. Casaubon, her heart beated strongly for finding a man and married him, who really understood her views and took women as independent and equal individual; they were equal in marital relations, and took part in social activity; both of them found their value in marriage. George Eliots masterpiece Middlemarch ¼Ã…’A. C. Dicey described it as a book which may be said, almost without exaggeration, to have made for many persons the chief happiness and interest of the last year (George Eliot, 1992:3). This book brought her many critics and approve; in Middlemarch, George Eliots heroine for femimine emancipation was an incarnation of George Eliot; she struggled for feminine emancipation under her idealism and the realism in society background. This paper is to study the life experience of George Eliot, her idealism and realism in the English sociey, in order to figure out how these factors affected her feminism in the real English society, as well as how they attributed to her heroine in Middlemarch. Thus the paper aims to make a further study of Dorotheas feminism in Middlemarch, focusing on George Eliots life experience, her idealism, and realism of Victorian period. Under the study of such factors, the writer can draw a conclusion that the feminine emancipation of Dorothea could not be a failure, but it was her new attitude toward life as well as marriage- wives were and should be the great man beside her successful husband. 2. Literature Review By the time George Eliot died on December 22, 1880, she was recognized as the greatest of comtemporary English novelists. Her whole writing life left many literary works and comments to later generations to study and research. George Eliot was a writer of appreciation and depreciation. George Eliots works reflected the politics, philosophy, science, religion, and genders. Her literary works had been studied by scholars from home and abroad since 19th century. In 1884, George Willis Cooke in George Eliot: A Critical Study of Her Life, Writing and Philosophy mentioned that George Eliot was a product of her time; some knowledge of her early home and the influences admist which her mind was formed, helped largely to an appreciation of her books and the views of life which she presented in them (George Willis Cooke, 1884). George Eliot was a realistic writer, in her works, she reflected the 19th science attainments, philosophy, and genders. In Middlemarch, George Eliot created an agloat young doctor named Lydgate, a feminist named Dorothea, an old pedant named Casaubon, and a romantic named painter Will Ladislaw. Through these roles in her works, George Eliot showed her brilliance. George Levine once commented that George Eliot had been discovered that since the Second World War it was her brilliance and intellectual depth of her fiction gave her appreciative reputation. George Levine also mentioned that George Eliot was a realist; she was sel f-reflexive in that her life experience attributed a lot of themes to her works. Besides that, as a feminist, George Eliot also showed herself struggling against men-dominated society. Kate Flint in George Eliot commneted that in George Eliots writing, alertness and acute consciousness of the injustice to which they gave rise, necessarily chafed against the doctrine of submitting to a sense of broader social duty(George Levine, 2001). George Eliots feminism was not noly seen in her life but also in her works, making clear in fields of education and marriages. In her masterpiece Middlemarch, one third of the pages penetrated her feminism. The heroine, Dorothea, thirsted for knowledge, thus had two marriges in her life. However, in the 19th century, women was decoration of men; the ideal women were the decoration in her house. Womens great importance lied in reproductiveness. Biomedical discourse defined females in terms of her reproductive function as the following description: a biological entity, a sexed body: Womans nature and her social role were said to be controlled by her womb and her ovaries, and were the inevitable and indivisible consequences of her reproductive and the female organization another (Joanne Shattock, 2001:79) At abroad, there have studies about feminism, George Eliots introdction, critical study of George Eliot, and the relation of George Eliot and the Empire. At home, many scholars have studied George Eliot from her views of marriage, feminism, philosophy, ethic, and the harmonizing and synthesizing of realism and idealism. In 2006, Wang Pei issued a thesis to discuss George Eliots view of marriage in Journal of Chongqing University of Science and Technology. She mentioned that though George Eliot had a rebellious love and marriage, she was still that kind of conservative women in 19th century. She longed for love as well as legal marriage; she also held that women could get desired happiness only when they felt satisfied with the mediocre marriage life. Her view of marriage was reflected in Dorothea, who dreamed to be a great female and contributed to society, finally back to a common housewife. Then on George Eliots feminism, in 2004, Vice Professor Dong Shumin studied in Zhejiang Social Science that George Eliot expressed her feminism in Middlemarch that females and males were unequal to the public all the time, if women wanted to show themselves, they must realize the limitation of women from the society. Women could have their distictive importance, which was to affect males, making males become some kind of man. Just as George Eliots heroine, Dorothea, she married Will Ladislaw and made him be s successful man; Dorothea herself became a common wife for love and desired happiness as well as femine fullfilment in family. Though George Eliot was a feminist, even she had idealistic and fair society for females to make full use of themselves, she had to bow to reality. In George Eliot: Harmonizing and Synthesizing Idealism and Realism, Doctor Zhang Jinfeng pointed out that George Eliot was an inborn idealist, combining her realistic aesthetics with her idealistic life and society for females, even for human beings. Even so, she could not avoid reality and finally converted to reality. In Middlemarch, she would like to creat ideal polictics, education and marriages, in which female was free. Dorothea was a role under her idealism. Dorotheas first marriage, with Casaubon, was all her idealism, she could not chage the men-dominated thought of Causobon. Finally, she would like to have a husband who really cared females, then married Will Ladislaw, and became a wife and mother. The end of Middlemarch was the surrender of idealism to realism. Based on the above analiysis, there is the information that George Eliot was a idealist as well as a realist; her works set on the real society but also embraced the profound effect of her idealism. While, social limitation made George Eliot hard to build an ideal world. All her thoughts affected in her works. Thus here is the gap that George Eliots life experience, her feminist, her idealism and realism contributed to her works, especially her heroine Dorothea in Middlemarch. In this paper the writer aims at the above mentioned factors and make a further study of Dorotheas feminism, through analyzing the difference between George Eliots ideal feminism and the feminism in Victorian period, Dorotheas character, as well as her two marriages, to illustrate that Dorothea got a new cognition of womens status and feminine emancipation in marriage, even in society. 3. Feminism in Victorian Period and George Eliots Feminism As a female writer in the 19th century in the English society, George Eliot lived in a men-dominated society; she was not satisfied with the rising condition. As a feminist against the serious society for females, George Eliot struggled between ideality and reality. 3.1 Real Feminism in Victorian Period In the 19th century, females status was discriminated and inferior to males. The English socity was a men-dominated society; men were superior to women, no matter in politics, economy, society, family and marriage. Though Queen of Victoria was at reign, womens status was not equal to mens. Women were limited to work in politics, science, education, social activities, and literary and so on. A wifehood or womanhood should be the best profession of a female. An ideal lady should be what Virginia Woolf called-the Angel of the House(Virginia Woolf, qtd. in à ¨Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ £Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ ·Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒ ©Ã¢â‚¬Å" ­, 2004:1) At that time, people took for granted that a woman should not be educated for self-development, but for self-renunciation. They were sent to study in girls schools, to learn how to be an ideal wife. They learned music and entertainment; they were trained to be peaceable, obedient to males, and not having personal thoughts. To the public, a lady with few opinions about their husband, society and politics was virtuous. In such a society, women were born to suffer and to be in a disadvantageous status in family, education, occupation and marriage, first as a daughter and then a wife. In family, daughters were dependent on her father or brother. After marriage, they were dependent on their husband. If left without any heritance and remaining single, daughters would lead a miserable life. In marriage, girls could not have their own choice. They were the property of their father to use for land and estate; always, they were used by men to consolidate social status. In the 16th century, when Elizabeth was at reign, a father chose a husband for his daughter, if the daughter did not agree to get married, she would be locked in a room and heavily punished. In the 19th century, women could choose their own beloved, but the beloved should be accepted by their family, most importantly by their father, if it turned out to be not, their family might disengage their relationship or would not give help when they were in trouble. Because of the limitation in occupation, education, family and marriage, women were not encouraged, even allowed to work outside the house, thus womens self satisfation was based on the success of being a wife. They seeked for inspiration to be an ideal wife, mother, and do well in housework. The following words can best describe womens feelings of being inferior: As long as I can remember, I have been discouraged, when I have endeavoured to cast the sum of my intellectual value, by finding that I did not possess, in the degree of some other men, an intuitive perception of intellectual beauty(Godwin, qtd. in Joanne Shattock, 2001:14). The 19th century could be said to be a turn of feminine status; thanks to Industrial Revolution, women could go out of homes to work in factories, but their salary was much less than mens. Moreover, their jobs were insignificant, for instance, a tutor, a nurse and so on; after Industrial Revolution, they had one more choice-a worker. In Victorian Era, literature in English was at the height of devolopment. Many female writers emerged, for example, sister Bronte, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, May Sinclair, George Eliot, and so on. However in the 19th English society, female writers were not given high recognition of their writing talent; they chose to publish their works by using pseudonym. A woman and her book are identical-or so Edgar Allen Poe reflected when reading an early collection of poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Joanne Shattodk, 2001:8). Female consciousness had been awaken, and most of their works were about seeking for feminine status in society; females w ere more independent in their opinions, thus they began to write in order to uncover their sufferings and defend for their occupations. 3.2 George Eliots Ideal Feminism Victorian Age was the trend of realistic literary. As a successful realistic novel writer, Gorge Eliot was born in a family of land agent, and spent her childhood in the rural environment within the country of Warwickshire in the mid lands. Her childhood and her living environment provided her with plenty of material for her earlier works. Due to the reality, George Eliots later works had a big change. In George Eliots later novels, characters and situations seem more and more to be projections of ideals in her mind (Zhang Jinfeng, 2005:61). George Eliot created her art out of a cluster of rebellions, particularly against reigning social, moral, and aesthetic conventions (George Levine,2001:2). George Eliots living exprience made her an idealist; she wanted to change her social status, even all feminine social status, therefore limited to the reality, she wrote down what she had in mind. A woman and her book are identical (Joanne Shattodk, 2001:8). Her unique personality, education, and moral belief made her an idealist. To begin with, she was a religious freethinker. She was sent to boarding schools together with her elder sister. In one boarding school, George Eliot met a female teacher, Maria Levis, who was a piously Evangelical. With the instruction, George Eliot became a piously Evangelical too. But her friendship with religious freethinkers in Coventry in the early 1840s reinforced her own growing doubts and led to a break with orthodox religion (George Eliot, 1992:1). From the very beginning of 1842, she claimed that she would not go to church, not to pray, not believe in God any more. Besides, George Eliot strongly held that it should be of the very importance for females to receive systematic education as well as have their own occupation. She herself went to boarding schools from 5 years old to 17 years old. She learned language, science, and piano. She was a lady who never gave up pursuing her value. The following cited event could voice her support for feminine education: She sympathized with the movement for womens education and donated 50 pounds towards the establishment of Girton, a Cambridge college for women. Her support for womens educational reforms led her to attend a series of letures at Bedford College for Ladies during these years and moved her to contribute to Emily Davess campaingn for the establishment of Girton College and to other feminist efforts to open the professions to women in the 1850s and1860s. (ibid, qtd. in à ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¹Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ½Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¨Ã…“ ¼Ã…’2007:19) Not only approving of women education, George Eliot also earned a living herself. When she was 29 years old, George Eliots father died; in Victotian English society, an unmarried, intellectual lady without any inheritance from father, would lead to a miserable life. But George Eliot decided to stay in London and earned the living herself. Later, she began to be an editor for Westminster Review. In marriage, George Eliot broke the traditional convention of marriage. She fell deeply in love with a married, acknowledgeable man, named George Henry Lewes; at that time, George Eliot had been a publicly well-known female; though she was ostracized by English society , her works was criticized, and her family was angry with that, she was determined to live with George Henry Lewes as an unmarried wife. In George Eliots mind, women could have their own choice of marriage, even though the whole world would not accept her, she still sticked to her love. Her view about marriage was somehow penetrated in Dorothea in Middlemarch. Dorothea, when 18 years old, was determined to marry a pedant who was almost twenty years older than her, which was not understood by citizens of Middlemarch. Ralph Waldo Emerson commented that George Eliot was a young lady with a not quiet and serious soul (Emerson, qtd. in à ¦Ã‚ Ã…“à ©Ã… ¡Ã‚ ½, 2006:7). George Eliot was inborn ideal; life made an idealistic George Eliot. The following cited paragraph demonstrated George Eliots whole life and her idealism well: As an overly intense and bookish child in a pratical household, as a fervid evangelical adolescent Christian doctrine, as an independent woman editor and journalist in a social bohemians, and finally as the unmarried domestic partner of George Henry Lewes, George Eliot was always strecthing the norms of acceptable female behavior, and bringing social rejection upon herself. (George Levine, 2001:21) 4. The Character of Dorothea Dorothea, under the background of Victorian English, was a female representative to struggle for female emancipation. Her beauty was not like the traditonal females, and she thirsted for profound knowldege as well as made full use of herself. All these made her a unique female in Middlemarch. 4.1 Rebellious Charm of Dorothea In the 19th century, the girls of middle class attached importance to their appearance and dress.; lace, flouce, and bowknot were prevailing. The rich young ladies wore fashionable dress and jewelries. They were sent to learn music and painting, which could improve their charm. A conventional charming lady, as to the men and even to the public, should lays herself out of a little more to please us. There should be a filigree about a woman-something of the coquette. A man likes challenge. The more of a dead set she makes at you the better (George Eliot, 1992:79). Focusing on simple dress was a means of good cultivation. Dorothea held the belief that a remarkably clever woman should not pay much attention to appearance, even so, she still had her charming beauty. Her hand and wrist were so finely formed that she could wear sleeves not less bare of style than those in which the Blessed Virgin appeared to Italian painters; and her profile as well as her stature and bearing seemed to gain provincial fashion gave her plain garments (Gorge Eliot, 1992:1). She didnt like jewelries either, when Celia (Dorotheas sister) reminded her of looking at mamas jewels and divided them, she was busy drawing her building, obviously forgetting them. After opening the box, she liked none of them, except gems and a bracelet to match it. Dorothea liked the gems because of her inspiration of the Revelation of St. John, It is strange how deeply colours seem to penetrate one, like scent. I suppose that is the reason why gems are used as spiritual emblems in the Revelat ion of St. John. (George Eliot, 1992:9). Though she took them, she thought wearing them was some kind of sinking. Dorothea not only didnt pay attention to her dress, but also appreciated that kind of plain appearance, which was contrary to the beauty criteon of the public. In chapter nine in Middlemarch, when Casaubon showed around his house to the Brooks, when seeing portraits, Celia said that the aunt wearing necklaces was more beautiful than Cassaubons mother; however, Dorothea pursued that kind of immortal figure, as when she entered the room, she could image that Casaubons mother- the ghost of a tight-laced lady revisiting the scence of her embroidery (George Eliot, 1992:66). To the public, females were born to please males; ladies should dress beautfully, had sweet voice and could paint, and that kind of ladies were charming. On contrary, Dorothea regarded them as silly gentlewomen. She insisted on her sense of beauty; at the party before her marriage, she came into the drawing room in her silver-grey dress-the simple lines of her dark-brown hair parted over her brow and coiled massively behind (George Eliot,1992:78). On such a significant occasion, she did still not rig out her figure gorgeous, simple as Santa Barbara as who she was pursuing. In Middlemarch, Rosamond Vincy was recognized as a representative of charm and she was a famous beauty in province , she has excellent taste in costume, with that nymph-like figure and pure blondness which gives the largest range to choice in the flow and colour of drapery(George Eliot, 1992:86). A fair lady should have charming image as well as could play an instrument, sing songs and draw; when facing people, she should keep amiable smiles. Dorothea didnt like playing any instruments, her behavior was like a saintess, which to others was quite unusual and rebellious. Even so, she was a recognized distinctively beautiful lady; her plain garments added more dignity to her statue and bearing. In contrast to her sister Celia, people might say that Dorothea was remarkbly clever, but Celia was more sensible. 4.2 Dorotheas Thirst for Knowledge Dorothea and her sister Celia were orphans; their parents died when they were very young. The sisters were sent to boarding schools, an English family and a Swiss family to receive education in order to get them ready in the market of marriage. But Dorothea didnt like ladies duities; she liked studying religion, science, and those knowledge which could do good to society. She admired those who was knowledgable and could devote himself to society. The living environment and social status attributed to Dorotheas mode of thinking during her life. She seeked for eternal theory; compared with her sister, she had less common-sense in that her mind is theoretical, and yearned by its nature after some lofty conception of the world (George Eliot, 1992:4) and since I can do no good because a woman, reach constantly at something that is near it (Gorge Eliot, 1992:3). To Dorothea, contribution to human was the most significant thing in life; she believed that a spiritual life involved eternal consequences. she was keen on religion; she was a fans of knowledge, for pursuing the so-called knowledge and spiritual life in her mind, she wore plain garments and gave up her hobby of horseriding which she thought to be most attractive, and was not in accordance with the other young ladies. Dorothea knew many passages of Pascals Pensees and of Jeremy Taylor by heart; and to her the destinies of mankind, seen by the light of a spiritual life involving eternal consequences, with a keen interest in guimp and artificial protrusions of drapery. Her mind is theoretic, and yearned by frankly include the parish of Tipton and her own rule of conduct thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Gorge Eliot, 1871:4) The Victorian society was unequal for the education of girls and boys. Dorothea was thirst for knowledge, which was against the men-dominated society, and was prejudiced and unconventional to the neighbourhood. Evev so, she still grasped the precious chance to learn more knowledge-to marry a pedant, Mr. Casaubon. She admired Casaubons abundant knowledge to such an extent as to think Casaubon is a distinctive man; she said to Celia he is one of the most distinguished-looking men I ever saw. He is remarkably like the portrait of Locke. He has the same deep eye-sockets (George Eliot,1871:15). Dorothea didnt want to be an idle lady of Victorian age; she longed for a guide who would light her spiritual and intellectual life. Casaubons emergence provided her the hope, and she thought that she could have spiritual communion with him, moreover Casaubon was a man who could illuminate her principle with his widest knowledge. Thus she married Casaubon for pursuing knowldege. 5. Two Ideal Marriages of Dorothea As a young lady pursuing equal social status as men, Dorothea was not only different in character from the conventional women, she also had a distinct view about marriages. On the way of idealistic female emancipation, she had two marriages, first she married an old pedant for knowledge, and then a young man for true love. 5.1 Marriage for Knowledge George Eliot was an idealist; she lived in her own world without regard to the real outer world. She struggled for female occupation and marriage, which was treacherous to convention and also became the soul of her masterpiece Middlemarch. In Middlemarch, George Eliot put her idealism inon the creation of the heroine Dorothea. Dorothea was not only a knowledge fan but also a social contributor fan. She dreamed to be a saint to rescue the world. Her garments and behavior were distinct with the conventional young ladies. In the 19th century, females were not free to devote themselves to occupation, what they could do was to find their value in marriage no matter how remarkable the lady was. Dorothea was enthusiastic about making the society better through her knowledge and effort, but reality made her will meet much setback; she could not do anything. Dorothea, in the eyes of males, even her uncle, was childish and innocent. At the dinner party in Tipton, when Dorothea expressed her idea about land, Mr. Brook said that, young ladies dont understand political economy (George Eliot, 1992:12). Furthermore, when Dorothea delivered her wish to help her uncle sort his papers, Mr. Brook said that, No, no. I cannot let young ladies meddle my documents. Young ladies are two fighty (George Eliot, 1871:15). Dorothea wanted to do things to make herself useful, but even in her uncles house, she met a lot of obstacles. She hoped someone could come to her life and led her to a spiritual and worthy life. Casaubons e mergence was the drip in drought. Mr. Casaubons present gave her hope to live for others, to devote to society, and she thought that she was going to have room for the energies which stirred uneasily under the dimness and pressure of her own ignorance and the petty peremptoriness of the world habits (Gorge Eliot, 1992:38). Dorothea was happy that she could find her value in the marriage with Casaubon in that, she could make devote to Casaubons aim-Key to All Mythologies. Receiving Casaubons letter for marriage, Dorothea was too happay to think over whether Casaubon was a suitable husband for her ; she only considerded that she was suitable for Casaubon and she could make herself useful. While in this letter, Casaubon conveyed clearly that his marriage was for changing the solitary life; he needed a wife who could supply aid in graver labours and cast a charm over vacant hours (George Eliot,1992:37). Casaubon needed a wife as a decoration to his life; his wife should be beautiful, young and blooming, as well as easy to control and attentative to his wishes. To Dorothea, her ideal marriage was some kind of life beyond self, to which she could devote herself, and her marriage concept took its color entirely from the enthusiasm to help her husband to finish his significant work, which could also make herself glorious. As to be noble and devoted, she dreamed to be almost perfect as a saint. In the marriage relationship, the husband wanted a tame and obedient wife; the wife wanted a knowledgeble and broad-minded husband. It was obvious that Cassaubon and Dorothea were not as much as they thought they were suitable to be spouse. In such a marriage, even though they were careful, comflict and susp