Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Summary on Henry Ford Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Outline on Henry Ford - Essay Example The genuine defining moment for Ford’s vocation was joining the Edison Company in Detroit as a specialist in 1892. Here, he battled with building a fuel motor sufficiently able to control a motorcar, however in 1896 the primary Ford motorcar was conceived, and it could arrive at 90 miles for every hour. From here, Ford gathered subsidizing and discharged the Ford model T in 1908, tremendously expanding development with sequential construction system creation. Having become supposedly the most extravagant man who at any point lived, Ford was in a situation to distribute his suppositions and good code for a gigantic scope. Portage despised every one of that was un-American (in his eyes), emphatically backing the pioneers and loathing the settler Jew. This in the end prompted Ford monetarily backing the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a generally appropriated enemy of Semetic text supported by Hitler. Passage is frequently erroneously thought to be hostile to History, however he had an incredible enthusiasm for gathering and an adoration for the American past. He utilized this energy further in 1920 to reestablish his family home utilizing genuine archeological procedures. He at that point went on in 1926 to reproduce an entire town as a tribute to town life and God’s nature, which he genuinely

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Vector GIS Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Vector GIS Project - Essay Example Buyers might be people or organizations. In business, a retailer purchases merchandise or items in enormous amounts from makers or shippers, either legitimately or through a distributer, and afterward offers littler amounts to the end-client. Retail foundations are frequently called shops or stores. Retailers are toward the finish of the gracefully chain. Assembling advertisers consider the to be of retailing as an important piece of their general appropriation technique. Shops might be on private avenues, or in shopping roads with few or no houses, or in a strip mall or shopping center, yet for the most part found in the focal business locale. Shopping boulevards could conceivably be for people on foot as it were. Now and then a shopping road has a halfway or full rooftop to shield clients from precipitation. Retailers regularly gave promenades before their stores to shield clients from the mud. Web based retailing, otherwise called online business is the most recent type of non-shop retailing (cf. mail request). Shopping for the most part alludes to the demonstration of purchasing items. In some cases this is done to get necessities, for example, food and dress; here and there it is done as a recreational movement. Recreational shopping frequently includes window shopping (simply looking, not accepting) and perusing and doesn't generally bring about a buy. The superstore was intended to serve the network only and go with a site and list. Clients make certain to discover thigh quality, brand-named dancewear limited up to 30 percent. The superstore will offer awesome client assistance, Other highlights incorporate PC booths where customers can peruse the site, place requests, or post surveys and evaluations for their preferred items. Working geologically uncovers connections among the powers that drive your association. It causes you see designs you were unable to see previously, increase new bits of knowledge, and make

Friday, August 21, 2020

International Alliance Case-Writing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Universal Alliance Case-Writing - Assignment Example Unions can be ‘equity alliances’ or ‘non value unions; explicitly, joint endeavors may include a various leveled control from a parent element (Hennart J., 1988). Related knowledge and hearty framework are considered during collusion accomplice determination. Achievement of a corporate collusion is estimated as far as the worth expansion granted because of the consolidated exercises of the gatherings in question. This is accomplished through a very much characterized ‘Alliance Strategy’ which includes a legitimate plan, proper checking, administration and execution the executives forms. I might want to expound on the ‘KLM and Northwest Alliance’, which was the primary incorporated aircraft union ever. The relationship between the two aircrafts started in 1991 with joint ‘code †sharing’ and proceeded to frame a significant ‘Trans-Atlantic Joint Venture’. A curious quality of this joint endeavor was the nonappe arance of another legitimate element. KLM and Northwest went into a ‘Open Sky agreement’ and ‘Anti-trust immunity’ in 1993 and in this manner framed an internationally eminent unit. As is valid with most coalitions, this agreement was structured explicitly to help and fortify the upper hands of the accomplices (Liana M., Nicoleta B and Dana P., 2009). KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, joined in 1919, was based out of Amsterdam. KLM was a territorial chief however needed to extend its system to numerous urban communities in the US. An organization can't be exclusively seen as an individual unit; rather, it is dependent upon cooperations with different bodies, continually endeavoring to encourage great between authoritative ties and relations. Around the late 1980s, because of advancement and de-guideline of business sectors, free rivalry won in the European aircraft industry. KLM understood the need to work together and co-work with carriers based out of different n ations, so as to amplify their worldwide network. KLM put resources into an itemized procedure of accomplice choice lastly focused in on Northwest Airlines because of its universal notoriety, tremendous involvement in traveler just as load transport and its strength in the US showcase. A solid proposition was made to create coordinated effort between an American and an European bearer to accomplish serious costs, extension of their system and more noteworthy income. Northwest Airlines started its tasks in 1926 and was a medium-sized aircraft transporter, focussing more on trips in the United States to Asia, however seldom to the European locales. Regardless of their fortification in the US locales, Northwest had, by at that point, earned poor focuses for administration quality and didn't have the assets or framework to separately scale up on super extents. Northwest understood the need to investigate more extensive open doors in Amsterdam, the European part and extend their tasks in like manner. In opposition to KLM, Northwest didn't experience an extremely fine accomplice choice procedure and picked KLM as its collusion accomplice attributable to their prior possession in Northwest. It is recognized that the principle hypothetical inspirations for the arrangement of joint endeavors remember decrease for exchange costs, key serious situating or market power and a mission for hierarchical learning and information improvement (Gulati, 1998). It is on a comparative model that the two aircrafts, KLM and Northwest, came into a coalition in an offer to upgrade

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work - Free Essay Example

Paragraph Number| What it says| What it does| #1| Students based on their class of society are treated and taught differently in class rooms. | This first paragraph explains the problem that the author is writing about. | #2| Before the author starts to explain the problem, she’s going to define the social classes. | This is a paragraph describing what’s going to be explained next. | #3| There are 3 factors to decide who goes into which social class. | This explains that relations define which social class you are in. #4| A person who has relation to ownership of capital is considered to be more upper class. | This explains the first relationship to determine your social class. | #5| To be in an upper class, one must own stocks or capital. | It shows some important data that the wealthy has possession of the majority of stock. | #6| The worker class usually doesn’t own physical capital and usually labors in order to gain profits for others. | It gives an explanat ion to the working class. | #7| The middle class is a mixture of the working class and upper class. This gives an explanation of the middle class. | #8| The upper class has a position of power over the middle and working class when it comes to employment. | This explains the relationship between classes. | #9| The working class majority of the time has labor that requires routine and mechanical with no layout. Middle class has jobs that require some labor and some planning out. | This explains the labor of the separate social classes. | #10| The social class can change for a person at anytime so it isn’t set in stone. The conclusion for explaining the separation of social classes. | #11| The author has decided to study 5 different schools each with different social classes. | It was an introduction previewing readers what they’re going to read on later. | #12| The first and second school are working-class schools where majority of the parents of students here have blue -collar jobs. | It shows the situation of the elementary schools to provide readers with the information on how much the working class’s salaries are. #13| The third school is a middle class school where it’s still split up into 3 different groups: low-middle class, middle class, and upper-middle class. | This paragraph explains some careers of the elementary student’s parents. | #14| The fourth school is an upper class. Majority of the students here are white. | This explains the upper class parent jobs. | #15| The last school is an â€Å"Executive Elite School† because the majority of fathers of students are top executives. No minority students attend this school. | It talks about the upper of the upper class and describes how less than 1% of families. #16| The author talks about how each school work will be different. | This is the conclusion to how the schools are separated between classes. | #17| Different classes have different ways for students to learn and how every teacher teaches different. | This is the introduction paragraph to describe the teaching styles of each different class. | #18| The students will have different relations to the authorities throughout the schools. | It explains the relationship between students and staff members of the school. |

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Jean-Louis David and Jean-Jacques Rousseau Essay - 1376 Words

Jean-Louis David + Jean-Jacques Rousseau Question : In what ways and to what extent is an understanding of historical context important in approaching the works of (a) David and (b) Rousseau? The Lictors Returning to Brutus the Bodies of his Sons, is a painting by the French artist Jean-Louis David in 1789. Having led the fight which overthrew the monarchy and established the Roman Republic. Brutus tragically saw his sons participate in a plot to restore the monarchy. As a judge, he was called upon to render the verdict, and without hesitation condemned his two sons to death. The full title of this work is Brutus Returning Home after having Sentenced his Sons for Plotting a Tarquinian Restoration and Conspiring against Roman†¦show more content†¦This was not an uncommon reaction towards Davids art at the time. However, the painting was restored to a place of honor by Baudelaire, who wrote : This painting is Davids masterpiece and one of the great curiosities of modern art because, by a strange feat, it has nothing trivial or vile. What is most surprising in this very unusual visual poem is that it was painted very quickly. When one thinks of the beauty of the lines, this quickness is bewildering. This is food for the strong, the triumph of spiritualism. Davids artwork did not just involve the use of pretty colours. Many of his paintings beared powerfull meanings, historically and politically. Culturally they had a huge impact on social activity during the French Revolution. The story of Brutus was popular with educated sections of the French public during the eighteenth century. Voltaires play Brutus, was performed on stage from 1730. In November 1790, the first two performances of a revival of Brutus at the National Theater in Paris took place. At the second performance of the revival, a stage tableau of Davids painting was acted out at the moment when the death of Brutus son was announced. Like his later Death of Marat, Davids Brutus can be seen as a representation of a kind of political heroism in which the best interests of society are put before those of the individual. His painting also appeared at a time when a general dissatisfactionShow MoreRelatedThe Age of Reason1424 Words   |  6 PagesThesis: To discuss the philosophers who participated and had an affect in The Age of Reason. OUTLINE I. David Hume A. Contributions to the Age of Reason B. Who and what influenced him II. Jean Jacques Rousseau A. What he believed in B. Who influenced him III. Claude Adrien Helvetius A. Influences B. Reasons for contribution IV. Immanuel Kant A. How he made a difference B. Why he made a difference C. What caused him to make a difference V. Johann Fichte A. Influences Read More Age of reason Essay1294 Words   |  6 Pagesmankind, and the progress in knowledge. Each philosopher had his own ideas and theories about the world, nature, and human beings in general, and every philosopher wrote many essays and books about their own personal ideas and opinions (Sartre4). David Hume was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on May 7, 1711. Educated at home and then at the University of Edinburgh; here he studies law but then decides to pursue an independent study of his own ideas (Sartre 132). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;From 1734Read More Rousseau and Duty to the State Essay1310 Words   |  6 Pages It is generally agreed that the great philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the artist Jacques-Louis David had played a great role in serving and supporting the French Revolution, in addition to, showing their devotion to their state and explore the notion of duty to the state each one by his own special way. The great philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau had inspired the revolution by his argument and ideas that was based on Reason. He played a great role in exploring the notion of duty toRead MoreThe Scientific Revolution And The Enlightenment1528 Words   |  7 Pagesminds are illuminated by the light of Science. Out of the Enlightenment come two very different philosophers. Mary Wollstonecraft and Jean-Jacques Rousseau had two very different ideas regarding the rights and opportunities of both men and women. While both argued that society oppressed human kind, Wollstonecraft argued that men were oppressing women while Rousseau felt that women exist in order to serve man. Mary Wollstonecraft believed that in order to keep society from becoming materialistic andRead MoreHum Quiz1302 Words   |  6 Pagesthe philosophes alienate themselves from the Church? Intolerant of hierarchy and ritual 4. Why does Fragonard paint the young lady in The Swing as losing a shoe? To symbolize virginity loss 5. Why do many of Fra To validate her role as Louis XVs most trusted advisor 6. Why in the mid-eighteenth century did art criticism begin? To enable tourists to appreciate and understand art 7. Why is the music that arose in reaction to the Rococo called classical? Its symmetry, proportionRead MoreImpact Of The Enlightenment On Modern Political Thought1841 Words   |  8 PagesDavid Wolkoff English 9CP/Western Civ. Mrs. Orens/Mr. Reiss April 1, 2016 The Impact of the Enlightenment on Modern Political Thought The philosopher John Locke once said, â€Å"[g]overnment has no other end, but the preservation of property† (â€Å"John Locke†).   The social contract is the fundamental basis for modern government.   This idea affects everything we believe a modern state should represent for itself and its people.   This way of understanding the role of government was inspired by the writingsRead More The Influence of Jean Jacques Rousseau Essay1247 Words   |  5 Pages Eighteenth-century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau influenced many French revolutionaries with his ideas. In the time of the Enlightenment, people believed that humankind could progress and improve through the use of reason and science. One of them was French artist Jacques-Louis David, who was official artist to the French revolution (p158, Blk 3). Just as Rousseau had used his publications to reflect on his ideas, David had used art as a media to reflect the ideas and values of the societyRead MoreThe Enlightenment And The American Revolution2027 Words   |  9 PagesThe Enlightenment and the American Revolution Everyone knows the story of how America came to be. It was similar to David versus Goliath, the American colonists against the potent England. England at the time of the Revolution, boasted the largest and most powerful fighting force in the history of the world. The Americans were rebellious country-cousins who wanted freedom from what they regarded as a capricious and tyrannical paternal England so they could govern themselves. The result was AmericaRead MoreFactors Leading To The French Revolution Essay1084 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Man is born free, and everywhere he is shackled† 1 were the famous words of French Enlightenment thinker Jean Jacques Rousseau, but these simple words are also an example of the feelings and inevitable reality of most French people during the late eighteenth century. It was the writers, thinkers, and philosophers like Rousseau whose principles shaped the beginning of a monumental movement throughout Europe which eventually led to the French Re volution. The Enlightenment, also known as the Age ofRead MoreTest Corrections1937 Words   |  8 Pagesanswered e. Rousseau which is incorrect because although Rousseau favored republicanism as stated in his The Social Contract, he never really made the distinction between the three branches of government. The correct answer is a. Montesquieu because he made the distinction of dividing the â€Å"administrative† powers into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. 14. Voltaire’s statement â€Å"Ecrasez l’infame† (crush the infamous thing) refers to†¦ I answered a. the government of Louis XIV which

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Child Sexual Abuse Scandal in the Catholic Church

Introduction For more than two decades, the child sexual abuse scandal has rocked the Roman Catholic Church and parishes across the United States. In the last few years, it has even creeped overseas and now constitutes the greatest moral crisis that has faced the Church in more than a century. While the Church has promised and instituted reforms, the damage has been major to its reputation. The case represents a case study in values-driven management and in effective organizational communications. Analysis Catholic sex abuse cases have comprised an ongoing series of trials, convictions, trials and investigations into allegations of sex crimes by Catholic priests and members of the religious orders (USA Today). These cases started receiving public attention in the mid-1980s (BBC). The sexual abuse of minors by priests has and continues to receive significant media attention in several countries including the U.S., Canada, Ireland, the U.K., Mexico, Belgium, Germany and France, with numbers of other cases being reported throughout the world. Additionally, the scandal has focused upon Catholic hierarchy who failed to report abuse allegations civil authorities. In cases they frequently reassigned the accused to other locations where they often continued abusing minors (Goodstein). In defending the Churchs actions, some psychiatrists and bishops contended that people could be cured of such behavior through counseling . Membership in the church hierarchy has arguedShow MoreRelatedPedophile Priest Scandal Essay580 Words   |  3 PagesPriest Scandal In 2002 the Catholic Church was rocked with scandalous reports of Priests sexually molesting young children and particularly boys. The scandal is the result of numerous investigations, allegations, arrests, trials, convictions and imprisonment of Catholic Priests. It became largely reported that once trusted and respected Catholic Priests were pedophiles. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) categorizes pedophilia as a mental disorder if the sexual fantasiesRead MoreChristianity and Islam Essay948 Words   |  4 Pagescan be religious about other things than God. You can worship money or your work. Society has become materialistic, as the age of technology has progressed. Political power and wealth have had an immense influence in religion. Various conflicts and scandals have plagued the image of Christianity and Islam. Conflicts in the Middle East have created tension in the Islamic religion. In American popular culture today, terrorism and Islam have become equivalent since the September eleven attacksRead MoreSex Abuse And The Catholic Church773 Words   |  4 Pageswith confusing sex scandals. As a result, sexual misconduct is a major issue in the churches today. Child molestation within the churches reeks of priests being caught-up in lust and unmistakably is a real sign that the brotherhood lacks guidance of the profound reality of the LORD’S sexual identity. Notably, in these past several decades, an enormous amount of priests, along with various other ‘proclaimed’ Christians, predominantly waver with uncertainty, puzzled why they have sexual desires and totallyRead MoreEssay The Horror of Child Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church.2230 Words   |  9 PagesThe Horror of Child Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church. Early Sunday morning, people shuffle in through the mahogany doors as the smell of Frankincense and Myrrh tickle the nose. Rays of sunlight beam through the stained glass windows, making rainbow images on the red velvet carpet. What sounds like the voices of angels singing praise to the lord harmoniously circulates in the air. A mighty voice roars from the altar, â€Å"Now, let us bow our heads in prayer.† This is a majestic place where oneRead MoreObservation Of A Psychiatric Mental Disorder1781 Words   |  8 PagesPedophilia inside Church Pedophilia is a psychiatric mental disorder that describes when an adult or an older adolescent has a sexual attraction for young children under thirteen years old. In addition, it is no longer a secret that pedophilia is part of the Catholic Church s history from the beginning of the 1980 s, and while the Catholic Church knew about this terrible situation did not take effective actions to solve it. Despite the fact that it is a crime that has been happening for over thirtyRead MoreEssay about Celibacy1237 Words   |  5 Pagescelibacy; however it is not the same concept. Chastity is an abstention from sexual intercourse, but Celibacy is the state of being unmarried after taking a religious vow. Although Priests also have to be chaste the intention of Celibacy is without being married, they will be chaste. This religious practice started a long time ago. Since 1139, when canon law stated that ordination and matrimony are mutually exclusive, Roman Catholic Priests have been required to make a commitment to celibacy. However,Read MoreSandusky Scandal Essay5270 Words   |  22 Pages Pennsylvania State University Scandal 1 Pennsylvania State University Scandal Contribution and Cover-up of Sexual Abuse OL-500 Human Behavior in Organization Southern New Hampshire University C. LaMour Romine October 2, 2014 Pennsylvania State University Scandal 2 Abstract This research paper will discuss the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) Sexual Child Abuse Scandal, involving perpetrator Jerry Sandusky; and its cover up by university officials. This researchRead MoreThe Film Spotlight And How This Film Does The Freedom Of Speech?1976 Words   |  8 Pagesassemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Focusing on the freedom of speech , or of the press it’s important to note that the media holds powerful entities whether that be individuals, government, businesses, or the Catholic Church accountable for their illegal or dishonest behavior. To analyze this statement, I will be focusing on the film Spotlight and how this film reiterates the idea of holding and exposing wrongdoings through use of the Media. This film examines theRead MoreHistory Of Ireland And Its Influence On The Country Essay1259 Words   |  6 Pagesinformal group of people that value family, friendship, and good conversation. Although Rom an Catholicism is still the dominant religion in Ireland, its influence over the country is beginning to wane, partly due to increased immigration and scandal in the Catholic church. The religious conflict that plagued the country in the past is now mostly a political one. The Pub continues to be the central meeting place for informal gatherings despite new smoking and drinking laws. Although Ireland was originallyRead MoreDavies Concept of Believing but Not Belonging to Religion1464 Words   |  6 Pagesmovement away from organised religion and the increasing numbers of people who are ‘spiritual but not religious’ (Davie, 1994). It describes why people feel they no longer need to take part in religious practises, but still classify themselves as ‘Catholic’. This essay will first discuss what it means to believe, secondly the extent to which Davies concept is applicable to the Irish context by describing the in-depth penetration of religion in history and also will suggest how the contradictory hypothesis

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Strategic Planning for Caribbean Chemicals Guyana Ltd - Free Sample

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Planning for Caribbean Chemicals Guyana Limited. Answer: Strategic Planning For Caribbean Chemicals Caribbean Chemicals is a top company in the Republic of Trinidad Tobago. The Republic is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and therefore, it is a good place to seek employment. The island, situated off the coast of Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea, is also one of the high salary nations in the world. Part of the success of this country is attributed to the work of Caribbean Chemicals and its success. Overview of Caribbean Chemicals and the Industry Caribbean Chemicals has been in operation since December 1966. The firm started off by serving the needs of agricultural producers. From a small local company with a few employees, Caribbean Chemicals has risen to become a major player in the international market and employer of more than 200 people. The company makes approximately $100 million annually in sales. Caribbean Chemical is known across the world for producing quality products such as fertilizers, seeds, herbicides, and insecticides. The agricultural sector is a critical segment of the economy of many countries. However, it might face a lot of challenges to feed the 9.6 billion people that researchers at Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States predict will inhabit the earth by 2050 (Martinez, 2016). Lack of arable land and the increasing need for fresh water might stand in the way of most of these firms is achieving their objectives, according to the UN. The rapid rise is labor cost, and the prices of oil have to see the contribution of the agricultural sector drop from two percent of the Trinidad and Tobagos GDP in 1997 to 0.4 in 2009. Caribbean Chemicals is alive to these challenges and has put strategies in place to ensure the company achieves its objectives and meets the needs of its customers (Khadan, 2016). Caribbean Chemicals Strategic Objectives Caribbean Chemicals success has been attributed in part to the effective implementation of some of its strategic objectives. These objectives are drawn from the companys mission, and vision statements as the company do not explicitly indicate them. According to information from the companys official website, its mission is to train its staff to be able to profitably and safely serve its local and regional customers, provide credible advice to the authorities and offer environmentally, technologically advanced inputs in both the industrial and agricultural markets. Caribbean Chemicals vision is to utilize its knowledge and experience to distribute technologically advanced chemical inputs to cater for the interest of all their stakeholders. The company also envisions to providing these services to its customers, making strategic alliances and transforming the chemical supply industry in the entire region (Rocketguyana, n.d.). While Caribbean Chemicals does not formally state its strat egic objectives on its official website, its mission and vision clearly put across at least two main objectives (Thompson et al., 2016). Offer environmentally, Technologically Advanced Chemical inputs Offering environmentally, technologically advanced inputs is one on the companys major strategic objectives. This objective will enable Caribbean Chemicals to remain at the forefront of agricultural development, which it provides as one of its major standards. As already indicated, lack of fertile land, adequate water as well as seasonal events is affecting the agricultural department negatively. When there is no land to prepare and no viable seeds to plant, the companys efforts to supply fertilizers and other farm products become futile. For this reason, the only sensible way to increase the quality of agricultural production is to use advanced, sensible technology to make farms productive. The company should also engage in more research and development activities. Caribbean Chemicals can collect vast amounts of data from crops yield, weather data, machinery, animal health, and fertilizer applications. The company also needs to continue cooperating with the government to ensure the agricultural sector remains profitable in the long run (Thompson et al., 2016). Offer the Best Quality Services in a Professional Manner Caribbean Chemicals have registered region wide success because of the impact of the founders strategic vision. According to Victor Pires, the managing director, his fathers principled and professional approach to providing service to this sector has put them above the competition. Piress father instilled senses of service delivery in the company. The company does not sell anything chemical that it has not tested as they are aware that a business is offering chemical to this sector, they take care to ensure lives and reputation are not ruined. Working towards providing quality and ensuring safety has helped the company to be popular with the Guyanese farming community since its inception (Rocketguyana, n.d.). The Alignment of Strategy and Strategic Objectives Caribbean Chemicals has been using several strategies depending on the situation. Some of these strategies are implemented in non-conventional ways to achieve great results. That style has in a significant way helped in the realization of the companys strategic objectives (Ungson Wong, 2008). Growth and Product Differentiation Strategy While Caribbean Chemicals have become the industry leader in the region, it still needs to grow and enter into new markets. For this reason, it requires having a strategy that ensures growth. The company is introducing new chemical inputs (Winning Checklist, 2014). Recently, it launched a new product known as pHortify that supplies plants with an amount of phosphorus that is necessary for optimum yields. For a long time, the company was producing base phosphate fertilizers, but it emerged that these fertilizers often do not supply crops with the right amount of nutrients. According to the company, they have noted that soil type, soil PH, soil moisture often interrupt the supply of base phosphatic fertilizers to plants particularly at some critical moments in the development phase. The company has resolved this problem by producing Omex pHortify, which consists of two highly available phosphorus sources (Rocketguyana, n.d.). Phosphate, Phosphate Chelated manganese, and zinc are available in this chemical, and they work together to ensure an increase in natural resistance to infection from some fungal as well. Omex pHortify has several other benefits. Other than improving the plant nutrient health and disease resistance, it improves rooting action and fruit set. In addition, this fertilizer increases yield, solids contents and foliar uptake of cations. The discovery of new products has been made possible by the companys willingness to embrace advanced technology. Through these efforts, it has remained completive in Trinidad Tobago and the entire region. Caribbeans growth strategy is aligned with most of its strategic objectives. The strategy according to Hitt (2017) allows the company to offer environmentally, technologically sensible chemical inputs. As a result of this, its customers can achieve their production targets, and this consequently closes the door for its competitors. This growth strategy is combined with product differentiation strategy, making it very effective in helping the company to build brand loyalty. With brand loyalty, Caribbean Chemicals can get adequate resources for achieving all its strategic objectives, including the second one, which is offering quality services in a professional manner (Thompson et al., 2016). Acquisition Strategy Caribbean Chemicals other strategy is the acquisition. The company wants to gain a competitive advantage by using its extra capital to purchase other companies. According to Guardian, Caribbean Chemicals acquired the Agriculture Chemical Plant, a subsidiary of Gruppo Campari of Italy in late 2014. This acquisition means that the company has increased its asset base and market base (Caribbean Chemicals, n.d.). It has also strengthened its brand and increased the companys ability to do proper research and provide quality agricultural products (Thompson et al., 2016; Evolution of Strategic Planning, 2014). Strategy Alignment with Organizational Structure Caribbean Chemicals understands that an organizational structure determines its performance. These structures indicate how the leadership is disseminated throughout the organization. Most organizations adopt either flat structures or hierarchical structures depending on their needs. The Caribbean chose the divisional structure. As a result of this, the company has structured its leadership team based on the agricultural products, their subsidiaries, and projects. With the hundreds of products, this company has structured itself in a manner that ensures it has several business units and their own leaders. A board of directors consisting of six experts is in charge of the organization. The company also relies on nine of its staff to head various business units (Colquitt, 2009; Monahan, 2008). This organizational structure is properly aligned with the organizations strategies. The acquisition of the Agriculture Chemical Plant in 2014, for example, was done by AG Chem Plan Limited, which is just one of the many subsidiaries of Caribbean Chemicals. The manager of this subsidiary has the full authority to enter into such deals on behalf of the entire team, in consultation with the board of directors. The divisional structure allows faster decision making as many leaders have the full responsibility to manage their units. This organizations strategy, therefore, is also properly aligned with the growth strategy (Colquitt, 2009; Thompson et al., 2016). Corporate Culture Alignment with Strategy As always corporate culture is implied rather than expressly define. In addition, it develops organically over a period from the traits of people who work in the company. Caribbeans corporate culture is also implied (Flamholtz Randle, 2011). Overall, it is possible to conclude that the company has a strong corporate culture going by their vision, values, practices, employees, and narratives (Yomere, 2010). Caribbeans vision and strategic objectives as has been demonstrated above are compelling. They reveal that the organization is dedicated to providing environmentally, technologically sensible chemical inputs to all its customers. The company values honesty and respect and intends to give value to their customers. Based on this, it has remained popular in the country and the region for the last 50 years. Its practices reinforce this fact. The Caribbean is working closely with the government to protect the interest of farmers. The founder of Caribbean Chemicals was a professional whose interest was to find a solution for the needs of farmers. That spirit of dedication to service has remained alive in the company to date (Catlin-Legutko Klingler, 2012). The power of also narrative influences its culture. The unique history of Caribbean is a core element of the creation of its culture. Most employees in the company want to be selfless as its founder was. Since the strategic objectives of these companies agree with its strategy, it is apparent that its corporate culture is also aligned with strategy. The objectives have been driven by both the mission and the vision of the company, and these are the core elements that influence the creation of corporate culture (Skipwith, 2005; Catlin-Legutko Klingler, 2012). Recommendations With the current failure of crops, Caribbean needs to return to the drawing board and look for better solutions. Farmers are now more concerned about the changing weather patterns than any other factor. Perhaps, the company should invest more in discovering seeds that can do well in all weather situations. While the pesticides and fertilizers have helped many farmers, better seed can make the greatest revolution in the sector. As Prasad and Bahuguna (2014), the company should advance its technology so be able to solve the current problems. In addition, the company should focus beyond the Caribbean region. The whole world requires similar solutions. By partnering with organizations in all parts of the world, it will mostly likely be of help to them and learn better ways of dealing with problems that affect farmers across the world from these organizations as well. Conclusion Since Caribbean Chemicals inception in 1966, it has undertaken several research and development activities and discovered many better ways of dealing with problems in the agricultural sector, including the discovery and manufacture of Omex pHortify. However, more should be done to find a solution for the 9.6 billion people that will inhabit the earth by 2050. Lack of arable land and changing weather patterns are some of the factors that still stand in the way of farmers across the world. In Trinidad and Tobago, these factors led to the drop of the contribution to the countrys GDP from two percent in 1997 to 0.4 percent in 2009. While the strategic objectives of Caribbean Chemicals reveal, that is alive to these challenges and is strategizing to deal with them. The company, in collaboration with different organizations, need to do further research on better ways of overcoming the negative effect of changing weather patterns on crop production. References Caribbean Chemicals buys Jamaica company. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2017, from https://www.guardian.co.tt/business/2014-12-25/caribbean-chemicals-buys-jamaica-company Catlin-Legutko, C., Klingler, S. (2012). Organizational Management. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press. Colquitt, J., Lepine, J. A., Wesson, M. J. (2009). Organizational behavior: improving performance and commitment in the workplace. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Evolution of Strategic Planning and Today's Role: Chief Strategy Officer. (2014). Business Strategy, 5-32. doi:10.1002/9781118896006.ch1 Flamholtz, E., Randle, Y. (2011). Corporate culture: the ultimate strategic asset. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., Hoskisson, R. E. (2017). Strategic management: competitiveness amp; globalization: concepts and cases. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Khadan, J. (2016). An Econometric Analysis of Energy Revenue and Government Expenditure Shocks on Economic Growth in Trinidad and Tobago. doi:10.18235/0000565 Martinez, S. (2016). Policies Supporting Local Food in the United States. Agriculture, 6(3), 43. doi:10.3390/agriculture6030043 Monahan, G. (2008). Enterprise riskmanagement a methodology for achieving strategic objectives. Hoboken (N.J.): John Wiley Sons. Prasad, B., Bahuguna, A. (2014). Agricultural technology: a new paradigms. New Delhi: Biotech Books. Rocketguyana, L. D. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2017, from https://caribbeanchemicalsgy.com/missionandvision.html Skipwith, S. (2005). Corporate Culture: a history of corporate art collecting ; The Fleming Collection, 21 June - 3 September 2005. London: Fleming-Wyfold Art Foundation. Thompson, A. A., Peteraf, M. A., Gamble, E., Strickland, A. (2016). Crafting and executing strategy the quest for competitive advantage conceptss and cases. McGraw HIll. Ungson, G. R., Wong, Y. (2008). Global strategic management. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. Winning Checklist: How to Succeed in Business Strategy. (2014). Business Strategy, 157-166. doi:10.1002/9781118896006.ch9 Yomere, G. (2010). Corporate culture: a bridge or barrier to organisational performance. Abraka, Nigeria: Delta State University.

Friday, April 17, 2020

Why Intrinsic Motivation Is Better Than Extrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation derives from enjoying a task and owning it. Unlike extrinsic motivation, an individual does not feel external pressure to encourage excellent performance in a task. He, inwardly, performs without external promises or coercion. This applies to people across the board. That is, students, employees and even family members. As authors suggest, intrinsic motivation is better than extrinsic motivation because of the following reasons.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Why Intrinsic Motivation Is Better Than Extrinsic Motivation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reduces Costs In an organizational setting, employees that are intrinsically motivated reduce costs associated with motivation. Line mangers focus more on their work instead of having to spend time motivating employees. It also reduces the need to pay off motivated employees. Intrinsically motivated employees solve problems; take initiatives wi thout requiring managerial help or supervision (Glor, 2001). Creativity and Innovation Intrinsically motivated people are creative. They value accomplishments and personal growth. They derive happiness in coming up with meaningful achievements in the organization. This makes them invaluable at school or in the corporate world. This is manifest in software development companies and entrepreneurial ventures. It also leads to mastery of a particular topic, profession or hobby. Reduces Unfairness Reward plans to benefit bad behavior has a bad effect on intrinsically motivated employees or students. It amounts to rewarding bad behavior instead of discouraging it. The people, who get rewards for correcting bad behavior, or avoiding it, do not understand the need to do something good from the heart. For example, if a person arrives late at work frequently and the human resource manager introduces a bonus payment for people who come early, people who had been arriving early may find it unfa ir. Those who had been arriving late may feel like winners. This creates a bad precedent (Glor, 2001). Creating a Habit Extrinsic motivation may create a recurring habit. This happens when people study and take advantage of the reward system. Hence, the employee or a student creates a bad situation that undergoes corrective measures to get the reward. A study in developing countries showed that criminals and bad elements in society committed wrongs to end up in prison specifically. This is after prison systems improved and life from the outside became harder. A prison was, therefore, a safe haven with food, television and security. This situation may replicate itself in many organizations like schools and corporate organizations (Cervone, et al. 2006).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Control of Operations In institutions where people are extrinsically motivated, the cost of operation s is high. These people need closer supervision to get the job done. Close supervision is intolerable to some people, but others grow and perform better in such situations. When employees’ motivation to work comes from within, controlling them becomes unreasonable. This is because they will obviously get the job done. References Cervone, D. et al. (2006). Self-Regulation: Reminders and Suggestions from Personality Science. Applied Psychology: an International Review, 55 (3): 333–385. Glor, D.E. (2001). Key Factors Influencing Innovation in Government. The Innovation Journal, 3(2): 1-9. This essay on Why Intrinsic Motivation Is Better Than Extrinsic Motivation was written and submitted by user U.S. Agent to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Friday, March 13, 2020

Free Essays on E Commerce

E-Commerce Business Models & The Ever Changing Environment Unbelievably, the E-Commerce Business models are probably the most discussed and least understood aspect of the Internet. In the simplest form, a business model is the method of doing business by which a company can sustain itself while generating positive revenue. Internet will give rise to new kinds of business models. The Internet business models continue to evolve on a daily basis. The models could be implemented in a variety of ways. Furthermore, a company may combine several different models as part of its overall Internet business strategy. For example, it is not uncommon for businesses to blend customer service with a marketing model. Business models have taken on greater importance recently as a form of intellectual property that can be protected with a patent. Indeed, business models have fallen increasingly within the realm of patent law. A number of business method patents relevant to e-commerce have been granted. But some of the more noteworthy patents may be challenged in the courts. Some questions that arise are as follows: Which models will prove most effective for which kinds of businesses? How can each be pursued most effectively? What combinations of the pure models tend to be particularly effective and which tend to be in conflict? It is understood that each of the business models should be applied to a Web site under centralized management. Here are some important example of E-commerce business models: Â · STOREFRONT MODEL: An organization offers products or services for sale. Many Web sites of this sort also have Customer Service Model features, and if not then probably they should have. One legal issue that might arise from this model is misrepresentation of the customer service model. Â · MALL MODEL: Someone who offers products or services to consumers from a collection of distinct businesses that retain their individual identities and pay for in... Free Essays on E Commerce Free Essays on E Commerce E-Commerce Business Models & The Ever Changing Environment Unbelievably, the E-Commerce Business models are probably the most discussed and least understood aspect of the Internet. In the simplest form, a business model is the method of doing business by which a company can sustain itself while generating positive revenue. Internet will give rise to new kinds of business models. The Internet business models continue to evolve on a daily basis. The models could be implemented in a variety of ways. Furthermore, a company may combine several different models as part of its overall Internet business strategy. For example, it is not uncommon for businesses to blend customer service with a marketing model. Business models have taken on greater importance recently as a form of intellectual property that can be protected with a patent. Indeed, business models have fallen increasingly within the realm of patent law. A number of business method patents relevant to e-commerce have been granted. But some of the more noteworthy patents may be challenged in the courts. Some questions that arise are as follows: Which models will prove most effective for which kinds of businesses? How can each be pursued most effectively? What combinations of the pure models tend to be particularly effective and which tend to be in conflict? It is understood that each of the business models should be applied to a Web site under centralized management. Here are some important example of E-commerce business models: Â · STOREFRONT MODEL: An organization offers products or services for sale. Many Web sites of this sort also have Customer Service Model features, and if not then probably they should have. One legal issue that might arise from this model is misrepresentation of the customer service model. Â · MALL MODEL: Someone who offers products or services to consumers from a collection of distinct businesses that retain their individual identities and pay for in...

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Sicko Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sicko - Assignment Example After seeing how well the universal healthcare programs worked for the people in Canada, England, France and Cuba, I would have to say that the program should become a norm for the United States as well. I truly believe that if it is implemented in the same manner as in those countries, then the system would actually work for us. Since we are already paying one of the highest taxes in the world, why not actually make that money work for the people paying for it by covering their healthcare costs? Granted that the cost subsidies would put the health insurance companies out of business and maybe the doctors will earn less under the system, but isnt the idea of healthcare to â€Å"help† people become well or prevent their illnesses? Isnt it the job of doctors to â€Å"do no harm† under the Hippocratic Oath? None of that is happening under the American system of healthcare at the moment so yes, it may not be cost-effective for the bottom line of the insurance companies and doctors who are used to fleecing their clients, but it is what will be in the interest of their patients and should therefore be done for them. I would definitely like to initiate the British form of universal healthcare in America. That is because nobody is turned away from the hospitals, the care is given without question, and the medicine is subsidized at a flat rate cost that is affordable to the working class and free to the retirees and jobless who do not stop needing medical care or medicines just because of their age or situations. That is why I would definitely be willing to sacrifice the quality of the healthcare for the quantity of the healthcare. Imagine, being able to get the tests that you need albeit in a schedule in Canda, while you need to wait for health insurance approval for the test in the United States and most likely get denied the procedure anyway. It seems like a no-brainer in that instance. The test will get done, you just need to wait your

Sunday, February 9, 2020

Description of the Hawthorne Studies and What Were the Results Research Paper

Description of the Hawthorne Studies and What Were the Results - Research Paper Example At the beginning of the 20th Century, large businesses in America began the adoption of scientific management, an idea initiated by Fredrick Taylor. His idea involved the division of tasks into small portions that would be done by the employees like automatons. These studies have varied to include the effects of the physical environment on the workforce in an effort to ensure maximum productivity. Western Electric Company conducted studies in their Hawthorne plant to establish the relationship between productivity and the influence of the physical conditions. The initial studies began around November 1924 where they evaluated the social effects as well as the experimenter effects. Elton Mayo, who became a professor of industrial research at Harvard later on, supervised the studies (Mayo 64). The initial studies focused on the influence of lighting on the productivity of the workers. Two groups of employees were involved in this study; one group’s lighting was varied while the control group’s lighting remained under the same conditions. When light remained constantly unchanged the two groups demonstrated the same level of productivity. Lighting in the test group was reduced, a situation that raised complains among the group members (Steven and John 5). To further demonstrate the effect, the researchers changed the bulbs daily in the presence of the workers. Despite the bulbs replaced being the same, some improvement in productivity was noticeable in the test group. The findings were that the group with improved lighting demonstrated an improved productivity compared to the control group. In explaining the findings, the researchers concluded that the workers felt motivated by the changes. To the workers, the change was a demonstration that the management was concerned about them. The mental stimulation that they were being treated in a special way encouraged them to be active in their work. Another study was conducted in the relay assembly Test Room using six workers who had worked for the company for some time. Five of them were set to work in the assembling area while the sixth was to supply them with the parts they would require. The study was to focus on the effects of changing the working arrangements on the employees’ productivity (Gale 439). The researchers introduced various variables such as breaks, reduced working hours, and provision of food during the breaks. The breaks were varied, initially they were introduced to two-five minutes break that was done according to their suggestion. This was later changed to two-ten minutes breaks, during this period productivity was seen to improve. Consequently, the researchers adjusted the breaks to six-five minute breaks, these did not go well with the employees, they complained and their total productivity that was measured by the total output reduced (Franke and Kaul 625). Reduction of the total working hours by thirty minutes depicted an increased level of productivit y, further reduction showed an increase in hourly output but the total output per day was drastically reduced. The researchers concluded that the feeling of the employees was that their work was being checked individually. Therefore, the workers were motivated by working as a group, having supervisors that were concerned about their welfare and having a special treatment in the workplace. Another aspect under observation was the social effect and its influence on productivity. This study was done in a bank wiring room where the workers were subjected to the assembling of telephone switching equipment, a task that involved the processes of wiring, soldering, and inspection. At the initial stages of the study, the workers were not open to the observer and had limited

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Antitrust practices Essay Example for Free

Antitrust practices Essay Antitrust practices are practices carried on by businesses that end up destroying perfect competition in the market. Antitrust laws are laws prepared to seek and promote healthy market competition by preventing anti-competitive practices by companies. Some of the illegal practices that constitute to antitrust behavior include corporate mergers, monopolies and price fixing conspiracies (Bailey, 2010). The Clayton Act of 1914 was passed by the U.S Congress. It was an antitrust law that was amended to stop and prevent practices that led to unhealthy competition in the market. The Clayton Act was amended in order to complement an earlier version of the antitrust law referred to as the Sherman antitrust Act of 1980. This was a federal law that sought to prevent practices that were harmful to consumers such as cartels, monopolies and other unfair business practices (California Association of REALTORS, 2005). Google Company One of the recent firms to be investigated for antitrust behavior is Google Company that leads the online searching industry. According to Weiss (2014), the firm recently was being investigated by Competition Commission of India (CCI) for claims that it abused its dominance in the online search engine industry by mainly promoting its own services over those of its rivals. This reason is considered to create unhealthy competition in the business as the search engine company dominates its rivals in what is considered almost a monopolistic market. Antitrust behavior brings about both pecuniary and non-pecuniary costs. Since it damages healthy competition in the market, monopolies can result and this has adverse effects to the prices of commodities. The products end up becoming costly and expensive for the customers and, therefore, affecting the society negatively (Bailey, 2010). On the other hand, antitrust behavior leads to the output of products falling below the market competitive le vel and this is mainly witnessed in monopolistic markets. Then again, the antitrust practices can be costly for any company that has engaged in them since if investigations prove that the company is guilty of the said acts then heavy penalties can be imposed on them. Furthermore, this can ruin the reputation of any company and, therefore, ending up losing its customers (Bailey, 2010). Monopolies and  Oligopolies Monopolies and oligopolies are not always good for the society. Their presence in any market simply means they have all the power to control the prices of their products and services. This is not favorable to the customers since prices can always go up any time especially when the demand for certain commodities is high. One good example of an oligopoly is the Coca Cola and Pepsi Companies. These are the world’s largest beverage companies and demand for their products is never decreasing. However, these two companies represent a market with few suppliers while the consumers are many. They have all the power to dictate their products’ prices and the consumers have no power whatsoever (Hovenkamp, 2011). On the other hand, some government monopolies can be considered beneficial to the members of the society. Many governments in the current world control the production and supply of electricity and other forms of energy. This is useful because the governments aim at providin g such services to the citizens at affordable prices and across the countries. It is the responsibility of the government to enhance infrastructure development in the country and, therefore, running such sectors of the economy can be beneficial to consumers. Conclusion In conclusion, it is important to point out that antitrust practices are unwanted behaviors since they destroy healthy competition among businesses. However, the law is strict on companies that engage in these practices and heavy penalties can be imposed on them. Antitrust practices include price fixing, corporate mergers and creation of monopolies (Reeves, 2010).

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Essays on Movies (Films) - Stephen Spielbergs Schindlers List :: Movie Film Essays

Essays on Movies (Films) - Stephen Spielberg's Schindler's List    "I know that the great tragedies of history often fascinate men with approaching horror.   Paralyzed, they cannot make up their minds to do anything but wait.   So they wait, and one day the Gorgon devours them,   But I should like to convince you that the spell can be broken, that there is an illusion of impotence, that strength of heart, intelligence and courage are enough to stop fate and sometimes reverse it." Albert Camus.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Albert Camus believes that the greatest tragedies of history are so horrific that people stand in awe, and consequently, nobody even attempts to do anything in response of the tragedies.   Many are under â€Å"an illusion of impotence† , and eventually, Camus states, â€Å"The Gorgon devours them†.   Also, in order for this â€Å"spell to be broken†, people must   have â€Å"strength of heart, intelligence and courage.†Ã‚   I believe that Albert Camus is correct, people are under a vale of impotence when it comes to the tragedies of the world, and that people can easily overcome this inability and reverse their fate, or let the â€Å"Gorgon† devour them.   Camus's beliefs can be proved through the use of examples from the movie Schindler's List.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oscar Schindler, the movie's main character, is, in the beginning of the movie, not actually aware of the full extent of the killing of Jews and the powerful anti-Semitic outlook of his comrades.   His ties relating to the affairs of the Nazi party and his loyalty to his country shield him from this knowledge. Thus, it can be concluded that in the beginning of the movie Schindler does not fully grasp the tragedy at hand, and consequently does nothing attempt to aid the Jews.   Shindler's realizations of the horrors of the holocaust begin in one scene near the middle of the film.   During this infamous turning point of the movie, Schindler, on top of a barren hill, traces the path of a young and helpless Jewish girl who wanders haphazardly through the streets of a devastated camp.   In a red trench-coat-coat, nowhere to go, desperately searching for her two parents, the little girl finally wanders into an abandoned building where she is safe from the chaotic world outside.   Her safety is only temporary, for later she will be hunted down and cold heartily murdered, forgotten to the world, destroyed by her own people, asking in wonderment, why do I deserve such punishment?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This scene is the point at which Schindler becomes infuriated, and he asks himself why, and most importantly, what he could do to stop the massacre.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Band of Brothers: E. Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne From Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle Nest, Book Analysis Essay

Book Report â€Å"Band of Brothers: E. Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne From Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle Nest† by Stephen E. Ambrose Band Of Brothers is the history of Easy Company, 506th Parachute†¨Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, from basic training to†¨D-Day. It follows the jump into Holland, the Battle of†¨the Bulge, and finally the occupation of Berchtesgaden and Austria. This is a rarity among military histories, told from the viewpoint†¨of the front line soldier, the privates, non-commissioned officers and officers who†¨carry out the grand strategy of generals. Many books†¨discuss the inner working of commands at Division and Army levels, but few detail the day to day life of the†¨soldier. Stephen Ambrose’s book does that and†¨more. It explores the how draftee citizen soldiers of†¨elite outfits like the 101st Airborne did, in World War II, defeat†¨an enemy like the well trained German Wehrmacht and S.S. In 1942 the Second Battalion of the 506th was formed and started†¨basic training. The recruits volunteered for the thrill, the honor, the extra money, but above all the desire to be better†¨than the ordinary draftee. A description of the physical effort†¨required in basic training explains why a majority of the†¨volunteers never made it as far as the door of the airplane. When†¨the Company finally made it to Fort Benning for jump school, they†¨were in such great physical shape that they outdid the school’s†¨physical fitness cadre. After five jumps in December of†¨1942, the company qualified as Parachutists, and nine-months later†¨they were on a ship to England to train for the invasion of†¨Hitler’s Fortress Europa. Ambrose also details the nine months of training that the company†¨endured in England in preparation for the invasion. He†¨tells it from the viewpoint of both officers and men and explains†¨the final shift in Easy Company hierarchy just prior to D-Day. His†¨description of the night jump of the 101st in the early morning†¨hours of June 6, 1944, with men and officers scattered about the†¨countryside, and the confusion, heroism and chaos that surrounded†¨the successful landings at Utah Beach, is masterful. He†¨explains how the few outer roads from the beach are zeroed in by†¨German artillery, and that the job of the airborne was to nullify†¨the artillery and its defending troops. The efforts of Lt. Richard  Winters to fulfill that mission are one†¨of the high points of the book. As the book reports â€Å"By†¨this time, about 0700, E Company consisted of two light†¨machine-guns, one bazooka (no ammunition), one 60mm mortar, nine†¨rifleman, and two officers.† Lt. Winters was in charge. With less†¨than 100 men assembled in the battalion, the commander could only†¨afford to send Easy Company to attack and overrun a four gun German†¨battery defended by a fifty-man platoon. As the book puts it, quoting one of the men, â€Å"Here the training paid off. `We fought as†¨a team without standout stars,’ Lipton said. `We were like a†¨machine. We didn’t have anyone who leaped up and charged a†¨machine-gun. We knocked it out or made it withdraw by†¨maneuver and teamwork or mortar fire. We were smart;†¨there weren’t many flashy heroics. We had learned that heroics was†¨the way to get killed without getting the job done, and getting the†¨job done was more important.† Three hours after the attack†¨commenced, it was completed successfully. Easy Company went on to fight through Normandy until June 29th when†¨it was pulled out of line and sent to a field camp near Utah†¨Beach. They had jumped into Normandy with an effective†¨strength of 139 men and officers and ended up with†¨79. Ambrose’s description of those few days from the†¨night jump to their last fight at Carentan is magnificent. The book next describes the company’s jump into Holland, near the†¨Rhine River, where they fought through November of 1944, and then†¨on to Bastogne, to again become front line troops in the historic†¨Battle of the Bulge. Easy Company was the first Allied†¨troops to occupy Hitler’s mountain retreat at†¨Berchtesgaden. After occupation duty in Austria, the†¨company and battalion were sent back to a small town near Paris,†¨and on November 30, 1945, the 101st was deactivated. As Ambrose†¨puts it, â€Å"The Company had been born in July 1942 at†¨Toccoa. Its existence essentially came to an end almost†¨exactly three years later. In those three years the men had†¨seen more, endured more and contributed more than most men can see, endure or contribute in a lifetime.† Band Of Brothers†¨describe s those eventful three years in such a way as to make the†¨reader experience them too. I think Ambrose did very well telling the story of Easy Company because, as stated above, I felt that I was able to experience the three years very well. I am not much of a reader, but enjoyed reading the book very much. I love American history and I have an interest in the military. Having participated in JROTC in high school for 4 years and  doing ROTC my first year in college, I was able to understand the roles and concepts presented in the book. One theme I saw a lot in the book was the feeling and thought of brotherhood. The title of the book is Band of Brothers and Ambrose did a very good job of conveying the soldiers’ brotherhood through out the book. Starting at the beginning, when they are training, the soldiers’ trained together, worked together, and suffered together. As a team, working together is key, and the soldiers of the 101st Airborne identified that concept early on and kept it strong. One phrase I saw quite a few times was â€Å"follow me†. I think Ambrose included that phrase so much because it shows the leadership and brotherhood. They helped each other and led each other to success and improvement. From the American history perspective, I loved this book! I have been learning about World War 2 for several years now, i ncluding this year in this American History class with the great Keith Maljean, but this is the first time I learned from the soldiers’ perspectives. Ambrose did a phenomenal job of interviewing the members of the 101st Airborne and recounting their stories. Reading the book, I felt like I was right there with them on their first jump, landing in France, and at the first mention of the Airborne division. Volunteering for something new, not knowing what was going to happen. Literally jumping into an unknown, new division of the Army. I embarked with them on the fight to defeat Germany and bring an end to the Nazis. I feel that I gained a better understanding of the American soldier in the World War 2 era, and it is nothing like the American soldier nowadays. Today, our armed forces are facing things that we have seen before, for the most part. Back in the World War 2 era, the soldiers were facing new ships, vehicles, aircrafts, artillery, rocketry, small arms, and biological, chemical, and atomic weapons. It was a very scary time for the soldiers not knowing what was coming or how bad it is. Through the stories in Band of Brothers, I was able to understand what the life of the soldier was like and how they adapted to the new weaponry. When I first heard that I was going to have to do a book report for this class, I was completely dreading it due to my lack of joy for reading and writi ng, but I am glad that I stumbled across this book because I don’t know if I would have been able to find a book as good as this. Stephen Ambrose is a brilliant writer and recounted the stories of the men from the 101st Airborne with great detail. It was entertaining,  informative, and all around life changing. This book reinforced the concept of brotherhood and gave me a great perspective of World War 2 from a soldier’s point of view. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in American History or just looking for a good read.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Olmec Religion - the First Mesoamerican Civilization

The Olmec civilization (1200-400 B.C.) was the first major Mesoamerican culture and laid the foundation for several later civilizations. Many aspects of Olmec culture remain a mystery, which is not surprising considering how long ago their society went into decline. Nevertheless, archaeologists have been able to make surprising progress in learning about the religion of the ancient Olmec people. The Olmec Culture The Olmec culture lasted roughly from 1200 B.C. to 400 B.C. and flourished along Mexicos Gulf coast. The Olmec built major cities at San Lorenzo and La Venta, in the present day states of Veracruz and Tabasco respectively. The Olmec were farmers, warriors and traders, and the few clues they left behind indicate a rich culture. Their civilization collapsed by 400 A. D. - archaeologists are unsure as to why - but several later cultures, including the Aztec and the Maya, were profoundly influenced by the Olmec. The Continuity Hypothesis Archaeologists have struggled to put together the few clues that remain today from the Olmec culture which vanished well over 2,000 years ago. Facts about the ancient Olmec are hard to come by. Modern researchers must use three sources for information on the religion of ancient Mesoamerican cultures: Analysis of relics including sculpture, buildings and ancient texts when availableEarly Spanish reports of religious and cultural practicesEthnographic studies of modern-day traditional religious practices in certain communities Experts who have studied the Aztecs, Maya and other ancient Mesoamerican religions have come to an interesting conclusion: these religions share certain characteristics, indicating a much older, foundational system of belief. Peter Joralemon proposed the Continuity Hypothesis to fill in the gaps left by incomplete records and studies. According to Joralemon there is a basic religious system common to all Mesoamerican peoples. This system took shape long before it was given monumental expression in Olmec art and survived long after the Spanish conquered the New Worlds major political and religious centers. (Joralemon quoted in Diehl, 98). In other words, other cultures can fill in the blanks in regards to Olmec society. One example is the Popol Vuh. Although it is normally associated with the Maya, there are nevertheless many instances of Olmec art and sculpture that seemingly show images or scenes from the Popol Vuh. One instance is the nearly identical statues of the Hero Twins at t he Azuzul archaeological site. The Five Aspects of Olmec Religion Archaeologist Richard Diehl has identified five elements associated with Olmec Religion. These include: A cosmos which identifies the socio-cultural context within which Gods and man interactedDivine beings and gods who controlled the universe and interacted with menA shaman or priest class who acted as intermediaries between the common Olmec people and their gods and spiritsRituals enacted by shamans and/or rulers that reinforced the concepts of the cosmosSacred sites, both natural and man-made Olmec Cosmology Like many early Mesoamerican cultures, the Olmec believed in three tiers of existence: the physical realm they inhabited, an underworld and a sky realm, home of most of the gods. Their world was bound together by the four cardinal points and natural boundaries such as rivers, the ocean and mountains. The most important aspect of Olmec life was agriculture, so it is no surprise that the Olmec agricultural/fertility cult, gods and rituals were extremely important. The rulers and kings of the Olmec had an important role to play as intermediaries between the realms, although it is unknown exactly what relationship to their gods they claimed. Olmec Deities The Olmec had several deities whose images repeatedly appear in surviving sculptures, stonecarvings and other artistic forms. Their names have been lost to time, but archaeologists identify them by their characteristics. No fewer than eight regularly-appearing Olmec deities have been identified. These are the designations given to them by Joralemon: The Olmec DragonThe Bird MonsterThe Fish MonsterThe Banded-eye GodThe Maize GodThe Water GodThe Were-jaguarThe Feathered Serpent Most of these gods would later figure prominently in other cultures, such as the Maya. Currently, there is insufficient information about the roles these gods played in Olmec society or specifically how each was worshiped. Olmec Sacred Places The Olmecs considered certain man-made and natural places sacred. Man-made places included temples, plazas and ball courts and natural places included springs, caves, mountaintops and rivers. No building easily identifiable as an Olmec temple has been discovered; nevertheless, there are many raised platforms which probably served as bases upon which temples were built of some perishable material such as wood. Complex A at La Venta archaeological site is commonly accepted as a religious complex. Although the only ballcourt identified at an Olmec site comes from the post-Olmec era at San Lorenzo, there is nevertheless much evidence that the Olmecs played the game, including carved likenesses of players and preserved rubber balls found at the El Manatà ­ site. The Olmec venerated natural sites as well. El Manatà ­ is a bog where offerings were left by the Olmecs, probably those who lived at San Lorenzo. Offerings included wooden carvings, rubber balls, figurines, knives, axes and more. Although caves are rare in the Olmec region, some of their carvings indicate a reverence for them: in some stonecarvings the cave is the mouth of the Olmec Dragon. Caves in Guerrero state have paintings inside which are associated with the Olmec. Like many ancient cultures, the Olmecs venerated mountains: an Olmec sculpture was found close to the summit of the San Martà ­n Pajapan Volcano, and many archaeologists believe that man-made hills at sites such as La Venta are meant to represent sacred mountains for rituals. Olmec Shamans There is strong evidence that the Olmec had a shaman class in their society. Later Mesoamerican cultures which derived from the Olmec had full-time priests who acted as intermediaries between the common people and the divine. There are sculptures of shamans apparently transforming from humans into were-jaguars. Bones of toads with hallucinogenic properties have been found at Olmec sites: the mind-altering drugs were presumably used by shamans. The rulers of Olmec cities probably served as shamans as well: rulers were likely considered to have a special relationship with the gods and many of their ceremonial functions were religious. Sharp objects, such as stingray spines, have been found at Olmec sites and were most likely used in sacrificial bloodletting rituals. Olmec Religious Rituals and Ceremonies Of Diehls five foundations of Olmec religion, the rituals are the least known to modern researchers. The presence of ceremonial objects, such as stingray spines for bloodletting, indicate that there were, indeed, important rituals, but any details of said ceremonies have been lost to time. Human bones - particularly of infants - have been found at some sites, suggesting human sacrifice, which was later important among the Maya, Aztec and other cultures. The presence of rubber balls indicates that the Olmec played this game. Later cultures would assign a religious and ceremonial context to the game, and it is reasonable to suspect that the Olmec did as well. Sources: Coe, Michael D and Rex Koontz. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008Cyphers, Ann. Surgimiento y decadencia de San Lorenzo, Veracruz. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 36-42.Diehl, Richard A. The Olmecs: Americas First Civilization. London: Thames and Hudson, 2004.Gonzalez Lauck, Rebecca B. El Complejo A, La Venta, Tabasco. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 49-54.Grove, David C. Cerros Sagradas Olmecas. Trans. Elisa Ramirez. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 30-35.Miller, Mary and Karl Taube. An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. New York: Thames Hudson, 1993.