Sunday, December 29, 2019

effects of computers in the society - 2116 Words

The effects of computers on the world Abstract In our societies today, no one could really predict the actual effects of computers, but the changes that have taken place on the people’s daily lives are actually evident. The manner in which people over depend on the computers technology has rapidly increased and has brought several changes on the economic sector, political sector, and the education sector. The computers could possibly isolate from each other. They could also alter the face-to-face communication between people(Misa 52-63). This paper focuses on the discussion about the effects of computers on the world. Introduction In the last decades, there has been a very high revolution in communication and computing. All the†¦show more content†¦They also argue that use of computers in learning has increased competency among the students and teachers. The use of online computer use also made teachers report a high quality of results from students who use laptop computers than those students who do not use computers. The use of computer in a learning environment enabled students having computers to assemble, organize present data in multimedia formats for assignments associated to projects based on the particular unit of study(Fallansbee, S.Gilsdorf and N.Staqhl 16-22). Tierney, Kieffer, Stowell, Desai, Whalin (1992) found out that students who use computers in learning express their ideas in a well experienced manner using graphical besides non-liner forms. The computer use also increases writing skills, reading skills and teamwork among the students. They also found out that students were able to generate their hypermedia software during the introduction of computers in learning environment. The use of computers has lead to establishment of violent computer games in schools. Misa (2007) argues that the most effective manner in which computer use has affected work is through the reduction of the significance of distance. Yusuf (2007) argues that the use of computer could create employment on the society and at the same time lead to loss of employment to some groups of people in the society. Computer use could also lead to displacement of people in various fields of employment(YusufShow MoreRelatedComputers And Its Effects On Society995 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal computers have advanced tremendously in the last sixty years; as a result, they have taken over many things that people do in their daily lives. They have given people many useful applications such as email, video chat, social media, games, and the Internet. Computers have transformed people s way of life allowin g them to do things faster and easier, causing life to feel more simple. Computers have been an enormous advancement into the world s future but it is not completely beneficialRead MoreComputer Technology and the Effects on Society1564 Words   |  7 PagesComputer Technology and the Effects on S Computer Technology and the Effect on Society Computer technology has had a great effect on society as a whole throughout history. It has modified our behavior greatly as we have become accustomed to the technological advancements of yesterday. We are so dependent sometimes we do not even have a concept of what life would be like without computers. When we are forced to live life without computers we are left hopeless and disillusioned and simple everydayRead MoreThe Effects Of Computer Games On Society3332 Words   |  14 Pageswhether violence in computer games has a direct link to violence in the society. It starts by looking into the definition of a violence and the type of violence that are common in our society today. The essay looks into the prevalence of and exposure to computer games in the modern society. It went further to investigate the impacts of computer games as an entertaining and recreational medium. In order to do justice to the aforementioned controversy between violence in computer games and violenceRead MoreComputer Crime And Its Effect On Society932 Words   |  4 PagesComputer crime has been an issue since the 1970s. Computer crimes have been categorized in two ways. First is a physical activity in which criminals steal computers. Second is that in which criminals commit crimes using computers. The recent development of the Internet has created a substantial increase in criminals commit crimes using computers. Thus, an emerging area of criminal behavior is cyber crime. Computer crimes mostly affect to a lot of areas of the society. When we work with computersRead MoreComputer Ethics And Its Effect On Society1482 Words   |  6 PagesIntro: Computer Ethics is essentially a component of a realistic philosophy which essentially deals with how computing experienced people should make decisions concerning social and professional conduct. Concerning internet use, Computer Ethics is a set of ethical principles that manage the performance of an individual or group. So, hence computer ethics could be considered to be a set of ethical principles which control the use of computers itself. For example, as it is rather simple to copy electronicRead MoreEssay on The Effects of Computers on Society796 Words   |  4 Pages Computers are one of the greatest inventions in the 20th century. With hundreds of electronic devices attached inside the computer and the flows of electrical energy, we can simplify our daily lives by only clicking on the mouse and typing on the keyboard. There are many types of computers nowadays. Huge and powerful computers are employed by governments and businesses to perform complex tasks and to store data. Computers are particularly good at performing repetitive tasks at speeds farRead MoreComputer Technology And Its Effect On Society1490 Words   |  6 Pageslast five years, computer technology, a digital device that automatically operates information and data, has been speedily varying and increasing in every field. It has brought many benefits to modern society. For example, technological advances will change society and home since th ere are many high technology systems will be installed, which will improve the quality of life. Communication become easier through one click because of the popularization of Internet. Also, using computer technology willRead MoreComputers And The Internet s Effect On Society1565 Words   |  7 Pages Computers and the internet have opened another way for fraud to take place and many organizations are vulnerable to hacking and fraud. There are many forms of fraud techniques people may use against a target and there are government agencies which will provide awareness for those techniques. Cyber terrorism is another threats to society in the damage it can cause organization which could overall affect a society. When a computer crime is committed, there are steps which are taken to preserve evidenceRead MoreEffect of Computers on Human Society Essay example605 Words   |  3 PagesThe early computer development began in the late 60’s, at that time their common use was for co mplex mathematical calculations, and were mostly used by government corporations. As time went on computers became widely popular, and they were being used at a personal level. The Apple Lisa Computer was the first successful personal computer with a GUI interface which was introduced in 1983. Nowadays computers have become extremely popular, and they are being almost everywhere. We are becoming overwhelminglyRead MoreEssay about Affect of Computers on Society614 Words   |  3 PagesComputers and Society The first modern digital computers were developed in the 1940s for military purposes that arose during World War II. These computers filled entire rooms. They took hours to perform complex mathematical operations. In the 1970s, the first personal computers were sold. Fitting on a desktop, they were much faster and more powerful than the computers that had once filled large rooms. Computers were also affordable to individual consumers, making it possible for many people

Saturday, December 21, 2019

In the Early Nineteenth Century, Americans Sought to...

The North and South in the nineteenth century were different in lifestyle and morale as well as economy. The north had a booming industrial economy while in the South, cotton was king. Because of this, congress was continuously addressing controversial matters and providing answers that did not satisfy either one side or both. The early 1800s were full of the North and the South making many attempts at reconciliation that just fell short. Among those were the Missouri Compromise of 1820, and the Great Compromise of 1850. Other tempestuous attempts led to the Tariff/Nullification Controversy, anti slavery debates in congress, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Whether it was one side or the other, there was always someone to oppose - and in some†¦show more content†¦In 1833, the Compromise Tariff was put into place and would reduce rates to 20% by 1842. At this time, most people considered compromise to still be possible. As time goes on, slavery becomes as much of a moral issue as a political one. The American Anti-Slavery Society believed that the practice of slavery was against Gods teaching and that those who kept slaves were man stealers. [Document B] Slaves should be set free and slaveholders shouldnt be compensated a dime. ...we concede the Congress...has no right to interfere with any of the slave states...But we maintain that Congress has a right...to suppress the domestic slave trade... [Document B] As abolitionists started to make an even greater fuss over slavery, congress was backed into a corner. To release the slaves and prevent slavery in the new territories would incite the wrath of the South, however to allow more slave states to enter the Union would anger the abolitionists. Eventually, the gag rule was put into place. All petitions, memorials, [etc.]...to the subject of slavery or the abolition of slavery, shall...be laid on the table and that no further action whatever shall be h ad thereon. [Document C] However, each time aShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pages E SSAYS ON TWENTIETH-C ENTURY H ISTORY In the series Critical Perspectives on the Past, edited by Susan Porter Benson, Stephen Brier, and Roy Rosenzweig Also in this series: Paula Hamilton and Linda Shopes, eds., Oral History and Public Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and CultureRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 PagesMoran All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2007007922 ISBN: 978–1–59158–408–7 978–1–59158–406–3 (pbk.) First published in 2007 Libraries Unlimited, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 A Member of the Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. www.lu.com Printed in the United States of America The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper StandardRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pages. Organization Theory Challenges and Perspectives John McAuley, Joanne Duberley and Phil Johnson . This book is, to my knowledge, the most comprehensive and reliable guide to organisational theory currently available. What is needed is a text that will give a good idea of the breadth and complexity of this important subject, and this is precisely what McAuley, Duberley and Johnson have provided. They have done some sterling service in bringing together the very diverse strands of work

Friday, December 13, 2019

A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-seven Free Essays

string(47) " Or perhaps it was grief that fogged his eyes\." Eddard He was walking through the crypts beneath Winterfell, as he he had walked a thousand times before. The Kings of Winter watched him pass with eyes of ice, and the direwolves at their feet turned their great stone heads and snarled. Last of all, he came to the tomb where his father slept, with Brandon and Lyanna beside him. We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-seven or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Promise me, Ned,† Lyanna’s statue whispered. She wore a garland of pale blue roses, and her eyes wept blood. Eddard Stark jerked upright, his heart racing, the blankets tangled around him. The room was black as pitch, and someone was hammering on the door. â€Å"Lord Eddard,† a voice called loudly. â€Å"A moment.† Groggy and naked, he stumbled his way across the darkened chamber. When he opened the door, he found Tomard with an upraised fist, and Cayn with a taper in hand. Between them stood the king’s own steward. The man’s face might have been carved of stone, so little did it show. â€Å"My lord Hand,† he intoned. â€Å"His Grace the King commands your presence. At once.† So Robert had returned from his hunt. It was long past time. â€Å"I shall need a few moments to dress.† Ned left the man waiting without. Cayn helped him with his clothes; white linen tunic and grey cloak, trousers cut open down his plaster-sheathed leg, his badge of office, and last of all a belt of heavy silver links. He sheathed the Valyrian dagger at his waist. The Red Keep was dark and still as Cayn and Tomard escorted him across the inner bailey. The moon hung low over the walls, ripening toward full. On the ramparts, a guardsman in a gold cloak walked his rounds. The royal apartments were in Maegor’s Holdfast, a massive square fortress that nestled in the heart of the Red Keep behind walls twelve feet thick and a dry moat lined with iron spikes, a castle-within-a-castle. Ser Boros Blount guarded the far end of the bridge, white steel armor ghostly in the moonlight. Within, Ned passed two other knights of the Kingsguard; Ser Preston Greenfield stood at the bottom of the steps, and Ser Barristan Selmy waited at the door of the king’s bedchamber. Three men in white cloaks, he thought, remembering, and a strange chill went through him. Ser Barristan’s face was as pale as his armor. Ned had only to look at him to know that something was dreadfully wrong. The royal steward opened the door. â€Å"Lord Eddard Stark, the Hand of the King,† he announced. â€Å"Bring him here,† Robert’s voice called, strangely thick. Fires blazed in the twin hearths at either end of the bedchamber, filling the room with a sullen red glare. The heat within was suffocating. Robert lay across the canopied bed. At the bedside hovered Grand Maester Pycelle, while Lord Renly paced restlessly before the shuttered windows. Servants moved back and forth, feeding logs to the fire and boiling wine. Cersei Lannister sat on the edge of the bed beside her husband. Her hair was tousled, as if from sleep, but there was nothing sleepy in her eyes. They followed Ned as Tomard and Cayn helped him cross the room. He seemed to move very slowly, as if he were still dreaming. The king still wore his boots. Ned could see dried mud and blades of grass clinging to the leather where Robert’s feet stuck out beneath the blanket that covered him, A green doublet lay on the floor, slashed open and discarded, the cloth crusted with red-brown stains. The room smelled of smoke and blood and death. â€Å"Ned,† the king whispered when he saw him. His face was pale as milk. â€Å"Come . . . closer.† His men brought him close. Ned steadied himself with a hand on the bedpost. He had only to look down at Robert to know how bad it was. â€Å"What . . . ?† he began, his throat clenched. â€Å"A boar.† Lord Renly was still in his hunting greens, his cloak spattered with blood. â€Å"A devil,† the king husked. â€Å"My own fault. Too much wine, damn me to hell. Missed my thrust.† â€Å"And where were the rest of you?† Ned demanded of Lord Renly. â€Å"Where was Ser Barristan and the Kingsguard?† Renly’s mouth twitched. â€Å"My brother commanded us to stand aside and let him take the boar alone.† Eddard Stark lifted the blanket. They had done what they could to close him up, but it was nowhere near enough. The boar must have been a fearsome thing. It had ripped the king from groin to nipple with its tusks. The wine-soaked bandages that Grand Maester Pycelle had applied were already black with blood, and the smell off the wound was hideous. Ned’s stomach turned. He let the blanket fall. â€Å"Stinks,† Robert said. â€Å"The stink of death, don’t think I can’t smell it. Bastard did me good, eh? But I . . . I paid him back in kind, Ned.† The king’s smile was as terrible as his wound, his teeth red. â€Å"Drove a knife right through his eye. Ask them if I didn’t. Ask them.† â€Å"Truly,† Lord Renly murmured. â€Å"We brought the carcass back with us, at my brother’s command.† â€Å"For the feast,† Robert whispered. â€Å"Now leave us. The lot of you. I need to speak with Ned.† â€Å"Robert, my sweet lord . . . † Cersei began. â€Å"I said leave,† Robert insisted with a hint of his old fierceness. â€Å"What part of that don’t you understand, woman?† Cersei gathered up her skirts and her dignity and led the way to the door. Lord Renly and the others followed. Grand Maester Pycelle lingered, his hands shaking as he offered the king a cup of thick white liquid. â€Å"The milk of the poppy, Your Grace,† he said. â€Å"Drink. For your pain.† Robert knocked the cup away with the back of his hand. â€Å"Away with you. I’ll sleep soon enough, old fool. Get out.† Grand Maester Pycelle gave Ned a stricken look as he shuffled from the room. â€Å"Damn you, Robert,† Ned said when they were alone. His leg was throbbing so badly he was almost blind with pain. Or perhaps it was grief that fogged his eyes. You read "A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-seven" in category "Essay examples" He lowered himself to the bed, beside his friend. â€Å"Why do you always have to be so headstrong?† â€Å"Ah, fuck you, Ned,† the king said hoarsely. â€Å"I killed the bastard, didn’t I?† A lock of matted black hair fell across his eyes as he glared up at Ned. â€Å"Ought to do the same for you. Can’t leave a man to hunt in peace. Ser Robar found me. Gregor’s head. Ugly thought. Never told the Hound. Let Cersei surprise him.† His laugh turned into a grunt as a spasm of pain hit him. â€Å"Gods have mercy,† he muttered, swallowing his agony. â€Å"The girl. Daenerys. Only a child, you were right . . . that’s why, the girl . . . the gods sent the boar . . . sent to punish me . . .† The king coughed, bringing up blood. â€Å"Wrong, it was wrong, I . . . only a girl . . . Varys, Littlefinger, even my brother . . . worthless . . . no one to tell me no but you, Ned . . . only you . . . † He lifted his hand, the gesture pained and feeble. â€Å"Paper and ink. There, on the table. Write what I tell you.† Ned smoothed the paper out across his knee and took up the quill. â€Å"At your command, Your Grace.† â€Å"This is the will and word of Robert of House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and all the rest—put in the damn titles, you know how it goes. I do hereby command Eddard of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Hand of the King, to serve as Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm upon my . . . upon my death . . . to rule in my . . . in my stead, until my son Joffrey does come of age . . . â€Å" â€Å"Robert . . . † Joffrey is not your son, he wanted to say, but the words would not come. The agony was written too plainly across Robert’s face; he could not hurt him more. So Ned bent his head and wrote, but where the king had said â€Å"my son Joffrey,† he scrawled â€Å"my heir† instead. The deceit made him feel soiled. The lies we tell for love, he thought. May the gods forgive me. â€Å"What else would you have me say?† â€Å"Say . . . whatever you need to. Protect and defend, gods old and new, you have the words. Write. I’ll sign it. You give it to the council when I’m dead.† â€Å"Robert,† Ned said in a voice thick with grief, â€Å"you must not do this. Don’t die on me. The realm needs you.† Robert took his hand, fingers squeezing hard. â€Å"You are . . . such a bad liar, Ned Stark,† he said through his pain. â€Å"The realm . . . the realm knows . . . what a wretched king I’ve been. Bad as Aerys, the gods spare me.† â€Å"No,† Ned told his dying friend, â€Å"not so bad as Aerys, Your Grace. Not near so bad as Aerys.† Robert managed a weak red smile. â€Å"At the least, they will say . . . this last thing . . . this I did right. You won’t fail me. You’ll rule now. You’ll hate it, worse than I did . . . but you’ll do well. Are you done with the scribbling?† â€Å"Yes, Your Grace.† Ned offered Robert the paper. The king scrawled his signature blindly, leaving a smear of blood across the letter. â€Å"The seal should be witnessed.† â€Å"Serve the boar at my funeral feast,† Robert rasped. â€Å"Apple in its mouth, skin seared crisp. Eat the bastard. Don’t care if you choke on him. Promise me, Ned.† â€Å"I promise.† Promise me, Ned, Lyanna’s voice echoed. â€Å"The girl,† the king said. â€Å"Daenerys. Let her live. If you can, if it . . . not too late . . . talk to them . . . Varys, Littlefinger . . . don’t let them kill her. And help my son, Ned. Make him be . . . better than me.† He winced. â€Å"Gods have mercy.† â€Å"They will, my friend,† Ned said. â€Å"They will.† The king closed his eyes and seemed to relax. â€Å"Killed by a pig,† he muttered. â€Å"Ought to laugh, but it hurts too much.† Ned was not laughing. â€Å"Shall I call them back?† Robert gave a weak nod. â€Å"As you will. Gods, why is it so cold in here?† The servants rushed back in and hurried to feed the fires. The queen had gone; that was some small relief, at least. If she had any sense, Cersei would take her children and fly before the break of day, Ned thought. She had lingered too long already. King Robert did not seem to miss her. He bid his brother Renly and Grand Maester Pycelle to stand in witness as he pressed his seal into the hot yellow wax that Ned had dripped upon his letter. â€Å"Now give me something for the pain and let me die.† Hurriedly Grand Maester Pycelle mixed him another draught of the milk of the poppy. This time the king drank deeply. His black beard was beaded with thick white droplets when he threw the empty cup aside. â€Å"Will I dream?† Ned gave him his answer. â€Å"You will, my lord.† â€Å"Good,† he said, smiling. â€Å"I will give Lyanna your love, Ned. Take care of my children for me.† The words twisted in Ned’s belly like a knife. For a moment he was at a loss. He could not bring himself to lie. Then he remembered the bastards: little Barra at her mother’s breast, Mya in the Vale, Gendry at his forge, and all the others. â€Å"I shall . . . guard your children as if they were my own,† he said slowly. Robert nodded and closed his eyes. Ned watched his old friend sag softly into the pillows as the milk of the poppy washed the pain from his face. Sleep took him. Heavy chains jangled softly as Grand Maester Pycelle came up to Ned. â€Å"I will do all in my power, my lord, but the wound has mortified. It took them two days to get him back. By the time I saw him, it was too late. I can lessen His Grace’s suffering, but only the gods can heal him now.† â€Å"How long?† Ned asked. â€Å"By rights, he should be dead already. I have never seen a man cling to life so fiercely.† â€Å"My brother was always strong,† Lord Renly said. â€Å"Not wise, perhaps, but strong.† In the sweltering heat of the bedchamber, his brow was slick with sweat. He might have been Robert’s ghost as he stood there, young and dark and handsome. â€Å"He slew the boar. His entrails were sliding from his belly, yet somehow he slew the boar.† His voice was full of wonder. â€Å"Robert was never a man to leave the battleground so long as a foe remained standing,† Ned told him. Outside the door, Ser Barristan Selmy still guarded the tower stairs. â€Å"Maester Pycelle has given Robert the milk of the poppy,† Ned told him. â€Å"See that no one disturbs his rest without leave from me.† â€Å"It shall be as you command, my lord.† Ser Barristan seemed old beyond his years. â€Å"I have failed my sacred trust.† â€Å"Even the truest knight cannot protect a king against himself,† Ned said. â€Å"Robert loved to hunt boar. I have seen him take a thousand of them.† He would stand his ground without flinching, his legs braced, the great spear in his hands, and as often as not he would curse the boar as it charged, and wait until the last possible second, until it was almost on him, before he killed it with a single sure and savage thrust. â€Å"No one could know this one would be his death.† â€Å"You are kind to say so, Lord Eddard.† â€Å"The king himself said as much. He blamed the wine.† The white-haired knight gave a weary nod. â€Å"His Grace was reeling in his saddle by the time we flushed the boar from his lair, yet he commanded us all to stand aside.† â€Å"I wonder, Ser Barristan,† asked Varys, so quietly, â€Å"who gave the king this wine?† Ned had not heard the eunuch approach, but when he looked around, there he stood. He wore a black velvet robe that brushed the floor, and his face was freshly powdered. â€Å"The wine was from the king’s own skin,† Ser Barristan said. â€Å"Only one skin? Hunting is such thirsty work.† â€Å"I did not keep count. More than one, for a certainty. His squire would fetch him a fresh skin whenever he required it.† â€Å"Such a dutiful boy,† said Varys, â€Å"to make certain His Grace did not lack for refreshment.† Ned had a bitter taste in his mouth. He recalled the two fair-haired boys Robert had sent chasing after a breastplate stretcher. The king had told everyone the tale that night at the feast, laughing until he shook. â€Å"Which squire?† â€Å"The elder,† said Ser Barristan. â€Å"Lancel.† â€Å"I know the lad well,† said Varys. â€Å"A stalwart boy, Ser Kevan Lannister’s son, nephew to Lord Tywin and cousin to the queen. I hope the dear sweet lad does not blame himself. Children are so vulnerable in the innocence of their youth, how well do I remember.† Certainly Varys had once been young. Ned doubted that he had ever been innocent. â€Å"You mention children. Robert had a change of heart concerning Daenerys Targaryen. Whatever arrangements you made, I want unmade. At once.† â€Å"Alas,† said Varys. â€Å"At once may be too late. I fear those birds have flown. But I shall do what I can, my lord. With your leave.† He bowed and vanished down the steps, his soft-soled slippers whispering against the stone as he made his descent. Cayn and Tomard were helping Ned across the bridge when Lord Renly emerged from Maegor’s Holdfast. â€Å"Lord Eddard,† he called after Ned, â€Å"a moment, if you would be so kind.† Ned stopped. â€Å"As you wish.† Renly walked to his side. â€Å"Send your men away.† They met in the center of the bridge, the dry moat beneath them. Moonlight silvered the cruel edges of the spikes that lined its bed. Ned gestured. Tomard and Cayn bowed their heads and backed away respectfully. Lord Renly glanced warily at Ser Boros on the far end of the span, at Ser Preston in the doorway behind them. â€Å"That letter.† He leaned close. â€Å"Was it the regency? Has my brother named you Protector?† He did not wait for a reply. â€Å"My lord, I have thirty men in my personal guard, and other friends beside, knights and lords. Give me an hour, and I can put a hundred swords in your hand.† â€Å"And what should I do with a hundred swords, my lord?† â€Å"Strike! Now, while the castle sleeps.† Renly looked back at Ser Boros again and dropped his voice to an urgent whisper. â€Å"We must get Joffrey away from his mother and take him in hand. Protector or no, the man who holds the king holds the kingdom. We should seize Myrcella and Tommen as well. Once we have her children, Cersei will not dare oppose us. The council will confirm you as Lord Protector and make Joffrey your ward.† Ned regarded him coldly. â€Å"Robert is not dead yet. The gods may spare him. If not, I shall convene the council to hear his final words and consider the matter of the succession, but I will not dishonor his last hours on earth by shedding blood in his halls and dragging frightened children from their beds.† Lord Renly took a step back, taut as a bowstring. â€Å"Every moment you delay gives Cersei another moment to prepare. By the time Robert dies, it may be too late . . . for both of us.† â€Å"Then we should pray that Robert does not die.† â€Å"Small chance of that,† said Renly. â€Å"Sometimes the gods are merciful.† â€Å"The Lannisters are not.† Lord Renly turned away and went back across the moat, to the tower where his brother lay dying. By the time Ned returned to his chambers, he felt weary and heartsick, yet there was no question of his going back to sleep, not now. When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die, Cersei Lannister had told him in the godswood. He found himself wondering if he had done the right thing by refusing Lord Renly’s offer. He had no taste for these intrigues, and there was no honor in threatening children, and yet . . . if Cersei elected to fight rather than flee, he might well have need of Renly’s hundred swords, and more besides. â€Å"I want Littlefinger,† he told Cayn. â€Å"If he’s not in his chambers, take as many men as you need and search every winesink and whorehouse in King’s Landing until you find him. Bring him to me before break of day.† Cayn bowed and took his leave, and Ned turned to Tomard. â€Å"The Wind Witch sails on the evening tide. Have you chosen the escort?† â€Å"Ten men, with Porther in command.† â€Å"Twenty, and you will command,† Ned said. Porther was a brave man, but headstrong. He wanted someone more solid and sensible to keep watch over his daughters. â€Å"As you wish, m’lord,† Tom said. â€Å"Can’t say I’ll be sad to see the back of this place. I miss the wife.† â€Å"You will pass near Dragonstone when you turn north. I need you to deliver a letter for me.† Tom looked apprehensive. â€Å"To Dragonstone, m’lord?† The island fortress of House Targaryen had a sinister repute. â€Å"Tell Captain Qos to hoist my banner as soon as he comes in sight of the island. They may be wary of unexpected visitors. If he is reluctant, offer him whatever it takes. I will give you a letter to place into the hand of Lord Stannis Baratheon. No one else. Not his steward, nor the captain of his guard, nor his lady wife, but only Lord Stannis himself.† â€Å"As you command, m’lord.† When Tomard had left him, Lord Eddard Stark sat staring at the flame of the candle that burned beside him on the table. For a moment his grief overwhelmed him. He wanted nothing so much as to seek out the godswood, to kneel before the heart tree and pray for the life of Robert Baratheon, who had been more than a brother to him. Men would whisper afterward that Eddard Stark had betrayed his king’s friendship and disinherited his sons; he could only hope that the gods would know better, and that Robert would learn the truth of it in the land beyond the grave. Ned took out the king’s last letter. A roll of crisp white parchment sealed with golden wax, a few short words and a smear of blood. How small the difference between victory and defeat, between life and death. He drew out a fresh sheet of paper and dipped his quill in the inkpot. To His Grace, Stannis of the House Baratheon, he wrote. By the time you receive this letter, your brother Robert, our King these past fifteen years, will be dead. He was savaged by a boar whilst hunting in the kingswood . . . The letters seemed to writhe and twist on the paper as his hand trailed to a stop. Lord Tywin and Ser Jaime were not men to suffer disgrace meekly; they would fight rather than flee. No doubt Lord Stannis was wary, after the murder of Jon Arryn, but it was imperative that he sail for King’s Landing at once with all his power, before the Lannisters could march. Ned chose each word with care. When he was done, he signed the letter Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Hand of the King, and Protector of the Realm, blotted the paper, folded it twice, and melted the sealing wax over the candle flame. His regency would be a short one, he reflected as the wax softened. The new king would choose his own Hand. Ned would be free to go home. The thought of Winterfell brought a wan smile to his face. He wanted to hear Bran’s laughter once more, to go hawking with Robb, to watch Rickon at play. He wanted to drift off to a dreamless sleep in his own bed with his arms wrapped tight around his lady, Catelyn. Cayn returned as he was pressing the direwolf seal down into the soft white wax. Desmond was with him, and between them Littlefinger. Ned thanked his guards and sent them away. Lord Petyr was clad in a blue velvet tunic with puffed sleeves, his silvery cape patterned with mockingbirds. â€Å"I suppose congratulations are in order,† he said as he seated himself. Ned scowled. â€Å"The king lies wounded and near to death.† â€Å"I know,† Littlefinger said. â€Å"I also know that Robert has named you Protector of the Realm.† Ned’s eyes flicked to the king’s letter on the table beside him, its seal unbroken. â€Å"And how is it you know that, my lord?† â€Å"Varys hinted as much,† Littlefinger said, â€Å"and you have just confirmed it.† Ned’s mouth twisted in anger. â€Å"Damn Varys and his little birds. Catelyn spoke truly, the man has some black art. I do not trust him.† â€Å"Excellent. You’re learning.† Littlefinger leaned forward. â€Å"Yet I’ll wager you did not drag me here in the black of night to discuss the eunuch.† â€Å"No,† Ned admitted. â€Å"I know the secret Jon Arryn was murdered to protect. Robert will leave no trueborn son behind him. Joffrey and Tommen are Jaime Lannister’s bastards, born of his incestuous union with the queen.† Littlefinger lifted an eyebrow. â€Å"Shocking,† he said in a tone that suggested he was not shocked at all. â€Å"The girl as well? No doubt. So when the king dies . . . â€Å" â€Å"The throne by rights passes to Lord Stannis, the elder of Robert’s two brothers.† Lord Petyr stroked his pointed beard as he considered the matter. â€Å"So it would seem. Unless . . . â€Å" â€Å"Unless, my lord? There is no seeming to this. Stannis is the heir. Nothing can change that.† â€Å"Stannis cannot take the throne without your help. If you’re wise, you’ll make certain Joffrey succeeds.† Ned gave him a stony stare. â€Å"Have you no shred of honor?† â€Å"Oh, a shred, surely,† Littlefinger replied negligently. â€Å"Hear me out. Stannis is no friend of yours, nor of mine. Even his brothers can scarcely stomach him. The man is iron, hard and unyielding. He’ll give us a new Hand and a new council, for a certainty. No doubt he’ll thank you for handing him the crown, but he won’t love you for it. And his ascent will mean war. Stannis cannot rest easy on the throne until Cersei and her bastards are dead. Do you think Lord Tywin will sit idly while his daughter’s head is measured for a spike? Casterly Rock will rise, and not alone. Robert found it in him to pardon men who served King Aerys, so long as they did him fealty. Stannis is less forgiving. He will not have forgotten the siege of Storm’s End, and the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne dare not. Every man who fought beneath the dragon banner or rose with Balon Greyjoy will have good cause to fear. Seat Stannis on the Iron Throne and I promise yo u, the realm will bleed. â€Å"Now look at the other side of the coin. Joffrey is but twelve, and Robert gave you the regency, my lord. You are the Hand of the King and Protector of the Realm. The power is yours, Lord Stark. All you need do is reach out and take it. Make your peace with the Lannisters. Release the Imp. Wed Joffrey to your Sansa. Wed your younger girl to Prince Tommen, and your heir to Myrcella. It will be four years before Joffrey comes of age. By then he will look to you as a second father, and if not, well . . . four years is a good long while, my lord. Long enough to dispose of Lord Stannis. Then, should Joffrey prove troublesome, we can reveal his little secret and put Lord Renly on the throne.† â€Å"We?† Ned repeated. Littlefinger gave a shrug. â€Å"You’ll need someone to share your burdens. I assure you, my price would be modest.† â€Å"Your price.† Ned’s voice was ice. â€Å"Lord Baelish, what you suggest is treason.† â€Å"Only if we lose.† â€Å"You forget,† Ned told him. â€Å"You forget Jon Arryn. You forget Jory Cassel. And you forget this.† He drew the dagger and laid it on the table between them; a length of dragonbone and Valyrian steel, as sharp as the difference between right and wrong, between true and false, between life and death. â€Å"They sent a man to cut my son’s throat, Lord Baelish.† Littlefinger sighed. â€Å"I fear I did forget, my lord. Pray forgive me. For a moment I did not remember that I was talking to a Stark.† His mouth quirked. â€Å"So it will be Stannis, and war?† â€Å"It is not a choice. Stannis is the heir.† â€Å"Far be it from me to dispute the Lord Protector. What would you have of me, then? Not my wisdom, for a certainty.† â€Å"I shall do my best to forget your . . . wisdom,† Ned said with distaste. â€Å"I called you here to ask for the help you promised Catelyn. This is a perilous hour for all of us. Robert has named me Protector, true enough, but in the eyes of the world, Joffrey is still his son and heir. The queen has a dozen knights and a hundred men-at-arms who will do whatever she commands . . . enough to overwhelm what remains of my own household guard. And for all I know, her brother Jaime may be riding for King’s Landing even as we speak, with a Lannister host at his back.† â€Å"And you without an army.† Littlefinger toyed with the dagger on the table, turning it slowly with a finger. â€Å"There is small love lost between Lord Renly and the Lannisters. Bronze Yohn Royce, Ser Balon Swann, Ser Loras, Lady Tanda, the Redwyne twins . . . each of them has a retinue of knights and sworn swords here at court.† â€Å"Renly has thirty men in his personal guard, the rest even fewer. It is not enough, even if I could be certain that all of them will choose to give me their allegiance. I must have the gold cloaks. The City Watch is two thousand strong, sworn to defend the castle, the city, and the king’s peace.† â€Å"Ah, but when the queen proclaims one king and the Hand another, whose peace do they protect?† Lord Petyr flicked at the dagger with his finger, setting it spinning in place. Round and round it went, wobbling as it turned. When at last it slowed to a stop, the blade pointed at Littlefinger. â€Å"Why, there’s your answer,† he said, smiling. â€Å"They follow the man who pays them.† He leaned back and looked Ned full in the face, his grey-green eyes bright with mockery. â€Å"You wear your honor like a suit of armor, Stark. You think it keeps you safe, but all it does is weigh you down and make it hard for you to move. Look at you now. You know why you summoned me here. You know what you want to ask me to do. You know it has to be done . . . but it’s not honorable, so the words stick in your throat.† Ned’s neck was rigid with tension. For a moment he was so angry that he did not trust himself to speak. Littlefinger laughed. â€Å"I ought to make you say it, but that would be cruel . . . so have no fear, my good lord. For the sake of the love I bear for Catelyn, I will go to Janos Slynt this very hour and make certain that the City Watch is yours. Six thousand gold pieces should do it. A third for the Commander, a third for the officers, a third for the men. We might be able to buy them for half that much, but I prefer not to take chances.† Smiling, he plucked up the dagger and offered it to Ned, hilt first. How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-seven, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Innovation and Enterpreneurship in Southwest Airlines

Question: Discuss about the Innovation and Enterpreneurship in Southwest Airlines. Answer: Introduction: It has been 45 long years since the inception of Dallas based Southwest Airlines, which is serving its customers with commendable offerings that differentiate the Airlines from other competitors. More than 53,000 employees are working hard to serve customers in and across the United States. The network is covering 101 destinations in United States and eight other countries (Wu, 2012). For Southwest Airlines based on the reviews and histories of the Airlines operation, there are places in the Company to accommodate the innovation and the entrepreneurship skills to overcome any negativity in any aspect of the Company (Abbasi, Belhadjali Whaley, 2012). The report mainly focuses on the status of the Company in the world of business. It takes a brief look on the desired goal that the Company is aspiring to accomplish. It also finds places for the implementation of entrepreneurship and innovation in the Company with the discussion on the advantages of its implementation. It also takes into account the risk associated with the implementation of the entrepreneurship and innovation skills followed by some recommendation to overcome the issue. Current position of Southwest Airlines: Ever since its inception the Southwest Airlines is continually growing with every course of year with added power and the commendable performance of the Company has brought numerous recognition to the Company. It is operating its service in almost 101 destinations with more than 53,000 employees doing their best to provide consummate customer service in United States and eight different countries. More than 3,900 departures in a day across the whole network during the peak season tell the story in a simplest of manner. It has been 43 consecutive years since the Company is making huge profits, which earned for the Company the recognition of one of the most honoured Airlines in the world. The Company is efficiently implementing the triple bottom line approach that helps the Company in serving its customers with utmost care by winning recognition (Fasone, 2016). The Company has an honour ship of operating the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world, which provides satellite-based Wi-Fi presenting connectivity to every corner. This offering helps customers in availing almost 20 news channels on their own device (Baker, 2013). Desired goal: CEO Kelly wants to achieve more success with expanding faster than its competitors expand but at the same time the CEO of the Company is not following the way other Company are doing. Kelly does not believe in expanding the business by just purchasing many new planes and flooding the marketplace with seatings for deal. On contrary to all this, Kelly is more relying on two principles of which, the one is a grand one-time opportunity and the other is doing campaigning to attract business customers (Hschelrath Mller, 2013). Kelly is aiming to increases the counts of business customers in Southwest Airlines from existing 35% to 40% over the next five years bringing it nearer to the conventional airlines. Kelly is also aiming in increasing the weight aspect in regular flight from existing 84.6% to 90% over the period of five years. This can enhance the count of non-discount passengers from 52 to 63, which is a healthy growth for the Company (Homsombat, Lei Fu, 2014). Inception of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Company: Innovation brings ideas and entrepreneurship skills compel to execute the generated ideas to achieve the desired goal (Harris, 2012). The CEO of the Southwest Airlines expressed his desire to bring about further goal, which by no mean resemble to a sudden generated thoughts in the mind of Kelly (Yang Xinde, 2014). Rather, it might have gone through certain inside processing of thoughts sharing in between the managerial staffs (Kali?, Markovi? Kuljanin, 2013). An entrepreneurship skill is something that inhibits the never dying thinking in the management of a company (Hoskisson et al., 2012). It compels to do something, which has not yet done to achieve the desired goal based on the current analysis of the positioning of the Company. The Southwest Airlines CEO Kelly expressed his desire to expand the success of the Company even quicker than its competitors did (Burton, 2012). The thoughts and beliefs that Kelly has uttered realize the supreme magnitude of the inclusion of innovation and entrepreneurship skills in the organization (Jimmy, 2015). It does not mean at all that the Company is devoid of innovation and entrepreneurship skills inside the organization rather it denotes the truth that innovation and entrepreneurship skills never die, it continually evolves (Kang, 2014). Nonetheless, it asks for added innovation and entrepreneurship skills into the organization derived from some established thoughts to serve the purpose (Klein, 2012). Advantages of inception: Incepting the innovation and the entrepreneurship skills in the organization can prove its importance in generating the results as per the expectations (Kuratko, 2016). The inception of innovation and entrepreneurship skills into the organization holds the probable of bringing the desired target by encouraging employees to attain the desired feet (Matthews Brueggemann, 2015). Nevertheless, a good entrepreneur always looks for progress and this is where innovation appears (Sag Waller, 2015). Nonetheless, introducing innovative ideas resulting from the entrepreneurship ability based on recognized essentials can well uphold the desired goal of Mr. Kelly of enhancing the business further (Withiam, 2016). Risk associated with the inception: There are certain risks that may occur after implementing the innovation and the entrepreneurship skills in the Southwest Airlines (Pezak Sebastianelli, 2013). The one risk that is more haunting is the failure of the expected outcome of the proposal made by Kelly. The CEO wants to attract more business passengers than the existing and he wants to operate his purpose other than its competitors do (Davila, Epstein Shelton, 2012). By any mean, the plan is going to fetch a huge investment to fulfil the desire to bring the change by enhancing the load of the flight to accommodate increased non-discount seats (Hisrich Kearney, 2013). This is essential to attract more business customers. Nonetheless, huge investments always carry with this an element of risk, as it may not turn around as expected (Fasone, 2016). Recommendation The one point of recommendation for the Southwest Airlines is the capital planning, which inhibits the necessity of making analysis on the market for the desired feet. The management need to plan as per the potential of the proposed plan in the market. Conclusion: An entrepreneurship skill brings the ever-living desire for the progress in organizations and this is something, which gives birth to innovation at the place. Entrepreneurship skills in association with innovative thoughts hold a potential importance of the fact that a company can never thrive without both of these. The Southwest Airlines is continually evolving as one of the most profitable airlines in the world. Through a long history of the Company of 43 years, the Company has proved its presence felt in the international market of business with the network covering 101 places in the United States and eight other countries. The Company is deploying new thoughts every time and this is bringing joys on the faces of the Company. The CEO of the Company has come up with some new thought to expand the business of the Company but in an unlike fashion. The CEO does not believe in thronging to the market by just purchasing bulk of planes and adding numerous sitting to this. Rather, the CEO of the Company believes in situational operation and waits for the right time to show the path. Kelly has articulated his desire of attracting more business customers by mounting the capacity of planes to accommodate more non-discount customers. To serve the desire of the CEO of the Company, there is a strong necessity for the inclusion of an added entrepreneurship and innovation skills into the employees to feel them with the supreme mission. However, the inclusion of further innovation and entrepreneurship skills holds with it an element of risk regarding the capital planning. Moreover, this can overlooked with proper analysis of the significance of the generated ideas in the market. References: Abbasi, S. M., Belhadjali, M., Whaley, G. L. (2012, January). Innovation: A descriptive approach to the new form of competitiveness. InCompetition Forum(Vol. 10, No. 1, p. 76). American Society for Competitiveness. Baker, D. M. A. (2013). Service quality and customer satisfaction in the airline industry: A comparison between legacy airlines and low-cost airlines.American Journal of Tourism Research,2(1), 67-77. Burton, K. (2012). A study of motivation: How to get your employees moving.Management. Davila, T., Epstein, M., Shelton, R. (2012).Making innovation work: How to manage it, measure it, and profit from it. FT press. Fasone, V., Fasone, V., Zapata-Aguirre, S., Zapata-Aguirre, S. (2016). Measuring business performance in the airport context: a critical review of literature.International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management,65(8), 1137-1158. Harris, J. A. (2012).Transformative Entrepreneurs: How Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Muhammad Yunus, and Other Innovators Succeeded. Palgrave Macmillan. Hisrich, R. D., Kearney, C. (2013).Managing innovation and entrepreneurship. Sage Publications. Homsombat, W., Lei, Z., Fu, X. (2014). Competitive effects of the airlines-within-airlines strategyPricing and route entry patterns.Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review,63, 1-16. Hoskisson, R. E., Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., Harrison, J. S. (2012).Competing for advantage. Cengage Learning. Hschelrath, K., Mller, K. (2013). Patterns and effects of entry in US airline markets.Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade,13(2), 221-253. Jimmy, K. (2015). Worldwide Innovation Practices-Adoption, Adaptation and Implementation Review.Scholedge International Journal of Business Policy Governance ISSN 2394-3351,2(6), 32-40. Kali?, M., Markovi?, B., Kuljanin, J. (2013). The airline boarding problem: simulation based approach from different playersperspective. Kang, H. (2014). An Application Of Strategic Groups In The Us Airline Industry.Business Journal for Entrepreneurs,2014(3). Klein, G. D. (2012). Creating cultures that lead to success: Lincoln Electric, Southwest Airlines, and SAS Institute.Organizational Dynamics,41(1), 32-43.Kuratko, D. F. (2016).Entrepreneurship: Theory, process, and practice. Cengage Learning. Matthews, C. H., Brueggemann, R. (2015).Innovation and entrepreneurship: A competency framework. Routledge. Pezak, L., Sebastianelli, R. (2013). Service Quality In The US Airlines Industry: Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction.Pennsylvania Economic Association,132. Sag, M., Waller, S. W. (2015). Promoting Innovation. Withiam, G. (Ed.). (2016).Achieving Success Through Innovation: Cases and Insights from the Hospitality, Travel, and Tourism Industry. Business Expert Press. Wu, S. (2012). The" Southwest effect" revisited: an empirical analysis of the effects of Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways on incumbent airlines from 1993 to 2009.The Michigan Journal of Business,5(2), 11-42. Yang, D., Xinde, C. (2014). Innovation Research of Enterprise Human Resource Selection----The Selection of Southwest Airlines.International Journal of Business and Social Science,5(7).

Thursday, November 28, 2019

1984 - A Grim Prediction Of The Future Essays -

1984 - A Grim Prediction of the Future Nineteen Eighty-Four was written between the years of 1945 and 1948. Orwell got the title from switching the last two numbers of the publication date. In Orwells criticism of a perfect society, his book became known as one of the greatest anti-utopian novels of all time. The books message is so powerful that some say it went so far as to prevent the sinister future from realizing itself. Althought the book starts out as the story of a neurotic, paranoid man, it quickly turns into a protest against a quasi-utopian society and a totalitarian government. The book appears to be a satire at the start, similar to books such as Gullivers Travels, or Huxleys Brave New World, but all too quickly the reader will discover, quite unpleasantly, that it is not a satire at all. Nineteen Eighty-four is not simply a criticism of what Orwell saw happening in his national government with the coming of English Socialism, but a warning of the consequences of contemporary governmental practices, and what they where threatening to bring about. P erhaps the book seems so bleak because the events in the book are a somewhat logical projection from current conditions and historical environment that Orwell observed in 1948. Perhaps people would be more comftorble with the book if they could rule out in their minds the possibility of the profecy becoming a reality. In a critique of his own work, Orwell called Nineteen Eighty-Four A work of a future terrible [sic] because it rests on a fiction and can not be substantiated by reality or truth. But perhaps this future is realizing itself more than Orwell thought it would. Orwell, more than likely, would have made note of, but wouldnt be astonished by, the fact that in 1983 the average American household spent over 7 hours in front of the television every night. The number is even greater for those households which currently subscribe to a cable service. Those families watch television for more that 58 hours a week. That is more that 2 days straight without sleeping, eating, or going to the bathroom. He also wouldnt have passed by this magazine advertisement that could be seen in 1984: Is Big Brother watching? If you are tired of Government, tired of big business, tired of everyone telling you who you are and what you should be, then now is the time to speak out. Display your disgust and exhibit your independence, Wear a Big Brother Is Watching tee-shirt. $10, Canadians remit us dollars. Big Brother is Watching LTD. Neenah, WI. This advertisement makes one wonder if there is really a group dedicated to the rise to power of someone called Big Brother. No true reader could ever pass off Winstons experience with indifference. You have to have some kind of sympathy for a man, even if fictional, who can not remember his childhood, or for that matter, even his mother. That is certain to strike a nerve with almost anyone. In addition to this constant pain of loss, the reader will also have to vicariously live through lengthy episodes of of other psychological pains, and physical pain. The reader will also be forced to endure the pains of society as The Party turns children against parents, friends against friends, and although ther reader will discover the beauty of a love between a man and a woman, The Party will eventually destroy that too. While The Party is an important theme, two other themes are far more important. The first is the distruction of language. By eliminating more and more words from peoples vocabularies, The Party eliminates the ability of people to unite or conspire against the government. However, they are also eliminating the possibility of conceiving original thought, which has catastrophic effects. The ultimate goal of The Party is to reduce the language to only one word thereby eliminating any thought at all. The second important theme is the elimination of the past. This is the main character, Winstons, job in the ministry of truth, to make sure that The Party always looks right about every decision it has made in the past. This quest for total power by The Party is

Sunday, November 24, 2019

6 Steps to Mastering the Theoretical Framework of a Dissertation

6 Steps to Mastering the Theoretical Framework of a Dissertation As the pivotal section of your dissertation, the theoretical framework will be the lens through which your readers should evaluate your research. Its also a necessary part of your writing and research processes from which every written section will be built.In their journal article titled Understanding, selecting, and integrating a theoretical framework in dissertation research: Creating the blueprint for your house, authors Cynthia Grant and Azadeh Osanloo write:The theoretical framework is one of the most important aspects in the research process, yet is often misunderstood by doctoral candidates as they prepare their dissertation research study. The importance of theory-driven thinking and acting is emphasized in relation to the selection of a topic, the development of research questions, the conceptualization of the literature review, the design approach, and the analysis plan for the dissertation study. Using a metaphor of the blueprint of a house, this article explains the appl ication of a theoretical framework in a dissertation.Administrative Issues JournalThey continue in their paper to discuss how architects and contractors understand that prior to building a house, there must be a blueprint created. This blueprint will then serve as a guide for everyone involved in the construction of the home, including those building the foundation, installing the plumbing and electrical systems, etc. They then state, We believe the blueprint is an appropriate analogy of the theoretical framework of the dissertation.As with drawing and creating any blueprint, it is often the most difficult part of the building process. Many potential conflicts must be considered and mitigated, and much thought must be put into how the foundation will support the rest of the home. Without proper consideration on the front end, the entire structure could be at risk.Your theoretical framework is the blueprint for your entire dissertation and will guide you during the process of writing it. Photo by Daniel McCullough on Unsplash.With this in mind, Im going to discuss six steps to mastering the theoretical framework section- the blueprint for your dissertation. If you follow these steps and complete the checklist included, your blueprint is guaranteed to be a solid one.Complete your review of literature firstIn order to identify the scope of your theoretical framework, youll need to address research that has already been completed by others, as well as gaps in the research. Understanding this, its clear why youll need to complete your review of literature before you can adequately write a theoretical framework for your dissertation or thesis.Simply put, before conducting any extensive research on a topic or hypothesis, you need to understand where the gaps are and how they can be filled. As will be mentioned in a later step, its important to note within your theoretical framework if you have closed any gaps in the literature through your research. Its also importan t to know the research that has laid a foundation for the current knowledge, including any theories, assumptions, or studies that have been done that you can draw on for your own. Without performing this necessary step, youre likely to produce research that is redundant, and therefore not likely to be published.Understand the purpose of a theoretical frameworkWhen you present a research problem, an important step in doing so is to provide context and background to that specific problem. This allows your reader to understand both the scope and the purpose of your research, while giving you a direction in your writing. Just as a blueprint for a home needs to provide needed context to all of the builders and professionals involved in the building process, so does the theoretical framework of your dissertation.So, in building your theoretical framework, there are several details that need to be considered and explained, including:The definition of any concepts or theories youre building on or exploring (this is especially important if it is a theory that is taken from another discipline or is relatively new).The context in which this concept has been explored in the past.The important literature that has already been published on the concept or theory, including citations.The context in which you plan to explore the concept or theory. You can briefly mention your intended methods used, along with methods that have been used in the past- but keep in mind that there will be a separate section of your dissertation to present these in detail.Any gaps that you hope to fill in the researchAny limitations encountered by past researchers and any that you encountered in your own exploration of the topic.Basically, your theoretical framework helps to give your reader a general understanding of the research problem, how it has already been explored, and where your research falls in the scope of it. In such, be sure to keep it written in present tense, since it is research th at is presently being done. When you refer to past research by others, you can do so in past tense, but anything related to your own research should be written in the present.Use your theoretical framework to justify your researchIn your literature review, youll focus on finding research that has been conducted that is pertinent to your own study. This could be literature that establishes theories connected with your research, or provides pertinent analytic models. You will then mention these theories or models in your own theoretical framework and justify why they are the basis of- or relevant to- your research.Basically, think of your theoretical framework as a quick, powerful way to justify to your reader why this research is important. If you are expanding upon past research by other scholars, your theoretical framework should mention the foundation theyve laid and why it is important to build on that, or how it needs to be applied to a more modern concept. If there are gaps in the research on certain topics or theories, and your research fills these gaps, mention that in your theoretical framework, as well. It is your opportunity to justify the work youve done in a scientific context- both to your dissertation committee and to any publications interested in publishing your work.Keep it within three to five pagesWhile there are usually no hard and fast rules related to the length of your theoretical framework, it is most common to keep it within three to five pages. This length should be enough to provide all of the relevant information to your reader without going into depth about the theories or assumptions mentioned. If you find yourself needing many more pages to write your theoretical framework, it is likely that youve failed to provide a succinct explanation for a theory, concept, or past study. Remember- youll have ample opportunity throughout the course of writing your dissertation to expand and expound on these concepts, past studies, methods, and hypotheses. Your theoretical framework is not the place for these details.If youve written an abstract, consider your theoretical framework to be somewhat of an extended abstract. It should offer a glimpse of the entirety of your research without going into a detailed explanation of the methods or background of it. In many cases, chiseling the theoretical framework down to the three to five-page length is a process of determining whether detail is needed in establishing understanding for your reader.Reducing your theoretical framework to three to five pages is a process of chiseling down the excess details that should be included in the separate sections of your dissertation. Photo by Mike Kenneally on UnsplashUse models and other graphicsSince your theoretical framework should clarify complicated theories or assumptions related to your research, its often a good idea to include models and other helpful graphics to achieve this aim. If space is an issue, most formats allow you to i nclude these illustrations or models in the appendix of your paper and refer to them within the main text.Use a checklist after completing your first draftYou should consider the following questions as you draft your theoretical framework and check them off as a checklist after completing your first draft:Have the main theories and models related to your research been presented and briefly explained? In other words, does it offer an explicit statement of assumptions and/or theories that allows the reader to make a critical evaluation of them?Have you correctly cited the main scientific articles on the subject?Does it tell the reader about current knowledge related to the assumptions/theories and any gaps in that knowledge?Does it offer information related to notable connections between concepts?Does it include a relevant theory that forms the basis of your hypotheses and methods?Does it answer the question of why your research is valid and important? In other words, does it provide scientific justification for your research?If your research fills a gap in the literature, does your theoretical framework state this explicitly?Does it include the constructs and variables (both independent and dependent) that are relevant to your study?Does it state assumptions and propositions that are relevant to your research (along with the guiding theories related to these)?Does it frame your entire research, giving it direction and a backbone to support your hypotheses?Are your research questions answered?Is it logical?Is it free of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and syntax errors?A final noteIn conclusion, I would like to leave you with a quote from Grant and Osanloo:The importance of utilizing a theoretical framework in a dissertation study cannot be stressed enough. The theoretical framework is the foundation from which all knowledge is constructed (metaphorically and literally) for a research study. It serves as the structure and support for the rationale for the study, the problem statement, the purpose, the significance, and the research questions. The theoretical framework provides a grounding base, or an anchor, for the literature review, and most importantly, the methods and analysis.Administrative Issues Journal

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Politics of the Developing World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Politics of the Developing World - Essay Example On the other hand, the south comprises of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Political Economy This is a term used to describe the relationship between the state, the legal system, and the economy. In general, terms it captures the interplay between the three facets in a way that determines the stability of countries and the economic structures. Development refers to the growth of a country in terms of matters of economy, governance, and human development. The term embraces such areas as the growth of GDP, economic growth in relation to the improvement of infrastructure, healthcare, education systems, and other indicators of growth. New International Economic Order The term describes a combination of proposals created by developing countries in the 1970s with the objective of improving their economies. The proposals included the improvement of trade terms through favorable tariffs and enhancing development assistance. Walt Rostow (1916-2003) He was a renowned American economist and an acclaimed political thinker. Rostow was a staunch defender of capitalism and policies of a free enterprise in the twentieth century. Rostow played a significant role in determining US foreign policies particularly with regard to Asia. Raul Prebisch (1901-1986) Prebisch was a renowned economist from Argentina remembered for contributing to the development of structuralist economics. He developed a trade-focused approach on matters of development and recommended preferential treatment for some countries in trading matters. Hans Singer (1910-2006) Singer was a German development economist. He believed that terms of trade generally do not play to the advantage of primary producers. He advocated for the increment of foreign aid to poor countries. Hegemonic Stability Theory The theory was developed for understanding international relations. The leadership of a hegemon in whatever form eventually results in the deployment of its influence on economic systems. The theory is largely attribut ed to Robert Keohane although various theorists who gave it varying interpretations developed it. Joseph Stiglitz (1943-Present) Stiglitz is an American economist well known for his strong support of globalization and the creation of free market economies. Much of his contribution in economics are in the areas of income distribution, international trade, corporate governance, and other areas that relate to modern economies. Section B 1). Different Interpretations of Poverty The United Nations approach to poverty was largely focused on the aspects of unemployment, equality, and poverty. On the other hand, the Bretton woods institutions focussed largely on the aspect of economic development as the key driver of development or the elimination of poverty. The United Nations was cognizant of the fact that economic growth does not necessarily translate into development. The difference between the two systems is mainly focused on the human factor at the core of the developmental initiative s. The IMF and World Bank kind of development was largely hinged on the development of free-market economies, which would spur economic growth and eventually lead to the elimination of poverty. 3). Realism, Institutionalism, and Structuralism The realist view, as understood within the framework of the International Political Economy (IPE) was based on policies that supported the use of tariffs to shield weak and infant economies.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Change Model Assessment in XYZ Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Change Model Assessment in XYZ Inc - Essay Example The term change is recognized in every business organization. The management of change in organizations can vary according to the type of business, involvement of employees or type of change. The major part of change relies on how the employees in an organization understand the procedure playing a vital role in determining their acceptance for such alterations. In case of XYZ Inc the type of change is defined by the expansion of the business. In the short term the company plans to open new branch in China and in long term the company will pursue for further expansion in countries such as Brazil, Russia and India. In order to control the short term change process, XYZ, Inc can apply Kurt Lewins ‘Change Management Model’. Kurt Lewin has developed a unique change theory which consists of three distinct phases. Unfreeze: ‘Unfreeze’ is the first phase of change according to the model. In this phase, XYZ, Inc can find appropriate method to make employees understand the requirement for change in business. XYZ, Inc will need to develop the desire for change by providing appropriate justification such as increasing sales or high financial prospects among other factors (Kaminski, 2011). Refreeze: Refreeze is the ultimate phase of change where XYZ, Inc will intend to establish new business practices and new organizational procedures. It will be conducted through supportive instruments such as new strategies and concrete alignment of new system for new workforces (Kaminski, 2011). In the long-term, XYZ, Inc can follow the John Kotters ‘Eight Step Change Model’. In the long run, XYZ, Inc. needs to develop system oriented change. At the first phase, XYZ, Inc. will require generating a feeling of urgency among employees about change. It can further help to prompt them towards change.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Should the primary objective of management be to increase the wealth Essay

Should the primary objective of management be to increase the wealth of shareholders and owners - Essay Example They have failed to fulfill their duty and have wasted the money and confidence of the people they are supposed to be protecting - the shareholders. In this regard, Friedman (1970) suggested that if managers want to fulfill their acts of charity, it should be done within their own personal capacities and not within the purview of their functions as managers of corporations. Friedman’s view has been highly cited and criticized (Wilcke 2004). In effect, this position has been reaffirmed, denied and valued as incomplete. Jensen (2002) asserts the notion that managers cannot fulfill the interest of various groups claiming to be affected by the actions of the organizations. The multifarious nature of the many stakeholders of the organization highlights the impossibility of responding to it. As such, Jensen (2002) maintains that the primary obligation of managers is to strengthen the fiduciary interest of shareholders. On the other hand, Tencati and Zolsnai (2009) ascertain that the responsibility of managers is not only towards the shareholders, but also to other identified stakeholders. This is because organizations are social actors. Their actions affect and influence the dynamics and life of people, communities and the whole society. As such, they cannot renege from their responsibility towards others (Tencati and Zolsnai 2009). Meanwhile, there are scholars who are also claiming that the responsibility of managers is striking the balance among competing interests in the corporation (Hemingway 2002). In the face of the contradicting positions pertinent to the primary obligations of the manager, this study will look into the question should the primary objective of managers be to increase the wealth of shareholders and owners? The complexity of the issue and the importance of the question are affirmed by the continuing debate relevant to the primary objective of managers. In this regard, this paper intends to show that there is no dichotomy between pursuing the fiduciary gains of the shareholders and fulfilling stakeholders’ interests. In addition, selecting one over the other is a misappropriation of the current business environment. Moreover, the paper intends to identify the factors that contribute to the apparent ambiguity of the issue. Finally, this paper aims to provide possible ways wherein the ambiguity of the issue may be resolved. 2. The Position In this paper, the researcher will argue that the primary objective of managers is to increase the wealth of shareholders and owners and at the same time fulfill the interests of the identified stakeholders of the company. This claim denies the validity of the idea that there is a dichotomy between shareholders’ interests and stakeholders’ interests. Thus, the manager is in a dilemma and is constrained in choosing one over the other. In other words, profit and corporate social responsibility, which connotes the idea that organization, are responsible to the econ omic, physical and human resources that they employ as they steer the organization towards success (Lantos 2002), should be jointly pursued as primary objectives of management. It reaffirms the notion that (1) in view of the good of the company, both shareholders’ interests and stakeholders’ interests are coeval in importance. (2) It holds that limiting the objective of managers to increasing the wealth of shareholders and owners is a false dilemma. (3) Current business environment demands that both shareholders and stakeholders interest be fulfilled. When Friedman (1970) affirms the primacy of shareholders’ interests as the primary objective of the manager. It simply reaffirmed what has been long been integrated in business –

Friday, November 15, 2019

Role of amygdala in the experience of fear

Role of amygdala in the experience of fear The amygdalae (from the Greek for almond) are two groups of almond-shaped nuclei located deep within the medial temporal lobes of the brain in complex vertebrates, including humans, (see Fig 1 below). Research has shown that the amygdalae perform a primary role in the processing and memory of emotional reactions, and are considered to be part of the limbic system. [pic] Fig 1: Location of Amygdala. (Image from: imemat.blogspot.com) The regions described as amygdalae are a combination of several nuclei with distinct functions. Among these nuclei are the basolateral complex, the cortical nucleus and the centromedial nucleus, (see Fig 2 below). The basolateral complex can be further subdivided into the lateral, the basal and the accessory basal nuclei. Anatomically, the amygdala and more particularly, its centromedial nucleus, may be considered as a part of the basal ganglia. The amygdala sends impulses to various parts of the brain, for example, to the hypothalamus to activate the symp athetic nervous system; to the thalamic reticular nucleus to increase reflex movement; and to the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus for the activation of various neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. The cortical nucleus is involved in the sense of smell and pheromone- processing. It receives input from the olfactory bulb and olfactory cortex. The lateral amygdalae, which send impulses to the rest of the basolateral complexes and to the centromedial nuclei, receive input from the sensory systems. The centromedial nuclei are the main outputs for the basolateral complexes, and are involved in emotional arousal in rats and cats. [pic] Fig 2: Nuclei of the rat amygdaloid complex. (ABmc = accessory basal magnocellular subdivision; ABpc = accessory basal parvicellular subdivision; Bpc = basal nucleus magnocellular subdivision; e.c. = external capsule; Ladl = lateral amygdala medial subdivision; Lam = lateral amygdala medial subdivision; Lavl = lateral amygdala v entrolateral subdivision; Mcd = medial amygdala dorsal subdivision; Mcv = medial amygdala ventral subdivision; Mr = medial amygdala rostral subdivision; Pir = piriform cortex; s.t. = stria terminalis). (Image from: Physiol Rev 83: 805) The amygdala filters sensory information and acts as a sort of interpretation channel. The basolateral amygdala receives sensory information from the thalamus and cortex and then forwards a signal to the appropriate target areas (see Figure 3 below). It is also known as the amygdala proper, and the several areas of the brain that it targets are part of a broader network that serves much more specialized functions. Because the basolateral amygdala is critical for emotion, a better understanding of the chemicals within these brain circuits should lead to improved pharmacological treatments for emotional dysfunction in psychiatric disorders. [pic] Fig 3: The basolateral amygdala. (Image from: Current Biology, Vol.10, (4)) Within most of these disorders i s a common symptom in that the patient often says I didnt think, I just reacted. Straker, D. (2006) believes they may be exactly right. All sensory data, with the exception of the sense of smell, is sent by the body first to the thalamus which then forwards it to both the relevant part of the cortex and to the amygdala. The information is sent out over two parallel pathways: the thalamo- amygdala pathway (the short route) and the thalamo-cortico-amygdala pathway (the long route). The short route transmits a quick estimated representation of the situation, in which no cognition is involved. This pathway activates the amygdala which, through its central nucleus, generates emotional responses before the mind can form a complete representation of the stimulus. The amygdala does a quick threat assessment by comparing the sensory data received with already stored fear responses. If any of these are triggered, then the amygdala floods the cortex with chemicals to stop it taking over. The r esult is action without conscious thought. (See Fig 4 below). Subsequently, the information that has travelled via the long route and been processed in the cortex reaches the amygdala and tells it whether or not the stimulus represents a real threat. Should a real threat be presented the amygdala will then activate the efferent structures responsible for physical manifestations of fear, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweaty hands, dry mouth, and tense muscles. The parallel operation of our explicit (hippocampal) and implicit (amygdalic) memory systems explains why we do not remember traumas experienced very early in our lives. At that age, the hippocampus is still immature, while the amygdala is already able to record unconscious memories. Early childhood traumas can disturb the mental and behavioural functions of adults by mechanisms that they cannot access consciously. In complex vertebrates, including humans, the amygdalae perform primary roles in the formation and storage of memories associated with emotional events. Amunts et al (2005) indicate that, during fear conditioning, sensory stimuli reach the basolateral complexes of the amygdalae, particularly the lateral nuclei, where they form associations with memories of that particular stimuli. These associations between stimuli and the aversion may be mediated by long-term potentiation, a lingering potential for affected synapses to react more readily. Memories of emotional experiences that become imprinted in the reactions of synapses in the lateral nuclei produce fear behaviour through their connections with both the amygdalaes central nucleus and the bed nuclei of stria terminalis (BNST). These central nuclei are involved in the production of many typical fear responses, including freezing (immobility), tachycardia (rapid heartbeat), increased respiration, and stress-hormone release. Damage to the amygdalae impairs both the attainment and the expression of Pavlovian fear conditioning, which is a form of classical conditioning of emotional responses.    [pic]Fig 4: The Amygdala Bypass System. (Image from: www.changingminds.org) Advances in neuroimaging technology such as fMRI, have allowed neuroscientists to show just how much of a role the amygdala plays in many psychological disorders. Donegan et al. (2003) studied patients with Borderline personality disorder who showed significantly greater left amygdala activity than the normal control subjects. Some of these borderline patients even had difficulties classifying neutral faces or classed them as being threatening. In support of these findings, in 2006, researchers at Monash University, Australia, observed increased levels of activity in the amygdala when patients with social phobia were shown images of threatening faces or when they were confronted with frightening situations. These activity levels in the amygdala were in direct correlation with the severity levels of the social phobia. Similarly, depressed patients showed more activity in the left amygdala when interpretin g emotions for all faces, and especially for fearful faces, although this hyperactivity was normalized when patients were prescribed antidepressants. Cultural studies such as Williams et al (2006) showed that normal subjects exposed to images of frightened faces or faces of people from another race will show increased activity of the amygdala, even if that exposure is subliminal. However, according to Tsuchiya et al (2009), the amygdala is not necessary for the processing of fear-related stimuli, since people with bilateral damage show rapid reactions to fearful faces. Early research on primates has also provided explanations for the functions of the amygdala in relation to emotional disorders. An early study by Brown Shafer (1888) observed rhesus monkeys with a lesioned temporal cortex (including the amygdala) and found that they suffered from significant social and emotional deficits. Kluver Bucy (1939) later expanded upon this observation by showing that large lesions to the an terior temporal lobe produced not only fearlessness, but also severe emotional disturbances including increased sexual behaviour and a propensity to place objects in their mouths. Some monkeys also displayed an inability to recognize familiar objects and would approach both animate and inanimate objects indiscriminately, while also exhibiting fearlessness towards the researchers. This behavioural disorder was later named Klà ¼ver-Bucy syndrome. However, their study can be criticised in that these lesions were so large and crude when compared to todays techniques, that researchers werent exactly sure of the structures responsible for these significant changes in behaviour. Improved techniques, such as using the neurotoxin ibotenic acid to make more precise lesions are partly responsible for the more detailed understanding of the amygdale today. | | | |[pic] |   | Fig 5: Sensory data routes, the fear response and the amygdala. (Image from: http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/index_a.ht ml) Previous studies have examined activation of the amygdala in response to emotional facial stimuli, but these have been carried out in either the U.S. or Western Europe, although none of these explored cross-cultural differences. Although culture shapes several aspects of human emotional and social experience, including how fear is perceived and expressed to others, very little is known about how culture influences neural responses to fear stimuli. In response to this gap in the research, a study by Chiao et al (2008) found that the bilateral amygdalas response to fear faces is, in fact, modulated by culture. Using fMRI, they measured the amygdalas response to fear and non-fear faces in two distinct cultures, Native Japanese in Japan and Caucasians in the United States. Both culture groups showed greater activation in the amygdala to fear expressed by members of their own culture, (their in-group), than in any of the other emotional measures such as anger, happiness or neutrality . (See Fig 6 below). [pic] Fig 6: The amygdalas response to fearful facial expressions is culture- specific. (Image from: Chiao et al 2008). As mentioned earlier, sensory data, apart from the sense of smell, is sent by the body to the thalamus and then forwarded to both the cortex and the amygdala. In relation to this sense of smell, when faced with a threatening situation, many organisms, including insects, fish and mammals, release volatile pheromones, signalling the danger to other members of the same species. Nearly 70 years ago, Karl von Frisch (1941), described the alarm response in a species of small freshwater fish called the European minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus). Frisch, who was one of the founders of the scientific study of animal behaviour, demonstrated that when a minnow was eaten by a predator, a chemical released from its damaged skin would be reacted to by other minnows that were close by. They would at first dart about randomly, form a tight school and then retreat fro m the source of the chemical. Frisch called this substance schreckstoff, meaning scary stuff, and we now know that similar chemicals are used throughout the animal and plant kingdoms. A team of researchers from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland (Brechbuhl et al, 2008) have shown that mice detect alarm pheromones by means of a recently identified sensory system in the nose by examining a structure called the Grueneberg ganglion (GG), which in mammals is located on both sides in the tip of the nose, close to the openings of the nostrils. When the GG was first discovered by Hans Grueneberg in 1973, its anatomy was not known in such detail and so it was thought to be a non-sensory structure. It is only very recently that the olfactory system has come to be viewed as containing 3 distinct channels, each with a unique structure and function. The main channel is involved in detecting aromatic molecules; the second channel is called the vomeronasal system, and is an accessory olfact ory system which is now known to be involved in the detection of pheromones; the GG constitutes a third component of the olfactory pathway, one that was thought to be involved in mother-pup recognition and suckling behaviour, because it is present at the time of birth. The researchers sought to investigate the role of the GG in behaviour. Because of its location, the GG is easily accessible, so they were able to cut the axons of GG neurons in live mice (axotomy), thus preventing any signals from reaching the brain. But after numerous tests for nipple finding and other possible functions, the team actually found that the ganglion played a role in danger communication. [pic] Fig 7: Scanning electron microscope images of the mouse Grueneberg ganglion. Left: a cluster of neurons (GC) in a meshwork of fibroblasts (Fb) Right: and a higher magnification of a single GG neuron (green), with its axon (red) and thin ciliary process (blue). Scale bars: 20 microns (L) and 5 microns (R). (Image f rom: Brechbuhl et al, (2008)). 30 days after the axotomy, the researchers then compared how mice with and without their Grueneberg ganglia responded to alarm pheromones. According to Broillet, the contrast was very striking. Normal mice with the ganglia showed fear immediately by freezing while mice without the ganglia seemed to be unaffected and they carried on as before, apparently unaware of the danger signals that affected the normal mice. Although their sense of smell did not seem to be affected as they were able to sniff out cookies hidden in their cages as well as the normal mice. This study clearly shows that in mice the GG is involved in detecting alarm pheromones, rather than in mother-pup interactions, as was previously thought. It is able to perform this primitive function thanks to a specialized yet very basic structure as the GG consists simply of a small group of cells separated from the external environment by a water-permeable sheet of epithelial cells. Its location , far away from the main olfactory system, enables rapid detection of alarm pheromones. Such a mechanism is crucial an organisms survival rate, and the GG is found in every mammalian species examined so far, including humans. However, whether or not alarm pheromones affect, or even exist in humans, has been a subject for debate in the scientific community. Since pheromones are not detectable by the human sense of smell, scientists believe that pheromones are sensed by the vomeronasal organ (VNO), part of the olfactory system and located inside the mouth or nose. For many years, the existence of the VNO produced much speculation because it had only been found occasionally in adult humans, and when it was found, it was believed to be vestigial. However, Johnston et al, (1985) conducted a study in which the noses of 100 human adults were examined post-mortem and the VNO was found in the septums of 70% of those examined. Since then, much evidence has been gathered to support these findi ngs of a presence of the VNO in most adult humans, but many scientists still believe it to be a functionless organ that was inherited from some ancestor of humans. However, recent genetic research has shown the possibility of a receptor in the nose that could sense pheromones. When searching the human genome for genes that had similar sequences to those of rodent pheromone receptors, a team of researchers from The Rockefeller University in New York and the Yale University School of Medicine identified for the first time a candidate pheromone receptor gene in humans. The findings, reported in Nature Genetics, may shed new light on the molecular basis of social communication between humans, including the fear response. In conclusion, despite the saying, have no fear, to live without the ability to experience and recognise fear is to be deprived of a vital neural mechanism that enables appropriate social behaviour, and possibly even survival.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Evil In Hamlet Essay examples -- claudius, queen gertrude

The Evil In Hamlet Throughout the play Hamlet, evil thoughts and actions can be seen. The characters Hamlet, King Claudius, and Queen Gertrude consistently are influenced by the forces of evil. Evil becomes the controlling factor of the play and causes the characters thoughts and actions to be blurred. Hamlet’s thoughts are constantly darkened by suicide and death. Hamlet can be seen as suicidal in one of his first soliloquies. â€Å"O, that this too too solid flesh would melt / Thaw and resolve itself into a dew, / Or that the Everlasting had not fixed / His canon 'gainst self-slaughter. O God. God† (Ham. 1. 2. 129-132). This shows Hamlet wishes his "flesh would melt" because his mother's actions have made the world completely corrupted. Hamlet also states that suicide or, "self-slaughter" is evil and a sin. Another example of Hamlets thoughts being consumed by evil and death can be seen in what may be his most famous soliloquy. Hamlets thoughts are so blackened by evil and death he wonders why everyone doesn’t commit suicide. â€Å"To be, or not to be: that is the question: / Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, / And by opposing end them? To die: to sleepâ €  (Ham. 3. 1. 56-60). This shows Hamlet clearly pondering why he should live in a world of troubles when he could just kill himself. Hamlets’ pondering of death comes to a pinnacle in the notorious graveyard scene when Hamlet holds up the skull of Yorick, a court jester Hamlet knew when he was little. â€Å"That skull had a tongue in it, and could sing once. How the knave jowls it to the ground, as if it were Cain's jaw-bone, that did the first murder! It might be the pate of a poli... ...evil of Claudius and herself. â€Å"Gertrude, do not drink. / I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me† (Ham. 5. 2. 257-258). Gertrude consumes the cup even though Claudius directly tells her not to. It is left ambiguous as to weather or not Gertrude knew the cup was poisoned or not. Gertrude may have been so possessed by the guilt of her evil she drank the poisoned cup knowingly in an attempt to try and save Hamlet. It is clear that evil is a driving force throughout the play. The thoughts and actions of the characters of Hamlet, King Claudius and Queen Gertrude are poisoned and corrupted by evil. The characters evil ultimately lead to all of their deaths. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. â€Å"The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark† Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. 9th Ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009. Print

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Game Theory Essay

Game theory emerged as a scholarly field of study in the first half of the 20th century. Since that time, it has significantly affected various academic disciplines, such as economics, political science and biology. Although the term â€Å"game theory† may suggest a certain frivolity, the concepts underlying it have many real-world applications and offer a structured and logical method of considering strategic situations. The parallels between competitive games and strategic business situations should be fairly obvious. Consider the game of chess. There are two players, each of whom makes moves in sequence. After observing the move made by the first player, the second player makes a counter move. Then the first player, having observed the first two moves, makes the third move and so on. Compare this to the business situation of gas stations competing for customers through strategic pricing. (The players in this case are station A and station B. ) Suppose, for instance, that station A starts by choosing a new pricing strategy. Given station A’s decision, station B decides how it will set its prices. Given station B’s response, station A can choose to revise its pricing strategy and so on. The objective of each gas station in this â€Å"game† is to maximise its own profit. For each to do so, it must be continually acting and reacting to its competitor in the market as well as anticipating competitive responses when making decisions. What does game theory have to offer? First, game theory provides a framework, or formal procedure, for analysing any competitive situation (or â€Å"game†). Specifically, it forces you to identify the players in a game (consumers, sellers, input providers, governments, foreign organisations, etc. , their possible actions and reactions to the actions of other players, and the payoffs or rewards implicit in the game. Game theory models reduce the world in which businesses operate from a highly complex one to one that is simpler but nevertheless retains some important characteristics of the original. By capturing and clarifying the most significant aspects of competition and interdependence, game theory models make it possible to break down a complex competitive situation into its key components and to analyse the complex dynamics between players. In order for game theory to be truly useful in analysing such complex situations, certain assumptions need to be made. The most significant assumption is that the players in a game are choosing their actions optimally; that is, they are choosing their actions in the hope of maximising their ultimate payoff and they assume that the other players are doing likewise. Without this assumption, game theory cannot successfully model real-world situations. Because game theory can realistically model business situations, it helps businesses to make optimal decisions and choose optimal actions. In other words, by â€Å"solving† a game, a business can identify its optimal actions (assuming, as always, that all the other players are also choosing their actions optimally). This is especially valuable because it helps companies choose the right business strategies when confronted with a complex strategic situation. In what types of business situations can game theory be applied? Click on the linkhere to find out. The nature of the solution(s) in game theory also motivates businesses to analyse how the structure of the game can be altered so that a different (and perhaps a more favourable) game can be played. Because of its systematic approach, game theory allows businesses to examine the consequences of actions that they may not have considered. It is worth noting here that many games involving business are different from games in other fields. For instance, in business, many players can win (and lose) simultaneously, which obviously is not the case with chess. Additionally, because of the interdependent nature of most business relationships, these games are not always ones of direct competition. Consider a game between manufacturer and supplier — both have incentives to do well, but each also has a vested interest in the success of the other. Furthermore, unlike some other games with fixed rules, the rules of business are continuously in flux. They may be formulated by law, by tradition or by accident. Often, however, players have an influence on how rules are decided. How does game theory differ from microeconomics? Because game theory can be used to model almost any economic situation, it might seem redundant to study both microeconomics and game theory. However, microeconomics tends to focus on cases in which there are many buyers and sellers or there is one seller (or buyer) and many buyers (or sellers). Yet here are many instances in which there are a few buyers or sellers. Markets in which more than one but still only a few firms compete are known as â€Å"oligopolies. † Oligopolists are acutely aware of their interdependence. Each firm’s decisions in the market depend on the specific assumptions it makes about how its rivals make pricing and output decisions. In addition, there are other situations in which there is one buyer and one seller. Microeconomics without game theory does not adequately address these matters. Consider a market in which the number of producers is small. In aircraft manufacturing, two firms, Boeing and Airbus, control 100 percent of the world market for commercial aircraft. Each firm recognises that its pricing and production decisions have important implications for its rival’s profitability. As a consequence, each firm attempts to guess which actions its rival will take. But each must also recognise that its rival will also be guessing as to what it will do. Clearly, such interactions are inadequately represented by classic microeconomic models, which assume that the firms are price takers. In some other markets, the number of buyers is small. For instance, the wholesale market for diamonds is dominated by a small group of global firms; therefore, diamond producers may find that implicit (or explicit) collusion between buyers makes it difficult for the diamond producers to exercise market power. Once again, classic microeconomic models may be missing a very important feature of actual markets. Click on each of the links below to read a few real-world examples in which game theory is applicable.