Comparing”Cask of Amontillado” with “The Rats in the walls”

Compare the narrator in Poe's â€Å"Cask of Amontillado† with the narrator of â€Å"The Rats in the walls.† The style and mode of narration in any story determines how appealing a narrator becomes to his or her readers. Additionally, this has much to do with the size of readership that the narrator garners. It is worthwhile that a narrator chooses a narration style that reflects the context of the story, captivating and which gets the reader engaged and involved throughout the narration. This narration will have significant implications for the reviews as well as comments that the reader will make which translate to more or fewer people seeking to read the narrators story. The narrators in â€Å"Cask of Amontillado† and â€Å"The Rats in the Walls† share much in common about their styles, approaches, themes, and appeal to the reader although they differ substantially in some respects. â€Å"Rats in the Walls† is narrated by the last survivor of Delapore family who moves from Massachusetts to his ancestral homeland, Exham Priory in England. On multiple instances, the Delapore and his cats hear the scurrying sounds of rats behind the ways and upon investigation find a city below the subcellar of his home, which has existed for centuries and the dwellers of this underground city fed on human flesh (Lovecraft 4). The narrator in â€Å"The cask of Amontillado† is Montresor, seemingly a gentleman, but in reality, a vindictive and vengeance filled person. (Poe 1). Montresor commits a murder and is unrepentant and guiltless of his deed because he thinks that all, he did and does is right. Most of the time, Montresor is dedicated to his viewpoint which is quite cold, vengeful, brutal, and conniving. He lures his friend, Fortunato, to tunnels and tombs underground, drugs him and locks him in chains, walls him and leaves him in his position to die slowly (Poe 5). Montresor and Delapore exhibit a great deal of quality in their narration style. The tales are given from their points of view and involve crimes, and horrendous acts that get the reader aroused and somewhat scared. They keep a great deal of suspense to maintain the reader and ensure he or she follows to the end. Both narrators, however, could be questioned regarding reliability although they have various levels of any security that could be noted (Lovecraft 8).They seem to have some mental problems which make them act in ways unnatural and do things that would naturally be abominable to sane people. The fact that we have difficulties trusting the narrators question their reliability. Montresor, first, tells the story of the crime he commits fifty years later saying that he was never caught for this. Now, trusting someone telling things that happened many years ago can be difficult because in many cases, things surface a short time after they have been done. Confessions are made, or details unveiled not very long after. Walling his friend and leaving him to die with little to no remorse characteristically defines the possibility of soundness implying that he could probably not be entirely sane. This could make him be considered unreliable (Poe 8). Delapore, similarly, exhibits a high level of unreliability. He presents the story in a way that the things happen in the supernatural realm. This elicits fiction rather than reality, and the details raise many questions because few readers would be accustomed to the nature of things that unfold throughout the narration. Eating human flesh would be an act expected of animals or an unbalanced mind. There is an element of mental issue with the narrator, and this would make him unreliable (Lovecraft 10). Constant sounds of rats in the walls which are never found raise questions as to whether substantial evidence can be gathered to support the points raised in the narration. The default the tone by the narrators is one that conveys abject panic, fear, and impending doom. The mood they employ precedes or supersedes events which could reasonably justify it. Mostly, they share much in common in the narration technics, emotions, feelings, and atmospheres. However, they also differ in some ways. Delapore narrates in a setting of a family background rich in mystic scenarios. This is evident in the declaration of the finding of bones in the underground of the Priory(Lovecraft 14). Montresor narrates from a setting of being insulated which leads him to revenge (Poe 1). The motivations behind the narration are entirely different Delapore is motivated by the desire to unravel a family background which influenced him to act and behave in the way he did. Montresor is affected by the desire to resolve the dampness of his surroundings which exert pressure on him to react in a manner to repay for what has been done against him. The levels of the unreliability of the stories also differ. Delapore is somewhat fictitious in his narration and to some extent narrates from an insane person. Delapore is profoundly unreliable because the details are hard to prove in the real world from which the readers view the content of the narration (Lovecraft 16). Montresor can be termed unreliable, but the extent is not as deep because there are actual details which offer significant proof of turn of events with a human element. While for the most part, he remains unrepentant and self-justifying of the crime he commits, there is a portion where he notes his heart grew sick after he had only a brick left to seal Fortunato forever. However, he withdraws from guilty and accuses his surroundings instead. The narration is better regarding reliability as compared to Delapore. The narrative by Montresor is mostly a revenge mission which happens in the real world giving greater credit to the details (Poe 14). For Delapore, the narration based on the occult is something that questions the credibility and reliability of the details. Overall, however, there is much held in common with a few differences inherent for the narrators the nature of narration and story details. Works citedLovecraft, Howard Phillips. The Rats in the Walls. New York: WS via Publish Drive, 2018. PrintPoe, Edgar Allan.  The Cask of Amontillado. Publisher Not Identified, 2016.

Herzog and de Meuron-Caixa Forum

Forum Madrid implements a new concept in social and cultural centres, offering a comprehensive and innovative programme that enhances the integrating capacity of culture and its importance for people’s communication and well-being. Part of that being the combination of old and new form. The visibility of the Tate Modern(a power station turned into a museum) led the director of the Caixa Foundation, Luis Monreal, to commission Herzog & de Meuron for the renovation that emerges as a live space opening its doors to the public.The la Caixa Foundacion wanted the CaixaForum Madrid to be a living centre that opens its doors on the Paseo del Prado to place itself at the service of citizens. Within the la Caixa’s cultural initiatives, the CaixaForums provide permanent building venues where some of their cultural activities such as exhibitions of ancient, modern and contemporary art, music and poetry festivals, multimedia art, debates on contemporary issues, social seminars, educ ational and family-oriented workshops may be housed, as well as their ongoing and, typically, permanent exhibits.Knowledge is promoted and personal growth enhanced for citizens of all ages. Though the building’s exterior performs sculpturally, the programmatic desire is to be an experiential system. Along with the cultural operation and importance to the program, the experience of the space is carried through in how it affects the senses. Each program perfoms differently, playing with materials, shapes, and lights. Pleated and welded steel continues from the lobby ceiling and wraps up through the entrance staircase that leads the people into the building through the pattern and re? ection.The lobby walls are made of concrete, but the lights mimic the pattern of the staircase pulling one in and enlarging the space. The foyer and auditorium are covered by a deploye type expanded sheet metal mesh, creating an undulating, dynamic structure. Being underground, this opens the space and lifts the feeling of con? nement. The ? oors of the foyer and auditorium are laid with American oak making an inviting environment. The art gallery ? oors are a continuous white terrazzo paving, made from powdered marble, cement, resin and ? bres lighting the space and making it continous, making visitors more drawn in.The main stairs are a continous ruled surface that invites occupiers through. The lower ? oor of the new expansion acts as a transition that is labyrinthe-like in the material movement and change that pulls one up into the upper ? oor. The upper ? oor consists of the irregular, perforated cast iron panels that coincidewith the glass surfaces create a sort of release from the rest of the building, allowing views across the roofscapes of Madrid. CaixaForum Main Gallery- 4 CaixaForum- 3 Smaller exhibition halls – 6 Chidren’s workshop- 5 8 CaixaForum Madrid 06 05

Studyguide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Studyguide - Essay Example Tesco has maintained lower costs of procurement and production of goods which has enabled it to sell the products at cheaper prices as compared to the other retailers in the market. This has ensured increased competiveness as well as greater sales margins in the business. Tesco Corporation has continued to grow and has expanded the stores of the company into a number of foreign markets. This has made it necessary for the company to have an in-depth understanding of the opportunities presented in the international trading systems. Tesco has successfully attained economies of scale in its production capacities in different foreign countries and as such has become able to lower the costs of production. The company has been an early mover into taking up the principles of comparative advantage by reducing the production and operational costs in the business. In order to maintain lower operating costs, Tesco has implemented a number of comparative advantage theories in their daily operatio ns. The company has used the Ricardo’s comparative advantage theory in the production activities and in the export activities of the goods of Tesco in foreign locations (Kelly 200). Tesco has been extremely selective about the sourcing of the raw materials. The company has made careful selections of local and international suppliers in order to reduce the production costs in the business. The company outsources the production activities of different goods in countries where the production cost of the specific goods are comparatively lower than on other locations. This helps to decrease the production expenses and allows Tesco to sell the final products to the consumers at comparatively lower prices. For example, Tesco focuses on producing rice and other cereals in countries like Japan and clothing goods in countries like China and India where the manufacturing costs of these products are much lower as compared to the home country of Tesco. The

Compare and contrast rationalism and empiricism Essay

Compare and contrast rationalism and empiricism - Essay Example He said that when look at a knife they think of pain. This is the quality of the knife, but the painful thought is the idea in their minds (Cuddy 1). Locke describes the difference between primary and secondary qualities in terms of the different ideas that they produce in the people’s minds. According to Locke, primary qualities of objects create ideas in people’s minds that resemble the matching qualities in the objects that caused people to have those ideas. The secondary qualities of objects create ideas in people’s minds that do not resemble the matching qualities in the objects that created those ideas in people’s minds. According to Locke, color, being red, is a secondary quality, as shape, being square is a primary quality (Cuddy 1). Locke’s concept on what a substance was not clearly understood. There were, however, two key views regarding what Locke meant. These views were that a substance referred to that what supported quality in an object. This is because Locke’s concept of a substance mainly consisted of bare particulars that lacked properties. The other thought of a substance, according to critics, is that a substance refers to a solid stuff that makes a material. The two philosophers believed that people perceive what they perceive. Their eyes do not lie since they cannot lie. They both agreed upon that it is the power the eyes to distinguish what their have seen for what it stands to be. They both used the example of Copernicus and Galileo to explain their theory. They said that it took Galileo and Copernicus to convince people that the world spins. That is a thought that people did not perceive. Sensible things, according to Berkeley, are things that are perceived by sense. He, however, states that the things that are perceived by senses are ideas. Hence, according to Berkeley, a sense is an idea. He connects the two by saying that mountains, houses, rivers among other objects are

Multicultural Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Multicultural Counseling - Essay Example Hence besides acquiring knowledge of the shared values, it also becomes necessary to acquiring knowledge of the different values in the class system among the African Americans. After all each individual is unique and needs to be looked at it from this perspective, in the counseling process. The common cultural values prevalent in African American communities are essentially those of the African American communities originating in West Africa. These cultural values on various points clash with those of the dominant white cultural values. For instance the American cultural values are oriented towards individualism, competition, material accumulation, nuclear families, religion, religion as distinct from the other parts of culture and domination of nature. This is in sharp contrast to the to the values dominant in the African American communities with importance given to the collective over the individual, kinship and affiliation, extended families, spirituality, connectedness, harmony with nature, and holistic thinking. Centuries of racist practice have made all African Americans view the whites as a dominating community and the variance in cultural values have caused the African American to have the view that the white cultural values are being thrust on them, and do not want anything to with them, as a sign of their freedom from white dominance. This feeling is bound to be more intense in the lower classes of society, as there is a tendency to lay the blame of their social position on the attempts of the whites to dominate them. Changing socio-economics among the African Americans have brought with it a growing middle class of society to the African Americans. This class of African American society, while retaining the common cultural values is more amenable to understanding and accepting the values of the dominant white community (Baytops, Day-Vines, & Patton, 2003). Cultural

Pros and Cons of Legalizing Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Pros and Cons of Legalizing Drugs - Essay Example The government starts experiencing constraints in sustaining its citizens and therefore is forced to result to heavy borrowing from other nations, non-governmental organizations, World Bank among other financial institutions. The resulting effect is a huge deficit in the balance of payments, which in turn leads to bad debts (Parks 2009). b) High costs incurred- The costs incurred by the government in following up and arresting drug traffickers are high. It involves the use of machines like vehicles and detectors, to track the criminals and this means expenditure has to be incurred. When these criminals have been arrested and prosecuted, they have to be retained in the cells and provided with the basic needs. If any of them falls sick, they have to be taken to the hospital by the government and it settles their medical bills. This all are extra costs incurred which should have otherwise been saved (Bean 2010). Many nations find it unreasonable nowadays to arrest and prosecute drug offenders as that is not helping in any way to reduce the vice and hence the urge to legalize drugs. The graph below compares the total number of people jailed for drug abusing in U.S.A and the total number of people arrested and jailed by the European Union for all offenses:Medical expenditure by the government increases since many fall vic tims of drug abuse. Many of them become addicted to the drugs to a point whereby they cannot do without them, and this means rehabilitation is the only solution to save their lives. The sensitization programs that the government may decide to organize to enlighten the people on the effects of drug abuse and ways of avoiding drug abuse are very costly. c) Increased mortality rate- Due to drug legalization, many drivers will be under the influence of drugs when driving. This increases road accidents hence leading to loss of lives of many civilians and traffic jams in the roads. In addition, since it is legal to use drugs, many people will result to abusing them. Drug abuse may lead to death of the victim at the end because the drugs have their side effects on human health. For example, many people have been abusing pharmaceutical products that are legal and this has resulted in the death of the individuals. These deaths reduce the population of a country, which should have provided the country with enough labor force to maximize output thus profits (Parks 2009). d) Increased war with other nations and terrorism- Many terrorists do abuse drugs so that they can stimulate their bodies for the plans ahead. Many of these drugs affect the reasoning capacity of an individual and

Timber Industry in Canada Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Timber Industry in Canada - Research Paper Example The US creates the world’s most number of wood panels, sawn wood, paper, paperboard and wood pulp, accounting for 25 to 30% of worldwide manufacture. As a result, the mutual production of the two countries accounts for 40% of the world’s manufacturing round wood and above one-third of all processed wood goods together with approximately half the world’s paper pulp. Canada has easily filled the gap by exporting 80 percent of its logged timber to United States destinations for utilization in the creation of US newspapers along with various other paper and wood products. This state of dealings has made Canada the world’s most important exporter of the main wood products. The area of North America should not be seen only as timber storehouses. In both America and Canada, forests give a broad rage of recreational profits, several of which have important financial rates in their own right. â€Å"As the old British mercantile system was dismembered in the 1840â €™s, Canada was thrown into a crisis. The square timber trade had folded up with the removal of British preferences† (Levitt 49). In the book ‘The Myth of the North American City: Continentalism Challenged’ by Michael Arthur Goldberg, John Mercer reveals that there are mostly four generally cited characteristics of the Canadian and US political structure that have been used to show the relationship among these systems. It is examined that both Canada and America are long recognized and constant democracies. He also says that the Canadian financial system has obtained its resource-based nature since earlier times. Demands for raw materials created in European urban markets guided the export of lumber fish and fur. In the early days, the Atlantic fishery was the foundation for financial... The Canadian economy is dependent on the service sector mainly, however, the timber industry, which belongs to the primary sector, happens to be one among the most popular industries that prove to be fruitful for the country. For the purpose of this research, it is not possible to obtain reliable information from primary source, therefore, in this research process the secondary method of collecting information has been adopted. Thus, secondary and qualitative research methods lead this research to vital conclusions. Along with this, the literature review is also taken into consideration. This report makes a conclusion that there exists a tough competition between Canada and the US regarding trade, so it is the responsibility of both the governments to see to it that the competition does not create any personal problems among the people of the two nations and that globalization becomes more developed and ultimately, both the countries benefit. Both countries are interdependent on each other and, thus, the rules and regulations with respect to mobility of labor, trade, free movement of goods and services should be in favor of both. The government of the two countries should work together in order to achieve a harmonious relationship between the two countries and develop the global trade as well as the mutual bond among them. In this way, it is possible that the government of Canada will be able to promote the production as well as the trade of timber.

Comparative Study of Existing ATM Systems and Systems for Small Literature review

Comparative Study of Existing ATM Systems and Systems for Small Payment Transactions Using Mobile Phones - Literature review Example With the development and advent of e-commerce, the mobile transactions have also evolved and gained much popularity in recent years. In several small payment transactions, uses of direct cash have changed by mobile payment systems. It provides users the advantage of using mobile phone for any kind of financial transactions such as bill payment or purchase goods. The increasing uses of ATM system and mobile technologies in payment have also increased the security risks. In present days, these electronic means of money transaction involve several security threats from illegal activities such as card trapping, swapping, cloning, phishing, shoulder surfing, and smishing among others. These activities result in loss of huge money and account information of users. The paper will describe the existing ATM system and small payment transactions by using mobile technology along with the security issues of these systems. Keywords: ATM System Security, Small Payment Transactions, Mobile Technolo gies. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Literature Review 4 Introduction 4 Existing ATM System 4 Small Payment Transactions through Mobile Technology 6 Mobile Transaction 7 ATM System Security 9 Conclusion 11 References 12 Bibliography 17 Literature Review Introduction Presently, ATM system can be found in almost every bank and financial institution and the uses are growing rapidly. The paper will describe the ATM system and several security issues of this technology. ATM stands for â€Å"Automated Teller Machine† which is a real time methodology having extremely complex design and operation. ATM technology has been developed through â€Å"Real-Time Process Algebra† (RTPA) systems and â€Å"Unified Data Models† (Wang, 2010). The static actions of ATM machine are indicated by Unified Process Models for processing money transaction and dynamic actions are indicated by process precedence allocation, process disposition, and report processing simulations. The AT M system never performs autonomously it should be controlled by some banks and requires specialized software and computer which is aimed for performing the money transaction operations. The software of ATM must support the electronic system of bank (Wang, 2010). Existing ATM System This theme will provide a brief description about ATM system, how it performs and its importance. This section is relevant for conducting the research as it can help the reader to understand the characteristics of ATM system. ATM system is most efficient in microfinance institutions (MFIs) (Whelan, 2011) which take money and help customers in numerous sites throughout non-office hours. The value of a single ATM machine is almost 22,600 Pounds (Approximately 35,000 USD) and needs dependable electrical and communication networks (Whelan, 2011). In today’s dynamic business environment, the excellence in service quality and flexibility has become imperious for organisations to survive. The progress of machinery has empowered banks to deliver superior services for enhancing customer satisfaction. This is the reason, majority of banks provide self service delivery system such as ATM in order to increase self-sufficiency in performing the money transactions. In the banking sector, ATM system acts as a pioneering service which provides diversified facilities such as money withdrawal, account transfer, cash payment, credit card notices, check book applications, and other monetary queries (Khan, 2010). The advancement of ATM system is

Latest measle outbreak in florida Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Latest measle outbreak in florida - Assignment Example Approximately 93% of children in South Florida received measles vaccination when the disease was detected. Then vaccines are mostly administered to children from the age of 12 months to six years (CBS Miami, 2015). Some of the risk factors that contributed to the spread of measles include interaction with other travelers, as well as being in contact with them. Other ways in which the diseases was spread was through sneezing and coughing. When a person contracts measles, they tend to experience a running nose, sore throat, coughing, and moderate fever. The disease is mostly associated with failure to vaccinate children from the measles virus at a young age (CBS Miami, 2015). Currently, the health department in South Florida is working with the CDC, as well as other partners to identify cases of measles in the state. The state government of South Florida is urging all persons who suspect to have contracted the disease to report to the relevant authorities. In addition, South Florida and other states in the United States are conducting immunizations to prevent any cases of measles (CBS Miami,

Best Buy Case Essay Example for Free

Best Buy Case Essay What type of retailer is Best Buy? Best Buy Co. , Inc. is a multinational retailer of consumer electronics, home office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services. 2. Do you agree with the strategy Best Buy has adopted to respond to its competitors? Why or why not? Yes, I agree to the strategy that Best Buy has adopted to respond to its competitors. If I wanted to buy something as simple as a toaster I would go to Wal-Mart, but when it comes to buying high technical multi-function printer, I would consider going to Best Buy. Even though they are planning on selling upscale and higher margin merchandise, they do have highly trained sales â€Å"consultants† to help with the complex expensive purchase. In order for Best Buy to stay on top of the market, they have to provide the extra service with the best quality merchandise. 3. Describe the six components of Best Buy’s retailing mix. Is there anything you would change? Explain. The six components of Best Buy retailing mix are: First component, they offer array of different products (it stores have nearly 25,000 separate items) at affordable prices. They also offer installation on some of the products you buy, plus maintenance service technical support, and subscription on cell phones and internet services. Second component is the proper location. Best Buy stores are usually located in a small to medium size outdoor shopping centers. The third component is their promotion strategy. Best Buy’s television commercials use the slogan, â€Å"Thousand of Possibilities. Get Yours. † They send out flyers, and email customers who gave their emails to Best Buy, and weekly ads. Fourth component is the prices. Their prices range varies depending on what you buy, from low cost merchandise to high cost merchandise. Best Buy retail stores price match guarantees that if you find a lower advertised price on the same available brand and model prior to your purchase or during the exchange and return period, they will match that price. The fifth component to Best Buy is customer service. They have customer representatives that are specialized in their departments, who can help customers with any questions they have

The Organisational Challenges Faced By Debenhams Commerce Essay

The Organisational Challenges Faced By Debenhams Commerce Essay The following report looks at an organisation (Debenhams) the authors employer, its profile, culture and how the current economic climate has affected its profile and culture What is an organisation? Organisations are social arrangements for achieving controlled performance in pursuit of collective goals, Buchanan and Huczynski (1997). The collective goals at Debenhams are aimed at, identifying, creating and maintaining satisfying relationships with customers resulting in value for both the customer and the organisation. Profile Debenhams Plc is a public limited company. Founded in 1778 as Flint Clark, Debenhams operated as an independent company until its hostile takeover by the Burton Group in the late 1980s. In 1998 Debenhams regained its independence when it was demerged from the Burton Group, which subsequently changed its name to Arcadia Group plc. The Groups principal activity is selling of fashion clothing and accessories, cosmetics and products for use in the home. It retails womenswear, menswear, homewares, health and beauty, accessories, lingerie and childrenswear. The Group trades from department stores and small store formats .Brands include Designers and Debenhams, including third-party brands. The Group has 161 department stores including 10 Desire by Debenhams stores, across the United Kingdom and Ireland with approximately 11 million square feet of trading space and around 27,000 employees. The Group has a portfolio of more than 55 own brands such as Debut, Maine New England, Red Herring and Thomas Nash including 25 Designers of Debenhams brands. Company brands account for about 70% of sales. Debenhams also offers a wedding gift service, in-store restaurants and cafes. The company has 51-plus international franchise stores in 19 countries including, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey and will soon be opening 8 in Denmark. Debenhams also extends its customer reach by making direct sales through its website. Debenhams is company that is registered and trades its shares on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Its registered office is at: 1 Welbeck St London W1G 0AA United Kingdom The companys key people are the Chairman: John D. Lovering, CEO: Rob Templeman and Deputy CEO and Director: Michael Sharp. Structure An organisation structure according to Mintzberg (1979) is the sum total of the ways in which it divides its labour into distinct tasks and then achieves coordination between them An organisation structure determines task allocation, reporting lines, and formal coordination mechanisms and interaction patterns. According to Basset and Carr (1996) an organisations structure should emphasise flexibility of response to market and environmental forces, this is accomplished by appropriate variability in the leadership role to fit the circumstances. As a retail organisation, Debenhams emphasises its structure in response to market and environmental forces by identifying and developing new talents to suit whats happening in the market and the retail and business environment in general. Wright and Burns (1998) state that, organisation structures largely depend on what kind of business the organisation is e.g. primary (e.g. extraction of raw materials, secondary, (e.g. conversion of raw materials to finished goods) and tertiary (e.g. services). The structure of an organisation is also affected by ownership and number of employees in the business. Debenhams is a public owned company. Its functional organisation based on product/brand but has a flat organisational structure headed by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and organises employees into different departments selling different products The functional structure groups employees together based upon the functions of specific jobs within the organization. Melissa Bushman (2007). The author belongs to the Home department where they deal in home wares including wedding gifts. Other departments include Mens wear and Womens wear. The dividing of employees according to departments in Debenhams allows managers to exert con trol on a smaller number of employees, making it easier to manage, be more efficient and allows for easy communication between employees and management. Culture The culture of an organisation refers to the unique configuration of norms, values, beliefs, ways of behaving and so on that characterize the manner in which groups and individuals combine to get things done, Eldridge Crombie (1974). At Debenhams they have a unique configuration of norms, values and beliefs that characterize the manner in which they work as a group to get things done. They have a way which sets them apart from others. Drennan (1992) defines culture as, how things are done around here. It is how things are done at Debenhams that makes them who they are. Its about their brand, their people and how they market themselves. Schein (1990) suggests a view of organisational culture based on distinguished three levels of culture, from the shallowest to the deepest artefacts and creations, values and basic assumptions. The Debenhams culture is about excellence, its about design and innovation. The culture at Debenhams goes with the times but its traditions remain intact and h ave been so for two centuries. Debenhams culture is based on being a premium department store retailer. A family friendly store who supply designer labels at affordable prices. The best statement to Debenhams culture is its people. Retail is a fast-moving, exciting business where teamwork really makes an impact. At Debenhams they think everyone can have an impact on their success. Wherever you go in Debenhams you will meet friendly, welcoming people who will care about your well being and support your development but also expect you to be a valuable member of the team. If you want to push your boundaries and take the initiative, they help you do it. Whether you are a sales advisor or merchandiser, Debenhams growth and breadth of opportunity and focus on personal development makes it the ideal place to develop your career. From the sales floor where people can influence customers to behind the scenes roles, every person can influence the performance of Debenhams. Our senior management team listens and acts on feedback. At Debenhams they want people who have a real passion for what they do, people who are self-motivated. People who will use their initiative to act on the freedom they are given and will drive their own development. Sutherland Canwell (1997) say if employees share the cultural values of the organisation then they will be more likely to be committed to it. At Debenhams employees are committed to the organisation as they believe and share in its culture and values. Certain organisations stress the importance of personal initiative and achievement; indeed they reward employees for personal performance. On the other hand, other organisations positively encourage competition between departments or sub-division of the organisation, Sutherland et al (1997). The Debenhams culture stresses personal initiative and achievement and at the same time positively encourages competition between departments of the organisation. Both individual and team initiative and growth are encouraged. The culture in Debenhams is one that is caring, daring, enabling and encourages sharing. According to Blanchard and Bowles (1998) and their Gung Ho culture, an organisation should aim to create a culture of committed employees who love what they do by adhering to the following three principles: Worthwhile work driven by goals and values- An organisation should focus on worthwhile work, use of case studies, review goal standards for individuals and team members. Putting workers in control of achieving the goal. Cheering each other on- the power of feedback, rewards and recognition and action planning. The Gung Ho process aims to address the following: Improve morale and productivity Reduce employee turnover Develop a sense of purpose Improve creativity and innovation Improve service to internal and external customers Empower individuals and teams The author feels Debenhams their employer, fulfils principles as described in the Gung Ho process by Blanchard et al (1998). This is so because the work is driven by goals and values. Good standards are maintained through regular training and review of individuals and team members. By setting reasonable and realistic targets workers are put in control and are able to achieve set goals and even outdo themselves by going beyond. The organisation recognises the power of feedback by holding regular meetings where everyone participates. It also recognises the importance of rewards and action planning. Rewards help boost morale and productivity while action planning and develop a sense of purpose. Current Economic Climate and how it might affect profile and Culture The past eighteen months has seen the economy of the UK and the rest of the world badly hit and seriously bruised by the credit crunch. The current economic climate could have great impact on the profile and culture of Debenhams as an organisation. These impacts could be Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal, shortened to PESTEL. PESTEL Analysis of Debenhams Political changes-E.g. a change in government or a change in government policy. Government plans to implement the scheduled VAT increase (back to 17.5 per cent) on New Years Day. To change every price in all of its 161 stores at that time would take 250,000 man hours. Debenhams has been encouraged by governments decision on Local Employment Partnership Scheme (LEP) to create employment and will create 1200 jobs between 2010 and 2011and receive government assistance in meeting its training needs. Economic changes-Relate to changes in the wider economy such as rises in living standards or the general level of demand, rises or falls in interest rates, etc. UK markets have been affected by economic concerns through the credit crunch. Lower available income will impact and strategic focus may need to change to lower priced basic products with less focus on higher priced brands suggesting a switch in price architecture. The economy is predicted to grow out of recession in the coming year. As the US economy, the worlds biggest has started growing the growth of exports to that country will create more jobs in the UK economy and as a consequence more consumers will buy the Debenhams brand. The continuous fall in the value of the Pound Sterling against the Euro is likely to bring in more tourists from the EU and beyond who will purchase Debenhams products at a competitive price. As most of the world recovers from the current economic crisis. Debenhams are likely to spearhead their expansion into the international market, introducing new customers to new brands in an exciting retail environment. Social changes-Relate to changes in wider society such as changes in lifestyles e.g. more women going out to work, changes in tastes and buying patterns. Debenhams has added customer ratings and reviews to its online shop to enhance its customers online shopping experience and drive sales. Debenhams customers dont just have to rely on a brands professional opinion they will also now be able to hear what fellow shoppers think. The group is also improving its web site, adding features such as social networking capability, video and catwalk/outfit projection, an online outlet that leads to current offers and promotions, a facility that allows customers to shop by size, as well as product reviews and surveys. The call for fair trade is also another thing that Debenhams has to observe. For example Debenhams restaurants now stock only Douwe Egberts Good Original Coffee. Every cup of Good Original Coffee can be traced back to the farm where it was grown and has been certified by Utz Kapeh, a global non-governmental organisation. This is ensuring we are helping farmers look after their workers, their families and the environment in which they live and work. Technological changes-Relate to the application of new inventions and ideas such as the development of the Internet and websites as business tools. New internet and television technology which use special effects in advertising will make Debenhams products known and attractive to more customers as more people are now making use of the internet. Debenhams has opened online stores due to advancement in technology of the internet and can now sell its products without using shop space. This will allow it to compete favourably in this harsh environment. Positive performance online is helping lift yearly profit at Debenhams, this is despite the harsh economic turmoil in the domestic and international market Environmental changes-Relates to what is happening with respect to the ecological and environmental aspects. Debenhams have also joined calls to reduce impact on global warming by driving a Store energy saving plan, reviewing timings for lights, escalators and air conditioning. Overnight shifts have been reduced with light focussed only in the areas its needed. As a result of these efforts the organisation has achieved the Energy Efficiency Accreditation awarded by the energy Institute. Debenhams is now contributing to a national fund which will help to develop specific WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) collection centres to ensure that more WEEE gets recycled. Debenhams offer a collection service on a like for like basis, for example if you buy a washing machine we can take away your old one. All the appliances we collect are then sent to be recycled. More eco friendly measures have to be implemented, for instance Debenhams have developed a more eco-friendly packaging for the bra collars on Lingerie, by using a new type of board and are now able to maintain the print quality, whilst introducing 20% recycled content. Legal changes-Relate to changes in legislation. This may impact employment, access to materials, quotas, resources, imports/exports, taxation etc. Debenhams has been affected by the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive from the government and is doing its bit to help care for the environment. The directive states that as a retailer we are responsible for increasing the amount of WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic equipment) that is recycled in the UK. Debenhams reactions to the current economic climate Trigger events like the credit crunch affect organisations in many different ways. Towards the end of 2008, Debenhams struggled as customers were no longer buying much of their products as the economy slid into recession. The current economic climate is likely to impact on Debenhams profile and culture. The report by Graeme Wearden, in the Guardian of (21st October, 2008) gives a clear example of how the current economic climate has affected Debenhams. Debenhams has slashed its dividends after a sharp fall in sales during the past few weeks as the economy deteriorates, Debenhams is planning cost-cutting measures to reduce debt of  £994m, which it admitted was causing uncertainty over its future. It also plans to strip out  £15m of costs, and is cutting almost  £40m from its capital expenditure. The profile of the organisation might change as it could be more difficult to raise funds for new ventures or expansions and also might reduce the current size of the company as there could be downsizing. The negative trends in the economy also might affect the culture of Debenhams as its employees will be operating in a culture of uncertainty. However, the negative trends in the economy have had some positive effects on Debenhams as reported in the Waterford Today (6th January, 2009). On the day (6th January 2009) Debenhams released its interim management statement for the 18 weeks to the 3 January 2009, it also reported that sales of designer gear normally associated with boom times rather than bust, are back in vogue thanks to a new type of shopper, the recessionista. Spring/Summer 09 at Debenhams draws the latest influences from catwalks around the globe with a strong focus on wearability all with famous name designer influences but with high street price tags. ClickPress (14th January 2009)The retailer reported double digit sales growth across its Designer at Debenhams offer in the run up to Christmas, as well as seeing sales and profits increase and market share gains in all major clothing categories, while reducing its debt. The current economic climate has shaken Debenhams, but the Debenhams culture that encourages initiative has seen them shake off the initial fall in sales which shrunk the organisations profile and brought a culture of uncertainty as Debenhams struggled to survive. Whilst Debenhams is a premium department store retailer the external factors of banks going bust, rising unemployment adversely affected their operations. The public could no longer afford their products. The organisation strategized and came up with the idea of selling designer labels with famous name influences but sold at high street prices. Despite the credit crunch Debenhams has been able to maintain its culture of hard work and excellence through its people. The outgoing Chairmans words sum up the Debenhams culture. John Lovering said: I am proud of what Debenhams has achieved over the last six years whilst I have served as chairman.  We have set direction for a sound future. Debenhams is a well managed, properly financed company with a clear and successful strategy and a number of exciting development opportunities. I hope my successor enjoys the role as much as I have. Debenhams has taken advantage of the recession; its combination of quality, price and design in its products has continued to attract customers. Sky News (17 March, 2009). The companys profile will expand as in 2010 theyll open eight new stores bringing the total number to 161 stores across the UK and will employee 1200 new people. The culture of the organisation has altered slightly as the perceived credit crunch crisis initially shook the organisation and drastic measures had to be implemented, the crisis brought a culture of uncertainty across Debenhams. The measures implemented have seen the UKs second biggest department store chain continue to take market share from its competitors in all major product categories. Sky News (March, 2009). The culture change which has taken place at Debenhams is what Brown (1998) terms, specific evolution, which is the adaptation of particular organisational functions (such as research and development, data processing and marketing), to fit the environment. People at Debenhams had to adapt to the credit crunch and found working ways to rise above the crisis. The Debenhams culture has been sustained through new pattern- maintenance symbols, beliefs and structures. Debenhams has been able to weather the storms of the credit crunch because of proper planning and effectively managing todays business risks. Reuvid (2005) points out that organisations should spend time researching the possibility of a risk occurring and the probability of that risk occurring and interrupting businesss flow, then find ways to reduce and mitigate these risks. The organisation should continuously be evaluating the overall risk management infrastructure and investments necessary to look beyond financial statement, risk to enterprise and external risks should not be undervalued and cannot be underscored enough. The organisation needs to protect itself from excessive risk. This should be top priority for management and the audit team. They should understand the extent to which the company is exposed to financial, operational or strategic risks. Because of its preparedness and strategic use both of its financial, creative talent and its human capital Debenhams has survive d the worst recession in decades and remains standing strong.

An examination of the sonnet from Petrarch to Browning. Essay -- Engli

An examination of the sonnet from Petrarch to Browning. A sonnet is a poem, which traditionally contains the subject of love. The creator of the sonnet was a man named Francesco Petrarca who was usually referred to as Petrarch. Petrarch wrote many of his sonnets based upon himself, and his lover, Laura. The conventional format of a sonnet contains fourteen lines, and is segregated to illustrate two arguments. Every sonnet takes the conventional format of fourteen lines, although the way the arguments are split up, may be different. For example, Petrarch and Elizabeth Barrett Browning's sonnet both take the format of an octave and a sestet, whereas Shakespeare's sonnet takes the format of three quatrains and a rhyming couplet. The arguments usually comprise of love juxtaposed against its opposite. For example, love versus hate, and love versus death. I have chosen to compare three sonnets. I will compare the subject of their sonnet, the form of the sonnet, and the way that they depict their argument in their sonnet. For example, how they have set out the sonnet, and their use of language. I have chosen to compare, Petrarch's, "XLL," and Shakespeare's, "Sonnet 138," and Barrett Browning's, "XLIII." The three sonnets that I have selected all contain the subject of love, but do not compose of the same aspect of love. The subject of, "Sonnet XXL," is about a woman named Laura, with whom the author Francesco Petrarch fell deeply in love with, even though she did not return his affections. Shakespeare's, "Sonnet 138," is about the experience of being in love. He writes from a masculine perspective, describing his lover as, "Unchaste, unfaithful, and dishonest." Elizabeth Barrett Browning's, "Sonnet XLIII,"... ...ar the most exceptional sonnet out of the three that I have chosen. I think this because of his motivating subject, and the way he has used different techniques of language and imagery. I think that his sonnet depicts the subject of love very well. Petrarch's sonnet was the second best sonnet out of the three, again for its subject. I felt that it didn't compose of the same ingredients as Shakespeare's sonnet, and it didn't contain as many uses of language and imagery as Shakespeare's did. I found that Elizabeth Barrett Browning's sonnet was not as good as the other two because of the way she used very little language and imagery, and because of the way that her subject was constant throughout the sonnet. All three sonnets portrayed their subject well, and used many techniques such as imagery and rhyme, which helped the reader understand each sonnet more.

In The Skin Of A Lion Essay -- essays research papers

When studying a novel it sometimes helps to look at the language used in a specific passage. In the novel In The Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje, this approach is extremely helpful. It will help you better understand the characters and give you a clearer idea of what the author is trying to say. Within the novel, the passage entitled “The Skating Scene,'; where Patrick observes the loggers skating late at night, is stylistically interesting. By looking at metaphors, symbolism and diction, we can gain a better understanding of the characters and make connections within the scene and then to the novel as a whole.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In “The Skating Scene'; many metaphors are used throughout, making is very poetic. One very powerful metaphor seen in this passage is: “This was against the night'; (page 22). This emphasizes the light and dark imagery found in this passage. Ondaatje points out that for Patrick day is work and night is rest, however, he sees the loggers skating and having fun at night. They are going against what Patrick has been taught. In a way they are showing him a new side to life and he is transfixed. This sense of excitement is also shown in the pace of the passage. As the loggers are skating the pace gets faster, and then starts to slow down when he goes back home to his routine life. By going against the night, the loggers are essentially breaking the rules: “Their lanterns replaced them with new rushes which let them go further past boundaries'; (page 22). This idea of going past boundaries reminds us of a part later in the novel. Patrick goes past boun daries when he sets fire to the Muskoka Hotel on page 168. Instead of being an observer like he always is, he actually steps in and goes “against the night.'; By comparing Patrick in “The Skating Scene'; to when he goes to the Muskoka Hotel, we can see how he grows and changes throughout the course of the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another powerful metaphor in this particular scene is: “And a moon lost in the thickness of clouds so it did not shine a path for him towards the trees'; (page 20). This metaphor again emphasizes the light and dark imagery in the scene. Even though there is no path for Patrick to follow, he still finds his way to the skaters by travelling towards the light from their l... ...ple, “….they could leap into the air and crash down and it would hold the,'; (page 22), “When they collided sparks fell into the ice….'; (page 21), and “their lanterns…..let them go further past boundaries'; (page 22). Personification is also used to show that the skaters have magical powers: “A tree branch reached out, its hand frozen in the ice, and one of them skating under it'; (page 21). The idea of witches and magic reminds us of a quote on page 93. Patrick talks about Clara and says “ Something about her cast a spell on me…I don’t know what is it.'; It seems that Patrick is fascinated with people who possess these magical qualities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is evident that by doing a stylistic analysis of a passage, we can get a better understanding of characters and make connections within the passage and then to the rest of the novel. This is certainly the case with “The Skating Scene'; in Michael Ondaatje’s In The Skin of Lion. The metaphors, symbols and diction he uses in this particular passage clearly show that he is truly a brilliant writer.

Debts of Good Will and Interpersonal Justice :: Sociology Sociological Papers

Debts of Good Will and Interpersonal Justice ABSTRACT: A debt of good will (utang na loob in Filipino) is incurred when a person becomes the beneficiary of significant assistance or favor given by another. Usually, the beneficiary is in acute need of the assistance given or favor granted. This provides an opportunity for the giving of help to serve as a vehicle for the expression of sympathy or concern. The debt could then be appreciated as one of good will because, by catering to another person's pressing need, the benefactor is able to express positive dispositions towards the beneficiary. It is not merely the receipt of the assistance or favor that puts the recipient in a position of indebtedness. The indebtedness is created by the benefactor's kagandahang loob (good will). An act can be considered to convey kagandahang loob only if it is done out of kusang loob (roughly, free will); and can only be considered to have been done out of kusang loob if the agent (1) is not acting under external compulsion, (2) is motivated by p ositive feelings (e.g. charity, love or sympathy) towards the beneficiary, and (3) is not motivated by the anticipation of reward. These conditions entail debt-of-good-will relationships where the benefactor has no right to demand reciprocity but the beneficiary has a "self-imposed" obligation to repay kagandahang loob with kagandahang loob. Debts of good will are about some forms of justice. But we should not reduce all talk about debts of good will to talk about justice. Debts of gratitude are, in general, incurred by people who receive help or favors from others. But to say that a person has a debt of gratitude is not merely to say that he should be thankful for the assistance given. The indebtedness concerned is not confined to actual benefits received. In recognizing a debt of gratitude, one also recognizes the good will manifested by the benefactor in providing assistance or granting a favor. For this reason, this paper refers to "debts of good will" instead of "debts of gratitude." The contention is that the former terminology focuses attention on important features of the concept that the words "debt of gratitude" fail to capture. Another reason for the use of the preferred term in this paper is that the equivalent of "good will" in the Filipino language – kagandahang loob – has an important significance in related ethical theory.

Bend it like Beckham Essay

All cultures have different ways of showing respect and how there life is. In Bend it Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha shows us the Indian life with the character Jessminda. Jessminda’s dreams are more important than her culture so she does not want to be the typical traditional Indian girl her parents want her to be; it sets the tone of depressed, troubled, and motivated. Jessminda changes throughout the story. At first she is really depressed because she wants to play soccer but her parents won’t let her. The reason why they won’t let her is because her culture is against her playing a boy sport that shows body parts her culture is against showing. The author shows us the tone of depressed by having Jessminda act sad and rude towards her parents. Also he shows the tone of depressed by having calm sentimental music playing. For example, ff she follows her culture her parents will be happy and she will have to give up scholarships that she could have. If she plays soccer her parents will be mad at her but she will get what she’s been wanting. Then her best friend, Jules stops talking to her because she sees Jess kiss there soccer coach, Joe. The reason her friend got mad is because Jess knew Jules and there soccer coach. The author uses this fight with her friend to show more depression that Jessminda is going through. He shows by putting them together and have them argue and he angles the camera close up to show their emotions as there talking. Culture is a big part of our lives but do we always follow it or would we rather follow our dreams? Jess starts to become daring which makes her start getting in trouble. She does what she has to just so she can play in soccer games. For example her parents and sister leave but she acts like she is sick so she doesn’t have to go with them but once they leave she goes to play in a soccer game but her dad had to go back to the house and finds out that she isn’t home. He then goes to where her game is and watches her play. Her parent’s hate that she wants to play soccer but her dad sees how much she likes it but she’s sneaking out to go play. By the author putting in this scene, he is showing that sometimes people have to do what they need to just to get what they want. He shows us the process of Jessminda lying to her parents and going and playing the game. This shows that she is a troubled girl who will show how much she likes something that means something to her. Everyone has those moments when we have to sneak away to do something that we really want to do. In addition another example of her being troubled is when she starts falling in love with their coach. She knows her culture only allows Indian woman to date Indian boys that the family accepts. Her falling for Joe is risking her life and his. The author shows us being troubled by having them two alone, dark nights so they fall in love. She does spend a lot of time with Joe but only because he is her soccer coach. Everyone has moments when we do things that changes us as a person. Jess becomes motivated to playing soccer. If it wasn’t for her coach she would of quit right in the beginning when her parents told her she couldn’t play. The problem is if she doesn’t play she won’t get the scholarships she can get and she won’t go on to college. So her coach talks to her and tells her if she just plays this championship game she will have a scholarship because they will be out there watching how they play. The author uses this to show that there are chances out there. Another problem is that her sister’s wedding lands on the day of the championship game, and her parents will not let her miss her sister’s wedding. She is sad that she can’t go but until her dad sees that she is talking to the guy her parents want her to marry and he sees what’s going on. They then tell her dad that the championship game is going on and she’s missing it so he tells them to go. This example shows confident by Chadha having her dad give her a chance to play. She then goes to the game and gets more motivated that when she gets there Jules is happy to see her so they could play together. She then played and ended up making the winning goal. After the game the person who was watching them to see if they can get there scholarships went up to them and offered them there scholarships. While he is watching them play Chadha keeps having the camera go to him to show how he reacts to good or bad plays. The camera angles help shows motivation and confidence by they keeps repeating his reaction. Chadha has good parts and bad parts to get us thinking. If it wasn’t for her coach Joe she would have given up her dream to respect her culture but now she has a scholarship that leads her to a better successful life. Cultures are what people believe in and that they follow but sometimes there’s a negative side in our culture that cannot always be followed. Everyone changes as a person good or bad and have different types of attitudes towards what he or she wants or has. Jessmindas dreams were more important to her that she went against her culture but her dad accepted it.

Black on Black Crime Essay

Undeniably, stereotyping has always been rampant in our society. These stereotyping may either be through gender, age, occupation and the most popular of all, perhaps—race. Part of stereotyping is associating a certain group of people to whether good or bad demeanor. And perhaps, almost known to all is the black-on-black crime. This kind of crime is usually pushed to happen due to the prejudice of the society. As Black Americans are subjected to discrimination and injustice, black-on-black crimes are most likely to occur. Black-on-black crimes are the kind of crimes which are committed on Blacks with their fellow Blacks as the offenders. At present, the African Americans remain more segregated that any other racial group in the world. Some of them even experience â€Å"residential isolation† (Quillian, 1999). Past studies show that â€Å"white flight† or the avoidance of white is the main reason of racial discrimination. While there are only 12 percent African American living in the United States, 45 percent of the victims of murder in year 2002 also come from them; 91 percent of them are killed by their fellow Black Americans. Statistics show that homicide tops the list of the leading causes of death among Black men, while suicide in landed on the second notch on the causes of death among Black women aged 15-24 (Greaves). These figures or statistics, of course, are just a reflection of social reality. Racial discrimination, though not as rampant in the past decades still hounds out society that is a great factor contributing to the crime rate among Black Americans. â€Å"BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME† PAGE#2 Prior Research Despite the society’s eventual tolerance on racial differences, there are still studies that show that whites do not prefer in places where there are a lot of African Americans thriving in. In a research survey conducted, most of the white Americans who were asked in the survey said they prefer living in a community where the population of African American is less than 30 percent. (Clark) Studies showing the trends of mobility actually show that neighborhoods or communities with relatively high population of Black families have the tendency to have a â€Å"collapsed† population of white families (Quillian 1999). This means that white Americans tend to move out the place if it is more dominant of the black Americans. In the long run, these neighborhoods would be dominated fully by black Americans. Perceptions on Crime Empirical studies were never really enough to back up the perception of neighborhoods and communities about crime. There are no really a significant number of studies which focus on the black-on-black crimes. But then there are two main factors that are believed to influence the perception of a neighborhood towards crime. First is the observable characteristic which is the neighborhood’s racial composition. In the United States, for example, most of the neighborhoods or communities can be categorized into either dominant of blacks or dominant of whites. Factors like economic class where an individual belong is not easy to gauge based on physical characteristic. â€Å"BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME† PAGE#3 The second factor would be the stereotypes that relate a certain group of people with crime. An example of this would be the African-American or the Blacks who are often associated with rampant crimes known by all Americans (Devine and Elliot 1995). Studies furthered that information that are consistently seen are stereotypes are most likely to be noticed or remembered by people than those information stereotypes that are not usually used (Robert, Evans, and Fulero1979). Stereotypes may also lead to the salience of the stereotypes which are associating certain groups of people on committing crimes. Thus, media reports would most likely to focus on news reports that are guilty of stereotyping. These kinds of media reports reinforce the association of crime and race in the minds of the people, or to be specific, to the mind of the audience. Causes Divergent to the common notion that racism or discrimination is the main cause of black-on-black crime, there are actually a lot of factors causing the perpetuation of such crimes. Racism or discrimination is not the sole reason for the existence of â€Å"evil attitudes. † Among of them urging â€Å"evil attitudes† are: high rates of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and births, abortions, child abuse, and broken families that continually hound the different black communities. Empirical data show that teenagers or the young adults are the ones who are usually involved in troubles, thus increasing their vulnerability to committing crimes. These data apply to Black Americans. But these figures cannot actually generalize all of the Black Americans. â€Å"BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME† PAGE#4 In the case of Unites States, youngsters (or the Black Americans to be specific) are usually involved in peer groups some even call it â€Å"gangtas. † Majority of these kinds of groups are said to be constantly involved in riots or rumbles mostly with their fellow teenagers and Black Americans. Teenagers are groups of peers who seem to act like a â€Å"broken window† which signals crime (Maxfield 1981). This most likely applies most likely to young black men (Anderson 1990) in neighborhoods with â€Å"mixed racial† inhabitants. Combating Black-on-Black Crimes The problem on black-on-black crime cannot be instantly resolved. The way towards the solution of this social problem would really entail a lot of efforts and factors. It may take years, decades or more for us to get over or to lessen the rate of black-on-black crimes. But then, if we are really determined to combat or at least lessen the figures of the occurrence of black-on-black crime, then, we will surely be successful in our aim. This plight is not just the plight of the Black Americans. Everyone is affected when Black-on-black crimes happen—whether directly or indirectly. As follows are the probable solutions that may address the social plight on black-on-black crimes. Some may be too mundane for some, but it will contribute to the eradication of the problem. One of the main factors, perhaps, pushing the Blacks to commit crime against their fellow Blacks is their low self-esteem. We can avoid the Black on Black Crimes by giving them enough and proper education not only to the African-American children but also to the Caucasian â€Å"BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME† PAGE#5 children. It is because, the usual educational curriculum among schools, especially in the K-12 levels, is teaching that European descendants are the superior race while the Blacks are inferior. Another is â€Å"identifying and helping potential offenders. † We should first identify who are the common groups of people are involved in black-on-black crimes. Researches show that black-on-black crimes usually happen among the youngsters. We should help them in overcoming their unpleasant behavior. Those behaviors are, in reality, brought about also by some social factors. There are certain problems within our society that need to be immediately addressed before we could completely dwell in our problem on black-on-black crimes. More so, better law enforcement could also help in eradicating the problem on black-on-black crimes. Also this will not really guarantee that crimes will never happen again, this will ensure that there is a strict monitoring of what is happening in the society. But then, there should also be also respect on the Black offenders. They may be criminals, but they should still be treated as human. If offenders are immediately identified, there will be lesser crimes as the police or the authorities are faster in terms of solving the crime. Part and parcel of this solution is also the strict implementation of available laws. If authorities are not strict in implementing their own policies pertaining to crime, offenders will not be intimidated and ashamed to commit any crimes—whether it is a black-on-black crime or not. â€Å"BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME† PAGE#6 And last but not the least, there should be â€Å"community involvement† in fighting this social predicament. It is not just an issue of Blacks against Blacks. It is an issue concerning everyone. The Blacks should not be treated differently by the society. It is just the complexion that differs, anyway. In a study conducted by the Chicago Crime Factors and Neighborhood Decline in 1978, respondents were asked about their perception on the crimes that are happening in their community. The survey was done through a telephone survey involving 3300 household members in eight chosen community areas in Chicago. The communities were chosen in terms of their racial composition, property values, and crime rates. In each community, there were 400 household members chosen randomly. Based on the results, there is a significant association of racial composition to the respondents’ perception on the crimes in their neighborhood. As hypothesized, as a neighborhood has a higher percentage of Black American inhabitants, the respondents have higher perceived rates on the crime rates within their community. The association of Black Americans with crime rate is both applicable to Black and White Americans, who are the respondents of the study. The survey conducted in Chicago just shows how the Black Americans are perceived by White Americans and even by their fellow Black Americans. They are associated with crimes. We have to break this particular stereotype than Black Americans would mean higher crime rate. Instead of being mere observers of this social plight, we do something to break this kind of problem. â€Å"BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME† PAGE#7 Black-on-black crimes usually happen because of the treatment that the Black Americans get from the society. If we open about our racial differences, Black-on-black crimes would be lessened—at least. We would just usually smirk if we hear stories of crimes committed by Blacks on their fellow Blacks. Our mind set is that, we are not affected, anyway. Some even blame the Blacks alone for doing those â€Å"criminal acts. † We tend to forget that everything is connected to everything else. We tend also to â€Å"wash our hands† over the issue of Black-on-black crimes. We are unmindful that we have also our part on the perpetuation of these kinds of crimes. Conclusion The society is a very crucial factor towards the development of an individual. The environment is a vital determinant on what kind of individual one could be. How the society looks on a particular group of people usually reflect the demeanor of an individual within the group. For example, the case of the Black Americans is a clear manifestation of the society’s prejudice. The salient issue that Black Americans are most likely to commit crimes against their fellow Black Americans affects the psychological being of the Blacks. In a nutshell, it is the society which is the main root of Black-on-black crimes. Ironically, it is also the society which will play the most important and most crucial part towards the resolution of this social plight. A society with open mind is what we need. A society that is void of prejudices, stereotypes, and judgment. By this, black-on-black crimes will be solved. Outline I. Introduction II. Overview of Black on Black Crimes A. Prior Researches B. Statistics C. Perceptions on Crime III. Causes of Black on black crimes IV. Combating Black on Black Crimes References: Anderson, Elijah. Streetwise: Race, Class, and Change in an Urban Community. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990. Clark, William A. V. â€Å"Residential Preferences and Neighborhood Racial Segregation: A Test of the Schelling Segregation Model. † Demography 28. 1 (1991): 1-19. Devine, P. G. and A. J. Elliot. â€Å"†Are Racial Stereotypes Really Fading? The Princeton Trilogy Revisited. â€Å"† Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 21. 11 (1995): 1139-50. Diiulio, John. â€Å"White Lies About Black Crime â€Å", 1995. Edwards, Jennifer. â€Å"Black-on-Black Crime Increasing, Reports Say † Cincy post May 12, 2001 2001 Greaves, Fielding. â€Å"Black-on-Black Crime. † The Coastal Post March 19, 1997 1997 Jones, Annie Lee. † Black Crime, Black Victims. † New York Times July 4, 1982 1982 Jones, R Jeneen. â€Å"The Truth About Black Crime. † 2003. Mason, Timothy. â€Å"On Race and the Measurement of Crime†. 2007. April 10, 2007. . Quillian, Devah Pager and Lincoln. â€Å"Black Neighbors, Higher Crime? The Role of Racial Stereotypes in Evaluations of Neighborhood Crime. † Trans. Center for Demography and Ecology. Meeting of the Population Association of America in New York City. University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1999. Sik, Melched. â€Å"Blacks on Black Crime†. 2007 A pril 10, 2007 2007. < http://www. zimbio. com/portal/RBG+Afrikan-+Centered+Cultural+Development+and+Education/blog/251>. Wickham, DeWayne. â€Å"Where’s the Outrage over Black-on-Black Killings? † USA Today January 2,2007 2007

John Marshall Court Cases

Marbury vs. Madison What was the case: Marbury was a soon-to-be appointed justice of the peace when Adam’s presidency came to an end, resulting in his successor, Thomas Jefferson denying credibility of the appointments because they were not completed during the time of Adam’s presidency. Jefferson’s Secretary of State, James Madison, was asked to allow the commissions. Decision: The Supreme Court denied Marbury’s writ of mandamus and he was denied the commissions. Reasoning: Congress cannot expand the Supreme Court’s power past Article three, and the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus.Significance: The significance of this court case is that it affirmed the judicial review and helped make the judicial branch co-equal with the two other governmental branches. Fletcher vs. Peck What was the case: In Georgia, legislators were bribed to allow 30 million acres of land to be sold for less than two cents per acre. This scam was ca lled the Yazoo land scam. In purchasing land from Peck during the Yazoo land buying and selling in Georgia, Fletcher sued Peck for selling land against the 1796 act claiming the land was not yet constitutional impaired by an act in Georgia.Decision: The land was given a clear title to Fletcher and the act was unconstitutional. Reasoning: A law that deems a property unconstitutional established under a previous law is unconstitutional. Significance: This was the first time a state law had been overturned by the Supreme Court. McCulloch vs. Maryland What was the case: Maryland enacted a law that requires all banks without a charter from the state to pay a tax and they are prohibited to print money without stamped paper from the state.McCulloch, a cashier in a branch of the Second National Bank in Baltimore, did not pay the taxes, resulting in the suing of McCulloch by Maryland. McCulloch questioned the constitutionality of the act. Decision: McCulloch won. Reasoning: The Bank of the U nited States is permitted to establish a branch in any state, the state has no power. Significance: This case gave the United States government implied powers ontop of those listed in the constitution. Dartmouth College vs. WoodwardWhat is the case: The charter was to Dartmouth College by the King of England in 1769 and had specific purposes for its establishment. In 1816, New Hampshire’s state legislature passed a law changing the school from a private school to a public school. The school argued that the state did not have the right to do so. Decision: The verdict came as a win for Dartmouth College. The New Hampshire law was removed. Reasoning: The charter was between the King and the trustees so any American laws that would change such a charter would become invalid.Significance: The decision on the court case increased business investment and growth due to the security businesses have without the interference of the state on their charters. Gibbons vs. Ogden What was the case: Gibbons was granted permission from the federal government to operate steamboats between New Jersey and New York. Ogden was given permission by the state by being granted a monopoly to operate steamboats between New Jersey and New York. Ogden saw it unfair the special treatment Gibbons had over Ogden and he filed a lawsuit. Decision: The verdict came to be judgment for Gibbons.Reasoning: The Commerce Clause of Article one allows Gibbons to continue his trade in the trading waters. Significance: The decision on this case gave the federal government the ability to regulate commerce between states. Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia What was the case: The Cherokee Nation brought this case to the Supreme Court against the state of Georgia in order to receive justice over the laws that destroy the Cherokee Nation as a separate political society and forbid them from the lands that they had set out for their Nation in treaties between the Nation and the United States government.Decision: T he Supreme Court denied the Cherokee Indians the request against the state of Georgia. The Cherokee Nation lacked jurisdiction for the case. Reasoning: The United States Supreme Court only deals with cases with â€Å"foreign nations† and the Indian nation was excluded from the foreign nations when this was determined. Significance: This case left the Cherokee Indian nation dependent on the United States. This case also led to the Trail of Tears which moved the Cherokee Indians and many more West where along the way, thousands lost their lives.Worcester vs. Georgia What was the case: After hearing about the Cherokee Nation v. Georgia case decision and reasoning, Samuel Worcester took Georgia to court again because he felt that the state had no authority to pass laws that go on in the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation which is a nation recognized by treaties signed by both the Indians and the United States. Decision: Worcester won, disregarding his conviction of living in the C herokee Nation without a state permit.Reasoning: The law passed by Georgia was unconstitutional and went against the treaties signed by both the Cherokee Nation and the United States government in agreement that the Nation would be politically independent and its own nation from the country around it. Significance: The ruling on this case made the Cherokee Nation recognized as a politically independent nation from the country that envelopes it. Part C Evidence from this lesson such as his fairness in his decisions in the Supreme Court cases and his respect from high officials from part A if this assignment, this statement is made true.John Marshall represents American law as a whole by his contributions to the laws and relationships between state government and federal government proven in the McCulloch v. Maryland case, for example. Also, his contributions to the â€Å"foreign nations† and our relationships with them such as the Cherokee Indians was strengthened and made his tory. John Marshall truly was the leader of American law and he would represent it proudly.

Disney’s Transition into Television and its Effects on Child Actors Essay

Disney has expanded their enterprise into many different areas, one of them being television. As Disney has explored the medium of television, they have focused the shows for the audience of children. In 1955, The Mickey Mouse Club was one of the first shows that Disney had on television. In order to appeal to younger audiences, the show had â€Å"young attractive stars performing before a live audience, clowns, magicians, cartoons, guest stars, educational elements, and music written for the show† (Pendergast). Children liked to watch the show because they were watching kids that were about the same age as them, and they could relate to the actors. The children watching the show were heavily influenced by the Mickey Mouse Club because they looked up to and saw the actors as role models (Telotte). They wanted to be like the actors, so Disney profited off this generation of children by putting out merchandise related to the show. In this way, Disney started making more and more money because of these child actors. Many people argue about the effect that watching Disney’s television shows and â€Å"their positive and negative influence on kids† (Hillstrom). However, what about the effect that Disney’s television shows have on the child actors? These children spend their childhood on the sets of television shows, â€Å"being a kid is a full-time job, with scripts to memorize, and tutoring to endure† (Corliss). They are playing the characters of normal kids, without being able to experience a normal childhood themselves, it is no wonder that many child stars get into trouble when they â€Å"start growing up and moving out† (Armstrong, Markovitz) and leave Disney, because they have not been able to experience normal life growing up as a Disney actor. Disney’s â€Å"ability to grow teen talent† year after year is what makes the Disney Channel so successful (Luscombe). While Disney’s other ventures are not making as much money as they used to, â€Å"Disney’s Teen Machine has become a finely tuned profit pump in an industry rife with unpredictability† (Luscombe). Disney seems to have figured out the formula for a great teen star, and they know when they see one. Casting agents at Disney say that â€Å"while they love high-energy kids who can deliver a line and get the humor, they avoid overtrained types† â€Å"they try to cast very real kids who have raw talent† (Armstrong). For most child stars, television is not the endgame, it is just the launchpad that they need to build themselves up until they become big stars. They also cannot just rely on their raw talent to get them though, acting is their job and they are getting paid to film the shows and star in the movies that Disney creates, so they need to not only be â€Å"cute, smart, and quick to learn lines, but also dedicated, focused, and in it for the long haul† (Armstrong). Disney Channel’s stereotypical television character is a teenage girl or boy with a strong family who sometimes gets into funny situations that they learn from in the end. The story lines differ from show to show, but the characters usually have that same background. They always have strong family values with an annoying sibling or two in order to make the show more interesting. Many of Disney’s successful shows have been known to continue for at least four seasons and sometimes more. This is because Disney is a family friendly network so they advertise â€Å"wholesome family entertainment†, and appeal to not only the children, but also their parents (Pendergast). Parents are a very large part of Disney’s enterprise, because they are the ones who are buying all of the merchandise. If they do not think that a certain show is having a positive influence on their children, they will stop letting their children watch the show which leads to less merchandise being bought. In this way, the teen actors also need to be very aware of the decisions that they make. Because they are the stars of these Disney shows, the kids that watch them on television look up to them. They instantly become role models for these children whether they want to be or not. And if they make a bad decision in their everyday lives and it gets into the media, and parents disapprove of the message it sends to their children, they stop being consumers of the actor and the show. Eventually the child and teen actors grow up, and want to leave the Disney Channel and pursue a career as an adult actor. However making the switch from Disney to Hollywood has not been achieved often. Disney has crafted a certain image for their stars, and it is hard for the actors to shake an image that has been associated with them for most of their childhood. The young actors grow out of the Disney shows and want to branch out into more serious roles, and many leave Disney and a lot of money behind to do so, for example Hilary Duff star of the hit Disney show Lizzie McGuire â€Å"famously walked away from a multi-million dollar offer† to start off on her own without Disney (Armstrong, Markovitz). Sometimes the upside for Disney is that when a star moves on, â€Å"the company no longer has to answer for every saucy leaked photo and tabloid scandal† in order to keep up their cookie cutter image (Armstrong, Markovitz). However, Disney would like to keep making money off of the stars, and they do that by â€Å"creating more opportunities so that the talent is more interested in engaging longer with the company† (Luscombe). In trying to keep their young stars, Disney has â€Å"created more opportunities for the stars within the company† (Luscombe). Disney has created many paths that they have their stars take, in wanting them to stay at Disney, they make the stars get involved in all aspects of disney. They make the stars go into no only acting in their television shows, but also getting involved in music and singing. This not only helps the stars gain more fame and fans, but makes Disney much more money than before. Instead of hiring actors and singers and dancers, Disney has shaped their stars so that they do everything with just one person. Disney has also had success in putting all three of these aspects together when they created High School Musical and The Cheetah Girls. They also take stars from their different television shows and put them in special episodes of other shows. This tactic advertises the individual actor and also a new show. Another way Disney gets their stars more involved in the company is if the stars record music and they put it in another movie, it advertises both the actor and the new movie. Disney’s advertising tactics have make their company more successful, and also their stars more famous. However because Disney has incorporated the stars into the company so much and has advertised them and their work as Disney, it is hard for them to branch out, which is exactly what Disney wants. They want to make it hard for the Actors to become disassociated with Disney. However, some stars handle branching away from Disney better than others. For example, Shia LaBeouf became very successful after Disney, starring in many great movies such as the Transformers series. Other former Disney stars handled the Disney branding badly, such as Miley Cyrus. She starred in the very lucrative Disney Channel show Hannah Montana. Where she played a very pure girl who moves for Tennessee to Malibu and has a secret life as a pop star. Miley had an even harder job at getting away from Disney that most other stars because she was not only known for the character Miley Stewart that she played on the show, but also for the character Hannah Montana which was the pop star alter ego on the show. She had two Disney characters to disassociate with and not just one. It was no secret that â€Å"Miley had been publicly testing the waters of adulthood for a few years†, she was taking dramatic and daring Vanity Fair photos and had â€Å"vaguely stripperish dance moves† at an awards show performance (Donahue). She also started to dress differently, less like the character on the show, and more of the short shorts and skin showing clothes. She was trying to change her image from Disney to more dangerous. However, the parents of the children who watched Hannah Montana were angry and made accusations that Miley was now a bad role model for their children and she lost some of her Disney fan base. â€Å"Disney makes you a star, you make them an enormous amount of money, and then you either crash and burn or you go out and stake your claim in the real world† (Donahue). In trying to branch out and get out from under the Disney stereotype, many of the former Disney stars have gotten into trouble with drugs and partying because they go to such drastic measures to change their image. They turn to drug use for the reason that it is so anti-Disney and they feel like that is the only way for people to see them not as their Disney Channel characters but as adults. But because Disney started their careers, they are indebted to them and feel like they owe it to Disney to stay with them for longer than they would want to. They also now have so much money that they could potentially get out of the business all together and be fairly well off. Disney has made a lot of money off of them and their fame, but they have also made a considerable amount off of Disney. Disney has made its young actors so famous that the kids have the world at their feet (Armstrong, Markovitz). But how much has the Disney lifestyle affected the child actors in their development and view of the world around them. They have not grown up like other normal kids did, they act for a living, and it is a full time job. They have to memorize lines and they are on set all day, they do not have time to go to school so they have tutors (Corliss). They play characters that live normal lives, and go to school, but they have not experienced these things themselves first hand. They are sheltered from the outside world while they are being shaped by Disney. They are who many normal children look up to and want to be, but sometimes they might want to just be normal. Having to represent Disney and watch everything that they do and say is a stressful job, and that stress created by Disney’s expectation of them and their fans expectation of them is enough to make anyone want to act out a bit, especially because they are teenagers. Being in the public eye and always being careful of what you do is not how children are supposed to grow up. They are supposed to be able to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes, but these Disney stars do not get the opportunity to make those mistakes because everyone is watching them and if they made even a minuscule mistake, the public would criticize them to no end. They have to live up to the Disney stereotype of the perfect pure child and also try to grow up and learn. Which is why when these stars try to deviate from Disney and to branch out from them, they take the most drastic measures possible because they do not know any other way. These child actors have so many children looking up to them, and so many people watching them that they do not have any room to breath and just be kids, they grow up too fast and then people criticize them for doing things that are too adult like wearing clothes that show ample amounts of skin or going out to clubs and partying, they grew up too fast in Hollywood and in the public spotlight. Disney has made billions off of these child actors and have created many opportunities for them to build their fame and fortune (Armstrong). But is Disney taking these children, shaping them into what they want the stars to be, and then when they are too old and Disney no longer needs them are they throwing these actors out to fend for themselves when they do not really know anything different than Disney? Society expects these children who have had to grow up too quickly in the environment that they were placed in and have not had proper childhoods to be perfect and to not make any mistakes when realistically we should be encouraging them to make mistakes and learn from them. Our society has expectations that are too high for these children and are too high even for adults to meet. We need to put less pressure on these Disney child actors to be perfect and to encourage them to be kids and to have fun. The pressure that they have on them from Disney to be successful, make a lot of money, and to conform to what Disney wants them to be combined with societies expectations for them to be good role models and to always make the right decision is too much pressure for these children to handle. So they turn to drugs and alcohol so that they are no longer expected to be the perfect person. The child actors are sometimes overlooked in the argument of television, but they have also been affected.

Letter From Birmingham Jail Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Letter From Birmingham Jail - Essay Example 38). Kind does utilize rhetorical questions to persuade the readers (pg. 29). He addresses the issues at hand with a high degree of professionalism. He also utilizes comparisons as an indicator of the efforts the Negros had to pursue freedom (Eskew, pg. 45). He is courageous enough to expound that he does possess the qualifications to lead the rest of the populations in demonstrations. Concisely, he says that he is in Birmingham because of the immense injustices available, and he is ready to provide a solution to them. The letter introduction sets an acknowledgement tone rather than attack. Primarily, he utilizes the words such as â€Å"My dear fellow clergymen† to initiate a sense of welcome and unison. He does not usher in an argument, but rather brings up a sense of understanding. Such an attack to the religious men could increase the chances of washing away the respect they had for him. He even compares himself to the prophets, such as Paul who was called to save the Macedonians. The daring Paul was not afraid to leave his small Tarsus village to spread the gospel of Jesus. In the form of allusion, he persuades the clergy that he is sent and having an intrinsic urge to preach the freedom gospel to the people of Birmingham until they are free from injustice. Immediately after he addresses the core reason for the letter, he goes ahead to address the clergymen, to counteract their claims and arguments in a logical manner (Birt, pg. 16). In a calm manner, he points out that the clergymen are not concerned with the conditions or issues leading the rising trends of demonstrations in Birmingham. Such utilization of logos does instills common sense among the clergymen. Kind adds insult to injury by saying that the demonstrations were inevitable. The Negro community could not react in any other way, other than demonstrating. The clergymen did claim that the demonstrators were breaking the laws through

Trust Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Trust Law - Essay Example The reason that a review of the role and contribution of the law of trusts to the law relating to pensions is important is because in 2004 alone there were 927 billion worth of private pension funds under management in the UK, holding 16 per cent of the domestic ordinary share market, which is the largest in Europe and third largest in the world (Slattery and Nellis, 2004).Today pension funds of several British Corporations run into larger amounts athat their own market capitalisation (Slattery and Nellis, 2004). The law relating to pension schemes is derived from the old trusts law(sometimes even dating back to the eighteenth century). Cooper, D.R. (2000) . Even though the courts have recognised the different nature of pensions as compared to traditional trusts it seems that there are still gaps in this area.(Hales, C., Gough, O 2003) Private sector pension schemes are set up as trusts and a trust fund will be created to which the employer has to contribute(sometimes the employees may be required to contribute as well). The concept of trust developed with the purpose of the facilitation of the passage of inheritance and property to a trusted party (trustee or trustees) for the benefit of a third party (beneficiary or beneficiaries).Therefore when trusts are set up in the form of pensions for employee benefits the current and former employees along with their family members become the beneficiaries of this scheme. Hales, C., Gough, O. (2003) These schemes allow the trustees to own the legal title to the assets of the scheme and invest this .They must invest this capital for the benefits of the members of the scheme and look after the interests of pensioners and the current employees. Hales, C., Gough, O. (2003) Best interests have been defined as those confined to monetary goodwill i.e. being able to obtain maximum amount of pension through the prudent investment of the trustees. In this regard the Pensions Act 1995 puts an obligation upon the trustees to make prudent and risk free investment decisions. The Act prevents them from escaping liability through exclusion clauses in the deeds and must take care in ensuring that a proper person is appointed for the purposes of managing such investment.The trustees will be able to draw up a statement of investment principles.They will be able to decide upon whether a member leaves the scheme and whether to pay a certain person earlier due to death or ill health. The most significant intertwining of the law of trusts and law of pensions occurs when the Courts refuse to intervene into the trust matters following the extensive powers conferred upon the trustees to make decisions. (Duncan, C., Loretto, W., White, P.2001).However the Court will be prepared to intervene to ensure whether these powers have

Analysis Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analysis - Dissertation Example As of January 31, 2012, the 10-K report of the company states that the revenue of the company was calculated in terms of â€Å"282,180,170 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value outstanding.† Clearly, this is a representation of stiff market performance that is accounts for reasons why the company continues to have a very wide market position. Presently, the company’s strategy for growth is focused on merger with emerging competitors in developing economies. Pepco Holdings Inc. (POM) Reviewers have for long judged Pepco Holdings Inc (POM) as a major competitor for Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company (OGE) mainly because of the closeness in market strategy held by the two companies. It would for instance be seen that both companies focus on have a business strategy that â€Å"remains focused on being a top-performing, regulated transmission and distribution company† (10-K of POM, 2011). In terms of market size and capacity, the company controls a total of 4.60 billio n dollars (Yahoo Finance, 2012). Fortunately for the company, it continues to experience an upload rise in its market stock value. This is represented on almost all major stock markets in the world including the New York Stock Exchange. Such a performance has contributed to the increase in total operating revenue of the company from $ 5,920M in 2010 to $ 7,039M in 2011 (10-K of POM, 2011). Wisconsin Energy Corp. ... With an impressive market capacity of 9.4 billion dollars as of 2012, the company has positioned itself in the market at such a strategic standing that its main focus has been to deal with corporate groups and entities instead of individual customers. With this group related strategy, the company keeps recording a rising trend in its annual revenue with a revenue rise from $ 7,420M in 2010 to $ 9,139M in 2011. South Carolina Electric and Gas Company (SCG) The major area of business dealing where South Carolina Electric and Gas Company (SCG) poses as the strongly competitor of Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company (OGE) is in the area of market margin. This is so said because the two companies have an unusual competition for the same customers in a manner that is not very common with other major competitors. More to this, the company can boost of a very formidable market performance on different stock exchange markets. NASDAQ (2012) for instance quotes the market value of South Carolina Ele ctric and Gas Company (SCG) as $ 6,493,822,800 with a current market yield of 4%. This is clearly a huge market struggle for Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company (OGE) that keeps its market strength along similar margin. According to the 10-K Report of the company for 2011, much of the company’s success is attributed to its current strategy, which focuses on employees as the major pillar for organizational transformation. Value Chain Analysis NI is one of the main comparative firms of OGE in the U.S. Diversified Electricity Generator Industry. The significant parts in the value chain that add value for OGE are marketing and sales, services, firm infrastructure, human resource