English 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

English 2 - Essay Example If indeed it is found that soccer is a good way to help troubled youths, that fact will provide a major incentive for governments to invest more money in these kinds of recreational activities. This autobiography shows the affect soccer has had on one of the all-time great players. Beckham indicates that soccer kept him on a straight and narrow path. This book is good for background information. This book provides a great deal of information on the professional aspect of soccer. Interviews in it with players indicate that the sport shaped their lives in a positive manner. This is good for background. Another useful biographical book that shows the impact of the game on the life of Pele. This provides insight into how soccer influences young people growing up in the Third World. Examples in this book are useful. Another invaluable look at problems suffered by adolescents. This book discusses disciplined activities such as sports which can help troubled young people. A great deal of insight is provided by the author. Another survey of how troubled youth can be brought into athletic activities at schools. This book provides advice to practitioners and suggest strategies to integrate disaffected teenagers. Sports can be a big part of

Inventory management Essay Example for Free

Inventory management Essay Part One: Inventory Management and its role within the Supply Chain Inventory management is a method through, which a business handles tangible resources and materials to ensure availability of resources for use. It is a collection of interdisciplinary processes including a full circle from the demand forecasting, supply chain management, inventory control and reverse logistics. Inventory management is the optimization of inventories of manufactured goods, work in progress, raw materials, and other features of companies in order to reduce storage costs while providing a high level of service and smooth operations. Inventory management in logistics is the optimization of operations directly related to the processing and registration of goods, and to the coordination with the procurement and sales service, it is the calculation of the optimal number of stores and their locations. Effective inventory management allows an organization to meet or exceed customers expectations. Several technical applications of inventory management models are incorporated by the inventory management so as to achieve efficiency. Critical role of the inventory management is therefore played by the concepts such as safety stock, cost of goods, economic ordering quantity, customer managed inventory, a vendor managed inventory, and the inventory turnover. The key principles of inventory management remain the same across all the industries; however, some critical areas of emphasizing these principles may vary from one sector of business to another. Inventory management in the supply chain is a complex of supply chain optimization techniques. This is a key element in the supply chain management. Experts emphasize companies’ attention on what constantly improving efficiency in the supply chain has become a market requirement and prerequisite for competitiveness. Global trends for the largest industrial and commercial companies integration lead to the formation of the global system with integrated supply chain, procurement, etc. That is why inventory management in the supply chain cannot be separated from the overall system, a single ‘logistics organism of the company. Information technology can help to integrate the management of inventory in the supply chain. The purpose of the usage of information technology to manage inventory in the supply chain is to increase the efficiency of all processes. (Supply chain management  consulting 2002) The important aspect of the inventory management lies on the correct application of the right inventory management tools. Understanding of all the details of inventory management leads to the effective control of inventory. When lean practices are applied to all aspects of the inventory management cycle, this means that business can effectively reduce the investment in shipping costs, plant rentals, reverse logistics, and standing inventory while improving or maintaining customer service levels in its overall performance. (Purchasing and Procurement Center, 2012). Therefore, inventory management is important and need to be effected at all levels of business operations to keep the inventory levels stable and to avoid costly errors and inconveniences (Winsner, 2011). Part Two: 1. It is often difficult to find reliable costs of stock. With shortages this seems almost impossible. Discuss how we can find cost of loss of good well or reduced future sales, and to what extent we can have reliable estimates for such costs. Often, it is difficult to find reliable cost of stock because market factors such as shortages come into place. The most important element, which must come into place pertaining to this situation, is intelligence pricing. Intelligent pricing is an element, which will ensure a successful business venture, and without this business will not find reliable costs of stock. Before launching a new business, it is always important for entrepreneurs to have adequate knowledge about the various pricing strategies and components available. Market place factors ought to be weighted by the business owners before prices of goods and services are set. Therefore, factors such as the market, competition and the distribution costs need to be put in place so as to arrive at reliable cost of stock. In any analysis of the inventory management system several factors should be considered: the demand forecast and delivery time, as well as the costs associated with the system operation. The cost parameters must be considered as well. Firstly, the costs of holding reserves, which include the cost of dead capital in stocks,  keeping costs and other costs associated with physical presence of goods in a warehouse. Secondly, order and reorder costs which includes the cost of placing an order, the cost of record-keeping, as well as the cost of set-closing operation if the output is considered in batches. Another important indicator are the costs due to lack of or inability to meet demand(shortage costs), the costs due to changing nature of the products, production costs , as well as losses due to obsolescence or damage. Lets consider shortage costs in details. These are the costs associated with the occurrence of shortage and can show up in those cases when the product is required, but cannot be supplied because it is out of stock. The impact of shortage is wider than lost profit, as it involves the loss of image, goodwill and potential losses from the reduction in the number of sales in the future. These costs may also include such payments for actions ,aimed at reducing the deficit, as freight forwarding, sending a rush order, payment for special types of products, the usage of more expensive suppliers. Most companies believe that shortage is always expensive, so they try avoid it. In other words, they are willing to pay relatively low costs for stock keeping in order to avoid relatively high costs associated with shortage. These costs represent a penalty to be paid by the owner of an enterprise in case when the demand exceeds the supply. It is very difficult to ensure that demand will always be satisfied and, in addition, it is likely for a firm that such guarantees can be joint with extremely high costs. The shortage can be offset by emergency delivery, in this case, penalty is the difference between ordinary value of product and the cost of emergency delivery. Sometimes shortage is offset by back-ordering, i.e. goods are delivered to the customer as soon as they come in stock. In this case, penalty is the loss of goodwill, this can affect customer’s behavior in the future. In extreme case this shortage can lead to the loss of customer, then the penalty will include not only lost sales cost, but also losses of many customers in the future. Identifying shortage costs is exceptionally difficult task, and it does not arise barely because the administration of an enterprise is not interested in reduction of these costs. Direct shortage cost figures were obtained only in a few cases, and only with limited accuracy. One of the most important  elements of the intangible assets of the company is its goodwill. At the same time it cannot be said that the formation of goodwill and maintaining it at a high level is something new and unique for today’s businesses. Goodwill represents the kind of good name of a company and is accounted in its intangible assets, along with copyrights, know-how and trademarks. Goodwill may be either positive or negative. The positive goodwill of a company may help: To add psychological value for products and services; To attract new customers in case they have a choice between functionally similar products or services; to bring a company more qualified employees and increase job satisfaction of an existing staff; To increase the effectiveness of advertising and sales, to support distributors, advertising agencies, suppliers and business partners; To raise funds on the stock market and survive in the event of a crisis. Any competitive producer knows that in order to gain the consumer recognition and profit, it is needed to invest primarily in itself. After all, a good name works better than any advertising. It is impossible to generate a goodwill from scratch. The company should enjoy really significant achievements and benefits which lay the foundation for goodwill. The process of generating a goodwill takes a long time and considerable amount of money. This is a long-run, very complicated process that cannot be insured against dangers, losses and risks. (Lean manufacturing and and operations management, 2012) One of the most important trends in recent years has been towards e-commerce. How does this affect inventory management? Electronic Commerce is a type of trading, which applies the use of modern technologies such as mobile commerce, supply chain management, electronic funds transfer, internet marketing, electronic data interchange, online transaction processing, and inventory management systems among others. (Practical Ecommerce, 2010). Through the application of computerized technology in inventory management, business organizations are able to have a complete inventory description in real-time basis. Investing in e-commerce technology allows business owners to have a strong inventory management backed, which includes bar codes that allow streamlining of the inventory processes. A streamlined process leads to accurate planning due to improved forecasting, product turnover leading  to increased profits and better customer services. E- Commerce inventory management system also means that the business owner can easily integrate with customers through various technologies such the internet and the smart phones. Through this, customers are able to access the available products and their prices and business owners will be able to place their products in the market with ease. Measuring of the inventory turns is also achieved by e-commerce with the use of the appropriate software and proper techniques. Therefore, more frequent inventory turns are achievable, and this boosts the profits. E-commerce is also applied in managing vendors, and maintaining good ties with vendors enables business owners to negotiate favorable terms and conditions for business. Elimination of obsolete inventory in a timely manner is achieved through e-commerce as the seller can easily identify such inventory through real-time observation of the market changes. Inventory items are also reduced through e-commerce since business owners are able to keep just enough items because they know their market capabilities in real-time without false anticipation. Therefore, the overall impact of e-commerce in inventory management is that accurate information is attainable and efficient, and effective operations can be achieved by business owners because the amount of warehousing space required is reduced and constructively used with minimal wastage associated with unpredictable approximations and anticipations (Coyle et al, 2008). Now it is quite obvious that the Internet is changing the image of the world economy. The Internet has the greatest impact on e-commerce between businesses (B2B). Companies form strategic alliances and build relationships with suppliers. The rate of development and growth of e-commerce, as well as promising prospects for increased supply chain efficiencies all these facts have a significant impact on the companies’ activities engaged in B2B commerce. Such businesses are forced to reduce operating and handling costs and at the same time to accelerate the supply chain activity. Those B2B companies that do business effectively have achieved a leading market positions in their industries. The supplying funds savings can be directed at the enhancement of IT infrastructure operations, and ultimately at the improvement of customer service B2B. The differences between e-commerce B2B and B2C are more significant than between the retail and wholesale trade. From a business perspective, this means savings within the organization, a willingness to enter into profitable alliances with suppliers, a reduction of operative costs in the delivery of goods and services, the precise regulation of the complex coordination within the union in respect of procurement, timely delivery and electronic payments. (Network solutions, 2012). Conclusion A company may command a hefty price on its product or service, but it is amazing how such companies may sometimes observe to be making minimal profit, making no profit or even running at a loss. This means that the cost of the product is different. Perhaps, to arrive at a reliable cost of stock means that business owners need to develop appropriate pricing strategy and to implement it so as it will result in generation of profits. Inventory management is a method through, which a business handles tangible resources and materials to ensure availability of resources for use. Efficient technology such as the application of e-commerce leads to effective inventory management. This is likely to lead to cost efficiency and effectiveness and therefore generate profitability. Main advantages of e-commerce for companies are: global scale, reduction of inventoty costs, supply chain development, fast time-to-market etc. For customers they are: large product variety, personalization, low prices, etc. The high emphasis should be placed on costs parameters when analyzing inventory management. The impact of shortage cost is wider than the lost profit, as it involves the loss of image, goodwill and potential losses from the reduction in the number of sales in the future. Identifying shortage costs is exceptionally difficult task, and it does not arise barely because the management of an enterprise is not interested in lowering these costs. Sometimes the shortage is offset by back-ordering. Shortage costs may lead to the loss of goodwill, this can affect the customer’s behavior in the future. Under present-day conditions, goodwill may change in the shortest possible time. A number of different factors can contribute to this, and therefore the organizations security policy should include measures to manage reputational risk. Is is evident that the goodwill in the current market environment is the most important competitive advantage for any company.

British Concepts of the Rule of Law

British Concepts of the Rule of Law Brief 211716 The Rule of Law: Write an essay critiquing the concept of the rule of law. To what extent does todays British state reflect the ideals at its core? Outlined below is a short critique of the concept of the rule of law, as well as an evaluation of the different opinions or perspectives of this concept. The rule of law as a distinct and separate concept is well over a thousand years old. It has legal and constitutional origins in Ancient Greece and Anglo-Saxon England.[1] It was the common law of Anglo-Saxon England that had the strongest influence upon the concept of the rule of law, when even the Norman conquest could not stop its ongoing development.[2] The fundamental basis of the rule of law is the notion that all members of any society are not above the law of the land, whether they are monarchs, politicians, the nobility, or indeed ordinary people. The rule of law itself is a concept that contends that everybody lives under the same jurisdiction, of the law of their particular land from its rulers and its lawmakers downwards.[3] At first appearance the concept of the rule of law seems to be a straightforward one, yet there are disagreements about the exact nature of the ideals at the core of the concept itself. The critique below will thus discuss the extent to which today’s British state reflects the core ideals of the rule of law.[4] England was the country, as already mentioned, in which the concept of the rule of law was developed. The concept being influenced by the common law, Magna Carta, and the Bill of Rights of 1688 establishing the notion that the state should uphold the rule of law to protect its citizens, instead of ignoring the law and subjecting the people to their autocratic will.[5] Magna Carta was supposed to firmly establish the concept of the rule of law and curtail the power of the state. In reality the monarchy, despite often-repeated claims of accepting the concept of the rule of law, still held considerable power until the 18th century, when the Prime Minister started to make widespread use of the royal prerogative instead.[6] The British state regarded the concept of the rule of law as being a reflection of the strength of liberalism as espoused by John Locke and others, the increasing influence of capitalism, as well as a result of the legal and political supremacy of Parliament. The House of Commons passed legislation, whilst the House of Lords contained the highest court in the land, all in the name of the monarch whilst representing the people.[7] The unwritten constitution meant and continues to mean that whether or not the state keeping to the rule of law in Britain was less clear than in other countries. The lack of a written constitution was considered to be a legal not to mention a constitutional virtue instead of a problem as some legal experts have argued. It was assumed that because the British state has claimed to have adopted the concept of the rule of law for its constitutional, as well as its legal systems that the British government and all its departments in reality accepted and adhered to the notion in full. There are times though when governments have acted in ways that suggested they believed that they were above the rule of law. Generally if government ministers or senior civil servants act in ways that appear to be contrary to the rule of law they will lose their jobs, protecting the government from the legal or political consequences of their actions.[8] Providing the political party forming the British government holds a Parliamentary majority in the House of Commons, it theoretically can pass constitutional and legal not to mention politically motivated legislation that might run counter to the rule of law. British governments have on various occasions been accused of only paying lip service to the concept of the rule of law.[9] Detractors of the lack or limited rule of law within the British state as large parliamentary majorities and the powers accorded via the royal prerogative has allowed governments to adopt policies without fully consulting Parliament, the courts, and ignoring the wishes of the general public. Governments with parliamentary majorities have argued that they are carrying out the policies contained within their manifestos, democracy does not always fit in exactly with the concept of the rule of law. The late Lord Hailsham a former Law Lord once described the constitution of the British state as being an elected dictatorship.[10] Arguments, as well as debates concerning how the concept of the rule of law affects the legal and the constitutional situation within the British state partially reflect the vagueness and also the ambiguity of the very of the rule of law itself. People with more liberal or more democratic attitudes were not particularly convinced that the British state was not totally committed to the core values within the concept of the rule of law.[11] The critics of the contemporary British state argue that the rival political parties have considered the concept of the rule of law less important than the gaining and maintaining of political power via the winning elections. Such critics have pointed out that the combination of an unwritten constitution and the use of the royal prerogative has allowed the British state to bypass the democratic process through the use of dubious though not illegal means whenever it suited British governments to do so.[12] However, in many respects Britain’s membership of the European Union has had profound constitutional and legal consequences for the British state when taken as a whole. The British Parliament no longer has the complete legal and political sovereignty with European Union legislation taking priority over domestic laws.[13] The European Convention for Human Rights also has the power to make judgements about British laws and the government can change the legislation it considers to be contravening human rights.[14] The ways in which the British state reflects the core values of the concept of the rule of law has undoubtedly changed 1997.[15] The New Labour government was committed to wholesale constitutional and legal changes which have reshaped the British State, thus affecting how the core values of the concept of the rule of law are reflected inside today’s Britain itself.[16] In 1997 the outgoing Conservative government had been deeply unpopular in Scotland and Wales due to its economic policies whilst it had governed both countries without any Scottish or Welsh MPs. New Labour was the dominant political party in Scotland and Wales so it was committed to the introduction of devolved government to both countries in order to reduce support for nationalist parties as much as making the British state more responsive to the core values of the rule of law.[17] Devolved government has given the voters of Scotland and Wales a greater degree of input into the legal and political decisions that concern their lives. The introduction of devolution also means that the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly can pursue policies and pass legislation that is different from those implemented in England.[18] There is also the possiblity that devolution could to lead to the independence of Scotland at some point in the future, which would literally shrink the British state whilst demonstrating that the democratic will of the Scottish people was not been ignored. Devolved government has also been restored in Northern Ireland as part of the peace process. Power sharing is hopeful sign that there is a return to the normal rule of law after the Troubles had closed down the Storemont Parliament and led to thousands of deaths. Devolution is intended to make the British state more responsive and more representative for all the people of Britain.[19] A fundamental shift in the way that the core values of the rule of law are thus reflected in the British state has been witnessed in the area of human rights. New Labour passed the Human Rights Act 1998 in order to protect the human rights of all British people by enshrining the European Convention of Human Rights into the constitution, as well as the legal system.[20] The purpose of the Human Rights Act 1998 was to make sure that the British state could not abuse or reduce the human rights of its own people, in other words to comply with the rule of law.[21] The Human Rights Act 1998 increased the power of the courts to make legal decisions instead of the Home Secretary using the royal prerogative, for instance for judges to set the maximum term for jail sentences. The Human Rights Act 1998 also made it easier for people to question the decisions of government departments that have adversely affected their lives. Being able to hold the government and its various departments into acc ount is certainly a reflection of core values that mean the British state is abiding by the rule of law. Other legislation such as the Data Protection and the Freedom of Information Act are intended to improve the rights of citizens whilst making the government, officials, and departments more accountable for their actions.[22] To conclude today’s British state does to some extent reflect the concept of the rule of law as the government is democratically elected, yet can have its actions scrutinised by Parliament, the media, and the European Convention of Human Rights. The introduction of devolution in Scotland and Wales has made the British state more responsive to the wishes of its component countries and their populations, whilst increasing the risks of the United Kingdom dissolving in the future. The Human Rights Act 1998 is also a reflection of the core values being reflected as the rule of law. However, despite membership of the European Union and the change linked with the Human Rights Act 1998 the British government and its ministers can still wield considerable influence and power. Bibliography Alder J, (2007) Constitutional and Administrative Law, 6th edition, Palgrave, London Breyer S, (2008) Active Liberty, Oxford University Press, Oxford Coxall B, Robins L Leach R (2003) Contemporary British Politics 4th edition, Palgrave, London Eatwell R Wright A, (2003) Contemporary Political Ideologies 2nd Edition, Continuum, London Gardiner Wenborn (1995) the History Today Companion to British History, Collins and Brown Ltd, London MacDonald A, (2007) Reinventing Britain, Constitutional change under New Labour, Politico’s, London Martin E A, (2003) A Dictionary of Law, Oxford University Press, Oxford McCormick, (2002) Understanding the European Union, Palgrave, London Nugent N, (2003) The Government and Politics of the European Union 5th edition, Palgrave, London Parpworth N, (2004) Constitutional and Administrative Law, Butterworths, London Young H, (2003) supping with the Devils – Political writing from Thatcher to Blair, Guardian Books, London Footnotes [1] Alder, 2007 p. 149 [2] Gardiner Wenborn, 1995 p. 360 [3] Breyer, 2008 p. 19 [4] Martin, 2005 p. 441 [5] Eatwell Wright, 2003 p. 27 [6] Sharma, 2003 p. 15 [7] Alder, 2007 p. 149 [8] Parpworth, 2004 3.15 [9] Parpworth, 2004 3.15 [10] Young, 2003 p. 1 [11] MacDonald, 2007 p. 48 [12] Breyer, 2008 p. 19 [13] McCormick, 2002 p. 5 [14] Nugent, 2003 p. 10 [15] Young, 2003 p. 230 [16] Coxall, Robbins, Leach, 2003 p. 370 [17] Parpworth, 2004 3.15 [18] Alder, 2007 p. 149 [19] MacDonald, 2007 p. 48 [20] Alder, 2007 p. 153 [21] MacDonald, 2007 p. 48 [22] MacDonald, 2007 p. 48

Macbeth Character Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

Character Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the tragedy Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare, many character traits are portrayed through the various characters throughout the play. Macbeth was one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies. It was completed in 1606 and was most likely first performed before King James I and his royal family at Hampton Court. King James I is believed to be a direct descendent of the character Banquo. Probably the most potent character trait expressed in Macbeth would be integrity or the lack there of. Integrity could be defined as doing the right thing at all costs no matter what the consequences or what would be in the persons best interest. In this play the person that displays the most of this character trait would be Macbeth himself. Macbeth shows his lack of integrity in many ways throughout the entire play through his actions towards the other characters, this trait helps to personify what kind of person Macbeth was and what kind of person he was becoming.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of the play Macbeth is portrayed as an upstanding citizen to Scotland and a man with unending courage. He could do no wrong in the eyes of the king and because of this was presented with many honors. As with any person when they are recognized for what they have done Macbeth became somewhat greedy in his newly found fame and this greed also spread to his wife, Lady Macbeth. With this greed, as you can expect, came a want...

A Doll’s House †Henrik Ibsen Essay

Henrik Ibsen’s in one of his most revolutionary plays, A Doll’s House, filled his set and narrative with symbols that emphasised the idea that above everything, one must be an individual. Doors, macaroons and the tarantella are all symbols that are used by Ibsen to convey to the audience that the life of Nora and Torvald isn’t what it seems to the naked eye. The doors in the ‘doll’s house’ set, are emphasised, to symbolise the separate ‘world’s ‘ Nora and Torvald live in; the illusive macaroons symbolise the control Torvald has over his wife and the wild tarantella dance is symbolic of Nora’s desire to escape from her restricted and heavily defined existence. Doors in A Doll’s House are not just a wooden blocks that can be used as a thoroughfare between rooms; they are used to distinguish between the two different spheres, Nora’s sphere and Torvald’s sphere. All throughout the play, Nora never enters her husband’s ‘world’. Guests for Torvald were instructed to ‘not come in here (Nora’s living room)’, and they went on into Torvald’s study. As Krogstad ‘slammed’ the door on the way out of his house, Nora’s world was smashed into a million shards of tiny fragile pieces. The character of Nora is sent into a spiral of depression, anxiety and out-right craziness that turned a seemingly normal dance into a 19th century movement of oppressed emotions. The macaroons that Nora possesses in the beginning of the play are more than just a common snack. Nora has the macaroons in the early stages of the play, with Torvald around. They give the audience the knowledge of Nora’s child-like behaviour and emotions. All through ‘A Doll’s House’, Torvald treats Nora like an ‘inexperienced child’, and the macaroons are one of many indications of this. She offers it to guests as they enter her ‘world’, but not to her husband, in which she hides them from him. The child-like behaviour is also witnessed in the scene where Nora is playing with her children, calling them ‘little dolls’ and playing with them like they are her friends and she’s not their mother. This child-like behaviour was encouraged by Torvald, by simple nicknames, such as ‘skylark’ and ‘mockingbird’, to make Nora be more immature towards Torvald and keeping her youthfulness that he li ked so much. The infamous dance, the tarantella, was an expression of the oppressed society that woman had to go through in the 19th century. The tarantella was used to convey emotions that woman couldn’t express in normal, everyday life. They used raw energy to express that raw emotion. In ‘A Doll’s House’, Nora uses, just as other woman have, to express and release the oppressed emotion that was given by Torvald towards her. In the scene where Nora is dancing for Torvald as practice of the dance and Dr. Rank comes in, Torvald keeps telling Nora to ‘stop it’ and ‘do it as I said’. Nora is completely oblivious to Torvald and keeps on dancing in her own style. Dr. Rank comes in and takes over Torvalds role as piano player to fuel the flame that Nora was burning. The dance becomes more and more wild as the scene progresses, until the music stops and Nora is just ‘still’. The oppressive moment of woman in the 19th century created this dance. ‘A Doll’s House’ uses this symbols of child-like behaviour, different worlds and an oppressed dance to show the audience that the world of the 19th century wasn’t a blissful place where men and woman were equal in everything they had rights to, like they do now. Torvald showed that he was a man of conformity and tried his best to bend his family into the social norms of the time. Torvald never let Nora have her way and treated her like a child, making her regress into one and even making her be his child. She was scared to wrong by her husband, even hiding a simple sweet from him so he wouldn’t find out that she was eating it. By the end of ‘A Doll’s House’ , Nora grows up. After the problems arisen by Krogstad, she learns that her husband isn’t her saviour anymore and she doesn’t love him. The party ended when Torvald wanted to leave. Nora got home and changed out of her formal attire, and into outdoor wear, making Torvald wonder, ‘Why are you dressed like that?’ The taking off of her formal clothes gives the impression that Nora is now taking off her old life, her oppressed life, and starting afresh. After an emotional discussion with Torvald, she ends up leaving him and the children. Walking out of her house, through the door, again is symbolising the end of something. This time it’s Nora’s life with Torvald. As the door closes, this time it’s Torvald who breaks down, mirroring Nora’s emotions when Krogstad leaves the  letter in the letter box. Symbolisation is a major part in any play, even more so in ‘A Doll’s House’. The emotion scenes with Nora, Torvald, Dr. Rank and even Krogstad wouldn’t be the same without objects such as the doors or macaroons, or the two different spheres dividing Nora’s world and Torvalds. The dance itself plays a vital role of showing emotion without the notice of Nora’s own husband. Without such devices, ‘A Doll’s House’ wouldn’t be the same revolutionary play that we see today; it would just be mere words on a page. Bibliography: ‘A Doll’s House’ Henrik Ibsen

Contemporary design essays

Contemporary design essays Contemporary design is usually client based. The designer usually focuses on the presentation of ideas and statements through the collection rather than designing for any specific occasion. Contemporary design is more conceptual, because of this I am going to concentrate on the concepts and imagery associated with the idea of modern, futuristic clothing. As I begin to think about this I will have to consider the client. Designers these days rely on celebrities, socialites and fashion icons to publicise their clothing. For example, a lesser known designer could shoot to fame should an A-list celebrity wear one of their creations to a party or premier. Recently, fashion has seen many designers using recognised celebrities as models in their catwalk shows, favouring them over professionals, these celebrities possess the high public profile needed to gain much needed publicity. Some well known designers (such as Alexander McQueen) sight celebrities as their muse behind their work. This is no new idea, glamorous women have always been desirable in the world of fashion, almost as if their beauty is an accessory in itself. In recent years fashion has seen a change in the attitudes towards beauty and convention. Models have become less and less like the glamorous Hollywood film stars and all things quirky have become desirable. It seems that personal imperfections are the only real individuality we have in the age where fashion has become accessible to everyone. Designers are less concerned with the enhancement of beauty and seem to aim to shock audiences with avant garde creations as catwalk shows become less a collection of clothes and more a piece of theatre. Favoured by McQueen ,Westwood and Hussein Chalayan these designers realise the importance of a catwalk show as often their own label creations are so extreme and conceptual that this is the only way they will become recognised. ...

Free Essays on Lapis Lazuli

Tragedy and Art William Butler Yeats The theme of â€Å"Lapis Lazuli† is that all forms of art can surpass the tragedies experienced within the world; therefore making it gay. Yeats uses his theme of tragic joy throughout the poem, and often in his works toward the last few years of his life. As an artist of literature Yeats understands he faces death like every mortal, but art is what makes things beautiful. Art can bring people joy even in the worst of times. Art can overcome the mere tragedy of events simply by knowing everything comes to an end. Tragic joy is the bittersweet part of life that involves the acceptance of all things good and bad. In the first stanza we see he believes that those who give credence to the political world will only end up with tragedy, and no joy. The â€Å"hysterical women† he speaks of are those who have forsaken the arts, â€Å"sick of the palette and fiddle-bow.† Specifically, he is thinking of women such as Maud Gonne who was extremely active politically, especially with the uprising Easter uprising. These women embrace the politics of the modern world, and the modern world is stricken with war and destruction. The women’s convictions make them ugly since they are not accepting of art into their lives; therefore they don’t have joy. Yeats says that if everyone relies on politics instead of art, the world will come to an end. It isn’t the end that we should fear, but an end with no joy, no art. Yeats specifically proclaims three areas of art that are doomed to tragedy, yet they happily go, knowing that it provides them with sanity in an insane world. In the second stanza the reader is introduced to the first of the three arts in the form of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes, Prince Hamlet and King Lear. Readers of Hamlet and Lear understand that the characters meet a tragic end, but at the same time the heroes come to an understanding of their tragedy. Any artist should feel the tr... Free Essays on Lapis Lazuli Free Essays on Lapis Lazuli Tragedy and Art William Butler Yeats The theme of â€Å"Lapis Lazuli† is that all forms of art can surpass the tragedies experienced within the world; therefore making it gay. Yeats uses his theme of tragic joy throughout the poem, and often in his works toward the last few years of his life. As an artist of literature Yeats understands he faces death like every mortal, but art is what makes things beautiful. Art can bring people joy even in the worst of times. Art can overcome the mere tragedy of events simply by knowing everything comes to an end. Tragic joy is the bittersweet part of life that involves the acceptance of all things good and bad. In the first stanza we see he believes that those who give credence to the political world will only end up with tragedy, and no joy. The â€Å"hysterical women† he speaks of are those who have forsaken the arts, â€Å"sick of the palette and fiddle-bow.† Specifically, he is thinking of women such as Maud Gonne who was extremely active politically, especially with the uprising Easter uprising. These women embrace the politics of the modern world, and the modern world is stricken with war and destruction. The women’s convictions make them ugly since they are not accepting of art into their lives; therefore they don’t have joy. Yeats says that if everyone relies on politics instead of art, the world will come to an end. It isn’t the end that we should fear, but an end with no joy, no art. Yeats specifically proclaims three areas of art that are doomed to tragedy, yet they happily go, knowing that it provides them with sanity in an insane world. In the second stanza the reader is introduced to the first of the three arts in the form of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes, Prince Hamlet and King Lear. Readers of Hamlet and Lear understand that the characters meet a tragic end, but at the same time the heroes come to an understanding of their tragedy. Any artist should feel the tr...

56 Best Writing Websites of 2019 How to Achieve Writing Mastery

56 Best Writing Websites of 2019 How to Achieve Writing Mastery 56 Best Writing Websites of 2019 The Internet is full of writing websites and blogs to help writers reach their creative goals. If you’ve been dreaming of writing your own book, but don’t know how to get there - or if you’re done writing, but feel unsure about what to do next - then it’s your lucky day, because we have put the best writing websites of 2019 in one single place for your convenience. They’re also organized alphabetically and by categories, to make them easier to find. Enjoy! Check out some of the best writing websites of 2019 here! Writing craft and inspiration51. Goins, WriterAs a best-selling author, Jeff Goins created this blog to share his thoughts and tips on writing and to inspire others to chase after their creative dreams.52. Jane FriedmanWith abundant experience in the publishing industry and general business strategy, Jane Friedman offers online classes and articles on the process of book publishing.53. Janet Reid, Literary AgentAs a literary agent, Janet Reid offers her advice on mistakes and pitfalls that all writers should avoid when querying.54. Nail Your NovelAs a bestselling ghostwriter who now publishes under her own name, Â  Roz Morris provides writing advice and posts on self-publishing. If you are interested in becoming a ghostwriter, she also offers courses on how to reach your goal.55. Nathan BransfordNathan Bransford is a former literary agent who offers writing advice and a variety of posts on how publishing works and information on agents and self-publishing. He also does consultations , edits, and critiques. Plus, he’s a Reedsy professional!56. Rachelle GardnerAs a literary agent, Rachelle Gardner has negotiated over 200 contracts with over twenty publishers and gotten more than 100 authors to fulfil their dreams of publishing. In her blog, she offers writing, publishing, and social media coaching, along with tips on writing and publishing. Answer all your writing questions with these websites from industry professionals What are some of your favorite writing websites? Let us know in the comments below!

Am I an etrepreneur Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Am I an etrepreneur - Essay Example Entrepreneurs will gather resources and take the risk of investing these resources into a venture that they are not certain will bring profits, and this is what will cut them out from just normal business people. Creativity and innovation are paramount for entrepreneurs as creativity enables them to develop, and discover new ways of bringing solutions while innovation gives them the ability to apply creative solutions to problems and openings in their effort to enhance peoples’ lives and make profits. Entrepreneurship will entail the actions taken by entrepreneurs to bring about change and to attain financial benefits and the satisfaction that something was changed for the better. Entrepreneurship will also entail the act of creating something after seeing an opportunity, shaping a goal to be achieved and taking advantage of the situation in order to make profits (Gilbert, 2006). The entrepreneur or the person with the idea will then plan, persuade and raise the capital needed to initiate the business from where he will run the business to ensure success. For entrepreneurs to be deemed as successful various characteristics are required, which will play a crucial role in determining their entrepreneurial success. Personally, as an entrepreneur, I have realized that I have the required skills and knowledge needed to become successful in the banking sector. I have engaged in various activities that have proved to me that I can be rich and successful as it has been my long term goal to be rich and retain control of my ventures (Gilbert, 2006). At a tender age, I engaged in various money raising ventures that have enabled me to cater for my personal needs and also save a lot. In fifth grade, I made profits from noticing that students were carrying snacks to school, and there was only one canteen in school that was unable to attend to the needs of the whole school. Being a member of the business club in school, I developed the idea that we could start our own canteen, where we could employ one person to run the business. Other students supp orted the idea, and we proposed the idea to the school administration, which was reluctant to accept it, but finally did after we convinced them that it would not interfere with our studies. We collected start up from membership fees that were charged for admission into the business club from where we started the venture. Profits from the canteen were used to expand the venture and by the time I was clearing school the canteen had grown and all members had benefited from it, and the whole school had also benefited from readily available snack. I have ever since acquired the skills of seeing an idea and investing in it in order to gain and benefit those who what I serve. As an entrepreneur, I have acquired the skill and knowledge of examining needs, wants and problems to see how I can bring solutions or improve how they are solved in the existing ways (Hamm, 2002). I have the skill off narrowing all the possible opportunities into one specific opportunity which carries more weight or is more probable to bring profits. I am innovative and come up with creative ideas to solutions of needs of people, and

Media, Stereotypes & the Perpetuation of Racism in Canada Essay

Media, Stereotypes & the Perpetuation of Racism in Canada - Essay Example The media – print as well as television is one of the most powerful sources of mass communication in today’s times, and its accessibility and vast outreach has further added to its sheer power to influence the ‘minds of the masses’. The issues portrayed by the media are almost invariably regarded as ‘truthful’ and assumed to be accurate by the audiences, which lends even more power in the hands of those who control it. The media, world over, has recently attracted severe criticism for the negative portrayal of critical events, and especially for irresponsible reporting by hiding the facts and reality and sensationalizing the news through willful and deliberate misrepresentation of issues which can have a strong negative influence on those who consume such blatant lies. One of its several outcomes is the perpetuation of racism, on account of the negative portrayal or racial stereotyping of the ethnic minorities. This paper critically examines the portrayal of minority communities by the Canadian media, explores the manner in which they are represented – i.e. misrepresented or underrepresented in the media, and its ultimate impact on the masses, culminating of such news into a negative image of members of such groups, there by attracting harsh and often discriminatory behavior towards them by the dominant groups. This study is an attempt to study the highly complex relationship between the minority communities and their gross misrepresentation by the Canadian media, the role of the media in shaping national identities and influencing peaceful or destructive inter racial relations and / or harmony depending on the media representations. â€Å"Racisim is prejudice or discrimination against other people because of their race or because of what is thought to be their race (their biology or ancestry or physical appearance). It involves the assumption that peoples birth or biology

Kinship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Kinship - Essay Example Though no material evidence suggests literacy with writing and reading, they can facilitate daily communication with composite form of language (Chagnon). Since the horticulture-inclined Yanomamo have become accustomed to waging village warfare, it is a normal tendency to form political allies and functions which, by the systematic principles of kinship, decide for the village people in the aspects of shelter, tribal relationships and other social issues, as well as the manner of adjusting with the environment. The Yanomamo, due to arranged violent encounters, have in a way manage to shape their culture by following certain behavior acquired in response to the sensitive call for survival (Chagnon). Through the system of kinships that constitute their living, social and familial ties are further enhanced as Yanomamo natives conduct frequent and periodic occasions of feasting and trading (Kittelson & Stafford). Arranged intermarriages via the kinship ruling are based upon the fighting skillfulness of a male relative after each combat with triumphant results.

How has the Supreme Court evolved over its history Essay

How has the Supreme Court evolved over its history - Essay Example Supreme Court as it has introduced into practice the concept of judicial review and granted authority to determine the constitutionality of legislative acts and executive orders. The Supreme Court established that a federal law is more important than a state law. Its decisions have become one of the causes of the American Civil War, abolition of racial segregation and legalization of abortion. According to the U.S. Constitution â€Å"the judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish†. This and many other provisions are included in Article 3, which alone contains the list of duties and prerogatives of the Supreme Court. This organ of the federal government was not touched in any of the twenty-five Amendments adopted in 1791-1971. The functions of the Supreme Court were specified in the Constitution very sketchy while the rights and functions of the legislative power, exercised by Congress, and executive power, exercised by the President, are very clear. The Supreme Court took on the role of the higher national arbitrator during the 19th century. It was vested with the authority to affirm, check for errors or even annul not only the decisions of the lower federal courts but also the decisions of the federal, state and municipal authorities. The U.S. Constitution does not detail how many justices should be in the Supreme Court, leaving it to the discretion of Congress. Initially, it decided to appoint six justices. Subsequently, the composition of the court consisted of 10 justices but it sometimes happened that their number was reduced to five. Typically, precise number of justices was defined just to ensure the effective work of the court. Now nine justices are appointed; one of them is the Chief Justice. All of them, in principle, are irremovable and can remain in office for life

The effects of child abandonment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The effects of child abandonment - Essay Example Child abandonment is a situation where a parent agrees to have no role in his childs life. This doesn’t only involve the failure to support a child from financial point of view but from emotional side as well. It is quite obvious that a child needs both of this parents to grow with self-confidence and self-esteem and that’s why abandonment leaves a child with so many questions. These questions create an extremely bad impact on the life of a child and sometimes it becomes difficult for him to get rid of the resonance of his excruciating memories of the past even in the old age. Divorce is getting quite common in todays world but if divorce results in abandoning parent, it can have huge impact on a child. Many children start to think that they are left alone. That’s true for children between the ages of 3-7. In this situation a child starts taking him as a reason for divorce and separation. This can further aggravate the situation and can prove to be obliterating for mental and emotional growth of a child. It is also relevant to mention that a child starts to think that if his parents can leave one another then one of them can leave him as well. That proves to be a real shock to the system and a child becomes more introverted. The problem is that children don’t become able to understand that different dynamics are associated with spousal relationship as compared to child-parent relationship. Now it is clear that there are certain effects of abandonment and a child has to face those implications for most part of his life. But, the question is that whether or not something can be done to save a child from having a bleak future. That’s the statement of purpose for this particular research paper and the answer will be found by exploring the comments made in previous researches and other sources. The effects of abandonment are multifold. But, the purpose of this research

What caused the korean war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

What caused the korean war - Essay Example The Korean War, civil and military struggle that was fought on the Korean Peninsula and that reached its height between 1950 and 1953, was originated in the division of Korea into South Korea and North Korea after World War II (1939-1945) . Efforts to reunify the peninsula after the war failed, and in 1948, the South proclaimed the Republic of Korea after the elections held under the United Nations and the North established the People’s Republic of Korea under the influence of the USSR. In 1949, border fighting broke out between the North and the South. On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces crossed the dividing line and invaded the South. Soon, in defence of the South, the United States joined the fighting under the banner of the United Nations (UN), along with small contingents of British, Canadian, Australian, and Turkish troops. In October 1950, China joined the war on the North’s side. By the time a cease-fire agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, millions of soldiers and civilians had perished. The armistice ended the fighting, but Korea has remained divided for decades since and subject to the possibility of a new war at any time3. In this paper, I will talk about causes of Korean War. World War II ended in Sep 1945, with the total surrender of Japan. Now little Korea, a bone without meat, was in paw reach of Russian armies. Dictator Joseph Stalin was all too well aware of Korea’s value as a foil against Russia’s traditional rivals, China and Japan, and as a checkmate to the United States which, having won the war in the pacific, was bound to play a leading role in establishing the new order in Asia4. He was set to overrun Korea, not to prepare it for freedom, but to convert it to Communism and thereafter exploit it. This has been his plan in central Europe, where he had first liberated, then, held captive, what are called the Iron curtain countries. In 1943, after the Cairo conference, Stalin had agreed with US,

How has the Supreme Court evolved over its history Essay

How has the Supreme Court evolved over its history - Essay Example Supreme Court as it has introduced into practice the concept of judicial review and granted authority to determine the constitutionality of legislative acts and executive orders. The Supreme Court established that a federal law is more important than a state law. Its decisions have become one of the causes of the American Civil War, abolition of racial segregation and legalization of abortion. According to the U.S. Constitution â€Å"the judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish†. This and many other provisions are included in Article 3, which alone contains the list of duties and prerogatives of the Supreme Court. This organ of the federal government was not touched in any of the twenty-five Amendments adopted in 1791-1971. The functions of the Supreme Court were specified in the Constitution very sketchy while the rights and functions of the legislative power, exercised by Congress, and executive power, exercised by the President, are very clear. The Supreme Court took on the role of the higher national arbitrator during the 19th century. It was vested with the authority to affirm, check for errors or even annul not only the decisions of the lower federal courts but also the decisions of the federal, state and municipal authorities. The U.S. Constitution does not detail how many justices should be in the Supreme Court, leaving it to the discretion of Congress. Initially, it decided to appoint six justices. Subsequently, the composition of the court consisted of 10 justices but it sometimes happened that their number was reduced to five. Typically, precise number of justices was defined just to ensure the effective work of the court. Now nine justices are appointed; one of them is the Chief Justice. All of them, in principle, are irremovable and can remain in office for life

What caused the korean war Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

What caused the korean war - Essay Example The Korean War, civil and military struggle that was fought on the Korean Peninsula and that reached its height between 1950 and 1953, was originated in the division of Korea into South Korea and North Korea after World War II (1939-1945) . Efforts to reunify the peninsula after the war failed, and in 1948, the South proclaimed the Republic of Korea after the elections held under the United Nations and the North established the People’s Republic of Korea under the influence of the USSR. In 1949, border fighting broke out between the North and the South. On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces crossed the dividing line and invaded the South. Soon, in defence of the South, the United States joined the fighting under the banner of the United Nations (UN), along with small contingents of British, Canadian, Australian, and Turkish troops. In October 1950, China joined the war on the North’s side. By the time a cease-fire agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, millions of soldiers and civilians had perished. The armistice ended the fighting, but Korea has remained divided for decades since and subject to the possibility of a new war at any time3. In this paper, I will talk about causes of Korean War. World War II ended in Sep 1945, with the total surrender of Japan. Now little Korea, a bone without meat, was in paw reach of Russian armies. Dictator Joseph Stalin was all too well aware of Korea’s value as a foil against Russia’s traditional rivals, China and Japan, and as a checkmate to the United States which, having won the war in the pacific, was bound to play a leading role in establishing the new order in Asia4. He was set to overrun Korea, not to prepare it for freedom, but to convert it to Communism and thereafter exploit it. This has been his plan in central Europe, where he had first liberated, then, held captive, what are called the Iron curtain countries. In 1943, after the Cairo conference, Stalin had agreed with US,

Looking for Methods Essay Example for Free

Looking for Methods Essay With the rampant use of the inter net today, the students in todays generation get their resources from the world wide web. In effect, most of the resources are easily copy-pasted to the students word documents. It is very likely for them to be accused of plagiarism. Now research resources can still be integrated into paper works without the worry of plagiarizing. There are certain methods on how to properly cite resources. First thing that would leave a writer out from damage is to cite their sources. Acknowledge the author of the source and then discuss the details of the specific source. It can be done through paraphrasing and quoting from the original source. The method of quoting first and then explaining what that specific passage is can also be effective. Quoting is a harmless way of integrating a source into ones work. The citation is very important as well. It is important to indicate page numbers and even line numbers for the sake of references. Another good method would be introducing the author and then following it with a brief summary (Alred, 2003, p. 153). An example would be: Fear Itself: Depression Life is written by Robert McElvaine and discusses how the Great Depression has hit Americans. It talks about how Americans in the early 20th century battle with starvation and unemployment, which affected a lot of Americans. Soon, the situation helped them change to become a better person. The country has suffered the Great Depression in the 1930s. People got mixed perceptions in this difficult time though (McElvaine, 1993, p. 23). Notice how the paragraph started with the authors name and immediately gives a background of the article he wrote. The importance of doing this right away in the first paragraph is for the sake of coherence in writing. With proper citation, paraphrasing and summarizing research sources can be integrated into another persons writing without plagiarism. References Alred, G. (2003). Handbook of Technical Writing. Michigan: St. Martins Press. Lester, J. (2005). Research Paper Handbook: Your Complete Guide. California: Good Year Books. McElvaine, R. (1993). The Great Depression: America, 1929-1941. New York: Times Books.

Relationship between competitive sport and self esteem

Relationship between competitive sport and self esteem The present study examined the relationship between competitive sport and self esteem. The sample included both female and male participants who were divided into two groups, athletes (N=20) and non-athletes (N=20) An athlete was defined as an individual between the ages of 15-25 years old who was currently involved in organized competitive figure skating for at least 10 hours per week. A non-athlete was defined as an individual between the ages of 15-25 years old who was not currently involved in organized, competitive skating for at least 10 hours per week. The measures used in this study were Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965), the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (1981), for all participants to measure their self esteem. In addition, the figure skaters athletic identity was evaluated by using the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale developed by Brewer et al. (1993). The global hypothesis was that competitive sport would have a negative impact on the individuals and that there would be a significant difference in self esteem scores between the athletes and non-athletes. More specifically it was hypothesized that the athletes would present trends as to why their self-esteem was lower than th e non-athletes. Results of the independent t Tests refuted the hypothesis that there would be a significant difference between athletes and non-athletes. Sport is commonly defined as an organized, competitive and skillful physical activity requiring commitment and fair play. It is practiced all over the world in different countries. A competitive athlete is proficient in their sport and dedicates their time and money to competition and training. A competitive athlete is someone who has competed in organized, competitive figure skating sport for more than 10 hours per week. Competitive athletes can fall under the amateur level (college and university) or the professional level (not attending school). Being a competitive athlete involves time, dedication and hard work. It involves being at the rink, tennis court or pool all the time. To simultaneously develop a career in competitive sport and commitment to education, work and personal life is not easy today as it was a few years ago (Bussmann,1995). This challenge will become more difficult in the future because the competitive calendar is becoming more demanding each year. (Bussmann, 1995). A career in competitive sport is only possible if an athlete commits themselves to hard work, dedication, training, and a tight time structure with their competition season. Coakley (1992) found that a major aspect that leads athletes to experience feelings of entrapment included identity development, self esteem and life balance issues. If athletes have more facets to their personal identity that just sport, they are less likely to burnout. It is important for athletes to have a healthy balance. Focusing too much on any given sport can lead to feelings of hopelessness, failure and resentment to their sport. A healthy balance is the ultimate goal in an athletes life. Despite the importance of a healthy balance in an athletes life, Orlick and Partington (1988) pointed out that the key to elite athleticism was a total commitment to pursuing excellence. This total commitment to sport was found to be the distinguishing factor between successful and unsuccessful competitive athletes. Therefore, in order to achieve or maintain athletic success, an athlete must sacrifice this healthy balance to capitalize on their physical talents. Self esteem is an example of a sacrifice some athletes experience, to attain success. Often athletes push themselves so hard, that failure or lack of perfectionism can negatively affect their self esteem. Athletes are especially vulnerable to this problem of attaching self-esteem to ones performances because they are judged by how well they perform. This is specifically evident in figure skating, where participants are constantly judges by their coaches in practices, judges in competitions, and themselves almost daily. However, society sends subtle signals that they must achieve in their sport to feel worthy as a person and that is the trap that many athletes fall into. In addition, if an athlete is a perfectionist, it can further affect their self-esteem because they have such high expectations and are always so critical and hard on themselves. If athletes fall into this trap, their emotions, and how they feel about themselves, are heavily influenced by the perceptions of their perf ormance, which can naturally vary from day to day. Your self esteem may fluctuate based on performance or practices. Although previous research has investigated the psychological effects of competitive sport, few studies have examined competitive figure skaters and their self esteem. The research area studied was sport psychology, and the topics were athletes, non-athletes and self esteem. A subtopic measured was athletic identity. The global hypothesis was that competitive sport would have a negative impact on the individuals and that there would be a significant different in self esteem scores between the athletes and non-athletes. More specifically it was hypothesized that the athletes would present trends as to why their self-esteem was lower than the non-athletes. Conceptual Framework The main theory behind the study was the need for research. More research was required on competitive figure skaters and self esteem, as figure skating can produce high fluctuations of self esteem. Theory plays a large part in my study because the ideas behind my theory came from personal experiences as an athlete. I have a close personal connection to my study, as I was once a competitive figure skater, who was immersed in the sport and identified quite strongly with the athlete role. When I retired, I experienced low self-esteem and identity foreclosure. Attempts were made in the study, to see if there were similarities between my experiences as a competitive figure skater and my participants. The study was both descriptive and explanatory in nature. I attempted to describe my data and explain why and how it happened. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data obtained through the surveys. It was explanatory in nature and I attempted to explain my findings and why self esteem affected competitive athletes. An attempt was made to understand of why competitive sport affects athletes so strongly, specifically self-esteem. My paradigm and perspective was post-positivist and deductive. I developed a hypothesis and set out to prove it with my data. I attempted to produce factual information through my survey research, however I still had a personal connection to the topic. Literature Review Self Esteem Self-esteem reflects a persons overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own image, perception. The term self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame. A persons low self-esteem may be reflected in their behaviour, such as shyness, or caution. Self Esteem and the Competitive Athlete In a study done by Koivula (2002), 30 Swedish elite athletes were assessed on their self esteem and perfectionism levels. It was concluded that the setting of high standards is an integral part of elite sports, and often beneficial for the athletes performance. However, individuals who suffer from perfectionism may have heightened levels of anxiety, due to discrepancies between ideal and current self/situation. This could, of course be detrimental to their sport performance. The differences cited between athletes and non-athletes in self-esteem in the Huddy and Cash (1997) study were based on comparing athletes involved in individual sports (running and swimming) to a group of non-athletes. Therefore, it may be the case that individual-sport athletes benefit more from participation in physical activity than do those athletes involved in group-type sports when it comes to having a positive effect on self- esteem. This could also be detrimental to their self-esteem because an individual sport requires extreme mental toughness, concentration, pressure and a much higher degree of accountability. Most research hasnt focused on figure skaters, their self-esteem and the impacts of this competitive sport. There is a definite need for research in this area, because figure skating demands psychological and mental strength from an athlete. The present study will add to the work done by Hall and Durborow (1986) and Frost (2005) who studied self esteem in high school college athletes, with Hall and Durborow, studying specifically female athletes. These studies failed to include figure skaters as a competitive sport. It is hoped that from the present study that some insight will be found on if and why figure skaters suffer from low self-esteem and future research may come from it. Athlete Identity Most research done on athletic identity was done in the early twentieth century. Identity answers the question Who am I? Athlete identity is the degree to which an individual identifies with an athlete role. (Brewer, et al) Sense of self is the realization and knowledge of who you are as a person; athletes might know who they are and define themselves through sport. Having a strong sense of self is important in shaping your identity. Brewer, Van Raalte, and Linder developed the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) and tested it with college students (athletes and non-athletes). They tested based on a rating scale handed out in the form of a survey. Athletic identity differences between males and females were tested and in three studies, they found that males had a significantly higher athletic identity than females. The researchers reasoned that American society places a greater emphasis on sport for males than for females. Coakley (1990), supported this finding with his analysis that girls are less likely to learn that physical activities and achievements in sport can or should be uniquely important sources of rewards in their lives. If girls do not receive as many rewards for their participation in sports, they are less likely to develop a strong athletic identity. (Coakley, 1990) Athletes who are more immersed in their role in sport will identify themselves with more certainty than others (Adler, 1991). Forty college basketball players competitive in their sport were tested by Adler and Adler (1991) and were found to identify themselves as student-athletes. This is a common identification among college athletes and is a desirable status symbol with a strong sense of belonging and self esteem. Those with a very strong athletic identity tend to interpret events, such performance and practice sessions, in terms of how it affects their athletic involvement. A strong athletic identity tends to increase an individuals commitment to sport, but those with an exclusive athletic identity tend to have emotional difficulties when they had performances or their competitive careers end. Those with a strong athletic identity spend more time with teammates and coaches who further strengthen their athletic identity. These were findings done in a recent study by Horton and Mac k (2000). Alpine skiers were tested and viewed in conjunction with other aspects of ones self-concept, that athletic identity plays a significant role in understanding ones cognitive structure and social role composition. (Horton, 2000) However, if an athlete exclusively identifies with the athletic role, he/she has an increased risk of experiencing a severe emotional disruption during a career transition One very interesting study previously conducted involved identity and athletic retirement. It is the most recent and relevant study done that relates to my own intended research. The study was conducted by Lally (2007), to examine the relationship between identity and athletic retirement using a longitudinal, prospective design. One-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted with three males and three female university student competitive athletes at three times: at the outset of their last season of competition, approximately 1 month after their retirement, and approximately 1 year later. The results revealed that the participants committed themselves strongly to their athletic goals and anticipated disrupted identities upon retirements. The study concludes that the redefinition of self long before sport career termination may protect ones identify during this transition process. (Lally, 2007) The Importance of Sport Sport is a great way to get involved and stay active and healthy. Evidence has shown that there are significant benefits to participating in sport. For example in a study done with high school students states that extra-curricular sport participation throughout high school is a good predictor of having a good job with autonomy at the age of 24 (Eccles, 2003). This study looked at sport and youth development and shows only the impact of sport at a high school level. Sport is a social process and involves engaging with others and meeting new people. Many important relationships are formed in sport and an athlete often forms relationships solely within their sport. Athlete-coach, athlete-athlete and athlete-parent are examples of important relationships developed in the sport environment (Jowett, 2006). These examples were studied by Jowett among Olympic medalists, who trained very hard and fall under the competitive athlete category. Sport can positively affect a persons self esteem and give them a sense of satisfaction. A study done by Findlay and Bowker (2009) explored specific aspects of sports and individuals on 4 levels (physical competence and physical appearance self-concept, global physical and general self-esteem). Three hundred and fifty one adolescents were studied from elite sports and regular school classrooms. Participants were separated into group based on sports participation (elite athletes, competitive athletes, and non-athletes). The level of athleticism was found to be positively related to physical competence and appearance self-concept and general self-esteem. (Findlay, 2009) This study is a positive indicator as to why people compete and identity with sports. Unfortunately this study was very large and broad and therefore wasnt overly clear and concise. Competition and Sport Competition is a large part of sport and involves a direct comparison of performance against others or ones own goals. Sport needs to have goals or the outcomes seem meaningless. Athletes are driven to achieve goals and improve on performance. Competitors enjoy winning. This simply put is the driving force behind competitive sport and athletes. There is a joy from accomplishment and an intrinsic value with competing and performing at your best. A competitive athlete trains day after day to perform their best when the day of competition arrives. Although many athletes see positive effects from competition, there are also are many negative side effects to competitive sport. Competition can be difficult from a practical standpoint because it doesnt, contrary to public belief, improve performance, creativity or productivity. It can also be psychologically detrimental because it leads to anxiety, lower self-esteem and dependence on external evaluation (Kohn, 1992). This was argued in Alfie Kohns (1992) book, No Contest: the Case against Competition. However athletes still pursue further training and dedicate themselves to becoming a competitive athlete. It is also the love of their sport that drives them to continue to train ha rd and push themselves to be the very best. Athletes often become so involved and immersed in their sport that training and competing becomes an everyday routine and way of life, therefore identifying with the sport. The sense of accomplishment and pride that comes with winning a prize or medal is huge. There is no greater feeling in the world. To obtain this feeling, athletes often have to push themselves to the point of psychological impact. With success, comes sacrifice, often affecting self-esteem and confidence. Production of the Competitive Athlete For athletes in highly competitive sports, discipline and dedication are required to pursue excellence in sport. Success depends on multiple factors an athlete must strive to work towards in order to gain maximum results. Coaches and athletes understand that repetitive training and immersion in practice drills will develop the athletes skills necessary to perform well and to reach their goals. A large part of sport involves mental toughness, focus and concentration. Concentration and determination and focus are often the deciding factors in the outcome of athletic competition (Nideffer R. ., 2001). Regardless of the specific sport, attention and concentration are essential for success. These were findings by Nideffer and Sagal (2001) in their study done with elite skiers. They found that attention and control are keys to becoming successful athletes. The more concentrated and focused on a sport an athlete is, the greater the results will be. Continuing success at an elite level requires athletes to devote more time to their sport and focus their entire life on training, managing specific diets, maintaining fitness levels and preparation and focus for competitions. Competitive athletes who tend to spend more time immersed in the sport, will get transformed, and often identify themselves strongly as an athlete. As the competitive athlete devotes more of their life involved in their sport their ability to identify with that sport becomes increasingly evident (Horton, 2000). Significant life changes can happen in competitive sport. As the world of sport gets faster, stronger and more successful, the demands from training and performance increase. Psychological Impact of Competitive Sport Injuries are on example of why self-esteem may be lower in competitive athletes. Some research has been done to date on the psychological effects from an injury however within the last decade; the main physiological dimensions of sport injury to the exclusion of psychological dimensions have been looked at in detail (Petitpas, 1995). *** injuries with figure skaters In an argument and analysis done by Cupal (1998), from Utah State University, psychological interventions are needed when an athlete suffers from an injury. Most of this article focuses on what needs to be done and what has been done in the past with post injury psychological testing and intervention of athletes. More work is needed on illustrating how an athletes injury affects their sense of self and identity. The mind is very powerful and can be greatly affected by injury (Cupal, 1998). In a study done by Johnston and Carroll (2000); looked at the variation of psychological impact of injury based on sport. It was mentioned that to date there are only 4 published reports of sports involvement as a factors of injury (Johnston and Carroll, 2000). They also concluded that the more involved an athlete is within their sport the greater negative impact, and injury will have psychologically. This study was completed by giving them questionnaires, highlighting which sport they were involved in, training regimens and post injury effects. It was an important study because it showed more competitive athletes having experienced the greatest hardships when an injury happens. It also gave the reader an indicator of which sport-related injuries have the greatest psychological impact. Mental toughness and focus are contributing factors of success in sport. Sports psychology has a distant role in the acceptance and recovery of athletic injuries. Stress-related factors are the most common among psychological factored to influence an injury. (Anderson Williams, Psychological risk factors : Injury prediction and preventive measures, 1998) They developed a theory on psychological factors that contribute to injuries. They vaguely show how injuries can develop from stress, depression, lack of motivation, but fail to show how the mind is affected when the injury occurs. An athletes recovery can be vastly influenced by their mental ability to cope. After an injury the brain goes through psychological reactions to what has just happened. The five stage process includes denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance (Hardy, 1990). This five stage process fails to consider athlete identity after injury. There are four other psychological reactions associated with athletic injuries. Identity loss, fear and anxiety, lack of confidence and performance decrements are all part of the minds way of dealing or reacting to what has happened (Petitpas, 1995). Figure Skating as a Competitive Sport For the purpose of the present study figure skating will be the competitive sport of choice. Figure skating is the epitome of all things sport. Athletes must have the stamina of both a short and long distance runner, strength of a hockey player and the grace of an equestrian rider. Figure skating offers its participants unparalleled opportunity to achieve personal success, fitness and strength. The competitive figure skating experience lends itself to the acquisition of life skills including determination, mental toughness, focus and respect. Figure skating teaches good, wholesome values, commitment, the pursuit of excellence, healthy competition, resources and health and well being. Achieving excellence demands a lot of time, most competitive figure skaters are at the rink 10-15 hours per week depending on age and achievement level desired. Their training regimens include on-ice training, off- ice conditioning workouts, ballet classes and nutrition and psychology seminars among othe r demands. Figure skating is primarily an individual sport. Unlike more traditional sports, figure skaters do not have teammates to rely on for social and athletic support, and they alone are responsible for their competitive outcomes. Thus, figure skaters may experience considerable pressure and performance anxiety than athletes in other sports. Figure skating requires its athletes to make sacrifices that are not required of athletes in many other sports. One such example is the significant financial investment for the athlete by his or her family, and the expenses are much greater than those incurred in many other sports. The cost of a pair of skates alone ranges from a minimum of $500 for relatively low level boots and blades to well over $1,000. Practice time, private instruction, off-ice training, practice apparel, routine equipment maintenance, music editing, competition entrance fees, competition apparel, and travel fees are all additional costs. This financial burden can negatively impact a figure skater into constantly feeling pressure to give 100 percent all the time and achieve considerable success. A figure skaters social life can be majorly impacted by the demands of this competitive sport. Figure skaters often have inconvenient times for practice, such as very early in the morning and in the early afternoon. In order to make these practice times, many figure skaters have shortened school schedules that allow them to leave school early. At the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ontario there is a co-op program that allows figure skaters to obtain school credits while skating. However, this also eliminates times where students generally socialize with peers, such as lunch and recess. Practice schedules may also prevent figure skaters from becoming involved in school-based extracurricular activities, which frequently have meetings before and after school, eliminating another potential setting for peer interaction for figure skaters. Finally, figure skaters often are required to get up very early in the morning for practices. This also leaves little time for socialization with friends after school, as early morning practice requires skaters to go to sleep earlier than their non-skating friends. Other than that, figure skaters often devote what time they have left, to dinner and homework. Figure skating can be tied into self esteem and sense of self-worth. Some competitive figure skaters may suffer from a foreclosed identity status. According to Marcia (1966), identity foreclosed individuals solely identify with their sport and fail to explore any other possible identities. The training demands leave little time to explore potential identity options specifically other sports or interests. Frequently, early and mid-adolescents make identity decisions based on their peers and significant others (Kroger, 2007). For figure skaters, there are few opportunities available to interact with and identify with peers and significant others other than fellow figure skaters. Studies done on self-worth and self-esteem has shown that there are numerous dimensions of self-esteem that can contribute to an individuals overall sense of self worth (Harter, Waters, Whitesell, 1998), and that the dimensions of self-esteem most valued by the individual are the best predictors of his or her overall sense of self-worth (Harter et al., 1998). The athletic identity measurement scale by Brewer (1993) further supports this as many studies have confirmed that the higher the immersion in their sport, the higher the athletes identifies with it. Often with competitive athletes their self-esteem and identity are tied into their athletic accomplishments and with each new accomplishment, comes new, higher expectations (Blansett Blansett, 2002) The task of controlling body changes during adolescence and early adulthood may be especially difficult for figure skaters. The increases in height, body fat, and weight distribution that accompany adolescent development in females (Kroger, 2007) may be especially detrimental for figure skaters because these biological changes greatly impact a skaters ability to perform jumps and spins. The addition of body fat not only makes it more difficult for skaters to get the height necessary to complete rotations in their jumps, but changes in weight distribution can affect their timing and balance. Some studies like (Stoutjesdyk Jevne, 1993; Sundgot-Borgen, 1994), suggest that athletes are at increased risk especially female athletes are at risk for eating disorders. Sports that have major aesthetic components such as gymnastics, cheerleading, ballet, diving and figure skating (Brooks-Gunn, Burrow, Warren, 1988; DiBartolo Shaffer, 2002; Reel Gill, 1996; Sundgot-Borgen, 1994) may have hig her eating disorder rates than others. Skaters are concerned about appearance, have lower than recommended daily caloric intake and often engage in caloric restriction due to dietary advice from nutritionists and coaches. A study done by Monsma and Molina (2004), investigated figure skaters and presented a profile of eating disorder risk; comparing different variables. Analyses indicated that the Body Mass Index (BMI) was the most robust biological variable for subsequent analyses. BMIs among skaters were lower when compared to other athletes and individuals. The present study will attempt to garner similar results in the qualitative sections of the questionnaire. The role an athlete assumes in figure skating can be important in affecting their self worth and self esteem. The Charter for Competitors lists the following duties and responsibilities of all sport competitors: must abide by both the laws and spirit of their sport, must accept the decisions of umpires and referees without question or protestation, must not cheat and in particular must not attempt to prove their performance by the use of drugs, must exercise self control at all times, must accept success and failure, victory and defeat with good grace and without excessive display of emotion, and must treat opponents and fellow participants with due respect at all times (Kew, 1997). The role of the figure skater requires the athlete to be responsible for his or her skating; their behavior, their fate and no one can do it for them. All of these responsibilities can be negatively damaging on a competitive figure skater. There is so much pressure on competitive figure skaters and without intense training and dedication, skills and achievements decline. Figure skaters repeatedly apply huge amounts of pressure onto their bodies, sometimes without success. Sometimes athletes will try so hard to achieve success, but at times, can fail. Fear of pain and failure are both paramount psychological challenges for athletes (Shogun, 1999) Fear of failure can also lead to decreased self esteem and self worth. Methodology Instruments Athletic Identity Measurement Scale The Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) is a 10-item quantitative inventory measuring the level of athletic identity. It is designed to measure the degree in which an athlete identifies themselves with their sport. The Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS) is a tool that assisted in the study. To examine the athletic identity of athletes, Brewer, Van Raalte, and Linder (1993) developed the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS). Brewer Cornelius (2001) have since developed the most recent version of the scale. (B. . Brewer, 343) this scale will be used to ask questions and for participants of my study to complete upon which additional open ended questions will be added. (See attached appendix) This scale is a highly validated scale, used in past research to measure athletic identity. Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (1978) The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI; Coopersmith, 1989) was designed to measure the respondents attitudes toward self in personal, social, family, and academic areas of experience. The original Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory was developed for children. In the present study, a modified version developed by Dr. M.B. Ryden was used for adults and adolescence. It was then modified to fit the study, by only using 15 like me and 15 not like me questions. The participants had the option of checking like me or not like me for each question. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965) The Rosenberg self-esteem scale, developed by Morris Rosenberg, is a widely-used self-esteem measure in social science research. The scale is a ten-item quantitative measure with items answered on a four-point Likert scale from strongly agrees to strongly disagree. Qualitative Questions Two additional questions were added to the questionnaire, one for the athletes and one for the non-athletes. They are located in Appendix____. The purpose of these questions was to provide analysis and interpretation of the answers. Qualitative research gathers in-depth understanding of human behaviour and the reasons why such behaviour happens. For example, the athletes were asked to expand on any negative effects that competitive figure skating has brought about. It was hoped that if the figure skated experiences low self esteem, the qualitative questions would provide answers. For the non-athletes, a question was presented about being a non-athlete/inactive and any negative affects it brought with it. It was hoped that if they experienced any low self esteem from not being active or a competitive athlete, the qualitative questions would provide answers. Procedure In order to insure consistency among test subjects the sport of figure skating was chosen for this study. Figure skating is a well-organized, professionally coached sport in which individuals between 15-25 years old, practice a minimum of 10 hours per week. The athletes were recruited from The Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ontario. There were 20 figure skaters who participated in the study. A meetin

Nestle: Operating in a Global Economy Essay -- strategic management ca

Nestle is a large company with over 150 years of history. The company deals with global production and competes around the world in an effort to achieve steady growth and profit. Competing in the global economy requires dealing with many challenges to meet production goals and market products to different cultures. Nestle also markets to third world countries that need nutritious food at a reasonable price. The company is a market leader in numerous product lines that have provided a solid foundation for sales and profit. Nestle has strong brand recognition that provides a competitive advantage to get into new markets and expand in existing markets. Operating in the global market means embracing numerous opportunities while avoiding various threats. The strategic management Nestle exhibited serves as an excellent case study in operating in a global economy. History The Nestle company traces its roots back to 1866 when Henri Nestle began searching for a healthy and economical alternative for mothers who were unable to breast feed their infants. Nestle’s first customer was a premature infant that could not tolerate the mother’s milk or any other substitutes available at the time (Nestle). The new product saved the babies’ life and people quickly recognized the value of the new product. By 1900, the company expanded to other products including powdered soup, bouillon cubes, sauces and flavorings. Through the early 1900s, production expanded and factories were operating in the United States, Britain, Germany and Spain. In 1904, Nestle added chocolate to its product line by reaching an agreement with the Swiss General Chocolate Company. The company continued to expand and began manufacturing in Australia and e... ...nclusion Nestle is a market leading company and serves as an excellent case study for illustrating strategic management in the global economy. The companies roots go all the way back to 1866 and the established history have created a strong company tested by the ups and downs of the world economy. Establishing a strong market base and vision for health and nutrition provide Nestle a positive reputation. The company has weathered two world wars and has continue to refine the corporate strategy. This flexibility and adaptability have enabled steady growth and success through these changing market conditions. Nestle can continue this success by establishing new markets and creating new products. In particular, continuing research and development to expand health and nutrition focused products will facilitate the ability to achieve above-average returns.

The Depiction of Women in The Yellow Wallpaper and The Chrysanthemums

The Depiction of Women in "The Yellow Wallpaper," by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and "The Chrysanthemums," by John Steinbeck Identical twins have the same genes that make both of them look, think, and feel the same. Their likes and dislikes are the same; for instance, when one likes yellow, the other will like yellow. However, their fortunes are different; for instance, when one dies, the other will not die. Similarly, in literature, different authors have created a twin character in different eras. It is as if a second twin sister was born forty years after the first one was born. In "The Yellow Wallpaper," written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman ( 1892) and "The Chrysanthemums," written by John Steinbeck (1938), both stories are similar in characterization and setting. They differ, however, in their points of view and the symbolism. Each actual symbol is different, but its meaning is the same. Although they differ in many different ways, both show that being trapped inside an isolated house and having a limited life under a husband's control leads to a miserable ending of a woman's life. While Gilman uses a lonely, big house where her main character stays for three months, Steinbeck creates a small farmhouse where Elisa lives and works. This definitely addresses their loneliness and isolation. Elisa works in her flower garden in which she plants chrysanthemums bigger than anyone does in the Salinas Valley. She works alone in her small garden that is surrounded with a "wire fence" to protect from "cattle and dogs and chickens" (Steinbeck 503). She lives in a small farmhouse that is far away from other houses, which makes her feel as if she is isolated from her society. Steinbeck sets the Salinas Valley as if it is also isola... ...eir messages of the stories are the same. So now, just think about why they have many similar thoughts toward women. Works Cited Charter, Ann, and Samuel Charters, eds. Literature and its Writers: A Compact Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin's, 2003. Steinbeck, John. "The Chrysanthemums." Literature and its Writers: A Compact Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 3 rd ed.Ed. Ann Charter and SamuelCharter. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin's, 2003. 502 - 510. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Wallpaper." Literature and its Writers: A Compact Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 3 rd ed. Ed. Ann Charter and Samuel Charter. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin's, 2003. 182- 193. Gilbert, Sandra M., and Gubar, Susan. "A Feminist Reading of Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper." Charters and Charters 564- 566.

The Difference Between Manual and Automatic Typing Machines

Today many people use a computer to do work for their business, home, and school. I am writing a report outlining the differences between using a typewriter and a computer to do work. I will also explain why one machine is better than the other. Hopefully this report will help you discover the advantages your employees will gain from the use of computers. Computers are machines of the future. People use computers more than the typewriters in the office, at school and at home. One of the main reasons is a computer has more features than a typewriter. A typewriter is very limited in it†s use, for example, you have to use correction fluid every time you make a mistake. There is the advantage of Manual typewriters being more mobile (since they don't depend on electricity), but are often bulkier and heavier than electric or electronic typewriters Computers process work faster than typewriters on mass of products. Software such as Microsoft Office 2000 can practically run the office for you. The most common word processing program is Microsoft Word 2000†³s Word 2000 program. Word 2000 can bold, underline, copy, paste, and highlight the letters on computers. It can also change fonts and sizes for the letters. Word 2000 has all these special features for the computer, which typewriters don†t have. Computers can save the word processing on hard disk or floppy disk, which means it can be accessed and edited over, and over again, and printed out when needed. Typewriters can†t save or change once typing done. There are some special features of Word 2000 such as the ability of inserting clipart and WordArt. Clipart is a feature that provides arts, pictures, video, and sound. WordArt is also a feature provide styles and colours for words. Computers can make word processing outcome ten times better than typewriter. Typewriters only had spaces, capital letters and other simple features. Computer Word Processors are very convenient for writing. You can correct mistakes, check your spelling, format your paper, and often do other fancy things quite easily. However, you are tied to a power supply, and you will usually need some unusual sort of adapter in another country. Ribbons for many word processor machines are unique to the company that makes them, and are often hard to find outside of large cities in post-industrial countries. Laptop computers are the ultimate in convenience. You can do almost anything with a modern word-processing/design application that you could in the best of print shops. However, you are again tied to an electrical outlet (limiting your choice of location and project) and most portable computers do not have their own printer. It is not too difficult to put your material on a floppy disk and print it out at the Center with a computer printer compatible with your computer. Be aware of typing and writing health. Use posture that won't break your back in ten years. Hold your wrists right so you don't get carpal tunnel syndrome (especially for electronic keyboards). Remember to rest your eyes regularly if your have to stare at a computer screen for long periods of time. As technology continues to expand in offices across the Nation, the role of the secretary has greatly evolved. Office automation and organizational restructuring have led secretaries to assume a wide range of new responsibilities once reserved for managerial and professional staff. Many secretaries now provide training and orientation to new staff, conduct research on the Internet, and learn to operate new office technologies. In the midst of these changes, however, their core responsibilities have remained much the same-performing and coordinating an office†s administrative activities and ensuring that information is disseminated to staff and clients. Secretaries are responsible for a variety of administrative and clerical duties necessary to run an organization efficiently. They serve as an information clearinghouse for an office, schedule appointments, provide information to callers, organize and maintain paper and electronic files, manage projects, and produce correspondence. They may also prepare correspondence, handle travel arrangements, and contact clients. Secretaries are aided in these tasks by a variety of office equipment, such as filing systems, photocopiers, and telephone systems. In addition, secretaries increasingly use personal computers to run spreadsheet, word processing, database management, desktop publishing, and graphics programs-tasks previously handled by managers and other professionals. At the same time, these other workers have assumed many tasks traditionally assigned to secretaries, such as word processing and answering the telephone. Because secretaries are often relieved from dictation and typing, they can support several members of the professional staff. In a number of organizations, secretaries work in teams in order to work flexibly and share their expertise.