Understand How to Safeguard Children free essay sample

Understanding how to safeguard the wellbeing of children and young people. 1. Understand the main legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding children and young people. 1. 1In englang and wales the polices and procedures for safeguarding and child protection in a setting for children and young people are a result of legislation passed in parliament including: The children Act 1986 and the children Act 2004 (england and wales) Children Order 1995 (northern ireland) The children act 1986 and children order. The aim of these of acts was to simplify the laws that protect children and young people. They tell carers/people how to work together when child abuse is suspected. Working together to safeguard children (1999) This provides professionals in england and wales guildines to help them work with a child who is at risk of harm. Children act 2004 This act includes Assessment framework for agencies to help them identify childrens needs LSCB (local safeguarding childrens broad) this has the power to make sure that social services, education services, the nhs, the police and any other services work together to help protect vulnerable children Working together to safeguarding children 2006 This updates safeguarding and how agencies should work on thier own and together with other agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. We will write a custom essay sample on Understand How to Safeguard Children or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Polices and procedures All settings that work with children and young children / people must: A arrangement to work with the LSCB A senior member of staff in charge of safeguarding arrangements An effective risk assesment to make sure that the safeguarding policy works CBR check on all adults who work with children to the age of 18. Contact information for parents or carers for all children under the age of 18. Up to date training for all staff on safeguarding. Policy for protection of children under the age of 18. 1. 2Safeguarding is about much more than just protecting children from direct abuse. People working in a enviroment with children and young people have a wider role to play than simply protecting from neglect and abuse. The staying safe action plan reconises important aspects in the wider view of safguarding these include: †¢Keeping children safe from accidents †¢Crime and bullying †¢Forces marriages †¢Missing children Actively promoting their welfare in a healthy and safe enviroment Child protection is action that is taken to protect children that are suffering or at risk of suffering from significant harm. 1. 3It is important for all persons that are working with or around children follow guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguard the welbeing of children and young people so they are able to identify if a child or young person is in risk of harm or ne ed because of the vulnerbility. The earlier a child at risk is detected the better the outcome. Before employing staff into a childcare setting they should be made aware of all the policie and procedures to give the a clear understanding of all aspects of safeguarding the children in there care these should inculde the following: Health and safety Child protection Outings Visitors to the setting Contact with children Risk assesments should be carried out on the setting requarly to make sure there are no safeguarding risks such as children leaving the setting unnoticed or someone entering the setting that as not been authorised to. There are many requirements for keeping children safe in there setting, all staff should under go training to be made aware so that can recognise signs of abuse and learn the correct way to deal with situations. It is important to make sure there is contact details for all parent/carers of children in the care of the setting. Also a senior member of staff that is trained to the correct level needed to take charge of all safeguarding requirements. All guidelines are set in place to help and improve the level of safeguarding and to make sure that services and agencies work together. 1. The local safeguarding childrens board call serious case reviews when it is belived that a child has died due to abuse or neglect. All the nesserary authoritys will be invovled such as childrens services, police, health and education professionals. When a serious case such a child or young person dieing due to neglect it is important for the local authorties to find the reason why it as happened and chec k that all the correct polices and procedures had taken place in the case and if it comes about that society has failed the causes and reasons for this happening need to be address and dealt with. Each service invovled should reveiw the way they are practicing to see if there is any changes that need to be made to prevent serious cases happening, The LSCB will also require a overveiw report to make inquiries and recommendations to each indulvidual service involved. It is important for any service that is dealing with children to imform and share information with the correct authority if they believe there is a chance they believe there could be a incident that could result in a child suffering abuse or even leading to a child dieing. It is important that the correct information is always shared with the nessercary person and good communication between all the local services invovled in the case and that events of the case and logged accuratley. 2. understanding the importance of working in partnership with other organisations to safeguard children and young people 2. 1It is important to safeguard children and young people as without this protection their future could be negatively affected. Their health and development could be affected as its possible they could withdraw from family and peers which would affect them emotionally and also developmentally fall behind with educational milestones (if school is missed). Children and young people need to be protected from neglect and abuse and have a safe environment in which to grown up in with parents, teachers and any other close adult being approachable and accessible if needed, when/if any problem or concerns were to arise. This is all crucial in a child’s upbringing as the care they receive through their childhood will contribute to the success of the child’s ability to reach their full potential into adulthood. 2. 2It is important to use a centred approach when safeguarding children. As this will give you the first hand opinion and facts from the child including feelings and wishes about their current situation and their future. This will make the organisations response more accurate and appropriate to meet the specific needs of the child or young person. It is important therefore to develop a trusting relationship with the child or young person as this will make it easier to discuss their wishes and concerns, which will give the professionals the opportunity to involve the child or young person where possible in decision making about current intervention if necessary and any future action, as ‘the unknown’ will be a worry to the child so hopefully making them aware step by step will make the process less worrying and give a more accurate result to the problem. 2. 3Partnership working is when all agencies or groups of individauls work together to insure the welfare of a child. Working together in partnership is important as the child or young person needs to be safeguarded in all areas and enviroments, it is also important that each party comunicates to the other to ensure the link of correct information is keep up to date to ensure the safety and protection of the child. The importance of partnership working runs through every aspect of safeguarding from goverment legislation to local working, many different agencies maybe be involved depending on the case some of these would be family, social worker, gp, health vistor and school staff. It is important for any party to inform the correct person if they have concerns about the welfare of any child as early intervention will give the 2. 4Roles and responsibililities of different organisations: Social services: Have statutory responsibilities to provide support to vulnerable children and families in need. This may be after a death or when families are finding everyday life difficult. Most social workers are employed by social services. Health Visitiors: Have a responsibility for the health of babies and young children under five. They provide support and guidance to the parents of young children and carry out assessments of a child’s development. General Practitioners (GP): GPs work in the community and are the gaetway to other health services. GPs are often the first people to identify possible abuse when a child attends surgery. Probation Services: Help and support people convicted of some offences to be rehabilitated into the community. They have a key role in monitoring the people convicted of offences against children and should ensure they do not pose a threat to local children. Police: The police are involved in criminal proceedings that may result from safeguarding issues. Child Psychology Services: These will often be needed to support children who have experienced abuse or harm. As all children should be in education or training between the ages of 5 and 18, schools and training organisations are also key to identifying and supporting children that are in need of help. All members of staff should be well trained in safeguarding and child protection. 3 Understand the importance of ensuring children and young people’s safety and protection in the work place . 1 As it can be difficult for many parents to leave their child, it is important that they are confident their child is in a safe environment with people who can be trusted and will see to their Childs needs and help them with their developments. It is also important that a child is made to feel safe and comfortable in a environment or setting in order for them to develop. A child needs to feel happy an d confident in the hands of their carers. 3. 2 Working in and open environment is one way of protecting children and young people as well as the adult caring for them. For example, a nursery that is open plan ensures that at no point will a adult and child be totally alone together. By talking and listening to a child you can learn a lot and May sometimes hear things that give you a reason to be concerned. Avoid agreeing to share a secret with a child when a safeguarding issue is involved. Any concerns over a child’s welfare must be reported and made a record of. When you are involved in the care of children or young people, you are in a position of trust. You have the authority over the children or a young person which gives you responsibility. All people in this position must have enhanced CRB checks. The position you are in tends to be respected and looked up to by many children and young people. Therefore, your own behaviour must be thought about carefully as you are setting an example to these people. Young children need physical contact but too much can quite easily be misunderstood. After a fall, a child may need that cuddle and reassurance to get them up and playing again but if viewed in the wrong way a job and reputation could be at stake. Performing intimate personal care for a child are part of everyday needs but they should never be performed in a room with the door closed or out of sight of other members of staff. This protects the child as well as yourself. Be taking photos or making video recordings can be a great way to let parents see the progression of their child but there are certain rules to followed to ensure the safety of the child -Photos and videos should only be made available to the parents and carers. -Consent forms should be signed and returned -Policies on parents taking photos should be checked . 3 If I feel a colleague is not following the correct safeguarding procedure or the I feel they are harming, abusing or bullying a child or young person in the setting I should immediately speak to my manager and ‘blow the whistle’ as the child at risk is the most important person. If there is any reason I cannot speak to my manager then the other options I have are: Contacting the local soci al services emergency desk Contacting the countries inspectorate Whistle blowing does take some courage as there is the fear of being harassed, bullied or even losing your job as a result. If you lose your job over this matter the UK Public Interest Disclosure Act (1998) offer legal protection. 3. 4 By fully understanding you’re setting policies and procedures at all times will ensure that you can protect yourself from accusations and suspicions. If at any time you are ever in doubt, you should check with your manager who will guide you. 4. Understand how to respond to evidence or concerns that a child or young person has been abused or harmed. 4. 1 There are many different types of abuse such as physical, emotional and sexual abuse also a child being neglected. Signs of physical abuse can be a child having fear of physical contact, flinching when being approached or touched, unexplained recurrent injuries or burns. Physical abuse can also make a child angry and aggresses to themselves and others. Many signs of physical abuse can be confused with every day knocks and bumps but are many signs to look for such as pinch marks on the ears, arms and thigh areas and burn marks. Signs of emotional abuse can be a child with low self-esteem that experiences fear with a new situation, delayed development and a child that is withdrawn and aggressive. Emotional abuse is when a child doesn’t receive love and attention and is put down by carer/parent so makes a child feel they are not good enough with can result in sudden behaviour changes. A child that is being neglected can fail to thrive as they may not be receiving the best care such as proper food, shelter or general care and protection. Coman signs of neglect are poor personal hygiene, a child be constantly drowsy or tired and looking under nourished and thin. A child or young person that is being sexual abuse will have a lack of trust or fear towards someone that know they may be scared or nervous around certain company. They may have a level of sexual knowledge that is not age appropriate. They may also be withdrawn and like to spend time alone rather than socialise with their peers. A physical sign can be continuous medical problems of itching soreness to their genital area. 4. 2 If a child or young person makes an allegation of abuse or harm you should try to have a witness if possible and if it’s ok with the child for someone else to listen. It is important to listen carefully and try not to display that you are shocked or horrified from what your hearing, you should let the child speak and try not o ask direct or leading questions as this could encourage the child to give false information. You should also praise the child and let them know it is the right thing to do and telling someone was right and the main point is to never promise to keep it a secret as this could cause the child further stress and trust issues. Once the child has told you the full story it should be passed over to t he correct person for further investigation. 4. 3 children and young people have the right to receive the best possible help they need to help express themselves fully and it should be explained to them what will happen next. They also have the right and decision not to undergo repeated examinations and questioning about there allegation. Although in some cases it is family members that the allegations are aim at they still have the right to be informed of what’s been said and have a say in the situation. The child has a right to be keep informed about any decisions that may affect there further and the concerns and views should be listen to. 5. Understand how to respond to evidence or concerns that a child or young person has been bullied 5. There are many different types of bully such as physical where a child may be involved in being kicked punched with violent threats this may make a child withdrawn and nervous and generally upset. Not all bulling involves being physically hurt it can be just as distressing for a child to be verbally bullied where they would experience name calling, insults and persistent teasing this can give a child low self-esteem and make them feel worthless and not good en ough. Bullying can also happen and not be received face to face and done though social networking sites and mobile phone. All these types of bullying can leave a child or young person feeling isolated with no one to talk to, in some extreme cases it can lead to depression and even attempted suicide. Bullying can also affect a child education as they may not be able to concentrate and have time of school due to being scared and worried of their bully 5. 2 If there are concerns of bullying in a setting between peers it should be dealt with effinctely to prevent the child or young person being bullied from further pain or distress, all the neseccery people should be involved such as staff members and the parents and family of both the children. All settings should have a anti bullying polices in place to prevent and help cases of bullying. All allegations of bullying should be recorded so it can be picked up if the is a recurrent problem involving the same individuals. The department for education is clear the no form of bullying should be tolerated and all allegations should be taken seriously. Bullying it not a healthy and normal part of growing up. 5. It take a child a lot of courage to confide in someone about being bullied so it is important to let them know that there allegation will be taken seriously and reassure them and their family that the information given will be handed to the right person authority and dealt with in the best possible way. Parents of children being bullied and children that are bullying others also struggle to come to terms with the news and need you full support and help to deal with the situation. You can also give the child details of websites and support line that will offer someone to talk to and extra support for them. 6. Understanding how to work with children and young people to support their safety and wellbeing. 6. 1 It is important for a child to be confidant and have high self-esteem in order for them to thieve and develop ways to boost child self-esteem is to give them lots of praise and encouragement to make them independent with opportunities and choices. Encouraging cooperation, respect and tolerance between children and setting them a positive example to follow and learn from. Teaching children to be assertive having their own needs meet but still respecting other feeling and need. 6. 2 It is important to support resilience in children and young people has it helps them deal with life’s ups and downs. It helps them deal with stressful situations and to cope with change and uncertainty. The more resilience a child or young person has the better they will deal with life as they grow and develop into adulthood. There are many factors that can positively affect Childs resilience: †¢Secure early attachments †¢Confidence of being loved by family and friends †¢Good sense of self identity †¢Confidence to try new things Children that do not tick all the factors may need more help to improve their resilience and boost their self-esteem. 6. 3 children and young people need to have strategy to protect them so they are able to access risks and enable them to make decisions about their own safety. There are many ways children can be supported to keep themselves safe. It is important that they are taught about dangers; such as using outdoor equipment that may have higher risks of danger and the dangers involved in substances. I feel it is also important that a child is made aware that not all adults are safe to approach and should be taught to beware of strangers. A child should never have to feel scared or uncomfortable about someone they are with or something being done to them. 6. everyone working with children needs to support them to help them keep safe and help to support their own well being this can be achieved by helping them to understand boundaries by reinforcing issues when they arise in a positive manner such as taking turns, no pushing, being patient, understanding some children take more time than others to complete tasks, everyone has their own individual ways of completing tasks, letting them resolve their own conflicts when possible. Promote positive relations hips whether child to child, child to adult, adult to adult or adult to child. Let them lead their own activity without guided instructions to let them see what needs to be done and how they can achieve this. We all learn by taking risks so when a child wants to take a risk, be there to help them and support them, whether it be physically (e. g. Supporting them whilst they go down a climbing frame backwards by being there ready to catch them if needed or adjust their positioning of arms or legs ect,) or verbally (encourage them that they can do it and offer them support in doing what they would like to achieve). Never let a child take a risk that could cause significant harm to themselves or others.

Why VPNs Are Popular Today Essay Example

Why VPNs Are Popular Today Essay Example Why VPNs Are Popular Today Essay Why VPNs Are Popular Today Essay Essay Topic: Popular One of the main reasons why VPNs are so popular is because of their ability to unblock geo-blocked access. If you have ever tried to access Netflix while being abroad, then you might had a frustrating experience. The Region blocks Netflix does enforce can lead to disappointment when your eager to consume your latest dosage of your favorite drama or movie. With the use of a VPN you can bypass this access restriction that under normal circumstances you would not be able to reach due to your location, one of the examples would be getting the USA Netflix in the UK and the expected access to all extra features and content. Some countries like China do block Netflix in its entirety, and the only user friendly way around this restriction is the use of a VPN. One should remember that Netflix does have a reason for this access restriction and imposing local content restrictions. This can range from licensing rights and different broadcasting laws in each destination to simply server capacity reasons. Therefor Netflix does forbid the use of VPNs in their terms and conditions and does fight a constant uphill battle with VPN providers. Now that brings up the question what is the best VPN for Netflix? Most providers have given up the fight against Netflix unblocking so all you will see is a proxy error advising you to turn of your VPN if you would like to watch their content. A few lone VPNs, which we will recommended below, are updating and to be confirmed that they do still work with Netflix. Each and every does offer a whole bunch of options and price plans so there are still some main factors to consider. 1.) It is always a good idea to look for a provider that offers a good return or money back policy. Should Netflix change something once again or VPN provider does stop supporting Netflix then at least you can recover your hard earned money. 2.) How is my data safety and my privacy handled? Not even since the European change in Cookie law does this topic come up in the media more and more very frequently. Among the desirable features is a good encryption and a not keeping any logs policy. 3.) How is their support? A decent support range of mobile devices, and hopefully native clients for iOS/Android, will obviously come in handy for watching Netflix on the go. In addition to this technical difficulties could ruin your experience and those problems can be various and plenty. Therefor a good and friendly plus knowledgeable support is a must have. 4.) The download speed and server coverage should be top notch. To stream a video is a data intensive activity, and you will need high performance levels to avoid the video being stuck or the oh so famous buffering and loading screen. This is even of more vital important when watching any HD or 4K content. Having a wealth of servers is vital in this as you will have to find the one that can offer you the best viewing experience. To conclude the best VPNs that allow you to keep your Netflix.

Persuasive speech; How violent video game affect children Essay

Persuasive speech; How violent video game affect children - Essay Example The increasing trend of using technology and gadgets is reducing the degree of outdoor activities for children. This results in increased durations of indoor activities that mainly constitute of watching TV and playing video games. According to Reinberg, US kids spend around 8 hours watching TV and playing video games every day. The modern video games have alarming levels of aggression and violence in them since they are mainly based on warfare or combat themes. Anderson stated that many scenario based games revolve around the killing of innocent characters with guns, knives, fighting etc. Exposure to such level of violence and aggression for elongated durations affects the players on a short term, as well as a long term basis. Kooijmans stated that violent games cause an increase in destructive cognitions and negative arousals. He also stated that violent video games induce hostile attitudes and beliefs among the users on a long term basis. The high quality of graphics and animation make the scenarios look genuine and give the perception of a real life. Anderson stated that experience of such real life violent situations makes the individuals insensitive to other people’s suffering and pains since they view such details on a daily basis in the form of animated characters. Benedetti pointed out that the increase of violence in video games is having another severe effect on the new generation; shootouts in schools. There have been numerous instances where students have opened fire at their fellow students and caused massacres. Examples of such incidents include Colorado shootout in 1999, Viginia Tech School shootout in 2007 etc. Layton stated that the shooters in the Colorado shootout were excessive players of ‘Doom’, ‘Mortal Kombat’ and ‘Wolf 3D’. These games were considered to be popular and common violent games of that era. Layton also

Cheapchip Cooke Project Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cheapchip Cooke Project Business Plan - Essay Example Next, fixed overhead costs must also be managed with much care because here electricity and gas costs might rise even without the knowledge of the management. A significant percentage of businesses are faced with the threat oc closure nowadays because of the rising energy costs. Finally, cost centers or cost drivers as they are known in accounting jargon, must be identified before costs are allocated to them. Failure to do so will lead to confusion as to which area of the business has higher costs and which less. * Operating Leverage may be defined as the ability of a firm to use its fixed operating costs (rent etc.) to magnify the effect of changes in sales on its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT). The formula for Degree of Operating Leverage (DOL) is: 3. Number of cookies of various categories that can be baked during 180 days are: 1792 x 180 = 3,22,560 while my budgeted annual sales stand at 3,87,082 (the margin of safety output). I assume that the difference of 64,522 cookies can be baked with some overtime work assigned to full-time workers. My calculations of the break-even points or output levels are based on a realistic assumption of what is desirable and achievable given the capacity constraint imposed by the 112 batch of cookies per 30 minutes. Working hours per day cannot be stretched beyond 8 unless overtime payment is given to those workers who willingly work after the 8-hour shift during the night. My calculations of costs both fixed and overhead are based on realistic estimates that included the additional costs of selling cookies such as the cost of 0.25 cents per cookie sold. Also I have taken into consideration the total fixed cost as equivalent to $ 40,000 per year excluding the depreciation charge. I have assumed a breakeven point of 70,000 cookies per annum of type C1 which is priced at $ 0.50. Even if the

The Development of the Marketing Thought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Development of the Marketing Thought - Essay Example These forces, while closely interrelated, produced fickle consumer markets which are more sensitive to price, services, and such other features which create customer value that a slight difference would equate to huge economic losses. From transactional marketing to relational marketing follows a tool for building customer relationships: customer relationship management. If developed and implemented effectively, Strategic CRM has been a guiding tool for most businesses today in competition-filled markets for without a loyal customer base, the business will eventually remain stagnant and cease to exist. After more than a decade of confining the marketing concept as â€Å"a process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives,† the American Marketing Association developed another definition of marketing, describing it as â€Å"...an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.† ... s, marketing evolved from a cold means to maneuver a product into the market in both ways strategical and tactical to a humanitarian obligation that likewise yields two-way benefits; only that in the second definition, marketing purports to be the only tool to stay profitable in the industry taking into consideration the radical changes in the business environment. In brief from a product-oriented approach, organizations now divert their attention to their customers and in creating a profitable rapport with them. Marketing Paradigm Shift? The so-called shift in marketing paradigm is seemingly misguiding as what a few authors contest. What is considered a paradigm shift is not applicable to how the marketing concept evolved from transactional into being relational. Some studies have indicated that transactional and relational marketing may still co-exist today although the former is slowly dominated by the latter with the rise of the web technology where direct marketing became virtua lly possible not to mention, efficient for both buyer and seller. Business firms used to concentrate only on the mass production of goods with less or without particular consideration to consumer relations knowing that the consumers will patronize such products anyway through an unsegmented promotional technique. There was technically no form of personality and individuality -- absence of a human touch. In the business equation, there were only enthusiastic retailers and submissive buyers; therefore in theory, businesses did not consider the profitability of confining the emotional link in between human transactions. In the early 1980s, Len Berry coined the term relationship marketing, describing it as the strategical approach that invites, improves, and maintains customer relationships.

A Look At Macbeth Tragic Hero English Literature Essay

A Look At Macbeth Tragic Hero English Literature Essay In the play Macbeth, the plot focuses around a war hero who becomes greedy for power, which leads to his ultimate coronation as King, and demise. At the beginning of the play, Shakespeare displays Macbeth as a war hero, back from his latest campaign, and given a new title. At first, he is shown as a good person, however, after the influence of witches and his wife; he reluctantly gives into evil. After becoming King, he slowly becomes darker, as he seeks to ensure his position as King. This leads to him to becoming a tyrant ruler of Scotland, and eventually we find the war hero has become a truly evil person, who is then killed as a result of his own actions. By showing that Macbeth is a tragic hero, Shakespeare shows a character that initially starts off as a good and basically heroic person who will go to his downfall through the events of the play. The concept of a tragic hero is that instead of the stereotypical concept of a hero that succeeds in their adventure, the hero is a ch aracter that suffers tragedy and ultimately fails in what he has done. This is often due to a tragic flaw or because of an event that happens. Oedipus is an example of a tragic hero that features as a main protagonist but meets his untimely demise. I shall analyse the character of Macbeth and see if he was always a villain or just a hero who failed in his pursuits, due to how Shakespeare pushes him to that fate. Shakespeares language can be quite complicated in understanding in the first scene, where is introducing the witches: Fair is foul and foul is fair. This means the good is bad and bad is good, an example of an anti-thesis, which gives a darker image to the witches. However, when Macbeth makes a statement later with similar words as an oxymoron: So fair and foul a day I have not seen, it becomes clearer that the meaning refers to the fact the day itself was pleasant but the events of the day were foul. Macbeths use of similar words also ties him to the witches, which adds an eerie feel to the words. The use of witches in this way and what they say immediately links Macbeth to them and their image, as witches were believed to be daughters of the devil, and this casts doubts over Macbeth. In Act 1 Scene 3, Macbeth is seen for the first time. His first sentence incorporating foul and fair already ties this noble man, as he is described in the second scene, with the witches. After walking someway with his friend Banquo, they encounter the three witches who speak of prophecies of Macbeth, about his soon becoming Thane of Cawdor, and then saying All hail Macbeth, King of Scotland, this being the prophecy made about him from the witches. This scene is vital to the plot, as it sets the ball rolling for Macbeths conversion from a hero into a villain. This prophecy is soon re-told to Lady Macbeth, who will be the one who convinces Macbeth to kill King Duncan for his throne. This scene also has the effect of making Macbeth seem quite gullible, as he is ready to believe the prophecy of becoming King rather than doubting how unlikely it is that he should ever become King. This shows that Macbeth takes language at face value, rather than exploring the deeper meaning or fully unde rstanding what is being said. We must also remember that witches would supposedly have divination qualities, so it is suggested that this is Macbeths destiny. This may be another reason why Macbeth is quick to accept what they say, as he is attracted to these stories of a good destiny. Banquo is not affected with any desire to believe them, perhaps because it is not his fate. Perhaps Macbeths ambition has been dormant until now, and these fantastic stories are playing on his deep desire to achieve greatness. This may be the first signs of a tragic flaw. The character of Lady Macbeth is interesting, in the way that she seems to be a powerful figure in her relationship with Macbeth, and how she pushes Macbeth to murder the King. Unsex me here. Her unusual lines like these give the impression that Lady Macbeth is not the average wife, and it is also shown that Lady Macbeth is prepared to go against nature just to get what she wants. This is vital to the story, as it is this that pushes Macbeth from hero to villain. However, despite Lady Macbeths first actions in the first few acts that display her as an un-natural person willing to do anything for power, she is slowly eaten away from guilt. This is shown because after King Duncans death she is un-fazed by it, but later suffers hallucinations of cleaning her blood-stained hands, which is imagery used for guilt after murder: Heres the smell of blood still. This is in contrast to Macbeth, who was opposed to killing King Duncan, and was afraid of the guilt of killing him, but after doing s o slowly loses is inhibitions of killing innocent people for power, when he decides to have his friend Banquo killed to secure his position as King, and when he decides to kill the wife and child Macduff out of pure revenge. This singular act is the final event to show people that Macbeth has indeed become an evil person. When Macbeth is convinced by Lady Macbeth to murder Duncan, he is at first very opposed to it. He is reluctant because of the moral implications and how against nature it is: Nature seems dead. This shows that Macbeth is fully aware of the consequences of his forth-coming actions, and he desperately doesnt want to commit the deed. However, he reluctantly proceeds to murder Duncan, after being pushed by his wife. This is an example of an external act causing Macbeth to meet a tragedy, but it is in this way that Shakespeare has used the wife to create Macbeth. After the murder, Macbeth experiences more guilt of the crime, due to the fatherly nature given to him by Duncan: I am his kinsman and his subject. However, this does not prevent him from ordering the murder of his friend Banquo, to secure his position as King. This indicates the degeneration of Macbeths nature as he sheds the qualms of betrayal, but he still experiences guilt which is indicated by the apparition of Banquos ghost to Macbeth only. Surprisingly, this is done without him informing his wife, meaning that he has decision to do this was his own choice and was not pushed to do the deed again. This shows Macbeths growing independence from Lady Macbeth, due to his degenerating morals. However, the consequences soon catch up with him as he sees the ghost of Banquo: Avaunt and quit my sight. The ghost of Banquo is not seen by everyone at the table, so this implies that the ghost may be a figment of Macbeths imagination. However, witches are real in the play, so the ghost could be real. In any case, it appearance and Macbeths reaction show that he still has a moral conflict within him. However, afterwards he says that he cannot try to be morally conscience anymore: I am in blood; steppd in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as to go oer. Macbeth also decides to return to the witches to seek more knowledge: I conjure you by that which you profess, Howeer you come to know it, answer me. This meeting shows that Macbeth has begun to fraternize with evil for knowledge, and so is going against the natural order of things. The theme of going against the natural order of things is present throughout to play, from the use of witches, to killing of the King. To Shakespeares audience it would have been something of a horror play. There are also descriptions of Macbeth going against the natural order; Macbeth hath murder sleep, which destroys the normality and the nature of this world. The audience of the time would certainly find comments like this haunting as they are shown a world that is akin to a nightmare by their standards. As Macbeth seeks to ensure his position as King, he slowly loses his feelings of guilt and for inhibitions. When he decides to have the child and wife of Macduff murdered because Macbeth has fled to England, the audience is now convinced that Macbeth has indeed become a truly evil person, and it is ironic that this action also has the effect of bringing about his downfall, as it makes Macduff strive to kill Macbeth even more. The irony is that another heinous crime for Macbeth finally is his un-doing, as he continues to cross the line, and his nature to continue with these crimes brings about his own punishment: he brings it upon himself. Also, in Macbeths desire to keep hold of his throne, he ensures his losing of it. After this event, Macbeth is shown to have lost every ounce of moral conscience he had in him at the start, as his temper has changed to one of anger and he becomes ruthless. However, he realizes that an end to his reign is near as the Birnam wood has drawn closer to h is castle; I gin to be aweary of the sun, and wish thestate othworld were now undone which is a sign from the apparitions from the witches that his reign would soon end. He decides to die in battle, which is shown through imagery: At least well die with harness on our back. By this time, Macbeth has realized his loneliness, and that he has lost all of his friends and honour and no longer has a reason to live. In his Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow soliloquy he sees life as a story, and because of all the death and pain he has caused, he has become numb to it. This shows Macbeth has regained some moral conscience, but has lost all reason to carry on and now is happy to face his death. In a way, in this final stand, he reflects the story of Oedipus in that he chooses to face the punishment of his wrong-doings and the series of unfortunate events. The audience may relate to the tragedy of this, but also the fact that he shows one last bit of heroism, fulfilling the criteria of a tra gic hero. When understanding how Macbeth is portrayed as a tragic hero, it is important to remember that it is Shakespeare who actually created the character of Macbeth, as the play is only loosely based on historic events. In fact, Shakespeare is using the historical story as a vehicle for the character, basing Macbeth on a historical figure but dressing him with the tragic flaw, wife and ambition to . This means the Shakespeare could create Macbeth how he liked to within some degree, and so Shakespeare had free reign to portray Macbeth as a tragic hero or as just another villain. Shakespeare is also writing the play specifically about Macbeth, so the purpose of the characters is to help describe Macbeth himself, and to expand on his character. Shakespeares basis for Macbeth as a tragic hero could have followed the classical tradition e.g. the story of Oedipus, who is shown as a tragic hero in his own story, and also many other stories of famous tragic heroes. This is also done by showing Mac beth as a normal hero at the start e.g. brave and noble, but is truly shown to be very different from the standard conventions of a hero, and ultimately his being a tragic hero. Shakespeare uses many of the basic traits of a tragic hero, namely the downfall of the hero through mistakes and evil, but shows how what may seem like a hero at first, has dark desires: Let not light see my black and dark desires. One must also be aware that modern interpretations of the play will be different to what an audience in the Globe in Shakespeares time would have thought of it. In modern times, we may not consider the murder of a King as such a sin that goes against the core of social morality, as we may understand that people may have such a desire to be King as to murder the current King, or at least we may understand the lust for such a position more than the people in Shakespeares time, who would have been concerned over the religious implications. Although we may still relate to the audience of the time with the act of actually killing a man to gain what he has, like a low-level thief. However, in their times it would be considered as one of the greatest sins ever committed as the King would have his power because of divine right, and his murder is an affront to God more than anything else. Characters like the witches and ghosts also do not shock us as much as they would have done in Shakespear es time when they were believed to exist and very dangerous. Macbeths ties with these bad things have a much larger effect on Shakespeares audience than a modern audience and would help make the play seem a lot more evil to his original audience. Also, there would have been a difference in view points between the educated, the un-educated and the women of his audience. Un-educated people in the audience would, in general, be more interested in the more violent aspect of the play, as that would have been there general interest at the time. Also, un-educated people would have been intrigued by the witches and ghosts as they were considered to be real and dangerous, and would have added an element of horror to the play. Educated people would have been interested in the main plot of the story, the use of witches and ghosts, and the story behind the play, mainly that the story was based on a real event many years ago, and that the King was a descendent of one of the characters. Women would have related to the actions of Lady Macbeth, who was shown as a powerful figure in the play, yet not powerful by gender socially. Women would also have been touched by the murders of the wife and child of Macduff, and may have rejoiced in the pu nishment of Macbeth, as this horrid act consequentially leads to his demise. Shakespeare uses stagecraft to make sure that the audience knows what is going on in the minds of the characters, as the psychological aspects of the play are important. Shakespeare uses the appearance of Banquos ghost to show the reader the thoughts that are eating away at Macbeths sanity, as no-one else can see the ghost. Also, instances like Lady Macbeth sleepwalking and showing that she cannot help but share the guilt of the crime, or the use of the witches to inject the eerie and dark manner to the play right from the beginning shows how Shakespeare has written a play that has a large psychological effect on the characters and the audience. In this way, he is able to create characters like Macbeth in new ways that can have so much more depth rather than what they physically show. Throughout the play, Shakespeare developed the character of his Macbeth. As Shakespeare has progressed through the play, we have seen Macbeth take a fateful step into evil that leads him very deep. One could say that Lady Macbeth pushed Macbeth over a cliff, and that he fell into a very deep chasm. We see that Macbeth has grabbed a tree on his way down and stays there for a moment, but after losing his will to carry on, lets go and falls to his death. Ultimately, like so many tragic heroes, it is Macbeths hubris to what he should or shouldnt do, and how his hubris develops through the course of the play to turn him into a completely different person. Shakespeare has in many plays like Hamlet and Otherllo displayed tragic heroes, but in Macbeth he has strayed from the typical Hellenistic stories of tragic heroes by creating such depths to Macbeth in his own way that the audience are enraptured against their better nature to a story of a noble man and his demise.

Book Review Wild Swans Essay

1. Main Thesis In Wild Swans, Jung Chang describes the life of three generations of woman in her family. Beginning in the year 1909 and ending in present time, it gives an insight into almost eighty years of the cultural history of China. Jung Chang has said in a interview that her intention in writing Wild Swans was to show how the Chinese people, and in particular the women in her family, â€Å"fought tenaciously and courageously against impossible odds.† The book is a testimony to the strength and determination of her grandmother, her mother, and herself and their resourcefulness in recreating themselves during suffering, humiliation and disillusionment. She interweaves personal and historical stories fluently and the stories of these women and their families act as a lens through which you gain insight into the turbulent history of twentieth century China. The most important themes in this book are: love of family, loyalty and self-sacrifice 2. Chapter Summaries The book starts by relating the biography of Chang’s grandmother, Yu-fang. After the birth of Chang’s mother, De-hong, the book moves to her story. After the birth of the Jung Chang, the focus of the book now shifts again to cover Jung’s own autobiography. Chapter 1: The father of Yu-fang, was Yang Ru-shan, born in 1894 as the only son. It was his duty to produce heirs to continue the family name. One a year after he married he got a daughter, Yu-fang. Political unrest caused problems for many in China over the next years. He arranges that a powerful warlord general, Xue Zhi-heng takes Yu-Fang as his concubine at age fifteen. The general stays only a few days after the traditional marriage and then leaves, not returning for six years. During his next brief visit, Yu-Fang becomes pregnant. The general’s household is run by his legal wife and the head concubines. The wife immediately lays claim to Yu-Fang’s daughter, who the general named Bao Qin. Yu-Fang kidnaps her daughter and escapes from the household. She lies, saying that the child died during their trip. When the general dies, Yu-Fang discovers that one of his final actions was to release her from her duties as his concubine. Chapter 2: Soon after, Dr. Xia, a matured doctor of Manchurian ancestry, falls in love with Jung’s grandmother and the feelings could be felt the same from Jung Chang’s grandmother as well. The doctor proposes and grandmother says yes. Although not thrilled with the marriage, Jung Chang’s grandmother’s father agrees to the marriage and sends her daughter off with a traditional wedding. When Dr. Xia’s three sons, their wives, and grandchildren hear about the marriage, they’re extremely angry. The grandmother receives quite a bit of harassment from the family and the eldest son even commits suicide, nevertheless the wedding still continues. He accepts Yu-Fang’s daughter, who he renames â€Å"De-hong†, meaning â€Å"virtue† and â€Å"wild swan†. Chapter 3: China is living under Japanese rule. After moving to a new province of Manchuria, Jung Chang’s grandmother, now living with Dr. Xia, begins to realize how terrible life is under the Japanese. The Japanese rulers are very cruel. The people are only allowed to eat acorn meal and sorghum, as the Second World War drags on, fewer rations and supplies are given to the people in Manchuria as Japan is losing the war. Finally, an American B-52 bomber flies overhead and she realizes that Japan had indeed lost the war. As Japan’s last officers commit suicide or run away, the town is in chaos just like the rest of Manchuria. Chapter 4: The Japanese are replaced by Soviets who were almost as bad. They pillaged and raped, taking what they wanted and dismantling entire factories. However, they soon leave and the Kuomintang arrives in shining uniforms and rifles. The Kuomintang turns out to be oppressive and ineffective at keeping justice and peace. The remaining Japanese are systematically murdered by the Russians and the Kuomintang. After a while the country is in a civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communists. De-hong sees communism becoming increasingly important to many people but has yet to make up her own mind about the situation. She continues to watch those in power, including those over the teaching school where she now resides. When she learns that a favorite teacher and then her best friend, Cousin Hu, had been Communists and had been either chased from the city or executed for their political beliefs, she makes up her mind that she, too, will become a Communist. Chapter 5: De-hong asks to be a part of the communist movement but she’s found too young. A short time later, she begins distributing Communist literature. The economic situation is so bad that the family has no savings and Dr. Xia, now nearly eighty, is worried about what will happen when he dies. Extortion is rampant, food is scarce, and the money that does exist has almost no value. De-hong becomes friendly with a Kuomintang general. Using his military freedom, they travel outside the walled city occasionally and De-hong leaves messages for her Communist counterparts.. The Communists then start regular bombardment of the city, including one dud shell that crashes into the home of De-hong’s family. Chapter 6: De-Hong helps clean up the carnage cause by all the civil war. When the communists take over the town, they do not pillage, rape, or extort as all the other groups of people had done before them. Many are courteous and kind and seem to be the fit kind of soldiers who destroyed the Kuomintang. When De-Hong reports to receive her first assignment for the communists, she instantly falls in love with a dreamy man, named Wang Yu, who was a high ranking communist official. He had been on many dangerous missions with the communists and rose through the ranks by being extremely loyal to the party and its ideals of sever equality. The two and several other teachers and students travel by train to another communist held town for fear that the town may be retaken by the Kuomintang and there, the two fall in love. Wang Yu eventually submits a request to â€Å"talk about marriage† to the party leaders and the two are engaged and finally married. Chapter 7: Chang’s parents join a group of people traveling south. The trip is dangerous as civil war is still raging. The walk is long and hard, walking forty days to reach their destination, Nanjing. Her mother is forced to walk but her father is allowed to ride in a jeep, a privilege he accepts. De-hong is soon pregnant though she doesn’t realize it until she’s in the process of miscarrying because of the ordeal. She’s very heartbroken and angry at her husband. After the miscarriage, her parents are separated because of his transfer to Yibin. It takes her four months to recover and then make the trip to him. During that time, her anger has cooled and they are happy to see each other. Chapter 8: When Chang’s parents arrive in Yibin, her father is appointed leader and returns to a form of his former name, Chang Shou-yu. He and her mother live together in a mansion confiscated by the Communists. Chang’s grandmother, Fang-Yu, despite her bound feet and difficulty walking, makes the long trek from Jinzhou to Yibin to see De-hong. De-hong gives birth to her first daughter, Xiao-hong. Chapter 9: This chapter tells of her mom’s life as being in the Public Affairs Department in Yibin. She tells of living with a denouncing of her grandmother, the birth of herself and the strictness of her father. Being part of the Communist was hard and had many of its hardships. Having a husband was harder for her mother than anything else. Chapter 10: Chang’s mother goes under suspicion during the course of this chapter. Being that she had some relations with Kuomintang participants she went under suspicion. But, after all that she had to go through, she was able to be free of any charges. Chapter 11: During this chapter, Mao decides to purge the Communist party again. This time devises that most people are â€Å"rightists† and need to leave the party, which ruin their lives forever. However, he got help this time and made all of his officials get rid of 5 % of their total participants. In the end, Chang’s mother was able to get to this quota after many different approaches of convicting people of being a â€Å"rightist.† Chapter 12: A famine strikes the land of China during this chapter. Many people die and starve from this famine all because Mao decides to make this situation look like their wasn’t a famine at all. Mao wanted to produce steel which led to a drop in production of food which leads to the famine. But, the famine gets cleared after Mao lets others to take charge of the situation. Chapter 13: Chang describes life in a compound during this chapter. Moving into a compound was for Chang and her siblings to go to a very nice and prestigious school. Living in a compound was very contained with its many entertainment locations. There was no need to go outside the compound for any reason. She also tells of how nice her life was as a child, living in a home where she was a good kid and her family noticed that. Chapter 14: This chapter describes the event that occurred with the cult of Mao. Many youths were forced into living like Lei Fang, a man who had a huge fondness for â€Å"Chairman Mao† and living his entire life revolving around him. Education included studying the words of Lei Fang and viewing the beatings of â€Å"class-enemies.† Chapter 15: After hearing about the collapse of Stalin’s Russia, Mao realized that he represented a Stalin figure waiting to be overthrown by his own people. In order to stop this from happening, Mao endorse’s books called â€Å"The Quotations of Chairman Mao†. This book contained his quotes and would be used to strengthen his popularity with the Chinese. In short, Mao’s control over China tightened throughout this chapter. Chapter 16: Not until, chapter 16 did Mao’s rule become apparent. Mao issued the use of Red Guard’s who he said protected and fought for Mao (in other words his own police force). Most of these Red Guards came from the families of high officials and came as teenagers. These Red Guards reinforced Mao’s word and rule and when someone was â€Å"betraying† Mao, he or she would be beaten, raided, tortured, or executed. Chapter 17: Jung Chang’s father starts to question Mao’s actions and asks whether if the actions of the Chinese are justified. Eventually Jung Chang’s father writes a letter to Mao explaining the wrongs of Mao’s actions (which in the words of Mao, was considered â€Å"against Mao† and could face charges such as death). He soon serves time in detention. Also he starts to oppose Mao’s thoughts and expresses them out loud which can lead to very harsh outcomes. Chapter 18: To summarize this chapter, Jung Chang and her friends make a pilgrimage to Peking. The goal of this pilgrimage: to see the Great Chairman Mao. Chapter 19: The control of Mao switches into high gear. Because her parent’s become branded as â€Å"capitalist-roaders† they suffer from many brutal denunciation meetings, beatings, harassment, and embarrassment. They are hurt for their crime of being â€Å"capitalist roaders† and bitterness starts to arise because they were only ever loyal to Mao. Chapter 20: Jung Chang’s father soon serves time in detention (due to sending another letter to Mao) and his wife makes a trip to Peking in order to speak to Premier Zhou Enlai, who she believes could help in their situation. On her way to Peking she meets two lovers Yan and Yong who join her. Finally with the help of Premier Zhou Enlai, Jung Chang’s father no longer served in detention. However, this does not end well. While in detention the guard watching over Jung Chan’s father plays mind games with him and convinces him that his wife created a conspiracy against him. Things got out of hand causing them to sleep in seperate areas and forces Jung Chang’s father’s mental and physical health to deteriorate (which later, his health imporved). Next more denunciation meetings hold misery for the parents. Chapter 21: Chapter 21 discusses some of the events that occured within her family. (her siblings) For example, Xiao-hei’s becomes a member of a gang and Jin-ming’s â€Å"black market† book experience. Along with these events being told, she tells of people drawing lines between their enemies and friends, sometimes causing friends to betray each other. Luckily her friends did not tell on Jung Chang which relates back to the title of the chapter, â€Å"Giving Charcoal in the Snow†, that refers to helping out others when needed. Also in this chapter, Jung Chang experiences her first time in a university. Chapter 22: Within this chapter, Mao institutes the idea of â€Å"thought reform through labor†. The intentions of this quote made Communists all around China to go to the countryside and work alongside the peasants (Jung Chang was sent to Ningnan). Mao said that it would make the Communists closer to China. Sadly, at the end of the chapter, the friend’s of Jung Chang pronounced her grandmother dead. Chapter 23: To summarize this chapter, Jung Chang pursues her career as a â€Å"barefoot doctor†. Mao defined barefoot doctor’s as doctors that could be turned out en masse. However, before she became a barefoot doctor she was relocated to another peasant village, Deyang, where she learns of what happened to China before the Cultural Revolution. Chapter 24: With her entire family on the mission of completing â€Å"thought reform through labor†, Jung Chang decides to visit her parents who can be found in separate locations. Her mother in Buffalo Boy Flatland and her father in a labor camp. While visiting her father, she tries to cheer him up by keeping him company. Eventually other family members come visit which allowed her father to not suffer from suicidal thoughts and whatnot. In the end, Jung Chang’s father apologizes to Jin-ming, her brother, about their current situation and past events. Chapter 25: In this chapter, Jung Chang takes her career in being an electrician. In her factory, she meets Day and eventually they both fall in love. However, it becomes shortlived because of their different social status’. In the end, Jung Chang’s father dies and she enrolls into an english university. Chapter 26: Education in China becomes less stressed, however those who had connections with officials became legible to enter universities, through the process which later became known as using the †back door†. Teachings elements became based on Mao as well as military tactics and defending the country. Chapter 27: This chapter gives rise to the death of Jung Chang’s father. Her father died due to a heart attack which a doctor refused to see immediately. In his honor, an elaborate funeral was held for Jung Chang’s father. After the funeral, Jung Chang’s school decides to go on a field trip to the Chinese port, Zhanjiang, where the students could practice their English with the incoming and outgoing sailors. At the end of the chapter, Jung Chang’s Party secretary announces the death of Chairman Mao. Chapter 28: After the death of Mao, the Chinese become a bit confused on what they should do. The idea of studying in the West became very prominent, as the government handed out scholarships for those wanting to go to the West. The story ends as Jung Chang traveled to the West in search of broadening her horizons and experiencing more freedom.

Operating System and Microsoft Corporation Essay

Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational software corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services related to computing. The company was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975. Microsoft is the world’s largest software maker measured by revenues.[3] It is also one of theworld’s most valuable companies.[4] Microsoft was established to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800. It rose to dominate the personal computeroperating system market with MS-DOS in the mid-1980s, followed by the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems. The company’s 1986 initial public offering, and subsequent rise in its share price, created an estimated three billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees. Since the 1990s, it has increasingly diversified from the operating system market and has made a number of corporate acquisitions. In May 2011, Microsoft acquired Skype Technologies for $8.5 billion in its largest acquisition to date.[5] As of 2012, Microsoft is market dominant in both the PC operating system and office suite markets (the latter with Microsoft Office). The company also produces a wide range of other software for desktops and servers, and is active in areas including internet search(with Bing), the video game industry (with the Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles), the digital services market (through MSN), and mobile phones (via the Windows Phone OS). In June 2012, Microsoft announced that it would be entering the PC vendor market for the first time, with the launch of the Microsoft Surface tablet computer. In the 1990s, critics began to contend that Microsoft used monopolistic business practices and anti-competitive strategies includingrefusal to deal and tying, put unreason able restrictions in the use of its software, and used misrepresentative marketing tactics; both the U.S. Department of Justice and European Commission found the company in violation of antitrust laws. Microsoft is the undisputed leader in the market for operating systems (Sheremata 1997). The Microsoft Corporation has produced the vast majority of operating systems for all personal computers (PCs); moreover, operating systems that Microsoft has created are Windows95, Windows 3.1, and DOS. They also have produced the leading spreadsheet and word processors for both Windows and Macintosh operating systems. They own 85% of the market share with their office software Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Microsoft Exchange, and Microsoft Access. Not surprisingly, most of us have used some if not all of these products and/ or services provided by the Microsoft Corporation. How did the Microsoft Corporation develop into a software monopoly? For the most part, one or several combinations of the following forge monopolies: an amalgamation of smart business decisions, mistakes by competitors, and at times some shady tactics that a company might employ to become a market leader and monopoly of today. Microsoft had its beginning during the 1970s when IBM was the computer hardware giant of the industry. In 1975 Microsoft was the producer of programming languages for MIPS Altair 7500 (Conigliaro1996). In 1981, Microsoft purchased an operating system for an Intel based 8086 chip from a small company named Seattle Computer Products and redesigned its product to sell it to license it to IBM for its new personal computer (PC) (Conigliaro1996). The redesigned product was released under the name MS DOS 1.0. IBM being a monopoly at that time in the hardware department, by allowing Microsoft to provide the operating system to its PCs, then an outside source, relinquished control of the software industry to this up-and-coming powerhouse. Microsoft retained the right to license their operating system to other manufacturers and helped spur the massive IBM clone industry. Microsoft became one of the leaders in the computer industry during the 1980s with the help of technologies that help provide PCs for an information hungry age and with Microsoft providing the operating systems for a high percentage of the PCs sold. By the late 1980s, Microsoft controlled the operating system market; versions of MS-DOS ran over 80% of personal computers (Conigliaro1996). However, Microsoft did not control any of the application markets, this honor went to Lotus, which at the time had the top spreadsheet, 1-2-3 and WordPerfect had the leading word processors, WordPerfect. When Microsoft introduced Microsoft Windows 3.1 in the 1990s, it locked in Microsoft in the driver seat for what is now the software monopoly that exists. Soon after, Microsoft introduced Excel 3.0 for Windows and Word for Windows 2.0. Lotus and WordPerfect did not realize the effects that Windows 3.0 would have on the industry and did not plan ahead for the evolution (Gleick 1995). The claim has also been made that Microsoft used its control over the operating system and graphical user interface markets to help growth in the applications market. Some executives spoke of the â€Å"Chinese Wall†, that is some of the developers learned to take advantage of the operating system before other companies could who did not have the access (Gleick 1995). They were also accused of when introducing new technology called object linking embedding (OLE) in Windows, they would provide the technology to Excel 3.0 developers to incorporate it into Excel before the technology was available to other companies. Making it possible for applications on a system to work with other applications made by Microsoft before competitors could have a chance to compete and provide the same or a comparable application. With the introduction of Windows 3.1 (an update on 3.0) and Microsoft having the edge, Microsoft’s Excel, Word and Office started to dominate the application market. The dawn of Microsoft the monopoly empire was on the horizon. In the 1990s Microsoft began to diversify with its dominance over the application and operating systems it began to get into producing products for multimedia, business operation systems, and now even games and online services. They have been accused of shady business practices when they attempted to purchase Intuit, the software company that owns Quicken, the world’s most popular personal finance manager. And Microsoft’s pairing Windows 95 with The Microsoft Network, both moves are threatening to new competitors because of the barriers they create. They also generate risks to innovation and competition through the entire industry. Microsoft has used its power as the leader in the market with operating systems to grow into the power that it is now. A combination of good business tactics, regretful business choices by competitors, and finally Microsoft using its new power has made Microsoft untouchable by competitors. We have several examples of monopolies in our past as a nation, and we have found that monopolies have a tendency to stiffen innovation. With computer systems innovation is important to continue and stay ahead of the market. The example we can think about is IBM, when IBM split its business it opened the door to several new businesses that have only helped society. Is Microsoft going to help society if it is ordered to split? We can only wait and see. By making Microsoft split it will open the door to new ideas from small entrepreneurs that might have the next great operating system. # Microsoft has long enjoyed Olympian profit margins, using its monopoly power to maintain prices on its software even in tough times. But now, amid a terrible downturn and rising competition, CEO Steven A. Ballmer is shifting to a scrappier approach. He is cutting prices on a variety of fronts, from flagship Windows and Office products to newfangled Internet services. The idea is to accept lower margins in some businesses but boost overall earnings by going after a grab bag of growth opportunities. These range from expanding its share of big companies’ software purchases to lowering the price of Office software so consumers in emerging markets pay for it rather than pirate it. With the outlook so cloudy, â€Å"we’re focusing on gaining share in those areas that are most critical,† says Stephen A. Elop, who heads the business division. On July 13, Elop demonstrated the new Office 2010 in New Orleans. While Microsoft expects most customers to pay for the program the way they always have, less powerful, ad-supported versions will be available free on the Web. The company is also charging a monthly fee for online applications, such as the e-mail program Exchange, which is about a third as profitable as selling the software on CDs. And on Oct. 22, Microsoft’s new Windows 7 PC operating system will go on sale in stores for $40 less than the $240 it charged when it launched its Vista program in 2007—the biggest price cut on a new version of Windows in years. All of these moves amount to a risky experiment in price elasticity. By lowering prices, the company hopes to increase sales of existing products while making fast headway with new ones. If the company can gain enough market share to cover its massive costs in Web services and Internet search—notably, its vast data centers—every extra dollar will be pure profit. â€Å"I’m not saying it will be easy,† says Ballmer. â€Å"But we have great opportunities to grow total profit dollars.† ONLY $29 IN CHINAMicrosoft is cutting the price of Office and offering the free versions of Word, Excel, and other programs to head off competition from Google and other rivals that offer similar software at little or no cost. Microsoft has so many promotions for Office that its effective price is $100, down from $150, and even lower in such countries as Brazil and India. But the experience is sparking optimism at Microsoft about the new strategy. The company says unit sales of Office surged 415% in the second half of last year. The most aggressive price cut has come in China, where Microsoft says 95% of Office installations have been pirated. Since it began testing a $29 offer in China last September, sales have soared morethan 800%. The low price was â€Å"like taking firewood from under the cauldron† of piracy, says Liu Tianxiang, a vice-president with Beijing Federal Software, a Chinese software distributor. He figures Microsoft has sold 80,000 copies of Office in China since the trial started. Now Microsoft intends to make the low price permanent. Not surprisingly, Microsoft continues to hunt for ways to offset price cuts. It hopes to boost the bottom line by encouraging Windows 7 software users to upgrade more often. Since the program CD will come loaded with multiple versions, users who buy the cheaper Starter edition can easily pay later to get premium features. Of course, that risks annoying users—when rivals such as Google are trying to lure customers with cheaper alternatives. But in the current economy, there’s no risk-free way to stay ahead.

Organizational Strategy Essays - Management, Strategic Management

Organizational Strategy Essays - Management, Strategic Management Organizational Strategy The organization that has been selected for the process alignment exercise is Lego A/S which is a Denmark Based organization. It was founded in 1932 and is basically known for its Lego brand of toys. This company had been chosen because of its continual improvement in its offerings. It has done innovations not only in its products but also its business model, process and means of communication. Lego has tried to gain competitive advantage by means of adopting innovation as one of its strategy (LEGO, 2009) Key Success Factors 1.Current Strategy The company (LEGO) follows the strategy of focused differentiation. This again comes from the fact that the product offering of the industry player are very unique and the market segment is very narrow as it caters mainly to the children, their parents and teachers on some occasion only. Thus the price of the product offered is on the higher side with a higher perceived value. Forces influencing the strategy in LEGO The EnvironmentStakeholder Influence and CompetenciesResources/Capabilities External Regulatory BodiesInnovation that is sustainable Cant be imitated CompetitorsConsumersCustomized product with differentiation InternalEmployeeempowering them and cost cutting The Toy and games business follows the strategy of focused differentiation. This again comes from the fact that the product offering of the industry player are very unique and the market segment is very narrow as it caters mainly to the children, their parents and teachers on some occasion only. Thus the price of the product offered is on the higher side with a higher perceived value. Resources and competencies Resources and the competencies that are required to support the competitive strategy of focused differentiation: In the focused strategy the main emphasis is on a narrow segment wherein advantage cost and differentiation (product/offering) becomes the key. Commitment The company will have a narrow segment thereby having a lower volume and thereby less bargaining power with the suppliers. The company pursues a focused differentiation strategy because of which it will be able to pass on the higher cost to the customers as its product offering will be only of its kind in the market. One of the important characteristic that the company need to showcase is the wide product offering. The company should also be in the lookout to carve in and identify the sub segment in the market. The company should also be in the lookout for customer insights and needs such that the company is able to offer the customized products to its customer. The Supply chain strategy as is followed by Lego provides it with the competitive advantage. Lego believes getting the supply chain right was essential to meeting other business challenges. Getting the right product to the right place at the right time at the right cost was an important early step in grappling with an array of strategic challenges Core competencies The company should be able to offer a variety of unique products at a competitive price. Thus the focus here should be on the uniqueness of the product. The product can be a customized product that is being offered by the company Strategy and KSFs This is the first step in the process requires doing a 7 S assessment of the organization LEGO as it currently exists along either 7 Ss or those Ss that are relevant given your units size and scope. It is very useful to have your assessment of the current state validated by other members of your team to ensure that your analysis is correct. They may have experience or insights that you do not have. Strategy: Strategy is the plan of action an organization prepares in response to, or anticipation of, changes in its external environment. The strategy deals with mainly three important questions LEGO (Current Strategy) The company (LEGO) follows the strategy of focused differentiation. This again comes from the fact that the product offering of the industry player are very unique and the market segment is very narrow as it caters mainly to the children, their parents and teachers on some occasion only. Thus the price of the product offered is on the higher side with a higher perceived value. LEGO (Future Strategies) The major scenarios those are possible in future for LEGO are as follows: Organic and Green Toys-As the new laws for the safety are been developed the Topy makers would be forced

Essays on Plato and Aristotle

Essays on Plato and Aristotle Essays on Plato and Aristotle Essays on Plato and AristotleThe name of Aristotle is for many generations associated with great ideas and contribution into metaphysical, political, ethical views in the field of philosophy, as well as biology, botany, mathematics, medicine and agriculture. He was one of Plato’s students, who however finally rejected his theory of forms and was considered by most researchers more empirically-minded than Plato and his teacher – Socrates. Aristotle introduced new ideas into the most of spheres of life, which he worked with. In total this philosopher produced around 200 treatises, out of which only 31 were saved for future generations. Mostly, these were lectures, some drafts, notes, manuscripts, which are said to lack the general prose style, used by Aristotle. A great contribution he maid into the sphere of mathematics and biology, moreover some of the classifications, he suggested, are in use till nowadays.   Further in this paper we are going to study the key views of Aristotle in the fields of metaphysics, ethics, politics, epistemology in comparison to other his contemporaries and philosophers.The name metaphysics was given to the works of Aristotle on first philosophy. Aristotle treats philosophy starting from its historical appearance, according to him, it developed as soon as all the basic human needs were secured. Religion could answer all the life questions of an individual only partially, and thus the constant feelings of curiosity provided a good ground for the development of the philosophical views and ideas. Socrates is considered to be one of the first philosophers, contributing to â€Å"the expression of general conceptions in the form of definitions, which he arrived at by induction and analogy† (Ackrill, 1997). Aristotle in his turn understood metaphysics, as the combination of the first principles of scientific knowledge, the unique condition for the whole existing world. For his metaphysics deals directly with being as being, involving at the same time all the attributes to the process of being. This means, that for example in mathematics the being is described with the help of lines and angles, in reality existence is not included as it is in itself. The character of metaphysics is rather universal, that is why it is often compared to sophistry or dialectics. The key difference between metaphysics and dialectics is in its preliminary character; from sophistry it differs due to non-consideration of reality for formulating the basis of knowledge. According to Aristotle there are a lot of universal truths. â€Å"Against the followers of Heraclitus and Protagoras, Aristotle defends both the laws of contradiction, and that of excluded middle. He does this by showing that their denial is suicidal. Carried out to its logical consequences, the denial of these laws would lead to the sameness of all facts and all assertions. It would also result in indifference in conduct† (Adler, 1978). The main qu estion, asked in the metaphysics of Aristotle is the following – what is understood under the actual substance? Plato stated that the universal element of knowledge and existence are the corresponding forms which remain permanent, when the senses change. Aristotle didn’t agree with this position. He argued that forms do not have the necessary power to explain what changes happen to things. Neither could they be responsible for realization, of how people come to certain knowledge about some special things. The last weak point of this theory Aristotle found in the lack of special forms for explaining our knowledge about art and its objects. Aristotle could not agree with the existence of some abstract forms, as he understood the form rather inside the phenomena of sense; the real being as a concrete thing, and not an abstract form.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"In the Metaphysics, though, it frequently inclines towards realism (that is, substance has a real existence in itself)† (Adl er, 1978). He used causes in order to explain the relations between one and many, which seemed so difficult for most philosophers before. According to him there are four causes â€Å"Material cause, or the elements  out of which an object is created; Efficient cause, or the means  by which it is created; Formal cause, or the expression of  what it is; Final cause, or the end  for which it is† (Adler, 1978). Aristotle really managed to treat the problems of metaphysics deeper than his teacher, introducing a number of interesting ideas and approaches.The aim of the Aristotle’s philosophy was the universal, the same like by his teacher – Plato. But the difference was that he found the universal in special things, he referred to it as essence of things; for Plato the universal was not included into the particular things, but building a separate prototype. Epistemology of Aristotle is guided by the study of particular things and then coming to the knowledge o f essences. â€Å"For Aristotle, form still refers to the unconditional basis of phenomena but is instantiated in a particular substance (see Universals and particulars, below). In a certain sense, Aristotles method is both inductive and deductive, while Platos is essentially deductive from a priori principles† (Ackrill, 1997).Aristotle introduced the notion â€Å"natural philosophy† as a branch of philosophy, conducting studies of natural world and its phenomena; nowadays these are such disciplines as biology or physics and so on. Nowadays however the studies of natural world are not related to philosophy, which is actually occupied with such issues as ethics, logic, metaphysics. Aristotle made a clear difference between â€Å"science† and â€Å"scientific method†, as for him â€Å"all science (dianoia) is either practical, poetical or theoretical (Ackrill, 1997). By practical science, he means ethics and politics; by poetical science, he means the stud y of poetry and the other fine arts; by theoretical science, he means physics, mathematics and metaphysics† (Adler, 1978). Aristotle paid a great attention to studies of the objects of natural world, science. His contributions to mathematics were not considerable enough in comparison to his researches in the fields of zoology, botany, chemistry, astronomy.Aristotle studied the issues of ethics, viewing it as a try to find out the highest good. This main end is usually referred to as happiness. Happiness is related to some personal experience, which causes immediate controversy to the theory of Plato of self-existing good. The good should be practical, present in the lives of individuals. It can not be substituted with vegetative life, the one which plants have, neither with the sensitive life of animals. â€Å"It follows therefore that true happiness lies in the active life of a rational being or in a perfect realization and outworking of the true soul and self, continued thr oughout a lifetime† (Ackrill, 1997).Essays on Plato and Aristotle part 2

Matin luther King Juniors I have a dream speech Essay

Matin luther King Juniors I have a dream speech - Essay Example He is well-known worldwide for the speech â€Å"I have a dream†, which was delivered to a crowd of more than 200,000 Americans in 1963. This speech essentially refers to the importance of being given the same rights as other ethnic groups. Today, many people compare King’s â€Å"I have a dream† speech to the "We shall fight" speech, which was delivered by Winston Churchill during the Second World War when Britain suffered from nightly bombings conducted by the German Luftwaffe. Both speeches of the famous leaders sought to reassure their citizens that there was a day that will end the suffering and restore justice for all. Both speeches also called on citizens who were experiencing hardships to come together and fight for emancipation – in Churchill’s case, to protect the state from the Nazis, and in King’s case to fight against discrimination in American society. The â€Å"I have a dream† speech affected millions of citizens not only in the USA but abroad garnering sympathy for the African American cause. The effects of King’s speech on the international audience were immediate. King would make the cover of the ‘Times’ magazine in 1963 and receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. In this particular speech, King sought to reassure disenfranchised people from different ethnicities and races, as well as religious minorities. He stated that all mistreated members of different communities could rise up to provide a united stand against injustice (Hansen 131). King was a unique man in that he believed that the proclaimed goals could be achieved without shedding of blood. This was quite an unusual stand at that time, especially when it came to politicians of the USA. It was hard to believe that King could succeed as most African and Asian nations seeking independence from their colonial masters around that time were engaged in violent riots and wars. King was quite courageous in openly criticizing the institution of segregation, which was usual at that time. In 1963, America was still a segregated society that allowed privileges for white people while African Americans were left to survive on little in the margins of society. Dr King was virtually risking his life by alluding, in his speech, to the fact that he hoped that in the nearest future, his children would not have to experience the segregation that had constantly marked his life. King used the power of emotions to appeal to citizens of different races, particularly those of the white race, to listen to their heart and common sense, to recall the words from the American constitution promising equal rights for all. In the speech, he expressed hope that time would come when his four children experience more freedom than him. By using children as a symbol of bright future, he was able to emotionally affect the white majority to see his point and understand his sorrow. There are no parents, black or white, who would like to s ee their children mistreated in any way or allowed fewer opportunities due to the color of their skin. King also used emotion in the description of African American life in the past and present. In one sentence of his speech he says, â€Å"One hundred years after President Lincoln set the slaves free, the Negro’s life remains wretchedly crippled by the chains of discrimination and segregation† (Hansen 134). By using words like â€Å"

Types of Market Research to Undertake Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Types of Market Research to Undertake - Essay Example The macro-environment involves interactions with technological, socio-cultural, political and economic factors that emanate from without the company’s setting. For instance, since the market for ice ball moulds faces competition from other companies, the following types of research are suggested to be carried out (Loudon et al, 2006, p8). Research will be carried out to determine the level of market penetration by the company and the likelihood of reaching the most remote prospective customer. By facilitating research for market penetration by the company and its competitors, the company will be ensuring that the current market share is maintained and stretched if possible. Research recommendations would give such policies as competitive pricing as well as an aggressive sales promotion for the Soccer Ball Football Ice Mold. The company will ensure that the market dominance is secured by meeting customers’ demand and preferences. Increase in customer orders will be targe ted for research to come with solutions some of which could include loyalty scheme introduction. The existing logistics and distribution networks can be assessed to provide alternative distribution techniques to enhance market development. Product development will be analyzed to determine if the name Soccer Ball Football Ice Mold is enough competitive as a brand name. Market diversification is also another channel to unravel market potential strategies. Research recommendations would give such policies as competitive pricing.