Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbour in 1941? Essay

In December 1941, the Japanese struck. A well-coordinated series of attacks across the Pacific, most notably the American naval base of Hawaii, bringing about Japanese dominance in South East Asia; sending a direct message to the ‘oppressive’ west. Japan for a significant period of time had been viewed by the US and its western allies as a major threat in the Pacific, and as a direct consequence of a series of the events tensions boiling point was reached and the climax of nearly 1/2 a century of rivalry exploded. â€Å"The Great War destroyed the multilateral balance of power in East Asia and left Japan and the United States directly confronting each other across the Pacific†; Japan’s continued growth as the leading industrial giant in Asia, allowed an increase in global power but to the Japanese they were never recognised in the manner in which they believed they deserved. Americas realization that this growth could threaten their superiority led to a num ber of subjective decisions but where they left too late, so late in fact that it was a point of no return, the imperialistic mindset of the Japanese was too full of honor to back down in the face of what seemed uncertainty. In the years succeeding the Great War, Japan had embarked on a meteoric rise in its industrial power, and rising concurrently was their global power; this was all achieved under the control of Emperor Hirohito, a man determined to meet Japans goals on the Asian mainland. Nevertheless, this industrial growth would not have been possible without the importation of a number of vital commodities such as oil and aviation fuel. These commodities were imported primarily from the US and if not directly from the Americans from a country allied to the isolationist giant. Yet the US was not blind to the progress of the small island of Japan, the sudden increase had not gone unnoticed and at the Washington Conference of 1921 a report was released that described â€Å"Japans naval armament as a ‘silent power’ with which is used to deter the United States†, in response to this the Americans ensured that the Japanese naval power was restricted to a position weaker than that of t heir own. Within Japan this was met with a feeling of aggravation with her status not being observed as that of a major global power; and not for the first time, Japan had been in a similar position following the Treaty of Versailles with land they had captured in the war being returned and her foreign ambitions once again quelled. Japan was becoming cognizant that â€Å"at some date, the US would interfere and disrupt Japanese goals† and having been used to foreign involvement the Emperor was not going to allow for the Americans to once again change Japan’s ambition: â€Å"the political, commercial and military dominance of the Western Pacific†. This aggressive policy towards its rivals in the Pacific has been attributed to a collection of reasons that led to the attacks in December 1941. To the Japanese they believed that they were entitled to expand their territory and with this being restricted it pushed the ruling elite into a position that, despite experts claiming there were alternative solutions Japan only saw one; and â€Å"war became the most viable option† to render them useless in preventing the objectives of Japan being met. Japan then expanded into Manchuria a military move that left the country isolated internationally. This coincided with the US government banning the export of oil and scrap metals to Japan if not from a licensed company, the first steps towards a complete embargo. Once Roosevelt had given the green light for the complete embargo things began to change internally in Japan as the ultranationalist’s consolidation of power continued ensuring expansion was not held back. This consolidation of power by the ultranationalists was crucial in the decision to attack Pearl Harbor, they felt Japan needed to use what it had learned from WW1 and ensure a ‘quick showdown’. With no oil coming into the country they were left with no choice but to go on the military offensive to keep their booming industry alive. This embargo had put the leading figures in Japan in a position of serious decision making, they could no longer allow being ‘disrespected’ on the internationa l stage; and â€Å"Japan now defined the United States as its foremost enemy in terms of both capabilities and intentions†. Coinciding with the embargo President Roosevelt moved the US fleet to Hawaii in order to discourage Japans expansive ambitions in the Pacific, and with the army officers of Japan being of a militaristic nature it led to a push for action and this action was to be the first strike in what was to become the Pacific War. It can be therefore suggested that the reasoning behind the attack on Pearl Harbour came as a consequence of the humiliation Japan felt it had endured on an international level at the hands of the United States. The United States was a country that â€Å"from the perspective of the Japanese government, was unnecessarily intervening in affairs in which it had little specific, concrete interest†. Despite the continued interference of the Americans in preventing Japans expansive actions, civilians paid little attention to Japan despite the strong racist feelings between the two countries, a feeling that was highlighted by the San Francisco School incident; further increasing tensions between the two feuding powers. The incident was one of five key provocations that the Japanese used to justify their surprise attack; yet despite the increasingly hostile foreign policy aimed in the direction of Japan, little was done to increase military support by the Americans; allowing the Japanese to feel confident enough to attack Pearl Harbour with the hope of undermining American morale, such that the US government would drop its demands contrary to Japanese interests. However, there is no hiding the pivotal reason behind the attacks and this was the defilement of the economy. The destruction of the Naval fleet was a direct â€Å"retaliation for America’s existential attacks on Japans economy†. Coupled together with naval limitation, the unequal treaties and the continued dishonor on the international stage, Japan felt it best to strike swiftly rendering the US military presence in the Pacific non-existent. The elite of Japan was not prepared for the catastrophic consequences of their attack on Pearl Harbor, at the time what was such a successful foreign attack, it turned out to be the defining moment in not only the War but in Japan’s history. Some argue that the attacked doomed Japan by waking a sleeping giant, a giant that up until the point of attack was happy to find a compromise with Japan over the issues in the Asian region. Moreover, the awakening of this giant gave a reason for the whole US military machine to be set in motion; Clay Blair and Mark Parillo â€Å"believed that Japanese trade protection was so incompetent that the US submarines alone would have strangled them to defeat.† Had the Japanese put more time into planning out the response of the US they would have seen to enter the military conflict directly was not the way to go. However they did not highlight this as an issue and the awakening of the Americans ultimately led to the most devastating of con sequences, this was the subsequent dropping of the 2 atomic bombs on Japanese soil, killing 100,000 instantly with the death toll rising for decades thereafter. Despite this Japan did enjoy some positive consequences, the attack allowed a significant area of the Pacific to be conquered and held for a period of time. By conquering these lands, as a direct result of Pearl Harbour, Japans economy continued with a positive trajectory, and the populace continued its â€Å"strong support for the Japanese attack†. Japan had met its goals, the Navy of the US had been removed as a threat for the time being and Japan won every major battle until Midway in June of 1942. However had the military officials of the rising power in Asia targeted the crucial shore facilities that housed the oil reserves, the damage inflicted could have been existential. Consequently, the attacks had the opposite impact on the Americans themselves, â€Å"American attitudes about the war change radically†. This consequence allowed the full force of the US military machine to be put into action, a consequence that conclusively led to the defeat of Japan. Pain and rage swept across the states, a strong feeling of nationalism returned. The surprise attack was seen as ‘unjust and malevolent’ and the racism that had been rife prior to the attack in 1941 was now at the point of Japanese immigrants within America being sent to detention camps for the duration of the war. A reaction that the militaristic government of Japan had not foreseen. And although attempts had been made to prepare the country for war through the publication and use of anti-US propaganda, many were still ‘apprehensive and dismayed’ at the news Japan was now at war with the Americans. With this as a direct result of the Pearl Harbor attack, it did no favors for the morale amongst Japanese citizens who were aroused with both alarm and anger subsequent to the attack. In the long term, Pearl Habor bored more sententious ramifications that struck a blow to the honor and integrity of a once feared nation. Following the decimation of Japan with the dropping of the atomic bombs it was thought that the consequences to the attacks on Pearl Harbor had come to their end, yet this was not the case; American occupation was to follow. It is easy from here to trace back the source of this occupation, had the torpedoes not been dropped on the US naval fleet then it is highly unlikely that the ‘giant’ would have entered the war in the Pacific and engrossed itself in the dealings of Japan.

Language development in children

All the other ways of knowing are controlled by language. The appropriate use of language is central to virtually all aspects of learning and social development. Successful and appropriate language communication is also closely linked to the individual’s place in society, while the inability to communicate clearly hampers and may virtually eliminate a person’s ability to cope with even the simplest educational and social situations. The manner in which children learn to understand and successfully communicate through language is among the most important questions studied by psychologists. The appropriate use of language is central to virtually all aspects of learning and social development. Successful and appropriate language communication is also closely linked to the individual’s place in society, while the inability to communicate clearly hampers and may virtually eliminate a person’s ability to cope with even the simplest educational and social situations. Traditionally, psychological accounts of language development  Ã‚   have been developed by theorists who have included language learning in their discussions of a general acquisition process (e.g. Miller and Dollard, 1941; Skinner, 1957). Skinner for example, believes that language is learned in large measure by waiting for children to emit approximations of the forms of speech which are ultimately desired and then by gradual shaping  Ã‚   (by parents or other socializing agents) until the correct sounds and sentence forms can be reproduced in appropriate situations with a high degree of fidelity.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In contrast, some psycholinguists (e.g. Chomsky, 1959; Fodor, 1966) have  Ã‚   cogently argued that operant learning theory cannot adequately account for complex verbal behavior. Chomsky (1959) offers the following pregnant critique of a â€Å"conditioning† viewpoint: †¦it seems quite beyond questions that children acquire a good deal of their verbal and non-verbal behavior by casual observation and imitation of adults and other children. It is simply not true that children can learn language only through â€Å"meticulous care† on the part of adults who shape their verbal repertoire through careful differential reinforcement, though it may be that such care is often the custom in academic families. It is a common observation that a young child of immigrant parents may learn a second language in the streets, from other children, with amazing rapidity, and that his speech  Ã‚   may be completely fluent and correct to the last allophone†¦ A child may pick up a large part of his vocabulary and â€Å"feel† for sentence structure from television, from reading, from listening to adults, etc. Even a very young child who has not yet acquired a minimal repertoire from which to form new utterances may imitate a word quite well on an early try, with no attempt on the part of his parents to teach it to him (p. 42). Numerous experiments have now disclosed that principles for generating novel responses can be acquired through the observation of others (for example, Bandura & McDonald, 1963; Bandura & Mischel, 1965). If principles of language usage, rather than mere words can be shown to be acquired through observational learning, then this would provide at least a partial account of the process of language acquisition. The classic experiment in this area was conducted by Bandura and Harris (1966). They were interested whether second-grade children could make up sentences that included prepositional phrases and the passive voice. The children were tested first during a base rate period and then again after some form of intervening training. The results demonstrated that the children showed a greater increment in the production of the relevant construction in their sentences (than did the control group) if they were exposed to a combination of (1) an adult model’s production of sentence3s with and without the relevant construction (2) reward to both the model and the observer for sentences containing the relevant construction and (3) attention-focusing instructions. This study clearly suggested that children’s language productions might be modified through modeling in conjunction with other procedures. It is likely, however, that the children in Bandura and Harris experiment had been exposed to prepositional phrases and the passive voice many times in their lives prior to entering the experimental situation. Therefore, the question still remained as to whether children could actually acquire new or novel language rules as a function of observation. Indeed, language is important and in fact, traditionally, psychological accounts of language development have been developed by theorists who have included language learning in their discussions of a general acquisition process (Miller & Dollard, 1941; Skinner, 1957). Skinner, for example, believes that language is learned, in large measure by waiting for children to emit approximations of the forms of speech which are ultimately desired and then by gradual shaping (by parents or other socializing agents) until the correct sounds and sentence forms can be reproduced in appropriate situations with a high degree of fidelity. This is a fair representation of the interrelationship between perception, emotion, reason and language, for numerous experiments have now disclosed that principles for generating novel responses can be acquired through the observation of others (Bandura & McDonald, 1963) If principles of language usage, rather than mere words, can be shown to be acquired through observational learning, then this would provide at least a partial account of the process of language acquisition. In the area of linguistic diversity, researches reveal that in spite of enormous impact that language has on children’s schooling, lack of English skills alone cannot explain the poor academic achievement of students. It is tempting to fall back on this explanation and thus count on simple solutions to solve the problem. Cuban students, for example, have the highest educational level of all Latinos, yet they are the most likely to speak Spanish at home. (Valdivieso & Davis, 1988). However, the fact that students speak Spanish is treated by many teachers as a problem. There is also evidence that teachers interact more negatively with students who do not speak English than with those who do. (U.S. General Accounting Office, Bilingual Education: A New Look at the Research Evidence, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, March 1987). Thus, this is where the emotion and perception side come in the picture. Because if this is the case, then the language dominance of students is not the real issue; rather, the way in which teachers and schools view their language may be even more crucial to student achievement in acquiring knowledge. How language and language use are perceived by the schools and whether modifications in the curriculum and imparting of knowledge are made as a result are important factors to keep in mind. The fact that English speakers rarely have the opportunity to enter bilingual education programs reinforces status of these programs. This is where the methodology of knowledge is more important than the knowledge itself. According to Jean Piaget, what differentiates humans from animals is human’s ability to do â€Å"symbolic abstract reasoning† [Piaget’s Theory] and this forms the basis for the constructivist theory in learning and instruction [Ibid.]. During his experiments, he observed that children think differently from adult and answer questions differently, but it does not mean that children are dumb [Ibid.]. Piaget’s theory had two major aspects: the process and stages of cognitive development [Ibid.]. The process of learning and acquiring intelligence of children is influenced by ‘schemas,’ which is actually the child’s representation to the world. The processes used by children to attain equilibrium between their schemas and the real environment are â€Å"accommodation† and â€Å"assimilation† [Ibid.]. It is assimilation when a child tries to fit cubes into square holes during playtime. It is accommodation when a child tries to push harder a heavier play cart with classmate- passengers than a cart with no one riding. As a child grows, schemas become more complex [Ibid.]. The stages in cognitive development of a child are divided into three: sensorimotor [infancy], pre-operational stage (toddler and early childhood), and concrete operational stage (elementary and early adolescence). During infancy, a child only recognizes an object when he or she sees it [Giants]. During toddler hood and early child hood, a child knows the direction of the right and left of an object, but the child cannot correctly think relative to that object [Ibid.]. At the concrete operational stage, a child becomes more logical in their understanding of the world. It is important that teachers of pre-school and primary schools learn to challenge abilities of children [Piaget’s Theory]. â€Å"Discovery learning and supporting the developing interest of the child are two primary instructional techniques† [Ibid.] to help children understand the world more. â€Å"Children construct knowledge, learning can lead development, development cannot be separated from its social context, and language plays a central role in cognitive development† are the main themes of Vygotsky’s developmental theory [Giants]. Children construct knowledge in a way that Piaget had described it [Bodrova 2005]. A child’s learning can be measured in a level of independent performance and level of assisted performance [Ibid]. The area between these measures will result to the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) which increases as learning occurs [Ibid]. Both content and processes of thought is determined by the culture [Ibid.]. Higher functions in man such as focused attention, deliberate memory and symbolic thought are passed down thru teaching [Ibid.]. â€Å"Learning always involves external experience being transformed into internal processes through the means of language† [Ibid.]. Vygotsky’s principle taught that teachers should know the specific learning needs of a child and determine what most appropriate intervention could be done. The ZPD would eventually be filled-up if the learning needs were met thru proper teaching practice. One good practice was to devise an assessment questionnaire that would equally gauge independent performance and assisted performance, and from there, the ZPD can be quantitatively determined. By identifying the gap qualitatively, the learning needs of a child would be revealed.  Ã‚   Moreover, teachers should also know how to develop a child’s attention to focus, improve child’s memory, to teach children think symbolically, and use a language game that children understand. Meanwhile, one’s cultural and social upbringing affects the way a person views this. There are no assumptions or deducing involved here. One can verify the information by just looking again at the dizzying array of program alternatives in bilingual education, each claiming to be more successful than the others. In general, most research has found that bilingual programs of all kinds are effective not only in teaching students content area knowledge in their native language but also in teaching them English. This has been proven time and again to be the case in research analyses and specific program reviews (Hakuta, 1990). According to Hakuta, the most significant effect of bilingual education may not be that it promotes bilingualism in general, which he claims it does not, but rather that it â€Å"gives some measure of official public status to the political struggle of language minorities, primarily Hispanics.† He suggests that raising the status of these children’s native languages contributes to their opportunities for friendships with English-speaking children. Similarly, Erik Erikson as psychoanalyst taught that any person, child or adult faces specific life crisis that they have to resolve in order to perform their tasks (Atkinson 1993). During early childhood or preschool, a child develops an ability to initiate activities (Ibid. 118); teachers have to learn how to encourage or discourage them in order that the child would not feel inadequate. During middle child hood or elementary, children learns various skills such as reading and writing, but they have to interact socially with others in order to feel successful or competent, otherwise they would feel inferior. During this time, a teacher should constantly but reasonably praise a child for a job well done. The LOGO programming used with young children was believed to be supported by Erikson’s theory on the psychosocial stages (Gillespie and Beisser, 2001, p. 230). LOGO is a computer programming language developed by Dr. Seymour Papert in 1980s that is loaded with MicroWorlds software. With the MicroWorlds, a child creates his own animated graphics thru self-directed activity and independently explores cause and effect. Giving children ample time to spend with LOGO programming,   building and constructing encourages children to work without making them feel guilty which makes smooth the transition of a child in his guilty-prone period   (Ibid. p. 234). The same activities enable a child also to acquire mastery of the game in order to feel competent. REFERENCES Atkinson, R.L., Richard C. Atkinson, Edward E. Smith and Daryl J. Bem (1993). Introduction to Psychology 11th ed.. United States: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Bandura, A. & McDonald F.J. (1963). The influence of social reinforcement and the behavior of models in shaping children’s moral judgments. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology.   67, 274-281. Bodrova, Elena (2005). Vygotsky’s Developmental Theory: An Introduction. In Davidson Films Homepage. Retrieved Oct. 29, 2006, from http://www.davidsonfilms.com/develope.htm Chomsky, N. Review of B.F. Skinner’s Verbal Behavior (1959).Language, 35, 26-58. Gillespie, C., Beisser, W. (2001). Developmentally Appropriate LOGO Computer Programming with Young Children. Retrieved Oct. 29, 2006, http://www.aace.org/dl/files/ITCE/ITCE2001-229.pdf Hakuta, K. (1990). Bilingualism and Bilingual Education: A Research Perspective, no. 1 Washington, DC: National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education, Spring. Miller, N.E. & Dollard, J. Social learning and imitation. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1941. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development. In Educational Psychology Interactive Homepage. Retrieved October 29, 2006, from http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/piaget.html. Skinner, B. F. Verbal behavior. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1957. U.S. General Accounting Office (1987).   Bilingual Education: A New Look at the Research Evidence, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Valdivieso, R. and Davis, C. (1988). U.S. Hispanics: Challenging Issues for the 1990s Washington D.D.: Population Trends and Public Policy.                            Language development in children All the other ways of knowing are controlled by language. The appropriate use of language is central to virtually all aspects of learning and social development. Successful and appropriate language communication is also closely linked to the individual’s place in society, while the inability to communicate clearly hampers and may virtually eliminate a person’s ability to cope with even the simplest educational and social situations. The manner in which children learn to understand and successfully communicate through language is among the most important questions studied by psychologists. The appropriate use of language is central to virtually all aspects of learning and social development. Successful and appropriate language communication is also closely linked to the individual’s place in society, while the inability to communicate clearly hampers and may virtually eliminate a person’s ability to cope with even the simplest educational and social situations. Traditionally, psychological accounts of language development  Ã‚   have been developed by theorists who have included language learning in their discussions of a general acquisition process (e.g. Miller and Dollard, 1941; Skinner, 1957). Skinner for example, believes that language is learned in large measure by waiting for children to emit approximations of the forms of speech which are ultimately desired and then by gradual shaping  Ã‚   (by parents or other socializing agents) until the correct sounds and sentence forms can be reproduced in appropriate situations with a high degree of fidelity.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In contrast, some psycholinguists (e.g. Chomsky, 1959; Fodor, 1966) have  Ã‚   cogently argued that operant learning theory cannot adequately account for complex verbal behavior. Chomsky (1959) offers the following pregnant critique of a â€Å"conditioning† viewpoint: †¦it seems quite beyond questions that children acquire a good deal of their verbal and non-verbal behavior by casual observation and imitation of adults and other children. It is simply not true that children can learn language only through â€Å"meticulous care† on the part of adults who shape their verbal repertoire through careful differential reinforcement, though it may be that such care is often the custom in academic families. It is a common observation that a young child of immigrant parents may learn a second language in the streets, from other children, with amazing rapidity, and that his speech  Ã‚   may be completely fluent and correct to the last allophone†¦ A child may pick up a large part of his vocabulary and â€Å"feel† for sentence structure from television, from reading, from listening to adults, etc. Even a very young child who has not yet acquired a minimal repertoire from which to form new utterances may imitate a word quite well on an early try, with no attempt on the part of his parents to teach it to him (p. 42). Numerous experiments have now disclosed that principles for generating novel responses can be acquired through the observation of others (for example, Bandura & McDonald, 1963; Bandura & Mischel, 1965). If principles of language usage, rather than mere words can be shown to be acquired through observational learning, then this would provide at least a partial account of the process of language acquisition. The classic experiment in this area was conducted by Bandura and Harris (1966). They were interested whether second-grade children could make up sentences that included prepositional phrases and the passive voice. The children were tested first during a base rate period and then again after some form of intervening training. The results demonstrated that the children showed a greater increment in the production of the relevant construction in their sentences (than did the control group) if they were exposed to a combination of (1) an adult model’s production of sentence3s with and without the relevant construction (2) reward to both the model and the observer for sentences containing the relevant construction and (3) attention-focusing instructions. This study clearly suggested that children’s language productions might be modified through modeling in conjunction with other procedures. It is likely, however, that the children in Bandura and Harris experiment had been exposed to prepositional phrases and the passive voice many times in their lives prior to entering the experimental situation. Therefore, the question still remained as to whether children could actually acquire new or novel language rules as a function of observation. Indeed, language is important and in fact, traditionally, psychological accounts of language development have been developed by theorists who have included language learning in their discussions of a general acquisition process (Miller & Dollard, 1941; Skinner, 1957). Skinner, for example, believes that language is learned, in large measure by waiting for children to emit approximations of the forms of speech which are ultimately desired and then by gradual shaping (by parents or other socializing agents) until the correct sounds and sentence forms can be reproduced in appropriate situations with a high degree of fidelity. This is a fair representation of the interrelationship between perception, emotion, reason and language, for numerous experiments have now disclosed that principles for generating novel responses can be acquired through the observation of others (Bandura & McDonald, 1963) If principles of language usage, rather than mere words, can be shown to be acquired through observational learning, then this would provide at least a partial account of the process of language acquisition. In the area of linguistic diversity, researches reveal that in spite of enormous impact that language has on children’s schooling, lack of English skills alone cannot explain the poor academic achievement of students. It is tempting to fall back on this explanation and thus count on simple solutions to solve the problem. Cuban students, for example, have the highest educational level of all Latinos, yet they are the most likely to speak Spanish at home. (Valdivieso & Davis, 1988). However, the fact that students speak Spanish is treated by many teachers as a problem. There is also evidence that teachers interact more negatively with students who do not speak English than with those who do. (U.S. General Accounting Office, Bilingual Education: A New Look at the Research Evidence, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, March 1987). Thus, this is where the emotion and perception side come in the picture. Because if this is the case, then the language dominance of students is not the real issue; rather, the way in which teachers and schools view their language may be even more crucial to student achievement in acquiring knowledge. How language and language use are perceived by the schools and whether modifications in the curriculum and imparting of knowledge are made as a result are important factors to keep in mind. The fact that English speakers rarely have the opportunity to enter bilingual education programs reinforces status of these programs. This is where the methodology of knowledge is more important than the knowledge itself. According to Jean Piaget, what differentiates humans from animals is human’s ability to do â€Å"symbolic abstract reasoning† [Piaget’s Theory] and this forms the basis for the constructivist theory in learning and instruction [Ibid.]. During his experiments, he observed that children think differently from adult and answer questions differently, but it does not mean that children are dumb [Ibid.]. Piaget’s theory had two major aspects: the process and stages of cognitive development [Ibid.]. The process of learning and acquiring intelligence of children is influenced by ‘schemas,’ which is actually the child’s representation to the world. The processes used by children to attain equilibrium between their schemas and the real environment are â€Å"accommodation† and â€Å"assimilation† [Ibid.]. It is assimilation when a child tries to fit cubes into square holes during playtime. It is accommodation when a child tries to push harder a heavier play cart with classmate- passengers than a cart with no one riding. As a child grows, schemas become more complex [Ibid.]. The stages in cognitive development of a child are divided into three: sensorimotor [infancy], pre-operational stage (toddler and early childhood), and concrete operational stage (elementary and early adolescence). During infancy, a child only recognizes an object when he or she sees it [Giants]. During toddler hood and early child hood, a child knows the direction of the right and left of an object, but the child cannot correctly think relative to that object [Ibid.]. At the concrete operational stage, a child becomes more logical in their understanding of the world. It is important that teachers of pre-school and primary schools learn to challenge abilities of children [Piaget’s Theory]. â€Å"Discovery learning and supporting the developing interest of the child are two primary instructional techniques† [Ibid.] to help children understand the world more. â€Å"Children construct knowledge, learning can lead development, development cannot be separated from its social context, and language plays a central role in cognitive development† are the main themes of Vygotsky’s developmental theory [Giants]. Children construct knowledge in a way that Piaget had described it [Bodrova 2005]. A child’s learning can be measured in a level of independent performance and level of assisted performance [Ibid]. The area between these measures will result to the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) which increases as learning occurs [Ibid]. Both content and processes of thought is determined by the culture [Ibid.]. Higher functions in man such as focused attention, deliberate memory and symbolic thought are passed down thru teaching [Ibid.]. â€Å"Learning always involves external experience being transformed into internal processes through the means of language† [Ibid.]. Vygotsky’s principle taught that teachers should know the specific learning needs of a child and determine what most appropriate intervention could be done. The ZPD would eventually be filled-up if the learning needs were met thru proper teaching practice. One good practice was to devise an assessment questionnaire that would equally gauge independent performance and assisted performance, and from there, the ZPD can be quantitatively determined. By identifying the gap qualitatively, the learning needs of a child would be revealed.  Ã‚   Moreover, teachers should also know how to develop a child’s attention to focus, improve child’s memory, to teach children think symbolically, and use a language game that children understand. Meanwhile, one’s cultural and social upbringing affects the way a person views this. There are no assumptions or deducing involved here. One can verify the information by just looking again at the dizzying array of program alternatives in bilingual education, each claiming to be more successful than the others. In general, most research has found that bilingual programs of all kinds are effective not only in teaching students content area knowledge in their native language but also in teaching them English. This has been proven time and again to be the case in research analyses and specific program reviews (Hakuta, 1990). According to Hakuta, the most significant effect of bilingual education may not be that it promotes bilingualism in general, which he claims it does not, but rather that it â€Å"gives some measure of official public status to the political struggle of language minorities, primarily Hispanics.† He suggests that raising the status of these children’s native languages contributes to their opportunities for friendships with English-speaking children. Similarly, Erik Erikson as psychoanalyst taught that any person, child or adult faces specific life crisis that they have to resolve in order to perform their tasks (Atkinson 1993). During early childhood or preschool, a child develops an ability to initiate activities (Ibid. 118); teachers have to learn how to encourage or discourage them in order that the child would not feel inadequate. During middle child hood or elementary, children learns various skills such as reading and writing, but they have to interact socially with others in order to feel successful or competent, otherwise they would feel inferior. During this time, a teacher should constantly but reasonably praise a child for a job well done. The LOGO programming used with young children was believed to be supported by Erikson’s theory on the psychosocial stages (Gillespie and Beisser, 2001, p. 230). LOGO is a computer programming language developed by Dr. Seymour Papert in 1980s that is loaded with MicroWorlds software. With the MicroWorlds, a child creates his own animated graphics thru self-directed activity and independently explores cause and effect. Giving children ample time to spend with LOGO programming,   building and constructing encourages children to work without making them feel guilty which makes smooth the transition of a child in his guilty-prone period   (Ibid. p. 234). The same activities enable a child also to acquire mastery of the game in order to feel competent. REFERENCES Atkinson, R.L., Richard C. Atkinson, Edward E. Smith and Daryl J. Bem (1993). Introduction to Psychology 11th ed.. United States: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Bandura, A. & McDonald F.J. (1963). The influence of social reinforcement and the behavior of models in shaping children’s moral judgments. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology.   67, 274-281. Bodrova, Elena (2005). Vygotsky’s Developmental Theory: An Introduction. In Davidson Films Homepage. Retrieved Oct. 29, 2006, from http://www.davidsonfilms.com/develope.htm Chomsky, N. Review of B.F. Skinner’s Verbal Behavior (1959).Language, 35, 26-58. Gillespie, C., Beisser, W. (2001). Developmentally Appropriate LOGO Computer Programming with Young Children. Retrieved Oct. 29, 2006, http://www.aace.org/dl/files/ITCE/ITCE2001-229.pdf Hakuta, K. (1990). Bilingualism and Bilingual Education: A Research Perspective, no. 1 Washington, DC: National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education, Spring. Miller, N.E. & Dollard, J. Social learning and imitation. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1941. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development. In Educational Psychology Interactive Homepage. Retrieved October 29, 2006, from http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/piaget.html. Skinner, B. F. Verbal behavior. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1957. U.S. General Accounting Office (1987).   Bilingual Education: A New Look at the Research Evidence, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Valdivieso, R. and Davis, C. (1988). U.S. Hispanics: Challenging Issues for the 1990s Washington D.D.: Population Trends and Public Policy.                           

Is college For Everyone Essay

Since the first GI Bill was passed after World War II universities have been steadily increasing. Currently there are more than 4000 college like institutions in the United States. Public policy has been making higher education more reachable for example by creating federal student loan programs so everyone has a chance to attend college. But recently we have seen the cost of a four year degree drastically increase because Americans are seeing college as an obligation. â€Å"On â€Å"Real Education†Ã¢â‚¬  Robert T. Perry argues that we need more university and community college graduates. â€Å"Is College for Everyone† Pharinet is arguing that college is not for everyone. He states that there is too many students enrolled in school that don’t belong there. Roberts’s essay â€Å"On â€Å"Real Education†Ã¢â‚¬  is more persuasive because, not only did his writing appear on InsideHigherEd. com making him a more credible author but also because he argues his stance on college is for everyone using statistics and a believable explanation to back them up. The US Department of Labor has reported that America needs more college graduates to keep up with all the other nations in the global economy. Robert states that by the end of the presidents first term, which is already over, that The US will have 3 million more jobs that require bachelor’s degree and we don’t have enough college graduates to fill them. We need more health care workers, teachers, software engineers and manufacturing jobs, all of which require college. Those whom choose not to go to college have much fewer employment options. Robert makes a strong point when he says that American companies are looking for new ways to compete, and because of this without some sort of secondary degree you will have consistent struggle to pay for just the basic to live. Robert grabs the reader’s consideration through the use of pathos, saying that additionally people with postsecondary degrees tend to be more healthy, more engaged in their community, a decreased chance of being involved in crime, more productive throughout there working life, and even more philanthropic. Pharinet thinks that the most common issue with college is that students are not yet ready for the academic and financial challenges. He claims that students find themselves trying to work full time and do to school full time and before long students decide they need to work and drop their status to a part time student. Through the use of pathos Pharinet asks his readers to consider a very valid point, if college is for everyone then why do we rely on SAT scores and high school transcripts? And why doesn’t every school have an admissions policy? Then followed those questions with the answer that college is not for everyone. There is no real desire for learning. Individuals just go to college to earn a degree to settle down into a job with decent pay. Using pathos again Pharinet explains that when this kind of person enters the work force are they going to lack motivation in there career because of the only reason for wanting the career was for the money. When comparing these to essays, you can clearly see that there are two completely different beliefs. Robert believes that college is for everyone where Pharinet believes that college is not for everyone. Robert had a more persuasive argument because he established a good ethos, Robert uses facts and professional opinions to back his argument, whereas Pharinet uses his own personal opinions to create his blog. Robert uses much more logos then he does pathos, Pharinet used much more pathos then he did logos. Neither of the writings use firsthand experience, we don’t know whether or not Pharinet and Robert went to college. I found both the organization and use of evidence effective in both essays. Both essays use good strong points to back up their arguments and both essays were persuasive.

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Project Management - Essay Example The universal credit has brought together a variety of working-age benefits and put them into a single payment. The Universal credit project was aimed at encouraging the individuals on benefits to initiate paid work or to have overtime hours to work by ensuring that the job is paying. The Universal credit project also helped bring in a smoothened transition when getting into work and at the time of retiring. The Universal Credit system has also brought about a simplification in its operation with respect to the previous system in that it has become easy for people to comprehend its working and it is simpler and less expensive to dispense (Department for Work & Pensions 2013b). The welfare system also aimed to significantly reduce the number of individuals who are under poverty and they are still working. It also aimed to reduce chances of errors and fraud that have been witnessed in the current system. This project had good intentions and it was seen as the best and efficient way at the time to deal with the welfare situation and diminish poverty. This project on being run has come across several setbacks that have seen it receive criticism from various corners. The media especially depicted negative publicity of the Universal Credit project citing poor management and lack of transparency within the system. Management of the Universal Credit project has witnessed various changes within the management running the system severally. This report hopes to review how to effectively manage a project and with the reference of the Universal Credit project I will cite ways in which such a project would effectively have been managed in a bid to eliminate the problems in management that the project faced when it was set to run. Background Many individuals on benefits are of the thought that the financial threats of moving into work are extremely high. Some people have actually viewed the gains from the work they do, especially working during part time, to be very little an d such gains are easily neutralized by other expenses that increase day in day out such as the fee involved in transportation. The government of United Kingdom considered and viewed the current program to be too complicated and it lacks rewards and incentives that will encourage and boost the morale of individuals on benefits to initiate paid work or to have overtime hours to work. The government hence set out to come up with a system that would do this and that was fairer and was cheap to afford in a bid to diminish joblessness, welfare dependency and poverty and to decrease the degree of error and fraud (Department for Work & Pensions 2013b). The United Kingdom government hence came up with a welfare system that would do all this and it was what we now know as the Universal credit. The welfare program was aimed at ensuring that a large number of people get into jobs and those in jobs to successively progress in them. Project initiation This is the most crucial stage of any project . It is the first process in the project development lifecycle. Project initiation is the major determiner of whether the project will turn out to be a success and hence keenness and efficiency should be observed in this process. Most projects that fail during deployment have

Racial and Gender Discrimination and Sterilization Essay

Racial and Gender Discrimination and Sterilization - Essay Example Eugenic sterilization is the process of performing forceful human sterilization on individuals who have been diagnosed with mental diseases or insanities such as schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychosis, feeblemindedness, or epilepsy (Myerson, Ayer and Putnam 82–136). The main purpose of performing eugenic sterilization is to prevent the increase in the population of those individuals who have defective genes that can be inherited by their future children and who do not possess the self-control necessary to ensure children are not conceived. As an effective prevention method for unwanted pregnancies, the preservation of social standing of people who belong to upper- and middle-class families, and a permanent control over the rapid family growth of people in the lower-class societies (Revenel), men and women in the United States have been either given the option or forced to participate in one of two procedures – either tubal ligation (the cutting of fallopian tubes in women) or vasectomy (the cutting of vas deferens in men) since the 1900s (Myerson, Ayer and Putnam; Revenel). At the same time, it has been commonly reported that most African Americans experience racism and prejudice when it comes to receiving health care services throughout the United States (Benkert and Peters; Gamble; Krieger and Fee). To prove that gender and racial discrimination in forced human sterilization have existed since the early 1900s, a literature review will be gathered to examine the medical practices that took place in California and the United States during this time period. Based on the gathered evidence, it is expected to be discovered whether the controversy behind the issue of gender and racial discrimination in forced human sterilization still exists in the United States today.

Dox Thrash - Making Prints of His Real Life Research Paper

Dox Thrash - Making Prints of His Real Life - Research Paper Example Since the art was funded by the government, the art could be used for government purposes. One such artist is Dox Thrash. Defence Worker is one print created by Thrash which will be examined as a relative piece of art of the Depression Era. Another print from Thrash is Boats at Night which is also inspired by social realism will also be looked at. While Thrash was making prints of his real life, the U.S. government took these prints and used them for their own purposes. Defence Worker and Boats at Night by Dox Thrash will be examined in relation to social realism inspired art being used for United States government propaganda. Dox Thrash created both of these prints using a pioneering technique. Thrash had created a new printing technique called carborundum mezzotint.1 Both prints were commissioned by the WPA during the depression. The subjects of these prints were influenced by social realism. The Depression Era made many artists, including Thrash, rethink their perspectives on life and art. Artists begin to think capitalism might not be the best form of government. Kathe Kollwitz was a German artist that dealt with the same issues as Thrash. One of her paintings will be compared to Thrash in order to show how different countries reacted to the situation after World War I. The artists sketched, painted, or carved art reflecting their new views. An analysis of these two works will be undertaken along with a comparison to Kollwitz’s work. Dox Thrash has created two incomparable prints that illustrated the Depression Era, but his art was used as government propaganda in the end. Dox Thrash’s Defense Worker is a male worker. Thrash completed this piece in 1942.2 The worker is using a jackhammer, power sweeper, or some other piece of equipment. The huge male is a worker. This can be determined by the clothes, boots, and helmet the man wears in this print. There is a white billow of steam behind the figure.     Ã‚  

What Shamu Taught Me About a Happy Marriage Assignment

What Shamu Taught Me About a Happy Marriage - Assignment Example The theory of approximation or rewards on positive behavior which Sutherland uses on her husband to train him to keep things in place reminds me that the same can be used to teach kids good habits. Sutherland’s description of the â€Å"American husband† is truly commendable and it really creates an animal-like image of Scott in the mind. The LRS training, which she uses on her husband to avoid any kind of behavioral response, works towards lowering the negativity between them. She successfully trained her husband to do what she expected of him just like the trained exotic animals she had been writing about. However, what is amusing is the fact that in the end Scott started training the American wife which reveals the fact that even animals can alter behavioral pattern of their trainers or masters. It is true that the behavioral pattern of any animal maybe altered with the help of ignorance, reinforment etc and description of how Sutherlands uses the same at home makes one laugh. However it made me think whether Sutherland’s initial intention was trying to improve her relation with Scott or simply try the animal tricks on humans? Is it right to actually train someone, especially an adult to alter behavior for the sake of saving a relation? Wouldn’t training make the trained person fake and disguise his/her true

Interest groups and political parties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interest groups and political parties - Essay Example This holds true in today's politics, some interest group would try to impose their political will on others indirectly by means of electioneering. Electing and Re-electing politicians, who support their cause into government office is one of the important part of the interest group's mission. Many groups help candidates financially and get their members out to vote for them. Recently, such practice is done by PACs (Public Action Committees), which help the interest groups channel their funds into the campaigns of choice of politicians. Interest groups also try to influence government policy by lobbying and filing court cases to influence Congressmen to agree or disagree with a particular bill. Interest groups may also try to lobby the president by suggesting information, submitting proposals, and by trying to influence the minds of the various department secretaries. Another concern by the founding fathers was that interest groups might not have great influence on the community because of their inability to spread the ideas to people and consequently gain more membership.

E-Business Strategy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

E-Business Strategy - Coursework Example There are two main models mentioned along with their strengths, weakness and suitability for specific business sectors that are related to the e-business. Furthermore, Model of strategic change and fit contains the elements named structure, strategy, management process, technology and individual. All elements are inter-related to each other while making and applying strategy for the business. The sequence of the elements depends on the type of the business. Different businesses apply the model to make changes and fit in the organizational operations (Fazlollahi, 2001). It is shown in the above chart of the model that all elements of the model are inter-related to each other. Any change in the strategy developed to be followed by the work force of the organization. First step is to make strategy. Strategy is needed to be made or adopt in order to make a change in the operations of the organization. Only planned and effective strategy will deliver the positive results to the organization. The Leaders of the organization often make strategies (Levy & Powell, 2004). It is recommended that the strategy should reflect on the structure of the business. Structure of the organization reflects the task and activities doe by the supervisors and managers to set the directions of the work to be done so to achieve the goal of the organization. Organizations need to change the structure and the directions of the senior employees that it should reflect the change of the strategy. It is necessary that the strategy should be communicated to the management that requires changing their process and making an effective plan for the execution of the strategy made by the leaders of the organization (Levy & Powell, 2004). Management process could play an effective role in communicating the strategy plan to subordinates and juniors so that they could enhance their performance according to the directions of

Personal Response of The Piano Lesson by August Wilson Assignment

Personal Response of The Piano Lesson by August Wilson - Assignment Example In fact, it was confusion that I experienced for I could not understand why keep a thing that makes one suffer and that one does not use at all. In addition to this, Doaker mentions that â€Å"she [Bernice] say it [the piano] got blood on it† (Wilson 10). It is obvious Bernice does not play it because of some superstitions she has and keeping the piano at home seems to be unreasonable. Moreover, Bernice’s brother needs the money that could be obtained if the instrument is sold for a good purpose. Of course, he wants to buy the land to be a master there; he also wants to buy it, however, to be the master of the land on which his ancestors were enslaved. When the long and tragic story of the piano was revealed to me, I experienced a belief conflict as I understood the actual value of the musical instrument. It appears to be both a symbol of both a family reunion and a reminder of slavery. Thus, it is more than an instrument: â€Å"[Boy Charles] Say [the piano] was the story of our whole family and as long as Sutter had it†¦ he had us. Say we was still in slavery† (Wilson 45). On the one hand, the idea of buying Sutter’s land is the way to pay tribute to the ancestors and the opportunity to create happier future. On the other hand, selling the piano may be compared to selling the family’s past. I hesitated whose side to take almost to the very last scene of the play, in which the author of the piece himself suggests what is right. The character that appeals to me is Boy Willie. It is mostly so because of his practical and somewhat down-to-earth view on life. He is the character that introduces the conflict into play saying he plans to sell the piano to buy the land. He says, â€Å"The only thing make the piano worth something is them carvings Papa Willie Boy put on there. [†¦] Papa Boy Charles brought that piano into the house. Now, I’ m supposed to build on what they left me† (Wilson 51). In other words, for Boy Willie, selling the instrument to buy the

A Study in Adaptation Essay Example for Free

A Study in Adaptation Essay Among the monographs found in the Culture and Ecology in East Africa Project is that of the work of Walter Goldschmit, entitled â€Å"The Sebei: A Study in Adaptiona. † It is among the ethnographic studies conducted to shed light on a particular community, which is that of Sebei. The project previously mentioned to which the monograph belongs is that of the University of California in Los Angeles which also carries the research design that was followed by the entire project (Mead 938). It has become important to evaluate this study because of the important role it plays in the field of ethnography and in the lives of the Sebei people. This paper will include the synopsis, a critique of the book, and the relationship with the materials and discussions found in the class. Synopsis of the Book The book primarily focuses on the people of Sebei, the socio-economic modes followed by the people there, and the adaptations which has happened throughout the existence of the community. People from Sebei speak Nilotic and have a connection with the Nandi and Kipsigis (MacGaffey 110). These people lives in the southeastern portion of Uganda and the elements of this community which has been discussed include the â€Å"history, environment, policy, social organization, animal husbandry, agriculture, a cash economy, sexual roles and marriage, child rearing, initiation, and the Sebei belief system† (Beidelman 542). The wide variety of the factors that have been covered in the study has been instrumental to the focus of the book, which is that of the ways of living of the people and how they have economically survived the environment they lived in. There are two environments which have been considered in the book to show the adaptive processes of the community under study. One is the area which is well-watered and is situated in the slopes of the mountains and the second is in the dry lands of the plains. With the conditions found in the said communities, there are also adaptive measures which have been taken by the people in terms of the production of their food and ways of living. One community concentrated on the hunting and gathering means of production because of the factors in the environment which makes this the most acceptable form of gathering food and sustaining the needs of the community. On the other hand, it is agriculture which has become the primary mode of economic production followed because of the availability of fertile soil that could be used for crops. Moreover, access to water is available that makes this a better option for the people. More so, it is seen to be the most effective in consideration of the available resources and conditions for the people. Economics-wise, this is the best methods for the respective communities discussed. Through time, it has been proven that Sebei people have the capability to adapt easily to changes in their environment and new situations which they are placed in (Mead 938). It has been shown in the book that the people have been able to be in contact with the Europeans when this group has been in a point where they are trying to adapt with the demands brought about by intra-African connections. The flexibility in adapting to such cultures has been carried out by the group by following the previous methods which have been used before by the group. It has been proven to be an effective pattern for the people since their first interaction with other cultures. Critique of the Book This particular book can be considered as one of the best monographs that have been written of an Ugandan community because of its succinctness and thoroughness. The ability of the author to present facts and data near what is real is considered to be a vital element of the author’s work. The author’s ability to record and research the past of the community has been helpful. The author, himself, has done quite an extensive job in proving the authenticity of his claims where there are primary evidences, such as photos, that has been shown together with the narratives provided. In writing a book, the ability of the author to provide evidences, especially in the field of ethnography, is considered to be vital in establishing the credibility and authenticity of the monograph. In a sense, this adds to the ability of the monograph to convince its readers that what is being said and shown in the account is true. Moreover, the book has shown one community but the picture that has been drawn and what has been learned over the discussions made of the particular community studied can be used in order to understand the African perspective. More so, the means of adoption that has been studied can be taken to a larger picture where it is also seen to exist in other areas and in different times. It has been found that the general perspective that can be used in order to interpret that of the Sebei culture is that â€Å"the maladies of the social system seem to outweigh their strengths† (Goldschmidt 338). With this particular statement, the author is then able to show that he has been able to observe the communities with a keen eye and relate it to the rest of the elements in the environment that surround the community. The author does not simply focus on what can be found within the community but also observes how it relates to the different links formed. More so, there is judgment that is found for these relationships from where a strong conclusion can be made. This monograph serves as a very good reading material for the members of the academic institutions and the epistemic communities from a wide variety of fields. Where field observations and thorough data collection has been done, there is the worthiness of examining the material and using it as a foundation of different researches. More so, an understanding of the different elements of the community can be easily derived through a reading of this material because of the substantial data that can be found here. This is not only for the purpose of studying communities but can also be taken by people from different fields such as psychology, economics, policy-making, sociology, and others in order to make researches and decisions. Relation to Class Materials and Discussions Understanding the book has been made easier because of the foundation laid by the class discussions and materials. The concepts that have been clarified in relation to culture, communities, and globalization has become an integral part of understanding how and why the Sebei communities had to adjust to the changing setting of the world and the communities which belong to it. It is difficult for a reader to understand the complex parts of the monograph if one would not take into consideration the aspects which relate the community to the changes in its surroundings. If the reader would not have the respective concepts and ideas, he/she might be limited to understanding the community in isolation and forget to relate it to the world outside the said community. There are factors which might be missed by the reader in understanding the community, in this case, and forget about the other forces that could change communities. Works Cited Goldschmidt, Walter. Culture and behavior of the Sebei: A study in Continuity and Adaptation. Berkeley, Los Angeles: University of California, 1976. MacGaffey, Wyatt. â€Å"Review. † ASA Review of Books 4 (1978): 110-111. Mead, Margaret. â€Å"Review. † American Anthropologists 79. 4 (1977): 938-939.

Industrialisation and Identity Essay Example for Free

Industrialisation and Identity Essay In 1889 Chicago had the peculiar qualifications of growth which made such adventuresome pilgrimages even on the part of young girls plausible. Its many and growing commercial opportunities gave it widespread fame, which made of it a giant magnet, drawing to itself, from all quarters, the hopeful and the hopeless those who had their fortune yet to make and those whose fortunes and affairs had reached a disastrous climax elsewhere. (Dreiser 15f) At the turn of the 19th century, the industrialisation brought about tremendous change in the US. With innovations and inventions like the steam engine, railroads, electricity, telephones and telegraphing, the structure of American society shifted and evolved. People from the rural areas started flocking to the big cities in hopes of finding work and a better life, a dream many chased in vain. The protagonist in Theodore Dreiser’s novel Sister Carrie, 18-year old country girl Carrie Meeber, is one of the â€Å"hopeful†; she leaves her hometown to find happiness and success in the big city of Chicago. At first, she stays with relatives and experiences the miserable, tiresome day-to-day struggle of the working middle-class of job-hunting and then hard menial labour in a factory. However, she soon grows tired of her situation. She lets herself be mesmerised by the wealth displayed by others, which both intimidates her and fills her with an insatiable longing for money and status. With this desire growing in her heart, she is willing to make all the sacrifices to achieve her goal, leaving her safe, but unexciting home to live with Charles Drouet, a man whom she barely knows, but who offers her a comfortable lifestyle. Nevertheless, Carrie still is not satisfied, so she leaves him for the wealthier George Hurstwood and continues to search for a way to success and happiness by obtaining status and commodities, losing herself in the process. In his novel Sister Carrie, Theodore Dreiser illustrates how the industrialisation did not only change the structure of American society at the turn of the 19th century, but also have a deep impact on the consumer culture and individual consumer behaviour of the American middle-class, marking the beginning of the impossible quest of struggling to create one’s identity through consumption. The Industrialisation The inventions and innovations of the industrialisation brought about great change for American society and people’s everyday lives. Roughly before 1750, even though the Americans with their steadily advancing frontier were a very progress-oriented people, the general expectation was to die in a world not much different to the one one was born in. (Cross 53) However, during and after the industrialisation, the increased development of ground-breaking new technology did not only affect the economy, but also the way people viewed the world. The inventions of the steam engine and electricity, the new ways of travelling and communication over long distances and new forms of retail created new employment and consumption possibilities (Cross 53), allowing a more and more comfortable and luxurious lifestyle in the cities for the upper-class and those middle-class citizens who were able to afford to keep up with the latest trends and fashions. The steam engine is said to be the central invention of the industrialisation period from the 18th to the 20th century, as it inspired as many technological advances as no other invention before it. Invented in Britain at the beginning of the 18th century, Gary Cross explains it took quite some time until was imported, adapted and improved by the Americans to fit their needs. In the 18th century, he reasons, there was no need for an alternative source of energy, as vast forests, coal deposits and water energy were available. In the 19th century, however, this indifferent attitude towards the steam engine changed fundamentally and its potential as an energy source for manufacturing was exploited. Cross 84) By 1830, only about five per cent of the American factories used steam power; by 1900, it was over 80 per cent. (Cross 93) Steam also found its uses in the non-industrial sector as central heating for buildings. In Sister Carrie, Carrie delights in her modern New York apartment â€Å"supplied with steam-heat† and a â€Å"bath with hot and cold water† (307). In addition to that, the steam engine was applied in the area of transportation as energy source for street cars, steam boats, and locomotives. The railroad had a tremendous effect on both the American economy and society in the 19th century. Daniel W. Howe mentions three main consequences of the railroad (among many others): Firstly, it sped up the process of urbanisation by connecting rural areas to the big cities. (Howe 565) For example, Chicago, one of the main settings of Sister Carrie, evolved from a village of less than 100 inhabitants in 1830 to a city of 30,000 in 1850, which would have been absolutely â€Å"inconceivable [†¦] without the railroad. (Howe 567) In 1889, the time the story of the novel sets in, its population is greater than 50,000 (16). Secondly, allowing the efficient transport of commodities across the country by shortening waiting times and cutting costs, the railroad not only led to a tremendous change in trading business, but also provided the incentive for technological advancement in steel production as well as in the efficiency and safety of trains and tracks, laying the groundwork for f urther innovation of methods of transport later in history. Howe 566) Finally, as a comparatively convenient and affordable way of travelling, railroads also provided the opportunity for long-distance trips and vacations in far-away places even for the American middle-class. (Howe 565) There are two reasons for taking the train in Sister Carrie: for business purposes, and with the intent of moving to another city. Interestingly, there are no actual vacations taking place in the novel; merely plans of travel are mentioned, mostly overseas trips to Europe (142;357). Of far more interest are Drouet and his ambivalent feelings about business travel. He undoubtedly enjoys meeting and flirting with the ladies he meets on the road. He has no reservations of striking up a chat with Carrie on her first train journey from her hometown to Chicago, who (unsurprisingly) is very impressed by Drouet and his knowledge of the various places he has visited on business. (4ff) Drouet is a â€Å"drummer†, a travelling salesman, a job requiring the railway for fast long-distance travel. For him, train journeys hold no deep meaning; they are simply a necessary part of his work. In a short flirtation with a chambermaid, he reveals that he travels far, but does not care for travelling all that much, explaining, â€Å"You get tired of it after awhile. † (200) The same trip, merely a boring return of a business trip for Drouet, is a life-altering, exciting journey for Carrie. Never having travelled before, she is reassured by the thought that home will never be far away since the cities were â€Å"bound more closely by these very trains which came up daily† (3). The railroad shortened travel times drastically. While it took five weeks to travel from Chicago over the Appalachians to New York in 1790, seventy years later the distance could be crossed in merely two days. (Cross 104) Originally, Carrie moves from the countryside to the city because she is in need of work; however, her expectations for her future are far more ambitious. Her hopes of fortune and fame she projects on â€Å"[t]his onrushing train†, which â€Å"was merely speeding to get there. † (3) The second and by far most dramatic journey in Sister Carrie, however, is the elopement of Carrie and Hurstwood. Having stolen a large sum of money from his employers, he tricks Carrie into leaving Chicago with him on a train bound for Detroit, from where they continue to Montreal, Canada. Again, all hope is set on the train as the (only) way to a better future. In this case it is Hurstwood, who in his desperation loses all eloquence, who considers the only possible future as â€Å"a thing which concern[s] the Canadian line. † (275) Making the train his lifeline, he hopes to cross the border as soon as possible, since abroad he will be safe from the legal repercussions of his crime. Hurstwood manages to persuade Carrie to stay with him, but since life in Montreal does not seem worthwhile to either of them, they soon decide to move on to New York, again with the hope of a promising future awaiting them once they get off the train. The invention of the telegraph revolutionised long-distance communication thoroughly, possibly even more so than the railroad did long-distance transportation. Professor Samuel Finley Breese Morse and his team were the first to develop a commercially viable kind of electric telegraph in America; by 1848, the system of wires reached Chicago. Howe 695) Research and experiments led to Thomas Edison finding a way of sending messages back and forth over one wire at the same time in the 1870s and to his invention of the phonograph, with which messages could be recorded. (Cross 176) Unlike the telephone, which was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 and was mainly used for social purposes (Cross 181), the telegraph was mostly used for commercial purposes and information transmission. It also found its use in communication on the railroad, improving the safety and efficiency of trains. Cross 102) In Sister Carrie, the telegraph and even the telephone have short appearances at crucial points in the story, both concerning Hurstwood’s crime and dramatic escape. Coming across a â€Å"famous drug store† with â€Å"one of the first private telephone booths ever erected† (271), Hurstwood phones the train station to obtain information regarding the train times, as he wishes to leave as soon as possible. Opposed to the novelty of the telephone so explicitly stressed by Dreiser, the already well-established telegraph is casually integrated in the story. On the train bound for Detroit, Hurstwood worries that the afternoon papers might already cover his theft and wonders â€Å"what telegraphs might come† (282), indicating his fear of not being able to escape fast enough. The telegraph was a useful tool for the police to coordinate searches and catching criminals before they were beyond reach, apparently leading to a few successful arrests. (288) Once in Canada, Hurstwood anxiously checks the newspaper, and, â€Å"among the riff-raff of the telegraphed murders, accidents, marriages and other news items from out the length and breadth of the land† (297), he discovers a small notice of his own crime. Because he cannot see himself staying abroad, he tries to negotiate with his former employers the return of the money and a possible rehiring, the latter of which obviously eliciting a much colder response than the first–also via telegraph. (302) Electricity was one huge step towards a modern economy and society. At first mainly used to replace gas lighting, its uses expanded rapidly with every new innovation and improvement of existing technology; as mentioned, the telegraph and telephone depended on electric energy, and the electronic signal for the railway introduced in 1872 greatly improved the safety of trains. Cross 102) However, in the first years, electricity was mainly used to making America a brighter place–in the literal sense. (Cross 157) Brighter and cleaner than gas lighting, the electric light bulb invented by Thomas Edison in 1879 gradually took over homes, offices, and city streets. (Cross 158) In the late 1880s, steam-powered street cars in many cities were replaced by electric ones, as they were a faster alternative to get the workers from their homes to their work places and back. They were also less expensive, and the inevitable pollution was concentrated in the area the energy was generated and not spread throughout the city; electric streetcars did, however, increase noise pollution. (Cross 159; 168) Light is the element creating the most obvious distinction between places of luxury and places of suffering in Sister Carrie: The former are all bathed in light, while the latter are cast in shadow or are dimly lit at best. For example, the shoe factory Carrie works in in the beginning is xtremely poorly lit (36f), while the department stores as temples of consumption and the streets as their runways are practically aglow (30). As their financial situation in New York becomes irreversibly dire, Hurstwood one day finds Carrie â€Å"reading, quite alone. It was rather dark in the flat, shut in as it was. † (358) Bright lights, on the other hand, are abundant in places Carrie enjoys being; she quite literally experiences the â€Å"bright side of life† when she dines out with friends at Sherry’s, a very popular and expensive restaurant the high society of New York likes to dine at. She marvels at the splendid dining chamber, all decorated and aglow, where the wealthy ate, [with its] incandescent lights, the reflection of their glow in polished glasses, and the shine of gilt upon the walls [†¦]. On the ceilings were colored traceries with more gilt, leading to a centre where spread a broad circle of light–incandescent globes mingled with glittering prisms and stucco tendrils of gilt.

Art Deco And Rene Lalique

Art Deco And Rene Lalique Art Deco, a popular international art design movement of the 1920s to 1940s influenced the decorative arts like architecture, interior design and industrial design along with visual arts such as fashion, paintings, the graphic arts and films. This style came across as elegant, glamorous, functional and modern in those times. The movement was a blend of many different styles and movements of the early 20th century, including Neoclassical, Constructivism, Cubism, Modernism, Art Nouveau, and Futurism. Its popularity peaked in Europe during the Roaring Twenties and continued strongly in the United States through the 1930s. Art Deco was purely decorative, although many other design movement had political or philosophical roots or intentions. A decline in the popularity of Art Deco was seen in the late 30s and early 40s, but later in the 1980s revived with the popularization of graphic design. Art Deco had a profound influence on many later artistic movements, such as Memphis and Pop art. Linear decorative designs that were reminiscent of modern technology were characteristics of Art Deco, also known Art modern. In order to symbolize the expanse of the machine age, emphasizes was laid on long, thin forms, curved surfaces and geometric patterns. Although the movement was popular in the 1920s and 30s, the movement received its gained its name in the 1960s derived from the 1925 Paris expositions of decorative arts. Art Deco was a modernization of many diverse artistic styles and themes from the earlier period. It took inspiration from Far and Middle East design, Greek and Roman themes, and also Egyptian and Mayan influence. The movement emphasized abstraction, distortion, and simplification by use of geometric shapes and intense colours, it derived these characteristics from the avant-garde painting styles of the early twentieth century, including Cubism, Constructivism, and Italian Futurism. Art Deco is distinguished from Art nouveau and precisionist movement by a more modern look. Art Deco was influenced arts and architecture, primarily the decorative, industrial, and graphic arts. It was also a well-liked style in fashion, furniture, jewelry, and textiles. The most renowned Art Deco artist is glassmaker and jeweler, Rene Lalique. Two well-known U. S. buildings executed following the Art Deco approach include Rockefeller Center and the Chrysler Building. Art Deco, an opulent style, credits its lavishness to the reaction to the forced sternness imposed by World War I. Its rich, festive character fitted it in the modern contexts, including works such as the Golden Gate Bridge, interiors of cinema theaters and ocean liners such as the ÃŽle de France, Queen Mary, and Normandie. To reflect the modernity and efficiency of the train in the united states, Art Deco was employed extensively throughout the train stations in the 1930s. The most significant feature of Art Deco was its dependence upon ornaments and motifs alongside making use of many other distinctive styles. The style is said to have reflected the tensions in the cultural politics of its day, with eclecticism having been one of its defining features. As quoted by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the distinctive style of Art Deco was shaped by all the nervous energy stored up and expended in the War. The style that Art Deco employs is the description of eclecticism. It draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources and has its own unique look that is difficult to define. Its range of characteristics makes it an extremely versatile style, and an enjoyable one to work with, since Art Deco is easily integrated into a wide variety of personal styles making it liked by many and a favorite among collectors. Renà © Lalique 1860 1945 Rene Lalique, one of the few artists who successfully made the transition from the mannered, self-consciously opulent and sinuous Art nouveau(1800s-1900s) artistic culture to the sweeping modern elegant functionality of Art Deco (1910-1940), for which periods he is considered to be one of the worlds greatest glass artists and jewellery designers. His superb work features naturalistic elements inspired by nature, Greek classical themes, and social pursuits of his time such as hunting. Lalique in his work retained the handmade look while he also employed the most modern manufacturing techniques and equipment of his time to mass-produce his work. Museums and glass enthusiasts still collect his clear and frosted glass creations, which were also very popular during his lifetime. Early Years Jewellery Career Born on April 6, 1860 in the village of Aà ¿ in the Champagne region of France, Lalique family moved to Paris when he was two years-old. Beginning at age of 16, Lalique began to work as a trainee with Louis Aucoc, one of the best jewelers of Paris, while continuing his drawing classes at the Ecole des Arts Dà ©coratifs de Paris. He developed a unique naturalist style which was to influence his style as a jeweler while he studied drawing at Sydenham College in London. Lalique worked as a designer for a relative while freelancing on the side for jewelers such as Aucoc, Boucheron, Cartier, Destape, Gariod, Hamelin and Jacta, in Paris. He also studied sculpture modeling and etching. It all began in 1885; Lalique began manufacturing his jewellery designs out of his own workshop. For these he employed non-conventional materials such as translucent enamel, semiprecious stones and ivory. Success followed in 1893 when he won second prize in the Centrale des arts Dà ©coratifs goldsmiths competition for his Chardon glasses and an honourable mention for his Pampas and Satyrs vase. The following year, Lalique exhibited at the Salon de la Socià ©tà © des Artistes Franà §ais in the sculpture section and began creating jewellery for Sarah Bernhardt. Four years later, he won the Grand Prix at the International Exhibition in Brussels and was made a Chevalier de la Là ©gion dHonneur. In 1902, Lalique was living, manufacturing and showing out of his mansion in Paris, which featured his designs on the balconies, entrance and hall. By 1908, he had begun creating fashion accessories such as handbags, scarves and belts as well as perfume bottles for Franà §ois Coty. These bottle designs, which evoked the enclosed fragrance, revolutionized the perfume industry and led to work for other leading perfumers such as Roger Gallet, Houbigant, Molyneux, dOrsay, Molinard and Worth.

Modibo Diarra :: essays research papers

Modibo Diarra is one of the toughest players you can meet on a basketball court. Off the court, he is soft-spoken and extremely friendly. When you first meet him you can not help but want to be friends with him. I had the opportunity to first see Modibo play this past summer at an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) event. On the court any professional scout in America (including myself) will tell you that come next year Modibo will have the luxury to pick whatever school he wants. He is that talented and that special of a player. Still, there is something about Modibo off the court that makes him such a terrific human being. At a recent hoop tournament that I was covering, I was amazed to see how much excitement there was when Modibo stepped onto the court. At first, I thought well, everybody in the gym must be here to see this extraordinary 6'9" shot blocker perform. It is true a lot of people did want to see him perform on the court, but there is a different type of fan cheering whe n Modibo is out there. Friends close to him will tell you that Modibo has a following in and around Boston. People who don't even follow basketball still go to games and watch him play just because they met him and hope he succeeds. Modibo is some one special He has a gift on and off the court. 	Modibo is no stranger to basketball. In his home country in Mali, Africa he was able to catch a glimpse of USA basketball through satellite. Just like any kid in America who has dreams of making it to the NBA, kids in Africa do have that dream as well. They have goals of being successful in life and taking care of their family. When a down and out coach from American University was trying to recruit another player to come to his school, that player decided on playing European ball instead. Scott Spinelli saw a pickup game going on near by, so to ease off his disapointment he stuck around to watch. What he found was were kids playing on a dirt ground, wearing sandals and some just playing on barefeet. Scott saw a young 6'9" kid who swatting every basket in sight and immediately thought this kid has potential written all over him. After staying in Africa for a couple of weeks and convincing Modibo's father and two wives that it was alright for Modibo to go to the United St ates and play basketball, good luck took a major hit. Modibo Diarra :: essays research papers Modibo Diarra is one of the toughest players you can meet on a basketball court. Off the court, he is soft-spoken and extremely friendly. When you first meet him you can not help but want to be friends with him. I had the opportunity to first see Modibo play this past summer at an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) event. On the court any professional scout in America (including myself) will tell you that come next year Modibo will have the luxury to pick whatever school he wants. He is that talented and that special of a player. Still, there is something about Modibo off the court that makes him such a terrific human being. At a recent hoop tournament that I was covering, I was amazed to see how much excitement there was when Modibo stepped onto the court. At first, I thought well, everybody in the gym must be here to see this extraordinary 6'9" shot blocker perform. It is true a lot of people did want to see him perform on the court, but there is a different type of fan cheering whe n Modibo is out there. Friends close to him will tell you that Modibo has a following in and around Boston. People who don't even follow basketball still go to games and watch him play just because they met him and hope he succeeds. Modibo is some one special He has a gift on and off the court. 	Modibo is no stranger to basketball. In his home country in Mali, Africa he was able to catch a glimpse of USA basketball through satellite. Just like any kid in America who has dreams of making it to the NBA, kids in Africa do have that dream as well. They have goals of being successful in life and taking care of their family. When a down and out coach from American University was trying to recruit another player to come to his school, that player decided on playing European ball instead. Scott Spinelli saw a pickup game going on near by, so to ease off his disapointment he stuck around to watch. What he found was were kids playing on a dirt ground, wearing sandals and some just playing on barefeet. Scott saw a young 6'9" kid who swatting every basket in sight and immediately thought this kid has potential written all over him. After staying in Africa for a couple of weeks and convincing Modibo's father and two wives that it was alright for Modibo to go to the United St ates and play basketball, good luck took a major hit.

LAN :: essays research papers

INTRODUCTION In our changing society as companies vie to stay alive; many have begun redefining their business strategies, so as to make accessibility to global and internal information easier for their employees. In order that business provide superior services than their competitors, Human Resource professionals strongly believe, that is closely linked to people's attitude about work, the evolution of employment-related laws and sociological tends. They must recognise the dynamic relationship between strategy, people, technology and the processes that drive organisations. In so keeping, SAM's Paper Manufacturing Company Limited, in trying to manage the challenge facing today's organisations, change, given the rapid advances in technology, increased globalisation and the ever present need to assure quality service and contented workers, has proposed internet access for all workstation end users. As organisations grow and develop, external and internal pressures result in changing needs. Systems and practices must be organised so that they continue to fit an organisation as its needs changes. As a result, the strategic and implementation plans are the overall blueprints that define how an organisation will deploy its capital resources, budgetary resources, and technological resources in pursuit of its goal. In providing the Internet access, research would be carried out into the type of infrastructure that is required in providing an effective Internet access service to the employee. The types of infrastructure that need to be investigated are: - <Tab/>Broadband Technology. We would look specifically at Asymmetric Digital Subscribe Line (ADSL), which is a technology used by telephone companies to provide high band with services (faster internet and data speeds) to the home and business using existing telephone cabling infrastructure (See Appendix 1). <Tab/>Routers As its name implies the router serves as a routing switchboard. It connects two or more networks and forwards data packets between them. <Tab/>Microsoft Exchange This would facilitate internal and external e-mails <Tab/>Monitoring and Managing Internet Access Techniques and products for monitoring, controlling and managing Internet access, such as "Web use reporting" which is software used to monitor and report on how a workforce uses its access to websites. In giving right of entry to an abundance of information, via the Internet, to all employees, management has taken into consideration the serious negative cost, which may occur, to both security and productivity of the employees. They have developed and put in place policies that take into consideration the use of firewalls to shield our Local Area Network (LAN) from unauthorised access and the use of Anti Virus products to prevent infection.

The Use of Laughter as Medicine in Ken Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoo

The Use of Laughter as Medicine in Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest For years, it has been said that laughter is the best medicine. In Proverbs 17:22 it says, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." Imagine being in a place where medicine takes the place of laughter. This is the environment the patients at an Oregon psychiatric hospital in Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1962) experienced before the arrival of a new patient. Chief Bromden, who is presumably deaf and dumb, narrates the story in third person. Mr. McMurphy enters the ward all smiles and hearty laughter as his own personal medicine. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a story about patients in a psychiatric hospital, who are under the power of Nurse Ratched. Mrs. Ratched has control over all the patients except for Mr. McMurphy, who uses laughter to fight her power. According to Chief Bromden, McMurphy "...knows you have to laugh at the things that hurt you just to keep yourself in balance, just to keep the world from running you plumb crazy" (212). Laughter is McMurphy's medicine and tool to get him and the rest of the patients through their endless days at the hospital. The author's theme throughout the novel is that laughter is the best medicine, and he shows this through McMurphy's static character. The story is made up of series of conflicts between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. McMurphy becomes a hero, changing the lives of many of the in mates. In the end, though, he pays for his actions by suffering a lobotomy, which turned him into a vegetable. The story ends when Bromden smothers McMurphy with a pillow and escapes to freedom. McMurphy demonstrates how he uses laughter and jokes to get through his days by trying to get Mr... ... fact that he has just been shocked when he tells Bromden that they are just charging his battery and "when I get out of here the first woman that takes on ol' Red McMurphy the ten-thousand-watt psychopath, she's gonna light up like a pinball machine and pay off in silver dollars [sic]!" (242-243). Here McMurphy uses a perverted mind to help him adjust to the reality that he has just received shock treatment. When a society replaces medicine for laughter, people are going to have problems just as the patients did in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. McMurphy, along with today's society, believes that laughter truly is the best medicine, and one cannot live a normal, sane life without it. Works Cited Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1962). The Viking Press Inc. New York, New York.Gideons International. Tennessee: The National Publishing Company.

Automobile †Renault Essay

From its humble beginnings from in 1885 today the automotive industry is one of the biggest industries today and is one of the world’s most important economic sectors by revenue. Not only does this industry develops and manufacture but it also markets and sells motor vehicles globally. STEEP Analysis onSocio-cultural Socio-cultural variables such as population, social responsibility, cultural differences, and theinfluence of consumer movement affects directly to the automobile industry. Technological Technological factors and innovations, Research & development plays a most important role   asthey improve standards of driving. Fuel consumption is one of a major problem at the moment, hybrid engines has developed toreduce fuel consumption. Ex: Honda, ToyotaOne of a major requirement of the customer is safety. Seat belts, air bags which protect passengers at a collision, ABS brakes to stop the vehicle in short distance even in icy surfaces. By investing for Research and development and innovating new technologies can gain patentedand boost sales. Technological development is support the driver to control the vehicle more comfortable andeasier. In 1999, Renault bought a controlling interest in Nissan at 44% of the shares. This merger raised several questions about the two companies from different countries and their methods of manufacturing and business practices in how they could co-exist and profit from one another. Now, the merger has proven to be the â€Å"most successful partnership in the global automobile industry† (Nissan News, 2005). During research for this paper, not much if any negative information surfaced. There have been some difficulties along the way of factory closing and elimination of redundancies but overall, Nissan and Renault have improved their standing in the marketplace and have improved their profitability, technology utilized, and image within the automobile industry. Nissan was on the verge of bankruptcy before the merger. The company had been unprofitable throughout the 90’s and was in debt in excess of $22 billion. Since the merger, Nissan has turned around to one of the highest operating profit margins in the car industry at 9. 2 percent (Nissan News, 2005). Additionally, Renault has more than doubled their market capitalization since the alliance and has increased their corporate value more than any other European producer. By this measure, no real problems are facing the companies that would not normally arise when considering the cultural differences and production methods between the two companies. As part of the merger, a cross company team was formed to handle such situations. This team shares knowledge, processes, and technology when needed and they work together on new strategies that affect both companies. Both companies continue to act as separate entities with a sprit of independence yet do share several platforms in terms of technology and production along with customer services practices and communications. Sharing these platforms offer huge financial savings as a single platform could be used across two companies. Purchasing power of Renault is shared with Nissan which is a major source of cost savings. Overall, it’s a win-win situation for both companies. The biggest recommendation one could make is to continue down the road of brand separation on the front end but sharing as much as possible on the back end. Sharing such practices as customer service, engineering techniques, research and design of new technologies, and cost saving practices. Another recommendation that could be made to Renault Nissan is to compromise during differences. To this point, once a decision has been made that decision needs to be carried out to the fullest with no changing in mid-stream. If the initiative does not work to the expectation of the teams then the teams must work together for the solution and not point fingers or place blame. This is especially important on platforms that are shared between the two and has impact to both companies. Balancing commitment to shareholders and the community is a very delicate task in this case considering each is from a different country with different views and values. Since each company operates independently from one another, this allows each to focus on their own. With the cross company teams, made up of equal representatives from the two companies, these commitments can be considered and evaluated by both companies. Since Renault has controlling stake of Nissan, their shareholders are a majority but that doesn’t mean that they cannot be sensitive or mindful of Nissan’s shareholders desires for the companies. Culturally speaking of their communities, each company has a presence in their homeland that does not prevent them from involvement in their communities just the same as they were not merged in with another company. Turing around a failing automobile manufacture into a global leader is not a sign of failure and Nissan has done just that. It took the help of Renault to perform this transformation yet the identity of Nissan has remained. The same for Renault, their ability to increase their market standing with the introduction of new technology and manufacturing techniques introduced by Nissan demonstrates that when two companies combine their efforts and work as single unit it does not mean an acquisition or merger is such a bad thing. Sure there can be challenges along the way but in this case the success is evident and has continued to flourish as time has passed. Resources: Hunger, J. D. , Whellen, T. L. (2006). Strategic management and business policy (10th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Lewis, R. (2004, June 4). Renault/Nissan: A successful partnership. Car Keys. Retrieved July 21, 2007, from http://www. carkeys. co. uk/features/industry/2004/3439. asp Renault-Nissan alliance: A uniquely successful partnership that offers synergies and economies-of-scale, while preserving independence. (n. d. ) Retrieved July 21, 2007, from www. nissannews. com/corporate/alliance/1_Introduction. doc