Unit 7 Application 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Unit 7 Application 1 - Essay Example Experience coupled with education is a preferred combination (Gully & Phillips, 2010). It would be advantageous for a company to hire a candidate with many years of experience and a solid education since they not only have the knowledge but also practicality in the application of concepts (Gully & Phillips, 2010). Moreover, there in a better position of handling complex duties or a crisis since they have prior encounter of such scenarios (Heneman & Mueller, 2012). An organization seeking to fill a position would opt for one who brings their experience in the company and thus become an asset. Although a candidate’s qualification and experience are vital, it is important to check on their performance (Gully & Phillips, 2010). If the candidate was working in another organization, then as an employer, one should review their performance in order to rate on whether they are able to deliver on this job given their work history. This is because one might have all other qualifications in check but fails to live up to the company’s expectations. Cognitive ability is another factor of importance (Harris & Brannick, 1999). A candidate should possess the ability to think on their feet as in certain circumstances, one is not afforded the time to consult on a particular issue as it would require a decision there and then. Since there no company that would want to make losses as a result of poor decisions made. Other factors that would come after conclusion of the aforementioned include integrity, background and drug test in that respective order. A candidate should have good ethics and not suffering a drug addiction. The three applicants that I would select from the above list are based on the criteria given above are Frank, Radhu and Raul. This is on the basis of their educational qualification, company experience and performance rating (Gully & Phillips, 2010). In the case of Raul,

Emotion and New York Essay Example for Free

Emotion and New York Essay In Proof, there is a contrast presented between the abstract and tangible aspects of life. Claires life revolves around everything that is practical while Catherine relies more on things that are theoretical. These choices cause problems in each sisters life in that they are both disconnected from the real world and neither can relate to other people, including each other. Catherine focuses on the theoretical, letting her life revolve around things that are not tangible, things that other people cannot necessarily see. Early on in the play, Catherine figures out that the number of days she has wasted because of her depression is a mathematically significant number. Math is a very abstract science and this scene shows how mathematically minded Catherine is. It also shows how easily she is able to think abstractly. Her father helps her mathematically manipulate this number right before he admits that he is, in fact, dead at the time of this conversation. Again, Catherine is relying on something intangible, the mental representation of Robert. While Robert was ill, Catherine stayed with him to take care of him emotionally. She did not typically wash dishes, clean the house, or pay bills, Catherine was taking care of her fathers emotional state. In her mind, she was making sure he stayed well by having someone to rely on for the intangible aspects of life. Because Catherine lives in the abstract, she is unable to relate to people who live in the real world. Because of this and other reasons, she has no friends. She tells her father, in order for your friends to take you out you generally have to have friends. Most 25 year olds would go out with friends on their birthday; the fact that she has no friends is odd and causes the audience to worry. In the end of Act 1 Scene 1, Catherine calls the cops to keep Hal from stealing one of her fathers notebooks even though, as she admits in the beginning of Scene 2, she didnt really want them to come. The cops come back the next morning and are not happy. This shows that she does not relate well with the practical world and its consequences. Unlike her sister, Claire is overly practical, completely engrossed in material aspects of life. While Catherine is at home with their father,  Robert, Claire moves to New York to continue her education, get her own place, and have a job. She pays all the bills from New York, but does not involve herself with other aspects of taking care of their father besides encouraging Catherine to put him in a full time care situation. Bills are very material and concrete, showing how much Claire relies on tangible aspects of life and how well she can deal with these things. When Claire is visiting Catherine for their fathers funeral, she tries to get Catherine to try a conditioner she likes. When Catherine asks Claire for some scientific facts about the Jojoba in the conditioner, Claire replies, it makes my hair feel, look, and smell good. Thats the extent of my information about it. Claire doesnt know any scientific information about the Jojoba, only how it physically affects her hair. Claire values material objects over immaterial things like emotions, which makes it difficult for her to connect with people and deal with them appropriately. At the party after the funeral, Claire tries to out drink the theoretical physicists and fails miserably waking up with a horrible hangover. Claire does this because she believes, incorrectly, that she is better than the theoretical physicists based on their lack of grounding in the practical world. At the end of Act 1, Claire tells Catherine, its not your fault. Its my fault for letting you do it. This implies that Claire thinks she can control Catherine. Claire believes she can control people like she can control things. Claire also decides she wants Catherine to move to New York so she can keep a better eye on her. She tells Catherine it would be much easier for me to get you set up in an apartment in New York again showing how she wants to control Catherines life and does not show regard for Catherines emotions such as Cath erines desire to stay in her home town and her sense of belonging there. Due to Catherine and ClaireÂ’s different priorities, they do not relate to each other and have a disconnected relationship. This is established early on in the play when Catherine says to her father, she is not my friend, she is my sisterAnd I dont like her. It is clear from this statement that Catherine does not feel connected to Claire. At one point Claire goes so far as to accuse Catherine of being insane, claiming that Catherine has made up  Harold Dobbs. She later meets Hal and does not even apologize to her sister. Sadly, this is not the only thing Claire does to show complete disregard for her sisters feelings. When Hal shows up in Act 1 Scene 2, Catherine makes a big scene and Claire completely ignores her. “CATHERINE: Okay? I really donÂ’t need this, Claire. IÂ’m fine, you know, IÂ’m totally fine, and then you swoop in here with these questions, and “Are you okay?” and your soothing tone of voice and “Oh, the poor policemen” Ââ€" I think the police can handle themselves! Ââ€" and bagels and bananas and jojoba and “Come to New York” and vegetarian chili. I mean it really pisses me off, so just save it. (Beat.)CLAIRE: (smoothly to HAL) IÂ’m Claire. CatherineÂ’s sister.”Clearly Claire is ignoring CatherineÂ’s emotions and chooses to not try to deal with her sisters fit. This is also an example of how Catherine inappropriately deals with her own emotions and her sisters attempts to help. Claire cannot be there for Catherine if she wonÂ’t deal with any emotions and Catherine chooses not to react calmly to ClaireÂ’s assertions. Neither sister has found the best way to live their life, they need to find a happy medium between the practical and theoretical aspects of life so that they can function properly in the real world and relate to the people living in it. Works Cited: Proof by David Auburn

Compare and Contrast Kami and Shen, the Japanese and Chinese Words for

Compare and Contrast Kami and Shen, the Japanese and Chinese Words for God The words kami in Japanese and shen in Chinese both are translated into English as the word god. Although they both refer to somewhat similar supernatural elements, they are by no means identical to each other. Chinese shen is an abstract term referring to spirits and relating to abstract thoughts such as the heavens and the afterlife. In contrast, kami are very often related directly to a person or actual object and are worshiped in a hope for more day-to-day help or this worldly benefits. In order to help explain the relationship between kami and shen, I will first explore the similarities between the two terms, then discuss the unique characteristics which define both shen and kami. Motori Norinaga, an eighteenth century Japanese intellectual, said that the meanings of shen and kami "coincide seventy or eight per cent of cases†¦ Ever since ancient times, their meanings have both been expressed in a single character†¦ with no difference being paid to the difference between the two" (qtd. in Xiaolin 1). When the Japanese first borrowed the Chinese writing system to use as their own, they used the Chinese character for shen to express both kami and shin (another Japanese word for spirits, more closely associated with shen.) In all of the Chinese texts that the Japanese imported, shen was translated as either kami or shin, using kami when the spirit was well defined and shin when it was more of an abstract thought. It was not until the Japanese later differentiated their writing from Chinese that the characters for shen and kami became different. The non-differentiation between the two words helps to show their close similarity to each other. Chine... .... Practically Religious. Honolulu: Univ. of Hawai'i Press: 1998. Schipper, Kristofer. The Taoist Body. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press, 1993. Tanabe, George J. Jr. "Introduction: Japan." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 591-612. Teeuwen, Mark. "Motoori Norinaga on the Two Shrines at Ise." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 678-693. Teiser, Stephen F. "Introduction: Chinese Religion." Religions of Asia in Practice. Ed. Donald S. Lopez, Jr. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 2002. 295-329. Xiaolin, Wang. "Cultural Differentiation: On shen and Xin in Chinese and Japanese." Trans. Robert Neather. City Univ. of Hong Kong. 17 Apr. 2003. <http://www.cityu.edu.hk/ccs/Newsletter/newsletter3/HomePage/CulturalDiff/CulturalDiff.html>.

Operations Management Assignment

Identify all customers (both internal and external) and justify how this problem is linked to customer satisfaction. Measure phase – This phase involves trying to collect data to evaluate the current performance level of the process, and provide information for analysis and improvement phases (Yang and II-Haiku, 2009:37). Antonym (2006:240) explains that the following items should be considered during the measurement phase of the Six Sigma methodology: Determine the current performance of the service process (process yield, DEMO, short-term and long-term capability).Decide what to measure (critical-to-quality characteristic – ACT), and how to measure. Establish a simple measurement system study (if applicable). Determine how well the process is performing compared to others through benchmarking exercise. Identify the strengths and weaknesses and determine the gaps for improvement. Analysis phase -? Many authors consider this phase as the most crucial because more often, people seem to omit it and jump straight to improvement phase (Cakes, 2003:42-43).In this phase, data is analyzed in order to discover causes of the problem, and to understand how to improve the process (Yang and II-Haiku, 2009:38). The following salient points (Antonym, 2006:240) must be looked at during this phase: Uncover the root causes of defects in processes. Understand the root causes of variability which lead to defects and priorities them for further investigation. Understand the nature of data and the distribution or patterns of data. Determine the key service process variables that may be linked to defects.Financially quantify the improvement opportunity (I. E. Estimate of potential financial benefits). Improvement phase -? This phase involves generating and selecting solutions for implementation of doing things better, cheaper or faster and thereafter calculating the new sigma level (Cakes, 2003:61 The improvement phase (Antonym, 2006:240) encompasses the following issu es: Develop potential solutions to fix the problems and prevent them from recurring. Evaluate the impact of each potential solution using a criteria-decision matrix.Solutions hat have a high impact on customer satisfaction and bottom-line savings to the organization need to be examined to determine how much time, effort and capital will need to be expended for implementation. Assess risks associated with potential solutions. Validate improvement (I. E. Reduce defect rate or improve sigma quality level of the process) by pilot studies. Re-evaluate the impact of chosen potential solution. Control phase -? The purpose of this stage is to hold on to the improvement achieved from the improvement phase. Changes made in the improvement phase need to be documented (Yang and El-Haiku, 2009:38).

Limiting the Extent of Party Discipline in Canada Essay

Party solidarity and cohesion have always been an integral part of the Westminster Parliamentry system. The leaders of the political parties of the Canadian House of Commons , with the assistance of ‘whips’, very strongly discipline their party members to vote on issues as a single entity, especially in plenary sessions (Olson, 2003). Although, some degree of party discipline is essential for any political party to maintain their power as they require the confidence of the majority of the legislative branch of the government, this practice does not really reflect a democracy. This paper argues that implememnting a large extent of party discipline undermines the spirit of democracy as the politicians become more concerned with appeasing their party leaders for their personal benefits, instead of truly representing the desires and demands of the citizens of their respective constituencies. As mentioned previously, it is argued that strict party discipline is necessary to ensure that the current governnig party maintains its power since a vote of non confidence in the House of Commons can ultimately lead to federal re-election, or re-appointment of the prime minister. However, as Kilgour et al. rgue in Crosscurrents: Contemporaty Political Issues (2013: 205), enforcing strict cohesion strategies to ensure party unity leads to members of Parliament to become extreamly passive as they no longer think for themselves, but merely conform to the demands of their party leaders. Their opinions and thoughts are constrsained by a fear of a loss of majority in the House Of Commons. It is very crucial for any political party to value and respect the opinions of its members to assess a situation more closely and obtain diverse opinions. However, strong party discipline stifles the values and opinions of individual members of party. Consequently, this diversity of imagination is replaced by a single unit of party that reflects a single, rigid opinion on most issues. This devalues the sense of liberty and freedom that is cherished by democracy. Often times, it is observed that the members of a party vote in a similar fashion, not just to ensure a majority confidence motion, but also to derive personal gains. If a member of parliament wishes to advance their political career and gain quicker promotions, he or she muct act according to the command of their party leaders (Kam, 2006). Expression of dissent from the MPs can have dire consequences for their career. They can be warned about the lack of financial support, or even be ultimately expelled from the party caucus. Kam (2006) also suggested that the promotion of ministers is greatly manipulated by the prime minister to ensure maximum conformation to the party’s position. Sometimes, certain ministers of parliament are deliberately brought into the cabinet as it is too dangerous to leave them as a backbencher (a member of House of Commons) where they can openly challenge and vote against the position of the leader of the political party. This suggests that the deliberate promotion, or demotion, ministers of parliament is not due to their, merits or demerits, but is rather strategically devised to overall benefit the party. In addition, the vote of the members of the House of Commons not only does not represent the opinions of individual ministers, but also it not a representation of a member’s unyielding and unconditional loyalty to his or her party. Rather, it is a conscious decision to vote according to the wishes of the party leader to maintain the imge of conformity and ensure personal gains and benefits for the members of parliament, which would reward in the form of more opportunities to ascend the political ladder and make personal and professional gains that do not particularly benefit the citizens of the consituency that elected the member of parliament. It is unquestionable that voting in the Canadian House of Common is extremely disciplined and very highly regulated by emloying various methods. The study of the patterns of recorded votes shows that majority of votes show almost no dissent from the party members. Also, rejection of major government motions due to dissent of the members of the House of Commons is extremely rare (Malloy, 2003). Canada operates on a system of majoritarian parliamentary government. Cohesion of political parties is very essential to maintain a majority rule by ensuring that vote of non confidence is not ever issued (Kam, 2001). Due to this constant threat of the possibility of loss of majority and formation of a coalition, political parties are very strongly disciplined by their leaders. A coalition governmet is not necessarily always detremental. It can help to foster more cooperation in different political parties and compel the members of a party to consider the opinions and views that are different from the ideology shared by their party. It also provides an opportunity for a greater debate and consideration before arriving at a common decision. Maintaining strong party discipline just to eliminate the possibility of the formation of a coalitions limits the possibilities for political experimentation and possible positive growth. The change is not just welcomed, but also deliberately resisted using the traditional practice of oppressive party discipline. The members of parliament are elected by, and are required to respresent the citizens of their respective constituencies. The common vision shared by their party and party leader may or may not reflect the wishes of the citizens. The first and foremost duty of an MP is to cater to the needs and the demands of the citizens who democratically elected him or her. The loyalty to one’s party should be a secondary priority. However, as observed, most times, this is not the case. This severely debilitates the sole purpose of a democratic government which demands the citizens’ voice and opinions to be heard above all others. Although some degree of party discipline may be required to control and maintain cohesion within the House of Commons to propose policies and arrive at a firm decision, it does not really encompass democratic ideas. Party discipline compells the members of a party to not pay heed to the needs of the citizens, but to blindly follow the demands made by their party leaders. This practice is also morally questionable as the political success of ministers of parliament is largely based on their loyalty to the party’s alues, even if they contradict his/ her personal opinions. Instead of being constantly threatened by the possiblity of losing the confidence of the majority of the House of Commons, fundamental changes need to be made to change the Westmister Parliamentry structure to alter, if not eliminate, this system that makes it almost mandatory for the parties to implement rigid party discipline. Limiting the extent of the party discipline would help to make the Canadian government more democratic by accomodating more diverse ideas and opinions.

Death In Stephen Cranes The Blue Hotel Essays - Stephen Crane

Death In Stephen Cranes The Blue Hotel Essays - Stephen Crane Death In Stephen Cranes The Blue Hotel Stephen Crane is a well-known author of variety of short stories. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, the son of a Methodist minister. After schooling at Lafayette College and Syracuse University, he worked in New York as a freelance journalist. His short stories and experimental poetry, also, anticipate the ironic realism of the decades ahead. In his brief and energetic life, he published fourteen books while acting out, in his personal adventures, the legend of the writer as soldier of fortune (741-743). Among one of his works include The Blue Hotel. The novel the Blue Hotel is a novel themed with death. The moment that the Swede arrives at the Blue Hotel it is somehow, in The Swedes mind, transformed into a wild west hotel, by the many dime novels he has read, which made him even more uneasy about staying at the hotel. In one of the initial scenes this fear is evident The Swede answered him swiftly and eagerly: These men are going to kill me.. I know I wont get out of here alive(771). The Swedes fear of dying had made him want to leave the hotel, but Pat Scull, the owner of the Blue Hotel, attempted to get him to stay by showing around the hotel and showing him pictures of his family. Scully shows the Swede some pictures of his children Thats the pitcher of my of my little girl that died. Her name was Carrie. She had the purtiest hair you ever saw! I was that fond of her, she-(773). Cranes use of color in the episode helps to point out the pattern of death. Scully and the Swede first walk into a dark room and while Scully speaks of his deceased daughter the Swede is focusing on the shadows in the darker part of the room. The Swede fears everything in the hotel, so Scully offers him some whiskey, which of course the Swede believes is poisoned. After proving to the Swede the whiskey is fine the Swede take it. The whiskey he gives The Swede does loosen him up. The Swede begins to drink more and more. Soon there after he joins a card game and where he proclaims that Johnie, Scullys son, has been cheating. The Swede feels that the only way to right the wrongs of Johnnies cheating is to fight. Ironically the street is covered in a fine white virgin snow as the spectators chanted kill him Johnnie kill him(780). In this scene the Swede thought that the gang of spectators would kill him, however, Scully made it so that only he and Johnnie would fight. As with most of the novel the Swede was fearful of fighting Johnnie, he feared Johnnie would beat him and he feared that the crowed would kill him. The Swede wins allowing Crane to set up what starts the Swedes death march. Having beaten the hotel owners son the Swede decides to leave. However the Swede, still under the influence of the whiskey, stops at a local saloon where he wants to celebrate with his victory. When he finds that no one will celebrate with him he Grasped the gambler frenziedly at the throat, and was dragging him from his chair. then was seen a long blade in the hand of gambler. It shot forward, and a human body. was pierced as easily as if it had been a melon (786). The Swedes limp body fell to floor beneath the bar where he had been drinking. The theme of death in The Blue Hotel is present throughout the novel. Cranes use of color, character flaws, and plot help strengthen this theme. Crane uses the Swedes fear of death to be his death. Had the Swede not been drinking he more than likely would not have become so aggressive and in turn he would not have started the fight with the gambler that led to his death.

American Accent Training by Ann Cook

American Accent Training by Ann Cook American Accent Training by Ann Cook and published by Barrons provides a self-study course that is sure to improve any advanced level students pronunciation. This course includes a course book and five audio CDs. The book includes all the exercises, quiz material and reference material that are found on the audio CDs. In this way, learners follow their course by reading, listening and repeating materials that are oral in nature, but also provided in print. The course takes what is termed a pure-sound approach to learning standard American pronunciation. To put it simply, this course focuses on learning the music of English as it spoken in the USA. The stress-timed nature of English is put emphasized with correct intonation, stress, and liaison used to develop natural sounding speech patterns. These speech patterns are then combined with a specific vowel and consonant patterns in a connected speech in exercises which lead to improved, natural American sounding, pronunciation. Here is a rough overview of how American Accent Training is developed: Introduction to American IntonationThis section helps the learner become aware of the music of English as it is spoken in America. Students learn about intonation and liaison.Refining your pronunciation - specific pronunciation problems including various vowel and consonant sounds.Nationality Guides - these guides help specific nationalities with particular problems arising from their linguistic background. The nationality guides include:ChineseJapaneseSpanishIndianRussianFrenchGermanKoreanPeriodic diagnostic analysis and continuing review and expansion throughout the package A Nice Extra Feature For those studying American Accent Training on their own, a toll-free telephone tutoring number or the website at americanaccent.com provides a referral to a qualified telephone analyst. The diagnostic analysis is designed to evaluate your speech patterns to let you know where your accent is standard and nonstandard. American Accent Training is a wonderful package that will surely help those who really want to improve their pronunciation. It is very thorough, and although presented in a light-hearted manner, American Accent Training presents a serious tool for advanced English speakers and ESL students determined to learn to speak with an American accent. I would highly recommend this package only to learners who live, or want to live, in the United States or Canada. Furthermore, learners should also be advanced level readers to be able to truly take advantage of all this package has to offer. If you are a casual English learner, or interested in English for taking holidays or communicating with other non-native speakers, this package is probably too extensive for you. However, if you DO want to sound like an American, then this package is sure to provide you with all the tools you need.

Gram Positive vs. Gram Negative Bacteria

Gram Positive vs. Gram Negative Bacteria Most bacteria are classified into two broad categories: Gram positive and Gram negative. These categories are based on their cell wall composition and reaction to the Gram stain test. The Gram staining method, developed by Hans Christian Gram, identifies bacteria based upon the reaction of their cell walls to certain dyes and chemicals. The differences between Gram positive vs Gram negative bacteria are primarily related to their cell wall composition. Gram positive bacteria have cell walls composed mostly of a substance unique to bacteria known as peptidoglycan, or murein. These bacteria stain purple after Gram staining. Gram negative bacteria have cell walls with only a thin layer of peptidoglycan and an outer membrane with a lipopolysaccharide component not found in Gram positive bacteria. Gram negative bacteria stain red or pink after Gram staining. Gram Positive Bacteria The cell walls of Gram positive bacteria differ structurally from the cell walls of Gram negative bacteria. The primary component of bacterial cell walls is peptidoglycan. Peptidoglycan is a macromolecule composed of sugars and amino acids that are assembled structurally like woven material. The amino sugar component consists of alternating molecules of N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM). These molecules are crosslinked together by short peptides which help give peptidoglycan strength and structure. Peptidoglycan provides protection for bacteria and defines their shape. This image shows the cell wall composition of Gram positive bacteria. CNX OpenStax/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0 The Gram positive cell wall has several layers of peptidoglycan. The thick layers of peptidoglycan help to support the cell membrane and provide a place of attachment for other molecules. The thick layers also enable Gram positive bacteria to retain most of the crystal violet dye during Gram staining causing them to appear purple. Gram positive cell walls also contain chains of teichoic acid that extend from the plasma membrane through the peptidoglycan cell wall. These sugar-containing polymers assist in maintaining cell shape and play a role in proper cell division. Teichoic acid helps some Gram positive bacteria to infect cells and cause disease. Some Gram positive bacteria have an additional component, mycolic acid, in their cell walls. Mycolic acids produce a waxy outer layer that provides additional protection for mycobacteria, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Gram positive bacteria with mycolic acid are also called acid-fast bacteria because they require a special staining method, known as acid-fast staining, for microscope observation. Pathogenic Gram positive bacteria cause disease by the secretion of toxic proteins known as exotoxins. Exotoxins are synthesized within the prokaryotic cell and released into the exterior of the cell. They are specific to certain bacterial stains and can cause serious damage to body organs and tissues. Some Gram negative bacteria also produce exotoxins. Gram Positive Cocci Gram positive cocci refer to Gram positive bacteria that are spherically shaped. Two genera of Gram positive cocci noted for their role as human pathogens are Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Staphylococcus are spherical in shape and their cells appear in clusters after they divide. Streptococcus cells appear as long chains of cells after division. Examples of Gram positive cocci that colonize the skin include Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes. Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus (round) bacteria that is found on the skin and mucous membranes of humans and many animals. The bacteria are usually harmless, but infections can occur on broken skin or within a blocked sweat or sebaceous gland, resulting in boils, pustules and abscesses. Paul Gunning/Science Photo Library/Getty Images While all three are part of the normal human microbiota, they can cause disease under certain conditions. Staphylococcus epidermidis form thick biofilms and can cause infections associated with implanted medical devices. Some Staphylococcus aureus strains, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), have become resistant to antibiotics and can lead to the development of serious illness. Streptococcus pyogenes can cause strep throat, scarlet fever, blood poisoning, and flesh-eating disease. Gram Negative Bacteria Like Gram positive bacteria, the Gram negative bacterial cell wall is composed of peptidoglycan. However, the peptidoglycan is a single thin layer compared to the thick layers in Gram positive cells. This thin layer does not retain the initial crystal violet dye but picks up the pink color of the counterstain during Gram staining. The cell wall structure of Gram negative bacteria is more complex than that of Gram positive bacteria. Located between the plasma membrane and the thin peptidoglycan layer is a gel-like matrix called periplasmic space. Unlike in Gram positive bacteria, Gram negative bacteria have an outer membrane layer that is external to the peptidoglycan cell wall. Membrane proteins, murein lipoproteins, attach the outer membrane to the cell wall. This image shows the cell wall composition of Gram negative bacteria. CNX OpenStax/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0 Another unique characteristic of Gram negative bacteria is the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecules on the outer membrane. LPS is a large glycolipid complex that protects bacteria from harmful substances in their environment. It is also a bacterial toxin (endotoxin) that can cause inflammation and septic shock in humans if it enters the blood. There are three components of the LPS: Lipid A, a core polysaccharide, and an O antigen. The lipid A component attaches the LPS to the outer membrane. Attached to the lipid A is the core polyssaccharide. It is located between the lipid A component and the O antigen. The O antigen component is attached to the core polyssaccharide and differs between bacterial species. It can be used to identify specific strains of harmful bacteria. Gram Negative Cocci Gram negative cocci refer to Gram negative bacteria that are spherically shaped. Bacteria of the genus Neisseria are examples of Gram negative cocci that cause disease in humans. Neisseria meningitidis is diplococcus, meaning that its spherical cells remain in pairs after cell division. Neisseria meningitidis causes bacterial meningitis and can also cause septicemia and shock. Neisseria meningitidis are spherical, Gram negative bacteria which cause meningitis in humans. The bacteria are typically seen in pairs, each one concave on the side facing its partner. Health Protection Agency/Science Photo Library/Getty Images Another diplococcus bacterium, N. gonorrhoeae, is the pathogen responsible for the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea. Moraxella catarrhalis is a Gram negative diplococcus that causes ear infections in children, upper respiratory system infections, endocarditis, and meningitis. Gram negative coccobacillus bacteria have bacterial shapes that are in between spherical and rod shaped. Bacteria of the genus Haemophilus and Acinetobacter are coccobacilli that cause serious infections. Haemophilus influenzae can cause meningitis, sinus infections, and pneumonia. Acinetobacter species cause pneumonia and wound infections. Key Points: Gram Positive vs. Gram Negative Bacteria Most bacteria can be broadly classified as Gram positive or Gram negative.Gram positive bacteria have cell walls composed of thick layers of peptidoglycan.Gram positive cells stain purple when subjected to a Gram stain procedure.Gram negative bacteria have cell walls with a thin layer of peptidoglycan. The cell wall also includes an outer membrane with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecules attached.Gram negative bacteria stain pink when subjected to a Gram stain procedure.While both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria produce exotoxins, only Gram negative bacteria produce endotoxins. Sources Silhavy, T. J., et al. The Bacterial Cell Envelope. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, vol. 2, no. 5, 2010, doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a000414.Swoboda, Jonathan G., et al. Wall Teichoic Acid Function, Biosynthesis, and Inhibition. ChemBioChem, vol. 11, no. 1, June 2009, pp. 35–45., doi:10.1002/cbic.200900557.

Women's roles and how they are obtained Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Women's roles and how they are obtained - Essay Example While the issue of how men relate to women and women relate to men has been a long explored topic, one that was nearly taboo for centuries was the question of how black men relate to black women. Due primarily to their status as slaves and laborers, black people have only recently, within the past 100 years or so, had their voices heard. Because of this, the relationships between men and women as they exist within the black community have remained relatively unexplored until recently. Central to Jean Toomer’s Karintha, Ernest J. Gaines’s A Long Day in November, and Toni Cade Bambara’s A Tender Man are relationships between black men and black women, and more specifically, how black women must contend with the realities of black men. Throughout all three stories, it is revealed that, much like the relationships among white people, women’s lives are altered by the roles pushed upon them by men. In Jean Toomer’s novel Karintha, the male characters overwhelmingly reject the natural cycles of life in order to rationalize their desire for Karintha. Throughout the story one is inundated with descriptions of her beauty and the lust it inspires in the men around her. â€Å"Even the preacher, who caught her at mischief, told himself that she was as innocently lovely as a November cotton flower† (Toomer, 19). Karintha’s actions, which are natural expressions of her personality rather than any devious attempt to gain the men’s attentions, must be denied in favor of what the preacher and other men decide she is based upon their interpretation of her actions. Toomer specifies that the preacher â€Å"tells himself†, connoting this type of external construction of her identity. Immediately following the preacher’s episode, the reader is informed: â€Å"Already, rumors were out about her† (19). The juxtaposition with the preacher’s thoughts, leads one to read these rumors as the product of more constructions, more denials

How do relationships affect an organization In what ways are they Personal Statement

How do relationships affect an organization In what ways are they positive in terms of efficiency - Personal Statement Example The same applies to a soccer team that wins the trophy at the end of the derby. Achieving desirable results when many characters are involved all boils down to creating an effective team. An unfortunate scenario where workers do not understand or relate well with one another could be termed as poor social working environment. An organization housing such irregularities would soon plunge into great debts and losses unless there is some divine- economic intervention. A real socially functional working environment is not achievable by instinct but by practise. For workers to know each other well, it is the prerogative of the management to engage them in team building activities and cooperation and co-ordination workshops all through in the life of the company (Reis & Leukefeld, 1998). In conclusion to have an effective team, employees must learn to relate well with one another. It goes a long way in minimizing conflict between workers so that more time is saved, and less energy is applied in carrying out tasks. This kind of efficiency ultimately translates to increased

Childhood Obesity in Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Childhood Obesity in Society - Essay Example Causes There are numerous causes for obesity in general and childhood obesity in particular. In each of these, the society seems to have a role, however obscure it may be. The three most important are listed below. Dietary/ Food Habits: The effects of eating habits on childhood obesity are difficult to determine. A three year randomized controlled study of 1,704 3rd grade children which provided two healthy meals a day in combination with an exercise program and dietary counseling failed to show a significant reduction in percentage body fat when compared to a control group. This was partly due to the fact the even though the children believed they were eating less their actually calorie consumption did not decrease with the intervention. At the same time observed energy expenditure remained similar between the groups. This occurred even though dietary fat intake decreased from 34% to 27% (Caballero et al., 2003). A second study of 5,106 children showed similar results. Even though the children eat an improved diet there was no effect found on BMI (Nader et al., 1999). Why these studies did not bring about the desired effect of curbing childhood obesity has been attributed to the interventions not being sufficient e nough. Changes were made primarily in the school environment, whereas it is felt that they must occur in the home, the community, and the school simultaneously to have a significant effect (Kolata, 2007). Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studied national beverage consumption patterns for over 73,000 Americans between 1997 and 2001 and found the following: overall calories from sweetened drinks went up... As the report stresses the effects of eating habits on childhood obesity are difficult to determine. A three year randomized controlled study of 1,704 3rd grade children which provided two healthy meals a day in combination with an exercise program and dietary counseling failed to show a significant reduction in percentage body fat when compared to a control group. This was partly due to the fact the even though the children believed they were eating less their actually calorie consumption did not decrease with the intervention. At the same time observed energy expenditure remained similar between the groups. According to the research findings the popular thinking is that diet sodas help people to lose weight, since they are low in calories, data from the San Antonio Heart Study found that the more diet soda a person drinks the greater is the likelihood that he or she will become overweight or obese. ‘On an average, for each diet soft drink our participants drank per day, they were 65 percent more likely to become overweight during the next seven to eight years and 41 percent more likely to become obese,’ said Sharon Fowler, MPH, faculty associate in the division of clinical epidemiology at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio. Other, more recent unpublished findings from Fowler back this up. While parents and schools may need to do a better job of promoting regular exercise and better dietary choices, the viral distribution of these soft drinks doesn’t help.

Application of Nursing Theory comment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Application of Nursing Theory comment - Essay Example Notably, it is essential to acknowledge that caring is the backbone of nursing. Though the post does not give a detailed proposition of the theory, it gives a rational application of the theory to nursing setting. This post demonstrates how the theory offers a structure that nurse leaders can use to reinstate the profession’s vision of care that permits care to flow from the nurse leader to other nurses and eventually to the patients (Burtson & Stichler, 2010). The post also demonstrates how nurse leaders can use the theory to be compassionate and care towards the nurses and how this can yield positive effects on the quality of care offered to patients and the patient satisfaction scores. Notably, the post demonstrates how acting human can assist the fellow nurse workers to develop sensitivity to self and others by feeling their feelings. It can be interpreted that these compassionate encounters with the nurses promotes motivation and inspiration among the nurses and in turn results to high-quality care delivery and outstanding patient satisfaction score s. However, it would be significant to identify whether an improvement in the quality of care directly results to improved patient satisfaction

Pastoral Ward Visit in the Context of Chaplaincy Essay

Pastoral Ward Visit in the Context of Chaplaincy - Essay Example In the study, the researcher used Daily log to examine the time spent in attending one patients as well as the time spent by chaplains in the wards. To get direct feedbacks from patients, the researcher used questioner. The questioner was also used to examine what is considered a success in pastoral ward visit. On the other hand, the questioner was also used to evaluate the level and nature of training among chaplains as well as soliciting the ideas of improving the services offered by chaplains. Informal interview was also employed to access whether the pastoral ward meets patients’ religious and spiritual needs.As the report discusses in spite of promoting religious and spiritual messages, chaplains in their pastoral ward visits also offers support to patients in their hospital treatment.   Chaplain works hand in hand with people who face death of their loved ones, parents who losses their children as well as patients who are facing their own demise.   Additionally, in t heir ward visits, chaplains’ teams offer spiritual and inspirational support to hospital staff members. On the other hand, chaplains’ provides linkage between patients in hospital wards and others support teams in the society such as Non Governmental organisations, charity groups and well wishers. Additionally, the chaplains’ works towards ensuring spiritual, cultural, religion support to everyone who need these form of support.   

Application of Nursing Theory comment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Application of Nursing Theory comment - Essay Example Notably, it is essential to acknowledge that caring is the backbone of nursing. Though the post does not give a detailed proposition of the theory, it gives a rational application of the theory to nursing setting. This post demonstrates how the theory offers a structure that nurse leaders can use to reinstate the profession’s vision of care that permits care to flow from the nurse leader to other nurses and eventually to the patients (Burtson & Stichler, 2010). The post also demonstrates how nurse leaders can use the theory to be compassionate and care towards the nurses and how this can yield positive effects on the quality of care offered to patients and the patient satisfaction scores. Notably, the post demonstrates how acting human can assist the fellow nurse workers to develop sensitivity to self and others by feeling their feelings. It can be interpreted that these compassionate encounters with the nurses promotes motivation and inspiration among the nurses and in turn results to high-quality care delivery and outstanding patient satisfaction score s. However, it would be significant to identify whether an improvement in the quality of care directly results to improved patient satisfaction

Lifelong Learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lifelong Learning - Essay Example It may be present at birth or have been caused by any kind of trauma or sickness. The consequences involve a lag between the affected person’s traits or abilities and the standard aptitudes. Some causes are nutrition problems, brain injury, and drug abuse. Regarding diagnosis, the symptoms commonly appear within infancy stage. Delays in the different developmental stages must first be referred to specialists such as pediatricians. One of the tests usually employed in diagnosing is Battelle Developmental Inventory (Hughes, 2012). Different skills like communication, motor, and adaptive are evaluated. The findings should also be confirmed by several experts. Early intervention is crucial in overcoming or lessening the severity of delays. Therapies are usually more helpful if utilized promptly. For instance, as much as 50% of children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) can be ready for inclusive education due to early intervention (Blessing, 2012). Common therapies are physical , occupational, and speech. Other kinds of therapies that may be useful are play, music, water, and many others. The main priorities for intervention are the main aspects in a person’s development such as physical, cognitive, communication skills, social and emotional, as well as self-help and independence skills. Plans of actions are established to cater to the milestones in the different areas like eating independently, completing puzzles, having basic vocabulary or sign language, identifying emotions, and walking up and down the stairs. The progress in the aforementioned dimension will significantly help the child adapt to the general challenges in the society. The government has educational programs conceptualized for learners with specific needs. â€Å"Young children who qualify for special education are entitled to free, appropriate, public education (FAPE)† (p.5). Moreover, a least restrictive environment (LRE) is provided to maximize learning. Hence, exceptiona l learners can study at home or in other community areas where they can comfortably study. Appropriate learning aids are also used in respect to their availability in the community. For instance, a tutor may visit the home and coordinate with other kinds of service providers. The progress will be then regularly reported to the family and other individuals involved. Furthermore, the Individualized Education Program or IEP and Individualized Family Service Plan or IFSP are used to fit the curriculum to the child. This way, children with unique ways of learning will have optimal support and opportunity to improve. Furthermore, there are services for the young exceptional learner. Early intervention services must be coordinated with the other staff providing assistance. One of the most common services is â€Å"Head Start†. It benefits children from financially disadvantaged standings (Hardman, 2011). It was originally founded in 1965 as a summer school that intended to help child ren cope with their academics. The program expanded over the years. At present, head start offers scholarships to deserving children with special needs. There are also non-government organizations that are active in providing service. Most assistance is grounded on inclusion and self-empowerment. The goal of the groups is not just to give support but to also guide the children to help themselves. Day services otherwise known as day centers provide preparation life

Micro and Nanotechnology Adoption by the Pharmaceutical Industry Essay Example for Free

Micro and Nanotechnology Adoption by the Pharmaceutical Industry Essay Micro and nanotechnology is starting to show promise in the pharmaceutical industry. The two key questions in this field are ‘what is nanotech’ and ‘aren’t all drugs nanotech – after all, they are in the nano size range’. These can be answered fairly simply; Nanotechnology is where the nano-size of a substance affects its activity – the size placing the substance at the interface between quantum and material effects. The classic example to demonstrate these effects is that of gold nanoparticles. Bulk gold is insoluble and metallic-yellow in colour. However, once the gold is formulated as a nanoparticle it is soluble and the size of the particle determines its colour – from bright blue to vivid red. Two key areas where nanotechnology is showing promise in the pharmaceuticals industry are tools for drug discovery, and secondly in formulation and delivery systems. In the development of tools to support drug discovery, nanotechnology is developing a trend to move away from high throughput to high content screening, where greater information on fewer compounds is achieved. As our knowledge about drug-target interactions increases, it is becoming apparent that high-volume/low-content screening can miss extremely interesting interactions and effects. For example, SPR biosensors can detect a ligand binding step and measure the binding constants. But it cannot measure surface stresses caused by binding, which are an important factor for example in antibiotic efficacy against MRSA and VRE. Here nanomechanical cantilevers have been shown to be effective in providing extremely elegant information that can explain the difference between various drugs that appear to have the same binding kinetics.[i] The move to high content screening has been slow due to the large investments in high throughput screening laboratories and so new systems need to be compatible. However, where systems are compatible with these techniques – for example using 96 well plate platforms, adoption is possible. As a result, improvements and adoption is currently iterative, rather than revolutionary, but it is happening. With regards to nanotechnology in formulation and delivery science, there are a number of early adopters of nanotechnology in the pharmaceutical industry. Table 1 shows a number of types of nanoparticle formulations that are already approved for marketing. The full list of approved ‘nano-enabled’ products is very small and those that have made it to the market are generally reformulations of existing generic drugs. We are still awaiting the second-generation nanodrug, where the nano-effect is integral to the product activity. Nanotechnology appears to be following the classic technology adoption curve as shown in Figure 1. This shows the bell-shaped adoption curve for any technology, overlaid by the technology acceptance line. Nanotechnology appears to have passed through the hype and trough and is now starting to be slowly adopted. It appears that the problem for nanotechnology in formulation is one of risk. Companies need to get their products to market quickly to allow as much market exclusivity time as possible not to recoup their investment, as this is a sunk cost, but to recoup the cost of developing future drugs, the cost of which is becoming ever more expensive. The Tufts Center for Drug Development estimated that the cost of bringing a single drug to market was in the order of $1.2 billion in 2008, compared to $802 million in 2000.[ii],[iii] Given these issues, companies won’t adopt new technology unless they know that the technology has a clear and fast route to approval. This is particularly poignant in drug formulation and other rate-limiting activities that occur post-patent filing. Once a patent is filed, the clock is ticking on the product’s life. If a product is going to be a $1billion a year blockbuster, lost revenues will be at least $2.7 million for every day a product is held from the market. This produces a catch 22 scenario; no-one will take the risk to demonstrate a new technology, especially if it is competing with existing and proven methods, so no-one will see a clear adoption path and use it. This is reminiscent of the fledgling biotech industry 15-20 years ago. Pharma was focussed on small molecules and didn’t want to risk bringing into their portfolio relatively unstable products, with complex manufacturing methods and which were without a clear regulatory pathway. Now however, many traditional large-pharma refer to themselves as biopharma companies and Amgen and Genentech (prior to the Roche purchase) are in the top twenty pharma by revenue. Early adopters, such as Abraxis and Elan, have started to clear a pathway to approval, but as yet no company has developed a true nanodrug – ie one which was conceived as a nano-enabled product from first principles as opposed to using nano-formulation on existing products. Nanotech has a lot to offer the pharmaceuticals industry and if it follows previous technology examples such as biotech, the successful early adopters will reap the rewards. It still has a number of hurdles to leap, such as a clear regulatory pathway and a demonstration of value above and beyond current technologies, before it can become mainstream. However, there are significant efforts by industry and governments to help it to jump the technology adoption gap quickly and ensure it can assist in developing the next generation of products that are needed to solve some of the significant unmet medical needs faced by patients and healthcare professionals. [i] Ndieyira, J. W. et al. Nanomechanical detection of antibiotic–mucopeptide binding in a model for superbug drug resistance. Nature Nanotech. 3, 691-696 (2008). [ii] Outlook 2008, Tufts Center for Drug Discovery (Available at http://csdd.tufts.edu/InfoServices/ OutlookReportsRequest.asp) [iii] Outlook 2000, Tufts Center for Drug Discovery (Available at http://csdd.tufts.edu/InfoServices/ OutlookReportsRequest.asp)

Analysis Of Tescos Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay

Analysis Of Tescos Corporate Social Responsibility Management Essay Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an important societal issue that also gains momentum in the food retail industry (Tulder et al., 2007). In an approach to analyze the CSR activities, this report presents the CSR activities of Tesco, which is one of the leading retailers. Further this report analyses the market and non market environment, which explains the internal and external alignment as important factors to understand the design and the development of the companies CSR activities and motivations. The CSR business models in the retail industry are inclined towards the management of the supply chains. These models tell the firms what to do or how to do in general, to respond to the challenges and changes in the retail industry, but do not provide sophisticated analytical models to analyze the actual position of the company and delineate the trajectories to change positions. (Tulder et al., 2007) CSR Corporate Social Responsibility is considered to be the future of all organizations in general and the retail industry in specific. However the firms have to be more active on the categorization of CSR activities and on how the consistent implementation in the retail organization and in their distribution channels could be obtained. (Tulder et al., 2007) Tesco plc is worlds third largest, British international grocery and general merchandising retail chain with operations in 14 countries. It is the largest British retailer by both global sales and domestic market share, with profits exceeding  £3 billion, and the third largest global retailer based on revenue, behind Wal-Mart and Carrefour. They cater for all sections of the market, with ranges spanning from premium ranges, as well as specialist ranges such as Organic, Fairtrade and Healthy Living. They are also into Non-food ranges accounted for 21% of Group turnover in 2008 and include electrical goods, books, home-ware, sports equipment, personal finance and clothing. (Tesco, 2009) We understand that our success comes from behaving responsibly and earning the trust of our customers, suppliers and stakeholders. There are many complex issues that we have to face on a daily basis, from reducing our environmental impact to ensuring consistent standards across our markets. (Tesco, 2009). Corporate responsibility represents an entire approach to business and is therefore embodied in Tescos governance framework to ensure that the company operates in a responsible and safe way. In general corporate responsibility is embedded in the following categories:    Tesco CSR Approach Environment Community Supplier and Ethical Trading Customers, choice health People KPIs Tesco CSR Activities The above approach integrates corporate responsibility in Tescos day-to-day business activities by supporting fair trade and taking customers, staff, communities and suppliers into consideration, as well as the environment and society. Education Education is one of the key areas of Tescos activities including a partnership with I CAN, a charity that helps children with speech and language difficulties, or offering scholarships and establishing cultural community centres. A specific programme is the Computers for Schools programme aimed at schools. Tesco provides schools with computers and supports the use of new technologies in different countries (Tesco, 2007). Charity The Tesco Charity Trust was established in 1987 to support national and local communities making grants to charities within the UK (Tesco, 2007). Tesco dedicates 1% of pre-tax profits to good causes and supports charities as well as staff fundraising. In addition the companys supports the Race for Life fundraising event which focuses on cancer research and initiated the Tesco Charity of the Year (Tesco, 2007). Every year Tesco chooses a community charity close to the heart of its staff and customers which becomes the main focus for staff fundraising and receives 20% top-up of the Tesco Charity Trust. For example the charity chosen for 2005 is Age Concern, an initiative concentrating on supporting older people in the UK by providing services such as day care and fulfilling information needs for topics such as care, money and finance, health, disabilities or neighbourhood issues (Tesco, 2007). Environment In terms of environmental protection Tesco has integrated its corporate responsibility in its environmental management including topics such as emissions, resources, waste recycling and the companys products. Among others the issues covered are organic food, animal welfare, green transport and travel and vehicle efficiency. Furthermore Tesco is also concerned with energy efficiency and water consumption as well as its environmental impact in terms of its operations and customers (Tesco, 2007). Wildlife choice for example is an initiative requiring farmers to consider wildlife on their farms. They agree to improve operations and monitor their impact on farmland habitats providing habitats for wildlife such as a farm in the Midlands for example (Tesco, 2007). Tesco works closely with suppliers and farmers to protect wildlife. Tesco Market and Non-Market Environment Analysis In this report an approach to analyze the market and non market environments is done with the help of understanding and using various frame works like An integrated framework (Baron, 1995 2005: 32). Also by understanding the non market environment: The 4Is Systematic Level Organisational Level Individual Level An Analysis a case analyzed by Lets clean up fashion Issue related to living wages Payment of living wages -workers being paid below living wage levels. Tescos focus on primarily on productivity projects. We believe that sustainable improvements to wages are most often delivered through improved productivity, up skilling workers and working to ensure our purchasing practices support our suppliers ability to invest in their workforce. (Tesco, CSR Report 2009) It lists specific wage and wage-related work under the following headings: Ensuring we understand the scale and nature of the issue. Activities: Wage surveys and worker interviews in Bangladesh (Tesco, 2007). Setting clear expectations. Activities: Lobbying government in Bangladesh to improve minimum wages, MFA Forum (Tesco, 2007). Supporting suppliers to improve productivity. Activities: Lengthening lead times, producing seasonal items out of season to help suppliers plan production, rewarding ethical suppliers, expanding in-country ethical experts (Tesco, 2007). Building long-term relationships to enable investment in workers. Activities: Consolidating the supplier base, offering business support to A-list suppliers (Tesco, 2009). Tesco accept that some minimum wage levels are unacceptably low and have conducted a wage survey with a supplier in Bangladesh (lets clean up fashion, 2009). Tescos Plans on Living Wages Its main focus for wages work is to continue with the ETI wages project. This group has experienced some delays over the last year due to its focus on Bangladesh and that countrys political and industrial instability. However, it stated that, useful work has been shared, including by us, in the areas of productivity, efficiency, worker engagement, work flow, and purchasing practices. Following the summer this group will re-convene to decide on how to move forward. Building on this work, we will review further initiatives of our own specifically in Bangladesh on productivity and wage improvements. (Tesco CSR Report, 2009) In an analysis done by the Lets Clean up fashion, Tesco seem to have made little progress towards living wages. Surveys in Bangladesh, showing the training grade for workers being manipulated by suppliers for extended periods of time, informed a small piece of work to improve wages but this merely brought pay packets up to the legal minimum standard and no more. Tescos belief that productivity is the best route to living wages seems to have ousted a number of other options, such as support for freedom of association and a proper examination of pricing. Its focus on up skilling workers as a part of these improvements may be helpful for individual groups but doesnt achieve an across the board rise in wages. It is also unclear how it plans to ensure more skilled and expensive workers are not replaced by new, lower paid, unskilled workers. Furthermore, Tesco makes no mention of any work to ensure worker involvement in any of its projects, which makes us even less convinced that its productivity plans are likely to lead to any real benefit to workers. Tescos work with suppliers on purchasing practices; offering longer lead times, producing out of season, ensuring long-term supplier relationships, and offering business advice could bring about some improvement. Last year it also acknowledged that price needed to be examined, but no progress seems to have been made in this area and no mention was made of plans to move this forward. Lets hope Tescos engagement in the ETI Wages Project over the coming year will see it start to output wage projects of its own, and give serious attention to delivering the living wages expected from a retailer of this size and influence (lets cleanup fashion, 2009). Tescos Position on Relationships with Customers Tesco tries to keep its prices as low as possible than most of the other national superstores. Tesco has an online Price checker, to show its low prices to its customers, through which customers can compare Tescos prices with those of other super markets (CRR, 2006). Price, though, is not the only factor. Value for money, as Tesco describes, includes the quality of the products, the personal service of their staff and the pleasant surroundings in their stores (AR, 1995). Tesco has become big by being like Britain. As Britons became more middle-class, Tesco followed them up market (Econ,2005). Tescos Position on Suppliers The retail sector has a high increasing purchasing power, which can be used to cut prices and put pressure on the suppliers (cf. Fearne et al., 2005). Since Tesco is one of the four major global retailers, It is said that suppliers fear to complain about Tesco as they fear being struck off by the retailer (FT2005; FT2005). Tesco however mentions that it takes a partnership approach while working with suppliers, sharing their knowledge and listening to suppliers feedback, providing technical expertise, advice and insight into customer trends and making regular payment, on time (AR, 2007). Tesco monitors its relations with suppliers through the Supplier Viewpoint Survey. Their target is that 90% of UK suppliers view Tesco as being trustworthy, reliable, consistent, clear, helpful and fair (92% in 2008, 94% in 2007). In 2007 the international suppliers have started taking part in the Supplier Viewpoint Survey (88%) (AR, 2008). Tesco fully supports the legally binding Supplier Code of Pr actice. In March 2005, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) audit found no breaches of the Supplier Code at Tesco (CRR, 2006) nor in 2006 (CRR, 2007). In 2005 rival companies and industry groups accused Tesco of slowing down the Office of Fair Tradings investigation during its early stages. The OFTs main concerns included claims that the supermarkets were slow to pay suppliers, required them to contribute to marketing costs and insisted on retrospectively changing contracts (FT, 2005). The investigation revealed that over the past five years, the amount owed to creditors by Tesco had risen by 1.5bn pounds, money it had used to help finance its growth (FT, 2005). Motivations and collaborations An attempt to analyze Tescos Motivations and its collaborations is done by using the following theories: Strategy Theory Stakeholder Theory Agency Theory Legitimacy Theory An Analysis Tesco is engaged in number of NGOs and charity organisations. Tesco was engaged with: The Soil Association on extending the organic range The Fairtrade Foundation to promote Fairtrade Fortnight and encourage more customers to choose Fairtrade Diabetes UK on providing information for customers living with diabetes The British Red Cross on responding to disasters and emergencies Marine Conservation Society and Marine Stewardship Council on sustainable seafood sourcing Greenpeace on sustainable sourcing and climate change Friends of the Earth on palm oil, prawn sourcing and GM animal feed; ActionAid and Women on Farms on labour standards in fruit farms in SouthAfrica. (CRR, 2006) Tesco is a corporate partner of Forum for the Future and work together on a broad range of sustainability issues. we held a nationwide Community Conference in partnership with the British Red Cross and the Work Foundation. This brought together voluntary groups, charities, businesses and government to explore the role of business in local communities (CRR, 2008; CRR, 2007). With regards to economic development, the 2005 Make Poverty History campaign identified increased trade as one of three key means of eliminating poverty. Tesco sources products from farms in 15 African countries (CRR, 2006). Tesco actively supports communities trough sponsoring certain activities like the collaboration with Age Concern to raise  £2 million for projects including Fight the Freeze buying blankets and heaters for the elderly; paying for volunteers to regularly call the elderly to stop them feeling isolated, and raising money to pay for meals and provide company for the elderly (CRR, 2006). Tesco aims to give at least 1% of pre-tax profits to charity. In 2007 they succeeded with 1.95% (CRR, 2008) and in 2006 as well with 1.63% of pre-tax profits to charities and good causes (CRR, 2007). Tesco has also supported communities in crisis. In 2007, 250.000 pound was donated to people affected by extreme weather conditions. Tesco is a founder member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and expects all their suppliers to follow the ETI Base Code (CRR, 2006). The ETI Base Code includes among others freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, no use of child labour and no excessive working hours (CRR, 2008) Tesco has with four other global retailers formed the Global Social Compliance Programme to develop a code of practice. The GSCP has agreed a draft Reference Code between the 25 leading retailers and manufacturers currently involved. Next steps involve the development of an audit checklist to ensure the Code is interpreted consistently around the world (CRR, 2008). In 2005 Tesco appointed a Code Compliance Officer to act as a contact point for suppliers in case they have complaints and dont want to discuss these with Tesco buyers (CRR, 2008). Tesco participates in multi-stakeholder groups on corporate responsibility issues like Business in The Community, The Ethical Trading Initiative, the Carbon Roundtable, GM Freeze Roundtable, Forest Stewardship Council Retailers Group, British Retail onsortium Corporate Responsibility Policy Advisory Group and the DEFRA Climate Leaders Group. The Executive Committee, Corporate Responsibility Committee and Compliance Committee are to help guide an d monitor the set policies. Conclusion From the above discussions, it can be concluded that Tesco faces some severe in-coherence in its market and non market environments. On several issues such as environment the company has identified opportunities and taken many interesting (and active) initiatives, whereas in other instances the company behaves rather re-active. This corresponds with the in-coherent nature of its internal alignment strategy. The company is having difficulties with aligning some active intents, expressed through its KPIs with a re-active strategy (Tulder et al., 2007). Major challenge for Tesco, therefore, is how to create coherence through increased coordination and sustain the transition towards a more pro-active approach. References Ethical trading initiative. Downloaded from http://www.cleanupfashion.co.uk/companies/tesco.php. as of 9th March 2010. Tesco CSR 2009 report. Downloaded from http://www.investis.com/plc/cr09/crr09.pdf as of 5th March 2010. Tulder, R. van, M. Bleijenbergh, M. Danse, R. Wiersinga and M. Torppe, (2007) CSR Business Models and change trajectories in the retail industry. 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Downloaded from http://www.cornwallfoundation.com/ways_to_give/CSRtalk22.1.10.htm as of 7th March 2010. Tesco ethical progress (2008). Downloaded from http://www.tesco.ie/crreview08/ethical-progress5.html as of 7th March 2010. Business and human rights resource centre. Downloaded from http://www.business-humanrights.org/Search/SearchResults?SearchableText=china+footwear as of 7th March 2010. Risks and uncertainities, Tesco CSR report page2 (2009). Downloaded from http://www.tescoplc.com/annualreport09/businessreview/risks_uncertainties/2/ as of 8th March 2010. Tesco news FT (2009). Downloaded from http://www.ft.com/cms/s/10613232-a507-11db-b0ef-0000779e2340,_i_rssPage=80830b5e-3018-11da-ba9f-00000e2511c8.html as of 8th March 2010. Tesco reports. Downloaded from http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/8283/Tesco/tesco-preliminary-results-20062007.html as of 8th March 2010.

Kroisos vs Doryphoros :: Essays Papers

Kroisos vs Doryphoros The difference between an archaic statue such as Kroisos (fig. 5-11) and a classical statue such as Doryphoros (fig. 5-42) may not seem very great in a single glance. In fact, you may not notice any differences in that one glance. Yet, if you were to look at them closely, you can see that these two statues actually have very little in common. The first glance you’ve taken at those two statues, you just see a man standing there. They are not doing anything in particular, just standing there. That was only in the first glance of course. Now take a good look at each one. In the archaic Greek kouros figure, the pose of the figure is very frontal. The entire figure is relatively stiff with the exception of the left leg, which is in front of the body giving it the early contrapposto pose. Even though it does have a much more natural pose to it with the one leg out, the rest of the body is not in a pose as if the weight of the body was put into one leg. The head is stiff with the hair being geometric and with the hair falling back on the body. The physical stature of the body is moderately realistic. The muscles are not quite as well defined but they are still semi-realistic. They are portrayed as if they were tense. The arms are also at the side. In the other figure, Doryphoros, there seems to be much more expression. The contrapposto pose is very realistic. The weight is shifted all throughout the body. Arms are not stiff at the sides, but one is relaxed while the other is at a forty-five degree angle from the elbow. There is tension in the calf from the leg, which is being raised up. The torso is also somewhat at an angle because of the hips. The head is not frontal, but at an angle. The muscles are very defined but very relaxed. The hair is not naturally flowing, but not geometric. The emotion in the figures is also very different. In the archaic figure, the face contains emotion other than the archaic smile. The eyes are closed with no facial expression. The classical statue on the other hand does not have any facial expressions but has open eyes and no smile.

Why My Education Is Important

Why My Education is Important? I often dream about having a successful career in the business world, but to achieve this goal, I must have an education. Education is extremely important to me. In the business world, success depends on lots of knowledge. In my opinion, education is the foundation of life, and it also increases my knowledge around the world. However, the most important thing about education is that education opens up the window of opportunities. The world of business is a very complicated place in which to survive.For example; the stock market can change it's mood every single day. What I mean by that is, a stock can change its value at any moment. People who are involved in the stock market struggle between becoming poor or becoming rich. To be able always to stay on the winners side, I need lots of education. Education helps me to make good decisions in the business world and for my life. Not just in business, education will also benefit me throughout my life, person ally and socially. An education should help me to have less financial problems. It will enable me to become independent.My educational experiences have provided me with many opportunities to solve problems in every day life. The education which I have received in history classes,for instance, has provided me with cultural information from every country. I believe education will help to build a circle of people who will be important to me in my career in the future. In summary, why education is important to me? Education helps me to understand the business world. It prepares me for a better future and numerous other things of which at this time I am unaware.The most important reason education is so important to me is that education opens windows for me and it gives me opportunities for a better quality of life. My parents and many of my teachers (Mrs. Kirker, Coach Bowman and many more) care about my education. They explain why education is important to me almost every time they have a chance. As a responsible teenage adult, I need to focus on my education and elevate my educational level, so that my chances of having a difficult future will be less!

Do Not Learn as a Machine Essay

It’s twelve at night. Tons of papers and a cup of coffee on the desk prepared for pulling an all-nighter. Studying for the exam tomorrow, cramming tons of class-notes and materials. Students are fighting for an A. However, what do we expect them to learn from it? Is it even beneficial to them? After all, most students forget almost everything as soon as they finish the exam. Apparently, there are some fundamental problems in our current educational system. In the three essays, â€Å"The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education† by Paulo Freire, â€Å"Against School† by John Taylor Gatto and â€Å"The Achievement of Desire† by Richard Rodriguez, the authors realize different problems of the educational system and have different opinions about it. In my point of view, the main problem in the current educational system is that it encourages students to receive information meekly, without doubting, questioning or even understanding the material. As a result, these students resemble machines which acquire many facts but can barely develop their own critical thinking. The three aforementioned authors have differing opinions on the current educational system, but they all describe it as a system where students merely receive information but do not undergo critical thinking. In â€Å"Against School,† Gatto states that the educational system is a scheme the government uses to make people more â€Å"manageable† by reducing their critical judgment. To achieve this, school provide answers of every question to the students. It works because â€Å"Easy answers have removed the need to ask questions† (Gatto 155). It is true. Since students were taught in their early life that teachers are absolutely right, and that they should obey the authorities, as a result, most of them do not judge the teachers’ explanations. As they grow up, students tend to find the answers from books or teachers instead of figuring the answer out by themselves. Thus, their critical and original thinking have been obliterated completely under this educational system. Moreover, the boredom of schooling successfully removes the students’ curiosity which drive them to ask questions. A similar idea appears in â€Å"The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education. Freire uses the term â€Å"banking system† to describe the educational system where the teachers deposit a large amount of knowledge on the students. Students soon become receptacles which â€Å"extend only as far as receiving, filling, and storing the deposits† (Freire 1). These students do not understand how the information related to the real world, and can neither apply the knowledge to the real world problem nor develop their own critical thinking. In â€Å"The Achievement of Desire†, Rodriguez mainly describes his early life as a successful student. It gives a concrete example to support Gatto and Freire’s opinion. As he describes himself as a â€Å"great mimic; a collector of thoughts, not a thinker† (203), it fits Gatto and Freire’s description about the educational system, that even a considerably â€Å"successful† student could not perform critical and original thinking. Under this type of educational system, students try to find their way to achieve high scores. However, it turns out that the best way to be successful in this system isn’t the best way to learn. In the essays, the authors describe how the â€Å"successful† student is like. According to Freire, â€Å"The more meekly the receptacles permit themselves to be filled, the better students they are† (1). In order to be considered â€Å"good† under this system, students need to receive a large amount of facts on a superficial level. The best strategy is not to think, not to question, just believe and memorize it. Freire observes a phenomena in which teachers talk about contents â€Å"which are detached from reality, disconnected from the totality that engendered them† (1). In this way, students acquire tons of facts and maybe enhance their memorization ability, but fail to understand how these facts are connected to the daily life. In â€Å"The Achievement of Desire,† Rodriguez realizes that he was the â€Å"worst student,† even though he was considered â€Å"successful† in the system. â€Å"He becomes in every obvious way the worst student, a dummy mouthing the opinions of others. But he would not be so bad—nor would he become so successful, a scholarship boy—if he did not accurately perceive that the best synonym for primary ‘education’ is ‘imitation’† (203). The scholarship boy noticed that the best way to succeed in this system is to borrow and copy the ideas of others. Clearly we know that this is not the way to learn, as learning requires original processes. Therefore, it can be concluded that being successful in the educational system is not the same as being successful in learning. My experience supports this. Some teachers in my high school ask students to memorize all the model answers to every possible question that might be asked on the standardized test, but do not give explanations or have activities which could actually help students understand. The aim of teaching would then become merely the test scores. My physics teacher kept reminding us how many students got an A in a standardized test under his training, which emphasized becoming â€Å"machines for solving problems. † Being these machines could improve our performance on a test; however, we did not retain any substantial knowledge throughout the class, some even losing the motivation to learn afterwards. Solutions to a problem can be simple once we understand the cause of it. In the essays, the authors suggest their individual solutions. Freire suggests to oppose the â€Å"banking system,† by implementing a â€Å"problem-posing system. † In a problem-posing system, teachers pose some problems related to the world and ask the students to attempt to solve them without a straight forward answer (Freire 7). Students would then have the chance to explore the respective topic by themselves, think about every possible solution creatively. It takes time for all students to figure out the answer, and some of them may even fail to do it, but at least each student has tried to think about the problem. In this way, students are learning the material cognitively, and hence they will understand it more deeply and be able to apply the knowledge to the real world. Moreover, this system can motivate students to learn. According to Freire, â€Å"Students, as they are increasingly posed with problems relating to themselves in the world and with the world, will feel increasingly challenged and obliged to respond to that challenge† (8). When students try solving the problem, they are not being narrated by the boring materials and instead use their creative brainpower. They will find it fun to learn in this way and grow an enthusiasm to continue learning. In â€Å"Against School,† Gatto suggests to do the retrograde of the school’s mediocre influence on children. â€Å"School trains children to be employees and consumers; teach your own to be leaders and adventurers. School trains children to obey reflexively teach your own to think critically and independently† (155). To do this, we can educate children not only by books, but also encourage them to join different kinds of extra-curriculum activities such that they can grow interest in all areas. As an international student, I always compare the educational systems in America and Macau. I found that the educational system in America is relatively more â€Å"problem-posing† than my early education in Macau. Professors always give us chance to discuss and have more in-class activities. I fit in this problem-posing system and thus I can learn better and understand concepts more clearer. In conclusion, in order to learn cognitively and acquire the true knowledge, students should try to understand the materials before they decide to believe and cram it. Doxa means common beliefs and facts, while logos means the principle of knowledge. When students deeply understand it, they will attain the level of logos, not only doxa. It gives the students knowledge as well as the skill to derive other truths. To avoid being a machine, we should have our own thought and creativity. In the ideal problem-posing system, students can explore it in their way but not copying others’ ideas because they do not need to worry about their grades. They would then have their original opinion and thought, instead of meekly receiving information, being a mindless machine.

Marxist Critique of Desiree’s Baby Essay

The Antebellum south, or merely the word plantation, conjures images of white, columned manses shaded by ancient oaks bowed beneath the weight of Spanish moss and centuries. Somehow these monuments of Greek revivalist architecture sparkle in their ivory-coated siding, even while the trunks of their aged arboreal neighbors hide under layer upon soggy layer of dense, green lichen. The white house is a reflection of the inhabitants, its cleanliness in the damp, soiled environment standing as a stark reminder of the hegemony governing the lives of those living not in the house, but hidden nearby. L’Abri, the plantation home of the Aubigny family in Chopin’s Desirà ©e’s Baby, is yellow and has a foreboding black roof made more sinister by the gloomy shadows cast by its requisite antiquated greenery. L’Abri is not unlike any other antebellum mansion of the pre-Civil War era; it represents its inhabitants. The mansion is excellently presented as an example of how little authority color truly wields without an underlying power structure to give it substance. While race figures prominently in Desirà ©e’s Baby, the story is an exemplary specimen for the application of Marxist criticism. Marxist criticism is the recognition of â€Å"inequalities in power between characters† (Gardner 146). It purposes to â€Å"expose the inequalities that underlie all societies† (Gardner 146). These inequalities can have multiple sources, though often the main source is race. But is race a biological reality? Miles posits that races are imagined, in that they â€Å"have no real biological foundation† (26). Miles further observes that differentiations between groups are â€Å"simultaneously inclusive and exclusive† (27) as the characteristics describing one group stand in contrast to another group. The destructive nature of racial categorization is in the claims that biolo gical types determine â€Å"the endowment and behavior of individuals† (Miles 28) depending on their race, and that conflict between them is the â€Å"consequence of their biological constitution† (Miles 28). Furthermore, race can be used to argue that there exists a natural hierarchy that determines positions of inferiority, and by extension, superiority (Miles 28). These assertions give credence to the ownership of slaves and the race-based denial of rights, and are foundational to the idea that the mixing of races is unnatural and even destructive. But race mixing is not mixing if race does not exist as a biological category. While science can find ways to assign race, those categories are blurred as races blend and eventually they will disappear. As a danger to the idea of race, blending is anathema to the superior category. Plantation life was a microcosmic picture of the idea of a need for segregation, wherein each category was given â€Å"its own territory within which its distinctive capacity for ‘civilization’ can be realized† (Miles 30). But Chopin gives an excellent (and perhaps accurate) portrayal of the lack of any real biological basis for what constituted race in Antebellum Louisiana. Chopin describes Armand as dark (402), and Desirà ©e points out to Armand that she is fair-skinned and whiter than he is (403). The baby is â€Å"their child† (Chopin 403) when Armand reveals the ‘truth’ to Desirà ©e, but is Desirà ©e’s child alone only four paragraphs later as she decides to leave (Chopin 404), notwithstanding the actual biological basis upon which the child’s parentage is based. Desirà ©e walks away with the â€Å"golden gleam† (Chopin 404) of the sunlight in her brown hair, taking nothing with her, as befitting her new-found but false identity. She does not take the beaten path, but instead walks through the newly-harvested October fields (Chopin 404), again behaving in a way that befits the new category with which she now identifies. Desirà ©e’s biology belies the reality that she now accepts as â€Å"the stubble bruised her tender feet† (Chopin 404), and she does not know to walk where the branches will not shred her delicate clothing. If Desirà ©e were actually black in the Antebellum south, she would know these things from early childhood. Desirà ©e disappears â€Å"among the reeds and willows that grew thick along the bank of the deep sluggish bayou; and she did not come back again† (404). Desirà ©e’s disappearance is not only her physical departure from L’Abri; it is the disappearance of the white woman that was Desirà ©e. And none of these circumstances is decided by biology, but by what Marxists refer to as a â€Å"struggle for power between different social classes† (Gardner 145). Chopin is delivering a message that power transcends race. What sets Desirà ©e apart in terms of her subjugation by Armand? It is not race, but the lack thereof. Desirà ©e is unable to hide anything about herself because her origins are unknown (Chopin 401). She is a willing captive to Armand as a result of her love and her marriage, but she is not an unwilling captive to race; she is an unwilling captive to her otherness. She does not have doubts about her race, but must live with the reality that â€Å"Armand has told me I am not white† (Chopin 404). Because her origins are unknown and she does not have a name, she must acquiesce to the whims of Armand, who had at first decided to be unconcerned about â€Å"the girl’s obscure origins† (Chopin 401). Armand is the power here. He makes all of the decisions regarding the lives of those within his circle of power, and he does so because he is allowed to do so. Madam Valmondà © has even decided to be unconcerned about Armand’s questionable origins. It is interesting that Desirà ©e’s mother perceives evidence of the baby’s blackness (Chopin 402), but does not explore the possibility that Armand’s blood is the cause. Madam Valmondà © is part of the power structure and victimizes her own daughter, whom she claims to love deeply and sees as a gift from â€Å"a beneficent Providence to be the child of her affection, seeing as she was without child of the flesh† (Chopin 401). Had Desirà ©e been a child of the flesh of Madam Valmondà ©, she would have been accepted, and Madam Valmondà © could have exercised her superiority over Armand and the unanswered questions of his origins. It is remarkable that no one questions Armand’s pedigree even though his mother lived and died in France (Chopin 401). Armand’s mother is perhaps one of the more interesting subjects of Marxist study in the story. One cannot help but wonder why Chopin portrays Monsieur Aubigny as â€Å"easy-going and indulgentâ⠂¬  (Chopin 403). He is a slave owner who married a woman of a different race overseas and asserted his white superiority over her, which is evident in her letter at the end of the story (Chopin 405). She credits God with having given her the ability to hide the reality of her inferiority from her son (Chopin 405). She is lost in the shame of her otherness. She has been so fully convinced by her perceived superiors of her inferiority that she sees the ability to hide her true nature as a gift from her creator. To Monsieur Aubigny’s hidden wife, this is as much a gift as Madam Valmondà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s child of affection. One must question why Aubigny moved to France to marry this woman. And what was the arrangement that allowed her to stay hidden? Did she commit suicide? Is the letter that Armand is reading a final word from her before taking her own life? Note that this was only â€Å"part of an old letter† (Chopin 405), which leaves the true nature of her death unknown. This is power beyond ownership of chattels or social superiority; this power is God-like. Aubigny has happy slaves and is an indulgent tyrant, but to what dark magic has he subjected his French wife? Even if she is dying from something natural at the writing of the letter, it is remarkable that she perceives such powerlessness in herself. Armand is not as devoted as his mother to God. He finds that God has â€Å"dealt cruelly and unjustly with him† (Chopin 404) when he discovers that all is not as it seemed. Armand has a beautiful wife who â€Å"loved him desperately† (Chopin 402) and â€Å"asked no greater blessing of God† (Chopin 402) when he smiled. He has inherited a plantation and slaves to work it. He is rich and possesses the legacy of a good name. Yet in unmitigated spite of all that he has been given, Armand finds God unjust. His world has been suddenly and completely turned on its head because he has reason to believe that his child has inherited inferiority, never guessing that he himself is the source in more ways than one. Armand is a name similar to Adam, and Chopin seems to model him in part after the biblical first man. With the expulsion of Desirà ©e, L’Abri is reminiscent of the biblical garden east of Eden, with the exception that Armand remains. The Mosaic account of the creation of man includes a guideline for marriage, with the command that â€Å"they shall become one flesh† (NASB, Genesis 2.24). A married couple in this sense should be regarded in the same manner as a child and parent – inseparable by nature, regardless of wounds or emotions. This is a picture that does not give place to the other as each partner is regarded equally. It should be noted here that the name Desirà ©e is a French articulation of desire, and it was Adam’s desire that inspired God to give him a mate (NASB, Genesis 2.20). But Adam failed to regard his wife as equal to himself, standing by as she was tempted and choosing not to intervene (NASB, Genesis 3.6). In witnessing her deception and choosing not to intervene, Adam has made Eve the other. He has separated himself from her. Armand allegorically models the actions of Adam, but he gives himself the God-like power to expel his Eve from the garden, while choosing to ignore his own nature. Adam was Armand’s example in choosing to act in spite of all that he had been given, and in Adam’s attempt to fool God into believing that he had been blameless (NASB, Genesis 3.11), he set up a struggle for power. Armand falls easily into this struggle. It is not a stretch to believe that he has doubts about his own race. Exiling Desirà ©e is a tactic that Armand uses to maintain his hegemony. He does not have a foundation of support apart from the societal acceptance of slavery and white superiority. Desirà ©e and Madam Valmondà © are victimized by the very system that they tacitly support. They support it both by their participation as landowners and probable slave-holders and by their acceptance of it even when it forces them to accept inferiority. The superstructure of power in their society is so strong that it can be enforced with nothing more than words, even when those words have no basis in biological fact. It is not the taint of the wrong skin color that makes Desirà ©e a tragic figure; it is her support of a tainted system from which she benefitted until it turned on her. Skin color is a biological reality, but it has been manipulated in support of hegemony. The Antebellum south stood as a physical representation of the realities of race. Large, sparkling, white houses stood proudly fronting the large plantation estates of the white owners therein, while the dark-skinned slaves abode in small, mean cottages hidden in the rear. Kate Chopin depicts a plantation mansion in her short story Desirà ©e’s Baby with a paint color that is darker than the standard, modeling the color of the inhabitants. Nonetheless, the Aubigny family is powerful, benefitting from a superstructure that assigns power by the perception, rather than the reality, of skin color. While race is an important feature of the story, Chopin has written a work that is perfect for a Marxist critique. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. â€Å"Desirà ©e’s Baby.† Anthology of the American Short Story. Ed. James Nagel. Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2008. 121-135. Print. ISBN: 978-0-618-73220-3 Gardner, James. Writing about Literature: A Portable Guide. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. Print. ISBN: 978-0-312-60757-9 Miles, Robert. â€Å"Recent Marxist Theories of Nationalism and the Issue of Racism.† The British Journal of Sociology 38.1 (1987): 24-43. Web. 9 Jun. 2012. New American Standard Bible. Trans. The Lockman Foundation. New York: Oxford UP, 1971. Print.