Biographical Profile of William Wordsworth

Biographical Profile of William Wordsworth William Wordsworth, with his friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge, began the Romantic movement in British poetry with the publication of their Lyrical Ballads, turning away from the scientific rationalism of the Enlightenment, the artificial milieu of the Industrial Revolution and the aristocratic, heroic language of 18th century poetry to dedicate his work to the imaginative embodiment of emotion in the ordinary language of the common man, seeking meaning in the sublimity of the natural environment, particularly in his beloved home, England’s Lake District. Wordsworths Childhood William Wordsworth was born in 1770 in Cockermouth, Cumbria, the scenic mountainous region of northwest England known as the Lake District. He was the second of five children, sent away to Hawkshead Grammar School after his mother died when he was 8. Five years later, his father died, and the children were sent to live with various relatives. The separation from his orphaned siblings was a severe emotional trial, and after reuniting as adults, William and his sister Dorothy lived together for the rest of their lives. In 1787, William began his studies at St. John’s College, Cambridge, with the help of his uncles. Love and Revolution in France While he was still a university student, Wordsworth visited France during its revolutionary period (1790) and came under the influence of its anti-aristocratic, republican ideals. After graduating the next year, he returned to continental Europe for a walking tour in the Alps and more travels in France, during which he fell in love with a French girl, Annette Vallon. Money difficulties and political troubles between France and Britain led Wordsworth to return alone to England the following year, before Annette bore his illegitimate daughter, Catherine, whom he did not see until he returned to France 10 years later. Wordsworth and Coleridge After returning from France, Wordsworth suffered emotionally and financially, but published his first books, An Evening Walk and Descriptive Sketches, in 1793. In 1795 he received a small legacy, settled in Dorset with his sister Dorothy and began his most important friendship, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In 1797 he and Dorothy moved to Somerset to be closer to Coleridge. Their dialogue (really â€Å"trialogue†Dorothy contributed her ideas as well) was poetically and philosophically fruitful, resulting in their joint publication of Lyrical Ballads (1798); its influential preface outlined the Romantic theory of poetry. The Lake District Wordsworth, Coleridge and Dorothy travelled to Germany in the winter after the publication of Lyrical Ballads, and on their return to England Wordsworth and his sister settled at Dove Cottage, Grasmere, in the Lake District. Here he was a neighbor to Robert Southey, who was England’s Poet Laureate before Wordsworth was appointed in 1843. Here also he was in his beloved home landscape, immortalized in so many of his poems. The Prelude Wordsworth’s greatest work, The Prelude, is a long, autobiographical poem which was in its earliest versions known only as â€Å"the poem to Coleridge.† Like Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, it is a work that the poet labored over during most of his long life. Unlike Leaves of Grass, The Prelude was never published while its author lived.

Mise-En-Scene Hp Essays

Mise-En-Scene Hp Essays Mise-En-Scene Hp Essay Mise-En-Scene Hp Essay Harry Potter films are great interpretations of the film element mise-en-scene. In The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part two; such sub elements that relate to the mise-en-scene include the setting, costume, figure, expression, movement, lighting, color, and objects within the frame. Putting together each scene or frame to make all of the sub elements that in full make up the mise-en-scene determines the mood of both the scene and the characters in it. An audience is able to get a sense of what is happening within the scene that is used with unspoken words before the actual movie hits theatres. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part two begins with showing Harry Potter standing in his doorway showing the full setting. The setting included an average styled house, which gave way to knowing who part of Harry Potter as a person is. He has grown up in his uncle’s house and being surrounded by the atmosphere where being abnormal made him isolated and unwanted. In this scene where Harry has a backpack on his back, the door ajar, and letting his owl go shows that he has grown into the man that he eventually turned out to be which is someone who isn’t afraid to step out of the box and be there for his loved ones. It’s nighttime and the mood is one that is mysterious and dark. His facial expression within this scene is one of great melancholy and sullen. His expression, objects being worn, and setting is showing that he will be setting on a mysterious adventure. Another sub element of a mise-en-scene is costume. Harry Potter is wearing jeans, a simple red t-shirt, and a jacket. This simple combination of clothing suggests the year the movie setting is taken place. His clothes suggest that he is neither wealthy nor poor, however just middle class. Lastly his glasses are his trademark, because he is always wearing them throughout each of the films. As Harry is letting his owl go, his expression is one of regret. He regrets the separation of him and his owl because ever since he first received the letter of acceptance into Hogwarts, Harry and Hedwig have been the greatest of friends. The distance between Harry and Hedwig gives a balanced shot between the two. Lighting brings out much in this scene. Harry is wearing a red t-shirt that brings much added attention to him because his entire setting around him is a neutral dark night. The red is used to draw the audience to pay closer attention to him because he is known as an important character. The red also suggests that he has much love for his owl as well as his family and friends who are compared to the conflicting internal evil that feature within the film. The overall low-key use of light within this scene is used to specifically reflect Harry Potter’s gloomy expressions. The overall use of a mise-en-scene within the Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows part two is greatly used. Mise-en-scene relates to the theatrics of space and how it is then constructed for the camera. How the space is arranged and how each actor and the objects within the space relate within it render exciting topics on film. The balance that exists between the action and the scene itself speaks louder than the actual words being said by the actors themselves. The use of each actor, the costumes, and the lighting used throughout Harry Potter made the mise-en-scene flow perfectly. The audience always understood what was happening throughout the movie whether it be to make the mood a light-hearted or serious.

The major challenges for China; Why the past successful export-led Essay

The major challenges for China; Why the past successful export-led growth model cannot continue; How the Chinese economy should be further reformed - Essay Example Despite all these down turns, there is hope for the resurgence of this economy; the Chinese government has re-embarked on strategic plans that would enable resurrection of its previously steadily growing economy. A country with settled political situations, democracy and that is well equipped in terms of technology has all the privileges to kick start the road to an impressive economy. The Chinese economy has been one of the most consistent and swiftly growing with a sustainability growth rate of 10% (Naughton, 2007). China has portrayed a dynamic and unrivaled density; however, it is still transforming from two transitions as first, it â€Å"is still completing its transition away from bureaucratic socialism and toward a market economy† (Naughton, 2007, p. 4). Naughton further explains the second transformation with which China is transforming, which is the fact that â€Å"China is in the middle of the industrialization process, the protracted transformation from a rural to an urban society† (2007, p. 4). These two transitions are still far from completion and therefore China still has challenges. The Chinese economy can now be compared to those of developing nations. While this economic similarity exists, so do the challenges. One of the crucial challenges that have been faced recently due to the transition is the shift from the socialist type economy to the market based economy. This challenge was however fixed but again, it led to the rise of another challenge related to development. According to Naughton, these challenges are â€Å"the need to invest in human skills and physical infrastructure, the need to create effective institutions, and the need to protect underprivileged and vulnerable sections of the population† (2007, p. 5). Although there are many positives related to the growth such as improved living standards, many Chinese have fallen in the hands of uncertainties marred with risks. Majority

Thinking Cross-Discipline 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thinking Cross-Discipline 3 - Essay Example After this, I had to explore the chronological evolution of bankruptcy in the society that I am studying. Here, the major problem that I encountered was about which examples and instances in history to pick. As I am not a historian or researcher in history, I found this job very challenging. I had to pick up representative examples from history, the correct examples that point to a common tendency or sign that leads a company to bankruptcy (Ekvall and Smiley, 2007, p.83). When the turn of business as a discipline came under the purview of my topic area, the many sub-disciplines of business like economy, management, marketing, public relations needed to be understood to arrive at analytical inferences. I had to have some general knowledge on matters like debt restructuring and debt advice to understand and analyse company bankruptcy as a business phenomenon. Especially, understanding the technical financial details of bankruptcy was a difficult task for me who had not studied economics as such. The financial history of the debtee is yet another multidisciplinary area where business and history combine (Ekvall and Smiley, 2007, p.83). The management aspects of bankruptcy was also intriguing as there are plenty of examples of companies facing debt crises and recovering from them. It is necessary in this context that I clearly argue why certain companies go bankrupt in the face of their debts. There are global, national and local factors involved. Also t here are sector-wise specific problems and issues that lead a certain company to bankruptcy, which also I needed to have certain idea about. Practical recovery measures like out of court work outs, and sale of assets to avoid bankruptcy declaration are all part of business, management and economics and need to be understood and weighed (Ekvall and Smiley, 2007, p.32-38). Psychology as a distinct discipline also had a role in my topic area and

Interim Report IDBI Federal Essay Example for Free

Interim Report IDBI Federal Essay Problem statement: To study workmen compensation in IDBI and determine the satisfaction level of employees. Description of the Project: Reward system is a tool by which employee can attract, motivate, and retain employees. It involves everything the employee perceives to be of value resulting from the employment relationship successful. The reward system consists of many components out of which â€Å"Compensation† is one the most the important factor in employee satisfaction. Organization try to understand the type of compensation required for each of the employees and the one which has high impact on the system. Research Objective: Employee’s preference towards total rewards system depends on one’s perception and the motivation level he has achieved in life. Various theories have been incorporated to justify the preference. The theories are explained in Literature review. Based on the problem definition, we formulated our hypothesis. * Objectives of the Project: To study the workmen compensation in IDBI -Primary objectives: The main task of the project is to identify: * The various compensations offered to workmen in IDBI and policies used to evaluate various compensations. * The satisfaction level of employees with their compensation at IDBI. -Secondary objectives: * Is there any preference given to compensation by employees at any level of choosing job. * How compensation help organization to retain and attract employees. * Methodology: * Primary Data: the main data collection will be done by surveys on the present as well as past employees if possible. * Secondary Data: the secondary data will be as provided by the company guides through their records and manuals. Hypothesis 1: Employees are satisfied by the timely compensation provided to them under various circumstances by the IDBI. Hypothesis 2: Employees are not satisfied by the timely compensation provided to them under various circumstances by the IDBI. The research is restricted to IDBI employees only, the population size consist of all the employees present in the organization. We shall try to involve the response of every employee. The various theories which help us to understand the satisfaction and retention level of employees in the organization are: The motivational theories which were crucial for this kind of study were Maslow’s need Hierarchy and Herzberg’s two-factor theory * Maslow Need Hierarchy: People are motivated by inner needs. Needs form a hierarchy from most basic to higher order. The value of compensation will depend on the level of pyramid at which the person is residing. * Herzberg’s two factor theory: Employees are motivated by two ways of motivators: Hygiene factor and satisfiers. Hygiene factors in their absence prevent behaviors but their presence cannot motivate performance. Satisfiers such as recognition, promotion and achievement motivate performance. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs the person who has achieved the levels of physiological needs and safety would be motivated by other factors. For the people at level 3 may not consider monetary rewards as driving force. Therefore there are chances that employees will not take compensation into matter for changing their jobs. Reward system is a tool by which employee can attract, motivate, and retain employees. It involves everything the employee perceives to be of value resulting from the employment relationship successful. The reward system consists of many components out of which â€Å"Compensation† is one the most the important factor in employee satisfaction. Organization try to understand the type of compensation required for each of the employees and the one which has high impact on the system. Introduction * Insurance sector in India In India, insurance has a deep-rooted history. Insurance in various forms has been mentioned in the writings of Manu (Manusmrithi), Yagnavalkya (Dharmashastra) and Kautilya (Arthashastra). The fundamental basis of the historical reference to insurance in these ancient Indian texts is the same i.e. pooling of resources that could be re-distributed in times of calamities such as fire, floods, epidemics and famine. The early references to Insurance in these texts have reference to marine trade loans and carriers contracts. The insurance sector in India has grown at a fast rate post-liberalization in 1999. In the last decade, total premium grew at a CAGR of 25% and reached a total of $67 billion in 2010. Indian Life insurance industry (which contributes 88% of total Life and General insurance premium in India) has emerged as the 9th largest life insurance market in the world. Yet, Insurance penetration (measured as ratio of premium underwritten to GDP) was only at 5.2 % in 2010 – significantly lower than Asian peers like South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong which boast an insurance density greater than 10%. With low insurance penetration levels, growth potential remains promising. More importantly, the pace and nature of growth will likely see a change where new behaviors and dynamics of demand and supply will apply. On the demand side, growth is being fuelled by the growing population base, rising purchasing power, increased insurance awareness, increased domestic savings and rising financial literacy. The suppliers are correspondingly playing a market making role as competition heightens and differentiation become necessary for profitable growth. The major insurance companies in India and their market share is as follows– Initially there were only two insurance companies that operated the insurance sector in India, namely, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and the other General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC). On December 2000, the subsidiaries were declared independent and began to operate as independent as independent insurance companies. According to statistics the life insurance premiums and general insurance premiums accounts to 2.5% and 0.65% of India’s GDP respectively * Role of HR in Insurance Industry The Human Resources function in the insurance industry is of utmost important. The business of acquiring clients, providing proper awareness and converting them into customers thoroughly depends on the sales force. India being a developing nation, majority of households do not have disposable income. There is a shift in customer loyalty in no time owing to the digital revolution. The population that has enough disposable income at hand also requires proper financial advice. The sales person, hence, need not only be well versed with the art of selling but also needs to be sound with financial knowledge about the products and its implications. Thus acquiring talent and retaining it is a major concern in this industry. The reason being a multifaceted personality is required to work for the company. The major compensation provided to these employees is often variable which keeps them on the edge of performing better every day. * Introduction (Company) IDBI Federal Life Insurance Company Ltd is a joint venture of IDBI Bank, Federal Bank and Fortis (Ageas) Insurance International holding 48%, 26% and 26% stake respectively. With the Insurance Regulatory and Developmental Authority (IRDA) setting regulations to protect the interest of the customers, the insurer companies need to maintain a capital structure in the form of solvency ratio. A higher solvency ratio will lead to the company with a higher surplus. As per the Annual Report 2011-12 released by IRDA, IDBI Federal holds a high solvency rate of 6.61 in March 2012. With a very high solvency rate which is second among all the private and public life insurers of India IDBI Federal poses as a healthy and safe insurer. As on March 2013, there are 10 products in the rack of IDBI federal. They are Bondsurance, Group Microsurance, Childsurance, Healthsurance, Homesurance, Incomesurance, Lifesurance, Loansurance, Termsurance, and Wealthsurance.

Affirmative Action Is the Wrong Action Essay -- Argumentative Persuasi

Affirmative Action Is the Wrong Action The United States of America has long been a country divided by race. Hate has pervaded her existence since her conception, and now today’s society is forced to deal with those issues. Minorities have suffered at the hands of the white male majority for centuries as the social activities of the old war were brought to the new colonies, only to ferment and continue to affect the lives of all who lived within her borders. There is no doubting that this continued discrimination is a problem; however, the question arises with how to deal with it. Legislation has been passed to remedy the situation, yet has been seemingly ineffective. Affirmative action has caused problems without fulfilling its purpose. The downfall of affirmative action is that it is the wrong action; the United States society has problems, including an underlying tension of hate, but they cannot be fixed by the government’s laws; they will be fixed when society changes how it views its members. Affirmative action was put into affect with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Eastland 22). The purposes of affirmative action are noble at best-in theory they would serve to end the discriminatory practices so rampant in the American society. The goals were to repair or negate the effects of past discrimination, move towards diversity in both the private and public sector, to encourage representation in the work force, and to increase the economic levels of both women and minorities (Doverspike 3). The outlined goals of affirmative action are what we need for this country. The United States society needs to change the way it sees and treats its citizens. The methods that affirmative action uses, however, are not conducive to ac... ...l Perspective. Vancouver: The Fraser Institute, 1982. Doverspike, Dennis, Mary Anne Taylor, and Winfried Arthur, Jr. Affirmative Action: A Psychological Perspective. Huntington: Nova Science Publishers, Inc, 2000. Eastland, Terry. Ending Affirmative Action: The Case for Colorblind Justice. New York: Harper Collins, 1996. Puddington, Arch. â€Å"Affirmative Actino Should Be Eliminated.† Affirmative Action. Ed. Bruno Leone. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1996. 70-83. Rosenfeld, Michel. Affirmative Action and Justice: A Philosophical and Constitutional Inquiry. New Haven: Yale. 1991. Skrentny, John David. The Ironies of Affirmative Action: Politics, Culture, and Justice in America. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Urofsky, Melvin I. Affirmative Action on Trial: Sex Discrimination in Johnson v. Santa. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1997.

Evaluating Historical Views of Leadership Essay

How does a civilization attain the most effective leadership? More importantly what is considered effective leadership and who developed the theories surrounding it? These questions are debated through the ages of postmodern and modern civilization. Bass (1974) wrote that, â€Å"from its infancy, the study of history has been the study of leaders† (Wren, 1995, p. 50). Four of the godfathers of what is considered modern leadership theory are Plato, Aristotle, Lao-Tzu and Machiavelli. Over the course of this analysis, the leadership theories of each of these titans will be evaluated. Each view contains commonalities and disparities which offer conflicting perspectives on the complex topic of leadership throughout the ages of modern society. The goal is to broaden these views with critical evaluation, vetted scholarly sources and well-reasoned judgments. The conclusion arrived at will offer heighten awareness at the age old highly debated question; what is effective leadership? Plato vs Aristotle Plato and Aristotle were both titans of Greek thought during the fourth century BCE Athens, and both shared similar experience and backgrounds. Partly this was because Plato was Aristotle’s teacher. Takala the author of Plato on Leadership states â€Å"Ancient Greece (400 B.C.) has been regarded as the home of systematic administrative thinking; it has been seen as the place where the Western administrative thinking was born† (Takala, 1998, p. 787). This fact cemented Plato’s title of godfather of modern leadership theory that presented a systematic political and administrative model linking what life could be in an ideal state (Takala, 1998). There are many parallels in Plato’s rhetoric that mirror contemporary leadership debate. The most glaring is the emphasis on education and a class based system that focuses on what he termed, just social order. A† just social order† is defined as â€Å"one where order and harmony are maintained by each class of citizens carrying out the tasks for which they are suited and not interfering with the work of others† (Takala, 1998, p. 791). Plato in his most famous work the Republic speaks to the importance of virtue derived from knowledge. His top three credos for a unified and virtuous state were: 1. Know the good is to do the good. 2. All the virtues boil down gaining wisdom or what he paraphrased the †unity of the virtues† (Takala, 1998). 3. In order to become happy in a new state virtue must be present. The second titan of the three discussed is Plato’s protà ©gà © the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle had many views that mirrored the views of his mentor the most glaring being the dependence on education for laying the foundation for a modernized society (Kodish, 2006). Where these two minds disagree comes down to the action needed to secure leadership. Aristotle poked holes in all of the three points above given by Plato is these fundamental ways: 1. Just knowing the good was not enough for Aristotle. The concept of free will was relatively new, and he failed to see the need to practice being virtue. 2. For this reason, although wisdom is the highest form of virtue, it is by no means the key to possessing all virtues. In other words, Aristotle denies the unity of the virtues. 3. Finally, Aristotle thinks that although virtue is necessary to the good life, it isn’t sufficient. That is to say a person can be virtuous but still be unhappy. In particular, does a person truly need good fellow citizens to achieve happiness (Kodish, 2006). The most general difference Aristotle and Plato held was a difference of values surrounding the human condition. Aristotle saw the positives in society, and therefore prescribed freedom and equality; Plato saw the negatives and prescribed various illiberal and discriminatory ideals (Wren, 1995). Lao-Tzu vs Machiavelli The third titan of thought was Lao-tzu â€Å"an ancient sage of the sixth century and his book the Tao Te Ching (how things work) was used by political leaders† of his time in history (Wren, 1995, p. 69). The forth titan in Nicollo Machiavelli and his work the Prince is a classic on the pragmatic  use of power in society (Wren, 1995). Aristotle and Plato represent the western view of leadership during the age of modern leadership theory. To further broaden our view of leadership theory and practice this analysis also explores eastern views through the eyes of two more of history’s most influential minds. Lao-tzu’s theory is fundamentally different mainly due to its message of simplicity. He believed that a truly effective leader should be loved by the people he/she lead (Gerald, 2005). Compared to other scholars of the time like Machiavelli who felt fearing a leader was the best way to get results (Wren, 1995). In Machiavelli’s own words he wrote â€Å"I reply that one should like to be both one and the other, but since it is difficult to join them together, it is much safer to be feared than loved when one of the two must be lacking† (Machiavelli, 2006, p. 44). The differences between these two influential minds stem from the trusting (Lao-Tzu) or not trusting (Machiavelli) your followers to make good choices. The Tao Te Ching attempts to foster leadership by stepping away from the era-specific tyrannical view of what motivates the human condition. The 46th chapter of Tao Te Ching bares these words: â€Å"There is no greater misfortune than wanting more.† If you are content, Lao Tzu continues, â€Å"you will always have enough.† Unfortunately for Westerners, our motto seems to be â€Å"more for me now† (Gerald, 2005, p. 48). Conclusion Throughout the above analysis, there have been commonalities and disparities presented from the classic works of four godfathers of modern leadership theory and practice. Each mind brings a modified view of what leadership should or could be in a modern society. Whatever personal views arise after reviewing these masterworks there are some truths furthering the argument that leadership theory is an ever evolving door and a melting pot of ideas derived from many figures throughout history. The only constant is that there is no ideal way to lead; there are only methods that have garnered results in their own time and place in history. References Gerald, W. P. (2005, April 9). A look at thoughts from Tao-Te-Ching. Kingston Whig, 1-48. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/352713307?accountid=458 Kodish, S. (2006). The Paradoxes of Leadership: The Contribution of Aristotle. Leadership, 2: 451, 451-458. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1742715006069175 Machiavelli, N. (2006). Qualities of the Prince. New York Bedford/St Martin: in World of Ideas. Takala, T. (1998, May). Plato on Leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 17, 785-798. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25073123 Wren, T. J. (1995). The Leader’s Companion Insights on Leadership Through the Ages. New York NY: The Free Press.

Toys and Games industry

Toys R Us is one of UK’s leading toy and game retailer. This report conducts an academic research focus on Toys R Us (UK) in toys and games retailing sector. In the first part of this report, we will discuss the toys and games industry background and the overview of Toys R Us. Then, the research will focus on Poster’s Five Force Model and Porter’s Generic Strategies. In the next parts, this report will concentrated on the potential strategies which Toys R Us might pursue in the future. Conclusion and recommendation will be mention in the final part of this report and the recommendation will be covered the best strategy for Toys R Us which can be used for the future competitiveness.1.1 Industry Background After the decline in 2008 and 2009, the toys and games market has grown about 5% just under  £2.2 billion. The market has opportunities to increase the sale revenue from 2010 to 2015 (MINTEL 2010). The Figure 1 shows UK retail value sales of toys and games betw een 2005 and 2015. (Figure 1, Source from: MINTEL Report 2010)According to MINTEL 2010, the main players in the toys and games industry in UK is Argos, Toys R Us, Disney and some internet specialists such as Amazon and Ebay. The Figure 2 shows the retail market share for those main players. (Figure 2, Source from: MINTEL Report 2010)1.2 Company overview Toys R Us is UK’s leading traditional toys and games retailer with over 1500 stores and 71,000 employees (including part-time employees) in 33 countries and the company’s headquartered in Wayne (DATAMONITOR 2011). Toys R Us offer Toys, Baby care, Video games, Multimedia PCs, Bikes and outdoor fun products (Toys R Us 2013).2.0 Poster’s Five Force Model2.1 The threat of new entrants According to Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner 2010, the threat of new entrants is depends on the level of entry barriers. In the UK toys and games industry, there are strong competitions for the pricing. According to MINTEL 2010, since 2008, co nsumer prices for the games and toys have fallen, so most retail cut down the price therefore strong competition in the toys and games industry. Moreover, Economies of Scale can be also related to the entry barriers. Finally, the government policy is major source of entry barriers. For example, national land policy can be effect the manufactory and location of stores, the entry barrier is also influence by high VAT rates for the company which standard rate is 20% and reduced rate is 5% in 2013 (GOV.UK 2013).2.2 The bargaining power of suppliers Toys R Us has increase the number of suppliers over 3000 manufacturers. Mattel, Hasbro and Namco Bandai are the main suppliers for Toys R Us. Those 3 manufacturers are top 20 suppliers in toys industry and Best-selling Toys of the year are always given to those 3 suppliers (GIMD 2011). Nintendo and Sony are also the main suppliers for Toys R Us. Those 2 companies are famous video games suppliers. Nintendo has produce NINTENDO 3 DS and Sony ha s produce PlayStation 3 and PSP, those 3 product all have good sale revenue in the games market (Toys R Us 2013).2.3 The bargaining power of buyers As this report has mention before, Toys R Us is one of UK’s leading toys and game retailer, therefore the company has strong brand image, when consumer planning to purchase toys or games, Toys R Us is always become a first choice for purchase toys and games because the strong brand image. Moreover, there are limited numbers of global retailer in the traditional toys and games industry therefore Toys R Us has strong buying power (GMID 2011). The Figure 3 shows the child/youth population by age and gender between 2005 and 2015 in UK. From this table, we can see the populations between ages 0-14 are increase from 2005. The target market for Toys R Us are children, if the populations of child is increase, the buying power will also increase. (Figure 3, Source from: MINTEL Report 2010)2.4 The threat of substitute products Toys R Us is mainly focus on traditional toys and games sector. However, since the new technology is coming to the market, such as Ipad, X-box 2 and some new online games, the consumers’ needs are changing. More young children prefer the game in Ipad video game and online game rather than traditional toys; therefore Toys R Us is facing on high threat of substitution.2.5 The intensity of rivalry among competitors in an industry Woolworths was the biggest toys and games retail in UK, after the collapse of Woolworths in 2008, Toys R Us, Argos, Disney and other online retail such as Ebay and Amazon became the major players in toys and games industry. In 2009, Argos has 24% market share which are top one in UK toys and games market. Toys R Us has 17% market share and Disney only has 3% market share (MINTEL 2010). Figure 4 shows the outlet, sales, positioning and evaluation of those major players in toys and games industry in 2010. (Figure 4, Source from: MINTEL Report 2010)3.0 Porter’s Generic StrategiesIn this part, this report focuses on Porter’s Generic Strategies to analysis the strategic positioning of the major play in toys and games industry. According to Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner 2010, Porter’s Generic Strategies include three strategies which are Differentiation, Focus and Cost leadership which a company can use for achieve competitive advantage and overcome five force. Figure 5 is made by the Porter’s Generic Strategies; this graph shows the main competitors for Toys R Us in toys and games industry. From this graph, we can find out Toys R Us is using differentiation strategy, the strategy for Disney Company is Focus strategy, Argos and amazon concentrated on Cost Leadership strategy. (Figure 5)Differentiation can be defined as a strategy based on creating differences in the company’s product and service (Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner 2010). As this report has mentioned, Toys R Us is using Differentiation strategy. The Company is pro viding different customer service as other competitors in the toys and games industry. According to Toys R Us 2013, every store of Toys R Us has an extensive Babies R Us department, inside of the Babies R Us included furniture, car seats, bedding, strollers, safety products, nappies and baby food for all parents and babies.Moreover, the company can be achieved the Differentiation strategy by strong brand image and wide range of products. As this report mention at the induction, Toys R Us is one of UK’s leading toy and game retailer therefore the company has strong brand image to achieve the differentiation strategy. According to MINTEL 2010, Toys R Us provides large range of toys and other children-related products. There are some advantages of Toys R Us using the Differentiation strategy. Firstly, this strategy can improve consumers’ loyalty. Differentiation strategy can also help company to decrease the threat of substitute products. On other hand, there are few disa dvantages for differentiation, consumer may prefer to purchase product from the company who using the cost leadership strategy.Disney Company is using focus strategy. The products from Disney shop are related to the Disney film (Disney store 2013). The company is focus on the customers who like the Disney brand images, most consumers will decide to purchase from Disney store if they like watch the Disney films especially young children. Argos and Amazon are focus on cost leadership strategy. Both companies are offering wide range of toys and games with low prices.4.0 Potential strategies might pursue in the futureIn this part, this report will mainly focus on the strategies which the Toys R Us may pursue in the future.4.1 Vertical Integration Vertical Integration is an expansion or extension of the company by becomes its own supplier or distributor (Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner 2010). According to GIMD 2011, the key strategic objective and challenges for Toys R Us is extending private l abel ranges. Vertical integration is one of best strategy to achieve this objective. If Toys R Us becomes its own supplier, the company will much easier to extending private label ranges. Moreover, the  company’s transaction costs are much higher than administrative costs, so vertical Integration becomes an attractive strategy for Toys R Us.There are few benefits for Vertical Integration. Firstly, the strategy has benefits on access to new business opportunities, this will be helpful for Toys R Us achieve the objective of extend private label ranges. Secondary, this strategy can help Toys R Us to make sure the quality of the product, therefore this will help to increase the consumers’ satisfaction. Finally, Vertical Integration can help company to reduce the transaction costs.4.2 Strategic Alliances Strategic Alliances can be defined as two or more companies have a cooperative relationship (Dess, Lumpkin and Eisner 2010). As this report mention in the second part, mo st young children are prefer video games rather than traditional toys, so Toys R Us might concentrate on video games sector in the future, to development a new video game, the company will need a strong technology, the company might think about the Strategic Alliances. As this report mention before, Nintendo is a famous video game manufactures, the company has sold about 2.4 billion video game since 1983 (Nintendo 2013).If Nintendo become an alliance partner with Toys R Us and development a new product with strong brand image from technology and high level of technology skill Nintendo, both companies will easy to increase the market share in the toys and games industry. The advantages for Strategic Alliances will be reducing manufacturing costs in the value chain. Moreover, this strategy will also help on developing and diffusing new technologies.4.3 Internal DevelopmentInternal development is focus on new products and new technology. According to GMID 2011, a key objective and chal lenge for Toys R Us is development of exclusive products, this strategy may help Toys R Us to achieve this objective. Moreover, the company is not having to using the Strategic Alliances to development a new video games, this strategy can help company to development own innovative product without having to share the wealth with alliance partners.5.0 Conclusion and RecommendationIn conclusion, this report has concentrated strategic analysis on Toys R Us in toys and games industry. In the first part, the report has discussed the industry background and company overview. Then, the analysis of Poster’s five force model takes the second place. In the third part, this report analysis the Poster’s Generic strategies which show Toys R Us are concentrated on Differentiation strategy. Finally, the report mentions the several strategies which Toys R Us might pursue in the future.After the report analysis those strategies for Toys R Us, we can give the recommendation on the best s trategy for the future competitiveness. Figure 6 shows the benefit and risk of the three strategies for Toys R Us, compare those three strategies, all of strategies have both benefit and risk for Toys R Us, but we recommend that Strategic Alliances is the best strategy for Toys R Us in the future.New product development is the main objective of Toys R Us, if the company can develop own video games product, it will easy to increase the market share in toys and games industry, Strategic Alliances is the only strategy which can help Toys R Us to achieve the goal in the fastest time. Internal Development may also help company to develop new product, but the company will need spend high cost on new product development and Toys R Us may not have enough technology skill on video game as the company such as Sony and Nintendo. (Figure 6)

7 Free Online Courses That Will Make You Happier

7 Free Online Courses That Will Make You Happier Here’s something to smile about: These 7 free online courses are waiting to teach you how to create a happier, more fulfilling life. Learn about the study of happiness from professors and researchers at top universities as you implement techniques such as meditation, resilience, mindfulness, and visualization into your own life. Whether you’re going through a rough spot or are simply looking for a few tips on creating a happier life, these courses can help bring a little sunshine your way. The Science of Happiness (UC Berkeley) Created by leaders in UC Berkeley’s â€Å"Greater Good Science Center,† this extremely popular 10-week course gives students an introduction to the concepts behind Positive Psychology. Learners study science-based methods of increasing their happiness and monitor their progress as they go. The results of this online class have also been studied. Research shows that students who consistently participate throughout the course experience an increase in well-being and a sense of common humanity, as well as a decrease in loneliness. The Year of Happy (Independent) Want to make this year your happiest yet? This free email course walks recipients through one major theme of happiness each month. Every week, receive an email related to that theme containing videos, readings, discussions, and more. Monthly themes include: gratitude, optimism, mindfulness, kindness, relationships, flow, goals, work, savoring, resilience, body, meaning, and spirituality. Becoming a Resilient Person: The Science of Stress Management (University of Washington) When stress strikes, how do you react? This 8-week course teaches students how to develop resilience – the ability to positively withstand adversity in their lives. Techniques such as optimistic thinking, relaxation, meditation, mindfulness, and purposeful decision-making are introduced as ways to develop a toolbox for dealing with stressful situations. Introduction to Psychology (Tsinghua University) When you understand the basics of psychology, youll be better prepared to make decisions that bring you ongoing happiness. Learn about the mind, perception, learning, personality, and (ultimately) happiness in this 13-week introductory course. A Lifetime of Happiness and Fulfillment (Indian School of Business)   Developed by a professor nicknamed â€Å"Dr. HappySmarts,† this 6-week course draws on research from a variety of disciplines to help students understand what makes people happy. Be prepared for videos featuring interviews with happiness experts and authors, readings, and exercises. Positive Psychology (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) Students in this 6-week course are introduced to the study of Positive Psychology. Weekly units focus on psychological techniques that are proven to improve happiness levels - upward spirals, building resilience, loving-kindness meditations, and more. Psychology of Popularity (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) If you think that popularity doesn’t affect you, think again. This 6-week course introduces students to the multitude of ways that experiences with popularity in their younger years shape who they are and how they feel as an adult. Apparently, popularity can even change DNA in unexpected ways.

effects of drugs essays

effects of drugs essays Good morning! To start my presentation, (shut off lights) close your eyes, everyone think of a pleasant experience... walking on the beach, cuddling with a boyfriend or girlfriend, eating chocolate cake... Feel the pleasure Biologically, you are secreting dopamine into the amygdala region of your brain. Receptor sites open up to receive the chemical and cause that pleasure part of your brain to fire. Wow, isnt that nice! Most drugs do exactly this, but at much more intensity. They cause huge amounts of dopamine to flood the amygdala region. Today, I am doing my presentation on the effects of drugs on the brain. Even though drugs effect our body in different ways, it most horrifying effects our brain. Drugs of abuse are valuable tools for brain functions because they can mimic or block actions of neurotransmitters, which in return effects our homeostasis and behaviour. If your curious, drugs of abuse range from alcohol, to nicotine, to marijuana, to cocaine, etc. We have a specific region in our brain, called the amygdala region. This region regulates our feeling of pleasure and can be activated by drugs of abuse. Drugs of abuse produce the feeling of pleasure because they alter the neurotransmitter dopamine, a major brain chemical. Most drugs increase the release of dopamine from the neurons, this makes us feel good (reward us). The increased dopamine levels give drug abusers the rush or a high that they enjoy for a short period of time. The feelings of pleasure the drug creates only lasts for a short time, but drugs can cause changes in the brain that last a very long time. Drugs may alter synaptic transmission by directly affecting the receptors. Some drugs activate receptors, such as the THC, the main psychoactive chemical in marijuana, while others block them, such as cocaine and amphetamines. The synapse is extremely complex, there are a variety of sites at which drugs may effect synaptic ...

Wuthering Heights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wuthering Heights - Essay Example However, before embarking upon the middle chapters, it would be advisable to throw light on the circumstances leading towards the middle part of the work. The story of the novel under examination revolves round the Earnshaw and Linton families on the one hand, and the cruel and wild villain-protagonist Heathcliff on the other. Brought and sheltered by Mr. Earnshaw, the wild boy Heathcliff was abhorred by his son Hindley Earnshaw, though was recognized by her daughter Catherine Earnshaw as her playmate. Hindley had inflicted punishments and pains on Heathcliff after the demise of Mr. Earnshaw, which turned this wild boy vindictive and revengeful for the future years to come. The Earnshaw family was the owner of the Wuthering Heights; consequently, Catherine got married to Edgar Linton, the estate owner of Thruchcross Grange. Since Heathcliff was also in love with Catherine, he could not endure unpleasant words about him from the mouth of Catherine in the presence of her attendant Nell y. As a result, he ran away from the Heights to return as a rich man after few years. Chapter 15 opens with the Heathcliff’s visit to Catherine (now Mrs. Edgar Linton) in Thrushcross Grange, where he finds her combating with serious illness. Nelly is attending her at there, while Edgar is out of the house. Since Edgar does not have any good opinion of the wild man, he would not tolerate Heathcliff’s presence in his house and bedroom. Consequently, Nelly requests him to leave the place without delay. Somehow, he turns a deaf ear, and has shower of kisses on Cathy’s face. In return, she blames him and Edgar as the main reason behind her fall health. In the meanwhile, Edgar enters and rebukes Heathcliff, leading the way towards scuffle between the two. It turns Cathy pale and fainted, and she turns unconscious. The next day, Cathy dies after giving birth to her daughter Catherine Linton. On the one side, Edgar appears to be mourning the death of his wife and by kee ping him recluse for many days, and on the other side, Heathcliff expresses his extreme grief for the loss of his childhood friend and beloved playmate. The next month Isabella Linton calls at Nelly at Thrushcross Grange and narrated the pathetic circumstances she has been undergoing at the hands of Heathcliff. Since, she seeks fears her life at the hands of his beast-like husband, so she leaves the Grange for good. The next chapters elucidate Catherine’s life as a young girl and the birth of Isabella’s son Linton. Catherine pays an accidental visit of Wuthering Heights where she has an encounter with her cousin Hareton Earnshaw, the son of Hindley. However both of them are unable to recognize each other as cousins. Hareton treats Catherine in a respectable manner. Since Isabella has also passed away when Linton is only few years old and the child comes under the supervision of his uncle Edgar. Although Catherine feels happy and delighted to find a play in the person o f his cousin, yet the boy is taken by his father Heathcliff. Chapter 17 also discusses the conflict between Hindley and Heathcliff, where the latter turned out to be triumphant in the scuffle and inflicted the former with serious injury in the wrist. Being a regular heavy drinker, Hindley’s health started falling very fast; as a result, he also died the same year six months after the death of her sister Catherine Earnshaw. Consequently, Heathcliff became the owner of the entire Wuthering Heights estate. Heathcliff’s ill intentions have not found satiety as yet; on the contrary, he reveals his plan before Nelly that he would take away the Thrushcross Grange from the Linton family through his son Linton; and he applied the

The Co-Ordination of the Human Body by the Endocrine and Nervous Research Paper

The Co-Ordination of the Human Body by the Endocrine and Nervous System - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the central nervous system (CNS) is the largest part of the nervous system and includes the brain and spinal cord. The spinal cavity holds and protects the spinal cord, while the head contains and protects the brain. The CNS is covered by the meninges, a three-layered protective coat. The brain is also protected by the skull, and the spinal cord is also protected by the vertebrae.  The bodies of the nerve cells lie in the CNS, either in the brain or the spinal cord, and the length of the cellular processes of these cells, known as axons, extend through the limbs and the flesh of the torso. The large majority of the axons which are commonly called nerves are considered to be PNS. The cell bodies of afferent PNS nerves lie in the dorsal root ganglia.  Autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls smooth and cardiac muscles and organs of the digestive, circulatory, excretion and endocrine systems (involuntary actions). ANS consists of two set s of neurons with opposing effects on most body organs. The Endocrine System in humans (overview): The endocrine system is the internal system of the body that deals with chemical communication by means of hormones, the ductless glands that secrete the hormones, and those target cells that respond to hormones. The endocrine system is instrumental in regulating metabolism, growth, development, and puberty, and tissue function and also plays a part in determining mood. The endocrine system functions in long term behavior and works in conjunction with the nervous system in regulating internal functions and maintaining homeostasis.  Hormones regulate bodily functions and are specific in their responses. They can only initiate responses in target cells, which are specifically equipped to respond. Each hormone is recognized by those target cells with receptors compatible with their structure. A hormone receptor is a protein within the target cell or built into the plasma membrane. Once a hormone is released, the first step is the specific binding of the chemical signal to a hormone receptor. The receptor molecule enables the target cell to respond to the hormones chemical signal. These responses vary according to the target cell and lipid solubility.  The control of hormones can be done by 3 methods:  1. Many hormones are controlled by some form of a negative feedback mechanism. In this type of system, a gland is sensitive to the concentration of a substance that it regulates. 2. Some endocrine glands secrete hormones in response to other hormones. 3. A third method is by direct nerve stimulation.