Investments Essay

Checking account is a type of investment to manage personal finances that has both advantages and disadvantages. The primary advantages of checking are to save fees charged by storefronts that offer check cashing services and easy accessibility to funds by writing on checks compared to carrying cash. The disadvantages of checking accounts are overdraft fees when the balance is less than the maintaining balance and less security than ATM cards since it only requires a signature. Money market account offers advantages to account holders to hold emergency funds and money for periodic payments. A higher rate of interest is also offered compared to other types of accounts. Its disadvantages are limited transactions to only 3 deposits and 3 withdrawals every month; potential investment loss since only $250,000 is insured by FDIC; unguaranteed interest rate due to fluctuation; risk of spontaneous spending due to easy accessibility; and risk of withdrawing funds leading to a minimum balance especially when the account is tied to a checking account. Passbook savings account offers the advantages of safety as covered by U. S. federal government insurance companies (FDIC and NCUSIF); immediate access to funds based on the needs of the account holder; and it offers a fairly small interest. Its disadvantages are the limitation on federal insurance of a maximum of $250,000 coverage and the lowest interest rate of passbook accounts compared to all types of savings account. The interest also is subjected to tax returns for the depositor. Certificate of deposits additionally has advantages and disadvantages. It offers flexibility of the terms starting at three months up to five years or more. It means the longer the term, the higher interest rate the depositor will receive at the end of the term. Another advantage is the grace period it offers. Depositors are given commonly a seven-day period to come to a decision whether to extend the term or not. Its disadvantages are the interest rate is fixed, penalty fees when the deposit is withdrawn before maturity date, and automatic rollover when the depositor missed to make a decision on or before the grace period.

Observational Stages of Piaget/Erikson

CDC Observational Experience, 1-2year old room 1) Age: 22 months, male * Physical Growth and Development Milestones 1. Physical Characteristics- More well-balanced appearance as compared to the wide-based, top heavy appearance of younger toddlers (also present in the group). 2. Gross motor ability- Walked and ran with ease as compared to the younger children. More normal, less â€Å"waddling† gait. Fell 1 time. 3. Fine motor ability- Manual dexterity development shown when turning pages of a book that I was holding during â€Å"circle time†. Observed making a circle on the water table with a smaller wand- shaped toy. . Sensory Ability- Able to verbally identify colors, shapes, animals (and animal sounds). * Developmental Level of the Child- The observed child was in the â€Å"Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt† stage of Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development. His language was more improved as compared to the limited words of the younger children. He was able t o speak in very simple sentences. I first observed autonomy when looking at what he was wearing, a Batman outfit with a cape! The caregivers told me that he likes to wear those things and also has a Superman cape that he chooses to wear.When given a simple command such as â€Å"Come and sit down at the table†, he replied â€Å"NO! † and kept playing. The caregivers allowed him a few times of defiance, then picked him up and put him in the chair for lunch. The child was fussy for a few minutes in the chair, but did cheer up when given his lunch. He was given a small amount of several different foods and chose only a few to eat. The child fed himself. He was not toilet trained yet. He seemed to be right in the middle of this stage, which is from 1 ? to 3 years. In reference to Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development, the child was in the† Mental Combinations† sensorimotor stage.This was evident in reading our picture book, which had illustrations of d ifferent animals and vehicles. He spanned from naming colors in the book, to identifying a truck/bus/etc. , to expressing a â€Å"roar† for a picture of a lion. * Psychosocial Development- 1. The child played with different toys on the water table, including buckets, cups, and brushes. He laughed at himself spinning a toy around very fast and watching the water spray around. He did seek approval for this. As he was doing it, he looked at the caregivers and repeated it as we laughed.He seemed to like playing with two other boys around his age (23 and 21 months). 2. As stated before, the child’s communication was much more diverse than the 1 year olds. He spoke in small sentences and was able to identify shapes, colors, and familiar objects. With the above statements, I feel that this child falls within the growth and developmental norms for his age group. 2) The CDC staff encouraged growth in the above areas by allowing the child to make his own choices without repriman ding, but maintained the normal daily routine (example: sit down for lunchtime). Related essay: Shame is Worth a TryThey gave the child praise for following rules. Appropriate toys and play ideas were provided for the child. 3) The water table activity enhanced fine motor skills and imagination. A book and song â€Å"circle time† enhanced pre-reading and routine. The children participated in many sing-a-long songs with fine motor skill commands such as â€Å"put your finger on your nose†. 4) I was not present for the separation process between the parent and child (was doing presentation with 4th floor CDC children). However, this child had an extremely hard time falling asleep for nap time. He cried incessantly and was very restless.The CDC employees patted the child’s back rhythmically until he finally fell asleep. 5) Five safety rules were as follows; put away toys (â€Å"clean up time†), sit when eating, â€Å"Nice touches† (No hitting or pinching), shoes are always on, and everyone takes a turn with a toy. 6) I observed a s ituation where the child pinched another boy around his age. The other boy pinched him back. The caregivers positively reprimanded the child by saying â€Å"nice touches† and distracting both children with a new activity. The technique did work, but both of the children did it again about an hour later.

October Sky The Movie Essay

The movie October Sky deals with a lot of themes that still exist in societies all over the world today. One of the main themes and perhaps the most obvious is the inspiring idea of chasing one’s dream and never giving up until success is found. In the movie, we find Homer Hickam, an average small-town boy, intrigued by the launch of Soviet satellite Sputnik and infatuated with the idea of joining the space race and making his own rockets. Homer becomes inspired to better himself. He wants to successfully build rockets and with further encouragement from his teacher, Miss Riley, he and his friends enter a science fair in which they have the chance to receive college scholarships. This is Homer’s dream and he sets his goals accordingly to achieve his dream. Homer doesn’t allow any obstacle, even family troubles, to stop him from obtaining his dream. His recognition of his goals and persistence in achieving them is a very admirable thing to do and is something that still happens all the time. Over different decades the dreams may change and the challenges one face to achieve them may be different but no matter what decade, people are always going to have dreams and goals they want to achieve in their lives. Every person has a desire to be successful and happy. Success and achievement of dreams does not come easy. A person must have determination to be successful and the theme of aspiring to a goal and a better life does not go away over decades, no matter how big or small the dream is. Family conflict is another theme that is universal for many reasons. In several ways, family conflict is combined with the theme of the generation gap. This is because family conflict is often caused by a lack of understanding between people and that most often occurs between adults and children/teenagers. In October Sky, the conflict between Homer and his father, John, was in many ways inevitable. Homer and John were bought up in very different worlds. John grew up in a traditional world where most things were black or white – right or wrong and things were always done the same way. Homer is living his  teenage years in a time where the future of small towns is uncertain and the United States is being dragged into a technological age. Growing up in such different worlds leaves the two with very different thoughts and perspectives on just about everything which means they are no doubt going to clash on those points. Their different perspectives cause Homer and John to rarely see eye to eye on things. The only thing they seemed to have in common was the fact that they were both very stubborn and that worked against them. Family conflicts are often inevitable, even to this day. The generation gap between Homer and John that caused a lot of their problems obviously still occurs between families in every country of our decade and will probably still occur for the rest of time. The themes dealt with in October Sky, such as the pursuit of a dream, family conflict, generation gap and more such as financial problems have been around for a long time and probably for a long time to come. www.wikipedia.comwww.imdb.com

Analyze the issues associated with sampling, validity, reliability and Assignment

Analyze the issues associated with sampling, validity, reliability and bias for both approaches - Assignment Example zed by randomization of research participants into control and experimental groups, followed by administration of a treatment to the intervention group (Cottrell & McKenzie, 2010). Non-experimental design is however suitable for exploratory analysis and involves observations for descriptive purposes (Morra-Imas, Morra, & Rist, 2009). Reliability is one of the necessities of an experimental design and defines dependability of results for deriving conclusion. Validity, however, defines truthfulness of data (Karwowski, 2010). The first level of Bloom’s taxonomy, remembering, offers a basis for analyzing potential issues to reliability and validity in experimental designs. Inability to remember data means that wrong information can be incorporated in a study. When this happens, the data and its analysis are no longer consistent with actual observation, inducing validity concerns. In addition, reported data from some sub sets of an experimental sample will deviate from those from o ther parts, inducing internal reliability concerns. When this is significant, developed conclusion may not be consistent with population parameters, inducing external reliability concerns. Using accurate data collection and recording instruments and immediate data caption can however ensure validity and reliability based on ability to remember (Sevilla, n.d.). Reliability and validity are also significant at the experimental design’s data analysis stage in which ability to understand involved concepts in information and to apply the developed knowledge in analysis are necessary (White, 2010). The need to understand features of each data set and to identify potential relationships establishes this because failure to understand and apply the features threatens dependability and truthfulness of data. The issues further threaten ability to make inferences and to investigate causal relationships, which are the main objectives of experimental design. Sampling and bias are also incident to

Reform of Human Resource Department in Ontario Public Services Essay

Reform of Human Resource Department in Ontario Public Services - Essay Example The report provides us with an insight that the human resource management can help in shaping the behavior of employee that is consistent with the organization’s reason for existence; purpose, mission and vision. The focus of this research was to shift from traditional HR to strategic HR. This shift from traditional to strategic human resource was to ensure the flexibility and innovation based on technology. Another focus of OPS was to focus on outsourcing that was to be limited only for those departments of the organization where the department needs motivated employees. Other departments in which the organization excels would be handled by the OPS. In this research paper the importance of human resource will be judged by conducting relevant analysis based on Ontario public services. The analysis is based on up-to-date data and models that would help to conclude regarding the progress of human resource management in Ontario public services. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW For an organiz ation to be successful and to respond to the challenges, the organization must bear high recruitment cost. This recruitment would help to accomplish the vision and mission and pursue the organizational excellence (Armstrong, 2009). For such purpose the OPS has developed a plan to focus on outsourcing which would help the OPS to reduce its recruitment cost and provide the organization with the best human resource available. This reduction in cost could be an opportunity for the OSP to use the capital in investing in other programs where the probability of return is greater than the others. According to the Equity theory, employees look for a balance between their input (hard work, loyalty, commitment, determination,... This essay provides relevant analysis of human resource management in Ontario public services and outlines the importance of human resource department in the OPS. The analysis is based on up-to-date data and models. The report provides us with an insight that the human resource management can help in shaping the behavior of employee that is consistent with the organization’s reason for existence; purpose, mission and vision. The shift from traditional to strategic human resource was made to ensure the flexibility and innovation based on technology. Another focus of OPS was to focus on outsourcing that was to be limited only for those departments of the organization where the department needs motivated employees. Other departments in which the organization excels would be handled by the OPS. In this essay the importance of human resource is judged by conducting relevant analysis based on Ontario public services. It could be concluded that OPS was successful in the implementation and change of HRM from traditional to strategic human resource. The shift from traditional to strategic HR is deemed successful by introducing the technology which reduced the efforts and time consumption in the organizations. OPS emphasized on the quality of human resource rather than the quantity of employees. Employees being the greatest resource of OPS, it had been given a special place in the public services. The employees are trained and developed to create competencies that would be helpful for the organizations in the future.

Porter's Five Forces for Global Automobile Industry Assignment

Porter's Five Forces for Global Automobile Industry - Assignment Example er’s five forces are used in the evaluation of how potential an industry can be by looking at the five forces that are most likely to affect that industry where the forces that will be considered will be the ones that are responsible for the profitability of that industry (Williams, Hall & Champion, 2011, p. 117). In the automobile industry, new entrants are typically a threat that is not very high and the factors that are considered when determining this treat include the hurdles that might be experienced by the new entrants such as the start-up capital requirements since the cost associated with setting up a car-manufacturing factory is very high (Kachru, 2007, p. 770). Brand equity is also a hurdle that the new entrant into the industry might face since the entrant will not have any compared to the companies that are in the emerged markets and have been in the industry for a significant period. Other hurdles and barriers include legislations and government policies in regards to emissions and safety as well as the ability of the company to distribute the cars that they manufacture. For instance, Alfa Romeo has not been in the United States since the 90’s since they could not establish a dealer network as opposed to a place like Singapore where only one is required. Under most circumstances, the buyers of the cars have to bargain before arriving at the price, which they will pay to get the car they are interested in, and the quantity that a buyer buys is normally a good factor in the determination of this force (Edwards, 2007, p. 93). Even though the buyers that are in the automobile industry usually buy one car at a time, the still have a lot of power and this is significant as far as the bargaining is concerned. This applies in the emerged markets but in the emerging markets, the situation favours the industry more than it favours the buyers of the cars. Ultimately, the buyers always possess some buying power but the power that they have is dependent on

Behavioral Psychology Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Behavioral Psychology Assignment - Essay Example Eating a lot of food and healthy quantities of vitamin-enriched food can lead to quicker and more complete development in a baby. For example, eating foods that are high in fat increases the development of the myelin sheath in neurons, which prevents degenerative neurological conditions. The nicotine in cigarettes can cause birth defects as well as lead to a premature birth of an undeveloped baby. 3. Many childhood and developmental psychologists acknowledge that children are always learning through observation. Children see actions performed and then integrate them into their personality. This can be proved using the famous Bobo doll experiment conducted by Bandura, which showed that aggressive behavior can be learned through observation. 4. The first stage is trust vs. mistrust, which occurs during infancy. Here the biggest hurdle to overcome is establishing the trusting relationship with the caregivers. The second stage is Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt. Here the main source of anxi ety is learning to become self-sufficient or being forced to rely on others. The third stage is Initiative vs. Guilt. This is when the initial development of a consciousness starts with the fundamental question of whether one is good or evil. The fourth stage is Industry vs. Inferiority. Here, one focuses on what can they do in order to be a successful member in society. The fifth stage is Identity vs. Role Confusion. This is where the main neuroticism of self starts in that a person must establish one’s identity. After overcoming this stage, they enter the sixth stage of Intimacy vs. Isolation in that they enter a stage dominated by the searching for acceptance and relationships. In the seventh stage, Generativity vs. Stagnation, one looks back and says what do I have to provide for something of value for society. The last stage is Ego Integrity vs. Despair. In this, the main question is based on looking back on one’s life and asking themselves if they accomplished wh at they wanted. 5. In college, a student must become more independent and aware of one’s own finances. Being considered an adult, they must learn how to function and prioritize the usage of funds. In terms of personal development and social development, they are both interconnected in that friends will form the primary network of support. Therefore, the development of the individual is based on a collective scale. 6. The first need is that of physiological needs. In domestic violence, this is maintaining oneself as far as keeping away from injury and promoting good health. The second need is safety and that the person must feel safe both in a physical sense and in a psychological sense. The third need is through love/belonging. Having a good social support and feeling loved is essential in maintaining psychological congruence. The fourth need is self-esteem in that the person must feel confident in himself or herself. The last level is self-actualization and requires the pers on to transcend the fact they have experienced domestic violence and gain new insight from the experience. 7. Industrial psychologists operate on operant conditioning, which comes from transactional leadership principles. The uses of reinforcements are used to increase a desired result and the uses of punishment in order to make sure things are done in a proper manner. 8. Syphillis is a bacterial infection that is a sexually transmitted disease, which spreads as a result of contact

The Practical Benefits of Personal Skills Essay

The Practical Benefits of Personal Skills - Essay Example The four skills that I have chosen are coordination, active learning, active listening, and critical thinking. Possession of these life skills is said to be very beneficial and eases difficult conditions, both in terms of personal matters and in terms of those that deal with the workplace. Indeed, when faced with life's problems, which are natural however, one should possess the basic life skills so that he may be armed in defeating all life's foes. My chosen skills are beneficial to a person in a variety of ways that one can imagine. Its importance is seen in the tendency of a suicidal patient to end his life, which is a certain manifestation of hardship in dealing with a current problem. This condition only mirrors the truth that this person has not equipped himself effectively enough with life's basic skills. The reason may perhaps be because he is not aware that these are important skills that must be developed and carried on in life, or it may be that he did not have the opportunity to develop them in the first place, the environment he is in is not one conducive enough for such development, or he simply did not have the knowledge of how important they are to his own advantage. Below are the four chosen basic skills and their benefits: Coordinatio Coordination Skills Coordination is adjusting actions in relation to others' action.1 It implies one's ability to adapt to situations and the people around it. Getting something through whatever means possible is contrary to the development of this basic skill, since one has to consider others - their ideas, feelings, and impacts of an undertaking or a decision - and unite them with one's ideas in making things work out the most possible and desirable way. Adjusting one's actions with those of others in a pursuit to achieve an individual or a group goal is the best way of dealing with differences.2 The benefits that this basic skill extends to an individual are massive. The results are manifested in a healthy work environment, a give-and-take relationship, and new and renewed friendships. People will also appreciate one's consideration and ability of involving them in his worldview, a rare capacity that must be developed, especially in the workplace. This mere appreciation is a benefit in itself, for it leads to the extension of one's sphere of influence and linkage building, necessary in making certain goals achievable and with ease. Coordination skill is one that I have acquired recently and I am reaping various positive outcomes as a result. Developing and sustaining new friendships is one benefit that I directly experience. Coordination has made me develop my receptivity as a person, a trait, which I think is important especially that people always want to have their ideas and insights be considered and being repulsive to them will scare them just the same. It does not mea n however, that this receptivity is just simply allowing people get their way. Rather, it is more of digesting their insights, weighting them with mine, considering them if they are attuned to my values and ethics, and informing people the reasons why I do not consider them in case I

Annual report for Intercontinental Hotels Group plc for the year ended Essay

Annual report for Intercontinental Hotels Group plc for the year ended 31 December 2011 - Essay Example $ in mn Revenue and Profits 2011 2010 % Inc. Sales 1768 1628 8.60 Operating profit 559 444 25.90 Exceptional items 35 15 133.33 Total operating profit 594 459 29.41 Profit before exceptional items 497 382 30.10 Tax -120 -98 22.45 Profit from continuing operations 377 284 32.75 Exceptional items 83 7 1085.71 Net profit including exceptional items 460 291 58.08 Financial position Good will and other intangible assets 400 358 11.73 Other non-current assets 1990 1952 1.95 Total non-current assets 2390 2310 3.46 Current assets 578 466 24.03 Total assets 2968 2776 6.92 Total current liabilities 860 921 -6.62 Total non-current liabilities 1553 1564 -0.70 Total liabilities 2413 2485 -2.90 Shareholders’ funds 555 291 90.72 Total capital employed 2968 2776 6.92 No. of shares 289472651 Shares issued during the year 1075438 Total number of shares 290548089 289472651 Financial Ratios Earnings per share (EPS) Profit from continuing operations/ 1.30 0.98 Number of shares outstanding ROCE Net income/Capital employed 12.70% 10.23% Operating profit margin (Excl. exceptional items) Operating profit /Capital employed 31.62% 27.27% Operating profit margin (Incl. exceptional items) Total Operating profit /Capital employed 33.60% 28.19% Net profit margin after tax (Excl. exceptional items) Net profit after tax excl. excep. items/Capital employed 21.32% 17.44% Net profit margin after tax (Incl. excep. items) Net profit after tax incl. excep. items/Capital employed 26.02% 17.87% Asset turnover Total sales/Total assets 0.60 0.59 Current ratio Current assets/Current liabilities 0.67 0.51 Acid test ratio Quick assets/Current liabilities 0.64 0.49 Receivables collection period Debtors (Trade and other receivables) 369.00 371.00 Total debtors/Sales x 365 76.18 83.18 Payables payment period Creditors (Trade and other payables) 707.00 722.00 Total purchases or cost of sales 771.00 753.00 Creditors/Cost of sales x 365 334.70 349.97 Gearing Total debt/Total equity 4.35 8.54 Interest cove r Interest charges (Interest) 64.00 64.00 Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT)/Interest 5.89 4.44 Price earnings ratio Share price as on 31 December ?11.57 ?12.43 Share price / EPS 8.92 12.67 Dividend cover Dividend paid to shareholders 148 121 Dividend paid/Net income 2.55 2.35 Revenue per available room Revenue per available room is up by 6.2% Revenue per room has been calculated by the company by dividing the total room revenue by the number of room nights available. Analysis of the financial performance and position InterContinental Hotels Group is a global hotel company, operating seven highly-respected brands internationally. Total number of rooms operating under IHG brands is 658,348 (4,480 hotels). IHG’s portfolio of brands includes Inter Continental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, The Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. The performance of the management should be viewed in relation to the industry for the purpose of meaningful evaluation. The revenue per availab

Ielts Essays Essay Example for Free

Ielts Essays Essay 1. Sample essay: Every week millions of people buy lottery tickets, hoping their small investment will make them rich. They often believe that if they won a million dollars, their troubles would be over. If they actually got the money, would their dreams come true? Whether people live happily ever after when they win the lottery probably depends on what their dreams are. Money can buy some things but not others. Cash buys houses, cars, and college educations; it pays for medical treatment and clears up overdue bills. Money also purchases travel and new experiences. A million dollars could allow someone to quit a tough, boring job and try for something better. It could provide a feeling of security. On the other hand, winning so much money could actually cause some problems. A person who quit working might eventually become bored or lose some self-respect. Family members might squabble over what should be purchased. Long-lost friends, relatives, and even complete strangers are likely to want a handout. The winner must then decide whom to help and whom to offend. Despite all these drawbacks, I would rather win the money than not. The difficulties of having to manage a million dollars are troubles I would like to have. 2. Sample essay: After the baby is born, things will never be the same. People say that to expectant parents-and they are right! It will be a long time before those parents can again sleep late in the morning. A baby wakes early, screaming for food. The toddler thinks 6 a.m. is the right time to start the day. After that come early school mornings. It will be years before the parents can go anywhere together on the spur of the moment. Every outing must be planned ahead so that a baby-sitter can be found. The budget will be stretched, the work load will get heavier, and by the time parents can be alone, they may be too tired to talk. Still, people want children. Why? One reason is that children are a link to the future. They will probably be here after the parents are gone. In addition, their children will live after them. A deeper reason for wanting children, perhaps, is that the more people we have to love, the more fulfilled our lives can be. By giving to a child, people enrich their own lives. In the end, we live not only for ourselves, but for others. 3. Sample essay: It hurts to look at a paycheck and see how much of it was taken out for income tax. That money could have paid some important bills. It is easy to dream of doing away with the income tax and keeping all that money for ourselves. If there were no income tax, however, the government would have a lot less to spend. The money we send to Washington seems to fall into a black hole and disappear. Actually, though, many people depend on it. The money pays the salaries of government employees, who provide services from drug control to highway building. It supports our military defense. Also, much of the money is returned to people in the form of student loans, veterans benefits, and payments to farmers, for example. The government has been working to cut its budget lately. With every cut, someone complains loudly. So if the income tax were eliminated, other taxes would have to make up for it. Paying those other taxes would also hurt. Sales taxes fall most heavily  on poor people. Taxes on manufacturers only result in higher prices to consumers. Income taxes are not fun to pay. But doing without them would be worse. In my opinion, income taxes should be made as fair as possible. Then we each must bite the bullet and do our share. 4. Sample essay: Television has changed both the way we spend our time and what we know about the world. Some of the changes brought by television have improved our way of life, but others have made it worse. People today on the average spend several hours a day watching television. In times past, they would sit on their front steps and visit on nice evenings. This neighborly visiting built close friendships, but it seldom takes place any longer. Even though families may all watch TV together, they may not communicate much. Some women have called themselves sports widows because their husbands spend every spare minute watching televised football, baseball, and other sports. On the other hand, people have learned more about the world because of television. People in small towns know more about the city, and people in cities have learned about the country. Politicians, celebrities, wars, and disasters appear in the living room. Programs take viewers to the bottom of the sea, the tops of mountains, and even outer space. Some people think television leads to violence, immorality, and greed for possessions. I am not sure whether this is true. However, good or bad, TV is here to stay. It is up to each of us to make the most of its opportunities and avoid its problems. 5. Sample essay: When lack of money prevents us from having something we want very much, it is  tempting to dream of being rich. It is hard to keep in mind that Americans are already wealthy compared with people in many other parts of the world. Our modern conveniences would have been the envy of kings in times past. Just the same, most people would like a larger. Whether most people are capable of making a lot of money is another question. People in average circumstances can often get ahead through education, hard work, and careful money management. But getting ahead is not the same as actually becoming rich. Only a small percentage of Americans could be called truly wealthy. Some people joined this group from ordinary beginnings. Usually they have done it by carefully riding some major development in the economy on its way up. In the past, great fortunes have been made in oil, steel, and railroads. Recently, some people have made millions in computers and real estate. Usually, though, it takes money to make money. Big investors often start rich and then get richer. Most of us cannot strike oil or start the next new technical breakthrough. Most people are not born into wealthy families, either. In America it certainly is possible to become more prosperous. But unless someone wins the lottery, real wealth is not very likely to come along. 6. Sample essay: You come home alone after a long day at work. You open the door to your home. No one is there. Is it blessed silence you hear or echoing emptiness? The millions of people who live alone today may have either experience. Some love living alone, yet others wish they didnt have to. When they open that door at night, people who live alone do not have to put up with demands or listen to someones noise or meet anyones dinner deadlines. They do not have to debate about which TV program to watch or  stay off the phone because someone else is expecting an important call. No one else messes up their kitchen. But when they are sick, no one else will bring them an aspirin or call the doctor. Preparing dinner for one can be difficult, and eating dinner for one night after night can be very lonely. Perhaps no one really cares what they did all day. If they are feeling sad, there may be no one to cheer them up. Some people who live alone say the worst times come when something very good happens because there is no one to share the joy. During the course of a lifetime, one may sometimes live with others and sometimes live alone. Each way of life has its advantages. Learning to take advantage of them is one key to contentment. 7. Sample essay: Sports includes both national teams and the teams for the rest of us. The national teams are mainly concerned with winning and with money. The other teams are mainly concerned with winning and with money. The other teams provide different satisfactions. Being on a team helps people learn teamwork to rely on others and to do their own part as well. Players learn both to win and to lose. When the team loses, the members learn that they can come back from a loss. They look for the reasons they were beaten, work on their weaknesses, and try again. When the team wins, the members can learn to be gracious winners and good sports. Sports are also for play. Most of us have work to do most of the time. Now and then we need to have fun. Sports can provide the time to relax. If a team helps people learn to work together, lose win, and have fun, its a winner regardless of the score. But if players on a winning team have not worked together, if they feel that winning makes them better than others, if there was no joy in the sport, those winners are losers. Having the winning score is important. Being a winner as a person is worth even more. 8. Sample essay: Advertisers who directly attack their competitors may amuse me if they do it cleverly. However, they have probably lost me as a customer. Companies who attack their rivals remind me of people who boost their egos by criticizing others. When people do this, I often suspect they have little to offer and may even have something to hide. I would rather find out what is good about a person, not what is bad about someone else. Similarly, I like advertising that lets me know about products that might meet my needs. I dont place much faith in ads telling me what may be wrong with a rival product. I tend to suspect that the information could be biased. I also believe advertisers are foolish to name their rivals because by doing so they give the competing product free publicity. If the competition is worth attacking, I tend to think it may actually have something to offer. In advertising, as in life, I believe we should try to be the best we can be, without belittling the next person or the rival product. 9. Sample essay: Three generations living together can have both financial and personal advantages. On the other hand, it can also have personal disadvantages. In years past and today, three generations have probably lived together mostly out of economic necessity or advantage. Sometimes a young family moves in with the older generation because the husband and wife cant afford a place of their own. Sometimes grandparents move in because they arent well enough or cant afford to live alone anymore. Occasionally, grandparents come to take care of the children so both parents can work. In  times past, and sometimes today, three generations have lived together because they all depended on the same farm or business. Usually these arrangements do help solve financial and practical problems. Everyone has a roof over his or her head. Children and old people in need of care are likely to get it. Often a family can get ahead financially by sharing the work and the bills. In addition, a strong sense of family and of belonging can develop in everyone. What may be harder to work out are questions of whos in charge. If grandparents dont let go of some authority, the middle generation is likely to resent it. On the other hand, ailing grandparents may force their children to be parents to them and to their own children as well. If parents and grandparents disagree on discipline, children may be confused or angry. The personal disadvantages can be overcome. For three generations to live together successfully, everyones needs must be respected. 10. Sample essay: Television news shows are dramatic and interesting. Watching them is pleasant and does not require the effort of reading. If television did not cover the news, some people would know nothing about what is going on in the world. However, television newscasters cover only the events that they have time for, and they prefer stories that include some dramatic pictures. Viewers are quickly bored with reporters who sit and talk into the camera. As a result, a complicated story is often cut short. Newspapers and magazines do a better job of explaining complex events. They can include details, and a person with a special interest can take the time to read them. Others can stick to the headlines. Reading allows more freedom of choice than television. The TV audience cannot decide which stories to watch. In broadcasting, one size fits all.  However, a person who reads newspapers and magazines can choose to spend time on business, sports, health, or the school board election, depending on special interests. Television provides a useful glance at whats happening. However, a person who has individual interests and who wants the whole story needs newspapers and magazines as well. 11. Sample essay: Some people live in one community all their lives, while others move around almost as much as nomads. Both experiences have their advantages and disadvantages. People who stay in one spot can develop lifelong friendships, and such friends may lend a hand if trouble comes. They know each others life history, and they judge each other for the kind of person each is, not for the image each projects. Yet spending a lifetime in one location can also lock a person into a limited way of life. Personal change may become very difficult. People with few experiences may develop a narrow outlook and find it hard to understand those who have different ethnic, racial, or religious backgrounds. On the other hand, moving to different parts of the country is usually stressful. A person may feel lost and uprooted in a place where streets, stores, schools, and churches all are different. At first there are no friends to help. However, those who do move learn that people in other places have a variety of outlooks. There is a chance to appreciate different ways of life and even to choose the way one likes best. For a person who moves to a different place year after year, the disadvantages of moving probably outweigh the advantages. But a few moves  are probably worth the effort. By staying in each place for a length of time, people can broaden their outlook but have enough time to make adjustment and form friendships. 12. Sample essay: The automobile has probably changed peoples way of life more than any other invention of the last century. More than electric lights, television, air travel, or even computers, automobiles have changed where people live and work, how they make a living, and even how they find a mate. Before there were cars, people generally traveled on foot or by horse and buggy over unpaved roads. Whether they lived in the city or the country, they rarely went farther than a few miles from home. They saw the same people and places year after year. The car opened up whole new worlds. Roads were paved, and motorists went to see different parts of the country. Some decided to stay. People with cars could live farther from their jobs, and so the age of commuting began. New suburbs sprang up around the cities. The auto industry boomed, and millions of Americans made a living manufacturing, selling, servicing, or insuring cars. As more people got cars, your people began driving them. No longer was courtship confined to the girls front porch, under the watchful eye of her parents. The automobile began the sexual revolution. Some people believe that commuting, suburban life, and courting in cars are mixed blessings. Whether the changes are good or bad, they seem to be here to stay. 13. Sample essay: Many people complain that modern society is too materialistic. Other people, they say, place too great an importance on material property. Rather than  value values, these critics insist, people today value things. There is no doubt that we live in a material, consumer-oriented society. In economic terms, consumers use products; in everyday language, they acquire things: TVs, cars, clothes, furniture. This kind of materialism can actually be good for a society since it helps create jobs. When people have jobs, they acquire self-respect along with the money they need to provide the material things they and their families require. It is true, on the other hand, that many people have taken healthy consumerism too far. Materialism is evident when an otherwise intelligent person goes into debt charging things that he or she cannot pay for. Materialism is evident when people insist on buying a particular designer label even though the same quality can be found in a cheaper product. Materialism is evident when people are judged and admired for what they own rather than what they are or can do. Even if society has gone too far in the direction of materialism, as some say, the individual person doesnt need to surrender. He or she can still value honesty, integrity, freedom, talent, quality, and all the other values there are to value and leave the materialism to others. 14. Sample essay: People spend a great deal of time, money, and energy to see or read about movie stars, TV actors, singers, and athletes. Such celebrities often become idols. Posters, T-shirts, fan clubs, and attendance at live performances prove that. What do celebrities do to merit this attention? Celebrities create excitement. They create excitement because they have done something or can do something that supposedly not everyone else can do. Raising a child, waking early to go to work each morning, building a home and a place in the community-these achievements actually deserve more admiration than rolling through Beverly Hills in a limousine or jetting across the Atlantic to star in a new movie. Yet because these achievements  are part of many peoples everyday lives, they are not considered special. Celebrities help us dream by lifting us out of our everyday lives and imagining ourselves doing other than everyday activities. Celebrities also set styles. They become models for behavior, clothing, and hairdos. Just consider Elvis Presley or the Beatles, for example. Celebrities also influence politics, as Bob Hope and Robert Redford have done. Celebrities roles as special people and trendsetters, then, are the reason for the attention many of us lavish on them. In many ways, the celebrities of today have merely replaced the kings and queens of old. 15. Sample essay: Most people want to be successful in life, but success can come about in four ways: fame, money, knowledge, and pleasure. Success is also usually characterized by the word more; to be successful, people feel they have to be more famous, have more money, absorb more information, or enjoy life more. Success does not need to be characterized by quantity, however. Instead, you can measure the success of your life by its quality. It is not important, for example, how many people know you but who knows you and for what. Working in your community or on good relationships with family and friends can bring quality fame. Earning less money but spending it wisely and learning the joy saving is another way to succeed. Learning more so that you can turn around and teach someone else produces quality knowledge. And finally, all the above will most likely bring you quality success in enjoying the pleasures of living. Success, in conclusion, can be seen in different ways by different people. Only one thing is sure. No matter what other people see, the only one who knows whether youre succeeded is you. 16. Sample essay: Every year billions of dollars are spent on advertising. Many approaches are used to persuade consumers to buy a product. Some seem to work better than others. One approach, for example, is to try to make the reader or viewer identify with the people shown using the product. These people seem to be glamorous, loved, successful, elite, clever, or sexy. Supposedly, anyone who uses the product can expect the same reward. Another approach is to let the product speak for itself; people are attracted to scrumptious food, beautiful clothing, and sleek new cars. Sometimes good prices and special deals are the focus. Ads for complicated products, such as computers, may provide a lot of information. Endorsements by celebrities are especially common. In general, many of the ads succeed. People do tend to buy what they see advertised. However, some advertising can backfire. People may be offended, for example, by ads that are overly sexy or ones that viciously or sarcastically attack competitors products. Advertising can be a useful aid for the consumer. It helps a person learn what is new or in style or handy to have around, what things cost, and where to buy them. To use this information effectively, however, a person must learn to look past the emotional appeals and find the facts. 17. Sample essay: Some animals are pets, some are wild, and many of them provide us with food. All have a different and important role in our lives. It is easy to forget that the steak at the supermarket once formed part of a steer. But without domestic animals such as chickens and cattle, we would all be vegetarians, or a great deal of our time would need to be spent hunting. Wild animals attract sport hunters. For some people they are even an  important source of food. When urban people visit the wild, deer, bears, and other wild animals remind them of an older way of life. Pets, however, are the animals that are especially significant for most of us. They are undemanding companions; they love us when we are not at our best. A pet can be a great comfort when life seems hard. For children, pets can be both fun and instructive. If a child cares for a pet, he or she learns to take responsibility for another being. Watching kittens or puppies being born can be a natural form of sex education. For children, as for adults, pets are loving companions and a help in tough time. As I recall, an Indian chief once said, Without our brothers, the animals, we would all be very lonely. I believe he was right.

The Crisis Manchuria And Abyssinia

The Crisis Manchuria And Abyssinia I completely agree with this judgment, since the Manchurian and Abyssinian crisis did in fact fatally weaken the League of Nations. One could almost argue that both crises led to the destruction of the League, as they could be seen as the first links in a chain of events that led to the Second World War, which was to be entirely prevented by the birth of the League of Nations. The League proved to be incompetent, as it could not deal with both crises effectively. For instance, It was powerless against Japan (initiator of the Manchurian crisis) and Italy (initiator of the Abyssinian crisis), due to the league having no army to enforce its policies (It could only impose sanctions and a ban from the League), hence weakening itself, and ultimately leading to its destruction. However, it is also important to identify the weaknesses of the League that existed prior, as they may have guided the League into its fatal state. The devastation of the First World War horrified countries worldwide, with people living in fear and anguish, hoping to never encounter such an event again. To their salvation, the League of Nations was created, promising to maintain global peace and to prevent a Second World War. The League was established in 1919, under the sheer will of President Wilson, who wanted the League to be seen as a type of World Parliament. Here, international disputes or interests could be discussed formally, without the violent use of force. He also hoped that the League would stop all wars, improve peoples lives and jobs, improve public health, put an end to slavery, persuade nations to agree to disarmament (as this would make war impossible) and to enforce the Treaty of Versailles which acted as a peace treaty. Countries were in favor of these ideas, resulting in forty-two countries joining the League initially, which ascended to around sixty countries in the 1930s, strengthening the Leagues interna tional power. However, Even though the intentions of the League were positive, it failed miserably, as the League was incapable to deal with the major international disputes as it promised it could. The late 1930s put the Leagues true power to the test. During this decade, there was a world-wide economic Depression, where Japan was majorly affected. Japans government failed to deal with the Depression, and thus decided that it would have to occupy the whole of Manchuria (In China) as an only solution. This would have enabled Japan to have access to the regions valuable resources of coal and iron in an era where it was already difficult to purchase these vital raw materials. Japan, to it convenience, was soon provided with an opportunity to invade Manchuria. On 18 September 1931 a bomb exploded on the railway close to Mukden, where Chinese and Japanese soldiers were stationed. Japan instantly blamed on the Chinese, which instantly provided the desired excuse for Japan to occupy Mukde n and the entire southern Manchuria. China being a member of the League of Nations (Japan was too) desperately plead the League to help. Due to the weak organization of the League, the response to Chinas problem almost took an entire year. However, in response the council of the League asked Japan to withdraw its back to the railway region in Mukden. However, Japan decided not to do so, and turned Manchuria into a Satellite state of Manchukuo. Shortly after, Japan left the League of Nations, as it had no more further interests in the League. Its essential trades were offered by the USA; therefore the Leagues policy of sanctions was ineffective, as the USA never joined the League of Nations, giving Japan no economical punishment. The Geneva Protocol  [1]  was never ratified, therefore the League did not have an army to take military action, and war was absolutely out of the question. Britain (Head of the League of Nations), however, did not urge to take action against Japan, si nce neither the Government nor the people desired to fight a war purely without central British interests. Therefore the league was powerless in taking action against Japan, fatally weakening it. Some members of the League noticed this failure and realized how ineffective the League of Nations really is, and thus left the League, weakening it further. The Great Powers of the League  [2]  were unwilling use force against Japan, because of the self interest of a Great power (Britain) in Japans actions. Britain had secretly supported Japan and shared sympathy with Japanese action in Manchuria. And similar to Japan, Britain had some commercial interests in China, which were threatened by the ongoing chaos and civil wars. Therefore Japans invasion seemed to restore order to this issue, pleasing the British. This weakened the League, as the League could not take any action against Japan since a Great Power of the League secretly supported its actions. A few years later, in Europe, another fairly similar crisis began. Italy was trying to distract its people from the economic Depression, and therefore wanted to erect a large empire in Northern Africa. By invading Abyssinia, Italy would not only be provided with land for Italian settlers, but also connect Italian Somaliland with Eritrea, therefore putting most of the Horn-region of Africa under Italian rule. Mussolini  [3]  , by 1932, began his plans to invade Abyssinia, and On December 1934 Italian forces began to clash with Abyssinian troops and shortly after, in October, the long-desired invasion of Abyssinia began. Mussolini had no doubt that neither Britain nor France would intervene with his plans, giving him the perfect invasion plan and opportunity. However, while the French Foreign Minister, Laval, was promising Mussolini a free hand, Britain tried by all means necessary to find a compromise. Britain wanted to offer Mussolini a territorial compensation elsewhere or negot iate an arrangement which would give Italy effective control over Abyssinia avoiding a Formal Annexation. This already suggests that the Abyssinian crisis fatally weakened the League of Nations, since the League changed its policies (a Volte-face) when France supported the invasion and mostly when Britain offered Italy other suggestions of gaining territory. The policies of the League were collapsing and with it the league. Italy neglected the offers suggested by Britain and pursued its invasion of Abyssinia. In 18 October, the League condemned Mussolini and imposed a ban on weapon sales along with a gradually ascending program of sanctions. This had no effect, hence rendering the League powerless and fatally weakening the League. In the meantime, Britain and France were searching for an alternative compromise to Italys invasion. Pierre Laval and British Foreign Minister, Sir Samuel Hoare, created a secret plan that may have been suitable for Mussolini. It involved giving Italy control over only two-thirds of Abyssinia. However, the plan was secretive and illegal and it somehow leaked into the French Press, which ultimately resulted in the resignation of Sir Hoare and the dropping of the plan. In addition, the League did not ban any oil exports to Italy, which was a vital trade, and the Suez Canal, where Italian ships could drift through, was refused to be closed because Britain feared war. Mussolini ha d no obstacles in his way and by May 1936 had overrun Abyssinia. Hence no action was taken against the invasion of Abyssinia, weakening the league, as it was powerless and ineffective in stopping the invasion. Both Powers Britain and France also feared the diplomatic consequences of alienating Italy over Abyssinia. Not only did the Abyssinian Crisis fatally weaken the League, but also provide Hitler with an ideal opportunity to remilitarize the Rhineland and recreate an all-powerful Nazi-Germany. This was to be entirely prevented by the League, as the Treaty of Versailles did not allow Germany to have an army, since she already began the First World War. Furthermore, the Franco-Italian friendship was destroyed and replaced by the Rome-Berlin Alliance (Axis), which enabled Hitler to absorb Austria in 1938 without Italian opposition, creating an even more powerful Germany. The Axis also threatened British and French communication in the Mediterranean, which would ultimately weaken the potential in future response, under German or even Japanese aggression. Soon after, Germany gathered sufficient power and the Second World War was inevitable. Overall, this fatally weakened the League of Nations and ultimately led to its destruction, because Germany was able to rebuild and become a strong Power agai n which later on led to the Second World War, where both were to be entirely prevented by the League. Members of the League realized ineffectiveness of the League and instead left the League to prepare for war, fatally weakening the League as it no longer had loyal members. The League created more problems than solutions, weakening itself, since it should have been in control which it was not. Instead of finding an effective solution to solve the crisis, it somehow found a way to damage itself and put itself under risk, ultimately destroying it. The Manchurian and Abyssinian crisis did in fact fatally weaken the League of Nations. One could almost argue that both crises led to the destruction of the League, as they could be seen as the first links in a chain of events that led to the Second World War, which was to be entirely prevented by the birth of the League of Nations. The League proved to be incompetent, as it could not deal with both crises effectively. For instance, it was powerless against Japan in its invasion of Manchuria, since the League had no army to fight against Japanese aggression. Also the self interest Britain had in Manchuria provided Japan with protection, therefore fatally weakening the League. In the Abyssinian crisis, the League was powerless once more and could not take any action against Italy as they favored Italy (to support against Nazi-Germany) rather than the loss of Abyssinia. It tried to implement sanctions and a ban on sales of weapons, but this had no effect on Italy. Due to the failure in Abyssinia, Germany was capable of rebuilding, and thus ultimately leading to a Second World War. Members of knew that a Second World Was threatened, hence fatally weakening the League as it no longer had loyal members. The Abyssinian and Manchurian crises fatally weakened the League of Nations and ultimately led to its destruction.

Edgar Allan Poe Writing Style Analysis

Edgar Allan Poe Writing Style Analysis Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American author born in Boston. His use of terror and the supernatural made him famous as one of the popular gothic writers. Poe wrote numerous books and poems with some 18+ noted books to his credit. His mystery writing was recognised by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as being exceptional and the ability to bring life into the characters portrayed. The life and works of Poe are particularly well explored in the book The political economy of literature in antebellum America by Terence Whalen. In addition the book Edgar Allan Poe: a biography by Milton Meltzer describes the literary works and criticism of Poes books and poems. INTRODUCTION Edgar Allan Poe was noted for his gothic horror style of writing. Nevertheless he also used his writing to express political sentiments, particularly that regarding racism, slavery and social distinctions in the Southern USA. This was compared to the situation in Europe with Poe supporting the concept of slavery. The author Toni Morrison in her book entitled Playing in the Dark identified Poe along with Mark Twain as an author whose work was haunted by blackness. Toni Morrison claims that no early American writer was more important than Poe in shaping a concept of American Africanism  [1]   The works of Poe were largely obscured for some 50 years after his death owing to copyright restrictions held by his Executor Dr. Rufus B Griswold. It is nearly fifty years since the death of Edgar Allan Poe, and his writings are now for the first time gathered together with an attempt at accuracy and completeness  [2]  . Despite the production of numerous poems Poe was best known for his genre of horror and science fiction novels and Walt Whitman  [3]  described his works as Poes verses illustrate an intense faculty for technical and abstract beauty, with the rhyming art to excess, an incorrigible propensity toward nocturnal themes, and a demoniac undertone behind every page. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ There is an indescribable magnetism about the poets life and reminiscences, as well as the poems  [4]  . Poes life was surrounded by tragedy with his parents passing away when he was just 3 years old. He became obsessive with drink and gambling and this resulted in his own rather obscure death as a drunk in Baltimore. Despite this his poems and novels that explored the conditions of the human psyche earned him international fame both during his life and after his death. He was viewed as a tortured soul who was obsessed with death, violence and a sense of the macabre yet still gained an appreciation for those mysteries that life had to offer. Poe was acknowledged by such notary poets as Longfellow, Wordsworth, Tennyson and Whitman. Despite his critics he left a legacy of gothic works that would later inspire film makers and other novelists in the horror and supernatural genre. Poe was acknowledged by the international community as an acclaimed writer of stories and poems in the gothic horror style. He was also critical of the political scene in light of the turbulent changes in the Southern USA. He brought a style of gothic writing in order to make statements and used the concept of terror, mystery and the supernatural to bring fear and terror to society. This paper explores the different examples of Poes writing and provides a modern interpretation of his different styles and uses. A cross-section of Poems, Short Stories in the genre of horror, mystery and terror. LITERATURE OF EDGAR ALLAN POE THE TELL TALE HEART The Tell-Tale Heart is a short story composed by Edgar Allen Poe. It is rather a ghoulish story concerning the murder of an old man who is dismembered and his body buried under floor-boards. The murder subsequently loses his sanity believing the heart of the old man is still beating under the floorboards. It talks of the old man having a Vulture Eye, the apparent reason for the pre-meditated murder. The conflict is on the murders insistence of his own sanity but in so doing it becomes self-destructive as the defence build-up the case to his ultimate admission of guilt. It is a saga of guilt, remorse and the dreadful concept of haunting of the human mind for an act so reprehensible. Clearly the murderer is the protagonist at the central theme of this story and the old man the antagonist by the concept of the vulture eye  [5]   As the sound of the old mans heartbeat gets louder. The murder becomes more paranoid and believes that others can hear it, including the police officers who are present at the scene of the crime. The illusion and paranoia eventually lead to the murder believing the police know that he is guilty and the murders tortured soul eventually leads him confessing his guilt of the crime. This leads the murder to the evidence and telling the police the whereabouts of the body and instruction to tear up the floor boards. The plot demonstrates the struggle between imagination and science. The old man the rationale scientific mind and the narrator the imaginative THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO The Cask of Amontillado was written by Edgar Allen Poe in 1846. It was developed as a short story in Godeys Ladys Book. The setting was in an unnamed city in Italy, the period was not indicated but assume somewhere in the 18th Century. The theme of this story is about REVENGE. During the 19th Century the people seemed to have a great interest in this subject matter and as such this was a popular tale. Poe was rather a dark or grim writer and this story was unveiled from the perspective of the murderer. Poe had the unique talent of being able to penetrate the inner mind and psychology of the murder and acts of insanity. From this he could create a graphical depiction of both horror and terror that leaves the sane reader aghast. The subject of revenge is particularly potent material and allows the writer to demonstrate the meaning of hatred and the steps someone would take in order to exact a terrible revenge. Characters in the story The story focuses around two main characters that of Montresor (Murderer) and his victim Fortunato, both men of noble birth. Montresor was extremely angry over some unspecified insult from Fortunato and as a result plans his murder. His aim or plan being to distract him during carnival time, when the festivities find the man in a drunken stupor, wearing the disguise of a jesters attire. The Plot Montresor captures the attention of Fortunato by describing a procurement of a very valuable cask of sherry the Cask of Amontillado and requires Fortunatos expert opinion on the quality of the wine. From this point he lures Fortunato through a series of subterranean passages beneath his Palazzo. When the two men reach the cellar containing the wine, Montresor grabs Fortunato and chains him to the wall and then proceeds to build a new wall and seal him in leaving him to die. In re-telling his story some 50 years later Montresor says he has never been captured and in so far as he knows the body of Fortunato still hangs suspended in the niche where it was bricked in all those years ago. The unrepentant murder stating In pace requiscat (may he rest in peace). The story undoubtedly had an influence on later writers This story and Poes other short fiction had an undisputed influence on later fiction writers. In the nineteenth century, Poe influenced Ambrose Bierce and Robert Louis Stevenson among others. Twentieth-century writers who have looked to Poe include science fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft and horror author Stephen King.  [6]   Analysis and Symbolism The theme and plot of the story is based upon murder and revenge. It is not a mystery or detection story, the mystery resides in the actual motives for which Montresor committed murder. Montresor indicated that he received a thousand injuries, although no substantive reasons were provided. The reader is left to determine the cause of the motives, including the probability that Montresor was in fact insane. There are some contradictions in the story, for example: Fortunato is introduced to the readership as a wine expert he becomes so drunk he would be unable to identify the Amontillado and treats De Grave, an expensive French wine, with little regard by drinking it in a single gulp  [7]   The tale also indicates that Montresor was of noble birth and yet he demonstrated brick laying skills, more normally associated with the working class. It is known that the author had knowledge of the subject matter in his personal life and as such appreciated the visual horrors of such an abstraction to his audience. Poe worked in the brickyard late in the fall of 1834.  [8]  Vincent Buranelli made a number of observations about the story and in more general terms about Poes morbid fascination with death. He expanded by saying how this had influenced musicians of the time including Debussy According to Vincent Buranelli, Poes short stories also influenced the music of Claude Debussy, who was haunted by the atmosphere of Poes tales, and the art of Aubrey Beardsley, as well as the work of other composers and artists in the United States, Great Britain, and in Europe.  [9]  The gothic style of Poes writing has a distinct sense of morbidity about it The thousand injuries of Fort unato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged.  [10]  The analysis of the phrase is interesting. It suggests a building of in sufferance from the relationship with Fortunato culminating in a final insult that threw Montresor into a fit of rage and ultimately to a plot of murder. For this to build into such a state illustrates the apparent lack of dialogue and trust between the two supposed friends. This also leads the reader to question the state of mind of Montresor and indeed question his very sanity. Richard P Benton (a noted writer on Poe) asserted that the character for Montessori was in actual fact based upon Claude de Bourdeille, Count of Montresor a political conspirator in the court of King Louis X111.  [11]   THE RAVEN The Raven was first published in 1845. It is regarded as a classic American poem. The poet describes that of a talking Raven which visits a distressed lover and ultimately traces the mans emotions as he steps into the depths of insanity. The man is considered to be a student who is lamenting over the loss of his lover called Lenore. The Raven is a mysterious bird symbolic of death and repeats the words never more. The man asks the Raven questions but it only answers Never more and as such he will never be reunited with his Lenore and his soul shall not be lifted Never more. At the time the poem came in for a fair amount of criticism, in addition to the acclaim from other poets. It was considered to be inspired by the work of Charles Dickens from his novel Barnaby Rudge. The Raven is considered to be a devil like creature that is symbolic of both black magic and the devil. The end result of the poem is that the student will never get over the grief for his lost Lenore. Lenore also tra nslates to Helen [Helen of Troy representing beauty] and the bust of Pallas is representative of the Greek goddess Athena [the goddess of wisdom]. This is symbolic of the fact that grief and sorrow displace wisdom and common sense in the mans life. This is a complex poem with many meanings. Poe was particularly artful at understanding ancient greek mythology and being able to both intertwin this with comparisons to characters in his own narrations. He demonstrated similar characteristics with figures out of European history and related these to American literature. It is important to understand that many of Poes readers were international and particularly from Europe where he had a large following. This translation therefore became an important part of reaching that audience. THE BLACK CAT Is a short story narrated by Poe. It was compiled in 1843 and falls under the horror genre. The story focuses upon the deteriorating life of an alcoholic but also it involves animal abuse and murder. It is useful to note that Poe himself had a serious drinking problem and in Baltimore he fell into bad company. This may well have influenced this work based upon his own shortcomings and fear of falling into madness as a result of alcoholism. The story is a mystery novel and about the unlocking of clues to a murder, as revealed by the mysterious black cat. It is the location of hidden objects that allow you to solve puzzles that allude to the murder. The cat is called Pluto [ Roman name for the God of the underworld] and symbolic of the devil and hell. The black cat is also associated with bad luck and misfortune. The cat is used to depict the insanity of the narrator as he spins out of control due to the worsening effects of alcoholism. This Gothic tale becomes all the more shocking as youre about to get inside the mind of an insane person and ultimately it leaves you to ponder the shocking story and the acts committed by the man i.e. The walling up of his wife and the black cat in the cellar. Poe was highly influenced by drink and opium and this may well account for his ability to graphically define horror, based upon the horrors that he experienced from drink and drugs. Opium was known for its hallucogenic qualities an d Poe had a love of cats; hence it becomes easier to understand how his mind finds it easier to start and unravel the workings of insanity and the unfortunate influences of advanced alcoholism. THE PIT AND THE PENDALUM The pit and the pendulum is another short story compiled by Poe in 1842. It tells the story of a young prisoner that is tortured as part of the Spanish inquisition. The story depicts what it is like to be tortured and attempts to place to reader in a state of fear, thereby appealing to the senses and sounds that hinge upon realism. The tall candles that are melting depict the prisoner and his life ebbing away with little hope of remission or rescue. The prisoner is locked in a dark prison which he thinks is his tomb. The prisoner becomes aware that he has been bound in a pit with a scythe like pendulum slowly swinging down towards him. This will be the instrument of his execution but the prisoner is able to attract rats to gnaw his bones and release him. He is finally rescued before the inner walls move inwards and force him to his death at the bottom of the pit. Although Poe takes historical license with the story it is widely held that the pit and pendulum were used in torture devi ces by the Spanish inquisition. The story was later made into a film starring the actor Vincent Price. Some have contrasted this work to the situation of slavery in the Southern States i.e. the concept of bondage and being a prisoner, the sense of life ebbing away with no remission from slavery, the torture being the lashing and brutality inflicted upon slaves by their masters and the final rescue being the freedom from slavery by the Northern Union Army at the end of the civil war. The comparison being the Spanish Inquisition to the plight of the slaves. FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER This story relates to the decline of a family and house [the House of Usher]. From the beginning the author paints a bleak view of rot and decay in a cold autumnal setting The novel compares the crumbling decay of the house to that of the family that dwells within. The characters Roderick and Madeleine are twins and represent the mental and physical decline of the family. Roderick believes that the stones of the house have a consciousness and as such they embody the fate of the Usher family. Within the novel Poe gets to grips with the inner workings of the human imagination and the destructive concepts that reside within. The results of this lead to mental illness and death from the torturous terror of the imagination. The house itself crumbles into the deep and dark tarn,  [12]  (Womak 2010) and depicts the narrator fleeing from madness in order to protect his own sanity. Some critics related this piece to the destruction of the plantations, properties and families in the Southern States by the persecution of the Northern Union armies. The crumbling decay of the house being that of the confederate states and how old ideas and families were being crushed under the concept of change by the slavery abolitionist movement of the North. The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar This short story was first published in 1845. This tells the story of a dying man. A mesmerist places a man into a state of hypnosis shortly before his time of death. He examines the concept of hypnotizing a man dying of tuberculosis in order to see what happens to him. The man is left in the hypnotic state for seven months. The dying man (Valdemar) beckons to be woken or allowed to die by wagging his tongue. During the hypnotic state he was pale, cold and without pulse. As the hypnotist eventually wakes him Valdemars voice shouts Dead! Dead! And as he comes out of the trance his body instantly decays into a putrefied liquid mass of decayed material. Poe was known to have deeply studied medical tests and post mortem examinations and as such was able to assemble a picture of words in order to depict the horror and gore. Additional influence to this story might have been the suffering and death of his wife Virginia who died from Tuberculosis; having suffered to the point of her departu re. The Masque of the Red Death This popular short story follows the main character of Prince Prospero who tries to escape a plague called The Red Death, by hiding in his abbey with his noble friends. During this time they have a masked ball which covers many different coloured rooms. During the ball a strange masked figure enters the room dressed in a shroud like costume. This enrages Prospero who demands to know who this person is and wants him hanged. He ignores the Prince and this enrages Prospero who chases after him with a drawn dagger. Prospero confronts the stranger in the Black room and shortly after is found dead. The guests find both Prospero and the stranger on the floor. They remove the mask from the stranger only to find a faceless creature that is Red Death itself. After this all of the nobility succumb to the disease and are found dead. Although the disease is fictitious it might be symbolic of the Black Death that swept through the middle ages in Europe. The point made is that nobody ultimately esc apes death regardless of wealth or position. Death comes to us all in the end. Other theories are that Poe was influenced by the death of his wife Virginia and her suffering due to that of tuberculosis. The Murders in the Rue Morgue Poe first published this murder mystery in 1841 in Grahams Magazine. It tells the story of the brutal saying of two women in the Rue Morgue of Paris. One had her throat cut and the other strangled. This was one of the earliest detective novels that inspired fictional characters of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. The central detective figure in this story being one Auguste Dupin. The detective found his first clue by discovering some hair that was not of human origin. In addition witnesses recounted having heard noises and sounds in a language that they had never heard before. Dupin suspected that this might be an Ourang-Outang and set about placing an advert for someone who might have lost such an animal. It was discovered that a sailor had brought one from Borneo and that the animal had escaped with a shaving razor. The animal emulating shaving on the victims. Poe wrote this story at a time when crime and detection was held in great fascination in both London and New York. It aimed at proving the point of brains over brawn i.e. the brains of the skilled detective versus the brute strength of the ape. Poe was said to have inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes) and Agatha Christie (great mystery and detective writer). Comparisons were made to the captivation and treatment of the Ape. As the Ape was brought from its native Borneo to a strange land and subjected to the dangerous practices of its captor (sailor); so the negro was transplanted from Africa to the plantations of the Americas and subject to the bondage and harsh treatment of his new master. The Premature Burial This short story was based upon the concept of being buried alive. It focuses upon a person who has been struck down with a condition called catalepsy which puts you into a death like trance. Here a person is buried alive and only at a later date when the tomb is opened is the accident revealed. Poe takes advantage of a fear that was prevalent amongst people of the 19th century in the concept of being buried alive. It again illustrates Poes fascination with the morbidity of death. The Imp of the Perverse This story is about that of an imp or demon that influences a person in order to conduct acts of mischief. The story starts with a candle, having been placed in the room of a victim, and omits a poisonous vapour. The leads to the death of the victim who reads at night by the candlelight in a poorly ventilated room. The narrator, being the murderer, believes he has got away with the crime after the coroner delivers a verdict of an act of god The narrator subsequently inherits the house and enjoys the benefits from the deed for many years to come. He feels that the only way he will ever be caught is that if he confesses the crime. He later finds himself running through the streets and confesses the deed to an invisible friend. This leads to him being tried, convicted and sentenced to death. The story is based upon the premise that all people lean towards self-destructive tendencies and that ultimately we cannot avoid the moral responsibility for the deed that we perform. Other critics have suggested that the story related purely to Poes life and his depiction of personal torment and self-destruction. It occurred at a time when he felt betrayed and held a public feud with the English poet Henry Longfellow. THE ANGEL OF THE ODD This was a satirical study narrated by Poe in 1844. The story is based upon a man who died after swallowing a needle accidentally. This results in the appearance of an odd character made of a keg and wine bottles (the angel of the odd), who is said to be the root cause of these bizarre events. The man is not convinced of the story and falls into a drunken stupor. The man later wakes up to find that his house is on fire and narrowly escapes death by clambering down a ladder from the upper window of the house. During the escape a hog brushes past the ladder causing the man to fall and break his arm. He later tries to woo two different women who laugh at his wig, this he was forced to wear after his hair was singed in the fire. All of these misadventures lead the man to feel he is cursed and he attempts suicide by drowning. During this incident a crow steals his clothes and the ensuing chase sees the man falling off a cliff only to be rescued by the rope hanging from a hot air balloon. At this time the angel of the odd re-appears and asks him to confess that bizarre events can really happen. The man refuses and the angel cuts the rope allowing the man to fall to his death. This is seen as the revenge of the angel. The story contains many parallels with Poes own life. In particular the results of his addiction with alcohol and possibly drugs. Opiate drugs of a hallucogenic nature were widely used at this time and particularly in sea ports like Baltimore where Poe lived for some time and was known to have become an alcoholic living amongst bad company. Poe was also considered to be a tortured soul of self-destructive tendencies. This contributed to his gothic style of writing. BERENICE Berenice was a horror story compiled by Poe in 1835 and follows the sag of one Egaeus destined to marry his cousin Berenice. His future bride is seen to deteriorate in health by an unknown disease that leaves only her teeth in a healthy state. Berenice dies and is buried leaving Egaeus with an obsession over her teeth. One day a servant enters his room to inform him that Berenices grave has been disturbed and she is still alive. Egaeus is found to have a box containing 32 blood stained teeth with a poem that tells of his visits to the grave of his beloved. This is clearly an indication of the insanity of Egaeus and his obsession with the only healthy remaining component of the teeth. Critics were shocked by the gruesome account and graphic horror of the story. They questioned Poes state of mind to write such stories. Poe may well have been influenced by the suffering of his wife Victoria and dyeing from Tuberculosis as she suffered an agonising and prolonged death. There is also some question over Poes sanity given his connection to drink, drugs and tendencies of self-destruction and his fascination with death. ELEONORA Eleonora tells the story of the narrator who resides with his cousin in the valley of the many coloured grass. It was considered to be an idyllic paradise of tropical birds, fragrant flowers, and softly running streams. Eleonora was ill and was beautiful only waiting to die. She did not fear death but only the loss of her lover from the valley to another. Once Eleonora dies the valley starts to fade and lose its splendour. The narrator leaves the valley and moves to a City where he meets and marries Emengarde. Eleonora visits the narrator from the afterlife and blesses the couple stating that they are absolved and the reasons would be made known in heaven. This has a direct correlation with the life of Poe and particular the suffering and death of his wife Virginia. During the time that she suffered for five years Poe lived with his younger cousin who later became his wife. It is the question of guilt and absolution from sins. Poe considering his feelings for the love of other women whilst his wife was dying. Poe was clearly tormented by the suffering of his wife. GOTHIC WRITING PERIOD SIGNIFICANCE The concept of gothic horror writing derives from the Germanic race of Goths or Visigoths in Europe. These people were well known in Europe as a fierce race of people that dealt in tales of death and the supernatural. Gothic writing has been associated with horror since the mid-18th Century. In particular the literary works of Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker (the author of Dracula). The style of gothic writing gained its popularity during the period 1750-1820. In England the Bronte Sisters and particularly Emily with the story of Wuthering Heights. In the USA this was picked up in the South by such writers as William Faulkner and his book entitled A rose for Emile. Another was the Pulitzer Prize winning book of To kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and made into a great film starring Gregory Peck. Poe believed his art-all art-should be evaluated by international, rather than national or regional, standards, but he was, nonetheless, frequently identified at the time with the South. He did not defend his regions politics or social customs, like other antebellum southern writers, but his lyricism was common to southern poets. Raised a Virginian, Poe sometimes posed as the southern gentleman, even if transcending regionalism in his work.  [13]   THE POLITICAL CHANGES IN THE SOUTH During the division between the North and Southern states it was widely held that Poe was politically motivated towards the South Certain scholars perceive this conflict in terms of a North-South division and view Poe as the representative of a southern literary tradition fighting against the domination of the New England literary circle.  [14]  Despite serving in the Union Army and spending time at West Point it was widely held that Poes sympathies remained with the south; based upon his formative years in Richmond Virginia. Poe became somewhat controversial in that he defended the point of view regarding slavery in the South. He drew parallels between ant-slavery agitation at the time of Cromwell (England) and the French Revolution. He pointed out that these were all about an attack on property; the excuse being the freedom of the slaves. He further stated that recent events in the West Indies and the Southern States all give rise to the potential recurrence of a property grab being initiated by Northern States land owners who are politically motivated. Poe went on to say that there existed a relationship between the slave and the master; the slave being very loyal to the Master. The Master in turn provided employment, shelter and security. Poe wrote this from the perspective of a southern family who had owned slaves. He was particularly vocal during his editorship of the Messenger in Virginia and he published a number of tablets referred to as Pinakidia.  [15]   Poe saw a trend in the market place where a huge number of publications were being sold that depicted the graphic horror of slavery. Poe utilized this trend in his own narration covering both the pro and anti-slavery viewpoints. As such many of his tales traded upon the terror of slavery. Poe masters the concept of slavery in order to invoke terror into his readers. In the story of Hop Frog he indicates how the literary market place turns the author into a slave for the voracious appetite of the audiences for horror.  [16]  Poe deals with the integration of slavery into that of racial stereotyping as seen in Murders in the Rue Morgue, the ape that has been captured and forced to respond to a strange land. CONCLUSIONS Edgar Allan Poe achieved greater acclaim as an author and a poet in international circles as opposed to in the USA. His literary executor Rufus Griswald was considered to be both jealous and an enemy of Poe. He branded Poe as a drunkard and opium addict and defamed him to American literary society. It was some 50 years after Poes death that the genius of his work started to receive international acclaim. Poe in a way went downhill after the death of his wife and he became much more involved

Interpretive Richness of Leslie Marmon Silkos Ceremony Essay -- Silko

The interpretative richness of Silko’s Ceremony Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony is the extraordinary tale of Tayo, a mixed-blood Native American in his long quest to cure the suffering that afflicts him and his people. The novel is complex enough that it can be interpreted in the context of starkly different paradigms, each highlighting important facets of the story. For instance, in the article â€Å"Feminine perspectives at Laguna Pueblo: Silko’s Ceremony,† Edith Swan offers a (symbolic) analysis of the plethora of important female characters in the novel that is based on a deliberately unicultural, Laguna worldview on the grounds that â€Å"[...] western presumptions must be set aside so that they do not adversely bias or manipulate tribal structures of meaning. Native premises must be allowed to stand on their own terms† (309). On the other hand, Dennis Cutchins, in his article â€Å"‘So that the nations may become genuine Indian’: Nativism and Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony† advocates a politico-historical interpretation of the novel as a reaction against the overwhelming influence of Western civilization on Native American culture. This reaction, Cutchins argues, takes the form of a â€Å"revision† of history for the purpose of removing the Western influence and adapting ancient traditions to better serve the needs of the present, thus resolving the conflict between the two cultures. Cutchins’ interpretation therefore, is multicultural, focussing on the historical relationship between Western and Native American cultures and providing a paradigm (namely, nativism) that helps put it all in perspective. By utilizing divergent paradigms in interpreting Ceremony, Swan and Cutchins both succeed in highlighting the many fascinating... ...nse in the context of the outside world and the history of the Native American people. The differing theses however, do not contradict each other. Rather, they complement each other by providing a more complete picture through the simultaneous consideration of socio-cultural as well as politico-historical perspectives of the novel. 7 Works Cited Cutchins, Dennis. â€Å"‘So that the nations may become genuine Indian’: Nativism and Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony.† Journal of American Culture 22.4 (1 Dec. 1999): not paginated. Silko, Leslie Marmon. Ceremony. New York: Penguin, 1977. Swan, Edith. â€Å"Feminine Perspectives at Laguna Pueblo: Silko’s Ceremony.† Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature 11.2 (Autumn, 1992): 309-328. Work cited from within Swan, Edith: Allen, Paula Gunn. â€Å"The Psychological Landscape of Ceremony.† American Indian Quarterly. 5.1 (1979): 12. 8

Essay examples --

Short Answers – 5 points each. Pick 10 questions 1. Describe two IT initiatives that can help move an organization toward greater process orientation. For each, describe why this would work. Data Collection: IT can help organization plan and control their process by collecting important data. This is an effective way to monitor work and helps reduces errors caused by lack of important information. Process Planning: IT can provide necessary tools for organization to use for effecting planning to meet its business objectives. This will work because it can help then monitor their processes and it can also be used for business analysis. 2. In your own words, describe the difference between a business continuity plan and a disaster recovery plan. Include two things that should be covered in each. Business continuity plan and disaster recovery plan helps organizations prepare for the worse. Business continuity plan is when an organization makes plans to carry on its normal routine after a disaster occurs while disaster recovery plan is when an organization fixes its routines after a serious disaster. 3. Provide two key considerations for determining which business processes as not good candidates for outsourcing. Quality Control: Company must take into consideration the monitoring of the quality of major processes in their business Intellectual Property: Company must not risk their IP being exposed while outsourcing. 4. Explain why installing an enterprise system often requires the redesign of existing business processes and the impact this has on the organization. Installing Enterprise system requires the redesign of existing business processes so it can achieve ideal performance of the integrated modules. This ... ... of the IT of the business. An alternative approach to radical process re-design is the incremental change. The goal of this is to improve business processes through small step by step changes rather than a radical one. This method allows manager to choose a process to improve, chose to measure the improvement and find ways to improve the process based of measurements of improvements collected. Organization should elect to go this route because it give them some sort of control over the improvements that are being made and it may because less damage if something goes wrong. In an incremental change approach, a business manager’s role is to ensure the changes are not detrimental to the overall outcome of the revenue of the company while the IT manager’s role is to monitor the incremental changes over time and providing effective support to implement the changes.

Leadership in Ford

Influence of organizational contexts on leadership in Ford in the US and Europe. Introduction Nowadays organizational context is very important, because leaders have to make decisions relying on big amounts of information, which changes every day. Moreover depending on various situations leadership theories work different, it makes hard to predict the consequences of decisions relying only on theory. Depending on organizational context different leadership style can be used.Throughout the history of Ford, company distinguished itself by iron control of Henry Ford the first and the second. Their â€Å"great man† approach brought success to Ford, but eventually this approach became ineffective due to globalization and changing environment. This resulted in the need for followers of Henry Ford the second to introduce the big change for company, change in leadership approach and organizational culture. In addition Ford opened branches almost all over the world, so new approaches, vision and leadership is needed.This essay will cover questions about different styles of leadership in Ford in the US and Europe, key contextual issues that impact on strategic leadership in Ford and will consider main contextual challenges for Ford leaders. Depending on the context effective leader must be able to adopt his style to the demands and changing environment (Northouse, 2010). Question one The contextual issues significantly impact on strategic leadership. Two main contextual issues that impact on strategic leadership in Ford organizational culture and national culture.Organisational culture is a set of moral precepts, values, norms of behaviour in particular company accepted by members (Besanko et al, 2010). National culture is a set of values, rules, customs, traditions shared by people speaking the same language and having similar mindsets and moral principles (Northouse, 2010). Globalization has created many challenges for organizations including effective selection of leaders, adaptation to many cultures, creation of different approaches to nationally various employees (Northouse, 2010).It became necessary for top managers to take into consideration peculiarities, mentality, values and characteristics of different cultures to develop business abroad, because many problems in relationships between people can occur due to variations in norms, habits and values (Needle, 2004). Ford was not an exception and needed to turn the company around. As a company that was operating not only in US, but also in Europe and still doing it, Ford had to create unique strategy and organizational culture for both areas, which differ from each other.To build a successful strategy it is necessary to know national features of countries where organization is going to operate. According to GLOBE researchers who identified 10 clusters of countries (depending on cultural data), US were set into Anglo cluster and Europe was divided into four clusters: Eastern Europe, Lat in Europe, Germanic Europe and Nordic Europe (House, et al, 2004). These clusters have their own characteristics affecting leadership in particular areas, so demands for leaders in these clusters are different. Two describe how different cultures view leadership behaviors in others GLOBE researchers identified six global leadership behaviors†(House & Javidan, 2004 in Northouse, 2010, p. 348). First is charismatic/value-based leadership that includes being decisive, self-denying and performance oriented, being a motivator and inspirer (Northouse, 2010). Second is team-oriented leadership that includes team building, establishing common goals and such characteristics as diplomacy, collaboration (Northhouse, 2010). Third is participative leadership that means degree to which leader involves employees in decision-making ( Northouse, 2010).Next is â€Å"humane-oriented leadership that emphasizes being supportive, considerate, compassionate, and generous (Northouse, 2010, p. 348). Last is self-protective management that puts on top leaders who are face saving, conflict, aware of their status (Northouse, 2010). In that way Anglo countries including US want leaders to be charismatic, humane-oriented, extremely motivating and visionary, democratic, moreover leaders have to focus on team and to be independent (Northouse, 2010). For this reason Don Petersen and Harold `Red’ Poling with their mindsets perfectly corresponded this requirements.Europe, divided into 4 clusters has its own characteristics, but they are more complex due to peculiarities of clusters. Ideally it is better to have a particular approach for each cluster, nevertheless there are some common requirements for leaders in Europe such as charismatic and value-based person (Norhouse, 2010). As Ford has its offices and plants in Germany, England, Romania, Russia, Belgium, Spain, France and Turkey, it is necessary to consider Latin Europe cluster, Eastern Europe cluster and Germanic Europe clus ter. There are three branches in Germanic cluster: two in Germany and one in Belgium.For this cluster ideal leader is expected to be charismatic, inspirational and autonomous, to have participative style, to focus on team (Northouse, 2010). Two branches are located in Latin Europe Cluster: one in Spain and one in France. In this cluster leader has to be team oriented as well, has to be participative and self-oriented (Northouse, 2010). Two more branches operate in Russia and Romania. For the Eastern European countries it is necessary for leader to have self-protective leadership style, to be team-oriented, to make decisions independently (Nothouse, 2010).All this factors and characteristics of clusters make it very complex to find perfect leadership style, nevertheless there are some points of contact between these clusters. Moreover GLOBE identified 22 leadership attributes that are universally desirable (House, et al, 2004, p. 39). As a result leader is a person who is honest, cha rismatic, value-based and team-oriented (Dorfman et al. , 2004, in Northouse, 2010). In addition Hofstede (2010, in Needle, 2004) identified 5 characteristics on which countries differ from each other. Power distance is the extent to which members of society accept that power is distributed unequally† (Needle, 2004, p. 148). It was found that in France for example power distance is large, on the contrary Germany and the USA, where power distance is small. Individualistic societies are the US and the UK, but Germany and France have also high rate of individualism (Needle, 2004). It means that these countries prefer more to look â€Å"after yourself or your immediate family group† (Needle, 2004, p. 149). â€Å"Uncertainty avoidance is the extent to which members of society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty† (Needle, 2004, p. 49). According to Hofstede (1994, in Needle, 2004) France and Germany tend to be more anxious about the future than UK and US. Masculine soc ieties like USA, UK and Germany used to prefer material success and achievement, while France is more anxious about quality of life and equality between sexes (Needle, 2004). Long-term orientation is not common neither in Germany, or US and UK, so these countries more used to short-term strategies (Needle, 2004). Taking all this facts into consideration becomes clear it is not easy to find appropriate leader for multinational companies like Ford.Leadership style has to be very adaptable and leader has to be competent and skilful. Organizational cultures in Europe and US were different and impacted leadership style in particular way. In US reorganized organizational culture, which was based on employee involvement and participative management demanded leadership style, based on participation, team-orientation, humane-orientation, such qualities as visionary, motivation and inspiration were necessary for leader. In Europe organizational culture has to be perfectly balanced due to the difference in national cultures.In that way organizational culture context in Ford in Europe is closely linked with national culture context and it is very complex mission for leaders to create strong organizational culture in Europe. It is not good for company, if its organizational culture is weak, because it â€Å"sets the scene for the determination of strategy and hence the operational aspects of organizational life† (Needle, 2004, p. 238). Question two There were different contextual challenges for leaders in Ford in Europe and US as a result they managed with them in a different way.One of the most important challenges for leaders in Ford in the US and Europe was getting power in company and control over staff. Power in terms of leadership means â€Å"capacity or potential to influence† (Northouse, 2010, p. 8). They all had position power and it was necessary for them to strengthen their positions in company by getting more power. Petersen with his leadership st yle engaged people feelings, introduced participative management and managed to strengthen his position in company by this approach.This approach perfectly corresponded to main values of Ford, because Petersen obtained ideas and opinions of employees, integrated their suggestions into top decision-making (Northouse, 2010). As a result he got not only position power, but also a personal power. It made possible to influence followers as they saw him as knowledgeable and likable (Northouse, 2010). Moreover it helped him to bring control over employees, who were happy, because they could participate in top-decision making.From that moment he knew the ideas of his followers, and he was using them in the interests of Ford. While Don Petersen was using participative leadership and reshaping goals of employees through mission of Ford, Harold `Red’ Poling was controlling final goal setting. Petersen and Poling managed to brought to Ford’s top team an intuitive and feeling appro ach to decision-making, something which is rarely found at that level (Starkey, 1996, p. 379), because participative leadership and management helps employees learn what leads to what (House & Mitchell, 1974, p. 92, in Northouse, 2010).As Peterson and Poling received more power and control over their followers, there was no need to find new cadres, this resulted in formation of strong team, which was easy to lead. Billy Hayden, Europe’s Vice President of Manufacturing was in other situation. He had to get used to peculiarities of leading in Europe and to adopt his own leadership style. Moreover the situation was more complex than in the US due to high standards of the main rival Toyota. Billy Haeden was going to change behavioural patterns and mindsets in Ford in Europe, but nothing really changed.It caused many problems afterwards. As a result there was no strong team with an intuitive and feeling approach to decision-making which was needed even more than in the US, his lea dership style was backward looking, so the whole organization was not able to compete with Toyota. The only power he had was legitimate power, and without balance like in case with Harold `Red’ Poling and Don Petersen, he was using it in a wrong way. Billy Hayden did not managed to create strong team, because he has given a steady turnover of top cadres and nobody could be a counterbalance for him.Eventually the change in organization, which brought success to Ford in the US, was introduced in Europe, but it was too late. Moreover values, mindsets, norms, patterns that were introduced in the US should be adapted to Europe and leadership style of Billy Hayden did not match these approach. Conclusion Organizational context became very important to every leader, manager and company on the whole. Without taking into consideration organizational context it is very hard and risky for any leader to make important decisions and lead company to success.Organizational contexts influenc e on leadership style, and depending on different peculiarities of context, appropriate leadership style can be chosen. Due to globalization culture context has great impact on leadership style, it became necessary for leader to know main features of mentality of nation in country, where he operates. Ford as a company, which has its branches almost all over the world, faced challenges and it was crucial to find a leader with appropriate leadership style. Don Petersen and Harold `Red’ Poling with their tandem led Ford US to success mostly due to perfect balance of power and participative management.Their style perfectly matched need of Ford in visionary leadership with necessary control. Petersen and Poling also showed the importance of power context. They managed to use not only position power, but personal power as well. Billy Hayden was in different situation, he did not managed to get personal power, and as a result he did not create a strong team, he did not adopt to the national cultures and his leadership style was not able to bring success. These situation emphases on the importance of cultural context, if company operates worldwide.Reference list Besanko, D. , Dranove, D. , Shanley, M. , Schaefer, S. , (2010). Economics of strategy, John Wiley & Sons House, R. J. , Hanges, P. J. , Javidan, M. , Dorfman, P. W. , Gupta, V. , & Associates (Eds. ). (2004). Culture, leadeeship, and organizations: The GLOBE study of 62 societies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Needle, D. , (2004). Business in context, an introduction to business and its environment, Thomson Learning, London. Northouse, P. G. , (2010) Leadership: Theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage