Kants Moral Rationality Essay Example for Free

Kants Moral Rationality Essay In Kant’s book, The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, he believes that the â€Å"good will† is only good in itself and that reason is what produces the â€Å"goodness† of the â€Å"good will.† According to Kant, to act out of a â€Å"good will† means to act out of â€Å"duty,† or doing something because you find it necessary to do. Also, â€Å"good will† is will that is in accordance with reason. He believes everyone has a moral obligation or duty to do actions and he backs his theory up by discussing his idea of the â€Å"moral law. † The â€Å"moral law†, according to Kant, is when one is to act in accordance with the demands of practical reason, or acting done solely out of respect of duty. He says that moral laws will make you will in a certain way and is not subject to something further. Moral laws apply to all rational being in all places at all times. Overall, he believes that morality is on a basis of a priori, or preceding experience. This type of moral law commands us to be truthful from respect for the law and to do the right thing. Morality is about categorical commands that we ought to follow simply because it is the right thing to do. By categorical commands, or categorical imperative, it is supposed to provide us with a way to make moral judgments, which means it is a law. It is a way of coming up with the idea how any action can be rational. He means since all externals are taken from morality, moral commands must be categorical. In his book, Kant explains that he makes five things perfect clear: 1. All moral concepts have their origin entirely a priori in reason. 2. Moral concepts can’t be formed by abstraction from any empirical knowledge or, therefore, from anything contingent. 3. This purity or non-empiricalness of origin is what gives them the dignity of serving as supreme practical principles. 4. Any addition of something empirical takes away just that much of their influence and of the unqualified worth of actions performed in accordance with them. 5. Not only is it necessary in developing a moral theory but also important in our practical lives that we derive the concepts and laws of morals from pure reason and present them pure and unmixed, determining the scope of this entire practical but pure rational knowledge. (Kant 17) Kant goes on to discuss a relationship between the moral law and reason. He says that moral philosophy cannot be merely an empirical inquiry, but that is must be a metaphysical inquiry, and that it must be based on pure practical reason. Pure practical reason is the reason that drives actions without any sensible incentives. Kant also states that Morality is based neither on utility or nature, but on human reason. And this human reason tells us what we ought to do and when we obey this human reason, then we can say we are truly free. Finally, Kant discusses why he thinks that the moral is the rational. He believes that acting dutifully is the same as doing something because rationality tells you to do it. In section three, he discusses how moral principles come from yourself, or your rationality. And how one should treat the idea of will of every rational being as a universal law. Thus, rationality requires us to be moral.

Conflict In Death Of A Salesman English Literature Essay

Conflict In Death Of A Salesman English Literature Essay Conflict is an essential element in all pieces of literature. In Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman, every character in the play deals with conflict at one point or another. However, Willy Loman is confronted with a large amount of conflicts throughout the play. None of Willys conflicts, Willy versus Biff, Willy versus himself, and Willy versus society, are resolved by the end of the play. Willy faces a father-son conflict with Biff throughout the play. When Biff returns home, Willy senses it as a failure. He returns home to find out who he is. Willy desperately wants Biff to succeed in every way possible. However, Willy and Biff have conflicting views of what the American Dream is. Willy believes that selling is the greatest job a man can have. On the contrary, Biff feels that the best job a man can have is working outdoors with his hands. When these two dreams collide, Willy becomes frustrated because he believes he is correct and his way is the only way. This contrast between their beliefs builds up throughout the play up to their final argument near the close of Act II. Biff is the only Loman that is able to see past Willys illusions about life. Will you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens? (133) He is the only one able to see reality. Willy is in a dream world where he believes he is on the verge of success whereas Biff is able to see the ha rsh reality and recognizes that both he and his father are failures. Young Biff had the same beliefs and views as his father, but after discovering his fathers infidelity, these beliefs changed. He realized he didnt want to become like his father and changed his beliefs. By the end of the play, Willys conflict is not resolved. He had all the wrong dreams. (138) Willy and Biffs beliefs are still opposite of each others. Although Biff has found out who he is, it is not the person his father had hoped for. He is not the leader of men and successful salesman his father wanted him to be, he is an ordinary man who plans to go out West. As Willy faced continuing conflict with his son, he also endured conflicts with himself. Willy faces conflicts with his inner self throughout the play. Willy refuses to accept who he is and his self pride is too important to him. Willy Loman refuses to admit that he is an ordinary man. He must be the successful American businessman that is a leader among men. He is in a dream world where he is on the verge of success. Throughout the play, he is at odds with who he perceives himself to be and who he is in reality. He seems to ignore the talent and appreciation he has for carpentry. He believes that if he purses carpentry, he would be beneath himself. Willy struggles with the fact that he will never be able to achieve his perception of who he wants to be. This conflict goes on until his death. He continues to believe he can be on top of the world, but in reality, he is a normal human being. Willy has a strong sense of self pride in him, one that may be too strong. He is afraid to show a lack of it to Charley or his family. When Willy meets Charley at his office in Act II, he offers him a job to help him. However, Willy is too proud of himself and will not work for Charley. He still believes he can survive without Charleys job offer. He doesnt understand that reality that he is a failure. He also considers himself superior to Charley. He believes Charley is not well-liked and is not the ideal character one should be. He knows that accepting a job offer from someone below him would be an insult to his self pride. Willy is also afraid to admit he is done and can not survive anymore to his family. I cant throw myself on my sons. (84) He is also afraid to show any weakness to his sons. Willy dies a man extremely proud of himself. However, he still has not faced the reality of who he truly is. He did not admit he needed help like an ordinary man would, a man just like him. As Willys conflict with himself grew, so did his conflict with his society. Willy is in conflict with society like the majority of American men in the last century. Willy struggles with his selling as he ages. The young Willy was able to make sales easily, but now he is older, and has more difficulty selling. Willy is constantly trying to find the key to success in selling. He constantly worries about other peoples perception of him and blames his lack of success on his physical traits such as his weight and clothing. Willy believes these are the reasons why he has difficulty selling, while in reality, it is the fact that he does not see himself and the world as they really are. When he first started selling, buyers may have been interested in charismatic salesman. However, as time changed, the business world looked for knowledgeable salesman to promote products. Willy is always worried about his appearance up to his death and still has difficulty understanding why he is never accepted as a talented businessman. When Willy talks to Howard about possibly stay ing in New York to sell, Willy feels like he is being thrown away by society. A man is not a piece of fruit! (82) Willy claims a man is not an orange where you eat the orange and throw away the peal. He is referring to himself when he says this. Willy has worked for this business for 34 years and after all his work for the company, he is worth nothing to it. In society, a man is often measured by his income and skills that can be used in society. However, Willy lacks both of these and society deems him as useless. Therefore, Howard fires him from a business standpoint. Willys conflict with society is not resolved. At his funeral, no one comes except for his family and Charley and Bernard. Society found him useless and threw him away. None of Willy Lomans conflicts with Biff, himself, and society are resolved by the end of the play. In his conflict with Biff, he is never able to nurture Biff into the man he wanted him to become. In his conflict with himself, he is never able to see the reality. Finally, in his conflict with society, he is a victim of Americas capitalistic and materialistic environment. However, the main cause of all his conflicts is his inability to see the reality in life. Perhaps that is why he was unable to solve any of his conflicts. However, Willy Loman was a troubled man from the beginning of the play to his death. He was much more than a man who had plenty of conflicts, he was a man who attempted to live the American Dream, but ultimately, his conflicts stopped him.

Factors Determining Layout And Design

Factors Determining Layout And Design Facility layout and design is an important component of a businesss overall operations, both in terms of maximizing the effectiveness of the production process and meeting the needs of employees. The basic objective of layout is to ensure a smooth flow of work, material, and information through a system. The basic meaning of facility is the space in which a businesss activities take place. The layout and design of that space impact greatly how the work is done-the flow of work, materials, and information through the system. The key to good facility layout and design is the integration of the needs of people (personnel and customers), materials (raw, finishes, and in process), and machinery in such a way that they create a single, well-functioning system. FACTORS DETERMINING LAYOUT AND DESIGN Small business owners need to consider many operational factors when building or renovating a facility for maximum layout effectiveness. These criteria include the following: 1. Ease of future expansion or change-Facilities should be designed so that they can be easily expanded or adjusted to meet changing production needs. Although redesigning a facility is a major, expensive undertaking not to be done lightly, there is always the possibility that a redesign will be necessary, Therefore, any design should be flexible. Flexible manufacturing systems most often are highly automated facilities having intermediate-volume production of a variety of products. Their goal is to minimize changeover or setup times for producing the different products while still achieving close to assembly line (single-product) production rates. 2. Flow of movement- the facility design should reflect recognition of the importance of smooth process flow. In the case of factory facilities, the editors of How to Run a Small Business state that ideally, the plan will show the raw materials entering your plant at one end and the finished product emerging at the other. The flow need not be a straight line. Parallel flows, U-shaped patterns, or even a zigzag that ends up with the finished product back at the shipping and receiving bays can be functional. However, backtracking is to be avoided in whatever pattern is chosen. When parts and materials move against or across the overall flow, personnel and paperwork become confused. 3. Materials handling-Small business owners should make certain that the facility layout makes it possible to handle materials (products, equipment, containers, etc.) in an orderly, efficient-and preferably simple-manner. 4. Output needs- the facility should be laid out in a way that is conducive to helping the business meet its production needs. 1. Space utilization-This aspect of facility design includes everything from making sure that traffic lanes are wide enough to making certain that inventory storage warehouses or rooms utilize as much vertical space as possible. 2. Shipping and receiving-counseled small business owners to leave ample room for this aspect of operations. While space does tend to fill itself up, receiving and shipping rarely get enough space for the work to be done effectively, 3. Ease of communication and support-Facilities should be laid out so that communication within various areas of the business and interactions with vendors and customers can be done in an easy and effective manner. Similarly, support areas should be stationed in areas that help them to serve operating areas. 4. Impact on employee morale and job satisfaction-since countless studies have indicated that employee morale has a major impact on productivity, owners and managers to heed this factor when pondering facility design alternatives: Some ways layout design can increase morale are obvious, such as providing for light-colored walls, windows, space. Other ways are less obvious and not directly related to the production process. Some examples are including a cafeteria or even a gymnasium in the facility design. Again, though, there are costs to be traded off. That is, does the increase in morale due to a cafeteria increase productivity to the extent that the increased productivity covers the cost of building and staffing the cafeteria? 5. Promotional value-if the business commonly receives visitors in the form of customers, vendors, investors, etc., the small business owner may want to make sure that the facility layout is an attractive one that further burnishes the companys reputation. Design factors that can influence the degree of attractiveness of a facility include not only the design of the production area itself, but the impact that it has on, for instance, ease of fulfilling maintenance/cleaning tasks. 6. Safety-the facility layout should enable the business to effectively operate in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines and other legal restrictions. Facility layout must be considered very carefully because we do not want to constantly redesign the facility, Some of the goals in designing the facility are to ensure a minimum amount of materials handling, to avoid bottlenecks, to minimize machine interference, to ensure high employee morale and safety, and to ensure flexibility. Essentially, there are two distinct types of layout. Product layout is synonymous with assembly line and is oriented toward the products that are being made. Process layout is oriented around the processes that are used to make the products. Generally, product layout is applicable for high-volume repetitive operations, while process layout is applicable for low-volume custom-made goods. AN IDEAL LAYOUT 1. Transport: Movement of materials is a waste. Minimize the amount of movement by arranging processes in close proximity to each other. Factory layouts can often be the fundamental cause of excess transportation. When appropriate, re-laying out the machines within a factory from a functional to a cellular layout has been found by many companies to help not just reduce transportation waste but also reduce WIP and waiting. Items being moved unnecessarily incur a cost. 2. Inventory: Many companies produce above what is required to fulfill the order, this may be due to quality problems along the production process or the often mistaken belief that is saves money by manufacturing larger quantities. Too little inventory can lose sales; too much inventory can hide problems. 3. Motion: Generally, this waste applies to production personnel having to move out of their work area to locate tools, materials, etc. Remove unnecessary motion of the operations and improve the ergonomics of the workplace. People moving unnecessarily also incur a cost. 4. Waiting: Minimize waiting time (operators waiting for machines or products waiting around in factories either as finished goods or work in progress) Aim for a smooth flow. 5. Overproduction: Always aim to make exactly what the customer orders, just in time, to the correct quality standard. On the shop floor, this generally occurs because changeover times are high, equipment is unreliable, the process is unreliable (causes defects), and standard cost accounting metrics are used. However, probably the biggest reason for overproduction is poor information flow (communication) between facilities. 6. Over Processing: Use machines which are of an appropriate capacity and capable of achieving the required quality standard. This usually refers to using larger scale equipment than necessary; it also refers to building in rework to a process. It can also refer to using the wrong suppliers and/or the wrong process. 7. Defects: Reducing the number of defects directly reduces the amount of waste. Aim for zero defects. The efficiency of production depends on how well the various machines; production facilities and employees amenities are located in a plant. Only the properly laid out plant can ensure the smooth and rapid movement of material, from the raw material stage to the end product stage. Plant layout encompasses new layout as well as improvement in the existing layout. It may be defined as a technique of locating machines, processes and plant services within the factory so as to achieve the right quantity and quality of output at the lowest possible cost of manufacturing. It involves a judicious arrangement of production facilities so that workflow is direct. Plant layout refers to the arrangement of physical facilities such as machinery, equipment, furniture etc. within the factory building in such a manner so as to have quickest flow of material at the lowest cost and with the least amount of handling in processing the product from the receipt of material to the shipment of the finished product. The overall objective of plant layout is to design a physical arrangement that most economically meets the required output quantity and quality., Plant layout ideally involves allocation of space and Arrangement of equipment in such a manner that overall operating costs are minimized. IMPORTANCE Plant layout is an important decision as it represents long-term commitment. An ideal plant layout should provide the optimum relationship among output, floor area and manufacturing process. It facilitates the production process, minimizes material handling, time and cost, and allows flexibility of operations, easy production flow, makes economic use of the building, promotes effective utilization of manpower, and provides for employees convenience, safety, comfort at work, maximum exposure to natural light and ventilation. It is also important because it affects the flow of material and processes, labour efficiency, supervision and control, use of space and expansion possibilities etc. ESSENTIALS REQUIREMENTS An efficient plant layout is one that can be instrumental in achieving the following objectives: a) Proper and efficient utilization of available floor space. b) To ensure that work proceeds from one point to another point without any delay. c) Provide enough production capacity. d) Reduce material handling costs. e) Reduce hazards to personnel. f) Utilize labour efficiently. g) Increase employee morale. h) Reduce accidents. i) Provide for volume and product flexibility. j) Provide ease of supervision and control. k) Provide for employee safety and health. l) Allow ease of maintenance. m) Allow high machine or equipment utilization. n) Improve productivity. FACTORS INFLUENCING LAYOUT While deciding his factory or unit or establishment or store, a small-scale businessman should keep the following factors in mind: a) Factory building: The nature and size of the building determines the floor space available for layout. While designing the special requirements, e.g. air conditioning, dust control, humidity control etc. must be kept in mind. b) Nature of product: product layout is suitable for uniform products whereas process layout is more appropriate for custom-made products. c) Production process: In assembly line industries, product layout is better. In job order or intermittent manufacturing on the other hand, process layout is desirable. d) Type of machinery: General purpose machines are often arranged as per process layout while special purpose machines are arranged according to product layout. e) Repairs and maintenance: machines should be so arranged that adequate space is available between them for movement of equipment and people required for repairing the machines. f) Human needs: Adequate arrangement should be made for cloakroom, washroom, lockers, drinking water, toilets and other employee facilities, proper provision should be made for disposal of effluents, if any. g) Plant environment: Heat, light, noise, ventilation and other aspects should be duly considered, e.g. paint shops and plating section should be located in another hall so that dangerous fumes can be removed through proper ventilation etc. Adequate safety arrangement should also be made. Thus, the layout should be conducive to health and safety of employees. It should ensure free and efficient flow of men and materials. Future expansion and diversification may also be considered while planning factory layout. DYNAMICS OF PLANT LAYOUT Plant layout is a dynamic rather than a static concept meaning thereby if once done it is not permanent in nature rather improvement or revision in the existing plant layout must be made by keeping a track with development of new machines or equipment, improvements in manufacturing process, changes in materials handling devices etc. But, any revision in layout must be made only when the savings resulting from revision exceed the costs involved in such revision. Revision in plant layout may become necessary on account of the following reasons: a) Increase in the output of the existing product b) Introduction of a new product and diversification c) Technological advancements in machinery, material, processes, product design, fuel etc. d) Deficiencies in the layout unnoticed by the layout engineer in the beginning. APPLICABILITY OF PLANT LAYOUT Plant layout is applicable to all types of industries or plants. Certain plants require special arrangements which, when incorporated make the layout look distinct form the types already discussed above. Applicability of plant layout in manufacturing and service industries is discussed below. In case of the manufacturing of detergent powder, a multi-story building is specially constructed to house the boiler. Materials are stored and poured into the boiler at different stages on different floors. Other facilities are also provided around the boiler at different stations. Another applicability of this layout is the manufacture of talcum powder. Here machinery is arranged vertically i.e. from top to bottom. Thus, material is poured into the first machine at the top and powder comes out at the bottom of the machinery located on the ground floor. Yet another applicability of this layout is the newspaper plant, where the time element is of supreme importance, the accomplishment being gapped in seconds. Here plant layout must be simple and direct so as to eliminate distance, delay and confusion. There must be a perfect coordination of all departments and machinery or equipment, as materials must never fail. Plant layout is also applicable to five star hotels as well. Here lodging, bar, restaurant, kitchen, stores, swimming pool, laundry, shaving saloons, shopping arcades, conference hall, parking areas etc. should all find an appropriate place in the layout. Here importance must be given to cleanliness, elegant appearance, convenience and compact looks, which attract customers. Similarly plant layout is applicable to a cinema hall, where emphasis is on comfort, and convenience of the cinemagoers. The projector, screen, sound box, firefighting equipment, ambience etc. should be of utmost importance. A plant layout applies besides the grouping of machinery, to an arrangement for other facilities as well. Such facilities include receiving and dispatching points, inspection facilities, employee facilities, storage etc. Generally, the receiving and the dispatching departments should be at either end of the plant. The storeroom should be located close to the production, receiving and dispatching centers in order to minimize handling costs. The inspection should be right next to other dispatch department as inspections are done finally, before dispatch. The maintenance department consisting of lighting, safety devices, fire protection, collection and disposal of garbage, scrap etc. should be located in a place which is easily accessible to all the other departments in the plant. The other employee facilities like toilet facilities, drinking water facilities, first aid room, cafeteria etc. This can be a little away from other departments but should be within easy reach of the employees. Hence, there are the other industries or plants to which plant layout is applicable. The importance of a layout would be better appreciated if one understands the influence of an efficient layout on the manufacturing function: it makes it smooth and efficient. Operating efficiencies, such as economies in the cost of handling materials, minimization of production delays and avoidance of bottlenecks all these depend on a proper layout. An ideally laid out plant reduces manufacturing costs through reduced materials handling, reduced personnel and equipment requirements and reduced process inventory. The objectives or advantages of an ideal layout are outlined in the paragraphs that follow. The advantages are common to all the plants, irrespective of age; and whether a plant employs 50 workers or 50,000 makes no difference in so far as the applicability of the plant layout advantages is concerned. Some of these advantages are: Economies in Handling Nearly 30% to 40% of the manufacturing cost is accounted for, by materials handling. Every effort should, therefore, be made to cut down on this cost. Long distance movements should be avoided and specific handling operations must be eliminated. A cynic may say that the cheapest way to handle materials is not to handle them at all. But, in a factory, materials have to be handled; and therefore, it all depends on the layout. Effective Use of Available Area Every inch of the plant area is valuable, especially in urban areas. Efforts should therefore be made to make use of the available area by planning the layout properly. Some steps for achieving this end are: location of equipment and services in order that they may perform multiple functions; development of up-to-date work areas and operator job assignments for a full utilization of the labor force. Minimization of Production Delays Repeat orders and new customers will be the result of prompt execution of orders. Every management should try to keep to the delivery schedules. Often, the deadline dates for delivery of production orders are a bug-a-boo to the management. Plant layout is a significant factor in the timely execution of orders. An ideal layout eliminates such causes of delays as shortage of space, long-distance movements of materials, spoiled work and thus contributes to the speedy execution of orders. Improved Quality Control Timely execution of orders will be meaningful when the quality of the output is not below expectations. To ensure quality, inspection should be conducted at different stages of manufacture. An ideal layout provides for inspection to ensure better quality control. Minimum Equipment Investment Investment on equipment can be minimized by planned machine balance and location, minimum handling distances, by the installation of general purpose machines and by planned machine loading. A good plant layout provides all these advantages. Avoidance of Bottlenecks Bottlenecks refer to any place in a production process where materials tend to pile up or are produced at a speed, less rapid than the previous or subsequent operations. Bottlenecks are caused by inadequate machine capacity, inadequate storage space or low speed on part of the operators. The results of bottlenecks are delays in productions schedules, congestion, accidents and wastage of floor area. All these may be overcome with an efficient layout. Better Production Control Production Control is concerned with the production of the product of the right type, at the right time and at a reasonable cost. A good plant layout is a requisite for good production control and provides the production control officers with a systematic basis upon which to build organization and procedures. Better Supervision A good plant layout ensures better supervision in two ways: 1. Determining the number of workers to be handled by a supervisor and 2. Enabling the supervisor to get a full view of the entire plant at one glance. A good plant layout is, therefore, the first step to good supervision. Improved Utilization of Labor Labor is paid for every hour it spends in the factory. The efficiency of a management lies in utilizing the time for productive purpose. A good plant layout is one of the factors in effective utilization of labor. It makes possible individual operations, the process and flow of materials handling in such a way that the time of each worker is effectively spent on productive operations. Improved Employee Morale Employee morale is achieved when workers are cheerful and confident. This state of mental condition is vital to the success of any organization. Morale depends on: (a) Better working condition; (b) Better employee facilities; (c) Reduced number of accidents; (d) Increased earnings. Plant layout has a bearing on all these. Avoidance of unnecessary and costly changes. A planned layout avoids frequent changes which are difficult and costly. The incorporation of flexibility elements in the layout would help in the avoidance of revisions.

The Pearl : Appearances Can Be Deceiving Essay -- essays research pape

John Steinbeck's The Pearl tells the story of Kino, a poor pearl diver who lives in Mexico with his wife, Juana and his baby boy, Coyotito. One day Kino finds a huge pearl worth a great deal of money. Kino dreams of being rich and buying all that he wants after he sells the pearl. The one thing that Kino doesn't realize is that there are many people who will do anything to steal the pearl from him. No one ever suspects the pearl's power todeceive, corrupt, and destroy. Hence, The Pearl depicts the ultimate battle between good and evil. When Kino finds the pearl he is shocked. " It was as large as a seagull's egg. It was the greatest pearl in the world" (Steinbeck 19).Kino and Juana revel in the excitement thatsurrounds Kino's finding the pearl, but their happiness soon turns to distrust. The pearl buyers, whoKino has to sell the pearls to in order to make a profit, try to cheat him. They tell him that the pearl is so big that it has no value. Kino has to hide the pearl, but while he sleeps a thief tries to steal it. The doctor who would not treat Coyotito's scorpion bite when they had no money now comes to them offering the best medical care he can provide.As the story of Kino's situation unfolds, Kino is forced to kill three men, and worst of all, Kino accidentally shoots Coyotito in the head while he is trying to shoot his pursuers. Finally, at Juana's urging, Kino throws the pearl back into the sea. He has made nothing from his fin... The Pearl : Appearances Can Be Deceiving Essay -- essays research pape John Steinbeck's The Pearl tells the story of Kino, a poor pearl diver who lives in Mexico with his wife, Juana and his baby boy, Coyotito. One day Kino finds a huge pearl worth a great deal of money. Kino dreams of being rich and buying all that he wants after he sells the pearl. The one thing that Kino doesn't realize is that there are many people who will do anything to steal the pearl from him. No one ever suspects the pearl's power todeceive, corrupt, and destroy. Hence, The Pearl depicts the ultimate battle between good and evil. When Kino finds the pearl he is shocked. " It was as large as a seagull's egg. It was the greatest pearl in the world" (Steinbeck 19).Kino and Juana revel in the excitement thatsurrounds Kino's finding the pearl, but their happiness soon turns to distrust. The pearl buyers, whoKino has to sell the pearls to in order to make a profit, try to cheat him. They tell him that the pearl is so big that it has no value. Kino has to hide the pearl, but while he sleeps a thief tries to steal it. The doctor who would not treat Coyotito's scorpion bite when they had no money now comes to them offering the best medical care he can provide.As the story of Kino's situation unfolds, Kino is forced to kill three men, and worst of all, Kino accidentally shoots Coyotito in the head while he is trying to shoot his pursuers. Finally, at Juana's urging, Kino throws the pearl back into the sea. He has made nothing from his fin...

The Gap Between ESL Programs and Mainstream Academics :: Education Academics China Language Essays

The Gap Between ESL Programs and Mainstream Academics The world of Academia is daunting even for one who speaks the language of the culture in which it is embedded. As I set about writing this paper, I must – as I imagine Ryuko Kubota must also have done in her crusade against stereotypical theories – make this subject real for me. This process of making sense of what has already been written, of my own and others’ responses to them, of how it applies to what I have observed in the real life of a Japanese student grappling through the rhetorical and cultural jungles, and how to synthesis it all into a crisp-written thesis, feels very much like preparing to birth a perfect, unwieldy egg. I have a vague vision of how it might look, yet I’ve no idea how it is supposed to come out of me. And, furthermore, what might hatch from it once it is in the world. This allows me a new appreciation for those going through this process without the advantage of their first language. This also stirs a sense of responsibility brought to my attention by Ruth Spack regarding the integrity of researchers – or anyone actively utilizing the discourse of dominance – who have in their hands not only the power of influencing individuals’ experiences learning a language, but swaying the course of social perception. In her criticism of the intellectual irresponsibility of colleagues such as Murphy, Carson & Nelson, whose poorly-supported generalizations about eastern cultures created a â€Å"snowball effect† in succeeding literature, she warned of the danger of seemingly harmless assertions being â€Å"treated as cultural truths and then applied inappropriately to other cases† (Spack, 769). It is with such particular acts that dangerous assumptions can debilitate core efforts toward clearer communication. It is therefore both with a sense of compassion for those having to situate themselves – and succeed – in a discourse not their own, and a sense of duty to contribute to a vaster understanding and acceptance of our world’s multiple consciousnesses, that I approach the issue of contrastive rhetoric and L2 writing. With unabashed contempt for the tendencies toward mass stereotyping found in much of the literature on contrastive rhetoric (except for recent criticism from Spack, Kubota and the like), I wanted to narrow the scope of my thesis as much as possible – to ground it in the directly-observable, and to strip away any supposition that my views are anything other than subjective.

Integrative Problems and Virtual Organization

Integrative Problems and Virtual Organization LaShell Johnson Lynnette O’Neil Thomas Hernandez University of Phoenix Finance for Business FIN 370 Bruce Fox December 14, 2011 Integrative Problems and Virtual Organization Lafleur Trading Company is a private company that has supplied the world with the finest food and wines over 3 dozen trading partners across the planet. Recently, they have decided to expand their operations. Looking at their options, they may expand by acquiring another organization in the same industry, go public through an IPO, or merge with another organization.Below are the pros and cons that may come with each approach. One advantage of being a privately held company is the ability to move quickly without having to obtain approval of shareholders or a board of directors. The owners of a privately held company have a greater interest in the success of the business because of the greater risk the owners face. It would be easier and faster to acquire a compa ny in the same industry. The company would obtain a new customer base and potentially be obtaining new technology that would improve overall operational effectiveness.When an organization decides to expand their business by acquiring another organization in the same industry, there are a few things that need to be considered. An acquisition can be defined as the purchase of one business or company by another company or business entity. One of the strengths of acquiring another company is the fact that they have so many trading partners across a wide range. Lafleur Trading Company only deals with reputable producers and exporters which shows that they are more than capable of handling more responsibility. Their extensive list of products includes seafood, wine, fruit, vegetables, cheese and maple products.If a friendly acquisition occurs, both companies would work together and negotiate the arrangements. Learning more efficient ways for production can also be discovered during the pr ocess of an acquisition. There are weaknesses during this process such as transferring of technologies and capabilities can prove difficult because of acquisition implementation. There is always a risk of losing implicit knowledge during a fast paced acquisition. A lack of adequate record keeping can prove costly and time consuming for the acquiring company. There are always opportunities when a company acquires another.For one, the company can increase supply-chain pricing power by buying out one of its suppliers. This allows a company to eliminate a level of costs. Another opportunity to be had is eliminating competition in order to gain a larger market share in its product’s market. An example of a threat would be a hostile takeover. This is when one company buys another against its will. Employees of the acquired company may feel threatened thus resulting in a lack of communication which may be beneficial to the acquiring firm. Expanding through acquisition also has hidde n risks; there may be potential law suits that are unknown at the time of purchase.If the acquisition is not structured properly, the acquiring company would have to absorb all the potential liabilities. Another way to expand a privately owned company is to undertake an Initial Public Offering, or a sale of stock by a private company to the public. Companies undertaking IPO may request assistance of an Investment Banking firm to help assess the values of their shares. When the company list their shares to the public exchange, the money paid by investors for those shares goes directly to the company.IPO enables a company access to money, provided by investors, which they can use as capital for future growth. Of course there are variables that may or may not benefit the expanding company. One of the benefits of an IPO is the media coverage the business receives. When favorable, the company’s reputation of its products and services attract more investors. The company’s ac tivities will also be reflected in the reports of professional financial analysts. Positive public profile not only support liquidity of the shares, but also becomes a desirable and reliable partner.Banks also become keen on extending loans with lower interest rates (Trust Capital Group, 2003-2011) Going public also provides its challenges. One of the most important challenges is the need for added disclosure for investors. Public companies are also regulated by the Securities Exchange Act in regards to periodic financial reporting’s. These requirements increase legal, accounting and marketing costs. If La Fleur Trading Company would rather not deal with these additional regulations, they may also decide to merge with another organization.The strengths of merging with another organization, for La Fleur Trading Company can be very beneficial for the company, as its definition says merging is the acquisition of another firm, or merging is the result when two firms unite into on e, some of the benefits of emerging with another firm can be economies of scale and a more improved organizational efficiency, it also reduces the staff costs, and general expenses, all this factors have convinced more and more firms to merge with another firm over an IPO.However there might be some weaknesses when merging with another firm, like in every firm there might be some risks to take when making a business, some of the disadvantages of merging with another firm might be, legal expenses, short term opportunity costs, costs and expenses related with the takeover or the merger, potential devaluation of equity and some possible intangible costs that may affect the firms, as a result merging with another firm can be very beneficial or very risky, it may benefit the firms by creating and saving more money for both, or it can be very devastating for both by the much more greater losses that the companies are going to lose with the merging of both firms. In conclusion, we have det ermined that Lafleur Trading Company should choose the route of merging with another organization because of the type of business it is. It would be more feasible to merge with another firm and gain additional trading partners through that process.By going through an acquisition, the company may lose the existing relationships with the trading partners which would be more costly to start over. As a privately held company, there are no concerns with having to obtain approval of shareholders or a board of directors. It would be easier and faster to merge with a company in the same industry. The company would obtain a new customer base and potentially be obtaining new technology that would improve overall operational effectiveness. Reference Trust Capital Group. (2003-2011). IPO Benefits. Retrieved from http://www. trust-capital. com/page. php? id=73&&PHPSESSID=798a964978326d6fb0a20625b21ecca6 Keown, A. J. , Martin, J. D. , Petty, J. W. , & Scott, D. F. (2005). Financial Management: Pr inciples and applications (10th ed. ).

Erikson’s Time Line Essay

The aspect of psychology mainly studies the behavioral characteristics and personality of each individual in relation to their motivation, actual manifestations in terms of their actions, traits, perception, reasoning and others. In this concern, the science of psychology uses numerous approaches and concepts in its exploration of the human field in disseminating and explaining the significant and influential factors to the development of individuality and personality complex. Relative to the actual concern, the field of psychology also take the backward approach wherein it explains the background of each action and decision of each individual influential to their arrival to that certain point including the relationship of previous experiences, childhood factors, and other relevant issues. However, influential in the general pursuit of the study of psychology is the approach of gradually exploring the human development through disseminating the person’s life into progressive stages. In this concern, the concept of Erikson’s time line becomes a significant concept offering understanding towards a person’s personality and behavior. According to Erikson’s time line, each individual passes through each life-stage virtues as he or she age in life wherein the person’s behavior and personality develop as he or she contemplates over specific stage contrast. In each stage, a person must assess two different virtues relative to the age and level of his or her life determining how the person mature towards reaching the next level and proceed through life development. On assessing the personal journey of the author of this paper based on this time line, it likely appears that this author is within the fidelity stage wherein he is dominantly contemplating with the concept of identity and role confusion. In this particular stage, the person is still determining the path of which to pursue in life relative to the determination of his or her dominant identity on social and career matters. This is largely true in the author of this paper of which, he is still experimenting and deciding on the path of his passion, motivation, and determination. Mostly, the pressure of determining the person’s life conclusion gives the most hindrance in this stage of which is likewise true for the author of this paper. In addition, the challenge of finding the suitable and effective model from which to relate ones decision in this stage is also a crucial matter towards conquering this stage. Indeed, the author of this paper is within this stage of choosing the best position and the proper direction for his life which will likely determine his career and maturity development into becoming a successful adult in the future. Bibliography Dr. Boeree, C. George (2006). Erik Erikson. Personality Theories. http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/erikson.html. May 3, 2008