Critical literary essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical literary - Essay Example the Magi† O’ Henry primarily deals with the passion of two opposite sexes for each other, at the inner level of it, he leaves a message that is more serious than it sounds on the surface level. It is the message that appeals to the readers to review their own relationship with their female counterpart of the society. For those readers who are not acquainted with some of his other stories like â€Å"Hearts and Hands†, â€Å"the Romance of a Busy Broker† and â€Å"Girl† may easily mistake his handling of â€Å"love† between Jim and Della for an anecdote that is devoid of any complex theme. In this regard Rena Korb says, â€Å"The majority of critics then dubbed O. Henry’s stories facile, anecdotal, superficial, and flippant† (1). But these stories fairly play the role of a foil to â€Å"the Gift of the Magi†. While reading â€Å"the Gift of the Magi† a reader may perceive the amorous bond between Jim and Della as it is. But when one reads â€Å"the Romance of the Busy Broker†, he is confronted with the question what love should be and immediately the answer lies in the reflection of â€Å"the Gift of the Magi† that love is as unconditional and spontaneous as Jim-Della’s is. Therefore the themes in these stories are comple mentary to each other that integrate into a more holistic view of Henry about the amorous relationship between opposite sexes. When critics comment that â€Å"the Gift of the Magi† is nothing more than a mere anecdote, it is the problem of their approach that fails to delve deep into the message of the author. As the formalist critics are exclusively engaged with the author’s intention and style, they cannot interpret the message that the author leaves it in his story for his readers. Hence the reader-response approach to Henry’s stories is more holistic than the formalist approach. In general, critics on the story, â€Å"the Gift of the Magi† are of the opinion that his approach to human passion like â€Å"love† is more of the fantasy than of

The Importance of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise in the UK Case Study

The Importance of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise in the UK - Case Study Example As such, effective planning, control, organization, and coordination within a typical travel agency must be evident fro the efficiency and effectiveness of the services offered. The past studies and researchers on business management and entrepreneurship has extensively criticized the pure approach to formal strategic planning. Mintzberg (1978) argued that "contemporary prescription and normative techniques to business analysis and planning seem unable to address the complex reality of strategy formation". This was supported by Peters and Waterman (1982) when they concluded that formal strategic planning leads to "paralysis induced by analysis". Hills (1994) similarly found out that formal strategic planning was useful in the evaluation of opportunities, setting priorities, and implementation but not at the creative stage of identifying opportunities. In this regard, it appears that a good business strategy makes it a point to integrate and harmonize the goals, policies and actions of the organization into a tactical coherence in order to ensure and guarantee the success in the industry. The integration of the conservative and traditional management practices was observed in the ever-increasing complexity of the business environment. The technological advancements that characterizes the information era at present paved the way to the efficient conceptualization of more creative and effective business frameworks which when utilized by business companies will open more possibilities and better position in the competitive atmosphere in the industry. Hence, identifying the use of the control and the creative aspects in operating a business should be distinguished by a well-rounded entrepreneur. These will serve as the key to achieving the economic goals set by the by the entrepreneur for the overall success of the business since pure approach to operating a business venture will not exhaust the full potential of a particular business establishment. This paper aims to define what a "best entrepreneur" is, the qualities and characteristics of a good entrepreneur will be presented. The study chose two best entrepreneurs from United Kingdom, and they are Anita Riddick, the founder of The Body Shop and Joe Ashburner of Noonoo Designs. Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is valuable to the enterprise and also necessitates creativity as this aspect involves a constant search for new ways to compete in the market place. As all firms are always on the constant renewal mode, creative ideas must always be within reach. Indeed, the enterprise needs individuals who can couple a firm's capability and adapt to the rapid changes of the marketplace. This is not a role shouldered by the management alone, but must be shared with the participants as well, especially those working closely closest to the customers. Value-added entrepreneurial capability includes the ability and willingness to remain alert to the opportunities to the firm and to participate in the development of a solution. So as to make the most of each individual's contribution and productivity, it is probably more effective if each will be given an area of expertise. In this way, an individual can develop a capability in that arena, which will not only apply to individuals but also to their organizations. Network leadership must also enlist coalition attitudes so as to rekindle a sense of community. For an organization, this is a sense of belonging even if it is for a short period of time.

Weaknesses of Stainless Steel

Weaknesses of Stainless Steel Introduction This report has been written to give you the reader a basic understanding of stainless steel. The report will explain how it is made, uses in industry and the strengths and weaknesses of the material. History Originally known as rust less steel, stainless was officially discovered between the years of 1900 and 1915. There is no exact date of creation as the discovery was the culmination of many works, the first of which is recorded in 1821. A Frenchman named Berthier found that when iron is alloyed with chromium it becomes resistant to some acids. Further developments were made in 1872, when three British scientists tried to patient their version of stainless steel which contained, 30-35% chromium and 1.5-2% tungsten, which they too declared was weather and acid resistant. Three years later in 1875 another Frenchman, Brustlien, discovered the iron used to make stainless had to have a very low carbon content, of only 0.15%, which was only discovered because ferrochrome became available. Why this material is considered useful or important? Stainless steel is considered to be very useful because it is ductile and malleable and produced to withstand the elements, resisting oxidation and staining. With over 150 various different stainless steel compounds there is one to suit most applications where other metals maybe used. Where is it found? Stainless steel is not found, it is manufactured from various elements depending on its required use. All stainless steel begins as low carbon steel (50% or more) which is combined with 10 to 26% chromium, to create the base of all stainless steels. which is a hard metal with a high melting point. What are the raw materials that are used to produce this material? The raw materials use to produce stainless steels are, a minimum of 50% low carbon steel, and at least 10% of chromium. Depending on the grade of stainless steel other elements will be added during production including nickel, nitrogen and molybdenum which will give added resistance to various forms of corrosion and can also reduce the overall weight. What are its applications in industry? Stainless steel is used widely across many industries such as: Surgical tools: Forceps, needles, scissors and scalpels Kitchen ware: Pots, pans, knives and forks Architectural structures and panels: roofing, decorative pieces eg. Empire state building Storage containers: For liquid chemicals to beer or milk. Automotive parts: car exhausts, catalytic converters, trim pieces and fasteners Marine: Handles, nuts and bolts, frames and fixtures Even down to the most basic nuts and bolts. The most commonly used form of stainless is 304 due to is cost, strength, versatility and finish available along with its great welding and forming characteristics. 304 is austenitic meaning it is a non metallic solid solution of iron and carbon which contains no more than 0.08% carbon, and a minimum of 8% nickel and 18% chromium 316 is the most common form of stainless steel after 304 and is often referred to as marine/ surgical grade stainless. Due to the fact that 316 is sold as a marine grade of stainless it has to resist chloride corrosion caused by salt water, so the addition of molybdenum is required. Molybdenum is a silver coloured element which has an extremely high melting point and when alloyed with steel becomes very hard and resistant to salt corrosion. This is why 316 is suitable for marine use and is also used in surgical and food and beverage applications such as milk storage tanks and piping where a sterile environment is very important. For applications where heat is an issue titanium can added to raise the melting point 321 other wise know as aircraft grade stainless has an increased resistance to temperature, withstanding 600-900Â °C What are its properties; i.e., mechanical, electrical, thermal, chemical, physical, etc. Mechanical properties of stainless steel are its ability to What are its strengths and it limitations? The biggest strength of stainless steel is that it has a very high resistance to oxidation. Although there are many other advantages: Low maintenance: Rarely requires cleaning Anti staining and wont rust: due to the chromium in stainless steel, which reacts to oxygen creating a protective surface layer over the metal, it is very hard to stain, or create rust. High positive and negative temperatures: The ability to withstand temperature allows stainless to be used in a wide range of different environments. Pressure: Stainless steels ability to contain high pressures make it ideal for storage containers and piping. Malleable and ductile: Stainless is most commonly produced in coils, sheets, plates, bars and tubes of differing size. What are the future demands and applications on this material? Stainless steel will be use for long time to come into the future. Although there is no specific future applications that stainless will be in demand for it will be a material which will continue to be used for many years to come purely because stainless steel is 100 recyclable. Even the majority of stainless steel produced today will contain up to 60% recycled material. Knife http://www.valleymartialarts.com/index.php?main_page=indexcPath=3_18 Kitchen http://www.furniturestoreblog.com/2009/01/24/the_ultimate_stainless_steel_kitchen_from_strato.html Tubes http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/metals-metal-products/stainless-steel-tubes Chromium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molybdenum http://www.wisegeek.com/how-is-stainless-steel-made.htm http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=965 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_steel_grades http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel#Uses_in_sculpture.2C_building_facades_and_building_structures

Macro Economic Factors Affecting the Video Game Console Essay

Demographic Factors: Age is the main demographic factor affecting the market for video game consoles although common misconceptions are that the market is mainly comprised of teenagers. Recent Studies shows that the largest market sector of video game console purchases are teenagers or young adults. ESA demographic data shows that America’s average game player’s age is 34 and the average age of game purchasers is 40 (see article x) Generational factors play a big role in the market sector of gamers who purchase more than one game console, buy the latest version and buy games into adulthood. In 2010 26% of gamers were over 50. There is a definite generational factor as many of the consumers were in their teens when the mass video gaming culture began and now are in their 40s or 50s and have retained their gamer status, therefore are also ready to adopt new products. Gender is another factor that should be noted. Female gamers are a large portion of the video console market although significantly less than their online gaming counterparts. ESA research predicts that 40% of video game players are females. Economic Factors: Household income  ± studies have shown that video games in the toys and games market are able to gain a significant share of the market the larger the average household incomes are of a given market segment or particular region. For video games to comprise of 15% market share in toys and games of a given country, 60% of the population must earn incomes above US $15,000 (see figure x). Business cycle-The sale of consumer electronics andnovelty products are influencedby macroeconomic factors of a country. If there are recessionary or inflationary pressures, sales are likely to be affected sincechanges in consumers behaviour is determined by the perceived increase or decrease in the level of disposable income. This is, however, likely to have a short term impact and in the long run will have negligible changes on the sales of video game consoles, as business cycles return to a favourable position for higher consumer spending. Demand elasticity- Video Game consoles have a price elastic demand (for a portion of the consumer market) and combined with a high substitutability factors creates susceptibility to changes in competitor’s prices or quality hence impacting the size and share of the market for our product. Factors that change the cross price elasticity of our product need to be considered and addressed. Technological Factors: Innovation R&D- Technology, particularly technological innovation is a critical factor in the video game console market, and the leading competitors Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo have significant R&D invested in technology improvements. If our product development lifecycle does not include product improvements that are comparable to the leading competitor’s product, future success will not be guaranteed. Compatibility – Hardware issues include compatibility with existing hardware and the ease and cost of switching to the use of new hardware. Our product has the benefit of not requiring additional video output devices, i. e. television sets and monitors. Software Development -Technological developments in the software developing industries with which we have partnerships and licencing contracts will affect the attractiveness of our virtual video game console and hence indirectly affect sales generated. Also revenues generated from licencing and subcontracting are dependent on the success of game software publishers; a tactic to reduce risk would be to diversify the scope and use of our product, i. . develop a large partner relation database. Political Environment: Industry Regulation plays an important role in the success and growth of any technology specific product. It will invariably depend on the industry regulations specified the country code of regulatory law when production and manufacture will be conducted but also within the countries where target market segments reside. Ownership of manufacturing, distribution, and exporting firms also vary in different countries and will need to be considered before launching a worldwide market strategy. Trade Barriers -The trade and product specification restrictions on use of certain technology and/or products as well as licencing and exporting costs of the distribution and sale of various product categoriesdiffer between countries/regions and will have a large impact on the competitiveness of the virtual video game console. This can be in the form of trade barriers or indirect barriers through the use of health and safety standards, product labelling and advertising laws and restrictions. Intellectual Property Rights – Legal issues in country of sale, aside from aforementioned industry regulations, include trademarks, copyrights, licensing, patent applications, online ownership, and revenue recognition. Piracy and counterfeiting issues will need to be considered. It has become an accepted practice for the console manufacturers to lose money on the hardware and to recover the loss by charging high licensing fees to game publishers and developers. IPR standards are weakly enforced in many emerging markets with large market potential such as China, Brazil, and Russia. Environmental Factors: Raw Materials  ± The Video Game industry uses a lot of plastic resources and requires the use of scarce metals for its hardware. Given the negative public view on large amounts of non-biodegradable waste product, manufacturing processes and the use of valuable raw materials in the virtual video game console need to be carefully considered. Energy usage and efficiency- The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently published a study on American energy usage with specific regard to game consoles and found that game consoles consume roughly 16 billion kilowatt hours annually(see figure x). These finding were based on the assumption that half of the consoles are left on or on standby after use. A console that has timed automatic shutdown, as the virtual gaming console does, reduces this energy wastage. Health related concerns ± There is a general perception that frequent video gaming has a negative impact on a person health. However this perception may subject to change as research shows contrasting outcomes that there is the view that considers such side-effects to be ‘relatively minor or temporary’ (Griffiths 2002) and that finds playing computer games is comparable to a mild intensity exercise: with normal use, playing may neither improve nor harm physical fitness (Emes 1997)? Cultural Factors: Fashion Trends: Video Game console purchases are often made according to similar purchases made in a consumer’s social reference groups. Word of mouth and peer reference can play a crucial role in the choice of video game consoles. Networkingcapabilities ± the ability to connect to a large number of players online through a portable console has a definite cultural factor as the popular use of online networks determine the success of the addition of these features. Recreational Alternatives- changes in the demand for video game console may be created through a shifting trend in choice of recreational methods. Advances in the market for other toys and games could play an important role.

Marxist View on the Family

Marxists Views on the Family There are three Marxists views of the family, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels and Eli Zaretsky; they all see all institutions such as education, the media and the family as maintaining class inequality and capitalism. Marxism is a as conflict perspective as it describes a form of inequality where groups could potentially competes for power. Modern Marxist agrees that: * Families socialise children to be obedient and hardworking, which benefits capitalists; * Wealth is passed down families, perpetuating inequalities; * Families are too privatised, discouraging wage-labourers from uniting against capitalism.Community living is preferable; * A communist society in which all means of production, such as farms and factories, are collectively owned and workers receive a fair share of the profits should replace private ownership of businesses. Marxist say the family has three main functions for capitalism: 1. Inheritance of property- Marx called the earliest classle ss society ‘primitive communism’ at this stage there was no such thing as family. As society developed private property became important.Engels said the patriarchal monogamous nuclear family emerged (male dominated). In order to ensure the legitimate heir inherited from them. Marx said with the overthrow of capitalism the means of production would be owned collectively so there would be no need for the nuclear family to exist as a means of transmitting private property down the generations. 2. Ideological Function (The idea that family brainwashes us into capitalism)- Marxists say the family persuades people to think of capitalism as a fair, natural and unchangeable system.Families socialise children into thinking that hierarchy and inequality are inevitable. The family prepares people to take orders at work. Zaretsky says people are encourages to think of the family as a haven from the outside world but this is largely an illusion. As even in the privacy of our home we can subject to state control. 3. A unit of consumption- The family is an important consumer of products and has a major role in generating profits for capitalism.Advertisers urge us to ‘keep up with the Jones’. They encourage ‘pester power’ from children. Children who don’t have the latest products may be bullied. Thus Marxists see the family as performing several functions for capitalist society: the inheritance of private property, socialisation into accepting inequality, and a source of profit. According to Marxists these may benefit capitalism but not members of the family.

Minimum Legal Drinking Age ( Tietjen ) - 1700 Words

Minimum Legal Drinking Age On July 17 of 1984 President Ronald Reagan signed to make the National Minimum Drinking Age Act a law. This law required all states to have a minimum drinking age of 21, if a state did not comply with this law they could face up to a 10% cut in funding for their federal highways (Tietjen). Since this act became a law there has been two distinct sides arguing whether they agree with the minimum drinking age, or whether they disagree. One side believes having a minimum drinking age makes alcohol seem like a â€Å"forbidden fruit† of sorts and because people always want what they can’t have, a minimum drinking age makes underage drinking an even bigger problem. The other side of this argument is basically that if a†¦show more content†¦Those for lowering the minimum legal drinking age have many reasons why they believe it should be lowered. One issue they see with setting the minimum legal drinking age to 21 is how extremely disobeyed this law has become, as Jeffe ry A. Tucker explains in his Newsweek article, â€Å"The Drinking Age Should be Lowered, Fast,† below: The drinking-age law would surely be a winner in a competition for the least obeyed law. The notion that this law is accomplishing anything to actually stop or even curb teen drinking is preposterous. Instead, we see all the unintended effects of Prohibition: over-indulgence, anti-social behavior, disrespect for the law, secrecy and sneaking and a massive diversion of human energy. As Tucker explains, the minimum legal drinking act does nothing to stop teens from drinking underage. It’s so easy these days for an underage person to get a fake ID to buy alcohol with or to ask another friend over 21 to buy them drinks. The large amount of people drinking age then causes another problem that people believe could be solved if the legal drinking age was lower, people having less respect for the law. People who drink underage know they are breaking a law, but they aren’t very worried about that, this may then lead into them breaking other laws as well as not having much respect for the law in

Dualism of Human Nature Essay - 684 Words

The Dualism of Human Nature and Its Social Conditions- Emile Durkheim According to Durkheim’s work The Dualism of Human Nature and Its Social Conditions (DHN), a man has a dual nature which is made up of the body (individual) and the soul (social). He sheds light on this by citing post-Durkheim theories which he does not agree with and which do not solve the problem of this dual nature. Durkheim also uses The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life (EFRL) to discuss the religious aspect of the body and soul. Upon reading, it is discovered that as society evolves, so does this â€Å"dual nature.† In DHN, Durkheim argues that sociology must examine what an individual consists of because it is a result of the whole society. It is this society†¦show more content†¦There were also 2 other theories that attempted to explain this â€Å"dualism of human nature† : (1) The Ontological Explanation by Plato- man’s inward struggle consists of being â€Å"good† and being unethical. Plato says that â€Å"because we are par t of both, we are necessarily in conflict with ourselves.† (p.4) And a theory by Kant (2) Sensitivity and Reason- we have an ability to think individually or collectively. Durkheim feels that these 2 theories only re-state the problem it does not resolve it. They also assume that man’s nature is above explanation, but we should be able to explain it. Again, in EFRL, Durkheim shows religiosity from a sociological standpoint in which â€Å"individual consciousness† is combined with â€Å"common consciousness.† To look at it another way, individuals use signs and symbols to interpret and/or explain their feelings. If the group all uses the same signs and symbols, it then becomes the symbol or representation of the group’s sacredness. Even if the individual is no longer part of the collective society, he still holds the sacredness of the signs/symbols to the same high standard, and he does this by way of festivals, ceremonies, etc. Also in DHN, DurkheimShow MoreRelatedIs Dualism Best? The Nature Of Consciousness? Essay1070 Words   |  5 PagesBayne Dualism Best Explains the Nature of Consciousness The three theories we have discussed so far are the dualism theory of Plato and Descartes, the Aristotelian theory, and the Physicalism (identity) theory of Place and Strong. The identity of consciousness means that if you have the same consciousness, you are the same person, and if not conscience, you are not the same person. 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