Childhood Case Study Essay

When I was a child the world seemed to be a place of joy and happiness to me. There was nothing worth worrying about. Whenever I cried somebody picked me up. When I did not like to sit alone, I was always in somebody’s army. My father was one of my heroes since young. I idolize him as I grow up and to everything like him. I often ask my father to tell me about his childhood experience and he loves telling funny stories or describing unusual situations. When he talks to me about those years, I feel like I see the past through his eyes. I think he was really happy as a child. Normally in my mind, I would compare my father’s childhood and mine. My father and I had very different childhood in terms of social problem, family background, technology and education. Firstly, social problem within my father’s and my own childhood in terms of freedom. As a child, my dad will be playing out the whole day; running, laughing and not worrying. My dad lived in a village where the children from the whole village were a big company. They would all play together without fighting and arguing all the time. Heck, my grandparents didn’t have to worry about my dad that much. They are used to let their children play a lot of hours with freedom without being nervous or stressed about it. They knew their children were safe. I, on the other hand, had a must lesser freedom compared to my father. Back then, I don’t get to go out and play with the other children due to safety reasons. My parents were very afraid of this worlds’ dangers. In fact, there weren’t many children to play with in streets compared to the â€Å"good old days†. I get to go the playground to play once awhile but there were so few to play with. Next, our family background was also very different in terms of social status and financial status. My dad was born a year later after my country’s independence, so technically he was the 1st generation of official Malaysian in Malaysia. My country is also a multiracial country so long story short, my dad had social status issues with other races during his childhood. When he was 10, my dad experienced things that no child should which was the May 13th Incident. The May 13th incident refers to the Sino-Malay sectarian violence in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in which many Malaysian-Chinese died in  1969. I can only imagine how terrifying it was for my dad to live through that incident as a child. I, however, lived peacefully as a Malaysian-Chinese without such incident. During my generation, my social status has already develop stability, my race was recognize as the 3 main races in Malaysia. I also have a good financial support as a child compared to my father. Back then my grandfather was an immigrant from China, owning a small business to raise his family. My father did not receive much financial as a child. During elementary school, my father had to help out with my grandfather’s business. I’m consider very fortunate as my father worked hard to ensure that my childhood did not have to be like his. Then, the advancement of science and technology effect both my dad’s childhood and my own in terms of entertainment. Back then the time where video games were like rocket science and cellphones where as big as bricks. Entertainment in technology wasn’t really available at my dad’s childhood thus explaining the big company of children playing outside all the time, but it didn’t mean it didn’t exist in that time. Back then, my dad really enjoyed listening to the radio. The radio was practically the main source of entertainment in terms of technology; it had music, podcast, news and etc. My dad was considered lucky to even have a colored television in his own home and there was not much to watch as well. I, in my childhood days, had the privilege of watching Disney channel on my decoder with my cartoons. In addition, technology was my source of entertainment with my game consoles and televisions. Which also the cause of me not going out that much as a child. Technology allow my childhood to not need the company of the other, to play with. Communication was also much better thanks to technology. During elementary, affordable cellphones were available where my dad can contact me at any time. The same couldn’t be said for my dad back then, as owning cellphone was considered a luxury. Lastly, people say education is key to every childhood, but in that sense both my father and I had very different education environment and background in our childhood. My dad, back then, lived where education is very scarce. They weren’t many schools near where my dad lived. My grandmother had to cycle my dad to his school to drop off and pick up daily. If that isn’t bad  enough, my father had to have extra classes at the Chinese temple nearby just to learn Mandarin. During my time, my country has already development an effective education system to follow. Many schools were also available during that time. Mandarin is actually implemented into the educational system as a subject taught in public schools. I’m glad that I’m fortunate enough to have these facilities in my grasp in my childhood. Childhood is free from cares. There are no duties and responsibilities on the shoulders of a child. A child eats drinks, sleeps and plays. When he eats a piece of bread, he does not think from where it comes. His father alone knows that. Even when someone dies in the family, a child is not touched. As child lives in a bliss of ignorance and innocence. Despite the differences in our childhood, my dad and I both enjoyed part of our childhood and we will cherish these moments for life.

Mat540: Statistics Concepts for Research Paper

Childhood Obesity Mat540: Statistical Concepts for Research I Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 12. 5 million children and teens are obese. There are many things that contribute to this epidemic like poor diet and lack of physical activities to name a few. In this paper I will figure out if there is a correlation between childhood obesity and school cafeteria food. Many people feel that school cafeteria food is partly to blame for childhood obesity. I believe this is an example of correlation and causation.Data analysts often jump to unjustified conclusions by mistaking an observed correlation for a cause-and-effect relationship. A high sample correlation coefficient does not necessarily signify a causal relation between two variables (Johnson, (2010). Though I believe schools play a particularly critical role by establishing a safe and supportive environment with policies and practices tha t support healthy behaviors. Schools also provide opportunities for students to learn about and practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. But they should not be blamed schools for childhood obesity.Studies regarding childhood obesity need to consider: socio-economic background, genetics, what is tough at home, and if parents are obese; before schools can be blamed. Obesity is a problem that affects Americans at an alarming rate across all age, race, and gender categories. No single group is immune to the causes, occurrences, and the recent increases in the rate of obesity. However, what may be of greatest concern for researchers is the fact that while Americans enjoys an increasingly higher standard of living; obesity among children continues to grow.Nevertheless, there is to date no cure, or even universal treatment for the problem of childhood obesity. This is partly due to an inability to precisely pinpoint the cause, or causes, of the increases. Thus, we are left with a debate over which causes play the greatest role in childhood obesity and a plethora of prevention and treatment theories. Yet at the same time, it is clear that the occurrence of childhood obesity places those afflicted at increased risk of health problems now and in the future.Overweight and poor nutrition of children in the United States are becoming issues of increasing concern for public health. Dietary patterns of U. S. children indicate that they are consuming too little fruits and vegetables and too many foods high in fat and sugar. Contributed to this pattern of food consumption is snacking, which is reported to be on the increase amongst adults and children alike. One place where snacking is under increased scrutiny, where it is being increasingly criticized, is in U. S. chools, where snack foods are often to sold to supplement inadequate budgets (Crooks, (2003). â€Å"Essentially overweight and obesity result from energy imbalance. The body needs a certain amount o f energy (calories) from food to sustain basic life functions. Body weight is maintained when calories eaten equals the number of calories the body expends, or â€Å"burns. † When more calories are consumed than burned, energy balance is tipped toward weight gain, overweight, and obesity. Genetic, environmental, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors can all lead to overweight and obesity† (Butte, (2007).Although some school cafeterias get a failing grade in nutrition, others are working hard to serve healthy meals for breakfast and lunch and to banish junk food from the premises. According to a new survey (Alliance for a Healthier Generation, 2009), most parents want schools to limit students’ access to high-calorie, low-nutrient chips, sodas, and candy and to provide more opportunities for physical activity throughout the day. I remember my days in school when lunch consisted of fries, pizza and burgers. Today schools are trying to give their students some healt hier options.However teachers cannot force children to eat healthy food and exercise on a regular basis. They can provide children with a good idea of what foods that they should and should not eat. However this information is rendered useless if parents do not follow up on it at home. Ideally parents should take the time to teach their child what they should eat so that they grow up strong and healthy. They can do this by teaching their children about good nutrition and backing it up with healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners.Parents should lead by example as children look to their parents for tips on how they should behave. This is evidenced by the fact that most obese children have obese parents. Parents can teach their kids to lead a healthier lifestyle by educating them on the importance of good food, regular exercise and how calories work. By doing this they will be able to take charge of their weight by making educated choices on their food and exercise routines. Whether in matters of social development or physical health, parents are typically considered the primary agents of children’s socialization and well-being.Also suggested to help curb childhood obesity parents need to improve their knowledge of child nutrition and decrease television viewing (Gable and Lutz, (2000). In conclusion the childhood obesity problem cannot be placed solely in the hands of schools. Childhood obesity is a global health challenge with no single cause and no single solution. This challenge demands more than individual efforts. It demands changes in public health policies and in the built environment at the local, state, and federal levels to prevent obesity beginning in early childhood and to make treatment available to overweight and obese children and adolescents.Without a concerted, cohesive effort to reverse the obesity epidemic, today’s children will have shortened lives filled with chronic illness. After all, schools seem to be natural places in whic h to enact cost-effective interventions on children. But schools do not seem to be good at drastically changing a student’s weight, and the elimination of junk food sales in schools is unlikely to upend the child obesity epidemic. The challenge is to develop interventions that reach into the home and community.Perhaps those interventions can start with schools, but they must reach beyond them to be effective. References Butte, Nancy F. ; Christiansen, Edmund and Sorensen, Thorkild I. A. (2007)  Energy ImbalanceUnderlying the Development of Childhood Obesity,http://www. nature. com/oby/journal/v15/n12/full/oby2007364a. html Crooks, Deborah L. (2003) Trading Nutrition for Education: Nutritional Status and the Sale ofSnack Foods in an Eastern Kentucky School Medical Anthropology Quarterly, NewSeries, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Jun. , 2003), pp. 82-199; Blackwell Publishing on behalf of theAmerican Anthropological Association Gable, Sara; Lutz, Susan (2000) Household, Parent, and Child Co ntributions to ChildhoodObesity Family Relations, Vol. 49, No. 3 (Jul. , 2000), pp. 293-300, National Council onFamily Relations Johnson, R. A. , & Bhattacharyya, G. K. (2010). Statistics: Principles & methods. –   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sixth Edition. John Wiley & Sons Inc. Tamsin McMahon. (2011, June 11). Out to lunch? ; Policing snacks and BMI grades are no wayfor schools to fight flab: critics. National Post,A. 6. Retrieved March 13, 2012, fromBanking Information Source. (Document ID: 2373557331).

Case Study of Ms Foley-Free-Samples for Students-

This assignment is about a patient named Ms. Martha Foley, a 35 year old lady who is suffering from acute pulmonary oedema and was admitted in the hospital prior to 5 days because of post multi-trauma caused by a car accident. She is also suffering from multiple fractures in both legs and smoke inhalation as being trapped in car for 15 minutes. This paper has been divided into two parts. Part 1 contains the description of Ms. Foley and her history along with the treatment in the hospital and the analysis of the Observation Chart and Fluid Balance Chart. It also contains a brief description of acute pulmonary oedema, its pathophysiology and the implications of nursing assessment of this situation. Part 2 contains the inter-professional model of care required for Ms Foley while in hospital. Ms. Foley is a full time worker at a supermarket and is a victim of domestic violence from her former partner. She had a good relationship and support from her friends and co-workers. The day of the accident she and her friend Ms. Annie Jones were travelling in the same car. Ms. Jones was also admitted in the same hospital. Ms. Foley was a smoker of 10 cigarettes per day and also intake drugs such as methamphetamines IV and cocaine. But don’t drink alcohol and is a vegetarian. She had suffered from left sided heart failure in the past and is treated by cardiomyopathy. Fluid balance chart describes that Ms. Foley is given compound Sodium acetate was given intravenously from 01:00 am to 08:00 am at 200mls per hour and only 100mls is drained out through urine. It has been shown in appendix 1. Observation chart describes about the general physical conditions of Ms. Foley during the time of her admission in the hospital. The following things were measured: Acute pulmonary oedema is a type of disease in which the alveoli gets filled up with fluid and the person is unable to breathe. As the fluid gets accumulated creates misbalance in exchange of gases and leads to dyspnoea and hypoxia. Acute pulmonary oedema (APO) is caused by two main mechanisms. The first mechanism is elevations in pulmonary pressures due to severe increase in intra-cardiac pressure of chambers and second is severe lung injury causing increase in pulmonary vascular permeability (Liesching et al. 2014). Pulmonary oedema caused due to lung injury is termed as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) while pulmonary oedema which is due to acute elevations in pulmonary micro vascular pressures is termed acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema (Lavin et al. 2015). The pathophysiology of these two types of oedema is almost different due to which their treatments are also different. This document relates specifically to acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema (Zeiss 2016). Acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema is caused by an intense ischemic occasion bringing about cardiovascular brokenness. Intense diastolic disappointment may likewise be caused from hypertension and atherosclerosis. Less generally the intense sight might be optional to other essential occasions, for example, intense valvular issue or arrhythmia (Elias et al. 2015). The acute cardiac dysfunction that happens from a background marked by myocardial ischemia brings about expanded cardiovascular end diastolic weights which thus result in hoisted pneumonic micro vascular weights and the improvement of intense cardiogenic aspiratory oedema (Vlaar and Juffermans 2013). There is a decrease in cardiovascular yield with ensuing solid enactment of the thoughtful sensory system and the renin-angiotensin framework. This outcomes in lifted blood weights and expanded delayed consequences on the heart starting a gooey cycle of expanded myocardial oxygen request and further lessening in cardiovascular yield (Luks et al. 2014). In the problems of heart failure there are homeostatic systems that prompt liquid maintenance and pneumonic blockage. In APO there might be starting of liquid fill up, however the essential pathophysiology won't be reliant on the benchmark liquid status. It is significant that s number of these patients is hemoconcentrated on introduction because of the gathering of up to 2 litres of liquid in their lungs (Spoletini et al. 2015). They may then show up hemodiluted 24 hours after the fact when they are in the recuperation stage. As it were they give off an impression of being enduring a more prominent plasma volume as of now, which is suggestive that the issue is not fundamentally a liquid over-burden issue. By and large of APO the issue is less liquid abundance; rather it is an instance of liquid in the wrong "compartment", (intra-alveolar, as opposed to intra-vascular) (Duffy et al. 2015). The nursing care plan depends upon the appearance of the patient’s respiratory status. To perform the assessment of nursing care for acute pulmonary oedema the nurse must observe the individual’s responses (Akoumianaki et al. 2014). The following are the therapeutic nursing interventions for  acute pulmonary oedema: The initial management of patients with cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE) should address the ABCs of resuscitation, that is, airway, breathing, and circulation. Oxygen should be administered to all patients to keep oxygen saturation at greater than 90%. Any associated arrhythmia or MI should be treated appropriately (Lumb 2016). Methods of oxygen delivery incorporate the utilization of a face covering, non-intrusive pressure support ventilation (which incorporates bi-level positive aviation route weight [BiPAP] and consistent positive airway pressure [CPAP]), and intubation and mechanical ventilation (Stocker et al. 2014). The method that will be utilized relies upon the proximity of hypoxemia and acidosis and on the patient's level of cognizance. For instance, intubation and mechanical ventilation may end up noticeably important in instances of tireless hypoxemia, acidosis, or changed mental status. The utilization of non-intrusive weight bolster ventilation in acidotic patients with serious intense cardiogenic aspiratory oedema does not give off an impression of being related with unfavourable results (early mortality and intubation rates) in these patients (Adam, Osborne and Welch 2017). Initial dose: Frusamide is given intravenously and the dosage is 20-40 mg (slowly for 1 to 2 minutes) or may increase the dosage by 20 mg later by 2 hours after the previous dose until the desired diuretic effect has been obtained. Use: Treatment of oedema associated with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, and renal disease, including the nephrotic syndrome, especially when an agent with greater diuretic potential is desired (Soni et al. 2017). Initial dose: 20 to 80 mg orally once; may repeat with the same dose or increase by 20 or 40 mg no sooner than 6 to 8 hours after the previous dose until the desired diuretic effect has been obtained. Maintenance dose: Administer the dose that provided the desired diuretic effect once or twice a day. Maximum dose: 600 mg/day in patients with clinically severe oedematous states. -Oedema may be most efficiently and safely mobilized by giving this drug on 2 to 4 consecutive days each week. -When doses greater than 80 mg/day are given for prolonged periods of time, careful clinical observation and laboratory monitoring are particularly advisable. Use: Treatment of oedema associated with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver and renal disease, including the nephrotic syndrome, especially when an agent with greater diuretic potential is desired. The Inter-Professional Model of Patient Care (IPMPC ©) was introduced in 2006 when inter-professional collaboration started as a priority of policy agenda in Canada. This model causes the experts to enhance better care the patients and their families which likewise can manage the extra issues of human medicinal services. The models speak to a pedantic program, a group based affair and a between proficient recreation encounter. The instructional program stresses between proficient group building abilities, information of callings, tolerant focused care, benefit taking in, the effect of culture on medicinal services conveyance and a between proficient clinical segment (Maggiore et al. 2014). Nurses were ready for Ms Foley to attend her while she was lying flat on her bed, trying to sit up, and gasping for air. She is worried, stating she is ‘scared’, and that she has a weird feeling that she can only describe as ‘a sense of impending doom’. Vital signs taken and are the following: Pulse 120bpm and regular, BP 100/50, RR 34, SaO2 92% on RA. Her lips have started to turn blue and the nail beds on her fingers are cyanotic. She remains dyspnoeic and desperate for air. She is coughing. The integral part of inter-professional care of nursing is quality improvement. ACHS is a handbook which gives information of management of risks and improvement of quality to assist organisations and to manage the risks at the organisational levels and to ensure that quality of care and services are integrated (Powell et al. 2016). PE teams have found their place in health care. Teams do not replace the physician-patient relationship, but rather enhance it—creating a more comprehensive, efficient, and tailored health care experience (Short et al. 2014). The care convention was created by the IP group amid a CPE workshop and encouraged group gatherings. It was utilized as the guide by medical caretakers or doctors associates who gave mind at the visits. Components of the IP mind convention included visual signs, for example, publications on the exam room dividers that represent the body frameworks affected by diabetes, and an envelope with data, worksheets and apparatuses created by the IP group on parts of connecting with relatives for help, eating regimen, exercise and medical administration. Thus through the above discussion it can be concluded that Ms. Martha Foley had an accident and detected by acute pulmonary oedema which is a type of disease in which the lungs is filled up with fluid. At first in this task there had been included clinical assessment tools; pathophysiology and its applications; nursing care plan; nursing interventions; pharmacological uses of frusamide; inter-professional model of care, its risk management and its implications Adam, S., Osborne, S. and Welch, J. eds., 2017. Critical care nursing: science and practice. Oxford University Press. Akoumianaki, E., Maggiore, S.M., Valenza, F., Bellani, G., Jubran, A., Loring, S.H., Pelosi, P., Talmor, D., Grasso, S., Chiumello, D. and Guà ©rin, C., 2014. The application of esophageal pressure measurement in patients with respiratory failure. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 189(5), pp.520-531. Duffy, M., Jain, S., Harrell, N., Kothari, N. and Reddi, A.S., 2015. Albumin and furosemide combination for management of edema in nephrotic syndrome: a review of clinical studies. Cells, 4(4), pp.622-630. Elias, B., Barginere, M., Berry, P.A. and Selleck, C.S., 2015. Implementation of an electronic health records system within an interprofessional model of care. Journal of interprofessional care, 29(6), pp.551-554. Lavin, M., Harper, E. and Barr, N., 2015. Health information technology, patient safety, and professional nursing care documentation in acute care settings. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 20(2). Liesching, T., Nelson, D.L., Cormier, K.L., Sucov, A., Short, K., Warburton, R. and Hill, N.S., 2014. Randomized trial of bilevel versus continuous positive airway pressure for acute pulmonary edema. The Journal of emergency medicine, 46(1), pp.130-140. Luks, A.M., McIntosh, S.E., Grissom, C.K., Auerbach, P.S., Rodway, G.W., Schoene, R.B., Zafren, K. and Hackett, P.H., 2014. Wilderness Medical Society practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of acute altitude illness: 2014 update. Wilderness & environmental medicine, 25(4), pp.S4-S14. Lumb, A.B., 2016. Nunn's Applied Respiratory Physiology eBook. Elsevier Health Sciences. Maggiore, S.M., Idone, F.A., Vaschetto, R., Festa, R., Cataldo, A., Antonicelli, F., Montini, L., De Gaetano, A., Navalesi, P. and Antonelli, M., 2014. Nasal high-flow versus Venturi mask oxygen therapy after extubation. Effects on oxygenation, comfort, and clinical outcome. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 190(3), pp.282-288. Powell, J., Graham, D., O’Reilly, S. and Punton, G., 2016. Acute pulmonary oedema. Nursing Standard, 30(23), pp.51-60. Short, K.R., Kroeze, E.J.V., Fouchier, R.A. and Kuiken, T., 2014. Pathogenesis of influenza-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome. The Lancet infectious diseases, 14(1), pp.57-69. Soni, L., Ansari, M., Thakre, N., Singh, A., Bhowmick, M. and Rathi, J., 2017. Development and in-vitro evaluation of Furosemide Solid Dispersion using different Water Soluble Carriers. International Journal, 6(2), pp.2571-2575. Spoletini, G., Alotaibi, M., Blasi, F. and Hill, N.S., 2015. Heated humidified high-flow nasal oxygen in adults: mechanisms of action and clinical implications. CHEST Journal, 148(1), pp.253-261. Stocker, R., Lenzlinger, P.M. and Stover, J.F., 2014. Contemporary intensive care treatment for patients with severe multiple trauma. In General Trauma Care and Related Aspects (pp. 95-109). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Vlaar, A.P. and Juffermans, N.P., 2013. Transfusion-related acute lung injury: a clinical review. The Lancet, 382(9896), pp.984-994. Zeiss, A.M., 2016. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an Integral Component of Interprofessional Care. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 23(4), pp.441-445

Damien Hirst Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Damien Hirst - Essay Example It seems the MFA wanted someone who has a high-status in the art world, and who better than the most famous living British artist Damien Hirst. Although, attached with the name Damien Hirst - undoubtedly comes controversy. The MFA boasts Hirst's celebrity artist profile in the write-up about the show, calling him one of "the most influential living artists". The text, which describes his career since the 90's, appears in the brochure and also in the entry way of the Foster gallery where most of his work is displayed. In addition, accompanying all his pieces are short explanations with quotes directly from the artist. For the people who are unfamiliar with Hirst's work, the wall labels serve to instruct and "fill in" the viewer. However, in an attempt to do this, the wall labels end up reducing the art to single and easy-to-grasp concepts such as death or beauty. Due to the extremely instructional nature of the labels, which explicitly explain the piece and artist's "intention", there is little room for the viewer to construct their own opinions. What adds to the instructive nature of the text is the sense that it is defending the work and the artist himself. Essentially the work is meant to shock or intrigue, while the writing seems to clarify and defend. For example, Away from the Flock which is positioned directly in front of the entrance is supposed to shock the viewer. Intrigued--or disgusted- the viewer reads the paragraph that states Hirst did not kill the sheep, and that it is a piece about religion. The viewer is instantly appeased, and moves on, eager to read the next paragraph. Each paragraph explanation is makes Hirst seem more and more like a sensitive thinker type and it seems people are more intrigued with his image than his work. There should have been more focus on his art, rather than him. In the large opening wall label it states: "His materials are sometimes repellant, but his themes--the human condition, mortality, and beauty--are timeless and familiar throughout art history. Hirst has characterized hims elf as 'romantic' and 'kind of old-fashioned... in terms of ideas.'" It seems the MFA is uncomfortable with Hirst's work and tries to tone it down wherever they can--needing to explain every piece and adding in quotes form the artist to make him and his work more likeable. When attention is averted from the wall labels, and focused on the art, the pattern of the positioning of the work becomes clear. The logical movement around the gallery space follows a counter clockwise circle. The pieces are strategically placed around the room so that the most shocking and intense are placed at the beginning with the more toned down at the end. Away From the Flock, Judgment Day appear at the beginning, followed by a The Unbearable Likeness of Being and The Collector, and finally the last grouping is Arginine and Is Nothing Sacred. By the end of the rotation (excluding the spinning piece) the viewer is left feeling calmer and probably more reflective, rather than disgusted by the flies or sheep. Even the arrangement of the work seems to reflect the MFA's desire to tone down Hirst. Almost all the pieces have some sort of shock factor, which is characteristic of Hirst's work. The mass of dead flies, the dead sheep, the butterfly wings, and even the drugstore shelf, have such powerful shock value, that other factors beneath the surface of the work get lost. The piece

Changing organizations is as messy as it is exhilarating, as Assignment

Changing organizations is as messy as it is exhilarating, as frustrating as it is satisfying, as muddling-through and creative a process as it is a rational one. (Palmer et al, 2009) - Assignment Example 369-370). The requirement for change can be because of the external factors such as due to change in demand, shifting taste and preferences of the customers, obsolete products or technology, etc. The internal factors include the growth of the company, retired leaders of the organization, or a re-engineering of operational functions of the company. Regardless of the causes and sources of change, all the organizations frequently face the need of transforming certain system, people, or process within. This is a difficult process and many unsuccessful results are seen every day, yet it is considered to be the most significant function in an organization (Flamholtz, and Randle, 2008, p. 5). This study is based on the following definition â€Å"Changing organizations is as messy as it is exhilarating, as frustrating as it is satisfying, as muddling-through and creative a process as it is a rational one† (Palmer, Richard and Akin 2008). Many processes and systems are uprooted during the course of bringing about the change in the organisation. So the different facets of organisational dynamics would be studied, so as to understand the dynamics which lead to strategic changes within the organisation. Also the types of such change would be discussed in order to understand the outcomes of such dynamics on the change management process in the organisation. Apart from this the study would also throw some light on the situations, opportunities, threats, and emerging issues, when change unfurl inside the organisations (Flamholtz, and Randle, 2008, p. 6-7). Even after knowing all the benefits, one thing remains constant that is change is complicated. An organisation faces numerous challenges while planning, and implementing change. So discussion on strategic changes with organisations is incomplete without analysing the challenges associated with the change process. The common challenge is

Compare Film Composition and Its Function and Meaning in the Work of Essay

Compare Film Composition and Its Function and Meaning in the Work of Akira Kurosawa and Kenji Mizoguchi - Essay Example To begin with, there will be a discussion of film composition and it varied elements. This section will focus on the various aspects of film composition that help portray a realistic and in some cases, larger than life picture of things so as to put across a certain message. From here, the paper will delve into a discussion of the lives and works of the two filmmakers in question so as to demonstrate the use of film composition techniques as used by them. In this regard, two films have been studied by each of the filmmakers. The films of Akira Kurosawa include Seven Samurais and Ikiru. The two films of Kenji Mizoguchi include Tales of Ugetsu and Sansho the Bailiff. From here, there will be a focus on the comparison of film composition styles of these two filmmakers. In this section, the basic focus will be on the portrayal of the quality of the use of these elements in the portrayal of various situations and scenarios through their films. The parallels drawn in this section will be reflected in the conclusion through a brief summation of the commonalities and diverse styles of film composition. Films are a medium and an art form rolled into one. They have the capacity to transport viewers and put across messages that can transform the lives of entire audiences. The power of cinema is one that has been hailed as the hardest hitting of art forms, even from the days of silent movies. The term or phrase, 'Motion Pictures' is literally the most accurate definition of the most powerful element of cinema. Moving pictures are the most powerful form of expression in art. This art form called cinema relies on the use of pictures that move in order to hold the interest of entire audiences. Yet, the sole activity of recreating moving pictures to depict scenarios and messages, is not enough. To match the voice of one's heart and sensibilities, moving pictures need to be rendered in various ways, and with the exact play of various elements. These elements include lighting, sound, and above all aesthetics. While most believe that aesthetics mainly cater to the play of light and sound in the film, this is not entirely true. Aesthetics revolve around the play of dialogue that can be rendered in perfect light, shadow, setting as well as a background score where necessary. In order to help audiences as well as every individual in the audience to literally 'get the picture', there is a need to deviate from the ordinary in an endeavour to portray that ordinary aspect of people's lives in a manner that can be dramatic, humorous and many other things depending on the vision of the filmmaker. Vision is a key word in the arena of film composition. The technicalities of film making aside, the vision of the filmmaker and the story that he or she wants to tell is the single most important factor in the portrayal of facts as well as fiction. The vision of the filmmaker is one that springs from the following factors: Personal Life Experiences Hard Hitting influence of a particular story The basic social, personal and professional sphere within which the filmmaker defines his or her capacities and influences. The genre of films and art forms that affect the filmmaker to the highest degree. The experience of the

Ncm 512 case assignment module 2 Bargaining I (prepare prepare Essay

Ncm 512 case assignment module 2 Bargaining I (prepare prepare prepare) - Essay Example This paper aims at discussing the take on the organization and a major focus is on the conflict and the interest of the two positions. There is also a major focus on the entering and leaving points of the negotiation and the steps taken by the two parties. The case of Kaiser Permanente is one which has been based on interest based negotiations and the conflict arose between the organization and the employees. The method of conflict management used by the two parties was based on the interest – based negotiation. The two sides of the conflict, i.e. the organization and the employee union formed the two parties. The main issue here was that the organization aimed at entering into a partnership where the employees would need to be downsized and the number of employees needs to be cut down to enter into the partnership (McKersie, Kochan and Sharpe). Both the parties had their respective interests and were focused on the creating a stronger position for themselves. The conflict was more interest based and not position based. This was majorly because the focus of each was to ensure their safety and their own levels within the organization. The employees showed a concern due to the impact that the downsizing would have on their income and the organization was concerned about the partnership activities which they wanted to keep away from the collective bargaining of the employees as it would be more difficult if the local union support was brought together with the employees (McCarthy, Mueller and Wrenn). However Kaiser realised that the national collective bargaining agreement based on the internet based bargaining would prove to be more effective and would also help the organisation realise the most from the partnership. There are a number of possible entry and exit points in the negotiation range and the two parties have a strong position and interest in the conflict. Both parties have provided a solid case and there is clearly a strong position that

A Paper On Barack Obama's Speech in Cairo Essay

A Paper On Barack Obama's Speech in Cairo - Essay Example Women’s rights All these issues are the main culprit in molding the world in its current state of disarray. It is understandable that all of them should be focused to obtain long term stability in our world. But in my point of view, one issue among these stands apart and is most important in the current era. That’s the issue of nuclear weapons and its associated conflict with Iran. Now why it is so important to address this issue is because it is the only problem if not forethought can lead to immediate destruction on a massive scale. It is not a matter of one country, race of nuclear weapon if initiated will put the whole mankind on the brink of extinction. Unfortunately with today’s technology the war will not last long. When nuclear weapons were initially developed they were destructive but now with the introduction of hydrogen bomb and anti matter technology they are devastating. If initiated it will lead to annihilation of our beautiful planet. Therefore, it should be our foremost responsibility to address this issue very seriously. What Barack Obama said? Regarding this specific topic Barack Obama clearly stated that this is not only about America’s interest but of the humanity as a whole. He is not fighting on the grounds of personal friction; in fact it is based upon the threat imposed by path chosen by Iran. Now in my opinion this is a valid stance from the Americans but Iran’s response with hostility and aggression can be associated with the past history between these two countries. Also we should look into some facts here and answer few questions in order to unveil one possible reason for Iran’s unresponsiveness. Who’s the only country in the history of mankind guilty of two nuclear explosions on a heavily populated area killing thousands of people in an instance? I think we all know the answer. There have been many justifications given for this act including one which states that it reduced the durati on of war by several years and saved many lives. But the reason I bought this up is to emphasize the impact of that history on this present world. For instance, if a man is drunk and preaching about the hazards of alcohol. Is it possible that he will be acknowledged? Again there are two possibilities: listener may understand that he has an experience and knows the effect very well hence he is warning of the outcome and should be listened or listener may question that how can a person who drinks himself ask anyone else to refrain from it. Unfortunately Iran belongs to the second category and Obama’s assertions on this point will prove to be inadequate. What could have been said? In his speech he should have outlined if America, who has one of the biggest stockpiles of nuclear arms, plans on demolishing or at least minimizing its nuclear program. â€Å"Charity begins at home† and if America claims to be a responsible country she should take solid steps to initiate a move ment by which we can get rid of these weapons of mass destruction. Also Barack Obama should have mentioned the threat imposed by the terrorists in today’s world. And the consequences if those weapons are acquired by them. Hence, the emphasis should have been on the issue of securing such destructive warheads. We know that Iran ‘claims’ that their nuclear plants are only for constructive purposes and they don’t have any intention of preparing nuclear warheads. Under present circumstances,

Improving life in the U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Improving life in the U.S - Essay Example Americans are predominantly non-vegetarians. Since most of the non-vegetarian foods have too much fatty content, Americans are becoming obese as time goes on. It should be noted that obesity is becoming a huge health problem not only among adults, but also among children in America. Obesity or overweight has the potential to cause damage to physical as well as mental health. Avoidance of non-vegetarian food and practicing vegetarian foods are important things in preventing obesity related problems in America. ‘A study conducted by Arizona State University psychology professors Richard Stein and Carol Nemeroff reported that, sight unseen, salad eaters were rated more moral, virtuous and considerate than steak eaters " (Corliss). School shooting like violent incidents are increasing day by day in America. Plenty of studies have shown that non-vegetarianism has the potential to increase violence compared to vegetarianism. It should be noted that Indians are predominantly vegetaria ns and hence school shooting like violent incidents are less in India. India is adopting peaceful means of conflict resolution even though Pakistan like countries is continuously causing problems in India. It should be noted that Mahatma Gandhi opted for nonviolent means for his fight against British colonialism. On the other hand, non-vegetarianism is prevalent in Pakistan like countries. They are currently struggling to fight against terrorism and violent activities. All these factors clearly suggest that vegetarianism has the potential to improve peace and harmony and reduce violent activities. Therefore America should give more emphasize to vegetarian foods. â€Å"Today, we dumped another 70 million tons of global-warming pollution into the thin shell of atmosphere surrounding our planet, as if it were an open sewer. And tomorrow, we will dump a slightly larger amount, with the cumulative concentrations now trapping more and more heat from the sun†(Gore). Global warming i s going to be a big problem in future. Many studies have proved beyond doubt that atmospheric temperature is increasing continuously. The survival of living things on earth would become difficult in near future itself. Being the most heavily industrialized nation in the world, America cannot stay away from the responsibilities of causing global warming like environmental problems in this world. it should be noted that automobile use in America is extremely high compared to that in other parts of the world. The greenhouse gases coming out from the automobiles are causing big problems to the environment. Last September 21, as the Northern Hemisphere tilted away from the sun, scientists reported with unprecedented distress that the North Polar ice cap is "falling off a cliff." One study estimated that it could be completely gone during summer in less than 22 years. Another new study, to be presented by U.S. Navy researchers later this week, warns it could happen in as little as 7 years (Gore). The huge ice blocs in Polar Regions are getting melted as time goes on because of the atmospheric temperature rise. The water coming out from the melted ice goes to sea and increases the sea level. It is believed that some of the major cities located near to the coastal areas will be sunk in near

An equal opportunity of Homosexuality through history Essay

An equal opportunity of Homosexuality through history - Essay Example isms, the homosexual community is often described as marginalised and vulnerable since they are at high risk of coping with psychosocial problems in relation to both actual and anticipated reactions of fear from the people around them. The homosexuals may be also prone to harassment, physical and verbal attacks, and the risk of being exposed to having an HIV infection, and STD particularly for the male homosexuals (Clermont & Durand, 1997, p.8). This paper seeks to discuss an issue concerning homosexuality particularly with regard to the health and social care of homosexuals. Furthermore, this seeks to evaluate the impact of historical and contemporary beliefs of homosexuality from an anti-heterosexist perspective. Empirical studies on homosexuality only began in the late 20th century regardless of the number of case studies and theoretical writings conducted particularly with regard to its treatment (Morin, 1977, p.630). Contemporary beliefs on gays and lesbians were greatly changed and influenced due to the pioneering studies that centered on homosexuality. Among the most influential of these pioneering studies were probably those of Martin, Kinsey, and Pomeroy whose works have demonstrated the extensive presence of homosexual behaviour contrary to what most people previously believed in (1948 cited in Morin, 1977, p.630). In the early times, most psychologists and psychiatrists believed that homosexuality is associated to a mental disorder (McConaghy, 1993, p.127). Other scholars considered it as a symptom of emotional disorder while others regard it as one of the severe disorders of intelligence and personality (Hooker, 1957; Curran, et al., 1980 cited in McConaghy, 1993, p.127). These beliefs, however, may imply a liberal approach or attitude toward homosexuality considering that its long history of moral and legal beliefs was perceived to be as unnatural and criminal. Above all, its existence in traditional societies is usually cited as the common

Utiltarianism vs Kant Essay Example for Free

Utiltarianism vs Kant Essay Kant had a different ethical system which was based on reason. According to Kant reason was the fundamental authority in determining morality. All humans possess the ability to reason, and out of this ability comes two basic commands: the hypothetical imperative and the categorical imperative. In focusing on the categorical imperative, in this essay I will reveal the underlying relationship between reason and duty. The categorical imperative suggests that a course of action must be followed because of its rightness and necessity. The course of action taken can also be reasoned by its ability to be seen as a universal law. Universal laws have been deemed as unconditional commands that are binding to everyone at all times. Kant believed that individuals have a freedom to consciously obey the laws of the universe as they are revealed in accordance to our ability to reason. Kant goes a step further to suggest that our actions should be driven by a sense of duty that is dictated by reason. What does it mean to act out of duty? Kant says that this means that we should act out of respect for the moral law. The moral law can be directly related to the categorical imperative. How can we accomplish the task of acting out of duty? We must first recognize and have an understanding of what the moral law is, then a sense of duty should become the motive for our actions. Finally our actions should be compelled by doing what is morally right; which is considered doing what we can will to be a universal law to be followed by all. Moral laws can also be defined as universal laws. Kants theory can be defended on several premises. First, all individuals do have a duty to what is right, whether they act accordingly or not. All citizens are held to a duty to uphold the laws, if there was no duty then laws would not exist. Morality coincides with being loyal to the laws, being a disciplined person, and living an orderly life. These essentials are all present in Kants perception of duty. Another key strength to the theory is the concentration on motivation. The motive for which an individual acts has more validity then the unknown consequences that lie ahead. According to Kant we are motivated by our duty, and we know that motivation comes from an internal source. Motive provides substance to personal decisions and choices that are made. In order to feel a duty to react or act in a certain manner, an individual uses internal reasoning when making decisions. As moral agents who have the ability to reason Kants theory is right on the target. We will consciously make decisions by the things or factors that we are motivated by. I feel that it is safe to say that most people actions are guided by motives whether they are morally correct or not. Utilitarians on the other hand would disagree with Kant on several points. Utilitarians would argue that actions should be decided by the consequences they would produce. Remember that utilitarians believe in the good for the greatest number. In an argument against Kants theory, they would say that the categorical imperative can not be used as a tool to measure morality. Doing what one will ultimately will as a universal law can not guarantee the a positive for the majority. In their argument against Kantian ethical theories they would probably state that Kant does not leave room for ill will to be addressed. A person who has bad or ill intentions, would act in a manner in which they would want others to follow. This position would leave room for immorality to be introduced, and it would ultimately not serve the general purpose of supporting the rule of sustaining good for the greater number of individuals. Secondly, utilitarians would argue that down playing the importance of consequences would create an even greater injustice to society. Peoples actions should be gauged by the consequences they produce. Consequences are the end result to the means. Kant and his beliefs do not factor in the turmoil that will result from negative decisions that are made. The gauge for measuring happiness would be determined by the affect of the consequences in the eyes of a utilitarian. Thirdly, utilitarians would attack Kant on his reasoning part of the theory. According to utilitarians there is no compelling reason that the prohibition against certain actions should hold without exceptions. Utilitarianism will allow for circumstances of different situations to be factored into the consequences. Therefore, Kants theory of no exceptions, will not encompass total reasoning. Reasoning alone can not prevent certain actions from taking place. Especially when the good of the greatest doesnt factor in the decision making process. Reasoning is an internal personal choice.

Bio-fuels Essay Example for Free

Bio-fuels Essay Advantages: The actual aim of biofuels is to be carbon neutral. Potentially they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions when you compare them to conventional transport fuels, but this ability depends on the way you produce these biofuels. In reality biofuels aren’t carbon neutral because they actually require energy to grow the crops and to convert them into fuel. However, biofuels could still be more environmentally friendly then other fossil alternatives. They can save up to 60% of the carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels, and second generation biofuels can offer savings of about 80%. Another advantage of biofuels is that they save money of drivers. Governments have introduced many incentives to drivers of the well-known green cars who are based on emissions, who come with reduced taxation. And because the petrol prices are rising, if you then would replace the petroleum with a renewable energy source it should actually offer high savings at the pump in the long term, especially when the availability of biofuels will rise. Disadvantages: However, there have been some arguments that biofuel isn’t as positive as it had been portrayed and thought of. The following points are some of the several concerns about biofuels: * Biodiversity: This has been feared a lot lately, because when adapting more land to produce the crops needed for biofuels, the consequence would be that more habitats would be lost for animals and wild plants. * Food versus fuel debate: Another concern is that if biofuels become attractive for farmers they’ll decide that they may want to grow crops for biofuel production instead of for food production. If less food is produced that will lead to the increase of prices and also cause a rise in inflation. A way to counter this problem is by second generation biofuels which use waste biomass, but then again that will also impact the habitat of many organisms. Due to the food price increase, around 100 million people are at risk and then especially in the developing countries. * Carbon emissions: Most of the investigations do indicate that by burning biofuels it does actually reduce the greenhouse gas emissions when you would compare it to petroleum and diesel. But lately studies have been published that show that the burning of e.g. corn can contribute as much to nitrous oxide emissions than cooling through fossil fuel savings. * Non-sustainable biofuel production: Many first generation biofuels aren’t sustainable. And it is necessary to create biofuel production that doesn’t affect the production of food and also what doesn’t affect any other environmental problems. And because there has been lots of criticism of the production of non-sustainable biofuels many governments have switched their support to sustainable biofuels and other alternatives. Why controversial? Biofuels have been blamed for pushing up the food prices, that they couldn’t meet the environmental standards, they themselves have caused for the demand of water and nitrate fertilizers and they have encouraged the destruction of natural habitats e.g. the rainforest. And still it’s an controversy which governments have been struggling to solve. What has also been revealed is that the companies who actually use biofuels haven’t been able to fully report the sustainability of them. But even though we associate environmental damage with the production of biofuels we should not immediately think that all biofuels are bad. The production of biofuels is still developing, and as new fuel technologies are being made the situation could radically change and we may be able to adjust the impact on the environment to a small percentage. After having seen the positive and negative sides of biofuels you could wonder is biofuels are really worth it. On one hand they could actually reduce the carbon emissions and help save you some money. But they also negatively impact the habitat of many species and aren’t necessarily efficient enough at producing the energy that they are required to make. So there are two completely different sides to biofuels which explains why the topic biofuels has been so controversial lately in the 21th century and why we are all now discussing if we should go on producing biofuels or not.

A Financial Analysis Of 3m Finance Essay

A Financial Analysis Of 3m Finance Essay Currently, 3M operates in more than 65 countries. The company produces a large variety of products, such as: adhesives, abrasives, laminates, passive fire protection, dental products, electronic materials, electronic circuits and optical films. 3M started operating on the North Shore of Lake Superior in Two Harbors, Minnesota in 1902. Five businessmen (Henry S. Bryan, Hermon W. Cable, John Dwan, William A. McGonagle, Dr. J. Danley Budd) came together to mine a mineral deposit used for manufacturing grinding-wheels. As it turned out, the deposit didnt have much of a value, so they opted to concentrate on sandpaper products. In 1914, 3M launched its first exclusive product: Three-M-ite cloth. Few other innovative products followed: waterproof sandpaper, masking tape, and the very well known Scotch brand tape. In 1929, 3M decided to expand its business internationally and started operating in Europe. The same year, the companys stock was first traded over the counter. In 1946 the company went public on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol MMM). The company is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and of the SP 500.  [1]   1.2 Company Profile 3M Company is an American transnational enterprise based in Maplewood, Minnesota, and represents one of the major players in the conglomerate industry. Below are presented some of the highlights that compose the companys profile: 3M Co.  [2]   3-M Center St Paul, MN  55144-1000 Index Membership: Dow Jones Composite Dow Industrials SP 100 SP 500 SP 1500 Super Comp Sector: Conglomerates Industry: Conglomerates Employees (last reported count): 74,835 1.2.1 Organizational Structure 3Ms general offices and research laboratories are located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Locally, 3M has nine sales offices and operates 74 manufacturing facilities. Outside the United State, 3M has 148 sales offices and 93 manufacturing .3M owns all of its physical properties.  [3]   Key Executive: Bellow, there are presented few of the key people that are currently running this enterprise: Mr. George W. Buckley, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Mr. Patrick D. Campbell, Chief Financial Officer and Senior VP Mr. Inge G. Thulin, Executive VP of International Operations Mr. Brad T. Sauer, Executive VP of Health Care Business Mr. Jean Lobey, Executive VP of Safety Security Protection Services Business.  [4]   2. Major lines of business  [5]   3M serves its customers through six business segments: 1. Consumer and Office (15% of total sales). 3M is providing its customers with a large variety of products such as house cleaning materials and office supplies. Some of the most popular ones are: Post-it ®, Scotch ®, Scotch-Brite ®, Filtreteà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, O-Cel-Oà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, Nexcareà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, and Commandà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ 2. Display and Graphics (13.5%). As a top technological innovator, 3M provides its customers with products such as: display enhancement films; reflective materials, graphics, and projection systems. 3. Electro and Communications (9.8%). Due to its continuous innovative efforts, 3M managed to provide solutions for customers in many fields: electrical, electronics and communications. They contribute to reliable sources of electrical power, high-performance electronic devices, and reliable, high speeds telecommunications network. 4. Health Care (18.6%). 3M is considered a global leader in medical and oral care products, drug delivery and health information systems, providing its customers with innovative and trustful products that help care professionals improve the quality of care services. 5. Industrial and Transportation (30.8%) The company supplies a large variety of innovative products such as tapes, abrasives, adhesives, specialty materials and filtration systems to different markets: from automotive to aerospace to renewable energy to electronics. 6. Safety, Security and Protection Services (13.8%). 3Mproducts-personal protective equipment, safety and security products, substantially contribute to the safety, security and productivity of people, facilities and systems around the world. 1.3 Operating Strategies 1.3.1 Mission Statements and Management Objectives: The main mission statement and management objectives, as presented in the companys annual report are: Demonstrate uncompromised honesty and integrity in all activities and relationships. Promote individual initiative , innovation and leadership, Establish and maintain a culture dominated by fairness and trust, where respect and responsibility, are valued and recognized. Create a safe workplace for 3M employees. Satisfy customers with high quality products and services. Provide investors with an attractive return. Respect the social and physical environment worldwide. 1.3.2 Business model and Strategies 3M business model is based on the ability to not only develop unique products, but also to manufacture them efficiently and consistently around the world (3M).   [6]   3M is a diversified technology enterprise with an international presence in different businesses, such as: industrial and transportation, healthcare, display and graphics, consumer and office, safety, security and protection services, and electro and communications. The industrial and transportation business includes products such as food and beverage, personal care, and automobiles. Industrial products include polyester, foil, and tape. Transportation sector provides the market with different types of insulation components and catalytic converters. The health care segment produces supplies and equipment for medical and dental use. The display and office business supplies stationary products, and home-improvement products. Besides the already mentioned business sections, 3M also manages a safety segment and an electro and communications segment. In order to remain a respected leader in its field, 3M employs a series of strategies. The company is continuously trying to increasing market share and the popularity of their brands. Also they make significant efforts to maintain existing customers and attract new ones. This is a very important issue considering the number of substitute products currently available on the market. Besides the already mentioned strategies that 3M employs in order to run a successful business, they also practice a very interesting hedging strategy .Instead of concentrating on a single industry, 3M operations are spread over a large variety of sectors. So, at any point in time, the effect of a slow growth sector is counteracted by the prosperity of another sector. Due to this hedging strategy, the company stock price manages to maintain relative stability.  [7]   Also, they continue to spend significant amount of funds on RD, which is critical for their image as a leading innovator, pay dividends, buy back stock and raise shareholders equity, the chief aim being the ability to offer a good return to all their investors. This is a solid company, with a very high degree of liquidity in an extremely good financial health. Another strategy that makes 3M well known is there acquisition strategies. On an average, the company performs ten to twenty acquisitions every year. This enables 3M to continuously grow, penetrate new markets and explore new technologies. Other strategies that 3M employs refer to continuous innovation, in order to introduce new products to various markets that company operate in, gaining market share in the existing markets and aiming to become more and more important to the end customers. 1.4 SWOT Analysis SWOT is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a business.  [8]   3M SWOT analysis:  [9]   Strengths: The company operates in a large variety of business sectors: industrial and transportation, healthcare, display and graphics, consumer and office, safety, security and protection service, electro and communication. Strong research and development capabilities. (According to 3M 2009 Annual Report, the company spent more than a billion dollars in RD). Multinational presence. The company operates more than 65 countries. Solid financial condition. (A complete Income Statement and Balance Sheet are presented in the annexes). Weaknesses: Low inventory turnover, which impacts inventories and margins. Some key segments are registering inferior performance. Strong and aggressive competitors. Opportunities: Acquisitions in key operating areas. 3M performs an average of 20 acquisitions every year. Continued global expansion. Healthcare spending levels in the US are increasing. Security concerns caused by a weak US economy, combined with some unfortunate events that are threatening the safety of American people, (9/11/2001, N1H1 virus infection) brings new opportunities for 3M security business. Threats: The fluctuation of commodity and energy prices (increasing).In order to mitigate this risk, the company is engaging in a multitude of forward physical contracts and price agreements. Exchange rates fluctuations. The company operates worldwide, so the exchange rates and any fluctuations of it may negatively impact the companys results. Environmental regulations. People are becoming more and more aware of the importance of respecting the environment. Any new rules and regulation may require additional funds to be invested in order to work green. 1.5 Core competencies A core competence represents the companys collective knowledge about how to coordinate diverse production skills and technologies (C.K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel).  [10]   3M runs an extremely diversified business, spread over numerous sectors: industrial, transportation, display and graphics, security etc. In order to manage and keep all this different types of businesses together, the company holds competencies in substrate, coating and adhesives. Besides possessing these competencies, the company also created a multitude of ways to share and apply them. The result of such combination of technology, skills and knowledge, allows 3M to participate on a multitude of businesses and markets. The literature points out that the core competencies of any company should benefit the end customer of the product and should be very difficult to copy by the competitors. 3M is aware that the stronger the customer perception in recognizing the superiority of their products, the less likely the threats of substitutes. The company makes continuous efforts to differentiate its products among the multitude of similarities offered by the competitors and their efforts are successful due to the fact that they are supplying high quality, innovative and reliable products at competitive prices. Moreover, it is a companys core competencies that keeps the businesses together. This aspect is crucial for 3M, as the company operates in multiple business sectors, worldwide. It seems that 3M fully understood this concept and its enormous advantages, because they are investing consistently in their core competencies and ability to innovate, the chief aim being to provide the market and the end customers with innovative products that really stand out. 2. Industry analysis 2.1 Industry Definition, Structure and Major Competitors. The Industrial Conglomerate industry consists of large organizations engaged in multiple business lines within the industrial sector, where at least two business lines comprise a substantial portion of the companys total operation (The New York Times, Oct 1, 2010).  [11]  The industrial conglomerate industry contains the following sectors: Basic Materials, Consumer Cyclical, Consumer Non-Cyclical Energy, Health care, Industrials and Transportation, Technology, Telecommunication, Utilities. Exhibit1. Direct Competitor Comparison  [12]   MMM AVY DD JNJ Industry Market Cap: 63.58B 4.02B 42.30B 174.16B 9.47B Employees: 74,835 31,300 58,000 115,500 28.26K Qtrly Rev Growth (yoy): 17.70% 15.40% 21.80% 0.60% 14.50% Revenue (ttm): 25.39B 6.31B 30.43B 62.59B 10.28B Gross Margin (ttm): 48.78% 28.26% 29.94% 69.98% 33.80% EBITDA (ttm): 7.03B 695.10M 5.42B 19.70B 1.63B Operating Margin (ttm): 23.18% 6.96% 13.08% 26.90% 12.29% Net Income (ttm): 3.94B 250.90M 3.13B 13.53B N/A EPS (ttm): 5.48 2.37 3.43 4.84 1.92 P/E (ttm): 16.28 16.04 13.60 13.06 19.15 PEG (5 yr expected): 1.28 1.44 1.61 2.09 1.28 P/S (ttm): 2.50 0.63 1.38 2.78 1.27 AVY = Avery Dennison Corporation produces pressure-sensitive materials, office products, tickets, tags, labels, and other converted products. DD = EI DuPont de Nemours Co. (DuPont) operates as a science and technology company worldwide. JNJ =Johnson Johnson engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of various products in the health care field worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices and Diagnostics. Industry = Conglomerates Exhibit2. Comparison between 3M, the Conglomerate Industry and the direct competitors, benchmarked against DOW and SP 500. Source: http://finance.yahoo.com 2.2 Industry profitability and growth. In order to get an idea about the main characteristics of the players in this industry, I have selected few key statistics. The financial indicators listed bellow shows the fact that this are large companies, highly leveraged (most of them), providing the investors with a small to average return. Market Capitalization: 366B Price / Earnings: 13.5 Price / Book: 4.1 Net Profit Margin: 7.5% Price to Free Cash Flow: 27.4 Return on Equity: 12.5% Total Debt / Equity: 242.3 Dividend Yield: 2.4% Exhibit 3. Comparison between the evolution of 3M common stock and the industry. Source: http://finance.yahoo.com 2.3 PEST Analysis of the External Factors affecting the Industry PEST analysis stands for Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis and describes a framework of macro-environmental factors used in the environmental scanning component of strategic management.  [13]  Performing such an analysis and applying the findings will give any company a significant competitive advantage. The model identifies four factors that have a major impact on the companys macroeconomic environment:  [14]   Political Economical Social Technological Political Factors: Among the most significant political factors that can affect 3Ms business are: tax policies, employment laws, environmental regulations, trade restrictions and tariffs, and political stability. 3M is making all the necessary investments in order to comply with these laws. In 2009, 3M spent around $15 million for projects regarding the protection of the environment. The mentioned funds have provided among other things, pollution control devices at all its properties. Economical Factors: economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates, inflation rate. Due to large geographical presence, and the fact that 63 percent of its revenue is generated from outside the United States, the companys results may be affected by exchange rates and their fluctuation. In order to mitigate this risk, the company engages in a multitude of forward contracts. Also, the Companys business may be negatively affected by other factors, both internal and external that are beyond its control, such as instability and downturns in financial markets or economies in some countries or regions, in which the Company operates. Social Factors: population growth rate, age distribution, health and safety awareness, career attitude. 3M, through its business policies is aiming to create a safe workplace, to encourage individual initiative and innovation in an atmosphere of flexibility, cooperation and trust, promoting a culture where promise keeping, fairness, respect and personal accountability are valued, encouraged and recognized.  [15]   Technological Factors: RD activities, automation, technology incentives, rate of technological change. Research and development activities constitute an important part of 3Ms business and have been a significant contributor to the companys sales growth. Research, development expenses accounted for $1.2 billion in 2009, $1.4 billion in 2008 and $1.3 billion in 2007.  [16]   2.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis of the Industry Competition Porters five forces is a framework for the industry analysis developed by Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979 .The model is based on the idea that competitive advantage came from the ability to earn a return on investment that was better than the average for the industry sector(Thurlby,1998). The model identifies five forces which would impact on an organizations behavior in a competitive market: The rivalry between existing sellers in the market. The threat of new entrants on the market. The threat of substitute products available in the market The bargaining power of the suppliers. The power of the customers in the market. Full comprehensions of each of these five forces and the impact they have on the companys business, provide organizations with the necessary information to enable them to choose the right operating strategy in order to be successful in their market.  [17]   2.4.1. The rivalry between existing sellers in the market The conglomerate industry, although very complex, extending over a multitude of business, seems to be dominated by few key players, and 3M Co is one of them. In order to gain competitive advantage, 3M is aiming to stay ahead of the trend by continuously providing the market with new products and technologies. Given its strong balance sheet, the company is able to react fast to any negative changes in the market (lower the price of its products), in order to maintain existing customers and attract new ones. Moreover, in facing competition the company is offering well differentiated products, well known and trustful brands, the chief aim being extra value added products and services for the end customers. 2.4.2. The Threat of new entrants The threat of new entrants is dictated by the market entry barriers. The entry barriers exist whenever it is difficult or not economically feasible for an outsider to replicate the incumbents position (Porter, 1980b; Sanderson, 1998). Such barriers refer to: Cost of entry: In order to enter this industry and compete against the existing firms, the cost of capital required would be extremely high. 3M is a well known company, with an aggressive mergers and acquisition strategy, holding an impressive market share. Distribution channels: 3M products are sold through numerous distribution channels, including wholesalers, retailers, and dealers in many countries around the world. The company has established a large and very well defined distribution network, developed through long association with skilled marketing and sales representatives. Cost advantages not related to the size of the company, like contacts and expertise play a major role in the companys performance. Government legislations: for example, introduction of new laws might weaken companys competitive position; 3M had to improve their environmental performance via new environmental, health and safety policies in order to comply with new government standard and regulations. Many times this requires additional funds, changes into production processes, products, and that some firms may find it difficult to do so without increasing the prices of their products and services. Differentiation: 3M is a well known brand that already gained customer respect and loyalty and the products that represent this company have a high ratio of value to price. 2.4. 3. The Threat of Substitutes Products available on the market Although the threat of substitutes in this sector is high, due to the fact that there is a large number of a substitute product available in the market, 3M products differentiate themselves through superior quality and innovativeness. The firm invests strongly in RD, in order to insure that they deliver extra -added value products, and the existing customers will not be tempted to choose from the many available substitutes. Other aspects that should be considered when trying to mitigate the risk of losing customers to substitute products refer to: relative price performance of substitute, buyer switching costs, ease of substitution, substandard product, and quality depreciation. 2.4.4. The bargaining power of suppliers In the conglomerate industry, the power of supplier is relatively modest, due to the fact that the companies in this industry are very large corporations. This companies act on an international scale, having access to an increase number of suppliers and the buying is done in bulk, immense quantities. There is still some risk regarding the price fluctuation of commodities, like oil, oil derivatives, energy, due to possible shortage. 3M is trying to mitigate this risk engaging in prices agreements and forward physical contracts. 2.4.5. The bargaining power of buyers. When trying to assess the power of buyers, two aspects need to be considered: size and concentration of the customers correlated with the concentration of the competitors. In the conglomerate industry, the bargaining power of the buyers is relatively high due to the fact that all the players in the market are targeting the same customers via similar products. Also, the end customers are more and more informed, and their expectations are continuously growing. Another aspect that should be considered in this case is that the cost of switching between suppliers is relatively low. A buyer has many options; therefore 3M makes a continuous effort to insure that their products are permanently aligned with customer preferences and needs. 2.5 Summary The nature of competition in an industry is strongly affected by the above mentioned forces. As a rule we can state that, whenever buyers and suppliers have high degrees of power, the result translates into a high competitive industry. The industry of conglomerate is moderate to high competitiveness, due to the fact that new entries are difficult (high capital requirements), but this effect is counteracted by the fact that the players in this sector are extremely large and diversified corporations, with solid resources and very aggressive financial strategies. 3. Economic Outlook 3.1 Global Outlook There is no doubt that we are on the path of economical recovery, but the speed of things moving in the right direction is slow, considering the severity of the financial crisis. In advanced economies, such as U.S., small improvements in labor markets, housing markets, and corporate bonds market generated some positive developments in the overall economy. In the emerging and developing economies, (such as China, India, and Brazil) the recovery process seems to be much faster. Even among the advanced economies, the recovery process happens at different speeds, depending of the way that the local government has chosen to deal with the crisis. If we compare The United States with Europe or Japan, we see that the American economy is doing much better than the other two. This phenomenon may have something to do with some of the following: fiscal stimulus was larger in US, the nonfinancial corporate sector is less reliant on bank credit, bond markets have improved which stimulated investments, and many financial and nonfinancial organizations went radical restructuration and improved productivity. In Japan, due to the appreciation of the yen, the countrys exports f eel dramatically, which ultimately impacts the recovery process. Similar situation can be observed in Europe. Some of the economies of this region suffered a major contraction, not only because of the financial crisis, but the real estate too. Overall the economical and financial conditions present themselves as fragile and difficult. There are some signs of recovery, especially in the emerging economies, and is expected that this will help along the recovery process of the advanced economies.  [18]   3.2 Regional outlook Asia is leading the global recovery and the regions contribution to global growth will continue to exceed that of other regions in the next two years, (Source: The International Monetary Fund). China registered 8.4 percent growth last year, and the projections for the next year are similar (9%growth in GDP for 2010). In the region, the GDP has increased 6.8 percent in 2009. The recovery process has been driven by exports combined with low internal demand and ultimately low household consumption. The inflow of capital in the region has increased, stimulating investments and speeding up the recovery process. According to IMF, for the next period of time, Asias main policy challenge will remain to achieve a rebalancing of growth from external to domestic sources. On global level, there is a political and economical issue regarding the Chinese government decision not to appreciate their local currency, and the way this decision is affecting the world trade. Europe, especially the emerging nations, was strongly hit by the financial crisis. In this region the GDP decreased by approximately 4.6 percent in 2009. The projections for 2010 GDP show an increase of 2.3 and 2.2 percent in 2011. The growth rates in most economies in the region will remain slow, due to major contraction in exports and weak capital inflow. Besides the already mentioned factors, other variables such as : high unemployment, real estate crisis, bank restructuring operations, tight credit policies, and high interest rates will also restrain the recovery process. Other regions, such as Latin America and the Caribbean seem to be dealing with the crisis a little bit better than other countries .The last year GDP registered a 2.6 percent drop, and the prognosis for 2010 and 2011 are quite optimistic showing a growth of 3.1 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively. The recovery process is still relatively slow, due to weaker investment and not enough tourism, both important sources of external finances. The lack of tourism may be explained by high unemployment in United States and other high-income countries. The Middle East and North Africa region experienced, an overall GDP growth slowing to 2.9 percent in 2009. The forecasts for 2010 show an increase in GDP of 3.7 percent in 2010 and 4.4 percent by 2011. These projections regarding the recovery process are based on few assumptions such as: the global demand for oil will increase, and oil prices will stabilize. The financial and economical crisis and their effects were not felt as deep in the region of South Asia. In this area, the GDP registered 5.7 percent growth in 2009. This represented a slowing of growth comparing to the boom period, mainly due to a significant decrease in investments, correlated with low domestic demand. The projections for 2010 and 2011 look optimistic: 6.9 and 7.4 percent respectively. 3.4 Local outlook According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the US economy is still growing, but at a slower pace than the first quarter of 2010(2.4% versus 3.7% in the first quarter of 2010). Some of the reasons that will restrain the recovery process are the following: The financial institution will need to recover from losses due to loan defaults. In order to boost the recovery process, the government offered numerous stimulus packages. The housing market registered slight improvements, but failed to meet the expectation. The main disruption in the housing sector was caused by a dramatic drop in house prices, and hou

Madness and Fear in Assignation, Cask of Admontillado, Fall of the Hous

Madness and Fear in Assignation, Cask of Admontillado, Fall of the House of Usher, and Masque of the Red Death Poe’s madmen are all obsessed with death. Existence within reality eventually becomes impossible. Poe usually places his madmen within a room or other enclosure, but they are rarely ever outside. When we do come across an exterior, nature does its best to repress, confine and enclose the man. The protagonist in Poe’s â€Å"The Assignation† sums up the combination of time and space within Poe’s stories and says, â€Å"I have †¦ framed for myself †¦ a bower of dreams. Properties of place, and especially of time, are the bugbears which terrify mankind from the contemplation of the magnificent† (301). The mental state of the character produces the setting and atmosphere, which usually results in the manifestation of that which is feared. The character manipulates his environment and uses tangible buildings and their contents as talismans or charms to outwit death. However, while the madman may try to circumvent death, it is actually the experi ence of dying that he fears, and despite his best intentions, death comes anyway. â€Å"The Cask of Admontillado† features the madman Montressor who seeks relief from his tormentor, and plans the perfect crime, â€Å"to punish with impunity† (274). Montressor painstakingly formulates the plan to rid himself of Fortunato, his tactless and unsuspecting friend. The fact that the crime is detailed meticulously in â€Å"Cask† is odd considering the narrator’s obsession with planning the perfect crime and his equal obsession with the absence of detection. Does the anxious tone in the confession-like story indicate that Montressor falls victim to his own perfect crime and awaits execution? In his confession, Mo... ...sity Press, 1987. 177-214. Kinkead-Weekes, Mark. â€Å"Reflections On, and In ‘The Fall of the House of Usher.’† Edgar Allan Poe: The Design of Order. Ed. A Robert Lee. New Jersey: Barnes & Noble Books, 1987. 17-65. Poe, Edgar Allan. â€Å"The Assignation.† The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Ed. Hervey Allen. New York: Parkway Printing Company, 1938. 293-302. Poe, Edgar Allan. â€Å"The Cask of Admontillado.† The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Ed. Hervey Allen. New York: Parkway Printing Company, 1938. 274-79. Poe, Edgar Allan. â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher.† The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Ed. Hervey Allen. New York: Parkway Printing Company, 1938. 231-45. Poe, Edgar Allan. â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death.† The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Ed. Hervey Allen. New York: Parkway Printing Company, 1938. 269-73.

Zero and Asylum in the Snow by Lawrence Durrell :: Madness Psychology Durrell Essays

Zero and Asylum in the Snow by Lawrence Durrell What is madness? Is madness a brain disorder or a chemical imbalance? On the other hand, is it an expressed behavior that is far different from what society would believe is "normal"? Lawrence Durrell addresses these questions when he explores society's response to madness in his short story pair "Zero and Asylum in the Snow," which resembles the nearly incoherent ramblings of a madman. In these stories, Durrell portrays how sane, or lucid, people cannot grasp and understand the concept of madness. This inability to understand madness leads society to fear behavior that is different from "normal," and subsequently, this fear dictates how they deal with it. These responses include putting a name to what they fear and locking it up in an effort to control it. Underlying all, however, Durrell repeatedly raises the question: who should define what is mad? In line with these questions, Durrell emphasizes that the inability to understand often leads to fear. Moreover, with little or no knowledge of an event or concept, people tend to feel powerless and out of control. Without this necessary understanding, they are unable to have any influence on the situation. One such situation is madness, which is little understood, and the source of madness virtually unknown. People often fear madness, and try to avoid others who seem "weird," different, or exhibit some sign of madness. The people who fear are "poor cattle, they do not understand" ("Zero" 266), and "they will never discover†¦for they have no faith" ("Zero" 264). Durrell encourages them to put away their fears and stop looking for a logical explanation to "madness": "Come. Enter into the creative activity in which you do not need your understandings. Do not mistake truth for the possessive process any longer – ratiocination, knowledge" ("Zero" 252; emphasis added). Durrell believes that not everything needs a "rational" and "logical" explanation. Furthermore, though "madness" cannot be completely explained, it does not need to be feared. The old man in the asylum attempts to understand, "look[ing] profoundly cautious, asking questions, and gathering the answers" ("Zero" 268), and he comes close to understanding the narrator. However, his fear keeps him from grasping the truth: "For the first time there is an understanding in him, but it is hidden in fear" ("Zero" 258). Throughout the two stories, there are many instances where Durrell portrays this fear brought by a lack of understanding.

Red Pony :: Free Essay Writer

Red Pony The Red Pony has many examples of when hard work doesn’t always ensure success. Through out the four chapters of the novel Jody goes through many difficult times. He is helped through these times by Billy Buck-the cow hand, Carl Tifflin-his father, and his mother Ruth Tifflin. The book teaches people a good lesson on many different themes a few are, respect you elders, The chapter â€Å"The Gift† proves the point that hard work doesn’t always ensure success. This chapter is filled with hard time for Jody. Jody received a red pony from his father; he bought the pony from a local auction. The pony was too young to for Jody to ride, Jody was so anxious to ride it. Jody has to care for the pony everyday. He lets him out of the stable and into the coral everyday. One day Billy Buck tells Jody that he can let Gabilan out and leave him out while he goes to school. That day it rains and the pony was left out. Jody came home and the pony was very sick. It gets worse over a few days. After a few days go by the pny gets worse and gets strangles. This leads to his death. In the â€Å"Great Mountains† the event that matches my theme is Gitano and his life. Gitano worked hard all his life, and has nothing to show for his success. Gitano is and old man who used to live on the property that Jody lives on. Gitano had an old adobe house there. Gitano came to stay and die with the Tiffin’s since he used to live there, he calls it home. They let him stay the night and serve him dinner. Jody is very interested in the old man, and asks him many questions about the mountains. He leaves early in the morning, and no one in the family sees him leave. Jeff Taylor, the neighboring rancher, said he saw him on old Easter heading to the mountains. They never saw him again. In the chapter â€Å"The Promise†, the main example of hard work not ensuring success is when they are trying to birth a baby colt. Mr. Tifflin offers Jody the opportunity to get another horse. He is very excited about this. The only thing is he has to do chores, and lots of them. He also has to take care of the horse.

Love in Like Water for Chocolate Essay

Have you ever experienced that euphoric sensation after eating an absolutely delicious food? You are not alone. Many have experienced this feeling and refer to it as a â€Å"foodgasm†. These types of connections between food and sex have long been established, but from where do they come? Do we make these connections through our cultural experiences or are they biologically programmed within us? In Like Water for Chocolate, the author, Laura Esquivel, portrays sex and food as being connected in a cultural sense. The basis for this conclusion rests largely in her use of tradition and her depiction of a Latino family strongly based in their culture. This cultural foundation, paired with the interactions between characters, food, and sex, gives the reader plenty of evidence to support this perspective. Esquivel uses the preparation, eating, and serving of food as a connection to love and sex, and as humans we have learned, through culture, to make this connection. Structured in twelve chapters, each representing a month of the year, Esquivel has created an entrancing love story that is sprinkled with culinary enchantments around every corner. Each chapter is prefaced with a recipe that is relevant to the progression of the novel, not to mention the many cooking tid-bits thrown in throughout each chapter. The preparation of food is clearly very important to the culture being represented. Tita, the main character and protagonist, was born in the kitchen and possesses all the superior traits of a culinary expert. She is also blessed (or cursed) with the ability to inject her emotions in to the food she cooks, in turn, infecting all those who consume the food with that emotion. In one section of the novel, Tita makes Quail, in Rose Petal Sauce, to express her passion for her sister, Rasaura’s, husband, Pedro, who she is deeply in love with. With that meal it seemed they had discovered a new system of communication, in which Tita was the transmitter, Pedro the receiver†¦ Pedro didn’t offer any resistance. He let Tita penetrate to the farthest corners of his being, and all the while they couldn’t take their eyes off each other. (Esquivel 52) It is customary, in many cultures, for a woman to prepare a meal for her significant other in order to show how much she cares for him. The fact that Tita has taken the time to cook such a complex and beautiful dish, to translate her love to Pedro, shows how much impact this cultural custom has on her. Through this particular interaction, Esquivel has displayed the influence that culture has over the preparation of food and it’s relation to love. The expectation for a woman to acquire the ability to prepare food for her significant other brings me to another question: Does a woman’s capacity for cooking significantly affect a man’s attraction to her? Esquivel brings this question to the forefront of the reader’s mind when she offers this comparison between Rasaura and Tita’s cooking. The rice was obviously scorched, the meat dried out, the dessert burnt. But no one at the table dared display the tiniest hint of displeasure, not after Mama Elena had pointedly remarked: ‘As the first meal that Rosaura has cooked it isn’t bad. Don’t you agree, Pedro? ’ Making a real effort not to insult his wife, Pedro replied: ‘No, for her first time it’s not too bad. ’ (50-51) She goes on to show Pedro’s reaction to Tita’s cooking saying, â€Å"It wasn’t enough he’d made his wife jealous earlier, for when Pedro tasted his first mouthful, he couldn’t help closing his eyes in voluptuous delight and exclaiming: ‘It is a dish for the gods! ’†(51). This comparison allows us to reasonably assume that Tita’s aptitude for culinary artistry did contribute to the growth of Pedro’s love. So, how might this reaction be culturally habituated? In almost all cultures, men are expected to provide and women are expected to cook. Even if a man is not consciously aware, they subconsciously factor this in to their choosing of a mate. It is culturally conditioned for a man to prioritize supporting his family over many other things. If a woman does not possess the ability to cook then a man may assume that she will not be able to support or provide for their family. This, of course, is not a strict rule of thought but, from my experience, it can be applied to many cases. Through comparison, Esquivel gives the reader evidence that Pedro loves Tita partially for her ability in the kitchen, and with prior knowledge we, as the reader, can attribute this connection to his cultural influences. We’ve determined that falling in love can be related to a woman’s ability to make food, but what about the relationship between food and making love? Earlier I made a reference to the word â€Å"foodgasm†, this portion of a quote, which I previously used, provides a great example of what a foodgasm might look like. â€Å"†¦ for when Pedro tasted his first mouthful, he couldn’t help closing his eyes in voluptuous delight and exclaiming: ‘It is a dish for the gods! ’†(Esquivel 51) It is instances like this one that finds Esquivel nudging the reader to make a connection between food and sex. Esquivel’s use of diction such as ‘voluptuous’ makes it practically impossible not to connect this experience to the effects of an orgasm. Thinking further on this connection, I think that giving food is a form of showing love just as making love is. As raunchy as it may seem, Pedro is receiving Tita through food. It is their unique form of making love. Esquivel makes another food/love connection on page 67 when she says, â€Å"Tita knew through her own flesh how fire transforms a tortilla, how a soul that hasn’t been warmed by the fire of love is lifeless, like a useless ball of corn flour. †(67) It’s almost as if Esquivel allows characters, in this case Tita, to take on the form of food. With this being said, receiving food is like receiving the person who made it. In Tita and Pedro’s case, it was their way of making love before they could actually perform the act. I think that the importance of food to their relationship can be contributed to their culture’s emphasis on food. If food were not so important to their culture it would not be the medium for such an important interaction. In order to make and express love in Like Water for Chocolate, Tita makes food for Pedro further emphasizing the cultural connection between food and love. Some may argue that this relationship between food and sex is purely natural and scientific. In some sense this is true. Sex and Food are both biologically programmed drives that all humans possess. We have a strong need to procreate in order to further our species as well as a great need to eat in order to survive. These are facts of nature, but you can’t ignore the emotional connection that we have to food and sex. Tita and Pedro do not have these reactions to food in relation to sex simply because they need to eat or they have a great need to reproduce. Culture conditions us to eat because we love food not to simply eat to live. The same goes for sex. We are taught that in order to have sex one must have a connection to their partner; it is â€Å"morally sound† to think this way. This is especially true for the culture being represented in Like Water for Chocolate. Just in the way that Esquivel structures the novel you can get a sense of the importance food. The food must be treated with respect and love just as a person should be. Esquivel shows the significance of treating food well here: Something strange was going on. Tita remembered that Nacha had always said that when people argue while preparing tamales, the tamales won’t get cooked. They can be heated day after day and still stay raw, because the tamales are angry. In a case like that, you have to sing to them, which makes them happy; then they’ll cook. ‘(218-219) Esquivel’s personification of food demonstrates the meaning that food holds in this culture. It has feelings and you have to love it and nurture it. You don’t just eat food to eat it; you eat food because food is a beautiful part of life that you respect. In this way, Esquivel creates a strong connection between food and love through the cultural importance that the novel puts on the meaning of food rather than the natural tendency of humans to make this connection. After analyzing Esquivel’s novel, Like Water for Chocolate, I can say that the connection between food, sex, and love, in this context, is predominately based on cultural influences rather than natural ones. In making food, one is showing how much they care, just as Tita did for Pedro with her Quale in Rose pedal sauce dish. The ability to create such meals, in a man’s mind, is a reflection on a woman’s ability to provide for their family. By personifying food, Esquivel allows this process of cooking food and giving food to become much deeper than the simple act itself. The act of giving food then takes the form of giving ones self to the individual receiving the food. Whether it is between food and love, cooking and falling in love, or eating food and making love, culture is the force that defines these connections. Works Cited Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate. Trans. Carol Christensen and Thomas Christensen. 1st ed. New York: Doubleday, 1992. Print.