Current business issue reflective paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current business issue reflective paper - Essay Example Uncertainty is a subjective phenomenon unlike risk whose probabilities are known (Phillip & Patrick, 2013). Bronwynne, et al., 2005 pointed out that uncertainty involves events in which risk cannot be predicted. When one is anticipating some kind of risk, they tend to be cautious. Thus, risk is complicated and rational, but uncertainty is complex and extra rational. In risk, there are knowable options, steps and opportunities, but uncertainty involves a multiple interactive unknowns (Bronwynne, et al., 2005). Uncertainty may relate to profitability, government policies and regulations, investment, demand, cost, pricing and production. Uncertainty in business tends to be an obstacle in decision making. In order to effectively deal with the issue of uncertainty in business, leaders must possess good leadership characteristics. In relation to dealing with uncertainties leaders are classified into three categories; head only- these leaders rely only on analytical tools to make quick deci sions and thus are not able to balance paradoxes in today’s ambiguous world. Heart only- these leaders are able to establish a strategy through being open to a wide range of opinions. This may hinder them from identifying future trends. Guts only- these leaders believe in their instincts. ... It is advisable to prepare for multiple outcomes other than predicting only one outcome. This is of great help to a business because the planned for outcome may fail to happen and instead another one occurs which had been predicted and planned for, this helps the business leader to be always on their toes and ready for any eventualities (McLoughlin & Aaker, 2010). It also saves the business owner the loss of resources in terms of finances and time. Business leaders should have the knowledge to identify and rely on the predictable elements of the situation. Some situations can be predicted, and this could be of great help to the businesses because one is almost sure that a certain eventuality will occurs and hence proper strategies are put in place to deal with such eventualities (Bronwynne, et al., 2005). Therefore in order to be able to identify the predictable element, one should be very alert and understand their business trends fully. If for example the problem is a natural calam ity like flood, one can predict at what time of the year the floods are experienced. In order to effectively deal with uncertainties in business, it is vital to be agile and to respond quickly to any occurrences. Once an undesirable occurrence befalls the business, leaders should be aware, listen and detect occurrences as they happen. They should adopt the ‘detect and respond’ mechanism in order to effectively tackle the problem. They should also empower and mobilize their people to act fast and decisively. However, this requires managerial and leadership skills. For example, if the uncertainty befalls an organization, the manager should be in a position to

The Ethnography of Anthropology Essay Example for Free

The Ethnography of Anthropology Essay As with the study of any anthropological culture, with ethnography there are no set methods for documenting that culture or human societies, but much can be said about the methods of attempting to understand a culture by investigating how, exactly, that culture is unique. This tact can take the form of looking into a society’s housing conditions, how they raise their children, how they are educated, what types of religions they may follow, and even how they might bury their dead. In this, ethnographic studies have virtually taken the form of historical case studies—placing a culture down on paper as if the writer were there and intimately understood the culture. With that said, a look will now be taken into a few of the major ethnographies and the methods of the anthropologists that conduct the research within them. It has been said that a degree in anthropology would not be complete without an understanding of ethnographic research and the art of defining a culture down to its smallest and most fundamental aspects. From that ideal, the study of ethnography branched into an understanding of cultural mores (more than studying how and why people bury their dead), and a look was taken into how a society might communicate (both verbally and nonverbally). For example, if an ethnographer were to study high school students of the twenty-first century, they might notice that the cell phone forms the lifeline of communication among the young in society, and from it, an entirely new language of the â€Å"instant message† was formed—a language that most modern day â€Å"elders† do not comprehend or understand. In this, an ethnographer might note the disconnect between the young and the old in America today. And that, in its most basic form, is the basis for ethnographic research and just one method for employing ethnography to study a culture. Now, a look will now be taken into a few of the anthropologists that were essential for the major ethnographies along with a comparison of their research methods, successes, and failures. To begin with, Annette B. Weiner wrote â€Å"The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea† as an ethnographic study of the relationships between man and woman and their differing perspectives (and courting rituals) including a somewhat feminist approach on the value of a woman and her work within their society. In 1990, Weiner’s ethnographic work was made into a documentary which focused â€Å"on [unexpected] Trobriand social practices – female exchange, mourning practices, cricket, magic, competition between male chiefs, marriage, Christianity on the island – to provide a picture of modern Trobriand society† (Alexy, 2002, par. 1). When Weiner began her research of the Trobriand culture, she â€Å"had planned to research tourism and local crafts† (par. 2), while instead she found herself drawn into â€Å"explicit and overwhelming female exchange†¦ a ritual mourning ceremony directed by women† (par. 2). In Weiner’s studies, her research also reveals â€Å"other dimensions of Trobriand society beyond these ritual exchanges† (par. 4 ). In this, Weiner’s ethnography goes beyond the traditional mode of one aspect of the culture and instead encompasses a vast amount of the societal mores of the Trobriand. Her failings, if there are any, can be defined by the purely feminine approach to her studies, as even the documentary is filmed from the female perspective, which, ultimately, excludes a great deal of the male perspective and culture from her ethnography. Sharon Graham Davies wrote â€Å"Challenging Gender Norms: Five Genders among the Bugis in Indonesia† as a case study in cultural anthropology to demonstrate the larger value of multiple genders within the society of Sulawesi, on the Indonesian Island versus the two genders that most societies recognize. Essentially, there is the traditional male and female, and then the Bugis also encompass and recognize the androgynous Shaman, and the male and female transgendered (including gay and lesbian) within their society. For their part, the Bugis can be seen as a liberal New York City melting pot of genders, without judgment, and without shame for their chosen paths in life. Davies, in her ethnology, represents a new theory on the ideal of gender and the social mores founded within each, enlightening the subject of challenging traditional gender mores. Further, Davies refers to their gender choices as just that, â€Å"gender negotiations† (Davies, 2001, par. 3) in which both male and female â€Å"to conform to [the] ideals† (par. 3). of most modern societies. More, Davies explained of her work that she refers to â€Å"hir and s/he to challenge readers to [imagine] a subjectivity beyond the dichotomous her/his, she/he. The use of hir further signifies the possibility of a third gender not contingent on crossing from one normative gender to the other. Moreover, neither the Indonesian nor Bugis languages discriminate between gender† (Davies, 2001, endnotes). In this effort, Davies is attempting to define, categorically, the gender difference and non-discrimination that the Indonesian people show. As a gender/sexuality ethnologist, Davies’ research methods seem to comprise the study of the hierarchy within the society and the impact and effect of a chosen gender. Her fundamental stance included the major roles and duties of women, especially, and she defines how â€Å"the hierarchical order of a woman’s duties shows that only after a woman has married and produced children is it her duty to be a member of society. Indeed women may not be considered adults until they have married heterosexually† (Davies, 2001, par. 13). In this, perhaps, the failings of Davies, like Annette Weiner, can be blamed upon her feminist approach to her ethnology of the Bugis and their gender relationships. While her research does encompass the duties and roles of men as well, her main focus is upon the objectification of women and the shocking hierarchal implications (indeed there is some judgment, even in within the Bugis) of their chosen gender identities. Colin M. Turnbull wrote â€Å"The Mbuti Pygmies: Change and Adaptation† as a case study in cultural anthropology of the Mbuti pygmy hunter/gatherers of Zaire. His ethnology focuses on the social organization and environmental tasks and objectives of the pygmies in correlation to their relationship with their non-hunter/gatherer neighboring villages. Turnbull’s work is purely a historical outline of the location and social structure of the Mbuti pygmies in which he notes their settlement location, languages, hunting party structures, and hunting party jobs, like archer, spearman, etc (Martin, n. d. , par. 2). Turnbull discovered that â€Å"only political identity they have is in opposition to the village cultivators† (Martin, n. d. , par. 4) and the â€Å"relationship between the Mbuti and the villagers is maintained on several different levels, centering around trade† (par. 9). In this, Turnbull’s ethnography is highly focused upon one essential aspect of the Mbuti tribes. He does not go any deeper into their culture than trade and hunting, and little is mentioned about social relationships of women within the tribe itself. Indeed, like other ethnographers, Turnbull’s focused approach could be seen as a failing in that there is obviously much more to the Mbuti tribe than their hunting techniques and trade relationships. However, while there must be much more required to understand the Mbuti culture and people, Turnbull’s anthropological research shows, as a case study, and important and driving aspect of the culture. Evon Z. Vogt wrote â€Å"The Zinacantecos of Mexico: A Modern Maya Way of Life† as an ethnographic case study on the life, rituals, economics, and reproduction in Zinacantan. The main focus of his ethnography, however, is the Zinacanteco belief system and how their beliefs serve as the philosophy for their lives and rituals. Of the ethnographers, Vogt is one of the few to spend time in his documentary to relate his various field work methods and explanations. More, Vogt goes deeper into the Zinacantan society, remarking on the food that they eat and the clothing that they wear explaining that â€Å"virtually all women know how to weave the full range of clothing in the normal Zinacanteco costume; but a few items, like ceremonial clothing and the intricate blouses presented to godchildren, are often produced by specialists within the community† (Cancian, 1972, 14). Indeed, Vogt provides an incredibly detailed account of the Zinacanteco way of life, surveying it as closely and as in-depth as if he had lived within the culture since birth. In this, Vogt’s account seems personal and literally every aspect of the society and culture seems accounted for. While he spends a great deal of his ethnographic survey on the belief system, it can be seen from his studies that the religious ways and methods are the driving force for the Zinacanteco and that the most important aspect has been thoroughly covered. Finally, William F. Wormsley wrote â€Å"The White Man will Eat You! An Anthropologist among the Imbonggu of New Guinea† as a case study into the cultural and social structure of the Imbonggu’s, which includes such aspects as leadership, marital obligations, and even magic and religion. Wormsley is the most unique of the major ethnographers because he spends time focusing on the truth of documenting a tribe, and the reactions, emotions, and ideals of the anthropologist himself while attempting such an ethnographic study. Mostly, Wormsley’s work stands out among the rest because of his personal immersion in the culture and society. While the other ethnographers, especially Annette Weiner, documented their studies with a point of view, their attempts were to show the cultures and societies without much interaction, to show the society in its cultural bubble without outside influences and distractions. While Wormsley doesn’t impede the culture he is studying by inserting himself into the historical commentary, his immersion impacts a reader into understanding the trials and tribulations from the ethnographer’s point of view, and that makes for a unique and interesting read. Overall, William F. Wormsley, Evon Z. Vogt, Colin M. Turnbull, Sharon Graham Davies, and Annette B. Weiner are among the foremost ethnographers in the study of cultural and sexual anthropology. While their research has proven to be limited in the nature of what they encompass, all highlight the fields within their chosen cultures that they intended. And of them, Wormsley stands out as the ethnographer most immersed in his ethnographic study as he detailed the life and means of his own documentary. References. Alexy, A. (2002). Viewing notes for â€Å"The Trobriand Islanders of Papua New Guinea. † Accessed July 17, 2009 http://classes. yale. edu/03-04/anth500b/viewing_notes/VN_Trobriand-Islanders. htm Cancian, F. (1972). Change and Uncertainty in a Peasant Economy: The Maya Corn Farmers of Zinacantan. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP. Davies, S. G. (2001). Negotiating gender: Calalai’ in Bugis society. Intersections: Gender, History, and Culture in Asian Context 6, Accessed 17 July 2009 http://intersections. anu. edu. au/issue6/graham. html Davies, S. G. (2006). Challenging gender norms: five genders among Bugis in Indonesia. Florence, KY: Wadsworth Publishing. Martin, M. M. (n. d. ). Society: Pygmies, Mbuti. Accessed July 14 2009 http://lucy. ukc. ac. uk/EthnoAtlas/Hmar/Cult_dir/Culture. 7865 Turnbull, C. M. (1983). The Mbuti Pygmies: Change and Adaptation. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Vogt, E. Z. (1990). The Zinacantecos of Mexico: A Modern Maya Way of Life. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Weiner, A. B. (1988). The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea. New York: New York UP. Wormsley, W. E. (2002). The White Man will Eat You! An Anthropologist among the Imbonggu of New Guinea. Florence, KY: Wadsworth Publishing Co.

Public Relations Essay Example for Free

Public Relations Essay Public relations (known often as just PR) can be and is defined in a multitude of ways. A commonly heard statement in terms of public relations is ‘there is no such thing as bad press. ’ And while that statement may be true, in some cases to much PR can create a situation where a person/company becomes overexposed (and to be quite honest, seen as annoying because the public no longer cares to know about the person/company/situation but the media still is following. ) Media around the world reports the news but not just political, sports, and the like but things they feel will keep the population interested in their programming, magazines, and newspapers. In order for the media to succeed they will follow stories (the good and the bad) as long as the public is interested, when disaster strikes (a person, company, or government) they will be there and so will the public. In order for the person, company, or government to stay on the positive side of the public (of which they may need their support), the affected person/group must use the unwanted media coverage (in some cases, not in others) to their advantage. Edward Bernays (1961) felt public relations was, â€Å"†¦ information given to the public, persuasion directed at the public to modify attitudes and actions, and efforts to integrate attitudes and actions of an institution with its publics and publics with those of that institution. The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) (a group on individuals whose daily work focuses on the success of public relations) does not have an exact definition of public relations but instead a statement, â€Å"Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other. (2007). One final definition of public relations is, â€Å"The art or science of establishing and promoting a favorable relationship with the public. †(Free dictionary, 2007). Comparison and Contrast Each person/group’s view of public relations’ definition have similarities as well as differences. In all instances both the groups affected by the publicity and the public are affected. The public in general can and will affect any business or person and the affect can be completely based on the information the public receives from the media outlets. The advantage seems to be in the hands of the public but some can say the advantage also lies in the hands of the person/company because no matter how bad a situation may first present itself their relationship with the public (whether pre-existing, on-going (in most cases), or new) can turn the possible problem around (i. e. turning a negative into a positive). The Public Relations Society of America seems to have the most well balanced definition (while no one can find a right or wrong answer in the area of public relations) because the PRSA defines PR as a give and take situation so that they remain balanced with one another. Mr. Bernays definition comes across as how companies/people must spin (turn around) the news in order to make any information seen as a positive in the public eye. Why so many definitions? In an area the business world that is held to so many different interpretations it is not a wonder as to why there are so many definitions to public relations. Marketing ties in advertising and the media which creates the public relations but that is only a fraction of what establishes public relations. The most important thing to remember in public relations is that most of the media attention (in fact, almost all of it) is not wanted attention (ie solicited) but awareness that was brought to light for no gain for the person or company. The person/company must then decide how to proceed in the eye of the public (ie public relations) and keep themselves in a positive light. References: Bernays E. L. , Crystallizing Public Opinions, Liveright, New York 1961 Free Dictionary. Retrieved on May 12, 2007 from http://www. thefreedictionary. com/public+relations Public Relations Society of America. Retrieved on May 12, 2007 from www. prsa. org

Foucaults Analysis Of Power

Foucaults Analysis Of Power For Foucault, knowledge ceases to be about liberation and becomes a mode of surveillance, regulation and discipline. Examine this statement in relation to Foucaults analysis of power. The issue of power is a topic which has perplexed not only many Sociologists, but certainly many scholars within the field of Philosophy, Psychology and indeed many others. The Sociologist most noted with this theory is Michel Foucault. Foucault gave a comprehensive and in depth analysis of power, which we will discuss later. However, before we do, we must look at the life of Foucault, as to gain a better understanding of his works. Paul-Michel Foucault, a French Philosopher, Historian and Sociologist lived from October 1926- June 1984. He held the title History of Systems of thought at the notably prestigious College de France, as well as lecturing at the University of Buffalo and the University of Berkley, one of Americas most famous institutions. He refused time and time again to call himself a post-modernist, although he was highly influenced by post-modernist thought. He is most publically recognised for his critical studies of Social Institutions, with particular emphasis on medicine, psychiatry and the human sciences. His work on Power, Knowledge and Discourse has become the topic of much discussion, and has been taken up by many other key thinkers. During the 1960s, Foucault was associated with the structural movement, however he tried to distance himself from this. He preferred to think of himself as a pupil forwarding the Enlightenment views of Kant, trying to show that a side about individual liberty could be applied to improve the Enlightenment theory. According to Giddens, The study of power- how individuals and groups achieve their ends as against those of others- is of fundamental importance in Sociology. Classical thinkers, such as Karl Marx and Max Weber, placed importance on this theory, with Foucault building upon their foundations of theory. Unlike many before him, Foucault saw power as not being concentrated in the hands of the few in one place. Foucault showed in his complex writings that power could be found in all social relationships and not just in the hands of States. However, much of his work is spent showing the ways in which the States exercise their power over the populations. For Foucault, power is ultimately linked with knowledge; they exist because of one another. Therefore, the States power then extends from the development of new types of Knowledge. With the emergence of these, society is able to collect more information about the population and thus control it better. Power, however, whilst restricting people, can also enable them to do things. Power can also only operate if society has a certain amount of freedom, as society tries to restrict, people often try, and succeed, in slipping from its grasp. Foucaults early work on Madness and Civilisation (1967) described how, by the Eighteenth Century, unemployment, poverty and madness started to be seen as social problems by the States. Before this, the mad were free from state intervention, and were allowed to wander as they liked in rural areas; or they were put to sea in ships of fools. However, these became replaced with areas of confinement, such as madhouses, where they became isolated and separated from the rest of civilisation. According to Foucault, this was due to the European culture with a sense of responsibility for these social problems. A duty of responsibility was formed for the mad. However, by the 19th Century, these methods of separating groups was seen as being a mistake. New methods were developed to separate the different groups. Psychiatry began to take off, and became a new means by which to categorise people, for example, as being mad or suffering from some form of illness. As this happened, the discourse of the social sciences came to be involved in power relationships. Maden Sarup (1988) argued that the term discourse as used by Foucault, meant practices that systematically form the object of which they speak. According to this then, the development of psychiatric theories created mental illness. It was a discourse used to control certain groups within the population. This technique became crucial in the States gradual development of administration. The term administration allowed monitoring and possible control over people and their behaviour. However, according to Foucault, it was not just a straight forward power held by the state. Rather, it allowe d power relationships on an individual level, for example, between a psychiatrist and a patient. In Foucaults later work, Discipline and Punish (1975), he explored these themes in much more depth. Foucault begins with a very gruesome account of the public execution of Damiens in Paris, 1757. He was, in todays terms, tortured. However, Foucault makes the point that by the late 18th Century the use of public punishment began to dwindle. Punishment became private, rather than public, with the use of better, more efficient methods, for example, hanging. This also saw the implementation of more prison sentences. They obey a strict regime of work, sleep and education. According to Foucault, these changes involved a shift in the practices of punishment. Before the use of prisons, the main focus of punishment was on the pain inflicted to the body. However, the use of prisons focused on punishing the soul. It was to do with a loss of rights now, for example the right to freedom. The almost guarantee of being caught was meant to deter people, rather than the fear of public humiliation whi ch thus had failed. This new method was intended to offer reformation rather than to make the offender suffer. There was, as Foucault made clear no absolute shift in punishment methods, as capital punishment was, as is, still practiced. However, there was a definite shift to the latter method from the former. A change in what exactly was being judged also occurred. Before, it was the act being judged, whereas now it was the type of person they were. Extenuating circumstances were now taken into account. The level of punishment now focused on the motivation behind the crime. As Foucault stated, The question is no longer has the act been established and is it punishable? But also: What is this act, what is this act of violence or this murder? To what level or what field of reality does it belong? These questions could only be answered by a range of specialists, for example, psychiatrists and psychologists. Control became fragmented in this specialist knowledge. Foucault claims A corpus of knowledge, techn iques, and scientific discourses is formed and becomes entangled with the practice of the power to punish. Even as the state developed methods to control people, it gave power to the experts who had the knowledge, thus again proving the link between knowledge and power. However, with the exercise of power and knowledge relationships, Foucault makes the important point that they are not entirely negative. There also exist positive responses to them. It can allow certain things to be achieved. The example Foucault uses is the motivation of workers to become better and improve the labour power that societies may require. Moreover, power is not something possessed by individuals, power is exercised rather than possessed. Also, power can only be used when people have a choice about what to do; and Foucault makes the point that there are extremely few occasions when people will have no choice. Someone would be able to resist by possibly committing suicide, or killing the other, (Foucault 1988). Therefore, it is always possible to resist those exercising power, the result, however, produces an element of uncertainty. Power has the ability to be reversed. He argues à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the fact that I am older and that at first you were intimidated can, in the co urse of the conversation, turn about and it is I who can become intimidated before someone, precisely because he is younger, (Hindess, 1996). In his work on discipline, Foucault again states that power and knowledge are inseparable, We should admit that power produces knowledgeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ that power and knowledge directly imply one another; that there is now power relation without correlative constitutions of a field of knowledge, now any knowledge that does not presuppose and constitute at the same time power relations. Thus, it becomes possible to resist the exertion of power by challenging the knowledge on which it was based. For example, a patient may question a doctors diagnosis, thus challenging the knowledge and overcoming the power of the doctors expertise. Because each implies the other, power relationships can be seen in all aspects of society. They are not just seen between State and citizen relations, or between classes. Therefore, for Foucault, Marxism is too limited as it only focuses on the power relationships between classes. As the same, Pluralism only focuses on state exerted power. They are inadequat e as they are too narrow, and fail to look at the everyday interactions of people and the commonly used discourses involved therein. Foucault does not believe that power and knowledge is not exercised by the state alone; however that does not imply that he feels they are absent from the state either. Attempts are continually made by Governments and other bodies to control and manipulate behaviours. Sophisticated techniques can be developed to do this, although they are never entirely successful. In his text, Foucault enters into extreme detail about the ways in which states oversee activities involving power and knowledge. He discussed the English philosopher Jeremy Benthams prison design, the Panopticon. It was never fully used, although pieces of the design were incorporated into prison construction. The main feature of this design was a central tower. It allowed the guards to see into any cell at any given time. Back lighting would mean they could observe without the prisoners knowledge; thus forcing them to never misbehave, as they would never know if a guard was looking at them. They would have discipline enforced upon them. For Foucault, discipline was an important feature for modern societies. Surveillance techniques, such as Closed Circuit Television, or CCTV, were used to observe peoples behaviour in public places, thus encouraging a strong regime of self-discipline. People then began to grow accustomed to control their actions, whether being observed or not, the fear was enough. Discipline therefore gives people the power to regulate their own behaviour. This is based on Foucaults notion that we all have a soul, and this can be manipulated. However, what Foucault calls a soul being manipulated, some may argue that it is, in fact, a psychological technique, thus taking the power away from the state and back to the expert psychologist. This notion is more effective, however, than simply inflicting pain. You do not punish the body; rather you produce docile bodies which pose no threat as they are self-disciplined. Discipline plays an important in Governance, however it is also found in many other organisations, and is never truly successful. According to Hindess (1996), the suggestion is, then, that we live in a world of disciplinary projects, all of which suffer from more or less successful attempts at resistance and evasion. The result is a disciplinary, but hardly disciplined society. For Foucault, government goes beyond the activities of state. The pupil who misbehaves or the patient who denies the diagnosis are as much a feature of modern societies as the docile body of a disciplined citizen. In conclusion, Foucaults work provides significant insight into the nature of power. He succeeds in showing how power and knowledge are connected closely. He also shows how power is found in other social relationships other than what involves the government, and demonstrates how power is never likely to be absolute. Furthermore, he successfully shows how people will try to evade any exertion of power onto them. His work is much more subtly done than the theory of some Marxists and Pluralists. However, it can be said that he fails to take into account the importance of some of these theories in relation to power. He neglects the view that power can be exercised in the field of economics, and also neglects the power that the military can exercise. Moreover, Foucault at times seems to contradict himself. He claims that the Governments have an increased ability to surveil and regulate the citizens. However, he then says that power can be exercised when we have some freedom, and that resistance is impossible. These statements would seem to be at opposite ends of the pole. Furthermore, Foucaults definition is much different than that of, for example, the sociologist Max Weber, who asserts that power is exercised because we do not have freedom to act as we chose to do rather than as we are told to do. However, Foucault does certainly offer an alternative idea which is provocative in the field of research. He uses a very intriguing analysis of how States develop techniques of social control.

Business Monopolies :: essays research papers

Business Monopolies This world is made up of many businesses and businessman. Some have prospered and some have lost everything. The term â€Å"monopoly† was the cause for the rise and fall. Very select few have managed to dominate a product or company to form a monopoly. Unfortunately, the government prohibits these types of businesses, yet people still continue to strive to achieve such stature. Two of the truest powerhouses of the past 300 years in the business world would most definitely be William Henry Gates 3rd and John Davison Rockefeller. Both of these business geniuses have unique stories about their rise to the top. They also share there experiences on how quickly they can fall and lose everything. William Gates was born on October 28, 1955. His family had a history of being great in business and politics. His father was a prominent lawyer and his grandfather a president of a bank. Bill was a naturally gifted child who excelled in every course. His parents decided to send him to a private school, which had an enormous effect on him. It was here where he was introduced to the computers. While attending this private school, he met Paul Allen. Allen, Gates, and a few other kids, started using computers to write programs but decided that they needed some way to practically use the machine in the real world. They got their first chance when Paul happened to see a magazine with a picture of a personal computer. He told Gates, who at the time was attending at Harvard. They both decided to call the company and tell them that they had written an operating system for the computer. This, however, was a lie because they did not even own one of these machines. They had one chance to test the program and it worked perfectly. Gates then dropped out of Harvard and he and Allen started a new company called Microsoft. In 1980, the two were approached about programming a program for a personal PC. This was the start of Ms-Dos. In 1987, he started pushing CD-ROMs, which turned out to be a good idea. The 1990s were crazy years for Microsoft. The company became a big time player and got bigger and bigger. As Microsoft became a larger and more powerful company, they became able to use Predatory pricing to their advantage. That meant that they were able to cut their price so low no one could compete.

the frog princess :: essays research papers

â€Å"The Frog Princess†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2/6/05 This book is about a princess named Emma who is clumsy always trips over herself and when she laughs she sounds like a donkey. She has an aunt Grassina who’s a witch. She goes to a near by swamp and meets a talking frog. The frog claims to be a prince and he wants her to kiss him. But the princess just goes home and tells nobody, what she found. Feeling bad she goes back to the swamp and decides to kiss the frog to see if he really is a prince. And he said that if she would kiss him that he would turn back into a prince. When she sees the frog again she kisses him. To her surprise it does the opposite of what the frog told her it would and it turns her into a frog. After she realizes that something was wrong Eadric the prince frog teaches her how to live. He teaches her how to eat flies and other important things that frogs must do to stay alive. After a few days they go to find the witch that turned the prince into a frog in the first place. On their scary journey through the swamp they find a witch not however the one they were looking for. The witch brought them home and locked them up. Again having to find the way out and free themselves. They found a way out and let out the other creatures that the witch had caged up. Then they went back on their journey. They go to Emma’s aunts castle and find her aunt and tell her the story of what happened.Then they all make a plan to find a charmed braclet that Emma had lost by the swamp the day she had turned into a frog. Hoping it would help them turn back into human, they find the otter that took it and make up a scam telling him that Emma was a swamp fairy wanting her bracelet back. She gets it back and before they start to leave they run into the real swamp fairy who is mad at them for imitating her.

Failure of the Legal System in Atonement, Wonder Boys and The Round Hou

The code of Hammurabi, dating back to 1772 BC, is one of the oldest recorded legal codes and reflects the early Babylonians’ views of justice. The code is best known for â€Å"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.† By enumerating punishments for certain crimes the code removes ambiguity and combined with its relatively harsh penalties, especially on lower class citizens, served as an effective deterrent. More profoundly however, Hammurabi’s code formally shifted justice-seeking responsibilities from the individual to the state. Today, most modern legal systems are structured similarly to Hammurabi’s code with their own codified laws and listed punishments. Capital punishment and the idea that â€Å"the punishment should fit he crime† are derivatives from the ancient text that are widespread in the world today. Hammurabi’s code however was not without fault. Pervasive throughout the archetype of modern law are inequitable punishments determined by one’s social standing. For example, the 8th law of Hammurabi’s code states, â€Å"If any one steel cattle or sheep, or an ass, or a pig or a goat, if it belong to a god or to the court, the thief shall pay thirtyfold therefore; if they belonged to a freed man of the king he shall pay tenfold; if the thief has nothing with which to pay he shall be put to death† (King). Both the social standing of the violator and the victim of the crime played a large role in determining what the penalty would be. Today, our view of justice has ostensibly metamorphosed, to the extent that most people today would recognize that the 8th law from Hammurabi’s code was prejudiced and wrong. Although some may wish to remove themselves from such an unjust system, the reality is that we are not far from it. The mode... ...sity, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. . Lee, Jaeah, and Brett Bownell. "Charts: Why You're in Deep Trouble If You Can't Afford a Lawyer." Mother Jones. Mother Jones, 1 July 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. . McEwan, Ian. Atonement: A Novel. New York: N.A. Talese/Doubleday, 2002. Print. Stevenson, Bryan. "We Need to Talk about an Injustice." TED: Ideas worth Spreading. TED Talks, Mar. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. Wright, Paul. "Prison Legal News - Legal Articles, Cases and Court Decisions." Prison Legal News. Prison Legal News, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. .